There's an easy way to determine whether documentation serves a purpose or is just horse shit. Put yourself in the place of some poor slob picking up the documentation 5 or 10 (or even 50) years from now, and decide whether reading what you're writing would be useful to them. If it would be, it's useful. If you'd skip over it as something that was judged by how much it weighed, it's garbage.
Not true. Process and procedures change as technology and organizations change. Hardly anything is useful 5 to 10 years out. However, that in no way invalidates it's usefulness today. I work in networking and a snapshot of the network design today is invaluable when troubleshooting problems. 5 to 10 years down the line, the same documentation would be useless without updates.
I'm mostly a hardware guy. I've worked in places where the documentation was awful and caused many problems. I've also worked in places where there was endless procedure and process, and while the documentatin weighed enough to satisfy project managers and process fetishists, it was often wrong.
This is the crux of the problem with most documentation, inaccuracy and failure to keep it updated. Documentation needs to be periodically reviewed and updated. The problem is that most scientists and IT professionals are results oriented and they give no value to documentation. They then complain when they keep getting interrupted to explain technical details. They don't understand that good documentation goes a long way towards freeing them up for other things. It may take a couple of hours to write up a good document, but they get many more hours back due to reduced support calls.
Documentation and procedures (oops, I mean process) has gone from something that's a means to an end, to a fetish that justifies the existence of buzzword spouters. ISO9000 anyone?
As I understand it, ISO9000 is simply a certification that says that you have a process defined and that you actually follow it. It doesn't say anything about whether the process is good, bad, efficient, inefficient, redundant, etc. Having all of your processes documented makes it easier to spin up new employees, deploy new business management systems (i.e. ERP), etc. Just because it doesn't seem to have any value to you, doesn't mean that it's a means to an end. It could be that you have an imperfect view of the business and, as a result, not understand the use-case scenarios.
I would say the majority of people I know still wear watches. They don't have battery life measured in days, they can be taken swimming or into environments that you would be scared of damaging a phone, don't need to be turned off on a plane or in a meeting and don't get confiscated at the front door of security rated buildings that don't permit phones or electronic devices inside (a problem for me), easy to check in a theatre without pissing off others etc etc. As for a smart watch, well I can't really seeing them fitting with a large audience. They are "likely" to have limited battery life, are too small for any usefull amounts of information on screen and if they have internet connectivity then it is one more item I have to hand in at building security:-(.
I understand why you would need to wear a watch if you are constantly entering a high security area for work (wouldn't a smart-watch also be confiscated this type of environment?). It also would explain why your friends and colleagues wear watches. But, this environment applies to a small minority of the population.
The majority of people I know do not wear watches on a daily basis. In fact, it isn't just a majority, it's around 99%. The only time that I see anyone wearing a watch is during a special occasion (i.e. weddings, funerals, etc.) and they are worn as style to go with their suits. These watches tend not to be digital as they were chosen for style, not function. A smart-watch would not appeal to this crowd.
I don't think anyone is disputing that people wear watches occasionally. Most guys have that one watch that they wear with their one suit, updating both occasionally. However, the majority of the population do not wear watches on a daily basis, so any smart-watch technology would have a limited market (fitness, geeks, etc.).
Besides, I thought the geek dream was a wrist communicator (i.e. video conferencing) and not a smart-watch.....
"I thought my passthought. But maybe I didn't think it the right way. Let me try again..."
Just what we need, an even more complicated and harder to use apparatus with a reduced probability of correctly identifying the right user.
Since when is "works correctly 99% of the time" good enough for an authentication system?
And what happens to the success rate if your brain chemistry and/or thought patterns change?
We know that changes take place in the brain during puberty, pregnancy, when in love, stress, medical conditions, etc. I'm curious if their testing included these scenarios. Granted, it would prevent drive-by tweeting if people would have to calm down before they could login... (grin)
People don't need to upgrade. Anyone with a Windows 7 system has everything they need for home computing. Only the outliers need the latest and greatest hardware (gaming, video editing, etc.). Everyone else is perfectly happy surfing on their tablets and using a Windows 7 desktop/laptop for their financial software, homework, day-to-day work, etc. Most people use their tablets or consoles for gaming.
Anyone who is technical savvy who complains about the Windows 8 GUI as being the reason for not upgrading, needs to turn in their geek cred. It is ridiculously easy to find a start menu replacement and configure it to boot to the desktop.
If you have Apple's pile of cash, getting a fab is pretty damn easy. You just hire people who know exactly what they are doing. If you scramble, you can have blueprints and permits done in a month, all the POs and contracts can be signed by next month, and you can break the ground and go ahead. All it takes is focused people who know exactly what it takes in their discipline -- architects, process engineers, building site managers, etc.
Seriously?? LOL...
I used to work for a company that builds the robots/machines required for fabs. It would take 6 to 12 months just to spin up extra capacity in an existing fab. Most fabs took at least 2 years to build, from planning to production. In addition, it then takes another year or so to improve chip yields to get the plant at maximum efficiency. And this is working with major chip manufacturers with experienced personnel already on their payroll and with huge budgets. For Apple to build a fab, it would take them much longer as they would be literally starting from scratch with hiring fab managers, etc.
I think that most comments are missing the fact that this is an article on a security web site which will be used to sell CEOs on the latest in security platforms. It's pure marketing, which means that it doesn't have to be logical or adhere to real world facts.
I agree that it should have never made it to Slashdot. However, it is interesting to read silly articles like this from time to time to remind ourselves where management gets their ideas about security.
Seriously, I guess I must have missed something because I was too busy playing advanced (for the time) FPS games such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, Quake, Unreal, Diablo, Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and various AD&D style RPGs. Prior to this I had played the various Sierra games as well as the Tex Murphy series (now that was a funny game).
I chalk this up to nostalgia, rather than the games being better than any other games from the same era.
As an employer, I try to set aside the fact that college graduates have wasted years being spoon-fed when they could have been out in the real world inventing things, learning from experience, etc.
Colleges aren't designed to "spoon feed" students, that's high school. The purpose of college is to teach students analytical skill, presentation skill, learning skills, and a broad knowledge of the subject matter. In addition, most college students gain real world experience through summer and part-time jobs, while working on their education. Granted, there are some who just go to party, but they are in the minority. Saying that these are "wasted years" is naive at best.
That's more difficult for someone with a masters, and almost impossible for someone with a PhD.
What you are saying here is complete nonsense. Most of the Biotech breakthroughs have been by scientists with Masters and PhD degrees. The same goes for computer chips and CPU advancements. The majority of advancements and breakthroughs come from highly intelligent and educated people in all fields.
The number of high end degrees that walk in and end up walking right back out again because they have no real world programming skills is very high. There are exceptions, of course, but they are rare. When it comes to collections of practical skills, college grads tend to be on the very short side.
I agree that a college student does not have the same skills as someone with 5 years of experience. But they have proven that they can and will learn. Are you providing an environment where they can be brought up to speed quickly (i.e. mentoring, code walk-through, language training, etc)? Or are you dumping them in front of a computer and telling them to just start programming?
If people are cycling in and out of jobs at your company on a regular basis, this tells me that either the culture needs to be fixed or the pay is not at market rates.
Personally, I would never want to be part of a team where the manager or employer wasn't mature enough to recognize that people with different experiences will have different talents that help balance off the team.
It is a reference to the 80's movie, "Weekend at Bernie's".
If my memory serves, Bernie was a boss who had a vacation beach home and he invited his 20 something staff out for the weekend of sun. He ends up dying of a heart attack while in bed with a woman. The staff didn't want this to ruin their beach weekend so they pretend like he is still alive.
I agree. Monday is hard enough without having to decrypt Slashdot articles.
I used to enjoy playing around with cryptography and letter substitution when I was 12, but I've since matured enough to understand that in most cases it is more trouble than it is worth. As an April fools joke, it is childish, at best. Perhaps the adults will be back in charge tomorrow...
Dude, Steve Jobs tooks Pixar where it went, from an in-house digital effects firm for ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) into what it became: a Hollywood powerhouse that took in Lasseter and made Toy Story and other blockbusters. .
Sure Canon invented the m.o. drive in the NeXT machine; I made no claim that Jobs invented it. Jobs didn't invent USB even though he put it into the iMac fruit-colored all-in-one '040 machines that ran system 7 or 8. Jobs didn't invent firewire but he put those into Powerbooks and Powermacs. Jobs didn't invent ethernet but he created ethernet dongles for 68040-based Mac IIci machines. He may not have invented those things, and he didn't invent the macintosh, but he was the prime mover behind the creation and marketing and success of those things on consumer-grade hardware.
I love revisionist history. - The majority of PCs had USB in them prior to the iMac all-in-one computers. - Ethernet was hardware and software around before the dongle created for the IIci. - Firewire was heavily pushed by Apple and Steve Jobs, but it only found a niche market in video editing.
USB and Ethernet would have succeeded in the personal computer space with or without Apple. Firewire would have died on the vine a lot sooner than it did.
CEOs have a lot of experience at driving companies in the ground and asking for bailouts.
And unfortunately innovative bail-out strategies are more important skill for US business than running a company that actually invents cool stuff.
The detroit automaker bailouts proved that. Rather than let them fail so the dozen small US automakers with near-production-ready electric cars and motorcycles could compete (and buy the factories and hire the talent they need in the big-3-bankruptcy sales), the government keeps bailing out the "too-big-to-fail" automakers who proved they can't invent a decent car if their very existance depends on it.
Good thing (for them) that it doesn't. Bailouts are a far easier way to get big bonuses than doing actual good work.
Actually, the interesting thing is that if the Government hadn't bailed out the Detroit auto makers, Ford would be the only one left intact. They didn't take a bailout and were able to ride out to the storm. GM and Chrysler would have had to go through the Bankruptcy process.
Off the top of my head you will need the following basics:
1. Computers (desktop boxes, laptops, etc.) 2. Displays (they don't necessarily come with donated desktop boxes) 3. Cables (Power, video, network) 4. Printer with LINUX/UNIX drivers (preferably networked) 5. Network devices (switch, router, WiFi) 6. External USB storage device (i.e. for backing things up, moving files) 7. Media (i.e. CD or DVD, will have to match drives in computers) 8. UPS/surge protectors (If power sucks, you'll need UPS)
Check into whether the equipment that you send is sold in the area. It makes no sense to send a Canon printer if you can't find ink/toner replacements in the region. Also, Make sure you understand the power requirements for the region (i.e. 120v vs 240v, plug type, etc.)
There are two thoughts behind computer labs.
- The first is that you use individual hardware for each user, not only teaching about UNIX, but also teaching about computer hardware. The primary issue here is that you would need to find UNIX drivers for each hardware combination (i.e. donated hardware rarely has the same components). It's not difficult, but it can take time. Most labs tend to buy the exact same equipment to avoid this issue.
- The second is to buy workstation class PCs with a ton of memory (i.e. 24GB+), storage (i.e. 3TB), and dual quad core CPUs (8x CPUs) and run the free version of VMWare ESXi. This would allow you to train on UNIX using multiple virtual instances without worrying about the underlying hardware, finding drivers, etc. The lab users would gain an understanding of installing and using UNIX but would learn very little about computer hardware. The plus side about this is that it could be used to train any OS or application as each VM is only limited by it's configuration. You would still need workstations for each student, but they would just be used as consoles into the VM environment. They wouldn't have to be rebuilt each time.
One of the issues that you should also be thinking about is who is going to maintain the lab once you and your students have left? Make sure that you make time to train at least two people at the school on how to manage the lab.
And it's still more faithful to Star Trek than that J.J. Abrams abomination.
You're entitled to your opinion. Personally I preferred the J.J. Abrams version over all of the STTNG movies and series. In STTNG they adhered to the Prime Directive like it was a religion and relied on diplomacy and technology to solve all problems. At least with the J. J. Abrams version, we have a crew that knows that sometimes you need to break the rules, more like the original Star Trek series.
Thus, the *correct* way to appraise say mp3 is with very good speakers in a treated listening room
No it isn't. At least most of the time it isn't, though that result would be interesting.
If I'm trying to decide whether to archive my CDs to MP3 or FLAC, I don't give a rat's ass what it sounds like with great monitors in a treated listening room, because that's not where I listen to music. If my speakers give a non-linear result that amplifies the distortions from compression, that's what matters; not what it sounds like in an ideal situation.
Do both.... When I converted my CD collection I used FLAC and the converted the FLAC to MP3 VBR 320kbps. I then archived the FLAC on to DVD discs and put all of my CDs in storage. My thinking was that I would use MP3s for now and, when audio players had enough storage, switch over to FLAC. Plus it also gave me a lossless backup in case my MP3 files became corrupted. I would just have to reconvert them again rather than having to run through my whole CD library.
When converting my CD collection I first used FLAC and then converted the FLACs to MP3 VBR 320kbps. I've listened to both and can't tell the difference. With Lossy, a high bitrate definitely is better. I can quickly tell if an MP3 has a bitrate of 192kbps or lower. I've also been buying MP3s from Amazon at 256kbps or higher and I've purposefully stayed away from iTunes (originally due to DRM and low bitrates).
Of course, it makes a difference in the playback equipment. I replaced the manufacturers Bose system in my car with a Kenwood + Infinity Reference speakers. The sound quality difference was like night and day. I'm now hearing a greater range of sound with clear separation, and this is with my Lossy MP3s on an iPod. Personally, I would prefer to use a Creative Labs MP3 player (better quality sound) but Kenwood only offers an iPod connector kit and only the iPod works with playlists, etc. with control from the deck.
Twenty years ago, though, it sure seemed ok to me. And I'd like to remind people, that a hundred years ago, the norm for watches was that they went into pockets, and from there we shifted to wearables. This really happened. This happened, upon a medium of civilization full of people just like you. How/why? Unless you can explain why the fashion changed from pocket to wrist back then, then I'm not sure I can accept arguments for how it can't change again.
All that said, just like everyone else, I don't think I want one. My point is that it's hard to predict whether or not the prevailing opinion will persist.
The Wikipedia article that you referenced actually has a good explanation for the change from pocket watches to wrist watches. Women wore wrist watches as jewelry, because they didn't have pockets. Men didn't wear them until WWII when: "During the war, soldiers needed access to their watches while their hands were full. ". Wrist watches made telling the time easier while working in a labor or manufacturing based job where your hands were full.
Now, most people, in first world nations at least, no longer work in a manual labour job, so our hands are free to pull out our smartphone, check the time, and catch up on things. Because our hands aren't full most of the time, we no longer need a watch...
got a customer, mid 50s, plays flight sims and surfs, that's it, but somehow he keeps blowing up computers. for some reason he doesn't blow up laptops JUST desktops, and I can't for the life of me figure out HOW he is doing it. Tried putting it on a UPS in case the power was bad? No good, still blew. I have replaced damned near every part in that machine with new parts, new parts that would still be going if it were anybody else, new CPU, new board, new RAM, the only parts I haven't replaced yet is the case and the GPU but I know the GPU is good as it was mine and I baby my gear and never had a single glitch and the case belonged to my oldest boy who gamed on it for ages without a single hiccup.
So I don't get it, how in the fuck can one old guy keep blowing fucking boards like that? Is it possible to have something wrong with a line that can get past a UPS? Correct me if I'm wrong but I was always told a UPS has the PC run off the battery so that any surges or sags wouldn't affect the PC. And the real stumper is the laptop...why isn't it frying? Its an old Atom netbook so its not like this thing is quality but whatever is causing this has affected it not at all, its ONLY the desktops that blow up. I just can't seem to figure this one out as it doesn't seem to matter where the parts come from, whether they are new or used, it always ends with the system just shutting smooth off and never firing up again. Real head scratcher. I have taken his CPUs and slapped them in another board and had them fire right up so I'm pretty sure he is somehow frying out the boards (although I can't find any obvious damage like blown caps) but I just can't figure out HOW, how can one old guy playing 7 year old flight sims blow up a motherboard protected by a UPS?
- What is connected to the computer? Printer etc? Are they on the UPS? - I assume that it is connected to the network via a network cable. Is it going through the UPS or a surge protector? Have you tested/replaced the network cables? How about the internet router? Is it on UPS? - Does he leave the computer on in a hot environment? - What size power supply does it have? I usually use this when I am building a new computer: http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp - Does he do any other work around the computer? For example, does he file metal or something that can cause metal pieces to get into the case? (grin) - Does he have rats, mice, ants, bugs? Is it on the floor with an opening large enough for them to get in?
Usually boards fry for the following reasons:
1. Not enough power. PSU is too small. Usually this damages the PSU as it tries to draw more power than it is designed to handle. 2. Too much power. Surges, etc. either through the PSU or through connected devices. 3. Short Circuit. There is something either in the case or getting into the case causing a short circuit. 4. Heat damage. Computer cooking in room with no ventilation.
...and I'm not interested in buying another one. In fact, I like the fact that I no longer have to wear a watch. My cell phone has become my watch.
My initial thought is that smart watches are being developed to appeal to the fitness industry. The aim is to replace the "feature" watches which record your steps, heart rate, etc. much like smart phones have replaced feature phones.
Now, if they came out with a smart roman arm guard.... After all, it would have enough space for a virtual keyboard.... (grin)
... but I doubt that it will get through her moderation. Some people simply refuse to admit when they have made a mistake...
To Adria Richards,
We all learn as kids how to behave in different situations. For example, we learn to be quiet at the movie theatre but we can be noisy and have fun at camp. Being at a professional conference is no different, everyone is expected to behave in a professional manner. In addition, you represent whoever paid for you to be there. For most people, this is their employer.
In my opinion, the guy's behaviour was crude, inappropiate, and unprofessional and that he should have been called out for it. That being said, it definitely does not rise to the level of sexual harassment, harassment, or any other seriously concerning behaviour as it was a private conversation not directed at anyone in particular. It was simply inappropriate. He basically said the wrong thing, at the wrong place, and the wrong time. We all have done it at one point or another. That doesn't absolve him from responsibility, though.
However, your response was also neither professional, mature, nor appropriate. My sister would have simply turned around, given them a good stare as said "stop acting like a two year old". I understand that you didn't feel comfortable doing this at the time, but there was nothing to stop you from being a professional and going to the back of the room and talking to one of the event personnel. You even had the professional and mature option to simply tweet that you needed to talk to someone from the event.
Instead, what did you do? You took their picture, and publically shamed them, causing one guy to lose his job, however indirectly. Honestly, this is the type of behaviour that I would associate with an immature teenager who is out to get revenge, not a professional.
Again, I agree that the guy's behaviour was inappropriate, but your actions left a lot to be desired as well. My mother always taught me to treat others as I would like to be treated. Is this truely how you would want others to handle your mistakes?
As one professional to another, please take the time to think through your actions and consider that maybe this could have been handled in a more mature and professional manner.
Now as far as Google...why SHOULD you trust them for a service you depend on after Reader?
How quickly they forget... Google announced the retirement of iGoogle in July 2012, a popular service. It's scheduled to be shut down in November. Google Reader is just the most recent service to be put on the chopping block.
The only Google services that you can trust to stay up at this point is Google search, Google Maps and Gmail. Each of these are making money, in some form or another, for the business. iGoogle, Google Reader, etc. do not... Like it or not, Google is now a corporation with a focus on profits and, in my opinion, the decision has been made by management to not give away anything for free unless there is some way to monetize it (i.e. Ad revenue, etc.). In other words, the MBAs have taken over...
Rather than the cracked computer that Grandma hasn't updated since she bought it 8 years ago.
Any cracker should be going through at least 2 levels of zombies he controls that are configured to dump all the logs to/dev/null.
Drone strike on the senior center.
Only two levels of zombies? In the movies there are at least 8 before the trace is cut off, usually because Mom called down to the basement "Dinner's ready"....
Slashdot Mirror
There's an easy way to determine whether documentation serves a purpose or is just horse shit. Put yourself in the place of some poor slob picking up the documentation 5 or 10 (or even 50) years from now, and decide whether reading what you're writing would be useful to them. If it would be, it's useful. If you'd skip over it as something that was judged by how much it weighed, it's garbage.
Not true. Process and procedures change as technology and organizations change. Hardly anything is useful 5 to 10 years out. However, that in no way invalidates it's usefulness today. I work in networking and a snapshot of the network design today is invaluable when troubleshooting problems. 5 to 10 years down the line, the same documentation would be useless without updates.
I'm mostly a hardware guy. I've worked in places where the documentation was awful and caused many problems. I've also worked in places where there was endless procedure and process, and while the documentatin weighed enough to satisfy project managers and process fetishists, it was often wrong.
This is the crux of the problem with most documentation, inaccuracy and failure to keep it updated. Documentation needs to be periodically reviewed and updated. The problem is that most scientists and IT professionals are results oriented and they give no value to documentation. They then complain when they keep getting interrupted to explain technical details. They don't understand that good documentation goes a long way towards freeing them up for other things. It may take a couple of hours to write up a good document, but they get many more hours back due to reduced support calls.
Documentation and procedures (oops, I mean process) has gone from something that's a means to an end, to a fetish that justifies the existence of buzzword spouters. ISO9000 anyone?
As I understand it, ISO9000 is simply a certification that says that you have a process defined and that you actually follow it. It doesn't say anything about whether the process is good, bad, efficient, inefficient, redundant, etc. Having all of your processes documented makes it easier to spin up new employees, deploy new business management systems (i.e. ERP), etc. Just because it doesn't seem to have any value to you, doesn't mean that it's a means to an end. It could be that you have an imperfect view of the business and, as a result, not understand the use-case scenarios.
I would say the majority of people I know still wear watches. They don't have battery life measured in days, they can be taken swimming or into environments that you would be scared of damaging a phone, don't need to be turned off on a plane or in a meeting and don't get confiscated at the front door of security rated buildings that don't permit phones or electronic devices inside (a problem for me), easy to check in a theatre without pissing off others etc etc. As for a smart watch, well I can't really seeing them fitting with a large audience. They are "likely" to have limited battery life, are too small for any usefull amounts of information on screen and if they have internet connectivity then it is one more item I have to hand in at building security :-(.
I understand why you would need to wear a watch if you are constantly entering a high security area for work (wouldn't a smart-watch also be confiscated this type of environment?). It also would explain why your friends and colleagues wear watches. But, this environment applies to a small minority of the population.
The majority of people I know do not wear watches on a daily basis. In fact, it isn't just a majority, it's around 99%. The only time that I see anyone wearing a watch is during a special occasion (i.e. weddings, funerals, etc.) and they are worn as style to go with their suits. These watches tend not to be digital as they were chosen for style, not function. A smart-watch would not appeal to this crowd.
I don't think anyone is disputing that people wear watches occasionally. Most guys have that one watch that they wear with their one suit, updating both occasionally. However, the majority of the population do not wear watches on a daily basis, so any smart-watch technology would have a limited market (fitness, geeks, etc.).
Besides, I thought the geek dream was a wrist communicator (i.e. video conferencing) and not a smart-watch.....
"I thought my passthought. But maybe I didn't think it the right way. Let me try again..."
Just what we need, an even more complicated and harder to use apparatus with a reduced probability of correctly identifying the right user.
Since when is "works correctly 99% of the time" good enough for an authentication system?
And what happens to the success rate if your brain chemistry and/or thought patterns change?
We know that changes take place in the brain during puberty, pregnancy, when in love, stress, medical conditions, etc. I'm curious if their testing included these scenarios. Granted, it would prevent drive-by tweeting if people would have to calm down before they could login... (grin)
Windows 8.
Wrong... Windows 8 is becoming a scapegoat...
People don't need to upgrade. Anyone with a Windows 7 system has everything they need for home computing. Only the outliers need the latest and greatest hardware (gaming, video editing, etc.). Everyone else is perfectly happy surfing on their tablets and using a Windows 7 desktop/laptop for their financial software, homework, day-to-day work, etc. Most people use their tablets or consoles for gaming.
Anyone who is technical savvy who complains about the Windows 8 GUI as being the reason for not upgrading, needs to turn in their geek cred. It is ridiculously easy to find a start menu replacement and configure it to boot to the desktop.
If you have Apple's pile of cash, getting a fab is pretty damn easy. You just hire people who know exactly what they are doing. If you scramble, you can have blueprints and permits done in a month, all the POs and contracts can be signed by next month, and you can break the ground and go ahead. All it takes is focused people who know exactly what it takes in their discipline -- architects, process engineers, building site managers, etc.
Seriously?? LOL...
I used to work for a company that builds the robots/machines required for fabs. It would take 6 to 12 months just to spin up extra capacity in an existing fab. Most fabs took at least 2 years to build, from planning to production. In addition, it then takes another year or so to improve chip yields to get the plant at maximum efficiency. And this is working with major chip manufacturers with experienced personnel already on their payroll and with huge budgets. For Apple to build a fab, it would take them much longer as they would be literally starting from scratch with hiring fab managers, etc.
... are definitely in my computer. I am using Avast! Anti-Virus software.
Just as long as they aren't constantly reading and writing to my SSD drives... If I catch them doing that I will be pissed....
I think that most comments are missing the fact that this is an article on a security web site which will be used to sell CEOs on the latest in security platforms. It's pure marketing, which means that it doesn't have to be logical or adhere to real world facts.
I agree that it should have never made it to Slashdot. However, it is interesting to read silly articles like this from time to time to remind ourselves where management gets their ideas about security.
Seriously, I guess I must have missed something because I was too busy playing advanced (for the time) FPS games such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, Quake, Unreal, Diablo, Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and various AD&D style RPGs. Prior to this I had played the various Sierra games as well as the Tex Murphy series (now that was a funny game).
I chalk this up to nostalgia, rather than the games being better than any other games from the same era.
Locate a black hole and start shooting monkeys at it! "Science can not progress without heaps [of monkeys]"
Isn't this how Planet of the Apes got started.... just saying... I, for one, welcome our new black hole traveling monkey overlords...
As an employer, I try to set aside the fact that college graduates have wasted years being spoon-fed when they could have been out in the real world inventing things, learning from experience, etc.
Colleges aren't designed to "spoon feed" students, that's high school. The purpose of college is to teach students analytical skill, presentation skill, learning skills, and a broad knowledge of the subject matter. In addition, most college students gain real world experience through summer and part-time jobs, while working on their education. Granted, there are some who just go to party, but they are in the minority. Saying that these are "wasted years" is naive at best.
That's more difficult for someone with a masters, and almost impossible for someone with a PhD.
What you are saying here is complete nonsense. Most of the Biotech breakthroughs have been by scientists with Masters and PhD degrees. The same goes for computer chips and CPU advancements. The majority of advancements and breakthroughs come from highly intelligent and educated people in all fields.
The number of high end degrees that walk in and end up walking right back out again because they have no real world programming skills is very high. There are exceptions, of course, but they are rare. When it comes to collections of practical skills, college grads tend to be on the very short side.
I agree that a college student does not have the same skills as someone with 5 years of experience. But they have proven that they can and will learn. Are you providing an environment where they can be brought up to speed quickly (i.e. mentoring, code walk-through, language training, etc)? Or are you dumping them in front of a computer and telling them to just start programming?
If people are cycling in and out of jobs at your company on a regular basis, this tells me that either the culture needs to be fixed or the pay is not at market rates.
Personally, I would never want to be part of a team where the manager or employer wasn't mature enough to recognize that people with different experiences will have different talents that help balance off the team.
Weekend at Stevies?
It is a reference to the 80's movie, "Weekend at Bernie's".
If my memory serves, Bernie was a boss who had a vacation beach home and he invited his 20 something staff out for the weekend of sun. He ends up dying of a heart attack while in bed with a woman. The staff didn't want this to ruin their beach weekend so they pretend like he is still alive.
I agree. Monday is hard enough without having to decrypt Slashdot articles.
I used to enjoy playing around with cryptography and letter substitution when I was 12, but I've since matured enough to understand that in most cases it is more trouble than it is worth. As an April fools joke, it is childish, at best. Perhaps the adults will be back in charge tomorrow...
Dude, Steve Jobs tooks Pixar where it went, from an in-house digital effects firm for ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) into what it became: a Hollywood powerhouse that took in Lasseter and made Toy Story and other blockbusters.
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Sure Canon invented the m.o. drive in the NeXT machine; I made no claim that Jobs invented it. Jobs didn't invent USB even though he put it into the iMac fruit-colored all-in-one '040 machines that ran system 7 or 8. Jobs didn't invent firewire but he put those into Powerbooks and Powermacs. Jobs didn't invent ethernet but he created ethernet dongles for 68040-based Mac IIci machines. He may not have invented those things, and he didn't invent the macintosh, but he was the prime mover behind the creation and marketing and success of those things on consumer-grade hardware.
I love revisionist history.
- The majority of PCs had USB in them prior to the iMac all-in-one computers.
- Ethernet was hardware and software around before the dongle created for the IIci.
- Firewire was heavily pushed by Apple and Steve Jobs, but it only found a niche market in video editing.
USB and Ethernet would have succeeded in the personal computer space with or without Apple. Firewire would have died on the vine a lot sooner than it did.
CEOs have a lot of experience at driving companies in the ground and asking for bailouts.
And unfortunately innovative bail-out strategies are more important skill for US business than running a company that actually invents cool stuff.
The detroit automaker bailouts proved that. Rather than let them fail so the dozen small US automakers with near-production-ready electric cars and motorcycles could compete (and buy the factories and hire the talent they need in the big-3-bankruptcy sales), the government keeps bailing out the "too-big-to-fail" automakers who proved they can't invent a decent car if their very existance depends on it.
Good thing (for them) that it doesn't. Bailouts are a far easier way to get big bonuses than doing actual good work.
Actually, the interesting thing is that if the Government hadn't bailed out the Detroit auto makers, Ford would be the only one left intact. They didn't take a bailout and were able to ride out to the storm. GM and Chrysler would have had to go through the Bankruptcy process.
It's almost like they can't be bothered to just build the ships and go on location in space.
Well, they tried... but China is hogging all the rare earth elements...
Off the top of my head you will need the following basics:
1. Computers (desktop boxes, laptops, etc.)
2. Displays (they don't necessarily come with donated desktop boxes)
3. Cables (Power, video, network)
4. Printer with LINUX/UNIX drivers (preferably networked)
5. Network devices (switch, router, WiFi)
6. External USB storage device (i.e. for backing things up, moving files)
7. Media (i.e. CD or DVD, will have to match drives in computers)
8. UPS/surge protectors (If power sucks, you'll need UPS)
Check into whether the equipment that you send is sold in the area. It makes no sense to send a Canon printer if you can't find ink/toner replacements in the region. Also, Make sure you understand the power requirements for the region (i.e. 120v vs 240v, plug type, etc.)
There are two thoughts behind computer labs.
- The first is that you use individual hardware for each user, not only teaching about UNIX, but also teaching about computer hardware. The primary issue here is that you would need to find UNIX drivers for each hardware combination (i.e. donated hardware rarely has the same components). It's not difficult, but it can take time. Most labs tend to buy the exact same equipment to avoid this issue.
- The second is to buy workstation class PCs with a ton of memory (i.e. 24GB+), storage (i.e. 3TB), and dual quad core CPUs (8x CPUs) and run the free version of VMWare ESXi. This would allow you to train on UNIX using multiple virtual instances without worrying about the underlying hardware, finding drivers, etc. The lab users would gain an understanding of installing and using UNIX but would learn very little about computer hardware. The plus side about this is that it could be used to train any OS or application as each VM is only limited by it's configuration. You would still need workstations for each student, but they would just be used as consoles into the VM environment. They wouldn't have to be rebuilt each time.
One of the issues that you should also be thinking about is who is going to maintain the lab once you and your students have left? Make sure that you make time to train at least two people at the school on how to manage the lab.
And it's still more faithful to Star Trek than that J.J. Abrams abomination.
You're entitled to your opinion. Personally I preferred the J.J. Abrams version over all of the STTNG movies and series. In STTNG they adhered to the Prime Directive like it was a religion and relied on diplomacy and technology to solve all problems. At least with the J. J. Abrams version, we have a crew that knows that sometimes you need to break the rules, more like the original Star Trek series.
Thus, the *correct* way to appraise say mp3 is with very good speakers in a treated listening room
No it isn't. At least most of the time it isn't, though that result would be interesting.
If I'm trying to decide whether to archive my CDs to MP3 or FLAC, I don't give a rat's ass what it sounds like with great monitors in a treated listening room, because that's not where I listen to music. If my speakers give a non-linear result that amplifies the distortions from compression, that's what matters; not what it sounds like in an ideal situation.
Do both.... When I converted my CD collection I used FLAC and the converted the FLAC to MP3 VBR 320kbps. I then archived the FLAC on to DVD discs and put all of my CDs in storage. My thinking was that I would use MP3s for now and, when audio players had enough storage, switch over to FLAC. Plus it also gave me a lossless backup in case my MP3 files became corrupted. I would just have to reconvert them again rather than having to run through my whole CD library.
When converting my CD collection I first used FLAC and then converted the FLACs to MP3 VBR 320kbps. I've listened to both and can't tell the difference. With Lossy, a high bitrate definitely is better. I can quickly tell if an MP3 has a bitrate of 192kbps or lower. I've also been buying MP3s from Amazon at 256kbps or higher and I've purposefully stayed away from iTunes (originally due to DRM and low bitrates).
Of course, it makes a difference in the playback equipment. I replaced the manufacturers Bose system in my car with a Kenwood + Infinity Reference speakers. The sound quality difference was like night and day. I'm now hearing a greater range of sound with clear separation, and this is with my Lossy MP3s on an iPod. Personally, I would prefer to use a Creative Labs MP3 player (better quality sound) but Kenwood only offers an iPod connector kit and only the iPod works with playlists, etc. with control from the deck.
Twenty years ago, though, it sure seemed ok to me. And I'd like to remind people, that a hundred years ago, the norm for watches was that they went into pockets, and from there we shifted to wearables. This really happened. This happened, upon a medium of civilization full of people just like you. How/why? Unless you can explain why the fashion changed from pocket to wrist back then, then I'm not sure I can accept arguments for how it can't change again.
All that said, just like everyone else, I don't think I want one. My point is that it's hard to predict whether or not the prevailing opinion will persist.
The Wikipedia article that you referenced actually has a good explanation for the change from pocket watches to wrist watches. Women wore wrist watches as jewelry, because they didn't have pockets. Men didn't wear them until WWII when: "During the war, soldiers needed access to their watches while their hands were full. ". Wrist watches made telling the time easier while working in a labor or manufacturing based job where your hands were full.
Now, most people, in first world nations at least, no longer work in a manual labour job, so our hands are free to pull out our smartphone, check the time, and catch up on things. Because our hands aren't full most of the time, we no longer need a watch...
got a customer, mid 50s, plays flight sims and surfs, that's it, but somehow he keeps blowing up computers. for some reason he doesn't blow up laptops JUST desktops, and I can't for the life of me figure out HOW he is doing it. Tried putting it on a UPS in case the power was bad? No good, still blew. I have replaced damned near every part in that machine with new parts, new parts that would still be going if it were anybody else, new CPU, new board, new RAM, the only parts I haven't replaced yet is the case and the GPU but I know the GPU is good as it was mine and I baby my gear and never had a single glitch and the case belonged to my oldest boy who gamed on it for ages without a single hiccup.
So I don't get it, how in the fuck can one old guy keep blowing fucking boards like that? Is it possible to have something wrong with a line that can get past a UPS? Correct me if I'm wrong but I was always told a UPS has the PC run off the battery so that any surges or sags wouldn't affect the PC. And the real stumper is the laptop...why isn't it frying? Its an old Atom netbook so its not like this thing is quality but whatever is causing this has affected it not at all, its ONLY the desktops that blow up. I just can't seem to figure this one out as it doesn't seem to matter where the parts come from, whether they are new or used, it always ends with the system just shutting smooth off and never firing up again. Real head scratcher. I have taken his CPUs and slapped them in another board and had them fire right up so I'm pretty sure he is somehow frying out the boards (although I can't find any obvious damage like blown caps) but I just can't figure out HOW, how can one old guy playing 7 year old flight sims blow up a motherboard protected by a UPS?
- What is connected to the computer? Printer etc? Are they on the UPS?
- I assume that it is connected to the network via a network cable. Is it going through the UPS or a surge protector? Have you tested/replaced the network cables? How about the internet router? Is it on UPS?
- Does he leave the computer on in a hot environment?
- What size power supply does it have? I usually use this when I am building a new computer: http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
- Does he do any other work around the computer? For example, does he file metal or something that can cause metal pieces to get into the case? (grin)
- Does he have rats, mice, ants, bugs? Is it on the floor with an opening large enough for them to get in?
Usually boards fry for the following reasons:
1. Not enough power. PSU is too small. Usually this damages the PSU as it tries to draw more power than it is designed to handle.
2. Too much power. Surges, etc. either through the PSU or through connected devices.
3. Short Circuit. There is something either in the case or getting into the case causing a short circuit.
4. Heat damage. Computer cooking in room with no ventilation.
...and I'm not interested in buying another one. In fact, I like the fact that I no longer have to wear a watch. My cell phone has become my watch.
My initial thought is that smart watches are being developed to appeal to the fitness industry. The aim is to replace the "feature" watches which record your steps, heart rate, etc. much like smart phones have replaced feature phones.
Now, if they came out with a smart roman arm guard.... After all, it would have enough space for a virtual keyboard.... (grin)
To Adria Richards,
We all learn as kids how to behave in different situations. For example, we learn to be quiet at the movie theatre but we can be noisy and have fun at camp. Being at a professional conference is no different, everyone is expected to behave in a professional manner. In addition, you represent whoever paid for you to be there. For most people, this is their employer.
In my opinion, the guy's behaviour was crude, inappropiate, and unprofessional and that he should have been called out for it. That being said, it definitely does not rise to the level of sexual harassment, harassment, or any other seriously concerning behaviour as it was a private conversation not directed at anyone in particular. It was simply inappropriate. He basically said the wrong thing, at the wrong place, and the wrong time. We all have done it at one point or another. That doesn't absolve him from responsibility, though.
However, your response was also neither professional, mature, nor appropriate. My sister would have simply turned around, given them a good stare as said "stop acting like a two year old". I understand that you didn't feel comfortable doing this at the time, but there was nothing to stop you from being a professional and going to the back of the room and talking to one of the event personnel. You even had the professional and mature option to simply tweet that you needed to talk to someone from the event.
Instead, what did you do? You took their picture, and publically shamed them, causing one guy to lose his job, however indirectly. Honestly, this is the type of behaviour that I would associate with an immature teenager who is out to get revenge, not a professional.
Again, I agree that the guy's behaviour was inappropriate, but your actions left a lot to be desired as well. My mother always taught me to treat others as I would like to be treated. Is this truely how you would want others to handle your mistakes?
As one professional to another, please take the time to think through your actions and consider that maybe this could have been handled in a more mature and professional manner.
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Now as far as Google...why SHOULD you trust them for a service you depend on after Reader?
How quickly they forget... Google announced the retirement of iGoogle in July 2012, a popular service. It's scheduled to be shut down in November. Google Reader is just the most recent service to be put on the chopping block.
The only Google services that you can trust to stay up at this point is Google search, Google Maps and Gmail. Each of these are making money, in some form or another, for the business. iGoogle, Google Reader, etc. do not... Like it or not, Google is now a corporation with a focus on profits and, in my opinion, the decision has been made by management to not give away anything for free unless there is some way to monetize it (i.e. Ad revenue, etc.). In other words, the MBAs have taken over...
The problem is locating the attacker.
Rather than the cracked computer that Grandma hasn't updated since she bought it 8 years ago.
Any cracker should be going through at least 2 levels of zombies he controls that are configured to dump all the logs to /dev/null.
Drone strike on the senior center.
Only two levels of zombies? In the movies there are at least 8 before the trace is cut off, usually because Mom called down to the basement "Dinner's ready"....