--- 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