xkcd

by **Plasma Man** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:27 pm UTC

In a related note, if there's a link to an internet page on your desktop, and you double-click that, it should launch a new browser window and go to the website in question. It should not open itself by opening that page over an internet page in a pre-existing window.

by **Xeio** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:23 pm UTC

Plasma Man wrote:In a related note, if there's a link to an internet page on your desktop, and you double-click that, it should launch a new browser window and go to the website in question. It should not open itself by opening that page over an internet page in a pre-existing window.

I assume this is IE? Because I know chrome does this in a sane way.

Oh, on a partially related note:

ISHTST: Software developers, if you open a link, DO NOT FORCE IT TO OPEN IN IE. This is literally trivial, the OS actually does all the work for you, there is no excuse. Actually, you probably did more work launching IE specifically since you need to find the executable or hard code the path...

by **Plasma Man** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:37 pm UTC

Yep, Internet Explorer and on my work computer, which means even if there was a fix, I wouldn't be able to use it.

by **Cloud Walker** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:44 pm UTC

SlyReaper wrote:
Cloud Walker wrote:Which reminds me: links should almost always open in a new tab/window.

*cough*

Middle mouse button.

Holy shit. That shouldn't be necessary, but holy shit. Thanks!

by **The Scyphozoa** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:50 pm UTC

Somehow, I'm using a computer at school with Windows XP and IE 8, but middle mouse button brings up a picture of a magnifying class so that I can zoom while scrolling. No matter whether I'm on a link or not.

Wat.

by **Von Haus** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:18 pm UTC

Plasma Man wrote:In a related note, if there's a link to an internet page on your desktop, and you double-click that, it should launch a new browser window and go to the website in question. It should not open itself by opening that page over an internet page in a pre-existing window.

The realisation that switching to Chrome stopped skype doing this was a very happy moment for me.

by **ConMan** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:25 am UTC

Cloud Walker wrote:Which reminds me: links should almost always open in a new tab/window.

*cough*

I'd say - no they shouldn't. They should default to opening in the same tab, unless I Ctrl- or Shift-click to make them open in a new tab/window. I find it really annoying when they default to new tab/window so I have no easy way of making them open in the same tab. Especially when they open in a new window, and somehow prevent me from at least making them open in a new tab (I'm looking at you, Flash links).

by **Cloud Walker** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 am UTC

ConMan wrote:
Cloud Walker wrote:Which reminds me: links should almost always open in a new tab/window.

*cough*

I'd say - no they shouldn't. They should default to opening in the same tab, unless I Ctrl- or Shift-click to make them open in a new tab/window. I find it really annoying when they default to new tab/window so I have no easy way of making them open in the same tab. Especially when they open in a new window, and somehow prevent me from at least making them open in a new tab (I'm looking at you, Flash links).

Then you can have the middle mouse button. Myself? I'll take the lack of confinement to one tab, thanks very much.

by **Midnight** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:41 am UTC

I just... if i want it in the current tab, I click it. if i want it in a new tab, I middle-click it.

dis aint dat difficult doe

by **Link** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:45 am UTC

Midnight wrote:dis aint dat difficult doe

is totes, iv yous fik in t' hed doe, innit, wat

Related ISHTST: people, make your gorram websites accessible. That means (1) making it standards-compliant (this is the most important point, and generally also the most frequently-ignored one); (2) making sure everything works for users without JavaScript (the noscript element is standard, so use it!); (3) making sure it doesn't fail too epically for non-standard configurations such as screen readers; (4) offering download links for any videos on your site (preferably in an open format such as Ogg Theora); (5) always using the least complex method possible to implement features (e.g. if you want a drop-down menu, CSS can do it; no need to use JavaScript); (6) making sure plugin-based controls work with free software plugins (e.g. flash controls should work with gnash and Java controls with IcedTea); (7) choosing the default language based on the Accept-Language header, and definitely not based on the country the IP resolves to (some people connect through foreign proxies, and even if they don't, living in a country does not imply fluency in said country's official language(s)) - and it's also a good idea to have a language selection element, preferably with a flag symbol next to it. I could probably think of many more things to list here, but I can't be arsed at the moment.

by **Midnight** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:03 am UTC

I wasn't really going for Cockney, but whatevz brah.

by **podbaydoor** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:11 pm UTC

(transoceanic battle of the regional dialects? plz?)

by **OBrien** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:30 pm UTC

I'll just go for a Tom, maybe a Billy too, then I'll get started, alright china?

by **Midnight** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:33 am UTC

ISHTST: Cockney rhyming slang is so utterly ludicrous that it's got to plaid. (but they might say that plaid rhymes with vlad, so they've gone to vampires)

by **SlyReaper** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:01 pm UTC

Cockney slang is wonderful stuff, because you can just make it up on the fly.

by **OBrien** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:11 pm UTC

Midnight wrote:ISHTST: Cockney rhyming slang is so utterly ludicrous that it's got to plaid. (but they might say that plaid rhymes with vlad, so they've gone to vampires)

That won't work, you've got to think of two words that go together, the second of which rhymes, then omit the one that actually rhymes. eg: china -> china plate -> mate, pen -> pen and ink -> stink, butcher's -> butcher's hook -> look.
Got it international? (international -> international flight -> Midnight)

SlyReaper wrote:Cockney slang is wonderful stuff, because you can just make it up on the fly.

While this is true, the art is dying out unfortunatly. In my lifetime the only on-the-fly rhyming slang I've seen stick is James (James Blunt, whic means... well, you can work it out.)

by **hanecter** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 5:36 am UTC

If you grow up in a place where rhyming slang is common (ie, you were exposed to it early and often), how do you 'parse' (for lack of better word) a rhymed word?

Do you think china = mate, or when you hear china do you associate it with plate and then from there, mate? Or something I missed completely?

by **OBrien** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:16 pm UTC

I dunno about others but mostly you just understand it straight awau from the context. Also I usually leant this things by hearing the abbreviated version, learning what it meant then, many years later, figuring out that it's actually rhyming slang as opposed to every other nonsensical slang there is. Eg: from the age of about eight I used the phrase "just going for a Tom" to mean "dropping the kids off at the pool". It wasn't until I read an old book on fairytales when I was about 16 that I found out Tom Tit is another name for Rumplestiltskin. From then on I started to notice that some other people actually said the whole thing and the penny dropped. Other examples of rhyming slang that took me way longer to get than it should have: On my Tod (Tod Slone, alone), three-peice whistle (whistle and flute, suit) and bubble (bubble bath, laugh)

by **Kewangji** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:19 pm UTC

I remember an English teacher who said 'no, that basically doesn't exist, it's far too convoluted for anyone to actually do, and people would end up not understanding each other. It's an urban myth'. Heh.

by **OBrien** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:28 pm UTC

The hell? Had they actually been to London, or met anyone who'd come from there? Yes, it is a bit confusing when you drop a bit of rhyming into conversation with someone who's not used to it, but no more than any other regional slang I don't think.

by **Whelan** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:31 pm UTC

I've been using on my todd for years, I never knew it was rhyming slang.

by **Kewangji** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:32 pm UTC

OBrien wrote:The hell? Had they actually been to London, or met anyone who'd come from there? Yes, it is a bit confusing when you drop a bit of rhyming into conversation with someone who's not used to it, but no more than any other regional slang I don't think.

No idea.

I chose to believe cockney slang existed anyway because it sounded awesome, I think. Though I also think that teacher made it sound more complicated than it actually is, so perhaps they'd just been misled?

by **Adacore** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:37 pm UTC

It is pretty complicated, when the derivations are described in full, and actually working out the meaning directly would be almost impossible, but in reality it's just like any other sort of slang - as OBrien says, you know what the word means from context, and don't have to know its etymology. The slang words just pass into the regional common parlance.

by **Kewangji** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:39 pm UTC

Well, that's west.

by **Midnight** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:20 pm UTC

I just can't do it, man. My linguistic abilities are pretty weak. I mean, how I learn new languages and solve those kind of things--it's a complete puzzle to me, and I'm bad at those kind of puzzles.
Which is weird, cause in general I'm pretty good at speaking preacher (English... teacher? I dunno)

by **Kewangji** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:02 pm UTC

Kewangji wrote:Well, that's west.

It's a couple of hours later and it took me far too long to remember what I meant by this. Hah. (West Wing - relieving, I hope I'm doinitrite)

by **Xeio** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:37 pm UTC

Well I think we've surely established the fourth worst poetry in the universe.

by **The Scyphozoa** » Sun May 01, 2011 2:21 am UTC

Kewangji wrote:
Kewangji wrote:Well, that's west.

It's a couple of hours later and it took me far too long to remember what I meant by this. Hah. (West Wing - relieving, I hope I'm doinitrite)

I'm sure you're technically doinitrite, it's just that... that example sucks.

by **Pez Dispens3r** » Sun May 01, 2011 3:15 am UTC

Kewangji wrote:(West Wing - relieving, I hope I'm doinitrite)[/size]

Generally, you want the rhyming words to have the same number of syllables.

Tom Tit - shit
Tod Slone - alone
whistle and flute - suit
bubble bath - laugh
China plate - mate
pen and ink - stink
butcher's hook - look
international flight - midnight
James Blunt - cunt

Of those examples provided, only two (midnight & alone) are out by a syllable, and they're still quite simple words. In fact, all the words are common, uncluttered nouns or verbs. Relieving, however, as the gerund form of a present participle, stands out as quite long and complex, and doesn't particularly rhyme with Wing (no more than it does with concerning, at any rate, or any of a number of -ing words).

You might be able to fashion something out of relief (Indian chief, perhaps?), but it might be confused for belief. So, yeah, probably just save it for simpler words in more obvious contexts.

by **kbltd** » Sun May 01, 2011 11:50 pm UTC

Tod Sloan (he's in Wikipedia BTW) represents "own" rather than "alone", so there too the number of syllables matches.

by **You, sir, name?** » Mon May 02, 2011 5:27 pm UTC

kbltd wrote:Tod Sloan (he's in Wikipedia BTW) represents "own" rather than "alone", so there too the number of syllables matches.

lone?

by **Von Haus** » Mon May 02, 2011 5:32 pm UTC

You, sir, name? wrote:
kbltd wrote:Tod Sloan (he's in Wikipedia BTW) represents "own" rather than "alone", so there too the number of syllables matches.

lone?

AFAIK if you're "on your tod" you're "on your own", so I think kbltd has it.

by **Sprocket** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:06 pm UTC

pseudoidiot wrote:Then you assume wrong!
NOM NOM NOM

I imagine Zoidberg in this case.

by **BoomFrog** » Fri May 13, 2011 6:40 am UTC

Link wrote:(7) choosing the default language based on the Accept-Language header, and definitely not based on the country the IP resolves to (some people connect through foreign proxies, and even if they don't, living in a country does not imply fluency in said country's official language(s)) - and it's also a good idea to have a language selection element, preferably with a flag symbol next to it.

For a few years Google maps failed this which was really annoying, and surprisingly disappointing. They've fixed it now thankfully.

by **Promicin** » Fri May 13, 2011 12:52 pm UTC

ISHTST: (while looking down my shirt) I think I lost an M&M under my boobie...

And I did.

by **Plasma Man** » Fri May 13, 2011 1:14 pm UTC

The question is whether you found it and ate it - and if so, how well the anti-melting crispy coating coped with the heat of boob-entrapment, a much more demanding test than hand-conveyance.

ISHTST: 1 is not more than 1. 1 is 1. A number cannot be more than itself.

by **Oregonaut** » Fri May 13, 2011 1:33 pm UTC

>.>

<.<

Pics or it didn't happen.

ISHTST: My shoulder is busted. No, I can't help you carry that couch.

by **Plasma Man** » Fri May 13, 2011 1:49 pm UTC

I would have imagined you'd be able to support the weight of at least half a couch with one arm. I may be wrong, but in my head you are somewhere between Zangief and the Incredible Hulk.

by **Vapour** » Fri May 13, 2011 1:54 pm UTC

I would have imagined you'd be able to support the weight of at least half a couch with one arm. I may be wrong, but in my head you are somewhere between Zangief and the Incredible Hulk.

I'd say a Zohan.

You don't mess with the Zohan

by **Oregonaut** » Fri May 13, 2011 2:08 pm UTC

Plasma Man wrote:I would have imagined you'd be able to support the weight of at least half a couch with one arm. I may be wrong, but in my head you are somewhere between Zangief and the Incredible Hulk.

Heh. I helped move the couch anyway, and I only used my one arm. It was one of those hide-a-bed jobbies. I used my free hand to open doors and whatnot.

Who is online