Give me a break. The most recent example you can come up with happened 40 years ago. Despite opportunities to meddle with elections in places like Venezuela, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Palestine the US has refrained from doing so even if it has meant the election of an antagonistic head of state.
The whole US as shadowy evil puppet-master thing is wearing kinda thin.
Cheap electronics simply didn't exist 30 years ago, that's the difference. I own a 38 year old Marantz stereo receiver that will run circles around most modern big-box store receivers in terms of sound and build quality, I thought this was proof that quality has degraded over time until I researched the original cost of the unit. The receiver was positioned at the lower-mid range of the Marantz lineup at the time; it cost $450 in 1974 dollars which is about $2025 in 2012 dollars! You can buy a serious, near audiophile level piece gear for two grand that would put the old Marantz to shame (as much as I love it).
A $30 wireless router is an amazing piece of technology in its own right and really can't be compared to anything produced 30-40 years ago. I have Cisco routers that have been running 24x7 for the last 10 years and work perfectly, granted they cost 100x more than a Netgear with basically the same capability. As always you get what you pay for.
I'm not sure why this was modded funny, this is a very good idea. You can buy things like RAM and video cards sight unseen but most buyers like to demo laptops, TVs, tablets, speakers, etc prior to purchase. Best Buy could keep a wide variety, zero inventory, and ship to the store next day from distribution centers. Charge customers a $10 fee to walk into the showroom and refund it at time of purchase or charge a yearly membership similar to Costco.
Yeager was a phenomenally talented pilot who used skill and intuition to save himself and his expensive test aircraft on many occasions. Combine this with the fact that he has giant brass balls and you certainly have a candidate for the greatest pilot ever. The fact that he survived to break the sound barrier has little to do with luck.
What good is an optimized (if not lossess) format when played through and iPod with a digital to analog converter that costs 50 cents? My $40 Sansa Clip plays FLAC and has a better quality DAC than a $300 iPod. Why is Apple even bothering?
Where back in the 50's thru the 70s you commonly heard about the 30 year car. There seems to be a different in long term quality of the vehicles.
I've not heard of the 30 year car, except for in Cuba. Back then and up until the late 80's or so you were lucky if the car lasted until the last payment was due; if it made it to 100k miles without a major repair you went out and bought a lottery ticket.
Or don't compartmentalize. When the boss finds photos of your home S&M dungeon he will likely ask you to no longer participate in company-related social media activities. Problem solved.
That hasn't been my experience with Fry's employees, at least in the PC components section. Most of the employees I've encountered are geeks in their early 20's who have a genuine interest in technology who usually know much more than I do about what it is that I am shopping for. If I ask which CPU is the best bang for the buck they don't automatically point me to the most expensive one available but instead tell me which one has unlockable CPU cores, which ones dominate certain benchmarks etc. They know which motherboards are cheaply made crap and which ones last and what RAM to pair them with. This is knowledge that would take me many hours of online research to accumulate; I recently built a new PC and paid less than what I would have paid online and received solid advice in the process. As long as Fry's retains knowledgeable employees, keeps prices competitive with online retailers, and makes returns easy I don't have any reason to shop anywhere else. I wouldn't care if every Best Buy in the world went up in flames but I'd be bummed if my local Fry's ever shut their doors.
We are powerless unless you consider living without technology an option. I can't think of a single motherboard, monitor, laptop, smart phone, or tablet available today that isn't manufactured in mainland China or Taiwan. I'll go out on a limb and say that 5% of consumers would be willing to pay extra for technology made in the USA or another socially and environmentally responsible country - hell people are willing to pay stupid amounts of money for hybrid cars with dubious evnironmental benefits. Combined with a slick marketing campaign I suspect this could be a profitable niche.
Apple is a company that makes its money primarily through the sale of boutique computer and electronics equipment. Their equipment happens to need an OS. Sure, there are some higher end applications for video and music that have created a niche market, but at the moment they make their money on selling trendy computers and electronics to trendy people at trendy prices.
Problem is that these trendy people are are in C level positions. They are not asking IT departments to support Apple products they are demanding it. Apple has too much momentum; it won't be able to stay out of the enterprise market for much longer.
Getting crushed under the Apple licensing/support/compatibility jackboot is even less appealing than dealing with Microsoft - which is only slightly more appealing than being kicked in the crotch repeatedly by a Muay Thai kickboxing champion.
Ah yes...I also long for the good old days when kids became popular for doing and selling drugs...all this hand-held internet access gps techno mumbo jumbo is a load of hooey!
Our desktop support guys are treated lower than dog dirt, people clap, whistle, and shout at them all day long to get their attention. They truly do have a thankless glory-free job.
Working in network security is a little more glorious, especially when you explain to people that you keep the network safe from "hackers." Unfortunately it isn't enough to convince girls to have sex with me but it carries a little more weight than say an accounts payable specialist I suppose.
Start working on your Cisco CCNA certification. This is the best career move you can make if you want to stay in IT; network admins/engineers are always in high demand, even in the bad economy.
I was in your shoes a few years ago and attended the hands-on Cisco Network Academy training courses at my local community college. It was a tough cert especially since I know almost nothing about networking but worth every hour and penny spent. I was offered a job as a network admin for $15k more a year before I had even taken the test. My user support days are now behind me and that is the best feeling in the world.
Exactly right, AMD's Phenom chips get a bad rap from enthusiast sites who overclock and attempt to squeeze every last ounce of performance at the expense of stability and longevity.
AMD makes excellent mainstream CPUs, telling Joe computer user to buy Intel over AMD is like telling someone shopping for a family car to buy a Malibu instead of a Camry because performance wise the Corvette beats the crap out of anything Toyota has to offer.
The 780g chipset is hands down the best integrated graphics chipset on the market and don't forget that AMD offers the least expensive quad core CPU.
AMD needs PR help more than they need the "fastest" CPU on the market
Computer and network security is huge right now and can be quite rewarding financially.
If you can get a foot in the door at a large company or consulting firm chances are you'll have the opportunity to move into network design and "security auditing" which is really just a nice business-y term for getting to legally hack your own or a client's network.
Re:Despite this "Terminal Chaos"
on
Terminal Chaos
·
· Score: 3, Funny
Airlines should take it a step further and make air travel even more spartan (and cheaper), remove the cushy seats and install benches made out of canvas webbing. Rip out all of the sound insulation to make more room and give passengers ear protection when they board. Make passengers pay by weight, you go online and declare your total weight (body and baggage) and pay a price, if you show up and are heavier than what you declared you pay a big penalty . No drinks, mini pretzels, and the minimum number of flight attendants required by law. Flight attendants would carry tasers to subdue air rage which would be reduced due to the fact that no one could hear each other talk anyways. Air travel sucks as it is, why not remove all vestiges of comfort and save us all a few bucks?
Slashdot Mirror
Gotta spend money to make money.
Give me a break. The most recent example you can come up with happened 40 years ago. Despite opportunities to meddle with elections in places like Venezuela, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Palestine the US has refrained from doing so even if it has meant the election of an antagonistic head of state.
The whole US as shadowy evil puppet-master thing is wearing kinda thin.
Cheap electronics simply didn't exist 30 years ago, that's the difference. I own a 38 year old Marantz stereo receiver that will run circles around most modern big-box store receivers in terms of sound and build quality, I thought this was proof that quality has degraded over time until I researched the original cost of the unit. The receiver was positioned at the lower-mid range of the Marantz lineup at the time; it cost $450 in 1974 dollars which is about $2025 in 2012 dollars! You can buy a serious, near audiophile level piece gear for two grand that would put the old Marantz to shame (as much as I love it).
A $30 wireless router is an amazing piece of technology in its own right and really can't be compared to anything produced 30-40 years ago. I have Cisco routers that have been running 24x7 for the last 10 years and work perfectly, granted they cost 100x more than a Netgear with basically the same capability. As always you get what you pay for.
I'm not sure why this was modded funny, this is a very good idea. You can buy things like RAM and video cards sight unseen but most buyers like to demo laptops, TVs, tablets, speakers, etc prior to purchase. Best Buy could keep a wide variety, zero inventory, and ship to the store next day from distribution centers. Charge customers a $10 fee to walk into the showroom and refund it at time of purchase or charge a yearly membership similar to Costco.
Yeager was a phenomenally talented pilot who used skill and intuition to save himself and his expensive test aircraft on many occasions. Combine this with the fact that he has giant brass balls and you certainly have a candidate for the greatest pilot ever. The fact that he survived to break the sound barrier has little to do with luck.
"All the science I don't understand, its just my job five days a week" -Elton John
Incorrect, a cruise missile generates lift like an airplane, dipshit.
You mean you've never gotten stoned and talked to your dog? Try it! I promise he will have some very interesting things to say.
Let me guess...you work for Cessna?
What good is an optimized (if not lossess) format when played through and iPod with a digital to analog converter that costs 50 cents? My $40 Sansa Clip plays FLAC and has a better quality DAC than a $300 iPod. Why is Apple even bothering?
Where back in the 50's thru the 70s you commonly heard about the 30 year car. There seems to be a different in long term quality of the vehicles.
I've not heard of the 30 year car, except for in Cuba. Back then and up until the late 80's or so you were lucky if the car lasted until the last payment was due; if it made it to 100k miles without a major repair you went out and bought a lottery ticket.
Or don't compartmentalize. When the boss finds photos of your home S&M dungeon he will likely ask you to no longer participate in company-related social media activities. Problem solved.
That hasn't been my experience with Fry's employees, at least in the PC components section. Most of the employees I've encountered are geeks in their early 20's who have a genuine interest in technology who usually know much more than I do about what it is that I am shopping for. If I ask which CPU is the best bang for the buck they don't automatically point me to the most expensive one available but instead tell me which one has unlockable CPU cores, which ones dominate certain benchmarks etc. They know which motherboards are cheaply made crap and which ones last and what RAM to pair them with. This is knowledge that would take me many hours of online research to accumulate; I recently built a new PC and paid less than what I would have paid online and received solid advice in the process. As long as Fry's retains knowledgeable employees, keeps prices competitive with online retailers, and makes returns easy I don't have any reason to shop anywhere else. I wouldn't care if every Best Buy in the world went up in flames but I'd be bummed if my local Fry's ever shut their doors.
Why don't Foxconn's Apple employees commit suicide as often? Better working conditions? No. Too mainstream.
And not a moment too soon; it's reassuring to know we have N+1 evildoers to bomb if the whole Iran situation doesn't work out.
We are powerless unless you consider living without technology an option. I can't think of a single motherboard, monitor, laptop, smart phone, or tablet available today that isn't manufactured in mainland China or Taiwan. I'll go out on a limb and say that 5% of consumers would be willing to pay extra for technology made in the USA or another socially and environmentally responsible country - hell people are willing to pay stupid amounts of money for hybrid cars with dubious evnironmental benefits. Combined with a slick marketing campaign I suspect this could be a profitable niche.
"Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day"
I don't think I know any Happy System Admins, can't we have a Disgruntled System Administrator Appreciation Day? Nobody ever does anything for us!
Apple is a company that makes its money primarily through the sale of boutique computer and electronics equipment. Their equipment happens to need an OS. Sure, there are some higher end applications for video and music that have created a niche market, but at the moment they make their money on selling trendy computers and electronics to trendy people at trendy prices.
Problem is that these trendy people are are in C level positions. They are not asking IT departments to support Apple products they are demanding it. Apple has too much momentum; it won't be able to stay out of the enterprise market for much longer.
Getting crushed under the Apple licensing/support/compatibility jackboot is even less appealing than dealing with Microsoft - which is only slightly more appealing than being kicked in the crotch repeatedly by a Muay Thai kickboxing champion.
Ah yes...I also long for the good old days when kids became popular for doing and selling drugs...all this hand-held internet access gps techno mumbo jumbo is a load of hooey!
Wait a minute...laser death rays AND scantily clad women? Vegas might be worth visiting after all.
Our desktop support guys are treated lower than dog dirt, people clap, whistle, and shout at them all day long to get their attention. They truly do have a thankless glory-free job. Working in network security is a little more glorious, especially when you explain to people that you keep the network safe from "hackers." Unfortunately it isn't enough to convince girls to have sex with me but it carries a little more weight than say an accounts payable specialist I suppose.
Start working on your Cisco CCNA certification. This is the best career move you can make if you want to stay in IT; network admins/engineers are always in high demand, even in the bad economy. I was in your shoes a few years ago and attended the hands-on Cisco Network Academy training courses at my local community college. It was a tough cert especially since I know almost nothing about networking but worth every hour and penny spent. I was offered a job as a network admin for $15k more a year before I had even taken the test. My user support days are now behind me and that is the best feeling in the world.
Exactly right, AMD's Phenom chips get a bad rap from enthusiast sites who overclock and attempt to squeeze every last ounce of performance at the expense of stability and longevity. AMD makes excellent mainstream CPUs, telling Joe computer user to buy Intel over AMD is like telling someone shopping for a family car to buy a Malibu instead of a Camry because performance wise the Corvette beats the crap out of anything Toyota has to offer. The 780g chipset is hands down the best integrated graphics chipset on the market and don't forget that AMD offers the least expensive quad core CPU. AMD needs PR help more than they need the "fastest" CPU on the market
Computer and network security is huge right now and can be quite rewarding financially. If you can get a foot in the door at a large company or consulting firm chances are you'll have the opportunity to move into network design and "security auditing" which is really just a nice business-y term for getting to legally hack your own or a client's network.
Airlines should take it a step further and make air travel even more spartan (and cheaper), remove the cushy seats and install benches made out of canvas webbing. Rip out all of the sound insulation to make more room and give passengers ear protection when they board. Make passengers pay by weight, you go online and declare your total weight (body and baggage) and pay a price, if you show up and are heavier than what you declared you pay a big penalty . No drinks, mini pretzels, and the minimum number of flight attendants required by law. Flight attendants would carry tasers to subdue air rage which would be reduced due to the fact that no one could hear each other talk anyways. Air travel sucks as it is, why not remove all vestiges of comfort and save us all a few bucks?