who knew we just needed floppy drives instead of sound cards back in the day :-p
Back then? Those floppies were better than any sound card I could get ahold of. ;^)
I have a complex and conflicting opinion on the "iPads will make kidz teh stupid" argument. I can not deny that the sole reason I mastered technology at an early age was to be able to play games. But, I can not for the life of me advocate crippling ourselves with the broken and confusing interfaces of old. It's a similar argument to the one surrounding calculators in the study of maths.
That potential will disappear if people abandon "real" computers.
But then you'll have a class of wizard-emperors wielding enormous power over their fellow men, technology increasingly becoming magic to those who do not understand its arcane symbols. Those with the aptitude and the will would probably like to become future wizard-emperors, and begin their dark tutelage with old Apple IIs and ROM hacking.
If one has the mark, it is in one's interest to study magic.
But, I can not for the life of me advocate crippling ourselves with the broken and confusing interfaces of old. It's a similar argument to the one surrounding calculators in the study of maths.
The solution is quite simple. We need to have devices that are easy to use. People who just want to watch a video should be able to watch a video without hassle or pain. Even programmers want to watch videos. However, we also need to have the freedom and ability to create and install any software onto any device, so that the maximum potential of all hardware is accessible to the user. The worry is that most people will only be using restricted appliance devices, and have limited access or familiarity with actual computers. It doesn't hurt if grandma uses an iPad, she wasn't going to program anything anyway. It does hurt if every kid in the country only ever uses an iPad as their primary device.
Think about how much kids learn from the required TI graphic calculators. Most kids just use it for math, and that's it. But how many learn so much more simply because the calculators have the capability of being reprogrammed? A fucking lot. At least one group of nerds in each high school for sure. I wouldn't be here today if the TI-86 didn't let you program in BASIC.
Think about how much kids learn from the required TI graphic calculators. Most kids just use it for math, and that's it. But how many learn so much more simply because the calculators have the capability of being reprogrammed? A fucking lot. At least one group of nerds in each high school for sure.
I like the idea of a sort of "hack box" that all children are given in school. Think a cross between a laptop and a TI calculator. They'd be required to use it for in-school work wherever appropriate (and no outside devices would be allowed), and it would provide the bare minimum the students needed for the coursework.
But. The device was open enough to be hacked into something more with varying degrees of difficulty. Kids who didn't care would just use the device or get a hack from someone else at the school.
But the kids who cared would become wizards. I'm pretty sure my name is to this day floating around high schools in Michigan in the physics apps I wrote.
But, I can not for the life of me advocate crippling ourselves with the broken and confusing interfaces of old. It's a similar argument to the one surrounding calculators in the study of maths.
The solution is quite simple. We need to have devices that are easy to use. People who just want to watch a video should be able to watch a video without hassle or pain. Even programmers want to watch videos. However, we also need to have the freedom and ability to create and install any software onto any device, so that the maximum potential of all hardware is accessible to the user. The worry is that most people will only be using restricted appliance devices, and have limited access or familiarity with actual computers. It doesn't hurt if grandma uses an iPad, she wasn't going to program anything anyway. It does hurt if every kid in the country only ever uses an iPad as their primary device.
This. The unfortunate circumstance is that the computers have become easy to use at the expense of user freedoms. All of the complexity could be kept behind a curtain that the vast majority of users would never look behind, but it seems scary for the option to not exist. Again, this argument only holds weight if these closed devices such as iOS become the de-facto standard for computer. We're not even arguing PC vs. Mac vs. Linux here.
There's a debate mentioning Android as an phone OS, and not once did someone mention Android's terrible marketplace infrastructure, wonky/unstable user interface, and horrendous app fragmentation? Le gasp!
All of the complexity could be kept behind a curtain that the vast majority of users would never look behind, but it seems scary for the option to not exist.
Well, that's just it. It used to be there was no curtain. You would turn on a computer, and you would get a command prompt. Then there was a curtain, but you could find the command prompt hidden away. OSX was actually a step for the positive in this regard compared to the original MacOS. iOS is a huge quandary because there isn't any curtain. It's one of the first truly popular consumer software platforms where the user can not create software for the platform on the platform itself. You can make Window software on a Windows PC. You can make OSX software on a Mac. You can't make iOS software on an iPad or iPhone. That's actually a big deal.
For a simple example, think about all the people who have made musical instruments out of old drives.
Why the fuck would I want to do that? I want to record podcasts and record videos. If I could do all of that on a single device like an iPad, rather than having to take a 15 inch MacBook Pro with me, I would! Unfortunately, for what I want to do I still need the MacBook Pro. I'd love to go with a MacBook Air, but who knew they would come out 8 months after I spent so much on this machine? I might have sacrificed some power for the portability and weight.
But then you'll have a class of wizard-emperors wielding enormous power over their fellow men
We already have them. They are the people who run the power grid. Do you know how to do that shit? Nope! Only the uber-wizards.
hey are the people who run the power grid. Do you know how to do that shit? Nope! Only the uber-wizards.
Actually, I could probably hit the ground running. Much of the US power grid is managed with legacy technology, the likes of which were my specialty at IBM supporting the manufacturing floor.
hey are the people who run the power grid. Do you know how to do that shit? Nope! Only the uber-wizards.
Actually, I could probably hit the ground running. Much of the US power grid is managed with legacy technology, the likes of which were my specialty at IBM supporting the manufacturing floor.
I always find it slightly amusing when Scott or Rym whip out the "You're a wizard, harry!" thing, because the first thing I think every fucking time is something along the lines of "I'M AN WIZARD CLAD EMPEROR! ALL BOW BEFORE ME! ALSO, CAN SOMEONE FIX MY CAR PLEASE? SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH IT, IT'S MAKING A GRRRTT GRTTT GRRRRT NOISE AND I CAN'T FIX IT. OH, AND WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO PUT UP A SHELF?"
EDIT - Not saying that's a realistic depiction of Rym and Scott - both of whom I'm sure at least have a rough knowledge of how to put up a shelf - More just that this is the first thought every time. It's not a good argument or anything like that, I just find it to be a funny mental image.
Eventually us technologists will become sacred amongst the masses. Our manuals will become holy manuscripts. Our troubleshooting processes the most holy of rituals and litanies. Without the great techpriests, the galaxy will cease to function. All knowledge of how computers function will be the greatest secret kept from the masses. You will all bow and worship the great Machine God and we will guide your faith.
I want to record podcasts and record videos. If I could do all of that on a single device like an iPad, rather than having to take a 15 inch MacBook Pro with me, I would!
Well, they did announce GarageBand and iMovie on the iPad. I wonder if it has the podcast recording/video-editing functionality that you'd need?
Eventually us technologists will become sacred amongst the masses. Our manuals will become holy manuscripts. Our troubleshooting processes the most holy of rituals and litanies. Without the great techpriests, the galaxy will cease to function. All knowledge of how computers function will be the greatest secret kept from the masses. You will all bow and worship the great Machine God and we will guide your faith.
Pretty much 100% of the art I've seen for the Adeptus Mechanicus is fucking sweet, I'll tell you that much.
I cancelled my 3DS preorder on the week-end and bought a discounted Ipad instead. I'll wait until some better games come out for the 3DS before I purchase one. As for the Ipad, I didn't find the additions announced for Ipad 2 were big enough to justify the need to buy the newer version, so I waited for the price drop and bought a 1st gen one. I've been happy with my purchase so far.
I'm hearing some not good things about the Xoom, seems Honeycomb is probably not ready for prime time.
I used a Xoom in a Best Buy. I also used a Galaxy tab and some others. They all sucked ass. The scrolling was jerky and laggy. Even Angry Birds was laggy. The boot-up took forever, and played a stupid video while you waited for it to finish. It's like, hello! iPad turns on instantly and always scrolls perfectly smoothly! You can't beat them if you don't even match them!
I should note, one thing I've noticed during my first week with the Ipad is that it is doing a number on my eyes. No doubt it's because I'm using it primarily while laying it bed just before I go to sleep. But I would imagine that this would be a time when most people choose to use it. Maybe it's something that my eyes will adjust to, I'm not sure. There is a brightness setting on it, but I have not found that adjusting this has made a difference on my eyes.
I used a Xoom in a Best Buy. I also used a Galaxy tab and some others. They all sucked ass. The scrolling was jerky and laggy. Even Angry Birds was laggy. The boot-up took forever, and played a stupid video while you waited for it to finish. It's like, hello! iPad turns on instantly and always scrolls perfectly smoothly! You can't beat them if you don't even match them!
I also used a iPad 1 for the first time this weekend. Very slick piece of equipment, very good for just idling browsing the web from the couch or watching videos. Not sure about reading books on it, but I guess it would work. That lack of flash support on such a device still kinda irks me though.
I like to actually read the reviews and figure out why people rated it the way they did. I often discard unexplained or stupid ratings, and then re-figure the rating on my own.
I once read a negative review of a place in Albany that made Buffalo wings. The review said something to this effect: "These aren't Buffalo wings. These are just wings that they fried and then tossed with sauce after the fact." Well, yes; that's how you make Buffalo wings. I discarded that rating.
So yeah, read the reviews. Don't just look at stars.
Comments
I have a complex and conflicting opinion on the "iPads will make kidz teh stupid" argument. I can not deny that the sole reason I mastered technology at an early age was to be able to play games. But, I can not for the life of me advocate crippling ourselves with the broken and confusing interfaces of old. It's a similar argument to the one surrounding calculators in the study of maths.
If one has the mark, it is in one's interest to study magic.
Think about how much kids learn from the required TI graphic calculators. Most kids just use it for math, and that's it. But how many learn so much more simply because the calculators have the capability of being reprogrammed? A fucking lot. At least one group of nerds in each high school for sure. I wouldn't be here today if the TI-86 didn't let you program in BASIC.
But. The device was open enough to be hacked into something more with varying degrees of difficulty. Kids who didn't care would just use the device or get a hack from someone else at the school.
But the kids who cared would become wizards. I'm pretty sure my name is to this day floating around high schools in Michigan in the physics apps I wrote.
EDIT - Not saying that's a realistic depiction of Rym and Scott - both of whom I'm sure at least have a rough knowledge of how to put up a shelf - More just that this is the first thought every time. It's not a good argument or anything like that, I just find it to be a funny mental image.
I once read a negative review of a place in Albany that made Buffalo wings. The review said something to this effect: "These aren't Buffalo wings. These are just wings that they fried and then tossed with sauce after the fact." Well, yes; that's how you make Buffalo wings. I discarded that rating.
So yeah, read the reviews. Don't just look at stars.