The size of the universe and dancing TV personalities
You know the problem – you’re sat in front of your computer, having told your wife you’re popping upstairs to ‘do some work’. But man, it’s so hard to actually get that work started. Instead, you find yourself falling down the rabbit hole and getting lost in a world of weird websites and useless YouTube clips. That’s the problem I’m facing, except I then have to write about those things but I can’t because I keep looking at them and then worrying that I haven’t written about them so distract myself by looking at more of them. OK, breakdown over. And breathe. Look how small you are Now, I don’t do drugs but if I did, I bet it would look like this inside my tiny little frazzled mind. Scale of the Universe made me feel smaller and insignificantor (it SOUNDS like a word) then I have ever felt before (and trust me, I feel it a lot). It literally puts everything into perspective. Just don’t zoom out as far as you can. I did and something resembling the end of 2001:A Space Odyssey happened. My wife was well upset when she came in and found me as an old man baby type thing. Also, the music is beautiful. I could listen to that for minutes and not get bored. And Bully’s special prize… Remember Bullseye? I used to watch it religiously. And by that I mean on Sundays. Do you remember the odd looking contestants? Well in the 80’s, these people looked normal. They don’t now! It’s a wonderful collection of hopefuls from the darts based quiz show that made a star of Jim Bowen. Weren’t the olden days a simpler place? Certainly a lot hairier. Purple domain, purple domain… This month’s ‘it’s why Tim Berners-Lee invented the internet’ award goes to Purple.com – no, I have no idea whatsoever. The image below is a screenshot of the site, click it to see the real thing. If you want. It looks exactly the same. You’ve goth to see this I love Goths. I love trees. Both things are so much fun. If only someone had a website that combined the two. What, there is? Goths Up Trees actually exists? There IS a god and he is indeed good. This made me chuckle so much, but I had been sat at my computer screen for over 16 hours straight at this point following tips and links to write this column for you that I suspect a part of my brain had actually melted. Going Dutch If you’re visiting people in Dutchland (I think the country is actually called Amsterdam – Ed) then you should definitely take a gift, it would be rude not to. But what the heck do Dutch people like. I dunno. Or rather, I didn’t know until I found this little beauty Stuff Dutch People Like – it turns out they like really weird stuff. For example, their cows don’t say moo, they say boo! How mental is that? Very, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They also like picking their noses, steep steps and sinks with only cold water taps. Actually, it sounds like a terrible place. I shall never be going. Dancing Dave Recently I had the pleasure of meeting children’s TV legend Dave Benson-Phillips. We got on really well and it was an honour to have him teach me and Rusty Lee a song from Bugsy Malone (this sounds like nonsense, I swear to you this actually happened). However, if I had seen this site, I might have not been so friendly to the bloke. Have a look at this. Seriously, is this normal behaviour? I can answer that for you – no. Oh, it gets worse. Someone just sent me this. Seriously, I think I might have to quit. How on earth are we ever going to top The Pylon Society? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . That’s it for now. Do please keep sending me your websites. I don’t have a proper job so I need something to keep me off the streets. Pop along to www.facebook.com/iainleeofficial You can read Iain Lee’s very own take on the internet here on the 123-reg blog every third Friday of the month. A familiar face on television since he got his first break landing the job hosting Channel 4’s thrice weekly topical comedy show the 11 O’Clock Show at the age of 25, Iain is also an award winning radio presenter, top podcast creator and a genuinely funny guy with an eye for the bizarre.
Getting online – whatever your age
The other day I was in a supermarket, helping out with the weekly shop and grabbing an hour or so away from my online world, when I spotted something I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised at, but did make me double-take. Further down the tea and coffee aisle, a lady of more mature years was waving her hand at various items on the shelf. Each wave being met with a glance at her hand then a smile or a quizzical look. When I got closer I could see what she was up to. I don’t know for sure but I would estimate the lady was certainly into her late 60s if not beyond and held in her hand one of those Smartphones that they advertise with the slogan “if you’ve not got [one], you’ve not got [one]”. She was using a scanning tool and apparently price comparison software via the internet to see if the bargain the supermarket was suggesting was not to be missed, was actually that good. Proof that the internet and all the fancy gadgets it can now offer are useful to each and every one of us. I tell the tale because today, as Spring Online week comes to a close, it is officially Silver Surfers’ Day 2011. You see “the net is not just for the young” as technology writer Bill Thompson once wrote and today is a celebration and promotion of the use of digital technologies by older people. Launched back in 2002, the campaign seems to get more publicity and more successful every year. The idea is to get more older people – the silver surfers – online, using the internet but it is also a celebration of those that are already on top of it. Last year the event saw an estimated 32,000 people take part in 1,600 events as part of Silver Surfers Day 2010. This year 2,000 events will have taken place during the week with many today, so if you are interested in getting your gran, your aunt, your mum, or male relatives online, have a look here using the Find an event search to see if there are any events near you. With the take-up of touchscreen tablets in the past year – I actually know more people over the age of 40 with iPads than under the age of 40 – the access to the internet for the non-net-savvy older generation has rapidly improved. Those who 5 years ago may have struggled to send an SMS text via a mobile phone, are very likely to now be using a smartphone by choice, sending emails and even logging into social networks. We’ve reported the increase in older users on Facebook and the like before, but the ability to connect with family and friends far and wide is enticing more and more of the Silver Surfer generation online. 123-reg can also help you connect. With our shared webhosting packages and 123-apps whatever your level of IT competency you can set-up in minutes your own blog to keep people updated of what you are doing, or a photo gallery to share those holiday snaps or family memories. For those more adventurous products like InstantSite and SiteFusion can help turn anybody into a web designer, perhaps to create a site for your local group or sports club. To get you started we have even arranged a 10% discount off of our .com domains purchased via 123-reg today. Enter voucher code: SURFER when prompted during the checkout process. But remember it is only valid today (20th May 2011). The internet really is great at breaking down barriers, whether that be distance, financial or something else and certainly on the internet, age is no barrier. So do a good deed for the day: Help one of your older friends or relatives to get using the internet. Free access can be obtained in most libraries and town halls across the country and for just a few hundred pounds a netbook can get anybody online quickly an easily – you may even have an old disused machine lying around at home or work that could help somebody get online. Have you helped encourage somebody to become a silver surfer? Are you a silver surfer yourself? We’d love to hear your stories.
Rewarding the top internet projects in the UK
It is that time of year when time is running out to get your nominations in for the five categories of the Nominet Internet Awards. The awards recognise achievements of organisations and individuals who have created projects that help make the internet a more inclusive, enjoyable and safer space for everyone. The five categories of the Nominet Internet Awards recognise achievements of organisations and individuals who lead the way to make the internet a more inclusive, enjoyable and safer space for everyone. The winners will gain plenty of Kudos and media coverage so consider if any of your projects fall within one of the five categories: 1. Building a networked nation – In association with Race Online 2012 Projects such as those enabling people to access the internet who may otherwise not have the opportunity. 2. Making the internet Safer – In association with Symantec Projects including tools to reduce criminal activity on the internet or those enabling people to protect themselves online. 3. Opening the world of knowledge – In association with the British Library Suitable candidates include those offering increased access to online materials, knowledge or information and / or using the internet to educate/train. 4. Empowering young people & citizens – In association with Childnet International Nominations are welcomed from those engaging with young people on internet issues, or offering public, or those simply ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard 5. Nurturing powerful local partnerships – In association with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations The final category includes those projects that make a difference in a local community with an online project, or use the Internet to bring a Community together. Full information on the categories and entry criteria can be found on the Nominet site and you can complete your entry here. But hurry nominations must be in by 28th April 2011.
The internet is here to stay – hopefully
The internet really is part of our every day lives. Even your technophobe gran or principled uncle would probably be surprised to learn how their own lives even indirectly are reliant on the use of the internet. This week that has been even further highlighted by two stories. Yesterday, the BBC were reporting the possibility of the first mobile phone into space. Scientists have tested mobile phones at high-altitude but the plan of one set of British Engineers is to send and android-based handset on-board a satellite to take pictures of the Earth later this year. The other story had was on US magazine site PCworld.com with the quirky headline of: Puppy Cams Threaten Internet, Cisco Says. Yes, that’s right, the trend to use webcams to keep an eye on your puppy when you are away from home, could risk the future connectivity of all of us. Perhaps not the only reason but the story came from the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) in Hawaii where delegates from the Americas and Asia Pacific regions discussed the future of the internet. While smartphones, smartTVs and even fridges that connect to the internet are great additions to our daily lives, the number of devices jumping online every day is putting massive pressure on the infrastructure. IP traffic is set to rise over four-fold in the five years from 2009 meaning something needs to be done to expand networks, improve cables, etc before we all just grind to a halt. It might be the feature of Science Fiction films, but realistically if capacity continues to be used up at the current rate and nothing is done to improve infrastructure, then the whole world really could grind to a halt and be left in darkness. Have a think. How many items in your house connect to the internet in some way or other?