cobweb's comments

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Addicted to Distraction

It's very easy though to procrastinate when in 'command' of a web browser.

Removing the device removes the temptation.

Typically I can be in the middle of something else, sit down in front of the laptop to quickly check the news or something, and end up walking away from it a few hours later. It's very easy to get sucked in. I guess I'm weak minded.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Addicted to Distraction

I can easily go a bit tab mad. And noticed this in myself ages ago. At work I vowed not to look at sites that weren't work related. And instead checked personal email/sites before or after work. I was more organised. I even used to sit on the train and plan my days work. And it paid off.

These days I'm more and more distracted, have issues concentrating, and I don't have a smartphone, which I'd probably gravitate towards. It is in part, why I don't own one.

I also have congnitive difficulty reading from the screen, so if I stumble across something I think is worth reading, I send it to my e-reader. There I have a ton of unread articles. But I do tend to do one at a time, and it sticks better.

The young ones seem to be able to happily multitask, they sit next to each other on the bus or in cafes talking and surfing simultaneously. I find multi-tasking increasingly difficult, they don't, what gives?

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Addicted to Distraction

Quiet contemplation. That thing you used to do when you got an early night, that may have helped your brain get into order, or possibly aroused the senses, and led to panic.

My partner monopolises the main living space, and always switches the TV on. She's out with the tablet and surfing in seconds. I don't have a mobile internet device at hand. So it can feel lonely and desolate. Once I also pulled out my laptop alongside the telly. So do get it. It does feel rude if one sided. Especially when you are left watching some crap that you wouldn't put on yourself. I could fetch my book, but I find it difficult to read while the telly is on. One day I might challenge her to a conversation.

I enjoy space and silence. In the garden I can just stand and listen for an hour or so at a time. I'm almost completely vacant. It feels good, but I'm not sure if it is good for the brain.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: The Secret Ingredient in Orange Juice

The home vs shop bought items rings true. I can make a bean burger without much effort. And I have a good idea what went into it. But if I buy one, I'm not sure how old the ingredients are, how long they have been stored and what other processes those foods have been through.

I have gotten it into my head that these are pretty much low-nutrition non-foods, and as such, I only eat them on the rare occasion.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: The Secret Ingredient in Orange Juice

If I ever buy shop bought tomato pasta sauces, there is a flavour in most that repulses me. It's something I can't recreate with home cooking. So this post does make me think that it could be something like a flavour pack. I always thought it was a preservative.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Booting Linux in One Second [pdf]

Configuration can be a pain. Sane defaults help and smart UIs help not to mention good documentation.

I've been playing with some software over the last week that has wiki for documentation and an active user forum with people willing to help. But it's completely disordered and incredibly hard to discover. Half the battle with usability is making it easy to use and understand.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

That's what I do. Once to get rid of food debris. Then start with toothpaste. Then floss, rinse, and a quick brush again with toothpaste. But sadly too little too late with my teeth. They are screwed.

I rarely ate sweets as a child and avoid sugar. I rarely eat processed foods. Drink is another matter. I most likely have harmed my teeth from drinking beer/wine/smoothies and from being too rough when cleaning. I really miss my younger healthy teeth.

My teeth have felt horrible ever since they failed and were drilled and filled. And now bring me a lot of misery. Look after your teeth! Healthy teeth are incredibly attractive. IMHO.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Why has the quality of brick buildings declined in the last 100 years?

Wood is a renewable and a carbon trap. On site, dirt is a good choice for a building material. You can also use it to bulk mass. You just need a digger and some grunt work. See building with rammed earth.

I've a friend who has just added to his 17th century thatched cottage with like materials: oak timber frame, timber cladding and wattle and daub, which is dirt and wood/hay/hair. It's lovely and solid. Sadly planning officials insisted on an over the top concrete foundation that negated all his hard work with his sympathetic build.

The wood is good!

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Instead of Standing, Why Not Lie Down While You Work?

Cheers, I have tried that, it might suit a symmetrical keyboard a little better or a tenkeyless, but the keyboard feels a little low still. And slightly wrong. It's the pointer that's also a pain. I recline with a laptop on my lap and that's okayish as the touchpad is accessible, but still not great. Like you, I'm keyboard focused mainly, with the occasional use of the pointer. I don't have one place in the house which is particularly comfortable to use a PC at, and I'd need a new room for that chair! On my laptop I have the nipple in the middle, but it requires a bit too much stress for it to be comfortable. Otherwise that could be a great addition to any keyboard.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Instead of Standing, Why Not Lie Down While You Work?

I had such bad pains in my neck and shoulders that I had to lie down alot, and from that position I learnt how to touch type and use vim. I thought the position had some merit, and that a light recline might be good. About five years on and I still struggle sitting and typing on 'standard desks'. It just feels ergonomically wrong.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: Why too much choice is stressing us out

Does she vocalise her deliberation? Or ask involve you in the opinion making?

I love to be made a drink. And love a surprise, partly because it saves me having to make a decision.

cobweb | 10 years ago | on: OAuth Has Ruined Everything

From my limited knowledge of BrowserId, it feels slightly wrong to me to place my identity in the web browser. What happens if someone borrows my PC, or I have multiple identitiesL This is still a bit of a 'mare for me when swapping between web browsers. Perhaps you should be able to hook an identity into any running app, via an identity manager/authentication agent.
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