Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dbee]

Hi everyone,

Just thought that ye might like to check out a games / activities library that I've just thrown on to the net. I'm an english teacher in Daegu, and I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions.

www.englishteachingkorea.com/askgari/gari_intro.html

All the best,

dar.

[Demophobe]

This doesn't belong in tech. It's not an "app", it's a collection of games..

[dbee]

Computer application ... A computer program with a user interface.

Even a simple app like this one takes time to concieve, write, debug and then harden before putting it on the net. This is time that could be spent more profitably doing the same job for money. I've just put a working version on the net, I'm sure that there is more to do, nearly every program starts relatively small and then gets the bells and whistles later on (eg. windows, apache, unix) .

As for the collection of games, if you want to see a collection of games, then you should check out daves games section. What ask GARI allows you to do is to easily add games, share comments on them, rate them, and search through them easily.

It could be of use to any esl teacher who is stuck for things to do in the classroom. If you are a coder, then fair enough, I'd be happy to see some of your (free) projects. If not, and you are someone who doesn't understand the working of such a program then I would keep my mouth shut, for fear of alerting people to my ignorance.

Yours,

[Demophobe]

"Computer application ... A computer program with a user interface."

Yes. This is not a "program". It doesn't "run". It's a "web page".

Don't confuse "scripting" with "coding".

I'm not discounting your HTML work, so don't get too uptight here....when you posted this in the other forum, I thanked you for it. However, this post doesn't belong in tech.

Double posting (spamming) isn't good for anyone.

You may want to fix that problem on your homepage, where the drop-down menu overlaps the top text. Happens in Both Mozilla and IE.

[jay-shi]

[Hank Scorpio]

When your "program" is something that can be cobbled together in 5 minutes with a copy of Dreamweaver you need to rethink your mad skillz.

[dbee]

Fair enough then,

I'm not going to get into an argument trying to convince anyone that this is an amazing or advanced app (or program), because it's not. I just thought that it was a reasonable idea, the majority of the time went into researching the games, which has helped me with my teaching enormously. So even from a purely selfish point of view, it was worth my while.

If someone out there finds it useful, then thats cool. Otherwise c'est la vie.

As for the 'killer app', ok - it's not a killer app, but I didn't think that just 'ask GARI' would get too many views. So I wanted to add an action word, it was either going to be killer/dangerous/sexy etc...

As for what belongs in a technology section of a forum, I guess thats subjective or maybe it's up to dave or the moderators.

Just a note though, firstly I'm not a recruiter, my site is a free resource for anyone thinking about teaching in Korea or for teachers in Korea. I don't recommend schools or accept advertising. Bascially it's just a hobby, and it's completely non-commercal.

Secondly, if I was a proffesional php developer and I came up with a program like that for a commercial site. Then I know it wouldn't come up to scratch, but for a hobbyist, the dodgy interface and lack of graphics isn't the end of the world.

As for just joining daves esl to promote ask GARI, probably true. But I have used daves esl since I came to Korea. I didn't get the impetus to join until now, but I am already glad that I did, and hope to be posting on it regularly in the months to come.

Lastly, if i overreacted, I apologize. Maybe I was a little defensive, I think I'm correct in disputing the fact that it's just a collection of games. I also dispute the fact that you would be just as well off searching google. But then, thats up to you to decide for yourself. I know that if you put something in the public domain, then you have to expect some criticism. What I was hoping though was that the criticism would be of the constructive kind ...
as opposed "just a collection of games" or "something that can be cobbled together in 5 minutes with a copy of Dreamweaver". But again, I think those opinions say more about you as a person than they do about my attempt at a free games 'program'

all the best,

PS: I'll be putting up another program in a few weeks, so everyone can have a good laugh off that as well .... (I'll keep you posted)

[Demophobe]

No harm done....

It's a good service you have done, make no mistake about it. Your time and effort are going to help people. Until the database gets bigger, it is a bit superfluous, the interface I mean, but I'm sure as AskGARI grows, it will be a very useful feature.

Good job, and again, the community will appreciate your work.

[dbee]

I appreciate the encouragement, and I would like to publicly express an apology for the language I used in my return posting. Your criticism at least, while harsh, was balanced and fair.

Looking at it in the cold light of day it is a ridiculously simple program (not app). I finished it two or three months ago, and because it was my first php script, I think I let sentimentality cloud my judgement and reasoning. I could still dig up my first Java program from uni and i would find it hard to criticize.

My first car was an old beat up ford fiesta, but looking back at it. I think, at least in some ways it'll always be the best car i ever had.

Anyway thanks again and i hope there is no hard feelings,

dbee,

PS: does anyone have any objection to me linking to it in my signature ?

[Demophobe]

Hehe....I think you misunderstand...

Link it in your sig and anywhere it's applicable! Not so long ago, there was a thread in "Job Discussion" where someone needed games...FAST! This would have been a perfect time to throw up the link. Many more situations will come up.

The two reasons I say it doesn't belong in tech are 1. because your post was an advertisement for your service, not a real techy link. It just seemed out of place. I got the impression that you were trying to throw up the site everywhere possible, and were using the ruse of this being an "app" to make it applicable to the tech forum. That, and 2. You were essentially double posting.

I thought, what's next? He will link to it in "current affairs" because there is a "world leader" game in the database? It just seemed a stretch.

Look forward to your next venture.

[dbee]

I'm going to put this post down to experience (or should I say lack of experience) on my behalf, I hope everyone else can do the same and can forgive my indiscretions.

I hope too that there's no hard feelings, and I promise to choose my words and deeds more carefully from now on.

All the best and thanks again to demophobe,

dbee

[jay-shi]

[dbee]

thanks jay-shi,

Now there's an offer I can't refuse. I'll probably be bugging people for advice over the next couple of weeks (once winter session is over of course), you'll be wishing you'd never offered.

As for taking it personally, not at all ... given a dose of my own medicine ... ouch !!!

cheers again,

dar.