Back in the mid-80s, I test drove one of the earliest "grammar checkers". I threw in a document I had handy - documentation for a program I had written.
The original sentence read "A bock of memory is acquired for use as a buffer.."
“Don’t forget” app .... my now Mother in law did indeed leave her first baby in the pram outside a shop while she was there and went home. She thought to herself “I’ve forgotten something.....” My car now reminds me to remember to take my mobile phone out of the car. The number of times I wonder where it is, and of course it’s still in the car!
I opened the link to the DF site in a new tab and glanced through it after finishing AifW.
My thoughts were: "whatever next?" and "I can't really see it gaining many users".
I'd have liked to the see the inventors of the DF app pitching it on the UK Dragons' Den though, if only because after the ridicule and the inventor walking away with no investment, one of the Dragons could make the quip: "don't forget to close the door on your way out" or something similar.
Ah, smart devices. They won't go away, I've noticed all the hipster coffee makers now require pairing to an app just to use the scales. Pairing a device over bluetooth just to get coffee before you've had coffee might just be the stupidest thing I've ever heard
Writing down a reminder to buy a new toothbrush head?
I bought a load of cheaper copies of the Braun head for my super-simple and cheap Braun electric toothbrush that I'm still going through. I don't need a reminder to replace them; it's obvious when they're knackered.
I still have yet to beat for idiosy the Karcher jet wash with an app. Let’s see you will hold a writhing jet wand with one hand whilst adjusting the settings on your expensive phone in the other. The only outcome is anything other than the item you were cleaning getting drenched in water.
What is wrong with a simple mechanical dial next to the trigger?
Jun 9, 2023·edited Jun 9, 2023Liked by Alistair Dabbs
I am the only person I ever heard of who actually runs their toothbrush through the dishwasher. I don't bother with calendars or anything like that, I replace it only when it's physically worn out. Maybe I'm the idiot? Usually when there's "just one guy" who does one peculiar thing it's because they are secretly the dope. Time will tell?
Meanwhile the intrepid Thunderf00t, "seeing through delusion," has a new 5-year prediction posted up on his youtube channel. Musk is destined for certain bankruptcy, evidently. Time will tell? June 2028 is the prophesized drop-dead date.
Jun 9, 2023·edited Jun 9, 2023Liked by Alistair Dabbs
Taken to the extreme, if the universe indeed does have a self-aware creator, has that creator completely thought everything through to its conclusion ahead of time? And if so, what would that mean about human free will?
Back to the human world, no human could possibly think everything through to the extent an omnipotent and omniscient super powered conscience could, and other humans do appear to have free will.
And again, back to the Abrahamic theological realm, could this be another interpretation of the "original sin" that burdens us all? Our firmware is predisposed to move fast and break things, and the more powerful we as a species become the bigger a problem this will be?
Minor error: "just as the read of us did/are" should presumably be "just as the rest of us did/are".
Still resisting the intrusion of "smart" devices here. As far as my toothbrush goes, it isn't even electric, so I reckon I'm safe for a while on that front.
Like most people of my age (63) and thereabouts, I grew up in the knowledge that technology and science could make a better world.
This has been shown by the rising life spans where Tech & Sci are the strongest. There are downs, mostly caused by runaway and unchecked capitalism but it is generally more advance than retreat.
Over the last few years the press has pushed the opposite. Musk does good stuff (Tesla, Space etc) then he hoes and says stupid things. What he has done to Twitter is far less than the positive things he has done.
The actions of Vlad the Insane aside, we are still moving forwards.
Whilst not in the same realm as smart toothbrushes, my microwave is trying to drive me mad. After the cook cycle, it beeps, just like most microwaves, but then continues to beep every 60 seconds until the door is opened. I could, just, accept one repeat to let me know the recommended post-microwave resting period is over, but what is the point of endless repeats? It is clearly just trying to become a Talky Microwave.
Merci !
Perhaps time to test drive one of those AI powered spell n grammar chockers?
They are too Americanised for me. They'll want me to insert "rootin' rootin'" before each noun.
Back in the mid-80s, I test drove one of the earliest "grammar checkers". I threw in a document I had handy - documentation for a program I had written.
The original sentence read "A bock of memory is acquired for use as a buffer.."
Result? "acquired" - too technical. Use "got".
Disk space was immediately increased again.
“Don’t forget” app .... my now Mother in law did indeed leave her first baby in the pram outside a shop while she was there and went home. She thought to herself “I’ve forgotten something.....” My car now reminds me to remember to take my mobile phone out of the car. The number of times I wonder where it is, and of course it’s still in the car!
I opened the link to the DF site in a new tab and glanced through it after finishing AifW.
My thoughts were: "whatever next?" and "I can't really see it gaining many users".
I'd have liked to the see the inventors of the DF app pitching it on the UK Dragons' Den though, if only because after the ridicule and the inventor walking away with no investment, one of the Dragons could make the quip: "don't forget to close the door on your way out" or something similar.
Ah, smart devices. They won't go away, I've noticed all the hipster coffee makers now require pairing to an app just to use the scales. Pairing a device over bluetooth just to get coffee before you've had coffee might just be the stupidest thing I've ever heard
100% agree about Bluetooth coffee makers. Ridiculous.
But my WiFi enable rice cooker is ok, right...?
Er no…
Writing down a reminder to buy a new toothbrush head?
I bought a load of cheaper copies of the Braun head for my super-simple and cheap Braun electric toothbrush that I'm still going through. I don't need a reminder to replace them; it's obvious when they're knackered.
At least your smart toothbrush is not a Talkie Toothbrush™® Mr Dabbs:
"How di doodly doo! Does anyone want a polish..?"
Oh no if talkie toothbrush and talkie toaster get together the consequences don’t bear thinking about…
I still have yet to beat for idiosy the Karcher jet wash with an app. Let’s see you will hold a writhing jet wand with one hand whilst adjusting the settings on your expensive phone in the other. The only outcome is anything other than the item you were cleaning getting drenched in water.
What is wrong with a simple mechanical dial next to the trigger?
I am the only person I ever heard of who actually runs their toothbrush through the dishwasher. I don't bother with calendars or anything like that, I replace it only when it's physically worn out. Maybe I'm the idiot? Usually when there's "just one guy" who does one peculiar thing it's because they are secretly the dope. Time will tell?
Meanwhile the intrepid Thunderf00t, "seeing through delusion," has a new 5-year prediction posted up on his youtube channel. Musk is destined for certain bankruptcy, evidently. Time will tell? June 2028 is the prophesized drop-dead date.
https://youtu.be/vYURUiOjZSw
Taken to the extreme, if the universe indeed does have a self-aware creator, has that creator completely thought everything through to its conclusion ahead of time? And if so, what would that mean about human free will?
Back to the human world, no human could possibly think everything through to the extent an omnipotent and omniscient super powered conscience could, and other humans do appear to have free will.
And again, back to the Abrahamic theological realm, could this be another interpretation of the "original sin" that burdens us all? Our firmware is predisposed to move fast and break things, and the more powerful we as a species become the bigger a problem this will be?
People are afraid a fully autonomous AI will take their job, extra painful for you if it's a toothbrush that gets the nod.
My fear? My fear is that a fully autonomous AI will not want to take my job, and that means my job REALLY STINKS :-(
Things that are designed/claimed/imagined to be "fully automomous" will be the subject of a future column. Maybe even next week.
Minor error: "just as the read of us did/are" should presumably be "just as the rest of us did/are".
Still resisting the intrusion of "smart" devices here. As far as my toothbrush goes, it isn't even electric, so I reckon I'm safe for a while on that front.
Thanks, will correct.
Like most people of my age (63) and thereabouts, I grew up in the knowledge that technology and science could make a better world.
This has been shown by the rising life spans where Tech & Sci are the strongest. There are downs, mostly caused by runaway and unchecked capitalism but it is generally more advance than retreat.
Over the last few years the press has pushed the opposite. Musk does good stuff (Tesla, Space etc) then he hoes and says stupid things. What he has done to Twitter is far less than the positive things he has done.
The actions of Vlad the Insane aside, we are still moving forwards.
Whilst not in the same realm as smart toothbrushes, my microwave is trying to drive me mad. After the cook cycle, it beeps, just like most microwaves, but then continues to beep every 60 seconds until the door is opened. I could, just, accept one repeat to let me know the recommended post-microwave resting period is over, but what is the point of endless repeats? It is clearly just trying to become a Talky Microwave.