paulbristow.net

After reflection, I think we geeks should get fully behind Google OS. Not for us, of course, but for everyone else.  All those people that need our help just to keep a Windows-based computer running could benefit from a much simpler computing experience.  More to the point, our time would be dramatically saved if all the non-geeks used a cloud-based, automatically backup up, never-lose data, no viruses, no complexity, always connected device.

So it’s down to us.  If we can pour the passion that we usually reserve for OS arguments into comvincing non-geeks why everything *they* need can be done online, and that old-fashioned computers were always rubbish at games anyway, maybe, just maybe, we can see our way forward to a windows-free world, where we save so much time NOT fixing our friends and relations computers, that we actually have time to work on cool technologies at home.

After all, we geeks can still use our computers when they are not online.  Can you?

New Scientist is reporting on a new type of electronic component called memristors that promise to change the way we build things, and maybe even open up artificial intelligence

Read more at Memristor minds: The future of artificial intelligence .

Now where can I get an arduino that uses these things?

Today the netbook, tomorrow the world.  Having just had 12 hours of internet outage at home (again) I’m not sure the infrastructure is ready for a net-only computer, but it will come.  Google is getting started: Official Google Blog: Introducing the Google Chrome OS.

I only wish I was surprised.  I guess this is what happens after googles docs et al come out of beta…

I just love this quote from Al Gore, speaking today about the lack of political will to tackle climate change.

“We have everything we need except political will, but political will is a renewable resource.”

Take that politicians…

We’ve read about augmented reality (virtual reality overlaid on real life). Now with the combination of the iphone GS camera, GPS, tilt sensor and compass we can try it for ourselves…

…and with the camera showing what’s in front of us we won’t even bump into things, which is my usual complaint against mobile video.

This is seriously cool.

I have a new site for the practical environment stuff – Eco-Pratique – French for Practical Ecology. You’ll find all the old content there, plus more