Re: Noise generators

In article <6v6bbfFicld4U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Yowie <yowie9644.DIESPAMDIE@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Some argue that 'txting' is creating a stronger community. Along with the
likes of facebook and personal blogs, Gen Z is constantly in contant with
their peers, forever commenting on everything. While Gen X'ers like me have
no idea who their neighbours are (I wave, but only know the names of the two
direct next door neighbours, and don't know anything more about them)
andtend to be rather insualr, these Gen Z kids have a massive network of
people they share quite intimate (for previous generations) details of their
lives with - which form very strong bonds and a feelingof belonging.


The irony is that prior to the WWW while I felt that the internet would change
things radically my prediction was that the future would be one in which
scientists cooperated as a hive on research, and that the primary use of the
internet would be to give and seek help, on a very interactive basis. The
internet is remarkably static, with web pages etc. changing little over
time, compared to what I actually expected. A student interested in doing
a thesis on X, can't connect with all the other students involved in
studying X at all easily. And companies are still all jealously guarding
their intellectual property rather than sharing it. The economic model
is still largely how can I get the most from the richest, rather than how
can I give the most to the world community.

What I find amazing are things like google streets, where I can go and look
at the church I worked at in 1974, and do virtual walk arounds. The being
able to watch web cams, around the world. The being able to download so
much. And I am amazed at how much is freely available such as gmail, and
the information content of wikkipedia. Many are lamenting the problems
wikkipedia has, but I am amazed that for the most part the information
is accurate, and that wikkipedia has an entry for almost everything.

As to 'txt' ruining the English language, its not. Its another language a
'pidgin' of English developed specifically for communicating with the
keyboard. I am not particularly fluent in it, but the vast majority Gen Z
(and even Gen Y and Gen X who use it) know perfectly well the difference
between txt and written English and can switch between the two when needed.
It is however, like 'slang' and has the effect of identifying similar people
(Gen Z) who can use it fluently from those who can't - as does any form of
'slang'.


What amazes me is why would anyone want to have to type messages using the
keys on a phone. I could have predicted lots of things but having to press
an A three times to get a C in text being preferable to actually speaking
with the person one wished to communicate with -- that I would never have
predicted.

And just another odd observation: over summer we had our usual influx of
work experience students (who are between 18 and 21). None of them wore
watches. If asked what the time was, they reached for their mobile phone
(and all of them had a mobile phone). Even though I have a mobile phone, I
don't always carry it with me (heck, only turn it on when I think its
necessary) and I'd be lost without my watch.


I have pretty much never worn a watch. When at work, I've always held to
the belief that if one is looking at the watch to know the time, it is
time to find another job. When I teach, looking at a watch would be
worse than catching glimpses of a clock on the wall. And when I work
my computer has a clock on it. The only really annoying things is that
my computer clock misses an minute per day, so I am always having to
assume it is 10 minutes later than this clock says it is. That and having
to constantly reset the stupid thing. There is now a clock on my
ipod, but I always feel a little uncomfortable when I see it. Things
designed to play music shouldn't insist that I know what the time is
when I'd rather not know what the time is.

I've personally found it more useful to wear a compass than to wear a
watch. In strange new buildings, I like having something which tells
me what direction I am facing, because I get disorientated very easily.
Likewise when I'm skiing in bush.

Ian
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Define a clock
    ... table of ratios for all clocks in the universe. ... watch, as long as I properly count all your cycles. ... with EVERY clock in the universe. ... do not stop the oscillator, you make the counters read the same. ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: Please help save the wldlife of Ormsgill Reservoir
    ... > require planning permission. ... petitioning as 'this' community is too often overlooked. ... started a job that will simply be finished when the reservoir is refilled. ... Let's just sit back and watch another of Cumbria's areas of outstanding ...
    (uk.local.cumbria)
  • Re: Define a clock
    ... >>What you're observing when you watch the blinking light or listen to the ... > and it's measurement is fully dependent upon motion. ... >>a device is called a clock. ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: A muddling morning
    ... In days of old Ray just attended to his watch, ... I wonder if he's thought of the central heating clock? ... and we'll go to bed roasting! ... I was in such a muddle I had to run Atomic Clock to see if my puter ...
    (uk.people.silversurfers)
  • Re: Ruggedness?
    ... clock on the wall of the swimming pool at my club when I am swimming. ... instead of the minutes that I actually swim for. ... So unless I wear a watch, I get out of the pool too early. ... water resistance and a bezel. ...
    (alt.horology)
Loading