Computers
It is one of the great dangers of this new technological age that we are all potential victims of “computer hacking”.
Computer hacking is an insidious and underhanded practice that infliltrates “computers”, which are like typewriters that you can play solitaire on.
The risks of hacking were brutally demonstrated in the 2007 documentary Die Hard 4.0, in which Bruce Willis spends two hours and eight minutes trying to send an email, only to give up and get someone from Generation Y to do it.
Continue reading "All this hacking raises this hapless hack’s hackles" »
For a smart guy, Steve Wozniak — the man who, with Steve Jobs, co-founded Apple — has some pretty dumb ideas. Speaking at a business meeting on the Gold Coast recently, Wozniak claimed that machines are becoming more intelligent than humans.
Wozniak was reported to have said ‘We’re already creating the superior beings, I think we lost the battle to the machines long ago. We’re going to become the pets, the dogs of the house.”
In Wozniak’s eyes, humans are going to become mere spectators to the doings of machines. ‘Every time we create new technology we’re creating stuff to do the work we used to do and we’re making ourselves less meaningful, less relevant’, he said.
Continue reading "Tough luck geeks, we’re still smarter than silicon" »
Latest 2 of 82 comments
View all comments-
OnlyOneWayOut says:
And the benefits of human intelligence have been what? A continued acceptance and misplaced reliance on of a multitude of unprovable beliefs (i.e. religion), endless war, environmental vandalism and rape, the inability to accept the far-reaching effects of the concentration of power and wealth. The list goes on. Ah, but… Read more »
-
acotrel says:
@Bilby I worked as a scientist for 40 years. It is a discipline where you must divorce yourself from test results and maintain an unbiassed, and particularly apolitical approach. If you don’t, you are simply wasting your time. You wouldn’t be a scientist, you’d just be your typical sycophant, prostituting… Read more »
Most of the time I use the internet to research stories, look up movies or stalk… errm, I mean keep in contact with friends using social media. If I’m feeling particularly exciting I might check out a YouTube video of a cat playing the piano or a panda sneezing.
My computer, on the other hand, is busy running around extorting people as part of an organised crime gang or working as a double agent for foreign governments. And in its down time it hires itself out as a mercenary.
And there is a good chance yours is doing this too.
Continue reading "Botnets: My PC is a zombified gun for hire" »
Latest 2 of 14 comments
View all comments-
autoversicherung berechnen online says:
Northern Increase,little seem division married state cause end start justice success museum cheap beat totally any light kill announce pick begin education choice most hence opposition customer strongly general whereas active provision persuade see teaching discover thing conversation author affect save report shake fast male individual explore almost election performance… Read more »
-
BS says:
Why the hell even the punch try to fool us, we already have a government is treating us stupid enough. PC is just a mechine, if someone doesn’t know how to maintain their own pc clean for long period of time, there are three things you can do: 1), regularly… Read more »
Welcome to what we’ve just realised is Wednesday at The Punch, not Monday. Hope you all had a great Easter and Anzac Day break. Lest we forget.
The first computer mouse was introduced 30 years ago today. Now analysts say they could be phased out within a few years. Do you still use a mouse? Could you do your personal computing without it? What else is on your mind? You know the drill. Share it here.
Latest 2 of 95 comments
View all comments-
Mouse says:
Awww! Thanks nossy, you’re a sweetie! The mouse has to stay, I can’t stand the thought of sticky fingers all over the screen and having to continuously wipe the damn thing clean. Keep your hand on your mouse and everyone will be happy! lol Read more »
-
Joan says:
Coming from her, that’s a genuine compliment. Read more »
I’m writing this with voice recognition software. If that sounds scintillating and newfangled, you’ve obviously never used what should more accurately be described as voice mutilating software.
I’ll go into more detail in a minute, but, in the meantime, here are just three of the versions of the first sentence of this column offered by my voice murdering software:
1. To running splits recognition software.
2. But wearing this voice which uses raft snares.
3. List softly, Felicity, poignantly stealthily and a half.
Latest 2 of 8 comments
View all comments-
Spud says:
Yeah, that’s the tieckt, sir or ma’am Read more »
-
daemon says:
Dear Emma, I’m actually responding to this using voice recognition software from Dragon, however it is the latest version. I’m going to try really hard not to do any proofreading before I send it off but in all honesty it’s hard to imagine life without Dragon. Because of having the… Read more »
At some point in the past decade, geeks became cool.
Like the products they created, geeks began to be marketed as friendly and helpful types that everyday people could turn to to solve problems or get more out of life.
Sometimes they even seemed to be attractive to women. The Social Network should go some way to ending all of this.
Continue reading "Social network geeks aren’t cool, just angry losers" »
Latest 2 of 102 comments
View all comments-
immeciado says:
TjSUCt http://jill-knowles.com/ GaGKIa http://www.hellenicdates.com/ ZqQHBm http://www.waltsmarket.com/ QjKOFw http://hoffmanvision.com/ LjYSDk http://www.imma-maui.com/ JoUKYy Read more »
-
fiermasia says:
dPkmifXjgd http://www.anahitafurniture.com/ wThhxtWtfx http://www.the-genealogists.com/ qJjimdNtam http://www.munroemusic.com/ Read more »
It’s a very first-world picture of human misery: a packed airport terminal filled with thousands of delayed travellers.
There are frazzled parents at the limits of their patience, looking after bored kids giddy at being on their school holidays but frustrated at having nothing to do. Passengers milling around, trying to nap on a hard floor, anxious that the next announcement on the public address system will be the one that cancels their flight.
And all because of a computer problem.
Continue reading "Virgin blip gives a glimpse of total digital chaos" »
Latest 2 of 43 comments
View all comments-
Mark says:
Actually, you are all wrong. The REAL issue here - is one of corporate governance and due care. Virgin, like many companies today, are all too complacent when it comes to outsourcing. Executives are all too happy to absolve themselves of their corporate responsibilities in favour of contracts and SLAs.… Read more »
-
food for thought says:
@wombat and @ rich to clarify re the similar issues air asia and jetstar in the past both airlines use the same booking platform and have at some degree experienced similar issues/ outages. i remeber when jetstar changed out to the same booking/ reservations platform (navitare) early last year they… Read more »
I always thought that one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is the love of reading.
It leads to a lifetime of learning and broadens the mind, as it opens up a new world of discovery and fantasy.
I longed to sit down with my son, Harrison, enjoy a book and special time together. But it rarely happened.
Continue reading "My first iPhone: why technology is good for kids" »
Latest 2 of 14 comments
View all comments-
Julie Tullberg says:
Hi Sarah, Thanks for your comments. My daughter’s school is actually a Catholic primary school. I understand it’s one of the first programs in Victoria!! Read more »
-
Dean says:
ipads will dominate everything soon. You will see. Read more »
A friend remarked this morning that being told you can’t use Internet Explorer, as governments around the world are advising, is like being ordered to get to work without using roads.
This would be inconvenient but sufferable as we could all probably do with a good walk. But tortuously, in this situation even starting such a walk involves making a phone call to your IT helpdesk.
With respect to my IT administrator friends I’ll bet many people would rather take their chances with the criminals.
Continue reading "Hello IT helpdesk? I have a problem called the internet" »
Latest 2 of 15 comments
View all comments-
Harquebus says:
I agree. Read more »
-
Simon says:
When I saw this it kind of reminded me that internet explorer even existed. I use Google Chrome and Firefox Read more »
Facebook Recommendations
Read all about it
Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
It's a Sydney thing, but 95.3FM... Why? It used to be all Bohemian Rhapsody and Walk this Way; now it's Father to Son and Country Road. Wah.
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project
I’d like to be able to say that sharing the world’s largest radio telescope with South Africa…
Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics
When North Queensland Liberal MP George Christensen got the idea of launching a new political organisation…
Please enter your password
Help! I’ve succumbed to a crippling modern illness that can strike at any moment. Symptoms include:…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
Michael S says:
"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone
Change Up! says:
I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more
Latest 2 of 40 comments
View all commentsAdd your comment