A (performance) modded car could be used almost exclusively to exceed the speed limit. Easy argument against the practice (lets ignore for a moment emission laws).
Where as an end user could argue that the modifications make their life more convenient by allowing them to reach the posted speed limit more expediently.
Just because something allows you to potentially break the law doesn't always make it illegal.
They have something else for that, for which the logistics and technology were worked out long long ago.
Books.
It's how all the other developed civilizations currently in existence managed to educate themselves and lift themselves up out of poverty/famine/dark ages.
I'm intrigued by your certainty on this. Because, mostly, I said a Large Portion. Never discounted that some are bolted to the engine. But also, because I actually work on cars and have to know where these things are located. Also, I hate to be cocky but I will be since cars are my specialty.
I'm also not sure what you mean by "old" but, I deal with old and late model cars built anywhere from 1990 to 2010 with an emphasis on electronics pretty regularly in a professional capacity (when I'm not working as a Siemens Soarian consultant...) I also build and install homebuild and homemodified ECUs as a hobby. (Megasquirt for those of you familiar) I'd like to think I know what ECU stands for - thank you very much. And I'd like to think I've seen a few in the wild, taken a few apart, and generally know how they work and why. To sum up my qualifications on the subject. What are yours?
The trend lately has been to move them closer to the engine. And yes some engines do in fact have the ECU bolted directly to the engine. But this is by far not the majority of cars on the road nor the majority of cars built in the past 2-3 years.
Audi's for example have been placing the ECU in the cowl now for quite a while and as far as I know still do. Subaru's have had the ECU under the passenger footwell since at least 1990 and still do as far as I know on the 2010 models.
Volvos I think still have them in a box under the hood (not attached to the engine) except for models that share Ford powertrain components which may be attached to engine. Dodge Magnums have the computer up in the cowl also. So I suspect the C300 and Charger and maybe Challenger are similar. Jeeps have been in the passenger compartment since about 1991, and I don't think that's changed either.
Some of the domestics have experimented with engine mounted ECUs. I know I've seen some GMs, some of the newer crossover SUVs come to mind I think. I know of at least one Ford for sure but I want to say lots of the small cars are setup this way. I don't work on Chryslers if I can help it but it seems like something they would do on some models at least.
Bottom line is just cause you CAN do something it doesn't make it a good idea. Sure it makes it easier to install the powertrain module and requires less wire, but on the flip side it's harder to build a ECU capable of dealing with not only the heat but also the vibration. You save a lot of hassle by adding 10 inches of wire. I think we'll see the moving away from the engine before we see more get closer. My 2cents here.
I agree with your sentiment on the missionaries. I hope my quotations highlighted that. I will also check you log.
But I still disagree on a single basis. Just because the technology doesn't exist right now doesn't mean it's not just around the corner. And if the proper incentive was in place (how this will happen, I have no solutions) it could be done within a 12 month timeframe.
The "more traditional notebook" in my senario is really meant to be a similar but more powerful e-book-computing device. More memory, some external ports, maybe external batteries, etc. You give the people running the show so to speak the more fragile and slightly more complex hardware. But the basic requirements should be similar to the main tool. Should last days or more on a single charge. Again, get rid of the color LCD. You don't need it. Add a fullsize keyboard for easier, more familiar text entry. Solar panel obviously.
Then these same folks would have with them a larger Solar charging station and the hardware to give them the ability to charge from mains or a generator or a 6-24v DC you might find in a car.
But at the end of the day, I would think you want the mass supplied devices to be stone cold reliable, simple, and without essential accessories. I think the solar-powered calculator concept gets us close to that. Hell, I could find practical applications for such a device and I have reliable power! However, I do admit the lack of ports may be frustrating...
Bull. You always want it to be that way, but there always is. I say this having worked on more than one rural low-power computing project. You may not need power for the tablet (though you do - see below), but you still need power and wiring etc. for the network gear, the storage devices, the projector, etc., etc., etc.
Projector? Network Gear? Storage Devices? What are these for? You're thinking too classically. There is no reason why the devices themselves can not act on all these.
Example Scenario for basic usability:
In this example, we assume extremely low penetration of western technology. No or very unreliable power grid, so obviously no phone, no internet. Just some shacks and some folks (whether these are missionaries or whatever) trying to bring some education. They bring with them the ability to generate electricity more effectively, and perhaps satellite internet, as well as non-cloud electronic data - in addition to these solar tablets.
The 'missionaries' become the hub. The can wirelessly transmit, (using low power, low bandwidth technologies perhaps not yet invented or a low power subset of Wifi that only works ~30ft?), from their more traditional notebook information during class. Whatever the subject. Some light pictures. Mostly text.
They can use this as a virtual projector. The data stays with the device until storage becomes a problem. The students can take the device with them. Share the knowledge. Study the material. Take notes. ETC ETC. Without their particular village/shack needing ANYTHING other than the device.
And we're also assuming that the device is so ultra-low power that it can last several days minimum of moderage usage on a full charge. Looking at modern e-book readers which can be used on the order of weeks per charge (and hit a very attractive price point already) I see no reason why this is not practical.
But for the sake of argument lets assume they lived in a northern region that has very little sunlight for some part of the year, or an area with a rainy season.
My proposed solution is using an inductive charging station. It's not as efficient as a plug but then we are assuming in this scenario that the missionaries have a generator of some sort with them or that there is some available power grid in which to use a charger - even if not in their personal home.
Granted, a lot of assumptions. But in order to be cheaper and better than what modern technology has to offer you have to be able to look outside the box. Network gear? What's that? Projector, who needs it?
(1) Poor places often do not have class-ROOMs at all. They teach students outside in the dirt. Literally.
(2) With ultra-low power hardware, e-ink screens, your requirements are lowered. Plus, the idea isn't to be able to power in real time but rather charge then use.
(3) Yes, solar-panels are too expensive to power US-scale standards of living. But still cheaper than building a full-scale coal or nuclear powered plant + infastructure to houses, err I mean SHACKS, just so these people can experience some technology. Though the bicycle powered dynamo concept is pretty good and cheap cheap cheap to build. Bikes are usually not hard to find in third world countries. On the other hand, food and clean water might be less available. Thus using up both to pedal a bike may not be ideal. Of course, the big obvious point here is in a country that can't feed itself why the fuck do they need a ebook reader/computer tablet...
(4) I agree here. It's not cheap to create a product like this out of thin air. But there are some benefits for the trouble:
(1) 100% self contained. Zero infrastructure needed. (2) No external ports are needed, making a water/dust proof device easier and thus the end result is a more durable piece. (3) Fringe benefits from the ultra-low-power research needed to build something like this. (4) Increased production of Small/Efficient solar cells can hopefully drive cost down if the materials aren't in short supply...
Or we could start cutting down and digging up flammable substances to burn in a boiler which creates steam to turn a wheel that are attached to some rotating permanent magnets and...
A large portion of Engine Control Units are also nowhere near the engine. 127C is an absolutely worst case scenario just to meet somebodies definition of "Automotive Grade". If the ECU that is either in the passenger compartment or on the fender well in the engine compartment is getting up to 127C from engine heat you're in big trouble. (The CPUs dissipate a very small amount of heat, generally do not have heatsinks nor are connected to the heatsink housing like the power drivers are.)
1. The computational needs of a car stays constant from the day it rolls off the assembly line till the day it's crushed. To compare it to a PCs is a very silly. These automotive computers are purpose built with an emphasis on Real time processing over high throughput. They don't become obsolete so long as the auto continues to run. And OS upgrades and new software are never a concern. Which is why my 20 year old cars EFI computers still work despite the orders of magnitude increase in desktop PC power that has happened in the meantime.
2. Flex Fuel vehicles use a sensor that can detect the level of Ethanol in the fuel system. Adjusting the air fuel ratio accordingly.
That largely depends on jurisdiction. And once kids are old enough to play baseball they are also generally a bit older than 4. It's also a bad example because who is REALLY responsible? The person who hit the ball? THe person who threw it? The whole bunch of kids who were playing baseball in the street?
My point is that even if the law does state that the parent is liable in certain circumstances, we don't need more people making more laws and setting precedent that end up with cases like this one. In some cases however I do support court ordered punishment (APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT), as a learning tool. If you strike these kids and/or parents too hard it gives them a very bad taste about the legal system.
It's always the bitter people without kids that I hear harping about how parents need to be punished for what once-upon-a-time was considered an unfortunate accident.
That's not to say Parents DON'T need to take responsibility. We do. We need to be better at everything than we are. That's simple self-improvement as a person and as a nation and as a world. An unfortunate trend is that parents are less involved and more liable. Creates a bit of a downward spiral.
At the end of the day, I'm a firm believer in treating people how you wish to be treated. If my neighbor puts a ball through my window accidentally playing out in the yard, I can see a lot of scenarios from me asking the kid to mow my lawn to work it off, splitting it with the parents, having the kid help me replace it, etc. Something constructive. Something that says: "If I accidentally break YOUR window, you won't be calling the cops on ME." Then again, I'm not one of those bitter fucks that goes out of their way to make their neighbors lives a living hell.
They do the most inexplicable things because they don't know better.
If you want to be responsible for the actions of somebody who can't put their shoes on the right feet, OR tie them, be my guest.
For the rest of us, some things have to be chocked up to an act of god.
(argument from other side): If she hadn't been so old maybe she could have gotten out of the way! Why should the parents have to pay because some people are too old to survive?
People have said the same thing about fuel pumps. Some people STILL say the same thing about fuel pumps. Oregon and New Jersey for sure.
If you're looking at pure energy dispensed we're talking pretty similar amount of energy in a pretty similar amount of time. Gasoline vs Electricity. I personally think it's manageable with the right hardware and the right software handshaking. It's not like they will put the power switch directly in the hands of the end-user!
It's not even checking for open doors. It's like your neighbors leaving their windows open, and having a loud conversation. You can either close your windows, or, by downloading this software you are essentially opening your windows and listening in.
If they don't want to be heard they can close their windows and talk quietly. Or encrypt their shit. Or if they can't encrypt it, they can not use it at all. Just like they wouldn't talk about their hemorrhoids in Starbucks, they shouldn't do anything online that would be a liability or embarrassing.
So while we're talking about it. Which would you rather have fix your car or bike or lawnmower?
A geography buff or a mechanic?
Who would you rather have build your house?
A civics nut or a carpenter?
While on a whole I don't disagree with your point, the fact is vocational programs seed practical and immediately USEFUL skills for the every day person.
Not that maps and umm, mayors (what exactly do civics majors end up doing in life besides waiting tables or becoming politicians (something we DEFINITELY don't need more of)?) aren't useful, it's just that we need a whole lot less of them per capita.
Not for quick charging. You MUST have the electrical equivalent to a gasoline storage tank in order to supply it quickly enough. A big bank of batteries/capacitors.
Yes, you will likely be able to plug in at the local shopping mall and grocery store, maybe even plug into the parking meter! But for a road trip, you use up your 'tank' and want to fill it up quickly. The grid can not support that now or likely ever. Thus, the need for the 'gas station' with the 6-min charge capability (at a drastically increased cost of electricity over a home fillup to pay for the infrastructure.)
Getting that monitor stand off the desk is such an amazing experience! It's almost better than the jump from CRT to LCD. It really gets rid of clutter.
Add a couple wall-mount lamps and some wireless peripherals and the desk is ALL yours. No fuss, no Muss.
Keep in mind the quality of the monitor makes a huge difference as well as the display adapter/drivers.
A cheapy monitor doesn't look right. That is correct. An IPS monitor on the upper end of the spectrum, on something other than intel integrated graphics, in my real world experience, looks the same in either dimension.
Actually by the time you get into the 22+" size (non-widescreen) you can fix two A4 side-by side at 1:1 ratio. However, this isn't accounting for tool-bars and the like so my preference is a 20-22" non-widescreen or 22+ widescreen, rotated 90". I've used this in Electronic Document Imaging applications, real world, with a lot of seat time and it's a VERY workable solution. Gives plenty of room for a single A4 page with toolbars on top and side.
The one catch is that some monitors have asymetrical and or narrow vertical viewing angles which with the monitor 90 degrees rotated means that is now your horizontal viewing angle range and in worst case you can't get a clear picture out of both eyes at once. Good monitors don't have this problem and they look identical no matter the orientation.
You must have more time than money. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But not everybody is in the same boat. Plus not everybody even has the technical aptitude to get linux up and running (even with the latest improvements in Ubuntu and the likes)
For the rest of us, having to spend time configuring and cursing and getting our applications to run the way they should (or the way I think they should), not to mention feeling the pain of incompatibility with 95% of the electronic world is a waste we can not bear. I'd rather spend a few extra billable hours and just go out and buy something that works.
Disclaimer: I'm a former Linux Fanboi turned Hackintosh fanboi. Turning Apple Fanboi.
With Hackintosh you have to spend some time getting it running right but after that it's flawless, the apps just work, no compiling, plenty of open source app projects that actually don't suck. I hate to give Steve Jobs the satisfaction but this shit does really "just work"...
The only next logical step for me to take, if I can swallow it, is the move to Apple Hardware for the ultimate "Just Works" scenario. I just can't see myself wasting time with linux on old hardware for my primary or secondary desktop or laptop computer anymore.
The sad thing is, at the end of the day, I still find myself in Windows 25-50% of the time for one reason or another...
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People get killed by un-modded cars too. In fact, more people get killed every year in unmodified cars than in modified ones.
Your argument is invalid.
Love the car analogies...
A (performance) modded car could be used almost exclusively to exceed the speed limit. Easy argument against the practice (lets ignore for a moment emission laws).
Where as an end user could argue that the modifications make their life more convenient by allowing them to reach the posted speed limit more expediently.
Just because something allows you to potentially break the law doesn't always make it illegal.
Except that isn't Bill Gates... it's Eric Schmidt - despite what the image title says.
Why would Bill Gates be wearing a shirt with a big G on it?
They have something else for that, for which the logistics and technology were worked out long long ago.
Books.
It's how all the other developed civilizations currently in existence managed to educate themselves and lift themselves up out of poverty/famine/dark ages.
Yeah, too many 'also'. I also noticed this myself. I also don't care. :-)
I'm intrigued by your certainty on this. Because, mostly, I said a Large Portion. Never discounted that some are bolted to the engine. But also, because I actually work on cars and have to know where these things are located. Also, I hate to be cocky but I will be since cars are my specialty.
I'm also not sure what you mean by "old" but, I deal with old and late model cars built anywhere from 1990 to 2010 with an emphasis on electronics pretty regularly in a professional capacity (when I'm not working as a Siemens Soarian consultant...) I also build and install homebuild and homemodified ECUs as a hobby. (Megasquirt for those of you familiar) I'd like to think I know what ECU stands for - thank you very much. And I'd like to think I've seen a few in the wild, taken a few apart, and generally know how they work and why. To sum up my qualifications on the subject. What are yours?
The trend lately has been to move them closer to the engine. And yes some engines do in fact have the ECU bolted directly to the engine. But this is by far not the majority of cars on the road nor the majority of cars built in the past 2-3 years.
Audi's for example have been placing the ECU in the cowl now for quite a while and as far as I know still do. Subaru's have had the ECU under the passenger footwell since at least 1990 and still do as far as I know on the 2010 models.
Volvos I think still have them in a box under the hood (not attached to the engine) except for models that share Ford powertrain components which may be attached to engine. Dodge Magnums have the computer up in the cowl also. So I suspect the C300 and Charger and maybe Challenger are similar. Jeeps have been in the passenger compartment since about 1991, and I don't think that's changed either.
Some of the domestics have experimented with engine mounted ECUs. I know I've seen some GMs, some of the newer crossover SUVs come to mind I think. I know of at least one Ford for sure but I want to say lots of the small cars are setup this way. I don't work on Chryslers if I can help it but it seems like something they would do on some models at least.
Bottom line is just cause you CAN do something it doesn't make it a good idea. Sure it makes it easier to install the powertrain module and requires less wire, but on the flip side it's harder to build a ECU capable of dealing with not only the heat but also the vibration. You save a lot of hassle by adding 10 inches of wire. I think we'll see the moving away from the engine before we see more get closer. My 2cents here.
I agree with your sentiment on the missionaries. I hope my quotations highlighted that. I will also check you log.
But I still disagree on a single basis. Just because the technology doesn't exist right now doesn't mean it's not just around the corner. And if the proper incentive was in place (how this will happen, I have no solutions) it could be done within a 12 month timeframe.
The "more traditional notebook" in my senario is really meant to be a similar but more powerful e-book-computing device. More memory, some external ports, maybe external batteries, etc. You give the people running the show so to speak the more fragile and slightly more complex hardware. But the basic requirements should be similar to the main tool. Should last days or more on a single charge. Again, get rid of the color LCD. You don't need it. Add a fullsize keyboard for easier, more familiar text entry. Solar panel obviously.
Then these same folks would have with them a larger Solar charging station and the hardware to give them the ability to charge from mains or a generator or a 6-24v DC you might find in a car.
But at the end of the day, I would think you want the mass supplied devices to be stone cold reliable, simple, and without essential accessories. I think the solar-powered calculator concept gets us close to that. Hell, I could find practical applications for such a device and I have reliable power! However, I do admit the lack of ports may be frustrating...
Bull. You always want it to be that way, but there always is. I say this having worked on more than one rural low-power computing project. You may not need power for the tablet (though you do - see below), but you still need power and wiring etc. for the network gear, the storage devices, the projector, etc., etc., etc.
Projector? Network Gear? Storage Devices? What are these for? You're thinking too classically. There is no reason why the devices themselves can not act on all these.
Example Scenario for basic usability:
In this example, we assume extremely low penetration of western technology. No or very unreliable power grid, so obviously no phone, no internet. Just some shacks and some folks (whether these are missionaries or whatever) trying to bring some education. They bring with them the ability to generate electricity more effectively, and perhaps satellite internet, as well as non-cloud electronic data - in addition to these solar tablets.
The 'missionaries' become the hub. The can wirelessly transmit, (using low power, low bandwidth technologies perhaps not yet invented or a low power subset of Wifi that only works ~30ft?), from their more traditional notebook information during class. Whatever the subject. Some light pictures. Mostly text.
They can use this as a virtual projector. The data stays with the device until storage becomes a problem. The students can take the device with them. Share the knowledge. Study the material. Take notes. ETC ETC. Without their particular village/shack needing ANYTHING other than the device.
And we're also assuming that the device is so ultra-low power that it can last several days minimum of moderage usage on a full charge. Looking at modern e-book readers which can be used on the order of weeks per charge (and hit a very attractive price point already) I see no reason why this is not practical.
But for the sake of argument lets assume they lived in a northern region that has very little sunlight for some part of the year, or an area with a rainy season.
My proposed solution is using an inductive charging station. It's not as efficient as a plug but then we are assuming in this scenario that the missionaries have a generator of some sort with them or that there is some available power grid in which to use a charger - even if not in their personal home.
Granted, a lot of assumptions. But in order to be cheaper and better than what modern technology has to offer you have to be able to look outside the box. Network gear? What's that? Projector, who needs it?
I mostly agree with you on all other points.
(1) Poor places often do not have class-ROOMs at all. They teach students outside in the dirt. Literally.
(2) With ultra-low power hardware, e-ink screens, your requirements are lowered. Plus, the idea isn't to be able to power in real time but rather charge then use.
(3) Yes, solar-panels are too expensive to power US-scale standards of living. But still cheaper than building a full-scale coal or nuclear powered plant + infastructure to houses, err I mean SHACKS, just so these people can experience some technology. Though the bicycle powered dynamo concept is pretty good and cheap cheap cheap to build. Bikes are usually not hard to find in third world countries. On the other hand, food and clean water might be less available. Thus using up both to pedal a bike may not be ideal. Of course, the big obvious point here is in a country that can't feed itself why the fuck do they need a ebook reader/computer tablet...
(4) I agree here. It's not cheap to create a product like this out of thin air. But there are some benefits for the trouble:
(1) 100% self contained. Zero infrastructure needed.
(2) No external ports are needed, making a water/dust proof device easier and thus the end result is a more durable piece.
(3) Fringe benefits from the ultra-low-power research needed to build something like this.
(4) Increased production of Small/Efficient solar cells can hopefully drive cost down if the materials aren't in short supply...
Or we could start cutting down and digging up flammable substances to burn in a boiler which creates steam to turn a wheel that are attached to some rotating permanent magnets and...
For this to even remotely reflect Star Trek they must all be wearing Red Shirts.
They never come home either.
A large portion of Engine Control Units are also nowhere near the engine. 127C is an absolutely worst case scenario just to meet somebodies definition of "Automotive Grade". If the ECU that is either in the passenger compartment or on the fender well in the engine compartment is getting up to 127C from engine heat you're in big trouble. (The CPUs dissipate a very small amount of heat, generally do not have heatsinks nor are connected to the heatsink housing like the power drivers are.)
1. The computational needs of a car stays constant from the day it rolls off the assembly line till the day it's crushed. To compare it to a PCs is a very silly. These automotive computers are purpose built with an emphasis on Real time processing over high throughput. They don't become obsolete so long as the auto continues to run. And OS upgrades and new software are never a concern. Which is why my 20 year old cars EFI computers still work despite the orders of magnitude increase in desktop PC power that has happened in the meantime.
2. Flex Fuel vehicles use a sensor that can detect the level of Ethanol in the fuel system. Adjusting the air fuel ratio accordingly.
That largely depends on jurisdiction. And once kids are old enough to play baseball they are also generally a bit older than 4. It's also a bad example because who is REALLY responsible? The person who hit the ball? THe person who threw it? The whole bunch of kids who were playing baseball in the street?
My point is that even if the law does state that the parent is liable in certain circumstances, we don't need more people making more laws and setting precedent that end up with cases like this one. In some cases however I do support court ordered punishment (APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT), as a learning tool. If you strike these kids and/or parents too hard it gives them a very bad taste about the legal system.
It's always the bitter people without kids that I hear harping about how parents need to be punished for what once-upon-a-time was considered an unfortunate accident.
That's not to say Parents DON'T need to take responsibility. We do. We need to be better at everything than we are. That's simple self-improvement as a person and as a nation and as a world. An unfortunate trend is that parents are less involved and more liable. Creates a bit of a downward spiral.
At the end of the day, I'm a firm believer in treating people how you wish to be treated. If my neighbor puts a ball through my window accidentally playing out in the yard, I can see a lot of scenarios from me asking the kid to mow my lawn to work it off, splitting it with the parents, having the kid help me replace it, etc. Something constructive. Something that says: "If I accidentally break YOUR window, you won't be calling the cops on ME." Then again, I'm not one of those bitter fucks that goes out of their way to make their neighbors lives a living hell.
You don't have kids, do you?
They do the most inexplicable things because they don't know better.
If you want to be responsible for the actions of somebody who can't put their shoes on the right feet, OR tie them, be my guest.
For the rest of us, some things have to be chocked up to an act of god.
(argument from other side): If she hadn't been so old maybe she could have gotten out of the way! Why should the parents have to pay because some people are too old to survive?
People have said the same thing about fuel pumps. Some people STILL say the same thing about fuel pumps. Oregon and New Jersey for sure.
If you're looking at pure energy dispensed we're talking pretty similar amount of energy in a pretty similar amount of time. Gasoline vs Electricity. I personally think it's manageable with the right hardware and the right software handshaking. It's not like they will put the power switch directly in the hands of the end-user!
It's not even checking for open doors. It's like your neighbors leaving their windows open, and having a loud conversation. You can either close your windows, or, by downloading this software you are essentially opening your windows and listening in.
If they don't want to be heard they can close their windows and talk quietly. Or encrypt their shit. Or if they can't encrypt it, they can not use it at all. Just like they wouldn't talk about their hemorrhoids in Starbucks, they shouldn't do anything online that would be a liability or embarrassing.
So while we're talking about it. Which would you rather have fix your car or bike or lawnmower?
A geography buff or a mechanic?
Who would you rather have build your house?
A civics nut or a carpenter?
While on a whole I don't disagree with your point, the fact is vocational programs seed practical and immediately USEFUL skills for the every day person.
Not that maps and umm, mayors (what exactly do civics majors end up doing in life besides waiting tables or becoming politicians (something we DEFINITELY don't need more of)?) aren't useful, it's just that we need a whole lot less of them per capita.
Not for quick charging. You MUST have the electrical equivalent to a gasoline storage tank in order to supply it quickly enough. A big bank of batteries/capacitors.
Yes, you will likely be able to plug in at the local shopping mall and grocery store, maybe even plug into the parking meter! But for a road trip, you use up your 'tank' and want to fill it up quickly. The grid can not support that now or likely ever. Thus, the need for the 'gas station' with the 6-min charge capability (at a drastically increased cost of electricity over a home fillup to pay for the infrastructure.)
No more of a risk than the giant battery pack with wheels you'd be driving around at 70mpg...
ABSOLUTELY!!!!
Getting that monitor stand off the desk is such an amazing experience! It's almost better than the jump from CRT to LCD. It really gets rid of clutter.
Add a couple wall-mount lamps and some wireless peripherals and the desk is ALL yours. No fuss, no Muss.
Keep in mind the quality of the monitor makes a huge difference as well as the display adapter/drivers.
A cheapy monitor doesn't look right. That is correct. An IPS monitor on the upper end of the spectrum, on something other than intel integrated graphics, in my real world experience, looks the same in either dimension.
But it doesn't come cheap :-( :-(
Agreed.
No way B.A would have put his Van in harms way. Otherwise the story would be something different.
"Dat Foo Done Messed up Mah VAN!" *POW*
I love it when a plan comes together.
Actually by the time you get into the 22+" size (non-widescreen) you can fix two A4 side-by side at 1:1 ratio. However, this isn't accounting for tool-bars and the like so my preference is a 20-22" non-widescreen or 22+ widescreen, rotated 90". I've used this in Electronic Document Imaging applications, real world, with a lot of seat time and it's a VERY workable solution. Gives plenty of room for a single A4 page with toolbars on top and side.
The one catch is that some monitors have asymetrical and or narrow vertical viewing angles which with the monitor 90 degrees rotated means that is now your horizontal viewing angle range and in worst case you can't get a clear picture out of both eyes at once. Good monitors don't have this problem and they look identical no matter the orientation.
You must have more time than money. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But not everybody is in the same boat. Plus not everybody even has the technical aptitude to get linux up and running (even with the latest improvements in Ubuntu and the likes)
For the rest of us, having to spend time configuring and cursing and getting our applications to run the way they should (or the way I think they should), not to mention feeling the pain of incompatibility with 95% of the electronic world is a waste we can not bear. I'd rather spend a few extra billable hours and just go out and buy something that works.
Disclaimer: I'm a former Linux Fanboi turned Hackintosh fanboi. Turning Apple Fanboi.
With Hackintosh you have to spend some time getting it running right but after that it's flawless, the apps just work, no compiling, plenty of open source app projects that actually don't suck. I hate to give Steve Jobs the satisfaction but this shit does really "just work"...
The only next logical step for me to take, if I can swallow it, is the move to Apple Hardware for the ultimate "Just Works" scenario. I just can't see myself wasting time with linux on old hardware for my primary or secondary desktop or laptop computer anymore.
The sad thing is, at the end of the day, I still find myself in Windows 25-50% of the time for one reason or another...