 On The Net
with Chris Goh
Just Do It!
I was always amused by the frenzied scenes which surround the release of the state and federal budgets. There was an arcane process in which journalists are locked in a room for six hours before the treasurer reads his speech to parliament. The poor hacks are expected to plough through the detail and make sense of it for the following day's paper.
Now everyone can have a go, because the budget papers will be online at www.budget.gov.au. Whether you're mad enough to wade through it all is another matter.
The ability to access important documents online is growing all the time - and changing the way we gather information. I remember project work at uni that needed annual reports from business. It would take the time of either visiting the business or posting a request, not to mention the cost. Now just about every business posts its annual return on its website.
Another example of how computers have changed things is the recent Tropfest short film festival. Around half the 16 finalists used digital video and no doubt editing on a home PC. Now anyone with a computer can be a filmmaker.
If you're still wondering whether to take the plunge, let me say that I've put a lot of people online and regardless of what they thought before going on the Internet, they soon realise its potential, even if it's through the humble email. So to borrow from the sneaker maker, just do it. And if you get frustrated about not knowing what to do, for a couple of hundred dollars go to a short training course.
Hotnews
An Oxford University professor has 100 electrodes thinner than a human hair implanted in himself to collect information about nerve responses to various movements from his hand. A special wireless transmitter receiver will relay the data to the computer and it's hoped that the information will assist in treating patients with spinal and nerve problems. Scientist are claiming the experiment as the first human 'cyborg' human with interconnected human circuitry.
Still in the UK, the hearing impaired will soon be able to go to the post office and have a virtual sign interpreter. Tessa is an Avatar or virtual mannequin that translates what the sales assistant is saying (through voice recognition) into the British Sign Language (BSL) for deaf people. This is a remarkable step forward and shows the practical benefits of voice recognition.
Before you chuck your computer cardboard box out stop - wait (although this probably only applies to Mac users), it could be worth money. Ebay was abuzz last week when a box used to ship a first model Macintosh was sold for US$536 (yes, for the empty box). That's not bad for the owner, who put it up for sale as a joke.
The Church of Scientology has used the controversial US Digital Millennium Copyright act to force Google (the primary search engine on the web) to overlook sites that were anti-Scientology. Google informed the sites that they were being removed from their databases. It's ironic that a church that supposedly encourages the questioning of the world, refuses to let others ask questions of them. But then you're talking about a religion started by the late science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard which reads like a George Lucas script.
The final count is likely to take another week, but HP has already announced victory, slim as it may be, in the merger deal with Compaq. Whatever happens, this whole process has and will continue to cause a bit of hurt to both companies. One thing's for sure, many jobs will be lost, plants and outlets closed. Probably the biggest question mark hangs over the HP Foundation, the second largest corporate benefactor in the US, which gave $450 million to charities, environmental causes and educational institutions in the year 2001. Showing signs of the tough times, the amount has been halved this year.
Hotsites
- www.momsnetwork.com/easter.shtml
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As part of the Mom's network, there's a special Easter section to help parents through this torrid time. I suppose it's a bonus that this Easter, the kids won't be hassling you for a 2 week stretch (that's another week away), but hopefully this site will give you ideas to keep kids happy and occupied.
- www.everythingeaster.com
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I knew this American site was great when I saw a special feature on the Easter Bilby. A very well made site with heaps of stuff on Easter, which apparently is also a religious festival...
- www.allergyfacts.org.au
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If you're allergic to chocolate this isn't a good time of the year. Allergy facts offers down to earth information for kids to learn about their food allergies and suggests good substitutes. As was tragically the case with one young boy recently who ate peanut butter, allergies can be fatal. A little bit of knowledge can be a great prevention.
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