Odd Bits…
Some historical irony in this weeks list of observations that I just find wonderfully fulfilling in a geeky kind of way. Also a good enough story that strikes home to some posts I have had here before about the idea and also the fact that you do not necessarily need an electronic can opening device built into your laptop. Hopefully, I have done a better job with my note taking as I have observed things this week, as I putting it together on the fly when most things are actually observed.
- One of things you may have noticed of late is a slow drop off in computer prices. Truth be told the drop off is mostly the result of realizing that a good enough computer system is just fine for most people. Yeah, there are the avid gamers and graphics designers that will want more, but then again how many of those folks are actually working on a laptop? Mostly we just need a semi decent battery power, an okay O/S, that supports most web-based functions, including email and gives us basic office functions, like word processing and a spreadsheet. Of course, as I have said for sometime now, there is also the fact that innovation is getting slower and narrower gaps with each step forward it does manage to take.
- A few eons ago (okay, really only about 18 years ago) there were these things called IP addresses, that were mostly just random numbers to most folks, though there was a specific pattern to the in the know people. It is how electronic devices, such as computers, could and can be found on the web. Remembering a number that looks like 192.168.80.2 is a bit complex, especially if you have ten or more sites you like to visit regularly. So we came up with these things called URL’s that allowed names that meant something to be assigned to the numbers, like www.travellershavenfarms.com for instance. But in today’s hyper tweet world that is too long, so we are using services that shorten that to a random bit.ly/awerd/, leading us right back full circle to something we can longer recognize. And what is more is both Facebook and Google are starting to jump into this URL shortening game this week.
- According to xkcd, rule #34 of the internet is if you can imagine it, there is porn of it. Which leads to the great rule #35 (WARNING: Adult Content on that link!) - if it does not exist on the internet, it must be created. I have a couple of ideas running through my head on this and I am sure a couple of them are going to make it on the net soon.
- Talking to a friend earlier this week, asked what kind of internet service she has, DSL, cable, or what? And she has Fios by Verizon. I find it so cool that you can get fiber basically ran to your in home device that then converts it to copper and that Verizon offers tiered Fios services that apparently mostly start at 15Gbits/s transmission coming down. Of course I am even more fascinated by the origins of the word fios, which is Gaelic/Scottish in nature and means knowledge. Though I still question how you can trademark a word that is well around a thousand years old and clearly existed before you even thought about existing – though they do claim it stands for Fiber Optic Subscribers – itself a set of generic terms.
- I have seen a few friends with blogs (and even beyond) doing a ten best and worst moments/experiences of 2009. I am thinking of doing the same very soon, along with my traditional list of goals for 2010. I have seen a few people doing an end of the decade list – which of course brings up the questions of what years the end of the decade? For me, folks can count however, but I was born in 1970 so the ones that end of 9 are my 10 year marks (of course then there is the discussion of I was actually living my 10th year in 1979, but did not turn ten until 1980 – numbers are fun!). That all being said, hard to believe it is almost ten years past 1999.
- We have a new snow fall today. Still snowing as of now, though it has warmed just enough for some of it to slush a bit. It is a heavy wet snow. Hopefully I will get some pictures this afternoon and do another gallery. I am not at all sure why I am so much about doing snow pictures, maybe the peaceful beauty just appeals to me.
