ICS and Homegroups

While setting up a new wireless router network up at the farm, I had an odd bug where Windows 7 would not connect to the homegroup on the internal network. The reason seemed to be that the internal connection was set up automatically when I used ICS from the USB modem, and there was no default gateway on the new network. With no default gateway, Win7 would not allow the change of network type to 'home' (just remained as an unidentified network with public location).

Thanks to Sanoh for the insight into changing Win7 network type, and Ghost301 for his crossover cable ICS & Homegroup setup to confirm the process.

Choose your own Adventure

Matt Hintze delivered an interesting TEDxUF talk titled "Choose your own Adventure" as a way for online education to teach the same content in multiple different ways. This seems to be very close to my thoughts on the future of education, but another roundabout way of getting there. Student's personality and learning styles would certainly come into the decision making process of which method / teacher to learn from. But I hadn't considered making it overtly part of the process by giving a minute snippet to see whether the student likes the style presented. Yet more good ammunition for the recommendation engine to process.

Could learning style and teacher presentation style also be captured by data analysis? You could map the student onto other students who have successfully completed the learning activity by comparing their learning landscape up to that point. Close matches can be used as trailblazers to recommend certain exit paths, with an indication of likely successes or failures along that path. Adding a student's goal into the mix could also help the system target high success paths leading from the current activity to the goal. Would learning styles and teaching styles be captured in data like that? I don't mind the idea of a 1 minute preview, apart from it being still too long for someone to make an effective decision between potentially hundreads of options. Maybe the recommendation engine gives them a default that they can opt out of by watching the teaser video?

Future of Attribution?

During the FutureOfEducation web seminar I attended today, I managed to ask David Warlick a question regarding attribution:

There seems to be a broadening of attribution from traditional books & journals to all sorts of online media such as blogs / podcasts / even presentations like this. At the same time there is another method of attribution gaining popularity: that of the kudos to another user in web 2.0. EG: like button for facebook, or +1 in Google +, or the kudos in slashdot, or the the favouriting of images in flickr.
  
Do you believe that these two systems will eventually merge where attribution goes from a simple +1 all the way up to published works?

 It didn't come out as eloquently as I'd written it, but David's response went a different direction than what I was expecting. He mentioned that attribution is having a resurgance in schools now as a focus for critical thought. Instead of simply attributing an idea to another authorative source, the degrading of authorative sources on the net means that students need to be able to create their own critical analysis and apply their own logic to the problem.

Sounds like a little bit of swings & roundabouts as I'm sure those same set of students will find out (possibly at Uni) that standing on the shoulders of giants allows a more targeted analysis for those developed critical thinking skills.

Open content

A very interesting talk on moving beyond textbooks to open content. This fits in very well with my ideas on virtual education and highlights an important part of the puzzle: the curriculum needs to be solid and dependable.Since we have just moved to a national curriculumm, I would like to think that this is an almost ideal time for something like this to be adapted to the australian primary and secondary education system. Initially I was thinking this could be open repositories for moodle, but it looks like a wiki with links to anthing is a better way to go.

Inventing on Principle

Great talk by Bret Victor regarding Inventing on Principle: choosing a principle to stand by and making it your responsibility to change the world to that principle. Great insights into new programming tools to accomplish his principle: Creators need to immediately see what their changes do.

GameLog 238-241

Another missed bi-weekly log. Must remember to check alarm :/

Crusader Kings 2 (120h) - Very polished update of Crusader Kings. The 7 deadly sins also make much more sense as one of the major character changes are the virtues & vices. Tried multiplayer with Sandy, but it's laggy and drops out over LAN (?). Currently into the 4th generation of the Strathearns 

Jagged alliance (40h) - Good take on the old series. Bit concerned about no fog of war when paused though. If it weren't for Crusader kings, I'd have probably finished this one off.

Realm of the Mad God (6h) - Tried this one out for LAN, which may still be a goer, but it's simple enough for Cameron to play too.

Fallen Enchantress beta (4h) - New beta and the experience point system feels a little wonky now. Lots of other pieces coming together though.

Grepolis (4h) -Game finally came to an end with EN pushing once again over top of an inactive player on our wonder islands. Some went over to join Evolution, but that's it for me. More time for notorious now.

Dwarf Fortress (2h) - New version finally! Adventure mode is a little bit better, but possibly even more viscious than before.

League of Legends (2h)
Dungeon Defenders (1h)
Terraria (1h) - Quick couple of games with cam.

GameLog 242-244

Another 3-week report :/

Stronghold Kingdoms (100h) - Steam has this one out at 253 hours, but It's really been sitting in the background most of the time. It is VERY sticky though, much more than Grepo. There seems to be always things to check, but if you sit and look to find time between decisions, there actually is a fair bit to be had. Seems a good diversion when playing Crusader Kings II, but has also stitched itself into almost all my daily activities.

Crusader Kings 2 (20h) - The Strathearns are now into their 5th dynasty and own Scotland, Ireland and a cousin sitting in Denmark. Norway may be next with a shaky succession line to interfere with, or some more land in Egypt from the infidels.


Realm of the Mad God (15h) - LAN and Cam.An interesting take on permadeath. Items are the main part of progression, but only 8 slots and no shops to sell to makes it an interesting levelling up process.


Dwarf Fortress (2h) - Adventure mode is still viscious. Haven't got a character past 2 battles yet. Tempted to bump it up to Demigod, but I feel that there isn't that much of the game once he gets a couple of levels.

Strathearn Dynasty Pt.4 - King Kenneth IV the Blind of Scotland

King Kenneth IV the Blind of Scotland
As the first King in the Strathearn Dynasty, Kenneth's reign marked the culmination of Muiredach's dream. They were still small fry compared to the European powerhouses, so there was still much to do outside Scottish borders. The control of Ireland is the next goal on the table.

A generation of sowing Strathearns into potential seats of power had only reaped one county leader, so Kenneth turned to another strategy; bring in claimants, win them to his side (with possible Strathearn blood ties), then gift them their title through the pointy end of a stick. Oriel and Tyrconnell succumbed to this strategy while also becoming vassals of Scotland. With 1/2 the Duchy of Ulster under Scottish control, the title was created and then used to attack Tyrone, who also fell quickly. Although Ulster county itself was led by Countess Eua, a Strathearn descendant, poor marriage choices meant that her rule would be the last for the Strathearns, so she too was forced to bend the knee and join the Scottish Kingdom. All the southern duchies of Ireland were also contested by Scottish claimants at some point, but they continued to evade Kenneth's machinations and remain independent.

Even though the wars were swift, Kenneth's reputation for staying behind grew into rumours of cowardice. When a rebellious Malcolm Dunkeld of Gowrie took leave of his senses and strived for independance alone, Kenneth saw an opportunity to lead the burgeoning Strathearn Guard himself. With almost 2000 men under his direct control the outcome of the battle for Gowrie was never in doubt, but as Kenneth led the final assault, he took a viscious slash that dislodged his helmet and almost decapitated him. Bleeding, he stayed in the fray until victory was complete, but the damage was done. He would lose an eye and bear the scars of battle to his grave. No longer would the King be seen as craven, but instead was to be known as Kenneth the Blind.

In his 40's, Kenneth's kingom was looking in control. Minor claims into English territory went the same way as the southern tip of Ireland, with more luck of increasing Scottish land going to existing earls and Dukes rather than outside claimants. The potential death blow for Strathearn dominance came from within as Kenneth's only son 'little Kenneth' passed away, exposing a severe lack of rightful male Strathearn heirs within the electorate Duchies. Kenneth considered many options to bring his brother, the king of Denmark, to the throne, but eventually settled on a more wide ranging solution to change the succession law for females to claim the throne if no male heirs were available. Many of our line rejoiced at the change, while the Island and Lothien Dukes cried foul. Their names were soon to be removed from power anyway.

With somewhat of an impasse in Ireland with the independent dukes happy to keep slaying each other, and England seeming to miraculously come back from wave after wave of internal splits, Kenneth turned south for territorial expansion. Far south. While the Pope had proclaimed a crusade to Darum (near Jerusalem), there were still holy wars raging on the Iberian peninsula. Kenneth set sail with eager troops and laid claim to Granada to help rip apart the Andalusian Sultanate. Over 5000 set sail, and barely met more than 1500 troops on the field of battle to make good their claim. Cultural and spiritual differences took their toll on any hope of making productive use of the land, but it served as a convenient place to hide away heretics and claimants outstaying their welcome at court.

Succumbing to illness, King Kenneth the Blind finally departed at a venerable 55. His wife had borne him another son when both were in their 40's, so King Archibald took over at only 10 years of age with Kenneth's doting wife, Queen Eilionora, acting as regent.

   

 

Strathearn Dynasty Pt.3 - Duchess Aufrica the Wise of Albany

Duchess Aufrica the Wise of Albany
As Aufrica took the matriarchal position at the head of the Strathearn Dynasty,  her two ambitious sisters acquired land also in the gavelkind succession. Fife went to Bethoc, while Flora took Moray up north. The sibling rivalry would stir ofen during Aufrica's reign, and both sisters spent a good portion of their lives behind bars to curtail their scheming. Without any direct control there were fears that the Strathearn line would peter out in those two branches, but both countesses managed to find suitable matches that would accept matrilineal descendants. However, the prolifeartion of girls in the next generation would continue to be a problem.

Aufrica married into the Babingberger line to set up a loose alliance with mainland Europe, but was under no illusions that the Dynasty required a legitimate heir to the throne. Even though Queen Finnguala currently reigned, a male descendant would be the only true way that Scotland would accept such a new lineage. Duchess Matilda arrived first to take the female count to 10 from 10 progeny, but Kenneth arrived next spring with his twin sister Ada to finally bring hope to the Strathearn line.

Poor luck and indecisive breeding also plagued the Lothiens to the South. Their Duchy claim backtracked though their tree to Gille-Crist's wife, and hence enabled Aufrica to make a play for the title. The Queen and other gentry up north ignored the young Duke of Lothien's pleads for help as the Strathearn Guard took them apart. Lothien had previously extended themselves by claiming the Duchy of the Isles, and this was to be their saving grace as they managed to squirrel away the majority of their holdings under that secondary title. Stirling Castle and Dunbar, the jewels of Lothien, still found their way into the clutches of Strathearn's Duchess.

With the Duchy spread clear across the breadth of Scotland, the power now belonged solely in Aufrica's hands. Queen Finnguala had passed on her crown to an inexperienced Godfrey a Muirebe, whose lack of leadership further put him in a weakened position. She bullied him into conceding Argyll and Caithness before attemting to relieve him of the crown itself. As Kenneth was still only 14, a plot hatched to bring Ingram Dunkeld to the throne. Even though it undid some of the work to extracate the Dunkelds from their position of power in the Scottish highlands, Ingram was the weakest of the candidates with no personal heirs and a 60 year old wife. He jumped at the chance to don the crown, but there was no doubt where the Scottish might now came from.

  
King Ingram the puppet. No love, no heirs, no control over his vassals. Soon to be deposed.

Kenneth was handed the Lothien Duchy as he turned of age, but with the Saxon populace objecting to Scottish rule, most troops were unavailable for him to wield. Aufrica continued to do the bulk of the work to depose Ingram and install Kenneth as the first Strathearn King of Scotland.

With only minor scuffles to deal with at home, the Dynasty turn their sights over the waves to Ireland. Some groundwork had been laid with Domnall's injection into Ulster during Muiredach's reign, but the female curse had spread there too, leaving only a generation of Strathearn blood to call upon. Kenneth had taken an Irish bride as the plans for the Puppet King were unfolding, and with her came the rights to claim the Duchies of Connacht and Meath. Other claimants were catered for in the halls of Strathearn to cover almost every part of the green isle.

As Aufrica slipped in and out of illness, Henry, her youngest, was her final bullet in the game of genetical warfare. Sizing up the Kingdom of Denmark, they accepted a betrothal to the young King's sister before he sucumbed to repeated assasination attempts. This cost Aufrica dearly in the sight of her peers and contributed to her worsening mental state. She slipped away from court as Otto, her husband, took over as regent in her final months.

Henry, atop the throne of Denmark, saw off the Polish threat that was plaguing the nation with help from Kenneth and Otto's combined forces. 2 sons, 2 Kingdoms. A testiment to Aufrica the Wise.      

Strathearn Dynasty Pt.2 - Duke Gille-Crist of Albany

Duke Gille-Crist of Albany
Gille-Crist has high ambitions; to become great among men. With no real conflict on the horizon it seemed a good enough goal to aim at through festivals, feasts, and great hunts. As the years ticked by, Gille-Crist's parties became more and more spectacular, eventually surpassing even the King's illustrious events. Gille-Crist has the presence of a King, but not the title.

Scotland had 3 duchies at the time; Albany, Lothien to the south and Moray to the north. Lothien remained allies through Gille-Crist's brother-in-law, so Moray was the only real alternative for internal gains. Gille-Crist had been the chancellor used to fabricate some of Muiredach's claims, so he had no hesitation in sending out Fergus de Tullabardine to see what he could do in Moray. Maybe he could even find a way to get into the Duchy itself?

As the festivals and hunts continued, finally Gille-Crist succumbed to a hunting accident that maimed his arm. This took the shine off organised hunts as an avenue for fame, and shortened his reign to achieve greatness. Festivals remained a yearly event though, and Gille-Crist became loved among the peasants and gentry alike for his magnanimous generosity and kind-hearted nature. 

Moray's claims were finally found, but if another could be found for the County of Ross it would mean a clean sweep of the Duchy come battle time. As the new century rolled in Gille-Crist could feel time running out, so he initiated his Moray claim and called up the troops. With superior numbers and Neil Rodriguez (the marshall's talented son) holding the middle, the pitched battle of Buchan settled the debate.

Countess Finguala of Moray, although seething over our recent conflict, had other plans in place. She called for Gille-Crist's support to change Scotland into an elected monarchy; a plot that offered an even quicker way to the throne. Gille-Crist accepted and the King duly agreed without the need for bloodshed. As the King's chancellor and land holdings through the middle of Scotland, Gille-Crist was level-pegging with Prince Malcom Dunkeld for the right to wear the crown. A closer step indeed.

Countess Finguala had not finished. Her next claim was for the Kingdom itself! The ramifications of an unsuccessful plot were huge for Gille-Crist, but Moray was certainly in a more precarious position than the Dunkeld's and would likely lead to more opportunities of election. With Gille-Crist's support, the Crown was handed over immediately.

Without the protection of the crown, Prince Dunkan's holding of Gowrie was able to be pressured for amalgamation into the Duchy of Albany. As Gille-Crist's final act, he saw the fall of the once great Dunkeld line before passing away at age 47. Could this happen to the Strathearns too? Possibly. And with no sons in the family tree they are vey much exposed.