Re: [FRIAM] Poll: which scripting languages are available on your computer?
For universal browser implementation one may have to check what DOM is available: getElementById and others used may not always be available. From a discussion on browser sniffing (bad) and what to do about it at: http://jibbering.com/faq/faq_notes/not_browser_detect.html#bdFD Beware of the assumption that the browser has a fully dynamic DOM with methods such as document.createElement, replaceChild and appendChild. Browsers do not live up to that expectation, some are not that dynamic and while they may implement some of the Core DOM level 1 methods such as getElementById They do not necessarily implement large parts of the various DOM standards, including all of the dynamic Node manipulation methods. Robert C -Original Message- From: Dale Schumacher [mailto:dale.schumac...@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 03:44 PM To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Poll: which scripting languages are available on your computer? When I was facing a similar problem--sharing a platform neutralprogram--I also turned to Javascript. In my case, we wanted a lotterynumber picker that could be projected from anyone's laptop during ameeting. I created a single-file HTML/Javascript application(attached) that could be simply opened from the filesystem in anybrowser. Normally I would put the Javascript and CSS is separatefiles, but it's all embedded in HTML to make the whole thingself-contained. On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 10:53 AM, Owen Densmore wrote: On Dec 29, 2008, at 11:03 AM, James Steiner wrote: I vote for javascript... it seems that your script is not going to be doing anything that should bump up against a cross-platform issue... It's just text input, processing, text-output... what could be simpler? For any of the tricky (e.g. display, event, css box model) platform quirty stuff, use a framework like jQuery. I'm glad I asked the question. Clearly javascript is the most ubiquitous script language, although hidden within the browser. FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
Re: [FRIAM] Poll: which scripting languages are available on your computer?
rob...@cirrillian.com wrote: Beware of the assumption that the browser has a fully dynamic DOM with methods such as |document.createElement|, |replaceChild| and |appendChild|. Browsers do not live up to that expectation, some are not that dynamic and while they may implement some of the Core DOM level 1 methods such as |getElementById| They do not necessarily implement large parts of the various DOM standards, including all of the dynamic |Node| manipulation methods. Well, Firefox does, Safari does, and reasonably recent version of IE do. The only way to force others to repent (or go away quietly) is for everyone to start using the latest and greatest web standards. Not talking DOM here, I'm mean SVG, Canvas, video tags, high performance JavaScript, and the things that can make the web a decent application platform. If people won't do that, then sooner or later Microsoft .NET will rule (and in this scenario they probably should). Marcus FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
Re: [FRIAM] Poll: which agent-based model is most fundamental?
One approach might be to break it down a bit finer, into the techniques used. Two spring to mind: 1 - Optimization Techniques (GAs, Ant Algorithms, ..) 2 - Game Theory types (ultimatum game, prisoner's dilemma, ...) It's be nifty to see the spanning set underlying the popular models. -- Owen On Dec 31, 2008, at 9:35 AM, Jochen Fromm wrote: In Physics there are many equations, but only a few are really fundamental (for example the Maxwell equations, or Newton's laws, etc.). There are a number of basic agent-based models, too, for example Arthur's El Farol Bar Model, Craig Reynolds' Boids, Schelling's Segregation Model, and Axelrod's Tribute or Dissemination Models. What agent-based model do you know and which are the most fundamental? Do we have a basic model for every basic agent interaction pattern, see http://www.cas-group.net/wiki/Agent_interaction_pattern ? -J. FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
[FRIAM] New way of using a network as computer
I thought it might be interesting to share the way I use computers which is informed by my life when I am wearing my artist hat. I have been using the network is the computer for almost 10 years. Perhaps if I could have afforded a very powerful machine to start with I might not have taken this path but probably I would have gone this way anyway because I have taught myself how to multitask to the extent that I need a great deal of real estate and power. My core system includes 3-6 desktops, 1 laptop, a local server, three remote servers, amazon storage, video storage, digital music studio, 2 cell phones most in wired and wireless configurations. I don't like the wireless configuration yet as much because it is still less reliable and less secure. Until recently I had a Linux machine in the mix. I also wanted to use rsync for backup but it was too slow when I tried it. Each system has its own monitor and keyboard or other input device, I use a graphics tablet for some applications and a musical keyboard for others and dragon dictate for others. I am an all windows system although I wish I could integrate a mac because of things like time machine, but I have a good deal of adobe software I would have to re-license. I have learned to multitask in such a way that I can setup one process or task and while it is processing turn to another machine to start another process or task. Using multiple windows has never been a good solution because to be productive the workflow has to be setup pretty precisely to avoid resizing windows and palettes all the time. If I could afford a very large single monitor I would still have to move things around so that I can see them well so even larger monitors is not a complete solution. Moving my chair and swiveling is a better solution. Good posture and hand position is important when working this intensely so as not to injure myself. I find that I can be very efficient this way with almost no down time (wait time) so that I can create and process my work in real time. Without doing this I found that I was always waiting for something and would lose concentration. I think my experience of playing a musical keyboard and other musical electronic devices has given me a full body approach or at least and ambidextrous approach. I can use one mouse to control a machine with my right hand and another to control a machine with my left. My setup tends to be probably pretty cramped for most people and I use rolling anthrocarts and aron? chairs so I can move fluidly. I have application redundancy because I still find rebuilding a machine and getting all my applications to work properly and with stability can set my back a week. Redundancy allows me to plan a rebuild better. There are a couple of somewhat surprising challenges. One is that I have to be sure to eat well before I start work and to stop as soon as I begin to tire because loss of concentration can send the whole system into chaos and it becomes easy to screw something up and not remember how it was done. The stopping is the hardest. This whole approach may sound funny to others but my goal has been to be able to think and create in real time. I believe that the measure should be for the person to be as productive as they want to be and can be.When I have employees I try to provide this same capability for them. After all it is the person and their life that is the most valuable not the machine(s). For the most part it works quite well. -- Ann Racuya-Robbins Founder and CEO World Knowledge Bank www.wkbank.com FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
Re: [FRIAM] Poll: which agent-based model is most fundamental?
Thus spake Jochen Fromm circa 31/12/08 08:35 AM: What agent-based model do you know and which are the most fundamental? Do we have a basic model for every basic agent interaction pattern, see http://www.cas-group.net/wiki/Agent_interaction_pattern ? I think the question is ill-formed. Agent-based _models_ are just models. The phrase agent-based model is context free, unlike physics or biology. And without context, there isn't any one model that's more fundamental than any other model. A better question would be what agent-based model is most fundamental in physics or ... in biology or ... in politics. Regarding patterns, a pattern is just a particular inference made by an observer. Granted, there may be some dominant patterns we settle on by consensus as prominent or important; but, such consensus will always assume some context. And the prominence of that (class of) pattern(s) will go away if that assumption changes. -- glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://agent-based-modeling.com FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
Re: [FRIAM] Attachment in FRIAM post
Yup, I got it in the email you sent, works great. Interesting stunt, and certainly reinforces the Browser is the Computer meme! The code was quite useful, especially to me being a bit of a javascript novice -- only used it a few times in depth. The $() function stunt was very cool and made it look like a shell variable. I also like the appendLine - trace functions, when I don't have firebug to work with. Works within closures which sometimes confuses firebug, at least on the Mac. In-lining the css is also interesting: considered a no-no by the purists but likely to be very useful for html/javascript scripts .. letting us have a one-file solution. I'm cc-ing Friam in case folks are interested in the details. -- Owen On Dec 31, 2008, at 11:43 AM, Dale Schumacher wrote: Hi Owen, I was wondering if the HTML/CSS/Javascript example I sent as an attachment was passed through the FRAIM list. Did you get it? Was it a sufficient example for the kind of problem you wanted to solve? I have more complex examples, if they would be useful. Dale FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
[FRIAM] joint math meeting
Those with copious amounts of time on their hands and an interest in math might want to check out http://www.ams.org/amsmtgs/2110_intro.html There are a startlingly large number of registration fee scales: I liked the idea of the Temporarily Employed fee. Carl FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
[FRIAM] St John's?
Is St John's open Friday? If not, whither FRIAM? -- Owen FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
