One of the annoying things using copy and paste on windows is that the paste generally carries with it the formatting of the source. I assume that to the average moron using a computer, this is a feature, but I rarely if ever want the source formatting. This often comes up because I paste something from a document or website into an email. The formatting for the words or phrases is then that of whatever I copied, rather than the format of the email. Stands out like a sore thumb and is very annoying, with me having to take steps to undo it.
I am a big fan of style sheets, with my preference (admittedly not used since college) being Latex. Content and presentation should be completely separated. For example, you don't create a heading by saying "bold, 16 point font, centered". You mark it as "heading level 1". Then, a style sheet, separate from the text itself, defines that "heading level 1" has those properties. By doing this, every single heading in the document is guaranteed to look exactly the same. Additionally, if you choose to change the look of the document at a later date, you simply redefine the style sheet to make "heading level 1" look different. Copying the formating completely breaks this.
I should look into writing a utility that disables this by default, or look if such a utility already exists. It shouldn't be that hard, as things copied to the clipboard generally define several formats (to account for different application compatibilities) and plain text is almost always present as a lowest common denominator.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
4G
Sprint has for a short time now been offering "4G". If you excuse the fact that very few markets currently have it, it really isn't actually 4G.
4G, in technical terms, is defined as being 1Gbps or over by the ITU, and the Sprint network is nowhere near that fast. 4G was supposed to be a hypothetical super ultra fast wireless technology that could genuinely start replacing fiber and wires. It seems like it would be many years before we see that kind of speed. We don't even see that in short range Wifi.
To me, 4G should probably be defined in the 20 to 50 MBps range, and I swear I have heard this definition at some point as well. That speed range would be a clear step forward compared to what we have now.
I also remember reading when all the 3G stuff started, that 3G would peak out in the Mbps range -- don't remember the exact numbers but I thought it was still considered 3G well into the 5 to 10 Mbps range we are seeing from the latest deployed technologies. Quite frankly, the devices and networks first classified as "3G" (things like early EVDO revs) were just barely that, and furthermore, at the time, were considered to be just the tip of the iceburg of what 3G was. The ITU defines 3G as 200kbps and up, so even good old EDGE qualifies when it is maxed out. Early EVDO was 250 - 300 kbps, really not all that much better than EDGE.
What I think basically happened was that 3G got all the hype when it was 300 - just under a meg, and now marketing folk decided to throw the next number at it.
I have not used Sprint's 4G yet. There is nothing wrong with the speed range they are claiming, it will be quite speedy, but it isn't truly 4G yet, just the next step of 3G.
Fine, sprint wants to call it 4G. Annoying, because this incorrect term probably will stick, but whatever. Now, T-Mobile has followed the lead and is calling their new HSPA+ network "4G". It's about as "4G" as sprint, and I believe will actually be a bit faster (10Mbps vs 6MBps). However, in print, Sprint's network generally is just called 4G by the press, but T-Mobile's generally is called "4G", with quotes, like it isn't real. Well, it isn't but neither is Sprint's. Just made more annoying by the fact that on top of that it probably will be a bit faster.
One thing I will give Sprint's marketing department is that the new crop of Phones genuinely are a new generation from a capability standpoint.
4G, in technical terms, is defined as being 1Gbps or over by the ITU, and the Sprint network is nowhere near that fast. 4G was supposed to be a hypothetical super ultra fast wireless technology that could genuinely start replacing fiber and wires. It seems like it would be many years before we see that kind of speed. We don't even see that in short range Wifi.
To me, 4G should probably be defined in the 20 to 50 MBps range, and I swear I have heard this definition at some point as well. That speed range would be a clear step forward compared to what we have now.
I also remember reading when all the 3G stuff started, that 3G would peak out in the Mbps range -- don't remember the exact numbers but I thought it was still considered 3G well into the 5 to 10 Mbps range we are seeing from the latest deployed technologies. Quite frankly, the devices and networks first classified as "3G" (things like early EVDO revs) were just barely that, and furthermore, at the time, were considered to be just the tip of the iceburg of what 3G was. The ITU defines 3G as 200kbps and up, so even good old EDGE qualifies when it is maxed out. Early EVDO was 250 - 300 kbps, really not all that much better than EDGE.
What I think basically happened was that 3G got all the hype when it was 300 - just under a meg, and now marketing folk decided to throw the next number at it.
I have not used Sprint's 4G yet. There is nothing wrong with the speed range they are claiming, it will be quite speedy, but it isn't truly 4G yet, just the next step of 3G.
Fine, sprint wants to call it 4G. Annoying, because this incorrect term probably will stick, but whatever. Now, T-Mobile has followed the lead and is calling their new HSPA+ network "4G". It's about as "4G" as sprint, and I believe will actually be a bit faster (10Mbps vs 6MBps). However, in print, Sprint's network generally is just called 4G by the press, but T-Mobile's generally is called "4G", with quotes, like it isn't real. Well, it isn't but neither is Sprint's. Just made more annoying by the fact that on top of that it probably will be a bit faster.
One thing I will give Sprint's marketing department is that the new crop of Phones genuinely are a new generation from a capability standpoint.
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