Nearing the End

This is the second to last blog from my very interesting blogroll (said with alot of sarcasm). Like i've heard all to many times in movies or in life, it is not until the end that you gain full appreciation for what you have accomplished. This is the tenth semester I have spent at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and I wish I would be registering for an 11th, but I am not. Now, I know I am not near old enough or wise enough to offer advice to any of you, but I have learned something, That each semester goes faster than the previous one. And for your benefit enjoy the time you got left, because sooner than later you will be entering the real world and waking up 7 a.m. and working till 5 p.m.

Due to this weeks writing workshop, not much has been discussed in class. Instead of commenting on class I chose to check out the new tech items on the horizon. What I found was an article on CNN.COM discussing apples new product that combines the iPhone with the MacBook. Here is part of the article:

Is the world finally ready for the mobile minitablet? It's become quite clear over the last several months that Apple is ready to bridge the mobile computing gap, with plans to develop a device that fits somewhere in between the iPhone and the MacBook.

Apple has developed ideas for mobile computing over the past two years that have resonated with users.

A recent Wall Street Journal article proclaimed that during his medical leave, CEO Steve Jobs has been working on that mid-sized mobile device, bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a MacBook.

And just this week, BusinessWeek reported that Apple is developing a "media pad" that would let users watch videos on a larger screen than an iPod Touch or Amazon Kindle, but on a device that's more portable than notebooks and lacks a keyboard.

The personal computer industry has long tried to make such a device a reality, but apart from some early success for the Kindle, no one has managed to convince the public that the attempts released to date -- such as the Ultra Mobile PC -- are worth buying.

Instead, PC companies looking for increased mobility are finding ways to shrink the notebook PC as opposed to a finding a new way to use computers.

As far back as 2000, Microsoft founder Bill Gates was evangelizing Tablet PCs, but a combination of price and uninspired software doomed that category to niche status.

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Intel and Microsoft then turned the hype machine to the UMPC (later rebranded MID, or Mobile Internet Device), which several years later aren't exactly flying off store shelves.

More recently, PC companies have embraced Netbooks, small inexpensive mini-notebook computers that are designed for basic Web surfing and e-mail. Netbooks, however, are further depressing the PC industry's gross margins and attempt to cram a full-fledged notebook user interface into a small package, and it doesn't seem that Apple is all that crazy about this category.

But Apple has developed a few unique ideas for mobile computing over the past two years that have resonated with designers, developers and users; namely, the iPhone OS and the App Store. So, is the timing finally right for the tweener computer?

BusinessWeek reported that the iPad (name stolen from Silicon Alley Insider for its brevity) would be about the size of the Amazon Kindle, but with a screen that covers a greater portion of the surface. The Kindle is 7.5-inches long, but the screen is just 6 inches; by comparison, the iPhone sports a 3.5-inch display, while the smallest MacBook uses a 13.3-inch display.

Previous attempts at making keyboard-less devices with 7-inch or 8-inch screens--such as UMPCs and MIDs--haven't captured the public's imagination. Microsoft and Intel had high hopes for the concept in 2006, which was also known as Project Origami inside Microsoft.

Samsung made perhaps the best-received UMPC, but that wasn't saying much, and interest in the category quickly faded after the launch of the iPhone.

The main issue with UMPCs was a lack of compelling software. They were designed to run Windows XP, which itself wasn't designed to run on a device with such a small screen and limited methods of input.

And at launch, Windows Vista was actually a step backward in terms of its suitability for mobile devices.

Intel tried to shift MIDs to Linux to get around the resource problems of Windows Vista, but its partners have yet to gain any traction. And neither attempt was able to galvanize third-party developers into creating applications designed specifically for a mobile platform.

Wiki Reflection

While completing the Wiki project I felt more pressure than ever before to make sure my information was accurate and up to date. The information included on the pages would not only be read by Scot, but could potentially be read by a number of fellow students that may go on to use the information in projects of their own. When this project is completed I believe it has the ability to be a very valuable resource.
My contribution to the Wiki project centered around Image Editing, specifically Adobe Photoshop. Unlike some of my other classmates, I had the luxury of Photoshop being done by a previous student. As a result, I centered my contributions around editing the previous material as well as making sure the information was up to date. I made an addition to the image editing cover page, that explained the variety of uses that image editing software that can have. I also added a small section on the availability of the software. When the project started one of my main goals was to change the picture on the cover page, but I was unable to find a better replacement and my novice skills in photoshop prevented me from creating one. To the main Photoshop page I centered my work on the different versions of Photoshop. I added sections on CS3 and CS4 as well as Adobe Photoshop elements. My main editing change was removing the alternative version information presented by the prior contributor. This information was out of date and the link no longer existed. Instead, I added information on a free trial you can use from the Adobe website.
The next step for the Wiki project is to simply keep adding new material on different resources that are available, both open-source and for-purchase. As far as Adobe Photoshop is concerned, I think the material concering background and tools is sufficient, but it should continually be kept up to date when discussing the new versions and advancements in technology. I think a possible addition other than editing programs would be to add a section the topics we discuss in class. It would be neat to see a section devoted to the philosophical theories that revolve around different technologies. This section would add to not only the Wiki site, but could possible be used as a resource by future English 201 students to view a background on the histories and postions of these theories.

Where's the Place to Be?

Hey 201'ers

Spring is here! Finally, consecutive days of nice weather has occurred. As a 5th year I am aware of the standard places to grab a beer and some scenery, for example the terrace, Beer Garderns of the great dane and brats. But, what I'm looking for is a hidden gem. A place to go where the scenery is maybe just as good without the crowds and the lines. So, I am enlisting the help of you guys, do you have any places that I might not be aware of?

Secondly on my Blog agenda for this week is the classes feelings on the reality show that has come to campus, "College Life" There was talk of this in class the other day, but I would like to continue the discussion. I think it is maybe the worst show on TV, rivaling what ever number dating show Bret Michaels is on. To get sidetracked for a bit, I will be honest, I really liked the first version of Rock of Love. But, now the man that should have gone down in history as the great song writer of "Every Rose has its Thorn" is going to be known to this generation as the 80's burnout with a string of ridiculous dating shows. "College Life" simply continues the tradition of MTV reality shows. It is the Midwests version of Laguna Beach, except with snow and the actors aren't as attractive.

Seeya in class, good luck on the research paper. Peace.

Ryan

The extinction of the Library

I'm sure all of you are aware of the fact that libraries are in serious trouble. Today books can be downloaded via computer, journals can be read on-line. Why does anyone have to go to the library? Sure it provides a place to study or a common place to meet with groups and do projects. But, When was the last time you checked out a book? or used MadCat to hunt down an old journal? If any of you out there are like me, it has been quite sometime.

Today people have all kinds of resources at their fingertips. You are able to buy books from amazon or have them downloaded to your ebook. Does anyone know if there is a book version of netflix? Because that could be a good idea, especially if reading ever becomes a hit again.

The annotated bibliography that is due in about 8 hours is what got me thinking about this. Twenty years ago a person in my position would be using the dewey decimal system trying to track down books in the stacks, instead I am at my computer typing in keywords from the comfort of a Lay-Z-Boy.

March Madness

How does the world affect us? How do we affect the world? (If you are wondering about question two, simply ask Al Gore or rent an Inconvenient Truth) These two questions form the base of all areas of study, whether we are talking about brain surgery or English 201 at the University of Wisconsin.

This past week in class has centered around the comparison of Embodiment and Hermeneutic relations. I don't know about the rest of you but I have found it somewhat easier to wrap my head around embodiment relations compared to hermeneutic relations. During class examples were given for each type of relationship, but is it possible for something to be both? if so, any ideas?

On a side note, I have to admit sometimes I wonder whats the big deal if something is embodiment or hermeneutic. What if the time people put into these philosophical studies was put into cancer research or the development of alternative fuels?

Well, basketball is on and my bracket is in the process of being busted. Go Duke!

Ryan

Blogging for laughs

For this weeks blog I have decided to leave out the indepth discussion, and simply relay some jokes to my fellow 201ers. These will not likely elicit many laughs, but enjoy!

1.Writing and Technology- "a real application"

There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer.When asked to define "great" he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!"He now works for Microsoft, writing error messages.

2.
Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Bill Gates all die in a plane crash. They are standing before God, seated on his throne.
God asks Al: "What do you believe?"
Al says: "I believe in the earth. I believe if we don't protect it, the whole earth will die."
God says: "I like that, come sit at my left. Bill Clinton, what do you believe?"
Bill Clinton says: "I believe in people. I believe the people should be empowered. I believe no one has the right to tell someone else what to do."
God says: "I like that, come sit on my right. OK Bill Gates, what do you believe?"
Bill Gates says: "I believe you're in my chair."

3.You decide.
As you are aware, ships have long been characterized as being female, (e.g. "Steady as she goes" or "She's listing to starboard, captain").
Recently a group of computer scientists (all male) announced that computers should also be referred to as being female. Their reasons for drawing this conclusion follow:
FIVE REASONS TO BELIEVE COMPUTERS ARE FEMALE:
1. No one but the Creator understands their internal logic.
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
3. The message "Bad command or file name" is about as informative as, "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you."
4. Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.
5. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

However, another group of computer scientists (all female) think that computers should be referred to as if they were male.
FIVE REASONS TO BELIEVE COMPUTERS ARE MALE:
1. They have a lot of data, but are still clueless.
2. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem.
3. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have obtained a better model.
4. In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.
5. Big power surges knock them out for the rest of the night.

Man or Machine

When trying to decide on a topic for this weeks blog I was left with stumped. So I started my search for an idea by typing cyborg into the Wikipedia search column. It returned some very interesting comment, but there was one item that caught my attention, it was a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe titled, "The Man That Was Used Up." I have enjoyed reading other Poe short stories and thought this could be my ticket to an okay Blog topic, and it was.

I will not try and explain the entire story but its main character is an Army hero, that through stories has become a mythical-like figure. When the narrator of the story eventually meets the hero he sees that the man is a collection of robotic parts. I would suggest atleast reading the summary of this story, if not the entire thing.

The story got me thinking, when is a human not a human anymore. If a man is made out of entirely robotic parts, like the character in Poe's story, is he still human? Or, how much Artificial Intelligence does it take to make a robot a human.