Hal - Deliberately Basic

Blogs Explained From A to Z

I have come to realize that the average non-techie computer user does not understand the Internet any more than my dog comprehends calculus. Computer and Internet jargon circulates faster than dandelions in spring, but unless someone is interested in a current trend, blogging for example, to the user it is chat.

Everything is chat. I moderate an email discussion group, and most of the users call it a chat group. News groups, way beyond the comprehension of ordinary folks, RSS, forums, all fall under the big umbrella of chat. Hal’s law: If you don’t have a clue as to what it is, call it chat.

Once and for all, chat is what you do on the phone, or over a cup of coffee. On the Internet, chat is… let’s not go there; then I would have to try and explain IRC and web-based chat. IM is reserved for those with a PHD or your kids.

Now we come to Blog. The word blog was being used all the way back in 1999 and attributed to Peter Merholz who coined this word from WeB Log. Blog causes more confusion among the ubiquitous newbie than any other Internet slang I know. Here then, from A to Z, is an attempt to explain Internet jargon in terms of LOG.

ALOG
a. A chunk cut from a tree, usually round and of varying size.
b. The result of what most of us do in the morning preceded by “floating a… .”

BLOG
A Web Log (See above).

CLOG
A wooden shoe (See ALOG). Also clogging, a type of dance.

DLOG
The log, result of cutting the tree – see ALOG

ELOG – Electronic Web Log Book, or East London Organic Gardeners (or whatever you can use it for).

FLOG
To beat with a whip. Also used in reference to a certain personal pleasure, as to flog your baloney.

GLOG
A CyborgLog, GLOG, is a first-person recording of an activity, in which the person doing the recording is a participant in the activity. I’m not sure what it is either.

HLOG
This actually has a definition but it is so esoteric don’t bother with it.

ILOG
Is a river in Tagalog, and is the name of two places in the Philippines. I didn’t know that, and I will promptly forget it.

JLOG
Well obviously this has a definition. I’m just not going to say what it is right now.

KLOG
I know you think this is a breakfast cereal company but in fact it is a knowledge blog. A KLOG is usually a BLOG with technical content used on an intranet.

LLOG
A reference to number 1 by someone with a speech impediment. Also means Lincoln Logs. Are those things still around?

MLOG
Usually used in plural form as in, “You gonna move ‘m logs outta the way?”

NLOG
An acronym used by certain software engineers, a relatively new euphemism for programmers. Ya gotta love these guys.

OLOG
A large person from Norway. And of course another programmers word.

PLOG
This one is very popular. Pick one:
Project BLOG.
Personalized BLOG made for you by someone else. Amazon does this with books.
A way to update your BLOG from your Palm.
A name formerly used by the open source community concerning BLOGS.

QLOG
Another damned programmers word. They make stuff up.

RLOG
The log that belongs to us. Also, an obscure nerdy programmers word.

SLOG
So many meanings, so little time.
A combination between Slut and Hog, or a fat promiscuous woman
A tiring journey
To fart – Yes, you read it correctly.
To waste money - “The guv’ment shore does slog money into Iraq.”
A type of BLOG, too vague to bother explaining.

TLOG
See QLOG

ULOG
You log, I log, we all log… Not yet defined. You may neologise ULOG for personal use only.

VLOG
Video BLOG
The Urban Dictionary (An excellent site) definition: The next fad in the evolution of narcissism.

WLOG
No longer applicable unless you are interested in QLOG.

XLOG
See previous entry.

YLOG
Slang for “Is that your log?” Also see QLOG.

ZLOG
German or French pronunciation for “the log.”

DCS Could Be The Answer

The question “Is there a cure for cancer” is somewhat like “What is the meaning of life.” It is so complex, so fraught with pseudo-science that the line between reality and quackery is faint and blurred.

A recent finding by Canadian researchers has added yet another hope - or blur line, as the case may be - to the perpetual ache for a cancer cure. DCA, dichloroacetate is  a cheap and simple drug used to treat metabolic disorders. It was also found to kill almost all cancers. The veracity of this is at present highly controversial.

According to one source, since DCA is not patented, pharmaceutical companies will have little interest in clinical trials with the drug. As usual, there is the ever-present skepticism within the medical community.  ABC news article

In an article from ScienceDaily, an online publication, “DCA is an odorless, colorless, inexpensive, relatively non-toxic, small molecule. And researchers at the University of Alberta believe it may soon be used as an effective treatment for many forms of cancer.”

When the medical establishment has exhausted all forms of treatment, and death is imminent, there is no reason not to try even the most controversial options. The exception to this is money and common sense, of course. Both may be lacking when matters of life and death are at hand. Personally, I would not move to Mexico and eat peach pits in hope for a miraculous cure.

The bottom line to this is, I am not a medical doctor, and this is in no way medical advice. This is to raise awareness of what may someday be a new way to help treat cancer. Having had personal experience in my family with this insidious disease, I hope that indeed it is a cure.

The Crisis of Information Burden

Sherlock Holmes was not aware that the earth orbited the sun, nor did he care if it orbited the moon for that matter. Upon being enlightened by the incredulous Watson, he promptly replied, “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

Holmes goes on to explain that “useless knowledge” takes up space in the brain, thereby nudging out what one needs to know in order to make the best of his profession. Using an empty attic as an analogy to the human brain, he reasons that you stock it with furniture you choose. “A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out… It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

Since I was old enough to think about such things as knowledge, I have thought that having a classical education was best, for it made a well-rounded person. I still believe that. But, observation of our educational system, and the technocratic social system makes me now believe that this may be good for some and not for others. The object of education today is to make money. Specialization has been the norm for the last several decades, especially with regard to technology.

The day of the Renaissance Man has long passed. Sherlock was right, there is far too much knowledge to even take an interest in most of it without burdening our minds and crowding out that which we need to know. So, what does all this have to do with anything we care about? It comes round to the vast and unfathomable knowledge available on the Internet.

How many blogs do you read every day? There are so many millions of blogs, you probably read much of the same thing everyone else is reading. Then there are current topics, the news stories, video, audio, a constant bombardment to the senses and brain. And like most people, you have learned to skim articles to get to the point as quickly as possible so you can get on to the next point, ad infinitum.

Someone like me becomes quickly overwhelmed with all this, and I find that I don’t remember much of what I read on the computer screen. Since skimming through muddy, useless, gluck that will not improve me, but in my mind may entertain me, I narrow the field even more.

I love the fact that I can use the Internet as a research tool. The years are long gone where I kept at least one, usually two encyclopedias on hand, made special trips to the library, or use the paper Yellow Pages. Its all just so damned handy. Conversely, I see a commercial conspiracy to keep me online, obviously to sell me things. One example is the “Ask phenomena.”

The “Ask” phenomena, currently the fashion at the larger search sites, is as time-wasting as punching at a ball that keeps moving around the screen, better known as a game. You simply register and ask anything. The entire world is then available to answer your question. Let everyone in the world ask a question – usually some puerile dumbass thing – and I don’t care. This too shall pass.

The myriad ways employed to keep you browsing, playing, looking, reading, and yes, even writing, are there to keep you there. Every day it seems new entertainments come about to vie for your attention. Pick and choose with care.

Most of us have something or someone in our lives that we need to remain focused on. Let us vow to narrow our field of view, read only that which will truly enhance our lives. You don’t need to skim and pass on every joke that comes your way in an email. Blogging is a fine way to keep writing; it gives you (and me) a reason to write. But there is no need to read 15 blogs a day. And that includes this one.

Focus.

Hal Brown

Rationalization And The Art of Theft

Question, do you shoplift? Cynic that I am, I still believe that most people are honest enough to pay for merchandise in a store, even if the motive is not to go to jail.
“Shoplifters and dishonest employees stole over $5.8 billion in 2005 from just 24 major retailers…” according to this source. But what about downloading illegal media from the Internet? Or using a friend’s software CD to install a program on your computer?

Having worked in the IT industry for many years, I honestly (pun intended) don’t think most people understand the implications of computer theft. I used to believe that most piracy was done in China, or somewhere else out of the US. Statistically, the US has a rate of 22% or higher. I believe that the rate is higher because it doesn’t include downloaded software that can be used for evaluation. An example of this is Winzip.

I’ve seen evaluation versions of Winzip on more computers than I could count over the years. As long as it works, the user has no intention of ever paying for it. I’ve also seen many friends and relatives install copies of high priced software they didn’t pay for.

There are times when installing software on more than one computer just makes sense. For example, if you no longer use a program and you give it to someone, where is the harm? Used books may be sold or given away, why not software? The legality of intellectual property rights is complex and certainly has gray areas.

My real problem with all this is the self-righteous users who often prattle about illegal music, photos, or common media they understand, but nevertheless continue to use illegal software. These folks would never actually steal anything.

This is the reason that major software companies make us activate certain operating systems and applications after a set number of uses, or a specific time frame. And yes, this is a pain in the ass for many of us. Change too much hardware and oops, ya gotta make a call to reactivate your program or OS.

I do not believe this has had much effect on stealing software. It has not taken much time for Windows Vista cracks to be available online, just as Windows XP was cracked early on.

Regardless of what you think about Microsoft or any software company, the bottom line remains. To thine own self be true. Are you a thief?

Hal Brown