Editorial – January 2024: The Geek Stuff.

Hello everyone,

Memory. I’m reputed to have a good one, though it gets slightly muddled when I’m out due to agoraphobic stress, requiring a bit more thinking time to recall facts from years ago or even recent ones without a list. Additionally, my memory is actually enhanced by a regular intake of 8g of Omega-3 per day. However, it still requires presence of mind to exercise memory regularly rather than relying on looking things up constantly. The Internet can be a useful memory jogger, but relying solely on it for remembering things can lead to a lazy brain. You also need the foresight to ask the right question in order to get the correct answer. Not to mention, you must be able to wade through and distinguish between true and fake news and identify the differences. If nothing else, this practice breaks the conditioning from a young age to accept printed information as true without questioning it.

From a Science Fiction perspective, we haven’t seen any fiction exploring a future world where this kind of thinking has serious repercussions in the story. The saying “the one-eyed man has an advantage over the blind” has been cited, but no one asks whether the same would be true under bright, blinding sunlight. In a future of ignorant people, you would think the intelligent person would appear as a potential leader, assuming, of course, that he or she is listened to and believed. In truth, they are more likely not to care because it won’t infringe on their world. Who wants to give up their version of utopia, where they can be idle and carefree, doing nothing all the time, when you’re asked to do something for the common good? Well, maybe me, but you can bet they’ll say machines do most of the work. Make them likeable AIs, and who would want to change the status quo? Having idle people reduces population when they don’t have much care and responsibility. Utopia needs a lot of dissidents to break a culture, assuming it can be done. There goes another easy plot from Science Fiction.

When you see today’s children and teens, let alone adults, perplexed when even their media contact connections are down, how long do you think it would be for them to sort out their lives if that was for extended periods? Would they find something else to do? Our dependency on technology is going to make our personal skills diminish. Mankind, as a whole, won’t be recognized for ever possessing imaginative thought again. Do we really want that reality that badly and let AI elements do too much of our thinking for us? It doesn’t even have to be complicated thinking. We need to keep all our skillsets alive, not just creative thought.

Computer software is making things look too easy. Can’t draw or paint? Software will do it for you. Who owns the copyright? You or the manufacturer, although that’s never been addressed in a court of law as far as I know? After all, who did most of the work? It might not be you.

We’ve already seen how algorithms (it even showed the previous word as I was typing it) suggest spellings or even correct words as you type. My typing speed is such that I can end up with a duplicate word because I’m faster than Word, which just repeats the word. It always pays to do a second read-through and correct before sending messages, just in case it sends something you didn’t mean. Fortunately, the likes of Word won’t correct a user’s correction a second time, but you do have to wonder how long that will last when we have little say in what modifications are made to our software.

After all, when was the last time we were shown a list of modifications and which ones we want to use? I know a lot of the updates Windows 11 does are for security issues, and the last thing you want to do is tell the hackers what’s been done so they know where to look. However, with the likes of MS Office or other software, where you have another set of commands added, the option should be there as to whether you can be given a brief tutorial or just told what is there. This shouldn’t be forgotten simply because you don’t have time right now to look at it. In a utopic world, it would be possible to have explanations from simple to technical, but even simple ones in our world rather than having to know how to read an updated manual quickly should be mandatory.

When I look at manuals these days, it’s more to see what commands equate to what I know or would use. Assuming you people out there know how to put commands in the easy-access menu bar of your favored software like Word, etc., I bet you don’t have more than 20, including a few macros of set commands that you use regularly, and a quarter of those are load/save commands. Yet, oddly, with macros, if there is an update, it can also be wiped or kept as a backup by the software without your permission. The rest of the commands are rarely used simply because they are too specialized. Something to consider when selecting your software or updates.

As geeks, we’re supposed to be strong-willed and talented, often being loners. With computers doing so much for us, this is slowly being eroded in the young. With a mobile phone and prolonged illnesses, youngsters are never truly alone enough to prefer their own company and develop their own talents. Of course, they could be loners at school simply for having different interests. Not being good at sports or not athletically inclined is one way to be isolated in class. Unlike our younger years, our interests are more revered or at least tolerated these days. Look at how many people go around in superhero T-shirts these days but probably aren’t geeks. Maybe not as obsessive, but how can we beat popular culture? Perhaps we can make some new cult culture. Do we geeks wear geek T-shirts as likely as wearing beanie hats with propellers on them? We do like some anonymity as we get older.

This doesn’t have to be purely about nascent talents; just give yourself and possibly your sprogs enough opportunity to cultivate talents away from their mobile phones and possibly computers. If nothing else, showing skills like model-making and other creative talents can be useful on your CV when applying for jobs because it shows you can follow instructions and even explain how you did it. Demonstrating you have skillsets beyond others can open doors.

Being interesting is better than being a phone bore. You need to show you have other talents that can be utilized in any job to stand out.

Equally, if you want to see how geek-like your sprogs are going to cope, then you need to ensure their innate talents are allowed to grow and mature and don’t do everything for them. The same applies to yourselves. Adding something you haven’t done before is a good New Year’s resolution.

Being ahead of the reality we are living in means being geek won’t die out.

Thank you, take care, good night, and remember to use your inner skills rather than let computer software do it for you. Oh, and maybe a better New Year.

Geoff Willmetts

editor: www.SFCrowsnest.info

A Zen thought: Details are important.

What Qualities Does A Geek Have: Never assume anything without checking.

The Reveal: You can’t use bath salts in a shower so why pollute the water supply with them?

Observation: It’s often said that when there is a computer problem, a reboot will sort it out. However, what if you have Windows Explorer open and it won’t change size, then don’t forget that if you close it down, it will reset to having its functions will restore. You would think this should be an automatic process but the programmers rarely look at the simple stuff or how it can be affected by the other things they are doing. It tells you more about the add-ons and no one checking what else in the software it is affecting like the length of time it takes to save a file.

Observation: I’m always been puzzled by the Moody Blues’ song, ‘Knights In White Satin’. Can’t they wear armour like they normally do?

 Observation: Now, still going back to ‘Thunderbirds’, do you suppose as pointed out in TV21 that there is a World Government, does that imply that there is no longer a need for passports a’la the EEC? That would explain so much like TinTin getting home early by cadging a lift home in Thunderbird Two in ‘Trapped In The Sky’ or Penelope’s numerous trips abroad without going through customs.

 Observation: Now, here’s a ponder. We know with Thunderbird 2’s damage in ‘Terror In New York’, it took a couple weeks to gather replacement parts for repairs. However, the explosive missiles and such expendables that are used all the time must mean the Tracy Island must be getting regular deliveries or, presumably, somewhere off-island that still have to be collected. Even so, you would think someone would be wondering where it was all going. Should we also wonder why a titled lady have such a need for ammunition for her pink rolls royce?

 Observation: Plants are the ultimate survivors. They don’t care that much if you cut them down because they will always grow back knowing human life-span or boredom will mean they will ultimately win.

 First Encounter: What happens when we meet our first extra-terrestrials and they want to meet Dr. Heywood Floyd?

 Connections: If you get the chance to see the 1965 film ‘The Great Race’ might spot the similarities to the animated ‘Wacky Races’. It also means Jack Lemon was the original Dick Dastardly and Peter Falk as Muttley.

 Computer Observation: If you’re getting a cable for a graphics tablet to your computer, ensure its multi-directional.

 Hopeful Link Still There: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/9-sci-fi-concepts-that-are-possible-in-theory/ss-AA1lXxm7?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6ed8a6b359a14093bb839efa6cccd6b8&ei=65 Since where were cleaning glasses and opening tin cans high concept SF ideas and should I write a story about them?

 Feeling Stressed: If you think the world is going to end in fire, then feel optimistic, as you might be right and its not a bright flash.