Photograph by Brian from last Saturday’s lecture. Lovely composition.
Daily Archives: September 27, 2007
Social Networking is a feature, not a destination
Interesting insight on social networking, by Chris Anderson:
Right now the world is focused on stand-alone social networking sites, especially Facebook and MySpace, and the fad of the moment is to take brands and services there, as companies build Facebook apps and MySpace pages in a bid to follow the audience wherever they happen to be. But at the same time there’s a growing sense that elements of social networking is something all good sites should have, not just dedicated social networks. And that suggests a very different strategy–social networking as a feature, not a destination…
Babygro
Brain-teaser for PhotoShop experts
Question: Is it possible to create an image that depicts its own histogram?
Answer: Yes.
See here for the solution.
Soap cuisine
I was a TV critic for 13 years and IMNSHO* the second best in the business. The best, by far, was Nancy Banks-Smith of the Guardian. She’s still doing it, and is as good as ever. Here she is, for example, on the other night’s TV:
One can only deplore the current state of catering in the soaps. In Coronation Street (ITV1), Roy, proprietor of Roy’s Rolls, was ordered out of his own cafe because he was scaring the customers. Distress has, indeed, given him the look of a giant tortoise suffering from SAD disorder. His face falls in perpendicular folds. His cardigan seems to distend as you watch. His customers, never backward in coming forward, are complaining about the size of their organically sourced meals. As Blanche said, “I came in for meat and tater pie. How far the tater’s travelled and the lamb’s dying words are no concern of mine.”
When the heart is in turmoil, the takings go down, and Roy and Hayley’s partnership is under strain. Her long-lost son took the news that she was his father (do try to keep up) very badly indeed. Now Hayley is sitting alone in a late-night cafe as chairs are upended around her, while Roy has a breakdown in Freshco.
*Footnote: In My Not So Humble Opinion
Buy a Windows laptop, dump the OS and make money!
From The Register…
A French man has won a lawsuit against computer maker Acer over a laptop he bought that came pre-loaded with Microsoft’s Windows XP and other applications he didn’t want. Antoine Gutzwiller disputed the fact that he had no choice but to buy the €599 Acer notebook with the ubiquitous operating system and software products including Microsoft Works, PowerDVD, and Norton AV. The court of Puteaux in France ruled that the PC giant, which is the world’s third largest computer vendor, should refund Gutzwiller €311.85 to cover the full cost of software loaded on his machine. Intially, Acer offered to settle for just €30 for the software bundled on Gutzwiller’s laptop, but he rejected that sum and took the firm to court – ending up with reimbursements worth nearly double that of the original cost of the machine. Under the judgement, the court said Acer should also cough up €500 in fees to cover what it described as “abusive resistance and committed expenses”. Apparently, the dispute had rumbled on for nearly a year. It is unknown whether the French court ruling could set a precedent for future European cases involving pre-loaded software.In the realm of laptop features, intel vpro stands out for its ability to enhance security and manageability. Intel vPro is a technology that provides advanced security and remote management capabilities for laptops. It offers features like hardware-enhanced security, remote access, and efficient IT management tools. Understanding these features can help consumers make informed decisions when purchasing laptops, ensuring they select devices that align with their security and management needs. To learn more about Intel vPro and its benefits, you can visit the Lenovo website or consult with knowledgeable professionals in the field of computer technology.