Muted celebration for computing

The mouse's inventor, Doug Engelbart, on how the mouse got its name

The 40 years since the "dawn of interactive computing" represent a lost opportunity which has been hijacked by commercialism.

The claim was made at an event to celebrate the anniversary of the world debut of personal and interactive computing which took place in San Francisco on Dec 9 1968.

At what was dubbed "the mother of all demos", inventor Doug Engelbart also showed off the first computer mouse.

"There's been an explosion of technology but it hasn't reached the level of potential he envisioned in the early 1960's" Mr Engelbart's daughter Christina told the BBC.

"The vision people have for why they are building this technology is more towards commercialisation and maybe entertainment and getting documents to look nicer and crank them out faster.


"But the vision dad (Doug Engelbart) started out with was how can you make people more dramatically effective at how they work collectively to solve important problems in order to make the world a better place?"

"That vision of how do you harness the collective intellect in very powerful ways is missing from the paradigms in how things are being developed today," said Ms Englebart who is the executive director of the Engelbart Institute.

She said the kind of problems this approach would help today include things like world poverty, infectious diseases, clean technology and world hunger.

Doug Engelbart
Mr Engelbart said "the better we get, the better we get at getting better."

"It really is a race because if these problems are increasing in complexity exponentially and if we don't find exponential solutions as to how we work together to solve these problems, then we are sunk," stated Ms Engelbart.

"Innovation just stopped"

Back in 1968, Mr Engelbart's mission at the Stanford Research Institute in developing the technology was very clear. He wanted to solve humanity's most important problems by using computers to improve communication and collaboration.

At the time computing centred on mainframe machines with their punch cards, batch processing and time sharing as opposed to Mr Engelbart's notion of a personal computer and a new way of working.

At the anniversary, held at Stanford University, some of those involved in the project expressed quite vocally their own disappointment that four decades on from that seminal moment in computer history, there is not more to celebrate.

"It wasn't how are we going to sell this technology. It was about let's make the most useful thing we can possibly make," said Jeff Rulifson of the philosophy that drove the team.


Rob Skitmore of the London Science Museum predicts the mouse will remain a dominant force despite new technologies such as touch screens.

He told the BBC "I think what happened is technology moved so fast into commercialisation that by the 1970's, innovation just stopped. I shouldn't say that but the innovation that went on on the computer was about how fast can I produce beautiful documents and that wasn't the idea. "The vision was subverted by commercialism."

That view was echoed time and time again in front of the 900 strong audience of students, alumni, researchers, scientists, engineers, executives and fans who attended this commemoration.

"We are looking back at all this with a sense of nostalgia and wondering what all these magicians were able to do and we ask ourselves "what have we got today?"" questioned Andries van Dam, Professor of computer science at Brown University who attended the original demo as a "doubting Thomas."

He answered "I would say cynically that we have a collection of tools at our disposal but they don't interoperate. We can do a lot of individual things better because there is more functionality and they work faster but they don't work together and they don't play nice together.

"For me this is the lowest common denominator"

"Just a tool"

Bill English with the mouse he made
Bill English with one of the first mice he made

The 1968 demo presaged many of the technologies we use today from personal computing to social networking.

One piece of hardware that has become almost ubiquitous following that debut is the computer mouse.

However it did not take off until Apple co-founder Steve Jobs saw it being used on the Alto machine. The company licensed it for a rumoured $84,000.

The mouse never made any money for Mr Engelbart and fellow inventor Bill English who co-ordinated the original 90 minute demonstration. Just last week the biggest producer of the product, Logitech, rolled out its one billionth mouse.

"The mouse was just a tool," said Mr English matter of factly as he held the original one he helped invent.

"If the screen was going to be your environment and the way you communicate, it was important that people had a way of pointing and interacting with the computer. It was simple, it was easy, it was accurate and you didn't have any learning curve with it and people could use it right away and that was very important," he said.

As to predictions that the mouse will soon be replaced by newer technologies such as multi-touch, facial recognition and gestures, Mr English remained unimpressed.

"The computer mouse is still the best way to point at anything with any accuracy and I don't think that will change any time soon. A lot of these technologies will augment it but the mouse will be here for a while to come," stated Mr English.

Hope

The anniversary celebration tried to get the audience into the mindset of the time by displaying old black and white photos of the SRI team at work and also by playing music from the sixties by the likes of the Beatles, Otis Redding and Scott McKenzie.
first mouse
The mouse got its name because a tail came out the end of the wooden box

And some advice to get in the mood came from the stage and Bob Sproul vice president and fellow at Sun Microsystems. "If you need more help remembering the 60's, sit back, close your eyes and inhale," he joked.

Even 40 years on, snippets of film from that 90 minute demonstration had the audience gasping, laughing and applauding.

A standing ovation for 83 year old Mr Engelbart, who was in the audience, moved him to wipe away a few tears. Audience members queued up to speak to him, get his autograph and their photograph taken with him.

And speaker after speaker paid tribute to him and the work of the 17 other people involved in the project.

But amid the nostalgia and the memories, was also a focus on the future.

"We have the information superhighway but what about the innovation superhighway? This is the grand challenge of grand challenges," suggested Ms Engelbart.

"It feels like this a window of opportunity and time for the world to wake up as dad has been saying for over 40 years.

"We are on that exponential curve of world problems and every place you turn people are really feeling it. And in this country people are feeling we have a huge potential for change with a new administration so maybe we can push onto new frontiers."

And Mr van Dam threw down the gauntlet to the business leaders of the hi-tech industry.

"I look forward to the reintegration of these various components so we can go back to the future and have this totality of a broad vision at our fingertips.

" I don't see how we 're going to get there frankly because commercial organisations are not built that way."




By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley

Read More..

LG’s 14.1 LCD module adapts to all light conditions

Working on a laptop is often a problem outdoors. Adapting to the natural light makes the entire sense of portability seem flipped on its head. Then, how about a notebook to suit both indoors and outdoors, sounds alluring right? With LG’s latest LCD module housing transmissive and reflective illumination it is made possible.

Playing beyond the concept of adaptive backlighting, LG has succeeded in building a 14.1 LCD screen that’ll give the user an... optimum screen visibility in all conditions, be it indoors or out under the scorching sun. The reflective panel from behind the screen reflects light that helps form brighter images outdoors with a mirror’s aid, while the illumination out from the backlight creates better images indoors. The transmissive reflector rests between the reflective panel and the illumination from the backlight, neutralizing the image rightness to suit the light in the environment.

Via: AkihabaraNews

Read More..

Newer Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) many times faster than RAM

If you always desired for a fast computer, an ordinary RAM may just not be a solution. German physicists and engineers have thus developed the Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM), which is not only faster but also more energy efficient. MRAM seems like it will boost the mobile computing industry and stores the level of charge by changing the north-south direction of a magnet’s field. IBM and other manufacturers are planning to use MRAM, which could spin electrons to flip the magnetic fields, which is also known as the spin-torque MRAM, something that the German physicists have further improvised and... built the fastest so far.


By building tiny pillars of 165 nanometres, which act, as variable magnets at the top end, allow current to pass through from bottom to top and the spin of the electrons take place. The fields are flipped and it takes a while for it to settle to it’s new orientation. Then, the north and south axis draw circles in the air before finally settling which causes a wobble. Since this depends on the magnetic field and the wobble that takes place in a field, the German team developed a way to observe and control a magnetic field’s wobble during and after the flip. Right now, the MRAM is about 10 times faster than a MRAM, which needs 10 nanoseconds, and the conventional RAM needs 30 nanoseconds. This speed will definitely increase in the months and years to come.

by :www.gizmowatch.com

Read More..

Nokia N97 Mobile Phones

Nokia launches N97

Nokia N97 is a handset that has embarked a new era of mobile phone experience. Nokia N97 is a piece of technology that has all the mobile principles r great mobile handset. Nokia N97 is an N series handset, but it has many unique features that make it very different from the other N series handsets that Nokia has produced in the past.

One of the features of Nokia N97 that really stands out is its QWERTY keyboard. It is believed that the keyboard of Nokia N97 has the most user friendly keyboard that the Mobile market has seen till date. Nokia N97 is also said to have one of the best battery back ups. The Nokia has claimed that Nokia N97 can play music for a consecutive 36 hours. Such is the battery backup that Nokia N97 is equipped with.

Nokia N97 has a storage capacity of 32GB. This is double of any mobile handset that is available in the market as of now. And if this was not enough to tempt you guys, then hold on to know some more exciting news. Nokia N97 has a capacity to take another 16GB through microSD. This makes Nokia 97 a portable computer as it actually has 48GB memory storage.

Nokia N97 has just set new standards for mobile handsets.

Read More..

Addictions beware of the Internet, the Very Dangerous

Addicted to the Internet application in various disconcerting that the rate should skeptical. Before any family members who terjerat, intervention must be carried out immediately.

"Addictions do not make everything controlled, one of which impact on the situation, the antisocial mampuan to respect the rights of other people," said emeritus professor of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Indonesia, Fawzia Aswin Hadith, the symposium "Problema Anticipating that experience with the Internet Adiksi" Communication Forum held Life Private Hospital / Medical Practices Private Life in Jakarta, Saturday (13/12).

Adiksi or addicted is a condition tied to the habits that are very strong and capable off from the circumstances. A person addicted feel there is missing from his life if not habitat to meet the desire to access the internet from a view now, ArtistPromotionsLLC to chat.

Addictions Internet terjerat among social networking sites such as Friendster, Facebook, games, access to pornographic sites, access to various information, and other applications. Fan can not control themselves, so ignore other activities. Generally, the enthusiast occupied forget that time, school, work (although they are dope, but who do not work optimally), the surrounding environment, to obligations other.

"That happens because of that gain joy, comfort, and the preoccupation of the application of internet diaksesnya," said Fawzia. If the Internet to help remove the stimulus is not someone who experienced fun, he will continue to be addicted to repeats.

No wonder when most of the internet junkie happy that they are sociable, always want to be the center of attention, have low confidence because of a lack of physical or beautiful or handsome as they felt foolish. Parties, they will still exist without any (virtual community) know who they feel themselves to always be the center of attention.

Practicing child psychiatrist Elijati D Rosadi SpKJ (K) said, almost all patients who have been brought to him addicted stage. Children have a habit of acute or lie Intelligence and the ability to think very weak.

Enthusiast who triggered the conflict to the families admitted to virtual communities, he no longer needs the family.

According to the statement that the psychiatrist present, the trends patients addicted to the Internet children continue to increase rapidly in the last two years. However disclosed RSCM child psychiatrist, POWER Widyawati SpKJ (K), and child psychiatrist Psychiatric Hospital in Bandung, Lelly Resna SpKJ (K).

According to child psychiatrist, addicted that can be prevented if parents and adults play an active role. "Give the fate ruginya according to age or the consequences of each. Internet proved very useful for we can still control, "said psychiatrist Richard Rodrigo SpKJ, manager Dharmawangsa sanatorium, where tens psychiatrist practices.

Parents and children can also make agreements with the time and duration of Internet access. Site and the type of game that it should be accessible to parents. Pembiaran will only make time to become addicted.

Most participants agreed that prohibits children with access to the Internet is not the solution because as people tuapun they need is Internet access, other than the Internet accessible everywhere with affordable rates.

Treatment for the addicted do not always have to do with drugs because psikotorpika would make the switch from the dope addicted internet become addicted drug antidepresi. The most effective treatment is developed with care servility semama, diligent and berderma pray and participate in activities such as the social visit orphanages, elder and others.

Read More..

Researchers Discover ITS Bio ethanol replacement of the Oil Can Self-Made home and Save More

ITS Surabaya, the researchers found bio-ethanol from cassava, or other high berkarbohidrat materials to replace petroleum.

"Bio-ethanol is very frugal, because one liter of oil bio-ethanol equivalent to nine liters of kerosene normal," said researcher bio-ethanol, Sri Ir Nurhatika MP in Bangkok, on Thursday.

Accompanied by Vice Rector (PR) IV ITS Surabaya, Prof. Ir Eko Budi Djatmiko, he said, the price of one liter of bio-ethanol Rp10.000, is nine liters of kerosene ranged Rp27.000 with the assumption that the price Rp3.000/liter.


"Not only that, bio-ethanol can also be made by the community, because the material making ethanol can be found in the market and ways of making it easy," he revealed.

According to him, ethanol can be made from materials which contain carbohydrates, including cassava, walur, palm oil, sugar cane, beans koro, waste know, waste bin, and so forth.

"The most ideal cassava, which is in Java, known as cassava gendruwo, because the carbohydrate level is high enough. Cassava gendruwo also contain starch (poisons) that is not feasible consumed, "he added.

How to produce, said a senior lecturer at the biology ITS Surabaya, the cassava is gendruwo pounded fine, and then cooked up a pot of porridge.

"The results are given yeast (fermentation process) and taken for 4-5 days to exit its ethanol at the rate of 90 percent. We call BE.40 with oil, "he said.

However, the rate of ethanol 90 percent, not enough to function as kerosene, the rate of ethanol required is 95 percent. Therefore, the need to be improved.

"If the rate of ethanol is below 95 percent still contain Pb (impacts), while the fuel must be free from Pb, as if there will be Pb-explode," he asserts.

To raise the rate of ethanol, he said, need to add limestone (Hala), so that ethanol will be a "clean" of Pb.

In addition, kerosene bio-ethanol is also not bersumbu, so I work with researchers ITS Engineering Machinery Ltd for the design of the stove to make bio-ethanol.

"The design of Mechanical Engineering of ITS is finally with us kerjasamakan Cooperative Manunggal Prosperous Yogyakarta, to produce a stove burner without a price Rp40.000," he said.

Therefore, oil bio-ethanol is not only economical, but also proved without a smoke.

"Maybe heating oil bio-ethanol a little time. For example, for cooking noodles, kerosene requires only normal within 10 minutes, while the stove bio-ethanol 2-3 minutes longer, "he said.

Read More..

Cloud Computing

In the field of information technology, people work hard to develop what is called the 'internet future'. No need to install the engine drone under the work table. Needed only a screen, keyboards, and a kind of 'smart outlet.

Internet-and computer-use in the near future we will remind the situation at the time the distribution of radio first. Microsoft, the software industry giant, to develop "cloud computing" own version. (Wikipedia describes cloud computing, the English language: cloud computing, is the use of computer technology to the development of Internet-based.) Consumers clear advantage: using computers cheaper and more energy efficient.

Not only information
Cloud computing is not a new phenomenon, and the speed unbearable. Internet not only provide more information to the user. Complete software and operating system is also available online.

In other words, the Internet and all associated with it, become the central terminal equipment, including household gas and electricity. Information Technology Specialist, Stevan Greve:

"What is done, not others, all that is required to send to the terminal in your home. For the required connection speed. Therefore, at the present time, everything goes through the internet. "

Internet connection speed between connecting simple household equipment and a small number of super-computer that can only be in the world. Customer without the need to purchase or install the program, can still use them.

Main requirements, the user must have a fiber optic connection. For only the cables that are perfect to receive and send data, so that the computer is not running slow.

Cheap
Indeed, the trend of komputansi clouds had occurred in the company. They each year be bothered to buy a large expenditure, and software tools. When enough to buy one terminal, is not only cheaper, but also simple equipment that lasts longer.

However, why this concept is called cloud computing or cloud computing? Back Stefan Greve:

"Internet cloud can be considered large. Clouds contain a computer that is connected to everything. From there came the term 'cloud'. So, all connected to the 'cloud', or the clouds. "

Consumers more happiness and just need a small space under the table. While the master computer requires regular maintenance and security is far more lightweight and inexpensive. Need not be bothered to update the virus scanner and others. Everything is included subscription. Also, do not lag, the cloud computing environment-friendly, says Stefan Greve.

"In general, the computer in the house breathed hot air. Hot air is coming from energy. Energy is required so that the computer can fire. But most of the energy is a hot air. With 'cloud computing', a computer center, in the house needed a little more electricity, so it saves. "

Ngadat
Minus side of the largest system, experienced individual home users. If the Internet jammed, for example, service providers overload, the computer ngadat participate. This means, not only can not Internetan, but at the same computer can not be used. For users such as large companies, mostly because of security reasons, have access to more than one Internet service provider, this problem is not so difficult.

Windows operating system generates millions of euros for Microsoft. They have long been trying to deepen the phenomena of cloud computing and do not want to rush.

However, last week, director Steve Ballmer announced the company within one month of future launch of Windows Cloud.

Do not in the next few years we are all in the "clouds".

Read More..