My opinion of this week(541)
Why I use a hand-made PC
I started using NEC PC8001 in 1979. It was nothing but very primitive BASIC
operating machine. It was not such a very high spec application machines
as those of today. I remember to pay \180,000 to buy PC8001, main memory
of which is just only 32K, at a PC shop in Akihabara. It was the beginning
of my PC life. Since then, I have been engrossed in PC in many ways in
business and hobbies.
There were some MS-DOS days after BASIC and Windows became a major OS
(Operating System)for PC in 1995. PC had become useful tools for business and
personal use in any respect first time in the history. I have used a number of PCs
during these period whenever there occurred the change of OS and change of
communication environment. I have spent a lot of money to buy a kind of
expensive machines throughout my PC careers.
Most of PCs I bought at BASIC and MS-DOS days were products of NEC. But since
Windows had become main OS in computer world, I started using hand-made PCs
rather than store-bought PCs especially in the past seven years. Two of my
Xp desk top machines are hand-made.
I did not make them by myself. My son assembled them based on my specifications
for PC such as type of mother board, CPU, main memory, and other peripherals.
Since Vista was introduced in January, I plan to change the old machine for
PC of Vista Home Premium. I finally agreed my son to assemble Vista desktop
PC two weeks ago at his summer vacation. It is considerably a high spec
machine. CPU is AMD Dual Core 2, 2G byte main memory, 120G hard disc and so
on. He proposed me to introduce I/O DATA's 22 inch wide display. The total
cost is \110.000. If I bought the same spec machine at store , the cost may
exceeds \200,000 easily.
But the reason why I use a hand-made machine is not the cost. Although assembly
of the machine itself is not quite difficult,there involves a lot of
troublesomeprocess before final use. Installation of OS, of various
peripherals, of various utility software and so on. There is no guaranties
for the completed products like store goods although there are guaranties for
each parts. I really faced a number of troubles as a matter of facts whenever
I use hand-made machines.
Nevertheless, why do I use a hand-made machine? I would rather buy a note PC
from some stores for sure. But I would dare to use a hand-made machine in the
case of desk-top.
The reason is rather clear. I can learn a lot of things by doing all sorts of
troublesome works concerned with new hardware and software to install OS and
other utilities software. You have to go into BIOS (BASIC INPUT OUTPUT SYSTEM)
world from time to time for initial set-up.
Those works help me to utilize PC fully later on. Such process help me to
understand some of the basic knowhow to solve several hardware and software
of PC. That may help me to answer several basic technical questions from
member of PC club.
It is really troublesome and time consuming process as a matter of fact. But
it is one of a pleasant and productive learning process as well for me.
2007/9/1
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(542):
Blocking junk mails
Thanks to development of internet, we get a number of convenient tools for
communication. Needless to say, e-mail is one of the most important one
among many of those tools. I cannot do many of my social works without e-mail
now.
Many people can use e-mail today, but there still exists a number of people
who cannot use or do not wish to use e-mail for various reasons. If all
people could use it, world would become more convenient as a whole.
On August 25th, there was High School Alumni Association Meeting in Tokyo.
Different from past years, the schedule of the meeting was sent by e-mail
and I answered back to it advising that I would attend it. It was not
ordinal e-mail but ML(mailing list) as a matter of fact. I set up that ML
using Yahoo Group ML system in accordance with the request from the secretary
committee of Alumni Association of this year.
It worked very well. About 60 % of members answered back attend or absence
through ML so that members who are listed in ML could know the situation at
that point. But for those who could not use e-mail, return post cards were
used as in the past to check attend or absence.
At the Alumni meeting on that day, the secretary committee recommended
people to use e-mail for it would help to rationalize many of troublesome
works necessary to manage Alumni Association. All attendance seemed to
agree with it in general.
But one of a member questioned some concerns about junk mails. He said
he would start receiving a number of junk mails once the association
open such ML. He asked how he could avoid to receive such junk mails.
On behalf of the secretary committee, I answered it as follows.
"There are several ways you can prepare to cut out such junk mails. You
can set such procedure in your PC or you can ask your net service providers
to cut out addresses of junk mail senders at their mail servers. This will
work out fine at a time but you will receive another junk mails sooner or
later. It is a kind of cat and rat game.
Some people change their e-mail address to avoid junk mails but the situation
is the same. There is another game of cat and rat soon.
The most basic countermeasure is to delete such mails by hands everyday
whenever you open mail box. When it comes to my case, I keep receiving
almost 300 junk mails everyday. I tried to set junk mail rejecting procedures
using provider's service at first but I gave it up after all. I decided
to delete junk mails by hand everyday . It takes only few minutes as a matter
of facts and I found that is the easiest countermeasure at any rate. I have
never changed my mail address since I started e-mail. "
I continued to sum up to say the following. "Today every people receives
a lot of advantage by using internet and e-mail. Most of them are free
of charge and they are very valuable in many ways. You just cannot keep
receiving advantage only in net society. You must endure to receive some
disadvantage as well so far as you participate in net society. What wrong
with receiving some small amount of disadvantage like junk mails?"
I used to say this every time some people bring up this junk mail issues. I
believe that this is not just my personal emotion or anything like that. I
think it is general principle true with any society.
I could not explain this at Alumni Association meeting but I found a new
additional answer to this issue recently. I started to receiving much smaller
number of junk mails since I introduce new PC two weeks ago and I found the
reason why.
The new PC installs Vista Home Premium. The new Windows Mail put all of
those junk mails into junk mail folder and junk mails do not appear in
receiving folders. Almost 2/3 of junk mails received so far are put into
junk mail folder now. The new OS warns me to check junk mail folders from
time to time whether or not there exists some important mails in it. I surely
do it every day and discards all of them into dust box immediately after
that confirmation is completed.
I don't know how Vista can find junk mails but I am now quite satisfied with
the new system. While I have not found out any other significant advantages
of Vista yet, I think this merit is very valuable and can be a major reason
why I introduce Vista at this time.
2007/9/8
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(543):
New Fukuda cabinet should make general election immediately
The election of President of Liberal Democratic Party will be made on September
23. But Yasuo Fukuda, the former secretary general of Koizumi Cabinet is now
virtually elected as new president. He will be appointed to the new Prime
Minister of Japan at the diet as well.
Until two days ago, Tarou Asou, secretary general of LDP is said to be a new
top leader of LDP and new prime minister. But the situation has dramatically
been changed in the last two days. Most of factions except Asou Faction has
decided to support Fukuda for new presidency. It is sure that Yasuo Fukuda
will be elected to the new President of LDP without waiting the election
on September 23. He played a kind of third dog while some others were fighting
for a bone. Tarou Asou was a second man next to Shinzo Abe who resigned
Prime Minister on Wednesday. Asou lost the support for he was regarded to
share responsibility with Shinzo Abe for what happened.
Now there is almost no chance for Asou to be elected to the President.But he
would appeal to public opinion to get votes from local LDP members although
numbers are rather limited compared with number of lawmakers votes in the
election. He would appeal to protest the fact that most factions of LDP
decided to support Fukuda without making any discussion on his political
stance and policies at election campaigns for party members and general
public. He will appeal that it is not fair and appropriate way to decide
the President and new Prime Minister of Japan. He will criticize that it is
bad political style referred to as faction politics made in old days.
His criticism will get some support from general public to a certain degree.
It is surely true that people in Japan do not know much about Yasuo Fukuda
except that he was a son of Takeo Fukuda, the then Prime Minister of Japan
and he was the Secretary general of Mori Cabinet and Koizumi Cabinet. People
know little about his political ideas and policies for he has not appeared at
all in any of political scene in the past one year or so.
What is his policies for many of those important issues such as anti-terrorism
act, serious pension plan issues, serious disparity issues between rich and
poor and so on. He will appeal his ideas on those issues in next several days
before elections. But it is very unreasonable that LDP has virtually elected
him as next Prime Minister of Japan without clarifying his basic stance on
those important policies.
Opposition fronts will appeal to dissolve House of Representatives and general
election immediately after Yasuo Fukuda is elected to new Prime Minister. I
believe public opinion will overwhelmingly support the request of opposing
front without any doubt.
This is the only way to put the current chaos of Japanese politics into right
track.
2007/9/15
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(544):
Start a full-fledged argument on Afghan and Iraq war at diet
The U. N. Security Council has approved a resolution to extend the activities
of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The
resolution also express gratitude for the first time for the maritime
interdiction activities of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), to which Japan has
dispatched Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels to help refueling in the Indian
Ocean although no specific name of Japan was mentioned in the resolution.
The resolution was approved Wednesday with 14 votes in favor. Russia abstained
from voting for several reasons. There exists a heated debate over how to
interpret the wording of the appreciative comments in the preface to the
resolution since the Antiterrorism Law, which underpins the dispatch of MSDF
vessels used in OEF, is due to expire on Nov. 1. DPJ (Democratic Party of
Japan) is against the extension of the Antiterrorism Law for such MSDF
operation has never been approved by any of UN resolution. Afghan war itself
was a kind of war started by US only according to the interpretation of DPJ.
The views of several major Japanese papers on how this UN resolution will
affect on political stance of DPJ differed very much each others. While
Nikkei and Yomiuri said the resolution would be a big blow for DPJ in coming
diet debate, Asahi and Mainichi said the resolution would not provide any big
support for ruling front to extend the Law. The resolution caused some kind of
adverse sentiment among members of U.N. Security Council for Japan made some
lobbying activities against US to pass the resolution.
Yukio Hatoyama, Secretary General of DPJ, confirmed that the party would not
change the opposition against the Law denouncing such lobbying activities at UN
demanding appreciation for MSDF activities is rather shameful. The party will
provide the firm reason why they are against the Law in coming Diet discussion.
The diet runs idle right now. Prime Minister Abe expressed his resignation
from the position suddenly last Wednesday and election campaign to select
new President of LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) is underway. The new
Prime Minister will be elected on September 25 after new president of LDP
elected on September 23. The diet session will start finally after such long
absence.
All most two months have passed since the land slide victory of DPJ at
House of Councils election on July 29. The extension of Antiterrorism Law
has been a major issue during this period between ruling and opposition
fronts. There were a number of approach against DPJ which oppose the Law from
diplomatic sources such as US ambassador to Japan and German Prime Minister
who visited Japan incidentally during this time. President Bush expressed
concern on it directly against Prime Minister Abe at Sydney ASEAN meeting.
And there came another pressure from UN as stated above. All approaches were
from outside as a matter of fact before people hear any debate at diet. It is
very strange indeed, isn't it?
The government and ruling front should start diet session immediately after
new cabinet is born on September 25. It is expected that people can hear
a number of new facts and information first time on MSDF activities at Indian
Ocean since this law was initiated. The issue is not just whether continuation
of oil supply to US and other nations is OK or not.
The issue will be concerned with more fundamental issues how Japan would
cooperate with US, other allies and UN on various activities at Afghan and
Iraq. The issue is basically related with right of collective defense.It is
the very issue of Article 9 of Constitution. This is very basic issue of
this country. All of acts which concerned with Afghan and Iraq war are now
reinvestigated from this point of view.
We people of Japan are looking forward to hearing all of those very
important and interesting resting debate at two entirely different stages of
diet soon.
2007/9/22
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(545):
First step toward two-party system
The new Fukuda Cabinet has got a very high popular vote like 56% in recent
several news paper research. It is surely a kind of complementary popular
vote to be observed in any new born cabinets. But it seems that this is the
result of a good fight by Tarou Asou who run against Yasuo Fukuda in LDP
(Liberal Democratic Party) presidential election last week.
Tarou Asou got a strong support from local party members and non-partisan
independent voters during election campaign. If Tarou Asou did not run for
the election, the election itself might have been very indifferent and
unconcerned one. The birth of new cabinet head by Yasuo Fukuda could not
draw so much interest from general public. It is a kind of very cynical
phenomenon as far as my view is concerned, although it is just my personal
view by itself.
Leaders of LDP and Fukuda cabinet members welcomed this high popular vote
against their cabinet, but I wonder how long this high popular vote will
last from now on. It depends on how new Fukuda cabinet achieve their jobs
which they promise to do for Japanese people. The diet debate has not been
made for almost two months since LDP's historical defeat in House of Council
election on July 29. People are looking forward to hearing a heated debate
between ruling LDP and opposing DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan). Whether
Fukuda Cabinet can maintain this high popular vote or not, depends on the
result of the diet discussion which starts next week.
Prime Minister Fukuda called his cabinet "ragged edge cabinet" which stands
at a edge of a cliff. Most of leaders of LDP repeatedly express a sense of
crisis of their party in the present political situation. They all talk
about the necessity to work with opposing front in many occasions. But it
seems that they still underestimate the fact that they have lost a majority
vote at the House of Councils.
One of the most important bill in diet session which starts from now is
"Anti Terrorism Law" which expires on early November. Fukuda Cabinet and
ruling fronts will continue to make oil supply to multi national navies at
Indian Ocean because they say it is very necessary contribution of Japan
expected by international communities. Opposition front including DPJ are
against the bill for the oil supply does not really help to reduce terrorism
at Afghanistan. There must be some other ways to attain the purpose.
Fukuda Cabinet and ruling fronts seem to give up to extend the law because
time is up due to their slow action and they plan to submit a new law which
make it possible to resume oil supply to multi national navies as soon as
possible. They intend to pass this new law regardless the fact that the
bill would be refused at the House of Councils. The ruling front bring the
bill back to the House of Representative and let the bill pass the bill by
two third of affirmative vote by LDP and Komeitou Party. It is very possible
physically. But the big question remains whether or not it is really
possible politically.
It involves very basic question on exercise of the right of collective
self-defense which is prohibited by the present article of constitution.
The ruling fronts say it is not the exercise of the right of collective
self-defense. But opposition fronts will strongly insist it is exactly
to the infringement of the principle of the constitution.
Any of such arguments at the diet were made at the diet without showing
some very basic facts related with oil supply. Under the new circumstance
at upper house, opposition front will ask Fukuda Cabinet to supply various
facts involved with oil supply operation because they have now the right
to ask to present all sort of information about national political issues.
Many of new facts which have never been disclosed before in front
Japanese people will be presented at diet discussion. Majority of
affirmative views on the bill may change if some of those new facts are
disclosed at the diet. There are a great doubt about the fact that oil
supplied at Indian Ocean to US navy might have been used for Iraq war.
Provided that such fact were disclosed, there were great change on the
present political situation including popular vote against ruling and
opposition front.
Another strong strategic measures for opposition front is the submission
of various bills at the House of Councils. DPJ has been criticized in
many occasions in the past. Whenever they are against bills submitted
by ruling front, they are said that they just oppose to anything without
having any counter measures at all. Contrary to this situation, DPJ and
opposition front can present any bills and be able to pass them at
the House of Councils under the present circumstance.
In coming diet session, DPJ is scheduled to present some very important
bills such as unification of pension system bill, bill to prohibit diversion
of pension fees for other propose and so on. Pension issues are still
remains number one concerns for people of Japan and this will draw a
big interest once the debate start at coming diet session.
As I stated above already, ruling front still seem to underestimate the
situation that this kind of new political process will start in coming
diet session. I do hope that such process will become the first step to
establish two-party system in Japan which is definitely necessary to
develop democracy in this country.
2007/9/29
Tadashi HAYASE
English Home Page
Japanese Home Page