Assistance

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=84 BGCOLOR="#262626" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="d97c8cc3.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="72" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 44 WIDTH="66"><div>                                                   </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="66"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="18" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="66" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="66"><div> <A HREF="id890.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Email"><U>Contact</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=465 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="c7e64643.jpg"> <div> <B>Assistance</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="10" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="1100" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="ROWS" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#262626 HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="94"><div> <B>TOPIC</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#262626 WIDTH="225"><div> <B>BEFORE</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#262626 WIDTH="225"><div> <B>REMEDY</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#262626 WIDTH="225"><div> <B>AFTER</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#262626 WIDTH="225"><div> <B>PRACTICALITIES</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 150 ><NOBR><div> <B>1. INTERNET</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> If you read this, you are probably on the Internet. You probably think that it is a good thing. Certainly, you may have that perception, but let's remind ourselves that "there was life before Internet" (and what a wonderful life, refer to literature), so being literate in Internet matters is more an issue of conformity than a rational choice. </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> Stand back and ask yourself if you could find a substitute to the activities that you currently do with the help of Internet. Surprisingly, you will find that virtually all activities you are currently doing online can be equally well (sometimes even better) done offline.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> As a result you will (re)gain time and energy currently lost on online activities, and you may invest them in "real life", ie. biological life that sustains both your brain, the "silicone brain" (a computer) and the "silicone network" (the Internet), being the encompassing reality to all these virtual ones.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> If you really need to be on the Internet, at least protect yourself. Understand the network you are joining/using and be an active participant. Get yourself up-to-date about network protocols and be a pro. Whenever possible, understand the full spectrum of your exposure while online and take defensive action.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 183 ><NOBR><div> <B>2. COMPUTERS</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> If you read this, you are probably using some sort of computer. Information technology has a history you can (and perhaps should) study to understand the nature of the beast. Like everything, computational science had evolved, too. It had a birthdate, it has had, is having, or will have a peak, and after that it will inevitably decline and... die, or morph into something else.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> Stand back and analyze your dependence on computational devices. Just like with the Internet, you will find that "there was life before computers", too, and what a life, too. Reduce your dependence on them, re-discover "old-fashioned" methods to do the same things, or invent new methods.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> As a result, you will find yourself living a more natural, more ergonomic life. Your biological self (your hands, your eyes, your brain) will soon recover from that unnatural symbiosis with silicone-based lifeforms, and your true carbon-based nature will florish again, as it should have been from the beginning.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> If you really need to use computers, at least be smart while doing it. Do not be fooled by quickly depreciating fancy hardware, use fast, efficient, morally unquestionable software, and always keep in mind the Total Cost of Ownership way of looking at anything you are forced to use. Do not get addicted.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 166 WIDTH="94"><div> <B>3. PHONES</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> You may possess a (mobile) phone. You may think that life without such an umbilical cord to others is unimaginable. You may have developed a dependence or addiction to include these silicone-based objects into your life, weaving them so intricately into the fabric of your life that you may regard a potential loss of them as a tragedy.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> Stand back and zoom out in space and time. Realize that there was a time before these gadgets. People could someone communicate with each other even without phones. Analyze what is your real gain and loss by developing dependence on such an infrastructure.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> As a result, you may start to communicate with your immediate surrounding more and you may discover that life is actually quite interesting and much more rewarding if you prioritize those closer to you and limit the time spent on remote connections to its necessary minimum. </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="225"><div> If you really cannot avoid being reachable by phone or cannot resist the temptation to communicate, at least do it responsibly by sticking to old, proven hardware, and refuse the hype and frenzy. Aim for simplicity, reliability and clarity, and keep in mind Cicero's seven C's of communication.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="id1191.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hardware"><U>Hardware</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1195.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Software"><U>Software</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1196.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Advice"><U>Advice</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=10 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=15 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#9999CC" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><B>Assistance</B></FONT> --- Realize the truth...</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>