Sunday, 22 May 2016

The Daily Teaser — 22-5-2016: Windows

Ye Gods … 

I  am glad I don’t have that sort of shift happening, today!

I’m working five in the evening: until half past nine.

I’m thankful, actually.

It means I can possibly — and sneakily — have a nap at some point, today.

Two long shifts, one after the other, are a bit heavy!

~≈†≈~

Actually … ?

Have you been watching the news?

If you have, you’d’ve seen the news of the EgyptAir plane that crashed on Thursday.

Since then?   We’ve seen reports that, apparently, smoke was detected in one of the toilets: and, not long afterwards, in the planes computer systems.

Obviously, there’s speculation about what could’ve happened.

But, ex-smoker that I am?

I’m wondering if someone on that plane sneaked into the loo to have a cigarette … which they stubbed out on the floor: setting off a catastrophic chain of events, when the stub burnt through the floor, and important bits of wiring … 

Who knows?

Certainly not me.

I just know I used to sneak into the loos for a smoke, on long trains journeys …

~≈†≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s themed questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) Which version of Windows was released: on 22nd May, 1990?
Q2) What’s the current version of Windows called?
Q3) Who makes Windows?
Q4) A stripped down version of Windows is used on the current version of the company’s games console.   What’s that console called?
Q5) Windows is a family of operating systems: originally developed for the PC.   What’s the operating system used on the Mac?
Q6) There’s a phone based version of Windows.   Apple made iOS for their phones and tablets.   What’s the operating system Google make for phones and tablets?
Q7) Finally … Windows is what’s called ‘closed source.’   Meaning you can’t casually access the code that powers it.   Linux — and other, similar, free software — is known as what?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 21st May, 1349, saw the promulgation of Dušan’s Code.   The Code was the law of which Empire: the Serbian, Croatian or Macedonian?
A1) The Sernian Empire.
Q2) 21st May, 1980, saw the original release of The Empire Strikes Back.   Who provided the voice of Yoda, in The Empire Strikes Back?
A2) Frank Oz.
Q3) 21st May, 1991, saw the President of Ethiopia flee the country: during the country’s Civil War.   Who was he?
Q4) Queen Victoria opened the Manchester Ship Canal: on 21st May, 1894.   The Canal connects Manchester two what: the Atlantic Ocean, the Irish Sea or the Sargasso Sea?
A4) The Irish Sea.
Q5) Finally … Henry Cooper lost a major fight: on 21st May, 1966.   To whom?
A5) The greatest boxer of all time: Cassius Clay, better known as Muhammad Ali.
I’ll leave you with these thoughts …
“Don’t bother trying to create a better commercial desktop OS — it doesn’t matter how hard you try, how many engineers you throw at the problem, how much money you spend, or how many years you put into it. Microsoft owns that space and, worse, the public is totally complicit with that fact. People will not stop using Windows. It is a losing battle.”
Scott Hacker.
By way of contrast … ?
“To create a new standard, it takes something that’s not just a little bit different; it takes something that’s really new and really captures people’s imagination — and the Macintosh, of all the machines I’ve ever seen, is the only one that meets that standard.”
Bill Gates.
And this … 


Have a good day.











*        That’ll be the licensing, there, Olga: Debbi won’t be able to get it (legally) in the US, as the BBC Store can’t (legally) operate in the US: nor can the iPlayer, itself.   Weird, but true!   (I hope the operation goes well, Olga: pass on my best wishes!)

†        It’ll probably be a while, though, Debbi!   (I’ve got Battlestar Galactica — the reboot — ripping in the background.   Katee Sackhoff did a hell of a joe as Starbuck!)

2 comments:

Olga said...

Q1) Windows 3.0 operating system
Q2) Windows 10
Q3) Microsoft
Q4) X box
Q5) Mac OS (X the latest?)
Q6) Android
Q7) Open Source
Thanks! I wonder if we'll get to know exactly what happened, but it's worrying. I was talking to my friend Iman (she's from Alexandria but lives in Paris) about visiting her in Egypt this summer (they go there a few weeks every summer. She still has an apartment there). Thankfully she doesn't go until July... I think these days she flies with Turkish airlines (as they go to Alexandria).

Debbi said...

She was awesome as Starbuck! :)

1. Windows 3.0
2. Windows 10
3. Microsoft
4. Xbox One
5. OS X
6. Windows 10 Mobile
7. open source