Progress of the progress

Olga on the beachIt is surprising how rarely people take a minute to think about the technological progress of recent years. The more technology there is around us, the less we think about it. All sorts of technological wonders are so deeply integrated into our lives that I bet it will be difficult to think even about one day and try to remember and appreciate all the comfort that we have these days.

Here is my attempt. I woke up roughly about 10am on the bed and with air conditioning on. Switched AC off with the remote control. Olga was already up, drinking tea and watching television. Teethbrushing, soapwashing and other morning procedures. Used cooker to warm up some food from the fridge. Had a couple of phone calls with people on the move. Jumped into a car and went to a beach some 20 kilometers away just for a quick swim. While on the sunbathing on the beach, made a picture of Olga, connected to the Internet from my mobile via GPRS and uploaded it to my home server…

I feel that I am missing a lot and it gets pretty boring. There was nothing special technology-wise today. And I cannot even remember all of it. :)

Looking at this from a longer time span things get more obvious. When my grandfather was a kid he didn’t know what a radio was. My father didn’t have a television set while he was growing up. I didn’t have a phone until I was about 18. Today’s kids will have problems imagining a life without a computer with Internet connection and a small mobile with a battery that can work for a week or so.

Lovely. And there is no sign of things slowing down. :)

More thoughts on blogging

I’ve been reading lots of other people’s blogs recently. It made me think a lot about this whole subject. Here are the questions I am sleeping on currently:

  • Which is better: post rarely but with big, thoughtful, interesting posts or often with a couple of words, a quote, or a link?
  • Does the size of the post matter? Do people come to read something long and interesting or just to see some proof that you are alive?
  • Which is better: a standalone blog, like mine for example, or a collective site like Blogger.com and LiveJournal.com?
  • Should blog authors stick to one language and/or style or use what exresses the point best?

There are pros and cons to each side. Poll won’t help here, though, so I am not making one…