Let's look at this from the Client's point of view
You work for your contracting company
Its Client 'rents' you by the hour...
Suppose you muck up (however unlikely this may be)
Case 1: You're still working for the contractor
Client can sue a [presumably] large company
& - if it wins - have a greater chance of
their suit bringing them in big compensation
for their efforts in the courts...
Case 2: You become a one-person-contractor
Client can sue you (or your own company),
but (I'd suggest) your public liability
insurance value will be much less in $'s
(ie less to go after)
Now, if you are competent... and your Clients know that, you should be able to break away from your current employer... provided that you haven't signed with the employer -and- the Client hasn't signed with the employer some agreement that precludes that for some time after you leave the employer.
('don't know if that'd be legal... but you'd sure be tied up, just as your funds would be, if they sued you for anything like that...
And, even if they could afford it, your Clients probably don't want the hassle of a legal battle either; not only that, they may be depending on the presense of -other- guys in your (present) role, coming from the same contractor as you do; why should they rub their vendor(s) wrongly, ie just so you can earn more per hour and maybe decide to leave them, to travel the world, etc?)
Actually, I like Philip Greenspun's model of 5-member companies, who offer services (in that case, creating & maintaining database- based web sites & the like, I understand).
Long years of experience in one or a few of the group's areas of specialty combined with rotating project lead's (eg changing with the project) put them in good stead to do what you're considering, without risking being stretched too far, along the way...
Go have a look at the model, see if you can find a few others with a similar vision, & give it a go.
As the symptoms of RSI (that we experience - all
too often, eg when mousing & keying at all hours
of the day or night) may come, in part, from the
more or less constant touching of cold, at least
in Winter, plastic this guy's idea might help.
Ie, if the dynamic keytops that this inventor is
set to engineer happen to -warm- the tips of the
fingers instead of chilling them... I, for one,
wouldn't be surprised to see a decrease in RSI &
an increase in comfort resulting from their use.
Has anyone else noticed different levels of RSI-
symptoms with different ambient temeratures...?
PS I'm also looking to engineer a comfortable
seat, for my computer desk, that enables me to
peddle &/or otherwise exercise my legs while
at work with my vast array of systems. Ideally,
it will do something with the energy produced
by my moving my legs (eg on bicycle-like ped-
dles, slightly in front of me), like generate
electricity from it...
Hey! With bits from an old exercise bike, an
old automobile alternator, et al. this may be-
come the 2003 Killer DIY Project for Geeks!:-)
Perhaps there should be a contest (annual or
monthly, you choose) for Best DIY Geek Project.
OT: Sug. a -very- slim UNIX-clone for -this- app..
on
The End Of Minix?
·
· Score: 1
OK, so we'd like to develop an OSS'd text-mode
app that uses any serial ports available
on a modest (possibly dated) x86 box
(the box -may- be a 286, but if your sug'd OS
requires a bit more, we'll meet its CPU req'ts)
Needed: [Your sug's for] a very slim, C-based
OSS Op Sys that will facilitate running of
our application (eg to program, upload/down-
load data to/from such devices as GPS's &
scanning receivers; the latter might need a
faster serial-port speed, ie to provide fast
channel/sec scanning rates)
We'd like to program it using a well-docu-
mented C compiler (that might as well be a
part of the suggested Op Sys, but needn't,
as long it's also available at OSS prices)
Would MINIX fit the bill? If not, what do
you think might?
Oh, we'd prefer not to have to buy a book
in order to use / program up the target app.
Folks, all we -really- have to do is to start
putting our skills, tools & toys to work...
but on more socially "helpful" projects...
like building games that [subtly] teach peace-
making negotiation skills, careful use of
resources, creative cooperation (eg putting
our resources together to build powerful
syndicates, eg to help fight poverty, help
educate people, etc.)
Not easy, or clearcut... but no less chal-
lenging either.
There's lots to do, that you'll never be asked
to do by your boss, but that needs doing...
and would be meaningful to achieve....If not now, when?
Actually, I do think they should also get a TM for LiNRADIO... and - who knows? - if -enough- Linux users buy & use their puppies under Linux... create & populate Linux Radio Users Communities, they -might- just do so.
On the other hand, compared to Yaesu FT-817 users on -one- Yahoo group (4034 today) or even another Yahoo group for users of the APRS-compatible UI-View program (1739 today), I doubt LiNRADIO will attract quite as much interest (to say the least).
Eg, are you going to buy one for use in your Linux box, to help put LiNRADIO on the map?;-)
Although not strictly for navigation -
since you mentioned the Amateur Radio
APRS system - I just thought I'd men-
tion UI-View (reviewed, at last, in
QST, Feb 2002).
It's 32-bit version (req's registration)
easily imported a 4 MB map JPEG, derived
from a 20 MB TIF (thanks to ImageMagick)
which would be of good use to those of
us interested in navigating around in
non-urban areas, where topographic maps
are more useful than street maps.
The resolution & colors were BEAUTIFUL!
(Now, if we can only get the organisa-
tion that's used -our- taxes to make
the map[book] to -share- access to the
TIFs from which the -other- 99 pages
were printed, we could navigate just
a bit -further- afield with these great
maps... South Australia doesn't work
like it does in Sweden & USA - yet!;-)
And, to help bring in the $'s to keep
the projects in the black, they could
-also- build & use some cabins on the
2 acres of land below as Geek Hostel
residences &/or ham radio mini-camps!
From local (Aussie) reports, as well as those
from a remote centre (Coober Pedy, SA -
also in.au), living underground can be GREAT!
Just blow in some air (for life support); a lot
of your heat will come up from the Earth...
some claim to be enjoying 20 degrees (Celcius)
all day - even in the Winter!
Sell the 60 KWh generator, invest in a com-
bination of wind & solar energy systems.
Sounds great for Radio Hams as well as
would-be wireless I'netters!
Why not buy them & fix them up for use as
affordable Geek Hostels (where is the IYH
&/or AYH when we need 'em?;-)
Well, perhaps under my chair, as I sit at my Desk - for long hours - using my computer...
Instead of a wasteful friction mechanism, let my exercise-motivated peddling generate some 12 VDC, eg using a vehicle's alternator to charge batteries.
Great way to -supplement- a home solar-panel energy source!
I'm sure that more & more people will find
themselves in this person's position; it's
going to be good to 'share notes' with the
next generation of cochlear implantees....
Do write up your experiences & (hopefully)
save others some of the need to 'reinvent'
the wheel, so to speak, to new hearing....
PS As some are aware, use of cochlear im-
plants, to enable people who've never had
the chance to hear to begin doing that,
is actully controvertial for some in the
deaf community, who feel that it's good
to be deaf...
Hmmm... haven't I just heard that BionicEar's
cochlear implants (or some of them) have just
been pulled off the market... and that the co
has to re-apply for approval to sell them, ie
after a finding, that they cause some sort of
ear infection(s)...?
A local (ie Australian) company is gearing up
its production facilities, by way of offering
its product, ie until BionicEar gets the 'OK'
[from FDA] to put its modified product -back-
on the US market...
FWIW, I seem to recall that it was the "posi-
tioner" part, in BionicEar's previous product
that's been deemed cause of the infection(s).
Anybody else have more bits of the story be-
hind this story...?
I seem to recall the story about young Dijkstra, at the [Dutch?] Marriage License bureau... being asked to state his occupation, EWD replied "programmer"
Unfortunately, at the time, "programmer" was not an acceptable (or even known) occupation, and he had to come up with something else... what that something else was, I do not recall...
While it's nice to see Garmin's continues
signs of innovation - I can see parents &
day-care workers (of kids & oldies) hand-
ing one of these to each of the people in
the charge, so that anyone wandering off
can be found earlier.
But - wait... there's more!
Noting the complaint from a poster, who
is saddled with a now-obsolete eTrax, I
just thought I'd remind people of some
of the other features that (I bet) will
sooner or later work their way into the
Rino family (or future successors).
Have a look at UI-View (recently reviewed
in the Feb 2002 issue of QST magazine;
published by ARRL)
Kenwood has dual-band (144 & 440 MHz)
Amateur handheld (radio) handhelds &
higher powered mobiles that have GPS
interfaces.
UI-View firmware is also in the radio.
Of course, a small computer is a nice
(but optional) addon to the radio+gps
Now, COMING FEATURES include telemetry
(read: Weather Data from distant auto-
matic gov't & private weather stations)
Also: each radio can act as a digipeater
(so you can get position &/or weather
data from farther away than your radio
reaches by itself)
Short messaging & broadcasts (to all)
are also in the UI-View feature-list.
Details are available (in the file areas
of) UI-View Announce &/or UI-View eGroups
(Yahoo!'s)
There is a Win32-compatible Help file
that tells it all...
A 16-bit trial version provides -all-
of the above features; registering it
allows you to run the 32-bit version,
which also connects a -fixed- station
node to the Internet (or, for special
applications, in high-use areas, pos-
sibly an Intranet...?)
Let's all look into UI-View, start de-
manding (of Garmin) that they "skip"
a few steps in the development chain,
and fewer of us will feel like the
posting eTrax owner, in future...;-)
Slashdot Mirror
Let's look at this from the Client's point of view
You work for your contracting company
Its Client 'rents' you by the hour...
Suppose you muck up (however unlikely this may be)
Case 1: You're still working for the contractor
Client can sue a [presumably] large company
& - if it wins - have a greater chance of
their suit bringing them in big compensation
for their efforts in the courts...
Case 2: You become a one-person-contractor
Client can sue you (or your own company),
but (I'd suggest) your public liability
insurance value will be much less in $'s
(ie less to go after)
Now, if you are competent... and your Clients
know that, you should be able to break away
from your current employer... provided that
you haven't signed with the employer -and-
the Client hasn't signed with the employer
some agreement that precludes that for some time
after you leave the employer.
('don't know if that'd be legal... but you'd
sure be tied up, just as your funds would be,
if they sued you for anything like that...
And, even if they could afford it, your Clients
probably don't want the hassle of a legal battle
either; not only that, they may be depending on
the presense of -other- guys in your (present)
role, coming from the same contractor as you do;
why should they rub their vendor(s) wrongly, ie
just so you can earn more per hour and maybe
decide to leave them, to travel the world, etc?)
Actually, I like Philip Greenspun's model of
5-member companies, who offer services (in
that case, creating & maintaining database-
based web sites & the like, I understand).
Long years of experience in one or a few of
the group's areas of specialty combined with
rotating project lead's (eg changing with
the project) put them in good stead to do
what you're considering, without risking
being stretched too far, along the way...
Go have a look at the model, see if you can
find a few others with a similar vision, &
give it a go.
Good luck! (Come back & tell us how it went)
1. From time to time, something known as Golden
Staph is reportedly found in our hospitals,
and it closes any operating theatres it's
been found in...
2. There's a double standard of informing people
who might be working around/with those known
to have/carry golden staph, &/or communicable
diseases:
- police dispatchers alert attending officers
that suspects are known to carry (unspeci-
fied) communicable diseases, but
- health care professionals (who work with
similar disease carriers) are not told, ie
officially
Different ministries / gov't dep'ts,
different needs/rights to know...
Go figure! Or better: go improve things!
The following is -pure- speculation on my part:
:-)
As the symptoms of RSI (that we experience - all
too often, eg when mousing & keying at all hours
of the day or night) may come, in part, from the
more or less constant touching of cold, at least
in Winter, plastic this guy's idea might help.
Ie, if the dynamic keytops that this inventor is
set to engineer happen to -warm- the tips of the
fingers instead of chilling them... I, for one,
wouldn't be surprised to see a decrease in RSI &
an increase in comfort resulting from their use.
Has anyone else noticed different levels of RSI-
symptoms with different ambient temeratures...?
PS I'm also looking to engineer a comfortable
seat, for my computer desk, that enables me to
peddle &/or otherwise exercise my legs while
at work with my vast array of systems. Ideally,
it will do something with the energy produced
by my moving my legs (eg on bicycle-like ped-
dles, slightly in front of me), like generate
electricity from it...
Hey! With bits from an old exercise bike, an
old automobile alternator, et al. this may be-
come the 2003 Killer DIY Project for Geeks!
Perhaps there should be a contest (annual or
monthly, you choose) for Best DIY Geek Project.
OK, so we'd like to develop an OSS'd text-mode
app that uses any serial ports available
on a modest (possibly dated) x86 box
(the box -may- be a 286, but if your sug'd OS
requires a bit more, we'll meet its CPU req'ts)
Needed: [Your sug's for] a very slim, C-based
OSS Op Sys that will facilitate running of
our application (eg to program, upload/down-
load data to/from such devices as GPS's &
scanning receivers; the latter might need a
faster serial-port speed, ie to provide fast
channel/sec scanning rates)
We'd like to program it using a well-docu-
mented C compiler (that might as well be a
part of the suggested Op Sys, but needn't,
as long it's also available at OSS prices)
Would MINIX fit the bill? If not, what do
you think might?
Oh, we'd prefer not to have to buy a book
in order to use / program up the target app.
What'cha think would do the job?
TIA
Research Report, Mapping Crime: Principle and
Practice by Keith Harries Ph.D. December 1999:
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/178919.htm
('lots of other research reports are there for
cost-free downloading, too; including one into
RH Linux 7.1's GNU dd as a disk imaging tool.)
Folks, all we -really- have to do is to start
putting our skills, tools & toys to work...
but on more socially "helpful" projects...
like building games that [subtly] teach peace-
making negotiation skills, careful use of
resources, creative cooperation (eg putting
our resources together to build powerful
syndicates, eg to help fight poverty, help
educate people, etc.)
Not easy, or clearcut... but no less chal-
lenging either.
There's lots to do, that you'll never be asked
to do by your boss, but that needs doing...
and would be meaningful to achieve.
Perhaps they hope to WiN over their competition
;-)
Actually, I do think they should also get a TM
for LiNRADIO... and - who knows? - if -enough-
Linux users buy & use their puppies under
Linux... create & populate Linux Radio Users
Communities, they -might- just do so.
On the other hand, compared to Yaesu FT-817
users on -one- Yahoo group (4034 today) or
even another Yahoo group for users of the
APRS-compatible UI-View program (1739 today),
I doubt LiNRADIO will attract quite as much
interest (to say the least).
Eg, are you going to buy one for use in your
Linux box, to help put LiNRADIO on the map?
This puppy works and, for those who need it,
is very easy to install, configure & operate
It's just that simple...
Yep, keep training those Bees, folks!
Now that we know they can be put to use
for post-military purposes, we might see
them replace Trouffle Dogs someday...
"Fuel Cells 2000" or sim
http://www.fuelcells.org
Lotsa dope there, folks!
It'll likely answer most of the questions
that have come up in response to this art.
---
Sad to see so few comments on this article
- given the importance (& general conveni-
ence) that attach to alternative energy...
Go figure! (Maybe
So, what are some of the better fuel cell
forums out there, people? TIA
(the Q asks it all, folks)
Oh, also useful is incorporating elevation data
into the displayed images, which model the land
Ozi seems to be working on this (last time we
looked, there was a beta to download).
Any other similar work out there (pref. Open
Source, which of course Ozi is NOT) ?
Although not strictly for navigation -
since you mentioned the Amateur Radio
APRS system - I just thought I'd men-
tion UI-View (reviewed, at last, in
QST, Feb 2002).
It's 32-bit version (req's registration)
easily imported a 4 MB map JPEG, derived
from a 20 MB TIF (thanks to ImageMagick)
which would be of good use to those of
us interested in navigating around in
non-urban areas, where topographic maps
are more useful than street maps.
The resolution & colors were BEAUTIFUL!
(Now, if we can only get the organisa-
tion that's used -our- taxes to make
the map[book] to -share- access to the
TIFs from which the -other- 99 pages
were printed, we could navigate just
a bit -further- afield with these great
maps... South Australia doesn't work
like it does in Sweden & USA - yet!
And, to help bring in the $'s to keep
the projects in the black, they could
-also- build & use some cabins on the
2 acres of land below as Geek Hostel
residences &/or ham radio mini-camps!
From local (Aussie) reports, as well as those
from a remote centre (Coober Pedy, SA -
also in
Just blow in some air (for life support); a lot
of your heat will come up from the Earth...
some claim to be enjoying 20 degrees (Celcius)
all day - even in the Winter!
Sell the 60 KWh generator, invest in a com-
bination of wind & solar energy systems.
Sounds great for Radio Hams as well as
would-be wireless I'netters!
Why not buy them & fix them up for use as
affordable Geek Hostels (where is the IYH
&/or AYH when we need 'em?
New organisation: IGH - Int'l Geek Hostels
Well, perhaps under my chair, as I sit at my Desk - for long hours - using my computer...
Instead of a wasteful friction mechanism, let my exercise-motivated peddling generate some 12 VDC, eg using a vehicle's alternator to charge batteries.
Great way to -supplement- a home solar-panel energy source!
I'm sure that more & more people will find
themselves in this person's position; it's
going to be good to 'share notes' with the
next generation of cochlear implantees....
Do write up your experiences & (hopefully)
save others some of the need to 'reinvent'
the wheel, so to speak, to new hearing....
PS As some are aware, use of cochlear im-
plants, to enable people who've never had
the chance to hear to begin doing that,
is actully controvertial for some in the
deaf community, who feel that it's good
to be deaf...
Comments...?
Hmmm... haven't I just heard that BionicEar's
cochlear implants (or some of them) have just
been pulled off the market... and that the co
has to re-apply for approval to sell them, ie
after a finding, that they cause some sort of
ear infection(s)...?
A local (ie Australian) company is gearing up
its production facilities, by way of offering
its product, ie until BionicEar gets the 'OK'
[from FDA] to put its modified product -back-
on the US market...
FWIW, I seem to recall that it was the "posi-
tioner" part, in BionicEar's previous product
that's been deemed cause of the infection(s).
Anybody else have more bits of the story be-
hind this story...?
I seem to recall the story about young Dijkstra, at the [Dutch?] Marriage License bureau... being asked to state his occupation, EWD replied "programmer"
Unfortunately, at the time, "programmer" was not an acceptable (or even known) occupation, and he had to come up with something else... what that something else was, I do not recall...
Does someone else here know?
TIA
(that's all... simple surprise at the omission)
How far could this reasonably be taken?
E.g. suppose one posts an article on topic X
on an obscure website mainly about topic Y
A year passes before the same article gets
posted on another site, that deals with X
(ie a more likely place for it to be noticed)
A law suit arises... but the author/posters
defends with "statute of limitation" protects
me...
Something tells me that such a defense wouldn't
work...
There are plenty of graphics tools
for displaying molecular models (eg
in Chemistry); maybe one of them
would solve it...?
(There are catalogs of scientific
in the office when I looked for it...)
Is that the kind of thing you had in mind?
If so, cf:
http://www.lizardtech.com/
While it's nice to see Garmin's continues
signs of innovation - I can see parents &
day-care workers (of kids & oldies) hand-
ing one of these to each of the people in
the charge, so that anyone wandering off
can be found earlier.
But - wait... there's more!
Noting the complaint from a poster, who
is saddled with a now-obsolete eTrax, I
just thought I'd remind people of some
of the other features that (I bet) will
sooner or later work their way into the
Rino family (or future successors).
Have a look at UI-View (recently reviewed
in the Feb 2002 issue of QST magazine;
published by ARRL)
Kenwood has dual-band (144 & 440 MHz)
Amateur handheld (radio) handhelds &
higher powered mobiles that have GPS
interfaces.
UI-View firmware is also in the radio.
Of course, a small computer is a nice
(but optional) addon to the radio+gps
Now, COMING FEATURES include telemetry
(read: Weather Data from distant auto-
matic gov't & private weather stations)
Also: each radio can act as a digipeater
(so you can get position &/or weather
data from farther away than your radio
reaches by itself)
Short messaging & broadcasts (to all)
are also in the UI-View feature-list.
Details are available (in the file areas
of) UI-View Announce &/or UI-View eGroups
(Yahoo!'s)
There is a Win32-compatible Help file
that tells it all...
A 16-bit trial version provides -all-
of the above features; registering it
allows you to run the 32-bit version,
which also connects a -fixed- station
node to the Internet (or, for special
applications, in high-use areas, pos-
sibly an Intranet...?)
Let's all look into UI-View, start de-
manding (of Garmin) that they "skip"
a few steps in the development chain,
and fewer of us will feel like the
posting eTrax owner, in future...
We don't see ad's while using Yahoo! eGroups
Just set Opera's tri-state "show images" toggle
to "don't show 'em"
Any browser windows opened from one with that
setting -inherits- that setting (fr ver 6.0x)
We've been hit by Yahoo!'s non-posting glitches,
but haven't got a workaround or alternative...
We'll be reading for others' ideas here...