I started with RedHat 5.1 (no, not RHEL) and then moved to Mandrake (which was essentially RH + patches and UI upgrades). Next came Debian (slink, potato, woody), followed by Gentoo. After 2+ years of rebuilding my entire OS every time I wanted to update the installed system, I got lazy and switched to Ubuntu. I've tried other distros since, but I've always come back to Ubuntu. I haven't been a big fan of Unity, and with Mate Desktop, I'm back in lazy-arsed end-user heaven.
I must note though, that I switched to OSX full-time for a while there, and eventually Windows (7, not Vista) actually got usable - and became my full-time OS (games, games, games!), but now I'm back using Linux mostly.
I've been using Dvorak on the PC for over 10 years now. Until I got my Android phone, all my texting has been done in QWERTY. On my new phone, I decided to try out Dvorak for a bit and I found something horrifying: dvorak on the phone is not as easy as using qwerty.
MOST insurance policies do NOT cover hearing aides. As a person who's been wearing hearing aides for the last 30+ years, I can guarantee you this. Only if you work for a much larger corporation with a VERY nice benefits package, will you find an insurance policy that will cover your hearing aides - or even a portion of it.
My last pair cost me just shy of $4000. I paid out of pocket since my insurance at the time didn't cover this expense. This is, to date, the second biggest expense I've ever paid, after my car. They were top of the range 11 years ago. I can buy an equivalent model now with the same features from Costco's hearing center now for about $500 each.
Maybe your mum doesn't need the top of the range aides? Try looking for some with fewer features - say only six channels and two or three programs each (one program for normal environment, one for noisy environment, and one for telephone use if she should so desire). You'll save a ton of money.
The other reason why hearing aides are usually so expensive is that not everybody has the same ear shape. All in-the-ear aides are made from a custom mold, which does increase the cost. My dad recently got a behind-the-ear pair that didn't include a custom mold. The tips fit into the canal, similar to a pair of newer earbud headphones. (They still cost him $1200 for the pair though.)
Your mileage may vary. I highly suggest you shop around. Just remember though - you get what you pay for, and always buy the insurance plan on the li'l buggers.
No, it's called Gridiron Football, you dumb foreigner.;-)
Seriously, I believe we should shift away from NFL to Rugby. It's a far better sport and Rugby athletes are in FAR better shape. Every seen a 320-lb Rugby player? They don't exist.
I've always thought (and I would abide by this if it were reality) that all drivers should go through driver's ed every 2 years and re-take driver certification classes every 4. I just think it makes common sense. (YMMV)
I have the WRVS4400N-RF... and my experience is very very mixed with this device. I have to reboot it at least once a month, and configuring it via the web interface isn't as easy as using Cisco IOS' CLI. It also only does 2.4ghz N, so if you want the 5ghz speeds, you'll need either a seperate AP or router running in AP mode. (I actually have a WRT610N in AP mode for my 5ghz needs.)
I've had my iTunes account hacked and money siphoned off from my PayPal account via "Allowances". Fortunately, PayPal reversed the charges. Sadly, iTunes was very very quick to shift the blame to other sources (me). My password wasn't a weak password, but it could have been better; it is now. Now I only use gift cards in small amounts on my iTunes account.
I had no viruses, malware, or trojans on my computers (windows OR mac), and this wasn't an in-app purchase. So where'd they get my information? Don't know. *shrug* But this report does make me wonder how secure and stable the iCloud service is going to be.
So it's not close to being in Hollywood with the movie stars, but I can tell you if there's one guy out there who's so totally humble, Linus is it. He's a nice guy; it's great to see him get to do things like this from time to time.
Like martas below, I'm definitely not a newbie user, having been using linux since the days of RedHat 5.1 (not RHEL, but Red Had Linux), and graduating up through the ranks of Mandrake, Debian and Gentoo (for 3 years) before settling down with Ubuntu. I've had my fill of kernel compiles from scratch, building modules from scratch and patching my current kernels, all the way to doing a make buildworld (both the gentoo equiv and BSD)... but in the end, I just want it to "just work." Ubuntu lets me do this, yet still allows me to compile the apps that I can't find either in a PPA or in the repositories.
I fit your Professional stereotype being one of those who currently uses RHEL for work, but I still much prefer using Ubuntu on the desktop for the "it just works" philosophy.
Agreed. I like it when it "just works" right out of the box. More and more linux distros are like this, and it's quite a nice change from the old days of "install and tweak for days before everything's 'just right' then do it all over again because a software update 'fixed' the bugs..."
I'd be more worried about some unscrupulous script kiddie getting in and running a packet sniffer to get usernames and passwords of the folks playing any MMOs at your lan party.
I do however, like the idea of having participants sign a release saying they're responsible for their own equipment.
I've been a PalmOS user since 2000, when I procured my IIIc. I loved all my Palms except the 650. The 650 was nice, but crashed way too much for my likings. I now have a 680 that works much better and is a lot more stable.
There are two reasons I haven't bought an iPhone yet: PocketQuicken (by Landware) and PalmFuelLog (search google for the sourceforge.net page). Once those apps are available for the iPhone, I'll drop my Treo like a hot potato. WinCE and Blackberry are right out - don't like the interface, don't like most of the hardware (especially in Blackberry's case).
Yes, you heard it here first. The only reason Palm is still around is because people have become attached to their applications and there ain't any replacements just quite yet.
*whine* To the good folks at Landware: Get crackin'!! I want an iPhone dammit. Your app is preventing this from happening. */whine*
Funny... when I bought my MacBook Pro, I *chose* the glossy screen over the default matte screen. (I also chose the 7200rpm hard drive, but that's not part of this discussion...)
Well, think about it from the other side of the street. Why pay $700 less for the Lenovo when you want to run OS X in the first place, and your only option is to run a pirated version of the OS (aka Hackintosh), or have to pay extra for Windows XP because Vista is so *shudder* gastly different (read: flawed) from XP. Sure, you've saved $700, but you get no support from Apple. Buy the mac hardware and get support.
For many people it comes down to choice. They chose to buy one over the other, mac or PC hardware.
I'm not going to advocate one over the other. I always say "get what works best for you" when people ask me what they should get.
I personally have a new MBP 15" which I use as my main machine. At home, I have a XP box for gaming, and my linux webserver. At work, I my main workstation is a linux box, my secondary is a Mac. I have a Windows XP PC because it's my job to support that platform at work. There are things that one may do that the other two won't. I still say, "get what works best for you" and "use the right tool for the job".
Side note: This is a far departure from my linux fanboy days when everything else (including macs) sucked because you couldn't get them for free.
Definitely not the first time a religion did this. Christianity started out as a cult and look where it is today - one of the larger religions of the western world.
I think the problem here is that you're not looking at the right problem. Caffeine is not so much psychologically addictive as it is physiologically addictive.
I also seriously doubt that somebody who only drinks 3-4 cans of soda a day is going to suffer as much as somebody who drinks 6-10 cans a day.
As much as I'd like to give up caffeine, I do like the taste. Fortunately for my pocketbook, Wal*Mart sells their brand cheap, and it's justabout as good as the real thing. I tend to go through about... oh... six or seven cases (24-cans per flat) of soda a month. Generally more, if you count all the soda from the fast-food restaurants.
Yes, I'm fat.;)
The last time I tried going cold turkey I was physically ill for a week. The physical affects went away when I started drinking soda again.
Slashdot Mirror
Adios Gnome.
mate-desktop.org
Same here. Mate is awesome.
I started with RedHat 5.1 (no, not RHEL) and then moved to Mandrake (which was essentially RH + patches and UI upgrades). Next came Debian (slink, potato, woody), followed by Gentoo. After 2+ years of rebuilding my entire OS every time I wanted to update the installed system, I got lazy and switched to Ubuntu. I've tried other distros since, but I've always come back to Ubuntu. I haven't been a big fan of Unity, and with Mate Desktop, I'm back in lazy-arsed end-user heaven.
I must note though, that I switched to OSX full-time for a while there, and eventually Windows (7, not Vista) actually got usable - and became my full-time OS (games, games, games!), but now I'm back using Linux mostly.
I've been using Dvorak on the PC for over 10 years now. Until I got my Android phone, all my texting has been done in QWERTY. On my new phone, I decided to try out Dvorak for a bit and I found something horrifying: dvorak on the phone is not as easy as using qwerty.
MOST insurance policies do NOT cover hearing aides. As a person who's been wearing hearing aides for the last 30+ years, I can guarantee you this. Only if you work for a much larger corporation with a VERY nice benefits package, will you find an insurance policy that will cover your hearing aides - or even a portion of it.
My last pair cost me just shy of $4000. I paid out of pocket since my insurance at the time didn't cover this expense. This is, to date, the second biggest expense I've ever paid, after my car. They were top of the range 11 years ago. I can buy an equivalent model now with the same features from Costco's hearing center now for about $500 each.
Maybe your mum doesn't need the top of the range aides? Try looking for some with fewer features - say only six channels and two or three programs each (one program for normal environment, one for noisy environment, and one for telephone use if she should so desire). You'll save a ton of money.
The other reason why hearing aides are usually so expensive is that not everybody has the same ear shape. All in-the-ear aides are made from a custom mold, which does increase the cost. My dad recently got a behind-the-ear pair that didn't include a custom mold. The tips fit into the canal, similar to a pair of newer earbud headphones. (They still cost him $1200 for the pair though.)
Your mileage may vary. I highly suggest you shop around. Just remember though - you get what you pay for, and always buy the insurance plan on the li'l buggers.
No, it's called Gridiron Football, you dumb foreigner. ;-)
Seriously, I believe we should shift away from NFL to Rugby. It's a far better sport and Rugby athletes are in FAR better shape. Every seen a 320-lb Rugby player? They don't exist.
Best of luck with this new endeavor! =)
I've always thought (and I would abide by this if it were reality) that all drivers should go through driver's ed every 2 years and re-take driver certification classes every 4. I just think it makes common sense. (YMMV)
I have the WRVS4400N-RF ... and my experience is very very mixed with this device. I have to reboot it at least once a month, and configuring it via the web interface isn't as easy as using Cisco IOS' CLI. It also only does 2.4ghz N, so if you want the 5ghz speeds, you'll need either a seperate AP or router running in AP mode. (I actually have a WRT610N in AP mode for my 5ghz needs.)
Just my 2c worth.
I've had my iTunes account hacked and money siphoned off from my PayPal account via "Allowances". Fortunately, PayPal reversed the charges. Sadly, iTunes was very very quick to shift the blame to other sources (me). My password wasn't a weak password, but it could have been better; it is now. Now I only use gift cards in small amounts on my iTunes account.
I had no viruses, malware, or trojans on my computers (windows OR mac), and this wasn't an in-app purchase. So where'd they get my information? Don't know. *shrug* But this report does make me wonder how secure and stable the iCloud service is going to be.
Heh, I used kermit until zmodem became available. Yeah, I'm fairly saddened by this as well.
"It's a P6 chip ... RISC architecture is gonna change everything".
Yeah, I'd like to see a retina display on one of those as well.
So it's not close to being in Hollywood with the movie stars, but I can tell you if there's one guy out there who's so totally humble, Linus is it. He's a nice guy; it's great to see him get to do things like this from time to time.
Like martas below, I'm definitely not a newbie user, having been using linux since the days of RedHat 5.1 (not RHEL, but Red Had Linux), and graduating up through the ranks of Mandrake, Debian and Gentoo (for 3 years) before settling down with Ubuntu. I've had my fill of kernel compiles from scratch, building modules from scratch and patching my current kernels, all the way to doing a make buildworld (both the gentoo equiv and BSD)... but in the end, I just want it to "just work." Ubuntu lets me do this, yet still allows me to compile the apps that I can't find either in a PPA or in the repositories.
I fit your Professional stereotype being one of those who currently uses RHEL for work, but I still much prefer using Ubuntu on the desktop for the "it just works" philosophy.
Agreed. I like it when it "just works" right out of the box. More and more linux distros are like this, and it's quite a nice change from the old days of "install and tweak for days before everything's 'just right' then do it all over again because a software update 'fixed' the bugs..."
I stopped using ReiserFS after my /usr partition got corrupted one day. Just because ReiserFS felt like it.
Migrating away from it was a hassle, but worth it. I've not used Reiser since, and I've had no problems with filesystems barfing.
Since most of my use is local desktop or small web server systems (aka home web servers), ext3 works just fine for me.
I'd be more worried about some unscrupulous script kiddie getting in and running a packet sniffer to get usernames and passwords of the folks playing any MMOs at your lan party.
I do however, like the idea of having participants sign a release saying they're responsible for their own equipment.
I've been a PalmOS user since 2000, when I procured my IIIc. I loved all my Palms except the 650. The 650 was nice, but crashed way too much for my likings. I now have a 680 that works much better and is a lot more stable.
There are two reasons I haven't bought an iPhone yet: PocketQuicken (by Landware) and PalmFuelLog (search google for the sourceforge.net page). Once those apps are available for the iPhone, I'll drop my Treo like a hot potato. WinCE and Blackberry are right out - don't like the interface, don't like most of the hardware (especially in Blackberry's case).
Yes, you heard it here first. The only reason Palm is still around is because people have become attached to their applications and there ain't any replacements just quite yet.
*whine* To the good folks at Landware: Get crackin'!! I want an iPhone dammit. Your app is preventing this from happening. */whine*
Funny... when I bought my MacBook Pro, I *chose* the glossy screen over the default matte screen. (I also chose the 7200rpm hard drive, but that's not part of this discussion...)
Well, think about it from the other side of the street. Why pay $700 less for the Lenovo when you want to run OS X in the first place, and your only option is to run a pirated version of the OS (aka Hackintosh), or have to pay extra for Windows XP because Vista is so *shudder* gastly different (read: flawed) from XP. Sure, you've saved $700, but you get no support from Apple. Buy the mac hardware and get support.
For many people it comes down to choice. They chose to buy one over the other, mac or PC hardware.
I'm not going to advocate one over the other. I always say "get what works best for you" when people ask me what they should get.
I personally have a new MBP 15" which I use as my main machine. At home, I have a XP box for gaming, and my linux webserver. At work, I my main workstation is a linux box, my secondary is a Mac. I have a Windows XP PC because it's my job to support that platform at work. There are things that one may do that the other two won't. I still say, "get what works best for you" and "use the right tool for the job".
Side note: This is a far departure from my linux fanboy days when everything else (including macs) sucked because you couldn't get them for free.
Anyway... Just my 2c worth.
Definitely not the first time a religion did this. Christianity started out as a cult and look where it is today - one of the larger religions of the western world.
MS Virtual Earth WTC Towers
Yeah, they're using old maps. This one clearly shows the twin towers still standing. The pic of the apple campus (or lack therof) is a very old photo.
Kinesis makes a kb that's perfect for that. And it IS a 101-key kb:
http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/contoured.htm
On top of that, it's the best and most accurate ergo kb I've ever used. Not to mention the thing is about bloody bombproof.
I think the problem here is that you're not looking at the right problem. Caffeine is not so much psychologically addictive as it is physiologically addictive.
... oh ... six or seven cases (24-cans per flat) of soda a month. Generally more, if you count all the soda from the fast-food restaurants.
;)
I also seriously doubt that somebody who only drinks 3-4 cans of soda a day is going to suffer as much as somebody who drinks 6-10 cans a day.
As much as I'd like to give up caffeine, I do like the taste. Fortunately for my pocketbook, Wal*Mart sells their brand cheap, and it's justabout as good as the real thing. I tend to go through about
Yes, I'm fat.
The last time I tried going cold turkey I was physically ill for a week. The physical affects went away when I started drinking soda again.
Bah.
The only problem with that is that Gentoo takes ages to install, even on modern equipment.
Try Crux instead.