Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #01271



To: Jean auBois aubois@trail.com
From: Steven Bolt sbolt@xs4all.nl
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 19:27:45 +0100 (CET)
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Advanced? Beginner?


On Thu, 4 Mar 1999, Jean auBois wrote:

> > As to the other matters, imho the BEAM stuff which has so far
> > been published - including my small contribution - does not
> > merit the adjective `advanced'.
>
> This is a pretty fuzzy area -- it is all relative. If you show me
> something today that I didn't know, that is "advanced", if you show me
> something today that I knew a year ago then that is "beginner". In effect,
> the question was somewhat ill-stated.

In general, as far as technology is concerned, it is customary to
use `advanced' to indicate `beyond the present state of the art'.
That seems a little out of context when the subject is fun, but
otherwise fairly humdrum if not hodge-podge electronic gadgetry.

And BEAM could be and has been accused of rather overstating its
promise. I can imagine outsiders thinking "Advanced BEAM? So now
they *really* come up with the goods?"

Perhaps BEAM is and always will be just BEAM. Kind of like Peter
Pan, never growing up, never to be burdened by demanding words like
`advanced'.

Best,

Steve

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# sbolt@xs4all.nl # Steven Bolt # popular science monthly KIJK #
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