The Great Voidspace Computer Sale
Well, not exactly, but I've finally got round to selling a couple of unneeded items on ebay. The selling procedure was pleasantly straightforward. In order to retain PayPal seller protection (and minimise the possibility of fraud) I can only sell to buyers in the UK, and only send to a registered PayPal address.
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A genuine copy of Windows XP, never used and with a Certificate of Authenticity.
HP Jornada 820/820e Handheld Computer
This is a lovely handheld computer which is a cross between a laptop and a PDA.
It runs Windows CE, but has a 70% sized keyboard and a 640x480 screen resolution. It also has a built in modem and 32mb memory.
It also comes with a host of accessories, like Clik drive and leather case. Great for taking notes or carrying around documents.
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Posted by Fuzzyman on 2006-09-22 15:12:19 | |
Categories:
Technology
Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Two of my favourite authors are in London next week. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. 
I discovered this via Neil Gaiman's Blog.
So at last there is some benefit to working in London [1], I'm going to both events. Even better, I can buy a copy of Good Omens and get it signed by both of them. 
| [1] | Other than the job, which is still great. If I didn't have to work this is what I would be doing anyway. |
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Posted by Fuzzyman on 2006-09-20 23:14:19 | |
Categories:
Cyberpunk
Geniuses, IQ and Passion
A recent New Scientist Article [1] runs with the headline You Could Be a Genius Too.
It suggests that brilliance, whether academic or in music or sport or anything else, is not innate. Instead it is partly based on support and environment in the early years, but mainly on plain hard work.
This is a reassuring message for most of us, who are not yet geniuses, by applying the 99% perspiration we have lacked.
Apparently the majority of real achievers in almost any field have an only moderately high IQ. Conversely, those who have an exceptionally high IQ tend to only live moderately achieving lives.
The article concludes that almost anyone can become a real achiever, a genius in their field, if they are prepared to put in the hard work.
This sounds at least partly true, but I don't think its the whole story. Personality still determines success or achievement (however you want to define success and achievement). I think the missing factor is passion. Passion is the intellectual or emotional force that drives people to achieve, and IQ is probably much less of a factor than we suppose.
It is this fact about the human soul [2] that makes it much more relevant to human endeavours than the mind. We achieve when we get passionate about things.
It's also why I find the blog Creating Passionate Users so interesting. Good programming isn't just about cold rational choices...
| [1] | The article is by David Dobbs, and although it cites 'studies', a quick scan of the article didn't reveal any specific references. |
| [2] | Perhaps a controversial word, but a word that encompasses human emotions and subconscious drives as well as the rational mind. |
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Posted by Fuzzyman on 2006-09-20 23:11:18 | |
Categories:
Spirituality, Life
For buying techie books, science fiction, computer hardware or the latest gadgets: visit The Voidspace Amazon Store. For the poker players, checkout a new free poker odds calculator.
If you're looking for a new techie job, try the Voidspace Tech Job Board. This is part of the Hidden Network of technology and programming jobs.
Archives
The Old Blog Archives
There was so much ancient wisdom distilled into my old blog, that I couldn't let it just creep ignominiously into the pages of cyber-history. More to the point I'm still getting some hits from google with the old entries. Here are the archives of my previous Blogger based blog.
IronPython in Action
