I completely agree -- according to the Wikipedia entry for "bait and switch", it matches almost exactly: A bait and switch is a form of fraud in which the fraudster lures in customers by advertising a good at an unprofitably low price, then reveals to potential customers that the advertised good is not available but that a substitute good is. The goal of the bait-and-switch is to convince some buyers to purchase the substitute good as a means of avoiding disappointment over not getting the bait, or as a way to recover sunk costs expended to try to obtain the bait.
I have an Epson Photo printer, and use it probably a couple times a month. But the biggest problem I have with it is not the quality of the print, but the cartridges drying out, so realistically, I only get a small handful of prints per cartridge. Are the differences between printers on that issue? It dramatically affects my costs, making it really expensive per print.
Relatedly, does anyone have any handy tips on keeping the cartridges wet / fresh longer? I can't predict when I will need to use the printer, so taking the cartridges out every time and putting them in baggies isn't really practical.
The only thing I think you are leaving out is a test of registration -- alignment of colors next to each other at good accuracy, no bleed, etc.
I am trying to think of one that would do a good job of it -- perhaps a thin line drawing of 50% C 50% Y etc so that you can see if the colors are off registration.
Mod up! I use them for personal mail (all my domain mail goes to them) and they also have a great web client (thin-and-fast) as well as support IMAP as the default. I love them and have used them for about 2 yearse.
I have two pair of these (the E3c and E2C) and find them to be stellar at drowning out noise. I use them at the gym where I am moving around a lot (And where big air plane sized ear muffs are unsightly) and they work really well at almost completely drowning out the surrounding gym-blather. I have used the other style before and I have found my ears getting hot, and thus uncomfortable over long uses.
Check out the Comparison Chart of the different models. Yeah, they are pricey, and I wouldnt' spring for the most expensive ones unless you are a hyper audiophile. The only complaint (and I mean only) is that the base response is somewhat lacking but this can be compensated from the device side of things.
In conclusion: * size / weight * noise blocking versus noise canceling * multi-fit make them ideal for me and I strongly suggest that anyone looking for the same net results check them out.
Any one know if this is coming to the mac? I just ordered WOW and I am not sure what the economics are, but it does seem like there is a blossoming market for multi-player games, but there are so few available for the mac.
To add to the chorus of Spire Lovers, I love their laptop bags because of the way they do their sizing.
They have 5 different laptop bag sizes with matching "shells." that provide rigidity from other things whacking them. I have the Volt XL and it kicks ass.
This is the second one I have bought from them - the first one lasted me a long time but was ultimately too small.
I briefly used a Timbuku but it is now gathering dust. Why? Two versus one shoulder straps - the single strap hurts too much over the long haul.
These laptop bags are great comfort for long hauls. I sometimes bike to work as well as am an ergo-snob, and I tried out Tumis, Jansport, and slews of other laptop bags but when it came for comfort, I went back to Spire.
Mod this up. This is the main point that I haven't seen really drilled down in this thread. DVD+R is really for data -- the packet writing makes it much better suited for intermittant writes. For example, with the DVD+RW, in theory (I haven't used it) you can erase parts of it without erasing the whole thing, which is not possible on DVD-RW. However, the video standard is much closer to DVD-R. The compatability thread has been hammered in already.
The other thing that no one has pointed out in this whole thread is that most of the analogies people use here are wrong: it is not like VHS to Beta or Zip to SyQuest. Those are both totally physically different media -- however most computer DVD drives and the newer video DVD drives will play both.
I think there is more drama on this topic than there needs to be -- you are already seeing a convergence of devices that do both, so I don't really think that there will be a big divide in the future.
I personally have two DVD-R drives (both based off of Pioneer) and have been happy with them. I have one as my mac SuperDrive and another as an external firewire to my Win2k machine. Both do a good job with data and as well with video.
If I had to go out and buy one right now, I would stick with DVD-R compatability but I might spring for one that could do both just in case. I feel that you will have a hard time going wrong with the DVD-R because of the installed base -- Mac's are committed to it and all the of the past two years of PCs that had recordable DVD drives were -R. You are only seeing +R in the ones in the past 4-6 months.
I am really interested in leveraging bluetooth a lot more in my life -- the wireless headsets, car adapters, laptop synchronization. Once you start to get your mind rolling on the possibilities, bluetooth seems to open up a whole new world of choices. But there seems to be a complete dearth of phones available. Here is a short list of the ones I can find:
This is about it for the phones I can find (except for the ones announced today). My question is this: Is this going to be the standard bluetooth ratio (e.g. 1 to 2 phones per manufacturer) or are more coming and this is just the tip of the iceberg? I am really interested in moving to the next phase of wireless, but it seems like bluetooth is a totally separate branch of modern cellphones. Will it be integrated or continue to be a separate branch?
People have likened this latest round of DVD-RW and DVD+RW to the beta v. VHS wars, but a crucial distinction is the fact that both drives will read each other's wares.
I would like to echo something I saw in this post but haven't seen elsewhere.
Use the EMR as a teaching / educational tool. I have seen computers seen as a threat to the patient-doctor interaction, but I see it as a huge opportunity to enage the patient with the doctor. If the EMR is considered a tool to communicate and build together, then it will help the patient understand the condition and the illness at hand. Make sure the patient sees you (the doctor) enter things into the computer so they know what you are writing and can indeed verify that it is accurate. Give them print outs of your diagnosis and treatment plans -- often they are too complex to convey quickly and thoroughly.
I would say that you should stay away from remote access of files / records. This isn't as important as good communication.
Stay away from diagnosis-by-email -- good patient interaction can't happen over the phone or email, so don't try. Bring them in and explain why you need to _see_ them.
Focus using computers where they are good at -- record keeping, planning and calculation. As others mentioned, use them to schedule appointments, keep records, and plan out the treatment regimine.
I agree with this -- it goes back to how people feel about their jobs. I have read employees need three things to feel motivated to do their jobs.
To know your work matters. Make sure employees know their work will be used and will have a significant impact.
To know that you are responsible for you work. You have to know that you are ultimately held accountable for your work.
To be able to judge the quality of your work. Working in a vacuum without evaluation makes it hard to keep striving for excellence -- people need to have benchmarks to measure their work by.
I have been part of a crappy methodology (where I am now) and as well as an effort to develop a fledgling methodology from scratch. What have I concluded from all this effort? Methodology is a tool to help people communicate. It gives people vocabulary and a framework to exchange information and solutions to problems they have been working on. But in situations where communication is not encouraged or cannot flourish for other reasons, then methodology has to carry a lot of weight. I have seen it buckle and fail under that weight -- people flounder trying to communicate with each other and it is a nightmare.
The bigger the project, the more important the standards that methodology brings.
I am still reading various books like the Peopleware book in an attempt to get better insight in how to manage / integrate with this on a daily level.
One of the questions I have that I didn't see answered is will O'Reilly cover more abstract computing concepts in addition to new technology.
For example, I am currently struggling with setting up directory services for my division and it is an project that I want to get right the first time. The cost of rollout will be considerable and I want to make sure that when I ask people for the information and to put it into the directory tree, I want it to go right. The current solution we are going with is LDAP, but there are lots of directory services we could go with, but there is a distinct lack of good books out there that cover directory services -- how to plan, how incorporate into existing security, messaging, webservices, etc.
Are these topics too abstract for ORA to cover? Are they too amorphous? It seems like a good candidate for a "timeless" book because the principles are still the same regardless of technology.
There is a really a good comparison of MP3 encoders, with an eye towards those for the Mac. He does a pretty good pseudo-scientific review of the sound quality, which encoding rate (128? more, CBR or VBR?).
I used to joke as a support staff person and hand someone an etch-a-sketch when their laptop broke. Imagine, with this new Rock-n-Scroll tech, it is possible now... Just shake your computer and blammo, new screen.
Slashdot Mirror
I completely agree -- according to the Wikipedia entry for "bait and switch", it matches almost exactly:
A bait and switch is a form of fraud in which the fraudster lures in customers by advertising a good at an unprofitably low price, then reveals to potential customers that the advertised good is not available but that a substitute good is. The goal of the bait-and-switch is to convince some buyers to purchase the substitute good as a means of avoiding disappointment over not getting the bait, or as a way to recover sunk costs expended to try to obtain the bait.
I have an Epson Photo printer, and use it probably a couple times a month. But the biggest problem I have with it is not the quality of the print, but the cartridges drying out, so realistically, I only get a small handful of prints per cartridge. Are the differences between printers on that issue? It dramatically affects my costs, making it really expensive per print.
Relatedly, does anyone have any handy tips on keeping the cartridges wet / fresh longer? I can't predict when I will need to use the printer, so taking the cartridges out every time and putting them in baggies isn't really practical.
The only thing I think you are leaving out is a test of registration -- alignment of colors next to each other at good accuracy, no bleed, etc.
I am trying to think of one that would do a good job of it -- perhaps a thin line drawing of 50% C 50% Y etc so that you can see if the colors are off registration.
Mod up! I use them for personal mail (all my domain mail goes to them) and they also have a great web client (thin-and-fast) as well as support IMAP as the default. I love them and have used them for about 2 yearse.
I have two pair of these (the E3c and E2C) and find them to be stellar at drowning out noise. I use them at the gym where I am moving around a lot (And where big air plane sized ear muffs are unsightly) and they work really well at almost completely drowning out the surrounding gym-blather. I have used the other style before and I have found my ears getting hot, and thus uncomfortable over long uses.
Check out the Comparison Chart of the different models. Yeah, they are pricey, and I wouldnt' spring for the most expensive ones unless you are a hyper audiophile. The only complaint (and I mean only) is that the base response is somewhat lacking but this can be compensated from the device side of things.
In conclusion:
* size / weight
* noise blocking versus noise canceling
* multi-fit
make them ideal for me and I strongly suggest that anyone looking for the same net results check them out.
Any one know if this is coming to the mac? I just ordered WOW and I am not sure what the economics are, but it does seem like there is a blossoming market for multi-player games, but there are so few available for the mac.
To add to the chorus of Spire Lovers, I love their laptop bags because of the way they do their sizing.
They have 5 different laptop bag sizes with matching "shells." that provide rigidity from other things whacking them. I have the Volt XL and it kicks ass.
This is the second one I have bought from them - the first one lasted me a long time but was ultimately too small.
I briefly used a Timbuku but it is now gathering dust. Why? Two versus one shoulder straps - the single strap hurts too much over the long haul.
These laptop bags are great comfort for long hauls. I sometimes bike to work as well as am an ergo-snob, and I tried out Tumis, Jansport, and slews of other laptop bags but when it came for comfort, I went back to Spire.
5 Star Rating.
Check out Powers: Who Killed Retro Girl?
The Powers comic series is ground breaking and really well done. The basic premise is that there is a cop investigating the murder of a superhero.
Really stunning work and surprisingly moving. Great written dialog.
Mod this up.
This is the main point that I haven't seen really drilled down in this thread.
DVD+R is really for data -- the packet writing makes it much better suited for intermittant writes. For example, with the DVD+RW, in theory (I haven't used it) you can erase parts of it without erasing the whole thing, which is not possible on DVD-RW.
However, the video standard is much closer to DVD-R. The compatability thread has been hammered in already.
The other thing that no one has pointed out in this whole thread is that most of the analogies people use here are wrong: it is not like VHS to Beta or Zip to SyQuest. Those are both totally physically different media -- however most computer DVD drives and the newer video DVD drives will play both.
I think there is more drama on this topic than there needs to be -- you are already seeing a convergence of devices that do both, so I don't really think that there will be a big divide in the future.
I personally have two DVD-R drives (both based off of Pioneer) and have been happy with them. I have one as my mac SuperDrive and another as an external firewire to my Win2k machine. Both do a good job with data and as well with video.
If I had to go out and buy one right now, I would stick with DVD-R compatability but I might spring for one that could do both just in case. I feel that you will have a hard time going wrong with the DVD-R because of the installed base -- Mac's are committed to it and all the of the past two years of PCs that had recordable DVD drives were -R. You are only seeing +R in the ones in the past 4-6 months.
This is about it for the phones I can find (except for the ones announced today). My question is this:
Is this going to be the standard bluetooth ratio (e.g. 1 to 2 phones per manufacturer) or are more coming and this is just the tip of the iceberg? I am really interested in moving to the next phase of wireless, but it seems like bluetooth is a totally separate branch of modern cellphones. Will it be integrated or continue to be a separate branch?
Check out
http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3 for a nice compatability grid.
Because of that, I would go for price or bundled software.
Use the EMR as a teaching / educational tool. I have seen computers seen as a threat to the patient-doctor interaction, but I see it as a huge opportunity to enage the patient with the doctor. If the EMR is considered a tool to communicate and build together, then it will help the patient understand the condition and the illness at hand. Make sure the patient sees you (the doctor) enter things into the computer so they know what you are writing and can indeed verify that it is accurate. Give them print outs of your diagnosis and treatment plans -- often they are too complex to convey quickly and thoroughly.
I would say that you should stay away from remote access of files / records. This isn't as important as good communication.
Stay away from diagnosis-by-email -- good patient interaction can't happen over the phone or email, so don't try. Bring them in and explain why you need to _see_ them.
Focus using computers where they are good at -- record keeping, planning and calculation. As others mentioned, use them to schedule appointments, keep records, and plan out the treatment regimine.
Just my thoughts.
Colin
- To know your work matters. Make sure employees know their work will be used and will have a significant impact.
- To know that you are responsible for you work. You have to know that you are ultimately held accountable for your work.
- To be able to judge the quality of your work. Working in a vacuum without evaluation makes it hard to keep striving for excellence -- people need to have benchmarks to measure their work by.
I have been part of a crappy methodology (where I am now) and as well as an effort to develop a fledgling methodology from scratch. What have I concluded from all this effort? Methodology is a tool to help people communicate. It gives people vocabulary and a framework to exchange information and solutions to problems they have been working on. But in situations where communication is not encouraged or cannot flourish for other reasons, then methodology has to carry a lot of weight. I have seen it buckle and fail under that weight -- people flounder trying to communicate with each other and it is a nightmare.The bigger the project, the more important the standards that methodology brings.
I am still reading various books like the Peopleware book in an attempt to get better insight in how to manage / integrate with this on a daily level.
Check this URL out for Java; I dare someone to make easy sense out of this, especially to suits.
http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/java2.html
Yikes! Makes my head spin.
One of the questions I have that I didn't see answered is will O'Reilly cover more abstract computing concepts in addition to new technology.
For example, I am currently struggling with setting up directory services for my division and it is an project that I want to get right the first time. The cost of rollout will be considerable and I want to make sure that when I ask people for the information and to put it into the directory tree, I want it to go right. The current solution we are going with is LDAP, but there are lots of directory services we could go with, but there is a distinct lack of good books out there that cover directory services -- how to plan, how incorporate into existing security, messaging, webservices, etc.
Are these topics too abstract for ORA to cover? Are they too amorphous? It seems like a good candidate for a "timeless" book because the principles are still the same regardless of technology.
Anyone care to coment?
Thanks
Colin Davis
cdavis@bsd.uchicago.edu
There is a really a good comparison of MP3 encoders, with an eye towards those for the Mac. He does a pretty good pseudo-scientific review of the sound quality, which encoding rate (128? more, CBR or VBR?).
Check it out:
http://www.raum.com/mpeg/reviews_quality.html
Colin
I used to joke as a support staff person and hand someone an etch-a-sketch when their laptop broke. Imagine, with this new Rock-n-Scroll tech, it is possible now... Just shake your computer and blammo, new screen.
Just a thought.