Home | Today's Headlines | Contact | New Sites | Job Centre | Investment Centre

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

Now Have Your Say

Home | Today's Headlines | Contact | New Sites | Job Centre | Investment Centre