text:
GREEN BAY – Before getting a late start, Davante Adams got a head start.
The Green Bay Packers rookie second-round draft pick didn't arrive in town until Thursday – while the rest of the draft picks and undrafted free agent signees arrived on Sunday, took physicals on Monday and were was able to work out with the team's veteran players on Tuesday and Wednesday – because of Fresno State's academic calendar. Adams, who came out after his redshirt sophomore season, was prohibited by NFL rules from participating in any of the Packers' on-field work because Fresno State classes were still in session.
But while Adams wasn't able to take part in the individual position workouts with his new teammates, he did get something most of them didn't.
Aaron Rodgers' phone number.
Adams asked wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett for Rodgers' number right after the Packers chose him with the No. 53 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Bennett obliged, and
"I told him, 'I'm ready to work,'" Adams said.
And Rodgers' response? "He said, 'There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to get going right away with this. Just pick up on everything you can and we'll get you up to speed.'"
That's exactly what Adams did during the rookie orientation camp, where 58 draft picks, undrafted rookie signees, tryout players and practice-squad holdovers took part in a pair of practices. But when the players were given Sunday off, Adams delved into his iPad playbook rather than spending the day exploring his new town.
"I've been so much about my job since I've been here, I haven't even had time to really check Green Bay out," said Adams, who is staying at a local hotel with the rest of the rookies and did not rent a car for the week, relying on the team's transportation service to get to and from Lambeau Field. "I'm sure I'll be able to find something to do here in due time. But for right now, it's all about my job, and we'll explore Green Bay a little bit later.
"I need to look into the depth of this whole playbook, because we've only been exposed to about 20 percent of the offense. That's what coach Bennett told me. It's time for me to look deeper, just making sure I'm up to speed, because the game's not going to wait for me."
Although the Packers return four wide receivers who caught at least one pass for them last season – Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin and Myles White – the position is no longer as loaded as it was in 2012, when Boykin, an undrafted free agent, made the roster as the sixth receiver. While the Packers took two more receivers later in the draft – Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis in the fifth round and Saginaw Valley State's Jeff Janis in the seventh – it's Adams who's expected to make an immediate impact after catching an astounding 233 passes with 38 touchdowns over his two collegiate seasons.
"We felt like he was a complete player," Bennett said following the draft. "When you turn the tape on, you see a guy getting open. You see a guy at the top of the route creating separation, creating windows for the quarterback to throw the ball in. And when there is a situation where it's tighter, more of a competitive-type throw, you see a guy with strong hands and physicality that can go up and make a play, make the tough catch."
Adams said that while the Packers' offensive system is vastly different than the one he was in at Fresno State, there is one similarity: At the line of scrimmage, Bulldogs quarterback Derek Carr had the freedom to make changes to the play – something Adams' new phone-a-friend does with regularity, too.
Of course, to start working on that with Rodgers, he'll have to be on the same field with him – and that'll happen this week, as IPWs continue for the veterans and Adams will be able to work with Rodgers directly. Plays are run against air in IPWs, though, so it won't be until organized team activity practices kick off the following week that Adams will be in a competitive situation with his new quarterback.
In the meantime, Adams hasn't just been in touch with Rodgers. He also got the numbers of the other wide receivers and has been texting with Cobb, Boykin and Nelson, whom he met in person for the first time on Friday.
Their message? We're counting on you.
"They told me they're going to help me get up to speed with everything," Adams said, "and there's no reason why I shouldn't be a contributing factor early on."
Listen to Jason Wilde every weekday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on "Green & Gold Today," and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jasonjwilde.


text:
Yo, it's time for one of these. Let me make the start.
- Font is really tiny. Didn't find a way to scale the HUD.
- Been playing for like an hour now, haven't stabbed a single thing in the face yet.
- Whoever thought starting the game off in a huge city hub with nothing but fetchquests... BACK TO SCHOOL!
As a dude who expects to stab at least a hundred things in the face in the first hour of play, loot a bunch of useful garbs and stuff off my victim's slain bodies, and experience like 5 *dings*/*lvl-ups* in that time - I'm starting to get a little grumpy over doing fetchquests for strangers. I don't do strangers favors, unless it's about stabbin' fools in the gut.
Roberto needs his stabbin'. Unless the stabbin' is good, what is the point? Get me to where the stabbin' is at already! Didn't these guys ever play a game with a good flow to it? Jeez.
Not writing this off yet, but so far, off to a weak start!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hamill will be fighting Reese Andy at UFC 92. I am dissappointed to see two wrestlers going at it. I think Hamill will win this one as I think he has better stand up.
Jon Jones will be fighting Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. This one may have already been talked about on here so sorry if so.


text:
This item is controlled on the U.S. Commerce Control List set forth in the Export Administration Regulations or the U.S. Munitions List set forth in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and may require a license or other authorization from the U.S. Government to be exported from the United States. Without limitation, parties purchasing from B&H are solely responsible for determining applicable export licensing requirements and for obtaining any licenses or other authorizations from the appropriate agencies of the U.S. Government that are necessary for exporting the item, such as the U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of State.
The 2 1/8" Riser with Top Hole for Beach Strap from Beneath the Surface connects the arm adapter to the bridge bar on an underwater photography tray system. This riser will fit a housing with a maximum height of 5 3/8" (13.7 cm). The riser has a hole pre drilled at the top for connecting a beach diving strap above the bridge bar for ease of entry through the surf.


text:
Originally written on RealGM | Last updated 7/29/13
Manu Ginobii is motivated by the San Antonio Spurs' commitment in bringing back the core of he, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan after a near championship season. "I really respect the commitment to (bring back) almost the whole team," Ginobili said. "I think it was smart. They know we did a great thing last year, and that is why the group is maintained. "It's hard to think that you're going to change everything because of a few seconds last year. We had a great season, and we were one shot or rebound away from winning a ring, so there is no reason to change a lot." Ginobili re-signed with the Spurs this offseason and said he is excited to return.
Comments are closed.
What do you think?To leave a comment, you can:
All Sports News
Delivered to your inbox
You'll also receive Yardbarker's daily Top 10, featuring the best sports stories from around the web. Customize your newsletter to get articles on your favorite sports and teams. And the best part? It's free!
Follow us on Twitter
|Best of Yardbarker
|NFL News
|MLB News
Today's Best Stuff
For Bloggers
Join the Yardbarker Network for more promotion, traffic, and money.
Company Info
What is Yardbarker?
Yardbarker is the largest network of sports blogs and pro athlete blogs on the web. This site is the hub of the Yardbarker Network, where our editors and algorithms curate the best sports content from our network and beyond.
|© 2015 Yardbarker, Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. (What's New?)


text:
House-hunters move in fast as new developments hold open days
Last updated at 13:43, Friday, 25 October 2013
New housing developments in West Cumbria are proving to be a hit with customers.
People are queuing up to buy new-build homes and are putting their names down before they have even been built.
Work has only just started on Whins Farm Close at Harrington in Workington by Story Homes.
By the end of its two-day launch at the Hunday Manor Hotel at Winscales, 150 people had attended and eight properties had already been sold for the development, off Main Road.
Matthew Pearson, 38, and Marie Rudd, 33, of Cockermouth, were the first couple through the doors.
They went on to become the estate's first buyers, putting down their names for a three-bedroom semi-detached home they selected from the site plan.
The pair, who both work for supermarket Aldi, have been renting a home while they save up for a deposit on a mortgage.
Matthew said: "We had been saving for a while and when we heard about the development in High Harrington we decided to come down and find out more.
"We had already visited some Story Homes show homes elsewhere in Cumbria to get a feel for what we were going to get.
"The new development is handy for both of us to commute to work and the house is perfect for us."
Also celebrating at the launch were Ryan Close and Melissa Davidson, who have also reserved a three-bedroom semi-detached house.
Ryan, 26, works for WYG in Cockermouth and is due to graduate as a building surveyor next summer.
Melissa, 23, has just qualified as a registered nurse and works at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.
The couple, who have been renting a home on Udale Court, Workington, wanted to buy within commuting distance for them both and opted for new-build to benefit from a government scheme to help first-time buyers.
Melissa said: "We are both newly qualified and wanted a place of our own. We like the area of High Harrington and it is right in the middle for us both."
Ryan added: "We're ecstatic. Seeing the house go up, from a professional point of view, is quite exciting for me. I want to see it grow from roots all the way to completion. I think Melissa's just excited about picking a kitchen."
Both couples are due to move into their new homes next year.
Fifteen people were queuing by the time the two-day launch event opened at Hunday Manor, Winscales, last Thursday.
Its sales cabin will open on Thursday.
Meanwhile, more than 200 people visited the Scholars Green development, on the site of Distington's former junior school, at its two-day launch.
Developer John Swift Homes opened its show home for the first time.
A spokeswoman said two people had waited outside for 40 minutes before the doors opened.
Work is continuing on the 14-bungalow estate and the spokeswoman added that the firm had received many enquiries.
It has drawn up a waiting list and plans to keep in contact with potential buyers and sell to those who are in a position to buy first.
She added: "That seems to be the most ethical approach rather than tying people in with big deposits which they could lose if they are not able to sell in time.
"A lot of people from Distington viewed the development over the weekend and we were pleased to receive their positive feedback and approval. The company has kept the school's clock tower as part of the development for the village.
"The clock tower is a key historic landmark for the village and we wanted to ensure that our new development enhanced this landmark over time."
First published at 13:35, Friday, 25 October 2013
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk
Have your say
Be the first to comment on this article!
Make your comment
More news
- Workington flats plans are approved for second time
- More homes get the go-ahead in Cockermouth
- UPDATED: Planners say no to Bothel solar farm proposal (1 comment)
- Foodbank launches children's lunch packs
- Hair today....gone tomorrow
- Toilet fire ends football tournament on sour note
- Top marks for West Cumbria teachers
- Did you hear Workington's big bang? (19 comments)
- Blue is the colour for Seaton toddler Zayn
- Lakes College learners celebrated


text: Mayor Bradley Stephens gets roasted Posted 4:05 PM, July 2, 2013, by Alexandra Claiborne EmailTwitterFacebookGoogleRedditPinterest × Mayor Bradley Stephens gets roasted Garry talks with Mayor Bradley Stephens (Rosemont) about his roast at Zanies this weekend that will benefit Pediatric Cancer Foundation. http://cdn.tribtv.com/wgnam/podcasts/garrymeier/rosemontmayorroast07022013.mp3 Rosemont Mayor Bradley A. Stephens at The Park at Rosemont entertainment plaza just off of River Road and Balmoral in Rosemont on Monday, September 27, 2010. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)


text:
The Husaberg 70º FE Adventure Traveler Thread
View Single Post
Adv Grifter
on the road o'dreams
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Passing ADV Stalkers in California
Oddometer: 6,128
Originally Posted by
I didnt want to add the subframe tank or any other oversize tank for adventure riding. Husaberg did a great job of centralizing the weight on this bike and making it feel very light when moving, I didnt want to change that.
To make longer trips possible, I needed to be able to haul gear and gas Enter the moto-mule trailer!! With no tools, I can attach or detach this adventure trailer to my husaberg and have the ability to carry more than Id ever need. I make these trailers myself and have a website at
Very elegant solution! Well done! Best of both worlds ... and retaining the brilliance of the Husaberg design to me would be critical. But as a long range travel bike? You guys are the pioneers!
Can't wait to see the first RTW report by Husaberg!
I believe Big Al used one of your trailers to go cross country. His epic Latin America ride report is here:
Al sold his bike in Chile, then bought another in the South somewhere. It came with the trailer. He rode cross country with it ... and got on quite well. It would freak me out ... but I'd try it.
What does it weigh? (not loaded)
I've never towed a trailer. Seems there is a built in stigma against trailers ... but I'm beginning see just how great they could be on a long, RTW type ride ... especially for those wanting to go Two UP. Two Up on a dual sport bike is always tough. With the trailer it could actually be done.
One concern would be speed limits in the USA. Some states (like California - 55 mph max) have trailer speed limits. Does this rig fall into that class? Once out of USA, no problem. Nice Work!!
Adv Grifter
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Adv Grifter


text:
If you're like me, you probably have thousands of digital photos and documents that you want to backup or copy to external media. In my case, I copy everything to an external 160GB XIMETA NetDisk for safe keeping. I have used the free version of Allway Sync in the past, and I've had very good results. However, we recently released a handy tool for Windows XP called SyncToy, and based on my few days of experience, it appears to do everything I need. Here are a few of its features:
Configuring SyncToy is as easy as setting up one or more folder pairs and corresponding actions for each pair. For example, I might setup one pair to synchronize changes between two folders (which works both ways) and setup another pair to simply echo changes from one folder to another (echo is the action I use for backup purposes). If you want to get more specific, there are additional options that can be configured.
If you'd like to know what operations SyncToy would perform on your folder pairs, you can run the convenient preview feature. The preview feature analyzes the folders, then tells you what it would do if it ran, but—most importantly—it doesn't actually make any of the changes. This is a great way to get comfortable with the tool before letting it loose on your precious files. And if you want to automatically process your folder pairs, there's even a topic in the help file (lookup Schedule in the index) that explains how to schedule SyncToy to run on a periodic basis.
Download SyncToy v1 Beta for Windows XP or to learn more, grab the whitepaper titled: Synchronizing Images and Files in Windows XP Using Microsoft SyncToy.
Whew…what a show! Thanks to everyone who joined us in Las Vegas last week for our fourth MIX conference, MIX09. It was great to meet many of you in person and to associate Twitter aliases with real names. It's awesome that someone can walk up and say, "Hi, I'm WoogyChuck," and I actually know what that means!
As we've done in prior years at both PDC and MIX, all keynotes and sessions were recorded and published within 24 hours by the talented Brian Keller. The first video format we publish is WMV, and the other formats show up as they're encoded. By now, almost all of the videos in all of the formats have been published. The few that remain will be added over the coming days.
Special thanks to Greg Duncan for taking our session data and publishing a simple list of links within days of MIX09. Based on Greg's work, feedback from the #MIX09 tweets, direct e-mail, and many blog comments, our online team quickly implemented a dynamic list of all MIX09 session and keynote recordings. We've learned that you like this straightforward format, and we'll make sure we add this to our list of features for PDC09 and MIX10. If you prefer to browse the videos by image, check out the thumbnail view.
To download videos for offline viewing, you have a few options:
Here's how much disk space you need to plan for (~45.5GB in total):
If you'd like to rename your downloaded files, I've created a MIX09 Renamer batch file (4.19KB) that will do it for you. Extract the MIX09Renamer.bat file to the folder that contains your downloaded files, and from a command prompt, type MIX09Renamer WMV to rename all of the .WMV files to the full session title. By changing the parameter, you can also rename your PPTX and MP4 files. For example:
B01M.wmv is renamed to B01M - Scaling a Rich Client to Half a Billion Users.wmv
B01M.wmv is renamed to B01M - Scaling a Rich Client to Half a Billion Users.wmv
Last, but not least, we did record some of the workshop sessions. However, because we don't always record them for publishing (often for contractual reasons), we're working to determine which ones can be posted. Also, we've noticed some audio/video quality issues with some of them that we're trying to fix. It'll likely be a few days to a week before we know more, and I'd encourage you to keep your eyes on the MIX09 session list.
Is there anything else that we've missed? I'd love to hear your feedback!
I am frequently asked about the interview process at Microsoft, and although I'm usually more than happy to relate my individual story and provide some general tips, I can't provide nearly the insight that two of our recruiters, Gretchen Ledgard, and Zoë Goldring (both responsible for the JobsBlog) provide in this 20 minute Channel 9 video. You'll hear them talk about dress code, pre-interview tips, the actual interview day, logic questions, coding questions, what we're looking for in people, whether or not you need a degree, etc. This is the first of at least two video segments to be published, so expect a second part sometime soon. On a related note, Chris Sells maintains a page about Interviewing at Microsoft that is worth reading. And for those who haven't heard my Microsoft interview story, read on…
I always thought that I would either work for myself or for Microsoft. After being an independent consultant for many years, creating the industry's first uninstall application, the first nationwide movie showtime web site, working at Donnelly Corporation for exactly a year (to the minute), and lots of other mildly interesting things, I decided that it was time to send in a resume. I knew that Microsoft received thousands of resumes each day (according to Gretchen, we now receive around 6,000 per day), so I knew that I had to do something that would show my passion for the company, my "out of the box" thinking, and grab their attention.
You know those life sized celebrity cardboard cutouts that adorn the occasional geek office? I decided to build a cardboard cutout of me and send it along with my resume as the "model Microsoft employee." To figure out how large it could be, I visited the FedEx office and asked for the maximum dimensions for something shipped next-day air. Although I don't recall the exact numbers, it was something like 170 inches for combined length and girth. Not only did I want it to be as close to actual size as possible, but I wanted it to make a splash when it was delivered to the HR department in Redmond. After all, how many next-day air packages have you received that were much bigger than a standard letter?
So, I had some professional photographs taken of me holding a mouse and keyboard and had it professionally printed and mounted on foam core. Using a cardboard celebrity cutout that I purchased as a template, I proceeded to remove the extra foam core and create the folding flaps that would allow it to stand on its own. Then, I created an advertising slick sheet that would accompany my package that explained the model Microsoft employee and how I was obviously a perfect fit.
Of course, I still spent a lot of time polishing my resume, and it served as the "meat" of my job application. The cardboard cutout was simply a way to get noticed among the thousands of resumes that are received by the company each day. After sandwiching everything between two sides of a cardboard refrigerator box and carefully taping around the edges, I managed to squeeze it in my car and take it down to the local FedEx office. The FedEx employee that helped me was fascinated by the story behind the contents of my package and proceeded to measure the length and girth with a small chain he kept behind the counter. Boy, was it close. I had neglected to consider the thickness that all of that foam core and cardboard would add to the measurement, and I barely squeezed by. Whew!
About two weeks of stomach churning passed before I finally received a letter from Microsoft in my mailbox. It was a personal note from the Vice President of Human Resources, and he was writing to say that in all of his years at Microsoft, he had never seen a resume quite like mine. He was impressed that I was able to make my job application stand out (no pun intended), and apparently, it was the talk of the whole department (he had it standing outside of his office). He went on to say that my resume would be added to the database and considered for all open positions (I hadn't applied for a specific job code). He wished me the best of luck and hoped to see me as a future employee.
I never heard anything else from Microsoft about that resume, and it didn't end up getting me a job (surprise, surprise). However, I was proud of the fact that I had tried, and I cherished the letter that I received as a response. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that letter, or I'd post a copy of it right here. If I do manage to dig it up, I'll be sure to update this post.
So, there must be another interview story, right? I mean, I do work for Microsoft, so there has to be more! Of course there is, but it's not quite as interesting as this one, and it has a much better outcome. The funny thing is, a lot of people have confused this story with the fact that I work for the company, so I often hear that "you're the guy who sent the cardboard cutout to get the job, right?" That's when I smile and proceed to tell my story.
Update: I was able to find the photo I used to produce the cutout...I look pretty silly. I haven't found the letter yet, but I think I know where it is.
Update #2: I found the letter! I'll scan it and add it to this post later tonight.
Update #3: I've added the scanned letter below.
How often have you or one of your fellow developers checked code into your source control system that causes a build failure for someone else? And how many times have you heard that "it builds just fine on my machine?" More importantly, how much time does it take to backtrack through all of the changes to uncover the root cause of the failure? If the last good check-in was two days ago, it can be difficult to figure out not only what caused the failure, but whose check-in did it.
Integration problems like this happen every day on software development projects. Back in 1996, Steve McConnell published an article in IEEE Software magazine about the benefits of performing a Daily Build and Smoke Test that addressed this specific issue. Since then, the concept of a daily build has become more accepted in the development community, but it still amazes me how many projects don't take advantage of this simple, yet powerful technique.
Well, if we agree that integrating and building a project once a day is good, are there any benefits to continually integrating and building many times a day? How about every 15 minutes?
Continuous integration is a technique that encourages developers to check-in their code more frequently, have it compiled by an automated process, run a suite of unit tests, and report on the status. The idea is to tighten the feedback loop so that the effect of an integrated change is communicated back to the developer as soon as possible. By reducing the time between check-in and build status, developers find it much easier to identify faulty code.
A continuous integration server is responsible for monitoring the source code repository for changes that are made during check-in. When a change is detected, the server automatically:
Of course, for this to work, all source code needs to be stored in a central location that is shared by the development team. Fortunately, source control tools like Visual Studio 2005 Team System, Visual SourceSafe, CVS, Perforce, Subversion, Rational ClearCase, SourceGear Vault, etc. are found on many projects and provide a single repository.
For the continuous integration server to build the project, a build script needs to be created. NAnt is a popular and free Open Source project that is supported by both CruiseControl.NET and Draco.NET, two popular continuous integration systems for .NET development. Before configuring the continuous integration server, it is worth spending the time to create a functional build script. Although NAnt is not difficult to use, plan to invest a little time reading through the documentation before generating your first script.
Last, although unit tests are optional, they are highly recommended. On the NxOpinion project, we have over 600 individual NUnit tests that run during every build. The success of this suite of tests tells us that a majority of the basic functionality that is provided by our system is working as-expected. We consider the failure of a single unit test to be equal to a full build failure, and we work to immediately resolve any issues.
With CruiseControl.NET, when a build or test failure is detected, an e-mail message is sent to the entire development team notifying them of recent check-ins along with the specific failure. When a check-in is successful, an e-mail is sent only to those developers who checked-in code for that build. This way, everyone is always kept in-the-loop on build status. CruiseControl.NET also provides a web site and system tray application to monitor the status of the continuous integration server.
For our current project, we have configured the server to poll for changes every 15 minutes. If there have been no check-ins since the last build, the system sleeps for another 15 minutes. This cycle continues until new changes are detected. When this happens, the entire system is completely rebuilt. Because of the relatively short polling period, developers only have to wait a few minutes before learning the status of their most recent check-in.
CruiseControl.NET can also automate FxCop. FxCop is a code analysis tool that uses reflection and IL parsing to check managed assemblies for conformance to the Design Guidelines for Class Library Developers. Think of it as an "after-the-fact code review" that doesn't depend on the original source code. The current version of FxCop evaluates over 200 individual rules, and custom rules can be created. FxCop is very comprehensive, and it is very rare to receive a completely clean report. You may need to ignore rules that don't apply to your project. Although we run FxCop as part of our build, we do not currently have it configured to cause a build failure if any violations are found.
For a very thorough look at continuous integration, I recommend reading Continuous Integration with CruiseControl.NET and Draco.NET by Justin Gehtland.
Webster defines ambient as an adjective that means "existing or present on all sides." When used as a noun, it means "an encompassing atmosphere." Ambient science is an evolving field that attempts to convey low-bandwidth information by embedding it into our surrounding environment. The idea is that certain information isn't worthy of interruption, so instead, it should available at a glance.
Ambient Devices is a company that manufactures products that convey ambient information. The Ambient Orb is a $150 sphere of frosted glass that glows a nearly unlimited variety of colors. The Orb is capable of some simple color "animations" like pulsing and an effect called "crescendo" that slowly brightens a color, then immediately dims. Ambient Devices also makes a Beacon that is similar in concept to the Orb, and a recently-available Dashboard.
The Orb is commonly sold as a device to monitor the stock market, local weather, or any of a number of other free channels of information. Fortunately, for the true geek, a premium account is available for around $20 a quarter that allows you to send your own custom information to the Orb. By calling a specific URL at Ambient's web site, you can control both the color and animation of your own Orb.
You might ask: "why do I need to call a URL to change the color of something that's sitting on my desk?" Good question…this is where the geek magic steps in. You see, each Ambient device has wireless pager electronics built-in that allow it to receive signals over the wireless network (I'm not talking about 802.11x wireless…I'm talking about a wireless pager like the kind you'd wear on your belt to monitor those servers that like to go down in the middle of the night). This means that you only have to plug the Orb into a power outlet, register its device ID with Ambient Devices, and from that point on, the Orb will change colors and animations when its information changes. Pretty cool.
The Orb is imminently touchable, and visitors always stop to feel its warm glow. It's definitely a conversation piece. After they ask if you bought it at Target for $19.95, you can proceed to twist their brain by explaining how you've configured your system to send information over the Internet that the Orb wirelessly receives through the pager network. The look on their face is similar to the look you'd get if you said: "I'm an alien from Alpha Centauri and that's my invisible spaceship parked out there on the lawn." Priceless.
So I had this idea that we could configure an Ambient Orb to reflect the current status of our NxOpinion continuous integration build. A slowly pulsing green would mean that the build is currently okay, and a quickly pulsing red would indicate a build failure. I planned to put the Orb in the middle of our project team so that everyone would be aware of the build status. I hoped that by raising its visibility, everyone on the project team (including the customer) would be more aware of the project "health."
Now, when the build breaks and the Orb pulses red, it's like a fire alarm around here. The first question out of everyone's mouth is "who broke it?" After appropriate developer guilt has been piled on by the development team (all in good fun, of course), it's usually a relatively trivial matter to discover and fix the problem. Because we continuously integrate our code and the automated build potentially runs every 15 minutes, determining what caused the failure is as simple as looking at what has been checked-in since the last successful build. Fortunately, CruiseControl.NET includes this information (along with check-in comments) in its e-mail and web page summaries.
To-date, our solutions contain approximately 175,000 lines of C# code and over 600 unit tests. Since we consider the failure of a single unit test to be a failure of the entire build, if one test fails, the Orb pulses red. As you'd guess, CruiseControl.NET also includes unit test results in its e-mail and web page summaries which makes it easy to identify the problem.
Although we haven't done it on the NxOpinion project, it would be trivial to configure multiple Orbs to reflect the build health at any location within wireless pager range. You could have an Orb in every development office. And even one at home. Okay, maybe I'm going overboard with that last suggestion, but you know what I mean.
To configure the automated process to send build status information to the Ambient Orb, we need to add some properties and targets to the NAnt build script that CruiseControl.NET uses. NAnt has two built-in properties that can be leveraged to execute a task on build success and failure. The properties are called nant.onsuccess and nant.onfailure, and they need to be set to point to valid target elements in the build file. In our case, we define targets called OnSuccess and OnFailure, although any valid names will work just fine.
To send information to the Ambient Orb, query string parameters are passed to an Ambient JavaServer Page. The format of the request is as follows:
For more information on the available colors, animation styles, and formatting requirements, see the Ambient Orb WDK documentation.
We use the NAnt <get> task to send our build status. The <get> task queries a URL and copies the response to a specified file. In our case, we copy the response to a file in the temporary folder, then immediately delete it with the next task. This isn't our entire NAnt script, but it does contain enough for you to figure out how to incorporate this into your own process:
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<project name="Example">
<!-- Load environment variables -->
<sysinfo />
<!-- Define targets for build status -->
<property name="nant.onsuccess" value="OnSuccess" />
<property name="nant.onfailure" value="OnFailure" />
<!-- Set Ambient Orb for successful build -->
<target name="OnSuccess" description="Build success">
<get src="http://myambient.com:8080/java/my_devices/submitdata.jsp?
dest="${sys.os.folder.temp}\delete.me" failonerror="false"/>
<delete file="${sys.os.folder.temp}\delete.me" failonerror="false"/>
<!-- Set Ambient Orb for failed build -->
<target name="OnFailure" description="Build failure">
We've been using CruiseControl.NET for automated continuous integration for the past year-and-a-half, and it has been a fantastic addition to the project. Although continuous integration is typically associated with the Agile development community, it is a technique that can provide major benefits to teams using any project methodology (even if the developers aren't writing unit tests).
It is rare that our build is in a failed status for more than 30 minutes, because CruiseControl.NET makes it so easy to determine what has changed since the last successful build. Plus, because our Ambient Orb is in a highly visible location within the project team, it is easy to see the health of our source code with just a quick glance. We can go home in the evening confident that our offshore team is working with a healthy build, and we have that same expectation when we come in to work the next morning.
I firmly believe that once you've worked on a project with automated continuous integration, you won't want to work on a project without it. To get started, download either CruiseControl.NET or Draco.NET. It might take a bit of effort to create your first build script, but once you have it up and running, you'll find that it requires relatively little care and feeding to maintain.
Oh, and don't forget to let me know about your experience!
Daily Build and Smoke Test by Steve McConnell: http://www.stevemcconnell.com/bp04.htmMartin Fowler's introduction to Continuous Integration: http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/continuousIntegration.htmlContinuous Integration with CruiseControl.NET and Draco.NET by Justin Gehtland: http://www.theserverside.net/articles/showarticle.tss?id=ContinuousIntegrationCruiseControl.NET: http://ccnet.thoughtworks.com/Draco.NET: http://draconet.sourceforge.net/NAnt: http://nant.sourceforge.net/NUnit: http://www.nunit.org/FxCop: http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/fxcop/Ambient Orb: http://www.ambientdevices.com/cat/orb/Ambient Orb WDK: http://www.ambientdevices.com/developer/OrbWDK.pdf
For the past year-and-a-half, I have helped manage the development team responsible for the NxOpinion diagnostic software. Although the methodology we're using for the project isn't 100% Agile, we have borrowed and blended a number of Agile tenets that have afforded us many benefits (Boehm & Turner's Balancing Agility and Discipline is a good book about effectively balancing traditional and Agile methodologies). We are using two techniques that aren't normally talked about when discussing Agile software development: formal code review and code metrics. A recent event prompted me to write this article about how we relate these two techniques on the NxOpinion project.
One of the practices of eXtreme Programming (or "XP", an instance of Agile software development) is pair-programming, the concept that two people physically work side-by-side at a single computer. The idea is that by having two people work on the same logic, one can type the code while the other watches for errors and possible improvements. In a properly functioning XP pair, partners change frequently (although I've heard of many projects where "pair-programming" means two people are stuck together for the entire length of the project...definitely not XP's concept of pair-programming). Not only does this pairing directly influence code quality, but the constantly changing membership naturally has the effect of distributing project knowledge throughout the entire development team. The goal of pair-programming is not to make everyone an expert in all specialties, but the practice does teach everyone who the "go to" people are.
Advocates of XP will often argue that pair-programming eliminates the need for formal code review because the code is reviewed as it is being written. Although I do believe that there is some truth to this, I think it also misses out on some key points. On the NxOpinion project, we have a set of documented coding standards (based on Microsoft's Design Guidelines for Class Library Developers) that we expect the development team to adhere to. Coding standards are part of the XP process, but in my experience, just because something is documented doesn't necessarily mean that it will be respected and followed. We use our formal code review process to help educate the team about our standards and help them gain a respect for why those standards exist. After a few meetings, this is something that can usually be automated through the use of tools, and having code pass a standards check before a review is scheduled is a good requirement. Of course, the primary reason we formally review code is to subjectively comment on other possible ways to accomplish the same functionality, simplify its logic, or identify candidates for refactoring.
Because we write comprehensive unit tests, a lot of the time that we would traditionally spend reviewing proper functionality is no longer necessary. Instead, we focus on improving the functionality of code that has already been shown to work. Compared to a more traditional approach, we do not require all code to be formally reviewed before it is integrated into the system (frankly, XP's notion of collective code ownership would make this notion unrealistic). So, since we believe that there are benefits of a formal code review process, but we don't need to spend the time reviewing everything in the system, how do we decide what we formally review?
There are two key areas that we focus on when choosing code for review:
As an example, for the NxOpinion applications, most of our data types inherit from a base type that provides a lot of common functionality. Because of its placement in the hierarchy, it is important that our base type functions in a consistent, reliable, and expected manner. Likewise, the inference algorithms that drive the medical diagnostics must work properly and without error. These are two good examples of core functionality that is required for correct system operation. For other code, we rely on code complexity measurements.
Every day at 5:00pm, an automated process checks out all current source code for the NxOpinion project and calculates its metrics. These metrics are stored as checkpoints that each represent a snapshot of the project at a given point in time. In addition to trending, we use the metrics to gauge our team productivity. They can also be used as a historical record to help improve future estimates. Related to the current discussion, we closely watch our maximum code complexity measurement.
In 1976, Tom McCabe published a paper arguing that code complexity is defined by its control flow. Since that time, others have identified different ways of measuring complexity (e.g. data complexity, module coupling, algorithmic complexity, calls-to and called-by, etc.). Although these other methods are effective in the right context, it seems to be generally accepted that control flow is one of the most useful measurements of complexity, and high complexity scores have been shown to be a strong indicator of low reliability and frequent errors.
The Cyclomatic Complexity computation that we use on the NxOpinion project is based on Tom McCabe's work and is defined in Steve McConnell's book, Code Complete on page 395 (a second edition of Steve's excellent book has just become available):
So, if we have this C# example:
while (nextPage != true)
if ((lineCount <= linesPerPage) && (status != Status.Cancelled) && (morePages == true))
// ...
In the code above, we start with 1 for the routine, add 1 for the while, add 1 for the if, and add 1 for each && for a total calculated complexity of 5. Anything with a greater complexity than 10 or so is an excellent candidate for simplification and refactoring. Minimizing complexity is a great goal for writing high-quality, maintainable code.
Some advantages of McCabe's Cyclomatic Complexity include:
It is important to note that a high complexity score does not automatically mean that code is bad. However, it does highlight areas of the code that have the potential for error. The more complex a method is, the more likely it is to contain errors, and the more difficult it is to completely test.
Recently, I was reviewing our NxOpinion code complexity measurements to determine what to include in an upcoming code review. Without divulging all of the details, the graph of our maximum complexity metric looked like this:
As you can plainly see, the "towering monolith" in the center of the graph represents a huge increase in complexity (it was this graph that inspired this article). Fortunately for our team, this is an abnormal occurrence, but it made it very easy for me to identify the code for our next formal review.
Upon closer inspection, the culprit of this high measurement was a method that we use to parse mathematical expressions. Similar to other parsing code I've seen in the past, it was cluttered with a lot of conditional logic (ifs and cases). After a very productive code review meeting that produced many good suggestions, the original author of this method was able to re-approach the problem, simplify the design, and refactor a good portion of the logic. As represented in the graph, the complexity measurement for the parsing code decreased considerably. As a result, it was easier to test the expression feature, and we are much more comfortable about the maintenance and stability of its code.
Hopefully, I've been able to illustrate that formal code review coupled with complexity measurements provide a very compelling technique for quality improvement, and it is something that can easily be adopted by an Agile team. So, what can you do to implement this technique for your project?
Good luck, and don't forget to let me know if this works for you and your team!
Boehm, Barry and Turner, Richard. 2003. Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed. Boston: Addison-Wesley.Extreme Programming. 2003 <http://www.extremeprogramming.org/>Fowler, Martin. 1999. Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code. Boston: Addison-Wesley.McCabe, Tom. 1976. "A Complexity Measure." IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, SE-2, no. 4 (December): 308-20.McConnell, Steve. 1993. Code Complete. Redmond: Microsoft Press.Martin, Robert C. 2002. Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.


text:
Chive Sausage El Dorado
7 Feb 2010
|1 1⁄2 Pound
|Green pepper
|1 Cup (16 tbs), chopped
|Canned cannelloni beans
|1 Pound, drained (1 Can)
|Cooked rice
|3 Cup (48 tbs)
|Chopped chives
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Canned tomato paste
|6 Ounce (1 Can)
|Canned tomatoes
|1 Pound, chopped (1 Can)
|Ground pepper
|To Taste
|To Taste
Cook sausage until lightly browned.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the pan drippings.
Fry green pepper in the 1/4-cup drippings until tender.
Combine with remaining ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a buttered 1 1/2 -quart casserole.
Arrange sausages on top.
Bake in a 400° F.oven 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Rate It
0 Comments
Chive Sausage El Dorado Recipe


text:
Time to Give Thanks
He thought it was funny that the leaf was a perfect heart & wanted a picture. He was not excited to take more than one photo. But I'm grateful for just one.
It's that time of year. Want to join in on the gratitude?
Starting November 1, photograph something each day you're thankful for. It can be anything or anyone. You can write paragraphs about it or just let your photo do the talking.
Post to the group, to your blog, to your Facebook page.
Just be thankful about something each day of November!
psst... it feels good too.
awww what a wonderful find !!!
I did the month of gratitude last year and it was a gift. I'm on board for another round.
love the light running all through this.
I'm in! And this is stunning light and tones at work. Cute kid too. ;)
my favourite part of november...gratitude month! this is priceless...and i'm in! x
i love novembeR !!!! GREat shot ... love the heart leaf
faving this for the light, the heart and for a son wanting his photo taken. Count me in for a month of gratitude.
Beautiful shot and isn't it amazing how nature creates all those interesting forms for us to enjoy. :)
yes, I'm in! I'll need some motivation to get through what is likely to be a grey month. Only 2 left in my 365! WOot! That's something to be grateful for!
Love the light in this shot. And I love those leaves, I shot them this past week too. I even looked it up -- Linden tree.
lovely light and colors!
gorgeous light and colors!
first of all--what a find with that leaf! i love that your son was observant enough to stop and take a second look. second of all--the month of gratitude sounds like an excellent idea. i might just take on that challenge. it's always good to step back and remember the good things all around us.
Love this so much! The light is just perfect.
Looking forward to the month of November. :-)
this is awesome… so glad you got the one picture. i love the light shining through those veins!
oh erika, you always talk me into it.
I gotta try this year....
it really rocked my world last year.
and I'm all for rockin my world.
love the light-filled veins running all through this leaf heart.
I'm getting really excited for it this year. It's a good kick in the ass for the soul and for the last leg of the 365.
I'm totally up for this challenge! I'm glad I saw this in time. : )
768 views
10 faves
19 comments
Taken on October 5, 2011
Additional info
S Search
Z Zoom
B Back to context


text:
Moving supplies > Storage solutions > Travel / Luggage Box
Price: $6.95
Free shipping on orders $50 or more.
How long will this take to get to me?
Travel / Luggage box with handle. 23-5/8" x 9-1/2" x 14-1/2"
To view an answer to a question, simply click on the question. To post a new question, click on the "Ask a question" button below.
*All questions are reviewed and approved before being posted or answered. Please keep all questions appropriate and related to the product
Your question:
Your name
Send me an email when my question is posted
Your email
5" x 5" x 65" Box
6"x 4"x 4"Box
6"x 6"x 6"Box
6"x 6"x 4"Box
We were very pleased with these boxes. they will fit our needs perfectly.
These are great little boxes. I filled one with pictures and it is so easy to work with and will be great for storage.
one of the sides does not lock into the slot, so I have to tape it, not what I would have wanted or expected from this price.
Maybe just a faulty one?
I needed to send my paints and easel out west and the box was the perfect size. At UPS, the clerk said that it is a very sturdy box that could probably be shipped several times. I'm hoping that that is true. So far so good. If this works out, I will definitely spread the word among my artist colleagues. This product's dimensions are excellent for transporting a field easel, brushes and paints all in 1 shipment.
Have questions or need help?
Chat with a moving expert
This website is owned and operated by Web Team Associates, Inc.
Copyright ©
U-Haul International, Inc. All rights reserved.
U-Haul International, Inc.'s trademarks and copyrights are used under license by Web Team Associates, Inc.
To reserve by phone, call 1-800-GO-UHAUL (1-800-468-4285)


text:
Free JavaScript-Animated Templates
- Type: Website
- Item number: 51510
- Author: Cowboy
- Share:
We introduce our Free JavaSсript-Animated Template which uses JavaScript based elements to make some great animation effects. By using this sample you can evaluate the quality of our JavaScript products and try out your skills on working with them. Don't miss out on this excellent chance to practice at editing our JavaSсript Templates since it's rather simple to modify the sample content and make it exclusive with the help any HTML editor.
Please note that our Free JavaSсript Animated Templates can be used for educational purposes ONLY. You are strongly prohibited to resell our free samples or use them for any of your projects.


text:
Originally written on BAseball Reality Tour | Last updated 1/11/13
Robinson Cano's impending contract extension or free agency, has been a recurring theme in the minds of Yankees fans over the past year, or so. A rising number of Yankees fans are growing tired of Cano's salary demands, with thoughts akin to: if he doesn't want to be a Yankee at all costs, let him go. It's unclear why an audible amount of Yankees fans can't appreciate having one of the best 2nd basemen of all time, entering his 30's.It's wise to be wary of your favorite team overpaying for a player's past-prime years, but it's another thing to criticize one of your team's homegrown stars, citing poor defense, his style of play, or other nitpicked flaws.Where will Robinson Cano play in 2014? Mystery team?Last night, a fan posted a comment which adds to this sentiment, on the Yankees MLBtradeRumors Facebook fan page, which I monitor for the great guys at MLBTR. The comment:"Let Cano spread his wings and fly away. The perfect 2nd baseman;the complete package is the Reds' 2nd base Phil...
Comments are closed.
What do you think?To leave a comment, you can:
MLB News
Delivered to your inbox
You'll also receive Yardbarker's daily Top 10, featuring the best sports stories from around the web. Customize your newsletter to get articles on your favorite sports and teams. And the best part? It's free!
Follow us on Twitter
|Best of Yardbarker
|NFL News
|MLB News
Today's Best Stuff
For Bloggers
Join the Yardbarker Network for more promotion, traffic, and money.
Company Info
What is Yardbarker?
Yardbarker is the largest network of sports blogs and pro athlete blogs on the web. This site is the hub of the Yardbarker Network, where our editors and algorithms curate the best sports content from our network and beyond.
|© 2015 Yardbarker, Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. (What's New?)


text:
See our store section for gifts by different stores
See our top gift ideas section for most popular items.
Create your own personal gift registry. Register for any item, from any store, for any occasion. Find the gift registries of your family and friends.
Ever find the perfect gift idea for someone, but their birthday was months away? We make it easy to remember your gift ideas.
Provides timely email reminders for a birthday, anniversary, and other special occasions.
Get advice from friends and family on which gifts to buy.
Murals on Ceramic Tile - Patriotic
Personalized Military Photo Throw
Veterans of War Knob Walking Stick with Black Beechwood Shaft
2 Gallon Pottery Crock American Heritage Flag
Personalized US Flag American Pride Coffee Mug
Personalized US Flag American Pride T-Shirt
Personalized Stars and Stripes Glass Placemats
USA Flag Translucent Blue Round Knob Cane
USA American Pride Wooden Picture Frame
Personalized American Pride T-Shirt
USA Flag Round Knob Cane with Custom Wood Shaft and Collar
John Wayne True Spirit of the West Stagecoach Sculpture
Wooden Patriotic Birdhouse
Personalized Patriotic Mug
Personalized Scroll US Flag American Pride Hat
Personalized US Flag American Pride Hat
American Flag Suspenders
Freedom Flag Indoor/Outdoor Pillow
Ted Blaylock Wings of Freedom Eagle Sculpture
Veteran's Salute Men's Jacket with Eagle Art
America Goes to War Coins and Stamps Wooden Display Case
Commitment to Courage Bronze Sculpture
America at War Framed Coin & Stamp Set
American Flag Fritz Walking Cane with Aluminum Shaft
Give a Legal Deed - 1 sq. inch Land All 50 States. Very American!


text:
Since returning from a strained hamstring, it might appear as if Ty Lawson's game has needed a jump start. But ask him and he'll say all he needs is his wind.
His 'wind' is code for conditioning.
Sitting out two games for the Nuggets on the road, then returning to altitude has taken a toll on Lawson's conditioning. And he pointed to that as the reason for a couple of very un-Lawson-like performances over the weekend, against New Orleans and Utah.
"I looked at it as he missed two games, but I didn't think about the fact that we were on the road for nine days and away from here as well," Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said.
"With the hamstring you don't do a whole lot in terms of cardio stuff. But the last few days in practice I've been leaving him in the whole time. And he's wanted to be in so he could get his wind back. And it's coming. To his credit, he's pushing himself in practice, which is a good sight to see."
Lawson predicted better performances to come, and insisted his hamstring is a-ok and not an issue.
Also, Nuggets shooting guard Randy Foye is having issues with a sore ankle. He rolled it in Sunday's game against New Orleans and sat out Monday's practice. He's expected to be well enough to play against Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
"Randy we gave today off," Shaw said. "His ankle was still a little sore from when he rolled it. So we let him sit out and get treatment today."
Christopher Dempsey: firstname.lastname@example.com or twitter.com/dempseypost


text:
A system and method for determining the relative distances from a plurality of hyperlinks 206 to a cursor 202 when a select button is depressed. The relative distances are compared and the hyperlink corresponding to the shortest distance has its function activated. If the distances are determined to be identical or if the distances are determined to be within a predetermined range of one another, the hyperlinks 206 are not activated. Instead, the user positions the cursor 202 such that it is relatively closer to one of the two or more relatively equidistant hyperlinks 206 and clicks again.
1. A method for controlling a user interface including one or more hyperlinks activatable by clicking a cursor pointing device, comprising:
calculating distances in a predetermined area of a screen between a location of a cursor and positions of said one or more hyperlinks, said one or more hyperlinks defined by visible hyperlink regions and invisible framing regions, a predetermined number of said positions being defined by points on said framing regions of said one or more hyperlinks; and
selecting one of said one or more hyperlinks responsive to a determination that a distance between said location of said cursor and a position of said one is a minimum.
2. The method for controlling a user interface according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said positions are defined by predetermined edge points on edges of said framing regions of said one or more hyperlinks.
3. A computer system, comprising:
a central processing unit (CPU);
a cursor pointing device operably coupled to said CPU; and
a video monitor, said video monitor being configured to display a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface displaying a cursor controlled by said cursor pointing device and a plurality of hyperlinks, said hyperlinks defining a function to be performed by said CPU, said plurality of hyperlinks defined by visible hyperlink regions and invisible framing regions;
wherein said CPU is configured to calculate a distance between a cursor reference point on said cursor and a hyperlink reference point of said plurality of hyperlinks responsive to an input from said cursor pointing device, and is configured to activate a function defined by a closest of said hyperlinks to said cursor pointing device, one or more of said hyperlink reference points being points on framing regions of said one or more hyperlinks.
4. A computer system according to claim 3, wherein said CPU is further configured to monitor movement of said cursor prior to activating a function defined by a hyperlink if said CPU determines that two or more distances are within a predetermined value of one another.
5. A computer system comprising:
means for determining distances between a cursor on a video screen and points on framing regions of a plurality of hyperlinks on said video screen, said plurality of hyperlinks defined by visible hyperlink regions and invisible framing regions; and
means for actuating one of said hyperlinks as a function of said distances.
6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said actuating means includes means for activating functions associated with said hyperlinks.
7. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein said determining means includes means for waiting for a movement of said cursor responsive to a determination that one or more of said hyperlinks are substantially equidistant to said cursor.
8. A computer system according to claim 7, wherein said determining means calculates said distances responsive to an input after said cursor is moved.
The present invention relates to graphical user interfaces for computers and more particularly, to a graphical user interface in which a cursor is directed to an activatable icon or hyperlink when a control or mouse button is clicked.
Graphical user interfaces for computers such as Microsoft Windows software and Internet browser software such as Netscape Navigator are based on the use of program or function icons or hyperlinks and point and click action of a cursor pointing device such as a mouse or trackball. Typically, hot or active regions of such hyperlinks (i.e., those regions that trigger an action when "clicked" by a mouse key, or that cause control to be transferred to a different hypertext document) are limited in geographic scope such that a user must position a cursor with relative precision upon the hyperlink in order to insure that clicking the appropriate button of the cursor pointing device will activate the hyperlink. If the user clicks on the screen outside of the geographic range of the hyperlink, nothing occurs.
In that case, the user must reposition the cursor using the cursor pointing device. In many instances, this can be a source of frustration for the user because the user generally does not click a cursor pointing device's select button unless he wishes to activate some function associated with it. Moreover, cursor pointing devices such as the "eraser head" stick-type pointer device for laptop computers and touch-pad pointing devices are not necessarily easy to control with the requisite precision. Accordingly, the act of positioning the cursor pointing device within the geographic range of a hyperlink can be a source of frustration and wasted time.
Certain applications programs permit users to click on an area surrounding an icon or hyperlink in order to select the desired action. However, such programs are relatively rigid in that the area is defined by the application programmer. Moreover, by defining larger and larger geographical regions surrounding hyperlinks, the number of such hyperlinks permitted per page is limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for a graphical user interface in which a user can click on a region relatively remote from a hyperlink and still cause activation of the function defined by the hyperlink and which does not require undue amounts of programmer or user attention.
These and other drawbacks of the prior art are overcome in large part by a system and method for determining the relative distances from a plurality of hyperlinks or function icons to a cursor when a select button is depressed. The relative distances are compared and the hyperlink corresponding to the shortest distance has its function activated. If the distances are determined to be identical or if the distances are determined to be within a predetermined range of one another, the hyperlinks are not activated. Instead, the user positions the cursor such that it is relatively closer to one of the two or more relatively equidistant clickable hyperlinks.
According to this method, the programmer need only define a placement for the hyperlink within a predetermined range on a screen of the graphical user interface. A predetermined point is selected as the location of the hyperlink. In one embodiment, the predetermined point is the centroid of the graphic of the hyperlink. In another embodiment, the predetermined point is a centroid of a predetermined framing region around the hyperlink. In still another embodiment, the predetermined point is a point on the edge of the framing region of the hyperlink. Finally, in yet another embodiment, the predetermined point is a point on the edge of the hyperlink graphic itself.
A better understanding of the present invention is obtained when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer and computer network system according to one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a distance determining technique according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the determination of various reference points for use in a distance determining technique according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Turning now to the drawings, and with particular attention to FIG. 1, a computer network system 100 according to the present invention is illustrated. Network computer system 100 includes at least one computer 102 which is coupled, for example, via an Internet connection to computers 104 and 106. It is noted that a variety of computers and computer network systems may be employed; thus, FIG. 1 is exemplary only. Computer 102 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 108 which is representative of, for example, a Pentium or Pentium Pro-type processor available from Intel Corp. CPU 108 is configured to run software which preferably implements the method according to the present invention. CPU 108 is coupled via a CPU bus 110 to a bus bridge 112. Bus bridge 112 in turn is coupled to a main memory 114 and includes a memory controller 116 and a cache and cache memory controller 118. Main memory 114 is preferably random access memory (RAM) used to temporarily store information used by CPU 108 in running programs. Read only memory (ROM) 111 is also coupled to bus bridge 112. Programs, such as BIOS (basic input output system), stored in ROM 111 may be run by CPU 108.
Bus bridge 112 couples CPU 108 to an expansion bus 120. Expansion bus 120 is preferably a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, but may also be a bus compatible with the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), the Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) or the Microchannel Architecture (MCA).
A plurality of expansion or peripheral bus devices 122a-122d are coupled to expansion bus 120. The expansion bus devices include, for example, a hard disk drive 122a, floppy disk drives, CD ROM drives, cursor pointing devices such as mice or trackballs 122b, keyboards 112c, monitors 122d, and video and sound cards, as well as network interface cards. Peripheral bus devices 122a-122d may also include PC Card (formerly known as PCMCIA cards) adapters. Hard disk drive 122a preferably stores a program executable by CPU 108 which runs the graphical user interface according to the present invention.
Turning to FIG. 2, an exemplary graphical user interface 200 is shown. Graphical user interface 200 includes a cursor 202 and a plurality of hyperlinks or function icons 206a-206h. Each hyperlink 206a-206h has a reference point 208a-208h. Cursor 202 has a reference point 204. According to the present invention, CPU 108 determines a coordinate system for graphical user interface 200. For example, the coordinate system may be an x-y Cartesian coordinate system which may be based on point 204 as origin with y-axis as 240 and x-axis 242. It is noted that other parts of graphical user interface 200 may form the origin, for example, the center point of graphical user interface 200. In addition, it is noted that while illustrated as comprising the entirety of graphical user interface 200, the coordinate system may include only a predetermined portion of graphical user interface 200. For example, in the case of a frames-capable browser, each frame preferably has its own coordinate system.
CPU 108 already "knows" the location of the reference points 208a-208h of hyperlinks 206a-206h from an initialization procedure such as when the graphical user interface is initially brought up on the screen. The locations of the center points may then be maintained, for example, in a look up table in RAM for easy reference. When a user clicks a select button on a cursor pointing device, CPU 108 determines a coordinate of the reference point 204 of cursor 202. The reference point 204 of cursor 202 is then used to determine the distances to reference points 208a-208h of hyperlinks 206a-206h, as represented by the lines 244a-244h. Since the graphical user interface is typically a Cartesian coordinate graph, the distance vectors 244a-244h may be thought of as the hypotenuses of right triangles. As such, by solving the Pythagorean relationship (d=sqrt{(x2 -x1)2 +(y2 -y1)2 }, where (x1, y1) and (x2,y2) are the coordinates of the hyperlink reference point and the cursor reference point) based on the Cartesian coordinates of the reference points 208a-208h and the cursor reference point 204, the distances between the reference point 204 and the reference points 208a-208h may be determined. For reference points 208a-208h lying on a reference line, the distance may be determined by simply subtracting distance units from one another.
Once CPU 108 determines the closest hyperlink, CPU 108 activates the function that has been selected through clicking on the appropriate hyperlink. For example, in the case of an Internet browser, the function may be a hyperlink to a next web page.
If reference point 204 is determined to be equidistant to reference points 208a-208h, CPU 108 preferably will do nothing, other than continuing to monitor the cursor, until the cursor reference point 204 (and hence cursor 202) are moved to a different position relative to the respective hyperlink reference points 208a-208h. It is noted that in one embodiment, it is not necessary that reference point 204 be absolutely equidistant from two or more of hyperlink reference points 208a-208h in order for CPU 108 to enter a wait state allowing the user to move the cursor before again determining distances responsive to a select action. Thus, for example, if two of the reference points are determined to be within 10% of the same distance from reference point 204, then CPU 108 will wait for subsequent actions of the user. This prevents unintended "jumps" in the case of an Internet graphical browser, for example.
It is noted that the discussion of FIG. 2 has been assuming that reference points 208a-208h are located at the center of substantially symmetrical hyperlinks 206a-206h. There reference points for use with the method of the present invention, however, may be determined according to a variety of ways regardless of whether the hyperlink itself is completely symmetrical.
Turning now to FIG. 3, a graphical user interface 300 is illustrated showing three substantially identical hyperlinks 306, 310 and 316. According to the present invention, reference point 308 of hyperlink 306 is used as the reference point to determine the distance from the hyperlink to cursor 302's reference point 304. Reference point 308 may be defined as the centroid of hyperlink 306. As is well known, the centroid is the location (in terms of x and y coordinates) having the x coordinate, which is the average of all the x coordinate points within the object (in this case the hyperlink) and the y coordinate is the location of the average y coordinate of points in the object. This relationship is, of course, a generalized relationship for asymmetrical and symmetrical objects.
Hyperlink 310 is illustrated as being embedded in a framing area 312. Framing area 312 may be "invisible" and blended with the background wallpaper of graphical user interface 300. Background 312 typically forms a square or rectangular region around hyperlink 310. As illustrated generally by the dashed lines, any point on the edge of framing region 312 may be used as the reference point for determining the distance of hyperlink 310 to reference point 304 of cursor 302. For example, reference point 314a forms a corner of framing region 312. Point 314f is a midway point of the edge of framing region 312 represented by the line segment 314a-314e. Any of the points along 312 may be used as a reference point but, for convenience sake, a halfway point or a corner point is typically used. In addition, it is noted that a centroid of the framing region 312 may be used as the reference point. Such a centroid 311 may also be the centroid of the graphical hyperlink 310 itself, but need not be. It is noted that whichever reference point is used on area region 312 or centroid 311, it is preferable that such a point be used consistently across all of the hyperlinks on the particular page.
In addition to basing the reference point of the hyperlink on the centroid of the hyperlink, the centroid of the framing region, or a point on the edge of the framing region itself, various points of the actual hyperlink may also be used to determine the reference point. For example, points 318a or 318d on hyperlink 316 may be used as the reference point. Again, it is preferred that a point be consistently chosen. In the case of a plurality of differently shaped hyperlinks, such a point may be an extremum in the x or y directions.
A method according to the present invention includes first initializing a mouse or cursor reference point in a step 402. Next, a particular screen of a graphical user interface is initialized in a step 404. For example, a particular web page may be accessed. Initializing the screen includes locating "hot" objects such as hyperlinks within particular "windows" or frames. In addition, this may include identifying a reference point such as a centroid of a framing region or an extreme point of the hyperlink itself. Furthermore, initializing the screen includes identifying an x-y coordinate system.
Once the particular cursor and screen have been initialized, the CPU 108 tracks movements of the cursor in a step 406. The processor 108 identifies a clicked mouse key or other cursor select key in a step 408. Once the CPU 108 identifies that a cursor selection device has made a selection, the CPU 108 uses the reference point of the cursor and the reference points of the hyperlinks to determine the distances between the cursor and the reference points of the hyperlinks in a step 410. In a step 412, the CPU 108 compares the distances. If the distances are within a predetermined value of one another, the processor will not undertake any action beyond continuing to track the cursor. If, however, none of the distances were determined to be within a predetermined value of one another, the CPU 108 will cause the closest cursor to be activated and its function called in a step 414.
The invention described in the above detailed description is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents as can-be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. In particular, it is noted that while the invention has been described with respect to a Web browser, is intended to cover any type of graphical user interface employing program or function icons.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
YIELD: Makes About 1 1/2 cups
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato paste, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and simmer until marmalade is thick, stirring often, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.)


text:
Loyola University New Orleans head women's basketball coach Kellie Kennedy announced the signing of transfer student Megan Whittaker.
Loyola University New Orleans head women's basketball coach Kellie Kennedy announced the additions of Kylah Jones and Meghan Temple to the 2013 signing class.
Head women's basketball coach Kellie Kennedy has announced the signing of point guard Jackie Anderson to the Loyola University New Orleans signing class of 2013.
Loyola University New Orleans junior Jasmine Brewer was named third team All-Louisiana for 2012-13 season by the Louisiana Sports Writer's Association on Saturday.
Loyola University New Orleans had six players honored for nine different awards as the Southern States Athletic Conference announced their awards selection at the conference tournament on February 28th.
Loyola University New Orleans fell to Emmanuel College 62-54 in women's basketball in the play-in game of the SSAC tournament on Wednesday afternoon at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Loyola University New Orleans Men's and Women's basketball teams start SSAC tournament play on Wednesday, February 27th at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. You can listen to live radio broadcasts of the games all week.
Pack to play Emmanuel on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
The Wolf Pack await foe for SSAC Tournament
Loyola University New Orleans women's hoops will matchup against Auburn University Montgomery in the regular season finale for both teams. The game will tip off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 23rd at AUM's Physical Education Complex.


text:
28 CFR 74.1 - Purpose.
prev | next
The purpose of this part is to implement section 105 of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which authorizes the Attorney General to locate, identify, and make payments to all eligible individuals of Japanese ancestry who were evacuated, relocated, and interned during World War II as a result of government action.
Title 28 published on 2014-07-01.
No entries appear in the Federal Register after this date, for 28 CFR Part 74.


text:
FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 9, 2013 file photo, a veiled woman walks in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Aya Batrawy, File)
SIDON, Lebanon: The Lebanese Army Saturday briefly detained a man who was wearing a niqab, covering his face and body, after he fled before approaching a military checkpoint in the coastal city of Sidon.
The man stepped out of a vehicle, waiting in line at an Army checkpoint outside the Serob neighborhood, southeast Sidon, and ran toward a nearby building.
Army personnel grew suspicious of the man's behavior and followed him as he climbed the stairs to reach one of the building's higher floors.
During interrogation, the man told investigators he wore the niqab in order to not draw the attention of the neighborhood which he frequented to visit his lover.
He also said that he fled the checkpoint to escape inspection which would have revealed his cover.
At the Serob checkpoint female military personnel usually inspect other females, particularly those wearing the niqab.
The incident sparked the ire of Islamist groups in Sidon who called on the military to prosecute the man, saying his action would force hundreds of veiled women to be inspected at the checkpoint.
Your feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article.
Disclaimer: Comments submitted by third parties on this site are the sole responsibility of the individual(s) whose content is submitted. The Daily Star accepts no responsibility for the content of comment(s), including, without limitation, any error, omission or inaccuracy therein. Please note that your email address will NOT appear on the site.
Alert: If you are facing problems with posting comments, please note that you must verify your email with Disqus prior to posting a comment. follow this link to make sure your account meets the requirements. (http://bit.ly/vDisqus)
Families of hostages block roads to protest stalled talks
Sidon to see more green with new garden
Palestinian child wounded in s. Lebanon camp shooting
The families of captive servicemen being held hostage by Islamist militants urged Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad...


text:
April 3, 2013
Despite winter trying to hang on, even up here in northern Maine, spring is having her way. Every time the temperature goes above 40, it feels like we need to celebrate with a spring fresh sipping drink. How about a Lemon Verbena Margarita? Check out this recipe, from the Guide to Container Gardening at About.com; Kerry Michaels.
1 container frozen Barcardi Margarita Mix
1 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
Image Sources:
Related Articles
- Perfect Fall Sipper: Apple Pear Kompot
- 4 Simple Gin-Based Sippers
- National Margarita Day: Pomegranate Margarita
- Sweet and Fruity Springtime Cocktails
- The Perfect Peach Margarita for National Margarita Day
- National Margarita Day: Prickly Pear Margarita
- A Springtime Culinary Feast at Seattle's Serafina and Cicchetti
- Meaty Cocktails: Pizza Margarita, Salmon Vodka, and Beef and Horseradish Guinness
- Springtime Quencher: Fruity Sangria
- Thirsty Thursday: The Mojito 6 Ways
Related Recipes
Want more from Foodista? Sign up below!


text:
About FTC | Careers | ftcnow.com
Bundles start at $59.95. Take advantage of bundle offers that are right for you and your budget.
Bundle Pricing
There is nothing better than Unlimited Talk & Text with Rollover Data. Get 300 MB for only $45/month and for just $5 more get 1 Gig (1,000 MB)!
Start Saving Now!
Join FTC's and McDonald's recycling initiative - Bring in your old directory and get a FREE order of McDonald's French fries.
Learn More
Experience Internet speeds up to 1 Gig (1,000 MB). That's 20 times faster that the fastest advertised cable Internet speed. Plus get a FREE modem, FREE in-home Wi-Fi, FREE online content and 24/7 technical support.
You can now watch available episodes of all your favorite shows, full length movies, and live news and sports - on your TV and all your favorite devices - at no extra cost! Just find the best digital TV package for you, and watchTVeverywhere will be included for FREE.
FTC is committed to unparalleled telephone service for our customers. We take great pride in being able to offer top quality service and we are proud to be a part of the communities we serve.
VIEW Phone Options
Experience the areas best full-service digital TV provider
VIEW Digital TV OPTIONS
Our Internet offerings include:
VIEW Internet OPTIONS
FTC Security is an affordable way to protect your home or business. Whether you need a standard or custom security package, FTC has you covered.
VIEW Security Options
Our Wireless services have you covered for all of your mobile needs. Check out the latest rates and phones today.
VIEW Wireless OPTIONS
Sign up for 2 or more services and take advantage of money-saving options. Get one convenient monthly bill, access your account online and experience one-stop technical support. Bundle and Save!
NEWS: FTC Kicks Off 2015 Phone Book Recycling Program
FTC is distributing new area phone directories in May, and that means there will be many old phone books ready for the recycling bin.
NEWS: FTC Converting Telephone Network to New Technology
FTC is in the final stages of a conversion to a new core switch that will better serve its telephone customers, company officials recently announced.
Read More News Articles & Blogs
Read Current Newsletter
Want to see your business advertised on FTC Digital TV channels like ESPN, USA and TBS?
Advertise on FTC Vision
If you have questions about any of the services offered by FTC, please e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 888-218-5050. (Call Center - Mon. - Fri., 8 am - 6 pm)
© Farmers Telephone Cooperative. All rights reserved.
Web Design by BlueKey in Charleston, SC