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Week 8 was the no-lecture week and yet, there is a post for this. In the beginning of this course, we had a lecture/seminar session where we investigated the weird and wonderful ways in which computers and technology are represented in the media. It is not examinable, but it is interesting. Because it was not examinable, attendance was always poor, so I stopped it. Nevertheless, I provide it here for your edification.
Week 8 was the no-lecture week and yet, there is a post for this. In the beginning of this course, we had a lecture/seminar session where we investigated the weird and wonderful ways in which computers and technology are represented in the media. It is not examinable, but it is interesting. Because it was not examinable, attendance was always poor, so I stopped it. Nevertheless, I provide it here for your edification.4
Consider the following clip from the movie ‘Minority Report‘. It shows Tom Cruise as Chief John Anderton investigating a ‘Precrime’. While there’s a whole philosophical debate behind the idea of preventing crime through clairvoyance or precognition, the focus here is on the interface to the system.
Consider the following clip from the movie ‘Minority Report‘. It shows Tom Cruise as Chief John Anderton investigating a ‘Precrime’. While there’s a whole philosophical debate behind the idea of preventing crime through clairvoyance or precognition, the focus here is on the interface to the system.6
The precise hand movements: Given that we’ve all (probably) heard of Repetitive Strain Injury and experienced its lesser cousin, Writer’s Cramp (probably during exams), you have to wonder about the way in which the interaction occurs. Such expansive and precise movements could potential lead to shoulder and wrist problems. In contrast, most of the movements associated with multi-touch devices currently available are fairly natural; they don’t require unusual movements and fit more with the flow of your interaction. See for instance, Jeff Han’s touchscreen (and note that the angle of the screen).
The precise hand movements: Given that we’ve all (probably) heard of Repetitive Strain Injury and experienced its lesser cousin, Writer’s Cramp (probably during exams), you have to wonder about the way in which the interaction occurs. Such expansive and precise movements could potential lead to shoulder and wrist problems. In contrast, most of the movements associated with multi-touch devices currently available are fairly natural; they don’t require unusual movements and fit more with the flow of your interaction. See for instance, Jeff Han’s touchscreen (and note that the angle of the screen).7
The mode of data transfer: At around 0:50 seconds in, we see the ‘licences’ being transferred between the smaller screen and the larger screen via a transparent slide (there’s probably a name for that). It’s all very shiny having the huge screen and the ease of interaction, but seriously, why don’t they have wireless transfer of the data? Or, perhaps more tellingly, both of the interfaces are in the same room, perhaps even operating from the same computer, so why is there any need to transfer the information via a disk like object?
The mode of data transfer: At around 0:50 seconds in, we see the ‘licences’ being transferred between the smaller screen and the larger screen via a transparent slide (there’s probably a name for that). It’s all very shiny having the huge screen and the ease of interaction, but seriously, why don’t they have wireless transfer of the data? Or, perhaps more tellingly, both of the interfaces are in the same room, perhaps even operating from the same computer, so why is there any need to transfer the information via a disk like object?9
The next video comes from the TV show Chuck. The premise of the show, for those who have never seen it, is that Chuck gets the entire FBI/CIA database downloaded into his brain (yes, his brain) and secret agents from various nefarious others try to intercept/obtain the information. The video sets up the show, where a friend of Chuck’s steals the information and sends it to Chuck. Click this to watch it.
The next video comes from the TV show Chuck. The premise of the show, for those who have never seen it, is that Chuck gets the entire FBI/CIA database downloaded into his brain (yes, his brain) and secret agents from various nefarious others try to intercept/obtain the information. The video sets up the show, where a friend of Chuck’s steals the information and sends it to Chuck. Click this to watch it.10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R45tylwtu6s (opens in a new window because embedding was disabled)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R45tylwtu6s (opens in a new window because embedding was disabled)12
The mainframe interface: Seriously, a Mac Plus? Those things had 4 MB RAM max. The whole point of the Macintosh line was that they were stand alone, rather than a mainframe. One can only wonder why a large government organisation would use such a computer (with such a tiny screen) except for the overall effect, particularly with the display being the whole room. I’m not sure about you, but I certainly could not work in a room that displayed so much information over so much of the walls as that one, particularly without a chair.
The mainframe interface: Seriously, a Mac Plus? Those things had 4 MB RAM max. The whole point of the Macintosh line was that they were stand alone, rather than a mainframe. One can only wonder why a large government organisation would use such a computer (with such a tiny screen) except for the overall effect, particularly with the display being the whole room. I’m not sure about you, but I certainly could not work in a room that displayed so much information over so much of the walls as that one, particularly without a chair.13
Data transfer: Even with the improvements that we have with data transfer between a computer and a disk, it does stretch the imagination that the data from the mainframe could be transferred so quickly to such a small device. And of course, it emails the whole lot with one click! (We probably have to give Chuck some leeway here, because after this scene ends, the whole lot is dumped in Chuck’s brain because he opened the email.)
Data transfer: Even with the improvements that we have with data transfer between a computer and a disk, it does stretch the imagination that the data from the mainframe could be transferred so quickly to such a small device. And of course, it emails the whole lot with one click! (We probably have to give Chuck some leeway here, because after this scene ends, the whole lot is dumped in Chuck’s brain because he opened the email.)15
While we’re on a ‘They did that with a Mac?’ there’s this classic moment from Star Trek where Scotty sits down to a computer, tries to use voice activation and declares it ‘quaint’ to use a keyboard (sorry video removed). But the really astonishing thing is that he is able to generate some very complex schematics with a few keystrokes, most of them on the Function keys at the top of the keyboard. I’m not sure about you, but any computer I sit down to that is not my own takes more than a few minutes to become familiar with. As computers become more advanced, they are more personalisable so to sit at an ‘antiquated’ system and still be able to produce that kind of display in short order potentially makes us all feel quite inadequate, but then it is Scotty.
While we’re on a ‘They did that with a Mac?’ there’s this classic moment from Star Trek where Scotty sits down to a computer, tries to use voice activation and declares it ‘quaint’ to use a keyboard (sorry video removed). But the really astonishing thing is that he is able to generate some very complex schematics with a few keystrokes, most of them on the Function keys at the top of the keyboard. I’m not sure about you, but any computer I sit down to that is not my own takes more than a few minutes to become familiar with. As computers become more advanced, they are more personalisable so to sit at an ‘antiquated’ system and still be able to produce that kind of display in short order potentially makes us all feel quite inadequate, but then it is Scotty.17
Is this technology helpful for the way we manage our knowledge? Would it be useful?
Sixth Sense (click here to watch)
Is this technology helpful for the way we manage our knowledge? Would it be useful?Sixth Sense (click here to watch)
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- What is useful about this technology for us now?
- What is harmful about this technology for us now?
- How will this change the way we do things?
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Think about the impacts and uses of these technologies and see if you can see the parts that connect it to the overall purpose of the course.
Think about the impacts and uses of these technologies and see if you can see the parts that connect it to the overall purpose of the course.