All posts by George

Technology

Task Manager

I know that RoughlyDrafted is a bit of an apple site, but I did find this one amusing

Slowly but surely, microsoft is copying the user interface features of os x.

 

 

 

Or, to put it another way, be grateful that nobody let the programmers put a right mouse click on an iPhone.  Because they would have if they were left to their own devices.

 

Michael

Energy, Life, Technology

Cost of solar

Just to follow up from a discussion on friday…

The article notes that the 2009 average cost in the US is 6.1 to 18.1 cents per kilowatt hour.  It was on this basis that they say that IF power gets down to 15 c per kwh it would be competitive.

What about the cost of electricity in Australia?

Well, according to wikipedia, which may not be accurate but I have no reason to doubt it, its 3-5 cents per kwh.

So whilst solar will become cost competitive with coal in the more expensive parts of the US, in five years, possibly, its going to be quite a while before it competes with either the cheaper parts of the US or most of Australia.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m a big believer in renewable power as being the only long term plan that looks viable – but it will only happen with either:

a. Major government initiatives (eg., subsidies & taxes)

b. Major rises in the cost of extracting coal

If we wait for option b, then the economy is going to be in a bad way by the time it happens.

Michael

Technology

Windows 8

Well, microsoft has probably done it right, or at least a lot better.

Windows 8

Your next operating system won’t be windows.  At least not the windows you know.  Its much more like a mac.  Or an iPad.

Michael