...but Sun and/or Macromedia don't push Java/Flash onto your machine in stealth mode. If you don't have them, then you must make the effort to install them yourself. Yep, that's right - it is Your Choice to install them or not. They don't just show up because Sun or MM think you might need them...
Not to mention the fact that both Java and Flash are easily removable via the Add/Remove/Uninstall/Change Programs list. Or whatever it's called in Vista.
I don't think they "broadcast" it per se, but the network does track them; it has to, in order to know which other tower to hand off the signal to if the phone is moving. Someone who gained access to the system enough to read any messages they'd like would, I'd think, also be able to get individual phone tracking info from the network.
Disclaimer: I am not in the cell phone industry, these are just things I have gleaned from reading over the years. I'm sure someone with exact knowledge will chime in soon.
I was thinking the same thing. The Free For All (FFA), "shoot everything and everybody" style of BZ Flag seems most popular - most of the servers listed will be that type of game.
However, if you prefer a more 1-on-1 (or up to 4-on-4) strategic type of play that also involves more skill, be sure to get on the "Ducati-style" Capture the Flag (CTF) servers. Warning: lots of "old timers" are CTF fanatics, and have been playing for years, with skill to match. The learning curve in Duc-style CTF is very steep, but very rewarding.
There is even CTF League play available, in several formats. League matches between teams can be as short as 15 minutes. But it is an *intense* 15 minutes.:)
And for the AC above, the Players *are* Humans, they just happen to be inside of tanks.;)
SCO has a market cap of just over $3 million. IIRC, McDonald's Corp is one of their major customers. That $3mil is pocket change for the $66.95 billion market cap McD's Corp.
What if McDonald's buys SCO? McD's could hire a couple devs (since that is all SCO needs, apparently..) for maintenance and some support personnel, then service their own stores as well as other existing customers. Maybe they'd wind up saving, if not making, some money in a few years. Perhaps give Darl a store to manage...
Heh.:)
Point being, with a market cap of only $3mil, SCO and anything they have/own are basically chump change for a real corporation. So, if the judges (have) let this happen, then, and I hate to even think of it, we'll see this zombie keep stumbling forward...
You are assuming that what they claim, is what they can - and will - deliver.
I've yet to see a battery that lasted as long as the person who sold it claimed it would. 8 hours? Is that in standby, or in use? I would wager that the "actively in use" time will probably be closer to that 5 hour figure. That still isn't bad, I know. But people are just taking that claim at face value, and it just doesn't make sense.
Unless, of course, Apple has indeed produced a battery that is magically 3X better than the 'industry standard', in which case they should forget laptops for a bit, and get busy putting all the other battery companies out of business, ASAP.
Think about it: a battery that is 3X better than current technology, and they are only going to use it in a relatively high-end laptop with a small user base?
If their battery technology is three times better than 'industry standard', why don't they go into the battery business? They could make a *mint*.
Something doesn't seem right. Think about it...
If they could make batteries *that* much better, the world would be their oyster. Laptops, portable electronics, cars, wind-generated power storage systems, etc... The end uses are limitless, and would make them a TON more money than what they will realize from laptop sales.
I think that instead, their marketing claims might be "three times better", and that's about it...;)
Plus, this 'fix' will adversely affect the battery, shortening it's life and/or lessening capacity. Draining a battery to dead flat is never good. Having to do it to 'fix' a bug is like adding insult to injury (to Zune owners).
Thanks, NYCL. I hope that making this transcript available does something to help make the **AA strategists have to adjust to this "new" internet technology in a way more beneficent to all, instead of just trying to sue the pants off anyone who they think might have crossed their rather arbitrary lines...
And as a *Former* resident of Oahu, my biggest question when I read the summary was:
Will these electric cars be running around uninsured like so many other cars are on Oahu?
:D Just kidding, kinda - the insurance rates are ridiculous there! (Which explains why so many people don't bother to carry it...) Maybe *that* oughta be fixed, first. Then they can get to work on those windmills up by Turtle Bay that never seemed to be turning whenever I drove by...;)
The 2nd time I lived there I commuted by bike. What a great place for that, especially once they finished the bike path by Kam Highway. Great place to live, miss the surf, and the biking. Aloha!
It's due to my 'system' for shopping: Figure out what I want, refine that choice to find out what will be the best bang for my buck, and then be vigilant, patient, and ready to pay. I told the former owner of this car 14 months before I bought it that I wanted to buy it, when they were ready to sell. They set the price; basically the trade-in value for this area, what they would have gotten from a dealer. So, Yes, it was a good deal.:) 'Retail' value is about double what my cost was, which is still only 10-20% of the cost of a new vehicle with similar specs.
I've actually made money on the last 4 or 5 cars I've owned, doing it this way.:D It also helps to not be scared to turn a wrench, and to know which bolt to turn with it; kind of like computers, that way. The things are so expensive to fix that for lots of people buying new is cheaper, so with a little know-how and a willingness to jump in, you can come out far ahead of the game on some deals, and usually at least a little ahead on all the others.
Actually, the crash test data for the SW2 is not bad at all, and in fact, better than the Yaris, with the possible exception of a (highly unlikely for a small, low slung wagon) rollover. Take a look for yourself:
I get better gas mileage than the Yaris, too. I'm up over 32 mpg on the current tank, and half of that driving has been city.
The SW2 is plenty comfortable to drive. I've been driving for 24 years - in several VW bugs and vans, Plymouths (Horizon and LeBaron), Honda Accord, Mazda 323 Wagon, Toyota 4Runner, small Ford pickup - and those are just vehicles I've owned. The SW2 is not an uncomfortable car, at all, based on the dataset I have.;)
As far as emissions, I have no idea if it would meet laws everywhere, but it probably wouldn't, in California, since it *is* a 10 year old car. Where I am there aren't any emission tests. But I am sure it is at least as efficient/clean as 50% of what I see driving around, so I don't really see that as much of an issue, given all of the other factors.
It's not just a car, it's a Scion, you insensitive, un-trendy clod!*;)
*(...writes the recent EX owner of a Toyota, who really digs his 10 yr old Saturn SW2, that gets better gas mileage for $2K than most all of these over-hyped "green" cars... Hey, just saying!)
Remember to find yourself (after you find that 30% efficient cell, which I don't think anyone is really commercially producing yet) a cloud-free, sunny day, and to keep the face of that panel at 90* to the suns rays at all times, or the power drop will be so precipitous that your laptop won't even charge.
I've lived with solar for 4 years now; it provides the 12V for my boat systems - charging, lights, radio, etc... Experience solar in the real-world for a while, and you will find that basically you need a lot more panel than you'd think (especially based on manufacturers claims), or your solar electrical generating system will run less than optimally.
It takes work and a bit of sacrifice, to use solar. I had to lower my boats "energy budget" to below 25aH/day in order to ensure that I can scrape by on the output from a single 100W panel. That's fine for me, being a minimalist, but most folks wouldn't want to do it, not enough to give up most all of their 'conveniences'.
Maybe I should get my calculator out before continuing?
That might help, but moreso - doing some research into real-world applications will teach you more than anything else...
Solar panels may produce electricity from non-direct light, but it isn't much. With a panel that small, I would be surprised if it would produce even millivolts, without direct lighting. I managed to wear down the 200+aH house battery bank on my boat over the course of 7-10 days primarily just by using the radio, when my relatively large 80W solar panel was set obliquely to the sun. That is the reason many cruising sailors use devices like the James Baldwin's Solar Tracker. You NEED to keep the panel face approx 90* to the suns rays in order to consistently produce usable amounts of electricity.
So many people living 'on the grid' tout solar as the new energy source that will solve all our problems, but when you've lived with it for a few years, you will begin to understand and appreciate some of the inherent limitations. That is the reason that most cruising sailors (people with experience living OFF the grid, completely, for months or even years at a time) use a combination of energy-producing methods instead of just one. Solar and wind (via small windmill-type generators) are the most common methods.
Look at the pic with TFA. There, behind the pretty flowers, revealed only by use of the Magic Translucent Paper, are what appear to be....
Frickin' sharks with frickin' lasers on their frickin' heads!
Apparently, Dr. Evil Ballmer has some type of plan to make MILLIONS off of this new technology...
Re:blah the emporer has his new clothes on again.
on
The Walking House
·
· Score: 1
I remember the last time that happened, during the Great Drought of...
HEY! You kids get off my lawn!!!
Now, what was I saying?
:D
Re:blah the emporer has his new clothes on again.
on
The Walking House
·
· Score: 1
Takes a lot of outboard fuel to motor even just one "all day and all night", much less to cross an ocean, or a bay, or even to spend just a week traveling. Sails are cheaper, no doubt. A quality set can last several years, if, like a motor, they are taken care of and maintained.
Also, a lot has changed in 20 years. That same small o/b will *easily* cost you north of $800 today. If you are on the cheap, a used windsurfer mast makes a great $0-$50 spar for a dinghy, and people are making sails from all sorts of affordable materials now; Tyvek housewrap, blue tarps, Mylar space blankets, etc... Google up "PD Racers" for a great example of small, cheap sailboats - butt ugly, dirt cheap, simple and easy to both build and sail, but folks are making some surprisingly long journeys on them. 3 or 4 or more completed the Texas 200 rally this year. Neat stuff.:)
Re:blah the emporer has his new clothes on again.
on
The Walking House
·
· Score: 1
you'll want to be near a big city in a marina with internet...
Only just long enough to get to a point where I don't have to...:D
Blasphemy it might seem to many here, but a deserted shore, or an "empty" sea far from 'peeps' and 'teh intertubes' is MORE than *of interest* to me. Those places away from big cities and marinas are richer in life and living than you might guess, even if they don't have broadband. Yes, it is hard to believe, but from experience, I can tell you its true. 3 times.
Over the horizon, just Being, out of sight of land, that is where I have passed some of the richest days of my life. I understand it's not for everyone, but it does work very well for me. Try it sometime - it might be something you find to be of inestimable vale as well.
Remember: There's a whole world out there, past our computer screens...:)
Re:blah the emporer has his new clothes on again.
on
The Walking House
·
· Score: 5, Informative
Hard to distill all this for quick posting and easy digestion, but I'll try... Pardon me in advance for any sweeping generalizations; specific knowledge can be gained through further research.:) Anyone with further Q's can feel free to message me.
eBay, Craigslist, your local paper, and inquisitiveness while dock-walking will help you find a good boat for cheap. There are also lots of websites and books about restoring and living with older boats. One website which comes to mind is The Plastic Classic Forum, which deals almost exclusively with sailboats. Reading that site will lead you to many others, both forum-style, and personal sites.
DON'T be in a hurry; bide your time and do research while you get to know the market. Time is your friend; an good old boat is *not* getting more expensive...:)
Some quick notes: Basically, the 3 biggest factors determining price will be size, age, and condition. A 4th factor of importance is 'how eager is the seller'.
Unless you already have, or are willing to learn (a LOT), a wooden boat would probably not be your best choice. They are labor intensive and require specialized knowledge, even for maintenance. (They can be great if you have that, though.) Metal boats are similar - floating in electrolyte can take a huge toll on metal. FRP/Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic/fiberglass boats are the easiest to take care of, especially for someone new to boats. For this reason, I will concentrate on these.
Size: Smaller is easier, cheaper, and if you've been around boats/marinas for very long, you may well come to the conclusion that they are easier to use. From personal observation, it seems that the larger a boat is, the less it leaves the dock, as a general rule. 25' LOA (length overall) seems to be about the smallest size that you will commonly see people living on (that's how big my boat is, but I am a huge proponent of the KISS principle). On the upper end, you won't find many people singlehanding boats over, say, 45-50' LOA.
Age: FRP boats built prior to the first oil embargo in the early '70's are in the opinion of many the best FRP boats. Reasoning for that is the quality of resin used by production boat builders dropped when oil prices soared due to the embargo. Also, boats built then tend to be overbuilt, especially compared to today: the material was relatively new, so builders weren't sure how much material to use, and erred on the side of caution. FRP boats from the mid 70's up until the late 80's/early 90's commonly suffer 'blistering' problems (where water penetrates the hull via osmosis) that are expensive and difficult to fix.
Condition: The worse shape a boat is in, the longer its been neglected, the cheaper it will be. Look for something that has not been used in years; you will have to pay out of pocket for new gear, but many times on older boats, if you are smart, you will replace most of the older stuff anyway.:) Often you can find a boat that is basically just a hull (from a usability standpoint) for only a few hundred dollars. Stay away from 'cored' hulls, generally - you want solid fiberglass, because core almost invariably gets wet, rots, and has to be replaced. Cored decks can also be a problem, but are fixable relatively cheaply.
Good luck with your search, let me know how it goes, or if I can be of further help.:)
Re:blah the emporer has his new clothes on again.
on
The Walking House
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
My sailboat - made of FRP, 40 years old, a classic with a sound hull and rig - cost less than $5K to buy, and I will have less than $15K in her when she is completely fixed up, including replacement of all wiring, subsystems, etc... She uses solar and wind, and is just fine living off the grid. For ease of access, though, it costs less than $300/month to stay tied up to a marina dock. Mechanical propulsion, when needed, is provided by a small outboard which consumes only 1/4 gallon/hour at full speed. She is capable and able to go nearly anywhere in the world that there is a water depth of 3.5 feet or more. Floods only give her more places to go.;)
There are many many hundreds if not thousands of older boats - power and sail - out there which get destroyed or sink due to neglect every year. With some due diligence, anyone can find a very sound vessel to start with, "recycling" in a sense, and living a lifestyle which has a very small 'footprint' of consumables. Why pay $50K for a home as small as a small boat, that can only traverse land (and that, slowly...), and which is absolutely dependent upon the grid?
Of special note is the fact that few marinas will have a true geek/nerd/IT pro in residence. Yet nearly all of them now have office computers, websites, and wireless networks - all things which can benefit from knowledgeable attention. Your skills and knowledge can make the cost of marina living a trivial sum, reducing your "existence tax" even more...;)
Putting "Bill Gates" in the name field here returns "Smugglin' Hubert Cutler" as the result, appropriately enough...:) Even better, though, "Steve Ballmer" becomes "Sea Monkey Baird"!
Slashdot Mirror
...but Sun and/or Macromedia don't push Java/Flash onto your machine in stealth mode. If you don't have them, then you must make the effort to install them yourself. Yep, that's right - it is Your Choice to install them or not. They don't just show up because Sun or MM think you might need them...
Not to mention the fact that both Java and Flash are easily removable via the Add/Remove/Uninstall/Change Programs list. Or whatever it's called in Vista.
I don't think they "broadcast" it per se, but the network does track them; it has to, in order to know which other tower to hand off the signal to if the phone is moving. Someone who gained access to the system enough to read any messages they'd like would, I'd think, also be able to get individual phone tracking info from the network.
Disclaimer: I am not in the cell phone industry, these are just things I have gleaned from reading over the years. I'm sure someone with exact knowledge will chime in soon.
No, this is the sort of thing which makes "Idiocracy" seem to be an insightful and predictive documentary...
I was thinking the same thing. The Free For All (FFA), "shoot everything and everybody" style of BZ Flag seems most popular - most of the servers listed will be that type of game.
However, if you prefer a more 1-on-1 (or up to 4-on-4) strategic type of play that also involves more skill, be sure to get on the "Ducati-style" Capture the Flag (CTF) servers. Warning: lots of "old timers" are CTF fanatics, and have been playing for years, with skill to match. The learning curve in Duc-style CTF is very steep, but very rewarding.
There is even CTF League play available, in several formats. League matches between teams can be as short as 15 minutes. But it is an *intense* 15 minutes. :)
And for the AC above, the Players *are* Humans, they just happen to be inside of tanks. ;)
SCO has a market cap of just over $3 million. IIRC, McDonald's Corp is one of their major customers. That $3mil is pocket change for the $66.95 billion market cap McD's Corp.
What if McDonald's buys SCO? McD's could hire a couple devs (since that is all SCO needs, apparently..) for maintenance and some support personnel, then service their own stores as well as other existing customers. Maybe they'd wind up saving, if not making, some money in a few years. Perhaps give Darl a store to manage...
Heh. :)
Point being, with a market cap of only $3mil, SCO and anything they have/own are basically chump change for a real corporation. So, if the judges (have) let this happen, then, and I hate to even think of it, we'll see this zombie keep stumbling forward...
You are assuming that what they claim, is what they can - and will - deliver.
I've yet to see a battery that lasted as long as the person who sold it claimed it would. 8 hours? Is that in standby, or in use? I would wager that the "actively in use" time will probably be closer to that 5 hour figure. That still isn't bad, I know. But people are just taking that claim at face value, and it just doesn't make sense.
Unless, of course, Apple has indeed produced a battery that is magically 3X better than the 'industry standard', in which case they should forget laptops for a bit, and get busy putting all the other battery companies out of business, ASAP.
Think about it: a battery that is 3X better than current technology, and they are only going to use it in a relatively high-end laptop with a small user base?
I think not. Occam's Razor.
If their battery technology is three times better than 'industry standard', why don't they go into the battery business? They could make a *mint*.
Something doesn't seem right. Think about it...
If they could make batteries *that* much better, the world would be their oyster. Laptops, portable electronics, cars, wind-generated power storage systems, etc... The end uses are limitless, and would make them a TON more money than what they will realize from laptop sales.
I think that instead, their marketing claims might be "three times better", and that's about it... ;)
Plus, this 'fix' will adversely affect the battery, shortening it's life and/or lessening capacity. Draining a battery to dead flat is never good. Having to do it to 'fix' a bug is like adding insult to injury (to Zune owners).
Cue the DMCA takedown notice in 5, 4, 3... ;)
Thanks, NYCL. I hope that making this transcript available does something to help make the **AA strategists have to adjust to this "new" internet technology in a way more beneficent to all, instead of just trying to sue the pants off anyone who they think might have crossed their rather arbitrary lines...
I'd guess that 'black hats' are glowing because this gives them a good jump on:
1) finding out which security holes still exist from prior MS work, and
2) a good look at the "new" OS structure to find out what other holes might be there, well before final release...
If you throw a wad of paper in there while holding the Shift key, does it disappear forever?
:D
Now *THAT* would be cool to see.
And as a *Former* resident of Oahu, my biggest question when I read the summary was:
;)
Will these electric cars be running around uninsured like so many other cars are on Oahu?
:D Just kidding, kinda - the insurance rates are ridiculous there! (Which explains why so many people don't bother to carry it...) Maybe *that* oughta be fixed, first. Then they can get to work on those windmills up by Turtle Bay that never seemed to be turning whenever I drove by...
The 2nd time I lived there I commuted by bike. What a great place for that, especially once they finished the bike path by Kam Highway. Great place to live, miss the surf, and the biking. Aloha!
Amazing how relatively little mechanical work can make such a big difference, isn't it? Good job!
It's due to my 'system' for shopping: Figure out what I want, refine that choice to find out what will be the best bang for my buck, and then be vigilant, patient, and ready to pay. I told the former owner of this car 14 months before I bought it that I wanted to buy it, when they were ready to sell. They set the price; basically the trade-in value for this area, what they would have gotten from a dealer. So, Yes, it was a good deal. :) 'Retail' value is about double what my cost was, which is still only 10-20% of the cost of a new vehicle with similar specs.
I've actually made money on the last 4 or 5 cars I've owned, doing it this way. :D It also helps to not be scared to turn a wrench, and to know which bolt to turn with it; kind of like computers, that way. The things are so expensive to fix that for lots of people buying new is cheaper, so with a little know-how and a willingness to jump in, you can come out far ahead of the game on some deals, and usually at least a little ahead on all the others.
Actually, the crash test data for the SW2 is not bad at all, and in fact, better than the Yaris, with the possible exception of a (highly unlikely for a small, low slung wagon) rollover. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.internetautoguide.com/crash-tests/09-int/1999/saturn/s-series/index.html
http://www.internetautoguide.com/crash-tests/99-int/2008/toyota/yaris/liftback-hatchback/3005/index.html
I get better gas mileage than the Yaris, too. I'm up over 32 mpg on the current tank, and half of that driving has been city.
The SW2 is plenty comfortable to drive. I've been driving for 24 years - in several VW bugs and vans, Plymouths (Horizon and LeBaron), Honda Accord, Mazda 323 Wagon, Toyota 4Runner, small Ford pickup - and those are just vehicles I've owned. The SW2 is not an uncomfortable car, at all, based on the dataset I have. ;)
As far as emissions, I have no idea if it would meet laws everywhere, but it probably wouldn't, in California, since it *is* a 10 year old car. Where I am there aren't any emission tests. But I am sure it is at least as efficient/clean as 50% of what I see driving around, so I don't really see that as much of an issue, given all of the other factors.
It's not just a car, it's a Scion , you insensitive, un-trendy clod!* ;)
*(...writes the recent EX owner of a Toyota, who really digs his 10 yr old Saturn SW2, that gets better gas mileage for $2K than most all of these over-hyped "green" cars... Hey, just saying!)
Remember to find yourself (after you find that 30% efficient cell, which I don't think anyone is really commercially producing yet) a cloud-free, sunny day, and to keep the face of that panel at 90* to the suns rays at all times, or the power drop will be so precipitous that your laptop won't even charge.
I've lived with solar for 4 years now; it provides the 12V for my boat systems - charging, lights, radio, etc... Experience solar in the real-world for a while, and you will find that basically you need a lot more panel than you'd think (especially based on manufacturers claims), or your solar electrical generating system will run less than optimally.
It takes work and a bit of sacrifice, to use solar. I had to lower my boats "energy budget" to below 25aH/day in order to ensure that I can scrape by on the output from a single 100W panel. That's fine for me, being a minimalist, but most folks wouldn't want to do it, not enough to give up most all of their 'conveniences'.
Maybe I should get my calculator out before continuing?
That might help, but moreso - doing some research into real-world applications will teach you more than anything else...
Solar panels may produce electricity from non-direct light, but it isn't much. With a panel that small, I would be surprised if it would produce even millivolts, without direct lighting. I managed to wear down the 200+aH house battery bank on my boat over the course of 7-10 days primarily just by using the radio, when my relatively large 80W solar panel was set obliquely to the sun. That is the reason many cruising sailors use devices like the James Baldwin's Solar Tracker. You NEED to keep the panel face approx 90* to the suns rays in order to consistently produce usable amounts of electricity.
So many people living 'on the grid' tout solar as the new energy source that will solve all our problems, but when you've lived with it for a few years, you will begin to understand and appreciate some of the inherent limitations. That is the reason that most cruising sailors (people with experience living OFF the grid, completely, for months or even years at a time) use a combination of energy-producing methods instead of just one. Solar and wind (via small windmill-type generators) are the most common methods.
Look at the pic with TFA. There, behind the pretty flowers, revealed only by use of the Magic Translucent Paper, are what appear to be....
Frickin' sharks with frickin' lasers on their frickin' heads!
Apparently, Dr. Evil Ballmer has some type of plan to make MILLIONS off of this new technology...
I remember the last time that happened, during the Great Drought of...
HEY! You kids get off my lawn!!!
Now, what was I saying?
:D
Takes a lot of outboard fuel to motor even just one "all day and all night", much less to cross an ocean, or a bay, or even to spend just a week traveling. Sails are cheaper, no doubt. A quality set can last several years, if, like a motor, they are taken care of and maintained.
:)
Also, a lot has changed in 20 years. That same small o/b will *easily* cost you north of $800 today. If you are on the cheap, a used windsurfer mast makes a great $0-$50 spar for a dinghy, and people are making sails from all sorts of affordable materials now; Tyvek housewrap, blue tarps, Mylar space blankets, etc... Google up "PD Racers" for a great example of small, cheap sailboats - butt ugly, dirt cheap, simple and easy to both build and sail, but folks are making some surprisingly long journeys on them. 3 or 4 or more completed the Texas 200 rally this year. Neat stuff.
you'll want to be near a big city in a marina with internet...
Only just long enough to get to a point where I don't have to...
Blasphemy it might seem to many here, but a deserted shore, or an "empty" sea far from 'peeps' and 'teh intertubes' is MORE than *of interest* to me. Those places away from big cities and marinas are richer in life and living than you might guess, even if they don't have broadband. Yes, it is hard to believe, but from experience, I can tell you its true. 3 times.
Over the horizon, just Being, out of sight of land, that is where I have passed some of the richest days of my life. I understand it's not for everyone, but it does work very well for me. Try it sometime - it might be something you find to be of inestimable vale as well.
Remember: There's a whole world out there, past our computer screens...
Hard to distill all this for quick posting and easy digestion, but I'll try... Pardon me in advance for any sweeping generalizations; specific knowledge can be gained through further research. :) Anyone with further Q's can feel free to message me.
eBay, Craigslist, your local paper, and inquisitiveness while dock-walking will help you find a good boat for cheap. There are also lots of websites and books about restoring and living with older boats. One website which comes to mind is The Plastic Classic Forum, which deals almost exclusively with sailboats. Reading that site will lead you to many others, both forum-style, and personal sites.
DON'T be in a hurry; bide your time and do research while you get to know the market. Time is your friend; an good old boat is *not* getting more expensive... :)
Some quick notes: Basically, the 3 biggest factors determining price will be size, age, and condition. A 4th factor of importance is 'how eager is the seller'.
Unless you already have, or are willing to learn (a LOT), a wooden boat would probably not be your best choice. They are labor intensive and require specialized knowledge, even for maintenance. (They can be great if you have that, though.) Metal boats are similar - floating in electrolyte can take a huge toll on metal. FRP/Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic/fiberglass boats are the easiest to take care of, especially for someone new to boats. For this reason, I will concentrate on these.
Size: Smaller is easier, cheaper, and if you've been around boats/marinas for very long, you may well come to the conclusion that they are easier to use. From personal observation, it seems that the larger a boat is, the less it leaves the dock, as a general rule. 25' LOA (length overall) seems to be about the smallest size that you will commonly see people living on (that's how big my boat is, but I am a huge proponent of the KISS principle). On the upper end, you won't find many people singlehanding boats over, say, 45-50' LOA.
Age: FRP boats built prior to the first oil embargo in the early '70's are in the opinion of many the best FRP boats. Reasoning for that is the quality of resin used by production boat builders dropped when oil prices soared due to the embargo. Also, boats built then tend to be overbuilt, especially compared to today: the material was relatively new, so builders weren't sure how much material to use, and erred on the side of caution. FRP boats from the mid 70's up until the late 80's/early 90's commonly suffer 'blistering' problems (where water penetrates the hull via osmosis) that are expensive and difficult to fix.
Condition: The worse shape a boat is in, the longer its been neglected, the cheaper it will be. Look for something that has not been used in years; you will have to pay out of pocket for new gear, but many times on older boats, if you are smart, you will replace most of the older stuff anyway. :) Often you can find a boat that is basically just a hull (from a usability standpoint) for only a few hundred dollars. Stay away from 'cored' hulls, generally - you want solid fiberglass, because core almost invariably gets wet, rots, and has to be replaced. Cored decks can also be a problem, but are fixable relatively cheaply.
Good luck with your search, let me know how it goes, or if I can be of further help. :)
My sailboat - made of FRP, 40 years old, a classic with a sound hull and rig - cost less than $5K to buy, and I will have less than $15K in her when she is completely fixed up, including replacement of all wiring, subsystems, etc... She uses solar and wind, and is just fine living off the grid. For ease of access, though, it costs less than $300/month to stay tied up to a marina dock. Mechanical propulsion, when needed, is provided by a small outboard which consumes only 1/4 gallon/hour at full speed. She is capable and able to go nearly anywhere in the world that there is a water depth of 3.5 feet or more. Floods only give her more places to go. ;)
;)
There are many many hundreds if not thousands of older boats - power and sail - out there which get destroyed or sink due to neglect every year. With some due diligence, anyone can find a very sound vessel to start with, "recycling" in a sense, and living a lifestyle which has a very small 'footprint' of consumables. Why pay $50K for a home as small as a small boat, that can only traverse land (and that, slowly...), and which is absolutely dependent upon the grid?
Of special note is the fact that few marinas will have a true geek/nerd/IT pro in residence. Yet nearly all of them now have office computers, websites, and wireless networks - all things which can benefit from knowledgeable attention. Your skills and knowledge can make the cost of marina living a trivial sum, reducing your "existence tax" even more...
Putting "Bill Gates" in the name field here returns "Smugglin' Hubert Cutler" as the result, appropriately enough... :) Even better, though, "Steve Ballmer" becomes "Sea Monkey Baird"!
;)
Sea Monkey! lol
Hey! Is that a flying chai.. OOF...