Old Sneezes

Archive for July, 2006

I.T. Literacy in Ireland – Measuring the wrong skills

Sunday, July 30th, 2006

A 2006 study of I.T. literacy in Europe by Eurostat used the following criteria to assess ability:

use a mouse to launch programs such as an Internet browser or word processor;
copy or move a file or folder;
use copy and paste tools to duplicate or move information on the screen;
use basic arithmetic formulae (add, subtract, multiply, divide) [...]

I.T. Aphorisms

Sunday, July 23rd, 2006

Home is where you hang your @
The e-mail of the species is more deadly than the mail.
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered mails.
A journey of a thousand sites begins with a single click.
You can’t teach an old mouse new clicks.
Great groups from little icons grow.
Speak softly and carry a mobile.
C:\ is the root of [...]

Ode to Tom Prescott

Sunday, July 23rd, 2006

Hurrah for brave Tom PrescottVerily half man half biscuitHe knew his Linux inside outBought his software from a toutAnd when he broke it, he could fix itHurrah for brave Tom Prescott

© Paul C – bored at work, order management, Informix Irl., circa 1995. About quarter past one, I’d say.

Science for kids

Sunday, July 23rd, 2006

You can listen to thunder after lightening and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don’t hear it, you got hit, so never mind.
Talc is found on rocks and on babies.
The law of gravity says its not fair jumping up without coming back down.
Rainbows are just to look [...]

It’s its – their there – and other common errors

Saturday, July 22nd, 2006

Something that really bugs me is when journalists use their instead of they’re or there; your instead of you’re and its instead of it’s. Ok, I admit, the latter case is so common that it can be excused, however there should be no confusion with the other two.
Their and your denote possession. e.g. Your cooking [...]

My post on Ray’s blog

Friday, July 21st, 2006

Having read all the posts on this blog, I must say that that by rockbeer deserves kudos for clarity, eloquence and sheer common sense.
I empathise in particular, with points 8 to 10 about anticipating what might happen and leaving space between you and the vehicle ahead. Virtually all so-called scrapes/shunts are as a result [...]

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