http://www.PrecisOnline.com/free.html en-us http://www.PrecisOnline.com/surething.html History may say there's no sure thing, but what about a good strong likely? Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:12:00 MDT Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/geek.html You love your computer. You love that digital camera. And the latest cell phone might possibly be the coolest thing you've seen your whole life. No question about it, electronics are cool and are easily attached to our active lifestyles. But do you ever wonder if perhaps we might be getting too close to the gear that is intended to enhance -- not define - our lives? ... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/coolstuff.html Cool stuff breaks. Nobody plans it to happen of course, but with amazing frequency cell phones, pagers, computers… anything powered seems inevitably destined for problems. When this happens isn't it nice to have support available to get your cool stuff back to being, well, cool again? ... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/spam.html I need bigger breasts. Actually, as a 40-something GUY I'm actually okay in that department, but based on the unsolicited e-mails that arrive daily, there are apparently several body parts that could stand some improvement. Never mind that these folks don't know me from Adam (or Eve for that matter); every day my in-box is flooded with all sorts of junk from "personal improvement" to Nigerian financing schemes and every shade of slime in between... Technology Humor http://www.PrecisOnline.com/custserv.html At some moment in your life, you'll probably have an experience something like this: You buy a new piece of computer equipment with high hopes and grandiose plans that this thing, whatever it happens to be, is going to be really, REALLY cool. With this device, you reason, everything will be just perfect, the planets will align, the children will rejoice, and there will be peace in the land... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/success.html All over America, they're doing it. Large and small alike, companies are reacting to the current economy with cutbacks, workforce reductions, and all around belt-tightening. On the surface, it seems like a practical thing to do; With decreasing corporate profits - if any profits at all - there just isn't a bucket of cash lying around waiting to be spent. Looking deeper, however, one must wonder if layoffs and holding patterns are really the best course of action? ... Business http://www.PrecisOnline.com/break.html Have you ever run into one of those situations where the answer to a problem seems obvious, but the obvious answer isn't necessarily the best one? For example, what is 10 divided by 3? The obvious answer, assuming 4-place precision (a standard for Multivalue systems), would be 3.3333. But is that the correct - or even best - answer? ... Programming http://www.PrecisOnline.com/calgon.html Remember that old commercial where the kids are screaming, the phone is ringing, someone's at the door, the dog is barking... and the all-too-harried star is just about to lose it? Moments before the inevitable, as if chanting some secret religious incantation, she exclaims "Calgon! Take me away!". An instant later she is dramatically transformed into a calm, relaxed and - dare I say? - happy woman, the bubbles from her bath eliminating all her stress and strain. For all she knows, little Timmy is setting fire to the dog and letting in the strange-looking "repairman" that had mysteriously and unexpectedly shown up at the door. No, those things don't matter, not while she's having her "Calgon Moment"... Business http://www.PrecisOnline.com/niche.html A few years ago, I picked up one of those computer-related magazines while waiting in line at an office supply store. As I thumbed through the pages, I was shocked to see how much the industry was changing, and especially how much had already changed. Having a degree in software development, it seemed only a short time ago that I could pick up a magazine like this and feel confident in knowing at least something about the topics being discussed. But this was different. Page after page triggered more questions and I found myself wondering where I had been while the industry had apparently left me standing in the dust... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/quality.html Pick up any computer-related magazine today and you're sure to find mention of problems that someone is having with software. Documents routinely get saved into Neverland, browsers and email become tools for delinquents to commit all sort of heinous acts, and more often than not, people just like you and me spend an inordinate amount of time rebooting the machine because 'it's just not working right'... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/phone.html A couple of days ago, as I was preparing for a three-day trip, I called my internet service provider to get a local access number for my destination. At the time, it seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea; I mean, this company provides telephone service to the entire country; they should be able to look up a number and read it to me, A LOYAL CUSTOMER, right? However, as happens sometimes when a customer has a complicated technical question like a PHONE NUMBER, the ensuing ordeal left me breathless, fingers poised above 911 in preparation for the cardiac failure that was certain to follow. Looking back on this experience now a couple of days later, and having had some time to ponder the meaning of all these wonderful technologies that allow us to communicate our species' most important information (like recipes for potato salad and meaningful greetings gleaned from hours of watching beer commercials) while limiting access to crucial private information like a PHONE NUMBER, there can be only one explanation for the ordeal I have experienced: The telephone company needs a new computer... Technology Humor http://www.PrecisOnline.com/bigot.html A couple of days ago, I was speaking with a friend who spent a good portion of the conversation trying to convince me that I should become proficient with a particular computer language. It would seem, based on this discussion, that this particular language is FAR superior to any other language that has ever been invented. It has all the features of this other language, and only the GOOD features of this other language, and not the baggage of THAT OTHER language, and, and, and it does all this neat stuff, and… It's just so cool I simply wouldn't believe it... Technology http://www.PrecisOnline.com/back.html Earlier this morning, in a discussion with a distant family member, I was asked my opinions about the so-called 'Y2K bug'. This person, who has probably never personally used a computer in her entire life, has been brought to the point of absolute terror that this particular 'bug' will signal the end of life as we know it. Airplanes will crash, toasters will stop working, and, heaven forbid, televisions will stop showing reruns of 'Happy Days' ('cause it'll be a show about the future)... Humor