On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Da Rock <rock_on_the_web@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > On Mon, 2008-04-07 at 13:23 +0930, Tim wrote: > > On Mon, 2008-04-07 at 09:36 +1000, Da Rock wrote: > > > As for computers; what really gets on my goat is that they're not put to > > > full use. We originally put men on the moon with them, we have games > > > that are semi intelligent that we compete against, and YET we still use > > > them simply as a typewriter or communication device. Yes, they can be > > > used as this, but they have so much grunt these days they could be doing > > > the mundane of our tasks in life. Stupid M$ has made our machines dumb, > > > and our computers still run as slow as they did under 3.1 with all the > > > shit they put in the software. > > > > > > Thats why SETI and other boinc projects can use our collective wasted > > > computing power as a supercomputer more powerful than one put to > > > dedicated use. Really seems silly doesn't it? We dreamed of geek houses > > > in the seventies and eighties, and still we haven't got there- and not > > > due to the lack of technology... > > > > I tend to sway the other direction. We're all too quick at throwing > > computing into areas where it doesn't really belong. e.g. Schools seem > > to think that putting a computer somewhere is the answer, never mind > > that personal teaching would be more appropriate. School's as much an > > exercise in learning social skills and doing what you're supposed to be > > doing, as it is in learning how to do math, etc. And what do we do with > > the students sorely lacking in social skills? Put them on a computer, > > often flying solo... > > > > Then there's the home situation. In days gone past, the most difficult > > technical thing anyone had to do at home was get the television to show > > a decent picture. Now we do have computers in media centres that make > > you jump through hoops to try and connect two devices together in a way > > that works. Digital video that doesn't work across different things > > because of imcompatible techniques (I hesitate to refer to them as > > "standards"). Recorders that forever blink 12:00 at you. Digital > > receivers that stutter and repeat where analogue receivers give near > > perfect results. Computerised washing machines that aren't any better > > than the old ones, even worse if you want to do something simple like > > repeat one cycle because something went wrong. And that Pile of Crap > > running Windows that spews viruses and spam around the world. > > > > Our leisure time has gone from enjoying the company of friends, reading > > a book, listening to music, watching a film, to spending lots of time > > and money maintaining a plethora of technology at home, or just putting > > up with it not working right. > > So you'd throw the baby out with the bathwater here? > > The concept is right, and would yield a plethora of opportunities- but > it MUST BE DONE RIGHT. You're damned right about the M$ shitbox spewing > out crap. This thread and punch cards thread, plus the majority of the > audience on this list (it seems) come from an era where the job was done > right and it Just Works (TM) (I hope I haven't offended the coiner). M$ > comes along and cheapifies it all, but it does the job in opening the > public to computing. What should have happened was that the training > wheels should have come off- but instead users have hung on to them and > think they're clever getting them to do things like video conferencing. > They should have moved on to something that truely is customizable such > any *nix variation. I'd even allow them Ubuntu if it got them off the > damn drug produced by M$. > > And there is addiction through and through. > > Computers could be put to use as they were intended to- to make life > easier- but the majority of corporations are unwilling to throw money at > something to do the whole job when they could get away with doing a half > assed job instead. Plus they make money because the unit craps out and > the consumer has to buy another one. > > I had an old man come into my shop one day with the ccd piece of a > scanner (at which point I'm almost physically slapping my head!) and > requesting a spare part for it. I then sympathetically explained that > he'd need a special jig to replace it anyway so there's no spare part, > and of course that got him started on corporate wastefulness and so on > for over half an hour in a lecture to me. I agreed totally, but I > couldn't help him then. This is the half assed job we're talking about- > maybe not with scanners, but the majority of products (especially the > ones you mentioned- washers and dryers, HiFi equipment, etc). > > The fact of the matter is: any job worth doing is worth doing properly. > Make it work. For those of you who think the majority of work has been > done and now its only tweaking: its not over. There's miles to be done, > to get that slogan back into gear, make it Just Work (TM). > > As for the social aspect, consider this: we're arguing this point across > several continents! If it weren't for computers, we couldn't be doing > this. There are dangers, but this is as much of a social skill as > learning not to talk to strangers. So everyone can learn something. More > social activities can occur than ever before across a wide area. Forget > just the local dance hall social scene- try a GLOBAL dance hall. > > And the choice is there to do what you want- or you can put it all aside > and get outdoors or whatever. > > In this point Tim, I agree with your view of the crap, but I'd ask that > you consider the wider ramifications of what life would be like IF > computers were put to good use, and done so properly. In former > civilizations we had slaves (I'm not saying this is a good thing either- > I abhor the way they were treated) to make life easier, now we need to > use technology to achieve the same lifestyle- FOR ALL PEOPLE, not an > elite few. We can achieve something never achievable before... > > > > -- It comes down to education. People put up with crap because they don't know any better. The majority of the school system uses M$ Office and pays for the privilege. They could easily use Open Office which is free and the equal of M$ Office in everyway that counts. They could save a ton of money, donate to help improve the project, and still come out ahead. All the money saved could be invested where it matters, like a working terminal on every student's desk. Max
