tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post117379391924736574..comments2024-03-28T18:17:00.135-05:00Comments on Computational Complexity: When Technology Doesn't ChangeLance Fortnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752030912874378610noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173889029781571142007-03-14T12:17:00.000-05:002007-03-14T12:17:00.000-05:00Batteries are a bit better today. Used to be you ...Batteries are a bit better today. Used to be you had these huge camcorder batteries, and you had to run them all the way down before charging them, otherwise the battery life could be permanently shortened. Huge pain. Much better now. <BR/><BR/>However the energizer AA rechargeables I bought were completely worthless. So I guess you do still have a good point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173884688345749932007-03-14T11:04:00.000-05:002007-03-14T11:04:00.000-05:00Blogs and google ads are great inventions. By the ...Blogs and google ads are great inventions. By the way, how much money does your google ad make ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173821375623200352007-03-13T17:29:00.000-05:002007-03-13T17:29:00.000-05:00The wheel hasn't improved much. I mean, we just ca...The wheel hasn't improved much. I mean, we just can't seem to make it any rounder!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173819328613099532007-03-13T16:55:00.000-05:002007-03-13T16:55:00.000-05:00If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Far too many peo...If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Far too many people think its necessary to "upgrade" technologies that work just fine. Why spend millions to put a computer on the desk of every kid when the bubble sheets work just fine? <BR/><BR/>Why make a "better mousetrap" when the 50 cent ones kill mice just fine?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173817310063780782007-03-13T16:21:00.000-05:002007-03-13T16:21:00.000-05:00Some technologies have not improvedthat much. Witn...Some technologies have not improved<BR/>that much. Witness the following:<BR/><BR/>Computers have gone up in speed<BR/>by a factor of a zillion since 1950.<BR/>(Not sure of the exact number,<BR/>but its quite a bit.)<BR/><BR/>Batteries have gone up in power by<BR/>a factor of... two? three?<BR/>(also not sure, but its really not<BR/>that big).<BR/><BR/>bill g.GASARCHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06134382469361359081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173809395776332032007-03-13T14:09:00.000-05:002007-03-13T14:09:00.000-05:00A related subject is technologies that don't work....A related subject is technologies that don't work.<BR/><BR/>Except ... there aren't any such! Pretty much any technology that has ever been conceived is still being worked on. <BR/><BR/>For a long time, I thought "nuclear powered aircraft" was an exception; a technology that had definitively failed (and the interplay of science, engineering, and politics in this failure is quite fascinating). <BR/><BR/>But guess what. Especially for this post, I checked, and sure enough ... <A HREF="http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3406" REL="nofollow">they're back</A>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173808704596090712007-03-13T13:58:00.000-05:002007-03-13T13:58:00.000-05:00Now TOEFL moves to computer-based testing, and bec...Now TOEFL moves to computer-based testing, and becames twice MORE expensive than the paper-based one from the last ten years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173808336541863692007-03-13T13:52:00.000-05:002007-03-13T13:52:00.000-05:00Anonymous said: "And let's not forget the greatest...Anonymous said: <I>"And let's not forget the greatest device devised by man: Saran Wrap."</I>, and we mustn't forget Duct Tape and the PostIt note. So perhaps humanity's great leap forward is ... adhesives? :)<BR/><BR/>Another little-noticed milestone is that today's inexpensive desktop computer chess programs easily beat top-level grandmasters -- even <A HREF="http://rybkaforum.net/cgi-bin/rybkaforum/topic_show.pl?tid=519" REL="nofollow">giving pawn odds</A>. Evidently, strong AI is creeping up on us humans slowly. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173806598191776282007-03-13T13:23:00.000-05:002007-03-13T13:23:00.000-05:00Many people don't `visualize' technologies before ...Many people don't `visualize' technologies before they happen. So much more exciting when you don't!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173806523652908752007-03-13T13:22:00.000-05:002007-03-13T13:22:00.000-05:00Textiles are much improved. Now you can be warmer...Textiles are much improved. Now you can be warmer skiing and also not have to put on 20 lbs of clothing.<BR/><BR/>It's amazing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173804358563191432007-03-13T12:45:00.000-05:002007-03-13T12:45:00.000-05:00"And let's not forget the greatest device devised ..."And let's not forget the greatest device devised by man: Saran Wrap."<BR/><BR/>According to Douglas adams that would be the digital watchAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173803539441089462007-03-13T12:32:00.000-05:002007-03-13T12:32:00.000-05:00When I was growing up, it seemed that one of our c...When I was growing up, it seemed that one of our cars was almost always in the shop being fixed. Now, we own a lot more Japanese cars, and even the American ones don't break anywhere near as often. <BR/><BR/>True, nobody is commuting to work by flying over the river with jetpacks these days, but there have been definite improvements in automotive technology.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173803103869431152007-03-13T12:25:00.000-05:002007-03-13T12:25:00.000-05:00Commercial Concorde flights started only in 1976.I...Commercial Concorde flights started only in 1976.<BR/><BR/>In many ways we did make siginificant progress in<BR/>air travel since the 1960s. The avionics are far more<BR/>sophisticated, and air travel is far more affordable.<BR/><BR/>We do read books as in the 60s, but the way that<BR/>they are produced has changed considerably.<BR/><BR/>I'm frequently puzzled by the expectation that we adopt some new technology, just because it improves some aspect of the way we do things, regardless of the demand for such an improvement or the effect it will have on other aspects, such as price.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173797537079100662007-03-13T10:52:00.000-05:002007-03-13T10:52:00.000-05:00Well I don't visualize me reading in another thing...Well I don't visualize me reading in another thing that's not paper. Maybe the digital paper, but the truth is that computer screens leave you so tired of reading.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841211732240724682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1173797157454807102007-03-13T10:45:00.000-05:002007-03-13T10:45:00.000-05:00Airplanes do not fly as fast as twenty years ago a...Airplanes do not fly as fast as twenty years ago as we do not have Concordes any more.edwardahirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18094179693219521111noreply@blogger.com