Microsoft’s mission to help every person and organization on the planet achieve more has never been more relevant as people search for new ways to be productive from anywhere. To this end, the Surface team has worked tirelessly to build a diverse set of devices to suit a variety of tasks and workstyles. Just this year, we’ve introduced Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, Surface Laptop Go, a new Surface Pro X and of course, our first dual-screen device, Surface Duo.

Since introducing Surface Duo in August 2020, people have asked when we would make this product available outside of the US. We’re pleased to share that in early 2021, we’ll be offering Surface Duo in Canada, United Kingdom, France and Germany. We’re excited to share more information at the beginning of 2021, so stay tuned for more.

With Surface Duo, we set out to unlock new levels of mobile productivity and reduce the need to reach for a larger screen to complete quick productivity tasks. With enhanced Microsoft 365 apps, productivity can take place across two distinct screens, enabling true multi-tasking. Whether viewing your Outlook Mail and Calendar side-by-side or seeing your colleagues and the presentation simultaneously on Teams, the magic of Surface Duo is the intersection of hardware and software in the palm of your hand.

There is incredible potential in this new device category to push the boundaries of productivity and creativity on a mobile device. We find inspiration in all the ways Surface Duo has sparked the imaginations of our customers and partners. It’s fantastic to see just how this product has unlocked new ways to get things done, and we are honored to see TIME and others recognize Surface Duo as one of the best inventions of 2020. Customers have built productivity workflows with Microsoft 365 applications like Outlook, OneDrive, Teams and Office. We’ve also heard from customers who have built their own App Groups to immerse themselves in their passions. View your ESPN Fantasy sports teams while simultaneously tracking scores in the NFL app, or take that Duolingo course while jotting down common phrases in Microsoft OneNote. We’ve heard from customers who open their Surface Duo as soon as they get in their car, with Spotify playing on one screen while Google Maps guides them to their destination on the other. There are numerous possibilities for personalizing your Surface Duo experience. We encourage you to explore these scenarios or create your own.

Customers love what Surface Duo allows them to accomplish with existing applications, and our partners are doing amazing work to optimize their experiences across two screens. At launch, we showcased Amazon Kindle and the incredible work they’ve done to allow you to read a book like a book on Surface Duo. Spotify has embraced dual-screen capabilities to improve music discovery. We’re excited to share that TikTok has released an enhanced app that brings entirely new experiences that light up on Surface Duo. Optimized for two screens, you can discover videos customized for you while, at the same time, exploring relevant hashtags, the latest trends and more.

New enhanced app experiences are just one way in which Surface Duo keeps getting better and better.

Over these past few months, we’ve delivered app enhancements, software and Android security updates, and improvements to the Android platform at-large. Microsoft is the third-largest Android ISV in the world[1], and we’re proud of what we’ve been able to deliver since August. Customers have enjoyed hundreds of improvements to our first-party Android apps, benefiting anyone using Microsoft applications on Android. This ensures a healthy future for this dual-screen category and a stream of improved, delightful experiences for Surface Duo customers.

We love hearing from you and working with you to chart the course for Surface Duo. As we reflect on this past year and look ahead to the next, we see even more opportunity, and we’re excited to see how you bring your own experiences to life with Surface Duo.

On behalf of the entire Surface team, we wish you happy holidays and a happy, healthy new year.

Sign up to be notified when Surface Duo becomes available: Canada | United Kingdom | France | Germany.

To learn more about Surface Duo for Business, commercial customers can connect with their local Microsoft Authorized Commercial Reseller.

Be sure to check out Surface.com for the latest from across the Surface family of products.

The news that Among Us launches on Switch today has sent shockwaves through the world of Nintendo – it’s one of the biggest games right now, after all. However, another game that was featured during today’s Indie World presentation evokes similar vibes – it’s also about being stuck on a ship and trying to discover who the bad guys are, but there the similarities end.

Gnosia isn’t some shameless cash-in, either. Despite sharing a similar premise to Among Us, it launched in Japan in 2019 on the PlayStation Vita. It was ported to the Switch earlier this year in Japan, and is getting localised for the west early next year.

The game plays very much like a visual novel RPG with lots of dialogue sequences, but the aim here is to find out who of the ship’s crew is a Gnosia – an evil life-form which is capable of disguising itself as a human. Each night, the Gnosia – if not found – will kill another member of the crew.

To unmask the Gnosia, the player has to chat with other characters. As is the case in Among Us, the crew of the ship will regularly vote on who they think is the Gnosia, and the one with the most votes will be placed in cryosleep. Should you succeed in putting all of the Gnosia on-board to sleep (yes, there can be more than one), then you win the game.

It sounds simple, but the fact that the game plays out in a time loop means that no two games will ever be the same – and you can actually end up being cast as a Gnosia yourself.

Gnosia comes to the Switch in early 2021.

If you haven’t already played To The Moon, what are you doing?! Go and play it right now, and come back. We’ll wait.

…Ok, now we’re all caught up, wipe away those tears and get ready to start weeping all over again as Finding Paradise, the 2017 sequel to the game that we gave a whopping 9/10, comes to the Switch in Summer 2021.

Finding Paradise is a gentle, story-led RPG that looks like an old, 16-bit Final Fantasy game, but takes its narrative cues from movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Memento (only way, way less traumatising).

You’ll play as Dr Eva Rosalene and Dr Neil Watts, working for a memory-altering company, Sigmund Corp., as they explore the memories of a dying man in order to fulfil his final wishes. Along the way, you’ll discover heartbreak, fear, betrayal, and all sorts of things that you’ll probably need to talk to your therapist about afterwards.

No price available yet, but it costs around £7 on Steam. If the price of Among Us on Switch is anything to go by (and it’s probably not), it might cost £6.90. Don’t spend those savings all at once.

In contrast to a normal Python method, an alias method accesses an original method via a different name—mostly for programming convenience. An example is the iterable method __next__() that can also be accessed with next(). You can define your own alias method by adding the statement a = b to your class definition. This creates an alias method a() for the original method b().

Example Alias

Here’s a minimal example:

class Car: def change_oil(self): print('oil changed') def drive_to_cinema(self): print('movie watched') # Alias Method Names oil = change_oil cinema = drive_to_cinema # Create new car object

porsche = Car() # Test original and alias method calls

porsche.change_oil()

# oil changed porsche.oil()

# oil changed porsche.cinema()

# movie watched porsche.drive_to_cinema()

# movie watched

You create one Car object porsche. The original method change_oil() may be too lengthy, so you decide to add an alias method to the class definition oil = change_oil. Now, you can access the same method in two different ways: porsche.change_oil() or simply porsche.oil().

Interactive Notebook

You can run this code interactively in our Jupyter Notebook:

Just click to the code and run it in a new tab!

Are Alias Methods Pythonic at All?

You should note, however, that using an alias at all is not very Pythonic! The Zen of Python clearly states that there should be one, and only one, way to accomplish a thing.

>>> import this

The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters  Beautiful is better than ugly. Explicit is better than implicit. Simple is better than complex. Complex is better than complicated. Flat is better than nested. Sparse is better than dense. Readability counts. Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules. Although practicality beats purity. Errors should never pass silently. Unless explicitly silenced. In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess. There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it. Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch. Now is better than never. Although never is often better than right now. If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea. If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea. Namespaces are one honking great idea -- let's do more of those!

What is Aliasing Anyway?

Aliasing happens if you access the same memory location via different symbolic names. If you change the data through one name, the other name pointing to the same data will see the change as well!

In the graphic, both variables a and b point to the same imaginary object with value 42. You delete the object with a.delete(). Now, both variables a and b point to the empty object. Variable b sees a change—even though it didn’t change anything!

“In computing, aliasing describes a situation in which a data location in memory can be accessed through different symbolic names in the program. Thus, modifying the data through one name implicitly modifies the values associated with all aliased names, which may not be expected by the programmer. As a result, aliasing makes it particularly difficult to understand, analyze and optimize programs. Aliasing analysers intend to make and compute useful information for understanding aliasing in programs.” — Wikipedia

Where to Go From Here?

Enough theory, let’s get some practice!

To become successful in coding, you need to get out there and solve real problems for real people. That’s how you can become a six-figure earner easily. And that’s how you polish the skills you really need in practice. After all, what’s the use of learning theory that nobody ever needs?

Practice projects is how you sharpen your saw in coding!

Do you want to become a code master by focusing on practical code projects that actually earn you money and solve problems for people?

Then become a Python freelance developer! It’s the best way of approaching the task of improving your Python skills—even if you are a complete beginner.

Join my free webinar “How to Build Your High-Income Skill Python” and watch how I grew my coding business online and how you can, too—from the comfort of your own home.

Join the free webinar now!

The post What’s the Most Pythonic Way to Alias Method Names? first appeared on Finxter.

Unity Technologies have just released Unity 2020.2, only the second tech release in 2020. This is part of a new focus on quality over quantity as described on the Unity Blog:

We had plans for 2020. We were going to do things better to make Unity better for you. And we did. We reexamined our priorities. We listened to you. We committed to improving performance and quality of life for all users – so you can bring your vision to life faster.

Unity 2020.2 TECH Stream is packed with all the latest features for those with projects in pre-production, or simply for those who want to leverage the most cutting edge tech to achieve a competitive edge. This version of Unity also ensures a smooth upgrade path forward. To get started, download it here today.

Following up on our promise to improve your development experience, in 2020 we shifted our release philosophy. We prioritized quality over quantity and reduced the number of releases to two per year, giving our engineers an extended stabilization phase.

Even with the increased focus on Unity 2020.2 there are several improvements in a number of different categories:

There is also an updated schedule of future Unity releases:

There are more details on the Unity 2020.2 release available here. You can learn more about the Unity 2020.2 release in the video below. In related news, Unity also have a 50% off sale on the Unity Asset Store with an additional 5% off on > $120 purchases with the code GOODBYE2020.

Before COVID-19 disrupted the education journeys of more than 1.5 billion students around the world, higher education institutions were already exploring ways to grow enrollment, reach more students, and better engage the “digital natives” of Generation Z. Though the need to move online created challenges, it also inspired solutions that will have long-lasting effects on higher education. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), educators believe the pandemic has accelerated the evolution of virtual education by ten years. “We’ve been entering a new paradigm for the last decade and COVID-19 has just expedited this progress. It provided gasoline to trends that were already underway,” said Michael Horn, co-founder of Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.

83 percent of higher-ed faculty members believe courses will be conducted mostly online this term, and 62 percent say they will be online for the coming academic year. @TheEIU aka.ms/EIU Click To Tweet

In an effort to better understand the impacts of the current dynamics on higher education institutions, staff, faculty, and students, Microsoft Education partnered with the EIU on a new paper: “Bridging the Digital Divide to Engage Students in Higher Education.” The EIU conducted surveys and interviews with faculty and students in the US, UK, Australia, and Germany, as well as with global higher education experts.

Insights indicate that rather than being a short-term solution, remote and hybrid learning are likely to be a future operating model for many higher education institutions alongside on-campus programs. Though more than 80 percent of faculty members surveyed said that less than half of their institution’s courses were online prior to the pandemic, one-third of them report that their institution will permanently add online options for all or most courses moving forward. The expanded availability of virtual learning will require increased investments in technology and additional training for faculty, but these investments, along with more flexible learning programs, could make higher education more accessible and equitable, with learning supported by technology that addresses the needs of diverse learners and flexible programs with schedules that work for students with other obligations. The increased opportunity for remote attendance will serve to broaden institutions’ geographic reach as well, drawing students to the most innovative programs rather than simply the one closest to home.

There is a difference in perspective between faculty and students on preparedness for remote learning. While 85 percent of faculty members surveyed reported that they felt prepared to meet student needs effectively with the resources they had available, more than 60 percent of students shared that they did not feel mentally or academically prepared for the academic year of fall 2020. And almost half of students claim the pandemic has worsened their ability to remain focused and engaged.

Education experts say that the pandemic has caused students to be stressed, anxious, financially challenged, and socially isolated. According to a study carried out by Hope College in July 2020, 60 percent of the 38,000 students surveyed reported experiencing basic needs insecurity.

Douglas Harris, non-resident Senior Fellow, Brown Center on Education Policy said, “The current situation is pushing faculty to realize that at the very least, students are not going to be able to learn in their class if they’re suffering in other ways.”

John Hattie, Professor and Director of Melbourne Education Research Institute, pointed to the sense of isolation and lack of social connection that students are feeling: “One of the biggest factors that influences student engagement and performance is their sense of belonging in their higher education experience. This is what has suffered the most as a result of COVID-19. They no longer have the same sense of belonging that they used to have.”

To foster a greater sense of connection, experts recommend that instructors go beyond simply delivering lectures online, and instead create more opportunities for active learning and engagement. Innovative schools like St. Edward’s University already use virtual anatomy, virtual internships, virtual counselling, and virtual student teaching, says Dr. Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President of St. Edward’s University. One teacher even set up a virtual crime scene using 3D cameras, allowing students to go places they couldn’t normally go. “The students who had done the simulation first did better because they weren’t distracted by things when they were learning,” says Dr. Davis.

“The key to making active learning work online is to leverage groups and technology to make students accountable and give them ‘skin in the game’ to do the work.” —Michael Horn, Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation… Click To Tweet

Collaboration tools like Education Insights in Microsoft Teams can help instructors identify students’ needs and adapt their material for maximum impact. Dr. David Kellerman of the University of New South Wales says, “Insights for classroom Teams… has helped me connect with struggling students on a personal level, and to understand the broader trends in my classroom. Every teacher, professor or instructor on Teams has something to learn from Insights.”

Additionally, social activities such as orientations, graduations, and other traditions can be presented virtually to create more opportunities for socialization and connection. Resources such as this e-book and virtual graduation toolkit have ideas and tips for bringing events online. Beyond webcams and chat rooms, there are other creative ways to reimagine in-person gatherings, including building virtual versions of campuses in Minecraft to host in-game meetups and ceremonies.

Today’s higher education students are primarily Generation Z, a generation that is comfortable with technology and who expect it to be a part of their learning experiences—93 percent believe that remote learning will benefit their education. But they are also very clear about what they are looking for: they want their institutions to put their needs first by providing physical and virtual security, and they want to learn skills that will help them succeed in work and in life. “There is a push for higher education in the United States particularly to show greater value and a return on investment. As a result, students are looking for the best value in terms of what they are getting from their higher education and what they will be able to do in the workforce,” says Dr. Stella L. Smith, Associate Director, MACH III Center, Prairie View A&M University.

As higher education leaders work with instructional designers and professors to reimagine courses and fine-tune pedagogy, students and faculty agree that the pandemic is transforming higher education. With cooperation and creativity, this accelerated evolution can enhance student experiences through integration of emerging technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, and create new revenue opportunities for colleges and universities as they develop innovative options for students to pursue lifelong learning with flexible course schedules or micro-masters from different higher education institutions.

For a summary of key takeaways from the report, see the “Strengthening student engagement ​through hybrid education” infographic, and for full details, read the paper.

• Hybrid Learning