Graabein asks:
"I'm part of an effort to startup a VoIP provider. We've decided to use Open Source Software wherever possible. Production is not a problem, we can handle the VoIP network itself, POTS termination, web sites, email systems, all the usual stuff. The business side of things is another matter entirely. We need to be able to handle Customer Relationship data, manage subscriptions, handle invoicing and accounts, have a web shop of sorts, online billing, credit card transactions, and more. Whatever system we use has to be able to handle national standards for accounting, or at least be possible to modify to do so. We've looked at Compiere, but our business types are not impressed. Neither am I, for that matter. Requiring an Oracle license is one thing (database independence is 'in development', but it has been for a long time, with no discernable progress), not working properly with Mozilla is another (you need IE to use it fully in HTML mode). What other options are there?"
"Our business types are full of suggestions for supposedly excellent and well suited systems, however they all have in common that they require Windows on the client. If we choose one of those systems our OSS policy is pretty much moot and OSS has been relegated to (some) servers in the computer room and that's about it. I don't mind running these business functions on a Windows server if that is the best system for the job, but having to run Windows on every client in order to access the data is simply not acceptable.
We want Linux and OpenOffice on every desktop. We want to be able to access customer data from a variety of clients, even including Windows. The same goes for Accounting data, HR data, QA data, you name it. Do we have to write our own system from scratch? I'm not sure that is very realistic."
Slashdot Mirror
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! First Poast!!!!!!!
George W. Bush has his problems as a leader, but obese lunatic Michael
Moore is a much larger embarrassment to America. His popularity does not
speak well for Americans' collective intelligence; in a more orderly,
enlightened society, Moore would have been long ago put in his place. He'd
be doing something he's more qualified to do -- baking doughnuts or
mopping the vegetable aisle, for example -- than spouting his lies,
allegations, bigotry, and anti-American hatred. No other country on earth
would make this guy a celebrity.
When idiot Moore can't find a half-baked allegation from some other source
to use against the President, he just pulls facts out of the air and
speaks them like they're the gospel. A casual scan of his latest book,
"Dude! Where's My Country?", reveals a breathless but unfounded warning
against President Bush's evil intentions in virtually every paragraph.
Among Moore's most important theories are the ideas that Osama bin Laden
had nothing to do with 9/11, but rather, Bush planned it all; and that the
Bush administration is working feverishly to destroy freedom in America,
for reasons never fully explained. Moore is also a leading exponent of the
"Bush was AWOL" theory; the "Bush is stupid" theory; the "Bush is a drug
addict" theory; the "Bush stole the 2000 election" theory; and countless
other crackpot ideas.
Refuting every single one of these ridiculous ideas is not necessary. The
key thing to remember about Moore (and others who cling to these ideas) is
that they did not use logic or facts to get to these conclusions; thus,
there's no point in trying to use logic or facts to argue people out of
them. They are not viewpoints, or even opinions. They are simply articles
of faith. They are passionately held beliefs that transcend logic.
To understand Moore's motivations, it's useful to understand a little bit
about Moore himself. Those who knew him in school describe him as a shy,
overweight kid lacking in confidence - hardly a surprise. Since then,
however, he has discovered a talent for harrassment and humor, and become
popular for it. He has an audience which reinforces his behavior. This is
the only thing that gives Michael Moore's life any meaning: his self-image
of a rebel and the knowledge that the gang is, finally, cheering him on.
He's petrified of what might happen if his friends leave him and he
returns to being a fat nothing.
The next time somebody points you to a Michael Moore piece about the
latest Shocking! Bush allegation, remember that after stripping away the
humor, you're just reading the rantings of a religious fanatic. His
religion is hatred. He wants you to hate along with him. Do not be fooled.
Double check Michael Moore's facts once in a while and draw your own
conclusions.
it's a good thing i read the last line...
Mozilla runs fine on any desktop. A browser-based interface would work independent of the desktop environment you choose.
Back when I was in high school, I was the most uber geek around (back then, uber wasn't even a word). Then, in my Junior year, I started hanging out with the wrong crowd, getting drunk, smoking reefers, and various other delinquent activities. Now I'm 26 years old, and I just don't seem to have my edge anymore... MySQL, PHP, RSS, I don't even know what these letters mean! I need a job, but all the script kiddies I kicked in the teeth in HS would be my bosses!
Does anyone out there have experience with this sort of thing? What solutions have you slashdot crowd been able to implement? I'd rather not change my lifestyle. Is there a way I can get fucked up every night and still be sharp enough in the morning to brush up the shmoozing skills neccessary in today's tough, drug-intolerant job market?
damn you! DAMN YOU!
Sorry - offtopic I know but who knows what the best file format is to save my scanned personal archive documents in? Some info: quality not important, file size is important but I definately also want to be able to read the files - say - ten or fifteen years for now.
What file format is the best one that I should use?
Thanks!!!!
Contents:
:-)
1. Synopsis
2. Why bother?
3. Warnings
4. Details on the amplifier method
5. Other methods
1) SYNOPSIS. This textfile describes self-stimulation for men by means of
electrodes and low-power, carefully controlled electric current. When you
talk about running electricity through someone's genitals, most people think
of torture. However, we have found that low power, high frequency (audio)
current can produce some very interesting tingling and throbbing sensations.
2) "WHY BOTHER going to all this trouble when anyone can masturbate using
only his hand?" This is a common and reasonable question. Electronic
stimulation creates sensations that are different from anything you will get
from your hand or from intercourse with other people. You can keep yourself
close to orgasm for quite a while. In fact, orgasm sometimes seems like an
anti-climax after a really good session of electrical stimulation. (But we
must admit, just like with "real sex," some electronic experiences are
better than others.)
We believe electronic masturbation could be very useful for relieving
tension in certain situations: in prisons, aboard submarines, and so forth.
Because it can be more satisfying than ordinary masturbation, you can use it
to reward yourself (or someone else) for completing a difficult task or
exhibiting the desired behavior. Athletic coaches, military trainers and
others who need to harness the wild energy of young men should look into
this. 1/2
3) WARNINGS. Like everything that feels good, this method has risks. It can
cause tissue burns; molecules migrating from the electrodes can
theoretically cause heavy metal poisoning; if you use a plugged-in amp and
tone source (instead of battery powered) there is a chance of getting
shocked or electrocuted. Use of electrodes that have not been sanitized
could spread disease or cause infection. Not recommended for persons with
high blood pressure or heart trouble. Proceed at your own risk. Because we
have no control over the manner in which this information is used, we assume
no liability for damages resulting from its implementation.
If you are electronically illiterate -- if you've never handled a wire
stripper and soldering iron -- DO NOT attempt to perform the experiments
described below. Get a person with electronic experience to help you.
4) DETAILS on the amplifier method
Let's start out with a simple test to see if you find these sensations
interesting, then move on to more advanced methods for making the sensations
more complex and intense. You will need the following items:
1. A stereo audio amplifier, with 1 to 5 watts per channel of output
power. Battery-powered is best for safety reasons, although I have used
plug-in amplifiers since 1976 with only one unpleasant accident. Do not
use an expensive, high-power amplifier; they can be damaged by short
circuits and by being connected to loads of unusual impedances (which
is what we'll be doing).
2. A tone generator of some sort. An electronic music synthesizer will
work (Casio and Yamaha make inexpensive, portable keyboard instruments
that do the job nicely); or you can use a tone generator like those
found in an electronics workshop. A battery-powered tone source is
safer than a plug-in unit. Do not use an electric guitar, or any other
device that could provide a pathway for current to travel through your
whole torso.
3. Insulated, solid (not multi-strand), 18-guage copper wire.
4. Soldering iron, solder, wire stripper, maybe some connectors. Use
solder that doesn't contain any lead if possible; Radio Shack sells
some solder which is 98% tin and 2% silver.
Cut a piece of wire 10 feet (3 meters) long. Strip 3/4 inch (2 cm) of
insulation from one end. Try not to nick the wire
it should be : (Score:5, Truthful)
Ok that was the yawn. Now back to my coffee.
Hear that? Somewhere a village is calling out for its long lost idiot...
BWAHAHAHA
:^D
Best. Troll. Ever.
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
You hiring?
Take three pint glasses. Remove the beer and dispose of safely. Take also one telephone memo block, and remove all but the red and green papers.
Number the glasses from left to right. Glass number 1 (extreme left) is for green slips of paper -- money due in. Glass number 2 (middle) is for actual money. Glass number 3 (extreme right) is for actual money and red slips of paper -- money due out.
If somebody owes you money, then write a code name for them, and the amount owed, on a green slip and place it in GLASS 1. The code name should be something obvious to you but not obvious to anyone else. For example, if someone's initials are BWG, you could use the nickname SERP == PRES backwards == GWB backwards == BWG. In the event of a bust, the authorities might eventually work out who you were referring to, but hopefully this will take long enough that you can warn them first. Do not let anyone know their own codename! When that person pays the money, then you remove and destroy their slip from GLASS 1 and put the money in GLASS 2. If they give you a cheque or postal order, this stays in GLASS 1 until it is cashed, then the money goes in GLASS 2.
When you receive a blue bill from someone, write their codename on a red slip. Place this, along with the equivalent amount of money taken from GLASS 2, in GLASS 3. If you don't have enough money in GLASS 2 to pay the bill, put the red slip in GLASS 2 until you do. When you receive the corresponding red bill, pay it. Remove and destroy the red and blue bills and the red slip.
If you ever have a red slip in GLASS 2, this is trouble. Check any green slips in GLASS 1 and, if these would be sufficient to pay the red slip, suggest politely to the parties code-named on the slip that they might receive certain advantages from prompt payment. Work from biggest to smallest, but never chase any debt if someone else owes you more than five times the amount.
The best method for destroying paper documents is Rattus laboratorius though Meriones unguliculatus is a close alternative. Either can also be used potentially as a tool for persuading recalcitrant debtors. Better far, however, is not to write stuff down at all in the first place. Important information belongs in your head and nowhere else.
Also, make sure that nobody ever writes both your name and phone number on the same piece of paper; that nobody ever carries anything with your name or number and any merchandise they have purchased in the same pocket; and that anybody getting a lift to your premises does not let the driver see which building they went into.