You Can’t Depend on Free
Tim Stahmer, Assorted Stuff, 2016/07/08

After events such as the changes to Evernote or the shut-down of Google Reader we get constant reminders like this one, that we cannot depend on free. That's true. But crucially, we cannot depend on paid, either. Like when I bought iMovie from Apple and the first update eliminated the timeline view of my movies. After that, all it ever did was generate thumbnails. Or how about those people who bought WebCT and Angel, counting on continued service and support. Or closer to home, my Windows 8 was almost forceably updated to Windows 10, which obsoleted my laptop. I could go on and on about how undependable the stuff we pay for is. So undependibility has nothing to do with whether the software is free. It has everything to do with the business model behind the software, free or otherwise.

[Link] [Comment]

ShortSims
Clark Aldrich, 2016/07/08

A few years ago we invited Clark Aldrich into the Chande 11 online course, where he talked about simulations for learning. Over the years he has created and collected a variety of these under the heading 'short sims' and the slogan 'simple educational simulations work better." He explains that short sims provide a richer experience. They "can present complex processes for students to perform, remembering past decisions." They "can put students in social situations with many possible options." Try one here.

[Link] [Comment]