Re:Ceefax is cool but dated....
on
Ceefax Turns 30
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· Score: 1
You can get Teletext (the german version) via digital satellite TV. I'd think that it'll also be possible to receive it via digital terrestrial television.
Re:Own a computer, own a car
on
Security Alert
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· Score: 1
I think this is a nice analogy, but it does not really support your point. You're probably right that most people do not know how to change the oil in their car. But if they need to, they can drive to the next service station and have it done for them. You can't do this with computers.
Also, look at the changes that have been made to computers in the last 20 years and compare them to changes in cars. If you went to driving school 20 years ago, you can still apply your knowledge to today's cars. On the other hand, most of the features you need to use to protect your computer from malware are quite new. It's like asking a car owner to repair the airbag or the ABS system.
If it can be done with pen and paper-why should we bother to do it electronically? If I would want my notes to be available electronically, I would take them on a PDA! But in fact, I don't, because I don't need them on the PC 99% of the time and if I need a particular one I just scan it. Everything the device promises can be done with today's means in a similarly effective way. Well, maybe it has some specialty applications that no one knows of...
It is perfectly understandable that a school is not always up-to-date on computer hardware. For them, buying computers is a long-term investment. Would you like to pay for new computers and new software every 2-4 years?
Judging from what you wrote it seems that these PCs are used mostly for typing papers anyway. Heck, we had first-generation Macs (I believe) in the chemistry lab of the school I was at in 1998. In the library they used old IBM PCs without any kind of GUI. In the computer science labs they had quite up-to-date PCs.
I think old computers should be kept as long as they fulfill the requirements (like printing a graph or doing database searches). Plus, the older models are not so prone to the different kinds of viri that are lurking around on the net (especially when they are not online:-)
Even better, get a small neoprene bag just for your laptop and put it into a standard backpack. That way, your laptop is even more inconspicuous and if you need the backpack for something else you don't have to carry around all the insulation. Look here for example.
Use whatever kind of pen you like, even if it is a Bic. Do not just judge the pens by how they feel while writing, but also how well you can learn from stuff written with a certain pen. I found out that I can best learn from stuff written with a fountain pen. Maybe it is because it's quite uniform, maybe my writing is more legible, I do not really know.
Depending on what you study typing everything into a computer can make sense or not. Especially subject containing a lot of diagrams and maths (e.g. physics) are difficult to type.
it does not need to be public file storage. Google could profit from the fact that a lot of files exist on thousands or even millions of computers. When someone uploads such a file to the net, Google would just need to store it once and can thus maybe offer storage a little cheaper than other (smaller) services. Also, they could use efficient compression algorithms. And if all that fails , maybe someone pays them for hints regarding pirated mp3s;-|
I guess Mandrake uses a mobile drive so that it can be powered via the USB port in most cases. Also, you're paying for the Porsche Design, if you like it or not...
Now we should be waiting for standard hard drives that come with Linux preinstalled-this could be a great boost to Linux acceptance.
Ok, let's just mention the version that is correct according to latin grammar-"viri".
Of course, most spelling errors pose no hindrance to understanding a text, but in absence of other information people tend to judge the professionality of a company or an individual by the spelling in letters, resumés et cetera.
Where I live (Vienna) the power company has offered a similar deal for decades. It is called night power, and is mainly used for water heaters. There is a reduced rate and the power company guarantees that the power is on for a certain number of hours every day. It would, however, require some kind of temperature reservoir if it was to be used for air conditioning.
Why do people hack into the pentagon? I'm sure some pentagon hackers were not interested in the data. They were looking for their personal 15 minutes of fame. But wouldn't protecting the NSF's South Pole Network make it a more prestigious target?
I am not so sure whether this is true. For example Austria has a law banning anti-Semitic propaganda since a couple of decades, but I have not noticed further steps in this direction. I do not think that corporations are interested in this kind of laws because they will not help them make money (unlike copyright laws).
Schoen should have learned that one does not falsify data and destroy the original measurement data and materials. While other researchers sometimes publish wrong results, no one does this by purpose.
The university has a moral responsibility to ensure that graduates respect the rules and ethics of scientific research. If this is not the case, I find it perfectly reasonable to revoke someone's PhD.
I own a TI-89 calculator, which can be programmed using some flavour of BASIC and also Assembler. Usually, the interface and all commands are in English, but TI offers language packs for some other languages. I once loaded the german language pack and realized that I'd have to rewrite all programs because it expected the commands to be in German. I am not sure whether this qualifies as a programming language because it's interpreted and not compiled.
About 10 years ago, my father bought a rather simple camcorder where the blinking light could be switched off via the menu. I reckon newer camcorders have this feature too.
That's what Windows does with file extensions if it recognizes the file type. I find it quite annoying and usually turn it off the first time I notice it. Many Joe Averages probably don't know where to find the appropriate checkbox, but would still prefer to see the extensions (people ask for pdf, jpeg etc.).
I'd suggest labelling the advanced features (like "Don't change this unless you know what you're doing!", "You normally don't need this." etc.) and providing well-documented context-sensitive help.
When DOS was around, Joe Average did not own a computer. Those (geeks) who had one were stuck with the OS. If they couldn't figure out how to do something, they'd look it up in a book.
Today, people expect the user interface to be graphic, self-explaining and consistent. They get frustrated if something does not work the first time. And -- what's most important -- they have a choice. If they try Linux, they will switch back to Windows if they encounter problems. If we want Joe Average to use Linux, there is the need for a consistent user interface that is similar to Windows.
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You can get Teletext (the german version) via digital satellite TV. I'd think that it'll also be possible to receive it via digital terrestrial television.
I think this is a nice analogy, but it does not really support your point. You're probably right that most people do not know how to change the oil in their car. But if they need to, they can drive to the next service station and have it done for them. You can't do this with computers. Also, look at the changes that have been made to computers in the last 20 years and compare them to changes in cars. If you went to driving school 20 years ago, you can still apply your knowledge to today's cars. On the other hand, most of the features you need to use to protect your computer from malware are quite new. It's like asking a car owner to repair the airbag or the ABS system.
and nearly burglars and spies will enter the building via the terrace
Have you ever been bitten by an AIBO?
If it can be done with pen and paper-why should we bother to do it electronically?
If I would want my notes to be available electronically, I would take them on a PDA! But in fact, I don't, because I don't need them on the PC 99% of the time and if I need a particular one I just scan it.
Everything the device promises can be done with today's means in a similarly effective way. Well, maybe it has some specialty applications that no one knows of...
It is perfectly understandable that a school is not always up-to-date on computer hardware. For them, buying computers is a long-term investment. Would you like to pay for new computers and new software every 2-4 years?
:-)
Judging from what you wrote it seems that these PCs are used mostly for typing papers anyway.
Heck, we had first-generation Macs (I believe) in the chemistry lab of the school I was at in 1998. In the library they used old IBM PCs without any kind of GUI. In the computer science labs they had quite up-to-date PCs.
I think old computers should be kept as long as they fulfill the requirements (like printing a graph or doing database searches).
Plus, the older models are not so prone to the different kinds of viri that are lurking around on the net (especially when they are not online
Even better, get a small neoprene bag just for your laptop and put it into a standard backpack. That way, your laptop is even more inconspicuous and if you need the backpack for something else you don't have to carry around all the insulation. Look here for example.
Use whatever kind of pen you like, even if it is a Bic. Do not just judge the pens by how they feel while writing, but also how well you can learn from stuff written with a certain pen.
I found out that I can best learn from stuff written with a fountain pen. Maybe it is because it's quite uniform, maybe my writing is more legible, I do not really know.
Depending on what you study typing everything into a computer can make sense or not. Especially subject containing a lot of diagrams and maths (e.g. physics) are difficult to type.
it does not need to be public file storage. Google could profit from the fact that a lot of files exist on thousands or even millions of computers. When someone uploads such a file to the net, Google would just need to store it once and can thus maybe offer storage a little cheaper than other (smaller) services. Also, they could use efficient compression algorithms. And if all that fails , maybe someone pays them for hints regarding pirated mp3s ;-|
I guess Mandrake uses a mobile drive so that it can be powered via the USB port in most cases. Also, you're paying for the Porsche Design, if you like it or not...
Now we should be waiting for standard hard drives that come with Linux preinstalled-this could be a great boost to Linux acceptance.
Ok, let's just mention the version that is correct according to latin grammar-"viri".
Of course, most spelling errors pose no hindrance to understanding a text, but in absence of other information people tend to judge the professionality of a company or an individual by the spelling in letters, resumés et cetera.
Where I live (Vienna) the power company has offered a similar deal for decades. It is called night power, and is mainly used for water heaters. There is a reduced rate and the power company guarantees that the power is on for a certain number of hours every day.
It would, however, require some kind of temperature reservoir if it was to be used for air conditioning.
Why do people hack into the pentagon? I'm sure some pentagon hackers were not interested in the data. They were looking for their personal 15 minutes of fame.
But wouldn't protecting the NSF's South Pole Network make it a more prestigious target?
I wonder whether some theatre will screen all three extended editions as a triple-feature... that's probably gonna take more than half a day!
I am not so sure whether this is true. For example Austria has a law banning anti-Semitic propaganda since a couple of decades, but I have not noticed further steps in this direction.
I do not think that corporations are interested in this kind of laws because they will not help them make money (unlike copyright laws).
Schoen should have learned that one does not falsify data and destroy the original measurement data and materials. While other researchers sometimes publish wrong results, no one does this by purpose.
The university has a moral responsibility to ensure that graduates respect the rules and ethics of scientific research. If this is not the case, I find it perfectly reasonable to revoke someone's PhD.
I expect T-Mobile to offer Wireless Internet Access to their Cellular customers at cheap rates, so that their service becomes more attractive.
I own a TI-89 calculator, which can be programmed using some flavour of BASIC and also Assembler.
Usually, the interface and all commands are in English, but TI offers language packs for some other languages. I once loaded the german language pack and realized that I'd have to rewrite all programs because it expected the commands to be in German.
I am not sure whether this qualifies as a programming language because it's interpreted and not compiled.
About 10 years ago, my father bought a rather simple camcorder where the blinking light could be switched off via the menu. I reckon newer camcorders have this feature too.
That's what Windows does with file extensions if it recognizes the file type. I find it quite annoying and usually turn it off the first time I notice it. Many Joe Averages probably don't know where to find the appropriate checkbox, but would still prefer to see the extensions (people ask for pdf, jpeg etc.).
I'd suggest labelling the advanced features (like "Don't change this unless you know what you're doing!", "You normally don't need this." etc.) and providing well-documented context-sensitive help.
you're right.
You should probably ask Mainstay.
Black, Red, Argon, Blue, Halfnium
I'm sure it is very easy :-) to print using a noble gas.
PS: it is spelled Hafnium.
When DOS was around, Joe Average did not own a computer. Those (geeks) who had one were stuck with the OS. If they couldn't figure out how to do something, they'd look it up in a book.
Today, people expect the user interface to be graphic, self-explaining and consistent. They get frustrated if something does not work the first time.
And -- what's most important -- they have a choice. If they try Linux, they will switch back to Windows if they encounter problems.
If we want Joe Average to use Linux, there is the need for a consistent user interface that is similar to Windows.
"Slap Custard Pies at Bill Gates!"