Distance education in front of an audience

During the Covid years of 2020 and 2021 I went all in on distance education and experimented wildly with live-streaming and recording of lectures. But this spring I am back in the classroom again, and it has been very interesting to apply the lessons learned and the content created. In 2021 I held a few lectures in Building Physics on the topic of moisture, which I also recorded. It was the first time I lectured on the topic and my full focus was simply to keep my nose above the water line and get through the lectures without making to big a fool of myself. The students were very clear in their feedback and most wished for more calculation examples and less lectures. Consequently, this year, I thought about how to approach this and decided to replace all the scheduled lectures with calculation sessions instead. I am now extremely curious to see what the students´ judgment will be.

Education, ComputerRikard ÖqvistMay 23, 2022education, online education, distance learning, technology, school, lecturingComment

If it works, Don't fix it!

A couple of days ago, I opened the Microsoft Whiteboard app that I have been using for a couple of years. It is one of my most used apps. And they had released an update, probably to do something nice with the release of Windows 11. But this new version was a total disaster. The update was a complete downgrade in my usage scenario. I was so mad, that I published a video about it in frustration. How wonderful it is when the internet community responds. In no time at all, I had a solution on how to roll back to the old usable version and as of this writing the issue has been fixed.

ComputerRikard ÖqvistNovember 16, 2021microsoft, update, technologyComment

System updates and glitches

My favorite system update with bad timing was last year when I had scheduled an online tutoring activity on Zoom with about 40 students. I made sure to test and connect every piece of equipment the night before and it worked like a charm. The next day, I was almost an hour ahead of schedule and fired up my system to make sure there would be no issues. Then, my HP Elite X2 decided it was time to conduct a major system update with BIOS flash. You cannot skip it; it just begins the update process when it feels like it. Even if you are standing in front of an audience. And this is a time-consuming process. I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry as I watched the counters on the clock come closer and closer to 13:00 when the lecture starts.

ComputerRikard ÖqvistNovember 1, 2021windows, gaming, IT, technologyComment

The nostalgic filter

One of my favourite PC games was Diablo 2 from around year 2000. I have countless hours in that game. And recently, Blizzard released a resurrected version with updated graphics for modern systems. It is a perfect cash-grab targeting guys like me, but honestly, it is still a very good game so I bought it instantly. I was just too curious to find out what the magicians over at Blizzard could achieve with modern tech. The way that system performance has improved according to Moores law compared to 20 years ago is almost incomprehensible. They have also implemented a button in the game that instantly toggles between legacy mode and modern graphics. When I pushed that button my jaw dropped.

ComputerRikard ÖqvistOctober 12, 2021pcgaming, diablo, nostalgia, memoryComment

Flight Simulator in VR

When I first tried Microsoft Flight Simulator about a year ago, it was the most impressive thing I had ever done on a PC. The ability to fly literally anywhere in the world cannot be described, it must be experienced personally. Now, Microsoft has also implemented support for Virtual Reality, which makes something that was already awesome even more impressive. If your PC has the horsepower to drive it, it is by leaps and bounds the coolest thing I have ever done on a computer. The only thing that comes remotely close would be the first time I tried the Super Nintendo for the first time.

ComputerRikard ÖqvistOctober 5, 2021Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Eurofighter, flying, VR, virtual realityComment

Every expense is an education fee

Have you ever had second thoughts about whether it was the right or wrong decision to buy a product or a service? Or have you been lying awake at night, trying to read up and learn as much as possible about your potential coming purchase? I sure know that I have. However, some years ago I changed my mindset and approach to these questions. Just look at it as education and the price you pay is a course fee. Don’t think about the costs. Think about what you learn instead. Knowledge is invaluable. And that makes it a LOT easier to accept a business decision or investment that didn’t turn out the way you wanted.

Computer, PhilosophyRikard ÖqvistAugust 9, 2021education, investment, learning, purchase, decision, RGBComment

Are there similarities between restoring old computers and old cars?

Since I resurrected my old enormous RGB shining gaming laptop from the dead to a new life as a blog typewriter, I have been trying to figure out if there are any similarities between restoring old computers and for example old American cars? Old cars aren’t really usable as a daily driver either, I told my wife. Yes, but at least old American cars can be beautiful. An old laptop with RGB cannot. She has a point. It got me thinking: Have I ever seen a beautiful computer? I can’t think of one honestly, but I can think of several beautiful cars. Both are tools meant to be used, so what is it that cars have that old computers doesn’t seem to have?

ComputerRikard ÖqvistMay 3, 2021linux, dell, computer, retro computers, blogging, writing, focus, productivity, reuse, recycling, sustainabilityComment