Reader Comments on Aardvark Daily 25 February 2002
Note: the comments below are the unabridged
submissions of readers and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.
From: Bede For : The Editor (for publication) Subj: jim higgens Has dear old jim opened up a possible lawsuit by defaming his former employer and the group of people they represent? From: Allister Jenks For : The Editor (for publication) Subj: Why people love Macs? Following on from a theme covered in Aardvark recently (reverse engineering Windows to make Windows clones), we see a story (last one on today's page) wondering why Mac users love their machines. It is obvious, reading the article, that the author is a PC user and in wonderment that anybody could get so emotive. I know people emotive about Acorn, Amiga, Spectrum, Atari... the list goes on. So it seems Windows is the *only* platform that no-one really gets emotive about. Gee! I wonder what that's all about? (Says he who had to resort to the power switch again last night when IE5.5 couldn't cope with a plug-in download, which *IT* started.) From: Alfie For : The Editor (for publication) Subj: Singapore traffic Sorry Bruce, but contrary to this morning's article, the high tech road system has a lot to do with Singapore's traffic control. November's Wired magazine has an interesting story profiling the technology. There's a copy online at: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.11/singapore.html Aardvark Responds I agree that the toll system has *some* effect on controlling Singapore's traffic but without the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit system) things would show little improvement due to the lack of alternative transport options. Did tolls on the Auckland harbour bridge significantly restrict the number of vehicles that used it? No, simply because there were few practical alternatives. From: Matt For : The Editor (for publication) Subj: Emotive Reponses to PC's I have to dispute Allister Jenks proposition that "...no- one really gets emotive..." about Windows. I do not consider myself in the minority when I say my emotions are frequently stirred by my PC and by other peoples PC's. I can often be heard muttering impassioned pleas, desperate to keep it with me, anguish as (yet again) it leaves me. I can think of few other objects, either in my home, or indeed my sphere of existance itself, that create such pain when it fails, and such delight when something actually works. And for a "utility" item - that is so wrong! I should not be upset that it failed, I should not be delighted when it works. It merely should be there - functional and predictable, like a swandri jacket. Emotion should not even come into it. From: Matthew For : The Editor (for publication) Subj: Singapores transport system, is it Auckland's solution? I wonder why Auckland can't build a system like that in Singapore. I was there 3 months ago, it was amazing, and I loved it. The MRT is: Quick - trains every 8 minutes or so, trains they use are fast. There is no mucking around at each terminal, you have about 20 seconds to board the train then off it goes. Efficient - I never experienced any delays in trains while I was there. Clean and Safe - Self explanatory Then I went to Melbourne, another modern city, their train system was appalling. Firstly I had to wait ages to get the right train, when it arrived half the carriages weren’t operational due to a fault. It took about 10 minutes for the train to leave the station. As for safety and cleanliness I won't even start on that one. As I use Auckland's bus service I have no experience with the Train system, but I imagine it is similar to this. Anyone that goes to Singapore would realise with the MRT system in place a car is almost completely useless as you can go almost anywhere in the island via the MRT. If you can't there is also an extensive bus and cheap (possibly subsidised?) taxi service. What Auckland needs is low cost public transport. Why does it cost $10 a day for a bus? When it is cheaper to drive your car to the city (excluding parking costs). Rather than continually building more and more motorways, Auckland should build a MRT system. Introduction of a GPS based road tax that goes directly into funding public transport would be an excellent idea. If anyone is interested in starting a lobby group for public transport reform please email me. Sorry that this goes a bit off topic :)Hit Reload For Latest Comments
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