Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: Ford, Buccaneers, Hardware
It seemed like a good idea at the time, though. GeekLife.com writes: "After 20 months, Ford has ended (technically "deferred") their "Model E" free computer and discounted Internet access for their employees (announced here and discussed here). Employees who already have computers will be able to keep them, and their Internet service will not be affected."
I sure hope that Ford (like many large companies) at the very least gives Ford employees dibs on any computers that are being replaced within the company to make up for each new round of Windows.
Sounds like a slimple decision, if you like the look. rockwood writes: "We've all been waiting for this for quite some time, but it appears that now for only $269.00 Slim Devices, Inc. is now shipping their sliMP3. Though they state quantity is limited, due to a component shortage. Last minute Christmas gift for the tech on your list!"
For that price, it better read aloud in a very sexy voice. The other day we linked to a review of the new all-singing, all-dancing Audigy sound card on 3D Spotlight; in case that wasn't enough to help you choose whether to spend or save your money, LinkDJ writes: "This card is great for those with older sound card in their systems, but if you have a Sound Blaster 5.1, there is no real need to upgrade. The cool things about this card are that it has integrated SB1394 Firewire, thus eliminating the need for a separate Firewire add-in card. Read the full review."
WhoseSQL? gwynnebaer writes "A friend of mine just pointed out to me that the contentious www.mysql.org now points to the main MySQL AB site. If you remember, there was much gnashing of lawsuits over trademark issues this past summer. So, looks like at least one part of the battle is over, but for the life of me, I can't find any articles or newsworthy information to explain what happened. Anyone know the scoop?"
Free software might be a good way to lessen your legal liability. MooRogue writes: "Looks like the Feds are raiding Universities and corporate offices for more pirated software. They're questioning people and seizing computers to gather digital evidence in 'Operation Buccaneer.' Here's the article on the NY Times (free reg, blah blah)"
ahh nevermind.. looked at the older article and
7 14 515
----
The review doesn't mention how the Audigy works under any open source operating systems, though.
If you're interested in helping Creative develop open source drivers for the Audigy, go to their Open Source Page [creative.com]. Get the emu10k1 source [creative.com] and thumb through the mailing list archive [creative.com] to find out how to get the Audigy branch of the tree
------
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=25000&cid=2
I hear you pain.. I might be lucky.. but I havnt had any troubles, Ive run the card in windows me and 2000, and two different versions of linux with no problems.. now.. my dxr2 card.. thats a different story(linux), which I have found is related to my video card..
Actually for anyone writing music there is a very, very good reason to upgrade to an audigy. It has 4x more power, so more effects can be done in hardware. It also has ASIO drivers. With a SB Live I get ~70ms latency in Propellerheads Reason, with the Audigy and the newer drivers you get ~8ms. This makes a huge diffence when trying to sync live/semilive effects to the midi streams.
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
For those interested in whose SQL it is anyway, it appears to me that MySQL AB won the dispute. They got the offending site taken down and redirected, and in return appear to have removed their story from their own web site. You can get Mysql AB's side of the story from Google's cache here.
For over 1.5 years I've been wanting (and attempting to convince friends and others to make) a device almost like this. Here's my instant money-making idea for anyone who wants it, IF ONLY THEY'LL MAKE THE DEVICES AND SELL THEM TO ME!
Really, I'm rather desperate. Here are the specs:
Source/Receiver4 RCA (stereo in/out)
1 RJ-45
1 ID selector (set unit's ID to 1-8) on back
1 Source selector on front (choose to listen from any unit
Uses 10BT chip and 2 $2 TI A/D chip to convert sound to/from PCM on the network
Cost: $US150
Receiver Unit
2 RCA (stereo in)
1 RJ-45
1 Source selector on front choose to listen from any unit
Cost: $US100
Computer Software
Encodes/decodes broadcast signal from the LAN, to let your computer be a source or receiver unit.
Cost: $US50
What I want is many-to-many sound setup in the house. Let the computer be playing MP3s and tune into it on the stereo. Let the A/V system be attached as a source so I can have any/all of the computers tuned in, re-broadcasting the sound around the house for parties. Cheap(~) receiving units can be placed in various locations (outside) with cat5 run to them.
Later improvements would include using software to set a friendly name for each source, a small cheap display to show the source names on the screen, and real-time MP3 encoding/decoding.
But at a minimum I just want a small hardware device which I can feed an RCA signal and have it use my existing ethernet infrastructure to broadcast that signal around the house! Anyone? Anyone?
Get the $199 Xtacy Everything (ti-200+TV in/out/pvr) and free up that TV wonder slot! :) But then what do you do about USB2 :(
Contrary to popular belief, coding is not all free blow-jobs and beer. Those things cost MONEY!
The Audigy has a useful optional package (sitting right here on my desk at work): the Platinum EX. It's similar to the various Live! Drive modules, except this one is external (hence the EX), and extends all of the normal Live!Drive jacks plus firewire to your desktop. Oh, and it's black, not asthetic-nightmre beige. 8-)
Ford leases all PCs from Dell (3 yr Leases)
So, when the lease is up, the PC goes back.
The same applies with Unix Workstations (HP, SGI, SUN) (3 Yr Lease)
Mainframes, Supercomputers (Crays, etc...) (Variable Leases)
So, there are no presents to the employees.
But....
We do get great deals on Cars, Trucks, Cell Phones, Microsoft Products, etc...
Go to either of these sites to bypass the reg screen:
1 9PIRA.html
/ www.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/technology/19PIRA.html
http://college.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/technology/
http://archives.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=http:/
The point is that you just know devices like this sliMP3 could be sold profitably for less than $50 if the volume was high enough.
Any gadget can be sold for under $50 with enough volume - do you want your SliMP3 now, or five years from now?
Anyway, if you can tell me where to buy just the displays for less than $50, I am all ears!
It's simple. SliMP3 is the same price as it's competitors, but you get a better display, better remote, better software, and a smaller device.
I sure hope that Ford (like many large companies) at the very least gives Ford employees dibs on any computers that are being replaced within the company to make up for each new round of Windows.
If Ford is like any other large company they probably lease their computers. The reason for leasing is that under IRS tax laws computers must be written off over 5 years. That means that the tax deduction is 1/5 of the price of the computer per year * their tax rate. In real life, computers are not usually kept this long.
By leasing, they are able to more closely match the cost of the machine to this time it is used (and get the bulk of the tax deduction sooner).
Because of this standard practice, I doubt that Ford will be able to give their end of life machines to their employees.
That which does not kill me only makes me whinier
I don't know where Mr. GeekLife.com has been hiding, but Ford cancelling the "Model E" program is such old news that /. covered it over two months ago!
/. to TVLand...
I'm starting to think that maybe VA <buzzword> sold
Linux users who celebrate the loss of freedom deserve the fate that will befall them should Microsoft manage to make linux as illegal as warez. The loss of freedom is not in reference to these warez busts, but rather the laws that were passed which enabled them. They were busted on December 11 for a reason. The FBI wants people to think of warez groups as they think of the taliban. The fact that these busts will enforce the rule of law that breaking encryption == a terrorist act. You may as well stop watching DVDs under linux, unless you use closed source apps like PowerDVD. The power the FBI now has allows them to go after the people who Make open source DVD players. And when the MPAA pushes them to do so, who will be there to defend you? If they can convince the average person that a warez group = terrorists, then they can damn well convince them that a linux user is a criminal.
Need I remind you that making an open source DVD player Is a violation of the DMCA? Which means they could now prosecute you as a terrorist, which means they Can Extradite you from your native country and put you on trial Here in the US. Assuming your country allows you to put on trial here.
Of course the DMCA can also be interperted to mean that it is illegal to provide copies of the US constitution. How convenient, since it's clearly in violation of the US constitution.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
I'm a sys admin at one of the Ford plants in the US. A few notes on the Model E program.
The computers that the Model E program provided were crap--scraps from a botched deal with HP for company machines. Most people I've talked to in my domain wished they hadn't heard of the Model E program.
As far as giving company computers to employees as those computers are phased out, all Ford company computers are leased from Dell.
I know that Apple has trademarks to the name Firewire, and Sony owns iLink, and they're both IEEE1394 (although Sony's spec isn' fully implemented, small connectors only, so no power on the bus), but SoundBlaster is calling the port an "SB1394" port. Does this mean that its not a true Firewire implementation? Can I plug any 1394 device into it, or only high-end audio equipment?
May you be touched by His Noodly Appendage. RAmen.