After saying that I was speaking to the computer at MBNA yesterday (replacement card had been lost in the post) and I was impressed (and somewhat surprised) that it really did understand what I was talking about.
I even read the credit card number out particularly quickly to try and catch it out.... Didn't even put it off its stride.
I think that things seem to have come along in leaps and bounds since they dropped the computer generated voices only one step removed from a Professor Stephen Hawking impersonation and replaced it with genuine segments of human voice that merge into each other seamlessly.
Sure its just a short hop and a skip from here combined with the technology behind Asimo (that is now able to run and climb!) and Hatsune Miku to the same technology being used to go door to door asking for Sarah Connor.
p.s.edited because I didn't know that you could embed the video's rather than link to them (cheers vince).Picking any feeble excuse to try something new out just adding a couple of videos to try it out. So, for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about when I mention Hatsune Miku (Sega) or Asimo (Honda) see here :
Hatsune Miku (yes, this really is a live concert)
Asimo(I really, really want one of these)
Now just put the Sega Vocaloid programmers together with the Honda Asimo team and you've got the making of Skynet.
-- Edited by Shamus on Saturday 6th of April 2013 01:30:07 AM
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I posted this question a few years ago when i first looked at starting a bookkeeping business back in 2008. I hope i'm not breaking any rules posting this link to another forum, if i am then please remove thread mod's, but i came accross this old thread i started (my username is Feldon on that forum). Some very interesting comments and ideas and i thought it might interest newbies and regulars to the forum.
I post links accross to accountingweb, HMRC, FRC, IASplus and opentuition all of the time.
So long as the links are relevant, non commercial in nature and I check them out that they're not dangerous then they are allowed.
Some commercial ones are allowed to remain but generally we have to remove them to keep those paying for advertising space happy (as they are the ones who keep the site free).
Right, off to check that link. Talk in a bit,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I don't think that client expectations have changed that much since 2008 as far as rates go but the reality since the change of government seems to have gone more towards your original idea of £16 to £20 per hour if perhaps 5 years too late.
DFL seems to have been listening to Bob (bookkeepers can earn £50k+ if they drop hourly billing.. Oh, and just seen that they are also a big Ron Baker fan)
Also didn't realise that they were pushing Xero as far back as 2008.
The first person that seemed to bring any real sense to the replies in the thread was Elain.
The transactions per hour was done on this site in this thread (posts by Bob with Kris and myself responding so a fun read):
And last but not least, the sheep video (nothing to do with anything here but I came accross it and thought that yiou might enjoy it if you missed it) :
There, that's your weekend sorted, try not to be drinking hot beverages whilst reading as occassionally you may spreadshot your screen at some of the things in those threads. lol.
Bet your beginning to regret giving us stuff to read now aren't you (bad, bad, naughty shamus).
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Believe it or not, I think a lot (maybe not all) of what DFL had to say was very true. I disagee with voice technology, it's no where near good enough yet and dont really see it as the future in this industry.
After saying that I was speaking to the computer at MBNA yesterday (replacement card had been lost in the post) and I was impressed (and somewhat surprised) that it really did understand what I was talking about. [...] Sure its just a short hop and a skip from here combined with the technology behind Asimo (that is now able to run and climb!) to the same technology being used to go door to door asking for Sarah Connor.
Not long now, Shaun. Not long now...
__________________
Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
