I purchased a new mouse from Apple, and I like it. But it made me think of a concept user interface tool that I invented for a tutorial on user interfacing some years ago: the rat. This was a foot-operated user interaction device, conceptually with a couple of pedals as well. the idea was that one used it rather like a mouse – but it kept one’s hands both free for use on the keyboard, and avoided the difficulties that I for one have with a cluttered (physical!) desk and space to move a mouse. My students didn’t think it would catch on (perhaps it was the name: some rodents are more attractive – think Tom and Jerry – but I can’t think of any cartoon rats!). And no-one ever beat a path to my door trying to take up the idea (but then, I never patented it). Perhaps it would be better as a large foot-operated trackball (think something football sized), perhaps it needs a different name (squirrel? cat? or perhaps something non-animal, like footmouse?). If anyone feels like taking it up (perhaps it already exists? I shall resist googling and looking for it) perhaps they could comment.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Of mice and feet.
November 11, 2009meta-blog blogging: is this just cheap self-publicisation, or has it a purpose?
November 8, 2009Given that I have a set of web pages that I use for work, and given that I need to be a little careful about what I might place in a public blog (or indeed in my own work web pages), I’m left wondering why I’m writing this blog at all. Now, yes, I can write about non-work activities (like Porgy & Bess), but then, there’s lots of newspapers (and they’re all on the web as well) that write reviews, and I’m not at all sure that mine adds anything new. I could tweet on twitter about my every move, but I can’t imagine why anyone would want to read them. Or indeed, read this either.
Meanwhile: I note that Andy Murray has won the tennis at Valencia (hurrah!), that it’s getting pretty cold here (first proper frost of the autumn last night). Do I write about the trivia of my own life? A trip to a fortieth birthday last night, or a trip to buy a mattress today and a wander round IKEA, or the really boring matters, like putting out the recycling on a Sunday night? Surely not. Perhaps I should simply wait till something more interesting happens, though that might take some time. Or perhaps I should use my rich inner life to dramatise the ordinary? Maybe that’s it: meanwhile, the rest of the family are watching Casualty on i-player (that sounds pretty dramatic). I think that perhaps if I have nothing to say, I should say nothing. So back to reading my student’s thesis.
Will the UK members of parliament strike?
October 29, 2009Listening to the news today, I am struck by the contrast between the (UK) Post Office and the Houses of Parliament. The Post office strike is going ahead, yet in spite of drastic proposed changes to their terms and conditions of service, there is no sign of members of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords taking strike action. Clearly, they need a union. Actually, I wonder if anyone would notice if they did go on strike … yet I also see that there’s 13 candidates for the Glasgow North-east by-election, so perhaps they are in fear of losing their jobs.
Social networking
October 28, 2009Hey – maybe I’m getting the hang of this! just created a ning social network to support a new project. I had thought I needed some sort of a wiki with security (which is a bit un-wiki-sih), but maybe an invitation-only ning social network will do the trick. So I’ve invited all the relevant people, and (given that the message gets through their spam-filters) perhaps it will work. Will soon find out.
Today I started a blog
October 28, 2009And here it is: I’m working on a course here at my University, Digital Media – I helped set it up last year. And now I’m going to try keeping a blog. Without getting fired (“dooced” is the term, I’m told). So this might be a bit vanilla. Or not. Anyway, it’s started.
Lestheprof's Blog 
My problem with blogs
January 17, 2010I started this blog thinking it would be a bit like a diary. Not that I’ve ever successfully kept a diary for more than about a week, but I thought that the technology might encourage me. But the difference is that I can ensure that only the people I want to read a diary – or even that no-one else at all reads it. But a blog? A blog is a public document. Worse, it’s a copiable public document that takes on a life of its own: it’s indelible. Even if I delete the blog – even in WordPress closes permanently, there will still be a record of whatever I write, readable by those who want to. So I can’t write anything I don’t want to make public. And that’s a problem, because all the interesting things that I might want to write are things that I don’t want all and sundry to be able to read. Yes, I know that my name and identity are not directly visible, but I’m quite sure that anyone who really wanted to know who I was would have few problems in tracing me. And there are a few people who already know who I am.
I’m told that on facebook, security can be set on a friend by friend, post by post basis (as is the case on some other portal-based repositories that I work on). And, of course, on facebook, most users hide more or less everything from the casual non-friend visitor. So perhaps I should give up the blog and go on to facebook. But then I’d have to manage my friends, and manage my posts: and that’s even more work.
So? I’ll settle for making bland entries, and attempting a little humour (see: English spelling, implies UK educated).
It was a dark, dark night, and three men were sitting on a log. One of the turned to one of the others, and began:
It was a dark, dark night, and three men were sitting on a log. One of the turned to one of the others, and began:
It was a dark, dark night, and three men were sitting on a log. One of the turned to one of the others, and began:
It was a dark, dark night, and three men were sitting on a log. One of the turned to one of the others, and began:
and so on. Surely I can do better than this?
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