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July 2001, Week 4

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From:
LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 25 Jul 2001 14:32:39 EDT
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--- Forwarded Message from Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]> ---

>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 09:57:52 -0500
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum               <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6236 What's so special about CCD digital camcorders?

------------------
Pricey pixels, Batman!

My curiosity piqued, I visited the web site provided by Peter 
Schultz, to find out more about this CCD business. This after 
uttering "Yikes!" at the price of the camcorder. From the web site, 
which features astronomical instruments (with predictably 
astronomical prices) comes this:

**
We can help you ... measure
the surface brightness of a spiral galaxy, image a comet, or obtain 
high resolution densitometry images of x-ray plates. We can
help you obtain long, uninterrupted autoguided astrophotographs.
**

So if Peter's colleague is in foreign languages, it invites (but does 
not beg) the question: What is it that the colleague wants to do? If 
it is to obtain "long, uninterrupted autoguided astrophotographs," a 
$4K camera might just be the ticket.

I am reminded of a comment once made by Irene Starr: "You don't need 
an airplane to cross the street."

(If the colleague is in astronomy, it's a whole 'nother story, of course.)

Forgive the rant, colleagues, from an embattled lab director who is 
trying to stanch the escape of budget dollars for technology that is 
"cool." I offer no suggestion that that's what is happening at Rice, 
but I really believe that the first question should always be "What 
is it that you are trying to accomplish?"



--

Ursula Williams
Director
Language Resource Center http://www.nd.edu/~lrc
201 O'Shaughnessy Hall
University of Notre Dame
[log in to unmask]
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5639
219.631.5881

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