I just got back from watching Terminator 3, which I found surprisingly good (better than Matrix Reloaded). If you liked the first two, this one is worth watching — Arnold is even pretty funny this time around.
Despite the time-traveling and cyborgs that roam around destroying everything in their wake, the series is actually semi-plausible, at least in the next 25 years.
Before I begin, I should warn anyone that wants to watch the movie not to read any further until after you see it. Here is what I mean by plausible:
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There are hundreds of computer-based trade associations in existence currently. Some of them standardize protocols, some act as a defense and lobbying group and some just sit around as they are powerless or inept.
IEEE and Underwriters Laboratories are two independent non-profit organizations which utilize research and collaboration with a number of players (consumers, producers, regulators, etc.) to design standards and test products (although IEEE doesn’t actually work with end-user products, they do define standards which in turn, become practical applications).
A new organization called CE Linux Forum was recently formed to tackle similar tasks:
Eight of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies—including the world’s No. 3 mobile-phone maker—said they will team together to promote and standardize Linux technology for electronic devices, including mobile phones.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Sony Corp., Hitachi Ltd., NEC Corp., Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sharp Corp. and Toshiba Corp. founded the new CE Linux Forum. IBM Corp. said it is pursuing membership.
One name that is notable only in its absence is Motorola Inc. The worldÂ’s No. 2 mobile-phone maker recently announced major support for a Linux/Java operating system and said it would include the technology in a majority of its devices. Motorola officials could not immediately comment on whether Motorola will participate in the new CE Linux Forum.
The CE Linux Forum said it will work to promote Linux technology, to improve device startup and shutdown time, reduce ROM/RAM size requirements and improve power management.
The move comes as Linux technology makes its way into the mobile-phone industry as an alternative to major operating system efforts like Symbian and Microsoft Corp.Â’s Smartphone OS. Chinese carriers and manufacturers have voiced major support for Linux, and Sharp has already shipped a personal digital assistant-style device using a Linux operating system.
Both Information Week and InternetNews have more details on this announcement. Maybe one day you will be able to tell your kids what that CELF on the back of the cell-phone means — where were you when CELF landed on the moon?
