General
Those two anamorphosis maps shows the rail travel times in Europe: 1993 for the first one and 2020 for the other. Taken from Spiekermann, K. and M. Wegener. 1996. Trans-European Networks and Unequal Accessibility in Europe. European Journal of Regional Development 4:35-42.
Yes, space matters...Mapping the Global Network Economy on the Basis of Air Passenger Transport Flows by F. Witlox*, L. Vereecken and B. Derudder
In this paper global air traffic data are used to attain an insight in the spatial structure of the network economy. The main emphasis is on identifying and mapping this network through the use of passenger transport flows. Our approach is unique in that for the first time a worldwide (i.e., truly global) perspective is taken because use is made of so-called MIDT data. This exceptional dataset contains information on global airline bookings and connections relating to more than half a billion passengers. The data reveal and confirm interesting global economic and political patterns, typifying the current globalized network economy.
Last firday, walking in the streets of Lyon, I found this interesting picture, I think Larry Hyman (researcher at University of California, Berkeley) made it when he worked in France...
I did a brief leaflet for the CSCW student to show them how to conduct variance analysis.
Thank your Mauro for pointing me so early on this really nice tool. I hope you enjoy it. It's basically a plastic ear filled with candy ear wax. Though it looks like the real thing, it's actually fruit-flavored gel.
(Via), It appears that Microsoft's hit game, Halo 2, supports RSS. Well the use of RSS in video games is unexpected but actually appears to be interesting. According to Dave, Bungie (the company behind Halo) provides an RSS feed for each player, keeping track every game played.
Not only do they track every single kill in every single multiplayer game (along with who did it, how it was done, and where it was done), but they put all this data into a feed you can subscribe to and never miss out on post-game scrutiny.
CatchBob now runs on my ibook!
Post-Doctoral researcher, Collaborative TechnologiesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology
The CRAFT (Center for Research and Support of Training and its Technologies) has open a two year position for a experienced researcher. We are looking for someone with a strong background in computer science and experience in CSCL or mobile technologies. The research wcould be related on several project:
CRAFT is associated to the School of Computer Science. Working language will be English. Our university is located on the lake side (Lake of Geneva) in front of the Alps. You may ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon.Applicants should direct their communications to pierre dot dillenbourg at epfl dot ch
Crap Technology at work: a discussion about bad technologies at work in some forum.
- Air conditioning. It is usually unnecessary, it is seen as 'essential' for modern offices but the majority of people hate it for at least 11 months of the year.
- about 70% of software in companies is just the wrong thing for the job, sometimes due to crap software, sometimes due to crap demands from companies in the first place.
- Would that be the wonderful Cisco IP phone?
- By the way... phones are still down.
Black french humor, some people think about a location-based service to tag stork eater. Funky hoax!
Mobi Mushi is an old location-based game (as attested by the pic below, 2002 :) ). It's in french, on orange phone, designed by gameloft. The idea is simple: you have a character (called mobimushi). Thanks to the geolocation feature, the character detects the places from where you connect. You have to take this into account to raise your mobimushi and have it battle it out with other pets. Yes, it's a bit passé but the idea is cool.
Comment marche la " géo-intelligence " du MobiMushi ? A chaque connexion, vous êtes localisé géographiquement. Le MobiMushi sait donc où vous vous trouvez. Si c'est un lieu que vous lui avez déjà appris, il le reconnaît immédiatement. Si c'est un lieu qu'il n'a jamais vu, il vous demande de le nommer pour qu'il sache quel comportement adopter. Dans chaque lieu vous attendent de nouvelles surprises !
Qu'est-ce qu'attend mon MobiMushi ? Le MobiMushi évolue à chaque action en fonction de 4 jauges : plaisir, forme, amis et savoir. Le but du jeu est de maintenir au maximum ses jauges au-dessus de zéro. C'est parfois complexe puisque certaines actions font monter une jauge et en font descendre une autre. Chaque fois qu'il se produit un impact sur une jauge, elle s'affiche à l'écran. Vous pouvez à tout moment consulter les niveaux des quatre jauges dans Menu du jeu > Tout sur mon MobiMushi.
Comment apprendre un nouveau lieu à mon MobiMushi ? Dès que vous vous connectez dans un nouveau lieu, votre MobiMushi vous questionne et vous gratifie d'un bonus si vous avez de la chance. Vous êtes alors aiguillé vers les écrans de configuration du lieu, soit directement en cliquant sur 'Continuer', soit en cliquant sur 'Où on est?' à partir du menu du jeu. Choisissez le type qui correspond le mieux à l'endroit dans lequel vous vous trouvez : Bureau, Lycée, Bistrot, Transports⦠Il y en a pour tous les goûts et toutes les situations. Vous pouvez alors donner un nom spécifique au lieu. Cliquez sur 'Valider' et vous y êtes !
Nice architecture from Berlin, I cannot find the name of the architect. I like this kind of lowtech structure.
Quotes taken from notes about Paul Dourish's lecture (10/25/2004):
Dourish also discussed his work on context, which largely involve pointing out that context is a lot more complicated than “context-aware” application designers seem to think. Definitions of context vary, but they always include location (but how do people describe their location to others?). However, UCLA’s Manny Schegloff notes that everyday definitions of location vary greatly. Depending on who you’re talking to and why they’re asking, there may be many correct answers answers to the question “where are you?”: “In Irvine”, “In my office”, “On my way”, “On page 20.” You choose your answer based on many factors, and others choose how to interpret your answer based on their own context. Context, far from being a static thing, is dynamic and maintained or changed through our actions.
This reminds me that I absolutely need to find this reference: Schlegoff, E. (1972) Notes on a conversational practice: Formulating place. In D. Sudnow (Ed.) Studies in Social Interaction (pp. 75-119). New York: Free Press./
John Peel is dead. Just a quick thought to the guy who made me appreciate the real potential of Napalm Death. As for me, this was the basis that leads me to some other music world like dub (yes napalm death and then scorn and then dub syndicate...) or electro-hip hop (napalm death to godflesh to techno animal to antipop consortium...).
There seems to be a work group about science fiction, science and philosophy at the Institut d'histoire et de philosophie des sciences et des techniques (IHPST), and the ENS (a big and renowned french school). The website is in french.Not very common in France where science fiction is often considered as childish and not a true literature area. It appears to be really interesting with regard to the topics they deal with, as well as the methods they use.
1. Un axe didactique : des présentations sur la science-fiction comme genre (Åuvres, auteurs, courants, périodes historiquesâ¦)
2. Un axe théorique visant à constituer une théorie de la science-fiction :
1. des compte-rendus de lectures de textes sur la science-fiction
2. un travail sur les théories littéraires générales de la fiction (Umberto Eco, â¦)
3. étude des notions de monde possible, de fiction, de modèle en sciences et en philosophie. Notion d'expérience de pensée (David Lewis, Derek Parfitâ¦)
4. étude de méthodes par « fictions » : prospective, futurologie, scénariosâ¦
3. Un axe « intersections »:
1. Domaines qui rencontrent la science-fiction dans leurs démarches : bioéthique, philosophie de la technique, art numérique, art biotech, cyberculture, mondes virtuels, jeux vidéos et ludologie, pédagogie et vulgarisation scientifique, etc.
2. Les sciences et la science-fiction. Etude des extrapolations science-fictives à partir de telle ou telle science : physique, biologie mais aussi sciences cognitives, mathématiques, sociologie, économie, histoire, ethnologie, métaphysique, etc.
Smart insights in Getting Serious About New Opportunities: On Game Developers And The 'Serious Gaming' Market", a gamasutra paper about new contents and methods for serious games development.
Let's face it, the games business isn't all fun and games, because sometimes the business of making games isn't as much fun as we'd wish. It's tough out there - business is hard, and publishers don't always want to be your friend. Wouldn't it be great if there were some other markets to prospect, and you could diversify, ignoring the general whims of publishers, cellphone carriers, portals, and the general gaming public at-large? But diversifying in the games business isn't very easy - we can't suddenly shift gears and start a resturant or consumer goods company. However, you can diversify by selling to others who have a need for game developers, besides the usual suspects.
