"I agree that a TV should not fail after 2.5 years but Samsung's warranty on TVs is for 1 year, similar to all other manufacturers. Name me one TV manufacturer that would fix a 2.5 year old TV for free? You do realize that TVs are deliberately built to last 3 to 5 years? and that it has cost more to repair a TV than buying a new one for the last 10 years or more? and you blame Samsung because you gambled on the manufacturers warranty and lost?"
In New Zealand, we have a little law called "The Consumer Guarantees Act" which means that even if a manufacturer only puts a 1 year guarantee on a TV, it is expected to last a fair and reasonable time for a device costing upwards of $1000 and that means (in the eyes of the law) ten years.
After reading your post, I did some research and found this on ConsumerReports.org. They say that there is an implied warranty on most items of 4 years in the US. However, you may have to sue to assert your rights. Even so, it's obvious that some countries have much stronger consumer protection laws than the US.
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Your refrigerator dies three months after the manufacturer's warranty expires. The store and manufacturer say you have to pay to get it fixed.
The law
The Uniform Commercial Code, fully adopted by most states, stipulates that most new consumer products come not only with an express warranty, but also with a so-called implied warranty of merchantability. That is an automatic, unwritten promise that your purchase will perform as commonly expected, including that it will last a reasonable amount of time given the nature of the item. In most states, implied warranties are in effect for four years, although that doesn't necessarily mean a product must last that long. Implied warranties apply to retailers and manufacturers and may be broader than an express warranty.
If you have a problem with a product that you think is the result of an inherent defect, let the manufacturer or retailer (preferably a supervisor) know that you'll take its failure to resolve your complaint as a breach of the implied warranty. If you don't get satisfaction, you may be able to assert your rights through a credit-card chargeback (see box on facing page). If that doesn't work, send a letter threatening legal action. You might need to file a small-claims-court action or consult a lawyer.
You should know
The fine print in most manufacturer warranties and online retailers' terms and conditions disclaim implied warranties. Although walk-in retailers rarely disclaim them directly, they sometimes do so by marking sales "as is," "with all faults," or similar language. A handful of states prohibit such disclaimers, even for as-is sales. And the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits companies from disclaiming implied warranties during the period in which any express warranty or service contract is in effect.
Fiscal conservatism receives straw-man arguments all the time. Whenever people accuse a fiscal conservative of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy", whenever someone claims that libertarianism is "anarchy for rich people" those are straw-men arguments.
No one accuses fiscal conservatives of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy". People accuse Republicans of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy" while also assuming that they are conservatives, which they used to be. Very few Republicans seem to be fiscal conservatives these days.
I swore off Samsung a few years ago when the 2.5 year old HDTV I had paid $1400 for died, and they wanted as much to repair it as a new TV would cost. Their products are shoddily made, and they don't stand behind them. They could produce the snazziest Jesus phone on the market and I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot poleaxe.
I agree that a TV should not fail after 2.5 years but Samsung's warranty on TVs is for 1 year, similar to all other manufacturers. Name me one TV manufacturer that would fix a 2.5 year old TV for free? You do realize that TVs are deliberately built to last 3 to 5 years? and that it has cost more to repair a TV than buying a new one for the last 10 years or more? and you blame Samsung because you gambled on the manufacturers warranty and lost?
The warranty period on all electronics has been reduced to save money and cost. It's one of the reason why SquareTrade has been doing so well. Now, when I buy an expensive piece of electronics (i.e. over $1000) I also buy a SquareTrade extended warranty so that it's covered for at least 3 years. I haven't had to use their services yet, so I cannot comment on SquareTrade's customer service. However, they do have good reviews on Amazon, etc.
The point is that you, as a consumer, are expected to understand the warranty period. If you feel that the warranty period is too short for your investment, then there are options on the market to extend the warranty. Personally, I think that all manufacturers should be forced to support their products for 3 years (I think the EU has this?) but that just isn't the case in the US/Canada.
Samsung make glasses that work with the 2012/2013 Panasonic TV's that are $20.00 each. 3rd party glasses can be had for less than $50.00.
I bought a new Samsung 51" Plasma 3D TV just before the holidays for $1000. It came with 2 pairs of Samsung glasses. They would be fine for kids, but I found that they let in too much light from the side, you have to use them in the dark. I bought a pair of Bluetooth Enabled Glasses for Samsung 3D Displays from monoprice for $45 which work much better as they have side blockers.
"So this is why I pay extortion amounts of money for an OS that sucks balls every other release?"
No, not at all. You pay those extortionate amounts of money because you are unable or unwilling to "Just say "NO!"" I paid for three legitimate installations of that company's operating systems. Then, I found alternatives. Yeah, it takes a little bit of work, but it's not that hard.
It is that hard... or more people would be doing it...
Apple keeps telling us that it's all about the apps. Well, Windows still has all of the apps, games, productivity software, financial software, etc. OSX does have some of these apps, but you are severely limited in choice. As far as games, Windows is "still the only game in town"...
I look at the pirate sites to see what's popular on TV.
Not for long. With the new " 'six strikes' anti-piracy system", presumably these numbers will drop as ISPs start warning/banning users who download copyright content, which includes shows, movies, music, etc.
From the anecdotal news I see, injecting used fracking water underground seems to turn any area into a geologically active area. See: DFW, North Dakota, Pennsylvania.
I could be wrong, but, based on what I have read to date, these areas were geologically active on a tiny scale prior to fracking, at least in Pennsylvania. There was a documentary on fracking that I saw where they were blaming methane coming out of the sink on fracking and I seem to remember local residents commenting after the video came out that this was somewhat common even before the fracking started.
In my opinion, the problem is that we still know very little about tiny geological shifts as it seems that geologists are more interested in studying geological shifts that can kill people (i.e. volcanoes and large earthquakes), and rightly so.
The question is, does fracking just amplify or hasten any current activity or does it cause new activity? What are the short term and long term consequences of fracking? I guess we are going to find out over the next decade or so...
I'm not sure I understand the issue... If you are convicted of libel you have to pay fines, etc. Just make sure that what you write in public is the truth and is backed up by facts. What is so hard about that?
Seriously, all of the other vendors, with perhaps the exception of Microsoft, have been focused on home users, not the enterprise. So, I guess the answer should be Microsoft, but Blackberry still has the better enterprise solution.
Microsoft has already stated that they are moving towards a faster update cycle for all of their software products. All this means is that there will be no new OS updates for WP8.0 after July 2014. They will have 8.5 or 9.0 out before that date.
BTW, Google has the EXACT same upgrade/support cycle for each version of Android (18 months).
I expect more than this from the Slashdot editors!!! After all, they are supposed to at least understand the tech industry which includes software update/support cycles.....
First of all, If you are simply hanging up on someone, then you are just doing it wrong....
Secondly, disconnects became relatively common as people started buying cordless phones (as opposed to cell phones) as the battery would die unexpectedly. Cordless phones became common in the 90's. This, in my opinion, is what changed how people viewed disconnects (i.e. the need to call back), not today's cell phone usage. In other words, this behaviour change started much sooner than you think.
Finally, who just hangs up the phone? No matter how angry, disgusted, or stressed most people will at least say something to indicate that the conversation is over. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't, and hangs up deliberately, is either consciously or subconsciously indicating that they want to continue the conversation, but on their terms. Of course, the other party doesn't know this, so it is a completely useless gesture....
In my opinion, as a network engineer, routers should never be used for security functions as it just isn't scalable from a support and management perspective (i.e. keeping settings the same across a large number of sites). If you need to block traffic then you need to buy a Firewall and/or a Proxy server. If you can just afford one device, buy a firewall. Most Firewalls can also support routing and routing protocols plus they are optimized to handle the additional overhead of security services.
Unless this is a small environment (less than 30 people) you also do not want to perform security functions on the client as it also doesn't scale well. Granted, you could probably do something with AD group policies and login scripts, but it eventually becomes more difficult to manage in comparison to a Firewall/Proxy solution. In addition, if your clients have Admin access then they can bypass your security by changing the local client settings.
Finally, the organization of your company will also influence how content filtering is deployed. I work in a large organization where network security is a separate group from the WAN group. In this type of organization, it makes sense to keep the security devices separate from the WAN and Internet network routing devices. In smaller organizations, these two support services may be combined.
The only thing I can take from this is that the potential growth in mobile platforms far outstrips the costs associated with developing hardware for another game console platform. Like a previous comment asked, I wonder if they told Microsoft to go away as well. If they did, what does this mean in the bigger picture? Is the future of gaming on tablets?
My thought is that tablets will allow us to extend games and make them portable. For example, I would have loved to have been able to play Skyrim on the PS3 and the Tablet: The PS3 at home and the Tablet when on the road. Saved games would be synched to the cloud, similar to what Steam does today, and downloaded to the tablet so that you could pick up where you left the game. The capabilities of tablets would have to improve quite a bit before this happens, but it is coming...
Exactly right. I'm 5'10", and was tipping the scales around 225lbs with a diet and lifestyle like the submitter. Here's what worked for me:
1. Ditched high calorie drinks (soda/juices) and limited snacking. Mornings, I switched to eating a single bowl of cheerios or two shredded wheat biscuits or a banana. Lunch is simple, sandwich, less than 400 cal. Dinner--I rarely eat out, and eating at home I have stopped eating dessert and eat smaller portions at dinner, with no second helpings.
2. Exercise. I run M/W/F for 60 minutes in the morning before work. Tu/Th, I do weigh training (pull ups, push ups, sit ups, other simple stuff), which takes me about 45 minutes. Google Evil Cyber's beginner workout if you want details.
In three months, I've dropped to 207lbs. I'd probably be lighter if I could break myself of *#!*$"&!! cookies, but one needs to be reasonable. My hope is to be below 200 by the end of May, and down to 190 by the end of the summer. You pretty much just have to build on your success, and if you fall off the horse by missing a few days in a row, get back on as soon as you can...but don't beat yourself up about it.
I'm a similar weight and height and I've started a similar program:
1. Instead of going cold turkey altogether, I've reduced my intake of soda by buying the half-size bottles and only having one per day (afternoon) and none at night. I have also begun to water down my juice (1/3 juice, 2/3 water) so that I still get my vitamin C, but less calories. I've always eaten smaller portions, but I've cut back on cookies (my bane too) to just having a couple of cookies for dessert but nothing later in the evening.
2. I can't stand running, but I do have an exercise machine that I use to work out. Also, to make it fun, I am using the Wii Fit. Once Spring/Summer arrives, I plan on getting out on the golf course.
I haven't dropped much weight yet, but I just started.
While VR is getting closer, I see the next 3 years or so as a continuation of the slow and steady progress. VR was all the rage around 1995, around the time I graduated with a CS degree. Of course, VR was just starting out and the graphics were simple shapes. VR has since popped up about every 5 years or so as simulators, graphics, etc. have gotten better.
In my opinion, VR has come a long way since with eye tracing, haptic feedback, graphics, visors, etc. Also, today's 3D movies may be more of a gimmick than anything else, but it is laying the groundwork for producing higher detailed 3D environments. Imagine being able to play an immersive game in the exact same 3D environment as your favorite movie. In my opinion, VR still has a ways to go...
My understanding of the way that NFC works is that two devices are bumped together which then kicks off local encrypted radio communication between the two devices where data is exchanged. The Data exchange is local, secure, and between two trusted devices.
My understanding of the article is that the patented invention is to us a tone to send data between two local devices. Data is then uploaded (or pre-uploaded) to a third party server and download using the URL from the data stream embedded in the sound. The data that you stored on the third party device is now subject to being accessible by the third party, being accessible by law enforcement who only have to serve the third party, and subject to hacking.
Yeah.... this is better and is going to replace NFC.... I don't think so, Tim...
This would work for sharing books. For example, I like a book, I share the book URL with your device, your device downloads it for reading later. But I certainly wouldn't choose this over NFC.
We don't dare take the #1 highway anymore, something we've been doing for nearly 15 years, because all the little stick friggn' nowhere towns along the way started using the #1 as a money maker with hidden or poorly maintained speed signs.
I have a Garmin GPS. It shows the current speed limit in the bottom right corner. As long as you keep your maps up to date, it should be able to keep you legal. Of course, this is assuming that the local police are not sitting on top of the speed sign.
I was fine with displaying ads for web sites until most web sites signed up for the various online 3rd party advertisement networks. The problem with these is that you never know which Ad site has been hacked, which ad site has been submitted by phishing groups, etc.
I don't deliberately block all Ads. My solution is to run "no script" for firefox. If you have ads being served locally, then I'll see them. If you have ads being displayed by a third party javascript then you're out of luck. Granted, this isn't perfect because even local sites can be hacked. But most of the sites I visit are reputable and would quickly (hopefully) fix their sites.
As rightly stated by other posters, the mandate of the USPS has been to facilitate communications through delivering mail. My thought is that for USPS to survive, they should be working on modernizing. What I mean is that they should be offering ISP type services such as Email, IM, etc. Personally, I would pay for an email account that has the same privacy protections as the US postal system.
Maybe it doesn't happen in the US, but I've seen it happen in many places. The Firth of Forth and the Skye bridges in Scotland. The harbour bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada (and even when it had a toll it was really cheap, like 50 cents - as recently as a couple of years ago). Actually it does happen in the US, too - the Coronado bridge in San Diego has obvious toll booths but they haven't been in use in years.
Wow, I would never have expected a reference to the harbour bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada where I grew up (I'm in Boston now).
The Harbour bridge tolls were 25 cents for almost 20 years. They gradually increased over the last 10 years or so to 50 cents, before they finally removed the toll booths. The reason why it was so cheap is because it is a relatively short bridge and there are local routes that bypass the bridge. In other words, the bridge is more convenient but it isn't vital for local traffic.
The promise was made when the bridge was built that the tolls would go away once the loan was paid off. Between the cost of running the bridge (salaries, maintenance, etc.) and the interest on the original debt, there was never enough left over to pay down the original loan. Everyone who lives in the area realized that it was a never ending merry-go-round with no end in sight. Most locals, going back and forth to work, would avoid the bridge and take alternate routes.
I'm glad that the politicians listened to their constituents for once.
After the third used APC UPS that still didn't work properly after battery replacement, I gave up. None of them could handle vaguely anywhere near the load they were supposed to. I don't know whose UPSes to buy, but I wouldn't buy anything from APC any more. It's unfortunate, because they used to follow a simple formula (fat traces, quality components, sturdy enclosures, priced accordingly) and they were a good value proposition.
I have tried many other UPS devices and APC are the only ones I trust. Its not clear if you are buying used UPS devices or are the original owner and are just replacing the battery. If you are buying used units (i.e. off of ebay), you never know if they have been hit with a surge, etc. Beyond that, they contain a battery. Batteries degrade over time, usually between 3 to 5 years, same as your car battery. This means that while the UPS will have the rated capacity with a new battery, it will become less over time. My strategy is to load a UPS at no more than 70% of capacity. If you are going over this, then you are asking for problems
Gamers get upset when features of a game are deliberately removed or the game is shortened just to create a DLC. DLCs were originally created as a way of extending the life of the game by adding new scenarios, quests, etc. on top of the main storyline.
I finished the Dawnguard DLC and I'm just finishing the Dragonborn DLC for Skyrim. Skyrim took me four months to complete between holidays, work, life, etc. (Granted, you could play the main quest in a day or two, but I dragged it out while I did all of the side quests). The Dragonborn DLC added another couple of weeks of game play for me extending the life of the game, which is the way a DLC is supposed to work.
I would consider companies like ID and Crytek to be innovative as they build the underlying game engine. Most other game developers then license the game engine on which their games are developed.
Most of what I've seen Excel get used for in an office setting would be better served by a database....
But the point you make is fair enough, and the point I was going to make: people aren't going to invest in a new platform without a major impetus to go looking for a new platform. If the one they have works for what they're doing, then it's generally less hassle to keep buying it. This is why some banks are still running DOS....
Until Microsoft stops selling corporate licenses and forces everybody to Office Online where they can charge a monthly tithe, business simply isn't going to look elsewhere. It's coming... They're already trying to force home users to an online version... but I doubt Microsoft is stupid enough to think that business will happily accept switching to a platform where they don't have control over the files themselves, and home users will continue to buy the monthly tithe version of MS Office, because that's what they have at work. Very savvy, really....
Most corporate Excel usage would NOT be better served using a database. I grant you that there cases where people using Excel spreadsheets with large data sets which would be better off in a database and that there are cases where critical data is being stored in the wrong format. However, most Excel usage is for quick spreadsheets or tiny data sets where implementing a database would be highly unproductive and lacking in functionality (Excel has a ton of functions which would be very costly to implement in a database solution). Joey in finance running the corporate General Ledger on Excel is the exception, not the rule. My guess is that most people in IT might believe that Excel is largely used as a database because it is invariably the guy with the huge Excel sheet that requires technical support.
Big corporations are not going to switch to another Office productivity suite until a competitor is able to provide enterprise level tools, integration, and support. In addition, the competitors product would have to be able to read and display all existing and archived documents for all MS Office versions correctly. Compatibility is a huge driver, especially in the big corporate space. Even if Microsoft went to a monthly licensing fee, something would have to break before corporations would consider switching. Since Office is used at work, most users also use it at home. Microsoft is more savvy than you think, they have a Home Use program, assuming that your company is signed up for it, where $20 buys you a home license of Office. The one caveat is that if you leave your employer, your supposed to stop using the Home Use licensed copy and uninstall it.
Slashdot Mirror
"I agree that a TV should not fail after 2.5 years but Samsung's warranty on TVs is for 1 year, similar to all other manufacturers. Name me one TV manufacturer that would fix a 2.5 year old TV for free? You do realize that TVs are deliberately built to last 3 to 5 years? and that it has cost more to repair a TV than buying a new one for the last 10 years or more? and you blame Samsung because you gambled on the manufacturers warranty and lost?"
In New Zealand, we have a little law called "The Consumer Guarantees Act" which means that even if a manufacturer only puts a 1 year guarantee on a TV, it is expected to last a fair and reasonable time for a device costing upwards of $1000 and that means (in the eyes of the law) ten years.
After reading your post, I did some research and found this on ConsumerReports.org. They say that there is an implied warranty on most items of 4 years in the US. However, you may have to sue to assert your rights. Even so, it's obvious that some countries have much stronger consumer protection laws than the US.
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Your refrigerator dies three months after the manufacturer's warranty expires. The store and manufacturer say you have to pay to get it fixed.
The law
The Uniform Commercial Code, fully adopted by most states, stipulates that most new consumer products come not only with an express warranty, but also with a so-called implied warranty of merchantability. That is an automatic, unwritten promise that your purchase will perform as commonly expected, including that it will last a reasonable amount of time given the nature of the item. In most states, implied warranties are in effect for four years, although that doesn't necessarily mean a product must last that long. Implied warranties apply to retailers and manufacturers and may be broader than an express warranty.
If you have a problem with a product that you think is the result of an inherent defect, let the manufacturer or retailer (preferably a supervisor) know that you'll take its failure to resolve your complaint as a breach of the implied warranty. If you don't get satisfaction, you may be able to assert your rights through a credit-card chargeback (see box on facing page). If that doesn't work, send a letter threatening legal action. You might need to file a small-claims-court action or consult a lawyer.
You should know
The fine print in most manufacturer warranties and online retailers' terms and conditions disclaim implied warranties. Although walk-in retailers rarely disclaim them directly, they sometimes do so by marking sales "as is," "with all faults," or similar language. A handful of states prohibit such disclaimers, even for as-is sales. And the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits companies from disclaiming implied warranties during the period in which any express warranty or service contract is in effect.
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Fiscal conservatism receives straw-man arguments all the time. Whenever people accuse a fiscal conservative of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy", whenever someone claims that libertarianism is "anarchy for rich people" those are straw-men arguments.
No one accuses fiscal conservatives of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy". People accuse Republicans of being "on the side of the wealthy" or "greedy" while also assuming that they are conservatives, which they used to be. Very few Republicans seem to be fiscal conservatives these days.
I swore off Samsung a few years ago when the 2.5 year old HDTV I had paid $1400 for died, and they wanted as much to repair it as a new TV would cost. Their products are shoddily made, and they don't stand behind them. They could produce the snazziest Jesus phone on the market and I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot poleaxe.
I agree that a TV should not fail after 2.5 years but Samsung's warranty on TVs is for 1 year, similar to all other manufacturers. Name me one TV manufacturer that would fix a 2.5 year old TV for free? You do realize that TVs are deliberately built to last 3 to 5 years? and that it has cost more to repair a TV than buying a new one for the last 10 years or more? and you blame Samsung because you gambled on the manufacturers warranty and lost?
The warranty period on all electronics has been reduced to save money and cost. It's one of the reason why SquareTrade has been doing so well. Now, when I buy an expensive piece of electronics (i.e. over $1000) I also buy a SquareTrade extended warranty so that it's covered for at least 3 years. I haven't had to use their services yet, so I cannot comment on SquareTrade's customer service. However, they do have good reviews on Amazon, etc.
The point is that you, as a consumer, are expected to understand the warranty period. If you feel that the warranty period is too short for your investment, then there are options on the market to extend the warranty. Personally, I think that all manufacturers should be forced to support their products for 3 years (I think the EU has this?) but that just isn't the case in the US/Canada.
Samsung make glasses that work with the 2012/2013 Panasonic TV's that are $20.00 each. 3rd party glasses can be had for less than $50.00.
I bought a new Samsung 51" Plasma 3D TV just before the holidays for $1000. It came with 2 pairs of Samsung glasses. They would be fine for kids, but I found that they let in too much light from the side, you have to use them in the dark. I bought a pair of Bluetooth Enabled Glasses for Samsung 3D Displays from monoprice for $45 which work much better as they have side blockers.
"So this is why I pay extortion amounts of money for an OS that sucks balls every other release?"
No, not at all. You pay those extortionate amounts of money because you are unable or unwilling to "Just say "NO!"" I paid for three legitimate installations of that company's operating systems. Then, I found alternatives. Yeah, it takes a little bit of work, but it's not that hard.
It is that hard... or more people would be doing it...
Apple keeps telling us that it's all about the apps. Well, Windows still has all of the apps, games, productivity software, financial software, etc. OSX does have some of these apps, but you are severely limited in choice. As far as games, Windows is "still the only game in town"...
I look at the pirate sites to see what's popular on TV.
Not for long. With the new " 'six strikes' anti-piracy system", presumably these numbers will drop as ISPs start warning/banning users who download copyright content, which includes shows, movies, music, etc.
From the anecdotal news I see, injecting used fracking water underground seems to turn any area into a geologically active area. See: DFW, North Dakota, Pennsylvania.
I could be wrong, but, based on what I have read to date, these areas were geologically active on a tiny scale prior to fracking, at least in Pennsylvania. There was a documentary on fracking that I saw where they were blaming methane coming out of the sink on fracking and I seem to remember local residents commenting after the video came out that this was somewhat common even before the fracking started.
In my opinion, the problem is that we still know very little about tiny geological shifts as it seems that geologists are more interested in studying geological shifts that can kill people (i.e. volcanoes and large earthquakes), and rightly so.
The question is, does fracking just amplify or hasten any current activity or does it cause new activity? What are the short term and long term consequences of fracking? I guess we are going to find out over the next decade or so...
I'm not sure I understand the issue... If you are convicted of libel you have to pay fines, etc. Just make sure that what you write in public is the truth and is backed up by facts. What is so hard about that?
Ummm... Blackberry....
Seriously, all of the other vendors, with perhaps the exception of Microsoft, have been focused on home users, not the enterprise. So, I guess the answer should be Microsoft, but Blackberry still has the better enterprise solution.
Microsoft has already stated that they are moving towards a faster update cycle for all of their software products. All this means is that there will be no new OS updates for WP8.0 after July 2014. They will have 8.5 or 9.0 out before that date.
BTW, Google has the EXACT same upgrade/support cycle for each version of Android (18 months).
I expect more than this from the Slashdot editors!!! After all, they are supposed to at least understand the tech industry which includes software update/support cycles.....
First of all, If you are simply hanging up on someone, then you are just doing it wrong....
Secondly, disconnects became relatively common as people started buying cordless phones (as opposed to cell phones) as the battery would die unexpectedly. Cordless phones became common in the 90's. This, in my opinion, is what changed how people viewed disconnects (i.e. the need to call back), not today's cell phone usage. In other words, this behaviour change started much sooner than you think.
Finally, who just hangs up the phone? No matter how angry, disgusted, or stressed most people will at least say something to indicate that the conversation is over. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't, and hangs up deliberately, is either consciously or subconsciously indicating that they want to continue the conversation, but on their terms. Of course, the other party doesn't know this, so it is a completely useless gesture....
In my opinion, as a network engineer, routers should never be used for security functions as it just isn't scalable from a support and management perspective (i.e. keeping settings the same across a large number of sites). If you need to block traffic then you need to buy a Firewall and/or a Proxy server. If you can just afford one device, buy a firewall. Most Firewalls can also support routing and routing protocols plus they are optimized to handle the additional overhead of security services.
Unless this is a small environment (less than 30 people) you also do not want to perform security functions on the client as it also doesn't scale well. Granted, you could probably do something with AD group policies and login scripts, but it eventually becomes more difficult to manage in comparison to a Firewall/Proxy solution. In addition, if your clients have Admin access then they can bypass your security by changing the local client settings.
Finally, the organization of your company will also influence how content filtering is deployed. I work in a large organization where network security is a separate group from the WAN group. In this type of organization, it makes sense to keep the security devices separate from the WAN and Internet network routing devices. In smaller organizations, these two support services may be combined.
This was an amazing video...
The only thing I can take from this is that the potential growth in mobile platforms far outstrips the costs associated with developing hardware for another game console platform. Like a previous comment asked, I wonder if they told Microsoft to go away as well. If they did, what does this mean in the bigger picture? Is the future of gaming on tablets?
My thought is that tablets will allow us to extend games and make them portable. For example, I would have loved to have been able to play Skyrim on the PS3 and the Tablet: The PS3 at home and the Tablet when on the road. Saved games would be synched to the cloud, similar to what Steam does today, and downloaded to the tablet so that you could pick up where you left the game. The capabilities of tablets would have to improve quite a bit before this happens, but it is coming...
Exactly right. I'm 5'10", and was tipping the scales around 225lbs with a diet and lifestyle like the submitter. Here's what worked for me:
1. Ditched high calorie drinks (soda/juices) and limited snacking. Mornings, I switched to eating a single bowl of cheerios or two shredded wheat biscuits or a banana. Lunch is simple, sandwich, less than 400 cal. Dinner--I rarely eat out, and eating at home I have stopped eating dessert and eat smaller portions at dinner, with no second helpings.
2. Exercise. I run M/W/F for 60 minutes in the morning before work. Tu/Th, I do weigh training (pull ups, push ups, sit ups, other simple stuff), which takes me about 45 minutes. Google Evil Cyber's beginner workout if you want details.
In three months, I've dropped to 207lbs. I'd probably be lighter if I could break myself of *#!*$"&!! cookies, but one needs to be reasonable. My hope is to be below 200 by the end of May, and down to 190 by the end of the summer. You pretty much just have to build on your success, and if you fall off the horse by missing a few days in a row, get back on as soon as you can...but don't beat yourself up about it.
I'm a similar weight and height and I've started a similar program:
1. Instead of going cold turkey altogether, I've reduced my intake of soda by buying the half-size bottles and only having one per day (afternoon) and none at night. I have also begun to water down my juice (1/3 juice, 2/3 water) so that I still get my vitamin C, but less calories. I've always eaten smaller portions, but I've cut back on cookies (my bane too) to just having a couple of cookies for dessert but nothing later in the evening.
2. I can't stand running, but I do have an exercise machine that I use to work out. Also, to make it fun, I am using the Wii Fit. Once Spring/Summer arrives, I plan on getting out on the golf course.
I haven't dropped much weight yet, but I just started.
While VR is getting closer, I see the next 3 years or so as a continuation of the slow and steady progress. VR was all the rage around 1995, around the time I graduated with a CS degree. Of course, VR was just starting out and the graphics were simple shapes. VR has since popped up about every 5 years or so as simulators, graphics, etc. have gotten better.
In my opinion, VR has come a long way since with eye tracing, haptic feedback, graphics, visors, etc. Also, today's 3D movies may be more of a gimmick than anything else, but it is laying the groundwork for producing higher detailed 3D environments. Imagine being able to play an immersive game in the exact same 3D environment as your favorite movie. In my opinion, VR still has a ways to go...
My understanding of the way that NFC works is that two devices are bumped together which then kicks off local encrypted radio communication between the two devices where data is exchanged. The Data exchange is local, secure, and between two trusted devices.
My understanding of the article is that the patented invention is to us a tone to send data between two local devices. Data is then uploaded (or pre-uploaded) to a third party server and download using the URL from the data stream embedded in the sound. The data that you stored on the third party device is now subject to being accessible by the third party, being accessible by law enforcement who only have to serve the third party, and subject to hacking.
Yeah.... this is better and is going to replace NFC.... I don't think so, Tim...
This would work for sharing books. For example, I like a book, I share the book URL with your device, your device downloads it for reading later. But I certainly wouldn't choose this over NFC.
We don't dare take the #1 highway anymore, something we've been doing for nearly 15 years, because all the little stick friggn' nowhere towns along the way started using the #1 as a money maker with hidden or poorly maintained speed signs.
I have a Garmin GPS. It shows the current speed limit in the bottom right corner. As long as you keep your maps up to date, it should be able to keep you legal. Of course, this is assuming that the local police are not sitting on top of the speed sign.
I was fine with displaying ads for web sites until most web sites signed up for the various online 3rd party advertisement networks. The problem with these is that you never know which Ad site has been hacked, which ad site has been submitted by phishing groups, etc.
I don't deliberately block all Ads. My solution is to run "no script" for firefox. If you have ads being served locally, then I'll see them. If you have ads being displayed by a third party javascript then you're out of luck. Granted, this isn't perfect because even local sites can be hacked. But most of the sites I visit are reputable and would quickly (hopefully) fix their sites.
As rightly stated by other posters, the mandate of the USPS has been to facilitate communications through delivering mail. My thought is that for USPS to survive, they should be working on modernizing. What I mean is that they should be offering ISP type services such as Email, IM, etc. Personally, I would pay for an email account that has the same privacy protections as the US postal system.
Maybe it doesn't happen in the US, but I've seen it happen in many places. The Firth of Forth and the Skye bridges in Scotland. The harbour bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada (and even when it had a toll it was really cheap, like 50 cents - as recently as a couple of years ago). Actually it does happen in the US, too - the Coronado bridge in San Diego has obvious toll booths but they haven't been in use in years.
Wow, I would never have expected a reference to the harbour bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada where I grew up (I'm in Boston now).
The Harbour bridge tolls were 25 cents for almost 20 years. They gradually increased over the last 10 years or so to 50 cents, before they finally removed the toll booths. The reason why it was so cheap is because it is a relatively short bridge and there are local routes that bypass the bridge. In other words, the bridge is more convenient but it isn't vital for local traffic.
The promise was made when the bridge was built that the tolls would go away once the loan was paid off. Between the cost of running the bridge (salaries, maintenance, etc.) and the interest on the original debt, there was never enough left over to pay down the original loan. Everyone who lives in the area realized that it was a never ending merry-go-round with no end in sight. Most locals, going back and forth to work, would avoid the bridge and take alternate routes.
I'm glad that the politicians listened to their constituents for once.
After the third used APC UPS that still didn't work properly after battery replacement, I gave up. None of them could handle vaguely anywhere near the load they were supposed to. I don't know whose UPSes to buy, but I wouldn't buy anything from APC any more. It's unfortunate, because they used to follow a simple formula (fat traces, quality components, sturdy enclosures, priced accordingly) and they were a good value proposition.
I have tried many other UPS devices and APC are the only ones I trust. Its not clear if you are buying used UPS devices or are the original owner and are just replacing the battery. If you are buying used units (i.e. off of ebay), you never know if they have been hit with a surge, etc. Beyond that, they contain a battery. Batteries degrade over time, usually between 3 to 5 years, same as your car battery. This means that while the UPS will have the rated capacity with a new battery, it will become less over time. My strategy is to load a UPS at no more than 70% of capacity. If you are going over this, then you are asking for problems
Gamers get upset when features of a game are deliberately removed or the game is shortened just to create a DLC. DLCs were originally created as a way of extending the life of the game by adding new scenarios, quests, etc. on top of the main storyline.
I finished the Dawnguard DLC and I'm just finishing the Dragonborn DLC for Skyrim. Skyrim took me four months to complete between holidays, work, life, etc. (Granted, you could play the main quest in a day or two, but I dragged it out while I did all of the side quests). The Dragonborn DLC added another couple of weeks of game play for me extending the life of the game, which is the way a DLC is supposed to work.
I would consider companies like ID and Crytek to be innovative as they build the underlying game engine. Most other game developers then license the game engine on which their games are developed.
Most of what I've seen Excel get used for in an office setting would be better served by a database....
But the point you make is fair enough, and the point I was going to make: people aren't going to invest in a new platform without a major impetus to go looking for a new platform. If the one they have works for what they're doing, then it's generally less hassle to keep buying it. This is why some banks are still running DOS....
Until Microsoft stops selling corporate licenses and forces everybody to Office Online where they can charge a monthly tithe, business simply isn't going to look elsewhere. It's coming... They're already trying to force home users to an online version... but I doubt Microsoft is stupid enough to think that business will happily accept switching to a platform where they don't have control over the files themselves, and home users will continue to buy the monthly tithe version of MS Office, because that's what they have at work. Very savvy, really....
Most corporate Excel usage would NOT be better served using a database. I grant you that there cases where people using Excel spreadsheets with large data sets which would be better off in a database and that there are cases where critical data is being stored in the wrong format. However, most Excel usage is for quick spreadsheets or tiny data sets where implementing a database would be highly unproductive and lacking in functionality (Excel has a ton of functions which would be very costly to implement in a database solution). Joey in finance running the corporate General Ledger on Excel is the exception, not the rule. My guess is that most people in IT might believe that Excel is largely used as a database because it is invariably the guy with the huge Excel sheet that requires technical support.
Big corporations are not going to switch to another Office productivity suite until a competitor is able to provide enterprise level tools, integration, and support. In addition, the competitors product would have to be able to read and display all existing and archived documents for all MS Office versions correctly. Compatibility is a huge driver, especially in the big corporate space. Even if Microsoft went to a monthly licensing fee, something would have to break before corporations would consider switching. Since Office is used at work, most users also use it at home. Microsoft is more savvy than you think, they have a Home Use program, assuming that your company is signed up for it, where $20 buys you a home license of Office. The one caveat is that if you leave your employer, your supposed to stop using the Home Use licensed copy and uninstall it.