Tag: today

EC Definition of a Modem

Posted on by bobdvb

So, I was speaking today with a revenue duty specialist about the definition of products and something came up which disturbed me and it was the EC definition of a modem:

Modems modulate and demodulate outgoing as well as incoming data signals. 
This enables bidirectional communication for the purposes of gaining access 
to the Internet. Examples of such modems are: V.34-, V.90-, V.92-, DSL- or 
cable modems. An indication of the presence of such a modem is an RJ-11 
connector.
Devices performing a similar function to that of a modem but which do not
modulate and demodulate signals are not considered to be modems. 
Examples of such apparatus are ISDN-, WLAN- or Ethernet devices. 
An indication of the presence of such a device is an RJ 45 connector.

It seems to me that the definition of a modem is rather messed up and this paragraph is trying to achieve something else than the wording says. If any technology student saw this they would be very confused because WLAN (Wifi) is clearly modulated and so are ISDN and Ethernet to some extent.

 

Knowledge itself is no longer power

Posted on by bobdvb

A student I once worked with (David Vargas Racero) recently posted the online status:

“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”

To which my response was:

“Intelligence in the 21st Century is not knowledge itself, but the ability to know how to obtain knowledge at short notice. Where once it was said ‘Knowledge is Power’ the less catchy phrase should now be ‘Navigation of knowledge is power’.”

My attempt at philosophy for today.

Freesat launched!

Posted on by bobdvb

So, we’ve launched ‘freesat’ today. It seems to be going well, people are are trying to find the product and the product is starting to appear in shops. I hope it does well, the Humax Foxsat-HD is such a nice product and I am proud of our work on it. I keep getting asked when the Humax freesat PVR will be here, well that will have to wait until it is ready.