Plan To Scan? Well...
May. 20th, 2017 04:05 pmWent to a seminar from Artec 3D on Friday afternoon. I'm very impressed with their machines--but I'm so far behind on the tech that I'd have to spend loads of money to get caught up again.
So What Happened After That
Jan. 18th, 2017 02:48 pmNo sooner did I make my previous post as my brother-in-law reminded me of something that I had forgotten. As a result I was able to get my data off the old hard drive. Not all of it, but enough of it to put me back in business--and I can transfer more of it if necessary.
Now I'm wondering what programs I should get to replace the ones I "lost", as I've gone from Win10 32-bit to Win10 64-bit. Complicating matters is the fact that this computer is now old enough that I ought to plan on an upgrade sooner rather than later. I don't like this obsolescence thingy very much.
FP
So What Happened
Jan. 16th, 2017 03:28 pmJust before New Year's weekend, I caused a circuit to overload on Rather Manor's box and it took down the hard drive on Precious. It took a week to get my computer back, and the shop installed a new hard drive with some data recovered from the old one. Today I bought an external case for the old drive; Precious can recognize that something is plugged in, but not what it is, so that doesn't sound like a good sign to me. I think I'll need professional help, but I can't afford to get any at this time.
Test Post, New And Improved?
Jan. 11th, 2017 04:11 pmI don't know if this silly pile of wires and plastic will connect with the greater pile of wires and plastic, so here it is.
Fifteen Meg On A Deadframe's Chest...
Jul. 5th, 2014 03:32 pm...Yo ho ho and a pitcher of tea.
Got an external case for the hard drive of the long-departed computer FrankIntel's Monster today. And the old drive still seems to work. I hooked it up to Precious, got my Aidfile Recovery Pro running, and it was recognizing old data...
...but wouldn't actually start recovering the data without me bubbling in my activation key to Recovery Pro. I thought I'd done that years ago when I obtained the program. My options now: wait till Giveaway of the Day re-offers it and get a new key that way, or pay $70 to Aidfile for a new license to the program. Or hope that one of the OTHER recovery programs also works and has a valid activation key in place.
RUM-inating on the theme for a while.
Got an external case for the hard drive of the long-departed computer FrankIntel's Monster today. And the old drive still seems to work. I hooked it up to Precious, got my Aidfile Recovery Pro running, and it was recognizing old data...
...but wouldn't actually start recovering the data without me bubbling in my activation key to Recovery Pro. I thought I'd done that years ago when I obtained the program. My options now: wait till Giveaway of the Day re-offers it and get a new key that way, or pay $70 to Aidfile for a new license to the program. Or hope that one of the OTHER recovery programs also works and has a valid activation key in place.
RUM-inating on the theme for a while.
Repairings
Jul. 3rd, 2014 07:34 pmI accidentally took Precious out of commission while trying to clean out the dust bunnies overnight, so it was in the shop today. The damage: a CPU chip (a second-hand replacement) and a fan for it. $100, mostly for labor.
Now I'm trying to get caught back up to things. I probably won't do too much of this though...it's supposed to be vacation time!
Now I'm trying to get caught back up to things. I probably won't do too much of this though...it's supposed to be vacation time!
(Linking to an NPR Post ABOUT THIS, I added:)
I remember when OMNI magazine had an article about a fiction-writing artificial intelligence named Racter.
I remember when OMNI magazine had an article about a fiction-writing artificial intelligence named Racter.
Elsewhere today I on Facebook I linked to an article about a thesis-writing app that has suddenly become a tool for abuse among scientific scholarly “authors”.
Allow me to connect some more dots here. Upstairs, I have a lectern dictionary I snitched from my brother, who acquired it in a neighbor’s garage sale. One of the features of this dictionary is a bibliography of the World’s Great Books, as judged in the 1950s when the dictionary was compiled. Over 2500 books are included, all now public domain.
In theory, a battery of artificial intelligences can figure out all the story genres you like, and then mine the public domain for paradigms on which to construct new material especially for you, in manners that particularly appeal to you. They would make a whole new canon—just for you.
Upgradation
Nov. 19th, 2013 11:22 pmGoodbye Sierra Momentum Connect Device.
Hello Motorola NVG510 Wi-Fi DSL Gateway. Rather Manor now is U-Versatile.
Which means that I will be using this computer a lot more and maybe even posting actual posts on this blog more as well.
It took a lot of effort and money to get us here, and I'm very grateful for it, even if it means we have to scale back other plans we'd had this season.
Hello Motorola NVG510 Wi-Fi DSL Gateway. Rather Manor now is U-Versatile.
Which means that I will be using this computer a lot more and maybe even posting actual posts on this blog more as well.
It took a lot of effort and money to get us here, and I'm very grateful for it, even if it means we have to scale back other plans we'd had this season.
Lines Of Demarcation
Jan. 12th, 2013 12:26 pmMy divisions of labor vis-a-vis my smartphone and my desktop PC are coalescing.
SMARTPHONE duties:
*) Facebook. Even though actual posting is easier on the PC (as well as access to archives), it's easier to check the ongoing activity with the smartphone...even if the Facebook app is lacking (it works better to use Chrome).
*) YouTube. Granted, the hair trigger on the phone itself makes it tough to navigate, and for some reason the app lacks features you need (it works better to use Chrome), but I seem to save a lot of data use by playing videos over the Smartphone. It won't play everything, tho'.
*) Dropbox. I'm still learning it, and it needs a Wi-Fi source for it to be efficient, but it streamlines use of the phone's camera, and I may play around with video shooting thanks to Dropbox.
PC duties:
*) E-Mail. The smartphone app is wonky; using Chrome on the smartphone at Hotmail is tedious and needlessly limited in functionality.
*) LiveJournal. I can read my Friends' page on the mobile version, but that's about it.
*) PCH.com and all Flash-based content providers. No Flash support on Android phones whatsoever.
More to come.
FP
SMARTPHONE duties:
*) Facebook. Even though actual posting is easier on the PC (as well as access to archives), it's easier to check the ongoing activity with the smartphone...even if the Facebook app is lacking (it works better to use Chrome).
*) YouTube. Granted, the hair trigger on the phone itself makes it tough to navigate, and for some reason the app lacks features you need (it works better to use Chrome), but I seem to save a lot of data use by playing videos over the Smartphone. It won't play everything, tho'.
*) Dropbox. I'm still learning it, and it needs a Wi-Fi source for it to be efficient, but it streamlines use of the phone's camera, and I may play around with video shooting thanks to Dropbox.
PC duties:
*) E-Mail. The smartphone app is wonky; using Chrome on the smartphone at Hotmail is tedious and needlessly limited in functionality.
*) LiveJournal. I can read my Friends' page on the mobile version, but that's about it.
*) PCH.com and all Flash-based content providers. No Flash support on Android phones whatsoever.
More to come.
FP
Technology Has Just Turned Another Corner
Dec. 4th, 2012 02:18 pm
This picture postcard isn't a photograph.
Nor is it a painting.
This is a computer model. In 3D.
Machines And Minds
May. 5th, 2012 01:13 amRadiolab did a very good program on Artificial Intelligence; I heard it overday.
As I'm sure I said before, there is little in the way of problems that an AI could solve better than a human being as yet. Tho' I was thinking of one possibility.
Suppose a Cleverbot-variety AI were to go through your existing canon of social media output. Every face, space, tweet and blog. Every text, pic and vid. And then it would find "keys" in that content and ask you about them. Perhaps get to to think about why you say what you say. Maybe find your psychological or social "blind spots" and help you work through them.
As I'm sure I said before, there is little in the way of problems that an AI could solve better than a human being as yet. Tho' I was thinking of one possibility.
Suppose a Cleverbot-variety AI were to go through your existing canon of social media output. Every face, space, tweet and blog. Every text, pic and vid. And then it would find "keys" in that content and ask you about them. Perhaps get to to think about why you say what you say. Maybe find your psychological or social "blind spots" and help you work through them.
Okay, I'm Inventing Something
Apr. 7th, 2012 10:15 pmAnd I may as well blab it because I don't think I have any hope of patenting it--and because I think the sooner it's put together by somebody--anybody!--the better.
I was watching the news coverage of the aftermath of the NAS Oceana F-18 crash and how the newsies were saying it could take weeks to arrive at a cause of the accident. I remembered that most military jets didn't have flight recorder systems as such, simply because they didn't have space for them. And then I realized that the aircrew already were plugged into the plane whenever it was in operation. The helmet headset. Run a data feed from the aircraft's computer to a memory module in the headset and then there would be a flight datalog even if the crew ejects from the plane. The module wouldn't have to be big...probably smaller than an iPod.
I was watching the news coverage of the aftermath of the NAS Oceana F-18 crash and how the newsies were saying it could take weeks to arrive at a cause of the accident. I remembered that most military jets didn't have flight recorder systems as such, simply because they didn't have space for them. And then I realized that the aircrew already were plugged into the plane whenever it was in operation. The helmet headset. Run a data feed from the aircraft's computer to a memory module in the headset and then there would be a flight datalog even if the crew ejects from the plane. The module wouldn't have to be big...probably smaller than an iPod.
Writer's Block: Surf's Up!
Jan. 24th, 2012 05:08 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
To paraphrase Hawkeye on M*A*S*H: "A considerable amount but never enough."
To paraphrase Hawkeye on M*A*S*H: "A considerable amount but never enough."
Related To Previous Post
Jan. 24th, 2012 02:27 pmI just downloaded a paper model .PDF file from RapidShare, and noticed through my search for the file that a lot of hosting sites have been hit with takedown notices or Russian viruses. If you have your eye on a download, get it now--but be very careful about it.
Be On The Lookout...
Jan. 16th, 2012 02:43 pmTHIS is the Malware that took Precious out of action over the weekend. Update your protection software if you can because this is one (in the words of Mission Control in Thexder for Windows 95) pretty obnoxious crock of crud.
The Really Off-Season
Jan. 15th, 2012 07:30 pmFriday evening Precious got hit with the grpconv.exe Malware attack and is at the shop now. I'm using Mum's compy when I can and trying not to fall too far behind on things.
I Posted This First On Facebook
Dec. 9th, 2011 07:14 pmAnother Idea I Have NO WAY To Exploit
The other day, the news had a story about two local high school kids who were using a Kinect to develop orthotics (replacement limbs and other such devices) technology.
I just had a more commercial idea, spurred by a conversation at![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ps238principal.
In theory a Kinect can be programmed to take your measurements for apparel sizing. This could even be incorporated into a game software so kids can try being fashion designers. But the "killer app" would be with actual clothiers. They could request this data from customers, and then use it to build virtual mannekins upon which to show off their products.
I don't own an Xbox or a Kinect. I don't know their language. I don't know anybody in the programming or games industry. I do know some people in fashion, but they are all low-tech. Where can I take this idea?
The other day, the news had a story about two local high school kids who were using a Kinect to develop orthotics (replacement limbs and other such devices) technology.
I just had a more commercial idea, spurred by a conversation at
ps238principal.In theory a Kinect can be programmed to take your measurements for apparel sizing. This could even be incorporated into a game software so kids can try being fashion designers. But the "killer app" would be with actual clothiers. They could request this data from customers, and then use it to build virtual mannekins upon which to show off their products.
I don't own an Xbox or a Kinect. I don't know their language. I don't know anybody in the programming or games industry. I do know some people in fashion, but they are all low-tech. Where can I take this idea?
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