Day: 2018-07-22

My Week Ending July 22, 2018


Here’s a summary of some of the things I learned and published this week.

Readings (You can follow my daily readings as they happen here.  Here are a selected few from the past week.)

  • I do like reading stories like this.  It’s always interesting to see what other people consider the best of the best.  This time, it’s Windows applications.
  • Uh oh.  People aren’t going to like the changes coming for Google Chrome?  I suspect there will be initial complaining but no change in their use.  Chrome is just so embedded everywhere.  On the other hand, Firefox may be waiting.
  • This story indicates that not all Ontario teachers will teach the 1998 Curriculum.  There’s been a lot of talk about this including the thoughts that the government is waffling.  It’s late July though; teachers really need a definitive heads up so that they might start planning.
  • So, you’re going to switch to a Chromebook?  Here are some tips.
  • The big technology news this week is the Surface Go.  US pricing will be $400.  Here’s an introduction to the tablet.  You can pre-order now if you like to buy computers sight unseen.  Not me.
  • Now you can use Morse code on Google’s Gboard keyboard.  Will anyone other than Boy Scouts and Girl Guides use it?  Do they even use it there anymore?  The only thing I remember is S-O-S.
  • This story is about raising good citizens but many of the topics could be applied to teaching students to be good citizens.
  • This is interesting.  Why did a company choose Google Suite instead of Microsoft Office 365?
  • This is an article that appeared in Professional Speaking a couple of years ago about the 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum.
  • I always enjoy a new operating system update.  Lots to explore.  Here’s a list of things to do once you upgrade to Linux Mint 19.

Blog Posts on doug … off the record

Blog Post on ecoo.org

  • Plan Now for #BIT18 in November (I know I shared this previously but I’ll do it again here.  Please share it with your social network and those within your district, particularly those with PD money.  I’d like to meet as many people as possible this fall.  I also get to chair the ECOO Annual General Meeting.  After a year of doing the Board of Directors online, it will be nice to see real faces of people that the organization serves.)

voicEd Radio

My on demand page can be found here.  The latest edition features blog posts from:

Technology Trouble Shooting

I love how Google tracks your phone.  You can go to your Google history and actually see your tracks.

So, I landed in Detroit after flying back from the CSTA Conference in Omaha.  I was amazed that I found my car so easily at the McNamara Terminal.  That’s unique because I never can find it.  So, I get into the car and head for the exit.

Now, for years, I have taken I-94 from the airport to the bridge.  It’s the shortest route.  But, for some reason, I left the parking garage via the south exit instead of the north exit.  I figured that the GPS in the car would head me in the right direction.  Wrong.  It appeared to understand my directions but then it “failed to calculate the route”.  By that time, I was on a local highway.

I tried the instructions again and this time success.  Just get on I-75 and away you go.  I know that I-75 eventually swings past the Ambassador Bridge so I’m good.  Right?

Wrong!

I-75 is under major reconstruction.  So, I’m weaving back and forth under the overpasses of I-75 looking at all the closed on ramps.  Well, at least the GPS kept saying I was headed North and/or East.  (At least for the most part)

I saw so many new sections of Detroit!

Finally, there’s the off ramp to the bridge.  Clear sailing, right?

Wrong!

Biggest. Backup. On. The. Bridge. Ever.

To rub salt into the wound, there were all kinds of signs indicating that we should call the Canadian Customs and ask them to open the six new lanes.

Sigh.

Video of the Week

One of the advantages of doing my Saturday posts revisiting voicEd radio shows is reliving the intro songs.  Here’s one of them live!  Thanks, Diana Maliszewski for the inspiration!

My Favourite Photo of the Week

This isn’t the greatest framed picture I’ve ever taken but I was holding an ice cream cone at the time.  I didn’t want to take time to centre it lest I drop the cone.  Regardless, it’s a wonderful sentiment.

Screenshot 2018-07-20 at 19.59.19

Thanks for reading.

dp

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Whatever happened to …


… two spaces after a period?

This whole issue has typically gone away from my mind by every now and again someone makes it return.  This time around, it was Cyndie Jacobs who somehow dug up this story.

Last human to use two spaces after a full stop dies

(Warning:  language)

Of course, readers of this blog who scrutinize my every keystroke knows that this is fake news.  I’m still here typing.

Here’s a nice descriptor of the situation and, despite some knowledge, it does predate typewriters.  It’s not just for periods (full stops) but two spaces were required after a question mark and exclamation mark at the end of sentences.  Plus, if you were using a colon in your typing, it was expected there are well.

I can remember us questioning it at the time and not getting a really good answer other than “it’s a typing error if you don’t use a double space”.  So, we did it because to not do so lowered your words per minute score.  It seemed like a small price to pay.

There have been all kinds of attempts at explaining why – I’m sure that you’ve heard them – typewriters used mono-spaced fonts and today’s computers typically use proportional fonts.  It’s an interesting comparison but doesn’t really explain a significant really why.

After all, you can still use a mono-spaced font if you want.

But just the difference in font really doesn’t give a satisfactory reason.  I maintain that it’s an excuse given by people who didn’t take formal keyboard training to rationalize their shortcoming!  The double space even has a purpose on today’s smartphone where it generates a period and a space automatically so that you can move to the next sentence.

I’ve always double-spaced and continue to do so.  Quite frankly, this blogger makes lots of mistakes and kind-hearted souls have pointed them out but nobody has ever complained that I use two spaces after a period.  By the way, this really isn’t a call to action.

For a Sunday, where do your feelings lie?

  • one space or two after a period or sentence ending punctuation
  • do you have a strong opinion one way or the other?
  • why is it incorrect to use the left thumb to tap the space bar?  (I seriously would like an answer to this one)
  • does your keyboard have a shiny spot centre right on the space bar where your right thumb hits the space bar and the rest of your space bar is factory fresh?

Screenshot 2018-07-19 at 15.37.47

I hope that you have fun with this one and share your thoughts.  Plus, if you feel strongly one way or the other, give us your best rationale in the comments below.  Go ahead and try to convince me that I’m yet again wrong.

OTR Links 07/22/2018


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.