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Before you think about applying SP2, make sure you read about the applications it breaks.

Linux, for me, peaked in usability/reliability in 1999. It's still quite useful, but I began experiencing many more compatibility problems since that point.

I have a video card whose driver is closed. I've got multiple peripherals that are only partially implemented because manufacturers for some reason are reluctant to release information to developers. It's great as-is, don't get me wrong, but participating on the Internet has gotten much harder as everybody decides to go proprietary and tug in different directions.

For example, Flash runs slower on Linux; so slow that it causes the sound to go out of sync (related bug that also seems to bite some Windows installs: this applet and those coded like it have audio that is too quiet). Java is still a real pain to get working right. Maybe the greatest thing that's happened this year is Mozilla/Firebird, but I'm running it without add-ons!

I believe only great things are to come, what with Linux having reached 2.6.0, and greatly appreciate all the developers have done for it. Now, I think it'd be nice if others began to support it.

Case in point for why being a responsible consumer can actually pay off for the person doing it. The average computer repair shop has a regimen of troubleshooting/burn-in tools that while effective for diagnosing many simple problems is simply not representative of the actual uses and requirements of their customers. At the place I pick up my systems from, the process is tailored to the uses the consumer has for the equipment -- they start with the standard toolkit (POST card, power supply checker, RAM tester, troubleshooting diskette, virus scan, 3D benchmarking suite), but will also try some of the latest games, office software, and any of the stuff you bring in for them to test (basic hourly fee applies if testing goes beyond two hours.) They even run some stuff past the web browser; apparently, certain web features demonstrate sound or display problems even among the same versions of a web browser on different systems due to often overlooked plugin incompatibilities, and some OEM systems come without certain "webfonts" that these guys will put on to make web pages look more like the designer intended. One has to pay a little more for this level of service, but the result is a finely-tuned system without the weeks of learning PC/Windows fundamentals.

Service varies a great deal depending on where you go. Some businesses are just skimming along without a good deal of regard to the customer, but others are more than eager to throw in everything but the kitchen sink for something like 120%-150% of what the skimmers charge. Local businesses competing against chain stores realize that every edge is important in remaining viable, and their owners/employees tend to be pretty cool people.

Unfortunately, what we're talking about here is the consumer's choice being limited to two giants: SDRAM and Rambus. This isn't to the benefit of the customer, and I feel strongly that we need to request another standard of memory that is truly Open and Free so that anybody can manufacture it without a patent submarine or limiting consumer freedoms. The playing field is so restricted right now that we're pretty much beholden to pay what they charge if we want the product, and whether or not they're taking unfair advantage of it this isn't a situation that is to our longterm benefit.

Here is a mirror of all the files I could grab before it died!

Being a Subscriber (posting anonymously to protect my identity), I have managed to collect all the Images and have put it on my fat 100Mbit line Here is the mirror

The Babel worm is a sweedish to english translator. Here is the Babelworm translation

I got worm porn on my computer!

Nice fat 100Mbit connection for you to attack. (Note, ads inserted by my webhost make it NSFW)