Where did the “computer for the rest of us” go

Where did the “computer for the rest of us” go.

I have been programming and using computers since 1959, some self-taught, some with help of others.

I wrote my first small program for Ohio Oil on an IBM 650 (cards in, cards out).  I started with Elliot Organik’s Programming the IBM 650 and the help of other programmers.

I next encountered the Burroughs 3500(?) as a graduate student at Case Institute of Technology.

Then I worked nearly 20 years at Univac working on the Univac 1107 and later models.

Then the personal computer became more interesting and I went out on my own.  Then in 1984 Apple came out with the Macintosh.  This was the “Computer for the Rest of Us”.  It was simpler to use, almost intuitive.  I was smitten and have moved up whenever I chose or could afford to.

But somewhere along the way Apple lost its way.  Each new group of Apple programmers had to change the Mac OS to their way.

One of the most gratuitous changes was a couple of years ago when printer orientation went haywire.

For a long time I could put an envelope in the back tray of an Epson WF-3640.  Push it in so far and tell my Mac to print the envelope.  Whoosh!  Done!

Then somebody in Epson or Apple decided to change the software.  The orientation displayed on the Mac was different.  I forgot all the little things I had to do differently.  The envelope had to be put in the back tray opposite what was shown on the tray.  I forget all the details but sometimes the envelope went through without even being printed.

I just looked up on the Epson website about printing envelopes from one of the front trays.  I followed all the directions, but the printer insisted on an envelope being in the back tray!!!

Enough debugging for the day.  I would rather read a history book.

Can we “Normanize” Trump?

Norman was the head humanoid robot in the Star Trek episode “I, Mudd”.

In front of Norman, a crew member pointed at another crew member and said, “He always tells the truth.”  The second crew member pointed to the first and said, “He always lies.”  They continued this back-and-forth as Norman looked from one to the other.  Eventually, in true movie fashion, Norman’s head began to smoke and he became inoperative.

I don’t wish to see Trump’s head smoke, but is there any contradiction of his that could be used to get him to resign because the job has become too hard?  He has walked out of deals before.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/prisoner-of-his-own-impulse-inside-trumps-cave-to-end-shutdown-without-wall/2019/01/25/e4a4789a-20d5-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html?utm_term=.beae40a2ec9c

Don’t believe everything you see

This evening we watched a Hercule Perot DVD, “The Big Four”.  It is about illusion and countering illusion.

After we watched the video, I checked my email.  One messages was from The Atlantic giving a link to “Stop Trusting Viral Video” by Ian Bogost (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/viral-clash-students-and-native-americans-explained/580906/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20190121&silverid-ref=NTExMzk2MjAyNDU4S0).

It is about the supposed clash between a Catholic high school student mocking a Native American elder beating a drum.  Even after reading the story, I am uncertain about the details, but they are not as simple as many news stories have asserted.

I’ll let you be your own judge of what really happened.

Trump’s wall will increase boat sales

If Trump’s wall goes up, people-smugglers will buy boats.  Instead of smuggling people over the Rio Grande they will be taking them to isolated beaches in California, Texas. Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Don’t think it can’t happen?  Consider the thousands that smugglers have taken across the Mediterranean, often with fatal consequences.

And if Trump insists on putting walls up on all these beaches, do you think the local boaters and fisherman will be happy?

Sent to Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-8) and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.

Good news! Sort of!

I just learned today that at least one part of the U.S. Government is working.  The Internal Revenue Service!

I made no assumptions about the IRS being open or closed by Donald Trump's shutdown.  I sent my quarterly estimated Federal Income Tax payment by the due date.  Normally, the IRS takes a few weeks to cash my check.  When I checked my bank balance this morning, I found that my check had been cashed by someone.  I can only assume that it was the IRS; the image of the back of the check is hard to read.

Trump and foreign trade

From Yahoo! Finance: 2019-01-04
AAPL
CNBC Videos • Fri 1:57 PM
Trump: China is paying us tremendous tariffs

AAPL
Fox Business Videos • Fri 1:59 PM
Trump: I want Apple to make their products in the US

AAPL
CNBC • Fri 2:53 PM
Trump says he's not concerned about Apple because it builds products in China

Who is paying the “tremendous tariffs?  It is not the Chinese.  They just pass those tariffs on to the U.S. customers.

But the complexity gets worse.  Do U.S. manufacturers cut their costs by manufacturing in other countries.  If they cut their costs, do they pass those savings on to their customers or do they just add them to their profits.

If the savings are passed on, the customers benefit.  If the savings are considered profits, do those at the top get bigger bonuses or do the share-owners get bigger dividends or bigger profits when they sell their stock.

How to lose friends and be influenced by dictators

A new book by Donald Carnage.

Inspired by Max Boot (Corrosion of Conservatism) and George Will (“The shabbiest President ever is an Inexpressibly sad specimen”) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-a-misery-it-must-be-to-be-donald-trump/2019/01/18/d0e05eea-1a82-11e9-8813-cb9dec761e73_story.html?utm_term=.7bf9d512df93

When “conservative” columnists don’t like “conservative” presidents, something must be wrong with the “conservative” president.

Justice Thomas and the Second Amendment

Justice Thomas and others seem to believe the Second Amendment reads "The people have no right to regulate a militia of one person".

Do they also believe that that one person has a right to fire into a crowded theater?  The Supreme Court long ago limited free speech by stating that a person cannot yell "Fire" in a crowded theater.

If someone were to claim that Justice Thomas was getting paid one million dollars a year from  the arms industry, wouldn't Justice Thomas be justified in suing to limit that persons right to free speech?

On the other hand, Justice Thomas should get an honorarium from the Federalist Society to cover travel expenses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/opinion/guns-second-amendment-supreme-court.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage#commentsContainer,   Linda Greenhouse

Netflix: To boycott or not to boycott

This afternoon my wife read an article in the Daily Kos about a boycott of Netflix.  The reason is that Netflix bowed to a Saudi Arabian request not to make available an episode of a series that was critical of Saudi Arabia.

I cancelled our Netflix account which was rather easy.

But then I did my own reading about the boycott.  See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hasan-minhaj-responds-netflix-saudi-arabia_us_5c2cf80be4b0407e90875e85.

The request was limited to not making it available in Saudi Arabia.  Still, I think I’ll let the cancellation stand.  If I get any meaningful explanation from Netflix, I’ll consider re-subscribing.  Meanwhile, we’ll visit the public library more often for DVDs.