Thanksgiving

This post was published to Technical Musings at 3:25:50 PM 11/20/2007

Thanksgiving

 

 

You might be wondering what this has to do with technology. If I could ask for your indulgence for a moment, I think you'll see the connection. For all of our friends outside the US, Thursday is a national holiday. November 25th is Thanksgiving Day. This day is supposed to commemorate the day the pilgrims (Puritans) shared a peaceful meal when the native population after a rough winter. For me, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate my life and to look for ways to bring the same hope and encouragement to others in my situation. Anyone who reads my blog will know that I am greatly concerned with making a difference in the world. Right now, the people of Bangladesh are in terrible pain. Tragic events there have separated families. Children are hungry and dying. When we look at the devastation there, we might think, "There's nothing I can do. It's so far away." With so much turmoil there, it is difficult to know where to begin. Television cameras and other broadcasting technology have however, made us aware of the problem. And technology may provide a partial solution. We may not be able to go to remote countries to assist those in need personally, but we can and must do something. Go to the Red Cross website, to see what can be donated. If Bangladesh seems too far way, begin here at home. Get your local church, synagogue, mosque, or, community group to crochet, knit, or, collect hats, scarves, and, maintenance for the homeless and needy. Don't pretend we don't see them every day. Technology beams images of these people into our living rooms and what we as a society need to understand is that any one of us you one paycheck away from being in that situation. Did you know that one in 10 people had to choose between buying food and buying other daily necessities such as medications? What does that say about us both as people and as a nation? What kind of people do we want to be? I know, "I'd love to donate something, but I don't have money or time". While I'm proud to announce that beginning today, you do. You can simply go to the grocery store, buy extra roll of toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, or other nonfood items not covered by food stands and bring them to a nonfood pantry in your area. If you don't have a nonfood pantry in your area, talk to your local churches about being a drop-off point. It's these types is essential nonfood items that many people go without. What kind of technology do we have today? I know we've spent many hours discussing the benefits of technology for society, and I'm sure will spend many more. Right now though, we as a country; as people, have a decision to make. We have technology to help people in need, what are we going to use it? Are we so complacent; so convinced there's nothing we can do that we won't even try? Here's something simple you can do. Go to the Salvation Army website and make a small donation in your state. There, technology allows us to be charitable without leaving home. Still not enough? Unable to donate to the Salvation Army or other organization? Okay, try this. Right now, as you're sitting there surfing on the Internet, you could be feeding hungry people all over the world. You can do it without even leaving your computer chair. It doesn't require any money and there's no extensive amount of time necessary you can even get your children involved in this activity. What is it? Just go to freerice.com. As you increase your vocabulary, the sponsors of the website will donate rice to the UN to be distributed to needy countries. Currently correct answer you get, 10 grains of rice are donate it. The more vocabulary you know, the more you can donate. It's that simple. Yes, this is legit and for proof, you can go to CBS news, and look under the CBS evening news. If you know of any other programs or websites where people can make a difference during this time of need, please let me know. We have the technology to solve these problems and only by employing it correctly, can we truly make a great Thanksgiving for all. Please, remember to give thanks all year round.

Housekeeping

Hi everyone. Sorry I've been away for so long. School has taken a lot of prep work. I finally registered for classes and by the time you read this, my MacBook Pro will probably be on its way. I will have a review of OS X .5 Leopards as soon as my Mac arrives. Needless to say, I am looking forward to it and I'm also looking forward to working with Parallels in order to run Windows and Mac OS simultaneously. There are a number of other exciting developments I'll be following, so stay tuned.

Why it's important

Well boys and girls, my classes are beginning January 14. The Visual Basic course is not being offered this semester, so I will have to take that in the following one. This semester I will be focusing on learning Java. Java is a wonderful programming language because it's platform-independent, meaning that the software you develop using it can be run on any computer. So I'm definitely looking forward to taking this class and the associated lab. Today's post, however, is not necessarily about computers.

 

For those of you; and I know who you are :-); who think that I only write about boring technical computer stuff, this post is for you. Through this post, I hope to demonstrate the positive impact technology has had upon my life. In doing so, hopefully you'll begin to get a better understanding of why these things are important to me. I'm not the kind of person who will blog about every technological development ever made, only those that solve my problems for me and others like me. So with that, let's begin.

 

The world I live in is very different to most of you. Most of us develop limitations as we get older, as our muscles get weaker `with age. My situation is different in that I was born with limitations caused by my CP. Through physical therapy, I have developed my muscles and I am training the undamaged part of my brain to take over functions that are difficult and complex such as standing and balancing. Since walking is not my primary mode of transportation, I obviously need some way to get around and that, my friends, is where technology comes into play. I have a power wheelchair that enables me to get around. I know, "yeah, so what?" Yes, of course we say that now but consider for a moment... what did it take to develop the electric wheelchair that is so commonplace today? It actually takes some very sophisticated technology. Consider what a wheelchair is made out of these days. It's made out of aluminum and other lightweight alloys that were discovered where? That's right, they were employed by NASA for use in the space program other lightweight metals were developed by DuPont to improve cooking.. That's a practical example of technology at work to make lives better. Here's another.

 

Consider for a moment the method I'm using to post this blog entry. Do I type? Am I able to use a mouse for prolonged periods of time? Absolutely not! I use speech recognition. When I was in high school; actually beginning in grade school; my parents had to help me complete my nightly homework assignments by acting as scribes. They took my dictation. That was the only way I could complete the work that was required of me. If they hadn't been willing to do that, I would not have been able to go to school. So for those of you that think that science fiction is boring, consider the way I write to you today. Exactly what would my life be like without the ability to express my thoughts and ideas in such an efficient and independent manner? To be honest, we don't really know. What is certain is that we wouldn't want to know. I would probably be institutionalized, if not for my ability to get around and through my technology, making a positive contribution to the world around me.

 

Suppose that the artificial joint had not been invented. What would happen to your grandmother or grandfather when they had joint problems? What would happen to the returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom are amputees? If wheelchairs had also not been invented, people without full use of their limbs would be crawling in the streets. That includes me. Is this really the kind of world we would want? Not so boring now is it?

 

We all pray for a better world. That's wonderful because prayers are answered! I'm living proof of that. But if we're going to start solving problems for people, we have to care about it. We actually have to want to make a better world for everyone to live in. We've got to give dignity to all. We've got to start looking at technology as a means to help those around us. That's why it's important. Isn't that kind of world we really want? Don't we want to solve problems to make life better for those around us? I do and if you feel like me, you'll understand why I write this blog. Going to school and learning as many different programming languages as I can will enable me to get back to those who were kind enough to do the work that brought me independence. I want to develop software that addresses specific problems. That's why technology's important to me.

IPhone: the price drop and Doing the Right Thing

Okay, I know. There are a lot of angry iPhone customers out there. For those of you that don't know me personally, I'm not made of money either. I bought the iPhone because it addresses a very specific problem for me. There is no way I could use any other cell phone on the market without great difficulty. I have cerebral palsy and therefore, I also have coordination problems. The touch screen means that I don't need to dial any numbers to get help immediately. I tap a name and that's it. I don't need to remember long phone numbers anymore because with the iPhone, they don't exist. I keep phone numbers with my addresses in my e-mail contacts. I can then sync my iPhone via iTunes with my address book on my PC. So all I have to do to make a call is tap a name. That's the power of the iPhone. It's a huge step forward for someone like me because it means that I don't have to deal with small buttons. I have a 4 GB iPhone. Recently when Apple announced the new iPod lineup, something strange happened. After Mr. Jobs introduced the new iPod nano, shuffle, and, the iPod classic, he introduced the iPod touch. What is the iPod touch? The iPod touch is the iPod component of the iPhone and nothing else. That's right, it's an iPod that looks like an iPhone and utilizes the exact same touch screen interface. Steve Jobs also announced that Apple was dropping the price of the 8 GB iPhone by $200, bringing it to $399.

This friends, is where all the trouble began. But let's look at the circumstances surrounding this announcement. The iPod touch will come in two models (8 GB & 16 GB). So why are they dropping the price of the iPhone? It's simple. Jobs and company can hear the sound of sleigh bells. That's right, Christmas is coming. The iPod touch is priced at $299 for the 8 GB model. If Apple can say, "wait, for just an extra hundred dollars, you can have the easiest cell phone you've ever used" , that's a very attractive proposition. Since Apple has discontinued the 4 GB iPhone, it is also logical to assume that very shortly the company will be introducing a 16 GB phone that will most likely sell for between $499 and $599. Do I think it was a big price drop? Yes, of course I do. I can however, see what Apple is doing. And I think that as computer users, we are use to new product cycles every six months and frankly, that's not how the cell phone industry works at all. Their cell phone models do usually come out about every two months. Would I like to have a larger capacity iPhone? Naturally I would. Given time, I will but this does not detract from the fact that my current iPhone is fulfilling the purpose for which I bought it. Yes, I love the iPod in the iPhone and I would love to be able to import more songs and movies on to it but ultimately, I need the phone as a phone. The last time I checked, my home phone does not have a 4 GB iPod attached to it. Does yours? If it does, I want to hear about that :-)! Perhaps one of the reasons that Apple's announcement caught people off guard is that we seem to have a rather odd perception of this company. We think that because they're smaller than Microsoft, they must be "on our side". Let's be clear. Choice drives innovation. It is therefore; good that Apple does things differently than Microsoft. In the end though, they are a company and like all companies, they need to make a profit to stay in business. Apple is doing the right thing by offering a $100 Apple store gift certificate to early adopters.

Mac me up, Scotty. There's no intelligent lapttops down here.

Well folks, the time has come for me to begin thinking about returning to the halls of academiia in pursuit of my eventual masters in adaptive technology. For those of you asking, "exactly what is that", adaptive technology involves both the development of new applications and, the implementation and adaptation of existing computers and software technology to assist those with disabilities. Perfect job for me, right? I agree but in order to facilitate my academic aspirations, I'm going to need a notebook computer. Naturally because of my disability, any portable computer I use must meet specific requirements in order to run the specialized speech software needed. I also wanted a rugged notebook: something that would stand up to any little mishaps my coordination problems might visit upon it. It's wonderful having CP, boys and girls :-)! For those of you that don't know what it's like, I basically rent space in my body. Just because I occupy my body does not mean I have constant control ovver it or its muscles. The brain injury, due to lack of oxygen at birth, sometimes causes my body to move in ways I don't intend. That brings me back to the choice of notebook. I've looked at "toughbooks", which are notebooks that can be used in areas which would be dangerous to normal laptops, such as construction sites. These notebooks are extremely well-made and are designed to withstand almost anything: water, dropping, being run over, etc.. The price is astronomical, however, making it an unfeasible option for my purposes. So what did I decide to do? Well, I'm buying a Mac! Can I get a " hallelujah " from the Mac crowd? This should prove once and for all to everyone that Apple is a company I watch, love, and, respect. Does this mean I'm abandoning Windows? Not at all. I have a Windows Vista media Center PC at home with an Xbox 360 that takes the recorded TV shows from my media Center and streams them via my home network to my living room. I therefore cannot give up Windows, nor would I want to. For college however, my needs are somewhat different. I need a durable laptop that can run Windows applications. I need a laptop with the appropriate amount of RAM preinstalled. Upgrading hardwarre on a portable PC is nearly impossible, owing to the size of the components in question.

So why a Mac? The Macbook Pro is made of aluminum and glass, not plastic. This makes it somewhat more durable than the ordinary laptop. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that the MacBook could withstand everything in the world, just that it's a little more durable than some of its counterparts. They are Intel-based PCs, as are all Macs these days. This means that they are capable of running Windows when necessary through either a program included with the Mac called "Boot Camp",, or, a program called "Parallels (sold separately). With "Boot Camp", you are given a choice at start up of whether you want the computer to boot into Windows or, OS X. "Parallels" is somewhat different in that it allows you to run both operating systems simultaneously. This gives you access to both your Windows applications and, those on OS X. So obviously, I will be using "Parallels". I would point out that although the Mac can run Windows, you could not legally run the Mac OS on a PC. This infuriates me at times, but that's another blog entry. The choice of running both Windows applications and native Mac applications opens up a world of possibilities. I don't see any reason why we should have to choose between types of computers. I've always been intrigued by OS X and I like the basic concepts behind the operating system. At the same time, as I previously stated above, I cannot make an "either/or" decision. Therefore, the MacBook Pro offers me the best of both worlds. The MacBook Pro also comes standard with 2 GB of RAM preinstalled. I intend to try to get four gigabytes of RAM, if I can afford it. If you're still wondering why I would go to a Mac, the iPhone proved something not only to me, but to the rest of the world. The iPhone reminded people that at any moment, Any company could come up with something that changes the way we look at everything. The MacBook Pro has certainly done it for me. I will be getting more information on my experience with this notebook in October, when I'm actually able to purchase it.

Giving People Dignity

Today as our nation stands as one grieving, hoping, and praying for those in Minnesota, I need to talk about something very near and dear to my heart. Many of you may not understand why I write this blog. I began writing because we live in a nation that promises dignnity for all. We live in a country that says, "if you work hard you can achieve anything." The reality of this country is however, somewhat different to that dream.

There are homeless people on the streets. There are people with cancers of all types who suffer daily. There are people like myself who are willing to work; willing to make a difference in the world but whose physical limitations are seen by society as an excuse for this country and others not to expect anything from its citizens with disabilities and that my friends, is what gives us our disabilities in the first place. And that's why although I have cerebral palsy, I was not born with any "disability" but rather, was placed at a disadvantage because of a lack societal expectations for people like me. "We'll give you money every month as long as we're not expected to help you do anything with your life." That's the general attitude of our country and many others. You want a good economy? Give people the tools necessary to contribute to that economy. My friends, we are a potentially great people. The creativity of the human race is astounding! Today I ask you, if we aren't taking care of each other; aren't trying to make the world better than it was when we got here, what are we doing?

We know that there's a hole in the ozone layer that's making it difficult for people to breathe. We know it's impacting our entire ecosystem and what, I ask you, are we doing about it? Nothing! You see, to me technology isn't about the latest operating system or the coolest new gadget.! It's about solving problems! What are we doing about the environment? Nothing! We know we could make hybrid cars mandatory, but we are far too concerned about profit. And this attitude is prevalent throughout society regardless of the problem in question. Don't believe me?

We knoww that there are not enough support staff to take care of the elderly and people like myself in the coming years and what are we doing about that? Nothing! We allow people to go into nurrsing homes at the age of 25 if necessary so that we do not haave to deal with spending the money to solve the problem. Dignity is not profitable. What are we doing about the elderly and people in my situation? Nothing! We know that investments in robotics could provide new treatments for people with disabilities and while there are places of ongoing research surrounding this idea, generally, what are we doing about this? Nothing! Need another example of our lack of concern for those in need?

May I direct your attention to Minnesota? There are bridges that have collapsed. We knew that they were in trouble and who do we see about that? How do we stand up and say that we're not going to allow this kind of thing anymore? We need to remind our elected officials that they are just that, elected officials. The people in power both locally and in Washington, work for the American people. What does all this have to do with technology? The point is that we have the technological and financial resources available to solve almost any problem. Sometimes I wonder if we truly have the willpower.

I write about technology to demonstrate to others what can happen when technological genius is applied to everyday problems. I'm not concerned with who makes money. I'm concerned with making the world better until something better comes along. That's the only way that there will ever be dignity for all.

IPhone goodness

Okay, before you write this post off as another fan boy review, let's get a few things straight. I'm not a fan boy of anything. I don't care who makes your computer: it's still a computer. I write this blog because I believe that we need to start looking at technology as a tool to address our limitations. By the way, we all have limitations whether we were born with them or not. My interest in technology is not to say, "this company is better than that company". I'm far more interested in looking at a particular problem such as my inability to dial a traditional cell phone without making my fingers scream for mercy, figuring out the best solution to address my problem and then, getting the appropriate software and/or hardware in place. I don't choose a wheelchair based on who the manufacturer is! I buy a chair because after doing my research; and that's important; the particular model I finally choose is the most appropriate one for my daily living. We really need to get to a point where we choose PCs the same way. I have cerebral palsy, as most of you know and consequently, I run a large mixture of devices and software. Some of it's from Microsoft, and some is from Apple and likewise, some of my most important software is from companies that neither Apple nor Microsoft may not have heard of. And that's the way it should be. Always remember that PCs whether they run Windows or OS X, should do what you the consumer need them to. If you tried to reverse that, everything falls apart. Therefore, it's not about company loyalty. It's about solving problems efficiently and getting things done in a way that makes sense for each individual user. Now class, does anyone actually remember what the term PC stands for? Anyone... anyone...? Personal computer. If the device/computer/operating system you're using right now doesn't work for you, you need to do two things.
1. Research what works the way you would like to.
2. Demand better software. Really take the time to think about what you'd like your software to do and exactly in what manner you would like to achieve that. Be specific and tell the PC manufacturers/software giants your ideas. They really do want constructive feedback. Most importantly though, remember, these devices are supposed to be designed to make you and I more productive in the ways that We need them to. Not all devices/computers/operating systems work best for all people. But today, I'd like to discuss one device that has made a difference to me: the iPhone.

I have been using this device for a little while now andI could go into great detail about why it's easier than any other traditional cell phone I've tried, but I think the best way to really make the point is with a little story. I wake up one morning; morning ritual of checking e-mail after getting out of bed and surfing the tech news sites as breakfast is being prepared by my morning PCA (personal care assistant) when, something on the Apple site catches my eye. Steve Jobs keynote from MacWorld is available on demand. So after I finish all my morning activities such as dressing, eating, and of course, visiting the restroom, my staff person can leave for the morning and I am free to watch the keynote. I make it a point to always watch keynotes and product launches from both Microsoft and Apple or for those of you that like to quibble over semantics, Apple and Microsoft :-). So I'm expecting Steve to discuss the latest iMac or PowerBook and what's he talking about instead? A cell phone. Okay," I thought, "Apple is going to release another cell phone that I will never be able to use." Then, Steve begins to describe the user interface saying, "we're going to touch this with our fingers". I was intrigued. Then he demoed the device. It wasn't the touch screen iPod that sold me, although that's awesome. It wasn't the SMS messaging that sold me. Why would I use any kind of keyboard ever?! Being able to flick through photos with your finger is pretty cool, but that's not what sold me. You want to know what sold me on the iPhone? I'm sure it will surprise you :-). It's the ability to make calls without ever having to dial a phone number.My particular case of CP impacts my dexterity and fine motor control and as a result, dialing a long number is extremely difficult. When I saw Steve make a phone call in about three taps of his finger, I was hooked. I knew this was an answer from abovve. I call my mother at her work immediately to share my excitement. She diddn't quite understand exactly what I was talking about the next day when she came to help me in the afternoon, I showed her the keynote. I was all set to try to explain why this device was going to be helpful when after we had been watching the presentation for a few moments, she turned to me saying, "you'd better save up to get one because you need it." Those of you who don't know my mother may not understand that she's not like me. I understand technology at a very high level she understands why some technology can be helpful, she usually requires that I explain why and exactly how it will be helpful to me. Not so with the iPhone. And I have to tell you, that's amazing.

So how is the phone in reality? Wonderful. Be careful not to assume that because I said it's wonderful that it's also perfect. We do after all, need something to shoot for in version 2.0 :-). If you're blind, at the moment, you're not really going to be able to use the iPhone. That will come, I'm sure. Apple does make one of the best integrated screen reading systems I've seen in the opeerating system. It's called voice over, and it's included with OS X. so I don't think it will be too long before we see some kind of implementation of the same technology on the iPhone. The phone is TTY compatible with an adapter (purchased separately through the Apple store). The touch screen is terrific. I can't speak for everyone with cerebral palsy because it impacts everyone differently but for me, the iPhone is able to interpret my gestures nearly perfectly. Most of the "buttons" are large and friendly and easy to tap and over time, because the buttons are all virtual, I believe we will see some way to make them even larger for those that need such things. In the meantime, iPhone 1.0 is a promising beginning that is changing the way I use a cell phone. For the first time in my life, I have been able to set up my own voicemail on a cell phone. I'm musing about 90% of the applications available on the phone which is, light years ahead of what I did on my old phone. There, I used about .1% of the phone capabilities because the buttons which were physical button, were so smaall! The iPhone is different. It's not perfect. It's not fair that those who are blind can't use the phone now, for instance! But the phone is so simple and so elegant to use. It works the way I think about computers and mobile devices. When I think of computers and other smart devices, I do not visualize myself interacting with them using a keyboard and mouse. That's just not the way I work. I may have trouble pushing tiny little plastic buttons on most cell phones, but the iPhone allows me to just tap the one finger; it doesn't matter which finger; to get everything I need. II do have two important complaints about the iPhone, and here they are.

1.the virtual keyboard does work well for a keyboard, but why is there a keyboard at all? Apple spent all this time developing a beautiful touch screen interface and yet... you still have to use a keyboard (albeit virtual) for e-mail? Why?? Where is the dictation engine for e-mail? They say iPhone runs OS X. Okay boys and girls, if the iPhone does indeed run OS X, where is the speech recognition for e-mail? I realize that the "Apple speakable items" is only for command-and-control speech recognition, but my point still stands.

2.the iPhone cost $499 for the 4 GB model. That of course, doesn't include the two-year contract with AT&T. The 8 GB model is $599. Again, that's before a two-year service agreement. The iPhone is a very important device and whether the initial version in usable to you or not, the innovations introduced in the phone will impact everything. I believe that this is the most user-friendly mobile phone (for consumers) ever made. But if we're going to get it to people with disabilities like myself, over all, the price of the unit needs to come down.
The iPhone does work as advertised. It does so even for me for the most part without mistakes. And I know that because this is the initial release, the software will only get better from here.