The Halls of Science, Technology, Computers, and Stuff

Science

Nanotechnology, quantuum physics, superconductors, deep space exploration. From the very smallest to the huge beyond comprehension - science is mankinds exploration of the world around us. Every day we learn more and more about the astounding universe around us, all that's left is to explore the world within.

• Faster Than Light

  Space travel to distant galaxies is as exotic and attractive as it is impossible. The upper speed limit of the speed of light is just not fast enough to make it likely that our childrens, childrens, children will ever escape this solar system - let alone the galaxy. But - if this barrier can be broken, the sky is just the start.

• The Human Genome Project and Beyond

  A very good introduction to genes and the genome project. Genomics and Its Impact on Science and Society. The Human Genome Project and Beyond - a publication of the U.S. Department of Energy Human Genome Program. This is the result of a study of human DNA - called the Human Genome Project. The goal was nothing less than producing a high-quality reference DNA sequence for the human genome's 3 billion base pairs and to identify all human genes.

  This report, from 2003, is a good primer on the whole subject of genes and genetics. It also examines the possible impact on society of future research.

• Monkey Mind Moving Matter

  Some science reads like science fiction, and that's true of this article. The power of thought moving objects hundreds of miles away sounds like it ought to belong in the esoteric sections of this website. However it's already been done - and it wasn't human thought, it was a Monkey Mind.

Computers

If you`re reading this then you`re using a computer !! Love them or loath them they invade our lives at every opportunity - heck the average toaster is smarter than my first computer was. The virtual world becomes an entirely new realm for the mind to escape into - whilst the body is left behind. Is this explosion in communication a new degree of freedom, or just a new prison.... ?

• The Hacker Crackdown

  A literary freeware book by Bruce Sterling.

• First Impressions of the Macbook Pro and Mac OS X

  I have recently started using an Apple Macbook Pro laptop on my daily commute and for developing. Having only ever used Windows it was quite a switch. This article records my first impressions of the Apple laptop and the Mac OS X operating system.

• In the Beginning was the Command Line

  A masterpiece of computer journalism by one of the masters of cyberpunk fiction. This article explores the history and philosophy of computer software, with some intruiging diversions and conclusions.

• The Future of Programming

  This article, subtitled An Object Shaped Future ? looks at what it means to call a language "High Level".

  After this it examines the popular programming paradigm "Object Oriented Programming" and whether it has what it takes to last into the future.

• Reasonable Password Policies

  A whitepaper by Tony Foord on Chip, PINs, Passwords & Security Codes.

  Do the password policies of many firms, intended to secure their electronic systems, setup guidelines that no-one can follow; and result in an inherently less secure system ?

• A Mini History of Programming

  Taken from the start of a longer article, this piece is a brief history of programming itself. From numbers to compilers, via the tar pit; it charts the moment that debugging was born.

• The Programs and Tools in my Toolbox

  A list of the programs and tools that I use whilst computing and programming.

  This article is a list of all the tools in my toolbox. They are mainly shareware and freeware, but include one or two commercial programs.

  It also includes a list of the Firefox extensions that I use regularly.

• A Quantuum Future - Computing and Cryptography

  Computing power is racing ahead. But it faces a theoretical limit as components edge ever nearer the size of the buidling blocks of matter, atoms. At these sizes quantuum effects take over. This has it's own oportunities though. This article looks at what possible implications a new branch of computing has on the field of cryptography.

Internet

The internet is now a global phenomenon, but it's easy to forget that the whole online revolution has happened in the last ten years. Virtual reality threatans to overtake real reality, can you still tell the difference ?

• Automated Denial-of-Service Attack

  This is an article about blurring the lines between the physical realms and the virtual realms. An interesting article about revenge on a 'spammer', and how 'virtual life' can cross over into 'real life'.

• On the Internet

  Richard Curtis, the creator of Blackadder, discovers a great way to waste time.

• Breaking into the World Wide Web

  A tutorial on various different techniques that can be used to escape censored or filtered internet connections. It covers proxies, cgi-proxies and a few other tricks.

• A Beginner's Guide to the Internet

  A beginners guide to the technology behind the internet. A readable look at how the internet works and some of the jargon used to describe it.

• Your Own Poker Tutor

  The rise of the internet has led many hobbies and social activities to migrate online. One of the most successful of these is online poker playing.

  If you're a card player, wouldn't it be great to have a profesional player at your side to teach you ? This page introduces you to the best personal poker assistant around, Pokerbility.

Communications

A series of articles by Rene Tse on communications and mobile computing.

These cover everything from free VoIP to podcasting, the latest phones to how to get the best from your smartphone or PDA.

• Geocaching and Georeferencing

  One of the most incredible facets of the technological revolution is personal GPS. Maybe big-brother doesn't know where you are, but your PDA can.

  This is two articles about Geocaching and Georeferencing, treasure hunting with a PDA and saving pictures with Geo-locations with the Navman iCN 750.

• Finding Your Way With GPS

  An article about choosing the best and cheapest GPS software. Using GPS software with a PocketPC or smartphone is a much cheaper and flexible option than built-in GPS systems. This article reviews five alternative GPS programs, with the pros and cons of each from a real road test.

• Mobile Content Delivered To Your Mobile Device

  Mobile content on your mobile device. This article looks at various different forms of entertainment that you can access with your PDA, smartphone or mobile device. It includes a review of the possibilities (like streaming TV over Wi-fi), and several different programs you can use to access them.

• Move over iPod - Here Comes the Multimedia PDA

  Streaming TV and Streaming Radio to your PDA can give you hours of free entertainment. There are ways to transfer audio and video to your device, this comparison will point you in the right direction for turning your PDA into an iPod beating multimedia device.

• Take Your Radio Show on the Road With Podcasting

  Have you considered taking your favorite radio program on a long scenic drive? The show you love; the scenic backdrop you crave ñ can the two really be combined? Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too. Only, this time it's not cake, but your show with nature that your senses crave.

• Imagine a Radio Show On Your Time

  A podcast is like a radio show that you can listen to at your convenience. If you have a hectic schedule and work 50 hours or more per week, then pod casting is definitely for you.

  Even better, podcasting is a a way for you to get your message heard. All you need is the right technology, and if you have a PDA or an iPod; you've probably already got it.

• Ruggedized Devices

  If you're anything like me, then any new and cool gadget comes with a risk that it will soon die from being dropped, squashed or otherwise destroyed.

  This article is a look at some of the cutting edge rugged mobile devices, with a review of their features and the pros and cons. There is some impressive looking gear shown here.

• A Close Look At The Top 10 Smart Phone Technologies In Development Today

  The mobile phone was one of the technological leaps of the last two decades that has had the most impact on the way we live. For the last few years smart phones and mobile computers have threatened to further change the way we do business and communicate: but the technology is only just getting to the point where this can become a reality.

  This article looks at the top-ten smart phone technologies that are currently being developed, and how they could change mobile devices.

• What's New With Free VoIP Providers

  One of the new opportunities provided by the internet is free and cheap phone calls, through a protocol called VoIP; Voice Over IP.

  This article looks at different VoIP providers and programs, with a particular emphasis on Linux and PocketPC devices.

• Mobile VoIP - Voice Over Wi-Fi

  VoIP really is about mobility. This article is about using Wi-Fi enabled devices capable of Voice Over IP. It provides a mini tutorial on how to install four VoIP applications on Linux, Apple Mac or Windows operating systems.