Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 March 31
Miscellaneous desk | ||
---|---|---|
< March 30 | << Feb | March | Apr >> | April 1 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
March 31
[edit]Lupus causes and diagnosis's
[edit]we cannot offer advice about a person's diagnosis or prognisis |
---|
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it. |
Good afternoon! I would like to ask, well, I guess this is a sort of medical condition. This is not mine, but my mother's.
Actually, my question is: "What type of doctor is liable to determine the illness of my mother?" The surrogate question is: "If the complications due to lupus wasn't yet as severe, as I could assess. Is it necessary to take a lifetime medication?"
|
Painting on computers
[edit]See this painting? http://alicexz.deviantart.com/art/Virtuoso-256536410?q=gallery%3Aalicexz%2F42416920&qo=2 And how it was made? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIhh9-sRNB8 Do they made all those outlines with a mouse?? How is it possible to control the motions of the pointer with such a great degree of accuracy? Like drawing with an actual pencil? Or do they have some special sort of instrument for drawing on a computer? 14.99.163.86 (talk) 09:39, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- The video description says he used a Wacom Cintiq drawing tablet. I used to use a 12x12 inch Wacom tablet way back in the 1990s, and it was a joy to draw with. I can only imagine how great the large, high-quality ones today are. Pfly (talk) 09:50, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Bah. Yes I've got a small Wacom tablet but you've revived my envy of the Cintiq and Intuos systems again. Dmcq (talk) 12:29, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Yea, I have a small one too but don't use it much--it's nowhere near as pleasant to use as my old big Intuos. That Cintiq looks cool--like an ipad but touch and pressure sensitive and so on? Rather expensive though! Pfly (talk) 18:28, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- I've seen digitizing tablets the size of drafting tables (used to digitize old drawings). StuRat (talk) 05:14, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- Big drafting table size digitizers were also used to convert paper maps into digital data, especially back in the late 80s and early 90s when cartography was transitioning from mainly paper-based to digital/computer. The one at the GIS lab where I was a student back in the day was enormous, so as to be able to handle large-format maps. Instead of a stylus it had what was called a "rat" (a big mouse), with a bunch of buttons on it and a little window with crosshairs. This pic isn't exactly what the one I used was like, but is similar (tilting table, the "rat", etc): http://www.electricity.gg/about/companyhistory/chap12003.jpg ...and a close up of the "rat": http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~rdatta/gis2/lectures/Lecture4/fig4-9_digitizing%20Pluck.jpg Pfly (talk) 09:50, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- As much as I like the term "rat", we called ours "pucks". StuRat (talk) 02:59, 6 April 2013 (UTC)
- The Wacom tablets don't just digitise position. The cheaper versions are pressure sensitive and the Intuos has multi touch plus pens that are pressure, tilt and angle sensitive. The extra capability allows them to simulate traditional artists tools or be programmed flexibly for special effects. Dmcq (talk) 21:06, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
shipping history
[edit]Discuss the value of historic of shipping cycle patterns to predicting future markets ? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 197.225.249.7 (talk) 14:08, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Homework? RudolfRed (talk) 16:59, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Even if it isn't, we don't really have an article on the subject. Maritime history is entirely about Naval history, even though we have a separate sub-stub Naval history article. History of international trade is just a list of (more-or-less unrelated) events. Ship transport seems to be written for an 8-year-old audience. International trade is probably the only remotely usable article we have, and it doesn't cover the history of shipping in any way. If we do have a decent article on historic shipping, I've been unable to find it. Tevildo (talk) 21:19, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Reading this question carefully, especially noting the words cycle and patterns, I wonder whether Baltic Dry Index, this article about it, and this link to historical data might be more relevant links. Marco polo (talk) 19:12, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- Even if it isn't, we don't really have an article on the subject. Maritime history is entirely about Naval history, even though we have a separate sub-stub Naval history article. History of international trade is just a list of (more-or-less unrelated) events. Ship transport seems to be written for an 8-year-old audience. International trade is probably the only remotely usable article we have, and it doesn't cover the history of shipping in any way. If we do have a decent article on historic shipping, I've been unable to find it. Tevildo (talk) 21:19, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
ResCap aka Gmacm
[edit]When should ResCap aka Gmacm be out of bankruptcy — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.123.237.100 (talk) 15:27, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Recent news stories say they are due to file a reorganization plan in May, so any prediction at this time would be speculative. (That's GMAC ResCap, by the way. Looie496 (talk) 20:54, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
How
[edit]How the fuck did Aho–Corasick string matching algorithm become the most watched article of the past week? I find this difficult to grasp according to User:West.andrew.g/Popular pages. Pass a Method talk 15:33, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- Puzzling. The page view stats popped up abruptly on March 19 and have stayed very high since then. There have not been any developments that I can spot. Looie496 (talk) 21:01, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- I have a feeling its some automated bots. Maybe we should contact village pump? Pass a Method talk 21:45, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- You realise, don't you, that raising this question can only have the effect of increasing the number of hits? -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 22:14, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- From 100,000 to 100,030, maybe? Looie496 (talk) 02:40, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- You seriously misunderestimate the readership of these pages. -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 02:49, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- From 100,000 to 100,030, maybe? Looie496 (talk) 02:40, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- You realise, don't you, that raising this question can only have the effect of increasing the number of hits? -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 22:14, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- After a little Google-snooping, I found a website for architects, and on March 19th - the day the peak started - they had a Question of the Day (or week, maybe) about this algorithm. It may or may not be related, as over one million views is a bit excessive. I'll go with the bot theory, as you're the second person to mention that to me today. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 23:28, 31 March 2013 (UTC)
- I'm more concerned about Cat anatomy having so many hits. Either it's final exams in all vet schools throughout the country, or there are too many sickos around indeed.Asmrulz (talk) 02:24, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- It is also interesting to see there is a lot of talk about cats on the RefDesks these past two days - far more than normal. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 12:36, 1 April 2013 (UTC)
- Cat anatomy: 'To see this muscle, first remove the extensive aponeurosis situated on the ventral surface of the cat'. Definitely sick, or copied from a mouldy century-old encyclopedia. HenryFlower 12:55, 4 April 2013 (UTC)