[lit-ideas] Re: Steve Jobs
- From: Andy <mimi.erva@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:37:07 -0700 (PDT)
I could have made it clearer. I was annoyed at Steve Jobs in large part
because some say he's making the computer as I know it obsolete, and that
depresses me. That's probably a bit of hyperbole and it was only hearsay
anyway, even if the netbook is already obsolete. I don't always appreciate
things in real time. That's why I only read classics, when I'm not reading
depressing stuff. Serious apologies for underappreciating him. His
contributions to the computer field are very appreciated by others, even if he
does want to take away my computer. The iPad is a lot more convenient and
handier than the computer, I love the instant on of it, it and can do
everything Kindle does, which is a big deal. Okay, hanging my head...
Andy
________________________________
From: Andy <mimi.erva@xxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 8:01 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Steve Jobs
Sorry, I forgot that he went to Reed for a while. The point of this is that
his rock star status seems seems a bit much for tweaking the computer
basically, which itself is a tweak on the telephone. Maybe in an age generally
bereft of inventions this might be reasonable to hope for. Better an iPad and
smart phone than Monsanto's genetically engineered foodish (which btw I just
read they're going to be purveying directly to the public soon, so my fruits
and vegetables are going to even more ruined). Today's inventions are just
tweaks. I can't think of any real inventions, can you (serious question)?
Actually, there's a line of thought that says that every, I think it's three
years or two years computing power doubles, essentially making it exponential
growth, like taking 2 and doubling it for every chess square on a chess board.
By the last square you'll have a number that won't fit into the universe or
something like that. This line of reasoning says that this exponential
increase in computing power has already or will soon have within it all the
information that ever existed on the face of the earth, meaning every book,
every newspaper, all math, all science, just everything. The problem, this
line of reasoning has it, is that this existing or soon to be artificial
intelligence super super computer can go through a singularity where it will
become self replicating, along the lines of the first singularity that sparked
life on earth billions of years ago and caused the first cell to begin
replicating. At that point the super super computer
will have the distinct advantage that it will have no emotions to get in its
way, and it will no longer need humans. Literally, humans will be pests (not
pets, pests). This idea isn't keeping me up at night yet, but in thinking
about it, it's not all that farfetched. Why can't it happen, given the
exponential growth of computing power? It's a much more realistic possibility
than going to Mars, or establishing space stations on the moon, which super
computeroids will be able to do much more easily since they won't be bio
machines requiring food and water and air.
As far as Steve Jobs, okay I take it back. I'll give my iPad another look.
I hope it isn't spawning little computer babies even at this very moment. No,
it's not. Thank goodness, we're still safe, for now...
Andy
________________________________
From: Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 6:17 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Steve Jobs
What is the fascination with Steve Jobs? Why is he such a rock star? I have
an iPad and I hate the thing.
>
What is the point of this? If all you know of Steve Jobs is that you don't like
your iPad, one would think you'd want to find out a bit more before you
gratuitously dismiss him.
Robert Paul
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