 Chris Goh's "On the Net"
I try to avoid sweeping statements, even if generalisations are the easiest way out...
We often make observations about people and events based on the most fleeting information passing our eyes, rather than seeking to understand things and their context. Maybe time limitations are a defence, but not for spouting ignorance which is passed on to others.
Historians try to articulate a truth of the past – although they realise that all history is open to interpretation and contextualising, so they attempt to try and find a balance. Unless they're fence sitters, they form an opinion. Not everyone may agree with what they're saying, but at least it's an opinion borne of research and study into the subject at hand.
Those opinions then shape our future future history by influencing the strategies we choose to build our lives and communities around. Those interpretations build our faiths, fears, and even the foundations of our morality.
That's why I humbly suggest that information technology has had a fundamental impact on humanity's perceptions of itself – or could have if we were better archivists.
The Internet offers amateur historians, like myself, an opportunity to take part in a greater understanding of ourselves and our surroundings. And I don't just mean websites and E-mail. Probably the greatest Internet-driven evolution to come is the way the Internet plays a key role in disseminating information and sharing opinions from so many different cultures and aspects of society.
Sure history is coloured, but I use it to occasionally debunk the assertions I've made. As I watch the Afghanistan conflict, all I can think about is 1918 and Versailles, not to mention all the other wars down through history. Tragedy seems to repeat itself when it comes to armed conflict. Remember that WW1 was described as ‘the war to end all wars'. How sadly wrong they were.
I can only hope that there is a socially-inclined historian advising the Hawks in the White House. It may save us repeating some of our past mistakes.
HotNews
Amazingly, E-mail has celebrated its 30th anniversary. The first E-mail was sent way back in November 1971. It took a few more years for the whole thing to catch on...
More than a year ago French human rights groups filed an action against Yahoo! in French courts for the auctioning off Nazi-related items, which is illegal in France. The French court had found that Yahoo! had breached the law. To avoid enforcement, Yahoo! filed against the human rights group in the US Federal Court, and this week a Federal Judge presiding in San Jose, said that under the first amendment protection of free speech, Yahoo! was able to continue. Human rights groups are appealing.
In 1947, the first transistor was made. It was the height of a matchstick and marked a revolution in technology. Bell, which made that first transistor, has now developed transistor that is one molecule in size – which means you can fit 10 million transistors on the tip of a pin. It's also a high point for bio-technology, since it is carbon/ organic-based. Should testing of the electronic circuitry prove successful, in about five years time, a new stage of technological leap will offer computing speeds that will seem limitless. It will do to silicon chips what silicon chips did to vacuum tubes.
In a sudden lurch to Taliban-like hostility, the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council of Iran has declared that more than 1000 ISPs providing unrestricted internet access to Iranians should be state-owned and managed.
Sony would be a Microsoft powerhouse if it had the chance, but thankfully it seems to have the ability to handicap its successes (eg VHS/Beta). Luckily they didn't have the opportunity to dominate the PC market. Sony's latest innovation, the robot dog Aibo, has led Sony to threaten a site with litigation to stop it sharing free tricks with other Aibo owners. Sony says it's a copyright infringement. The only way to teach your pet new tricks is to pay Sony.
Hotsites
I really haven't given the local mobs any coverage this year. I try, but the issue is often the content. The majority of sites I've visited tend to be business ads or personal homepages and they're not updated regularly. Please E-mail me if you see some local sites that deserve a mention – especially if they supply good online content (not just contact details and prices) and I'll write them up.
www.scu.edu.au
I don't doubt the majority of readers know the Southern Cross University site quite well, but that doesn't mean I should ignore it. It's come a long way over the years and keeps improving. The site is more attractive and there's even more information on the local area.
www.bdcsa.org
The Ballina District Community Services Association keeps you up to date on the association's exhibitions, work by youth and the disabled. They've done a good job on their site.
www.bangalow.com
The Bangalow portal is not a bad town portal even with its own domain. This site has good local information and what's on around town (including the Bangalow Show this weekend).
www.richmondvalley.nsw.gov.au
Richmond Valley Council is following in the footsteps of Lismore Council. This site does a good job keeping the locals informed about council happenings.
|
