Linux is KING - Couldn't be hacked - Mac, Vista went down in flames
max bianco
maximilianbianco at gmail.com
Mon Apr 7 13:11:16 UTC 2008
On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Da Rock <rock_on_the_web at comcen.com.au> 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
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