The Ipod Shuffle Function.

[BillyJoe]

These are the relevant quotes (my highlights) from this week's commentary

Only if you’re really interested in a highly-detailed discussion of this tendency to confuse technology with the supernatural, go to http://tinyurl.com/ontpq, where The Guardian (UK) ran an excerpt from The Perfect Thing: How the Ipod Shuffles Commerce, Culture And Coolness, by Steven Levy, a book to be published in November. A fascinating study, from both the technological and psychological points of view. You’ll see there that several of those interviewed believed that possibly supernatural elements were at work with their electronic devices!

Earlier, above, under the item “TECHNICAL SUPERSTITION” I referred to an in-depth article to be found at http://tinyurl.com/ontpq, which also explains this strange obsession some people have with imagined correspondences between events. Only if you have any doubts that this is a delusion enjoyed by Osborn and his friends, refer to this article. It’s very comprehensive and interesting, but maybe more than you might need.

I would ignore the highlighted bits and actually read this article.
It is actually a very easy read despite the implications in the commentary.
It makes only one error as far as I can see, but this doesn't detract from the very good insight it gives into the concept of randomness.

regards,
BillyJoe

 

[BillyJoe]

Anyone else read it?

 

[Lothian]

Anyone else read it?

Yes, I think a few.

There is a long running thread here.

I guesss things take longer to get to the wrong side of the world

 

[BillyJoe]

Yes, I think a few.

There is a long running thread here.

I guesss things take longer to get to the wrong side of the world

Funnily enough, I thought about covering it in the science forum and then promptly forgot.

Thanks for the link....