Because I Can

Not too long ago, someone said to me “I'm doing this because I can” - well, that statement resonated with this self-confessed techno-geek! You see, my formative years in the 50s were inspired by what was on the pages of my favourite comic, “The Eagle”. Science fiction was the thing of dreams and space travel was one of those dreams, yet to become a reality. Gradually, those dreams started to materialise. The first satellite into space “Sputnick”, the first cosmonaut (as the Russians called them), Yuri Gagarin, and the first telecommunications satellite to link both sides of the Atlantic by television, Telstar, were just three dreams that became a reality.

In 15 months time, I will celebrate the 40th anniversary of joining the Computer Industry as a Commissioning Engineer for ICL (International Computers Ltd). I was just a rookie engineer, not really knowing too much of what was going on on the systems I worked on – at the time, it was Britain's largest commercial computer, the 1906A/S, each system costing around £2-3 million way back in the early 1970s!

Since those days, computers have got smaller and faster to a level that couldn't be imagined then. We used to joke “ICL is expanding and moving into smaller premises”. What I did know then was that computers should be available to all and be capable of being used by all, without needing an engineering or IT degree. We're pretty much at that stage these days, so let me share some of the things I'm doing computer-wise and mix them up with some aspects of my holidays.

A little while ago, I found this wonderful program called LogMeIn - basically this lets you log into your computer from anywhere in the world that's got an internet connection. Once you've logged in, you're watching the screen as if you were at your computer at home. Well, recently, I had an insurance policy that matured, so I thought, “I'll get myself a laptop” and I can take it with me on my holiday. That way, I can log into the computer that picks up the e-mails and I can scan the ones that interest me, reply to the ones that need a response (and ignore the rest for now) “BECAUSE I CAN”.

Those of you who know me well will know I'm into Belgian Popcorn music and various other 60s-related music genres. I download a quite a few shows regularly from the internet. Well, a couple of months back I found this online service that would do this automatically for me – all I do is “set the timer” with the various details and when the show's finished, go online and download the completed programme to my computer. Now, with the “LogMeIn” service, I can pick it up and download it to my home computer or even the laptop, if I want to. Sounds good and I do it “BECAUSE I CAN”.

A couple of years ago, I got this marvellous Freeview Video Recorder – a Topfield TF5800, or “Toppy”, as they're known to their owners. What sold me on this make is that you can connect it to your PC using a USB cable. That way, you can transfer the files containing the recorded programmes, edit them, if need be and then burn them onto DVD. They've got a flexibility that other makes don't have – you can customise them to do things that YOU find useful, by writing TAPs (Topfield Application Programmes). There's a whole body of people writing these TAPs, all over the world and you can install whatever TAPs suit your fancy. Get the picture by now that I'm a geek? I liked my Toppy so much, I got another for my computer room upstairs. The only problem is that the one downstairs is continually running at 90-95% full. Well now, I can stream off the programmes from the Toppy onto my computer thus keeping the Toppy free from the risk of hitting its storage limit. I do it, yes, you've guess “BECAUSE I CAN”. The only thing we can't do currently is actually view the Toppy screen from your “remote computer”. The Freeview EPG works like a Radio Times for the next 7 days, which is kind of a pity if you're away for longer. Wouldn't it be nice to set a programme to record while you're away on your holidays, irrespective of when the programme airs?

Ah well, that's on my wish list – I would like to do it “BECAUSE I CAN”, but I can't – YET!


Alan