Andy Lacey
andy at minstersystems.co.uk
Mon Aug 1 01:29:02 CDT 2005
This belongs on OT, not here. Please take it there. -- Andy Lacey http://www.minstersystems.co.uk > -----Original Message----- > From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of > MartyConnelly > Sent: 01 August 2005 06:21 > To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues > Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Remotes > > > All people are born right-handed but a few actually succeed > and overcome it. > > Ed Tesiny wrote: > > >William, > >NO, the cars don't work identically....left drive vs. right > >drive...totally different.. all instints are different..you > look into > >the mirror and it's on the left not the right...you shift with your > >left hand...you obviously haven't driven in Europe. Anyway, > I'm tired, > >going to bed...BUT re: your comments re: Bolder and Madison I think > >your out of place...Tourch a snake hole,..hammer some nail...wrestle > >some alagator...or throw yourself on a small fire, as a proper wet > >blanket would do! > >Ed > > > >On 7/31/05, Arthur Fuller <artful at rogers.com> wrote: > > > > > >>Before I launch into this, let me ask this question. Look at your > >>living room table and count the number of remotes positioned > >>thereupon. Include those that fell between the sofa > cushions while you > >>drifted off switching between Conan and Craig Ferguson. > >> > >> > >> > >>Why is this? > >> > >> > >> > >>I can go to Tokyo or London or Albequerque and rent a car > and it works > >>identically, no matter the brand, no matter the left/right > rules. The > >>car works identically. Very occasionally I have to grope to > figure out > >>how to dim the headlights, but most of the time I know > exactly where > >>everything is. > >> > >> > >> > >>Borrow someone's cell phone for a moment (said cell from a > different > >>manufacturer than yours). Suddenly you're in the world of "grope". > >> > >> > >> > >>TV is IMO the WORST offender. One remote for the TV, > another for the > >>DVD, another for the VHS. (By now I think BetaMaxes are all in the > >>dustbin.) Click one wrong button on one remote and you > spend 5 minutes > >>figuring out the problem and you just missed the beginning > of the most > >>recent Law & Order. > >> > >> > >> > >>I think I hate software, but I hate hardware an order of magnitude > >>more. Why o why cannot these manufacturers go to IEEE and > settle on a > >>spec, such that one single remote can work everything (including, > >>incidentally, my sound system, microwave and so on)? > >> > >> > >> > >>I have seen allegedly universal remotes in the local > stores, ranging > >>from $19 to $99, and they are laughable. The $19 ones > assume that you > >>have the remote to machine X and that you will point them to each > >>other and thus absorb the signals. Sheep manure! I should > be able to > >>point the allegedly universal remote at any receiving device and > >>inhale its instruction set - and if there is a problem then > >>automatically visit the manufacturer's site and download said > >>instruction set and map it to the buttons on said allegedly > universal > >>remote. All of these devices have ops in common - loudness for > >>example. Some have unique functions (i.e. dvd and cd can > jump to next > >>track), and some have functions shared with one or two > devices (i.e. > >>fast-forward within the selected track). > >> > >> > >> > >>Being a dinosaur, I have lots of equipment incapable of such > >>intelligent responses (Oracle 3-pin turntable, lots of > stuff made by > >>Bose, etc.), but the modern stuff I would expect capable of > IEEE-like > >>responses to a common set of signals. But it seems not to > be the case. > >>At the moment I have 3 remotes on my coffee table, one for > each device > >>(cable tv input, dvd player and vhs player). Aside from the > physical > >>clutter there is the intellectual clutter. Why o why can't > I have one > >>device that works everything, including setting the > microwave to start > >>defrosting the object therein at exactly 5:11 pm? > >> > >> > >> > >>I don't get it. This seems SO obvious to me, as obvious as > renting a > >>car in another country and knowing how it operates. I must > be missing > >>something major here. or perhaps detecting an opportunity, as the > >>marketing folks would phrase it. But I have been bitching > and whining > >>about this for years, and no one has leapt into the gap > with a product > >>that can do it. Is this because all the vendors keep secrets? > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>_______________________________________________ > >>dba-Tech mailing list > >>dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > >>http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > >>Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > >> > >> > >> > >_______________________________________________ > >dba-Tech mailing list > >dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > >http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > >Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > > > > > > > > > -- > Marty Connelly > Victoria, B.C. > Canada > > > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > >