In Soviet Russia, SETI@Home only uses Beowulf Clusters of old Koreans!...how many other permutations you guys come up with?
Well, according to Deep Thought, 42.
There are good ways of collecting data about customer needs the same way there are good ways to interview employees for a job (psychometric testing ftw)
Good example. I have about the same amount of faith in Dell's attentiveness to client needs as I do in NASA's astronaut psych test.
You want to be able to meet inspired, interesting people outside of work, too.
Funny, I've never had a problem there, either. I just go to where the creative tend to collect. You'll find 'em in bookstores, indy music stores and bars, all around. We're also a short hop from Austin - "The Live Music Capitol of the World" - and there's NO shortage of inspiration on the scene there, either. South by Southwest gets bigger every year, and has even spawned local offshoots.
As a military brat, I noticed this never seemed to be a problem wherever we went. You can find creativity everywhere.
You are always surrounded by driven people, creative people, people with ideas, people that aren't afraid to just go for is (ie, not work that 9-5 job).
....or you COULD live elsewhere and find a boss that knows how to hire inspired staff. At our shop, the boss kinda tends to spoil us... Days off when we want, rides to work, snacks at work, lunches at his cost... The best part is he'll let us "get our geek on"; we're allowed free rein as long as the work is done, results are produced, and he's kept in the loop as far as any changes made. Result? He's got a bunch of geeks that love their jobs, work hard, feel inspired, and stay 'til long after most would.
I mean come on, I think dell can handle mailing a bunch of disks.
...and welcome back to Tales From The Shop.
A client has had a laptop in since late last month, an Inspiron 1100. After trying an after-market restore disk vendor [no dice, bunk disk images.], we tried to order 'em from Dell. After the obligatory on-hold wait, I explained that I needed to order the disks. They asked for the original order number. I told 'em I didn't have that, and instead gave them the client's name and address. I'm told they can't order the disks, as our client's name doesn't match the name THEY'VE got. After a few good solid head-thunks on the table, I asked if they'd call the client directly to verify the order information. They said they would, and hung up. Two days later, I check back with the client to see if they've called them. Nothing. At this point, I feel the best thing is for the client to call them and ask for them; it'll be harder for Dell to tell the client that it's not their computer. I follow up again in three days and the client says they've been ordered, even having them shipped to us.
This was 2 weeks ago. We're still waiting on the disks. While I might tentatively applaud Dell for sending them by muleback with environmental concerns in mind, our client really just wanted their laptop back sooner...
IMHO, when shipping 1 set of restore disks Dell couldn't find its collective rear with a map, both hands, GPS, a Sherpa guide, a copy of Gray's anatomy, and a licensed proctologist.
If Linux actually cared about being relevant, they would have figured out how to get hardware to autodetect and autoconfigure. You know, like Microsoft has been doing since around 1995.
I double-checked your post for any sarcasm or tinfoilhat tags. Frighteningly enough, I didn't see any.
MS has NOT been doing it properly since '95, and XP is no better. I remember the disastrous "Plug 'n' Play" we had force-fed to us; is it any wonder it was quickly renamed "Plug 'n' Pray"? Even worse, many times when at the Windows Update site it'd guess at the wrong drivers to update/install.... We lost a 2k server for a half-day due to just that. MS thought it had a 3Com NIC. It didn't.
Rather than go off on a long rant, I'll just describe the WinXP Pro and Ubuntu 6.10 installs on the very box I'm using.
XP Pro
Run Install
Find driver for mobo
Find driver for video card
Find driver for NIC
Find driver/app for TV card
Find driver for Audigy.
Find driver for modem.
All hardware recognized; start work FINALLY!
vs:
Ubuntu
Run install
Install Nvidia drivers
All hardware recognized; start work quickly!
Likewise an automatic cleaning robot for buildings- our building has a staff of 20 every night.
I worked for a janitorial service when I was in my late teens, and wouldn't really be confident in a robot's ability to do that. It sounds simple on the surface: Clean floors, empty trash, right?
One of our clients was the local symphony. One office in particular stands out in my mind; when you opened the door, at LEAST 1 page of a stack of paperwork came flying off due to the sudden breeze. Sometimes you saw it fly if they left the light on, but usually you just heard it move. You walked in, put the paper back on the desk, and carried on as usual. I'm a bit curious how pissed the maestro would be at the phrase "...but the cleaning robot ate it!..."
Would you have to train these bots to recognize security personnel? Would they recognize the smell of smoke? Could someone reprogram them to steal from the offices and drop it at a certain pick-up spot? I'm no Luddite, but I can think of all SORTS of reasons I'd not trust a machine to handle cleaning.
Right now, I'm trying to listen to every genre I possibly can WHILE I still can. There's no way I can afford ALL these CDs at once, but I buy what I can when I can; I want the artist to get paid. By the time I CAN afford them all, I won't be able to hear them, and won't NEED to buy them at all. It's kind of a weird situation to be in.
One should think about who posts on Wikipedia before you proffer it's information as "proof." Though I admit wikipedia is a good substitute for crack.
Actually, considering the number of linkings here to Wikipedia, I was just picking the most commonly seen reference. But just to make you happy, I'll be delighted to quote from the Merriam-Webster website.
Main Entry:sportFunction: noun
1 a : a source of diversion
...and in other news, the popcorn you're eating has been pissed in. Film at 11.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, according to Deep Thought, 42.
Good example. I have about the same amount of faith in Dell's attentiveness to client needs as I do in NASA's astronaut psych test.
Vanilla Ice? Is that you?
No, Hossifer... I an NOT under the affluence of infahol! Now take me drunk, I'm home!
{Side note: I got SO used to saying that phrase that it almost got me arrested for DUI 'til they did the breathalyzer...}
Funny, I've never had a problem there, either. I just go to where the creative tend to collect. You'll find 'em in bookstores, indy music stores and bars, all around. We're also a short hop from Austin - "The Live Music Capitol of the World" - and there's NO shortage of inspiration on the scene there, either. South by Southwest gets bigger every year, and has even spawned local offshoots.
As a military brat, I noticed this never seemed to be a problem wherever we went. You can find creativity everywhere.
I can honestly say I love my job.
TO quote Dolton Edwards' story, Meihem In Ce Klasrum:
"Even Mr. Yaw, wi beliv, wud be hapi in ce noleg cat his drims fainali keim tru."
I am not as think as you stoned I am.
A client has had a laptop in since late last month, an Inspiron 1100. After trying an after-market restore disk vendor [no dice, bunk disk images.], we tried to order 'em from Dell. After the obligatory on-hold wait, I explained that I needed to order the disks. They asked for the original order number. I told 'em I didn't have that, and instead gave them the client's name and address. I'm told they can't order the disks, as our client's name doesn't match the name THEY'VE got. After a few good solid head-thunks on the table, I asked if they'd call the client directly to verify the order information. They said they would, and hung up. Two days later, I check back with the client to see if they've called them. Nothing. At this point, I feel the best thing is for the client to call them and ask for them; it'll be harder for Dell to tell the client that it's not their computer. I follow up again in three days and the client says they've been ordered, even having them shipped to us.
This was 2 weeks ago. We're still waiting on the disks. While I might tentatively applaud Dell for sending them by muleback with environmental concerns in mind, our client really just wanted their laptop back sooner...
IMHO, when shipping 1 set of restore disks Dell couldn't find its collective rear with a map, both hands, GPS, a Sherpa guide, a copy of Gray's anatomy, and a licensed proctologist.
If you post with your REAL login, we might listen...
....or not....
Are you certain?
Maybe.....JUST maybe....
They realize this isn't how the world is, true... but they also realize it's where the world needs to be if humans want to survive as a species....
"There is....NO.....Sanctuary...."
You can't blame 'em for takin' the comedy jobs... If the posts here are any indication, America is quickly losing its sense of humor.
...and I know a cat that's pretty pissed-off about the situation...
I was expecting comments on Uranus....
I double-checked your post for any sarcasm or tinfoilhat tags. Frighteningly enough, I didn't see any.
MS has NOT been doing it properly since '95, and XP is no better. I remember the disastrous "Plug 'n' Play" we had force-fed to us; is it any wonder it was quickly renamed "Plug 'n' Pray"? Even worse, many times when at the Windows Update site it'd guess at the wrong drivers to update/install.... We lost a 2k server for a half-day due to just that. MS thought it had a 3Com NIC. It didn't.
Rather than go off on a long rant, I'll just describe the WinXP Pro and Ubuntu 6.10 installs on the very box I'm using.
- XP Pro
Run InstallFind driver for mobo
Find driver for video card
Find driver for NIC
Find driver/app for TV card
Find driver for Audigy.
Find driver for modem.
All hardware recognized; start work FINALLY!
vs:
- Ubuntu
Run installInstall Nvidia drivers
All hardware recognized; start work quickly!
Better hardware detection, my tail-side.
I worked for a janitorial service when I was in my late teens, and wouldn't really be confident in a robot's ability to do that. It sounds simple on the surface: Clean floors, empty trash, right?
One of our clients was the local symphony. One office in particular stands out in my mind; when you opened the door, at LEAST 1 page of a stack of paperwork came flying off due to the sudden breeze. Sometimes you saw it fly if they left the light on, but usually you just heard it move. You walked in, put the paper back on the desk, and carried on as usual. I'm a bit curious how pissed the maestro would be at the phrase "...but the cleaning robot ate it!..."
Would you have to train these bots to recognize security personnel? Would they recognize the smell of smoke? Could someone reprogram them to steal from the offices and drop it at a certain pick-up spot? I'm no Luddite, but I can think of all SORTS of reasons I'd not trust a machine to handle cleaning.
It's called a television! Works wonders on the Sheeple! I'll take that 25 mil, thanks...
Here's another possible category for you:
Those of us that're going deaf.
Right now, I'm trying to listen to every genre I possibly can WHILE I still can. There's no way I can afford ALL these CDs at once, but I buy what I can when I can; I want the artist to get paid. By the time I CAN afford them all, I won't be able to hear them, and won't NEED to buy them at all. It's kind of a weird situation to be in.
Of COURSE it does! See that COLOR/B&W switch on my Atari 2600?
Actually, considering the number of linkings here to Wikipedia, I was just picking the most commonly seen reference. But just to make you happy, I'll be delighted to quote from the Merriam-Webster website.
Main Entry: sport Function: noun
1 a : a source of diversion
Why not? The insurance companies already do.
To (mis-)quote a certain medical figure of yesteryear:
"A physician should not enter the trade with the soul of a moneychanger."
Would you settle for a pep talk from Picard and an IQ bump....?