Laptop ID

From: John Amirault <amirault_at_epix.net>
Date: Sat Feb 6 15:42:33 1999

Grumpy Ol' Fred,
Thanks for answering my question to Sam. I will make sure I do not use " : ) "
in my messages. I was WAY off base in my guess.
Bye for now and have a nice day,
John Amirault

Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) wrote:

> Computers of the future will have what appears to be a keyboard on them to
> be comfortable for old farts like us. They will respond to voice
> commands, AND to hand gestures. In addition to Chuck's ASL, they
> will readily support using 8 fingers to input raw ASCII.
>
> But, ... when anyone other than the primary user attempts to use them,
> Windoze 1900 will fail, displaying the woooden screen of death. Actually
> the whole thing will go wooden, not just the screen! (Based on
> Microsoft's invention of multitudinous new ways for computers to go dead.)
>
> There is some concern that their use of zero-point 3-phase power sources
> may occasionally cause some of them to move through time, and possibly
> even end up in pre y2K time periods! Fortunately the "go-wooden" security
> failure system should be sufficient to prevent anyone finding one from
> realizing what it really is. (unless they offer it up as a RARE PROTOTYPE
> on e-bay).
>
> Ever have a neighboring passenger on a plane be exceptionally annoying
> about your laptop? Wooden ones are great for that situation.
>
> BTW, " :) " is an extremely rude and nasty way to insult somebody by stating
> that they are too stupid to know what is or isn't a joke :-)
>
> --
> Grumpy Ol' Fred
>
> On Sat, 6 Feb 1999, Doug wrote:
>
> > On Sat, 6 Feb 1999 jpero_at_cgocable.net wrote:
> >
> > > One thing I could tell is that keyboard looks like partly from zenith
> > > guts but I kinda can tell it's not exactly wooden, it's more of
> > > computer graphic generated?
> >
> > The keyboard is just about the only "real" part. It probably looks
> > computer generated because of the jaggies I introduced when transforming
> > my messy workspace background into a blue screen.
> >
> > It's a work of art. I've seen mock-ups before, but not this detailed.
> > Really the only way I could tell it was a fake was from a very small area
> > where the wood is exposed. It looks like somebody tried to pry it open
> > along one of the seams (only to find that it was a single block of wood
> > with fake seams).
> >
> > The hinges really work, the screen is a sheet of dark reflective plastic,
> > the touchpad is another sheet of plastic, the mouse buttons and latches
> > are fixed position, there are fake connectors embedded in it, and
> > carved PCMCIA, port, and battery covers.
> >
> > I've always wanted a wooden laptop to go with my metal GRiDs and acrylic
> > Headlands prototype. If I can find a glass subnote and a stone PDA, I'll
> > be all set....
> >
> > -- Doug
Received on Sat Feb 06 1999 - 15:42:33 GMT