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#91
General Discussion / Re: No internet service for ov...
Last post by Jason - June 18, 2025, 07:58:30 PMQuote from: buster on June 14, 2025, 10:13:41 AMI suspect the whole world is going to fall apart someday soon. Sorry about your troubles. And dealing with a company's help lines does not match the pleasure of dealing with small local companies years and years ago.
That was dark.
#92
General Discussion / Re: No internet service for ov...
Last post by Jason - June 18, 2025, 07:57:58 PMWhat we want to know, Bill: Did you get a regular phone plan with unlimited minutes?
That must've been expensive on a pay-per-minute plan.
Speaking of phone service, I don't think you can get analog phone service now. Bell, probably the last company to offer it, is moving (trying?) its customers to digital (internet-based) phone service. I guess they're tired of powering those POTS lines, but it was a nice fallback.
That must've been expensive on a pay-per-minute plan.Speaking of phone service, I don't think you can get analog phone service now. Bell, probably the last company to offer it, is moving (trying?) its customers to digital (internet-based) phone service. I guess they're tired of powering those POTS lines, but it was a nice fallback.
#93
General Discussion / Re: No internet service for ov...
Last post by Jason - June 18, 2025, 07:53:37 PMI feel bad that I recommended Carrytel way back then. My experience wasn't as bad as yours. It sounds like they make little to no effort to help their customers. I bet the new modems weren't new. They probably sent you back the defective ones that other customers sent back, thinking it was just a problem with those users.
When I was with Carrytel, I had no problem getting a replacement modem. After the replacement didn't work properly, I contacted them asking for a technician. They said there was nothing wrong with the lines, so they wouldn't. Instead, they offered a new, new modem. I switched to Cogeco.
Cogeco sent out a technician to check the lines, and he found a problem with an outside cable. It had been buried, but somebody dug up part of it. He blamed Bell.
He said Carrytel should have sent a technician (from Cogeco), but probably didn't to save money.
I didn't stay with Cogeco long after they screwed up the time they were coming to do the switchover and then kept telling me "he will be there soon." They cost more, too. So I went back to Start, now Start/Koodle/Telus/Alcatel. I was previously happy with Start but Carrytel was way cheaper. Now we've learned why.
When I was with Carrytel, I had no problem getting a replacement modem. After the replacement didn't work properly, I contacted them asking for a technician. They said there was nothing wrong with the lines, so they wouldn't. Instead, they offered a new, new modem. I switched to Cogeco.
Cogeco sent out a technician to check the lines, and he found a problem with an outside cable. It had been buried, but somebody dug up part of it. He blamed Bell.
He said Carrytel should have sent a technician (from Cogeco), but probably didn't to save money.I didn't stay with Cogeco long after they screwed up the time they were coming to do the switchover and then kept telling me "he will be there soon." They cost more, too. So I went back to Start, now Start/Koodle/Telus/Alcatel. I was previously happy with Start but Carrytel was way cheaper. Now we've learned why.
#94
Meetings / Re: PLUG regular meetings?
Last post by Jason - June 18, 2025, 07:21:00 PMQuote from: ssfc72 on June 14, 2025, 08:28:55 AMA PLUG meeting would be good if there was a presentation to be done by someone.
Otherwise a PLUG Mug at the coffee shop is fine.
I was thinking about that. Maybe try for once a month, but if there's no topic, then have a PLUG MUG. I'd be willing to do the occasional presentation, although I haven't done anything interesting with Linux lately.
#95
Politics, Society and News. / Re: Simple Known Dangers with ...
Last post by buster - June 18, 2025, 11:11:28 AMAnd one more last thought.
While waiting for Marilyn at the eye doctor's building, I managed to strike up a conversation with a man who had been fortunate enough to grow up in Hamilton, close to the time I was very young there. We had a grand time taking about the city and what we used to do in our youth. Lot's of fun.
Some of his kids had been academics, so we wandered in our topics to AI easily writing essays. Only when I got home did I work out that essays at university will serve no function in the future. Originally it provided a way for profs to see if a student could extract information from what was already known to create some novel idea and present it in a clear and convincing manner.
Consider this analogy. Imagine you are taking a culinary course on baking pies. So you go to the store and buy a pie, and then present it as your finished assignment. This tells the teacher nothing about your ability to cook.
An essay in the future will tell us nothing about what your mind can see and do. We need to grade the mind, not some end product that tells us nothing. So here's what Harry predicts:
The essay will have to be replaced in the university as a grading device. However, how we assess the capabilities and knowledge of a student's mind will require some creative thought and innovations. That will be an interesting challenge.
While waiting for Marilyn at the eye doctor's building, I managed to strike up a conversation with a man who had been fortunate enough to grow up in Hamilton, close to the time I was very young there. We had a grand time taking about the city and what we used to do in our youth. Lot's of fun.
Some of his kids had been academics, so we wandered in our topics to AI easily writing essays. Only when I got home did I work out that essays at university will serve no function in the future. Originally it provided a way for profs to see if a student could extract information from what was already known to create some novel idea and present it in a clear and convincing manner.
Consider this analogy. Imagine you are taking a culinary course on baking pies. So you go to the store and buy a pie, and then present it as your finished assignment. This tells the teacher nothing about your ability to cook.
An essay in the future will tell us nothing about what your mind can see and do. We need to grade the mind, not some end product that tells us nothing. So here's what Harry predicts:
The essay will have to be replaced in the university as a grading device. However, how we assess the capabilities and knowledge of a student's mind will require some creative thought and innovations. That will be an interesting challenge.
#96
Politics, Society and News. / Re: Simple Known Dangers with ...
Last post by buster - June 17, 2025, 12:14:24 PMAnd probably my last thoughts.
AI seems to have many meanings. In some cases there is a simple algorithm in place where directions are being followed. Sometimes written or spoken speech does a good impression of human speech patterns, though the information gathered may be from suspect sources. In chess or the game go, the computer has the advantage of being able to process multiple outcomes almost instantly. Those of us who played chess also had to process a move sequence, but usually we could see patterns on the board which enabled us to select only a few lines to analyze. We knew certain positions were winning positions and tried to create these on the board. Humans cannot compete with infinite analysis.
Learning computers and semi sentience will bring who knows what.
And here's the final suggestion:
There was a tiny movie released eight years ago that is fascinating. It was interesting that it was criticized for any number of reasons, one being that countries wouldn't use this technology.
The weapon uses facial recognition, which some people have on their phone, small drones, which are easily made, and small but powerful explosives. No serious problems here.
Do an Internet search for Slaughterbots
(There is also a follow up movie later but I've never watched it.)
AI seems to have many meanings. In some cases there is a simple algorithm in place where directions are being followed. Sometimes written or spoken speech does a good impression of human speech patterns, though the information gathered may be from suspect sources. In chess or the game go, the computer has the advantage of being able to process multiple outcomes almost instantly. Those of us who played chess also had to process a move sequence, but usually we could see patterns on the board which enabled us to select only a few lines to analyze. We knew certain positions were winning positions and tried to create these on the board. Humans cannot compete with infinite analysis.
Learning computers and semi sentience will bring who knows what.
And here's the final suggestion:
There was a tiny movie released eight years ago that is fascinating. It was interesting that it was criticized for any number of reasons, one being that countries wouldn't use this technology.
The weapon uses facial recognition, which some people have on their phone, small drones, which are easily made, and small but powerful explosives. No serious problems here.
Do an Internet search for Slaughterbots
(There is also a follow up movie later but I've never watched it.)
#97
Politics, Society and News. / Re: Simple Known Dangers with ...
Last post by buster - June 14, 2025, 10:30:13 AMAnd I'm really interested in what AI would have done with this funny BBC April Fools 'news item'
search 'bbc spaghetti growing on trees'
search 'bbc spaghetti growing on trees'
#98
Politics, Society and News. / Re: Simple Known Dangers with ...
Last post by buster - June 14, 2025, 10:25:28 AMA funny example of a failed AI response.
Cape Breton Island feels different from the rest of Nova Scotia, but not too much. Marilyn and I have visited a few times. But a spoof appearing in The Beaverton convinced Google and Meta AI that it had a different time zone. Simplest reason? AI apparently doesn't have a sense of humour. This is a short, funny CBC article.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/cape-breton-time-zone-ai-1.7559597
Cape Breton Island feels different from the rest of Nova Scotia, but not too much. Marilyn and I have visited a few times. But a spoof appearing in The Beaverton convinced Google and Meta AI that it had a different time zone. Simplest reason? AI apparently doesn't have a sense of humour. This is a short, funny CBC article.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/cape-breton-time-zone-ai-1.7559597
#99
General Discussion / Re: No internet service for ov...
Last post by buster - June 14, 2025, 10:13:41 AMI suspect the whole world is going to fall apart someday soon. Sorry about your troubles. And dealing with a company's help lines does not match the pleasure of dealing with small local companies years and years ago.
#100
General Discussion / No internet service for over a...
Last post by ssfc72 - June 14, 2025, 09:06:10 AMI have been without internet for over a week due to a failed internet provider modem. Just got the internet back yesterday evening.
I believe the modem may have been 5 years old.
There was only 1 LED lighted on the modem and while talking with the Carrytel help person trying different things, the LED lights got very dim and finally no LEDs were lighted.
So the help person arranged for a Cogeco Tech to check out the cable signal.
A few days later, the Tech spent about an hour checking for signal at various points in my cable system and said the signal was good.
Talked with the Carrytel help person again and after some prodding from me, he agreed to send a new modem.
So they sent me a new modem which took a few days to arrive at the post office.
I then had to phone Carrytel again to tell the help person the Serial number and MAC number of the modem.
He then had to contact Cogeco to make the new connection.
Oh by the way, my home phone is a VOIP phone, so when my internet isn't working, niether is my home phone working. :-(
Luckily I do have a cell phone but I only have a certain number of minutes, per month with my prepaid plan.
So back on the phone again to the Carrytel person to see if the Cogeco connection has been completed.
The connection has been completed so I go through the process with the Help person on getting my modem connected.
After a long time, still using up my cell phone minutes, the modem LEDs have finished their flashing and I end up with one LED that just keeps constantly flashing and there is no internet connection.
The Carrytel help person seems to think there is nothing wrong with the new modem and keeps suggesting that there must be a bad patch cable or something else.
I keep reminding the person that the Cogeco tech has said the cable signal is good.
I am still on my cell phone, burning up my minutes,
Finally the person agrees to send me another new modem and emails me a shipping label to send back the defective, new modem
So now I have to find a way to go somewhere, to get an internet connection, to access my email, securely, and download the shipping label email and print it out on my home printer.
After another few days, the second new modem arrives at the post office and I go through all the same contortions to get the new modem MAC address to Cogeco so they can make a connection to the second new modem.
Back on my cell phone to the Carrytel person to go through the power up of this modem and after quite a few minutes I get all 4 LEDs lighted and solid, no flashing, and I turn on my computer and have internet connection again. :-)
I believe the modem may have been 5 years old.
There was only 1 LED lighted on the modem and while talking with the Carrytel help person trying different things, the LED lights got very dim and finally no LEDs were lighted.
So the help person arranged for a Cogeco Tech to check out the cable signal.
A few days later, the Tech spent about an hour checking for signal at various points in my cable system and said the signal was good.
Talked with the Carrytel help person again and after some prodding from me, he agreed to send a new modem.
So they sent me a new modem which took a few days to arrive at the post office.
I then had to phone Carrytel again to tell the help person the Serial number and MAC number of the modem.
He then had to contact Cogeco to make the new connection.
Oh by the way, my home phone is a VOIP phone, so when my internet isn't working, niether is my home phone working. :-(
Luckily I do have a cell phone but I only have a certain number of minutes, per month with my prepaid plan.
So back on the phone again to the Carrytel person to see if the Cogeco connection has been completed.
The connection has been completed so I go through the process with the Help person on getting my modem connected.
After a long time, still using up my cell phone minutes, the modem LEDs have finished their flashing and I end up with one LED that just keeps constantly flashing and there is no internet connection.
The Carrytel help person seems to think there is nothing wrong with the new modem and keeps suggesting that there must be a bad patch cable or something else.
I keep reminding the person that the Cogeco tech has said the cable signal is good.
I am still on my cell phone, burning up my minutes,
Finally the person agrees to send me another new modem and emails me a shipping label to send back the defective, new modem
So now I have to find a way to go somewhere, to get an internet connection, to access my email, securely, and download the shipping label email and print it out on my home printer.
After another few days, the second new modem arrives at the post office and I go through all the same contortions to get the new modem MAC address to Cogeco so they can make a connection to the second new modem.
Back on my cell phone to the Carrytel person to go through the power up of this modem and after quite a few minutes I get all 4 LEDs lighted and solid, no flashing, and I turn on my computer and have internet connection again. :-)