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Interesting that the author singles out using a search engine as a calculator as a bad idea. I do use proper calculators sometimes, but what makes google attact

Interesting that the author singles out using a search engine as a calculator as a bad idea. I do use proper calculators sometimes, but what makes google attactive as one is that it can handle both unit conversions and natural language. "30 milliliters * 50 in ounces" is an example. It's surprisingly flexible in what it recognizes.

the_af 4y ago
I find myself siding with the author of TFA, even if I don't use the tools he uses, but... ... the search engine complaint strikes me as odd. For me, Google doesn't break my flow at all. I find myself searching the web all day long, as part of my job (and basically everything else, as well). My flow is searching the web a lot, typing some code, googling, typing some more, etc. So it's a completely natural extension of my flow to have Google do my calculations and unit conversion for me. When people talk of futuristic scifi interfaces, they think some disembodied human voice (frequently female) complying with voice commands. But the reality is that Google is already here and I can have it convert between units, do calculations for me, even roll some dice! And I accomplish this just by typing natural language sentences!
- Eji1700 4y ago
  I literally have command line commands that search google and yt so that i can quickly pull up help on whatever my current issue is.
jchw 4y ago
GNU units may be of interest here.
- shadowofneptune 4y ago
  That's what the article would prefer people to use. Google though is usually already present when I am at a computer, its output is easier to read, and its input is more forgiving.
  - jchw 4y ago
    Honestly, I didn’t even see that this is what the article recommended. That having been said, I’ve found myself annoyed at Google’s calculator; it switches to scientific notation before I want it to, and it has trouble with certain inputs that a real calculator does not. So I guess you get your tradeoffs. That said, I really doubt that a comparable tool to Google’s calculator couldn’t be made, so I hope someone tries to do it. Not because I mind using Google for that (I don’t; I use it at least half of the time) but because a purpose built, configurable, extensible tool could probably go quite a bit further.
rawoke083600 4y ago
Agreed: One thing I do wish Google-Forex-Conversion will do is to show the exchange rate "both ways" Say I want to do ZAR (South African Rand) to USD, Google is quick to provide an answer, But somehow I always managed to mess up the order. I say ZAR To USD in the search box, But I really want (and should have learn by now) is USD to ZAR.

the_af 4y ago

I find myself siding with the author of TFA, even if I don't use the tools he uses, but... ... the search engine complaint strikes me as odd. For me, Google doesn't break my flow at all. I find myself searching the web all day long, as part of my job (and basically everything else, as well). My flow is searching the web a lot, typing some code, googling, typing some more, etc. So it's a completely natural extension of my flow to have Google do my calculations and unit conversion for me. When people talk of futuristic scifi interfaces, they think some disembodied human voice (frequently female) complying with voice commands. But the reality is that Google is already here and I can have it convert between units, do calculations for me, even roll some dice! And I accomplish this just by typing natural language sentences!

Eji1700 4y ago
I literally have command line commands that search google and yt so that i can quickly pull up help on whatever my current issue is.

jchw 4y ago

GNU units may be of interest here.

shadowofneptune 4y ago
That's what the article would prefer people to use. Google though is usually already present when I am at a computer, its output is easier to read, and its input is more forgiving.
- jchw 4y ago
  Honestly, I didn’t even see that this is what the article recommended. That having been said, I’ve found myself annoyed at Google’s calculator; it switches to scientific notation before I want it to, and it has trouble with certain inputs that a real calculator does not. So I guess you get your tradeoffs. That said, I really doubt that a comparable tool to Google’s calculator couldn’t be made, so I hope someone tries to do it. Not because I mind using Google for that (I don’t; I use it at least half of the time) but because a purpose built, configurable, extensible tool could probably go quite a bit further.

rawoke083600 4y ago

Agreed: One thing I do wish Google-Forex-Conversion will do is to show the exchange rate "both ways" Say I want to do ZAR (South African Rand) to USD, Google is quick to provide an answer, But somehow I always managed to mess up the order. I say ZAR To USD in the search box, But I really want (and should have learn by now) is USD to ZAR.