Month: August 2017

After a full week’s worth of study into the uses, pitfalls, and functionality of PHP cookies and sessions, as well as several important distractions unrelated to Grammar Captive, construction on the podcast host page has started moving forward again.

The goal is to create a direct link between the Grammar Captive podcast host page and the many podcast host pages where users typically go to obtain podcasts.  Although the task may appear simple enough, it is rather involved for several reasons.

When a user discovers a podcast that he likes on a third-party website he should be able to find the same podcast on the Grammar Captive website without having to search for it.  Once on the Grammar Captive website the user should be able to find, not only more information about the same podcast, but direct links to other podcasts that are closely related.  Further, all of the other podcasts must be well organized and within one to three clicks away.  Finally, all of  this information must appear in the same window on the same page and take only a minimum of scrolling to find.

Technically speaking, the task is quite involved, but well within reach.

Roddy

During a solar eclipse the sun (solar) is eclipsed by the moon (lunar). In other words, the moon eclipses the sun.

Three forms and three uses of the same word.

1) NOUN (eclipse)
In the phrase “solar eclipse” it is the name (noun) of an activity that can occur at any time. In this case it is the activity of obscuring or hiding from view.

2) VERB (eclipse)

a) ACTIVE VOICE (The 3rd person singular form of the verb “eclipse” used in the present tense):

In the clause “the moon eclipses the sun” the word eclipse tells what the moon does at the time that it happens.

b) PASSIVE VOICE (The past participle of the verb “eclipse” used to complete the passive voice of the verb eclipse in 3rd person singular of the present tense):

In the clause “the sun is eclipsed by the moon” the word eclipse tells what happens to the sun at the time that it happens.

Are you watching the eclipse now? Do not be eclipsed by the above grammar. It is simpler than you think, but more difficult than you believe.

And, let not the synonyms think and believe fool you into believing that they are very different in this context.

Roddy

p.s.  Solar is an adjective form of sun, and lunar is a adjective form of moon.

In order to produce an outstanding user experience Grammar Captive must incorporate a PHP session variable on its podcast webpage.  As this is a new adventure some additional time is required.

In the meantime, work has already begun on the Grammar Captive introductory podcasts.

Roddy

This was not the time to do it, but it had to be done. Grammar Captive is now resident at Galvanize in Pioneer Square. Galvanize is an IT training center and host for young software entrepreneurs. It is located in Seattle’s charming old town not far from Seattle’s international and financial districts. After a full three weeks of struggle with no or only an unsecure and unreliable internet connection Grammar Captive now has both. Accordingly, the iTunes podcast feed has finally been completed, and Grammar Captive is able to generate automatically a new XML-RSS feed with each new podcast for both iTunes and other podcast hosts. Hooray, hooray.
Next up is a podcast webpage devoted to Grammar Captives upcoming weekly podcasts and completion and automation of Seven Gates, Grammar Captive’s weekly newsletter.
Roddy