Don't forget the non-marketers - the "web metrics" companies. I'm just assuming that everyone has had doubleclick in their blacklists for years already. There are Huge numbers of these metrics sites, and many sites use multiple services. Adblock does a wonderful job of nuking all the javascript and transparent pixel images from these parasites.
No, not brittle, but the point is that it can take a while to get everything compliled with exactly the options needed. Sometimes it's many compile cycles over days as you find various dependancies that need to get resolved, tweaking similar options in various other libraries (GD is just about as bad as PHP. The built-in GD version is generally too old and isn't compiled with the options we need.)
But hey, I get paid to play with it! It's like a puzzle that you need to figure out. Some people enjoy puzzles (educating themselves along the way...) Others just want simple installs and instant gratification. Some people want endless flexibility and the ability to mold their environment to fit their needs - others don't mind sqeezing themselves into the bizzare shape of a vendor's closed source solution. This really is the difference between people that prefer Linux / BSD and those that enjoy Bill G.'s pride and joy.
If it's your job to annoy the shit out of everyone in the country, the least you can do is make sure you are aware of all the laws that affect your business.
The DMA is FULLY aware of these laws. Their members PAY them to keep informed, and to inform the members. We also have this thing called a database which can automatically cross reference area codes with states, and the laws that apply.
We need more laws that make it so frickin complicated to run a telemarketing business that the whole CONCEPT of telemarketing dies a horrible death.
The worst offendor I saw was a pre-recorded automated call from a senator that had forged callerID.
I just configured my Asterisk phone system to filter all toll free numbers (800,888, etc.), unknown and blocked numbers, and obviously fake numbers (000-000-0000) where the caller has to "press 5" to get through.
In addition, I have a blacklist of annoying callers that just get a recorded message, and calls outside normal hours just go direct to voicemail unless it's a known family member.
This has reduced my annoyance calls to near zero. Now I only get one or two per month instead of several per day.
Well, agree in most ways, but the simple installs only cover simple cases.
PHP is a big example. For example, our./configure goes like:./configure --with-apache=../apache_1.3.33 --prefix=/usr/local --with-mysql=/usr --with-ldap --with-xml --with-dom --with-zlib --with-zlib-dir=/usr --with-jpeg --with-libjpeg --with-jpeg-dir=/usr --with-tiff --with-png --with-libpng --with-png-dir=/usr --with-xpm-dir=/usr --with-gd=/usr --with-freetype --with-freetype-dir=/usr/local --enable-gd-native-ttf --enable-gd-imgstrttf --enable-exif --enable-wddx --enable-ftp --enable-mbstring --enable-mbstr-enc-trans --enable-sockets --enable-trans-sid --enable-ctype --enable-xml --with-pgsql --with-openssl
That ain't so easy. It takes quite a while to figure out all the options exactly right for our application. NONE of the vendor supplied apache / mod_php binaries come configured that way. BUT, the bottom line is that we CAN configure our software exactly how we need it. Not possible in the standard world of closed-source Windows. BTW, the above was for a project that costs damn near $5 million to develop. If closed-source windows-based solutions were easier and more cost effective, we would have used it.
Um, bullshit. I've run into MANY MANY problems installing Windows apps in the past. While most of the time it just works, the remainder of the time requires a reformat and reinstall, and sometimes THAT doesn't even work. Those Windows installers can be SOOO helpful with wonderful results like "Installation failed." "An unrecoverable error has occured." and the really informative "Error number 6." Even more enjoyable is when you click "cancel" and the damn thing brings up the same error message over and over requiring "task manager" intervention.
There is nothing more fun than buying a $25K Windows software package that comes with a $5K / year maintenance fee and have support totally unable to resolve "Error number 6" after 5 days of "troubleshooting."
I'll take a "make install" with nice verbose messages of exactly what the problem is any day. Windows installers are pure evil crap.
Let's assume for a moment that your premise isn't totally wacked..
I'm not sure I want an "exciting" OS. I just want my applications to work - I shouldn't even need to SEE the OS.
Second, what exactly is wrong with Linux that can't possibly be fixed (requiring the entire thing to be scrapped?) What would be sooo great that you are willing to start out fresh with ZERO applications? Would it still run on the crufty PC architecture and interface with existing devices such as printers, scanners, hard drives, audio/video, etc... What about the drivers?
The problem with this whole thing is that there really isn't a NEED to start over with a new OS. Maybe an updated GUI (toss X-windows) yes, but the whole OS?
Spoken like someone who has never tried to deploy WiFi phones. Try it. You will find that it REALLY doesn't fricking work in the "real world" despite vendor hype. Been there, done that. Try taking a call (walking) into another AP zone - BZZZT! call ended (WiFi range in an office environment is actually quite small so you end up needing a lot of AP's.) This is why enterprise users use DECT phones.
Have you USED a WiFi VoIP phone? Turn on encryption, have more than one user, and see how good your connection is. Try walking around while on a call. Oh, and they REALLY work well in an office environment with multiple AP's (NOT!)
Due to the fact that WiFi sucks for VoIP, I would rather see a conventional cordless phone that had a VoIP (PoE) base station than a WiFi handset.
But back to the real topic...
WiFi is NOT a panacea for all network challenges. PoE is a damn good solution for powering all sorts of small devices such as WiFi access points, IP security cameras, smart-home touch panels, PHONES etc. The whole point with PoE is that it does away with the wallwart. No need for battery backup at all your devices since the PoE switch is on a beefy UPS. This is what the FA (which you OBVIOUSLY didn't read) is saying.
It's good to ensure your wood is from certified managed forests... Sure there are many alternatives to mahogany... I built that desk a few years ago. Another alternative is Northern White Maple with a mohogany stain. Cherry is also nice.
In reality, the amount of solid wood is fairly small since plywood is mostly used (and it has very thin veneers.) Good plywood is also very stable - tends not to warp, and has very little shrinkage / expansion due to humidity.
Can't RTFM since it's toast now, but we have this magical solution to rough wood edges called sandpaper. Reading the posted comment below of the article text, it seems that bumpers cover the screws.
My solution to a similar problem was to put the docking-station on a bookshelf that's part of my built-in desk. Since wood-working is one of my hobbies, I made my own desk that is designed to solve the needs of a home office.
Commercial desks (those made for home-office or business) SUCK for computer professionals. They are designed for a single CPU, single monitor, single keyboard, room for only one printer (which sucks if you have a BW laser And color inkjet), etc. Designing my own was the only real solution. That and I could make the thing out of Quality materials - solid mahagony, cabinet grade plywood (no particle board), great full-extension drawer slides, etc. When you build your own, you design in features that solve your specific needs.
Please. The cover was held on by TAPE. In case you missed it, there was a hurricane in the area. While the major part of the storm missed the site, there were still high winds. The tape holds fine in normal conditions. These were not normal conditions. Hindsight says that maybe they should use a cover that won't damage anything if it falls - but we all have 20/20 hindsight. NASA just DOES happen to learn from mistakes despite all the sensationalism and political rhetoric. Maybe you would like a $3 billion wind tunnel study on tape adhesion on the launch pad or something...
I take it you don't have kids. Backup backup backup. DVD's are quite prone to scratches and breaking in half. You attempt to always keep them out of reach, but kids can climb bookcases, or stack their little tikes chair on top of their little tikes table. The widescreen disc of Nemo is lost forever...
Can't even "backup" to video tape due to Macrovision without resorting to DMCA violations.
Furthermore, I hate messing with DVD's and the crappy cases that require the disc to flex nearly in half before giving up their death-grip. I really want them all online "tivo" like on my 2T drive array. (Whether I use Windows or Linux is irrelevant - CSS and the DMCA prevent either OS from doing this.)
You don't understand the problem because you are not thinking like an audiophile / videophile, savvy consumer, or even the simple parent..
Here's the problem. An "international technical group" governed and paid for by exactly whom? The screwed up UN? The "politically charged and controlled by corporate interests" ITU? The EU itself? ICANN was basically supposed to be that body, but turned out to be a bunch of a-holes on a powertrip building an empire.
This is one point where credit must be given to Microsoft; their OS does run (by no means perfectly) on just about any x86-based hardware (or x86-64).
Um, you do realize that MS simply pushes hardware specific driver development to hardware vendors, right? What video card manufacturer would have ANY sales on Wintel if they didn't write their own drivers? Generic API's are just not good enough, and never have been. Try installing Win2K server SP4 using generic MS media on an HP DL380 sometime using ILO (virtual media) and NOT using SmartStart. Go ahead - give it a shot.
If you want to give kudos to anyone, give it to the Linux crowd which creates all these drivers DESPITE lack of manufacturer cooperation. Imagine what Linux hardware support "out of the box" would be like if the DID have cooperation? It already blows 2000/2003/XP out of the water...
This is very true. With good direction, good acting, and a good storyline, you can do a great movie on a fairly tight budget. Unfortunately, we've seen none of these characteristics in the recent "Mansquito" type films.
Um, since the UN IS member nations, and those member nations don't want to send troops, exactly WHO the heck is saying that they want to send troops???? Goofi Annan himself?
Here is a better article about the USF problem... Google finds all... Time to fire up that letter writing campaign asking that the USF program be killed and not expanded.
Um, 40% of the USF is marked for the E-Rate program which is littered with mismangement and fraud. The LAST thing they need is more money. CNet had an article a while back about it.
Don't need a new protocol. We already have multicasting. As long as you are using the same receiving algorithm / software / hardware, it should be exactly synced. Why send the same stream multiple times?
ISP would sit up and take notice and implement some measure such as throttling how many emails a particular user can send per day.
Most larger ISP's already do. Furthermore, those that block outbound port 25 from dynamic addresses have a near zero spam level. Users with a legit need to send via an alternative smarthost use alternative ports such as 587 that are authenticated.
For those ISP's that don't block, blacklisting their dynamic ranges works very well too. Then you have SBC which doesn't differentiate their static versus dynamic blocks... All I can tell SBC static IP DSL customers is to switch to an ISP that isn't totally clueless. (SBC does have selective outbound blocking now however, so maybe they are starting to wake up. Verizon is still asleep at the switch. Don't get me started on RR and comcast.) Speakeasy is good...
Slashdot Mirror
Don't forget the non-marketers - the "web metrics" companies. I'm just assuming that everyone has had doubleclick in their blacklists for years already. There are Huge numbers of these metrics sites, and many sites use multiple services. Adblock does a wonderful job of nuking all the javascript and transparent pixel images from these parasites.
No, not brittle, but the point is that it can take a while to get everything compliled with exactly the options needed. Sometimes it's many compile cycles over days as you find various dependancies that need to get resolved, tweaking similar options in various other libraries (GD is just about as bad as PHP. The built-in GD version is generally too old and isn't compiled with the options we need.)
But hey, I get paid to play with it! It's like a puzzle that you need to figure out. Some people enjoy puzzles (educating themselves along the way...) Others just want simple installs and instant gratification. Some people want endless flexibility and the ability to mold their environment to fit their needs - others don't mind sqeezing themselves into the bizzare shape of a vendor's closed source solution. This really is the difference between people that prefer Linux / BSD and those that enjoy Bill G.'s pride and joy.
Cry my a frickin river.
If it's your job to annoy the shit out of everyone in the country, the least you can do is make sure you are aware of all the laws that affect your business.
The DMA is FULLY aware of these laws. Their members PAY them to keep informed, and to inform the members. We also have this thing called a database which can automatically cross reference area codes with states, and the laws that apply.
We need more laws that make it so frickin complicated to run a telemarketing business that the whole CONCEPT of telemarketing dies a horrible death.
Yeah, it genearlly sounds like "fuck off and die" to the caller...
The worst offendor I saw was a pre-recorded automated call from a senator that had forged callerID.
I just configured my Asterisk phone system to filter all toll free numbers (800,888, etc.), unknown and blocked numbers, and obviously fake numbers (000-000-0000) where the caller has to "press 5" to get through.
In addition, I have a blacklist of annoying callers that just get a recorded message, and calls outside normal hours just go direct to voicemail unless it's a known family member.
This has reduced my annoyance calls to near zero. Now I only get one or two per month instead of several per day.
Well, agree in most ways, but the simple installs only cover simple cases.
./configure goes like: ./configure --with-apache=../apache_1.3.33 --prefix=/usr/local --with-mysql=/usr --with-ldap --with-xml --with-dom --with-zlib --with-zlib-dir=/usr --with-jpeg --with-libjpeg --with-jpeg-dir=/usr --with-tiff --with-png --with-libpng --with-png-dir=/usr --with-xpm-dir=/usr --with-gd=/usr --with-freetype --with-freetype-dir=/usr/local --enable-gd-native-ttf --enable-gd-imgstrttf --enable-exif --enable-wddx --enable-ftp --enable-mbstring --enable-mbstr-enc-trans --enable-sockets --enable-trans-sid --enable-ctype --enable-xml --with-pgsql --with-openssl
PHP is a big example. For example, our
That ain't so easy. It takes quite a while to figure out all the options exactly right for our application. NONE of the vendor supplied apache / mod_php binaries come configured that way. BUT, the bottom line is that we CAN configure our software exactly how we need it. Not possible in the standard world of closed-source Windows. BTW, the above was for a project that costs damn near $5 million to develop. If closed-source windows-based solutions were easier and more cost effective, we would have used it.
Um, bullshit. I've run into MANY MANY problems installing Windows apps in the past. While most of the time it just works, the remainder of the time requires a reformat and reinstall, and sometimes THAT doesn't even work. Those Windows installers can be SOOO helpful with wonderful results like "Installation failed." "An unrecoverable error has occured." and the really informative "Error number 6." Even more enjoyable is when you click "cancel" and the damn thing brings up the same error message over and over requiring "task manager" intervention.
There is nothing more fun than buying a $25K Windows software package that comes with a $5K / year maintenance fee and have support totally unable to resolve "Error number 6" after 5 days of "troubleshooting."
I'll take a "make install" with nice verbose messages of exactly what the problem is any day. Windows installers are pure evil crap.
hunk of green moon-cheese
Like THAT will ever happen. Everyone knows that the moon is made of yellow cheese...
Let's assume for a moment that your premise isn't totally wacked..
I'm not sure I want an "exciting" OS. I just want my applications to work - I shouldn't even need to SEE the OS.
Second, what exactly is wrong with Linux that can't possibly be fixed (requiring the entire thing to be scrapped?) What would be sooo great that you are willing to start out fresh with ZERO applications? Would it still run on the crufty PC architecture and interface with existing devices such as printers, scanners, hard drives, audio/video, etc... What about the drivers?
The problem with this whole thing is that there really isn't a NEED to start over with a new OS. Maybe an updated GUI (toss X-windows) yes, but the whole OS?
Spoken like someone who has never tried to deploy WiFi phones. Try it. You will find that it REALLY doesn't fricking work in the "real world" despite vendor hype. Been there, done that. Try taking a call (walking) into another AP zone - BZZZT! call ended (WiFi range in an office environment is actually quite small so you end up needing a lot of AP's.) This is why enterprise users use DECT phones.
Have you USED a WiFi VoIP phone? Turn on encryption, have more than one user, and see how good your connection is. Try walking around while on a call. Oh, and they REALLY work well in an office environment with multiple AP's (NOT!)
Due to the fact that WiFi sucks for VoIP, I would rather see a conventional cordless phone that had a VoIP (PoE) base station than a WiFi handset.
But back to the real topic...
WiFi is NOT a panacea for all network challenges. PoE is a damn good solution for powering all sorts of small devices such as WiFi access points, IP security cameras, smart-home touch panels, PHONES etc. The whole point with PoE is that it does away with the wallwart. No need for battery backup at all your devices since the PoE switch is on a beefy UPS. This is what the FA (which you OBVIOUSLY didn't read) is saying.
It's good to ensure your wood is from certified managed forests... Sure there are many alternatives to mahogany... I built that desk a few years ago. Another alternative is Northern White Maple with a mohogany stain. Cherry is also nice.
In reality, the amount of solid wood is fairly small since plywood is mostly used (and it has very thin veneers.) Good plywood is also very stable - tends not to warp, and has very little shrinkage / expansion due to humidity.
Can't RTFM since it's toast now, but we have this magical solution to rough wood edges called sandpaper. Reading the posted comment below of the article text, it seems that bumpers cover the screws.
My solution to a similar problem was to put the docking-station on a bookshelf that's part of my built-in desk. Since wood-working is one of my hobbies, I made my own desk that is designed to solve the needs of a home office.
Commercial desks (those made for home-office or business) SUCK for computer professionals. They are designed for a single CPU, single monitor, single keyboard, room for only one printer (which sucks if you have a BW laser And color inkjet), etc. Designing my own was the only real solution. That and I could make the thing out of Quality materials - solid mahagony, cabinet grade plywood (no particle board), great full-extension drawer slides, etc. When you build your own, you design in features that solve your specific needs.
Please. The cover was held on by TAPE. In case you missed it, there was a hurricane in the area. While the major part of the storm missed the site, there were still high winds. The tape holds fine in normal conditions. These were not normal conditions. Hindsight says that maybe they should use a cover that won't damage anything if it falls - but we all have 20/20 hindsight. NASA just DOES happen to learn from mistakes despite all the sensationalism and political rhetoric. Maybe you would like a $3 billion wind tunnel study on tape adhesion on the launch pad or something...
I take it you don't have kids. Backup backup backup. DVD's are quite prone to scratches and breaking in half. You attempt to always keep them out of reach, but kids can climb bookcases, or stack their little tikes chair on top of their little tikes table. The widescreen disc of Nemo is lost forever...
Can't even "backup" to video tape due to Macrovision without resorting to DMCA violations.
Furthermore, I hate messing with DVD's and the crappy cases that require the disc to flex nearly in half before giving up their death-grip. I really want them all online "tivo" like on my 2T drive array. (Whether I use Windows or Linux is irrelevant - CSS and the DMCA prevent either OS from doing this.)
You don't understand the problem because you are not thinking like an audiophile / videophile, savvy consumer, or even the simple parent..
Here's the problem. An "international technical group" governed and paid for by exactly whom? The screwed up UN? The "politically charged and controlled by corporate interests" ITU? The EU itself? ICANN was basically supposed to be that body, but turned out to be a bunch of a-holes on a powertrip building an empire.
This is one point where credit must be given to Microsoft; their OS does run (by no means perfectly) on just about any x86-based hardware (or x86-64).
Um, you do realize that MS simply pushes hardware specific driver development to hardware vendors, right? What video card manufacturer would have ANY sales on Wintel if they didn't write their own drivers? Generic API's are just not good enough, and never have been. Try installing Win2K server SP4 using generic MS media on an HP DL380 sometime using ILO (virtual media) and NOT using SmartStart. Go ahead - give it a shot.
If you want to give kudos to anyone, give it to the Linux crowd which creates all these drivers DESPITE lack of manufacturer cooperation. Imagine what Linux hardware support "out of the box" would be like if the DID have cooperation? It already blows 2000/2003/XP out of the water...
This is very true. With good direction, good acting, and a good storyline, you can do a great movie on a fairly tight budget. Unfortunately, we've seen none of these characteristics in the recent "Mansquito" type films.
Um, since the UN IS member nations, and those member nations don't want to send troops, exactly WHO the heck is saying that they want to send troops???? Goofi Annan himself?
Here is a better article about the USF problem... Google finds all... Time to fire up that letter writing campaign asking that the USF program be killed and not expanded.
Um, 40% of the USF is marked for the E-Rate program which is littered with mismangement and fraud. The LAST thing they need is more money.
CNet had an article a while back about it.
By "improvement" do you mean "embrace and extend" or the totally horrible winsock interface?
A port scan every 5 minutes? Must be nice... I get about a dozen every minute showing up in the firewall logs.
As for 192.1.1.x, you work for "Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc."?
Don't need a new protocol. We already have multicasting. As long as you are using the same receiving algorithm / software / hardware, it should be exactly synced. Why send the same stream multiple times?
ISP would sit up and take notice and implement some measure such as throttling how many emails a particular user can send per day.
Most larger ISP's already do. Furthermore, those that block outbound port 25 from dynamic addresses have a near zero spam level. Users with a legit need to send via an alternative smarthost use alternative ports such as 587 that are authenticated.
For those ISP's that don't block, blacklisting their dynamic ranges works very well too. Then you have SBC which doesn't differentiate their static versus dynamic blocks... All I can tell SBC static IP DSL customers is to switch to an ISP that isn't totally clueless. (SBC does have selective outbound blocking now however, so maybe they are starting to wake up. Verizon is still asleep at the switch. Don't get me started on RR and comcast.) Speakeasy is good...