My opinion of this week(356):

Virus turmoil

There are a number of reports by many mass media on new computer virus
called Mydoom. Several members of our PC club and ML (mailing list)
members reported that they receive a number of suspicious e-mails 
with or without some attachment these days. They also received reports
from anti virus software houses that some messages had been deleted from 
mail servers or from receiver's PC because they had been invaded by a 
virus. 

It seems that people got a big shock by these reports and by the fact
that many of such suspicious mails had been sent under the name of
ML they belong. Some seem to have suspicion that such mail community
as ML is very dangerous because of this fact. Some members asked to
stop sending mail from ML or delete their name from member list.

Many people even stop receiving or sending any mails  and even stop 
making internet itself. They overreact too much to sensational news
and happenings around their net life.

As a mater of fact, creating such confusion itself is very purpose of
those attackers or net terrorists . Fortunately, there were not much
panic among our ML group members. Several people wrote their experience
of receiving a number of virus alert and several suspicious mails but
they are mostly very calm although they got some surprise. In the
past, some people quit from ML and even quit using PC itself because 
of such virus turmoil.

I have talked to our friends in net and PC club members to prepare
for virus attacks and  to make a complete anti virus system in our
PC and net communication systems including constant back up of
important data files in our PCs. Then, we should not be afraid too 
much with virus. 

On the contrary, the real medical virus is really dangerous. We can't 
see any of their existence by our naked eye. And our life itself 
is in danger once we are invaded by such real virus. All sort of careful 
preparation and actions is necessary for such real virus. That is for
sure. Be sure to wash hands and gargle a mouth when we come back from
outside world. 

It is amazing to see that many people still react too much against
computer virus happenings. I keep sending message to ML saying 
to have a complete anti virus action and rather optimistic stance
after such action has been made. 

2004/2/7
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(357):

Starting English Conversation club

MPC (Murayama PC Club) started about one and half year ago. Both in
quantity and quality, MPC has developed much more than my first
expectation. At the beginning of this February, MPC has been appointed
to a monitor of "NetCommons" of National Institute of Informatics. 
NetCommons is a national project to proceed networking of a number
of community activities including PC learning class and clubs such
as ours. We will be able to develop MPC much more in many respects
by joining to NetCommons's project.

In along with PC learning, English conversation is another main
subject for life time learning for aged people. PC class and
English conversation class are two most popular schools that aged
people want to attend these days even by paying rather high tuitions.
That is a fact for sure. But not many aged people can attend to such
schools because tuitions are so high. 

Almost all local cities including ours are trying to provide some
good life time learning opportunity for aged people concerning 
various subjects such as PC, English Conversation and so on. Most of
those cities and prefectures provide class rooms by building new
buildings together with some educational facilities. But they cannot
provide so much educational programs themselves due to the lack of
money and capability.  

This is especially true with our Murayama City. They  have a section
called " Life Time Learning Room" but they have virtually no curriculum
for citizens to provide. As to PC learning, they only hold three or 
four PC working sessions for limited people in a year. We have never
heard that they provide some programs on English conversation in the
past.

Well, now I don't have any intention to blame city administration in
this respect. A number of requests that have been expressed by PC club
members and others to create a English conversation class for citizens
who wish to learn English and English conversation. That may be a better
way without waiting someone such as city authorities starting it.

Participating to NetCommons project as stated above is another good
motive to start the English conversation club now. As a matter of fact,
PC club and English Conversation club have no direct relation. But both
will have a good common platform called NetCommons. 

In other word, we are going to practice e-learning for PC and English
learning in this common platform. People cannot learn so much in one 
or two off-line class in a month. But there will be a abundant 
learning opportunity in net such as ML which we already have now
and NetCommons which provide many e-learning media such as BBS,chat
rooms, etc. 

Our group also have several good leaders in this respects such as 
Kiyoshi Hara, Akira Watanabe, and so on. But in order to succeed in
this new project, participation of many people who understand our 
purpose and motive to start such club is most important. 

I hope that many people will come to participate in starting  session
to be held on February 19th at Murayama City Center.

2004/2/14
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week:(358)

English education in Japan

Following to last week, I would like to write about current situation and
necessity of English education in Japan. 

On Thursday, February 19th, we held English Conversation Club on trial
basis. About 15 people participated in this meeting which was held 
between 13:00 to 15:00 assisted by five leaders such as K.Hara, A.Watanabe,
S.Itoh, M.Ueda and myself. The meeting was quite good and successful.

There will be another test club meeting on March 18th at the same hour.
The club would make a formal start in April. Announcement of the opening
will be made by City Newspaper which will be published in early April.
It is expected that at least ten or more new members will become new members
by the first formal club. The committee of the club will prepare for it
before this formal start of the club.

The topic in this week has no direct relation with the topic of last
week. But both relate to very high needs of English learning  in Japan.
In the morning of February 19th, I opened the top page of Asahi Newspaper
that I subscribe at the moment. Then I found the following headline and
article. 

"The Education Ministry start studying whether or not English education
should be begun compulsory basis from elementary school." The article
said the Ministry would make a special committee formed by education 
professionals to discuss the matter and to present a certain conclusion. 

That's fine but this is anther very time consuming bureaucratic style of
proceedings. It takes at least three years or more by some new scheme
start. 

As I wrote earlier in My opinion of this week or several times in ML,
I personally for the scheme that English is  taught compulsory basis
from elementary school. The Ministry should not spend too much time 
for such discussion itself. 

The need for that kind of educational scheme is obvious as far as
my observation is concerned. Without waiting for investigation and 
discussion of professional people concerning English education, the 
need for English education is very obvious when we see what is going on 
in TV and radio English education programs, internet e-learning programs,
so many English schools in towns and so on. 

Whether English should  be taught on compulsory basis or not is not
big question any more in this respect. A lot more people, old or young,
elementary school children or university students,etc. will learn English
much  eager in any respect regardless any decision by the Education
Ministry.

2004/2/21
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(359):

World of Linux

Our PC and English Conversation Club in Murayama have some plans to 
introduce Net Commons system of National Information Research Institute
which is to create community portal sites by proceeding of network of
various local clubs and NPOs. Research and investigation on feasibility
of the project began at the beginning of February.

According to NII, it is necessary to introduce PC server to install 
Linux software system provided by the institute. At least one 
professional system engineer who is versed in Linux is necessary for
installations work and series of maintenance work even after installation
work is done. 

I imagined at first that operation of the system itself would not be
so difficult once the system would have been installed. But the 
situation is just on the contrary. I surely faced a number of 
difficulties to install Linux OS and application software into a 
server and to connect it to Internet. I worked hard on very difficult
manuals and five pieces of software CD that had been sent from NII.
But installation itself has been done successfully. 

But I began to face many problems from here. When it comes to a server,
it must be operating all times, 24 hours of a day and 365 days a year
without fail. A number of maintenance works are necessary as well
as very severe security works. At least one professional system engineer
will be necessary to do those maintenance and security works. 
Then our research team is now reconsidering the project itself after all. 

Although the project itself is still pending, many of the valuable
by-products  have been acquired through this installation process 
especially on Linux system. I could learn several phases of Linux
system through these installations works. 

Today, world of operation system of PC is monopolized by Microsoft
Corporation. Needless to say, this situation is no good in any respects
for further development of information technologies in the world. Some
more competitions are really necessary to vitalize research and 
development in computer technologies and their application.

Several months ago, Government of Japan, China, and Korea announced
to create common research team to introduce Linux system for 
computerization and network system of government sectors of each 
countries. This is a good example of move to stimulate competitive
situation in computers and PCs in the world. 

Windows is not the default standard of PC anymore. Or, it should not
be that way. I hope that even individual PC users are to have more
interest in OS of personal computers that we use everyday today.

Let's know more about Linux.

2004/2/28
Tadashi HAYASE