Opinions
Page 16
April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
The World through Windows By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff Most of us have grown up using a Microsoft Windows PC. The Start button, My Computer, and the standard three-button suite of “Minimize, Maximize, Close” in the upper right hand corner of each window should be second nature by now. Some things in life never change… until you try Apple’s OSX. Whereas Windows users have “Start,” Mac OSX has the Finder. My Computer disappears, replaced by actual drive icons on your desktop. Our three familiar buttons shift to the upper LEFT side of the title bar and become “close (red), minimize (yellow), and zoom (green). Windows leads the market against Mac OSX and it’s not difficult to see why with all the software that works with Windows as compared to Mac. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mac OSX is a beauty of an operating system. It does what it has to do and it does so with a simple, elegant style. The problem is that OSX simply doesn’t have the power Windows has nor does it have the versatility and compatibility of Microsoft’s flagship OS. I use Windows Vista and I love it. My PC hasn’t been rebooted since I moved into my dorm and it’s still running as fast as it did upon boot up. My PC, for instance, has no problem surfing the web on Firefox while defragmenting in the background, with me typing this article in Word, my game EverQuest II in the background, listening to 30 Seconds to Mars on Windows Media Player, with 17 conversations open in AOL Instant Mes-
senger! Windows Vista caught some bad press upon launch, some deserved, but a year later I can’t imagine working with Windows XP again, never mind Mac OSX. Of course, I’m not a complete Microsoft fan boy. Windows does crash. However, Wi n d o w s also
has to be able to work on every single computer hardware configuration that you (or a company) can build. If I threw together a computer with a random assortment of parts and turned it on, I’d expect Windows to install on it and work. Apple is the only company that builds Macs, so they don’t have this problem. Macs are also terrible with video games, a staple of my life, and I’m sure some of you can relate. The flip side, of course, is that OSX absolutely rules when it comes to audio and video editing. It’s designed for such tasks, unlike Windows. I take care of my Windows Vista machine. I use Windows Live OneCare to ensure it stays defragmented, spyware free, virus free, and for all intents and purposes optimized. I personally
think Internet Explorer is trash and use Firefox to surf the web. It is much faster and more secure than IE. I make sure my drivers are relatively up-to-date. And my computer has been speeding along, crash-less, for four months. All Windows needs is some lovin’, and it’ll take care of your work. Windows does a lot to keep itself organized without user input but if you’re surfing unsavory web pages and allowing spyware to infect your computer, be it Windows-based or a Mac, you can expect crashes and slowdowns. The “Windows vs. OSX” battle has been raging for years and there’s no end in sight. Each OS caters to different user needs. It’s a matter of customization versus simplicity. The clash is about to escalate further too: Microsoft says that in the next year or two, Windows “7” will succeed Vista. Apple is working on its feline-nicknamed OSX heir to “Leopard” as well. When it comes down to it, if you want a computer that can access anything the world has to offer and do it with speed and style, without restriction, you want Windows. The Vista “Aero glass” interface just makes you look even cooler doing it.
THE BIRD-REPTILE CONNECTION By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff I’ve been hearing rumors and whisperings that the scientific community is considering reclassifying birds as reptiles. I haven’t found any official documentation on this subject so I don’t know how true this is. However, if there is any validity to these rumors, it will be the most ridiculous idea since the demotion of Pluto. From what I’ve been told, the idea comes from the striking genetic similarity between birds and reptiles, compounded by new discoveries regarding their missing link, the dinosaurs. Change some genes around in a chicken embryo, and it’ll grow reptilian scales, claws, and teeth. Here is a newsflash: If you regard the theory of evolution as true, (and if you work in biology, you probably should at least assume that it is,) then of course birds came from reptiles, as did mammals. Reptiles came from amphibians, which in turn came from fish. So saying that a bird is a flying reptile is the same as saying a human being is a land-fish. Of course there will be similarities, perhaps moreso between the other vertebrates than us because mammals broke off from the reptiles earlier than birds did, but it’s still a different classification. Reptiles, by definition, are cold-blooded. Birds are warm-blooded, so by that alone they deserve a different classification. They also grow feathers, which no other official classification does. Sure, their feet are still
scaled, but the scale structure is different than most reptiles. Now, I say “official” classification because here is one thing that I’ve always maintained which does need changing. Dinosaurs, having evolved from reptiles and into birds, were truly unlike anything before or since. Most were warm-blooded, and even those that weren’t did not have reptilian physiology. Specifically, their legs were straight underneath their bodies as opposed to a reptile/amphibian’s sideways sprawl. Some of them even had feathers. For the longest time, they were classified as reptiles. But that just doesn’t seem correct based on what we know about them. Were they birds then? No, still not quite right. Instead of lumping birds and dinosaurs under the blanket of “Reptile,” they should each have their own classification. The taxonomy of “Dinosauria” should be as separate to “Reptilia” as “Mammalia,” “Amphibia,” “Pisces (fish),” and yes, “Aves (birds).” Sure, they are quite similar to reptiles and birds, but they have too much of both to be one or the other. Any prominent member of the scientific community thinking of reclassifying birds as reptiles should consider this alternative: just make dinosaurs independent. Adam D. Bram is a theatre major and a staff writer/cartoonist at the Anchor. He has been a dinosaur nut since the age of 3 and urges anyone who doubts evolution to look at a velociraptor skeleton next to that of a hawk. The first PG-13 rated movie he saw in theatres was “Jurassic Park.”
RIC -TV: The Underdog Comes Up Swinging By Mery Vieira Anchor Contributor It is safe to say that RIC-TV has its fair share of doubters. We all know everyone likes a winner. We also know that it takes real guts to stick by a losing team year after year. As any true Red Sox fan knows, loyalty has nothing to do with the season’s batting average, nor the year’s winning or losing streak. Loyalty has to do with passion for the team. Now, if RIC-TV represents the Red Sox, then surely The Anchor represents the Yankees. After all, the Anchor has more money. They have the largest team. They have better equipment and a larger training facility, (The Anchor office is almost three times larger than RICTV’s). Some would even argue that The Anchor has a more hands on advisor. Watch out though, RIC-TV’s coming up swinging at the bottom of the ninth. Prior to Jon Fonseca’s
presidency, RIC-TV seemed more like the cast of Bad News Bears than a real major league contender. Fonseca joined RICTV three years ago amidst a circus of office politics. He was there when officers had 24/7 access to the office and used the equipment for their personal use rather than for RIC-TV purposes. He was there when RIC-TV’s equipment was stolen. He was there when the office was vandalized. He was there when other members simply quit and took off with the office supplies. Anyone who encounters Jon is immediately disarmed by his casual demeanor. But don’t be fooled. Behind the easygoing smile is a quiet ambition. In his second year as a RIC-TV member, he ran for president and won. Fonseca conducted studies to see what types of shows students were watching and when they were watching them. He noticed that students were drawn to shows that looked more professional and that students com-
plained about the lack of variety. He also realized that RIC-TV had no cables to connect the TV servers to the TV’s on campus, “so basically no one could watch it,” says Fonseca. On top of it all, the old server finally crashed. He came up with a game plan and set out to accomplish it. “I had [specific] goals I wanted to achieve,” says Fonseca. The first “was to get new equipment, so we could keep up with current technology.” The second was to “film shows that look professional,” and finally to “create a website [that] would get RIC-TV streaming online.” RIC-TV has now installed state-of-the-art equipment, including a new server. This summer, the server will be programmed and new fiber optics will be installed into the office. RIC-TV has also changed its logo and commissioned a web developer to create an official website for the organization. The once tiny, cramped office space, has also been “decluttered, vacuumed, and Windexed” says
Fonseca. In an effort to also eliminate office politics, Fonseca and his newly elected board (VP – Paul Medeiros, Treasurer – Jason Russell, and Public Relations Coordinator – Alicia Astarita) collectively forced former Vice President Nicholas Rondeau to resign. Apparently, Rondeau was not doing his job. New members are now required to sign an attendance sheet and most importantly, old “frequenters” of RIC-TV that were not “active members” were revoked access to RIC-TV. Now only board members have access to the office, and only with assigned passwords. Although RIC-TV was founded in 1984, this past fall was the first time in RIC-TV history that two original shows were filmed in one semester. Both A La Carte, (an info-entertainment variety show) and RIC – Profile, (a Charlie Rose spinoff), are taped and currently in the editing phase of production. Both shows will air on campus and stream
online in the fall. RIC-TV also shot live footage of Barack Obama’s rally. The raw footage will be edited and used for another original news-comedy show hosted by Nigel Evangelista and Fonseca himself. The biggest change to occur to RIC-TV this year will be the loss of former Treasurer Jimmy Spicola. Spicola is expected to graduate this May. Although most people know him for his stubborn ways, his emotional outbursts, and self-deprecating humor, no one can deny his tireless contribution, unwavering loyalty and commitment to improving RIC-TV. “Jimmy will definitely be missed,” says Fonseca. “He’s one of a kind.” For more information on how you can become a member, rather than just a fan, of RIC-TV visit its page on Facebook or drop by the office at the Ducey Media Center.