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Wednesday, March 27, 2002WARNING: This post makes extensive use of the ACRONYM tag
We bought a new VCR because the tracking on the old one was on the fritz. While connecting it into the chain of devices connected to my TV, I was excited to find that I didn't need the RF converter for the multizone DVD player we received for Christmas; I could connect the DVD player directly to the VCR.Then we sat down to watch a DVD, a Hitchcock film.
WTF! Every few seconds the MPAA's gremlins in the VCR would flash some blue frames on the screen, and the contrast wouldn't remain stable. This is the great advance in quality of DVDs?
So I spent five minutes restoring the RF converter to the chain.
Yeah, I'm going to copy your precious DVD using a $40 POS VCR that we bought just so our daughter wouldn't be disturbed by the bad tracking on her VHS tapes.
Have a nice day.
12:18:22 PM # Google It!
categories: Language, Law, Media
The more things change
I had a good conversation yesterday with Jenny about the rapidity of technical change. It started from her question: "How long will it be until we start seeing judges who have at least some passing knowledge about technology?" I had a similar discussion the day before with Mulher that turned into a consideration of the requirements for judges who sit on patent issues.Jenny linked to Jeremy Bowers's consideration of the What-the-hell-is-that-acronym-again Act. I'm not sure he's aware he joined this particular discussion:
Unfortunately, this ability to be rational is critically dependent on domain knowlege. Enter the computer, the modern-day magic, understood by a modern day class of wizards. The people proposing and supporting the bill know little-to-nothing about computers. .... Most people do not have instinct-level knowlege about computers. What's the result?
11:47:30 AM # Google It!
categories: Language, Law, Media
We carry on that conversation.