The rise of the netbooks recently has taken some of the press by surprise, and to be honest, as a power-user I was also a bit skeptical. But in reality, any user who has helped someone else perform a task on a computer can see very quickly the appeal of a simple interface and a single-task based system.

Olpc, eepc, the netbook and several “toaster,” or internet-mostly systems that use baseline hardware and an open-source browser as a platform to access the internet have changed a computer from a software engine to a browser engine. It is a simple task-execution system, OS agnostic, mostly browser agnostic and is easy to configure. The gradient between netphones and desktops becomes grayer as more devices fill in, leading me too ask just one question:

When is the task-based interface going to truely make its way to windows? Soon please.

“Yes, I would like some vinyl siding.”

“Yes, I would like satellite TV.”

“No, I am not sure that I will be voting for your candidate, but I would be glad to donate.”

I would very much like to meet the person who pitched, and sold the first robo-caller. In Detroit right now, in an alley, nursing some fortified courage, is where I will probably meet this forward-thinking Marketeer. A person who fundamentally misunderstands cold-calling and human interaction to such a degree, one can only assume they are unemployed and unable to panhandle.

Is there a person alive who actually listens through a full robo-call other than to push the “take me off your f-ing list” button? Perhaps Aspergers patients who would like the practice, maybe a schizophrenic who isn’t sure which voice is on the phone and which is in their head?

I am not sure if it was intentional, but this bit of diabolically annoying technology is giving us a capitalist’s answer to the Turing test. Alan Turing was a brilliant Mathematician who devised a simple test to deem a machine “sentient,” and the method was a conversation in which a person is fooled into believing that the computer is another human. Ideally, one assumes that robo-callers will reach this with full market force before, if not shortly after, MIT does. The simple reason being economics and evolution.

Economically, more funds will go toward keeping people on the phone, as this yields a higher percentage of sales. Also, computers like this will be infinitely cheaper than humans, have programmable dialects and even language modules for other countries. Evolution will be present in the many companies using different approaches in parallel, learning from each other and building on the mountain of statistical data gained one annoying car warranty call at a time. With each hardware and software iteration, the conversation will get a little bit better.

When a human and a computer are indistinguishable from one another on the phone, it isn’t much of a stretch for a robo-call to sample your voice after a short conversation and use it to call your mother. What percentage of the populace will have to be fooled and for how long before the test is passed? What happens when less ethical persons get their hands on this technology

Maybe my digital secretary, or intelligent digital agent can screen my calls with a Turing Captcha.

What kind of questions will be hardest to answer?

To revel in my Geek Glory, I was a collector/player of Magic: The Gathering for several years. It wasn’t obvious then, but I was learning practical things that I could use in day-to-day life. I though it might be nice to share 5 of the most common and useful things that I learned.

• 5. How to lose gracefully. There are people in this world who are smart, beautiful and very wealthy… no matter how good you are, there is always someone who can afford a Mox. Life Application: Losing gracefully at anything, no matter how much you are tea-bagged is a sign of maturity, and engenders respect as well as a positive attitude. Relationship Application: Losing an argument is never fun, but sometimes you have to admit your were wrong, and getting stomped by an Orge is good preparation for marriage. Warfare Application: Small losses can feign weakness, setting up for a strike… also, a good mental attitude and the ability to cut losses and reassess is crucial to a good leader. If a strategy in any situation isn’t working, be able to look at it objectively.
• 4. Focus on Fewer or Even a Single Strategy or Goal. If your 4-color elf-lion-goblin-thrull deck isn’t working, then there is a chance that your concept is spread to thin to be effective. Learning how to focus on a goal like getting out a bunch of mana for a larger creature or a small-creature deck in one color will be more effective. Life Application: Trying to Date, Buy a house, get another job and learn Korean all at once may also lead to less forward movement and stagnation in every area. Find a few goals to focus on and order by priority or logical chronology. Relationship Application: Trying to e-mail 16 friends from high school, call 5 people a day to just talk and date a few people also is a bad idea. Maintain healthy relationships, ones that are fulfilling and meaningful. If you find yourself looking at the inbox or caller-ID and dreading it, you may need to re-arrange your personal life. Warfare Application: Focusing on short-term goals and long-term objectives is necessary even if you are engaged in multiple campaigns. As a commander you will have to gauge the viability and progress of each campaign, and understand how it relates to other objectives.
• 3. Understanding cost-benefit ratio. Within a game or two, I understood which creatures were great for their cost and which were ineffective and bloated with useless abilities. There is also a certain vanity you get over when you build a theme deck and realize that an entire creature class is lousy. Life Application: What is the benefit of a BMW over a Honda? It is status, which, some people need. Understanding that there is a cost to EVERYTHING and some benefits are subtle but priceless is a cornerstone of Wisdom. Relationship Application: Your time has a price, and how you spend it is sometimes worth more than anything else you could purchase. Warfare Application: A supply line may just be a dirt road, but the price for defending it is small compared to the price for not having it. Ask Napoleon. Sometimes it is about buying one more Humvee or 100 high quality pieces of Body Armor.
• 2. Dealing with multiple players. When sitting at a table with 3 or more players, the personal aspect of the game comes into play in a very different way. Understanding motivations and your opponents resources is even more crucial. Life Application: Personal politics is a very difficult lesson to learn in the workplace or in a group of peers, some people are offensive or defensive, there are many situations that are better looked at objectively and positively without the color of emotion. Sometimes you need to be a calming influence, then let everyone else fight it out. Relationship Application: If you insist on dating multiple people, never let them meet or see you with the other person, because they will gang up on you. Also, some friends will not get along with each other, plan for this and don’t try to force it. Warfare Application: Understanding the politics and mechanics of several groups, such as the sects in the middle-east or the many peoples of the Balkan states, is important to understanding why there is conflict and what will stir up or calm down the interested parties. It is not a good idea to instigate real military conflicts, and understanding a region can help restore order and move people forward.
• 1. Luck is Opportunity met with Preparedness. If you spend time honing your deck eliminating the chaff and side-baring in or out for a specific situation, you almost can’t pull a bad first hand. Life Application: Life will throw you curve balls, do your best to meet them on your feet and be prepared. Relationship Application: Don’t set yourself up for failure, discuss the future and your long term goals with your partner before your get to deep. Also, be willing to compromise, but know what your limit is and draw the line. Warfare Application: Be prepared for a worst-case scenario with an entrenched, well-supplied enemy and a protracted conflict with a high attrition rate. However, when opportunity knocks, have a plan ready at a moments notice.

These are are other things that I learned, like Stasis decks are very frustrating, and there will ALWAYS be a reason to buy more cards. But these are the most important things I think, feel free to comment and tell me what your favorite lessons were and how they are applicable to everyday situations.

While researching the current state of bittorrent vs. copyright protection I read about the Demonoid Torrent tracker and their current status. They were raided by the Canadian Authorities, leading to the owner(s) putting up a forum to “Keep the community together.” My curiosity has led me more than once to a bittorrent “community.” After a member has added to the pool of illicit, pirated, immoral or otherwise material he/she(also a category) is barraged by angry citizens commenting about improperly labeling said booty, upload speeds or other infractions that, despite the fact that the material is “free,” ruins their day entirely. Sometimes there are Thanks buttons, or other types of karma systems designed to brag or give the impression of superior pirating skills. Without free stuff just laying around, what kind of folks would still contribute to the community? Have a look. Just to ensure hilarity, I will pull a few choice posts out:

• Any medical guys out there?
• Am I an Alcoholic?
• If I ever start making YouTube videos, this’ll be my ending credits.
• Pictures for dumbass threads
• 1999 Honda Accord LX
• guys this might sound stupid………
• PLEASE HELP!!!

There it is, proof that if you remove the juicy free stuff, the community (such as it is) remains, with numbers like: 105924 Posts in 3642 Topics by 104835 Members.

UPDATE: Demonoid is back… and rocking the numbers again…

Hey folks,
I am a bit of a Potter Buff, so please, if you aren’t interested…don’t read any further.

Thanks,
Mike

Harry Potter and The Tarot of Destiny (more…)