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Richard Littledale

Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: October 2009

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And now for something slightly different

Technophiles amongst our readership will be itching this month to get their hands on the latest offering from Microsoft. October will see the launch of a new operating system "Windows 7" set to enhance the user experience of thousands of consumers. It will offer a new look, new features and better compatibility with other devices … apparently. To date the public launch has been somewhat muted in its approach, reserved largely for the specialist press rather than mainstream media. This might well be because the much vaunted Windows Vista failed to deliver on much of what it promised - which is one of the reasons it is being succeeded so quickly by Windows 7. Even the Chief Software Designer, Ray Ozzie has described it as "evolutionary rather than revolutionary" - maybe trying to lower people's expectations and deflect post-launch criticism.

It's a technique many of us employ - running ourselves down to prevent others from doing it. Many would say the British have elevated the apology to an art form - apologising for everything from the weather to the government, just in case. British Christians do it too - apologising for their deeply held beliefs just in case they should offend by the depth of their conviction. Interestingly, those from other major faiths in this country often find that strange, and wonder why we don't stand up for ourselves more.

There may be many reasons for this. Perhaps we are genuinely frightened to offend, and don't wish to sound as if we expect others to share our beliefs without question. Occasionally it is because passion can sound like anger when we communicate, and that's not the message we want to get across. More rarely still, it can be because we are not altogether sure we believe it, and so we don't want to insist on it. This can be especially so when a friend or colleague is in trouble and we feel we should offer to pray for them. 'What if it doesn't work', cries a shrill voice inside our heads - and so we say nothing. Faith, though, surely is about outweighing our doubt with our faith, rather than having all of one and none of the other? Most people are delighted if you offer to pray for them, and more likely to say thank you than to hold you to account for what God does with the prayer.

Meanwhile, back in computerland, the launch date draws ever closer. In Judeo-Christian tradition, seven is thought to be the number of perfection. Have the promoters thought of that, I wonder? If they have, perhaps they dare not mention it, just in case!

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