Re: Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World

[bloodline]

steve30 wrote:
My current OS is already very secure. I do not generally run JavaScript on any system. Security doesn't come into it.

Then I'm honestly at a loss...

Enjoyment doesn't really come into it either. JavaScript can be useful sometimes, but has a tendancy to make site much worse, and alot slower these days. Nothing to do with enjoyment.

You have to be crazy... Javascript was the best thing to happen to the internet since html... You will find yourself increasingly isolated if you don't embrace new technologies... the web is going to get much more Javascript heavy, not less...  And when I say enjoy, I simply mean use... how do you use the vast array of services offered for free by many companies without Javascript?

[steve30]

What kind of services offered by what companies?

Only thing I can think of except for some forums where JavaScript comes in handy is ebay which seems to function perfectly fine without it.

[bloodline]

steve30 wrote:
What kind of services offered by what companies?

Only thing I can think of except for some forums where JavaScript comes in handy is ebay which seems to function perfectly fine without it.

Well lets start with iPlayer... where you can watch any BBC program you might have missed in the last week... Since I assume you pay your TV license, this is a service you have paid for an should take advantage of... then you wouldn't need to have someone record the show on to tape (20 century technology!!!)  and sending it to you via the post... this is not a modern way to live!

How about Gmail? I use it all the time, 6gigs free storage, and I can get my Emails anywhere in the world... also has a built in chat service with video...

How about social networking sites? Facebook, myspace?

How about YouTube? One of the single most useful sites on the internet...

My god, the list is endless!

[steve30]

I have no desire to watch any long TV programme in a web browser. If something is important I will record it onto a video tape and arrange to do this in advance. This has the advantage of not having to use the computer and I can keep the recording for a very long time if necessary. I don't pay a TV license currently, but even if I did, it would be soe I can watch the TV. I couldn't give a toss about the websites run by TV companies. I only use the BBC site for weather which can easily be obtained from other sites or from Ceefax, or just by watching the TV.

Gmail works fine without Javascript (I have used it fine on my 030 A1200), but I use it in MS Outlook about 98% of the time so it's web interface doesn't matter. I intend to switch to another service soon though as I want my email address to use the domain name that I own. I use Google's chat service over BitlBee in any IRC client, along with MSN and AIM. I am not having extra programmes open for these since 95% of my online chat is on IRC.

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occaision when he can email me instead'. It's only other use was for people from school to call me a {bleep}. I no longer have any use for such sites and will not have any use for them in the forseeable future.

As for YouTube, other than about 10 music videos that I have wanted to look up over the last year or so, I do not use it either. I am yet to find a video which is good or useful or has some relavence to me. And the quality of YouTube videos is absolutely {bleep} and they cannot be downloaded to watch later. Any videos which I make will not be put on youtube as I do not want anything which I put effort in to be amongst a big pile of crap on someone elses website. Nor do I want someone else to decide what player it will be played in (i.e. flash) nor do I want to have someone else dictate the quality of the video. How YouTube is 'useful' I don't know.

That just about clears everything up.

[bloodline]

steve30 wrote:
I have no desire to watch any long TV programme in a web browser. If something is important I will record it onto a video tape and arrange to do this in advance. This has the advantage of not having to use the computer and I can keep the recording for a very long time if necessary. I don't pay a TV license currently, but even if I did, it would be soe I can watch the TV. I couldn't give a toss about the websites run by TV companies. I only use the BBC site for weather which can easily be obtained from other sites or from Ceefax, or just by watching the TV.

But if you own a TV then you need a license... that is the law...

Gmail works fine without Javascript (I have used it fine on my 030 A1200), but I use it in MS Outlook about 98% of the time so it's web interface doesn't matter. I intend to switch to another service soon though as I want my email address to use the domain name that I own. I use Google's chat service over BitlBee in any IRC client, along with MSN and AIM. I am not having extra programmes open for these since 95% of my online chat is on IRC.

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occaision when he can email me instead'. It's only other use was for people from school to call me a {bleep}. I no longer have any use for such sites and will not have any use for them in the forseeable future.

Hmmm.. you sound popular... :-?

As for YouTube, other than about 10 music videos that I have wanted to look up over the last year or so, I do not use it either. I am yet to find a video which is good or useful or has some relavence to me. And the quality of YouTube videos is absolutely {bleep} and they cannot be downloaded to watch later.

Actually they can be downloaded.. but then I use a Mac, perhaps you can't on Windows I've never tried...

And there is a High quality setting in your account, but since you don't use Javascript I doubt you've ever seen the settings page...

Any videos which I make will not be put on youtube as I do not want anything which I put effort in to be amongst a big pile of crap on someone elses website. Nor do I want someone else to decide what player it will be played in (i.e. flash) nor do I want to have someone else dictate the quality of the video. How YouTube is 'useful' I don't know.

That just about clears everything up.

Ok, fine... you missed a TV show... you claim to keep missing TV shows made by the BBC (which if I understand correctly, you legally have no right to watch)... The BBC offer a service that allows you to watch these programs if you miss them... But you choose not to use this service and still complain... I must say you are a very strange person.

Anyway, welcome to the 21st Century, I hope things aren't to scary for you!

[jmbattle]

Might I suggest you use Firefox with the the NoScript extension.  This will allow you to browse the net without worrying about pop-ups, advertising, and the potential security exploits.

Then, when you do encounter a website that requires Javascript enabled to function correctly, you can either allow the domain/sub-domain temporarily, or add it to a white list for future visits.

The BBC's news website is among the best available, while iPlayer (which I would love to be able to use over here), leads the way in online streaming.

Regardless, I downloaded the programme from a UK TV torrent website a couple of days ago, and found it to be rather interesting.  Die-hard Amiga fans will undoubtedly disagree, however Bill's decision to donate billions of dollars to charity cannot be ignored.

Cheers,
James
x

[steve30]

I never said that there arn't any other residents here that don't pay the TV license. The TV license for these premises is paid.

The reason I forget to watch stuff on the BBC is because I always watch ITV in the evening and my rubbish short term memory prevents me from remembering to change channels so I just switch it off as normal.

Things like iPlayer are not very good for me alot of the time anyway as I watch and record the TV in locations that do not have fast internet connections but do have excellent Television/VCR facilities. e.g. I may record something at home on monday so I can take the tape to one of these locations and watch it on tuesday. I can then keep the recording to watch 10 years later.

The BBC may provide a service to watch programmes that have been on but that is only useful for those who can use it.

Downloading youtube videos - I know it is possible but it requires special software.
I cancelled my youtube account about a year ago. And flash is still a crappy video format, regardless of whether it can be high quality or not. And it will never fix the issue of my own videos being among everyone elses {bleep}. Which obviously isn't related to watching videos which are already on youtube but it has been suggested to me to put stuff on youtube in the past.

I sound popular? I might be popular, but that doesn't have anything to do with social networking sites. I don't see why that is needed when i talk to everyone on forums and on IRC.

I think you need to remind yourself about when the 21st century actually started.

[steve30]

Might I suggest you use Firefox with the the NoScript extension. This will allow you to browse the net without worrying about pop-ups, advertising, and the potential security exploits.

Then, when you do encounter a website that requires Javascript enabled to function correctly, you can either allow the domain/sub-domain temporarily, or add it to a white list for future visits.

I will remember that in case I ever do use firefox, but I much prefer Opera so I don't bother normally. I find it very easy to just switch Javascript on as and when it is needed. It takes 3 key presses.

[CSixx]

steve30 wrote:
I watch and record the TV in locations that do not have fast internet connections but do have excellent Television/VCR facilities.

You missed the show, you wont watch it online because of the big scary javascript requirement, and noone else here still uses VHS.

Sounds like you are screwed...

[adolescent]

TV license?  :lol:

[Hodgkinson]

Hmmm. This isn't what I had planned...

BTW, have a look at Zamzar - An easy way to download videos from the internet and convert them at the same time. You can even upload your own files for conversion. Totally free.

Never used Facebook. No need. I gave up on Myspace after I thought, 'what the hell am I keeping this page up for when it's primary use is for Hodgekinson to leave me a message on the odd occasion when he can email me instead'.

Fair enough ;-)
I hardly even use Myspace these days, either.