"Create an Account" or "Create Account"

Question: I have a registration form I want to name.
Should I name it:

 –  "Create Account"
 –  "Create an Account"

(or "Create the Account")
Also, which words should be capitalized if this is a header.
Comment: To answer the capitalisation question: [Which words in a title should be capitalized?](http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/14/which-words-in-a-title-should-be-capitalized)
Answer: Use:

create an account
create account
create new account
create a new account

"Create the account" is grammatically correct, but is rarely used.
Capitalization is up to you. You may leave capitalization altogether, if you want. But remember one thing: you can either capitalize just the first word or capitalize all (you may or may not capitalize the articles - a, an).
Comment: @ChenHarel The answer is "which ever you want, except the one that uses *the*"
Comment: There's no linguistic problem with *Create the account*, but there may be a philosophical one, that 'the' account can't be referred to until it has been created...
Comment: I was hoping for a sole answer as to which one I should use.
Answer: In titles, labels, and captions like that, we routinely omit articles and other words not essential to the meaning in order to keep it short. So if you were writing a sentence, you would write, "Create an account". But for a label you would normally drop the article.
In titles we usually capitalize the first letter of each word, except for articles, conjunctions, and prepositions (unless the article, etc, is the first word of the title, in which case it is capitalized). For example, "The Care and Feeding of Rabbits" or "History of the English People". (Sometimes these words are capitalized when they are considered important. Like, "Strange But True" -- you don't want the reader to skim over the "but" or he'll completely miss the point.)
Thus, the conventional thing to use would be, "Create Account". No article, both words capitalized.
If you do decide to include the article, it should be "Create an Account". Article not capitalized.
Answer: Conventionally, articles are omitted in labels. Apple uses the following style (assuming it's a computer form):

Create Account
   Delete Account
Answer: I think

create an account

is better, in fact the best among your options, assuming that we are referring to a single account.
And

create the account

should only be used, when you are referring to an account you have mentioned earlier.
As far as capitalization is concerned, I agree with our friend rudra.

"Create an Account" or "Create Account"


Can a sitemap change result in a drop of visits?

Question: I recently restructured and resubmitted the sitemap for a website of mine in GWT. The old one was built by a script I acquired, which had its flaws but dit the job. After having implemented URL rewriting, I decided to write my own sitemap generator, in order to have a solution which perfectly fits my requirements and provides much better and accurate info than the old one.
The integration went well, GWT displayed the green tickmark and the correct number of URLs.
Around the time I have submitted the new sitemap however, I noticed a big drop in visits to the site. Is that normal behavior when one makes an important change to a sitemap, or is it pure coincidence and I need to look for the reason for declining visits elsewhere ?
Comment: Not an answer more of a passing comment which might shed some light on visitor drops - Google Panda update has brought a drop in visits in quite a lot of websites. Have a google around as there is quite a lot of information about Google Panda and how it is effecting visits.
Answer: It shouldn't have any effect on your pages' rankings. After all, its purpose is to tell the search engines what pages you would like to have indexed and where to find them. It has nothing to do with relevancy. But you see things like the Sitemap Paradox and realize it is far from a perfect system.
Having said that, the odds are it isn't your sitemap that caused any problems. Your drop in rankings seems to coincide with the "Panda" update Google has recently run. If your content is very similar to or exactly the same as content on other sites it probably has been devalued by Google. If this isn't the case it can be difficult to tell why they dropped as there are so many factors in ranking pages that narrowing it down to one thing is very difficult. It's even possible that your competitors just got better and you stayed the same.
If your results do not change soon I would recommend switching back to the old script and see if your rankings revert to their previous place. If they do then you know the sitemap is to blame.
Answer: Based on this "After having implemented URL rewriting" It sounds like you changed your URLs? I'd guess that had a bigger impact, especially if the old URLs return a 404.


Administrator login page redirect to home page

Question: My website do not open administrator login instead it redirect me to the home page I have to repair error by using cpanel any body have suggestions
Comment: Just to confirm - are you going to /administrator rather than using a login form on the front of the site?
Comment: Could you access it in the past? What changed?
Comment: suddenly I could not open login to administrator page! but the cpanel still access and working!
Comment: Have you solved this problem?
Answer: For Akeeba Admin Tools, the responsible file is:
root joomla install/plugins/system/admintools/admintools/main.php
Rename that file, access the site as normal, and use the Admin Tools to unblock yourself. Rename the file back to main.php.
Answer: This problem is likely caused by a security plugin that was installed on your Joomla website - in most cases it is Admin Tools, in some cases, it is a different plugin such as JSecure. We have explained how to fix the problem in the case of JSecure here.
Since you already stated that you don't have JSecure installed, then I would say this is caused by Admin Tools - either disable the Admin Tools plugins from phpMyAdmin, or rename all the Admin Tools folders in your filesystem to _old (just append _old to the folder name).
Answer: Check if you had JSecure plugin, or if you have correct permissions for folder and index.php in admin folder.
644 are the correct one.
Some servers are not allowing to use and hide files and folders with incorrect permissions from the web
Comment: I did not get it and the prob continue to exist.
Comment: Clear your browser cache and temp files
Answer: To add to what @itoctopus said, if you're running Akeeba Admin Tools, go to Admin Tools then go to Web Application Firewall. Then click on Configure WAF and under Basic Protection Features tab check to see if Allow administrator access only to IPs in Whitelist is set to Yes. If it is, you can set it to No or add your IP to the white list.


Does an applicant have ownership rights if not listed as an inventor?

Question: I'm involved with an Australian Pty Ltd company that is the applicant for an Australian patent, and has listed the two inventors as two of the shareholders of the company. Does the Pty Ltd have co-ownership rights to the patent, or do those rights need to be granted by a license?
Answer: You are mixing a few things up there.
Inventor != applicant:
Inventor is the person that invented the invention, applicant is the person that applies for the patent and therefore is the owner of the patent (e.g. the employer). The compensation for the inventor has to be agreed upon between those two.
In your case that would (probably) mean that the company owns the patent. You should however make sure (ask) that is the case as sometimes changes in the ownership don't get mentioned to the patent office or there could be other constructs where the company is the applicant but essentially owns only a part of the patent, or any revenue generated goes to the inventors, or whatever.
License:
A license allows somebody to use - in the terms of the license - (e.g. produce and sell or produce for himself) the invention without getting sued for that, but it does not grant ownership of the patent nor does it entitle to any more right.
If the company does not own the patent, the inventors beeing shareholders could retractively protect the company from getting sued if they can prove there was an implicit license where the shareholders knew and where okay with the invention beeing produced, but thats a rather dangerous way, so an explicit license should be negotiated then.
Comment: Yep I'm aware inventory != applicant, though wanted to check about the applicant's ownership rights. I am thinking that an explicit license would be the best way forward for my situation.


What is the difference between the Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L USM and 14mm f/2.8L II USM?

Question: Sorry if my question seems a bit naive. I was wondering what is the main difference between the Canon EF 14mm f/2,8 L USM and the Canon EF 14mm f/2,8 L II USM ? And correct me if I'm wrong, but because these two lenses are from the L series, these two can be mounted on a Canon 5D Mark III, right ?
Comment: The in depth lens review at The-Digital-Picture for the EF 14mm f/2.8 L II includes quite a bit of comparison, including sample images, with the older version of the lens. The main difference is a very significant increase in image quality, especially in terms of edge sharpness and lower chromatic aberration.    http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-14mm-f-2.8-L-II-USM-Lens-Review.aspx
Answer: Any EF lens can be used on one of Canon's full-frame cameras.
Generally, when Canon makes a newer version of a lens, it's because there can either be improvements to the optical design, or they can make a cheaper version of the lens. With Ls, it's usually the former. The Mk I version of the 14L came out in 1991. The Mk II version in 2007, so you are talking 16 years' worth of optical design advances between the two. Essentially, the main optical designs remain similar, but the MkII has been tweaked with a few more exotic elements added.
From Canon USA's Camera Museum website, the block diagrams of the two designs are:
EF 14mm f/2.8L USM

The green element is aspherical.
EF 14mm f/2.8L USM II

The dark green elements are UD (ultra-low dispersion glass) elements, and the two light green elements are aspherical.
Aspherical elements can add sharpness and reduce aberrations. UD and flourite elements can help with chromatic aberration correction.
Answer: First off, all EF lenses (L or otherwise) can be mounted on a Canon 5D.  Nothing about the L precludes it from being mounted on other bodies, nor only the higher end bodies being restricted to only L lenses.
The difference between the two (and I'm working from Ken Rockwell's review at Canon 14mm f/2.8 L II)

Heavier (4oz heavier than the original)
Built in shade is different
Sharper at edge (fixes color fringing)
Rear gasket for sealing against the elements
Cosmetic differences in styling.

The improved sharpness can be seen in the MTF charts provided by Canon for the two lenses:
Original 14mm f/2.8 L via wayback:

New 14mm f/2.8 L II from Canon:

You can certainly see better and more consistent performance across the board with the 14mm f/2.8 L II.
Answer: I have recently used this lens and having a copy of the old lens, I could instantly see the difference in quality.
The images are sharper towards the edges (way Sharper). I tested in backlit situations, and the purple fringing is way way reduced compare to the older model.
The copy of the lens that I have, produced a slightly colder tint compared to the older version. I prefer warm tints, but easily corrected in LR.
There is not enough difference in the weight, not that it mattered as I used it for landscape on a tripod with the mirror locked. I must mention the sharpness again, it is immense.
I also found that after Lens correcting in LR, more of the picture remained when compared to the older lens. I took a few cityscapes that needed adjusting and it was nice to see that I was able to retain so much as the buildings were not leaning as much as the older model.
I haven't read any of the tech specs, but I guess it just boils down to newer lenses!


How to get lower in scale from A minor scale?

Question: I am practicing on a song which is on A minor key.. The chords for song are Am, G, F, E..
But it feels difficult for me to sing on that scale as it goes further high even over my upper limits. So, I want to transpose it little down to sing that more comfortably..I have searched and found some charts for transposition, and they were all for major key scale so I am not sure about the minor key scale that how they should be transposed.. Please tell me if they can be done in the same way or not. And, what would be the new chords after scaling them down..
Thanks for your Answers.
Answer: There is no difference between transposing major, minor or any other sort of scale from one key to another. In standard western musical theory, every scale has a formula/algorithm - a discreet, clearly defined series of intervals. That formula is applicable to any/all keys.
If you are transposing A Minor to G Minor, use the minor scale formula:
Root->Whole Step-Half Step-Whole Step-Whole Step-Half Step-Whole Step-Whole Step==Octave
A min: A->B-C-D-E-F-G->Octave A
G min: G->A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F->Octave G
If you are transposing A Major to G Major use the major scale formula:
Root->Whole Step-Whole Step-Half Step-Whole Step-Whole Step-Whole Step-Half Step==Octave
A Maj: A->B-C#-D-E-F#-G#->Octave A
G Maj: G->A-B-C-D-E-F#->Octave G
This same method is used when transposing any scale: Apply the formula of your desired scale - major or minor (or any scale you like) - using the tonic (first note) as the first note in the formula, and just follow the formula through.

As you learn more about scales and modes, you will learn other formulas that are applicable to any key. For example, Mixolydian mode, from which the ubiquitous dominant 7th chords are derived, is built on the 5th degree of the C major scale, and looks like this:
Root:G->A-B-C-D-E-F->Octave G. (F being the m7/b7 - the Dominant 7th)
So the formula for Mixolydian mode is
Root->Whole Step-Whole Step-Half Step-Whole Step-Whole Step-Half Step-Whole Step==Octave
That formula can be applied to any key, to give you Mixolydian mode in that key. Here's A Mixolydian:
Root:A->B-C#-D-E-F#-G>Octave A. (In this case, G being the m7/b7 - the Dominant 7th)

Regarding chords, it's the same: Simply transpose the relative chord relationships of the progression from the tonic chord in the new key. Every structured chord progression also has a formula that is applicable to any key.
For example: In a diatonic G Major  progression, the II chord is A Minor. Correspondingly, in F Major, one step down, the II chord is G minor.
In your progression, if you move from A to G that's one step down. Now your first chord will be Gm, and your second chord is a major chord one step lower. Your progression now begins on Gm instead of Am, and so your second chord will be F, on step lower than the new tonic, G; third chord will be Eb; fourth chord will be D, etc.

Larry Dunlop - The II-V-I Progression

Using Roman Numerals [ I-IV-V; II-V-I ] makes it easier to transfer
  [transpose] the indication of the scale tone to any other other scale.
  In the key of G,  the II would indicate a chord built on A the second
  note of the G Major Scale. Any scale can be thought of in this way.

The 'Rosettta Stone' of all transposition is deriving the mathematical algorithm of the chords and scales involved: Notes are not portable to different keys, numbers and intervals are.
The  Nashville System (one of countless links) has evolved into a  formalized method for using this efficient, mathematical approach to working with chords and scales.
Comment: This answer would look scary to a beginner (although well written), Todd's answer is likely better suited for this question.
Comment: @YeDawg - I agree it might "look scary". But if you read it, I don't think, it's scary at all - I think it's very straightforward and goes step by step, although it does assume knowledge of certain very basic concepts.
Answer: Every minor key has a relative major key which uses the same key signature, and every major key has a relative minor. They go in pairs. The relative major of a minor key has a tonic that is a minor third above the tonic of the minor key. And the relative minor of a major key has a tonic a minor third below the tonic of the major key. So A minor has a relative major of C major. And C major has a relative minor of A minor.
So you can use your transposition charts for minor keys by transposing the relative major of the key that you are transposing from, and then using the relative minor of the major key that you got from the chart.
Ok that probably doesn't make a lot of sense so let's use an example.
Suppose you want to transpose A minor down four half steps. First, we find the relative major, which is C major as detailed above. Then we transpose C major down four half steps to Ab major. Then we find the relative minor of Ab major, which has a tonic a minor third below Ab, which is F. So F minor is the relative minor of Ab major and F minor is the minor key four half steps below A minor.
Comment: Sounds like the OP is a beginner using open chords. Hope he doesn't use this example !! Although Em, D, C, B(7) may take it too far down whilst using open chords. Ah, the Spanish sequence!
Answer: The OP doesn't mention that this is being played on guitar, but acoustic guitar is one of the associated tags. I'm also assuming from the nature of the OP that the guitarist is a beginner. So I'm answering the question in that light.
The other answers are good, but they come from a theory perspective. This is not the only way. It's also possible to learn particular songs in new keys, and by practical examples gradually grow in our theoretical understanding. With that approach, the three easiest minor keys to play in are usually Am, Dm and Em. For the chord progression in the OP the related chords in each key are as follows:
Am - G - F - E
Dm - C - Bb - A
Em - D - C - B
What this means is that if say you are transposing from Am to Dm, then every time there is an Am in the original key you will play a Dm; instead of the G you will play a C; and so on.
So in this particular case I would transpose the music using a capo. The musical gap between Em and Am is five half steps, which is 5 frets on a guitar. So I would put my capo on fret 5 and play the song using the Em chords. This is equivalent to playing the song in the original Am key. (E plus 5 equals A, as we know from the standard tuning of strings 6 and 5.) Then I would move the capo down one fret at a time (4th fret, 3rd fret and so on). Each time I would sing the song until I found the fret which was best for my singing range.
If the vocal range is uncomfortable for all these keys, you can approach this from the opposite end. You can retain the original key with its Am based chords, and then transpose with your capo going up one fret at a time. When you get to the 7th fret you are back to the key of Em.
So in total you have twelve keys. Seven of them can be covered with the Am chord shapes (frets 1 to 7). The other five keys are covered with the Em chord shapes (frets 1-5).
This process enable you to play your song in any key. What I would then do is use other resources to help me learn the names of the new actual chords I am playing. For example, suppose my comfort key turns out to be the Em chord shapes with the capo on fret 2. The question then is, what chords am I really playing? The answer is:
Em - D - C - B
F#m - E - D - C#
This is because F# is 2 frets higher than E, so that any chord type in the key of E will become the same chord in hte key of F#. (Em becomes F#m; E7 becomes F#7; Esus4 becomes F#sus4, and so on.)
Answer: One thing worth knowing is that chords are named without any regard of the current scale.
That means that when transposing a named chord, all you ever need to look at is the root name of the chord.  That's what you transpose and are done.  Well, ok, chords with a named rather than numbered bass note have to transpose the bass note as well, so transposing C/G a minor third down gives A/E.  But modifiers like "maj" or "7" or "m" stay just the way they are.
Now that's regarding the chord names.  When playing them on a guitar, the chord patterns and voicings will usually change, and sometimes the result does not sound and/or play nice.  You can sometimes improve things by using a capo.  For example, if your transposition causes you to have to play E♭ a lot, putting a capo on first fret will turn this into D (and its relatives) which more often than not is nicer to finger and to sound.


big Premiere project with many clips - is it better to storyboard on paper first?

Question: I've got a lot of footage logged from about 40 hours worth. I'm considering my next step with the aim towards getting a rough cut of the footage I've marked as being good and worthwhile of being in the film.
At this stage I've got a lot of clips that need organising and then seeing as there is limited horizontal space on the time line, whats the best way to go about lining up the clips. For example if I decide to change the sequence of clips, how do I get all the clips after it to take up the gap? I'm very new to editing.
Would it be a better idea to storyboard out as much as possible first on pen and paper before getting into Premiere in a big way.
My day job is already quite screen based, so I'm looking to minimise my time spent thinking AND at the computer.
Answer: Storyboard first, then shoot, then edit.  A storyboard is a tool for organizing your thoughts before you even pick up a camera.  It's like a script, and usually follows from a script, but gives you a better idea of where to place and move the camera.  This is called "shot blocking".
The shotgun method of gathering footage with the hope of being able to string it together into a coherent story is a mistake made by many beginners.  There's nothing wrong with gathering lots of footage.  In cases like documentary work, it's often necessary.  But even when you shoot this way, you need to have an idea of what you're looking for, and how it's going to fit within your story before you sit down to edit.
As for the 40 hours of footage you already have, I'd say no, don't worry about drawing it out on paper now.  I guess you could use a whiteboard if that helps you organize your thoughts, but really you've got what you've got, and you're just going to be duplicating your effort when you sit down at premiere.
It's difficult for a one man operation to compartmentalize the processes to make good video, but you should look to the film industry for guidance.  After all, they have billions of man-hours of experience.  They've got it whittled down to a science.  Directors, cinematographers, gaffers, grips, editors, colorists, producers, writers, and everyone else you see in the credits all have their own job for very good reasons.  When you're trying to do it all yourself, it's best to wear one hat at a time.
Comment: Thats good advice. Unfortunately in my case I was shooting the footage and sending it to a film company. The film they made only used a fraction of the footage mainly about an earlier event in the journey, concerning my friend's love life. There is an idea but its open ended. Sounds vague, BUT I do for certain have some very nice bits of footage and entertaining segments from travels by bike in Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal.


Are there any resources or websites for finding areas which have low levels of light pollution at night?

Question: Are there any websites which map light pollution levels so I know where to go for decent long exposure night shots? Or general resources for that matter?
Comment: It's easy. Just search for "low light pollution map" in a search engine of your choice and you will get a lot of good results.
Answer: I would start at the International Dark Sky Association. They have detailed maps for North America and also a link to the Blue Marble Navigator for the rest of the world. Although a little older, I find these maps of North America more readable.
Answer: Your distance from light pollution is very important when capturing any night shots including auroras. I would recommend using the Dark Sky Finder (USA only) and trying to be at a minimum darkness of the blue areas of the map. This means that almost the entire eastern United States is not a great place to photograph auroras! You could still do it, but it just won't be optimal with all of the light pollution. The lights only occur from about 50-400 miles above the earth's surface, so light pollution isn't quite as impactful as star photography, but it still plays a role.
Another option to assess light pollution is the Blue Marble Navigator, which works worldwide.
If you are interested in auroras in particular check out my previous answer here: What tips and advice do you have for photographing the Aurora Borealis?


Why use DNS over TLS/HTTPS if ISP could find out target domain by other means?

Question: There are initiatives to protect DNS, for example DNS over TLS or DNS over HTTPS. Given that the ISP can find out the domains the user visit by other means (Host header in plain HTTP, SNI in TLS handshake with HTTPS) I don't understand the threat DNS over TLS/HTTPS is adressing.
Answer: The main point of DNS over TLS/HTTPS today is likely to bypass DNS based blocking of sites which are considered harmful, which might include Google, Youtube, Facebook ... depending on where you are. DNS based blocking is easy and cheap since most users use the DNS server provided by the ISP which can simply return a different response for blocked domains. Even if the user explicitly configures a different public DNS server the ISP can create a cheap packet filter rule so that any traffic to port 53 (DNS) gets transparently handled by the ISP's DNS server, even if the user tried to use a different one. While there is in theory DNSSec to allow authorized DNS answers it is not used for a large part of the domains which also means that clients usually don't enforce it.
If the user instead uses DNS over TLS or HTTPS then the simple redirect of port 53 will no longer work since the ISP does not have the matching certificates for these TLS connections. While the ISP could simply block any traffic on port 853 (DNS over TLS) in the hope that the client falls back to normal DNS, blocking DNS over HTTPS can not be done without serious side effects since it uses the same port (443) and maybe even the same destination (content delivery networks) as normal HTTPS web traffic.
This means that in order to block sites the ISP has to rely on  DPI (deep packet inspection) to extract the destination from the Host header (plain HTTP) or SNI in the TLS handshake (HTTPS) and then block the traffic. This is way more expensive than a simple layer 4 (port based) redirect and also impacts the performance of the traffic. This makes it more likely that the ISP lobby will oppose the blocking, especially if the ISP's has to come up with all the additional costs themselves.
Additionally the proposed encrypted SNI means that even DPI will not reliably help to find out the visited site and thus blocking a site based on the domain name will not reliably work.
Answer: To be honest, your privacy at ISP level is at risk if you directly connect to the site without using proxies (TOR or VPN, for examples, are all proxies but with different secure privacy level) and every proxy should use secure DNS too.
What are threats implied using secure DNS?
The answer is: the same which affect web browsing in TLS/SSL or any other under layered service.
The threats reside in the traffic encrypted related to the service used (in fact, you should decrypt and verify traffic before accepting it in inbound and outbound connections), but principally in which way the encryption get established and maintained during all the transmit session in secure level:
TLS/SSL should prevent traffic injection once the authentication and encryption process is verified and executed, that's the most useful feature the secure layer offers in the end.


no carbonation and a few bottle-bombs

Question: I bottled about a month and a half ago.  Every bottle I tried has had no carbonation.  But I just opened up a bottle and it was over carbonated, and it almost exploded out of the bottle.  I had this problem with another batch last year.  Almost all the bottles had no carbonation but I had a few bottle bombs.  Could it be that the priming sugar didn't mix enough in the bottling bucket and it all just went into a few bottles?
Comment: It does sound that way, yes. How are you adding your priming sugar?
Answer: It does sound like your priming sugar wasn't mixed very well. That said, if the flat bottles are sweet to the taste there's something else afoot.
When I bottle I usually mix a cup of water with 3/4 cup of corn sugar and stick it in the microwave for a couple minutes to boil it. I then let it cool for a while before pouring the solution into the bottom of the bottling bucket before racking the beer. After that, I gently stir the sugar into the beer with the auto-syphon before filling any bottles.
Comment: Thanks, how long do you let it cool? I boiled my sugar on the stove and let it cool for about 1/2 hour and dumped it in the bottling bucket.  When I siphoned the beer to the bottling bucket I didn't mix it with the siphon, I just siphoned it in the bottling bucket and racked it.  I'll be more careful next time.

no carbonation and a few bottle-bombs


How can I set Microsoft Account permissions for shares without regards to domain on Windows 8?

Question: I have folder A on computer A and I am mapping network drive on computer B to \VPN_IP\A, but I want full control permissions to the share from computer B.  Both computers use the same Microsoft Account to log in, but there is no concept of domains.  How can I set share permissions based on the Microsoft Account instead?
Answer: Shares have properties.  (Right click)
Included in the properties you should see a Sharing Tab, and an Advanced Sharing button.  From there you can adjust the permissions.
Incidentally, my share permissions were Everyone Full Control.
In summary a) Believe it's possible.  b) If necessary use remote desktop to computer A.  c) Drill-down until you find the permissions settings.
Comment: How does that help me set permissions for a Microsoft Account (not a local account)?


Can't get Time Machine over AFP/netatalk to work. Don't get drive as option

Question: I have read various howto's (http://code.stephenmorley.org/articles/time-machine-on-a-network-drive/)  but not sure any were made for Lion.  I got the latest netatalk setup on Ubuntu, and see the drive in Lion Finder.  I created the sparsebundle and named it with my computer-name.sparsebundle but when I go into Time Machine->SelectDisk I don't get the option for my AFP drive.  What can I try?
Answer: I believe that as of Lion, your AFP server must support DHX2 or SRP authentication. Make sure your installation of netatalk has DHX2 or SRP working (not just original DHX[1] which it seems like netatalk defaults to).
Answer: I found the problem, in the share listing in AppleVolumes.default there is a tm option to enable timemachime on the volume.


Is there any bus from Bergamo to Venezia (Italy)?

Question: I'm arriving to Bergamo airport next week and I would like to go to Venezia (Venice) as soon as possible. I know there is a train from city center, but it's too expensive (35 € one way) and my experience is that usually buses are cheaper.
Comment: You can also check www.flixbus.com
Cheers!!!
Answer: According to the airport site there is nothing that goes directly to Venezia.
There are 2 bus companies that service the Bergamo airport as well Autostradale which could get you to Milan or Brescia and then you would have to take the train.  The other one OrioShuttle will only get you to Milan and then you can take a train or a bus.  But based on what I am reading here it's not preferred and what you save may not be worth it.  But if you still choose to go check out this site: http://www.italybus.it
Answer: You should keep the train from Bergamo to Venice. Train station in Venice Santa Lucia is 2.2km far from San Marco square.
Take a look to this: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ad1ce14114bc9110VgnVCM10000080a3e90aRCRD


How to get kinks and twists out of a climbing rope?

Question: One complaint about using the Munter hitch for belaying is that it twists and kinks the rope. After doing a full rope length rappel with a Munter hitch down a slightly overhanging face to the base of the climb, what is the best way for a pair of climber to get the twists and kinks out of the climbing rope (you can assume the rope is still hanging from the anchors and the climbers are standing on a wide open and secure area).
Comment: For the record, a figure eight will _also_ twist the rope if you rappel/belay with it.
Comment: @Rolfo - This is true, it's best to leave the end of the rope just off the ground when using a figure 8 so the rope is free to twist and untwist.
Comment: Curious. My testing shows that a figure eight does not twist rope. I always carry one as a backup device in case something happens to the ATC.
Comment: @Joshua Strange, I stopped using a figure eight as my main rappel device (more than a decade ago) because I hated having my rope twisted. I haven't tested it since, so I can't offer more that this anecdotal bit.
Answer: The one way I know to remove the twists from a climbing rope, requires for the rope not to be hanging nor in use in any way.
The procedure is quite simple but may require help from your partner:

Have your parter attach an ATC with a carabiner to the belay loop in her harness (if your partner is otherwise engaged, you can tie the ATC and carabiner to a rock or tree with some webbing).
Push one end of the rope through the ATC in the way you'd use it to belay (through the top of the ATC, around the carabiner, and back out through the ATC).
Pull the full rope length through the system.

And that's it. For really twisted ropes you might have to do it more than once.
Comment: This is good advice, just don't expect a badly twisted rope to get perfectly "straight" again - it will not happen. Even if it appears so, the wrinkles will come up again quickly.
Comment: @ShemSeger You might have left your ATC at home and you do this procedure when you get home. Or maybe 2 people descended but only one has an ATC. Oh, and a figure eight will _also_ twist the rope if you rappel with it.
Comment: Supporting documentation for this may be found in pages 52-54 of "The Outdoor Knots Book" at https://books.google.com/books?id=4IwTCgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Comment: If you have an ATC, then why are you descending on a munter?
Comment: @Rolfo As long as you had at least *pne* extra carabiner, then you could make a minimalist carabiner brake, and rappel on that instead of ruining your rope with a munter hitch.
Comment: @ShemSeger Sure, but the rope may still get twisted in other ways (if you use a figure eight). I didn't delve into the issue of using a munter hitch to rappel (plus, [now there's a question for that](http://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/11080/how-to-abseil-without-a-descender-device?lq=1)). I focused on getting it straight back again.
Comment: How did you come to not have a descender for your rap?  What presence of mind do you have, or was it frozen fingers?. Is building a complex carb. brake in the situation wise? I advise my students error on the side of KISS - use a Munter and deal with the rope when you get home
Comment: I didn't want to edit a 3-year-old answer, but it seems [this BD QC Lab post](http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/qc-lab-twisty-ropes/qc-lab-twisty-ropes.html) shares my preference for the ATC method (the untwisting bit is halfway down the article).
Answer: Good grief.  The question was about getting the kinks out, not the merits of the Munter (which is invaluable, see  David Fasulo's Self Rescue).
The best option, while on the rock, esp. if it is a nice day, is to hang your rope from one end, and slightly weight the other (to keep it from blowing around, tangling in trees, whatever).  If you have a swivel (e.g. like you would use on a haul bag), you can use that to connect the rope to any anchor and tension the rope (this can be in a parking lot, just be sure that the car you tie it to is your own).  Both of these will gently uncoil the rope.
Another option is to do an old-fashioned mountaineers coil and just make sure you are twisting the rope in the correct direction.
Answer: The Halbmastwurfsicherung (half clove hitch) or "Munter Hitch" was one of those accidental discoveries. Someone back in the day tied a clove hitch wrong and discovered that the resulting knot had some potential application in belaying and descending.
Munters are however, the WORST discovery ever made for your ropes, and should only be used in emergency situations, or as a backup.
I only use munter hitches as a backup belay when I'm teaching kids how to rappel, and I never let the knot get tight unless I need to stop a fall. Never use a munter hitch for rappelling if you have some other descending device to use instead. The only time I let people rappel on munters is from a rappel tower, when I'm teaching them knots and letting them gain some experience, I've never used one outside a controlled environment, and never plan to.
The best way to get the twist out of your rope after rappelling on a munter, is to let the rope hang free. I never let my rope touch the ground when rappelling off my platform, that way the rope can twist in open air while you descend, and doesn't get all knotted up at the bottom, then when you get to the ground and untie from the rope, it mostly twists back. I try to alternate my descents on the rope by tying the munter both left and right handed, so it isn't twisting the rope the same way every time.
If you have two people descending on a rope, you could have one go down on a right-handed munter, and the second on a left-handed munter, this may leave you with less of a knot at the bottom.

Tip:
If you're using a munter hitch as a result of failing to pack necessary gear, or dropping your device, then you can make an old school carabiner braking device, which is what they used to do before dedicated descending devices were developed. You can build a minimalist carabiner braking device with only two carabiners.

Image Source: Freedom of the Hills.
Comment: Each to their own. While presumably because I fall too much, I have never had the sheath of a rope wear out before the core. I predominantly use a Munter when trad climbing.
Answer: The main trick for getting the kinks out of a rope after using a Munter is not getting them in in the first place.
The Munter hitch differs from almost all other belay systems in the respect that the rope going in and the rope going out are to be kept side-by-side.  With basically all other belay devices, the rope leaves the belay hand towards the belay device at the thumb.  With the Munter hitch, both rope going in and out being side-by-side, it's the pinky side instead.
The blocking position for a Munter is with the belay rope pointing up.  It still has enough friction when the belay rope points down (which is why some consider it "good enough" to use a Munter like any other belay device), but it moves uncontrollably about when switching rope direction and may position itself such that the rope unscrews the biner.
Old hands who position and use the Munter correctly are not particularly well-received in climbing gyms since stupid newcomers tend to mimic their rope-handling, and while a Munter handled like any other device becomes quirky and rope-kinking but at least retains enough friction (unless it unscrews itself in the process), most other belay devices handled in the manner of a Munter do not provide sufficient friction for catching a fall.
There are various special belay biners that try fixing and securing a biner where a wrong-sided Munter hitch will not move it about.
But this is where we are getting back to the kinked ropes: if you feed the rope in and out at the same side, the Munter bends the rope similarly in each direction.  Consequently, it will not kink.  Also more of the friction will be rope-around-biner friction rather than rope-to-rope friction, so the rope will also fray/fuzz less.
Now for rappelling, feeding from the top is actually rather awkward.  So particularly the hardcore alpine Munter lovers will carry an eight for rappelling.
If you rappelled using a Munter, particularly as a bottomfeeder (make very very sure that it does not run over the screw), the rope will look exceptionally bad: this is not a regular technique but emergency only.  Have someone with a good rappelling device and a good mood rappel right behind you (and he can forget about using an autobloc or similar friction knot).  That will help the rope.  Passing it from one side to the other will also help, but that's not really doable when you still need to pull it.  At least try disentangling the end going up.
These days, new ropes have a core-mantle-displacement of 0 anyway.  Old ropes may not have been fixed similarly: those kink the worst.  If your rope is older than 15 years, you should have changed it long ago anyway.  Even if much of that has been shelf life.
Comment: Maybe I shouldn't have used a Munter as an example. There are lots of things that put twists and links into ropes.
Answer: Avoid the problem with a better solution
Avoiding the twisting in the first place surely is best, and there is a simple way to do that:

This is the Super Munter, Monster Munter, or Double Munter.  It is essentially a second Munter tied over the first in the opposite direction, and this symmetry means that it does not twist the rope.  It provides tremendous braking power but it also works with lighter weight as well.  References:

http://www.animatedknots.com/muntersuper/

Advantages: The Super Munter overcomes one of the problems with the plain Munter. The extra turn stops the knot introducing kinks and twists in the rope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ulTTrhfCvs

It has the advantages of adding friction to a lower and most important does NOT TWIST THE ROPE!

http://blog.alpineinstitute.com/2010/06/super-munter.html

It creates a tremendous amount of friction and doesn't have one of the main problems of the munter-hitch, it doesn't tangle the rope. Indeed, the action of the rope as it goes through the super-munter twists the rope and then twists it back.

Attempting to answer the question as asked
Due to the separate parts of a standard kernmantle rope twists can happen differentially between the core and sheath (kern and mantle) which can make completely straitening a badly kinked rope quite difficult compared to single-braid ropes.  From my experience with shorter pieces of kernmantle cord I think tensioning the entire length of rope at once and untwisting that is a helpful complement to the pull-through method Roflo described.  Since you described an overhanging rappel I would therefore bundle up all the rope that is on the ground and tie it to the hanging rope so that it is off the ground, and add any practical weight that is small enough to turn freely.  The greatest twisting should be in the part that is not in the bundle as that part did not pass through the Munter.  When you pull the rope what twisting remains will hopefully come out well enough.
I have never done a full-length rappel on a (single) Munter so this is speculation.


What's the difference between a Hamming and Hopfield network?

Question: I have recently discovered that both Hamming and Hopfield networks are both content addressable memories. However, what is the difference between these two networks designs and their performance?
Comment: www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA182255 - Hamming networks require fewer connections and often outperform Hopfield nets.
Comment: @WuschelbeutelKartoffelhuhn yep, that's the paper I was using to craft my own answer :)
Answer: Hopfield and Hamming networks are older connectionist networks used to classify noisy binary input data.
Hopfield networks are the basis for Hamming networks, so let's focus on those first.
A Hopfield network is a set of neurons that do classification via mutual inhibition, as shown in the figure below from Wikipedia:

Note the neurons are not like your typical biologically plausible neurons, they have two states "+1" and "-1". Their update rule, which forces them into an output pattern, enables these two states.
A Hamming network is a two-layer network, as shown in this figure (taken from here) where the data is flowing from the bottom:

As you can see, the second layer, sometimes called the MaxNet layer, is identical to the Hopfield Network, however the input layer resembles a classic single-layer perceptron. This single-layer perceptron is train according to the Hamming Distances of the inputs.
Performance wise, as shown in the conclusion "A Comparison of Hamming and Hopfield
Neural Nets for Pattern Classification" by Lippmann et al., Hamming nets generally out-perform Hopfield nets.


linux: directory created with Access: (0000/d---------)

Question: On a Linux (ubuntu) machine, an automated script running as a normal user is creating a subdirectory under its home directory. For some reason, the directory is created with Access: (0000/d---------). umask is 0022. This obviously means the script can't create any files in that directory.
Can anyone think of anything?
Apparently this only happens with the non-superuser account.
Update: The problem was actually a bug. mkdir was called as a system command from C code, not as the command-line utility. And the programmer who called it used mode=0...
Anyway - the reason it DID work when running as root, is that root can create files in directories even when the permissions don't allow it.
Comment: wow, cool problem. Thanks for updating with the solution
Answer: What is the umask of that users login session set to?
Also you can always chmod the directory after you create it. "man chmod" for details.


My organization is relatively small; how can I follow ISO9000/1 as a matter of best practice?

Question: I work for a company of <60 people. I understand that larger companies typically are ISO9000/9001 certified, as a matter of quality assurance. I also understand that for a company my size, such certification is not cost-effective. However, one could still make a case that as a matter of QA best-practice, I think it makes sense to try to follow the ISO standards anyway, at least insofar as reasonably practical. Am I correct in all these beliefs? If all the above is correct, are there any "high points" that would be particularly beneficial for a company my size to follow, or any parts of the standards that seem less relevant?
Comment: This question appears to be off-topic because it applies to companies in any industry.
Comment: This might be useful for you: http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/81427/can-agile-and-iso-9001-interact-well
Comment: At our company, we wrote a streamlined software development process that maps to ISO9000, but is customized to our particular way of doing business.  You should do the same.
Comment: @DXM don't know why that didn't come up in my pre-question searches. Great info! Thanks.
Comment: Larger companies are *not* "typically" ISO9000/9001 certified. Larger companies don't tend to do any more than they need to in the course of being productive and effective. While some may say ISO practices help in this goal, large companies would often rather use the parts that make sense to them and not worry about meeting a fixed criteria as necessary to get such certification. As such, ISO certification is much more common among companies that have specific reasons to have a focus on formal quality; medical/healthcare, aeronautical, and manufacturing sectors it's common for instance.
Comment: @JimmyHoffa That's my experience too. The only reason the company I work for is ISO certified is because a lot of government contracts require it. It's honestly a pretty horrible process for software development imo and one of the main reasons why our "scrum" process is a horrible joke. I see next to no advantage in voluntarily adopting ISO if you don't need it for contract purposes.
Comment: @GrandmasterB fair enough. Wasn't sure whether questions that applied to programmers, but also to others, were in scope.
Comment: Its not a bad question at all.  Maybe you can focus it more on software development processes?  For example, if followed, what techniques can be used to 'measure' a software dev process?
Answer: Here's ISO9000 in a nutshell:

Have a measurable process to develop things
Make sure everyone involved understands and follows the measurable process
Build things following the measurable process
Measure your progress while you follow the process of building things
Finish building things
Evaluate how the things measure against what the process said they should be
If there are issues then either fix the process or fix the thing or both
Rinse & repeat

Nothing within that nutshell says anything about the size of the organization.  Which is intentional because company size really has no bearing on whether or not it can meet ISO9000 requirements.  Larger companies have an advantage because they have more resources and can potentially better afford the overhead of all that measuring, but small companies can do the same thing too.
So how can you follow ISO9000?  Look at the summary steps above and go from there.  The key elements are:

have a process
measure building progress based upon the process
Fix the thing or the process when stuff is broken
Answer: I am actually going to suggest that you don't touch ISO at all if you're really interested in QA best practices. What ISO really boils down to is making sure that you "say what you do" and is completely unconcerned with whether or not what you say actually has any impact on the quality of what you produce. It's the quintessential example of a bureaucratic process that is more concerned with making sure that the process itself is followed rather than that it make sense (probably why it's so popular with the government).
We actually had an official auditor tell us that he didn't care if our documented deployment process was to burn our software to a disk and throw it out of a 3rd story window so long as we followed it.
To answer some of your actual questions: the big benefit you'd gain from ISO is that it would force you to actually sit down, think about, and document all your processes and periodically revisit them to see if you're sticking to them (and ideally revise them if necessary). There would be benefit to that but honestly, you really don't need ISO for any of that unless the only way to get the time and resources to do so is to sell upper management on it by use of a buzzword.


Does anybody knows origin and reference Buddha teaches a bossy & angry the seven kinds of wifes

Question: ... in letting her chose which kind she would like to be?
Valued Upasaka, Upasika,
Dear seekers for the way to Awakening and Readers,
Atma (polite addressing of the own person toward householders, where Atma dwells) has started the transcribtion and translation of a very seldom teaching in modern and western world in regard of the Maha Manala Sutta by Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera, still not finished. Most stories are taken from the Jataka, some references already found. In redard of "To Look After Feed And Take Care Of The Wife And Children Is Most Blissful/highest protection" it contains a story that goes this:

Sujata, the sister of Visakha Maha Upasika, married the son of Anata Pindika. She was not only wealthy but was also charming. In the home of Anata Pindika she became disagreeable to almost every member of the family and to the servants as well. She was very quarrelsome and had her own say mostly because of her conceit.
One day Anata Pindika offered food to the Lord Buddha and his Bhikkhus and during the meal, she made a commotion in the household. The Lord Buddha,knowing the nature of the woman enquired about her dispute, which disrupted the peace of the home. The Lord Buddha then asked her, "There are seven classes of wives; have you any knowledge to which class you belong?" She replied that she did not know. The Lord Buddha said, "A wife not in any way agreeable but finding every chance to quarrel with her husband or members of his family, is a quarrelsome wife. A wife whose outlook in life is bent on squandering away the fortune of her husband in gambling or drinking, is a thievish wife, a wife who takes good advantage of the kindness of her husband, adopts a superior outlook in a manner so as to gain control over him in any matter concerning his family or his outside activities, is a
domineering wife; but when a wife looks after her husband's interest with tender care and devotion like a mother over her child, this kind of wife is a motherly one; again a wife who by nature is obedient and shy like a sister to a brothers belongs to a sisterly type; and a wife who shares in like manner the happiness of misfortune of her husband is at once a friendly one; finally a wife who lives in tolerance of the whims and dislikes of her husband and serves him faithfully throughout, is a servantly type.
In the light of the truth Sujata gained the realization of the fruits of the First Path (Sotapatti).
Continuing the sermon, the Lord Buddha remarked that among the first three classes of wives, their existence after death would be in a hellish state, suffering untold pain in the unconsuming fire or
tortment. The remaining four classes of wives would enjoy even in their present lives, the store of
happiness and after death, their existence would be in a continued state of bliss in the realm of heaven.

Does anybody know the reference in the Suttapitaka (thinking Atma came accross one time there)?
Does anybody know which Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera wrote this book and some infos, biography and picture of him? Maybe even contact possibility, if still alive?
If inspired and knowing also the references of other stories in the book, willing to research them, feel invited to take on this possibility.

(If somebody feels inspired to help prove reading and/or translating further, one should feel welcome to take this possibility. Topic as well as sources can be found here: Mangala Sutta Uannana - Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera(draft)
(Note, this question and content is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commerzial use or other purpose of wordily gains.)
Answer: Atta feels inspired to help translating further this sutta Atma is searching for. Below are seven translations of the seven wives sutta:
1.සුජාතඝර සුණ්හා සූත්‍රය
2.妻子經
3.Жёны
4.Các Người Vợ
5.ภริยาสูตร
6.Az erőd
7.Istri-Istri
With metta
Householder # 3,454,845,812
Comment: There is a German version as well (among others): https://suttacentral.net/de/an7.63
And in English: http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara4/7-sattakanipata/006-abyakatavaggo-e.html (10. Bhariyāsuttaṃ - Wives)
Comment: You could make this answer shorter and clearer, by saying something like, "The 'seven wives' sutta is *Bhariyāsutta* (AN 7.63). There's [a copy of it on SuttaCentral](https://suttacentral.net/pi/an7.63), with [various translations of it](https://suttacentral.net/an7) into 11 languages including English and German. With metta."
Comment: Risky sometimes...
Comment: The Buddha taught to be grateful for the small favour or gift. The sutta requested was provided. The Buddha said rare is the world is a thankful & grateful person. This appears very true.


Restrict admin user permissions per field in Magento

Question: Is it possible to restrict an admin user on a field basis? For example I would like some users to edit stock of a product and the short description however I don't want them to be able to change fields like the product name and sku
Answer: I don't have a fully functional way of doing this, but I might have an idea.
If you take a look at the Mage_Adminhtml_Block_Catalog_Product_Edit_Tab_Attributes class, the one that renders the attribute tabs on the products add/edit page, you will see this in the _prepareForm method
       if (Mage::registry('product')->hasLockedAttributes()) {
            foreach (Mage::registry('product')->getLockedAttributes() as $attribute) {
                $element = $form->getElement($attribute);
                if ($element) {
                    $element->setReadonly(true, true);
                }
            }
        }

This means that if the method getLockedAttributes from the product model, returns an array with attribute codes, they will be readonly in the form.  This gives you the client side validation.
The same getLockedAttributes is used to check if you are allowed to set values for certain attributes for products and categories in Mage_Catalog_Model_Abstract::setData.  This gives you the server side validation.
This means that you can create an observer on the product model's load method catalog_product_load_after where you retrieve (from somewhere...I don't know yet where from) the list of restricted attribute codes put them in an array called $locked then set them on the product model.
Something like this:
public function catalogProductLoadAfter($observer)
{
    $locked = Magic happens here and you get from somewhere the list of attributes that the current user is not allowed to modify.
    $product = $observer->getProduct();
    foreach ($locked as $code) {
        $product->lockAttribute($code);
    }
    return $this;
}

now the "magic" part.
My idea would be to have a separate admin section where for each admin you can dictate if an attribute can be edited by that certain admin.
Then retrieve for the current admin the list of allowed attributes.
Comment: I have built a complete module on this model. if anyone is interested, I'd be happy to share. It works on roles. This includes, read-only, hidden, hidden groups for creating and editing products alike.
Comment: @AnthonyCicchelli Hi There, Can you share your code?
Comment: @AnthonyCicchelli Are you willing to share how did you that?


If a patent refers to the use of a "strap", can I use a "chain" instead and not be in violation of the patent?

Question: A patent claim states a "strap used to suspend the motor". Can I use a chain to suspend the motor and not be in violation of the patent. I looked up the definition of a strap and from what I can tell it does not incorporate a chain. Or would I be in violation of Doctrine of Equivalents?
Comment: Which country's patent law is in question here?
Answer:
Can I use a chain to suspend the motor and not be in violation of the patent [reciting a strap]

It's impossible to tell without reading the patent specification and prosecution history. The content of the filings is generally more controlling than a dictionary definition.
Ideally, the examiner has cited prior art against the applicant, and the applicant has argued how the invention distinguishes over the prior art in the prosecution history. The statements made in the prosecution history might be sufficient to settle the question of whether a "strap" does or does not include a chain.

Or would I be in violation of Doctrine of equivalents?

Again, a question that could only reasonably be answered by looking into the prosecution history, and getting an idea of what the applicant has argued involving the strap. If the strap doesn't relate to the crux of the invention, I'd say it's likely that the doctrine of equivalents applies. If, on the other hand, crucial properties of a strap were relied on to argue un-obviousness, then probably not.
All the above assumes we're talking about U.S. patent law, and is purely academic discussion. You should consult a patent attorney for real legal advice.


Does CDW insurance include TP option automatically in a car rental contract?

Question: I see in a car rental contract that insurance is CDW. Does it mean that it includes TP (theft protection) option by default or I need to insist to see TP option in a contract with CDW?
Comment: By theft, do you mean the car itself being stolen?
Comment: Yes, I mean exactly this
Answer: The exact answer will depend upon the company you're renting from and the country, but as a general answer...
"CDW" (Collision Damage Waiver) generally does NOT include coverage for the car being stolen.
In some countries what is normally offered is actually "LDW" (Loss Damage Waiver) - although it may still be refereed to as CDW in some places. LDW generally DOES include coverage for Theft.
So now the question becomes "Do you need to purchase Theft Protection (TP) separately", and again the answer depends on the company/location.  In some countries, loss of the vehicle due to theft is NOT the responsibility of the renter (presuming you locked the car/etc), so there is no real need to have such coverage.  In other countries, it is your responsibility, so the coverage is recommended.
The only way to know what is and is not included by default is to research specifically for the country (and sometimes, company) you are renting in/from, or to ask the company and hope they give you the correct answer...
Answer: CDW doesn't include TP (theft protection) automatically. The one that includes TP is LDW:

CDW stands for Collision Damage Waiver. This type of insurance pays
  for damage to your hired car but it usually excludes windscreens,
  tyres, undercarriage, replacement locks, replacement keys, and towing
  charges.  LDW represents Loss Damage Waiver (which includes CDW and
  Theft Protection).
  --from the site of EasyRentCars
Answer: Form the site of europcar

General Rental Terms
TW / TP (Theft Waiver / Theft Protection):
  If chosen and indicated in the enrollment form or if included in the rate, this relieves you of your financial liability in the event of the Vehicle being stolen, except where incurred through negligence and/or breach of contract.
Subscribing to the CDW option alone does not necessarily provide this cover. TW may be mandatory in some countries and is strongly recommended in many countries. It may be subject to a non-waivable charge.


What's the difference between 词典, 辞典, and 字典?

Question: I don't think they are necessarily different kinds of dictionaries, but is there a subtle distinction? Or maybe their etymologies?
Answer: 字典 means dictionary of characters. A common 汉字字典 should contain ~8000 entries for each Chinese character. In each character entry, it's often to see example words or short phrases using that character. So, it's common to see a 汉字字典 is used as a 汉语词典.
词典 means dictionary of words. So, each entry of a 汉语词典 is a word. Generally 汉语词典 is sorted in alphabetic order in Chinese characters, so it's common to see a 汉语词典 is used as a 汉字字典.
So, in China, there's not too much difference between 汉字字典 and 汉语词典. But the book of 汉语词典 is mostly thicker then 汉字字典.
辞典 means dictionary of phrases. Generally, 辞 may refer to some famous, well known phrases said by some dead guys or famous man. Well, like I've said it's not too much differences between 词典 and 辞典, but a book of 汉语辞典 is mostly thicker then a 汉语词典. You can also expect that a 汉语大辞典 is thicker then a 汉语辞典.
In English, it will be something like:
English 字典: (26 entries)
A    This is the first letter.
B    This is the second letter.
...
Z    This is the last letter.

English 词典:
A        Indefinite article. Also the first letter. e.g. a cat.
Apple    A kind of fruit. Green or red.
Cat      A white animal. two ears, four legs.
...

English 辞典:
Rain cats and dogs: A very big rain. Its rain drop is as big as cat or dog.

(Most 汉语辞典s include words and characters entries as well.)
Comment: Anyway, cat is not always white... but that does not matter...
Answer: The difference between 字典 and the other two is clear enough; the Baidu page on 字典 describes it as follows:

在西方,是没有字典的概念,全是中国独有的。 字典收字为主,亦会收词。词典或辞典收词为主,也会收字。
In the West, there is no concept of a "字典"; it is unique to China. A "字典" aims to collect 字, though it also collects words. A 词典 or 辞典 aims to collect words, though it also collects characters.

Non-Chinese languages lack a distinction between words and characters; Chinese differentiates between a 字典 and a 词典 because they have different goals.
The difference between 词典 and 辞典 is more subtle. A neither sourced nor particularly scholarly Baidu post gives the following:

词典,比字多了一层:组词和释义;辞典,是在字典和词典的基础上增加了词的使用方法.
A 词典 is one level deeper than a 字典: compound words and meanings; a 辞典 adds usage notes to the foundation of the 字典 and 词典.

(This same post claims that the main function of a 字典 is to provide pronunciation and writing information for characters.)
Answer: 词(辞)典 is for compound words, eg 成语词典、汉语词典、etc.
字典 is for Chinese characters and meanings, focus on character's meaning, may also contain related compound words.


When buying expensive electronics is it worth getting the extended warranty?

Question: When shopping for big budget items like TV's and appliances, the resellers (e.g. Best Buy, FutureShop) will often sell an extended warranty that covers the product well beyond the manufacturer's warranty.  Is this worth spending the money?
Comment: For _electronics_ equipment especially, except if it doesn't work right out of the box or fails within 30 days or so (which should be covered by the manufacturer's warranty as well as the store's warranty), the electronics will last far longer than the warranty.  More electronic equipment is thrown out because the owner wants something newer or with new features than because it ceased to function.  I have a 32" CRT TV manufactured in 1992 that is still in good working condition and can be used to watch videotapes, DVDs, and TV (with a converter).
Answer: Even without analyzing the math or doing a complete risk assessment, consider the following:

They wouldn't be doing such a hard
sell if these warranties weren't a
big profit center for the companies
that offer them
Extended warranties are essentially insurance policies. Insurance policies generally only make sense to protect you from major financial hardship by transferring risk to the company issuing the insurance. I wouldn't buy insurance or a warranty on anything unless the cost or repairing/replacing it would put my finances in bad shape.
When you buy these you are betting
that the cost of the warranty will be less than
the cost of any
replacement/repair cost, the company
offering it is betting on the other
side of the equation AND they set the
price. Consider who in this
transaction has better information
about repair/replacement costs for
the item. Hint: It isn't you.
Comment: John has completely hit the nail on the head:  "They wouldn't be doing such a hard sell if these warranties weren't a big profit center for the companies that offer them:
Comment: @JohnFx: Repair costs are high margin for repairers because they are a one off expense, while insurance companies can bargain them down to lower prices.
Comment: "I wouldn't buy insurance or a warranty on anything unless the cost or repairing/replacing it wouldn't put me in a bad way with my finances." I think there's a bit too many negatives in this sentence.
Answer: My knee-jerk reaction was "no, they are not worth it", but I took a little time to look up what some of the trusted names in consumer electronics reviews had to say about extended warranties/service contracts.
A cnet writer said that your decision should consider the price of the service contract relative to the price of the item you're buying, as well as the amount of hassle you're willing to endure, should something go wrong.
Consumer Reports believes that the warranties that come with your products are almost always enough, and they say that electronics and appliances are so well-built nowadays, the likelihood of you needing extra service before you upgrade are slim-to-none.
And the folks over at epinions.com offer the same maybe-yes-maybe-no advice as the cnet guys: depends on your appetite for risk and the options available to you.
So I would suggest that the answer be "no" most of the time, but consider it anyway.
Answer: I worked for a major retailer that offered such extended warranties.  Our profit margin on these "product protection plans" was ~80%.  That should tell you something about how much they are "worth" to the consumer.
Answer: I was just reading Consumer Reports' December 2009 issue.  The issue's focus is electronics, and there was a small section on extended warranties in the "Best electronics" article.  Here's what they said:

Extended warranties still aren't
  worth buying Seven in 10
  respondents to our survey on buying
  major electronics reported they were
  pitched an extended warrranty.
  However hard they're sold, extended
  warranties are generally bad
  investments.  Most electronics
  products won't need a repair,
  especially if you choose brands that
  have fared better than others in the
  reliability ratings we include in this
  section.  In the unlikely event they
  break, other Consumer Reports survey
  data has shown,  the average repair
  bill is often comparable with the cost
  of a warranty. However, buying
  a plan that includes accidental damage
  might be worth considering for a
  laptop or netbook that you'll use a
  lot on the go.  And buying a computer
  warranty that extends tech support,
  too, might make sense if you or a gift
  recipient could use a lot of
  hand-holding. [...] Paying
  with your credit card might
  automatically double the
  manufacturers' warranty and offer
  other benefits at no extra cost
  [...]

BTW, I like Consumer Reports and I am a long-time subscriber.  Check them out if you haven't before.
Answer: To take a higher level view of this, consider the warranty as buying insurance.  They want to sell you the warranty because there's profit in it for them over the aggregate of all the warranties they sell.
So ask yourself, would having to replace this item out of your own pocket cause you a significant financial burden?  Items like houses we insure because we can't afford to lose the investment.  Items like cars we get liability insurance because we can't afford to pay for another person's medical costs if we're liable for their injury.
On the other hand, if you're talking about a $1000 piece of equipment in your house, this won't break you.  That means you can self-insure, and if you do that for all the items you purchase, over the long haul, then you will save money (equal to the profit that the company expects on the warranties).
So I say, no, don't buy extended warranties.  The more they're trying to sell it to you, the less you should be willing to buy it (because the higher their profit margin is if they can convince you to buy it).
Answer: In my opinion it depends on the type of product. I would get a warranty for a washing machine or tumble dryer or other product with lots of moving parts that is liable to break down. I also take into account my luck, the one washing machine I didn't get covered broke down 2 weeks outside the normal warranty period...
I would not get a warranty for a consumer electronics product like a TV, PC, or iPod because they devalue so quickly.
As a rule of thumb, if the model you buy today is going to be on sale for the next few years for around the same price and has moving parts, it is worth considering a warranty. If it will be worth a small percentage of its value because newer faster shinier models come along to replace it don't bother.
I would also not get the warranty from the shop I bought the product from. You can get warranties for consumer products from specialist third parties that will allow you to cover multiple products for a discount. These work out a lot cheaper than the one the shop will give you. For example in the UK, DomGen will cover 3 appliances for £14.99/month and 6 for £20.99/month
Comment: Not personally, there is a consumer TV show in the UK that fairly recently found in general they were no worse than the primary retailers. I'll see if I can find a reference
Comment: +1. Excellent answer. On the last part, though - how reliable are those 3rd party warranty companies? Know anybody who made a successful claim without a hassle?
Answer: The issuer of the service contract is making money. DO NOT buy these contracts.  Self insure over your life time 40/60 years and you will save money.
Answer: Watch this super late post to a 2009 thread.  Thread Necromancy in action!
Yes, it's absolutely worth it to get an extended warranty because electronics just don't last as long as they used to. This is ever more prevalent in the year 2013.
Is it a ripoff?  Future Shop (in Canada) and Best Buy (U.S. & Canada) offer warranties that are typically 25% of the cost of the product.  That's a huge mark-up, massive! Yet, to my knowledge they are one of the only retailers that you can walk into the store and just drop it off for exchange.  As opposed to, buying a 3rd party extended warranty that is considerably less expensive, yet it puts the burden on you to mail the product in, wait for god knows how long to receive a refurbished, repaired, or new (their choice) product.
It's a gamble, an expensive one. Yet, if you're spending top dollar on a product, wouldn't you like to have some peace of mind that it will last you at least 2-3 years. Unfortunately as I mentioned earlier, electronics (or anything for that matter) just aren't as reliable as you'd hope.
The Xbox 360 gaming console was notorious for being poorly made.  In fact, many people not only had to take advantage of the extended warranty, but had to do so, more than 2-3 times. So make sure you do your homework on a product, before you even think about buying it.
What do I do? I buy at Future Shop, Best Buy or Staples for the convenience of dropping off the product in the event of an issue.  I really don't want to bother with the hassle of applying for warranty service and long mail-in / return wait period.
If the product is $100 or so, forget it..and just buy it whoever has it cheapest and cross your fingers.
Comment: "because electronics just don't last as long as they used to" Any real data to support this unsubstantiated generality? If 25% is true, and one buys 4 items, they might self-insure, putting aside the cost of that replacement. I don't get the sense that electronics fail at a 25% rate over a 3 year period.
Comment: According to many consumer reports I have read and heard, consumer electronics are MUCH more reliable than years go by.  I can't cite a source, but can you?  Perhaps if much of what I buy breaks, I should spend more time researching for quality.
Comment: The XBOX360 is the ONLY time I ever considered the extended warranty a good deal and bought it. I replaced mine under warranty twice, they had major manufacturing problems.


What happened to my comment to the question about merfolks' handling of their dead?

Question: I was looking at this question, when it was put on hold. It was formulated badly and so put on hold. I made a comment about the expected question and answered the question in my comment, since there was no possibility to answer: I looked lately for my comment and haven't found it.
Is my comment deleted by the put-not-on-hold-anylonger or did it got manualy deleted? (And how do i restore it?)
Comment: There is no history of that question being put on hold...
Comment: @kingledion it was put on hold, deleted and reasked
Comment: You might also be interested in reading the explanation of "[comment everywhere](https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/comment)" privilege, including tips on when to comment or not.
Answer: First of all, answers shall be written as such. Answering in comments when the question is closed is bad form, and gives the bad message that a user can neglect asking well written question and an answer will be anyway given.
That aside, what happened in your particular case is that the user, instead of editing the first question which was put on hold and where you wrote your comment, decided to delete it and repost it as a new one.
Also this is considered bad form, as it is preferred to edit on hold question instead of more or less circumventing the review by posting brand new ones.
To answer your question, your comment is still there in the deleted question, which can only be seen by 10k+ reputation users. Since the new question is not on hold, you might want to post it as an answer.
Comment: Note also that deleting and reposting a question often enough could trigger a question ban because the deleted, closed questions will hurt your metrics (whereas editing them and getting them reopened would help).
Answer: The question was originally How would merfolk society care for their dead. That one was put on hold, and subsequently deleted by the OP; being deleted, 10,000 or more reputation is required to view that question (viewing deleted posts comes with the access to moderator tools privilege). None of the comments on it have been deleted; they are still all visible to any user with sufficient reputation to see the question itself. (Deleted comments are still visible, but only to diamond moderators. They are not visible to non-moderator users, including high-reputation users.)
As I write this, there are no deleted comments on the question How would merfolk society dispose of their dead? And would disposing of the bodies in the ocean have any negative effect on marine life? either.
I will also echo what's already been said; please don't answer questions in comments, especially questions that have been put on hold. It's perfectly acceptable to leave a comment trying to gently steer OP in a direction which you believe is (a) an on-topic question, and (b) something you can answer, but comments should be used to improve the question to the point of answerability, not to answer the question outright (even with a joke answer, or a short answer).
Answer: As L.Dutch said, refrain from using comments to answer closed questions, instead try to give OP an incentive to edit/improve their question by telling them you might have an answer to their problem.
If they edit the question and get it reopened you can deliver your already prepared answer.


Energy usage in Canada

Question: I'm looking for the most recent data on energy usage by sectors in Canada. Statistics Canada has updated their table up to 2008. But this is too old. Where can I get more recent data, say 2014 or 2013, on energy usage?
Answer: You can find those takes of statistics in the Canada Yearbook from Statistics Canada. Unfortunately, the last year they published the year book is 2012, and for energy the data is only thru 2010.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/ener/tbl-eng.htm
If you dig (or Google) around Natural Resources Canada, you may find some additional information on energy production and usage. I found some coarse data thru 2012.
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/trends_egen_ca.cfm
Answer: I think this table has the energy use by sector until 2013.
Scroll down to Energy use, final demand

The summation of the usage in mining and oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, forestry, construction, transportation, agriculture, residential, public administration and commercial and other institutional.

Additionally, you'll find the 2013 report with more broken down numbers - LINK

Energy usage in Canada


Iconography - Icon or text first?

Question: What is a better approach for designing buttons for the web? Should the icon come before the text or after? Personally I think it really depends on the context of area but just wondered what would be a more 'standard' approach?
Comment: This is a bit of a _cop_ out answer, but there is no graphic design _police_ that I know of, so I would say whatever looks good in the the layout and makes sense in the context.
Comment: Of course. Personally apart from menu's, I prefer the icons on the right. It feels more natural to me. However, as you can see from the answers, it's only me that feels this way and that is what I meant by a 'standard'.
Answer: I personally think the one on the left looks better.
We read English from Left→Right so it only makes sense to me that you see a green button with a check and then the "explanation" (Submit).

If the page is in a language such as Arabic or Hebrew where they read from Right to Left, then you should probably place the icon on the other side.
I read this R-L, therefore I see the ✅ (check) first.
Answer: Most of the time the icons accompanied by text are perceived as a bulleted text, so its location to the left is visually more familiar.

Image from Bullets in Excel

This bulleted perception increases when the icons accompany a text list as in a drop-down menu.

In these menus, the icons on the right usually have a different meaning than the text such as an alert or a detail of the item itself:

Always speaking perceptively, the icon is an image and the text a description of this image, and this is usually in this order, beyond the language: image + description

As in the photographs, the caption always goes after the image:

More answers at ux.stackexchange same question
Answer: If it's anything but Hebrew the icon left then text. This follows the natural way people will see the visual language of the button. In cases like submit, next and back the position of the icon can help reinforce the visual language and better describe the button. In these cases context will dictate the position.
Let me know if this isn't clear.
Comment: Arabic is also Right to Left along with [a few others](https://www.andiamo.co.uk/resources/right-to-left-languages/).
Comment: Honestly,  I was super proud I knew Hebrew was right to left.
Answer: From development perspective, the one on the left is a better choice.  Assuming "submit" is live text, font size can be scaled up or down by site visitor using their browser settings.  By keeping decorative element on the left, button text can be visually anchored to it, irrespective of font size.  Having decorative element on the right will lead to all sorts of issues when text scales up or down, such as text too far away from the  checkmark or overlapping it.  This can be resolved, but with unnecessarily large amount of coding, and should be avoided in the first place.
Comment: As a front end developer, I have no idea what you're talking about with this answer. It's just as easy either way

Iconography - Icon or text first?


What is the difference between "flat style" and "material design"?

Question: After Windows 8 came out all spoke about "Metro UI" and later about the "Flat design". Now, after Android Lollipop came out all speak about "Material design". Can somebody explain the difference between "Material design" and "Flat style"?
Answer: Material design is unrelated to flat design in its principles. Material design is skeuomorphic in that it is an attempt to make web design more realistic in how it portrays elements, using  layers and animation in a way that makes sense outside of the browser. Visually flat design and material design are similar at the moment, but material design can be applied to designs other than flat-like ones.
It follows 3 principles

Material is the metaphor
Be bold, graphic, intentional
Provide meaning with motion

Layering in material design is done through moving elements forward or back along the z axis, to and from the user, and adding realistic shadows to convey more meaning. Animating elements, such as having an animation affecting position when a list item is removed, is meant to improve user flow and understanding while making the experience more smooth. In doing so, more meaning can be portrayed through material design than in flat design
Google designers made paper models to figure out layering and shadows for their material design.
There are other design guidelines covering spacing, color, usability, and more detail about positioning and animation which you can check out in Google's webpage about the subject.
A good way to learn more about material design and how to implement it is to use the apps Google has created using material design and to read about the design details, this one is by Brian Lovin on the Inbox app.
People may assume that material design is a sort of extension of flat design, but in fact the principles are different. The current trend is to make clean, flat-like design which Google uses for now, but the principles of material design extend past those bounds and can be applied to other methods of design as well.
Comment: In that Material Design, visually, uses a lot of flat design icons and styles, I'd say they are certainly related in that sense. Material Design, is, of course, more than the visual look as you point out, though.
Comment: @DA01 Thanks, I tried to make my point more clear in the most recent edit
Comment: On a related note, [this article](https://medium.com/android-news/material-design-is-different-not-better-87909af6ffe1) is great for comparing iOS to Material Design and learning more about each.
Answer: Flat design = a generic term that refers to the trendy modern UI aesthetic of blocky flat icons and blocks of color.
Metro Design = Microsoft's new UI design (now called Microsoft design language) for Windows 8 that uses the flat design visual aesthetic.
Material Design = Google new UI design for Android that uses the flat design visual aesthetic.
(Note that both Metro and Material are much more than just about the flat design aesthetic. They also talk about interaction design, flows, pattern libraries, etc.)
Thanks to Johannes for noting the name change for Microsoft's UI.
Comment: @DA01, just want to point out that Microsoft's UI has **not** been named Metro since 2012. It is instead called "Microsoft design language" [source](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_(design_language)#Name_change). I realize that OPs question mentioned it by this name as well but that's incorrect.
Comment: I don't think this goes enough into the detail of what they actually *are*. It seems to be more so *what they're used on*
Comment: @ZachSaucier right. The OP was asking mainly about the difference. I'd say the difference is that one is a generic term for a visual style, the other two are specific terms for branded UI guidelines.
Comment: @Johannes yep, that's a good note.
Comment: Material Design can be used not only with Android but also Web design & Desktop app design.
Answer: Material design is not flat, its a bunch of flat layers of "material" that are spaced out a little bit on the Z axis. This means that these objects have shadows and are supposed to come from somewhere when they appear on the screen and leave to somewhere when they are not needed anymore. Which means they don't just fade in and out.
There are also a bunch of design guidelines that specify the color, the spacing and many other aspects of your layout.
Here are some of them, but you can find much more with a few google searches.
http://www.google.com/design/spec/material-design/introduction.html#
Answer: "Flat design" is as they explained you up there, and "Material Design" design is not realy "skeuomorphic" but  "Skeuomorphed Flat Design". "Material Design" use flat things and align it in Z-axis to have a "3D Flat Design". I hope it helped.
Answer: Actually, flat design will appear more simplistic on the background of material, besides, all these animations are aimed more on user interaction with mobile devices, rather than with the site. In addition, no one prohibits the use of these two approaches in a single product, if approach the work on the design more consciously and philosophically. As for skeuomorphism, it tried to bring elements of the interface in a more familiar, user-friendly way: how this or that object would look in the real world, but many people have different views of the surrounding things, so creation of a single style of such approach was nearly impossible…Some information to add What's the difference:Flat Design vs Material Design