Edibotopic blog.
You can use Ubuntu on WSL 1 to develop, build, and test a game for Windows, Linux, and the browser. WSL has a component ( WSLg ) that includes a Wayland compositor (Weston) and a XWayland server. This means that it can be used to run many Linux-native graphical apps. I’ll be using the default Linux distro for WSL — Ubuntu — in this example, and the Ebitengine game engine for Go. Set up the project…
I work remotely, which means a lot of screen time. Many of my hobbies, like making music, software, and videos, also keep me at the computer for long hours. Recently, I had to start using eye drops. The ophthalmologist said I probably don’t blink enough when looking at the monitor. Since then, I’ve started working on paper more, and it’s been a relief. When I worked in science, we shared research…
Draft This draft is a work-in-progress. Technical writers generally agree that accuracy and clarity are primary attributes of good documentation. Occasionally, they ask whether “beauty” is important too, but often dismiss it as a secondary or derived quality. When I’ve been involved in conversations about beauty in documentation, I’ve noticed that people tend to discuss lofty ideas from…
We perceive something as ambiguous when it allows for two or more plausible interpretations 1 . What does this button do? How did the audience respond to my talk? What did the ending of the movie mean? Why did they wear that particular outfit? What is causing that smoke in the distance? This page includes some thoughts about ambiguity in different domains. Ambiguity in language The causes of…
In technical writing, the assumption is typically that a user reads a guide when trying to solve a problem. While this is certainly an important case for a writer to accommodate, it is surely not the only way a reader experiences a guide. I often read guides passively, without actively executing the instructions. Instead, I’m determining whether it’s worthwhile to take the steps described, or I’m…
Stokes’ Law describes the sedimentation of particles in suspensions (fruit pulp in orange juice). It is also used to model the flotation of droplets in emulsions (creaming of milk fat). Equation The equation below describes the separation velocity ($v$) of particles with diameter $D$ in a solvent with viscosity $\mu$ when subject to acceleration due to gravity $g$. The $\Delta \rho$ means the…
We can experience a system as a whole or analyse it into its constituent parts. The worldview that privileges the first is called “holism”, the second “reductionism”. In everyday ife, holism typically has a positive connotation, while reductionism is viewed negatively. Domains that are interpreted as emphasising analysis, most notably science, are called “reductionist” when their method is taken…
We often have a fear of fixing the meaning of an idea, thinking that while our idea remains unfixed, it has maximum potential and scope. Everyone then has the problem of interpreting our idea. When trying to build things together, such ambiguity can be a significant impediment to progress. This problem often manifests as a discomfort with definitions. The worry is that a definition may fix an idea…
Iconic programming is the writing of programs that resemble what they do. It can involve the prominent use of icons, which visually resemble ideas. Icons and symbols In semiotics , a distinction is made between icons and symbols . Symbols signify what they reference through convention, while icons signify through resemblance. This distinction is associated with the American philosopher Charles…
I’ve been playing around with an early version of Arroost, a node-based tool for live sampling. New ways to do things Since the days of soundtracking my own university lectures during Covid lockdowns, I have been quietly releasing music under the name “Curtsy Rehearsed”. It was surprising to find that the music got the tiniest amount of local media attention in Summer 2022. That encouraged me to…
Version control is a powerful tool commonly used in large software projects. It is valuable for other types of project too, including academic writing.