A better browser

Rather than burn more CO2 to create flashy effects how about context browsing?

Like the "Private browsing" mode but you could have many of them, one for Intranet tabs, one for work based research, one for Lunch time browsing, one for "Private browsing".

Also what about bringing:

• Google glears functionality to the native browser: SQL Engine for offline work
• Local network shared caching (especially for stream data aka YouTube)
  
• Plugin audio and video codecs for native playback (HTML5)
• Quality of Service tagging for smoother browsing
• Telephony and IM integration via gateways/API's

Beat me to it brother

Thank you Bob.

The Terrorism Act is now the defacto call of the Police it seems:

"Waylett and his long-term friend John Innis, 20, were stopped under the Terrorism Act in Lodge Road, St John's Wood, west London, after the actor took a photograph of a police patrol as they drove past."

Why was a suspected drug user and actor stopped under Anti-Terror laws?

What most governments and news agents fail to report is that we lost the war on terror. Think about it... do people live with more fear or less fear?

Retail banking

Bank errors can be funny at times.

However you have to notice how retail banking is not human any more. All decisions are down the the computer and even marketing to customers is as well.

If you are close to into your overdraft the bank will send you pamphlets on loans, if you are in credit they will send you details on savings and investments. If you swing between being in credit and into debt you get both.

It is a computer program that is deciding what to do, no human assessment. I asked not to be sent any letters by my bank (paper free banking as its called) however that does not apply to their marketing department who know I own a house, have a mortgage and need insurance.

Also go into your branch and the chances of getting help are determined by how well the adviser can operate the computer in front of them.

Do you twitter?

Err, what is the point of twitter?

The few times I have been there its filled with dribble. Nothing on the site has affected me to make me think of anything other than why am I on this website.

It just seems to be the infinite monkeys theorem.

People talk about the site as if there was some value to it. Facebook I can understand appeals to peoples vanity and laziness but twitter is just a mystery to me.

Step too far

I just read about a couple of new devices:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2009-07-06a.692.2

Which clearly need banning.

The mosquito is an ultra-sonic device which emits sounds which only younger people can hear and will therefore not want to be around.

The second is acne lights which target vain teenagers by highlighting skin blemishes.

Now youth offenders are a problem however this clearly is not the solution, it is discriminatory against an age group regardless of their actions or attitude. Would an anti old person device be acceptable?

This is somebody trying to cure the symptoms and not the disease.

Invest in the NASDAQ

Just a little silliness this morning. However can you spot the problem on the screen shot?

And no I do not mean the newspaper anti-labour bias:

Software innovation

Just finished reading an article on if the Linux desktop is innovating to much:
http://lwn.net/Articles/338103/

The short answer is no.

The long answer is that computers or computer human interaction is a long way from where it needs to be. The latest generation of phones are showing the way. They are less about showing you ALL you can do and more about showing you what you want to do.

Right now we are moving from the Model T Ford to a Lincoln Mark II, this is early days of computing still and to get stuck with wanting icons in the same place or functions to do the same thing is only going to hold us back. I want a computer system that does everything I need when I need it. To get there we need to innovate, which is going to cause pain to those that do not like change.

But as the old family motto goes: "Good times, Bad times, all times change."