[OT] "Pre-announcement" of Python-based "computing appliance" project.

[Richard Hanson]

[A heads up: Slightly longer post; somewhat serious, but with (I hope)
some humor -- after all, what would life *be* sans humor? :-) ]

Istvan Albert wrote:

> My opinion on this matter is that this project has
> no chance of succeeding in any palpable way. It will
> always remain at this semi-conscious level of making
> some generic statements that may make feel one better
> but have no actual relevance to the way things work.

"I try to be cynical, but it's *so* hard to keep up."[1] ;-)

Less non-seriously, at this stage of my life, such a project will
likely not make *me* feel better -- I fully realize that implementing
the *complete* vision is a quite daunting task. If you read my
follow-up post to Carlos Ribeiro, you may realize that actually
implementing daunting tasks may well make me feel worse. ;-) (Explicit
NB: I'm *not* complaining, whatsoever; indeed, I feel quite fortunate
in the big picture.) However, discussing the theses I mentioned *is*
making me feel better. Criticism is *quite* welcome, Istvan.

I'm primarily of the intellectual persuasion. I have evolved into
mostly not personally identifying with or becoming attached to, ideas
-- whether they're emanating from me, or "stolen" from others. I
*enjoy* intellectually honest critiques -- seemingly, that way lies
the path to knowledge of the "self" and of the world. 

> The Beach Boys have already properly captured
> this design in their song titled "Wouldn't It Be Nice":
> 
> "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older
> Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
> And wouldn't it be nice to live together
> In the kind of world where we belong"

Hmm... That song came out in 1966. Considering your age as you
recently posted (32-years-old) suggests that you have an interest in
"my generation's" music. Good show! :-)

> And here is how to wake up from your dream. 

Please, don't wake me! -- I'm sleeping. ;-)

> Pick a simple task,
> design a program that does it and make it as simple
> as you can. Then grab a few people off the street,
> take them to a room, ask them to perform the task,
> leave the room, then watch them try to accomplish
> that task. 

As Jerry Pournelle so often says, "Despair is a 'sin'" (I added the
interior, single quotes; I'm areligious, as well :-) ). But, I can as
easily get into disillusionment about the state of society as the next
guy. However, I'm finding it much more productive -- and fun -- to
keep on doing my art and science, even as a non-intentionalist[2] who
finds incoherent such things as: humans are a rational species; the
existence of the ego or agency (free will); and many other dubious or
undecidable things left unsaid for now. It is a commonly accepted
thesis that the universe is evolving following some, possibly
ultimately unknowable, immutable set of laws. Humans *do* seem to do
art, though, so I'm concentrating on thinking of the behavior which
comes out of Richard as art. And I continue on.

> The lessons you learn in a few hours
> will last you a lifetime. You'll then understand
> why this "generic computing appliance" serving the
> "needs of a typical user" makes no sense whatsoever.

Ahem. My life has already lasted a lifetime. ;-) Be that all as it
may, however, you're not suggesting that the status quo serves the
needs of the typical user, are you?

But thanks for the critique, Istvan. Sincerely. These theses and
proposals would be well served to be shot down early if they can be;
life is way too short to spend on side-trails, and all that.


undauntedly-but-with-a-twinkle-in-my-eye'ly y'rs
Richard Hanson
_________________________________________________________
[1] A possibly paraphrased rendition of a humorous comment by Lily
Tomlin which I can identify with. :-)

[2] See Daniel Dennett's many writings on such. The web is full of
much of his shorter works and critiques of such.

-- 
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