Ian McNaught Davis & My Computing Evolution

Ian McNaught-Davis passed away last week aged 84. His name won't be familiar to most people but during the 1980's he was a familiar face on TV and more often than not he was promoting the early computers such as the BBC Micro, Acorn and Archimedes. Together with Chris Serle, another familiar face from 80's TV, he hosted in 1983 'Making the Most of the Micro' and earlier 'The Computer Programme'.

Both were attempts to sell the concept of computers playing an integral role in among the general public and industry. Little did they know back then just how much an impact the personal computer would have on the World and the development of the Internet which now joins these devices to a vast network of information and media. It's difficult to know how influential these programmes were given that computer ownership was extremely low. In the US, ownership was as low as 15% of the overall population. It would be another ten years before things really began to take off. Up to then there had been many attempts at developing a 'standard' home computer and I recall with fondness owning a few of them.

Nowadays we look back at these 'museum pieces' the same way we do a vintage car or wind-up gramophone. Their use was often limited to very basic games or simple word processing, but that was all we really needed at the time, and even this seemed amazing.

The dial-up modem made it possible for computers to connect to other computers and I recall using early Bulletin Board Services to access local information and news. Many of these were run from people's homes and the slow data rate and call costs made this a very expensive activity.

CompuServe was my first portal to the Internet in the early 90's. It wasn't 'true' Internet as we know it now - more a selection of sites made available via a portal. Even then there were just a few hundred sites available, each easily categorised according to content. I recall my excitement at having a whole electronic library of information at my fingertips and would regularly sit up half the night browsing these fledgling sites on my US Robotics 28 kbps modem.

Much of the time was spent patiently waiting for the pages to load, one line at a time, such were the limitations of modem technology back then. However, it worked and it was exciting - a taste of what was to come.
I don't remember when exactly ISDN became available domestically. It had been used by business for many years but for a time, BT marketed it to the general public as 'super-fast' access to the Information Superhighway. In reality, it was two phone lines joined together to give twice the maximum bandwidth. Even wit the two lines, the line speed was only about 256 mbps. By today's standards, this is very low but back in the mid to late 90's, this was high speed and with the limited complexity of sites, pages loaded quickly. This was a major step forward and opened the door to streaming audio and video - albeit at very low definition and bit rate. Most importantly, it worked and it worked well. ISDN wasn't around long enough to be established as a standard for domestic Internet access. It wasn't marketed, it was a lot of work to install, it wasn't user-friendly and it was expensive. The need to dial-up each time meant that forgetting to disconnect after use could mean staying connected for many hours, each minute of which was charged at a premium. I recall one month receiving a bill for £800 simply because I had forgotten to disconnect.
I was a latecomer to ADSL. I had moved from South London in 2001 and in South Lincolnshire, it took another couple of years before it reached me. I moved with my job, then in IT, so I was able to have ISDN re-installed in my new home, and installed again in my current home a few miles up the road. When it finally came, ADSL was a massive leap from ISDN. The biggest bonus for me was the ability to have several computers connected to the Internet simultaneously. Being permanently connected was a good feeling and it was great not having to worry about connecting and disconnecting. I could use my phone at the same time too - something I couldn't do with ISDN or dial-up.

Youngsters growing up with this technology know of nothing else. They are used to the Internet being there, being constantly connected from computer, tablet and mobile. My son will remember the Internet as it is now - fast, dependable and always there. What's next? Well super-fast fibre is the next step and swathes of the UK are being connected right now. As with ADSL, it will take some time before it reaches me. Roll-out is dependent on viability, cost-effectiveness and take-up. In a village of just a hundred or so homes, there won't be anywhere near the demand and for most people, ADSL provides adequate speed and bandwidth. However, even now there are signs that ADSL may be struggling to provide the bandwidth needed. I already see my 7 year old son placing huge demands on our connection to the Internet. He has discovered YouTube and streaming video services such as BBC iPlayer, and with much of it available in high definition, he often 'hogs the bandwidth' and makes it difficult for me to catch up on the latest news or check my bank account. Even now, the quantity and quality of information and media available to us is dictating the way we connect. As the Internet has grown, so too has our demand for what it can offer. The problem is that it grows faster than our ability to connect and feed from it. Perhaps fibre will eventually satisfy all our needs.
So I look back at where we have come from and how fast technology has developed since the first time I heard the high pitch squeal of my modem as it 'shook hands' with another modem in a far off location. We've come a long long way. I wonder what Ian McNaught Davis would be predicting now if those programmes were made again today? Rest in peace and thanks for helping us to understand now what we understood then.

Spending Spree

I've been spending a lot of money, though sadly it's not my own. The money is the funding we (Blue Skies) have received from the NHS Mental Illness Prevention Fund in support of two projects we are running - Arts & Crafts and Computer Skills.
I do find spending money to be an excellent form of therapy but what makes it feel all the better is that the money is buying things that will make people's lives better. The arts & crafts equipment will allow our group members to make things they wouldn't normally be able to and to develop their creative skills thus improving their confidence and feelings of self-worth.
The computer skills project will enable our members without computers at home to learn how to use them and gain access to the Internet. We have provided the facility for them to scan and print documents and to even try their hand at digital photography. For many, it will be a new experience though I'm confident that within a few weeks, they will have developed the confidence and knowledge to log on to a computer and access the Internet.

A parent's dilemma

I have been following the Sally & Neon Roberts case with interest. As a parent, I wonder what I would do in a similar position. Thankfully my son is blessed with good health. There is a higher than normal chance of him developing diabetes as I have it, but this makes us extra cautious regarding his diet.
We live in a world nowadays where information is available at our fingertips. Medical reviews, studies and encyclopedias on medication and medical conditions is available for anyone to view on a computer. Nothing it seems is out of reach. With this in mind, it is no wonder that we carry out our own research into things that are wrong with us and the effects of treatment. We do it for ourselves and we do it for our family members. If , God forbid, anything was wrong with my son, I would insist on finding out all that I could. I would question any diagnosis and investigate any recommended treatment. I wouldn't go as far as refusing it, but I would want to formulate my own opinion based on solid research.

One of Sally Roberts' objections is to her son receiving radiotherapy, a process that targets an area of the brain where a tumour is present with radiation. The fact that a doctor had referred previously to this as 'scrambling the brain' probably didn't help one little bit. She is understandably concerned, as I would be. It is a natural parent's instinct to be concerned for one's child. Having said this, I have no doubt whatsoever that the medical advice given is correct and given the urgency of Neon's condition, it is right that the treatment is given. Still, I do understand Sally's concerns for her son.
I do wonder if she has left things a little late. The time for seeking second opinions and alternative diagnosis is early on when the tumour is first discovered. It is possible we know only part of the story and there is very likely to be more to this than has been reported in the media. There often is. The emphasis is most likely to be on making Sally appear to be a mother who takes risks with her son's health and is anti established forms of medical treatment. This of course is wrong.
Sometimes, we simply have to leave it to the experts. I say this in the full knowledge that sometimes it is right to question the opinion and diagnosis of a professional. I've done it myself, and been proved right. I have commented before now on situations where I appear to know more than my GP having resorted to the Internet. It does happen. We assume GP's are constantly connected to the Internet for the latest news in all things medical and health, but they are not. Sometimes, they are very lacking.
I'm certainly 'on the fence' with this one. I have enormous sympathy for the mother, but can't help feeling she has left things a little too late. This has necessitated the legal action we have seen for her son to receive urgent treatment and in effect overrule her wishes. After all, it is the life of Neon that is at stake here and everything should be done to provide him with the best possible treatment.

The Fourth Utility & Being On-Hold

I've been without Internet service between 10am and 3pm today. I say 'Internet Service' rather than Broadband or ADSL as it was the service at fault rather the actual ADSL connection to the exchange. I know this as I know what to look for, plus of course my router tells me what's gone wrong. It is therefore so thoroughly frustrating and stressful when I am forced to report a fault to my provider TalkTalk (formerly Pipex). It should be noted that up until a couple of years ago when Pipex was swallowed-up by the TalkTalk / Carphone Warehouse empire, I had had not one single problem with my service.
TalkTalk insist on using an Indian based call centre. When you question them, they tell you they are in Delhi but they very cleverly make sure they know what's going on here including the weather conditions so they can have anyone believe they are in the same country. The people in Delhi are trained to ask a pre-set list of questions separated by the odd pleasantry. This is so frustrating, especially when I know what the problem is. The diagnostic tests are unnecessary and a waste of time. I can see the exchange, I have ADSL so the fault is at your end, not mine. The only thing that stops them and makes them begin to treat me as an IT professional of 15+ years is when I tell them I am 'ex BT'. This is the only way to get them to break away from their lists and diagnostic checks. They seem to recognise this. It is code to switch them from normal mode to expert mode, and it works for me every time. A word of advice though, if you are going to use this ploy then I'd suggest reading up on the terminology used by engineers including a basic description of how your local telephone exchange works. It does work though.
How strange it was then that mid-call, my Internet service suddenly sprang back to life... The router at Talk Talk Network Centre was doing its job once again and negotiating successfully with my Internet routing request bounced across the network from my little exchange here at Gedney Drove End. A little more than just coincidence me thinks. More likely to be someone spotting that a router had tripped or a repeater was down. I'm back and running once more. My withdrawal symptoms are receding and I feel connected once again. My relationship with TalkTalk has once again been stretched to near breaking point. Four hours without Internet service is not good, not in 2012. I should change provider, I know I should. But the effort and stress involved in doing so is preventing me from doing it. I know how much hassle is involved, and so do the providers. That's why they make it so difficult to switch. Once they have you, they pretty much know you'll stay with them no matter the service you receive. This is of course bad, very bad but is true of all main utilities. The industry needs to change and switching can be made so much easier, but it's not in the providers interest so they don't bother. I simply couldn't cope with being without my Internet services for up to a week. I'm far too addicted to my instant news, information and mail.

Finally, I'm afraid it's also Santander's turn for a moan. I have to call them each month around this time to pay a little off a loan I have with them. I was unable to make my contractual payments so I have an arrangement with them to pay a little each month. Rather than let me pay using Internet Banking, a swift, safe and guaranteed method used my millions, they insist I call and pay using my debit card. This is always a stressful process for me and it's a relief when I can pay them without being reminded of how heavily in debt I am with them and how bad I have been in falling ill and daring to default. I begrudgingly accept I have to do this each month but can I please request that they change their on-hold music. It is bloody awful and can only have one intention of causing maximum stress to the caller.
A short audio clip will appear here once I've worked out how to add it!

Broadband

Broadband is one of those things we try to leave alone. When its working, we hate anything to interfere with it, but when it does, it is worse than having an illness.
So, why am I writing about it? Well, I have been with Pipex for as long as I can remember. Not so long ago, they were swallowed-up by Opal and not long after that, Opal were swallowed-up by TalkTalk. Now I have a letter telling me that Pipex are being taken over by TalkTalk. This is confusing enough. But what really gets my goat is the fact that I'm being forced to pay more for the priviledge of my service being migrated and pay more for what is in fact a lesser service (40Gb limited Internet rather than unlimited).
But the worst part of all this is the experience I've had to endur this afternoon in trying to discuss this with someone at TalkTalk. It has been as painful as having my arm foreably removed from its socket. It has left me feeling utterly exhausted.
Why oh why does anything Broadband related need to be so bloody difficult? Why is it so difficult to speak to aomeone and be understood? Why do I have to repeat my dilema to every person I am put through to? Why am I told my exchange 'hasn't been upgraded' so cannot provide me with unlimited broadband, when I have had unlimited Broadband for the last 9 years? It's all so absolutely ridiculous.
Sort yourselves out TalkTalk. I've had enough.

Common sense finally prevails

It's good to see that this country has finally come to its senses and realised how futile it is to prevent our media from reporting what we all already know. It's about time the people who make the law in the UK begin to understand that we live in the Internet age and that the laws of yesteryear no longer apply and cannot work.
I'll repeat what I have said before... If you don't want people to find out, don't do it. Simple. If you believe what is being said about you is wrong, then sue for libel. This applies to you Ryan Giggs and all the others out there with more money than sense who are under the misguided assumption that they can stifle free speech or impose their will on the millions of Internet users that make up the free Cyberspace we know and cherish.
Let's start getting down to basics - what's right and what's wrong...

Injunction madness

I cannot let today pass without adding my comments to the many thousands circulating the Internet regarding the utter madness that is the latest injunction to prevent freedom of speech in the UK.
I simply cannot believe anyone let alone Ryan Giggs can think that preventing Internet users to speak freely can possibly keep a lid on his antics. As I've said before, if you don't want people to know about it or if you're ashamed of it that much - don't do it in the first place. Simple. Now, I don't for one second believe this person is stupid - they can kick a ball around after all - but gagging the Internet...? Think again.
For anyone who thinks the UK is a country of freedom and liberty - they are wrong, very wrong. This latest round of injunctions just goes to prove that censorship is alive and well and if you have lots of money, then you have the power to censor the press and the media at large. If you don't have money - tough.
The only 'freedom' we have is in Cyberspace. Take this away and we might as well be living in China or North Korea. I am pretty angry about this whole matter, as you can tell. I am ashamed of this country and its ridiculous legal system and draconian laws. It's about time the people running this country woke up...