Comments for James Clark http://tcextra.com/jamesclark Tech Info for the Masses Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:38:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 Comment on E-Waste by Geoff Brown http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/10/14/e-waste/#comment-25 Geoff Brown Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:40:03 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/10/14/e-waste/#comment-25 No question that the old computing iron (and plastic and other various substances) is becoming a real problem, not just here but virtually everywhere. Late in the last millennium, some of us undertook to (1) train people about computers -- how to use them, but importantly, how they worked and (2) try to recycle some of the old hardware that even then was starting to accumulate. Paul DePaolo will be the most recognizable name associated with that effort, principally housed at the Douglas Library in Canaan, but there were others as well. I cannot say we were ever short of donated hardware. Way back then, people were already eager to get rid of that 286 or 386 that was cluttering the back room. We did educate quite a number of people (the approach was basically 'build your own PC and you own it' and I think that we were all vigorously patting ourselves on the back at our wisdom when one day the whole thing began to fall apart. No, this wasn't a governmental fiat, or a drying up of either donors or recipients, it was this. A young mom came in one evening with the objective of building a PC for her family. I don't remember her name, or much about her except that she drove at least 20 minutes each week to get there. She worked hard. She learned a lot. We were inspired by her dedication, and when she needed a part we tended to cherry-pick the best, most modern parts we could scavenge from the old PCs that were being donated. After a few weeks, she proudly took her new PC home. Much to our surprise, she was back the very next week. I could tell as soon as I saw her face that things had not worked out, and I was right. "Captain Crunch won't run" were her words. Lightbulb time for all of us. There we had been thinking that we were building PCs that could do a little internet, a little family bookkeeping, maybe a Christmas letter, thereby satisfying the computing needs of an entire household. How wrong we were. It was barely 2000 and already we were like generals fighting the last war. The expectations people -- especially the very young people -- had already begun to have of computers had already changed from simply being a 'computer' to being some kind of hybrid information/entertainment device and we had not seen it happening. I would say that our little computer exchange held on for another year, more or less, before it petered out. I'm not sure we all realized exactly what had happened, but we had reached the point in the product life cycle where you can't even give them away. The message here is that (1) there's a big problem that's only getting bigger and (2) you can pretty much forget about sticking your family members with your 'old iron' -- doing that will only delay its trip to the transfer station a matter of a few months, or even less, and frustrate the dickens out of people in the process. Cheers!! No question that the old computing iron (and plastic and other various substances) is becoming a real problem, not just here but virtually everywhere. Late in the last millennium, some of us undertook to (1) train people about computers — how to use them, but importantly, how they worked and (2) try to recycle some of the old hardware that even then was starting to accumulate. Paul DePaolo will be the most recognizable name associated with that effort, principally housed at the Douglas Library in Canaan, but there were others as well.

I cannot say we were ever short of donated hardware. Way back then, people were already eager to get rid of that 286 or 386 that was cluttering the back room. We did educate quite a number of people (the approach was basically ‘build your own PC and you own it’ and I think that we were all vigorously patting ourselves on the back at our wisdom when one day the whole thing began to fall apart.

No, this wasn’t a governmental fiat, or a drying up of either donors or recipients, it was this. A young mom came in one evening with the objective of building a PC for her family. I don’t remember her name, or much about her except that she drove at least 20 minutes each week to get there. She worked hard. She learned a lot. We were inspired by her dedication, and when she needed a part we tended to cherry-pick the best, most modern parts we could scavenge from the old PCs that were being donated.

After a few weeks, she proudly took her new PC home. Much to our surprise, she was back the very next week. I could tell as soon as I saw her face that things had not worked out, and I was right. “Captain Crunch won’t run” were her words.

Lightbulb time for all of us. There we had been thinking that we were building PCs that could do a little internet, a little family bookkeeping, maybe a Christmas letter, thereby satisfying the computing needs of an entire household.

How wrong we were. It was barely 2000 and already we were like generals fighting the last war. The expectations people — especially the very young people — had already begun to have of computers had already changed from simply being a ‘computer’ to being some kind of hybrid information/entertainment device and we had not seen it happening.

I would say that our little computer exchange held on for another year, more or less, before it petered out. I’m not sure we all realized exactly what had happened, but we had reached the point in the product life cycle where you can’t even give them away.

The message here is that (1) there’s a big problem that’s only getting bigger and (2) you can pretty much forget about sticking your family members with your ‘old iron’ — doing that will only delay its trip to the transfer station a matter of a few months, or even less, and frustrate the dickens out of people in the process.

Cheers!!

]]> Comment on The Theoretical Invisible Human by James http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-24 James Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:50:16 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-24 Thanks for the update Tony. Thanks for the update Tony.

]]> Comment on The Theoretical Invisible Human by Tony Epworth http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-23 Tony Epworth Sat, 21 Oct 2006 14:44:46 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-23 It's real and Leonhardt correctly suggested an answer, i.e. light flowing around an object much as water will flow around a stone. See Scientific American, October 19, 2006, "Invisibility cloak sees light of day." It’s real and Leonhardt correctly suggested an answer, i.e. light flowing around an object much as water will flow around a stone. See Scientific American, October 19, 2006, “Invisibility cloak sees light of day.”

]]> Comment on Dining Out by dolo http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-22 dolo Sat, 09 Sep 2006 23:32:55 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-22 james. i suggest you look into the development of a pill. once taken, and i suggest oraly, you would have the entire dinner dissolved in your gullet within minutes, thereby avoiding much needless driving, conversation, observance of surroundings, tiresome reading of menus, deciding on wines, remembering to take you napkin off your lap when heading to the head and especially that awkward 'who is going to pay' nonsense. i mean come on. it is freakin' 2006. lets minimize and modernize. i can't believe i just had to type all that. i could have sent it to my computer mentally if we had our act together and not missed a minute of NASCAR. james.
i suggest you look into the development of a pill. once taken, and i suggest oraly, you would have the entire dinner dissolved in your gullet within minutes, thereby avoiding much needless driving, conversation, observance of surroundings, tiresome reading of menus, deciding on wines, remembering to take you napkin off your lap when heading to the head and especially that awkward ‘who is going to pay’ nonsense. i mean come on. it is freakin’ 2006. lets minimize and modernize. i can’t believe i just had to type all that. i could have sent it to my computer mentally if we had our act together and not missed a minute of NASCAR.

]]> Comment on Dining Out by Amy http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-21 Amy Sat, 09 Sep 2006 13:43:58 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-21 As a waitress, I must say that I do my best to gauge when my customers are finished with their meal and would like their check. Sometimes, if a restaurant is busy, the wait for a check will be a little longer than usual. However, in response to Fred's post, yes, you may have never met your server, but the vast majority of us have scruples and would never even consider doing anything illegal with your card. Sure, I've had thoughts of doubling the tip on tables that were rude, but I've never acted on it, and I never would. If you are really that paranoid about handing over your credit card, pay in cash. As a waitress, I must say that I do my best to gauge when my customers are finished with their meal and would like their check. Sometimes, if a restaurant is busy, the wait for a check will be a little longer than usual. However, in response to Fred’s post, yes, you may have never met your server, but the vast majority of us have scruples and would never even consider doing anything illegal with your card. Sure, I’ve had thoughts of doubling the tip on tables that were rude, but I’ve never acted on it, and I never would. If you are really that paranoid about handing over your credit card, pay in cash.

]]> Comment on Dining Out by fred http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-20 fred Fri, 08 Sep 2006 13:03:11 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-20 eehh...i've been stuck in situations waiting for a check... then left paranod that i soo trustingly gave my credit card to a server i never met who takes it to the back room to "swipe" the card.. did my number get copied? did they relly charge only the amount due? but we still need that service... if we can do it all from our table... whats the point of going to the resturaunt? I could just as easily do all that now at a Sonic or an Arby's drive through. eehh…i’ve been stuck in situations waiting for a check… then left paranod that i soo trustingly gave my credit card to a server i never met who takes it to the back room to “swipe” the card.. did my number get copied? did they relly charge only the amount due?

but we still need that service… if we can do it all from our table… whats the point of going to the resturaunt? I could just as easily do all that now at a Sonic or an Arby’s drive through.

]]> Comment on Dining Out by Terry Cowgill http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-19 Terry Cowgill Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:03:08 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-19 I suspect enough people will pine for the days of waitresses that there will be room in the market for both types of restaurants. But rather than robots or food on rails, how about a serpentine configuration of dumbwaiters delivering hot sizzling fajitas to tables from below. Now I would PAY to see that! I suspect enough people will pine for the days of waitresses that there will be room in the market for both types of restaurants. But rather than robots or food on rails, how about a serpentine configuration of dumbwaiters delivering hot sizzling fajitas to tables from below. Now I would PAY to see that!

]]> Comment on Dining Out by Jennifer Kronholm http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-18 Jennifer Kronholm Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:42:57 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/29/dining-out/#comment-18 You may avoid the wait, but this sort of technology will eventually make servers obsolete. Once you can place your order and pay from the table, it is only a matter of time until the industry devises some way to get the food from the kitchen to the dining room. I envision carts on rails that wind their way between tables. You will be able to have a meal out without ever having to interact with another human. Machines will replace people. More importantly: Will you have to tip a robot? You may avoid the wait, but this sort of technology will eventually make servers obsolete. Once you can place your order and pay from the table, it is only a matter of time until the industry devises some way to get the food from the kitchen to the dining room. I envision carts on rails that wind their way between tables. You will be able to have a meal out without ever having to interact with another human. Machines will replace people.

More importantly: Will you have to tip a robot?

]]> Comment on Vista by fred http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/11/vista/#comment-12 fred Mon, 14 Aug 2006 01:58:40 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/11/vista/#comment-12 I am starting to see similarties in the Graphic Interface between Vista and OS X. I am starting to see similarties in the Graphic Interface between Vista and OS X.

]]> Comment on The Theoretical Invisible Human by fred http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-11 fred Mon, 07 Aug 2006 23:50:32 +0000 http://tcextra.com/jamesclark/2006/08/02/the-theoretcial-invisible-human/#comment-11 The Comic Dave Attel defines "Time Travel" as drinking so much that you black out, and wake up in situations that you dont remember getting to in the first place. And in an old Kids Show "The Adventures of Pete and Pete", the live in an unnamed state that borders a time zone, so on the hour of daylight savings time, the cross the border and move yet another hour back. Although both are no real definition of "time travel".. they both keep a person thinking about the posibility of it. The Comic Dave Attel defines “Time Travel” as drinking so much that you black out, and wake up in situations that you dont remember getting to in the first place.

And in an old Kids Show “The Adventures of Pete and Pete”, the live in an unnamed state that borders a time zone, so on the hour of daylight savings time, the cross the border and move yet another hour back.

Although both are no real definition of “time travel”.. they both keep a person thinking about the posibility of it.

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