Category Archives: toys

The one-eyed robot

Real computer scientists concern themselves with sorting their balls.

Command-line debunker

My superstitious Facebook friends are posting this message:

October has 5 Fridays 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is money bags. So copy this to your Status and money will arrive within four days. Based on Chinese FengShui. The one who does not copy….will be without money I cannot let that person be me …. Copy within eleven mins.

Sure enough, it is false. I wanted to try to prove it myself. So I came up with this Unix one-liner:

for x in {1950..2050}; do for y in {1..12}; do echo `cal $y $x | grep -v [a-z]|grep [0-9] | cut -c1-2,15-20 | tr " " "n"|grep [0-9]|wc -l`: $x $y | grep ^15; done; done;

Result: Between 1950 and 2050, there are 101 months that contain 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays. Can I still have money bags?

BTW here is the full list of months:

   December 1950              May 1953              January 1954
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    October 1954             July 1955               March 1957
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    August 1958               May 1959              January 1960
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 1960             December 1961             March 1963
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
      May 1964              January 1965            October 1965
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 1966             December 1967             March 1968
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    August 1969               May 1970              January 1971
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    October 1971           December 1972             March 1974
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    August 1975             October 1976             July 1977
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
   December 1978            August 1980               May 1981
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    January 1982            October 1982             July 1983
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     March 1985             August 1986               May 1987
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    January 1988             July 1988             December 1989
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     March 1991               May 1992              January 1993
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    October 1993             July 1994             December 1995
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     March 1996             August 1997               May 1998
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    January 1999            October 1999           December 2000
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     March 2002             August 2003             October 2004
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 2005             December 2006            August 2008
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
      May 2009              January 2010            October 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 2011               March 2013             August 2014
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
      May 2015              January 2016             July 2016
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
   December 2017             March 2019               May 2020
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    January 2021            October 2021             July 2022
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
   December 2023             March 2024             August 2025
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
      May 2026              January 2027            October 2027
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
   December 2028             March 2030             August 2031
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    October 2032             July 2033             December 2034
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    August 2036               May 2037              January 2038
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    October 2038             July 2039               March 2041
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
    August 2042               May 2043              January 2044
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 2044             December 2045             March 2047
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
      May 2048              January 2049            October 2049
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa    Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2                    1  2                    1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9     3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31                      31                      31
     July 2050
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                1  2
 3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31

Play Shinro puzzles for free in your Web browser

Now you can try out Shinro puzzles in your Web browser!

There are 120 puzzles there ranging from easy to hard. Can you solve them?

PlayShinro.com launch

I’ve finally finished the web site for my new book of puzzles.

Go there and check out the book. You can even download a free edition!

Craft time

Something I had to make during my lunch break.



Because seeing Totoro in Toy Story 3 was awesome.

There is no Koopa.

Want to make $500?

All you have to do is make Mario come to life with an artificially intelligent computer program. And he has to survive as many randomly-generated game levels as possible from the Infinite Mario Bros project.

Piece of cake!


A contest entry. From the entrant: “Here’s my attempt at an AI for the Mario AI Competition. You can see the path it plans to go as a red line, which updates when it detects new obstacles at the right screen border. It uses only information visible on screen. I’ve included a slow-motion part in the middle where it gets hairy for Mario. :-)”

Here is the same intelligent agent playing a longer level.

These agents will be unstoppable once they replicate in the Matrix.

WTFractal?!?

XSLT is a language for transforming XML. I came to hate XSLT long ago, at the tail end of a fading honeymoon period in which I dwelt in the empty promises of XML.

Somebody came up with a way to plot the Mandelbrot Set using only an XML file combined with a particularly evil XSLT file. This is a disturbing, evil way to go about drawing fractals. Please don’t do this.

It really works. Click here to try it. Your browser will thank you for the pointless exercise.

(previously, and previously)

Game Day at Luna City Arcade

The multi-talented programmer, vintage arcade enthusiast, artist, and iPhone game developer Peter Hirschberg created a one-of-a-kind private vintage arcade collection that he periodically opens to the public. His Luna City Arcade is an acclaimed collection of still-functioning vintage arcade games from the 1970s and 1980s that he keeps and maintains in a 2400 square foot building next to his house.


Luna City Arcade. Image by Peter Hirschberg.

This past Saturday, Iris and I hopped in the car and drove up to Luna City Arcade. We met up with the McCubbins and enjoyed a day of beeping and chippy nostalgia.


(youtube link)

Peter and his wife were gracious hosts and we had a great time. Check out Peter’s newest iPhone game, Vector Tanks, a throwback to the days of Battlezone, and Adventure Revisited, his clone of the classic Atari game Adventure for Windows and Mac. And take a look at his software portfolio for an interesting collection of simulators, emulators, and novelties that he’s created.

Swappify

TGAW’s series of posts of “Season Compares” inspired me to code up another creation, the Swapper, to add to my ever-expanding collection of web toys of questionable value.



Example swappification. Click to open if it isn’t animating for you.

Its purpose is to let you specify two images. The Swapper will load your two images and display the first one for you. When you move your mouse cursor over the first image, the second image will appear. When you move your mouse cursor away from the second image, the first image will appear. This gives you a way to quickly flip between two images to compare them. Give it a try! There are some sample images there to get you started.

New site launched today: AgainButSlower.com

I launched a new site site this morning: AgainButSlower.com.



I saw this xkcd comic recently, and it made me want to be able to see Wikipedia articles side-by-side with their “simple” counterparts.

Simple English Wikipedia is a version of the Wikipedia encyclopedia, written in Simple English and started in 2004. The encyclopedia is supposed to be used by children, who might not understand the complicated articles in the English Wikipedia, and other people who are still learning English.”

AgainButSlower.com is a quick hack I put together that lets you view the articles side-by-side. To do this, go to the site and type an article name in the search box (for example, War, or Peace, or Chocolate). Or, paste the article’s URL directly from wikipedia (for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Cube). Then click the “Again, but slower” button. The site will try to load the original article and the simplified article side-by-side. If it doesn’t find the simple version, try a different article, because not all of Wikipedia’s articles have been translated into simple versions.

You can also try some examples by choosing one from the pulldown list on the page. Or, try your luck with a random article by clicking the Random button. If you click the full formatting checkbox, the original formatting of the Wikipedia articles will be displayed (the site displays the printable stripped-down format by default).