HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: Resolution Vs Colors
From: PHUTTER@cardinal.sc107.wesleyan.edu (Macbeth)
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 18:21:39 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT USA

In article <12DEC199200340539@sigma.tamu.edu> tww2568@sigma.tamu.edu (WEEKS, THOMAS WILLIAM) writes:
>Subject: Resolution Vs Colors
>From: tww2568@sigma.tamu.edu (WEEKS, THOMAS WILLIAM)
>Date: 12 Dec 1992 00:34 CST

>Yes... the new higher resolutions are nice, but all in all, only DTP and other
>such resultion greedy applications need the such.. for the human eye, dealing w
>with lower contrast 256+ color pallets, you'll find MORE COLORS is better
>than higher res....

>After all... most of the REAL NICE TV sets with REAL NICE pictures are only
>about 500+ vertical lines....  

>Why do they look so nice then compared to my computer?
>   You ask...

>Good question....  Its because the TV is displaying an analog representaion
>of the actual image... an image which in 'computer terms' is 24 bit, or 16.7
>million colors....  If you just stay at 640x480 res and jump from 256 colors
>to 32K, the improvement is incredible... much better than going to 1280x1024.

This is not true. Television sets have something called anti-aliasing which 
the low-end to medium-end graphics boards (VGA to SuperVGA) do not have. 
Anti-aliasing smoothens the edges of curves so as to appear non-jagged. For 
exmaple, you can compare an image rendered on a 8-bit color frame buffer on 
a SparcStation with the same image rendered on a 8-bit anti-aliasing frame
buffer SparcStation: the difference is VERY obvious. Although, it is true, 
no one needs 1280 X 1024 (or 1024 X 768 or 1150 X 915 or 1600 X 1280) for 
good animation, movies, or graphics, the amount of colors are not the only 
factor playing a role. In many cases, professional graphics are rendered in 
24-bit (16M colors) and then converted to 8-bit (256 colors) with good 
conversion programs which keep the resolution and the graphic quality, while 
reducing the generating time and disk space. Also, images on PAL (higher 
resolution) look better than on NTSC, not even to mention HDTV.

>Thomas Weeks

							Greetings,

							Macbeth
From: dplatt@cellar.org (Douglas Platt)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Chord keyboards, heads up displays Now!
Date: 16 Dec 92 07:50:54 GMT
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system

Note: This message was originally posted to the extropians e-mail list. It 
was in response to discussion of paper-based organizers such as the Day 
Timer.
I thought it would be of interest to this group.

First of all, they are not easy to back up, so if you lose them, you're
screwed. A palmtop can be quickly backed up daily and insured, so that if you
lose it or have it stolen - no biggie. Also, your personal info can be
encrypted on a palmtop. Since you can't easily encrypt with a paper-based
system you are less likely to record the really personal stuff that could be
very valuable down the road (say to help revive you from suspension). Another
disadvantage of p.i.s. is the extreme difficulty of integration with computer
based personal information managers. I suppose if you print very neatly and
have a high end o.c.r system you could get your notes into digital form, but
who's willing to go through that now? For those whose work lives are seperate
from the rest of their lives, these disadvantages may not matter as much as
to me, an EXTROPRENEUR (de we like this word?) who needs to access contact
info, record ideas and expenses wherever/whenever.

Other problems associated with organizers not related to not being digital
are the ergonomics. The comprehensive/expensive ones are bulky. This
objection may be amusing to those who have seen me wearing my 4 lbs prototype
wearable computer system (the Hip PC), but it is a serious impediment to many
suit wearing types who can't wear hip packs and whose briefcases may be
stuffed with papers, notebook computers, cell phones, etc.
--

So, here's the scenario. A modified poquet pc riding in inside suit pocket
most of the time, but for taking notes at a trade show, or while walking,
driving, holding a briefcase or cell phone, you attach it via velcro to your
vest. It looks a little radical to some, but you're an extropian and don't
care. In fact the radicals on the list won't mind attaching the Private Eye
headset mounted miniature display for even more evolved capabilities. Voila -
you've gone from conservative businessman to cyborg in two fell swoops!

BTW, there is a palmtop with chord keyboard called the AgendA that I have
been using for a couple years, but can not really recommend due to it having
no distributors in the U.S., though I can recommend it wholeheartedly to our
London based contingent, as it is a British product. The screen is tiny, and
its not dos based, but you can velcro it to a vest or hip pack and write
while driving!


Note to Boston area extropreneurs: Marvin Minsky has invited me to speak at
the media lab. Tentative date is Monday December 21. Stay tuned for more
details if you would like in on my Hip PC presentation.


Douglas Platt
Select Tech, Inc. 215-277-4264
dplatt@cellar.org


------
dplatt@cellar.org (Douglas Platt)
The Cellar BBS - (215) 539-3043
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu
Subject: Silicon Life In Nature/Computers
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 03:58:26 GMT

Ideas, what is the parameters for how computer chips are made, and if they
could be found in nature. Including jupiter and the solor system or universe..
Reason for this is I wonder if silicon life could be created in nature.  And
how they would percieve reality and such.. Reason for thi spost is partially to
help with different bent on how to bring about cyber technology..

Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: SMCMILLN@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU
Subject: RE: GET A LIFE; FREAKS; NEW IDEA
Organization: Northwestern University
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 14:47:10 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.224512.103@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca>
gpeel@mta.ca writes:
 
>
>        It's Mt.A not MAT butt-head.
 
Oh! Butt-head! It appears I've hurt the feeelings of a little neo-
nazi freak. So what was your toilet training like? How do you
feel about your mother?
                                        -- St. Morphine
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: ahawks@nyx.cs.du.edu (man without a conscious)
Subject: Re: Agrippa
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 03:09:26 GMT

Somewhere in Cyberspace, Clayten_Hamacher@mindlink.bc.ca said about 'Agrippa':
|>Correct me if I am wrong, but will not such self-erasing works become a
|>necessity on an electronic medium in order for artists to earn their daily
|>bread? Think about it: if information can be replicated and distributed at
|>zero cost, all knowledge loses its economic value as soon as it is released.
|>
|> Bob Hall
|
|If I buy a book I want to be able to read it over and over again through the
|years if it is good enough. A book isn't worth much if you can only read it
|once, especially if you need to keep on reading at a set pace.

Well, whatever happens, Agrippa is all over the net.  It is archived
on ftp sites now.  So, assuming you bought the thing, read it, allowed
it to be encrypted, you could always get another copy if you wanted to
re-read it (but would you in this case? =)

The first virtual book I read was LSD:  My Problem Child by Albert
Hofmann.  Every so often, I need to extract quotes from it for friends
or for a school paper or something, so when I do, I just ftp another
copy, and grep for the phrases I'm looking for.  It is a lot more
convenient, for me at least, then reading it on paper.  And, if I
wanted to, I could always print it out.  Thus, the more virtual books
the better. 

--

    ahawks@nyx.cs.du.edu	        FutureCulture:  In/f0rmation
    ahawks@mindvox.phantom.com		future-request@nyx.cs.du.edu
From: bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Bryce Koike)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: Gibson's a fake!
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:44:01 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <1992Dec10.082435.1@tesla.njit.edu> kpm8447@tesla.njit.edu writes:
>I think Gibson is a farce!  He's just bullshitting us!  C'mon, oh! it's soo
>wonderful that he makes Agrippa, and it disappears and so do the pictures.

	Yes.  It's called ephemeral art and there's a lot of people
in this world who make a living at it.  (Wine, ice sculptures, sand
castles...there's more.  Need they be said?)

>He's just getting "art-sy" and making money.  Yeah, he's actually having
>fun with cyberspace, but I don't think he's so special.  Basically, he's
>got (almost) everyone here by the balls with rumors and such.  It seems
>that's about the only thing cyberspace is good for, releasing rumors very
>fast.

	Eh, your opinion.  Gibson's had people "by the balls" for a
long time, really.  I find it all quite amusing, but most of it
stems from the Gibson-I-Love-You hero worship that some people
exhibit (ok, ok, I'm joking about the "I love you" part...smile).
But hell, I'm curious and if a copy of Agrippa was to come my way,
I'd read it willingly.
	But I find cyberspace useful for far more than "releasing
rumors very fast."  You mileage obviously varies.  (In fact, why do
you bother?)

>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>Kirk Membry                                    "Our Age is the Age of Industry"
>                                                - Alexander Rodchenko
>kpm8447@tesla.njit.edu                                    kpm8447@teak.njit.edu
>kmembry@andromeda.rutgers.edu                            kpm8447@maple.njit.edu
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==
From: Clayten_Hamacher@mindlink.bc.ca (Clayten Hamacher)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: 15 Dec 92 16:50:18 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada


I said special equiptment was involved when I first described how it's
done... You use a modifed phone (a linemans handset will do this as well) so
listen to your phone line as a call is coming in... You can hear what's going
on at the calling parties end! Your phone doesn't pick this up because it's
on hook..

Maybe you just missed the reference to the Lineman's hand set or modified
phone in the very first message.

The phone at your end has nothing to do with it as long as you have a test
set or other modified phone.
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: HELP ME! (you need it)
From: PHUTTER@cardinal.sc107.wesleyan.edu (Macbeth)
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 18:12:35 GMT
Organization: Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT USA

In article <1992Dec11.154900.12298@eskimo.com> fisel@eskimo.com (Aron Roberts) writes:
>Subject: Re: HELP ME! (you need it)
>From: fisel@eskimo.com (Aron Roberts)
>Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 15:49:00 GMT

>Obviously the original poster is someone new to the net in general an
>has had the predictable reaction of "talking tough" when he doesn't have
>to speak to someone face to face. A post like that is just asking to be
>flamed. Anyway a loser like that doesn't really deserve this much
>attention.

>                     Fisel@eskimo.com

Well, it just happens that the original poster wanted to write a paper on 
this subject and did not flame or insult anyone in any way. It just happens 
that everyone in this forum decided that they (me included) know what 
everything is all about and start pissing each other off. No one was talking 
tough, though. 

							Greetings,

							Macbeth
Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6686 sci.electronics:20875
From: c60b-3fw@e260-2b.berkeley.edu (Jason Swierk)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: 16 Dec 1992 20:33:51 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: e260-2b.berkeley.edu


Brice Dowaliby writes:
>The phone ringing is an intrusion into *our* privacy, 
>and if we don't want to answer a blocked call, WE DON'T HAVE ANY 
>OBLIGATION TO!!!
>-- 

correct me if i'm wrong, but, didn't you implicitly give up the right to your
privacy when you go to the telephone company and say, "gimme a phone?" (all
this being done before caller ID, of course)

jason

Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6773 sci.electronics:21195
From: roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu (Roy M. Silvernail)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 18:55:00 CST
Organization: Villa CyberSpace, Minneapolis, MN

mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington) writes:

> On receiving a call with caller ID blocked, one thing you could do is pick
> up the receiver and say, "If you want to talk to me, call back without
> blocking caller ID," and hang up.
> 
> But could you distinguish (a) a caller who has deliberately blocked 
> caller ID, from (b) a caller from a place that simply doesn't have it yet?

Your CNID box will report whether the call has been blocked, or is from
out-of-area.

Personally, I want to be able to block anonymous calls at the CO, so
someone calling me with blocked ID would only reach a recording... "I'm
sorry, the number you have dialed does not accept anonymous callers.
Please hang up and re-place your call with ID enabled."

> Seriously, the presence or absence of ID information could help you judge
> how _long_ to talk to a possibly dubious call.

You mean like 0 seconds or >0 seconds?
--
Roy M. Silvernail --  roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu - OR-  cybrspc!roy@cs.umn.edu
   "I like Santa Claus as well as the next guy, but do you really want a
   hard drive that's spent 6000 miles at the bottom of a canvas sack in a
            wooden sleigh powered by airborne reindeer?" -- me
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: a7657@mindlink.bc.ca (Stephen H. Kawamoto)
Subject: Re: Where can i find aardvark?
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 23:05:18 GMT

hope you found aardvark.

JJ> how many books does william gibson have,
JJ> and how many before Neuro?

4 books

burning chrome
neuromancer
count zero
monalisa overdrive
and
the gibson-sterling book: the difference engine
(ok that's really 5 books, 4 by gibson and 1, a collaboration between him and
bruce sterling)

--
Stephen Kawamoto <a7657@mindlink.bc.ca>
    "It is the very mind itself
     That leads the mind astray;
     Of the mind,
     Do not be mindless."
     (an old Japanese folk song)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: Clayten_Hamacher@mindlink.bc.ca (Clayten Hamacher)
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 23:54:28 GMT

>Can't you instead of blocking have the number be reported as something other
>than the number you are calling from, like the old blue/black box trick
>
>Ghost Wheel

There are a few ways to prevent your number from appearing. Call a PBX first
(call a number, hit a few keys, get a dial tone..dial the number you want to
call) then the PBX outdial number shows.

Find out how to blue box...Have the number show up as out of area because the
call would most likely be routed back from germany (usually you call an 800
number that forwards overseas and box from there) or some other country. This
is to risky to do from home so if you're going out to a payphone to do it you
might as well just dial it from the payphone.

Have someone dial the number 3 way..

Place a Calling Card call with a company like ITI whose equiptment is to
messed up to send voice properly, let alone your number.

The easiest way is to just walk to a payphone, boxing just adds risk to it
for very little gain.

Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: gpeel@mta.ca
Subject: RE: GET A LIFE; FREAKS; NEW IDEA
Reply-To: gpeel@mta.ca
Organization: Mount Allison U, Sackville, N.B. Canada 
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:32:16 GMT

In article <168BE7B9A.SMCMILLN@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU>, SMCMILLN@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU writes:
>In article <1992Dec14.224512.103@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca>
>gpeel@mta.ca writes:
> 
>>
>>        It's Mt.A not MAT butt-head.
> 
>Oh! Butt-head! It appears I've hurt the feeelings of a little neo-
>nazi freak. So what was your toilet training like? How do you
>feel about your mother?
>                                        -- St. Morphine


	I don't see how being proud of my school makes me a "neo-nazi", please
elaborate. Also do all neo-nazis you know have bladder problems or warped
feelings towards their mothers?
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
From: lmulcahy@nyx.cs.du.edu (Larry Mulcahy)
Subject: Did anyone ever buy Agrippa?
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 15:11:39 GMT

Did anyone here buy this thing?  Have any sales figures been made
public?  Has so much as a single copy ever been sold?

Larry Mulcahy
lmulcahy@nyx.cs.du.edu
______________________________________________________________________________
When they took the fourth amendment, I was quiet because I don't deal drugs.
When they took the six amendment, I was quiet because I'm innocent.
When they took the second amendment, I was quiet because I'm don't own a gun.
Now they've taken the first amendment and I can't say anything at all.
Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6747 sci.electronics:21156
From: nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: 14 Dec 92 09:32:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: acad3.1992Dec14.013239.1
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks

In article <1g2lufINN842@hp-col.col.hp.com>, mdk@col.hp.com (Mark Keisling) writes:
> ashall@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Andrew S Hall) writes:
>> OK, here is a question for everyone.
>> 
>> My local phone co. is going to test market caller ID in my area.
>> Is there any way I can block this service by modifying my phone?
>> How does the service and blocking work? I know you can pay to
>> have your number blocked.
>> 
>> Thanks
>> Andrew Hall
> 
> No, there is no way to block the service by modifying your phone.  Your
> phone doesn't provide the number to the called party, the switch at the
> phone company central office provides the number.
> The switch would have to be programmed to not provide your number.
> Only the phone company can do this.
> 
> Mark.

Can't you instead of blocking have the number be reported as something other
than the number you are calling from, like the old blue/black box ttrick

Ghost Wheel
Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6708 sci.electronics:20948
From: bd@fluent@dartmouth.EDU (Brice Dowaliby)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: 17 Dec 92 12:02:06 GMT
Reply-To: bd%fluent@dartmouth.EDU
Distribution: usa
Organization: Fluent Inc., Lebanon NH

c60b-3fw@e260-2b.berkeley.edu (Jason Swierk) writes:

>Brice Dowaliby writes:
>>The phone ringing is an intrusion into *our* privacy, 
>>and if we don't want to answer a blocked call, WE DON'T HAVE ANY 
>>OBLIGATION TO!!!
>>-- 
>
>correct me if i'm wrong, but, didn't you implicitly give up the right to your
>privacy when you go to the telephone company and say, "gimme a phone?" (all
>this being done before caller ID, of course)

Okay, I'm correcting.  When I go to the phone company and ask them
for a phone, I don't make any agreement to have the phone plugged
in all the time, nor do I agree to answer it when it rings.

Many phones have switches so you can turn the ring on
or off depending on your inclination.  Years ago I used to unplug
the phone almost all the time, and only plug it in when I
wanted to make a call.

Now that my parents are getting older and it's increasingly
likely that someone will want to get ahold of me soonest,
I always keep the phone plugged in.

But that's a relatively recent developemnt for me.  I have the 
right, I think, to control the calls that come into my home.

The doorbell analogy someone else used is a good one.  Just
because I asked the builder of my house to put a door bell
in doesn't mean I have the obligation to open the door
whenever the bell rings.

And when videophones become comonplace, I reserve the
right to turn the video off when someone calls.
-- 
   Brice Dowaliby, Fluent Inc., 10 Cavendish Court, Lebanon, NH  03766
                         bd%fluent@dartmouth.edu        
             I don't speak for them, they don't speak for me
                              DoD # 0698
Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6695 sci.electronics:20907
From: bg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Brent Goodrick)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Caller ID block?
Date: 17 Dec 92 01:49:29 GMT
Followup-To: alt.cyberpunk
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX


Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com writes:--------------------------------------
>[some good stuff about turning off the bells!]
>
>...When will answering machines capable of recording and playing back
>Caller ID information become available?  I note that the Caller ID is trans-
>mitted between the first and second rings, whereas an answering machine typ-
>ically is set to pick up on anything from the second to the fifth ring.  So
>the machine would have to pick up Caller ID information BEFORE actually an-
>swering the call, which would give you a record also of all the people who
>called you but DIDN'T LEAVE A MESSAGE...
>...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yep, and the Caller-Id-sensitive machine could also maintain a phone kill
list of those nasty callers.  You could tell the machine to not accept
a message from the phone number last received!  This would allow the
answering machine to filter out those pranksters that go so far as to
leave nastygrams on your machine.

Brent
bg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

Xref: sparky alt.cyberpunk:6729 sci.electronics:21054