As an aside, I mentioned the Home Information Packs. These are a new, compulsory, initiative to make the process of selling and buying a house much easier. There's a fair amount of controversy surrounding the packs, not least because the content and focus of the pack was reduced significantly, so it now no longer contains information that would be useful to a potential buyer, such as the results of a structural survey, or information on potential flooding or subsidence.
As an aside, I mentioned the Home Information Packs. These are a new, compulsory, initiative to make the process of selling and buying a house much easier. There's a fair amount of controversy surrounding the packs, not least because the content and focus of the pack was reduced significantly, so it now no longer contains information that would be useful to a potential buyer, such as the results of a structural survey, or information on potential flooding or subsidence.
Some of the comments were interesting (and even rude), but obviously the original thrust of my anti-card slot comments were mis-interpreted. Years ago, I could fully understand why a PCMCIA slot would be useful, because the technology was modernizing all the time.
Today, most laptops come with a combination of built-in interfaces and the universal interfaces (USB, Firewire) that could be just as effective as the Express Card/PC Card slot for the types of devices we frequently use through the carded slot.
Some of the comments were interesting (and even rude), but obviously the original thrust of my anti-card slot comments were mis-interpreted. Years ago, I could fully understand why a PCMCIA slot would be useful, because the technology was modernizing all the time.
Today, most laptops come with a combination of built-in interfaces and the universal interfaces (USB, Firewire) that could be just as effective as the Express Card/PC Card slot for the types of devices we frequently use through the carded slot.
We've just had a holiday break here in the UK, and one of the things we did was look at a new house. Of course we had the usual criteria, space, number of bedrooms and for me a pretty good kitchen.
But other considerations come into play now too. The house we looked at was further into the village and therefore potentially further away from the exchange, which might cause problems with the Internet connection that is now of course compulsory. Other considerations like the quality of the electrics (the house is almost 100 years old, you want the electrics and circuit breakers to be somewhat more modern) also form part of the decision process.
We've just had a holiday break here in the UK, and one of the things we did was look at a new house. Of course we had the usual criteria, space, number of bedrooms and for me a pretty good kitchen.
But other considerations come into play now too. The house we looked at was further into the village and therefore potentially further away from the exchange, which might cause problems with the Internet connection that is now of course compulsory. Other considerations like the quality of the electrics (the house is almost 100 years old, you want the electrics and circuit breakers to be somewhat more modern) also form part of the decision process.
I have for many years asked why modern laptops have a PC Card (PCMCIA) and more recently the ExpressCard slots. Years ago, the PC card slot was the only way to add functionality like a WiFi card, and sometimes even basic networking, but today (and for many years) most laptops come stacked with so much built in (networking, modems, Wifi, USB, FireWire, multi-monitor video out) that the inclusion of an expansion slot seems just like a waste of money and space in an environment that has limited space to begin with.
Despite the limited usability of the slot, nearly all laptops continue to come with the ports, even the MacBook Pro includes an ExpressCard/16 slot despite the fact that it has the sort of port connectivity that would make most desktops blush.
I have for many years asked why modern laptops have a PC Card (PCMCIA) and more recently the ExpressCard slots. Years ago, the PC card slot was the only way to add functionality like a WiFi card, and sometimes even basic networking, but today (and for many years) most laptops come stacked with so much built in (networking, modems, Wifi, USB, FireWire, multi-monitor video out) that the inclusion of an expansion slot seems just like a waste of money and space in an environment that has limited space to begin with.
Despite the limited usability of the slot, nearly all laptops continue to come with the ports, even the MacBook Pro includes an ExpressCard/16 slot despite the fact that it has the sort of port connectivity that would make most desktops blush.
As this article describes, April Fools was a bit of a hoot yesterday with many companies getting involved in the process.
My favourite April Fools is actually not an IT one, but from BMW, and follows on in a series of april fools they've had over the last few years. Last year the advert had a phone number which, if you called, you eventually got forwarded through to somebodies real desk phone (and a surprised voice). It certainly scared the life out of us when we called.
As this article describes, April Fools was a bit of a hoot yesterday with many companies getting involved in the process.
My favourite April Fools is actually not an IT one, but from BMW, and follows on in a series of april fools they've had over the last few years. Last year the advert had a phone number which, if you called, you eventually got forwarded through to somebodies real desk phone (and a surprised voice). It certainly scared the life out of us when we called.