I realize that this is going to illicit a strong response from the readers but here goes: Ever consider a WindowsCE product? I bought a Casio E100 8 months ago and have feel it was the best purchase Ive ever made. When I saw my first PDA, I knew I had to have one, but recognizing how limited the hardware was, I resolved that I would resist my horrible 'first adopter' tendencies and wait for the 'next gen' products. When the E100 became available I thought it was sufficiently spec'd to be useful. 8/8 ROM/RAM, Industry Standard Compact Flash (none of this springboard stuff), Stereo Output (portable MP3), Excellent 65k colour TFT Screen (was showing StarWars Trailer on this guy 4 hours after release). It is still the best specs available in a PDA. I have a 96MB CF(for MP3s), a 56k CF (bought @ less than $80 through a promotion), and an Ether CF (onto the network I go). I purchased a Nokia 56xx(forget exact model #) and use the adapter ($150!!!!) to dialup my ISP.
No hassle internet - no 'services', or 'content products'
This setup set me back a bit (600+80+600+150 $CDN(subsidized by the odd 'deal' and my employer))but I feel it is the only VIABLE portable/wireless computing solution available (presently).
Sure its WinCE - but it really does perform its duty. The OS is not the only reason I bought the device. Please be objective about my decision to buy this setup - Im as much a lover of GNU/Linux and free(dom) software as you are, but what were my choices to match this performance?
IANAL but: There really is zero matter of choice here as far as your employer is concerned. The work (in this case happens to be yours) is GPL. From the GPL: For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights and: You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.
Meaning, simply, if you modify a prog. that is GPL, all changes must be made/released under GPL (excepting written permission my original author(you)). If your company does not allow you to do this you are in violation of the GPL. Does your company intend to advocate the violation of this copyrighted work? Tell them to ask their lawyers that... This is part of the genius of the GPL.
Agreed: I understand the importance of documentation/auditing/logging in an IT dept; the concepts are universal.
Whatever system is developed it is almost ALWAYS in place. IT people are more pragmatic than most, by their nature - and training. A good system to communitcate 'procedure' already exists before the average PHB decides one is needed... their in the audit logs, the system logs... everywhere. The IT industry knows the importance of this concept.
It seems we have a few MBA-cum-IT professionals here at/. And you will all have to excuse me because I am in shock at how proto-typical my workplace is in this regard. Alot of you will believe I want a 'glass house' to 'protect my job' - that is flatly untrue and way off base... anyway..
I work at one of the Big Three(Two/Five/whatever) Auto Companies. We presently have 2 major 'initiatives' to 'transform the company into the leading provider of quality automotive products and services'. Every week our Big-PHB (CEO Jack Nasser) sends an email and the tagline is "Customer Focused and Shareholder Driven, Jack Nasser". This same joker has decided that the entire company must impalement a few things:
1) FPS or Ford Production System; an all massive project requiring all aspects of every function of every job in the company to be detailed, described, documented, proven, repeated, audited (etc (like your standard ISO schtuff)). Every job must be accompanied by visual aids and 'error-proofing' techniques. Also, the 'enterprise pyramid' is to be inverted where the 'orders come from the bottom' (bottom being rank&file labour). and much much more... 2) FTPM or Ford Total Preventative Maintenance - a system that uses the above, and other techniques to predict machine failure and try and act pro-actively. (isn't this what 'qualified tradespeople' already do?)
What is the point of telling you all this? Well, firstly this method's are mandatory for all facilities to employ be they manufacturing, accounting or IT. I would like to know what any of this mess has to do with running an IT dept? When you try and run an IT dept like a widget manufacturing plant you will soon find that they are not the same. When some bone-head MBA decides that an IT dept needs to deploy these systems he may be right- but probably not... I understand the importance of documentation/auditing/logging in an IT dept; the concepts are universal.
When the dust clears from all this crap there will be a few likely outcomes: A) this asshole will be out of a job because it will be discovered that his 1/2 dozen projects (6 sigma, FTPM, FPS etc etc) are all bullocks. B) Some other asshole with his 1/2 dozen idiot schemes will have convinced the self-preserving toadies (just below the last asshole CEO) that he will "transform the company" into "insert your asshole tagline here about irrelevant crap" C) ANY economic downturn will shut all this crap-spending down. D) People will be loosing jobs now that they have all been braking their backs showing everyone how to do their job (meaning: "Look Bob does this this and this. Lets fire Bob, give 'this' to Steve, 'this' to Mary and forget 'this'... Muhaha saved another $75k for the 'shareholders'") E) IT depts. everywhere will be forced to shift gears and make progress in this new set of 'corporate transformation strategies'
Bottom Line? Attention MBA's: Leave the IT depts alone! We know what the fuck we are doing, YOU DO NOT, if you did, youd be a member of the IT DEPT. Computer Systems have a basic 'trueness' about them that defy your 'underlying principles of operation' - they operate the same in whatever company is employing them. Be that a shoe manufacturer, insurance business, widget painter or ?????. We do not care what you are talking about in your email, we do not care what data we shuffle, we do not care what crap you stuff in your office documents or what the data in our RDBs 'means'. Its all really just chars and ints (ultimately just bits) and its doesnt matter what it says... so listen up Mr. MBA: Leave us the hell alone - IT people can see through your nonsense, can hear the desperate lies in your office meetings, the fear of being found out for the shill you are is written all over your face... we can also read your email and disclose your interest in collecting lesbian-albino-midget p0rn... if not, we can frame you. If you want to spend money on something to improve the IT dept? Drop all this crap, provide better wages, more staff, more training, more Co-ops and clerks this all serves to give us more TIME. Remember: its all just chars and ints - and you dont really understand....
I dont advocate chaos in IT depts where everyone does as they please -- that is untrue... anyone OUTSIDE of the IT world may think without these "paradigm shifting dynamics" that this is what happens - that is not the case - people INSIDE the IT industry know that systems have a way of telling US what to do, what is the proper way to maintain them, what is the proper way to code programs, write maint scripts for them et al.... oddly it all comes very naturally. Please don't interfere with our quest for Nirdvana.
Slashdot Mirror
Well - technically your DSL 'modem' IS a multiplexor, not a 'modem' at all.
Sorry - Cost is approx:
600 PDA
80 56k
600 96MB CF
150 Ether
+ 250 Cell
+ 150 Modem/Cell Adapter
+ 20 Cell Service
Pardon lack of clarity/completeness on previous post.
I realize that this is going to illicit a strong response from the readers but here goes:
Ever consider a WindowsCE product? I bought a Casio E100 8 months ago and have feel it was the best purchase Ive ever made.
When I saw my first PDA, I knew I had to have one, but recognizing how limited the hardware was, I resolved that I would resist my horrible 'first adopter' tendencies and wait for the 'next gen' products. When the E100 became available I thought it was sufficiently spec'd to be useful. 8/8 ROM/RAM, Industry Standard Compact Flash (none of this springboard stuff), Stereo Output (portable MP3), Excellent 65k colour TFT Screen (was showing StarWars Trailer on this guy 4 hours after release). It is still the best specs available in a PDA. I have a 96MB CF(for MP3s), a 56k CF (bought @ less than $80 through a promotion), and an Ether CF (onto the network I go).
I purchased a Nokia 56xx(forget exact model #) and use the adapter ($150!!!!) to dialup my ISP.
No hassle internet - no 'services', or 'content products'
This setup set me back a bit (600+80+600+150 $CDN(subsidized by the odd 'deal' and my employer))but I feel it is the only VIABLE portable/wireless computing solution available (presently).
Sure its WinCE - but it really does perform its duty. The OS is not the only reason I bought the device. Please be objective about my decision to buy this setup - Im as much a lover of GNU/Linux and free(dom) software as you are, but what were my choices to match this performance?
I hope that we never have to see Supports X;X;X distros - ever hear of fragmentation? Sure fire way to kill Linux. Sorry, offtopic.
char *colour = "Black" int main(){ pot(); return(0); } void pot(char * colour){ kettle(colour); return(); }
IANAL but:
There really is zero matter of choice here as far as your employer is concerned. The work (in this case happens to be yours) is GPL. From the GPL:
For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights
and:
You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.
Meaning, simply, if you modify a prog. that is GPL, all changes must be made/released under GPL (excepting written permission my original author(you)). If your company does not allow you to do this you are in violation of the GPL. Does your company intend to advocate the violation of this copyrighted work? Tell them to ask their lawyers that... This is part of the genius of the GPL.
Agreed: I understand the importance of documentation/auditing/logging in an IT dept; the concepts are universal.
Whatever system is developed it is almost ALWAYS in place. IT people are more pragmatic than most, by their nature - and training. A good system to communitcate 'procedure' already exists before the average PHB decides one is needed... their in the audit logs, the system logs... everywhere. The IT industry knows the importance of this concept.
It seems we have a few MBA-cum-IT professionals here at /. And you will all have to excuse me because I am in shock at how proto-typical my workplace is in this regard. Alot of you will believe I want a 'glass house' to 'protect my job' - that is flatly untrue and way off base... anyway..
I work at one of the Big Three(Two/Five/whatever) Auto Companies. We presently have 2 major 'initiatives' to 'transform the company into the leading provider of quality automotive products and services'. Every week our Big-PHB (CEO Jack Nasser) sends an email and the tagline is "Customer Focused and Shareholder Driven, Jack Nasser". This same joker has decided that the entire company must impalement a few things:
1) FPS or Ford Production System; an all massive project requiring all aspects of every function of every job in the company to be detailed, described, documented, proven, repeated, audited (etc (like your standard ISO schtuff)). Every job must be accompanied by visual aids and 'error-proofing' techniques. Also, the 'enterprise pyramid' is to be inverted where the 'orders come from the bottom' (bottom being rank&file labour). and much much more...
2) FTPM or Ford Total Preventative Maintenance - a system that uses the above, and other techniques to predict machine failure and try and act pro-actively. (isn't this what 'qualified tradespeople' already do?)
What is the point of telling you all this? Well, firstly this method's are mandatory for all facilities to employ be they manufacturing, accounting or IT. I would like to know what any of this mess has to do with running an IT dept? When you try and run an IT dept like a widget manufacturing plant you will soon find that they are not the same. When some bone-head MBA decides that an IT dept needs to deploy these systems he may be right- but probably not... I understand the importance of documentation/auditing/logging in an IT dept; the concepts are universal.
When the dust clears from all this crap there will be a few likely outcomes:
A) this asshole will be out of a job because it will be discovered that his 1/2 dozen projects (6 sigma, FTPM, FPS etc etc) are all bullocks.
B) Some other asshole with his 1/2 dozen idiot schemes will have convinced the self-preserving toadies (just below the last asshole CEO) that he will "transform the company" into "insert your asshole tagline here about irrelevant crap"
C) ANY economic downturn will shut all this crap-spending down.
D) People will be loosing jobs now that they have all been braking their backs showing everyone how to do their job (meaning: "Look Bob does this this and this. Lets fire Bob, give 'this' to Steve, 'this' to Mary and forget 'this'... Muhaha saved another $75k for the 'shareholders'")
E) IT depts. everywhere will be forced to shift gears and make progress in this new set of 'corporate transformation strategies'
Bottom Line? Attention MBA's: Leave the IT depts alone! We know what the fuck we are doing, YOU DO NOT, if you did, youd be a member of the IT DEPT. Computer Systems have a basic 'trueness' about them that defy your 'underlying principles of operation' - they operate the same in whatever company is employing them. Be that a shoe manufacturer, insurance business, widget painter or ?????. We do not care what you are talking about in your email, we do not care what data we shuffle, we do not care what crap you stuff in your office documents or what the data in our RDBs 'means'. Its all really just chars and ints (ultimately just bits) and its doesnt matter what it says... so listen up Mr. MBA: Leave us the hell alone - IT people can see through your nonsense, can hear the desperate lies in your office meetings, the fear of being found out for the shill you are is written all over your face... we can also read your email and disclose your interest in collecting lesbian-albino-midget p0rn... if not, we can frame you. If you want to spend money on something to improve the IT dept? Drop all this crap, provide better wages, more staff, more training, more Co-ops and clerks this all serves to give us more TIME. Remember: its all just chars and ints - and you dont really understand....
I dont advocate chaos in IT depts where everyone does as they please -- that is untrue... anyone OUTSIDE of the IT world may think without these "paradigm shifting dynamics" that this is what happens - that is not the case - people INSIDE the IT industry know that systems have a way of telling US what to do, what is the proper way to maintain them, what is the proper way to code programs, write maint scripts for them et al.... oddly it all comes very naturally. Please don't interfere with our quest for Nirdvana.