Bunk and Rambling

Recently I have been thinking about approaches to learning. This stems from the constant demand my role as a consultant places on me to convert requirements expressed in the language of the business domain into working software. How we learn differs from person to person, and in many cases we are not even aware of the devices that we use to process new information. Tonight, while thinking about the way in which I learn most effectively, I recalled a poem by Rudyard Kipling that starts:

The Elephant’s Child

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

So if in future you are struggling with a new concept, try and recall these six questions to help you out.

Just happened across a cool article on instructables about using cheap USB components to monitor the status of a build.

From the article:

I chose to solve this problem with a salvaged USB keyboard, since they are relativelycheap, and contain everything that is needed for three simple on/off outputs, in the formof the number, caps, and scroll lock LEDs.

see USB controlled mini lava lamps

The Big Day Out has passed through Sydney this Australia Day past, and for the most part I had an enjoyable day. It is always good to see live music and the Big Day Out serves this up in a buffet format. I was looking forward to checking out a number of the bands on the day, but was most interested in seeing the Stooges and the White Stripes. In my opinion it was the Stooges that ended up with the best set of the day. I did find it sad however that so few people that I have spoken to leading up to the day had even heard of the Stooges, despite the fact that these guys have had such a major impact on rock and roll since they first played in 1967.