Comments on: What witchcraft is this? http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/ Blessays, blogs and blisquisitions Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:18:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: jeroenmoons http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3875 jeroenmoons Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:06:23 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3875 That's really cool, I am really looking forward to all the new applications of this technology! By the way Stephen, I saw the pictures of your arm, that really does look nasty... Get well soon!! Greetings and best wishes from Belgium That’s really cool, I am really looking forward to all the new applications of this technology!

By the way Stephen, I saw the pictures of your arm, that really does look nasty…
Get well soon!!

Greetings and best wishes from Belgium

]]> By: Susan P. http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3642 Susan P. Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:45:34 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3642 Albeit I was honest in my expression, I am feeling contrite. It IS somewhat of a spoiler for someone with my mindset to post a response to such a blog article. My apologetic feeling is more about a potential implication in my post wording that any person who really does care about the tech details is a 'poseur'. That can't logically be the case for all and I do regret the implication as stated. My son - currently in NY - did however offer a nice phrase today when I attempted to discuss tabs in Firefox: "Stephen Fry is not your helpdesk" Yes, I know. Albeit I was honest in my expression, I am feeling contrite. It IS somewhat of a spoiler for someone with my mindset to post a response to such a blog article. My apologetic feeling is more about a potential implication in my post wording that any person who really does care about the tech details is a ‘poseur’. That can’t logically be the case for all and I do regret the implication as stated.

My son – currently in NY – did however offer a nice phrase today when I attempted to discuss tabs in Firefox:
“Stephen Fry is not your helpdesk”

Yes, I know.

]]> By: Susan P. http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3559 Susan P. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:04:20 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3559 After having skimmed down through the articles I admit I am feeling doltish. I am yet to choose whether to remain feeling doltish, whether to say bah humbug to the array of technophile information that my brain refuses to absorb, or whether to just share how I view mobile phones (which will pull away from the intent of your article). The latter being so much easier and truer to who I am is my choice. I want a phone that makes texting easy and that enables me to receive and make calls in awkward areas. Anything after this is really a bonus. I tell myself how great it would be to have a camera feature but I have NO instinctive response to technology at all (thus knowing how to use a camera feature doesn't enter my brainspace naturally) and am not sure whether I would ever actually have cause to use the camera; however, all this said, one always hopes to be at 'that-spot-at-the-right-time-and-place' and ready to capture that award winning image. So, text, calls and some nebulous desire for images. I don't see phones as fashion statements so colours per se don't worry me one jot as long as I can read the numbers/letters on the keys (some colours perform badly in this area). I don't see phones as items that decry my place in the world and I don't need to invade others space by loud conversations that draw momentarily confused looks wondering - is the person speaking to me? In contradiction, I occasionally ponder how novel it might be to swank around with an earpiece with an air of "I am pivotal to some 'thing' and must always be contactable". Reading another's interest in the finer details of phone choice is fascinating but I feel pedestrian and, at the end of the day, wonder how much these fine details really impact on the lives of the majority. Perhaps I am underestimating. After having skimmed down through the articles I admit I am feeling doltish. I am yet to choose whether to remain feeling doltish, whether to say bah humbug to the array of technophile information that my brain refuses to absorb, or whether to just share how I view mobile phones (which will pull away from the intent of your article). The latter being so much easier and truer to who I am is my choice.

I want a phone that makes texting easy and that enables me to receive and make calls in awkward areas. Anything after this is really a bonus. I tell myself how great it would be to have a camera feature but I have NO instinctive response to technology at all (thus knowing how to use a camera feature doesn’t enter my brainspace naturally) and am not sure whether I would ever actually have cause to use the camera; however, all this said, one always hopes to be at ‘that-spot-at-the-right-time-and-place’ and ready to capture that award winning image.

So, text, calls and some nebulous desire for images.

I don’t see phones as fashion statements so colours per se don’t worry me one jot as long as I can read the numbers/letters on the keys (some colours perform badly in this area).

I don’t see phones as items that decry my place in the world and I don’t need to invade others space by loud conversations that draw momentarily confused looks wondering – is the person speaking to me?

In contradiction, I occasionally ponder how novel it might be to swank around with an earpiece with an air of “I am pivotal to some ‘thing’ and must always be contactable”.

Reading another’s interest in the finer details of phone choice is fascinating but I feel pedestrian and, at the end of the day, wonder how much these fine details really impact on the lives of the majority. Perhaps I am underestimating.

]]> By: oboogie http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3142 oboogie Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:20:18 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3142 Nice phone. I liked my original PEBL, but this is even better. However, I'll just stick with my pretty little iPhone for now. I hope your arm heals soon, Stephen! Take care! Nice phone. I liked my original PEBL, but this is even better. However, I’ll just stick with my pretty little iPhone for now.

I hope your arm heals soon, Stephen! Take care!

]]> By: hoopy http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3065 hoopy Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:59:07 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3065 Oh, are you a Georgette Heyer fan? I love you even more now. It's hard to describe her virtues to people who've never read anything like her, but she is superb and to think that you've been a fan for as long as I have makes me feel all warm and squooshy inside. Maybe you can somehow get a film adaptation happening from one of her books? There has been one before but it was just crap, apparently. She's worth adapting, there's no doubt of that. Plus also, I'm sorry to hear about your arm and hope that you feel capable of typing soon; I've missed your blessays. Oh, are you a Georgette Heyer fan? I love you even more now. It’s hard to describe her virtues to people who’ve never read anything like her, but she is superb and to think that you’ve been a fan for as long as I have makes me feel all warm and squooshy inside. Maybe you can somehow get a film adaptation happening from one of her books? There has been one before but it was just crap, apparently. She’s worth adapting, there’s no doubt of that. Plus also, I’m sorry to hear about your arm and hope that you feel capable of typing soon; I’ve missed your blessays.

]]> By: redherring http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3063 redherring Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:10:23 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3063 I was reading through you old blessays and I came across your recent eco-rant. I think you have hit upon the single most important point in the whole thing- the betting game, where type A has nothing to lose and type B everything. I have been using that tactic myself for a long time in debates. I also thought I would drop you the most revealing statistic in the whole Inconvenient Truth film, vis: In the popular media opinions and articles are split about 60-40 belief-disbelief, but among PEER REVIEWED publications (that is to say publications run by and edited by actual scientists rather than Time Warner or whatever) there is an almost 100 percent consensus that global warming is real and will have devastating consequences. Just thought I would give you another point with which to smite the unbelievers. Tommy lady DOT whimsey AT gmail DOT com I was reading through you old blessays and I came across your recent eco-rant. I think you have hit upon the single most important point in the whole thing- the betting game, where type A has nothing to lose and type B everything. I have been using that tactic myself for a long time in debates. I also thought I would drop you the most revealing statistic in the whole Inconvenient Truth film, vis:

In the popular media opinions and articles are split about 60-40 belief-disbelief, but among PEER REVIEWED publications (that is to say publications run by and edited by actual scientists rather than Time Warner or whatever) there is an almost 100 percent consensus that global warming is real and will have devastating consequences.

Just thought I would give you another point with which to smite the unbelievers.
Tommy
lady DOT whimsey AT gmail DOT com

]]> By: Chris Lorensson http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3049 Chris Lorensson Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:47:43 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3049 O-LEDDA-WHATTY!? It's weird– I'm a sucker for HAVING IT ALL in my phone, at any cost. But then when these all-singing all-dancing fashion-fowns drop (like the Luna), my jaw seems to drop right along with them.... no wait, I'VE FIGURED IT OUT! The issue here is actually that most smartphone geeks such as myself ARE those geeks because of (ultimately) romantic idea of being able to cram in EVERYTHING into our phones! Correspondingly, the fashion-fown promises the (also romantic) sensibility of 'not needing anything except SIMPLICITY'. So you see, us geeks may be like cold-hearted-snakes on the surface (don't mind if I do, Paula), but really we're just a bunch of cuddly bears who want to take our lovely wives out for expensive meals on Valentine's Day. O-LEDDA-WHATTY!?

It’s weird– I’m a sucker for HAVING IT ALL in my phone, at any cost. But then when these all-singing all-dancing fashion-fowns drop (like the Luna), my jaw seems to drop right along with them…. no wait, I’VE FIGURED IT OUT!

The issue here is actually that most smartphone geeks such as myself ARE those geeks because of (ultimately) romantic idea of being able to cram in EVERYTHING into our phones! Correspondingly, the fashion-fown promises the (also romantic) sensibility of ‘not needing anything except SIMPLICITY’.

So you see, us geeks may be like cold-hearted-snakes on the surface (don’t mind if I do, Paula), but really we’re just a bunch of cuddly bears who want to take our lovely wives out for expensive meals on Valentine’s Day.

]]> By: nickhoggard http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3044 nickhoggard Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:54:51 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3044 Mr Fry obviously missed the Sony Ericsson Z610 http://tinyurl.com/2tabal when it came out a year ago. Same metallic pink colour, same see-through-the-casing display, same handbag-friendly clamshell design. Just a year earlier than the Motorola. It looks like Motorola copied the Sony Ericsson straight off. Did I mention that the Sony Ericsson came out a year earlier? Mr Fry obviously missed the Sony Ericsson Z610 http://tinyurl.com/2tabal when it came out a year ago. Same metallic pink colour, same see-through-the-casing display, same handbag-friendly clamshell design. Just a year earlier than the Motorola.

It looks like Motorola copied the Sony Ericsson straight off.

Did I mention that the Sony Ericsson came out a year earlier?

]]> By: JSKanga84 http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3033 JSKanga84 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:39:45 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3033 A good handbag phone, you say? Hmmm. Does that mean I should be able to find the thing easily when it rings? I'm the champion of losing my phone in a bag the size of a matchbox. Anyway, unlike most technology reviews, this was surprisingly helpful. Thanks. A good handbag phone, you say? Hmmm. Does that mean I should be able to find the thing easily when it rings? I’m the champion of losing my phone in a bag the size of a matchbox.
Anyway, unlike most technology reviews, this was surprisingly helpful. Thanks.

]]> By: t0m http://www.stephenfry.com/2008/01/18/what-witchcraft-is-this/comment-page-1/#comment-3027 t0m Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:12:24 +0000 http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=36#comment-3027 This is a neat looking phone, but OLED really has been around for yonks. Back in 2004 I had a Samsung E700 with an external OLED display. No touch screen, and not as pretty as this Motorola, but OLED nonetheless ;) This is a neat looking phone, but OLED really has been around for yonks. Back in 2004 I had a Samsung E700 with an external OLED display. No touch screen, and not as pretty as this Motorola, but OLED nonetheless ;)

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