Abstract: Display of information for two oppositely situated users is improved. A computing device includes a display and a mechanism. A first user views the display at a first end thereof, and a second user views the display at a second end thereof opposite the first end. The mechanism orients information displayed on the display so that the information is right-side-up for the second user. The mechanism displays a first window that is right-side-up for the second user, in which the information is displayed in a scaled manner. The first window overlaps the information displayed on the display. The mechanism may display a second window on the display that is right-side-up for the user, and that displays a portion of the information in a full-size, non-scaled manner. Alternatively or additionally, the mechanism may display a blacked-out portion within the first window corresponding to where the first window overlaps the information displayed.

Abstract: Display of information for two oppositely situated users is improved. A computing device includes a display and a mechanism. A first user views the display at a first end thereof, and a second user views the display at a second end thereof opposite the first end. The mechanism orients information displayed on the display so that the information is right-side-up for the second user. The mechanism displays a first window that is right-side-up for the second user, in which the information is displayed in a scaled manner. The first window overlaps the information displayed on the display. The mechanism may display a second window on the display that is right-side-up for the user, and that displays a portion of the information in a full-size, non-scaled manner. Alternatively or additionally, the mechanism may display a blacked-out portion within the first window corresponding to where the first window overlaps the information displayed.

Abstract: An article delivery method and system for improving customer convenience. An article ordered by a customer is delivered by a delivery service to a locker specified by the customer. At the time of delivering the article, a delivery person uses a delivery password indicated in advance by a commerce server to unlock a compartment of the specified locker and places the article in the compartment. Then, the compartment is locked. To receive the article, the customer uses a pre-specified receipt password to unlock the compartment and retrieve the article.

Abstract: A plurality of questions and a plurality of alternative answers to each of the questions are stored in a ROM, and outputted to a display monitor for display. A psychological game player selects and inputs one of the alternative answers to each of the questions using operation switches. Depending on the selected answers, one of a plurality of scenarios stored in the ROM is selected by a scenario selector, and video data corresponding to the selected scenario are displayed on the display monitor. Audio data relative to the selected scenario are also outputted to headphones. A character type determined depending on the selected answers is also displayed on the display monitor.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing a plurality of discrimination information corresponding to signal modes on a magnetic recording medium by utilizing a control signal. The plurality of discrimination information are indicated by discrimination information words which are determined by removing words, each of which is undistinguishable from the other words when being continuously arranged, from 2.sup.(2N-2) words each of which comprises 2N bits (N is a natural number equal to or more than 2) whose first bit is fixed to "L" or "S" and last bit is fixed to "S" or "L" and further by removing words which have an intermediate odd bit and the following even bit identical to the last bit and the first bit, respectively, from said 2.sup.(2N-2) words. This arrangement can record and reproduce both the discrimination information and VISS.multidot.VASS information and, in addition, can substantially record the back track prevention information.

Abstract: A video signal magnetic recording and reproducing system having a single rotary head, comprises a time base compression circuit for subjecting a video signal to be recorded to time base compression, to obtain a recording signal in which the time base is compressed in units of a predetermined period, where the recording signal in which the time base is compressed has intervals in which no signal exists between the units of the predetermined period, a recording and reproducing circuit for recording the recording signal in the units of the predetermined period obtained from the time base compression circuit onto a magnetic tape by a magnetic head for each scan, and reproducing the recording signal thus recorded, and a time base expansion circuit for subjecting the signal reproduced by the recording and reproducing circuit to time base expansion, to obtain a continuous reproduced signal.

Abstract: In a video tape recorder having at least one rotary magnetic head for recording and reproducing a video signal on a magnetic recording tape, a control signal which will be used for controlling the rotation of the rotary head and the movement of the tape is recorded via a stationary head located at a preceding point from the rotary head. The gap of the stationary head extends in the transverse direction of the tape so as to cover the entire or nearly entire width of the tape. Thus, the control signal is recorded on the magnetic tape throughout the entire or nearly entire width thereof, preventing undesirable dropout. By supplying the stationary head with a high frequency erasing current together with the control signal, the stationary head may function not only as a control signal recording head but also as an erase head.