六月開始我參加了基文會舉辦﹐為期約半年多的網上閱讀小組。這次閱讀的書藉如以往一樣﹐皆是艱深的學術著作﹐今回讀神學大師田立克(Paul Tillich)的基督教思想史(A History of Christian Thought)。這部書是田立克在芝加哥大學的講義收編而成﹐很有系統地從早期教會開始﹐整理各家各派的神學論說﹐讓讀者明白今天的基督教是從何而來。依照平常我的閱讀習慣﹐是看完整本書後才寫篇讀後感。不過這本巨著的內容甚廣博湛深﹐恐怕半年後我己忘記很多讀過的知識。雖說只是組上閱讀小組﹐但有不少博士級的前輩帶頭討論﹐學習程度可以比媲大學的遙距課程。我想比較認真地讀這本書﹐不想水過鴨背看完便忘記了﹐所以我決定整理閱好每個星期讀筆記﹐一來可以幫助自己溫習﹐二來可以和來這裏的朋友分享閱讀心得。
Microsoft just revealed a new concept computer. As usual, it comes with lots of hype and the PR machine boasts that it is the next big invention, something will revolutionize computer. To keep things simple, it is merely a table with a touch screen. That’s all. Computer as a table is nothing new, the very first generation of arcade games, such as ping, space invader or pac-man are in form of a a table. The new Surface may serves as gimmicks in some classy restaurants, it is fun and more convenient ordering your food without having to wait for the waiter to come around. The special effects maybe cool for the first time, but soon the novelty will wears off, and people will simply ignore it. Just like first generation of arcade games are used in restaurants as attractions. The Surface has little use at home. The promotion video shows some possible applications, obviously the designer obviously doesn’t take usability into account. One example is the Surface is used as drawing board for kids. Why would kids draw on a computer screen instead of good old fashion paper and crayon. It is so unreal. Then the next example is sharing and viewing photos. For digital photo takers, Surface can’t replace photoshop, and for photo viewers, isn’t TV a better way to show pictures. Then the next example is searching a map and synchronize and upload it to your cell phone. The Surface connects to the cell phone wireless once the cell phone is placed on the screen. Wireless is a great idea but why would you waste precious screen space and covering the information underneath with a cell phone? You can just replace the cell phone with an transparent icon on the screen. The surface probably will only success in niche markets like graphic designs. Microsoft is not going to dominate the living room with Surface, they better come up with something much better.
This is new a real survivor reality show coming up in Dutch. The players are patients waiting for kidney transplant, the prize is a kidney transplant. Put it simple, the winner can live and the losers are very likely be dead while waiting for a kidney from the national donor list. Just like other reality show, the audience will vote off constants one by one. Just that the audience are not choosing who can will a million dollars but decide who can live. Some critics say the show is unethical, disrepect human life. I think it would be a good show, since the players life is on the stake.
Let’s face the truth, we don’t have enough fresh kidneys for transplant and artifical kidneys is still a few years away. People will die from kidney malfunction unless we start harvesting kidneys from prisoners. The question is how to allocate the limited supply of kidneys and save a few lifes. The current system is on first come first serve basis mixed with somekind of kidney lottery. Literally, the patients have no control of their fate, they can just wait in line until it is too late or hope being lucky. We can’t say a system with inderterministic result and no inputs from the patients is fair. In this contest, the patients take control of their fate into their own hands. As long as the rule of the game is fair, the allocation of the kidney is also fair. If you are the patient, which way do you prefer to get your new kidney, sit back waiting for luck or strive you best to win your life?
Those who have worked with me know I love paper documents. Everytime I transfer to a new project, I will tax the printer heavily by printing every document I may need. My friends say that I am killing too many tree, and question me why can’t I just read the document on screen. First of all, I use recycle paper, and the document will go back to the recycling bin when the project is done, so no tree is killed in the process. Moreover, trees are just like vegetable, you grow them, cut them and then grow them back again. Using more paper is good for BC economy, which is hugh in the forrestry sector. Reading on screen can never compare with the convinience reading on paper. Your eye is much more comfortable reading something real, you highlight the text, mark the paper and comment the document. You can flip through the pages quickly without waiting the for the screen to reload. You can carry the paper document around easily and it looks good. In case you disagree on some certain thing in the document with someone else, you can simply point to the page and settle the dispute. Paper document carries a mysterious authority that people tends to listen. It is much harder to convince someone open a document, search for the information to prove them wrong. Let alone it save you the embrassment if they are actually right.
