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googlechrome
Sep. 2nd, 2008 10:54 pmGoogle's new web browser is supposed to go open public beta tomorrow (I've read reports from some people already using it).
But what I'm really impressed by is this illustrated advertexplanation; in addition to explaining the project which it does very well of course, it may just be the fastest way to inform an average person about fairly advanced computing concepts and coding practices. (Don't even bother saying that nothing new has been developed in CS since the 70s; yes, it's true, but back then they weren't "practices" - it's really taken a while.)
http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/
It's a real step up from one illustrated computer book I looked at which had, I kid you not, a figure comparing a "real tree" (with totally generic arboreal drawing) with a "binary tree" (box/line representation of nodes/edges), with absolutely no explanation of what the hell a binary tree was good for!
Carnegie Mellon uses the "Cartoon Guide to Statistics" as a required text in its intro courses. I have myself read the "Cartoon Guide to Biology" as a total newbie and can very safely say I learned a lot more in the hour or so I spent doing so, than in any hour taking a biology course. These have the bonus over the google cartoon of copious citations making them even more valuable. (Though it's understandable since the google cartoon is primarily an advert.)
As far as learning-per-novice's-second goes, cartoons are the way to go as long as they are done with care and expertise. Scott McCloud earned his undoubtedly fat paycheck from Google. I wonder how long it took him to pull this thing together.
But what I'm really impressed by is this illustrated advertexplanation; in addition to explaining the project which it does very well of course, it may just be the fastest way to inform an average person about fairly advanced computing concepts and coding practices. (Don't even bother saying that nothing new has been developed in CS since the 70s; yes, it's true, but back then they weren't "practices" - it's really taken a while.)
http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/
It's a real step up from one illustrated computer book I looked at which had, I kid you not, a figure comparing a "real tree" (with totally generic arboreal drawing) with a "binary tree" (box/line representation of nodes/edges), with absolutely no explanation of what the hell a binary tree was good for!
Carnegie Mellon uses the "Cartoon Guide to Statistics" as a required text in its intro courses. I have myself read the "Cartoon Guide to Biology" as a total newbie and can very safely say I learned a lot more in the hour or so I spent doing so, than in any hour taking a biology course. These have the bonus over the google cartoon of copious citations making them even more valuable. (Though it's understandable since the google cartoon is primarily an advert.)
As far as learning-per-novice's-second goes, cartoons are the way to go as long as they are done with care and expertise. Scott McCloud earned his undoubtedly fat paycheck from Google. I wonder how long it took him to pull this thing together.
