> Could you say all that in English? -:
What you don't understand French or German or Techno? :-)
> One of my pet peeves regarding the computer explosion is the assumption
of
> all manufacturers, of anything to do with the field, that the average
> person really gives a s**t about how the bl**dy thing works. (You can
tell
> I'm a Macintosh user and have been since April 1984). We have enough
> technology in our lives without having to cope with compuspeak. When is
> the computer industry going to wake up to the fact that the largest
portion
> of the market is not composed of computer nerds, programmers or systems
> analysts?
I don't like MACs and I will say that in front of every MAC user I know.
They didn't start the PC revolution and the MAC is almost dead. I think
Mr. McEwen needs a real computer like a Sun MicroSystems SS4.
I have one, the past computer I ever owned. The largest portion of
repetitive buyers of computers are the "nerds" they buy the latest and the
greatest were the home user is more concerned about cost verus speed.
> Today's motorist would have trouble opening the hood of his car, and if
he
> were successful what could he do, other than check the oil? Today's
> motorcycles are not for the homewrench. Why should our computers be?
>We
> no longer teach programming in secondary schools - or we shouldn't. Why
do
> we assume that an undergraduate degree in computing science is necessay
>in
> order to send a message or type a letter?
I disagree when you say "We no longer teach programming in secondary
schools - or we shouldn't", why not I am taking a course in BASIC and C
programming next year (11th grade), and I am going to get a degree in
Computer Science in college (I hope). So what is wrong with computer
programing? If it weren't for the BASIC revolution of 1980, we wouldn't
have Windows (that could be a good thing) or the MAC OS. And just for the
record MS didn't steal the Windows idea from the MAC they stole it from
XEROX.
> The original Macintosh computer is known as the "toaster Mac" because it
> resembles a household toaster. Today's computers should not be any more
> complicated than a toaster or a TV or a telephone. What's the big deal?
> You turn it on, do your business and turn it off. End of story.
Yeah I have seen it, they still make IBMs that look like that. And if
todays computer were as simple as toaster the only thing they would do is
toast bread. Not what they were intended to do. If your LBC was like a
toaster what would it do? Toast bread. But it would break down everyday
becuase it has Lucas electrics.
> Who wants to plow through 750 page books in a vain attempt to figure what
> the hell the latest piece of software can do in the 1% of situations that
> 600 pages of the book deal with. I want to fix Brit Iron because I can
> understand it, it needs fixing and it was built to be fixed. I don't
need
> yet another new "faster" gadget which takes longer to do the same job,
> because it has so many bells and whistles that I can't figure out what to
> do with it. I don't need another gimmick which costs as much as a good
set
> of wire wheels.
You wouldn't have learned how to fix an LBC unless someone taught you or
you read about it. So that bring me back to my programming point. If no
programming why teach auto repair in the Tech Schools? Hell, just buy a
new car when it breaks down.
> I suggest that what our society needs is an end to more gadgets which
> siphon funds from our pockets in a nasty sort of planned obsolescence
which
> even American cars of the fifties did not achieve. Who needs ABS brakes,
> traction control, computerized on-board maps, speed sensitive steering,
> electronically controlled transmissions etc. They are simply means
whereby
> the incompetents of the world can clutter up our highways with dangerous
> drivers - each hiding begind the security of his air bags, sideguard door
> beams and controlled crush cockpits - safe in the knowledge that his
V**lv*
> has the highest industry crash rating. It's enough to make a mother eat
> her young.
Hey John, can you spell UNABOMBER? If not here is the name of my shrink,
Mr. Wienstein. I'll get his number later. I bet your LBC has siphoned
more money than your computer. Did your mother eat you? No, becuase we
are civilized and with cizilation comes knowledge, and with knowledge comes
new technology. John, I think it is time you start learning about new
technology, because if you don't you will be sorry 10 years from now (when
Apple is out of business).
> Kai, you are young and keen. The computer is your hobby. Find a way to
> make the computer as unobtrusive as the toaster, while allowing computer
> nerds to play all day if they wish. Just don't let them drive on my
> highway or use jargon when I want to find out why a message I sent didn't
> get there.
Wrong the computer is my life, my MG is my hobby. If my PCs where as
unobstructive as my toaster all I would do is push the power button on and
off for 6 hours.
> The foregoing was not an attempt to belittle you Kai, in any way. It is
> simply my personal opinion brought on by an afternoon jousting on the
> freeway with cars filled with incompetents. I believe that we must
> exercise a bit more choice over the direction of our technology before we
> cannot funtion legally or intellectually without it.
And you recieved my personal responce which was brought on by a day of
learning and inovation, and many other motives for writing this reply. And
the main reason I wrote it was because someone asked me a question they got
an answer.
ENGLISH: Wait and don't buy the x2 or k56Flex modems yet!!!!! That is my
professional advice, as an ISP and Internet developer.
I hope you didn't have your window down during the rush hour, because I
think the carbon monoxide fumes have clouded your vision and thinking.
Maybe I should turn to the Inet mailing list whenever I need MG advice,
becuase they seem pretty knowledgable in that area also. By mistake I sent
an MG question to that list, and they could READ it and it was in MGNESE.
And I got some very good advice, maybe even almost as I would have gotten
from this list.
Regards,
Kai M. Radicke -- mowogmg@dynanet.com
1966 MGB -- http://www.dynanet.com/~mowogmg/mg.htm
Webmaster -- webking@bigfoot.com
Dialogue Internet -- http://www.dynanet.com/~mowogmg/isp/default.htm
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