 Chris Goh's "On the Net"
Technology v Humanity
In was inspirational to see the 29 Navajo native Americans being honoured by US president George Bush after 56 years, for their efforts in code encryption during WWII.
The fact that these men managed to achieve something in which even Germany's Enigma code machine failed – an unbreakable code – was inspirational to me. And I was mesmerised by the humility and the humour of the Navajo veterans. I was particularly taken by the speech by one code talkers, Chester Naz, and its frankness and honesty.
The men were working in frontline actions. The secret was to talk in Navajo to fellow Navajo radio operators – a language containing no vowels and with a syntax that makes it one of the hardest languages to learn. The Japanese could not ‘crack' the Navajo ‘code'.
That secrecy was considered one of the key elements in giving the Americans the upper hand in the war. The use of a simple, but highly evolved human language to encrypt information shows that human evolution can be looked at to solve problems.
You can only imagine the risks the person who came up with the idea took. And had a war broken out today, and no-one had the knowledge of this little trick chances are it would still be impossible to crack the code.
Even for today's fastest computers, deciphering without the benefit of hindsight would have been a very difficult task.
Today the use of nature to progress technological innovation has a more scary undercurrent in things like the use of DNA to encrypt information, and biometric devices designed to ensure unique ID.
I suppose it shows that despite the belief that computers are smarter, human evolution is the cleverest invention of all, despite the fact that it takes a little longer than a Pentium II.
When you look at what scientists now plan to do with DNA, you have to stop and wonder what bred such technology, and why it has become a necessity.
Especially when something as elegant and simple as the language of an indigenous people can change the course of world history.
Hot News
Game Boy Advance, which will shortly become the most successful handheld console, is now susceptible to piracy for the first time. As part of online development, people have been using it to download entire games, and like MP3s, software trading is growing in popularity.
Sony has a habit of creating proprietary technology and hoping that because it's the market leader, everyone will purchase on the strength and reputation of the brand name. So it was interesting to note recently that Sony is teaming up with Samsung to allow them to develop new products that use the Memory stick. That means that in the near future, we'll see handheld PCs digital cameras and other Samsung products with Memory stick support.
It appears that with the tension in a Microsoft split up suddenly fading away, Microsoft has reneged on several facilities on the their new Windows XP flagship. If manufacturers want to install non-Microsoft OEM software on PCs, they will be forced to install three Microsoft products as well and make it the default application. The applications are Internet Explorer, Microsoft Network and Microsoft Media Player, sewing up the Internet, Multimedia and ISP markets. Even more startling is the sudden withdrawal of Java Support – possibly because SUN won the court case against Microsoft. Who says they don't try to influence the market…?
Germany has become a green energy paradise, with the government implementing policies that encourage home owners to supply the power to the nation via their solar panels. Home owners can earn money by supplying excess energy into the power grid and at the same time, the government have given tax discounts for solar power purchases. There probably a lesson in their for blackout-ridden California.
Hot Sites
www.tripod.lycos.com/
If you've ever wanted to create your own website, this is your big chance. Tripod is offering members 50Mb of free space – which that is some serious room. Although it requires personal information to register, the site is free.
www.sciteclibrary.com/eng/indexex.html
If you're interested in the world of inventions, new ideas – and the details behind everything from polymer bitumen to artificial respirators, this is quite an invaluable site with a searchable database.
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