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Anyhow, with my MA and doctorate (which I'll hopefully get in two years) I will be qualified to teach at a university. Only problem is that they don't throw tenures at you these days. I calculate 5% chance of getting a job in my area of expertise, which - and I don't mean to brag - covers a fairly broad area compared to other students: classic literature (from the Bronte sisters through Balzac to Thomas Pynchon), philosophy (from Kant and Hegel to Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault), feminism and gender studies, and whatnot. So, it was this year that I began to face reality and recognize that I will probably have a (much) greater chance to find job as an *nix administrator.

So here is where I stand now: I switched to linux 4 years ago and to FreeBSD two years ago. I gradueally learned how to secure a FreeBSD system (using pf/ipfw), some basic networking stuff, some very basic scripting, ~ 10 commands I need to set up mysql and manage its accounts - just enough so I can use some CMS. I have a part time job working for some folks at the university, maintaining their site (which includes everything: the underlying os - FreeBSD, translating geeklog into hungarian, writing documentation for non technical stuff to handle moderation, well, every apsect of running this site, and another hobby site. I recognize that this knowledge is almost nothing for a serious job application in the field. So in the upcoming two years, I must set aside time from working on my dissertation to learn more. I just bought a book on introduction to php and mysql, with lots of examples. Knowing php and mysql is a must. Javascript comes next, along with a good working knowlede of a scripting language (most likely python or pearl). Along with these I need to learn setting up more complicated (not just NAT and basic load balancing via pf) networks, vlans, etc.

This is both a fortunate and unfortunate. If I manage to get a job that has something to do with *nix, I would be happy. But then, there are those 7 years I spent learning and thinking about literature and philosophy. I don't regret it, I enjoyed it, and would enjoy working with it, but if those years were spent learning programming, then I would be better off now. On the other hand, I know that I would not be the same person, and I would not know what I have missed. And there is a chance that I will be able to return to my "official" field. There are so many things I want to do and write (I have already something for another book if I finish my dissertation) - so maybe, I will be able to do it in my free time, while earning my living working with unix. Anyhow, the next 3 years will be probably the most difficult years in my life, for I'll have a double workload: finishing my dissertation in two years (that basically means writing a book that will be accepted for publication) + acquiring an in-depth knowledge of everything that a good system administrator needs. And I have no choice in this: no matter how good my dissertation will be, it won't be enough for a tenure, because the staff at our univ. is young and talented, and there won't be any job openings in the forseeable future. And I can't think of anything else that I might somewhat enjoy than working with linux/unix.

My favorite is geeklog, which has medium complexity, and it is easy to develop your own plugins for it. It has a good user management interface, and you can do almost anything with the built in static page plugin (a misnomer, for the pages are just as dynamic as the rest), like running php scripts for instance. Also, geeklog is written with security as a priority (even though you need register globals on). An example for a geeklog site is groklaw.net - a pretty good reference, no?

My own tftpanel.hu runs on geeklog, as well as another site I maintain. Hosting requirements are pretty good for geeklog: mysql (if you have access to only one database, that's fine) and php support, plus works on windows as well.

There are lots of CMS out there, ranging from pivot (simple) to typo3 (overkill) - so you might look at them at opensourcecms.org before you decide.

Long answer:
There are 3 lcd panel technologies: TN, *VA (MVA, PVA) and IPS. TN panels have achieved a very fast response time last year. My viewsonic vx912 has a response time of ~12ms, which is fine not only for movies, but for fast paced fps as well. The downside of TN panels is the smaller viewable angles, especially the vertical ones, and 6 bit panels (that achieve 16.2 million colors with a 'trick'). Contrast ratio is average.

*VA panels had an average of 25ms - that was fine for movies, and not so fine with games. Especially since 25ms was usually the black-to-white-to-black response time, and for some colors, switching could took as much as 60ms. However, *VA panels have excellent color reproduction capabilities (truly 8 bit panels) and excellent viewing angles, and high contrast ratio. S-IPS panels has also 25ms response time, but that's more or less even for every color transition. So a 25ms S-IPS panel is much faster than a *VA, has great viewing angles, good color reproduction, and sucky contrast. Newer S-IPS panels have improved on contrasts however a lot. APPLE displays have S-IPS panels (from LG.Philips).

Recently, various panel vendors (AUO, Samsung, Fujitsu) have experimented with increasing the response time of *VA panels. You'll see those panels described as P-MVA (premium mva) or S-MVA (super MVA), that boast a grey-to-gray response time of 8ms, while having still 25ms average response for non grey to grey transitions. Still, they proved to be excellent gaming monitors even for fps, without sacrificing viewing angles and contrast like in the case of IPS and TN panels, and they are out on the market and affordable. There is little or no reason to buy CRT-s now, because LCD Monitors are actually cheaper if you don't consider the initial price only! My 19'' LCD's average power consumption is 35W. A CRT with similar size (that would be a 20'' CRT) will consume 110+ Watts. Depending on your usage pattern, the additional cost of an LCD monitor can be saved up on energy usage in one to three years. Moreover, LCD monitors have perfect geometry (important for cad related works).

I put a site, a community effort to create a table of what's what in LCD land. The site is here. direct link to monitor table, and a direct link to LCD-TV table. If you are looking for characteristics of various panels (not end products), you'll find them here.

Long answer:
There are 3 lcd panel technologies: TN, *VA (MVA, PVA) and IPS. TN panels have achieved a very fast response time last year. My viewsonic vx912 has a response time of ~12ms, which is fine not only for movies, but for fast paced fps as well. The downside of TN panels is the smaller viewable angles, especially the vertical ones, and 6 bit panels (that achieve 16.2 million colors with a 'trick'). Contrast ratio is average.

*VA panels had an average of 25ms - that was fine for movies, and not so fine with games. Especially since 25ms was usually the black-to-white-to-black response time, and for some colors, switching could took as much as 60ms. However, *VA panels have excellent color reproduction capabilities (truly 8 bit panels) and excellent viewing angles, and high contrast ratio. S-IPS panels has also 25ms response time, but that's more or less even for every color transition. So a 25ms S-IPS panel is much faster than a *VA, has great viewing angles, good color reproduction, and sucky contrast. Newer S-IPS panels have improved on contrasts however a lot. APPLE displays have S-IPS panels (from LG.Philips).

Recently, various panel vendors (AUO, Samsung, Fujitsu) have experimented with increasing the response time of *VA panels. You'll see those panels described as P-MVA (premium mva) or S-MVA (super MVA), that boast a grey-to-gray response time of 8ms, while having still 25ms average response for non grey to grey transitions. Still, they proved to be excellent gaming monitors even for fps, without sacrificing viewing angles and contrast like in the case of IPS and TN panels, and they are out on the market and affordable. There is little or no reason to buy CRT-s now, because LCD Monitors are actually cheaper if you don't consider the initial price only! My 19'' LCD's average power consumption is 35W. A CRT with similar size (that would be a 20'' CRT) will consume 110+ Watts. Depending on your usage pattern, the additional cost of an LCD monitor can be saved up on energy usage in one to three years. Moreover, LCD monitors have perfect geometry (important for cad related works).

I put a site, a community effort to create a table of what's what in LCD land. The site is here. direct link to monitor table, and a direct link to LCD-TV table. If you are looking for characteristics of various panels (not end products), you'll find them here.

Long answer:
There are 3 lcd panel technologies: TN, *VA (MVA, PVA) and IPS. TN panels have achieved a very fast response time last year. My viewsonic vx912 has a response time of ~12ms, which is fine not only for movies, but for fast paced fps as well. The downside of TN panels is the smaller viewable angles, especially the vertical ones, and 6 bit panels (that achieve 16.2 million colors with a 'trick'). Contrast ratio is average.

*VA panels had an average of 25ms - that was fine for movies, and not so fine with games. Especially since 25ms was usually the black-to-white-to-black response time, and for some colors, switching could took as much as 60ms. However, *VA panels have excellent color reproduction capabilities (truly 8 bit panels) and excellent viewing angles, and high contrast ratio. S-IPS panels has also 25ms response time, but that's more or less even for every color transition. So a 25ms S-IPS panel is much faster than a *VA, has great viewing angles, good color reproduction, and sucky contrast. Newer S-IPS panels have improved on contrasts however a lot. APPLE displays have S-IPS panels (from LG.Philips).

Recently, various panel vendors (AUO, Samsung, Fujitsu) have experimented with increasing the response time of *VA panels. You'll see those panels described as P-MVA (premium mva) or S-MVA (super MVA), that boast a grey-to-gray response time of 8ms, while having still 25ms average response for non grey to grey transitions. Still, they proved to be excellent gaming monitors even for fps, without sacrificing viewing angles and contrast like in the case of IPS and TN panels, and they are out on the market and affordable. There is little or no reason to buy CRT-s now, because LCD Monitors are actually cheaper if you don't consider the initial price only! My 19'' LCD's average power consumption is 35W. A CRT with similar size (that would be a 20'' CRT) will consume 110+ Watts. Depending on your usage pattern, the additional cost of an LCD monitor can be saved up on energy usage in one to three years. Moreover, LCD monitors have perfect geometry (important for cad related works).

I put a site, a community effort to create a table of what's what in LCD land. The site is here. direct link to monitor table, and a direct link to LCD-TV table. If you are looking for characteristics of various panels (not end products), you'll find them here.

Long answer:
There are 3 lcd panel technologies: TN, *VA (MVA, PVA) and IPS. TN panels have achieved a very fast response time last year. My viewsonic vx912 has a response time of ~12ms, which is fine not only for movies, but for fast paced fps as well. The downside of TN panels is the smaller viewable angles, especially the vertical ones, and 6 bit panels (that achieve 16.2 million colors with a 'trick'). Contrast ratio is average.

*VA panels had an average of 25ms - that was fine for movies, and not so fine with games. Especially since 25ms was usually the black-to-white-to-black response time, and for some colors, switching could took as much as 60ms. However, *VA panels have excellent color reproduction capabilities (truly 8 bit panels) and excellent viewing angles, and high contrast ratio. S-IPS panels has also 25ms response time, but that's more or less even for every color transition. So a 25ms S-IPS panel is much faster than a *VA, has great viewing angles, good color reproduction, and sucky contrast. Newer S-IPS panels have improved on contrasts however a lot. APPLE displays have S-IPS panels (from LG.Philips).

Recently, various panel vendors (AUO, Samsung, Fujitsu) have experimented with increasing the response time of *VA panels. You'll see those panels described as P-MVA (premium mva) or S-MVA (super MVA), that boast a grey-to-gray response time of 8ms, while having still 25ms average response for non grey to grey transitions. Still, they proved to be excellent gaming monitors even for fps, without sacrificing viewing angles and contrast like in the case of IPS and TN panels, and they are out on the market and affordable. There is little or no reason to buy CRT-s now, because LCD Monitors are actually cheaper if you don't consider the initial price only! My 19'' LCD's average power consumption is 35W. A CRT with similar size (that would be a 20'' CRT) will consume 110+ Watts. Depending on your usage pattern, the additional cost of an LCD monitor can be saved up on energy usage in one to three years. Moreover, LCD monitors have perfect geometry (important for cad related works).

I put a site, a community effort to create a table of what's what in LCD land. The site is here. direct link to monitor table, and a direct link to LCD-TV table. If you are looking for characteristics of various panels (not end products), you'll find them here.

Also, on windows, as I said, the problem is less visible. Moreover, if you want to see the problem, you have to do some CPU intensive task in the background (where CPU usage is more or less constant), start with a clean cache, and compare rendering some pages (especially ones with complex tables like this one. If your computer is more or less idle, and has plenty of ram (256 is fine, but if you upgrade to 512, it will be firefox where you'll notice significant perfomance improvement, especially with lots of tabs open) - you won't see much of a difference!

To make this long comment short: gecko uses more memory and more CPU to achieve the same speed as other browsers, including IE. Plus some platforms are more affected than others (linux, bsd, don't know about the Macs).

Yeah... and not only that, but it is somewhat ironic to hear them scolding KDE developers for not making the mistake they made (code bloat pre-1.4 mozilla). Also, Opera's engine as well as khtml is much much faster than gecko, especially rendering tables like these - try it out with both browers (or see rendering if multiple tabs are open, not to mention memory consumption). I think this is an excellent example of sour grapes (many considered - don't ask me why - that Apple's choice of using khtml was an insult to gecko, or at least that's what people read between the lines in the original announcment by an apple engineer, who emphasized correctness, elegance and compactness (10th the size of gecko at that time) of the khtml codebase.