Keep in mind, this is everything for us... and most of us don't even know it.
When you go to the dr's office, guess what's running your insurance data (usually....) ibm.
A friend's dad is 1.6 yrs from retirement and one of the last of the people in his area that run the zOS machines. It is scarry. Truely scarry.
I can talk some hardware with this guy, and a little bit of "good comptuing practices" sort of stuff, but I can't touch him for his knowledge of the workings of the code and systems. And *forget* finding those little "google:howto+topic" miracles like I do daily for my linux admin stuff.
I'm sure most linux savvy ops who know a little about databases could fill in, but there's going to be some issues in the next 5 years or so.
It reminds me of the Cobol joke... about the bloke who earned so much money fixing peoples cobol systems to make the y2k switch that he was able to buy himself a deep freeze. Only to have the 9999 bug crop up. They unfreeze him, tell him all kind of good stuff that's gone on in the world, and then mention to him that since he had Cobol on his resume he was drafted to rewrite some code by the community. (hehe...)
Most of the sysadmins on this campus hate dell with a passion.
I've had to return at least once (sometimes more than 4 times) every single dell laptop I've bought within the first 3 months.
The precision 650's are fine, but I choose them very carefully.
And I can get a local place to build up better servers for less money and they get replacement parts to me the same day.
But you're right. The two things that matter to me have been cost (lowest stable option) and perforance ratios.
But you're right, also. There's not a really good 1u amd middle road option right now. Which means most of the rackable big guys (web hosting stuff, game servers, etc.) are getting p4's and middle end xeons.
I can't buy sun if it means taking out the local guy. I am considering buying HP opterons. I'll not buy another dell. (The Precision 650's, although very good, came broken and unusable from dell.:( )
I'm actually an all AMD shop, except for a few workstations. The only intel machines in the institute are PIII 700's and 900's from before my time there and a set of 6 Dell Precicions 650's (running Debian.). (Which were also the fastest machines in the place 3 years ago when I started.)
Servers are all AMD MP's with a few AMD opterons rouding out the bunch. Workstations are dual MP's. Desktops are mostly Duron's through XP's .
Just bought a few 1u tyan machines. (amd opterons) and planning on building up a cluster in a few weeks with about 30 more.
AMD has won on the campus scene at least.
Oh, and the desktop machines in my house are all AMD except for a crappy compaq that my bro bought and an iBook g3.
Kind of funny. Can't believe they only have 10% right now. But it happens I guess.;)
This is actually what I tell people about phishing and hacking. As long as one doesn't make onself a target, your not really likely to be hacked by a pro. Cause the pros will get in, one way or another. So all ya do is protect youself against the script kiddies, and your probably fine. (Course, Phishing is nasty still.)
This *is* still one of the best bits of research that's came out of MIT in a little while.
In research, I'd love to be able to look at one variable (cell phone signal giving location) and get within 85% right of predicting the short scale outcome based on that variation.
I thought he was talking about windows too. I've said almost exactly the same thing discussing that *platforn* many, many, times.
Actually, if I had a nickle for every time I said that particular bit about windows, and I donated all that money to OSS, they'd probably be very happy with me.
I even put down "google" skills as a job requirement.
Now, sure, I surf at work for fun/pleasure/personal (*Not* that type of pleasure!)
But what about the time I've saved googling faster than a speeding library trip.
Not to mention all the online howtoos and news groups which have "real" solutions to real problems./. , and BOFH should be required reading for any IT job.;)
I think I'm being misunderstood here. I run a rather tight mail server with Mailscanner/exim threads, spamassassin, clamav and some other goodies.
What I was suggesting wasn't sending a "reply" flood to the "reply" address. Just when say Machine A sends an email to machine B. MAchine B sends it right back immediatly. Unless machine A wasn't the originating server.
And of course I didn't do my homework. And didn't think at the time. Machine A can eaisly pretend to not be the source machine. So it's null.
We just all need to switch to something more robust. I mean, email wasn't even intended to have Attachments! let alone all this html crap.
I've got a 30 email account user base. And I'm blocking about 25 thousand spam and about 10k virii a month. Looking at a cross section of my users inboxes, the ratio of spam to legit emails went from 8:1 to its current 1:25. My users can now actually look at their inboxes and every once and a while get absolutly no spam for a day. I'm proud.
So my contribution is, I'm now tying up some resources of spammers and they're not getting much back from me.;)
The only solution I really see is everyone changing their email addresses to a centeral database system (gmail maybe?) and then dumping all the other addresses after a phase out period. The new system (again, gmail may be geared towards this!) takes over and everyone goes through that.
Someone writes a distributed app for gmail servers, and turns conventional servs into gmail nodes. Google goes after anyone who spams their peeps. And the day's done!>:) (like hell that's gonna work.;) )
Along this line, you can also use a iPaq or Palm with a CF card and a CF gps. May save on power overall.
But I'm a fan of the etrex or trimble devices. We have a few handlheld GPS's, but do most of our major maping with the Trimble device. It makes great shape fiiles, and they (with a little hacking arg..) go right into our gis maps.
I think this was mostly just a protest to the delming going on in advertized specs by the main players in this field. (Shame on you you big manufacuteres you! You should know better!)
Anyways, it'll get people thinking a little, and let them get a bit more edumacated (W.) about what these things can actually do.
I'll stick to my Sharp for work. Love the thing. It nearly burns the ceiling tiles when it kicks off, but looks ultra sweet.
I actually caught myself in a "Hacker" moment... you know when the "The Plague" guy gets passed the piece of paper and he crindges "Oh... Hard copy".
For me it was getting handed a floppy and I crindged and said: "Oh... Floppy." Then started laughing at the event.
I had four computers in front of me. 1. AMD XP 2600 Barton. DVD+/-RW, DVD-rom, 8 USB slots 2 firewire. No Floppy. 2. AMD 1100MHz Tbird. DVD+/-RW, CD-RW, Extra HD bay. 6 USB slots. No Floppy. 3. iBook g3 700. USB & FW. No Floppy. 4. Dell Latitude cpia mini thing. USB. No CD-ROM (left at work.) No Floppy. (Left at work, broken.)
And then turned to my left to the stack of 6 laptops. All of which had floppies. None of which had USB. One of which had windows installed but that one has a broken PCMCIA controller.
So I told the person "no".
They wanted to put the files on the floppy on the cd. I honestly didn't think it was worth it.
It's fairly standard secondary useage. That non-interfearence clause is how the Ham radios of the world operate a lot of the time. Just look at 40 meters. (7MHz-7.2 MHz or so). There's a *lot* of international AM stations on that band, yet we use it all the time, right on top of the AM stations. (Hams use Lower side band (LSB) on that band.)
This is a good idea, and FCC will probably welcome it. Though I'm sure there will be "some" problems from this broadcast type.
Just take a look at BPL. Sure it works, but the hamonics generated by sending that signal down those *huge* antennas (the wires) disturbs a lot of other communications. (Basically makes HF useless to hams. And HF includes the bands necessary to get emergency traffic around a state after things like hurricanes go through....)
If all windows code would still run in win95, then most of *that* would run in wine.
And if half the stuff from back in the dos--> win95 days was written RIGHT (ie, with actual exception checking and stuff) most of that would run fine in wine too.
Sorry.. I've had some programs that were sent with flow meters which were originally written (badly) for dos. And then branded as working with "any version of windows". Yeah, it will, as long as it's not an NT based kernel. Since if it is, you get aroud 15% packet loss from the instrument due to the crap code. It's like 8% in win98, and less than 4% in win95.
And between 0-1% in both wine, boches (as it is in dos). But the gui wont work since the person who wrote the code forgot to exception check.
Just as seriously, I feel that language is a social construction of reality. For me, communicating is far more important than spelling everything correctly. When I write, spelling is in my last sweep. (I proof lots of mistakes as I'm reading, but I don't spell check until the end.)
I do dislike spelling errors. And hate grammatical blunders. I can read a published novel and pick out mistakes without even thinking about it.
I am a good writer. Getting a 7 on the International Baccalaureate english test (HL) is enough to verify that. I also write books and am about to have one published.
But do I seriously strive for spelling excelance and technical accuracy on every written communication? No. And it's not that there's no point to concern ourselves with such minutia on slashdot. But language is a social construction people. There is absolutly no rule that exists that's always been the way it is now. No spelling that has been static (well, maybe one or two) since the dawn of writ.
The difference is, now, we're writting a whole lot more general communication. The dynamics of communication have changed. But the underlaying structure of language as a social construction is prevalant.
I'm now going to go change my sig to "::this post not spellchecked. move along::
Why does this read like an exceprt of that "terrorists handbook" that was getting passed around on unmarked 3.5" floppies in 1994. (With Castle Wolf, ironically!)
And as usual, most of the best places to get the materials you need are college campuses.
Slashdot Mirror
read my sig... it's so much eaisier to type longer words and double tap R. same thing with m... comming is so much smoother than coming.
Keep in mind, this is everything for us... and most of us don't even know it.
When you go to the dr's office, guess what's running your insurance data (usually....) ibm.
A friend's dad is 1.6 yrs from retirement and one of the last of the people in his area that run the zOS machines. It is scarry. Truely scarry.
I can talk some hardware with this guy, and a little bit of "good comptuing practices" sort of stuff, but I can't touch him for his knowledge of the workings of the code and systems. And *forget* finding those little "google:howto+topic" miracles like I do daily for my linux admin stuff.
I'm sure most linux savvy ops who know a little about databases could fill in, but there's going to be some issues in the next 5 years or so.
It reminds me of the Cobol joke... about the bloke who earned so much money fixing peoples cobol systems to make the y2k switch that he was able to buy himself a deep freeze. Only to have the 9999 bug crop up. They unfreeze him, tell him all kind of good stuff that's gone on in the world, and then mention to him that since he had Cobol on his resume he was drafted to rewrite some code by the community. (hehe...)
Did it render the tables "correctly" or did it just "look" correct. :) ...
[me tries to shake off toooo many bad renders...]
Most of the sysadmins on this campus hate dell with a passion.
:( )
I've had to return at least once (sometimes more than 4 times) every single dell laptop I've bought within the first 3 months.
The precision 650's are fine, but I choose them very carefully.
And I can get a local place to build up better servers for less money and they get replacement parts to me the same day.
But you're right. The two things that matter to me have been cost (lowest stable option) and perforance ratios.
But you're right, also. There's not a really good 1u amd middle road option right now. Which means most of the rackable big guys (web hosting stuff, game servers, etc.) are getting p4's and middle end xeons.
I can't buy sun if it means taking out the local guy. I am considering buying HP opterons. I'll not buy another dell. (The Precision 650's, although very good, came broken and unusable from dell.
And HP.... hehe
;)
I'm actually an all AMD shop, except for a few workstations. The only intel machines in the institute are PIII 700's and 900's from before my time there and a set of 6 Dell Precicions 650's (running Debian.). (Which were also the fastest machines in the place 3 years ago when I started.)
Servers are all AMD MP's with a few AMD opterons rouding out the bunch. Workstations are dual MP's. Desktops are mostly Duron's through XP's .
Just bought a few 1u tyan machines. (amd opterons) and planning on building up a cluster in a few weeks with about 30 more.
AMD has won on the campus scene at least.
Oh, and the desktop machines in my house are all AMD except for a crappy compaq that my bro bought and an iBook g3.
Kind of funny. Can't believe they only have 10% right now. But it happens I guess.
Best,
This is actually what I tell people about phishing and hacking. As long as one doesn't make onself a target, your not really likely to be hacked by a pro. Cause the pros will get in, one way or another. So all ya do is protect youself against the script kiddies, and your probably fine. (Course, Phishing is nasty still.)
This *is* still one of the best bits of research that's came out of MIT in a little while.
In research, I'd love to be able to look at one variable (cell phone signal giving location) and get within 85% right of predicting the short scale outcome based on that variation.
Just goes to show how predictiable we are.
Hmm... Linux on moble. Linux in the server env. Linux on the desktop. ... I sence a theme...
:(
It's *still* all about the $100's.
Give it five more years and a horrible longhorn release. We'll see what happens. Since IBM has all but said "Linux is ready; use it"...
the gvmt has invested millions in cell phone monitoring kit?
they not only know where we are and where we were, they have a good idea where we will be...
ah...scarrrrrry...;)
I thought he was talking about windows too. I've said almost exactly the same thing discussing that *platforn* many, many, times.
Actually, if I had a nickle for every time I said that particular bit about windows, and I donated all that money to OSS, they'd probably be very happy with me.
They probably know you've been reading using google anyways. No need to tell them. ;)
Um... u missed the whole node concept thing.
;)
gmail isn't one server either.
And emial isn't internet.
I even put down "google" skills as a job requirement.
/. , and BOFH should be required reading for any IT job. ;)
Now, sure, I surf at work for fun/pleasure/personal (*Not* that type of pleasure!)
But what about the time I've saved googling faster than a speeding library trip.
Not to mention all the online howtoos and news groups which have "real" solutions to real problems.
I think I'm being misunderstood here. I run a rather tight mail server with Mailscanner/exim threads, spamassassin, clamav and some other goodies.
;)
:) ;) )
What I was suggesting wasn't sending a "reply" flood to the "reply" address. Just when say Machine A sends an email to machine B. MAchine B sends it right back immediatly. Unless machine A wasn't the originating server.
And of course I didn't do my homework. And didn't think at the time. Machine A can eaisly pretend to not be the source machine. So it's null.
We just all need to switch to something more robust. I mean, email wasn't even intended to have Attachments! let alone all this html crap.
I've got a 30 email account user base. And I'm blocking about 25 thousand spam and about 10k virii a month. Looking at a cross section of my users inboxes, the ratio of spam to legit emails went from 8:1 to its current 1:25. My users can now actually look at their inboxes and every once and a while get absolutly no spam for a day. I'm proud.
So my contribution is, I'm now tying up some resources of spammers and they're not getting much back from me.
The only solution I really see is everyone changing their email addresses to a centeral database system (gmail maybe?) and then dumping all the other addresses after a phase out period.
The new system (again, gmail may be geared towards this!) takes over and everyone goes through that.
Someone writes a distributed app for gmail servers, and turns conventional servs into gmail nodes. Google goes after anyone who spams their peeps. And the day's done!>
(like hell that's gonna work.
An idea.... Start having all email servers reply message for message automatically.
It would immediatly double the amount of bandwitdh used by spammers.
Even if they filter (if they send to a box, drop responses from that box.) It'll still take some of their time and resources.
And legitimate emails wouldn't be harmed much. Sure I'd have more emails coming at my server. But I can handle double.
Along this line, you can also use a iPaq or Palm with a CF card and a CF gps. May save on power overall.
But I'm a fan of the etrex or trimble devices. We have a few handlheld GPS's, but do most of our major maping with the Trimble device. It makes great shape fiiles, and they (with a little hacking arg..) go right into our gis maps.
I think this was mostly just a protest to the delming going on in advertized specs by the main players in this field. (Shame on you you big manufacuteres you! You should know better!)
Anyways, it'll get people thinking a little, and let them get a bit more edumacated (W.) about what these things can actually do.
I'll stick to my Sharp for work. Love the thing. It nearly burns the ceiling tiles when it kicks off, but looks ultra sweet.
I actually caught myself in a "Hacker" moment... you know when the "The Plague" guy gets passed the piece of paper and he crindges "Oh... Hard copy".
For me it was getting handed a floppy and I crindged and said: "Oh... Floppy." Then started laughing at the event.
I had four computers in front of me.
1. AMD XP 2600 Barton. DVD+/-RW, DVD-rom, 8 USB slots 2 firewire. No Floppy.
2. AMD 1100MHz Tbird. DVD+/-RW, CD-RW, Extra HD bay. 6 USB slots. No Floppy.
3. iBook g3 700. USB & FW. No Floppy.
4. Dell Latitude cpia mini thing. USB. No CD-ROM (left at work.) No Floppy. (Left at work, broken.)
And then turned to my left to the stack of 6 laptops. All of which had floppies. None of which had USB. One of which had windows installed but that one has a broken PCMCIA controller.
So I told the person "no".
They wanted to put the files on the floppy on the cd. I honestly didn't think it was worth it.
It's fairly standard secondary useage. That non-interfearence clause is how the Ham radios of the world operate a lot of the time. Just look at 40 meters. (7MHz-7.2 MHz or so). There's a *lot* of international AM stations on that band, yet we use it all the time, right on top of the AM stations. (Hams use Lower side band (LSB) on that band.)
This is a good idea, and FCC will probably welcome it. Though I'm sure there will be "some" problems from this broadcast type.
Just take a look at BPL. Sure it works, but the hamonics generated by sending that signal down those *huge* antennas (the wires) disturbs a lot of other communications. (Basically makes HF useless to hams. And HF includes the bands necessary to get emergency traffic around a state after things like hurricanes go through....)
You're pretty much the exception to the rule.
If all windows code would still run in win95, then most of *that* would run in wine.
And if half the stuff from back in the dos--> win95 days was written RIGHT (ie, with actual exception checking and stuff) most of that would run fine in wine too.
Sorry.. I've had some programs that were sent with flow meters which were originally written (badly) for dos. And then branded as working with "any version of windows". Yeah, it will, as long as it's not an NT based kernel. Since if it is, you get aroud 15% packet loss from the instrument due to the crap code. It's like 8% in win98, and less than 4% in win95.
And between 0-1% in both wine, boches (as it is in dos). But the gui wont work since the person who wrote the code forgot to exception check.
Just as seriously, I feel that language is a social construction of reality. For me, communicating is far more important than spelling everything correctly. When I write, spelling is in my last sweep. (I proof lots of mistakes as I'm reading, but I don't spell check until the end.)
I do dislike spelling errors. And hate grammatical blunders. I can read a published novel and pick out mistakes without even thinking about it.
I am a good writer. Getting a 7 on the International Baccalaureate english test (HL) is enough to verify that. I also write books and am about to have one published.
But do I seriously strive for spelling excelance and technical accuracy on every written communication? No. And it's not that there's no point to concern ourselves with such minutia on slashdot. But language is a social construction people. There is absolutly no rule that exists that's always been the way it is now. No spelling that has been static (well, maybe one or two) since the dawn of writ.
The difference is, now, we're writting a whole lot more general communication. The dynamics of communication have changed. But the underlaying structure of language as a social construction is prevalant.
I'm now going to go change my sig to "::this post not spellchecked. move along::
80-90% of compu ter users may have IE installed, but 80-90% of all my websites traffic is mozilla based.
call it the benefits of being at a major institution.
This is ... after all.... slashdot.
;)
He honestly may not have made it that far yet.
Notice though, that in TFA, all the "geeks" are by most definitions, just "geeky". There's a difference.
A jock can be a little intelligent and nutty. But he's not a geek.
geek!=nutty ;
Look at the profit factor too! Those zombies were originaly had for *free* by their new owners. A $0.05/PC cost is pure profit!
Now it's not even getting to *that* point.
;)
I still wanna see the spoof picture.
Why does this read like an exceprt of that "terrorists handbook" that was getting passed around on unmarked 3.5" floppies in 1994. (With Castle Wolf, ironically!)
And as usual, most of the best places to get the materials you need are college campuses.