[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Messiah [/i]
[B]You do know that Europe isnt one country, right? [/B][/QUOTE]
Your point being? Back then the borders weren't what they are today. Charles the Great died 814AD... things have changed since... so, to answer your question, I know Europe isn't one country, thanks for asking.
Random ChaosActually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by croxis [/i]
[B]I haven't seen it on my educational adventures. Part of it is that it would require students to have a viewer and many students perfer having an actuall book to write in. Also many book publisherd haven't been fond of the idea as it would be more easy to pirate an ebook than it is to copy an entire printed text. Can you imagine the DRM rights for pdf files?! [/B][/QUOTE]
It's hard to have a DRM on a PS format file with a little header info and perhaps some encryption (though, that is something that PDF's are poor at). Using PDFs all the time at work, the "password security" is rather easy to bypass if you know how. You just need to access the PS component directly and ignore the PDF specific headers.
I have to side with Biggles on this one, these appliances are not intended for the Darfur region, they are intended to facilitate the expansion of available information in areas that are stable enough to accept such efforts.
I can think of many uses beyond primary education. For example, increasing the productivity of farmland. Take an area such as India, northern Thailand or rural China, where the government is stable and many basic services are available, but there is still a lingering poverty. In many of these areas food pressures are will or have become a problem and increasing the productivity of farmland will be crucial. Provide one of these $100 computers to a small farmer, with some basic farming assistance software, helping with be bookkeeping, technique improvement etc. Then using the cell networks that do exist in many of these areas (or can be erected rather inexpensively), provide updates to the farmer containing new and useful farm information through a University Agricultural Extension Program, similar to what exists in the United States, and is often available many countries. The farmer can then, free of charge, seek advice from the university on specific issues. Such an extension program was a very important part in increasing farmland productivity in the 30s 40s 50s and on into the modern day in the US, helping to increase overall food production while at the same time the number of farmers and cultivated acres decreased.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Stingray [/i]
[B]Your point being? Back then the borders weren't what they are today. Charles the Great died 814AD... things have changed since... so, to answer your question, I know Europe isn't one country, thanks for asking. [/B][/QUOTE]
Ok.. *Cracks Knuckles* Where to begin?
Lets see. Charlemagne was indeed a scholarly king. He was literate unlike most of his european colleagues. He was also a good administrator, such as you have to be when conducting war on several frontiers at once.
But he did not make education mandatory, neither in Europe, nor in his Frankish empire.
Actually, the first european state to have mandatory education was Prussia, in the early 19th century. In Sweden, Schooling became mandatory in 1842..
It is widley belived, in the U.S., the only way to brake the poverty cycle is through education. With some subjects there is no outdating of knowldedge or need to be networked on the interent. Such subjects are history ,algebra, earth science etc. etc. When was last time there was ground braking work done in geometry? If you look at some old text books the info is still valid and accurate depending on the subject. Too spread cheap technology is the way to get this done with underprivileged people.
Any mocking of this endeover is almost evil. I guess that was my point.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by PSI-KILLER [/i]
[B]It is widley belived, in the U.S., the only way to brake the poverty cycle is through education. With some subjects there is no outdating of knowldedge or need to be networked on the interent. Such subjects are history ,algebra, earth science etc. etc. When was last time there was ground braking work done in geometry? If you look at some old text books the info is still valid and accurate depending on the subject. Too spread cheap technology is the way to get this done with underprivileged people.
Any mocking of this endeover is almost evil. I guess that was my point. [/B][/QUOTE]
I think we can agree on that. Gates was just badmouthing the competition while not providing a viable alternative.
In other news.... [URL=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060320/ap_on_bi_ge/india_dell;_ylt=Aor50Sbn_BeMHg9vedekejms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-]Dell to Double Its Staff in India by 2009[/URL]
While this will carve out jobs elsewhere actions like this will help people in India. At least that kind of business model will have the necessary support to actually come to fruition. Not sure people will get used to their tech support though. :D
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Messiah [/i]
[B]But he did not make education mandatory, neither in Europe, nor in his Frankish empire.
Actually, the first european state to have mandatory education was Prussia, in the early 19th century. In Sweden, Schooling became mandatory in 1842.. [/B][/QUOTE]
Well, it was an awful long time ago that he lived but he's credited as being the father of educational reforms that sparked the concept of widespread education. I guess "mandatory" was a bit too strong a word. ;)
That's why it's called dark. Not that things weren't bad, then. They were. But the term specifically refers to a lack of writing, historical documentation, and available information about the period.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
Geez, Arethusa, stop saying things I was planning on saying! :D
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Arethusa [/i]
[B]That's why it's called dark. Not that things weren't bad, then. They were. But the term specifically refers to a lack of writing, historical documentation, and available information about the period. [/B][/QUOTE]
Thats what I said.. :rolleyes:
Random ChaosActually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
I have also heard that it was also literally "dark" - ice core samples from that time period show an abnormally high concentration of ash over a decade long period. Documentation from China and Indonesia indicate that during that same period Krakatoa may have erupted. Historical writings from Europe describe a darkening of the sky and a decade long famine due to colder than normal temperatures. All three of these things coincide to the same time period during the middle ages, and thus may be related, and thus may be the origin of the term "dark ages."
I'll see if I can dredge up the documentary I watched on this.
I heard that from the tree ring research they thought it was a small impact to the Earth that may have caused all that.
Random ChaosActually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
well, impact dust or volcanic ash, they would all appear very similar when they precipitated from the air due to the superheating a meteor would cause. We might never truely know :)
Wasn't this also the period of the mini ice age? If I recall chinese records show lower sun activity. So could the effects of the eruption and reduced solar output have caused this effect?
Perhaps we need that [URL=http://forums.firstones.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9288]"Stay on topic"[/URL] Star Wars picture as a smilie after all. This is WAY off. ;)
Comments
[B]You do know that Europe isnt one country, right? [/B][/QUOTE]
Your point being? Back then the borders weren't what they are today. Charles the Great died 814AD... things have changed since... so, to answer your question, I know Europe isn't one country, thanks for asking.
[B]I haven't seen it on my educational adventures. Part of it is that it would require students to have a viewer and many students perfer having an actuall book to write in. Also many book publisherd haven't been fond of the idea as it would be more easy to pirate an ebook than it is to copy an entire printed text. Can you imagine the DRM rights for pdf files?! [/B][/QUOTE]
It's hard to have a DRM on a PS format file with a little header info and perhaps some encryption (though, that is something that PDF's are poor at). Using PDFs all the time at work, the "password security" is rather easy to bypass if you know how. You just need to access the PS component directly and ignore the PDF specific headers.
I can think of many uses beyond primary education. For example, increasing the productivity of farmland. Take an area such as India, northern Thailand or rural China, where the government is stable and many basic services are available, but there is still a lingering poverty. In many of these areas food pressures are will or have become a problem and increasing the productivity of farmland will be crucial. Provide one of these $100 computers to a small farmer, with some basic farming assistance software, helping with be bookkeeping, technique improvement etc. Then using the cell networks that do exist in many of these areas (or can be erected rather inexpensively), provide updates to the farmer containing new and useful farm information through a University Agricultural Extension Program, similar to what exists in the United States, and is often available many countries. The farmer can then, free of charge, seek advice from the university on specific issues. Such an extension program was a very important part in increasing farmland productivity in the 30s 40s 50s and on into the modern day in the US, helping to increase overall food production while at the same time the number of farmers and cultivated acres decreased.
Jake
[B]Your point being? Back then the borders weren't what they are today. Charles the Great died 814AD... things have changed since... so, to answer your question, I know Europe isn't one country, thanks for asking. [/B][/QUOTE]
Ok.. *Cracks Knuckles* Where to begin?
Lets see. Charlemagne was indeed a scholarly king. He was literate unlike most of his european colleagues. He was also a good administrator, such as you have to be when conducting war on several frontiers at once.
But he did not make education mandatory, neither in Europe, nor in his Frankish empire.
Actually, the first european state to have mandatory education was Prussia, in the early 19th century. In Sweden, Schooling became mandatory in 1842..
Any mocking of this endeover is almost evil. I guess that was my point.
[B]It is widley belived, in the U.S., the only way to brake the poverty cycle is through education. With some subjects there is no outdating of knowldedge or need to be networked on the interent. Such subjects are history ,algebra, earth science etc. etc. When was last time there was ground braking work done in geometry? If you look at some old text books the info is still valid and accurate depending on the subject. Too spread cheap technology is the way to get this done with underprivileged people.
Any mocking of this endeover is almost evil. I guess that was my point. [/B][/QUOTE]
I think we can agree on that. Gates was just badmouthing the competition while not providing a viable alternative.
In other news.... [URL=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060320/ap_on_bi_ge/india_dell;_ylt=Aor50Sbn_BeMHg9vedekejms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-]Dell to Double Its Staff in India by 2009[/URL]
While this will carve out jobs elsewhere actions like this will help people in India. At least that kind of business model will have the necessary support to actually come to fruition. Not sure people will get used to their tech support though. :D
[B]But he did not make education mandatory, neither in Europe, nor in his Frankish empire.
Actually, the first european state to have mandatory education was Prussia, in the early 19th century. In Sweden, Schooling became mandatory in 1842.. [/B][/QUOTE]
Well, it was an awful long time ago that he lived but he's credited as being the father of educational reforms that sparked the concept of widespread education. I guess "mandatory" was a bit too strong a word. ;)
It may be called the "Dark Ages", but if you look closely, most of it wasnt that dark at all. Theres just a limited number of written records left..
[B]That's why it's called dark. Not that things weren't bad, then. They were. But the term specifically refers to a lack of writing, historical documentation, and available information about the period. [/B][/QUOTE]
Thats what I said.. :rolleyes:
I'll see if I can dredge up the documentary I watched on this.
Anyway, it does indeed look like Volcanism is the culprit... Increased sulfates and the lack of Iridium...
;)
Here's a couple links via google:
[url]http://www.atmos.washington.edu/2001Q2/211/groupE/andy.html[/url]
[url]http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_5_21/ai_61692496[/url]
I mean DUH! Where else can we go from bill gates to planatary climate studies?