Ordinary Gweilo

I have given up buying the SCMP every day, but I do normally buy it at weekends (to read with my dim sum) and on Tuesdays for Technology Post. I’m not sure why I bother, really, because it seems to consist mainly of obscure stories of doubtful relevance that they have obtained from news agencies and even more obscure puff pieces that appear to have been placed by PR companies.

They recently had a “story” about the reluctance of lawyers (and other professionals) to do very much with IT. Anyone who has any dealing with these fine upstanding people will have noticed the huge amounts of paper they keep in their offices and their preference for faxed documents over email. The “story” revealed that these people tend to print out emails and put them into paper-based filing systems, which is exactly what I would expect – and probably not such a stupid idea given the unreliability of email. In short, a non-story that was only published because there is a company in Hong Kong that is trying to persuade Fumier’s mates to invest more money on IT and stop being so damned old-fashioned.

Another favourite non-story of mine makes another appearance this week. Yes, it’s the “95% of all emails are spam” line peddled by companies that just happen to be offering software to block spam. There’s even a quote from a legislator saying that something needs to be done about it. Apparently we need a concerted international campaign, blah, blah, blah. The big news is that there is “significant growth in double-byte character spam”, which is quite the dullest thing I have read this week.

Remarkably they do have what looks a real news story at the bottom of page one, though it is about another dull subject, digital certificates. Hongkong Post is doing a fairly poor job of trying to popularise its “e-cert”, as the story points out:

Those wanting an e-cert have to download the application form from the Hongkong Post website. The applicant then has to take the completed form to a post office along with his or her identity card. The application is then processed and the certificate is delivered to the applicant on a floppy disc. The process can take several days.

Indeed it can, and they even managed to send me someone else’s details in an email during the long drawn-out process when I applied last year, so I do wonder whether it’s as secure as they say. Then you have to renew it before it expires, otherwise you have to start the whole tedious process again. As I only used my e-cert once it really wasn’t worth it.

I am not totally clear why I need a digital certificate – it’s cheaper and quicker to use paper forms rather than trying to jump through hoops so that the government will accept information electronically. However, if it all worked it would be more efficient for the government, so I suppose they will get their act together eventually. Then about 20 years later, lawyers will enter the digital age as well. I’m not holding my breath.