Seriously, do they still make those? It's fairly safe to assume that a mouse is USB these days.
Yep. My KVM is PS/2 based and I bought it in the last few months. My laptop has a PS/2 combo port that I'd rather use instead of wasting a USB port.
I'd expect that PS/2 will be made and sold for the next year or two even if mostly to exhaust existing stock. I don't expect the ports to go away on system boards and laptops during that time.
The per-port LEDs on the most USB 2.0 hubs are programmable.
And the USB spec describes some ways to use them, blinking to alert users about hardware (amber) or software (green) problems.
This patch is the infrastructure for that blinking. And if you should happen to "modprobe usbcore blinkenlights", the LEDs will cycle through all the ports... which is not a USB-standard mode, but it can certainly handy be handy as a system heartbeat visible across the room.
Your main complaints are that it's unfamiliar, though if there's more and you have details let me know. (unfamiliar != not following standards)
Double clicking on an app titlebar just leaves the titlebar showing
That's a GOOD thing and is standard for Unix window managers.
You can use 5 different editors,
So pick one.:)
and have 5 different ways of copy/pasteing.
Can you give me an example? Copy/paste is consistant in X *as it was designed*. It adds a hot select feature (highlight and middle button to paste -- no keyboard or menu used to copy!) that I haven't found anywhere else except as an add-on for Windows.
Unless you just use K apps, it's a bitch to use Linux in anything but console mode.
However, I think his issue is that he wants to run XP on a different computer, which is not a$WÃed under the OEM license.
First off: "a$WÃed"?
Going with what I think you meant.... That was one of the issues. (Not the main one, but one of the issues.)
As for being able to run XP on a different machine using an OEM licence...well, I've been on both sides of that fence. Because most OEM software is supported by the company buying the right to redistribute, there are a few ways to handle this;
The seller (OEM, not creator) has the right to limit support; they have sold it as a package including support.
The seller and copyright holder do not have the right to prevent reuse; the whole 'licenced not sold' clause is silly. You bought the media and can do with it as you please.
Important exception: The buyer does not own copyright, the OEM does not own copyright, the creator does. Additional copies can only be created and distributed with the copyright holder's permission.
That means -- and this does address the main issues of the AC's message we're both commenting on:
OEM version under VMWare on the same machine is OK.
OEM version under VMWare on a different machine legally in dispute (though from the above it should be legal).
OEM or retail version in use 2 or more places not legal (most of the time).
OEM or retail version installed and able to be used in 2 or more places legal or not depending on licence (some allow it).
There are probably more examples, though those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.
However, you didn't. You paid a fraction of the price for a limited license which allows you to use it on your laptop and your laptop alone.
raises hand
I read that he *did* pay for the licence needed to run it on his laptop. It was bundled in with the price of the laptop. He's using it on that laptop. That Sony has crippled the copy he had does not negate that he does indeed have a licence. It's a technical issue, not a legal one.
The long delay between releases will give Linux a chance to improve itself, and present a better alternative to Windows, with more features, better security, and a lower price.
Believe it or not, everyone that works for Microsoft isn't an evil person trying to crush the free software movement.
That's outrageous.
So, when a person works for Microsoft they might not be evil, yet they are supporting a company that does and has been convicted in court numerous times. Microsoft employees joke how evil Microsoft is...and they STAY THERE!
What if the same person worked for SCO?
Both companies have done immense dammage and continue to do so. Should both get off? Where do the current employees have a responsibility if they want to keep the halo you say they have?
I think you've just proved his point. Canadian cities are similar enough to US cities that they can act as stand ins. If not, people would say "Hey, that's not New York, it's Torronto!". They don't, unless they've been to Torronto.
The same thing happens within the US (city or landscape swaps) though specific buildings in the US tend to be more well known. (More people below the boarder to see them on a day-to-day basis...actually, if you split Canada between the southern 200km and the northern rest, most people in Canada don't see the rest of Canada the vast majority of the time; they don't live there!)
I tried to install the same copy of XP on the *SAME* machine, into a VMWare virtual machine (booted to Linux). Nope, no-go.. I know, it looks like a different machine..
A VMWare guest system *looks* like it has different hardware. As far as XP's copy protection is concerned, it's a different machine!
This virtual hardware is the same for VMWare even if the actual hardware is different.
Example: If you have a 3com ethernet card...the VM shows "AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet adapter". If you take the VMware disk file and move it to another machine with an Intel ethernet card...the VM shows "AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet adapter". Same with other virtual hardware.
I'll catch hell and lose all my karma for this but perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to cheer this on. Darl is an evil bastard but I feel bad for the people who have the misfortune of working there (and who might not have anywhere else to go -- the economy sucks) that are about to get pink slips because of his ill-advised legal battle against IBM.
So, the idea is that the folks who stuck it out this long *didn't know* that the company they worked for is not doing good in the world -- and this ignorance is an excuse? Sorry, if you support evil knowingly, you're part of that evil.
I can see a few months into the lawsuits being conned into thinking that something legitimate was going on -- but a year later?
Sorry. No pitty. I've lost contracts because of bad budgeting (customer and contract management) -- and I've sucked up believing that the budget would come through. In this case, they knew what SCO was doing was wrong and decided to stay. Big difference.
That'll work in two situations; your kids at home and if your boss says it's OK at work. A white list that is used for a little while and then disabled because of complaints puts you right back making the same decision;
Constantly update a black list of forbidden sites.
Make a one-time change and disable the ability for the software to be installed on the client.
That may be, but a proxy filter will. If they can't access the sites that have the crap, there will be no crap.
Proxy server, and a firewall, can help. They aren't solutions though.
In each case, you're fighting each and every spyware program out there that wants to call home. The list of places can be substantial and constantly changing. It's like another anti-spam war *unless* you can prevent the spyware from running in the first place. That means preventing easy installation of software. That means locking down the machines.
Sure it would. Set up your DHCP server to force those machines to go through the firewall to reach any other machine on the network and filter unwanted traffic (possibly all traffic if there is no need for the workstations to talk to each other). We probably aren't talking about a lot of machines here so the network wouldn't be brought to its knees by this action, either.
Would help. Would not solve the problem. Any spyware that 'looks' like normal traffic will get through the proxy fine. If you have a black list of bad sites, you have to keep that list up to date. This tactic doesn't work for spam very well, so I'd expect the same results.
Block it at the true source; prevent the software from running and being installed in the first place and it can't call home or do anything.
Set it up that way or get fired. Job security (lots of it) or none. Your choice.
Quantify why this edict is a Bad Idea. Don't harp on it, though make sure that they are aware that this is an ongoing problem with costs that can be solved with a policy change.
(Yes, I realize that doesn't work often and I understand why. Worth a shot!)
I have heard of several tools that keep track of what's installed and the changes to registry, but haven't come across anything will a simple interface and a "knowledge" of most common spyware (possibly updated frequently from a public server). Such a tool would at least make the customer support job easier!
'Process not products.' If you are looking for a tool to solve the problem, you'll always be looking for another tool to solve yet another problem. Limit what dammage can be done using proper permissions and have a "white list" mentality; deny and/or remove everything unless it is actually needed and enable it with only the rights that are necessary.
Target the needs not the program. If someone loads on a program that syncs the PC clock to an atomic clock -- and it also loads on spyware -- correct the 'clock problem' while removing the spyware. There will be less of an impulse to load the spyware the next time since the clock will be correct!
This is something *nix folks have learned years ago.
Windows users -- and admins -- must take the same attitude or they will be cleaning up this crap for years to come. No product will do this work for you without breaking something that is practical and useful (not spyware).
Do you sell any AMD machines? If not, I will shop elsewhere.
Is there a technical reason you want a specific brand of processor?
To me, the CPU brand is becoming much less important. The supporting chipset (features and quality), memory expansion, and system maker tend to sway me much more these days.
Here's a guess about what Intel is up to. From the brief article -- and keeping in mind this is The Register -- it looks like Intel is going for two targets;
Smaller; faster with lower power.
Multiple logical and physical cores; multi-threaded apps/OS will do well.
These two basic tagets seem to be a good idea;
Processing speed is really damn good now for single tasks.
More tasks are becoming standard, so having the 'extras' run without delay on a seperate core makes the system seem more snappy.
Some tasks can be CPU intensive and benifit from the extra cores; a reason to upgrade for Intel customers.
Speed per-core will increase, though the raw speed in MHZ is costly (in power and because it costs more to make the fab plants) so the fewer fab changes the better or being able to spread the operating life out for more years would be good.
With the speed and core # increase, lower-end devices become practical; disable the cores not needed just like other parts were disabled in the past (FPU, cache,...).
Power savings; some cores can be throttled down when hybernating without taking down the whole processor.
Multi-processing; if you need the extra umph, plugging another set of cores in might be an easy upgrade or for use in a cluster. (Though CPU speed is not typically the main issue even for many complex problems.)
well, IF AMD becomes the market leader, rest assure most geeks will switch to Intel.
These days, being a geek doesn't mean liking the best designed products, but you also have to like the underdog as well.
Do you have a specific list to share (where popular is unfairly ragged on while obscure has an undeserved geek/wannabe-geek following)? Maybe I misunderstand.
For the record: I have bought an even split of AMD and Intel over the years. I don't see that changing, though it entirely depends on what goes around the processor. It's tough to pick a good sweet spot in laptops/notebooks mostly because of the extras (wanted and unwanted).
There are many gems out there that aren't popular so personally I get excited when I find them. Usually, they follow standards properly (in hardware and/or software). I also like booring and cheap generic basics too; mice, keyboards, hard drives, 100 or 100/1000 bit ethernet, USB 2 (not the dumbed down one),... .
That's a permissions and configuration issue; not Norton's fault. If any process can be killed by another process -- and AV would be an important process -- that in itself is the issue, not the sofware. (That's why SELinux is so interesting; it removes the superuser account permissions from even the root account. Even if 'rooted', the other accounts can't be as easily abused; an improvement, not perfect.)
That said, I don't trust virus detectors by design; they are only as good as the last update and can't figure out what they aren't told before hand. That, and they are often wrong.
Ahem. This is -1, Redundant. No shit viruses/worms raise TCO. This is the case for ANY operating system, not just windows. Of course, the homogenous nature of Windows makes it a lot easier for worms to affect machines in a wide range. But we'd still need to take precautions with any system in use.
*Which* other operating systems, not counting Windows?
It might seem politically correct throwing in that detail, but let's be serious. There aren't any substantial worms/viruses for any OS except for Windows.
It's like saying there are murderers in prison and on local PTA boards just to be 'fair'. I'm sick of it.
The other systems are secure not solely because of popularity; they are designed that way. (Insert Apache vs. IIS usage and security records as only one example of popularity not related to number and seriousness of exploits.)
Slashdot Mirror
Either way, it's risky to try and get people to pay for this kind of thing. I hope they get a good list of games!
Note: I didn't see a game controller, just a keyboard and mouse.
Yep. My KVM is PS/2 based and I bought it in the last few months. My laptop has a PS/2 combo port that I'd rather use instead of wasting a USB port.
I'd expect that PS/2 will be made and sold for the next year or two even if mostly to exhaust existing stock. I don't expect the ports to go away on system boards and laptops during that time.
[PATCH] USB: usbcore blinkenlights
The per-port LEDs on the most USB 2.0 hubs are programmable. And the USB spec describes some ways to use them, blinking to alert users about hardware (amber) or software (green) problems.
This patch is the infrastructure for that blinking. And if you should happen to "modprobe usbcore blinkenlights", the LEDs will cycle through all the ports ... which is not a USB-standard mode, but it can certainly handy be handy as a system heartbeat visible across the room.
Das ist goot, ja!
That's a GOOD thing and is standard for Unix window managers.
So pick one. :)
Can you give me an example? Copy/paste is consistant in X *as it was designed*. It adds a hot select feature (highlight and middle button to paste -- no keyboard or menu used to copy!) that I haven't found anywhere else except as an add-on for Windows.
How? Seriously, I just don't see it.
First off: "a$WÃed"?
Going with what I think you meant.... That was one of the issues. (Not the main one, but one of the issues.)
As for being able to run XP on a different machine using an OEM licence...well, I've been on both sides of that fence. Because most OEM software is supported by the company buying the right to redistribute, there are a few ways to handle this;
That means -- and this does address the main issues of the AC's message we're both commenting on:
OEM version under VMWare on the same machine is OK.
OEM version under VMWare on a different machine legally in dispute (though from the above it should be legal).
OEM or retail version in use 2 or more places not legal (most of the time).
OEM or retail version installed and able to be used in 2 or more places legal or not depending on licence (some allow it).
There are probably more examples, though those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.
raises hand
I read that he *did* pay for the licence needed to run it on his laptop. It was bundled in with the price of the laptop. He's using it on that laptop. That Sony has crippled the copy he had does not negate that he does indeed have a licence. It's a technical issue, not a legal one.
So, I'm confused...what needs to be improved?
That's outrageous.
So, when a person works for Microsoft they might not be evil, yet they are supporting a company that does and has been convicted in court numerous times. Microsoft employees joke how evil Microsoft is...and they STAY THERE!
What if the same person worked for SCO?
Both companies have done immense dammage and continue to do so. Should both get off? Where do the current employees have a responsibility if they want to keep the halo you say they have?
The same thing happens within the US (city or landscape swaps) though specific buildings in the US tend to be more well known. (More people below the boarder to see them on a day-to-day basis...actually, if you split Canada between the southern 200km and the northern rest, most people in Canada don't see the rest of Canada the vast majority of the time; they don't live there!)
A VMWare guest system *looks* like it has different hardware. As far as XP's copy protection is concerned, it's a different machine!
This virtual hardware is the same for VMWare even if the actual hardware is different.
Example: If you have a 3com ethernet card...the VM shows "AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet adapter". If you take the VMware disk file and move it to another machine with an Intel ethernet card...the VM shows "AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet adapter". Same with other virtual hardware.
Details: http://www.vmware.com/support/ws45/doc/disks_profi les_ws.html
So, the idea is that the folks who stuck it out this long *didn't know* that the company they worked for is not doing good in the world -- and this ignorance is an excuse? Sorry, if you support evil knowingly, you're part of that evil.
I can see a few months into the lawsuits being conned into thinking that something legitimate was going on -- but a year later?
Sorry. No pitty. I've lost contracts because of bad budgeting (customer and contract management) -- and I've sucked up believing that the budget would come through. In this case, they knew what SCO was doing was wrong and decided to stay. Big difference.
Constantly update a black list of forbidden sites.
Make a one-time change and disable the ability for the software to be installed on the client.
Proxy server, and a firewall, can help. They aren't solutions though.
In each case, you're fighting each and every spyware program out there that wants to call home. The list of places can be substantial and constantly changing. It's like another anti-spam war *unless* you can prevent the spyware from running in the first place. That means preventing easy installation of software. That means locking down the machines.
Would help. Would not solve the problem. Any spyware that 'looks' like normal traffic will get through the proxy fine. If you have a black list of bad sites, you have to keep that list up to date. This tactic doesn't work for spam very well, so I'd expect the same results.
Block it at the true source; prevent the software from running and being installed in the first place and it can't call home or do anything.
Why is 3D superior? If Microsoft adds 3D, what next?
I feel African already.
A firewall won't solve this problem.
Quantify why this edict is a Bad Idea. Don't harp on it, though make sure that they are aware that this is an ongoing problem with costs that can be solved with a policy change.
(Yes, I realize that doesn't work often and I understand why. Worth a shot!)
That said, removing and doing a 'wipe and reinstall' of some directories on boot might solve these problems even under the old-style Windows.
'Process not products.' If you are looking for a tool to solve the problem, you'll always be looking for another tool to solve yet another problem. Limit what dammage can be done using proper permissions and have a "white list" mentality; deny and/or remove everything unless it is actually needed and enable it with only the rights that are necessary.
Target the needs not the program. If someone loads on a program that syncs the PC clock to an atomic clock -- and it also loads on spyware -- correct the 'clock problem' while removing the spyware. There will be less of an impulse to load the spyware the next time since the clock will be correct!
This is something *nix folks have learned years ago.
Windows users -- and admins -- must take the same attitude or they will be cleaning up this crap for years to come. No product will do this work for you without breaking something that is practical and useful (not spyware).
Is there a technical reason you want a specific brand of processor?
To me, the CPU brand is becoming much less important. The supporting chipset (features and quality), memory expansion, and system maker tend to sway me much more these days.
These two basic tagets seem to be a good idea;
These days, being a geek doesn't mean liking the best designed products, but you also have to like the underdog as well.
Do you have a specific list to share (where popular is unfairly ragged on while obscure has an undeserved geek/wannabe-geek following)? Maybe I misunderstand.
For the record: I have bought an even split of AMD and Intel over the years. I don't see that changing, though it entirely depends on what goes around the processor. It's tough to pick a good sweet spot in laptops/notebooks mostly because of the extras (wanted and unwanted).
There are many gems out there that aren't popular so personally I get excited when I find them. Usually, they follow standards properly (in hardware and/or software). I also like booring and cheap generic basics too; mice, keyboards, hard drives, 100 or 100/1000 bit ethernet, USB 2 (not the dumbed down one), ... .
That said, I don't trust virus detectors by design; they are only as good as the last update and can't figure out what they aren't told before hand. That, and they are often wrong.
*Which* other operating systems, not counting Windows?
It might seem politically correct throwing in that detail, but let's be serious. There aren't any substantial worms/viruses for any OS except for Windows.
It's like saying there are murderers in prison and on local PTA boards just to be 'fair'. I'm sick of it.
The other systems are secure not solely because of popularity; they are designed that way. (Insert Apache vs. IIS usage and security records as only one example of popularity not related to number and seriousness of exploits.)