Dual-Boot Imaging for Mac OS X Lion and Windows 7

One of the benefits of having a new Mac lab is setting it up for all the classes we teach.  Of course, most of them are taught on PC software, meaning I need to have a dual-boot image with Windows booting as the default OS.  Not a problem really with a Macintosh computer, though it takes a little bit of tweaking to get it working right as I found out. 

I started out by planning how the images would need to be built.  The Mac image was not a problem, as it was pretty much the same image that I've been using for years (just upgraded to Lion).  The Windows image took some doing and quite a lot of googling as I don't often install Windows, let alone create images.  But that was the easy bit.  The hard part was looking for an image process that would work for free.

There are quite a few Windows image tools out there that are free and work on a PC hard drive (i.e., MBR partitions).  For our PC labs we have used Acronis because of it's simplicity and ease of use.  And it works great for the PC installations, but as the Macintosh uses a GUID partition table instead of the Master Boot Record Acronis isn't able to see it and therefore cannot perform a restore.  So I needed another tool. 

Winclone is perhaps the best known friend of the dual-boot image community, as it makes a cloned image of the existing Windows partition on a Mac and does the restore.  It would be a no-brainer to use Winclone, but for one issue:  Two Canoes no longer develops Winclone, and the last official version (2.2) barely worked on Snow Leopard and will not work on Lion.  Fortunately a hacked version has been released, 2.3, and it will work on Lion with some preference changes.  

When you install Winclone, do so on a Mac partition that you intend to use as a NetRestore image.  Why?  Well, it makes it easier to deploy your Winclone image once you are done (install once, image, and deploy to multiple computers as you go along).  It also works better in a NetRestore image rather than a NetBoot image because of the amount of data that needs to be cached and transfered during the image.  I have tried both, and find the NetRestore to have far superior restore performance on a single Mac than the NetBoot image.  

Once installed, open Winclone and in the Winclone menu select Preferences.  Once there, click on all options to deselect them, and select the compressed image (as opposed to the dmg image).  The Winclone image process will not work without this step (as the logs will show). Then start your image process.  I saved it to the Desktop for convenience, but as long as you know where to expect the image to be, any place is fine.  After a while (30 minutes to several hours depending on the size of your Windows install), you should be ready to deploy.  You may get an error telling you it wasn't able to complete correctly after running through the whole process, but the restore has seemed to work for me so I have ignored this error.  

Once finished with Winclone, you now need to make your deployment image.  You can use something like DeployStudio if you have it, but I've always been happy with the NetBoot service for Mac OS X Server.  Granted, DeployStudio is great for large deployments because of it's multicast method of restoration, but with a small lab of 16 computers, NetBoot works just fine (and doesn't take a lot of configuration or port management).  If you are going to use NetBoot, you will need to use the System Image Utility as part of the 10.7 Server Admin Tools.  You don't have to host the new image on a Lion Server, but you need the Lion version of Server Admin Tools to create a Lion NetRestore image.  I also like making an autoinstall image using the Custom NetRestore Automator tools that System Image Utility provides.  At any rate, build your image and upload it to your NetBoot server.  In addition to the image with Winclone, I also have a NetInstall image for Lion, so I can partition.

Now I start by booting to the Lion NetInstall image and partitioning the computers.  I have 4 partitions, but really you only need 2:  One for the Mac, and one for Windows.  For the Windows partition, I used exFAT, though I suppose you could use FAT-32 if you needed.  In the end it doesn't matter, because Winclone will replace it with an NTFS partition, so it's all good.  Once the partition is complete, I restart to my NetRestore image, and let it run.  For my configurations, it took a good 3 hours for all 16 computers to image, but the time will vary based on what you have installed on both the Mac side and in your Windows image. 

Once finished, I started Winclone and restored to the Windows partition.  This took another hour per computer, but then it's running locally and not on the network, so that makes sense.  Once finished, I downloaded rEFIt and installed it for managing the boot process.  Technically I could do this with the built in EFI booter, but I like the flexibility that rEFIt gives me.  Once finished, I needed to configure it.  This is all done in the refit.conf file (located at /efi/refit/refit.conf).  I just opened the file in vi and edited the timeout from 20 to 5 seconds, and set the default image to Windows.  Once done, I save, and run the enable script (/efi/refit/enable.sh), authenticate for sudo, and it's done!  Now I just needed to reboot..

And the install is broken.  It seems the virtual MBR that EFI keeps didn't get updated with the Winclone image.  There are two ways around this:  either I do a fresh install of Windows and then restore the Winclone image, or I can boot off a Windows Recovery CD (or install DVD) and repair the MBR to get it to work.  That takes significantly less time, and once done I shouldn't need to worry about doing it again.  So I ran the repair and it worked!  Everything booted up correctly, the image was done.  

In total it took me a full day of imaging for a lab of 16.  Add on to that a full day of tearing down the old lab and placing the new lab, it's been a fun week so far.  The good news is that now the hard part is over, and I just need to bind the new computers to the Directory, and all will be running smoothly. Though in future, I may think of other ways to run a deployment, either by running a dd backup and restore, or using the Windows Backup tech to deploy the Windows image.  It shouldn't be that difficult this next time around, because the initial work is all done.  I'll keep you posted on the process as I get it worked out. 

Being Autism-Friendly

Article first published as Being Autism-Friendly on Technorati.

The New York Times posted an article on the Lion King being the first Broadway play to host an Autism-Friendly performance. The idea isn't that shocking, as Disney's The Lion King has a huge appeal to children and families, including those with children on the Spectrum. So catering to the Autism community is one way to build interest in the theatre for those who generally do not participate.

But how do you make something "Autism-Friendly", particularly when those on the Spectrum react to different events in different ways? What makes your event Autism-Friendly? It's something I'm starting to see more and more, and yet it hasn't been defined for me completely. So, in the absence of any clear definition, I've come up with my own:

Distractions

Distractions need to be set at a minimum. If there are lots of flashing lights or colors, lots of background noise, anything that flickers, then it's not Autism-Friendly. Visual and auditory stimulation are the most common ways to set off a reaction in a child with Autism. When I look for a place, such as a place to eat, I look for low background noise. It's getting harder and harder to find a good family restaurant that doesn't have a lot of background noise, but when I do, it makes one point in being considered an Autism-Friendly restaurant.

Staff Understanding

The last thing we as parents want to worry about are staff members that judge us for the behavior of our child on the Spectrum. Yes, parents need to take responsibility for their children, but Autism throws an added level of behavior issues into a situation that can frustrate staff members and parents alike. So the staff need to be understanding. A good example would be the experiences I had with my son at SeaWorld in San Diego and Disneyland. At SeaWorld, my son was often on edge, particularly while waiting to get food. It was a terrible experience, and almost eclipsed the enjoyment my son had at all the exhibits. Disneyland, on the other hand, was such a great experience with all the staff members and their willingness to understand that we had little trouble. Staff make a huge difference in Autism-Friendly designations.

Crowds

I hate crowded places. I've never done well with them, and often walk around the edge of a crowd if I can. My son is much the same way. If a crowd is not well managed, or if people in the crowd are not polite and understanding, the whole experience can become a nightmare. If there are long lines without relief, loud people in enclosed places, or the feeling of having to scrunch up as small as possible just to stand, then it's not going to be Autism-Friendly. That also goes for seating at sporting events, restaurants, theaters, etc.

That, at least, is my list. I have a high opinion of Disney and their dedication to providing a quality experience to everyone, including those who are on the Spectrum, so I am sure The Lion King will be successful. it's a good trend that I would like to see continue everywhere.

A Huge Loss to Mobile: HP is Dropping WebOS

I'm an iOS user.  I love the platform, and I like the stability it gives me when I work with it.  But I also like other platforms for their innovation and attention to detail.  And today, one of those platforms is being halted.  HP announced that, in addition to looking to spin off their PC business, they are going to stop production on their WebOS devices.  This announcement comes at a time when Google purchased Motorolla Moblility, the mobile phone arm of Motorolla, and Apple has enjoyed being the single largest hardware smartphone seller in the world.  HP had pinned their hopes on the WebOS platform as a way to jump back into the mobile device market (think HP iPaq).  But, it looks like they have decided it was not meant to be, and are now going to move it out. 

So what does this mean to the mobile ecosystem?  Apple is looking pretty good, having pretty much reinvented the smartphone with iOS.  Google has saturated the market with a lot of devices of varying capabilities and releases, so they are doing well too.  But I had a lot of hopes for WebOS.  They get what mobile devices should be, and how they should work.  Their idea of a tablet falls well in line with the same concepts that make iOS and Google successful, and it would have been nice to see them succeed and bring their level of innovation into the ring.  In fact, it's thought that WebOS could become the darling of another maker with more persistance and deeper pockets, like say Samsung or HTC.  It would stave off the tension of buying a competitor's OS (even if it's technically open source) to use on their platform, now that Google has Motorolla (or will have, after anti-trust investigations are done and all goes well for Google).  

So WebOS may not be produced for a little bit, but I don't think it will ultimately die.  The real strength that HP gave WebOS (and Palm before it) was the optimization of the platform to the hardware.  Much like Apple's model, it allows for a much more fluid customer experience.  Those that I have spoken to that had a WebOS device absolutely loved it.  I would hope, should another company like HTC purchase WebOS, they take that into consideration and keep that same fidelity instead of trying to peddle out the OS to multiple platform developers.  

But why invest in a platform that wasn't popular?  Well, to be perfectly frank, the failure of WebOS wasn't really in the platform, but more in the way it was introduced.  It was released before it was ready, and had no development for it beyond the inhouse apps.  And that's to be expected from any new platform. So where do you go with it?  Well, whoever buys WebOS (if anyone does) needs to invest a lot of development time into providing a strong ecosystem of apps for the users.  If you don't have the app ecosystem, you won't get the users, or even the developers as it will be seen as a weak platform.  And that ecosystem needs to be reliable and trustworthy, not riddled with malware, viruses, etc.  There is a reason why Microsoft was so hated in the 90's, and it wasn't because they were everywhere.  It was because viruses were so common, and they didn't seem to do much to protect themselves.  On a computer, that's one thing, but on something as personal as a phone, you can't do that and expect to keep customers. So, HTC, if you are listening and are thinking of purchasing WebOS, keep that in mind.  

Anyway, I hope something happens with WebOS that brings it back into the realm of a serious competitor for the smartphone market.

Growing Food At Home: Urban Farming with the Malthus

We need fresh vegetables and fruits.  I don't think there is anyone that would argue that statement.  The problem: it's cheaper to buy processed foods than to buy fresh vegetables.  And the quality of those fresh vegetables are generally, well, not so good.  I don't mean rotten by any means, but they are generally tasteless.  And if you don't have any flavor in your food, you don't want to eat it.  That's the concern facing my family, and may other families in the world today.  How can you afford to eat right, and enjoy it?  

The best answer is to grow your own food.  Of course that means having land, a good source of water, time to let it grow, etc.  It's a long and laborious process to grow food traditionally, and you end up with a single harvest that then needs to be used up quickly or it's lost.  This seasonality of vegetables makes having fresh vegetables all year round just as frustrating.  And then there is the land issue.  Even if most families in the average suburban land plot plowed under all their grass and grew vegetables, they wouldn't have enough for all the family.  No, they would need to expand in a big way to get the food they need, even for one meal per person per day.  And this is exactly what urban farming is all about:  providing a way to grow food in an urban area (including high-rises), either as a supplement to the current diet or complete subsistence farming.  

Urban farming has become a very popular topic, it seems.  More people are predicting food shortages, uncontrollable pricing, and, well, end of the world type situations where you defend your warehouse full of Twinkies with your rifle.  Personally I'm of the opinion that urban farming is something that anyone who is interested in having more control over their food bill and food source should take seriously.  Nothing tastes better than food you grow yourself, mostly because it doesn't have to be picked green for better shipping.  Real food, like ripe tomatoes right off the garden vine, has a special flavor that you can't get anywhere else.  

But what if you don't have the space for a garden, as I found I didn't after my son ripped up my seedling tomatoes and herbs in the back.  How do you grow what you need in little space?  And what about meat, assuming you are not a vegetarian/vegan? Clearly you need to either move to a better location with more room to produce your food, or come up with a way to grow your food in a high enough density to provide the food you need.  As most people do not want to, or cannot move, the best option is to find a way to produce your food in high density. 

One way to do that, and one that I find very promising, is aquaponics.  For aquaponics to work, you need a tank full of fish (and by extension, their waste) to feed your plants, which in turn filter out the waste to keep the fish water clean.  The fish benefit from the clean water provided by the plants (and if you have herbivorous fish like tilapia, food as well), while the plants benefit from the fertilizer provided by the fish. If produced in a high enough quantity, you can produce enough food for at least one meal per person in the house.  The thing is, how do you do it, and how efficient is the process?  

Well, one design group has built and tested a configuration using commonly found products.  Conceptual Devices has built the Malthus, a system to grow within an enclosed space food enough for one meal per day. The concept is pretty clear, and they have a working model in Zurich.  It's a great idea, and I think it's something that could easily be deployed in any household.  Because it's all spaced vertically, the footprint is low.  Salad plants, at least any that are not head lettuces, will continue to throw up new leaves as you cut, making them regular producers.  Plants like Tomatoes and Cucumbers will continue to produce if they don't have a frost, though you will need to pollenate them by hand (or with a small paint brush).  

The fish, well, that's another story.  The fish in the picture are tropical fish that are not, generally, suited for eating.  Tilapia, on the other hand, would make for great eating, provided they can be produced in a high enough quantity, which this setup doesn't seem to make possible.  No, if you want to have daily fish on the menu, you will need a bigger setup.  Still, fish every once in a while isn't bad, and makes a great supplement to the salad being produced.

Anyway, it's definitely a good idea, and one that is worth exploring.  So, first off..  how much will this thing cost?  Cost of materials would vary, depending on what you have on hand.  I might do an estimate on that, though for a one-time expense, as long as other costs (like electricity) can be covered, the materials cost could be recovered over time.  So the repetitive cost of electricity becomes a concern.  How much power does this use up?  

•   The first thing I checked out was the LED lights.  I found some LED strips at SuperBrightLEDs.com that are about that right size, and pulled the details. Each strip runs at 225 mA (milliamps), or 0.2 Amps at 12 volts.  That means for a set of four lights as outlined by the plans, you are looking at roughly 10.8 Watts of power being used every hour it is being used.  You would probably want to time it to run about 16 hours, giving the plants 8 hours of rest, so that would be 172.8 Watt-hours, or 0.1728 kWh per day.

•   Next, I checked out the water pump.  For a good one, you need a pond pump for dirty water applications.  I found a small one (shouldn't need a large one) at Aquaticponds.com.  It's rated at 5 Watts per hour. 

•   The Air Pump depends on the size of the tank you get.  The one listed in the parts for this setup is a 400 Liter tank, which is about a 100 Gallon tank in the US.  You need a fairly large air pump, and the one I found that fits it is the Tetra Whisper 100, which runs on 4.8 Watts her hour. 

As everything else is just a one-time purchase (barring any issues), these are your repeating costs of running the setup.  All total, you are looking at almost 21 additional watts per hour for the Malthus.  You would be running the pumps for 24 hours a day each at almost 5 Watts, making it about 240 Watt-hours, or 0.24 kWh a day.  Add them together and you get 0.4128 kWh a day, at the price of 5.9536 cents a day.  Monthly that would be about $1.50 more for a daily meal.  Is it worth it?  That's up to you.  

So, it's an interesting concept, and one worth exploring more.  Perhaps one day I'll get a chance to build something like this, just to see how it would work.  It would be nice to have a fresh meal of veggies every day, just waiting for me.  

Autism and Technology: Touch Screens And Learning

Article first published as Autism and Technology on Technorati.

I haven't posted anything in a while, and there is a reason. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit the Apple Campus in Cupertino, California, and meet with a key person who designed the iOS devices for which Apple is so well known. It was exciting for me, because I know how important those same iOS devices have been for my sons in their development. It was a rare treat for me to personally thank those who had a hand in developing such a key device.

And you know what he said? He said he didn't even think about the Autism community when designing the first iPhone. Instead, he said he was surprised, extremely surprised, and thrilled that the device has been found to act as a catalyst for those on the Spectrum. For him, it showed the ingenuity and inventiveness of developers who took the simple premise of the iPhone's multi-touch platform, and made tools that worked.

And just before this meeting I also had an interview with Brandon Bailey of the San Jose Mercury News about using touch screens and apps to treat autism. He was interested in my take on the HP Hacking Autism project, which focuses on developing apps for all platforms that help children on the Spectrum. And, while I am very biased to Apple products, I said that all platforms have potential, and if the apps are there parents have more choice for their budget.

So, why touch screens? What makes them better than, say, a mouse, or a keyboard? If you think about it, using a touch screen is fundamental. We are used to touching what we want, moving things with our hands, etc. Our fingers are our most versatile tools, and we feel most comfortable with them. Once you introduce another tool on top of that, it complicates the process. Using a mouse means you have to relate the mouse position on the desk (which you do not see) with the mouse pointer location on the screen. Keyboards are about the same way. But a touch screen removes that layer between you and the content, making it easier to utilize. That is why I personally feel touch screen devices are better than using a mouse and keyboard, or even a stylus, for that matter.

So the age of the touch screen became a great age for the Spectrum. Technology is easier to use, making those with learning disabilities more enabled in their learning and ultimately empowering them to progress in ways that were difficult or expensive in the past. It's exciting, and I'm constantly amazed with the apps for Autism that I find out there.

Diversity in Autism: What Makes a parent with Autism a Super Parent

Article first published as Diversity in Autism on Technorati.

Every child with Autism is different.  There, I said it.  Just like every 2-year old has their own personalities, every child on the Spectrum behaves in a different way to the same stimuli.  In fact, whenever you have a disorder of the mind, even though some behaviors are the same, what sets those behaviors off can be very different.  This is a very important fact to know when you notice someone with a child with Autism.

For instance:  Autism runs in my family (and my wife's interestingly enough).  Some in the family are runners, and will do anything to just get out and run.  Others, like my son, is a problem-solver, and looks for ways to get around any barrier he finds (even if it is for his own good).  Some only have a couple of behaviors, appearing a little slow in their social interaction but still being very focused and knowledgeable in their tasks.  Yet relatives still say, "Well, your son doesn't do X, or he does Y which will lead to Z", as though they know the roadmap for my son better than I do.  

Let me first say with all love that relatives mean well.  They are concerned for me and my family, and they want to help.  But what they don't realize is every attempt to break that delicate balance of sanity between work, working with my sons, keeping up on schooling requirements and techniques to augment at home, and contribute with the house work just creates more stress.  And while they are trying to help me focus on caring for my child, they don't seem to see that I'm already doing the job by doing everything right as recommended by his teachers and school psychologists.  Instead they see the broad difference between my child's development and those of his neurotypical cousins, and want to push me to push him even more.

You see, a parent of a child with Autism has to be a Super Parent to begin with, just to manage their son's or daughter's condition.  We are constantly aware of the environment, trying to make sure that it will not be too stressful through sensory overload.  We look for key signs in our child as a method of communication, making us hyper-aware of our children.  On top of this we are constantly looking for ways to help our children develop normally and become self-sustaining, contributing members of society.  Most parents try to do this anyway, but if they have a child with Autism, they are constantly on their A-game, and it will wear parents out. 

So what do you do?  As a parent, you need to find some down time.  You need to find some time, even if it's in the middle of the night, when you have a chance to relax the brain.  Some communities have respite services that allow for a couple of hours a day of free time while their child is being watched by a professional care-giver.  This is a great idea, and something every parent should take advantage of when available.  For those who do not have this service, they need to find a trusted care-giver that is willing to take the children for short stints when necessary.  Generally it would be family members, but it could also be good friends. 

If you are a family member that is looking to help, stop trying to look at the child with Autism as an Autistic child.  The child, the little boy or girl, is a child first.  They have needs like a child, have a personality, and just wants to learn and grow like other children.  Instead of trying to stress out the parents by telling them what to do, try engaging with the children.  You will get a better feel for the child's abilities through these little stints than otherwise, and can perhaps help the child make intelligent connections between behaviors (i.e., relating sign-language with speech).  This doesn't mean that is the ONLY way the child will learn, but it's the way the child will learn with you.  Go with it, and enjoy the time.  Let the parents worry about their children.  There are exceptions to this, but for most parents of a child on the Spectrum, it's pretty common for this method to work. 

Windows Cloud on the Mac: SkyDrive and Windows Mesh

The cloud continues to be the sexy Buzzword in technology today.  Everyone seems to need it now, even though many have already been using the same technology through email, network file storage, etc.  But now, we are doing in the "cloud", where someone else worries about backing up our data.  There are a number of different ways to define the cloud, but for me it means putting files and services on the Internet, allowing any device to access the data as needed.  So today, as I look for various ways to back up my data for a trip next week, I thought I would check out Microsoft's SkyDrive and Windows Mesh. 

Microsoft's SkyDrive is, essentially, online storage much like web-accessable storage through Dropbox.  For the Mac, you upload your data using a web browser, and you can then access that same data using any internet-enabled device.  Ideal for documents, the browser-based storage tends to choke when transferring large files.  That's too bad, because Microsoft gives an impressive 25 GB of free storage, enough to make any file hoarder drool.  Also, if you are looking to upload folders through the browser portal from a non IE browser, you are pretty much out of luck.  Active X is required to get it to work, which is a problem for those of us on the Macintosh, or those in the Linux world.  

One other feature is the ability to open, edit, or even create a Microsoft Office document from your SkyDrive, making it similar to Google Docs but with more storage capability (at least for free). This is a neat feature for quick collaboration, as you just share a folder with your documents in them and anyone can edit from the browser.  If you try to access the edit feature from your iPad or iPhone, it's not there.  That's similar to early versions of Google Docs, though now at least you can edit your documents in Google Docs on your iOS device. 

But the huge, gaping hole here is lack of access to the drive outside of the browser.  There are some software out there that does provide access, such as SMEStorage's Mac Cloud Tools app, but I shouldn't have to purchase software just to use the storage the way I want.  You can also upload documents directly 

But what about the features that Dropbox has, where you can drop a file in a folder and have it automatically sync to your devices?  Well, for that type of feature, you would need Windows Mesh.  Windows Mesh is for Windows Vista/7 and Mac OS X 10.5 and newer only, but it allows someone to drop a file into a synced folder and have it automatically upload to another computer.  You can view your devices you have synced, and all the folders you have synced from the Windows Mesh website. Once the synchronization is complete, then you can also view the data you dropped in the folder from that same website. What it doesn't do, that Dropbox does, is provide access to the Mesh folders using an iOS device (beyond the web browser).  A dedicated app would do wonders for those of us that use iOS.  That being said, for documents, you can use Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac to save and retrieve your SkyDrive-saved documents.  A very nice feature that will be coming to iWork as part of iCloud very soon.  

So overall, it's a nice service.  Some features like Dropbox, some like Google Docs, some like the future iCloud, and in general fairly useable.  Not exactly what I was looking for, but definitely something I will continue to use. 

Lanta's Frozone: Frozen Custard, and Much More

Over the 4th of July holiday, my family decided to try someplace new.  We had never been to a new restaurant on 5600 West called Lanta's Frozone, and we thought we would give it a try.  It was very quiet, but then we were on our way back from a trip to the Zoo, and most other people were at the noisy, crowded parades.  As we tend to avoid such places for the sake and sanity of our children, we caught them at just the right time. 

Lanta's serves up frozen custard and yogurt, and even let you make various recipes and mixtures for your dessert pleasure.  But that's not why we went.  We went for the sandwiches they advertised.  Why?  Well, it was hot, and we wanted something less heavy than a burger.  And it's a good thing, too. 

When I ordered the staff seemed new, but then we were the only one's in the shop so they probably felt it was less rushed then it might normally be.  The combinations included either fries, chips, or the "house salad", but no drinks (of which they have one size).  My wife wanted the french dip, and I went for the Philly Cheesesteak.  They have children's menus with half sandwiches, so we got the boys grilled cheese and ham.  I wanted to try the salad, and the rest of the family had fries. 

The wait seemed long, though not as long as places like Chili's.  What was impressive was how my oldest with Autism took it: very calm, very relaxed.  My youngest wanted to run around, perhaps because there was so much free space to run.  Anyway, when the food did come, I was shocked.  The sandwiches were large.  The boys both had what looked like normal-sized sandwiches, at least if they were made with store-bought bread.  The rolls my wife and I had were large too, and stuffed full of filling.  The cheesesteak was not overly spicy, and perhaps even on the mild side, but very tasty.  

But what really surprised me was the house salad.  Most "house salads" are tired bits of Iceberg lettuce with a tomato and smothered in Ranch dressing.  Not at Lanta's.  No, you get a Spring Mix salad with candied almonds and berries with syrup with a vinaigrette and a cube of Feta cheese.  It was completely unexpected, and very delicious.  The lunch was so filling, in fact, that we didn't have room for any of the custard.  So we took a quart home and gave it a try.  I can definitely recommend the custard. 

So Lanta's Frozone is now definitely on my list of Autism-friendly places to go, at least when there are few people in the establishment.  I'm not sure how it would be completely packed, though I'm definitely willing to go back.  If only for the house salad, if nothing else. And I still haven't tried any of the soups.   

Is Autism Genetic or Environmental?

Article first published as Is Autism Genetic or Environmental? on Technorati.The Archives of General Psychiatry published a research paper on potential environmental triggers of Autism through a twin study in California. The research compared genetic similarities in twins, and made varying assumptions based on environmental factors surrounding the pregnancies of the parents.

The study took a lot of assumptions into consideration as they calculated the impact of genetic vs. environmental studies, which effected the results of the study dramatically one way or the other as these assumptions were adjusted. The idea is that regardless of the results, there is a possibility of environmental triggers that can cause Autism, and therefore more research is needed.

The study is pretty impressive, as actual subjects were interviewed specifically for the research project as opposed to passive surveys being reviewed to look for common patterns. As such, the study took my attention. Still, I don't see the evidence compelling enough to make the claim so many news outlets take in saying environmental factors cause Autism.

So what does cause Autism? This is the frustrating question so many parents who receive the diagnosis have. How could this happen to us? What caused it? Where does the blame lay? What am I going to do?

The truth is, no one knows for sure what causes Autism. That's because Autism, unlike diabetes, the flu, or even cancer, is not a medical condition. Instead, it is a definition given to those what exhibit a specific set of behaviors. Those behaviors are what defines Autism, not a specific medical condition. Hence any number of things can "cause" Autism, if they cause a specific behavior.

So while I am more inclined to say, based on the research in the past 5 years, that Autism is a genetic disorder, there are those who can claim environmental causes. The difference? Most cases of Autism "caused" by environmental exposure (with the exception of environmentally related damage to the brain) are not permanent. For example, if someone is unable to process cassein or gluten properly with various enzymes can possibly show Autistic tendencies temporarily. But the effect wears off, unlike the majority of children on the Spectrum that I see in my sons class.

So what is a parent to do? Worry about the child, not the diagnosis. Get ready for a fun ride as you deal with behaviors of which you may be unfamiliar, and enjoy every milestone you reach. That is what truly matters. A "cause" or a "cure" may come and go, but your child is yours forever. Make the most of it, and you will never regret it.

The Virtues of Security Doors

Article first published as The Virtues of Security Doors on Technorati.Security is a really important thing, especially for your family. You want to know that your family and possessions are safe and secure. But if your family includes a child with Autism, who may be prone to bolt, security takes on a whole new meaning. It's not just about keeping bad elements out of the home, but also keeping your family safe within the home.

We have had problems in the past with our son bolting. The kitchen door is not visible from the living room, and therefore makes it difficult to keep track of his comings and goings when he goes into the kitchen. He can also use the sliding glass door to go in and out, if need be. Whether bolting on us or on the babysitter, it became a problem that needed a solution.

We started with just using the deadbolt, which worked for about two days. Once my son realized that the deadbolt was being used, he would just turn it and he was gone. We also tried using a lock on the storm door, which met with the same level of failure. The problem was the ease of locking and unlocking the door from the inside. It just wasn't going to work.

So, we moved on to a security chain at the top of the door. It was too high for our son to reach, and worked for about a month. Then he started using chairs, boxes, the piano bench, whatever he could find in order to unchain the door and run. And then there was the problem of the chain being used when someone wanted to come in: it ended with a frustrating wait until someone unchained the door. And, not to mention, a problem for entry should there be an emergency. And, there was no way to leave the door open to let in sunlight and fresh air on a nice day and still have it be secure. No, we needed another solution.

Then we found security doors at Lowes for a reasonable price, and I liked the idea. Here was a secure way to let in air, while also locking the door down. My wife's grandfather has similar doors for his home in Southern California, and loves them.

But it wasn't perfect, as we needed some way to secure the deadbolt from the inside. And then we found double cylinder deadbolts, which require a key on both sides to lock and unlock the door. This was ideal, making it a great solution for our family. Not only does it secure from little hands, but anyone with a key can still get in when it's in use.

So, as a test we installed the security door on the most critical entry way, which was the kitchen door. It's worked so well we are already planning on doing the same thing for the kitchen door and the garage door, two additional doors that require security (though the garage door is not as critical). The solution works for our needs, and requires less hardware.

It's an interesting solution, and one that I would recommend for any parent concerned with bolting children. It doesn't take the place of a locator device (either GPS or radio), but it at least adds one more level of peace of mind.

Giving the Gift of Life: Donating Blood

Every day in the United States, 38,000 pints of blood are needed.  That's a lot of blood.  And up until recently, I haven't been able to give blood.  But today I did, and I'm very glad I did. 

I haven't been able to give blood until recently because I was in Europe, specifically Germany, during the big Mad Cow scare in Britain.  Because of that, a moratorium was placed on all blood donors who were in Europe during the 90's.  Not that I was sad, mind you, because I'm not very thrilled to have a massive needle stuck in my arm.  Still, it's something that is needed, particularly as I have type O blood, which is in great demand.  

So I did some checking, and it seems that the moratorium is only permanent if you lived in Great Britain.  For Germany, as long as I didn't live there for longer than 5 years (and I was only there a little under 2 years), I'm clear to donate blood.  So today I went down to the blood bus, filled out the necessary forms, and let them stick me with a needle.  Within 6 minutes I was done and ready to get back to work.  

Some things that made the experience great for me was being well hydrated.  I had done quite a bit of bike riding since Monday, and with the increase in exercise I'd increased my water intake.  I rarely drink soda (unless I'm at home, or need a little bit of energy), so it wasn't a problem keeping away from that.  And when I say increased my water intake, it was over the course of three days, not just the morning before I got stuck, so I was well hydrated.  As such I didn't even feel light-headed when I stood up.

But the best thing about giving blood today was the coupon for a free pint of ice cream from Baskin Robbins, which I am sure will be a hit with the family.  Not only do I get to do my part to save a life, but I get to enjoy free ice cream.  That's just awesome. 

 

The Meltdown

Article first published as The Meltdown on Technorati.

Parenting a child with Autism has it's benefits. Children tend to be quiet much of the time because of their focus on their current project. But then there is the dreaded meltdown.

Children all have tantrums at some point, pushing their boundaries, testing their limitations, and trying to deal with their frustrations. But children with Autism have an additional cause: over-stimulation. It can happen at any time, and for any reason. Often it is caused by loud and unfamiliar noises, bright and/or flickering lights, or anything that is not part of the routine. This may sound like a typical tantrum that any child can have, but it is not. It's not something the child can control, but rather something that takes control of the child.

Luckily, there are ways to head off a typical meltdown. Helping the child focus on something to block out the cause of the meltdown is important. One way is to use music to block out strange noises. Many parents will pull out noise-cancelling headphones and turn on a favorite tune to help their child.

Others will provide some visual stimulation, such as pulling out a portable device and start a favorite video. Video games, favorite TV shows, and puzzles can all help a child visually block out the distraction and gain control.

Some need some tactile stimulation to help them gain control. Often this comes in the form of deep pressure on the limbs or around the body. My son responds to this very well. I press on his arms with my palms, giving him a constant, even pressure that helps him focus. I'll also give him deep pressure through bear hugs, which he absolutely adores. Autism service dogs are pretty much the same thing. When a child is close to a meltdown, the dog will press up against the child for short intervals, giving the child the same benefit of deep pressure.

What's interesting, and this is just an observation, is that methods of learning seem to run parallel to the methods of managing a meltdown. Perhaps it could be a way to help parents and teachers identify the best way to teach their child.

Should You Screen for Autism?

Article first published as Should You Screen for Autism? on Technorati.

Reports are coming in about an article published in the journal Pediatrics about Canadian researchers who, through a review, have pointed out the inconsistencies in Autism diagnosis, and therefore find no benefit for screening for Autism. To date I have been unable to locate this article, so I can't comment on the science behind it. From what I understand based on media reports, the researchers did a review of Autism literature regarding screening success, margins for error, and made their conclusions based on this review.

Without reading the article, I thought I would throw my own two cents in regarding this basic concept. Should screening be a priority for your child? The question is very much a "it depends" answer. You know your child best, and you know his behaviors. What's more, your pediatrician knows what behaviors are typical "Autistic" behaviors, and can be an excellent resource. But is screening really necessary?

Yes, in that many states with Autism resources (special schools, funding, etc.) require a diagnosis in order for families to have access. Without a screening by a licensed professional, you can't get access to those services. But if your health insurance policy doesn't cover Autism, then you are looking at one hefty bill, though many states with Autism services have a free screening as part of the services provided.

But, there are some stigmas that can be associated with an Autism diagnosis, I suppose. Your child will be "labeled", and become a subject of curiosity and conversation with family members to complete strangers. Though, honestly, not anything more than normal with melt-downs in public places, anti-social behavior, etc. that is typical of a child with Autism.

And is it necessary to have an exact diagnosis of where on the Spectrum the child is? I contend that it is not important. As every person with Autism is unique, knowing where on the spectrum a child is becomes more a need for labeling, rather than benefiting the child's development. Schools will work out an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for your child based on continuous observation of the child. This continuous observation is far more useful to you as a parent than a "snapshot" diagnosis taken after only an hour or two of observation. Just having the diagnosis is enough, getting the precise label is not as important.

So when wouldn't you want to get a screening for Autism? When your child has no behavior that fits in the Autism spectrum. If your child is not compulsively stacking items or lining them up, doesn't walk really close to the wall, has no fear of strangers, doesn't give eye contact, doesn't yawn with others (did you know it was a social thing?), and doesn't speak or has speech delays. There are other signs of Autism, but these are pretty common and easy to spot.

But what about misdiagnosis, you may ask? Because Autism is currently defined by behavior instead of genetics, and as many different conditions out there can mimic autistic behavior, it's possible to misdiagnose a child on the Spectrum when they instead have something like Fragile-X, celiac disease, or a number of other genetic diagnoses that can cause acute behavior changes. The only way to be sure of an Autism diagnosis is to have a genetic test, which is currently in trial with a high accuracy rate.

So, back to the original question: should you get your child screened for Autism? If you want access to those services, then you had better get your child screened. If you don't think it's necessary, and your pediatrician agrees, it's not as important. Though there was one thing reported about that article with which I completely agree, and that is to learn how your child learns, and cater to it. Nothing can change your child's life more than to help them learn.

Family Heritage: Celebrating Our Roots

Article first published as Family Heritage: Celebrating Our Roots on Technorati.

Every year in June my family has a tradition: we attend the Utah Highland Games. We attend because of the food, the pipe music, the people, and our heritage. You see, most of my ancestors were from the British Isles, specifically from Scotland. And ever since I was little, my family has celebrated the ties that made us unique.

On this day, I feel a deep connection to my ancestors as I don the kilt and walk proudly amongst my fellow Scottish Americans. We celebrate those things that make our Scottish heritage: The tossing of the caber, the putting of the stone, the tossing of the sheaf, the pipes, the drums, the tartans, the clans, and, of course, the food.

The Games are fun to watch, just like any other sport. Seeing the large caber get thrown in the air, the expectation of it landing just right, it's exciting. And at noon, the Clans gather to the sounds of pipes and drums to march. The Gathering of the Clans shows that though we may come from different families and alliances, we can all get along. The kilts, switching back and forth with each step, feels comfortable in both hot and cold weather, and for the first year my wife thought about getting kilts for my boys (something to save for next year, I suppose).

Scottish food has been colored by tradition and myth. It is very humble, as oats and meats are a large part. And the meats can be a bit, well, different, I don't deny. Haggis has been defined by many to be made on a bet, but it is actually a food that was made to stave off starvation. Every part of the sheep is included, and I can say from experience that it tastes very good (unless you microwave it). This year was the first year both my sons had a taste, and they enjoyed it. I was quite proud.

We didn't stay long, because the noise and heat can be quite trying to children with Autism, but we stayed long enough to enjoy the experience. It gives me a chance to connect with my roots, and is one of three dates when I get to wear my kilt.

And this brings me back to the importance of celebrating one's family heritage. One of the benefits of studying family history is knowing who you are, where you came from, and how past experiences can help shape your decisions. And if you look hard enough, you can find lots of interesting characters to enjoy.

These connections are important. It is the simple carriage maker from Perth, the royal lines of England, Holland, Scotland, and Germany, the harrowed pioneers of the West, and the native Americans that sought alliance that can change your outlook on life. That connection to the past is what makes me want to improve on the future for my own family. And one day, they may look back on me with the same pride as I look back to my ancestors.

So whatever your heritage, celebrate it for what it is, a tie to who you are. It doesn't mean you can't accept others for who they are and where they are from, but it does mean you have a responsibility to make your life better, in honor of who they were.

iOS Post-PC Features Missing

In the recent WWDC keynote, Steve et al had mentioned embracing the post-PC world, or using mobile devices like the iPad instead of a laptop/desktop to do your day to day work. And for the most part this is possible, when it comes to creating documents, viewing content, even creating websites and publishing them.  But there are a few pieces missing that would make it possible for me to give up my PC in lieu of my iPad.  So here is a wish list I have for iOS:

1. iPhoto Publishing: Now, when I talk about publishing in iPhoto, I don't mean publishing to the web, or even syncing to the cloud, as will be available in the Fall with iOS 5.  No, what I am talking about is creating books, calendars, and cards from iPhoto on an iOS device, and submitting it to Apple to have it published.  This is an essential tool, at least to my wife, and something that is keeping her from being able to give up her PC for the iPad.  I don't think this would be a hugely difficult tool to add either, though it would essentially be on the scale as Garageband or iMovie for iPad.  But it's a feature I would like to see, as would my wife.  It was also a conversion point for my wife, as she loves scrapbooking, but found she didn't have enough time to get pages done the way she really wanted. 
2. Xcode for iPad:  Another feature that I would love to see, though I doubt I can expect it because of the scope, is Xcode, or at least an Xcode editor.  Often I find it inconvenient to pull out my MacBook Pro to start working on code while commuting, and would find it far more useful to pull out an iPad (takes less space in cramped seating than a clamshell laptop).  It would also allow for editing on the fly.  Add iCloud support for Xcode or SVN support in Xcode for iPad, and it would allow me to edit my code with any device, make my changes, and then finish it up on a more robust device when I have the time.  That would be very convenient.  
3. Microsoft Office for iPad:  While I'm getting to love Pages, Keynote, and Numbers on my iPad, Microsoft Office is still the dominant office suite in the business world.  Because of this, it would be in Microsoft's best interest to release a version of their software for the iPad (perhaps in conjunction with a Windows Phone 7 release?).  Do I think they ever will?  Nope, they want you to get a tablet with Windows 8 on it.  It's a pity though, because that is a lot of potential revenue for their software just waiting in the wings.  
4. Video Chat for Skype:  This shouldn't be that hard, and though I like the idea of FaceTime now being available through 3G with iOS 5, I'd like additional options.  Of course, it could just dry up now that Microsoft purchased it.  

So that's my small list.  Is there anything out there that you would like to see in the post-PC world?  It doesn't matter what platform, as ultimately these features could be available to all.  

Autism Sanity in an Insane World

Article first published as Autism Sanity in an Insane World on Technorati.

Our world, with constant access to everyone's opinion through the Internet, seems insane. Political arguments abound, religious arguments continue, and social attacks continue. Everyone seems to want to find someone else to blame for their troubles, and those who get blamed are looking to shift that blame elsewhere. And even in the world of autism, this is true. Arguments between genetics and environment rage on, tearing the community apart when it comes to research and focus of those dollars.

So what, as a family with a child on the Spectrum, are you to do? This is a question I have asked myself often. I study the research (one of the benefits of working for a university), and so I get the real data and conclusions based on methods. But not a lot of people have that opportunity, increasing their confusion when this celebrity or that research scientist say one thing, with other contradicting voices out there.

So let me share with you my secret: I step back and ask one critical question, "Does this change the way I'm helping my son learn?" Most often, regardless of the points, the arguments, the research, the answer is no. All research tend to point to the same fact, which is that ABA instruction is the only proven method to significantly improve learning prospects for those with autism. While many talk about preventing autism, or developing a drug/treatment in X number of decades to "cure" autism, nothing is available now beyond the Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy already entrenched in most school districts.

There are, occasionally, some technologies and therapies that stand out as a promising method: using computers to teach kids instead of social situations tends to be more effective for children on the Spectrum. My son, for instance, loves using his apps on his iPod Touch or my iPad to learn his letters, numbers, spelling, writing, etc. He seems to do better than if I stand over him and try to teach him directly. Of course it's just self observing, but nonetheless it seems to be working and I like a working system. Other therapies seem to have shown some benefits as well, such as compression chambers that raise the air pressure slightly that above normal. But none have had the proven success rate that ABA has enjoyed.

So while my hackles may rise at the mention of vaccines/MSG/solar flares causing autism instead of genetics, it's only for a moment. I can explain my position, provide the research material that prove to me, at least, that genetics seem to be the cause, and let it go. Arguing never convinced anyone, and it's not worth the effort. I think of all that time and energy that could instead go toward benefiting my son, and realize the argument is simply a waste.

iCloud: First Impressions

I like Apple products.  There, my bias has been shared right up front.  I don't like them because they are "Apple", and I don't like them because I live in a distortion field of unreality.  I like them because they give me a stable OS (UNIX) that I don't have to compile and configure every day.  It just works so I can move on with my life.  So when iOS 5 and iCloud was announced, I was impressed.  Now that I've had a couple of days to digest the announcements, I'd like to share my thoughts. 

For iCloud, this was a long time coming, and I'm really impressed with what will be available in Fall.  Why?  Because once you purchase something, you should always have access to that regardless of whether or not the original media had been backed up.  For instance, if a catastrophic hardware failure takes out your music collection, you should be able to download it again for free.  This has not been the case with any music distribution channel of which I am aware (please correct me if I'm wrong).  I don't blame Apple or the distribution companies, but rather the record labels.  This concept of having access to purchased material is great, and I love it. 

I also like the idea of the cloud being a central hub, as opposed to the processing center.  Part of this is because of the lack of a persistent high-speed connection required for computing to run in the cloud instead of locally, where as file repositories and syncing do not need to be persistent.  Can't get a signal?  Your computer will still work, all your apps are available, and all your files are available.  Let them update to the cloud later, it doesn't matter that much.  This will perhaps change in the future when persistent networks are more ubiquitous and reliable, but until then let me have a local OS with cloud accessible items. 

So what specifically do I like about iCloud?  

1. Access to Purchases:  This is awesome, and something I have wanted for a long time. 
2. Song Matching:  This is nice, because there are lots of people out there who have "borrowed" or "backed up" music they haven't specifically paid for, and they now have a chance to protect themselves from the auspices of "piracy".  I don't like the fact that I would have to pay to access music that I have already purchased in CD form, but from a piracy standpoint, this is a win for the record labels by giving pirates a chance to come clean without threat of prosecution. 
3. Documents in the Cloud:  I already use Dropbox for this, but the space is limited for the types of files I use.  but being able to edit on any device and then have it updated, ready to go elsewhere without having to specifically tell it to save to Dropbox?  That's a win.  I will, of course, still use Dropbox (how could I not?), but now I would no longer need to use it for documents.  Here is hoping that Microsoft embraces iCloud with an Office for iPad/iPhone release, and integrate it with Office 2010/2011 or later.  Otherwise, I might just permanently convert to iWork.  
4. PC-Free:  This has been a goal of mine since the PocketPC first came out.  I had an old NEC MobilePro 400 with Windows CE 1.0 on it, and I loved it.  Since then I have had PocketPCs (one with Familiar installed), an iPod Touch, and an iPad, and each one I have tried to go PC-less with them.  There was always something that would stop me with each one.  The PocketPC didn't have networking on it by default.  the iPod Touch was too small to do any real work.  The iPad still needed to be tethered for file transfers.  But now no more with iCloud (activation is also taken care of with iOS 5, but that is another post).  We are now finally living in a post-PC world that began with those first pioneers, championed by several companies like Google, and made mainstream by Apple.  
5. Photo-Stream:  This is awesome, because it means I don't need to worry about transferring everything to the Mac and then to my iPad for additional editing.  It may only keep 1,000 photos at any given time, but archiving them on the Mac isn't the problem.  Generally it's getting it from one device to another.  That's now taken care of. 
6. Backup:  Backing up your device is critical.  One reason why I often didn't use a computer to take notes in college, despite being able to type at about 80 words per minute, was because of the chance of a hard drive crash.  Now that the iPad is working as a great device for note taking, or recording the lecture, having a back up is critical.  Having it back up to the cloud for free is even better. 
7. Shared Calendars:  Having a family calendar that everyone has access to is something I have been trying to get running at home.  To date it has meant having a Mac OS X Server running with iCal Server to get it working properly.  With iCloud, it's no longer necessary.  That means $50.00 less in cost with OS X 10.7 Lion, and that's a good thing.  
8. The Price:  Free is always a good thing, but even if you are matching your music, $24.99 a year is far better for the amount of music my wife and I have than, say, $200.00 a year.  And that is only if I want to bother, which I am still up in the air about.  We shall see. 

So that is my list of what I like. Is it all exclusive to Apple?  Probably not, as I'm sure everyone else has something similar or can set up something similar with a lot of coding/compiling/chanting in binary with five black candles burning.  But with Apple, it just works (those parts that are in beta anyway, we shall see what happens in Fall), and that's what I like the most about Apple and their products.  I'm optimistic that there will not be another "MobileMeGate".  

But what about the missing features?  Here are some things I'd like to see: 

• Video Purchases:  We have audio, what about video?  I'd like to see purchases for TV and movies be available on all devices without needing to back them up.  I'm sure Apple is just waiting for approval from the Studios for this one, and if it's like anything else with those guys, it will be pulling teeth.  From a T-Rex.  On speed.  Hopefully they can reach an agreement by Fall, but I'm not sure I'm that optimistic.  
• Video Files:  We have Photo Stream, what about Video Stream?  Can I backup my videos to the cloud when I take them, and have them sync to other devices?  Nothing was said, so I guess we will have to wait and see. 
• Video Viewing from the Cloud:  If I purchase a TV show or movie, I may not really want to store it locally, just watch it whenever I want on my Apple TV.  As part of the whole "Move away from cable" plan, this would be a huge bonus.  I'd like to be able to stream my purchases from the Cloud in future.  Again, just like purchase syncing, this may be like pulling teeth, but would be awesome. 
• Audio Listening from the Cloud: Same as watching video, but I'd like to have access to listen to my audio I purchased without having to download it first.  Streaming your audio playlists from the cloud to devices like the Apple TV would be awesome, and I would love to see it happen. 

Who knows what final announcements will be coming in Fall for iCloud?  Perhaps I'll get to see what I want.  But for now, what I'm getting is plenty for me to enjoy the cloud with my Mac devices.  Anyone else have an opinion?  What do you want to see in a cloud environment for your platform?

Autism In The Family

Article first published as Autism In The Family on Technorati.

Autism is a devastating diagnosis for any family. It's not fully understood, causes are hotly debated, and there is so much misleading information out there that no one really knows what to do. When we found out our son had Autism, we were expecting another child. Instantly we were afraid that the same diagnosis would be attributed to him, and our dreams of the perfect normal family would be shattered.

Then, we learned more about autism. We learned how our first son's mind worked, and how we could help him learn and grow like any other child. There are still a lot of things we need to teach him and there are plenty of struggles, but overall our son is doing great.

And now our second son is starting to show signs of autism, having turned two years old just recently. His behavior is not as pronounced as our first son, as he is far more verbal than our oldest had ever been, but his signs of frustration, tendency to line up objects, and various other clues indicate to us a form of autism. Most likely he will have Aspergers Syndrome based on the observations we have seen, though we still need to get him formally diagnosed.

I thought it might be scary, having two children with autism. My mind kept flashing back to the horror, fear, anger, etc. of discovery about our first son's diagnosis, I wasn't sure I wanted to repeat it. The frustration that came from learning about autism, the various theories, and finally starting to get into the real clinical research to get a better understanding threatened to overwhelm me. But then I remembered I had already been through all of that.

Our oldest is 6, finished Kindergarten with such high praise from his teacher that he is advancing to the next level, even though she doesn't want to lose him as a student. His performance has been spectacular, his academic achievement has exceeded expectations for his class. And he is, with only a few exceptions to sensory sensitivity and being non-verbal, a perfectly normal little boy.

So I no longer fear the diagnosis for our youngest son. He's also very exceptional. He is quick to see connections and make them work for his favor. He has a slight edge over our oldest in that he is likely to give eye contact, is somewhat verbal, and is less animated in his need to express himself. Having been through the gambit with our oldest, I'm prepared with our youngest. There are bound to be differences, but the autism diagnosis no longer terrifies me.

Article first published as The School Dilemma: When Do You Advance Your Child? on Technorati.

 

Recently, while my wife was working with my son's teacher in his class, she was asked a question: would we mind if our son was moved up into a more advanced Autism class? The question was asked because of an influx of new students and my son's ability to get bored very quickly when not challenged enough. The only concern would be my son's lack of verbal communication.

 

The question may seem to have an obvious answer, but it isn't as simple as putting him in a faster-paced classroom. You see, he loves working with the current teacher and aides, one of which lives nearby. There are some classmates he has had since preschool in the same classroom, which gives him a sense of comfort and continuity. And the teacher loves having my wife and I come to help when we can.

 

But the benefits are pretty exciting. My son is excelling in his academics in the current class and gets bored rather quickly (and the same thing happened in preschool at the end of the year). He would be challenged more in the more advanced class, focusing a lot on his academics that he loves so much. He would be closer to home, taking only about 10 minutes to drive over to the school as opposed to 30 or 40 minutes. He would still be bussed, which is exciting for him as he loves riding the bus to school. It just comes down to whether or not his verbal skills, or lack thereof, would be a problem.

 

I'm sure every parent has a point where their child's education needs to make change. Some need to worry about their child getting advanced too quickly into grades higher than their age group. Others worry about their children being held back a year to repeat grades for their benefit. Still others worry about getting their children in the "right" schools to reflect better on their potential collegiate careers. Personally, I'll just be happy to see my son grow into the skills he loves so much, and if that means moving him to a closer school that will better challenge him, then all the better.

 

So, after a lot of thought and discussion, we have decided to let our son advance to the next level in the autism program. He will be with more social and verbal children, which could encourage his verbal development. And, of course, he will be advancing his education at a pace with which he is more comfortable. It's exciting, and places all other debates on education, insurance, and causes of autism in perspective. This is what parenting a child with autism is really about: making those decisions that will better their lives in the future.

Windows 8: First Impressions

This morning I started my daily news review by reading articles on the new Windows 8 OS that Microsoft demoed.  Reviews are ranging from lackluster to stellar, which has to be very frustrating to Redmond right now.  The key features of Windows 8 is that it focuses on the tablet world, almost seeming to leave the PC world behind.  

Personally, I think the move shows just how badly Microsoft wants to get into the Tablet game again, one that it started years ago but couldn't get to take off.  They needed something dramatic, and looked to their Windows Phone 7 and Zune roots to find it.  And they did, with the default Windows 8 environment being the result. This works, in that they have shown their investors that they do not intend to be left behind in the Tablet world, particularly with ARM processors being so popular in iOS and Android devices.  They also seem to be mimicking Apple with their centralized Windows App Store, though the apps will be written in HTML5 and Javascript, al-la WebOS.

But the whole problem with Windows up to now has not been their dedication to a platform, but their user interface.  When the Windows GUI first came out, it was clunky, but was a huge improvement for most people over the original DOS based interface options.  Now they could see, use a mouse, drag things, and have pictures of their kids staring back at them all day long.  The interface became the standard, one that has seen duplicates and "reinventions" that were the same but different in other OS releases.  But was it the best interface?  I don't think so, and I say that with years of being a PC technician under my belt.  But it didn't matter, because it was an interface with which people were familiar.  Change the interface, and you change the experience.  Years dominating a market no longer counts, as you have rebooted the whole game with a new player. 

So what do I think of the new OS?  I love it!  Why?  Because it emphasizes the coming Tablet market as the new computing platform, and Microsoft getting into the game throws the final nail into the need for huge towers and clunky monitors.  Microsoft finally shows that they get it!  They know that the way to compete in the new world of the iPad, Zoom, and the TouchPad is to develop an OS that caters to the user, not to convention.  User-friendly is not enough anymore, you have to be almost invisible to the User, getting them to their apps without knowing they are on the OS.  That is the future of computing, and Microsoft seems to have seen the light. 

That being said, there is going to be a huge learning curve when it comes to the new OS, particularly by those who have stuck with Microsoft through the Me fiasco, and the recent Windows Vista debacle.  Much like the interface complaints of Office 2007, Windows 8 is going to take some getting used to.  The saving grace is the ability to go back to the original Windows 8 interface if wanted.  That will keep just about everyone happy, I would think. 

So why do I like Windows 8?  From the slideshows and the reports that I've heard, it seems to me that Windows 8 is giving you a more streamlined experience.  I'll reserve any final judgements when I finally get my hands on a copy, but it looks like it will be a great day for users who just want to get to their apps and not have to worry about how to get there.  Apple has done this with their Launchpad in 10.7, and I think it's no coincidence that Microsoft planned this announcement ahead of Apple's WWDC next week.  They wanted to show Apple what they have planned, and it is promising for Microsoft as it looks like it's going to be a good move for the tablet world. 

What would I like to see in Windows 8?  Stability.  And by stability, I mean no Registry.  Microsoft has owned XENIX for decades, their licensed version of UNIX, and have the ability to bring the stability and reliability of UNIX to Windows by getting rid of that registry. Do I think they did it?  Not in the least, but one can dream.  On the other hand, with the new apps being a combination of HTML5 and Javascript, programming for a Windows computer has never been easier.  Also, since this technology is hardly system intensive and most likely would not need registry entries, it could provide a level of stability unseen in Windows since, well, since I could remember.  

So I think as a whole Microsoft is finally asserting themselves as a new Tech company, and it seems they are primarily targeting Apple and Google in their quest for relevancy.  It really does look like they are pandering to stockholders here, but, as stockholders have a vested interest in the company's success, perhaps a little pandering isn't a bad thing. 

What do you think of the new Windows 8 OS?

Tools for Educators and Parents: Fast ForWord

Article first published as Tools for Educators and Parents: Fast ForWord on Technorati.

 

A few weeks ago, I got an email asking me to check out a tool for educational professionals and parents: Fast ForWord. The tool is designed to help students learn to read, and increase their reading ability. The system is designed to work with a speech and language provider, of which there is just one in the state of Utah. It works much like a video game, which makes it popular with children.

What is really interesting is that the technique has been clinically proven to work. The system was developed jointly by Rugters University and Northwestern University, and shown to build long connections in the brain between the language hemisphere and other parts of the brain.

What are long connections? Well, think of them as highways between different regions of the brain. Whenever you need to do something complex, like, say, reading. Here you are taking a pictograph (the alphabet), and processing those symbols into letters. Those letters are then processed into phonetic sounds to form a word, and that word needs to be associated with something real and tangible. For the neuro-typical brain, i.e., most brains, this is a simple process because of long connections. The highways are able to move each step to the right place quickly and easily.

The brain of a person with Autism, however, has a problem. They don't have as many of these long connections across the brain, and therefore instead of having a highway, it's more like a dirt road trying to move the information around. By contrast, local connections are huge and massive compared to the neuro-typical brain. So a lot of processing can get done locally, but not a lot can get done across the brain.

So tasks like Reading become burdensome, and as language can be closely related to the written form, their speech can suffer as well. And this is exactly what Faster ForWord had addressed in their program.

I got to speak with Dr. Martha Burns Ph.D, and part of the study and development of Fast ForWord. She told me of a case study where a young man with High-Functioning Autism had gone from non-verbal to speaking in a few years. He is now studying at MIT and about to graduate. She provided a lot of personalized information for my son which I intend to use, and recommended our school system look into various tools for him specifically.

After speaking with Dr. Burns, I started going through some of the demonstration tools that are provided on the Fast ForWord website. They seemed simple enough, and I think my son would enjoy them. As to whether or not they have helped him, it's too soon to tell. First, because there is only one provider locally, and second it's only been a couple of weeks since I have known about the program. But I would be willing to try it and see.

So for any of you out there who have tried using Fast ForWord, or have it available in your current school curriculum, I would be pleased with any reports back. How has it worked for you? Would you recommend it for others? What is your take on the program?

A Case Against The Cloud: Local Servers and Security

When Amazon's cloud network went down, there was a panic on the Internet.  Several well known and professional services were down for hours, if not days, and we were reminded once again just how fragile the Internet can be.  With all the push for "cloud" computing, this seemed to be a huge argument against it.  Couple it with the recent hacking of the Playstation Network and Android's revelation of authenticating users in clear text internally, and I began to think again about security on the Internet.  

Sure, it's convenient to pay someone else to host your services, email, etc, so that you can access that data on the go anywhere, but what control do you have over that data?  In a private world, it's not that big of a deal, but in the professional world privacy and security are crucial to business operations.  Providing security for the data is a top priority, and if you can't rely on your hosting service, on whom can you rely?

The obvious answer is to host the services yourself, in your own server farm.  But this can be expensive when you consider the costs of data connections, bandwidth, power requirements, and air-conditioning to keep the server room comfortable with all that heat pumping out from the computers.  And then you need to monitor the servers' performance, keep them up to date, patch them with security patches when necessary, reboot them if needed, etc.  All the expense that caused businesses to farm out their services to dedicated service hosts in the first place.  

So what is the answer?  I'm not sure there is one, to be frank.  Bandwidth is becoming less of an issue, as more municipalities add fiber optic connections (e.g. UTOPIA), and less power consumption has become a priority with chip makers like Intel, making the power bill for servers less of a headache.  That also means less power being converted into heat, so air conditioning needs are dramatically reduced.  But there is still the cost of the administration team to keep and manage the servers. 

But what is the alternative?  I doubt something this big will happen to Amazon again, and even smaller service sites will be better served by the failure on April 21st as they make sure they don't have the same problem.  But what control do you have over your services?  Let's take a simple thing like email as an example.  If you use Google Gmail, then your emails are stored on their servers. But what if they are hacked, and your email is then taken?  It's remote, but it could happen (as it has in the past).  If you keep your email internal, or even have two email services, one for internal mail and one for a public communication service, you then control your internal mail content.  

Perhaps I'm just being paranoid, or over cautious, but it's something to think about.  There are huge benefits to the cloud and being able to access your desktop/service/files anywhere you need them.  But there are potential costs as people with nefarious intent/nothing better to do will try to attack and glean anything they can from big service providers.  It's a dilemma I'm working on for my own potential startup, and one that I think should be taken seriously before I put my infrastructure in place. 

So what do you think?  Am I just being paranoid?  What would you do, if you were starting a business and security was something very important to that business?