The real problem here is the lack of contract. The Sherrif's department understood that he was donating his time and resources. Mr. Richard understood that compensation for the site would be discussed at a later date. Now you are looking back 3+ years and trying to remember exactly what you were thinking regarding the particulars of the site. Even if no money was to change hands, or if compensation was to be discussed, a contract to that effect should have been drafted. NEVER do work without some documentation of the requirements. These days a handshake isn't worth what it used to be.
Where I went to school, the less "popular" programming paradigms were largely ignored, not just by the students, but by the teachers as well. Lisp and others were mentioned in our programming langues class, but all of our programming assignments used Java. The only class that used anything besides C, C++, or Java was the AI class which used Lisp.
I assume that he is not just talking about windows, but about all microsoft products, such as IIS, SQL Server, etc...
So exploits that came out before Microsoft had a patch available (I may be wrong on some of these, so I hope that people take that with a grain of salt and don't flame me too bad). Code Red, Nimda, any outlook scripting exploit, any office scripting exploit. Can we count the windows popup deal as an exploit?
I think they guy is delusional. We might not see a widespread exploitation of many of the vulnerabilities until a patch is announced, but I am willing to bet that many of the exploits were out there before the patch. The announcement of the patch probably alerted the script kiddies, who in turn began to search for a program that exploited it.
Got 2 words for you: RAM Disk. Get an Itanium processor with a large amount of RAM, set up a disk on it. The memory bandwith on the HP zx2600 Itanium servers is very large.
I'm not karma whoring. I posted this a short time ago as an ac, but it started at 0, so I didn't think it would get viewed.
Introduction
The computer industry is constantly evolving and building upon technology with as much mind for the future as possible. However with such a constantly changing industry, standards which we rely on do not always anticipate the changes that occur in the future. That had been the case for the AT form factor and the issues with it were addressed by the creation of the ATX Form Factor all those years ago - the design specification which computer companies abide by when designing and manufacturing their products for the PC.
Now, as ATX and its closest cousins begin to show its age from the advent of new technologies like Serial ATA and PCI Express, a new form factor is seen as a need by many companies and Intel has the answer - it's called Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX). BTX, in its basic principle design, is very similar to that of ATX, but there are a slew of changes that can and will be utilized to show that it has the potential to improve the system as a whole in terms of acoustics and heat dissipation.
Intel has been kind enough to provide us with some technical information and pictures on BTX. Let's see what the future holds for us!
The BTX specifications call for a new location for the system processor. The relative position, at a locale close to the top and front of the motherboard, allows for a new way of cooling not only the processor but the highest heat producing components of the system through the use of a "thermal module."
The thermal module consists of a duct, seal, heatsink, fan, and clip. The duct encloses the heatsink area and forces the air inducted through the massive fan over the heatsink and processor directly to the upper back of the system in a tower case. After the airflow provides cooling for the processor, it continues through the system to the graphics subsystem, whether it is on a riser card or directly into a PCI Express slot, providing additional cooling to the video card. Supposedly, airflow then trickles throughout the rest of the system to the memory and the various other internal components.
The thermal module of BTX represents how the LGA-775 Prescott will have to be cooled. BTX will more than likely be coming to the market at the same time as the LGA-775 Prescott processors with such a higher heat production. The first motherboards we will see with BTX will probably be high-end solutions that target the wealthiest enthusiasts and workstation systems then as usual we'll see more affordable systems come onto the scene shortly afterwards.
BTX, unlike any prior standard form factor, was developed to support three different system sizes. With BTX, we have the standard BTX, microBTX, and picoBTX forms. At the IDF of Fall 2003, the reference systems Intel demonstrated were in the microBTX and standard BTX forms. With the microBTX form occupying only 12.9 Liters and regular BTX form system not much larger, Intel has been able to push acceptance of BTX with OEM manufacturers with some ease.
PicoBTX, the smallest of the BTX forms, is the most interesting of the BTX form factors, in my opinion. Intel will be demonstrating 6.9 Liter systems based around picoBTX, smaller than any small form factor PCs on the market. The 6.9 Liter system will be approximately 3.1 Liters smaller than the smallest SFF PCs currently on the market today from such companies as Shuttle. This compact size will push the evolution of the compact PC and increase the acceptance of BTX, specifically by SFF PC builders and users interested in buying SFF PCs - You can already imagine the SFF leaders of the industry rubbing their hands together.
An interesting thing about the different sizes of BTX is how Intel specifications reduce the need to shift system components significantly. With BTX locating most essential system components in the upper portion of the motherboard, there is a simple move of removing a
I think that what people here are forgetting is that Disney was betting on the convenience factor. With new rentals at Blockbuster, you can end up paying $8 or more if you are late in returning the movie. With the self-destruct DVD's, you don't have to remember to return it, hence no late fee. However, $7 is still too steep for this type of product. If they had priced self-destruct DVD's closer to $4-$5 more consumers might have bought in.
I don't recall the parent saying anything about using Integer CFD code. He said that he ran CFD codes and that 64 bit was more efficient for his codes than 32 bit. That is very likely true. Even if on your 32 bit platforms your double precision fp numbers are 64 bit representations, most 64 bit platforms have more fp registers than you see on 32 bit platforms. This means less swapping between registers and memory, hence more efficient floating-point code.
Amen to the networking coment. I have worked for 2 employers since graduating from college. In each case, I got in through the "back-door" (meaning I circumvented their normal hiring practices) by simply sending a resume to a college buddy of mine, and having him pass it on to the hiring manager. I have also gotten interviews (and job offers) by following the process, but the more interesting (and better paying) jobs came through networking.
Re:site is slashdotted, here's the 1st page
on
BSD For Linux Users
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
It's been my impression that the BSD communit{y,ies}, in general, understand Linux far better than the Linux communit{y,ies} understand BSD. I have a few theories on why that is, but that's not really relevant.
I have a theory about this, and I borrow it from the movie "The New Kid." Basically to make a reputation for yourself, you find guy bigger than you in the school and you kick his ass. For BSD, the next biggest kid is Linux. For Linux, it is Windows (no, not OS-X, you get a bad rep for beating the hell out of the big retarded kid. People don't think your tough, just mean). Basically, most Linux evangelists aren't concerned with which UNIX like OS is better, but with freeing those people shackled to a proprietary operating system that hampers their freedom. That is the reason you don't see many Linux users writing articles on why BSD users should switch to Linux.
I'm a republican, and I want to debunk this. I am not going to answer all of them, that would take too much time.
Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
Wrong. Drug addiction is always an illness, and I am always saddened to see anyone in its grips. There is a long standing practice of not prosecuting those who choose to try and get help on their own and check themselves into rehab...
Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.
Wrong again. I was appalled at the results of the microsoft trial. Every time someone like Orrin Hatch opens his mouth, I cringe (I have to admit that I voted for him some 10 years ago. I truly regret it and appologize to everyone now). I have no problem with medicinal marajuana, but think that it needs tighter regulations than were employed when it was used commonly in California.
A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
I am pro-life to be sure. Mostly because I think that some of our most brilliant people have had physical defomities from birth. What a different place the world would be if their mothers had decided for them that their lives would be too hard to live with the problems they would face... Further, I personally belive that partial-birth abortions aren't about the mothers health. At that point, the child is viable. Better just to take the child, either by inducing labor, or c-section and put it up for adoption.
A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
Don't you think that it is in the realm of possibility that Bush was acting on the best information he had at the time? Clinton on the other hand knew he was lying at the time he was doing it. Well, I guess he could have tried to block it from his mind (looking at Monica, I might have tried to erase it from memory too).
Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
Yes, Jesus loves me, and everyone else. In the case of Homosexuals, He loves them, but doesn't love what they do. I don't believe that anyone is 'born that way.' Saying something over and over again may make you belive it, but it doesn't make it true. I am also fairly certian He doesn't share my hatred of Hillary, that is all my own:) (jk, I don't hate Hillary, I just ignore her).
Ok, before you rant, you really ought to read the stories they link to. Perhaps you could learn something.
It wasn't a 66 year old man, it was a 66 year old grandma that couldn't possibly have been guilty because she only owns a mac, and the software the RIAA accused her of using doesn't have a mac version, only a windows version. So they didn't even take the time to make sure they had correct information before they began to throw accusations around. That my friend is libel!
I beg to differ. If they wanted to indicate that he knew he was breaking the law, all they had to say was that he took an Information Technology Law course. That in and of itself is enough to show that he wasn't ignorant of the laws regarding copyright. I'm not sure I agree with the earlier post that indicated that they were trying to equate Open Source with piracy. If that was their aim, Free Software sounds a lot more sinister...
It really depends on the individuals involved. I have the opportunity to work with my best friend of 10 years. We think a lot alike, and often find ourselves doing pair programming without even thinking about it. For us it is very effective. Often just haveing someone there to bounce ideas or problems off of leads to a solution.
I think it is possible that the problems seen in the class that Greenspun mentions says less about Java as a language and more about MIT Computer Science Students. It is possible that the average MIT Computer Science student is just as inept as cs students all over the country.
First, it is a fallacy to think that one semester of Java is going to qualify a person to make a DB backed website in that language. I think it safe to assume that the group using PHP has at least one person in the group that has done just that using PHP. That person is likely doing all the DB coding. I can't vouch for the group doing C#, but since the whole.net infrastructure is directed very strongly towards web applications, I would assume that doing such things would also be fairly simple.
One major problem that the Java group may be facing is that they rejected J2EE as being too hard. On the contrary, it is meant for exactly the type of applications they are trying to develop. I think they would have saved themselves a lot of headaches by using J2EE instead of JSP and JDBC.
I think that before rejecting Java as a valid platform, Mr. Greenspun should first look at the experiences of the students involved in the course, and realize that the route chosen by the Java folks is actually harder than using J2EE.
Besides, there are ActiveX controls written in C/C++ that perform the same basic functionality of applets.
ActiveX controls only work on Windows (and possibly Mac OSX, but I don't have a Mac so I can't test that). Java Applets will work anywhere you have a java plugin, and many browsers even include a VM, so if you only write AWT applets, you don't even need the plugin.
My experience with a microsoft ATM
on
Windows ATMs by 2005
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
A little over a year ago, I went into my bank to get $20 for lunch or something. I put my card in, typed my pin number, selected which account to get money from, and the amount.
Then all of a sudden, the screen went blue. I stared in disbelief for a moment, then a boot sequence began to display on the screen. And what did I see on the bottom of the screen, but the Microsoft trademark. I couldn't believe it. I had been bluescreened at the bank. I had to get the bank to credit the money back to my account and to get my card back (which I couldn't get back for a couple of days). So I guess you could say that I am less than thrilled about Windows running ATM's.
Yah, I think it more likely that they have several clients hosted from the same server, and that server is too underpowered to handle the additional load.
These rockets are being built with more or less volunteer time and by people who are willing to scrounge for parts and look long and hard for bargains.
This makes it sound like an episode of "Junkyard Wars"
A couple of things to consider. Ranking on top500 is not by theoretical peak, but by the actual observed performance using a particular benchmark (in this case, linpack, a linear algebra benchmark). Previous iterations of the PNNL supercomputer achieved 83% back in December at 128 nodes, and more recently 79% earlier this summer with 700+ nodes. If the PNNL computer at full strength can achieve 75% it would rank at #3 on the most recent top500 list. Now HPC (High Performance Computing) being the type of environment that it is, you can bet that the current list won't remain static, but it is entirely possible that the PNNL computer will rank in the top 5. Not bad for a little lab in the Pacific Northwest.
And, before you ask, yes I work there, which is probably why this response sounds so biased...
I work on this beast. No, it isn't an SSI. It is a cluster of 972 dual processor Itanium nodes. Coincidentally, we also have a 128 way Altix on site as well...
As for interconnect, we use Quadrics Elan 3 currently, with plans to move to Elan 4 in the near future. I'm not sure what I can say number wise, as we are under NDA for a lot of such things...
I know this probably won't ever get seen, but If you ever check back on your comments (I do on occasion to see if anyone has responded with an intelligent comment), I wanted to state here for the record, in my original post I did say that I had no experience with os X, and that my bad experiences were with previous versions of the operating system. The other statements about the OS were regarding the Look and Feel, which seems to be the same today as it was several years ago.
Mostly I was trying to make a point that I don't recommend macs as a solution, not because I believe in the technical superiority of Linux, but because of the cost. I seem to be one of those rare IT workers that don't spend money just because they can. I am somewhat frugal, and I could never justify the extra $600 - $900 cost of a mac solution.
Slashdot Mirror
two DOE labs. I am certain that other national labs have also recieved letters.
The real problem here is the lack of contract. The Sherrif's department understood that he was donating his time and resources. Mr. Richard understood that compensation for the site would be discussed at a later date. Now you are looking back 3+ years and trying to remember exactly what you were thinking regarding the particulars of the site. Even if no money was to change hands, or if compensation was to be discussed, a contract to that effect should have been drafted. NEVER do work without some documentation of the requirements. These days a handshake isn't worth what it used to be.
Where I went to school, the less "popular" programming paradigms were largely ignored, not just by the students, but by the teachers as well. Lisp and others were mentioned in our programming langues class, but all of our programming assignments used Java. The only class that used anything besides C, C++, or Java was the AI class which used Lisp.
I assume that he is not just talking about windows, but about all microsoft products, such as IIS, SQL Server, etc...
So exploits that came out before Microsoft had a patch available (I may be wrong on some of these, so I hope that people take that with a grain of salt and don't flame me too bad). Code Red, Nimda, any outlook scripting exploit, any office scripting exploit. Can we count the windows popup deal as an exploit?
I think they guy is delusional. We might not see a widespread exploitation of many of the vulnerabilities until a patch is announced, but I am willing to bet that many of the exploits were out there before the patch. The announcement of the patch probably alerted the script kiddies, who in turn began to search for a program that exploited it.
Got 2 words for you: RAM Disk. Get an Itanium processor with a large amount of RAM, set up a disk on it. The memory bandwith on the HP zx2600 Itanium servers is very large.
Mod parent down, and mod my AC post up. I'm sorry I ever doubted the moderator system at slashdot :(
I'm not karma whoring. I posted this a short time ago as an ac, but it started at 0, so I didn't think it would get viewed.
Introduction
The computer industry is constantly evolving and building upon technology with as much mind for the future as possible. However with such a constantly changing industry, standards which we rely on do not always anticipate the changes that occur in the future. That had been the case for the AT form factor and the issues with it were addressed by the creation of the ATX Form Factor all those years ago - the design specification which computer companies abide by when designing and manufacturing their products for the PC.
Now, as ATX and its closest cousins begin to show its age from the advent of new technologies like Serial ATA and PCI Express, a new form factor is seen as a need by many companies and Intel has the answer - it's called Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX). BTX, in its basic principle design, is very similar to that of ATX, but there are a slew of changes that can and will be utilized to show that it has the potential to improve the system as a whole in terms of acoustics and heat dissipation.
Intel has been kind enough to provide us with some technical information and pictures on BTX. Let's see what the future holds for us!
The BTX specifications call for a new location for the system processor. The relative position, at a locale close to the top and front of the motherboard, allows for a new way of cooling not only the processor but the highest heat producing components of the system through the use of a "thermal module."
The thermal module consists of a duct, seal, heatsink, fan, and clip. The duct encloses the heatsink area and forces the air inducted through the massive fan over the heatsink and processor directly to the upper back of the system in a tower case. After the airflow provides cooling for the processor, it continues through the system to the graphics subsystem, whether it is on a riser card or directly into a PCI Express slot, providing additional cooling to the video card. Supposedly, airflow then trickles throughout the rest of the system to the memory and the various other internal components.
The thermal module of BTX represents how the LGA-775 Prescott will have to be cooled. BTX will more than likely be coming to the market at the same time as the LGA-775 Prescott processors with such a higher heat production. The first motherboards we will see with BTX will probably be high-end solutions that target the wealthiest enthusiasts and workstation systems then as usual we'll see more affordable systems come onto the scene shortly afterwards.
BTX, unlike any prior standard form factor, was developed to support three different system sizes. With BTX, we have the standard BTX, microBTX, and picoBTX forms. At the IDF of Fall 2003, the reference systems Intel demonstrated were in the microBTX and standard BTX forms. With the microBTX form occupying only 12.9 Liters and regular BTX form system not much larger, Intel has been able to push acceptance of BTX with OEM manufacturers with some ease.
PicoBTX, the smallest of the BTX forms, is the most interesting of the BTX form factors, in my opinion. Intel will be demonstrating 6.9 Liter systems based around picoBTX, smaller than any small form factor PCs on the market. The 6.9 Liter system will be approximately 3.1 Liters smaller than the smallest SFF PCs currently on the market today from such companies as Shuttle. This compact size will push the evolution of the compact PC and increase the acceptance of BTX, specifically by SFF PC builders and users interested in buying SFF PCs - You can already imagine the SFF leaders of the industry rubbing their hands together.
An interesting thing about the different sizes of BTX is how Intel specifications reduce the need to shift system components significantly. With BTX locating most essential system components in the upper portion of the motherboard, there is a simple move of removing a
I think that what people here are forgetting is that Disney was betting on the convenience factor. With new rentals at Blockbuster, you can end up paying $8 or more if you are late in returning the movie. With the self-destruct DVD's, you don't have to remember to return it, hence no late fee. However, $7 is still too steep for this type of product. If they had priced self-destruct DVD's closer to $4-$5 more consumers might have bought in.
I don't recall the parent saying anything about using Integer CFD code. He said that he ran CFD codes and that 64 bit was more efficient for his codes than 32 bit. That is very likely true. Even if on your 32 bit platforms your double precision fp numbers are 64 bit representations, most 64 bit platforms have more fp registers than you see on 32 bit platforms. This means less swapping between registers and memory, hence more efficient floating-point code.
Running games? You must be this guy.
Someone writing a rant using poor grammar and non-existant words, about people butchering the English language.
Amen to the networking coment. I have worked for 2 employers since graduating from college. In each case, I got in through the "back-door" (meaning I circumvented their normal hiring practices) by simply sending a resume to a college buddy of mine, and having him pass it on to the hiring manager. I have also gotten interviews (and job offers) by following the process, but the more interesting (and better paying) jobs came through networking.
I have a theory about this, and I borrow it from the movie "The New Kid." Basically to make a reputation for yourself, you find guy bigger than you in the school and you kick his ass. For BSD, the next biggest kid is Linux. For Linux, it is Windows (no, not OS-X, you get a bad rep for beating the hell out of the big retarded kid. People don't think your tough, just mean). Basically, most Linux evangelists aren't concerned with which UNIX like OS is better, but with freeing those people shackled to a proprietary operating system that hampers their freedom. That is the reason you don't see many Linux users writing articles on why BSD users should switch to Linux.
Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
Wrong. Drug addiction is always an illness, and I am always saddened to see anyone in its grips. There is a long standing practice of not prosecuting those who choose to try and get help on their own and check themselves into rehab...
Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.
Wrong again. I was appalled at the results of the microsoft trial. Every time someone like Orrin Hatch opens his mouth, I cringe (I have to admit that I voted for him some 10 years ago. I truly regret it and appologize to everyone now). I have no problem with medicinal marajuana, but think that it needs tighter regulations than were employed when it was used commonly in California.
A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
I am pro-life to be sure. Mostly because I think that some of our most brilliant people have had physical defomities from birth. What a different place the world would be if their mothers had decided for them that their lives would be too hard to live with the problems they would face... Further, I personally belive that partial-birth abortions aren't about the mothers health. At that point, the child is viable. Better just to take the child, either by inducing labor, or c-section and put it up for adoption.
A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
Don't you think that it is in the realm of possibility that Bush was acting on the best information he had at the time? Clinton on the other hand knew he was lying at the time he was doing it. Well, I guess he could have tried to block it from his mind (looking at Monica, I might have tried to erase it from memory too).
Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
Yes, Jesus loves me, and everyone else. In the case of Homosexuals, He loves them, but doesn't love what they do. I don't believe that anyone is 'born that way.' Saying something over and over again may make you belive it, but it doesn't make it true. I am also fairly certian He doesn't share my hatred of Hillary, that is all my own :) (jk, I don't hate Hillary, I just ignore her).
Ok, before you rant, you really ought to read the stories they link to. Perhaps you could learn something.
It wasn't a 66 year old man, it was a 66 year old grandma that couldn't possibly have been guilty because she only owns a mac, and the software the RIAA accused her of using doesn't have a mac version, only a windows version. So they didn't even take the time to make sure they had correct information before they began to throw accusations around. That my friend is libel!
I beg to differ. If they wanted to indicate that he knew he was breaking the law, all they had to say was that he took an Information Technology Law course. That in and of itself is enough to show that he wasn't ignorant of the laws regarding copyright. I'm not sure I agree with the earlier post that indicated that they were trying to equate Open Source with piracy. If that was their aim, Free Software sounds a lot more sinister...
It really depends on the individuals involved. I have the opportunity to work with my best friend of 10 years. We think a lot alike, and often find ourselves doing pair programming without even thinking about it. For us it is very effective. Often just haveing someone there to bounce ideas or problems off of leads to a solution.
You jump the wrong way.
.net infrastructure is directed very strongly towards web applications, I would assume that doing such things would also be fairly simple.
I think it is possible that the problems seen in the class that Greenspun mentions says less about Java as a language and more about MIT Computer Science Students. It is possible that the average MIT Computer Science student is just as inept as cs students all over the country.
First, it is a fallacy to think that one semester of Java is going to qualify a person to make a DB backed website in that language. I think it safe to assume that the group using PHP has at least one person in the group that has done just that using PHP. That person is likely doing all the DB coding. I can't vouch for the group doing C#, but since the whole
One major problem that the Java group may be facing is that they rejected J2EE as being too hard. On the contrary, it is meant for exactly the type of applications they are trying to develop. I think they would have saved themselves a lot of headaches by using J2EE instead of JSP and JDBC.
I think that before rejecting Java as a valid platform, Mr. Greenspun should first look at the experiences of the students involved in the course, and realize that the route chosen by the Java folks is actually harder than using J2EE.
Besides, there are ActiveX controls written in C/C++ that perform the same basic functionality of applets.
ActiveX controls only work on Windows (and possibly Mac OSX, but I don't have a Mac so I can't test that). Java Applets will work anywhere you have a java plugin, and many browsers even include a VM, so if you only write AWT applets, you don't even need the plugin.
A little over a year ago, I went into my bank to get $20 for lunch or something. I put my card in, typed my pin number, selected which account to get money from, and the amount.
Then all of a sudden, the screen went blue. I stared in disbelief for a moment, then a boot sequence began to display on the screen. And what did I see on the bottom of the screen, but the Microsoft trademark. I couldn't believe it. I had been bluescreened at the bank. I had to get the bank to credit the money back to my account and to get my card back (which I couldn't get back for a couple of days). So I guess you could say that I am less than thrilled about Windows running ATM's.
Yah, I think it more likely that they have several clients hosted from the same server, and that server is too underpowered to handle the additional load.
This makes it sound like an episode of "Junkyard Wars"
A couple of things to consider. Ranking on top500 is not by theoretical peak, but by the actual observed performance using a particular benchmark (in this case, linpack, a linear algebra benchmark). Previous iterations of the PNNL supercomputer achieved 83% back in December at 128 nodes, and more recently 79% earlier this summer with 700+ nodes. If the PNNL computer at full strength can achieve 75% it would rank at #3 on the most recent top500 list. Now HPC (High Performance Computing) being the type of environment that it is, you can bet that the current list won't remain static, but it is entirely possible that the PNNL computer will rank in the top 5. Not bad for a little lab in the Pacific Northwest.
And, before you ask, yes I work there, which is probably why this response sounds so biased...
I work on this beast. No, it isn't an SSI. It is a cluster of 972 dual processor Itanium nodes. Coincidentally, we also have a 128 way Altix on site as well...
As for interconnect, we use Quadrics Elan 3 currently, with plans to move to Elan 4 in the near future. I'm not sure what I can say number wise, as we are under NDA for a lot of such things...
I know this probably won't ever get seen, but If you ever check back on your comments (I do on occasion to see if anyone has responded with an intelligent comment), I wanted to state here for the record, in my original post I did say that I had no experience with os X, and that my bad experiences were with previous versions of the operating system. The other statements about the OS were regarding the Look and Feel, which seems to be the same today as it was several years ago.
Mostly I was trying to make a point that I don't recommend macs as a solution, not because I believe in the technical superiority of Linux, but because of the cost. I seem to be one of those rare IT workers that don't spend money just because they can. I am somewhat frugal, and I could never justify the extra $600 - $900 cost of a mac solution.