Perhaps what's needed is to define a single "data archival standard", and by law require that it be backwards compatible with version 1 of the standard, forever. Then, convert all current data to the version 1 standard, once and for all. We have a good candidate right now: DVD-RW and CD-RW. Preserve those standards, so that all future disk players can at a minimum play current-day CD's and DVD's, and we might be ok. Of course, you'd have to use archival-quality CD's and DVDs, because the cheap ones only last five years (the good ones last a hundred or more, they've got extra coatings to prevent degradation, etc).
Typically short-sighted comment. A single technology is not the answer. The solution is a process of eternal renewal, constantly shuffling the digital data on to new media. To ensure data format compability we need source code for the filters/codecs and they need to be rewritten for each new platform or reliable emulators need to be written for each platform as it becomes outdated.
It depends who or what is driving the project. If it's a "bums on seats" thing where the profit motive is by far the largest driving factor, then just fill the room with PCs capable of playing UT2k3 and load on Windows, Office and some popular network games. Get identical machines, buy a server with Ghost and re-image once a week. Have an all-you-can-eat Internet connection.
However, if education and innovation are the driving factors, try to have a huge range of equipment. Old PCs, new PCs, Linux, Windows, Macs, heck even some old 8-bit computers like the C64, Atari 800 or TRS-80 will teach people more about computers than any amount of playing Quake. Personally, I'm rather enjoying my PS2 Linux kit and I'm learning quite a bit setting it up. Rather than providing a boring platform for run-of-the-mill "entertainment", target an audience that will find enjoyment in the equipment itself.
For up, I have a review of a very nice USB flash RAM device here. It's particularly good because it doesn't have any extra features that require drivers in, say, Windows XP. I have not booted off of it though.
I have booted off my USB2.0/Firewire Asus (SCB-1608-D) DVD-ROM/CDr/CD-RW drive though. It's a very nice drive and I recommend it highly and often. The Asus drive I've even gotten to mount under PS2 Linux and it comes with a handy little carry bag.
This is how business computing started. My mother used to be software support for UCC in England -- they had huge mainframes dotted around the globe and they billed by the minute (obviously easier pre-multithreading). There should be heaps of resources dating back more than 30 years on how to do this sort of thing. Heard of a library?
Is it reasonable to require a plugin from the end users of our enterprise application? Is IE5+ a wide enough target for an enterprise application?
1) Require, no. Use for added functionality (interactive vs non-interactive) yes. 2) No. If it doesn't work on (at least) Netscape/Mozilla then you're excluding too many people (unless you know something about your target audience that I don't).
Surely you can do something with DHTML/Javascript to dynamically resize bar charts...
I've worked in places where the OS is irrelevant and where staff enter the company barely knowing how to use Word. I'm sure that a competent IT department could create a Linux setup that a generic staff member would have no greater difficulty in using than any similarly generic Windows or Mac system.
Much more important is legacy application support. If your main database only has Windows clients then you're mostly stuck unless you want to put a lot of time into testing it with VMware, or whatever.
It's a shame they didn't include a Playstation 2 as a test machine for playback -- I'd love to know what a good drive is to burn a, say, interactive DVD of my digital photo collection, for use on my PS2
Looks like someone cares. http://www.cubeowner.com/ has the following: UPDATE: July 16, 2003 - the response to these units has been overwhelming and these upgraded Cubes have SOLD OUT! Kemplar is accepting pre-orders for a new batch, which should be shipping within the next 2 weeks. If I could get something like this in Australia I'd be seriously temped.
This gets posted and my ask slashot/games question about where to source DVD-style/size cases for 8cm DVD/CD discs doesn't? Come on, I mean, they're both trival questions, but at least mine in geek oriented.
I'm not going to follow links because this Slashdot thread itself appears astroturfed, or whatever the latest buzz-word is to denote Internet content seeded by paid advertisers.
Water in a room full of electrical equipment? I hope you're using gravity feed because the pump's going to stop working when the earth leakage detector kicks in.
My suggestion: normal old fire extinguishers around the house, insurance and off-site backups. If a fire starts when people are in the house they can grab an extinguisher. If no one's in the house everyone is already safe, just use the insurance to replace the equipment and the backups to replace the software/data.
Local tariffs and taxes are the receivers problem. If the Australian Customs office decides that I'm dodging import duty then I simply have to pay it at my local post office when I pick up the item. (Only happened once so far, on a TRGpro at over A$700.)
Except that a company that doesn't ship outside the US is unlikely to accept a billing address outside of the US either, and that needs to match your credit card. Now you're right back where you started.
I think if you by a game, all portions of that game on that DVD you bring home should be at least available to you from your home without any other requirements.
So, you're against multi-player games, games that link with a Gameboy (no matter how funky the extra functionality), on-line games and expansions..? Do you also write nastygrams to companies that don't release games for every current platform (or just the platforms you don't own)? "If I buy Super Monkey Ball I should be able to play it on my Playstation, or else it's unfair that I have to buy something else to enjoy a product I paid for." Welcome to life.
Part of the fun of some games is peicing together the hardware to make the most of it, or building a network of friends for cheats and savegames. I thought that the Sonic and Knuckles Mega Drive cart with the piggy-back slot was one of the best ideas ever in console gaming, but you'd probably complain that you had to own Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 to be able to use some of the features.
I've had on the whole positive experiences with both Fujitsu and Sharp. (I've linked to the latest models, not the ones I've used.) They may not be titanium, but they're solid and not overly bloated.
You mean there might be portions of a game that you buy that you never see? Surely not. I fully intended to spend my next seven lifetimes making sure that I'd explored every possible moment of every title in my video game collection, now I know it's a waste of time.
Or you could just buy one of these and keep an eye on savegame sites.
Slashdot Mirror
Meanwhile, it looks like the site's dead already...
However, if education and innovation are the driving factors, try to have a huge range of equipment. Old PCs, new PCs, Linux, Windows, Macs, heck even some old 8-bit computers like the C64, Atari 800 or TRS-80 will teach people more about computers than any amount of playing Quake. Personally, I'm rather enjoying my PS2 Linux kit and I'm learning quite a bit setting it up. Rather than providing a boring platform for run-of-the-mill "entertainment", target an audience that will find enjoyment in the equipment itself.
I have booted off my USB2.0/Firewire Asus (SCB-1608-D) DVD-ROM/CDr/CD-RW drive though. It's a very nice drive and I recommend it highly and often. The Asus drive I've even gotten to mount under PS2 Linux and it comes with a handy little carry bag.
As long as it's "+1 Unnecessarily Bitter" I'm cool with that...
This is how business computing started. My mother used to be software support for UCC in England -- they had huge mainframes dotted around the globe and they billed by the minute (obviously easier pre-multithreading). There should be heaps of resources dating back more than 30 years on how to do this sort of thing. Heard of a library?
I think now that the RIAA is suing grandparents and the girl next door, braindead consumers of mainstream media are finally able to form an opinion.
Meanwhile, on Monday the company where I work received two fake "renew your domain" letters. Welcome to the modern business world...
That is quite possibly the best response I've ever had on Slashdot to one of my posts. Thank you.
Why does the article reference interfaces then talk about a new way of storing the bits on the disk survace?
2) No. If it doesn't work on (at least) Netscape/Mozilla then you're excluding too many people (unless you know something about your target audience that I don't).
Surely you can do something with DHTML/Javascript to dynamically resize bar charts...
Much more important is legacy application support. If your main database only has Windows clients then you're mostly stuck unless you want to put a lot of time into testing it with VMware, or whatever.
It's a shame they didn't include a Playstation 2 as a test machine for playback -- I'd love to know what a good drive is to burn a, say, interactive DVD of my digital photo collection, for use on my PS2
Looks like someone cares. http://www.cubeowner.com/ has the following: UPDATE: July 16, 2003 - the response to these units has been overwhelming and these upgraded Cubes have SOLD OUT! Kemplar is accepting pre-orders for a new batch, which should be shipping within the next 2 weeks. If I could get something like this in Australia I'd be seriously temped.
This gets posted and my ask slashot/games question about where to source DVD-style/size cases for 8cm DVD/CD discs doesn't? Come on, I mean, they're both trival questions, but at least mine in geek oriented.
I'm not going to follow links because this Slashdot thread itself appears astroturfed, or whatever the latest buzz-word is to denote Internet content seeded by paid advertisers.
My suggestion: normal old fire extinguishers around the house, insurance and off-site backups. If a fire starts when people are in the house they can grab an extinguisher. If no one's in the house everyone is already safe, just use the insurance to replace the equipment and the backups to replace the software/data.
Mozilla will be the second thing I install once I get it up and running. The D.Net client will be the first...
Local tariffs and taxes are the receivers problem. If the Australian Customs office decides that I'm dodging import duty then I simply have to pay it at my local post office when I pick up the item. (Only happened once so far, on a TRGpro at over A$700.)
Except that a company that doesn't ship outside the US is unlikely to accept a billing address outside of the US either, and that needs to match your credit card. Now you're right back where you started.
Part of the fun of some games is peicing together the hardware to make the most of it, or building a network of friends for cheats and savegames. I thought that the Sonic and Knuckles Mega Drive cart with the piggy-back slot was one of the best ideas ever in console gaming, but you'd probably complain that you had to own Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 to be able to use some of the features.
I've had on the whole positive experiences with both Fujitsu and Sharp. (I've linked to the latest models, not the ones I've used.) They may not be titanium, but they're solid and not overly bloated.
Or you could just buy one of these and keep an eye on savegame sites.