Thursday 21 June 2012

Computer Hardware and Literature


Novelists have always had a love/hate relationship with computer hardware.

Dysfunctional embrace

Author Daniel Akst wrote in the New York Times that writers and computers are, “locked in such an enduringly dysfunctional embrace…We both rely heavily on memory, for instance. We are both calculating, complex and crash-prone.”
Comparing the mind of an author to computer hardware doesn’t sound so far fetched. It is comprised of complex parts like those that can be found at SCH Trade and other specialists.



Computer hardware inspires authors

And the similarities don’t just end there. Computer hardware has, since it was first introduced to civilization, inspired authors. Science fiction writers in particular have often featured malfunctioning computer hardware in their stories. At first, perhaps the idea that computer hardware would colonize and take over human beings was born from a fear of what computers could do. Since computer hardware was used to construct robots, and especially since the arrival of Artificial Intelligence, a latent fear of being taken over by robotic creatures can be seen in science fiction.

Understanding computer hardware

It is unfortunate then that many artists and authors are notoriously bad at understanding the computer hardware they so depend upon. What is even more unfortunate for authors is that computers themselves have started writing – without the need of writers. Selmer Bringsjord, a computer scientist who knows a thing or two about computer hardware along with I.B.M. researcher David A Ferrucci, developed a computer programme known as Brutus.1 that can write bursts of fiction. Another programme that can run on computer hardware is the StoryBook, also designed by computer scientists. But the human authors aren’t too worried about computer hardware writing the Great American Novel. Perhaps because computer hardware can’t know what life experience or emotions are all about – yet!

Computers and Generation X

Computer hardware and software continues to inspire authors. In the early 1990s Generation X hit the literary world and catapulted author Douglas Coupland into cult status. His novel Microserfs looked at the world of Silicon Valley and the peculiar techno-talk of people who deal with computer hardware for a living. The Bill Gates inspired novel has now taken an iconic place in literature.

Hackers and cyberpunks

The 1990s saw a deluge of fiction inspired by computer hardware and software, including the anthology, Hackers. Cyberpunk writers such as William Ford Gibson told the story of hackers who specialized in computer hardware and software, profiling a new way of committing crime. Identity theft using computer hardware and software became another on-going theme, as well as hacking computer hardware to uncover secrets and covert or corrupt information.

Dysfunctional embrace

How computer hardware and software will impact on future authors isn’t known. One thing is for sure though; computers will continue to influence writers who will inevitably continue to be locked in their enduringly dysfunctional embrace.




Tuesday 12 June 2012

Trend of the Futuristic Home Cinema and TV Unit


Big 3D TVs are the latest craze for homeowners, and people are decking out their living rooms with expensive equipment as the home cinema and futuristic TV unit trend continues to grow.


There are few people who don’t have a big flat screen super-modern television these days, but the big square box which we all seem to have some sort of an addiction to isn’t just about catching the latest on Eastenders and watching celebrities trip over on the red carpet. Television is about world news, current affairs, modern culture and education. This is why your choice in TV and TV unit is extremely important. 3D TVs have literally given a whole new dimension to watching the programmes you love.

For parents, couples, young professionals, students and just about everyone, the television provides us with so much – a distraction for the kids when you’re cooking dinner, a daytime cure for boredom, a relaxing retreat away from the stresses of work in the evening, and an insight into what’s happening in your local area or the rest of the world. The television generation is what fuels the futuristic home cinema and TV unit trend in 2012.

A Stylish TV Unit 

So why is the TV unit so important? Not only is it the component which the digital box sits on, but it is a piece of furniture in your living room. Today’s living rooms, however big or small, are being decked out in the latest electronic equipment, modern gadgets and massive cinema screens. The only way to compliment such a technological space is to make the interior design as futuristic as possible. Here are some ways to make your home cinema work with your TV unit:

  • Choose a TV unit which blends with the style/colour/shape of your screen, making them appear as one entity.
  • Find a TV stand with ample storage so you can tidy away all the miscellaneous items which do not marry up to your interior design concept.
  • Get a feature TV unit and turn it into a focal point in the room.

How to Spot that Super Stylish Futuristic TV Unit

So you’ve got your cheapest 3D TV from 3DGB, complete with surround sound and a million other fancy gadgets. How can you spot that ultra-modern TV unit which can turn your living room into a coordinated tech heaven? Look out for the following trends in TV stands:
  • Curved shapes – TV stands with curvatures and smooth contours can seem extremely futuristic and artistic.
  • Metals – choose shiny chrome or brushed metals for that contemporary effect.
  • Bold colours – pick bold and glossy colours to create a focal point in the room.