I just signed a petition calling for Norwegian universities to use research expertise on AI when deciding how to implement it, rather than having decisions be made mostly administratively. , If you are a researcher in Norway, please read it and sign it if you agree – and share with anyone else who might be interested. The petition was written by three researchers at UiT: Maria Danielsen (a philosopher who completed her PhD in 2025 on AI and ethics, including discussions of art and working life), Knut Ørke (Norwegian as a second language), and Holger Pötzsch (a professor of media studies with many years of research on digital media, video games, disruption, and working life, among other topics). This is not about preventing researchers from exploring AI methods in their research. It is about not uncritically accepting the hype that everyone must use AI everywhere without critical reflection. It is about not introducing Copilot as the default option in word processors, or training PhD candidates to believe they will fall behind if they do not use AI when writing articles, without proper academic discussion. Changes like these should be knowledge-based and discussed academically, not merely decided administratively, because they alter the epistemological foundations of research. Maria wrote to me a couple of months ago because she had read my opinion piece in Aftenposten in which I called for a strong brake on the use of language models in knowledge work. She was part of a committee tasked with developing UiT’s AI strategy and was concerned because there was so much hype and so few members of the committee with actual expertise in AI. I fully support the petition. There are probably some good uses for AI in research, but the uncritical, hype-driven insistence that we must simply adopt it everywhere is highly risky. There are many researchers in Norway with strong expertise in AI, language, ethics, working life, and culture. We must make use of this expertise. This is also partly about respect for research in the humanities, social sciences, psychology, and law. Introducing AI at universities and university colleges is not merely a technical issue, and perhaps not even primarily a technical one. It concerns much more: philosophy of science, methodological reflection, epistemology, writing, publishing, the working environment, and more. […]
Rorschach
Ummm, actually I’d recommend one of the 15″ PowerBooks if you’re going to be using an external monitor; especially if it’s a LCD monitor. The 12″ PowerBooks only have the VGA output connector. The 15″ (and 17″) have the DVI connector which would is much preferable when using a LCD screen.
And it comes with a DVI to VGA connector, just in case you don’t get one of those super-spiffy digital LCD screens.
vika
When I was buying my PowerBook a few months ago, our computer store Mac guy (who was brilliant, and helpful too) alerted me to this: the 12- and 17-inch PowerBook hardware had been redesigned, while the 15-inch was still in process. Unfortunately, I forget what the specifics of the redesign were, but I got the 12-inch and remain very happy.
The monitor is snazzy! What is it? I’m thinking of getting an external one as well. Easy-on-the-eyes monitor. It’s definitely time to take better care of my eyes.
Have a fabulous time in France.
Jill
Only VGA output? Goodness, I hadn’t even thought about that! Unfortunately the photo is utopic, and I’m only likely to get an old VGA monitor, so perhaps the 12 inch will be OK anyway… I *love* the idea of my computer being that small! My current machine, a three and a half year old G3 “Bronze” powerbook, is huge, heavy and so overripe for replacement…
fivecats
Go for the TiBook, not just an iBook. If money isn’t an issue (we can always hope) the wider screen is always nice. Also ask for:
* an external 40 (or 80) GIG Firelight firewire drive. You don’t want the TiBook’s HD to be the only place your important data resides. If the HD dies, you’ll be able to recover it from the external drive easily (provided you’re regularly backing up your HD. You *are* backing up your HD regularly, aren’t you?). This drive is small, about the size of a PDA, and easily transportable. And fast.
* Make sure the TiBook comes with a superdrive. CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW. Again, you want to be able to archive your data off of the HD. CDs are cheap, portable and making duplicates is easy.
* Load the TiBook up with memory. Ask what the upper limits of the RAM is for the system and then go for it. OS X likes RAM. The more the better.
* OS X; if you aren’t using OS X, now would be a great time to switch. It’s a different OS altogether (or, as a colleague put it “This is not your father’s Macintosh.”) but once you get used to it you’ll love it. As soon as you realize you haven’t had a system crash in days…weeks… you’ll know it’s a great OS.
Rorschach
Another option is to wait for MacWorld Expo. They usuallly announce speed-bumps and new things there. Of course since they just announced a bunch of new stuff at WWDC they might not be doing anything big this year.
Since it’s July 14-18, can you wait that long?
I own a 15″ PowerBook and couldn’t be happier with it. The 12″ would be more convenient to carry around though.
jon
I have an iMac 17″ which is fabulous! But I also have the new Powerbook 12″ which is just fine for working on the move and in the classroom. It’s breathtaking and the keyboard is excellent.
I know some people complain about the heat from the 12″ but I don’t think it’s an issue.
If you don’t need portability, the iMac is better.
Lisa
Well, like you, I have the Bronze Keyboard Powerbook and am eyeing an upgrade….
I want the ibook in the pic, and the monitor, and the room, and the nifty Aeron chair. Woohoo, baby!
Hit Those Keys has to grow a bit more before I can afford any of it, tho’.
France sounds divine. Connecticut just went from wet and horrible to hot and horrible.