Fun with Google’s Auto Complete

What kinds of questions are our fellow humans asking Google? From the Google homepage, start typing a question (who, what, when, where, why, how, etc.) to see what’s being asked.

To see what teenagers are curious about, start with “can u”. Endless fun. My favourite: “can women get prostate cancer?”

The Education of Single Click

Ever notice how latecomers to the web will often double-click links? In my usability work, I’ve observed this happening countless times. Such activity almost certainly doubles the users risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). It also raises the ire of environmentalists, as it doubtlessly shortens the life of an average computer mouse by half. In order to do our part to curb this dangerous behaviour, I teamed up again with Andrey Petrov to build this simple javascript that aims to strengthen single-click behaviour.

UPDATE: If you are using jQuery or Prototype.js, follow these examples which only affects links. Otherwise use this original version, which affects all double-clicks.

Feel free to propagate in your HTML to end the senseless double-clicking of web links forever!

The onimoD Effect

I hereby submit for consideration into the greater discourse a term to explain an often occurring phenomenon in as condensed a manner as possible.

Have you ever set out to solve a problem, only to uncover an intermediary problem? This happens far too regularly in the world of computers.

“Before you get to him, you’ll have to go through me first.”

It is the opposite of the Domino Effect where a series of events unfolds with ease. Hence, The onimoD Effect.

I’m on a Mexican Video

We’ve been back a week from our better-than-honeymooon trip to Patzcuaro Mexico. Here’s a selection of videos hosted on Google Video, which if you can believe it, has been processing one of the videos for a whole week and is still not done.

An almost 360° view of the Patzcuaro’s central square called Plaza Vasco de Quiroga.

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Some of traditional dancers on the square doing the dance of the Viejitos (little old fogies?).

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Even more.

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Some caged chicks for sale. Not what it sounds like.

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An almost 360° view from the highest point in town.

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The hotel’s security official, an adorable Shar Pei called Vanilla with some nerve problems in his back legs.

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During rainy season it rains up to an hour a day but what a cathartic rain it is.