One chap was phoned by the PRS and was found to be listening to music at work. He informed them he composed the piece and was the sole artist. This cut no ice, with the PRS. (I suppose he might possibly listen to illegal music, so he should be presumed guilty!)
Even if I listen to my MP3 player through headphones, my company is liable to pay for a licence! Perhaps I'd have to join the smokers outside for my quick fix of some illicit Pink Floyd.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children state that:
"Computers should supplement--and not replace--activities and materials such as art, sand, water, books, music, outdoor exploration, experimenting with writing materials, dramatic play, and socializing with other children."
The Alliance for Childhood produced a report in 2000 which recommends that computer usage by you children is beneficial, providing it is in moderation and supported by good software.
Professor Douglas Clements in Scholastic Early Childhood Today said that even at the age of 2 a child can be sat on someones knee in front of a computer. He says "In my professional opinion, if the child enjoys the experience and seems to be interacting and engaged, then the same benefits are present as when reading a book or playing blocks together."
If you search for references, you will find that there are plenty of examples where computer usage amongst the young is encouraged and shown to be beneficial. However, the thrust is that as with any activity, especially with the very young it should be supported and time limited.
This really applies to any activity. As a parent it is easy to leave children in front of screens to amuse themselves. I would argue that it is not a good thing for kids to spend long periods watching endless cartoons on the TV. The same applies to computers.
These days it is very common to put TVs, computers etc into kids rooms. Is this a good thing? Does it help them to interact responsibly with others? Do they learn and develop as well as a child with varied, supported activities such as : drawing, reading, roleplay, going to the park?
All I am saying is there should be a balance. Computers - yes, TV - yes but in moderation and not used to simply give Mum and Dad some head space.
Personally I have taught my kids to use Word Processors, drawing packages and yes, even write programs. I don't like them spending hours on runescape or similar activies. They are allowed to play runescape and even play games that are rated at a little higher age than they actually are, but in moderation and if we parents approve.
Incidentally, our kids share a computer and don't have one each. This means they often co-operate and have to negotiate turns, share the experience etc and the computer is in a communal area and not in a bedroom.
As a parent, I am trying to give my kids the best start I can. Left to their own devices they would spend all day on the computer or watching Cartoon Network. We can tell when they have spent too long on such activities. They get lethargic, grumpy, don't eat well and sleep badly. However, with the right balance of activities and interaction the reverse is true.
Therefore, I give you, my opinion, my experience a smattering of professional opinion. However, if you want more science, there is plenty to hand if you Google (and Google Scholar). There has been a lot of research done in this area.
No two year old should have a computer thrust on them. Any sub-five year old needs to develop cognitive and communicative skills. What they really need is the attention and interaction with another human being
When my kids were small, I did indeed sit them on my knee and let them "play" with the computer. The point being I was there; discussing, helping and guiding them.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than leaving a small child to their own devices interacting with a screen, be it computer or TV.
By all means introduce a child to a computer at an
early age, but do it in small doses and together.
In my experience children love computers, but when you do manage to drag them off and do something together that actually prefer it. The difficulty is detaching them from the system in the first place.
Don't be in a rush to plug 'em in too much, too quickly!
I had a database stored in PCFile (Buttonware) in the late 1980s. This database contained a list of albums I wanted to get at some stage, when I had funds.
I guess you could call it a wish list of items, stored in a database.
Therefore I claim prior art the right to sue.
Ah! It was stored on a floppy disk, which ermm... ... Oh, b*$%^&*!!!
Back in the early nineties we got our first "proper" computer. A Sun sparkstation.
This came as several breakout boxes (disks, tapedrive etc).
Each power cable came in its own box!
Sun may do it this way but other companies seem to manage to put appropriate power cable in the right box. Shucks its been quite a while since I had to get spare kettle flexes!
Glad to hear that Sun are keeping to the old traditions.
..and in the single state, life was generally messier. But by understanding thought processes you knew the likely location of the object. By remembering the approximate time-line, you knew it would be about two thirds down the pile next to the fridge.
In the n+1 or greater state further variables come into play.
1. You left it lying around for a month and so I moved it weeks ago!
2. Are you sure you left it there? I might have moved it but I do so much tidying up after you I can't remember.
3. Perhaps one of the kids moved it!
4. You mean you left it in the pile of stuff I chucked out. Tut-tut.
5. Well, no-one else would have touched it! (implying senile dementia or sleep walking).
6..and my personal favourite. I told you to take upstairs ages. It is not my fault if you have no idea where you put it after that... (sometime later)...here it is in the pile of stuff I was going to take upstairs. What would you do without me?
And in case you think I am some kind of chauvinist... I do the cooking and most of the shopping, hoovering, put the kids to bed. etc. Just don't do washing or tidying-up, unless it is suggested, it might be "a good idea".
I also don't believe I am any messier, just have different organisational skills.
Obviously the song is allegorical, harking back to days of youth when music was fresh an vibrant. Then:
But the years went by and the rock just died
Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
shows how things changed. Suzy obviously left him for her PC and headphones and YouTube/MySpace (the "foreign guy"). Poor Elton no longer has anyone to go out and dance with. He most probably spends his evening alone, by his (expensive) record deck, listening to Crocodile Rock over and over again.
The poor wee soul is left friendless, bitter and twisted with nothing but a wardrobe of wacky clothes and as many pairs of odd specs as you can imagine.
The Internet not only killed music, it devastated his social life. Have some sympathy and respect please.;-)
I don't buy UBISoft games, anymore. I bought one and it did not work. Contacted UBISoft and eventually was told that I needed to buy a DVD-ROM rather than a DVD-Writer. DRM you see. Therefore, I nor my kids buy UBISoft games because chances are they won't work and we don't want the hassle of returning it.
I nearly bought a Sony MP3 player (the wife particularly liked the design) but with Sony's reputation I felt it unwise and went with another manufacturer.
My mobile phone will need replacing later this year. It is a Sony Ericsson and served me very well. Great phone! However, I am not sure that I trust Sony at the moment, so perhaps I looks at other brands.
Our digital camera is a bit old and frankly ropey now. My wife wants a shiny new one. I won't bother looking at Sony cameras for reasons stated above.
Probably next year our TV will need replacing I have 13 years old Samsung and if the next one lasts that long I will be over the moon. HD seems a sensible move via our cable supplier. I won't consider a jump for Blue-Ray or HD-DVD because there is no concensus and chances are that the "standards" may be tweaked. Shucks they are still tweaking DVD's. I'll let others get "Beta-Maxxed".
The point of this monologue, is that I am someone with a bit of technical knowledge, likes change and new toys but is sick to the back teeth with the frustration and hassle of shoddy customer relations and things that frankly don't work or will be deliberately broken in the near future. I just want things to work! I want to buy my CD or DVD and play it where I want it played at my convenience! I am the customer and I am right (or they don't get my money)!!
I won't buy Sony any more unless I can't avoid. UBISoft can go hang. If I get a CD or DVD that won't play, I can't be bothered going through the "returns process", so I won't buy any more from that company.
Being someone with a modicum of technical ability, I get asked for advice on such issues. If I tell people to avoid companies like UBISoft and Sony and don't touch Blue-Ray or HD-DVD for the foreseeable future, how many people like me does it take to dent profits? If companies such as Sony care little about me, why should I bother about them?
The point is that it has very little to do with terrorists as is true of most so-called anti-terrorist initiatives.
If the system can track or catch a terrorist then that is wonderful. The real use is to monitor the regular public, catch some criminals and fine dodgers.
Also remember that London has been using such a system to levy charges for the privilege to drive in central london. They can now extend ths to other towns and cities and stretches of motorway etc.
Slashdot Mirror
One chap was phoned by the PRS and was found to be listening to music at work. He informed them he composed the piece and was the sole artist. This cut no ice, with the PRS. (I suppose he might possibly listen to illegal music, so he should be presumed guilty!)
Another incident (2008) relates to the sole owner and lone worker in a garage in Nottingham being told he had to pay £150 to listen to the radio. see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/7671215.stm
Even if I listen to my MP3 player through headphones, my company is liable to pay for a licence! Perhaps I'd have to join the smokers outside for my quick fix of some illicit Pink Floyd.
"Computers should supplement--and not replace--activities and materials such as art, sand, water, books, music, outdoor exploration, experimenting with writing materials, dramatic play, and socializing with other children."
The Alliance for Childhood produced a report in 2000 which recommends that computer usage by you children is beneficial, providing it is in moderation and supported by good software.
Professor Douglas Clements in Scholastic Early Childhood Today said that even at the age of 2 a child can be sat on someones knee in front of a computer.
He says "In my professional opinion, if the child enjoys the experience and seems to be interacting and engaged, then the same benefits are present as when reading a book or playing blocks together."
If you search for references, you will find that there are plenty of examples where computer usage amongst the young is encouraged and shown to be beneficial. However, the thrust is that as with any activity, especially with the very young it should be supported and time limited.
This really applies to any activity. As a parent it is easy to leave children in front of screens to amuse themselves. I would argue that it is not a good thing for kids to spend long periods watching endless cartoons on the TV. The same applies to computers.
These days it is very common to put TVs, computers etc into kids rooms. Is this a good thing? Does it help them to interact responsibly with others? Do they learn and develop as well as a child with varied, supported activities such as : drawing, reading, roleplay, going to the park?
All I am saying is there should be a balance. Computers - yes, TV - yes but in moderation and not used to simply give Mum and Dad some head space.
Personally I have taught my kids to use Word Processors, drawing packages and yes, even write programs. I don't like them spending hours on runescape or similar activies. They are allowed to play runescape and even play games that are rated at a little higher age than they actually are, but in moderation and if we parents approve.
Incidentally, our kids share a computer and don't have one each. This means they often co-operate and have to negotiate turns, share the experience etc and the computer is in a communal area and not in a bedroom.
As a parent, I am trying to give my kids the best start I can. Left to their own devices they would spend all day on the computer or watching Cartoon Network. We can tell when they have spent too long on such activities. They get lethargic, grumpy, don't eat well and sleep badly. However, with the right balance of activities and interaction the reverse is true.
Therefore, I give you, my opinion, my experience a smattering of professional opinion. However, if you want more science, there is plenty to hand if you Google (and Google Scholar). There has been a lot of research done in this area.
When my kids were small, I did indeed sit them on my knee and let them "play" with the computer. The point being I was there; discussing, helping and guiding them.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than leaving a small child to their own devices interacting with a screen, be it computer or TV.
By all means introduce a child to a computer at an early age, but do it in small doses and together.
In my experience children love computers, but when you do manage to drag them off and do something together that actually prefer it. The difficulty is detaching them from the system in the first place.
Don't be in a rush to plug 'em in too much, too quickly!
I guess you could call it a wish list of items, stored in a database.
Therefore I claim prior art the right to sue.
Ah! It was stored on a floppy disk, which ermm...
... Oh, b*$%^&*!!!
Sun may do it this way but other companies seem to manage to put appropriate power cable in the right box. Shucks its been quite a while since I had to get spare kettle flexes!
Glad to hear that Sun are keeping to the old traditions.
In the n+1 or greater state further variables come into play.
..and my personal favourite. I told you to take upstairs ages. It is not my fault if you have no idea where you put it after that... (sometime later) ...here it is in the pile of stuff I was going to take upstairs. What would you do without me?
1. You left it lying around for a month and so I moved it weeks ago!
2. Are you sure you left it there? I might have moved it but I do so much tidying up after you I can't remember.
3. Perhaps one of the kids moved it!
4. You mean you left it in the pile of stuff I chucked out. Tut-tut.
5. Well, no-one else would have touched it! (implying senile dementia or sleep walking).
6
And in case you think I am some kind of chauvinist... I do the cooking and most of the shopping, hoovering, put the kids to bed. etc. Just don't do washing or tidying-up, unless it is suggested, it might be "a good idea".
I also don't believe I am any messier, just have different organisational skills.
Obviously the song is allegorical, harking back to days of youth when music was fresh an vibrant. Then:
But the years went by and the rock just diedSuzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
shows how things changed. Suzy obviously left him for her PC and headphones and YouTube/MySpace (the "foreign guy"). Poor Elton no longer has anyone to go out and dance with. He most probably spends his evening alone, by his (expensive) record deck, listening to Crocodile Rock over and over again.
The poor wee soul is left friendless, bitter and twisted with nothing but a wardrobe of wacky clothes and as many pairs of odd specs as you can imagine.
The Internet not only killed music, it devastated his social life. Have some sympathy and respect please. ;-)
Then will you FEEL safer?
I don't buy UBISoft games, anymore. I bought one and it did not work. Contacted UBISoft and eventually was told that I needed to buy a DVD-ROM rather than a DVD-Writer. DRM you see. Therefore, I nor my kids buy UBISoft games because chances are they won't work and we don't want the hassle of returning it. I nearly bought a Sony MP3 player (the wife particularly liked the design) but with Sony's reputation I felt it unwise and went with another manufacturer. My mobile phone will need replacing later this year. It is a Sony Ericsson and served me very well. Great phone! However, I am not sure that I trust Sony at the moment, so perhaps I looks at other brands. Our digital camera is a bit old and frankly ropey now. My wife wants a shiny new one. I won't bother looking at Sony cameras for reasons stated above. Probably next year our TV will need replacing I have 13 years old Samsung and if the next one lasts that long I will be over the moon. HD seems a sensible move via our cable supplier. I won't consider a jump for Blue-Ray or HD-DVD because there is no concensus and chances are that the "standards" may be tweaked. Shucks they are still tweaking DVD's. I'll let others get "Beta-Maxxed". The point of this monologue, is that I am someone with a bit of technical knowledge, likes change and new toys but is sick to the back teeth with the frustration and hassle of shoddy customer relations and things that frankly don't work or will be deliberately broken in the near future. I just want things to work! I want to buy my CD or DVD and play it where I want it played at my convenience! I am the customer and I am right (or they don't get my money)!! I won't buy Sony any more unless I can't avoid. UBISoft can go hang. If I get a CD or DVD that won't play, I can't be bothered going through the "returns process", so I won't buy any more from that company. Being someone with a modicum of technical ability, I get asked for advice on such issues. If I tell people to avoid companies like UBISoft and Sony and don't touch Blue-Ray or HD-DVD for the foreseeable future, how many people like me does it take to dent profits? If companies such as Sony care little about me, why should I bother about them?
The point is that it has very little to do with terrorists as is true of most so-called anti-terrorist initiatives. If the system can track or catch a terrorist then that is wonderful. The real use is to monitor the regular public, catch some criminals and fine dodgers. Also remember that London has been using such a system to levy charges for the privilege to drive in central london. They can now extend ths to other towns and cities and stretches of motorway etc.