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Maybe Innovation And Progression Just Isn't Fun In Games
Humans love the familiar. It's comforting. Change is scary.
But beyond that obvious observation are a variety of factors that contribute to the word "fun" in regards to interactive entertainment; i.e., video games.
Maybe the reason Call of Duty is the most popular name in the gaming universe is simply because it's extremely familiar, extremely addictive, and as a direct result, can be categorized as "fun" or "entertaining" for the vast majority. Last I checked, that's what this industry is all about: Entertainment. And there's no doubt that when we try something new, all sorts of problems can arise. If developers are attempting a new gameplay mechanic, for instance, there's no tried-and-true formula; nothing to guarantee a reliable, responsive - and overall "fun" - experience. And these days, few take risks with their hard-earned money.
Then there's the depressing argument that perhaps we've done all we can do with interaction, at least so far as the standard setup is concerned; i.e., a TV screen and a controller in our hands. It's difficult to predict what could happen next, although we have to assume there's no halting the advancement train. That being said, innovation and progression isn't just risky from a financial standpoint. It's also risky purely from a design standpoint: If something is tried and doesn't work, that's all the more reason for developers to stick with the formula. And the more they do that, the more we get the "been there, done that" experience.
But maybe that's not an issue for most gamers. Maybe they're perfectly happy with "been there, done that." It's a guaranteed fun time, right? You know you're not wasting your money and time. Why waste what precious little time busy adults have just to support the concept of innovation and freshness? And who's to say any of that is even fun? Don't developers need time to get an all-new mechanic exactly right? Since when is the very first example of a new gameplay system perfect? And if that's the case, why jump on the bandwagon immediately? Innovation might not just be boring; it might also be crucially flawed.
Sorry, this is all a little disheartening. I know. But if you really think about it for a minute, you have to admit that you - yes, you - have at least once sacrificed taking a chance for something you know will deliver, even if you also know it won't deliver anything new. And maybe that's the safest way to participate...even if we all suffer in the long run.
Tags: video games, gaming, gaming culture, gamers, games
6/6/2012 9:44:17 PM Ben Dutka
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Wednesday, June 06, 2012 @ 10:16:54 PM
I think the opposite about that, put the game in the hands of gamers away from the developers so that they can give real feedback. Internal testers usually aren't going to say this sucks as it may cost them either respect or their jobs, where as a gamer in a free situation will call it what it is, be it fun, great, horrible, or the worst idea they have ever seen. Some betas for instance have made devs damn near cry:)
I have always been a mix of both worlds type of gamer. I love innovation and at the same time will purchase games I know are fun i.e. games with 2s and 3s in them. Without a steady balance of both the industry would just wither up and die. This gen has been playing it too safe on the large budget game front and at least the indie developers have picked up the slack. Games like Heavy Rain, Mirror's Edge, & Valkyria Chronicles are absolutely fun and at the same time innovative so I am not sure what you mean with your article.
Last edited by Rogueagent01 on 6/6/2012 10:18:57 PM
Wednesday, June 06, 2012 @ 10:36:38 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 11:38:41 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 3:16:23 PM
Wednesday, June 06, 2012 @ 11:07:23 PM
While I loved the control innovations for Heavy Rain I would call it riveting instead of fun.
I just know the gameplay for Lollipop Chainsaw will be very accessible and so I know the game will be fun to play.
I know that turn based RPG mechanics are very fun while any erosion of that is less fun.
Then there's inFamous, that was totally new to me and still extremely fun.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012 @ 11:59:29 PM
Then there are those who like to try every kind of game for it's own unique experience and they crave new and innovative titles.
Of course their are some who play a little of both but I think most people these days fit into the first type, the focus type.
I think it seems like people prefer tried and true, but only because their are a lot more gamers these days and the majority of them don't have time to learn a new game all the time so they stick to what they know.
I think that's why call of duty is so popular, you can come home pick it up and play it and it has a really low learning curve. When you're tired and want to relax the majority of people go to their "comfort games."
Doesn't mean innovation should stop, we wouldn't have these tried and true methods if someone hadn't first innovated them.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 12:07:33 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 12:13:10 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 12:48:18 AM
The problem is they are often surrounded by confusing stuff that you have to be able to tune out.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 8:00:51 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 11:41:01 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 1:10:08 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 1:19:22 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 1:37:48 AM
Not that I am against experimentation in development not at all but when ever that word is mentioned it always leads to very drastic measures.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 1:55:52 AM
i dont want GTA 8 to involve me walking & portraying actions that reflect on screen... if its optional for those that enjoy that koo but make sure a controller is available. im a man of satisfaction, once i reach that level thats pleasing i dont seek more.
Lawless SXE
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 2:07:43 AM
I enjoyed being forced to think about the best strategy to use in Valkyria Chronicles (as well as the story). I loved the way that Heavy Rain engaged the players. I loved the themes of Binary Domain. "Would You Kindly" set me reeling, Demon's Souls begged caution and Fallout 3 gave you the remnants of a dying world to explore.
I would call none of those 'fun' in the strictest sense, but they are also what I've most enjoyed. And many of the elements aforementioned are used in innovative, progressive or rather DIFFERENT ways than they have in the past. It's that variation that makes me want to play a game.
That being said, I want something unique to be done in a way that feels right. Inversion doesn't interest me because, from what I gather, the gravity manipulation is dreadfully limited. I'd rather that GTA IV hadn't experimented with moral choices because they were throwaway additions to the game.
Hmm... I'm just thinking now. Maybe that has something to do with the 'arousal addiction' mentioned in the "Why Men Are Falling Short" book, or whatever it was titled that you have the interview for. I get easily bored with the shooting, or the cutting, or whatever and I want something new from my games... It may not be necessarily fun, but it is better :)
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 2:43:02 AM
So I'm trying to strike a balance because if I'm playing 2-3 games at once that are all serious I think it can be mood affecting. I could go back to playing 1 at a time but for some reason I get burnout really fast that way.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 6:19:20 AM
quite the opposite actually!
innovation is what makes allot of games so much fun!
yea you dont need it for every game, look at just cause 2 that was about as innovative as a stick!
but was still fun as hell!
but other games like heavy rain, brought so much new stuff to the industry!
the reasons COD is so popular is simple!
1 its the ONLY game that works on release!
so many times ive picked up MP games and i have not been able to have a reliable experience for months after release!
never had that problem with any COD!
2 its the ONLY game that is so accessable!
look at all the perks in the game.
so many games, battlefield for instance, force you to play a certain way.
COD though lets you play your way, to your strengths.
if your not the fastest most accurate shooter you can play a support role, if you find that boring you can set up munitions and support the team.
there is so many tools and pieces of equipment to make it easier for people to have fun!
allot of games dont have that, there you play like this if you dont like it than tough dont play our game!
3 its the ONLY game that gets supported so well!
there is always double XP events, gaming with the dev nights, competitions, community events, DLC updates, patches, there is always constant new content for the game!
most games dont do that, how much DLC and community events have R3 and KZ3 for instance had?
or SOCOM 4, one of the biggest MP franchises of all time!?
i rest my case!
this is one thing that REALLY pisses me off about companies these days!
they release a sh*t product or support something poorly then complain that its not selling well.
android phones are another prime example of this!
galaxy S3 has been out for 2 weeks now and it has so few games for it!
apple are kicking the sh*t out of the android market because 1 whenever a new apple device is released there are games to take advantage of it!
2 the day the product releases is the day the accessories and services release for it!
android however is the opposite!
manufactures bust their balls making a better phone than apple than go and destroy it by supporting it poorly!
its exactly the same with console games!
it does not matter how good your product is, it could be the best game ever made, the best phone ever made!
but if you dont support it than its not going to sell well!
COD is so popular because its apple.
its products may not be the best but they always have new content for it, the support is second to NONE!
thats why COD is kicking the sh*t out of pretty much everything in the sales department!
it really pisses me off when companies create a half a$$ed product than b*tch that its selling poorly!
of course its selling poorly you morons!
maybe if all other games were supported like COD than it would start selling really poorly and everything else would be raking in the dough?
just a hunch..........
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 9:43:37 AM
2. Battlefield does not force you to play a certain way, it has just as much gameplay variety as COD (if not more)
3. True COD is supported well, but it's hardly the only game that's supported well.
I too really enjoy Call of Duty and get it every year, I think it delivers what people want from it very well, but don't come up with BS and put down another game that is just as good as COD...it takes away from any good points you may have had and makes you look like just another mindless fanboy.
Friday, June 08, 2012 @ 9:08:08 AM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 7:20:04 AM
As for gameplay, it takes a while for new ideas to sink in, and like all things, innovation will generally be evolutionary once things are well established (for example, generally everyone builds cars with four wheels these days, the differences are more in other details - it's the same with how FPS and TPS mechanics work, in that movement and aiming is getting more similar over time (twin stick controls are almost ubiquitous), but the general handling of how those sticks actually reflect movement on screen (acceleration, amount of auto-aim, sensitivity, deadzone) can vary a fair bit between games).
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 9:35:28 AM
I do agree that this is one of the great appeals of CoD, but also of Final Fantasy, Mario and so on. Rather like Reggie says, we want the same thing that we've always had, but better and different. The difficulty is in knowing what to keep and what to change, which is how FF13 failed so badly; they changed all the wrong things.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 12:46:49 PM
Bringing this back though to the point of innovation/progression. Look at other forms of entertainment - specifically movies. they are still presented on a big flat screen that we sit and watch. The innovation there has been story, production values, effects, camera work, artistic direction but most of all writing.
At some point we hit the wall and the control schemes and methodologies are as good as we can get. They are really 'good enough' right now. we have voice, gesture, and motion capture, we have wireless controllers with control buttons, analog sticks and touch surfaces, the controllers sense motion in all axes of movement. There are cameras watching us and microphones listening. In short there's not really much more that we could do short of either a full body VR suit, or direct synaptic interfacing - neither of which are that likely to happen any time soon.
Instead of trying to come up with another gimmicky control device or system, perhaps game makers and system designers alike should focus on providing a highly capable system that can support more complex narratives and game mechanics instead of worrying about how to handle full body motion detection - or whaterver. Because I can absolutely guarantee you, very few gamers over the age of 30 are going to want to run around their living room living out the action in full motion capture, not that many of our living rooms would survive that experience intact.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 6/7/2012 12:47:23 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 12:58:24 PM
Think about it. Boobs makes everyone happy, especially guys. I can have a bad day and when I look at a nice rack I will be happy as a jaybird.
It is the simple things in life that makes life good. Boobs are simple. Boobs are beautiful. God made boobs to make a boob like me happy.
What does this have to do with innovation? EVERYTHING! Because no matter how things change with humans one thing is a constant in humanity and will be forever .......
Boobs rule.
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 8:17:30 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 6:09:14 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 3:09:22 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2012 @ 11:04:37 PM
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text:
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Spy: An Original Jane Bond Parody
N. had suspected as much. After a long while spent staring at the jagged skyline of London, N. came to a decision. He had no other choice but to go through with Pumpernickel's ridiculous plan.
Enter Bond, Jane Bond, James's lesbian twin sister and haoless bookstore employee, who steps in to masquerade as her brother at an awards ceremony with the queen. But when the dastardly Sons of Britain (S.O.B.s), a nefarious fraternity plotting to bring the Duke and Duchess of Windsor back to power, show up, it's up to some unexpected heros to save the day. The Powder Puff Girls -- makeup salespersons by day, secret agents by night -- step in to secure the future of Britain while Jane keeps her brother's reputation intact...both in and out of the bedroom!
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ed Whelan has posted some helpful observations on the oral argument in the Prop 8 challenge at Bench Memos. Though hardly a connoisseur, I have watched a lot of these arguments and thought I might add my own reaction.
I thought Ted Olson was very polished — his reputation for advocacy was certainly not hurt by his performance yesterday. I was surprised at the paucity of legal argumentation, though. His presentation was much more policy-oriented, in keeping with the new persona Ed has described. There also seemed to be more ad hominem than I would have expected, with a lot of references to opposing counsel that struck me as entirely unnecessary, though consistent with the theme of the case (the voters are bigots, the proponents are irrational, etc.), as embraced by both the plaintiffs' attorneys and Judge Walker.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned much in the commentary on the oral argument (much of it blinkered by ideology) is the really superb job the attorney for the defense, Charles Cooper, did. Brian Brown at the National Organization for Marriage noticed. (Full disclosure: I co-authored an amicus brief for NOM in the case.) Cooper's straightforward case for marriage was refreshing. His argument got right to the heart of the case — the reasonableness of treating the unique sexual relationship of a man and a woman different from other kinds of relationships.
He was particularly effective in responding to some of the novel legal theories floated by the judges. In his rebuttal argument, Cooper's command of the precedent helped deflate the idea that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Romer v. Evans prohibited the people of California from correcting the California Supreme Court's reading of the state constitution regarding marriage. He was able to remind the court of a passage in that case disavowing the idea that merely changing an existing legal arrangement was enough to make a law invalid.
In regards to standing, I thought Judge Randy Smith made clear the essential problem with the plaintiffs' argument. The governor and attorney general — who have no constitutional role in approving an amendment to the state constitution — would be given, by their inaction, the power to negate the amendment.


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System Spotlights Archive
Posted November 13, 2014
Study Links Declining Fitness, Sleep Complaints
A new study by Rodney Dishman, a professor of kinesiology in the College of Education at the University of Georgia finds a link between a person's fitness level—specifically cardiorespiratory fitness—and sleeping ability.
Posted November 13, 2014
Overcoming Obstacles
Reesheda Gilbert recently earned the American Chemical Society's hardship award. The Kennesaw State biochemistry student, never imagined she could get this far by looking for someplace so close. Gilbert's "this far" is the cushion between her life now and the blows she endured in an abusive home environment.
Posted November 13, 2014
Central American Ecosystems
In the first study abroad opportunity for biology students at University of North Georgia, groups will head to Belize and Costa Rica next summer to study native flora and fauna.
Posted November 13, 2014
Making Football Safer
Researchers at the University of Georgia have joined a national alliance to study concussions and are using technology to make the game of football safer.
Posted November 11, 2014
Learn from a Master Chef
According to Master Chef Thor Erlingsson, students are attracted Kennesaw State's culinary sustainability and hospitality program because everyone loves food. Erlingsson, a native of Iceland, is the program's first full-time instructor.
Posted November 10, 2014
STEM Teacher Academy
Fort Valley State University recently hosted the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center (GYSTC) STEM Teacher Academy to assist local middle school teachers in helping students become proficient in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.


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If you have a dog or cat that sheds, you know how tough a chore it can be to keep up after all that hair. Fur balls get everywhere and they can be almost impossible to clean. It's not as difficult to remove it from hard flooring like wood and linoleum, but one of the hardest places to remove pet hair can be the carpet or a throw rug. Not only will you have the fluffy stuff coating the surface, you will also have hair and fur that get buried deep in the nap, which only makes it more difficult to remove. Even the best vacuum cleaners can have a hard time removing all of the pet hair from a carpet, and if you don't have a good one, you are pretty much guaranteed to leave some behind. This can be especially troublesome for those of us that have allergies, but it is also annoying to anyone that just wants to keep their home clean. If you want to have clean carpets despite your shedding animal, then you may need a better tool.
Top Recommendations
Below are a few techniques that are commonly mentioned, and these should actually work to some degree. Following these are some other techniques that you will find on the internets, but those will be less likely to actually work, and more likely to have you searching for something better.
Pet Hair Vacuum – Because your regular one will not do a thorough job as you have already discovered, most "experts" will recommend getting one that costs two or three times as much so that it actually works on this common chore. These will come with fancy attachments or special rollers, but even then, they may not completely eliminate the hair, and in most cases these tool are out of people's budgets anyway. Even if your vacuum can suck up most, or all, of the fur, the smell can be pretty bad, and stuff like dander and other small particles will often fly around to irritate your nose and then settle back down after you finish. If you only have a run of the mill model then it will not have the capability to de-fur your carpet completely, so you will be left searching for other solutions if you want a clean rug. Not many people like to do the same job twice, so less than stellar vacuum cleaner owners often just deal with the fur.
Something Sticky – There are many different sticky tools out there, and you can even make your own by rolling box tape around your hand, or something similar. Obviously hair and fur will stick to tape and other tacky surfaces, and this will lift it off your rug for sure. The main downside is that these tools and techniques will only pick up the stuff lying on the surface. Any hair that is deeper into the carpet due to foot traffic will still be there after you finish. A large sticky roller would probably be the best one of these to use, but even they have some drawbacks. Although you can quickly roll over an area to eliminate fur, they are really only good for small spaces. As soon as the roller or piece of tape or whatever else you are using gets coated, it will no longer be sticky, so it will stop working. You can grab more tape, or peel a layer off your roller, but this can be time consuming and expensive. Using a reusable sticky roller will save you some cash, but it will still be time consuming to clean a whole rug. For this reason, these options are best used for a small area rug where your dog sleeps or something similar. Full house carpet cleaning would be impractical and frustrating using the something sticky method.
Something Rubber – Many people will tell you to use a rubber glove, rubber shoe, pet grooming mitt, or even a balloon. Although these ideas sound pretty silly, the concept is actually sound. The main problem with these techniques is that they will have you crawling all over the floor to get the job done. If your rug is so dirty that you need to clean it, why would you want to touch it more, or bring your face closer. You may find that these will be adequate for beds or your furniture, but a rubber broom is a much better option for carpeting. More on that later. These rubber products work well due to the material, and the charge created, but you might want to think twice before you rub a dirty shoe across your floor. Also the smoother options will not be as good as those with some texture to them. One advantage over the sticky stuff is that the rubber stuff will pull up hair that is deeper down, so you can potentially do a better job. When you rub these across the rug, a charge will build that causes fur to be drawn in. This helps to pull it up and keep it up, and much will remain touching and controlled by the tool you are using. If you are going to go with the small rubber item method, this brush would be a better choice than the other common recommendations above.
Not So Top Recommendations
If you are searching for a better way to clean up the fur balls tumbling around your home, then chances are you will read about the ones that follow. Although these may be effective in some situations, they all seem to be more trouble than they are worth, and they all require you to vacuum first and then go back and clean the floor again. That does not sound like fun, and anytime you are cleaning anything twice, you probably did it wrong the first time.
Sponge Mop – Yep. Mop your carpet. Sounds smart right? You be the judge. It is true that fur will stick to a wet mop, but why anyone would want to clean pet hair off a carpet or rug with this technique is puzzling. In order to use this method, you will have to vacuum first with your machine that does not work well enough to do the job, and then get out your mop to finish. It gets even better when you are told to bend over and pick up the wet clumps of fur with your hand to finish the job. The basic concept is to use a damp mop, rub it across your rug in order to pile and collect hair, and then somehow pick it up for disposal. It will work to attract hair because it is wet, but you will never get the stuff that is deep down, and this is typically the same stuff that your vacuum has left behind. For surface hair, or hair on hard flooring this may be a more viable technique. Another bonus of this genius level option is that you will be left with a carpet that is wet. If you have ever smelled a wet dog then you will quickly realize why this would be a problem.
Fabric Softener – Oh yeah! Awesome idea. Lets spray down some neurotoxins that we never remove in order to eliminate the fur. That way you can poison your pet as punishment for shedding in the first place. In all seriousness, this stuff can be extremely hazardous to your health, and the softermaterial and lavender scent is not really an even trade off, especially when you consider that it will probably not even do a good job. For this method, you are once again going to vacuum with your inadequate tool, and you will then follow that by lightly spraying a mixture of fabric softener and water all over. You are not supposed to take it off immediately, instead you are told to let it dry in place. This will most likely make your carpet feel funny due to the residue, and as previously stated, you will now have dangerous chemicals coating your floor. In theory, the liquid will reduce the bond that the hair has with the carpet so that when you go over it again, more will come up.
Baking Soda – No this is not a cookie baking article, this is another lack luster solution to your fur covered carpet. The concept is similar to the fabric softener method, but this one is far safer for you and your pet. One actual benefit of this technique is that baking soda has the ability to deodorize your carpet when you sprinkle it on there. It is also absorbent, and these characteristics combined make it less suited for this task, and better used on something like a pee stain. To try this method, simply sprinkle a bit all over where the hair is, let it sit for a while, and then come back with your vacuum. The baking soda is supposed to make the hair less sticky, and therefore, it should suck up more easily. You may get some decent results with this method, but it does not seem to have the ability to get the hair deep in the nap any better that your Hoover would alone.
A Better Way
The Sweepa Rubber Broom is easily one of the best ways to collect pet hair form carpets, rugs or any other type of floor in your home. It's funny how many Internet experts will tell you to crawl on the floor with a rubber glove, but not even mention a rubber broom. They all agree that rubber is a great material for pet hair, but the things they tell you to try are guaranteed to be much more frustrating to use. It seems like the same material on the end of a stick would be much easier to manage, and becuase you don't have to put your face close to the grime, a lot more people will actually use it. Also, unlike balloons and gloves that are smooth, the long flexible bristles allow you to clean down deep instead of just on the top.
How It Works
The key to functionality is in the high quality rubber head. The natural rubber materail combines with the flexible bristles to make a powerful tool to lift up and eliminate pet hair from your carpet. Individual bristles will dig down deep when necessary to pull out hair that has been mashed down to become stuck, and at other times, they will form a solid wall to sweep away hairs without leaving anything behind. As you use it, the friction with the carpet, along with the high quality rubber, will build a charge that only makes your job easier as it helps you to get things even more clean. This charge acts like a magnet for pet hair, lifting it out of the carpet and pulling it in towards the broom. The sweepa will even remove pet hair that the vacuum leaves behind. This unique static build up also keeps the hair from flying all over the place, only to land somewhere new. It will not stink, you will not get the area wet, there are no chemicals being introduced, you will not be frustrated, or bled dry with roller refills, and you never have to get on your knees to get the job done. It will get more hair up than anything else you have used, and it is actually rather easy to use.
How To Use It
- When using this broom to clean pet hair from carpeting or area rugs, always pull it towards yourself. It can be used as a push broom on hard floors, but on a carpet, pulling is the only way to go.
- Simply pull the broom towards you with a standard sweeping action, but make sure to use short but deliberate strokes. These short strokes increase the charge and help to get the bristles deep to pull up fur.
- While cleaning, the sweepa bristles form a "wall" that will collect every piece of dirt, dust and hair from your carpet. As you move across the floor, hair will remain close to the broom, and it will not fly around.
- Keep moving in one direction as you walk backwards across the floor. Fur will begin to pile and remain close as you drag it along.
- One the area is clean, collect with a dust pan, and dispose in the trash.
- Use it on any type of rug no matter how plush or flat for the same level of results. It is ideal for high traffic areas or where your dog or cat takes a nap, but you can also use it for larger areas without taking too much time. It also works great for pet hair on tile, linoleum, vinyl and hardwood, so once you finish this job, keep on sweeping to eliminate grime on any other floor too.
High Quality = Easy Cleaning
Not all similar looking brooms are created equal, but the design and material on ours has proven to power through this job, and last for many years without wear. Other versions usually cost more, but do not provide the same increase in usefulness. If you are able to find one for less money, good luck with the quality. The material is very important for functionality, but so is the design. Other rubber fur brooms will have softer bristles and cheaper handles, and some really bad ones even have a plastic head with rubber attached to that. Soft material will not give you the friction necessary, and multi part heads are notorious for falling apart. If you end up with a cheapo model that has a flimsy handle, then the frustration over a head that does not work will quickly turn into more frustration over your bent or broken pole. Despite the fact that our broom is the best one available, we also try to sell it at the lowest possible price. Because it is proven to work well, you don't have to throw away money and guess about results. One thing is for sure, if you have a problem with a shedding dog or cat, this tool will offer you a good way clean the hair off your carpet.


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Route 5 Bikeway Feasibility Study
Route 5 between Richmond and Williamsburg, crossing portions of Henrico, Charles City, and James City Counties.
The Capital to Capital Trail will provide a multi-purpose transportation facility along Route 5 that would accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized users.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
The feasibility study has been finalized. All three localities have officially supported the project. Please use the links below to view the preferred concept identified by the feasibility study.
VDOT received a grant from the National Scenic Byways Program of the Federal Highway Administration for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis. Environmental analysis is being conducted for all portions of the proposed trail, and formal design efforts will begin in early 2003.
Estimated Date of Completion
Funding for this project is available only for design activities; no funding presently is available for construction. VDOT is pursuing construction funding opportunities with the goal of having portions of the facility built by 2007.


text:
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24 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, WC2H | 7 minutes walk from Bubbleology
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15B Little Portland Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W | 10 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Awarded The Best City Cookery School 2013, the Cookery School at Little Portland Street has been teaching people to make simple, honest food for more... More
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18-22 Chenies Street, WC1E | 12 minutes walk from Bubbleology
One of three RADA sites across London, this Chenies Street building contains rehearsal rooms, the finance department, RADA Enterprises, the RADA Marketing... More
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19 Wigmore Street, Marylebone, London W1U | 13 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Whether you're a Nigella or not in the kitchen, the L'atelier des Chefs cookery school can teach you something. Classes are given in the basement... More
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Somerset House, Covent Garden, London WC2R | 14 minutes walk from Bubbleology
The Courtauld is one of the most prestigious art schools in the country, affiliated with the Oxbridge system and boasting a huge private location and... More
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1 Sheffield Street, Holborn, London WC2A | 14 minutes walk from Bubbleology
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London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1H | 14 minutes walk from Bubbleology
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is among the best schools for the studies of foreign cultures and languages in the world. In... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R | 16 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Learn to act by becoming the person you are portraying. Think yourself into the role... eat what they would eat, weigh what they would weigh,... More
London > Education > Cookery Courses
118 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, London W1U | 17 minutes walk from Bubbleology
The Caldesi family first set up a cooking school in Giancarlo's native Tuscany. His 'Return to Tuscany' was captured by BBC cameras and dished up... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
UCL University, Gower Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E | 17 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Among the best regarded art schools in the world. The Slade is a fairly traditional school with an insistence on certain techniques within each undergraduate... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Wates House, 22 Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1H | 19 minutes walk from Bubbleology
The Bartlett School of Architecture, on the corner of Huntley Street and Capper Street, is part of The Bartlett: UCL's global faculty of the built... More
London > Education > Career Services
4-6 Staple Inn, Holborn, London WC1V | 20 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Situated in the heart of London, Career Energy – formed in March 2002 - offers comprehensive advice on careers, career change and job searching. They'll... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
17 Duke's Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1H | 21 minutes walk from Bubbleology
London's specialist venue for contemporary dance, The Place plays a role in every aspect of this fast-growing art form. The London Contemporary Dance School offers... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
Garden Floor, 6 Coldbath Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1R | 25 minutes walk from Bubbleology
One day workshops, offering a friendly no-nonsense approach to teaching about wine, suitable for everyone from beginners to experts. Courses take place at the following venues: Atlas... More
London > Education > Other Attractions
Hyde Park, Hyde Park, London W2 | 27 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Hidden in a copse of trees in Hyde Park, The LookOut is a tranquil haven in the heart of London. Home to the Isis Education... More
London > Education > Cookery Courses
Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings, 42 Northampton Road, EC1R | 28 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Featuring six catering stations, a demonstration bench and a communal dining table, B&H Kitchen , the cookery school from Bourne & Hollingsworth Group, guides... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, Holborn, London N1C | 30 minutes walk from Bubbleology
One of the premier arts colleges in the world, St Martins accepts only a few talented students each year, and is very well regarded in... More
London > Education > Professional Training
16-20 Wharfdale Road, N1 | 31 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Whether a beginner, thinking of making it your career or an experienced florist, the London Flower School can help you to... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
89/91 Bayham Street, Camden Town, London NW1 | 35 minutes walk from Bubbleology
Unique and innovative workshops teaching flower arranging and floristry with monthly, weekly or daily workshops. This is a really enjoyable art form that allows its... More
London > Education > Professional Training
Elephant & Castle, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 | 36 minutes walk from Bubbleology
From a clutch of excellent courses in London, this is the best and among the premier specialist media courses in the world. Formerly London College... More
London > Education > Professional Training
161 Old Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1V | 37 minutes walk from Bubbleology
This gorgeous 18th century Grade I listed Hawksmoor church is one of a number of London churches which has, in recent years, been converted into... More
London > Education > Professional Training
106 Bunhill Row, City, London EC1Y | 2 miles from Bubbleology
City's Print Journalism course is recognised as the best in London. Although places like Goldsmith's are trendier, City is respected in the industry thanks to... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
165 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, South Kensington, London SW7 | 2.2 miles from Bubbleology
There are plenty of initiatives trying to get kids involved in science, but the Dana Centre, an extension of the Science Museum, is the first... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
4 Luke Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A | 2.4 miles from Bubbleology
National charity for adult learning which also runs an excellent selection of theatre, literature, history and politics evening classes.... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
23 Kensington Square, Kensington, London W8 | 2.6 miles from Bubbleology
Evening and weekend classes in life drawing and painting, taught by tutors from the Slade School of Fine Art and the Royal Society of British... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
1 Hester Road, Battersea, London SW11 | 2.7 miles from Bubbleology
The £21 million Dyson Building makes up the largest part of the purpose-built Battersea campus of the prestigious Royal College of Art. Located at 1... More
London > Education > Evening Classes
10 Sunbury Workshops, Swanfield Street, Shoreditch, London E2 | 2.8 miles from Bubbleology
Learn some crafty manouveurs at Making Space where classes on mask making, glass engraving, pyrography (burning patterns into wood or leather), chainmail knitting, and book... More
London > Education
Units 1 & 2 119-123 Hackford Road, Brixton, London SW9 | 2.8 miles from Bubbleology
Chocolate Films is a South London based film production company and social enterprise which runs a wide variety of media courses including stop motion animation,... More
London > Education > Cookery Courses
Unit 8 The Islington Studios, 6 Hornsey Road, N7 | 2.9 miles from Bubbleology
Islington cafe-cum-deli Jenius Social isn't just a place to enjoy fine food and carefully sourced balsamic vinegar, artisan chocolates and cured meats. It's also... More
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Check My Mortgage is focusing on giving you the best information and resources to check mortgage quotes online and to learn about your options, both when you have a specific question about mortgages but also if you're looking for general mortgage help and resources.
As we all know getting the right mortgage is tricky and there's lots of pitfalls and less than favorable options available on the lending market today. We hope to help you make informed decisions when it comes to buying, or refinancing, a house which probably is the single biggest investment you'll make and also the one which will be a factor in your life for many many years to come.
Knowledge is your best friend and you should be asking yourself this; How does my mortgage affect my life? The follow up question usually is; What kind of mortgage help can I get? Hopefully we'll be able to help you answer both these questions, if not by our own so thanks to resources and articles found on this site.
Don't hesitate to make contact should you have any comment or ideas on how we may improve.


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A new law by Assemblyman Bill Dodd and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown last week, will speed up the process for identity theft victims to clear their names, Dodd's office announced.
Dodd, a candidate for State Senate, wrote the Identity Theft Resolution Act after becoming a victim of identity theft himself last year, his office said.
This new law will "dramatically reduce" the time it takes for identity theft victims to clear their name, end harassing phone calls, and remove negative credit reporting, he said. The bill received support from Attorney General Kamala Harris and consumer advocates, and unanimously passed the legislature, his office said.
"Millions of Californians have suffered identity theft, myself included. It's an issue that transcends partisan politics, and I want to thank Governor Brown and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this important bill," Dodd said in the announcement. "Victims of identity theft deserve a transparent and speedy resolution process, and I will continue to fight for consumer protections."
Identity theft occurs when perpetrators illegally use a person's confidential information to make fraudulent purchases or apply for consumer loans in the victim's name. The California Attorney General reports that 1.5 million Californians fall victim to this crime every year. Nationwide, identity theft has increased more than five-fold in the past 15 years, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which estimates it can take an average of six months and 200 hours of work to recover from the crime.
Under Dodd's legislation, the recovery time-frame will be reduced to a matter of weeks, his office said.
"Identity theft is a crime that can haunt a victim for years," Attorney General Kamala Harris said in the announcement. "Too often they must navigate a complex system to clean up their damaged credit and it can take years to recover from the loss. I am proud to support this sensible legislation that will protect victims of identity theft and fraud and help them clear their name more quickly."
Solano County Sheriff Thomas Ferrara expressed similar support.
Dodd's bill dramatically reduces the time frame for debt collection companies to investigate identity theft disputes, and further requires that the results of that investigation be given to the consumer in a timely manner. Debt collection companies will now be required to provide faster updates to the credit reporting agencies to delete the negative credit reporting, which can raise interest rates or block victims from accessing home loans. The law will take effect January 1.
Dodd represents the 4th Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Solano, Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Lake and Colusa counties.


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A Framework for Software Product Line Practice, Version 5.0
Mining Existing Assets
Mining existing assets refers to resurrecting and rehabilitating a piece of an old system to serve in a new system for which it was not originally intended. Often it simply refers to finding useful legacy code in an organization's existing systems portfolio and reusing it within a new application. However, the code-only view completely misses the big picture. We have known for years that in the grand scheme of things, code plays a small role in the cost of a system, because it's not the hard part of system/software development. Rich candidates for mining include a wide range of assets besides codeassets that will pay lucrative dividends. Business models, rule bases, requirements specifications, schedules, budgets, test plans, test cases, coding standards, algorithms, process definitions, performance models, and the like are all wonderful assets for reuse. The only reason so-called "code reuse" pays at all is because of the designs, algorithms, and interfaces that come along with the code [Clements 2002c, p. 99].
For example, whole or partial architectures and the design decisions they embody (captured by the documented rationale) are especially valuable. If a mined architecture is suitable, the components that originally populated it can most likely be migrated along with it. But to determine the fitness for reuse of either the architecture or its components, you must have a thorough architectural understanding of the legacy system. And, of course, the architect may be long gone. If good documentation does not exist, you might need to reconstruct the architecture to reveal the interactions and relations among the architecture's components. Reconstruction will illuminate constraints for how the components, if mined, can interact within the architecture of the new or updated software. It can also help you understand the tradeoff options available for reusing components in a new or improved way [Kazman 2002a, O'Brien 2002a]. Once the architecture has been extracted, it can be evaluated for suitability using the techniques described in the "Architecture Evaluation" practice area.
Documentation is an asset that is often overlooked and may have significant reuse potential. Much of the corporate knowledge about the software assets may be captured in existing legacy documentation, which makes them highly desirable candidates for mining and rehabilitation. That is especially true when the associated software assets are being mined and rehabilitated and they closely correlate with one another.
Mining involves understanding what is available, what is needed, and how rehabilitation works. That understanding requires support from analysts who are familiar with both the legacy system and the new system. For software assets, rehabilitation usually requires the support of the new system's architect, who will direct how the assets will be integrated into the new architecture.
For software assets, focus first on large-grained assets that can be wrapped or that will require only interface changes rather than changes in large chunks of their underlying algorithms or code. Determine how the candidate asset can fit into the architecture of the targeted new system. Don't forget to consider the requirements for performance, modifiability, reliability, and other nonbehavioral qualities. In addition, be sure to include all the non-software assets associated with the software: requirements, design, test, and management artifacts.
Once the existing assets have been organized and understood and candidate assets for mining have been identified, the rehabilitation of these assets can begin. In many ways, a mining initiative that involves the extensive rehabilitation of assets can resemble a reengineering project [Seacord 2003a, Sneed 2001a, Ulrich 2002a] or a development project in its own right. Technical planning (as described in the "Technical Planning" practice area) can help in planning and coordinating the effort.
Normally, mining refers to legacy assets previously developed by the organization doing the mining. However, the rehabilitation activities associated with mining also apply to externally available software such as open source software that has entered the organization from the outside.
Aspects Peculiar to Product Lines
Mined assets for a product line must have the same qualities as newly developed core assets. Mined assets must be (re)packaged with reuse in mind and meet the product line requirements. Accordingly, the mined assets must align with the product line architecture and meet the quality goals consistent with those of the product line. Product lines must focus on the strategic, large-grained reuse of the mined assets. The primary issues that motivate large-scale reuse for a product line are schedule, cost, and quality. The mined and rehabilitated assets must meet the needs of the plurality of systems in the product line. Since a product line accommodates a longer and wider view of future system change, any mined asset must be robust enough to accommodate such change gracefully.
When mining an asset (software or otherwise) for a software product line, an analyst should consider
- its alignment with the requirements for immediate products in terms of both common features and variation points
- its appropriateness for potential future products
- whether it will be used as a core asset or for a specific product
- the amount of effort required to make its interface conform to the constraints of the product line architecture
- its extensibility with respect to its potential future (based on the architecture's expected evolution)
- its maintenance history
- other assets (for example, script and data files) that may be required from the legacy system
- its projected long-term cost
When mining software assets for single systems, we look for components that perform specific functions well. However, for product line systems, quality attributes such as maintainability and suitability become more important over time. Thus, we might accept mined assets for product lines that are suboptimal in fulfilling specific tasks if they meet the product line's critical quality attribute goals. An asset's total cost of ownership across the products for which it will be used should be lower than the sum of similar assets mined for one-time use.
Application to Core Asset Development
The process of mining existing assets is largely about finding suitable candidates to be core assets of the product line. Software assets that are well structured and well documented and have been used effectively over long periods of time can sometimes be included as product line core assets with little or no change. Software assets that can be wrapped to satisfy new interoperability requirements are also desirable. Assets that don't satisfy these requirements are undesirable and may have higher maintenance costs over the long term. Depending on the legacy inventory and its quality, an assortment of candidate assets is possible, from architectures to small pieces of code.
An existing architecture should be analyzed carefully before being accepted as the pivotal core assetthe product line architecture. See the "Architecture Evaluation" practice area for a discussion of what that analysis should entail.
Candidate software assets must align with the product line architecture, meet specified component behavior requirements, and accommodate any specified variation points. In some cases, a mined component may represent a potentially valuable core asset but won't fit directly into the product line architecture. Usually, the component will need to be changed to accommodate the constraints of the architecture. Sometimes a change in the architecture might be easier, but it will have implications for other components, for the satisfaction of quality goals, and for the support of the products in the product line.
Once in the core asset base for the product line, mined assets are treated in the same way as newly developed assets. Some assets, though, that may have been mined for expediency in fielding a new product, may be less than robust and be earmarked for future replacement via new development.
Application to Product Development
Although it is reasonable to use mined assets for components that are unique to a single product in the product line, doing so will make the mining activity indistinguishable from mining in the non-product-line case. The same issues discussed above (paying attention to quality attributes, architecture, cost, and time to market) will still apply. And it will be worth taking a long, hard look at whether the mined component really is unique to a single product or could be used in other products as well, thus making the cost of its rehabilitation more palatable. In that case, the team responsible for mining would be wise to look for places where variability could be installed in the future, should the asset in question ever turn out to be useful in a group of products.
Example Practices
SEI Options Analysis for Reengineering (OAR): OAR is a method that can be used to evaluate the feasibility and economy of mining existing components for a product line. OAR operates like a funnel in which a large set of potential assets is screened out so that the effort can focus on a smaller set that will most effectively meet the technical and programmatic needs of the product line. OAR prescribes the following steps [Bergey 2001a, Bergey 2002a, Bergey 2003a]:
- Establish the mining context: First, capture your organization's product line approach, legacy base, and expectations for mining components. Establish the programmatic and technical drivers for the effort, catalogue the documentation available from the legacy systems, and identify a broad set of candidate components for mining. This task establishes the needs of the mining effort and begins to illuminate the types of assets that will be most relevant for mining. It also identifies the available documentation and artifacts and enables focused efforts to close any gaps in the existing documentation.
- Inventory components: Next, identify the legacy system components that can potentially be mined for use in a core asset base for the product line. During this activity, identify the required characteristics of the components (such as functionality, language, infrastructure support, and interfaces) in the context of the product line architecture. This activity creates an inventory of candidate legacy components together with a list of the relevant characteristics of those components. It also creates a list of needs that cannot be satisfied through the mining effort.
- Analyze candidate components: Next, analyze the candidate set of legacy components in more detail to evaluate their potential use as product line components. Screen them on the basis of how well they match the required characteristics. This activity provides a list of candidate components, together with estimates of the cost of rehabilitating those components and the effort required.
- Analyze mining options: Then, assemble different aggregations of components and analyze the feasibility and viability of mining them based on their cost, effort, and risk.
- Select a mining option: Finally, select the mining option that can best satisfy the organization's mining goals by balancing the programmatic and technical considerations of the organization. To do that, establish drivers for making a final decision, such as cost, schedule, risks, and difficulty. (This activity might also help you determine the tradeoffs.) Evaluate each mining option (component aggregation) on the basis of how well it satisfies the most critical driver. Then after you select an option, write a final report to communicate the results of the OAR process.
OAR has been used to make decisions on mining components for a satellite-tracking system [Bergey 2001a]. The process has also been used to evaluate (1) the extent to which components proposed by suppliers for reuse in a product line would meet the product line's stated needs and (2) the types of changes that would be required to fit the component into the product line [Bergey 2003a, Muller 2003a]. OAR is in the process of being extended to handle other asset types such as unit test cases and documentation.
Architecture recovery/reconstruction tools: Some tools that are available to assist in the architecture reconstruction process include Rigi [Muller 1988a], the Software Bookshelf [Finnegan 1997a], DISCOVER [Tilley 1998a], the Dali workbench [Kazman 1998a], and the SEI ARMIN tool [O'Brien 2003a].
The ARMIN tool is a flexible, lightweight tool for architecture reconstruction. It uses information extracted by other tools to generate architectural views. Using ARMIN involves five steps:
- information extraction: which uses tools such as parsers to extract information from existing design and implementation artifacts such as the source code
- database construction: which stores the extracted information in a database for future analysis. This step may involve changing the format of the data.
- view fusion: which augments the extracted information by combining information to generate a set of low-level views of the software
- architecture view composition: which generates a set of architecture views through abstraction, visualizes them, and then enables the user to explore and manipulate them
- architecture analysis: which evaluates the resultant architecture and, in some cases, evaluates the conformance of the as-built architecture obtained from reconstruction to an as-designed architecture
Tool support makes mining undocumented software assets more effective and significantly less cumbersome by reducing the time it takes to ascertain what a piece of software does and how it interacts with other parts of the system. Tools can be brought to bear that automatically chart interconnections of various kinds among software elements. More valuable than tools, however, are the people who worked on and are knowledgeable about the legacy software. Find them if you can. They can tell you the strengths and weaknesses of the software that weren't written down, and they can give you the "inside story" that no tool can hope to recover.
Mining architectures: In some cases, the software architecture of an existing system can become the product line architecture. The SEI Mining Architectures for Product Lines (MAP) method determine whether the architectures of existing systems are similar and whether the corresponding systems have the potential of becoming a software product line [O'Brien 2001a]. The MAP method combines techniques for architecture reconstruction and product line analysis to analyze the architectural patterns and attributes of a set of systems. This analysis determines whether the systems have similar components and connections between their components and examines their commonalities and variabilities. MAP has been used in the development of a prototype product line architecture for a sunroof system. MAP and OAR can also be used together effectively: MAP supports decision making for reusing architectures, while OAR supports decision making for identifying components that fit within the constraints of the architecture.
Requirements reuse and feature interaction management: Developers realize that complex applications are often built best by using a number of different components, each performing a specialized set of services. However, those components, each embodying different requirements in different service domains, can interact in unpredictable ways. For this reason, designing components to minimize or at least manage interaction is an issue. This problem of interaction becomes even more significant when reusing requirements. Interactions must be detected and resolved in the absence of a specific implementation framework. Shehata, Eberlein, and Hoover stress that understanding interaction management is key to understanding how to reuse requirements. They describe a conceptual process framework for formulating and reusing requirements [Shehata 2002a]. Reusable requirements are classified into three levels of abstraction for software requirements: domain-specific requirements, generic requirements, and domain-requirements frameworks. This classification is used as the basis for a reusability plan that underscores the importance of interaction management.
Wrapping: Wrapping involves changing the interface of a component to comply with a new architecture without changing the component's other internals. In fact, pure wrapping involves no change whatsoever in the component; rather, a new thin layer of software is interposed between the original component and its clients. That layer provides the new interface by translating to and from the old. There are enormous advantages to reusing existing assets with little or no internal modification through wrapping. As soon as any modification takes place, the associated documentation changes, the test cases change, and a ripple effect takes place that influences other associated software. Wrapping prevents that ripple effect and allows the "as-is" reuse of many of the assets associated with the software component, such as its test cases and internal design documentation. The idea is to translate the "as-is" interface to the "to-be" interface. Weiderman and colleagues discuss some of the available wrapping techniques [Weiderman 1997a]. Seacord and colleagues discuss a case study that applied several wrapping techniques [Seacord 2001a].
Adapting components: Software components that are being used in a context other than the one for which they were originally developed often do not exactly fit their assigned roles. One technique that can accommodate these differences is use of the Adapter Design pattern [Gamma 1995a]. Using that pattern imposes an intermediary between two components. The adapter can compensate for mismatches in the number or types of parameters within a service signature, provide synchronization in a multithreaded interaction, and adjust for many other types of incompatibilities. Scripting languages can often be used to implement the adapter.
Domain-specific reuse: An approach by Ganesan and Knodel looks at domain-specific reuse [Ganesan 2005a]. The goal of their approach is to reduce the amount of source code that a human expert has to explore to identify domain-specific software components. They outline a 10-step process for component extraction. The basic premise of this approach is that reusable classes have certain quality attributeslike functional usefulness, readability, testability, and so forththat are mapped onto metrics. The approach classifies the domain-specific classes based on the metrics derived. An expert has to validate only a small number of proposed candidates that, if accepted, become the foundations for the reusable components.
Analyzing product line adequacy: The Fraunhofer Product Line Software Engineering (PuLSE) and Fraunhofer Architecture- and Domain-Oriented Reengineering (ADORE) are methods that can be used to analyze existing components to determine their adequacy for use within a product line. Knodel and Muthig report on the application of these methods in an industrial case study [Knodel 2005a]. In that study, several techniques were used to answer a set of questions about the existing components that determine their adequacy. The techniques applied included static architecture evaluation, variability analysis, clone detection, metric computation, and naming and decomposition analysis, as well as review of code comments.
Practice Risks
The major risks associated with mining are (1) failure to find the right assets and (2) choosing the wrong assets. Both will result in schedule slippage and wasted staff time. A secondary risk is inadequate support for the mining operation, which will result in a failed operation and the (misguided) impression that mining is not a viable option.
Specific risks associated with mining operations include
- a flawed search: The search for reusable assets may be fruitless, resulting in a waste of time and resources. Or, relevant assets may be overlooked, resulting in a waste of time and resources spent duplicating what already exists. A special case of the latter is when noncode assets are shortsightedly ignored. To minimize both of these risks, build a catalogue of your reusable assets (including noncode assets) and treat it as a core asset of the product line. Doing so will save time and effort next time.
- an overly successful search: There may be too many similar assets, resulting in too much effort spent on analysis.
- fuzzy criteria: The criteria for what to search for should be specific enough to avoid an overly successful search, yet be general enough to include all the viable candidates.
- failure to search for non-software assets: Failure to consider non-software assets in your search-such as specifications, test suites, procedures, budgets, work plans, requirements, and design rationale-will reduce the overall effectiveness of any mining operation.
- inappropriate assets: Assets recovered from a search may appear, at first, to be usable but later turn out to be of inferior quality or unable to accommodate the scope of variation required.
- bad rehabilitation estimates: Initial estimates of the cost of rehabilitation may be inadequate, leading to escalating and unpredictable costs.
Organizational issues leading to mining risks include
- a lack of corporate memory: Corporate memory may not be able to provide sufficient data to analyze or use the software asset effectively.
- inappropriate methods: The wrong reengineering methods and tools may be selected, leading to flawed results and schedule and cost overruns.
- a lack of tools: Tools required for the mining effort may not be integrated to the extent necessary, leading to risky and expensive workarounds.
- turf conflicts: Potential turf conflicts may undermine the decision process when selecting among similar candidate assets. Or, a repository of assets may be off-limits for political or organizational reasons.
- an inability to tap the needed resources: The organization might be unable to free the resources needed to rehabilitate or renovate the asset. Those resources must be freed from the group that originally created the asset.
Further Reading
[Ganesan 2005a]
This paper outlines a 10-step process for component extraction that classifies a set of components based on determining a set of metrics for the classes that underlie those components.
[Knodel 2005a]
This paper outlines a case study in applying a variety of techniques to determine the adequacy of components for use within a product line. Several techniques were used to answer a set of questions about the components that determine their adequacy.
[Seacord 2003a]
This book on modernizing legacy systems by Seacord, Plakosh, and Lewis provides guidance on how to implement a successful modernization strategy and specifically describes a risk-managed, incremental approach that encompasses changes in software technologies, engineering processes, and business practices.


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Thumbnail - Tom Cruise once again shows why he's still a movie star in this exciting, inventive and witty sci-fi actioner.
The Box Office:
Two weeks out, the unofficial tracking numbers look somewhat grim for Edge of Tomorrow. A $25 million debut seems to be where the figures are pointing, a number that would put it in a fight against 20th Century Fox's The Fault in Our Stars for the top spot over the June 6th weekend. Rank is of course irrelevant, save for the entertainment press's obsession with covering the weekend box office as a horse race.
Regardless of different expectations and different specific variables for each respective film, the press at large would love to write headlines stating that a big-budget Tom Cruise sci-fi action film got bested in the rankings by a $12 million Shailene Woodley romantic drama about cancer-stricken teens. Always better to highlight the failure rather than the success. Of course, initial tracking is just that, and tracking is technically supposed to be a tool for studios to alter or massage their ongoing marketing campaign in the weeks up to release.
Unfortunately, said tracking figures are now public knowledge and treated as news, which leads to hyperbolic headlines like "Tom Cruise's 'Edge of Tomorrow' could be summer's first big-budget bomb," which only sets the stage for a self-fulfilling prophecy. As such, Warner Bros. (a division of Time Warner) now finds themselves on the defensive despite the fact that most moviegoers are interested in and talking about the likes of Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Speaking of Godzilla, the best marketing tool Warner currently has is the trailer for Tom Cruise's action vehicle showing in front of every screen currently playing Godzilla. Between May 16th and June 6th, the hundreds-of-millions of dollars worth of audiences seeing Godzilla (and presumably the demo-friendly X-Men sequel) will be captive audiences for the Edge of Tomorrow trailer.
Like pretty much every film Tom Cruise has made since his infamous Oprah Winfrey appearance in 2005, the success or failure of this picture will be used to judge the theoretical box office draw of a man who was once without question the biggest movie star on Earth. The film cost (depending on who you ask) either $110 million or $175 million to produce, a cost split between Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow. In a summer stereo-typically packed with known properties and sequels, The Edge of Tomorrow is basically an original.
Yes it's based on a Japanese novel, but for 99.9% of moviegoers it is an original property with a premise that must be explained in the marketing. It stands to reason that the film's tracking should pick up a little after Memorial Day weekend, and part of building that buzz involves opening the review floodgates a little early. The marketing has done a (thus far) solid job of explaining the premise without explicitly spoiling the film's narrative surprises.
Another relative advantage is that it's the big live-action tent pole for pretty much the entire month of June until Transformers: Age of Extinction on June 27th. If the film can open, and that's an open question right now, word of mouth will help as it's a genuinely clever bit of old-school studio programming. I'm hopeful that Warner can make the sell, if only because I don't want to see a bunch of "Tom Cruise is doomed" articles dropping if it under performs.
The Review:
Doug Liman's Edge of Tomorrow is a delightfully entertaining and amusing romp under the guise of a very serious science-fiction action epic. It is almost refreshing to see how much fun director Liman and writers Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Christopher McQuarrie wring out of the film's deceptively simple premise. I have not read the Japanese novel the film is based on, Hiroshi Sakurazaka's All You Need Is Kill, but whether it's uber-faithful or a loose translation, the film is a genuine inventiveness that exposes a genuine playfulness all-too-rare in conventional big-budget would-be blockbusters. And Tom Cruise once again shows why he is still one of the last quintessential movie stars, as well as one of the most reliable names for solid mainstream entertainment. Overall, this one is a corker.
The plot is pretty simple. Earth has been invaded by genocidal aliens who spent the last five years slowly wiping us out. Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, an arrogant media representative who finds himself unwillingly thrust onto the battlefield in the middle of a botched mission. With little real aptitude for combat and no real training, he is quickly killed by the enemy forces, only to wake up the previous day seemingly fated to replay that same day. Fans of Groundhog Day and/or Source Code will see where this is going. Cruise is seemingly doomed to repeat the same day over and over again until he can find a way to alter the events to the favor of himself and his fellow troops.
While the first third of the film is mostly about set-up and character introductions, the film really lights up when Cruise meets up with Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), an uncommonly skilled dispatcher of alien foes whose battlefield triumphs have become a prime propaganda tool. More than that I will not say, as there are a number of undiscovered narrative pleasures to be found in what would seemingly be a limited scenario.
While the film initially flirts with playing the same scenes over and over again with only slight deviation (which was my issue with Source Code), Edge of Tomorrow eventually expands its sandbox. The picture also makes the smart choice to reveal the scientific explanation for its premise, which actually makes sense within the rules of this universe, pretty early on. The film's technical efforts are relatively fine, although the trailer-friendly battle scenes are easily the least interesting portions of the film.
Cruise is terrific, as he frankly usually is. Emily Blunt offers solid support, and once again the film serves as a reminder of how easy it is to write an interesting female character when said female lead isn't a love interest or damsel. The rest of the cast, including Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson, amount to glorified cameos. If the film's first reel (which is mostly about putting the pieces into place) and last reel (which is charged with delivering an action climax) isn't as much fun as the rest, then know that the film's middle 75 minutes or so are genuinely delightful and terrific fun.


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Building a Christian Conscience
Is your conscience held captive by the Word of God, or is it subject to the whims of your culture? The world seeks to suppress your conscience and conform it into the image of the lawless one. The Christian must …Read More
City of God
In this series, Dr. R.C. Sproul challenges Christians to remain faithful to Christ as citizens of the city of God. Dr. Sproul explains that as members of the body of Christ, we are in the fellowship of God's people …Read More
City of Man
Throughout history there have been two kingdoms growing up beside one another: the city of man and the city of God. In this series, Dr. Sproul discusses the city of man, reminding us that all empires built by mankind are …Read More
Cultural Revolution
During the Babylonian exile, the Psalmist exclaimed, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?" (Ps. 137:4). As a stranger in a pagan culture, he wondered how Israel was to live in the midst …Read More
God in Space and Time
Is Christanity just another mythological religion among others? Critics have long charged Christianity with being a mythological religion, and the effects of their propaganda have trickled down through some of the most notable seminaries. Magazine racks are full during the …Read More
Only Two Religions
Do we worship the Creator or the Creation? If you survey the religious landscape of modern culture, you will encounter an astonishingly diverse range of views. But beneath the surface, these seemingly disparate spiritualities share a common worldview, one that …Read More
When Worlds Collide
In the course of history, tragedies occur, and we wonder why—especially when they happen to believers. In this series, R.C. Sproul explains why the Christian worldview is unique and explores how God has providentially worked throughout history, helping us …Read More


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Applied Law Level 3
Interested in Law? Then study BTEC Level 3 Applied Law at Haringey Sixth Form College.
This is a one year course where students will undertake three legal units, including criminal law, the law of tort, law making, police powers and sentencing. Students will learn how to apply their legal knowledge to real life situations.
This course usually runs alongside two other A-Level subjects. Law goes well with most subjects; common combinations include English, History, Sociology, Psychology, Politics and Business, but it goes equally well with any subject including sciences.
Course Length:
1 Years
You will study:
- A key aspect of BTEC Applied Law is to prepare for university and the workplace. You will have a number of opportunities during the year, some of which are unique to Haringey Sixth Form. You will have the opportunity to undertake work experience at RBS Legal and Allen & Overy. You will be able to attend visits to Parliament, The Royal Courts of Justice, The Supreme Court and the Old Bailey.We will visit a number of universities to understand more about applying and studying at university. Finally you will have the opportunity to see a number of key note speakers who will come into the college, including barristers and solicitors.
Where it leads:
Obviously a considerable amount of students who choose BTEC Applied Law do so with the intention of entering the legal profession, however it can lead to exciting careers in the Civil Service, Public Administration & Management, the Police, Banking, the Armed Forces and Social Work. Those who wish to pursue a career in the legal profession will receive advice and training on the process.
Entry Requirements:
You must have four to five GCSE's grades A* - C, including Maths or English


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A. With many companies merging, many companies find themselves with multiple Active Directory (AD) forests. While consolidation is a goal, there can be a huge amount of work to consolidate AD forests when looking at all the computers, applications, and services that may be present. Often, consolidation is staged, with email one of the first services that's consolidated.
Once the decision to consolidate to Exchange in a single forest is made, there are always questions about how to achieve a single Exchange organization being accessed by users in multiple forests and what type of trusts are required between the forests. You have a number of options, but I'll look at a new one first that, while seemingly attractive initially, actually has very limited applications in the real world.
Exchange 2010 will support the use of Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) for access to Exchange mailboxes. This means no trust relationships are required between the two forests. You still have to create a local AD user for each mailbox, but then you can use the federation to grant users access to the mailbox. Each forest would require one or more ADFS servers, but because ADFS is predominantly web-based today, users would only be able to access their mailboxes using Outlook Web Access. This is, therefore, not practical for most organization that want full client access.
Your second option is the more traditional trust-based scenario. The most typical arrangement is for the Exchange forest to trust all the account forests. Users have duplicate accounts in the Exchange forest that own the mailbox and the users' main accounts are given permissions on the mailbox, as shown below. While this does require a uni-directional trust, this is accepted in most organizations because the owners of the account forests aren't having to trust the Exchange forest—only the Exchange forest is doing the trusting. In this arrangement, the users in all the account forests connect to the mailboxes using their own accounts and passwords, so it has the least overhead. This is a commonly-used scenario and is widely battle tested as the best solution.
The above scenario raises a question: How do you create the duplicate accounts in the Exchange forest? In small environments, you can manually create a duplicate account and then set the permissions, but this won't scale for large environments. Imagine there are 50 account forests—how will the process work to manually alert you when accounts are created in all these different forests by different administrator groups? The solution is to use Identity Lifecycle Manager (ILM) or another identity management solution.
You would install ILM in the Exchange forest and then configure connectors to each of the account forests, specifying an account that had been delegated permissions to read agreed information from the account forests. Because you're specifying an account for each account forest, there are no additional trusts required, and the owners of each account forest can control the attributes that can be read by ILM. You would then use ILM to poll for new account creations in a source account forest and automatically create a matching account in the Exchange forest, create a mailbox and set the permissions appropriately. You could even have it fire off an email to the user's manager or IT representative letting them know the provisioning is complete. You can set up processes to de-provision and handle modifications, but at the most basic level, you can handle the mailbox account and mailbox creations.
One additional optional step is to place a DC from each account forest domain at the Exchange location. Doing this improves performance when looking at the token passing required when a user from one domain accesses a resource in another domain and also protects you from network connection failure between the Exchange forest location and the account forest locations. Because a local DC is present at the Exchange location, users would still be able to authenticate, even if the Exchange forest location loses connectivity with other locations.
There is a third option for consolidating, but it quickly becomes unworkable in most scenarios. Some organizations don't want any trust, which means you have to create an account for the user in the Exchange forest (as you do anyway). But then you set its password to be the same as the user's normal password (unless you want the user to have to handle multiple passwords, which quickly becomes an ugly user experience). As I discussed in a previous FAQ, ILM can perform password synchronization using the Password Change Notification Service (PCNS) that runs on each domain controller where passwords would be changed. The PCNS has to be in the same forest as the ILM server or there has to be a forest trust between the forests running PCNS and the forest where ILM is installed. Because you're trying to avoid trusts, you would actually have to install ILM into every account forest and then have those ILM instances create the accounts in the Exchange forest and push the passwords. In the scenario of 50 account forests, that means 50 ILM installations—which is hideous, as shown here.
The solution would be to implement forest trusts between the account forests and the Exchange forest, so ILM can be installed in the Exchange forest, for only one ILM instance. However, at that point why bother with PCNS? You have a trust, so just grant the users' main accounts permission to the mailbox and you don't need to worry about synchronizing passwords.
You'll probably also want to have the ability for ILM to populate the email information back into the users' main accounts in the account forest, so items like SMTP address are populated for the user. Permissions only to update mail related attributes in the account forest would be required, not complete administrator rights.
Don't forget that DNS forwarding will need to be in place ineach account forest so the Global Catalogs in the Exchange forest can be located and queried. You don't need to worry about creating contacts for all users in each account forest because the users are all accessing the same Exchange forest and therefore generating the GAL from the same GCs. If you want autodiscover to work for Outlook, you would also need to create the Service Connection Point (SCP) information manually in the Account forests AD to help post to the Client Access Servers.Related Reading:
- Q. I want to use Identity Lifecycle Manager (ILM) to synchronize passwords between two forests. What trusts do I need?
- Deployment Blockers for Upgrading to Exchange Server 2007
- Server Time Synchronization: What Time Is It, Really?
- Ensuring Your Resource Forest's DCs Use the Local Account Forest's DC
Check out hundreds more useful Q&As like this in John Savill's FAQ for Windows. Also, watch instructional videos made by John at ITTV.net.