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What the FBI et al are basically saying amounts to "everybody should leave their house unlocked in case we need to go in, and we will go 'la la la' and pretend that nobody else will do this".

The FBI already has a "key" to everyone's house.

Can't tell...

"Fast lane" is a term you won't find on any legal document or driving course.

Then why do I see signs like this in Northern Virginia?

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=21034,filename=Keep-Right.jpg

"SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT"

A couple exclusive (read: facebook) pictures on my little local forum from Fairfax County, VA:

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read.php?2 ,33814

Trolling around the "upcoming" section of digg last night I found this:

"Oh this is so funny!!! Google tried to release an April Fool's joke today about Google Paper
- the ability to have your emails printed and sent via snail mail!

The problem they didn't realise is that in the latest issue of Fast Company, this ACTUALLY HAPPENS in India!!!

It's called the ePost service from the Indian post office. Now you have a Billion Indians who are thinking that this is a legitimate alternative to their ePost service - nice try Google, but next time, make sure your PR people read Fast Company!!"

Link to blog: http://www.vinnylingham.com/2007/04/massive-google -blunder-seriously-read-this.html
Link to article: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/113/next-world -class.html

And no this definitely isn't my blog. And wtf, people being modded insightful just for asking? This must be April Fools day.
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Northern Virginia? Fairfax Underground! Forums, Wiki, and database of arrests and traffic tickets

AP Story (Yahoo) with picture
Direct link to 7 picture slideshow (Yahoo)
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Northern Virginia? Forum, Wiki, Ticket/Arrest database, etc

Interesting that the US has not yet confirmed such a test. In the past they have been very quick to confirm or deny purported nuclear testing by the likes of India and Pakistan. Perhaps it is a fake? Or maybe the yield was so low it was not detected?

Only time will tell I guess.
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Need intelligent people from Northern Virginia to quell the madness! Fairfax Underground: Northern Virginia forums

Sad and ignorant. Don't you realize the grasp of how our world works defines our status of accomplishment as a species? In 1,000 years what will be more important to the race?

Nevermind, I shouln't have bothered. It IS an obvious troll.
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Northern Virginia? Fairfax Underground!

CME's produce some incredible video when they hit our sun-pointed satellites. If you haven't seen them I highly recommend checking out NASA's "Best Of SOHO Movies" for a better idea of what these things are capable of.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/bestofsoho/Movies/m ovies2.html
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Northern Virginia? Forums and Arrest/Ticket Database. Seeking additions to the (new) wiki

CME's produce some incredible video when they hit our sun-pointed satellites. If you haven't seen them I highly recommend checking out NASA's "Best Of SOHO Movies" for a better idea of what these things are capable of.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/bestofsoho/Movies/m ovies2.html
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Northern Virginia? Forums and Arrest/Ticket Database. Seeking additions to the (new) wiki

Unfortunately your sarcastic comments have more truth in them than you suppose. America these days certainly isn't "for the people" but "in protection of big business." Yes, the economy would take a serious hit if Microsoft, ExxonMobil, and other major players were suddenly replaced by free alternatives, but in the long run the economy would be much better off. America needs to INNOVATE and discover brand new ways of doing everything instead of relying on the safe, profitable methods that they're used to.

If ExxonMobil figured out how to run a combustion engine on water (seperating the Hydrogen and Oxygen obviously) do you really think that they would share it with the world? Of course not! It would ruin their current business model.

What these super-companies can't fully comprehend, however, is that any little startup business with an innovative can change everything. Innovation doesn't come from big business anymore, it comes SOLELY from the little guy. And is slowly becoming less and less American.

Every business is futile to innovation. There is no stopping it, only delaying. It must be embraced.

Sorry, /rant
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From Northern Virginia? Check out Fairfax Underground.com. Includes free database of arrests by the the Fairfax Police

Anyone sniff out the offending packets yet? I'm sure they can't be too hard to identify. Probably simple HTTP posts.

If nobody has I'll sniff anything going to Microsoft's Class B (207.46.*.*) later tonight.
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From Northern Virginia? Visit Fairfax Underground! (Just added: Fairfax County wiki, need submissions)

What they DON'T tell you is that they completely cut the existing copper pair to your house, insuring that you can never "downgrade" to a competitors DSL service if you hate them as an ISP or from ever changing your local phone carrier to any other CLEC.

CNET article on it
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From Northern Virginia? Visit Fairfax Underground! (Just added: Fairfax County wiki, need submissions)

Online multiplayer Goldeneye? That would be incredible.

Really though, this is the WORST N64 related article I've ever seen.

The games they choose are atrocious. The New Tetris? Yeah, there's something that hasn't been done 1,000 times on every console since the beginning of time. Pilotwings 64? Yeah, that was great as a release game to showcase the N64's new 3D world, but was horrible as a game.

How about some obscure games with replay value?

- Super Smash Brothers! Possibly the greatest game of all time. And still to this day the only fighting game based on actual character movement and timing instead of mashing buttons for combos (like Mortal Kombat and every other fighting game).
- 1080 Snowboarding
- Conker's Bad Fur Day. Not particularly engaging, but hilarious!
- Mario Golf. Strangely addicting.
- Re-Volt. Sure it came out on other systems too, but what an awesome little game. Design your own tracks and race around them, would be awesome for multiplayer.

Agree? Disagree? Reply!

- Cary
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Fairfax Underground: Where Northern Virginia comes out to play!

As the authentication servers crash...

Seriously though, this game looks like loads of fun but everyone I know that plays it has a total life-consuming addiction with it.

I'll climb onboard once it's free and less addicting than heroin.
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Washington DC Metro? Fairfax Underground!

Don't care about your privacy? Let's see if you do or not. Thus far, no one's answered this challenge, let's see if you'll be the first.

In your next post, please include: Your real name, your home and work/school physical address, your home, work/school, and cell phone numbers, all email addresses you use (with no obfuscation), all instant messenger or other communications you use, a link to a recent photograph of yourself, and the license numbers of all vehicles you own.

as i explained i have a health paranoia, not from the government but from corporations (spamming, calling, and mailing me). i also think there is a good chance you would harass me further or some other jackass who thinks they are funny. if the federal government asked for this info, i would give it to them. however, this should give you a good deal of info about me as well as this. oh, before you start thinking im a canadian or canadian lover, this is the shirt im where in that picture.

What has not been publicly acknowledged is that N.S.A. technicians, besides actually eavesdropping on specific conversations, have combed through large volumes of phone and Internet traffic in search of patterns that might point to terrorism suspects. Some officials describe the program as a large data-mining operation.

it implies that the amount of content is too much to monitor so chances are, they dont really listen to everything you say but rather use a filter. not to mention this was communications going in and out of the country.


and yes, i do think you are being arrogant for thinking they may spy on you. there is such a think as healthy paranoia but you have to take it with a grain of salt.

I can do you one better. How about a torrent of the movie: Angels Don't Play This Haarp

Apparently a documentary where locals describe the negative effects. Slashdot it so I can download faster! (Weird to say, thanks BitTorrent)
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From Northern Virginia?

But where's the incredible Gameboy Revolution that you can throw like a dart or kick like a soccer ball?
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

Excellent, now maybe stupid Radford University will stop blocking ports 6800-6900. Seriously, BitTorrent needs all the legitimate support it can get if it is not to be grouped together with "illegitimate P2P traffic"
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Fairfax Underground: Public message board for residents of Fairfax County, VA

http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp

Better be quick though. It's getting prety light here on the east coast.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County message board and chat

"The fish was caught and eaten in a remote village in Thailand along the Mekong River"

Wow. I hope they have freezers. That's a lot of fish!
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Northern Virginia?

Yes but how is it that a judge or magistrate (I'm sure under intense pressure from the police department) will issue a search warrant without hard evidence of any illegal activity? Strongarm tactics like this are what is wrong with our judicial system today.

This is your tax dollars at work!
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County and Northern Virginia message board

Sun has never been super keen on the design aspect of the computer world, not that I agree there should even be a design aspect in mind when it comes to computers. I hope they don't expect to put an E450 in a backpack and call it a laptop.

Any guesses as to how much this behemoth is going to weigh?
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County, VA forums and chat

I show about 5% mac users. The breakdown is pretty interesting. I wonder what it's like on a mainstream site like CNN. Why doesn't ACNielsen keep stats like they do TV ratings?

no. reqs pages OS
1 366019 70773 Windows
301146 58463 Windows XP
51537 9590 Windows 2000
7427 1441 Windows 98
2663 483 Windows ME
1422 311 Windows NT
838 219 Windows Server 2003
773 218 Unknown Windows
187 36 Windows 95
19 9 Windows CE
7 3 Windows 3.1
2 22220 5246 Macintosh
3 11791 3414 Unix
10853 2947 Linux
799 419 BSD
113 44 SunOS
21 2 IRIX
5 2 HP-UX
4 5432 1680 OS unknown
5 47570 1314 Known robots
6 9 6 WebTV
7 5 3 BeOS
8 5 2 OS/2

Tried to post the browser breakdown too but I tripped the lameness filter.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County chat and forums

I mean it wasn't terrific but I didn't think it was terrible. Plus I like movies where messed up stuff actually happens instead of just people saving it from happening.
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Fairfax County forums and chat

from the article:
3-meter-high glass tubes fashioned as a triangle--to grow algae
How much biodiesel do you expect to get out of a 3-meter-high glass tube? Sounds to me like you'd need one hell of a lot of those just to fill one biodiesel 18-wheeler.
I definitely applaud this step in the right direction, but it seems there would be much easier and more efficient ways to reduce emissions, without having to use the guise of obtaining a pinch of "biodiesel."
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Fairfax Underground: Message board and public record search for Fairfax County, VA

Ms Pacman? classic. anyone remember the funny shaped cartridge it came in for NES?

Link to java emulator based on MAME with Ms. Pacman
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Fairfax County, VA message board and chat

I love google with all my heart, but MSN does do a better job of crawling for information and updating their indexes. Well, by better I mean quicker and more completely.

I get hit by msnbot.msn.com ALL day long at a slow and steady rate. When googlebot.com comes by it rapes my web server (well, not really. a request every 2 or 3 seconds) and then gets the hell out.

My numbers for May so far:
Requests Transfered Host
7456 187.85 MB msnbot.msn.com
4267 117.58 MB googlebot.com

MSN also does a much quicker job of updating their indexes. I've noticed that within an hour of posting a new article and having msnbot.msn.com hit it, the listing is already part of the search engine. Google takes considerably longer. MSN also consistently rates my page higher than Google for reasons unknown. Most the people that find me by searching use MSN (which I don't like because I run a forum and MSN search brings stupid novice IE lamers).

Anyway, I love google but they need to remember that above all the great stuff they're doing nowadays they're a search engine, and need to keep that search engine the very best.

- Cary
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You will only be interested in my .sig if you're from Fairfax County, VA

HTML link for "finalists must agree to formally license all intellectual property rights in their film"

sorry to respond to my own post
but yeah, I really hate pdf for tiny stuff like this
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County, VA public message board

JPEG of the "Thought Thieves Poster"

Microsoft Thought Thieves? Aren't they the ones usually stealing ideas from other companies? I can't think of one innovative and original piece of software from Microsoft.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County, VA public message board

My company just went completely VoIP. We were originally entertaining the Asterisk PBX option but decided against it for the time being.
I can not seem to find a piece of hardware that will generate a dial tone on 16 or 24 different ports. I'm looking for one switch-type looking device, preferably rack mountable, that will take however many phones lines, and connect them via whatever to an Asterisk PBX.

As of right now we put a bunch of the Sipura SPA-1001M in our back room plugged into our router and punched down to the 66 block going to all of the phone sockets in the offices.

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County, VA comes out to play

Are they forgetting that these 11Mbps or 54Mbps speeds are the aggregate total for an access point? I hope not.
Also, if you get a powerful enough microwave or something else that transmits in that 2.4Ghz wavelength it should be fairly easy to bring down the entire campus "phone, cable TV, and Internet services."
Sounds like fun.
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Fairfax Underground: Local discussion forums for residents of Fairfax County, VA

(Referrer free) link to Amazon's list of books by China Mieville
Now with extra karma-whoring!
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Fairfax County, VA discussion forums and chat

exactly anonymous coward.
I was going to write my take on it but a blogger by the name of Jesse Ezell has already put it very nicely. Here's the text of his blog entry:

My Thoughts on the Adobe-Macromedia Deal

It is pretty clear from the acquisition that Adobe is going to be making a major push into web media. They have tried a few times with tools like InDesign and LiveMotion to make some progress, but Macromedia has been extremely successful at fending off their attacks with Dreamweaver and Flash. As a result, Adobe has been able to rule the desktop publishing market and Macromedia has been able to rule the web content market. The mix of the two companies is going to make one hell of a powerful media creation beast. Ok, but that is the obvious stuff. Obviously anyone who buys out Macromedia wants Flash, because Flash is what Macromedia is all about. What else might this mean?

If you look at Macromedia's actions over the past year or so, it seemed pretty likely that they were looking for a buyer. They were gradually buying up smaller companies to add to their arsenal and make themselves more attractive to potential buyers. Choosing eHelp and Presedia as acquisitions tells me that perhaps Adobe is interested in making some moves into the super hot eLearning market. Right now, all Adobe really has going for them is PDF--which is a pretty darn valueble assest, but is really more suited for the web of the past than the web of the future. PDF was great when web pages were static, but web pages aren't static anymore and PDFs are boring these days. The next generation web is all about media, and that is where Flash comes into the picture. eHelp and Presedia were two companies in the front of the eLearning pack, and the timing of these two acquisitions is just too close to mean nothing. However, this also means that eHelp / Presedia customers are in for even more fun as their products all get jumbled up in yet another acquisition. Even Macromedia didn't continue to support all of eHelp's products...

For designers, this acquisition is definately a good thing. They get the best of both worlds as Macromedia and Adobe tag team anyone who attempts to challenge them. Developers, on the other hand, may not have it so lucky. What is to become of Cold Fusion? What about Flex? One of my long-standing complaints about Macromedia is that they don't understand developers. Surely this isn't going to be helped by Macromedia merging with an even more designer centric company. I definately trust the management at Adobe a bit more than Macromedia's management, but you can't help but realize that Adobe really doesn't have a lot of experience with developer centric software. Personally, I would have much rather seen Microsoft acquire Macromedia and give us some kick-ass next generation web tools, but they are too focused on Avalon and XAML right now, so we'll have to leave that to the Xamlon guys or get everyone running Avalon so we can deliver the stuff natively.

In any case, one thing is certain, watching this play out is going to be very interesting.
[end]
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County chat and discussion forums, with an underground twist

And not the comic strip.
Most proprietary software is rigorously tested on the lamen to see how well he/she can negotiate around it. Where as all but the most popular open source projects, frankly, don't give a shit.

The complaint has been around since the beginning of time, but I still haven't seen much headway.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County forums and chat. Talk to your neighbors

Same as all other forms of self-assembly.
Maybe the WikiPedia article would help.
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Fairfax County message board, chat, and public record search

Here's a diagram of Earth's layers:
http://earth.usc.edu/~stott/Catalina/images/plate% 20tectonics/Earthcore.jpg

My only question is what if the enormous amount of pressure from the mantle forced tons of lava to shoot into the ocean? Or in reverse what if the pressure of the ocean was greater and we open a giant drain in the middle of the atlantic?

Would the lava/water contact just harden to rock instantly and allow nothing more through?

Probably quite ignorant fears, but still worth asking.
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Fairfax Underground: Message boards and Chat for residents of Fairfax County and Northern Virginia

So this treatment actually alters the genetic code of a human? So any genetic disease would not get passed down to future generations? How is something like this administered? Our DNA is found in every cell of our body.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County message board and public records

I was hoping this would mean they would be implementing their patent relatively soon (PS4 anyone?) but it looks like that won't be the case. Sony has held a patent to display images on the retina since 1992! And it still doesn't look like we'll be getting anything like that in the near future. Maybe Sony PSP2 or PSE (Playstation Eye?)
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County message boards, forums, and public arrest/ticket records

The planet Uranus is releasing gas from its atmosphere at an alarming rate! The hubble is capturing a visual which should be available in 365 days.
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Fairfax Underground: Fairfax County Message Boards, Forums, Chat

This kid still has to do 18 months in prison! 18 months! 13,128 hours! (linked from the same site)
18 months is almost 10% of the time this kid has even been on the planet!
Microsoft just helped him out by letting him live his life once he gets out of prison instead of being in debt for the next 40 years.
I bet it's extremely hard for a convicted felon to work off a $500,000 debt.
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Fairfax Underground: For residents of Fairfax County and Northern Virginia

Hack 27: Fix Web Servers to Support Firefox Content
Hack 31: Take Firefox with You
Hack 43: Waste Time with Toys and Games
Hack 44: Tweak and Troubleshoot CSS Designs
Hack 69: Make New Tags and Widgets with XBL
Hack 92: Get a Custom, Prebuilt Version
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

Any password based on a word is inherently flawed.

A much better way to create passwords is based on finger movements. For example, the index finger horizontal rows on the keyboard give a password such as: r f v u j m (type that password in notepad or something and you'll see what I mean)

This is a very simple example of finger movement passwords. Much more complex passwords can be created by alternating fingers (r u f j v m), or using more fingers in the pattern.

I personally use a password that is 12 characters long that I have no problem typing but I couldn't recite if my life depended on it.

Just make sure you don't inadvertently encounter a dvorak keyboard layout!
- Cary
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

For an Indie artist P2P is essential for helping to distribute their art to the public. They usually do not have the means to host a web server for themselves for listeners to download MP3's. Several websites exist for independent artists to share their music such as SoundClick and (the late) mp3.com which is nice when a potential fan already knows the artists' name and music. However in order to get introduced to the indie artist a listener must find his music somewhere. These days it definitely won't be on the radio or MTV, so that only leaves word of mouth or a BitTorrent amongst illegal ones on a P2P website somewhere. Speaking about Indie artists, check out DZK, a talented artist I never would have found if not for P2P.
- Cary
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Anyone from Fairfax County or Northern Virginia?

Honestly, am I missing something? I don't mean to troll, but what is the huge advantage of being able to write on a pc screen with crappy recognition software? I don't understand where the market for this kind of device is. I would much rather have a skinny VAIO laptop or a new powerbook. Do that many people need to use a computer standing up? Perhaps it's for taking notes? I still can type much faster than my fastest shorthand scrawl...
I understand the need for PDA devices where a full sized keyboard isn't practical, but if the device is going to be laptop sized anyway...

Just wondering.
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

Stupid NY Times. The LA Times has an article on it too available here.

So plants create restore points they can roll back to? I predict Microsoft filing suit against the plant kingdom. They've been fighting the proliferation of tree based products for years!
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

At least they called him by his name, not just "The iTunes back door guy."

I'm pretty sure his nickname is "dvd jon".
Remember that whole DeCSS thing?
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Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

I'm glad SonyEricsson is continuting to unveil new uses for bluetooth. Bluetooth is one of the most under-utilized standards on the market. Every digital camera should have bluetooth to allow you to easily send pictures instantly from any Camera/Bluetooth cellphone combo.
If anyone has a SonyEricsson T610 - T617 you can use it to control Winamp, Powerpoint, and all sorts of other things remotely by using the wonderful floAt's Mobile Agent.
Bluetooth has great potential and tons of new cell phones are now bluetooth enabled. Someone other than SonyEricsson please start innovating!
- Cary
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Fairfax County Ticket and Arrest Search

While Linux is well known for being exteremly cross-platform, 99.9% of installs will be on one of those four architectures. It would make sense to concentrate solely on those four rather than adding support for every Amiga and 68XXX setup out there. Especially now with Debian becoming a very strong player in the linux server community (now that RedHat is concentrating mainly on paid contracts and has allowed Fedora Core to become bulky and buggy.)

Besides, if you really want to run *nix on your Atari go download NetBSD.
- Cary
--Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play