Medvedev began to use the iPad to read books

“I can tell you a secret, they brought me an iPad, I don’t know if you have one, I downloaded a certain set of books from the Internet.”

Dmitry Medvedev today met with students of the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University and, responding to a question from a student from the Institute of Philology about modern literature, said that he had started using the iPad:

But I still, no matter how it may sound, perhaps traditionally, I prefer classical things, both Russian and foreign. And even in electronic form I sometimes read them. I can tell you a secret, they brought me an iPad, I don’t know if you have one, I downloaded a certain set of books from the Internet. And the last thing I read yesterday before flying to you was Gogol. I enjoyed it a lot because I haven’t discovered anything for a long time. And oddly enough, I already got used to this electronic form, before it seemed to me to be some kind of cold, unpleasant, I don’t need to turn the pages, but now I get pleasure from it.

Answering another question, he also expressed his attitude towards the influence of information technologies on modern society and touched on the topic of supercomputers:

Well, in my opinion, I told you about information technologies at the household level when I told that I was trying to even read books in electronic form now, and I began to like it. It seems to me that the one who tries to close on this kind of technology makes an unforgivable mistake. Firstly, he flies out of the mainstream of world development, and, secondly, he simply deprives himself of pleasure. Because, for example, I like to use these gadgets, to use various kinds of smart devices. I get pleasure from it, I am not ashamed of it, I think that this is the future, and I propagandize it in every way. I hope that you use it, at least in the form of mobile phones and some other means of communication, and of course, computers.

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By the way, I think about our officials a long time ago that the official who does not know how to use a computer is subject to unconditional dismissal - simply because he, in fact, does not know how to write. They also do not hire people who do not know how to write and read. And why take those who do not know how to work on a computer? I do not know if all the ministers in your computer can work, it needs to be checked; I check my periodically.



Do you know how? Good. But this is not my business - this is a question for your boss.



As for supercomputers, supercomputers, this is very important. In fact, we are trying to develop this network, in order to subsequently integrate it into so-called grid systems, to create new super cars. We invest money in it, a lot of money, and this is one of the areas of technological development that you mentioned. This is actually one of the priorities of state development for the coming years. There will of course be endless competition. And this is not bad, because this competition means the progress of mankind. We always compete with the Americans. It is necessary to admit, they go half a step forward, but they also look back, who is catching up with them - Russia, China, France. And this competition will continue.



Therefore, petaflop and exaflop computers are just around the corner.