Text 2485, 96 rader
Skriven 2005-09-05 08:21:00 av Greg Sears (3:633/104)
     Kommentar till en text av Sean Rima
Ärende: F unny
==============
BANKRUPTCY THREATENS COMPUTER AND NET USAGE

MUNICH:  In a move predicted to have serious ramifications for the
Internet, leading maker of binary digits, Bitfabrikenworken Gesellschaft
gmbh, today announced that it is filing for bankruptcy.  This move is
believed to be prompted by the realization of abnormal losses resulting
from unauthorized derivatives trading linked to the collapse in value of
the Thai baht.

Computer systems consultant Michael J Springhoff, of Anders Arthurson
Consulting, believes that the move will have a major impact upon the
functioning of the net.  "Bitworken was the world's largest supplier of
bits, with some 50 to 60 percent of manufacturing share."  Bits are the
binary digits, representing 'on' or 'off' on which computers and the
Internet run.  "All digital computers use bits to represent programs and
data in their memory and all communications protocols on the Internet
are based on the use of bits."  "If BFW [Bitfabrikenworken] ceases
production of these bits, which seems highly likely now, then there will
be a major shortage of bits.  Computers will not have enough to form
programs when they boot up and many computers will display error message
like "unexpected end of file encountered" or "this computer is running
Windows 95."  Data already stored on hard disk will not be affected
unless it is read in from the disk and the computer then runs out of
bits before it can be fully written back.  "If your computer loads a
file and runs out of bits halfway through, then only some of your file
can be written back to disk and the rest will be lost."  As a result,
Springhoff advises that users not use their computers until the future
of bit production is clear.  "It would be terrible if you opened up the
final version of your thesis or your company's end of year report only
to have you computer run out of bits halfway through, leaving you with
only the first chapter."

If the bit shortage eventuates, the Internet is expected to suffer
massive failures as computers simply run out of bits to send.  "The 'net
is like a huge series of pipelines criss-crossing the world," says
Springhoff, "except that instead of conveying oil or gas it conveys
bits.  Obviously, if computers in some parts of the world just run out
of bits then there is nothing for the net to send and things will come
to a standstill."  Worse, some commentators predict a 'negative bit
suck-back effect' whereby if your computer is full of bits but is
connected through the Internet to a computer that suddenly runs out, the
other computer, in a desperate attempt to keep running, could create a
'bit vacuum' which, in effect, will suck bits from your machine to it,
probably crashing your machine and corrupting its data in the process.
The effect would be worst for those computers connected to the 'net by
high-speed and high-bandwidth connections such as ISDN or ethernet
lines, but modem users could experience the effects on a smaller scale.
The only suggested solution is to refrain from connecting to the
Internet at all until the world supply of bits can be assured.

Major private companies are already turning to countries with a positive
bit surplus in an attempt to head off potential problems.  Brazil, New
Zealand and Iceland are the hot choices as the low level of computer
usage in these countries means that many small businesses and government
departments have reasonable stockpiles of unused bits which can be
bought and transferred to the US and other large users of computing
power.  "While the exact figure for New Zealand is unknown," says
Springhoff, "it is believed that they have some 15 or 16 terabytes of
unused bits stockpiled around the country, which is even more per head
of population than the number of sheep in that country.  If carefully
used, it could be a major export for the country and provide much-needed
foreign exchange."  Other analysts are worried, however, that the bits
will be used purely for their electrical value in powering generators in
the blacked out city of Auckland.  That would be a terrible waste,
according to Springhoff, equivalent, he says, to burning 200 year old
mahogany wood to heat your house.  However, the possibility is quite
real if power is not restored in that city soon.

The other major winners from this crisis are companies that specialize
in recycling bits.  These companies, which generally buy old computers
and break them apart to salvage the bits inside, are expected to make a
killing from the boom in demand for their bits.  It is not known how
many bits can be provided by this method, but it is estimated that 10 to
20 percent of the shortfall of bits could be made up.  However, it is a
non-renewable source of bits and there is already sign of possible
opposition from environmental groups opposed to the environmentally
unsustainable use of bits.

A last possible hope would be that the company is either taken into
bankruptcy administration or that its bit generation and bit foundry
works are taken over whole by another manufacturer so that the
disruption of bit production is minimal.  So far no overt expressions of
interest have been made, although leading Japanese bit producer Wondrous
Star Bits Kaisen Kaisha is reported to be interested in some form of
arrangement.

Cheers,
       __o          o__      o__      o__      o__     There's one
     _ \<,_        _.>/ _   _.>/ _   _.>/ _   _.>/ _   in every
    (@)/ (@)      (@) \(@) (@) \(@) (@) \(@) (@) \(@)  crowd....
...I C E-man.

... Here's some fun:  Walk into an antique shop and say, "What's new?!?"

--- EzyBlueWave V2.01b006 00F90257
 * Origin: Afraid of the competition? We ARE the Competition! (3:633/104)