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Welcome to our blog where we rant, discuss, and teach. Tech Talk is featured in Island Arts Magazine

2023-06-10 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

IOT (Internet of Things) are smart devices with sensors used in home automation such as lights, security cameras, smart plugs, thermostats and even some medical equipment. Home fridges, ranges and other appliances are also incorporating smart technologies.

Until recently, you could not mix and match devices due to incompatibilities in their underlying software. Two communication protocols,...

2023-04-22 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it mark in all kinds of endeavours including writing, art, technology, science, search engines and the list goes on. It begs the question, “how accurate is AI”.

The published answer to this is 95%. However, accuracy is not a term that can be used without prior definition. Currently AI accuracy is defined as an average by comparing right vs wrong...

2023-01-24 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

I started to experiment with Artificial Intelligence (AI) this week a bit exploring several areas of interest in technology and philosophy.

I mentioned it to Susan and she thought it would make a great TT article. I logged into my account at ChatGPT (chat.openai.com) and posed two art related questions. This platform is design as conversational AI, it won’t generate art but is a place to...

2022-10-22 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

In the last issue I wrote about having solar panels installed on our garage roof. They have now been on for 23 days at the time of this article and what a difference in our grid consumption. The numbers are impressive.

Our most recent bill for 1 month ending Oct 17 shows our grid consumption down 56% from last year and we only had a part month of generating our own power. We generated 525 kWh...

Time to go Solar
Tech Talk

2022-08-22 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

We are having solar panels install at our home/office. The system we are installing will generate approximately 60% of our yearly consumption. It is the equivalent of taking 1 car off the road every year or planting 3920 trees or 320 barrels of oil saved. But the big thing is the monetary savings, over the life of the panels - $44,000, almost double the cost.

What made it so attractive to do...

Naming
Tech Talk

2022-06-09 Last Updated on: 2023-08-17

In computer science it is a common axiom that the hardest thing to do is name things. I think that holds true in other aspects of life. Naming a child or even a painting or book can be agonizing.

When naming files, it is important to convey as much information as possible if you want to find it again. The modern computer often has hundreds of thousands of files from system files, applications...

2022-04-18 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

Are you thinking you need a website? Where do you start? What are your options?

All are good questions. If you want to get yourself known and possibly sell your services or product or even just share your thoughts or ideas, having a website is a necessity today.

Can’t I just use Facebook or other social media?

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc all can help you promote...

2021-11-25 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

Are you lazy? Or are you truly lazy?

I once had a boss who called me the Laziest Son of a … who ever worked for him. It was a job where you only worked about 10 minutes every 2 hours. I was doing research in an iron ore pelletizing plant in Northern Ontario in 1971.

One day my boss walked past my desk, where I had my feet up reading a Zane Grey western, and said “You are the laziest SOB...

2021-08-16 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

How many of you use a computer to support your art work? Whether it is to just store and search reference photos or digitally change an image for whatever reason, computers are being used to change how we produce art.

BUT can computers be used to create art that is indistinguishable from human created pieces. With AI (artificial intelligence) generated art, the answer may surprise you. In 2017...

2021-06-18 Last Updated on: 2023-08-02

Do you own a website? Do you own your domain name? There are numerous scams out there that target website and domain name owners.

Website Scams

SEO: Emails that suggest that your site can rank 1st or even 1st page are usually scams. They will find an obscure phrase that is unique to your website to prove it ranks high. The thing is that nobody actually searches on those terms. Even the terms...