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The personal alarm can be set for any time, using any future date.
As long as both the computer and Jaws For Windows are running, when the alarm is designated to activate, a message window will pop up using the message you specified when the alarm was created. An optional default alarm sound, or an unlimited number of custom alarm sounds, can also be assigned to each alarm individually.
Personal Alarm Hotkeys
Open the alarm menu: Insert+Shift+A
The alarm menu will contain the following options...
* Add new alarm: (Creates a new alarm for future use)
& Review and remove active alarms: (Displays another menu with all of the active alarms currently listed)
Specify a new alarm sound: Insert+Shift+`
The ` (Graveaccent) key is directly above the tab key. This script is most useful when browsing files using Windows Explorer. Just select the sound file you would like to use as the new alarm sound, then press Insert+Shift+`. The file path should then be automatically arranged for confirmation.
Custom Chime
The custom chime is great for marking the passage of time with an auditory signal, a time announcement, or a series of auditory signals and time announcements.
Regarding default values, the chime can be set to sound at the beginning of every hour, every half hour, or every quarter hour.
Custom time intervals can also be set... For example: You could add a custom chime value of 46. You would then be given the following options to choose from:
"Whenever the number of minutes in each hour matches the specified number": (I.E. Whenever the minutes displayed on the system clock matches 46.)
or "Whenever the specified number of minutes has passed": (I.E. Whenever 46 minutes has passed since the last chime was activated.)
Custom Chime Hotkeys
Open the Chime Menu: Insert+Control+`
The chime menu will contain the following options...
* Chime every hour: (Chimes at the start of every hour.)
& Chime every half hour: (Chimes every 30 minutes from the start of the hour.)
& Chime every quarter hour: (Chimes every 15 minutes from the start of the hour.)
& Add custom chime value: (Adds a new custom time interval for the chime.)
& Review and remove custom chime values: (Displays and removes the selected time interval value.)
& Disable chime: (Deactivates all chime intervals and accompanying sounds.)
& Review and remove custom chime sounds: (Removes any custom chime sounds that were added using the Insert+Control+Shift+` hotkey.)
& Only play chime: (Only activates the chime sound.)
& Announce system time with chime: (Announces the time and activates the chime sound.)
& Only announce the system chime: (Only announces the time.)
Specify a new chime sound: Insert+Control+Shift+`
The ` (Graveaccent) key is directly above the tab key. This script is most useful when browsing files using Windows Explorer. Just select the sound file you would like to use as the new chime sound, then press Insert+Control+Shift+`. The file path should then be automatically arranged for confirmation.
Technology forecasting is forecasting the future characteristics of useful technological machines, procedures or techniques.
Primarily, a technological forecast deals with the characteristics of technology, such as levels of technical performance, like speed of a military aircraft, the power in watts of a particular future engine, the accuracy or precision of a measuring instrument, the number of transistors in a chip in the year 2015, etc. The forecast does not have to state how these characteristics will be achieved.
Secondly, technological forecasting usually deals with only useful machines, procedures or techniques. This is to exclude from the domain of technological forecasting those commodities, services or techniques intended for luxury or amusement.
The whole purpose of the recitation of alternatives, is to show that there really is no alternative to forecasting. If a decisionmaker has several alternatives open to him, he will choose among them on the basis of which provides him with the most desirable outcome. Thus his decision is inevitably based on a forecast. His only choice is whether the forecast is obtained by rational and explicit methods, or by intuitive means.
The virtues of the use of rational methods are as follows:
They can be taught and learned,
They can be described and explained,
They provide a procedure followable by anyone who has absorbed the necessary training, and in some cases,
These methods are even guaranteed to produce the same forecast regardless of who uses them.
The virtue of the use of explicit methods is that they can be reviewed by others, and can be checked for consistency. Furthermore, the forecast can be reviewed at any subsequent time.
Commonly adopted methods of technology forecasting include the Delphi method, forecast by analogy, growth curves and extrapolation. Normative methods of technology forecasting — like the relevance trees, morphological models, and mission flow diagrams — are also commonly used.
Studies of past forecasts have shown that one of the most frequent reasons why a forecast goes wrong is that the forecaster ignores related fields.
A given technical approach may fail to achieve the level of capability forecast for it, because it is superseded by another technical approach which the forecaster ignored.
Another problem is that of inconsistency between forecasts. Because of these problems, it is often necessary to combine forecasts of different technologies. Therefore rather than to try to select the one method which is most appropriate, it may be better to try to combine the forecasts obtained by different methods.
If this is done, the strengths of one method may help compensate for the weaknesses of another.
The primary reason for combining forecasts of the same technology is to attempt to offset the weaknesses of one forecasting method with the strengths of
another. In addition, the use of more than one forecasting method often gives the forecaster more into the processes at work which are responsible for
the growth of the technology being forecast.
A frequently used combination is that of growth curves and a trend curve for some technology. Here we see a succession of growth curves, each describing
the level of functional capability achieved by a specific technical approach.
An overall trend curve is also shown, fitted to those items of historical data which represent the currently superior approach.
The use of growth curves and a trend curve in combination allows the forecaster to draw some conclusions about the future growth of a technology which might
not be possible, were either method used alone.
With growth curves alone, the forecaster could not say anything about the time at which a given technical approach is likely to be supplanted by a successor
approach.
With the trend curve alone, the forecaster could not say anything about the ability of a specific technical approach to meet the projected trend, or about
the need to look for a successor approach. Thus the need for combining forecasts.
Another frequently used combination of forecasts is that of the trend curve and one or more analogies.
We customarily consider the scatter of data points about a trend curve to be due to random influences which we can neither control nor even measure. However,
consistent deviations may represent something other than just random influences.
Where such consistent deviations are identified, we may have an opportunity to apply an analogy. Typical events which bring about deviations from a trend
are wars and depressions. Thus the purpose of combining analogies with a trend forecast is to predict deviations from the trend deviations which are associated
with or caused by external events or influences.
As with other uses of analogy, it is important to determine the extent to which the analogy between the event used as the basis for the forecast, and the
historical model event, satisfies the criteria for a valid analogy.
Combining forecasts of different technologies may be even more important than combining the forecasts of the same technology.
One reason for this is the fact that technologies may interact or be interrelated in some fashion. Another reason for this is that of consistency in an
overall picture or scenario. One of the simplest examples of interacting trends is the projection to absurdity, i.e. simply projecting the given data indefinitely
without getting any specific result. For instance, if one simply projects recent rates of growth of world population, one arrives at some fantastic conclusions
about the density of population in a particular place by various dates in the next millennium.
Some other trends which can confidently be expected to not continue indefinitely are:
Another instance of interacting trends was in the case of the number of scientists in the U.S. growing faster than the overall population. Since 1940s through
the 1960s, science as an activity in the United States grew exponentially. The number of dollars spent on R&D was growing faster than the GNP (in the 1960s).
If projected indefinitely, these two curves would give the result that eventually every person in the U.S. would be working as a scientist and the entire
GNP would be devoted to R&D alone, which are however absurd conclusions. Thus it is clear that the scientific discipline of technology forecasting is not
mere trend extrapolation but also involves combining forecasts.
Almost all modern manufacturing firms utilize the services of a technological forecaster. Nevertheless, there are a number of alternatives to the rational
and explicit forecasting of technology, such as 'no forecast', 'anything can happen' (i.e. relying on pure chance), 'window-blind forecasting', 'genius
forecasting' and boasting of a 'glorious past' (i.e. adopting the same old techniques).
Thus technological forecasting is not mere astrology or palmistry, but a scientific and well defined procedure adopted by a technological forecaster or
a consultancy for the forecasting of a particular technology. Even though technological forecasting is a scientific discipline, some experts are of the
view that "the only certainty of a particular forecast is that it is wrong to some degree."
There are a number of alternatives to the rational and explicit forecasting of technology, some of them being:
This alternative means facing the future blindfolded. If taken literally, it means that no attempt is made to determine what the future will be like, and
the decisions are made with no regard whatsoever to their future consequences, favorable or unfavorable.
This represents the attitude that the future is a complete gamble, that nothing can be done to influence it in a desired direction, and that there is no
point therefore in attempting to anticipate it.
This represents an attitude which looks to the past and ignores the future. Many organizations can point to significant achievements at some time or other
in the past.
Stubbornly clinging to visions of the glorious past, under the assumption that the glorious past guarantees a glorious future, is by some described as a
certain road to disaster.
This involves the attitude that technology moves on a fixed track, like an old-fashioned roller window blind and that the only direction is up. While this
attitude does at least recognize that changes do take place and is therefore somewhat better than the other alternatives, it fails to recognize that there
are other directions besides up.
An organization which depends on window-blind forecasting can sooner or later be taken by surprise, as some unanticipated technological change brings an
end to the track it was following.
This method consists in finding a genius, and asking him for his intuitive forecast. It must be recognized that there have been many "genius forecasts"
made in the past, and that many of these were successful. Unfortunately, there have also been many so wide off the mark as to be useless. Thus it should
be clear that where rational and explicit methods are available, they are much to be preferred.
By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space.Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. In human society, it is a consequence of science and engineering, although several technological advances predate the two concepts. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek "technologia", "te???????a" — "techne", "t????" ("craft") and "logia", "????a" ("saying").[1] However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology".
People's use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of weapons of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from clubs to nuclear weapons.
Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms.
Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, claiming that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations.
Technology and applied sciences Portal
In general technology is the relationship that society has with its tools and crafts, and to what extent society can control its environment. The Merriam-Webster dictionary offers a definition of the term: "the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area" and "a capability given by the practical application of knowledge".[1] Ursula Franklin, in her 1989 "Real World of Technology" lecture, gave another definition of the concept; it is "practice, the way we do things around here".[2] The term is often used to imply a specific field of technology, or to refer to high technology, rather than technology as a whole.[3] Bernard Stiegler, in Technics and Time, 1, defines technology in two ways: as "the pursuit of life by means other than life", and as "organized inorganic matter."[4] The term is mostly used in three different contexts: when referring to a tool (or machine); a technique; the cultural force; or a combination of the three.
Technology can be most broadly defined as the entities, both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort in order to achieve some value. In this usage, technology refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve real-world problems. It is a far-reaching term that may include simple tools, such as a crowbar or wooden spoon, or more complex machines, such as a space station or particle accelerator. Tools and machines need not be material; virtual technology, such as computer software and business methods, fall under this definition of technology.[5]
The word "technology" can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques. In this context, it is the current state of humanity's knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products, to solve problems, fulfill needs, or satisfy wants; it includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw materials. When combined with another term, such as "medical technology" or "space technology", it refers to the state of the respective field's knowledge and tools. "State-of-the-art technology" refers to the high technology available to humanity in any field.
Technology can be viewed as an activity that forms or changes culture.[6] Additionally, technology is the application of math, science, and the arts for the benefit of life as it is known. A modern example is the rise of communication technology, which has lessened barriers to human interaction and, as a result, has helped spawn new subcultures; the rise of cyberculture has, at its basis, the development of the Internet and the computer.[7] Not all technology enhances culture in a creative way; technology can also help facilitate political oppression and war via tools such as guns. As a cultural activity, technology predates both science and engineering, each of which formalize some aspects of technological endeavor.
Science, engineering and technology
The distinction between science, engineering and technology is not always clear. Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method.[8] Technologies are not usually exclusively products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety.
Engineering is the goal-oriented process of designing and making tools and systems to exploit natural phenomena for practical human means, often (but not always) using results and techniques from science. The development of technology may draw upon many fields of knowledge, including scientific, engineering, mathematical, linguistic, and historical knowledge, to achieve some practical result.
Technology is often a consequence of science and engineering — although technology as a human activity precedes the two fields. For example, science might study the flow of electrons in electrical conductors, by using already-existing tools and knowledge. This new-found knowledge may then be used by engineers to create new tools and machines, such as semiconductors, computers, and other forms of advanced technology. In this sense, scientists and engineers may both be considered technologists; the three fields are often considered as one for the purposes of research and reference.[9]
Role in human history
Main articles: History of technology and Timeline of invention
