On 2001-07-14 [EMAIL PROTECTED] <Robert Wittig> said:
>Actually I have been a member of that CompuServe Forum since the
>late 1980's, with several years timeout while I was recovering from
>a stroke. I was active in the forum up until 1994, and rejoined in
>2000, when I came back on-line. I have a lot to learn, but will be
>happy to share whatever I pick up along the way. I was pretty much
>a simple end user until I came back on line in 2000, and set up a
>website to promote my painting and writing. From there, I decided
>to develop the skills to handle a virtual server, and as I went in
>search of those skills, my questions continually led be back in
>time, for answers, since I wanted to know why, and not just how
>things work.
A stroke -- how unfortunate! Hopefully you aren't suffering much from
any of its lingering effects.
I joined the CompuServe Mensa Forum right about 1993/94 -- close to when
you had that stroke. Your last name seems vaguely familiar, but if you
wrote anything there at that time, I don't recall anything specifically.
(Of course, there were plenty of contributors, then, and I'm not good
at remembering names.) I uploaded a little bio of myself to the Mensa
Forum quite awhile ago, but who knows, it's probably been removed from
the library by now.
I've visited your website, but I didn't notice off hand anything there
on your writings... I'll have to check it out again. Of course, I
glanced at you friends' portraits and take note that you favor the
development of an impressionistic (albeit somewhat realistic) style.
When you say that you're looking for answers about virtual servers,
are you implying that you're curious about the reasons for why software
has developed as it has? In the last -- let's say -- twenty years?
Again, Sherry Turkle's book, and an earlier work (maybe out of print)
called "The Second Self -- Computers and the Human Spirit" may offer
some special insights on the subject. Or are you only interested in
technical nuts and bolts sorts of things to help you more clearly
develop virtual server software on your own?
Personally, I'm not that interested in the technical workings of
network/Internet software, although I'm playing around with the
rudiments of BASIC. What *does* hold my interest, though, is the
*styles* and *tendencies* of learning that influence computer users
and the effect that has on the quality of intellect and education.
Programming itself doesn't hold my interest as much as I'd like,
since so much has already been accomplished with the medium. It's
a lot of work with little return, unless you are overwhelmingly
gifted and work for a wealthy company.
>At present I am very interested in the transition from MS DOS 3.x
>to MS DOS 5, which was a very critical time in OS history, it seems.
Have you followed the history of IBM's PC DOS, too? And some of the
other DOS versions out there? IBM developed its DOS even longer than
Microsoft (which apparently would like DOS to disappear).
>... without a good understanding of how things work,
>one just winds up memorizing facts, which is a lot of work. ...
..with little sense of personal accomplishment. It's more satisfying
to feel we've done something creative, original and at least
aesthetically pleasing, than to point to some mere feat of speed,
number crunching, or other such 'quantitative' glory.
>I saw another book on the psychosocial aspects of the Internet in a
>bookstore I visited today. I might go back tomorrow and pick it up,
>it's just a few bucks.
Please tell me name of it if you buy it... I'm interested in what it
has to say in addition to Sherry Turkle's views...
>A lot of the Mensa geeks use old machines and software, but I think
>it is more of a practical matter than a retro decision. Also, Unix
>is the Operating system of choice, and open source the software of
>choice, although a lot of people are probably still running DOS
>machines who are not computer geeks, but just using computing for
>other purposes, like word processing, database, etc... Overall,
>Mensans are a pretty diverse group of individuals, so I expect that
>they represent every possible computing demographic.
I see. So you don't think (not yet, anyway) that Mensans, in general,
are disturbed by any negative possibilities of a world dependent upon
the 'Windows-style' of computing, wherein the consumer is accustomed
to playing around in worlds of simulation, instead of pondering how
to write the correct word at the right time?
>>Watch out... you may find yourself changing your mind after
>>awhile... ;-)
>I don't have a problem with that. I had a very productive weekend at
>garage sales, and managed to pick up an IBM VGA or SVGA monitor,
>about 15", for $2.00, a huge old 7 to 1 peripheral junction box...
What I meant was that you might find yourself liking DOS and older
machines more and more and Windows, bloated and buggy software, and
power-hungry computers less and less -- as you learn more about
older software/hardware and programming.
>Still, working in cutting edge graphics is a job that requires a lot
>of computer; CPU, RAM, and HD. Older computers would not be adequate
>to the task. As Unix and Linux continue to expand into the non-tech
>market (I'm running GIMP right now as my primary graphics program),
>they will probably become 'user's choice' for me overall, with
>Windows gradually losing ground, as Microsoft continues to abuse
>its public with offerings like 'Smart Tags' and XP.
Naturally. Graphic needs require graphic applications and hardware.
Yet let's not forget the power of the written word and how fundamental
that principle is to all forms of learning.
* * *
At any rate... please enjoy the list! I'm certain you'll find a lot
of answers from those of us who participate... ;-)
Jerry -- using his IBM PS/ValuePoint 433DX/Si | 16MB RAM; 504MB HDD
and his internal 56 kbps V.90 ITU Award Technology modem
Net-Tamer V 1.11.2 - Registered
To unsubscribe from SURVPC send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with
unsubscribe SURVPC in the body of the message.
Also, trim this footer from any quoted replies.
More info can be found at;
http://www.softcon.com/archives/SURVPC.html
