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Thread ID: 61803	2005-09-17 04:17:00	Arthur C Clarke, still going strong at 87.	Graham L (2)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
388967	2005-09-17 04:17:00	The October 2005 issue of Electronics World has a special section on the 60th anniversary of Clarke's description of how communications satellites could work. There's a reprint of his October 1945 article in Wireless World, "Extra-terrestrial Relays", and his letter suggesting "Peacetime uses for V2". Well worth looking for in your library (or even buying a copy :cool:).	Graham L (2)
388968	2005-09-17 07:05:00	2001: A Space Odyssey still blows me away... :)	HadO (796)
388969	2005-09-17 09:24:00	2001: A Space Odyssey still blows me away... :) I agree, fantastic. I would love a computer more like Max (?) than is possible now. PJ.	Poppa John (284)
388970	2005-09-17 09:58:00	I agree, fantastic. I would love a computer more like Max (?) than is possible now. PJ. Max? What were you smoking at the time PJ? "HAL" was the computer name. In the "conspiricy" theory take the letters IBM and subtract 1 alphabet place to each. I=H, B=A, M=L so IBM becomes HAL	godfather (25)
388971	2005-09-17 10:11:00	Thanks GF I was not sure, hence the ???. I would still like a lesser version of HAL, however. I believe there are some freeware versions of "Voice Commands" that do work, but have not been game to try it. PJ PS If you have this on your computer, what is it ? PJ	Poppa John (284)
388972	2005-09-17 10:40:00	I don't use speech recognition software, if thats what you mean. Have tried it (Dragon Naturally Speaking and Office 2003 Speech Recognition), but my 2 finger typing is far quicker by the time I correct the speech recognition errors, plus it takes hours to "train" the software. I am not aware of any "freeware" versions that would be effective, given the R&D that has to go into it. The day I see large corporate "cost concious" organisations using it because its more efficient than a typist, perhaps I will look at it again. That day is not here.	godfather (25)
388973	2005-09-17 11:04:00	Thanks Graham and I'll try to find the article. I'm a bit ambivalent about Arthur these days since his alleged pedophilia a few years ago. But a great mind and a good writer.	Winston001 (3612)
388974	2005-09-17 20:47:00	Thanks Graham and I'll try to find the article . I'm a bit ambivalent about Arthur these days since his alleged pedophilia a few years ago . But a great mind and a good writer . Here is the artcle: . org/clarke/1945ww/" target="_blank">lakdiva . org Incredible . . . . 1945 !!! It would thus be possible to have a hundredweight . of instruments circling the earth perpetually outside the limits of the atmosphere and broadcasting information as long as the batteries lasted . Since the rocket would be in brilliant sunlight for half the time, the operating period might be indefinitely prolonged by the use of thermocouples and photo-electric elements . Both of these developments demand nothing new in the way of technical resources; the first and probably the second should come within the next five or ten years . However, I would like to close by mentioning a possibility of the more remote future--perhaps half a century ahead . An "artificial satellite'' at the correct distance from the earth would make one revolution every 24 hours; i . e . , it would remain stationary above the same spot and would be within optical range of nearly half the earth's surface . Three repeater stations, 120 degrees apart in the correct orbit, could give television and microwave coverage to the entire planet . See also Peacetime Uses of the V2 ( . org/clarke/1945ww/1945ww_feb_058 . html" target="_blank">lakdiva . org) Graham - thanks for posting this . I have wondered what he was up to . Godfather - HAL/IBM = another gem found here on PF1 :thumbs: Re: Pedophilia . . . From a 1999 article: Clarke's series is recognized as one of the finest in fantastic literature and he was recently knighted in his native Britain . [Note: The knighthood achieved controversial status this last February as shortly before the ceremony an interview was published in which Clarke admitted to a lifelong pedophilia . Ouch! . . . Perhaps this explains Clarke living in Sri Lanka since 1956 . ] Also from a Google search: That Arthur C . Clarke is gay has been an open secret in the science fiction community for years and for idiots who don't know any better the jump from homosexuality to pedophilia would seem to be a small one . The irony is that Clarke, who suffers, I believe, from post-polio syndrome, says that he hasn't been sexually active in any way for many years . And this 1998 article: ( . rediff . com/news/1998/feb/02clarke . htm" target="_blank">www . rediff . com) ''Once they have reached the age of puberty, it is OK . . . It doesn't do any harm,'' said Clarke, who has lived in Sri Lanka for 40 years . "I am trying to think of the youngest boy I have ever had because, of course, you can't tell it here . I think most of the damage comes from the fuss made by hysterical parents afterwards . If the kids don't mind, fair enough,'' he was reported to have said in the interview which was conducted at his house . ''I am amazed why the law has not been enforced as far as Clarke was concerned,'' says Maureen Seneviratne, co-ordinator for a non-governmental organisation called Peace -- Protection of Environment and Children Everywhere . ''Why do we have strong laws in Sri Lanka?'' she asked, noting that such a law had been in place since October 1995 when parliament passed a bill without division on prevention of abuse of children below the age of 16 . She said that a bill replaced a 1983 law, under which abuse of children below the age of 12 was an offence, though the child was equally guilty as the perpetrator . Under the new law, child abuse carries a minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years . The laws were put in place following a public outcry over paedophilia and child prostitution in Sri Lanka .	Strommer (42)
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