Slashdot actually does okay under the load considering that they actually use those things. I was actually surprised to hear them boast about the arrowpoints at all after their less than spectacular performance with them before, both in the load handling and the resulting customer service they received (the "Great DDoS" episode right about the time they switched toexodus).
You can hire someone to code something for you, but unless it's a real simple shell script or something, it'll cost much less to go out and buy some pre-packaged app that already does that, even if it isn't exactly what you had in mind.
What is needed is some way to get money from the end-users to the people writing code, that doesn't screw over the end-users, and still feeds the coders. I always buy some distro now and then, because a lot of them fund projects and hire coders to do this (make things easier on user). What else can be done, short of including paypal account information in your.sig and on your web-pages (I've thought of this, going into newbie forums, answering all manner of questions in as thorough manner as possible, and then having the.sig "Did I help? I wouldn't turn down a dollar at paypal.com/blah/blah. Thank you notes are also very welcome!". Probably be a little over the top I suppose, plus then they'd email you every time an icon gets out of place too...)
Maybe an ebay-style auction house where folks could bid on the next feature they'd like to see implemented?
Another great fallacy is that anyone who uses a computer needs to either be a programmer, or should *have*to* look under the hood of their OS to get it working right.
Of course this isn't always the case, there will always be a need at some point to fire up a text editor and hunt down some/etc/foo file in order to get things working just right. However companies such as RedHat and Suse are really trying (and mostly succeeding) in getting things to pretty much automatically fall into place. A lot of times their installation scripts will find hardware that some of the other distros can't or won't (i.e. don't bother to check for).
I love Slackware, and will probably always be drawn to the less "whizz-bang" distros, however for someone just starting out, or who wants to *use* their computer more than administer it, I think that relying on (i.e.supporting with your $$) distributions that do what you want is the right thing to do. It insures that these distros will continue to get better, and one day regular "I know nothing about computers" people will be able to install and really *use* free Unix.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Re:OSS worse for nuisance, better for real problem
on
New Linux Worm
·
· Score: 1
I'd prefer to have no security holes, but if I had to choose I'd rather face a script kiddie than an experienced, determined cracker....
Is there really any difference between the two once you've been 0VVn3d? Any exploit that results in gaining root and you'd have to do what- reinstall, apply patches, then restore your data making careful sure that everything is good that you're replacing, or you'll be owned all over again.
And who says that just because it's a script-kiddie attack that it's a script kid that got in, and not someone looking to sell your corporation's data to a competitor? Unless you can nail the little fscker down to an individual person, there really isn't any way to tell.
That's all well and good. It's not as if restaraunts and theatres don't have regular phones. And any dangerous stretch of highway where this ought to be considered for safety reasons should have ample emergency phones (It would be real easy, just leave emergency phones every 1/4 mile like they do in Fl. and then set up the jammer to cut off cellular communications for a few hundred feet around each one. People stuck between them could call for help but conversations while driving would be made impossible.)
Since my cable company also provides my internet access I suppose this would be nothing more than the natural progression. Of course I imagine It'll be PPV, and treated with anti-copy, anti-fair use spray before they send it down the pipe to me. Only time will tell I suppose.
The most flamage you'll find among BSD "users" is right here, where anything not in the green+white coloscheme is an invitation to flame. Open and Free are both very nice operating systems, and are very similar to Linux in many ways. Most of the S/W is only a recompile away on BSD, and they're Unix in every way but the trademark.
If you're interested in trying one of them out, I'd reccomend using Slackware Linux for a while. Its installation, its init scripts and its package management are very similar to what you'll find in FBSD. It's about the closest distro to any of the BSDs you'll see in fact, and it doesn't trade off any speed, security or stability to be that way.
It would seem to be the same as the argument that comes up everytime a digital copy-protection scheme is mentioned.
All it takes is one copy to produce more.
I'm sure that among all the people in the world you will find some female willing to give birth to a "headless abomination" (that's hyperbole, not personal beliefs) for the right amount of cash. It has been shown time and time again that the human creature will do bizarre things for all sorts of reasons, perhaps there are even folks out there who would think it would be cool to have the worlds first headless child.
All it takes is one copy to make more. The only difference is the amount of time involved.
"Note: linked-to content is not guaranteed to be hosted by the Web site owner for any specific length of time;"
IOW, they will probably change the link locations if they find enough hits coming from hosts who didn't pay, and the people who actually did pay for the priviledge of giving directions will be SOL. I wonder how long they will be making money off this if they have to keep changing links to foil rogue deep-linkers, and how long it will take those paying to realize the stupidity of this when their own links no longer work, and the TOS they agreed to says they can go get bent.
So...anyone have some links for me? I feel like researching some:^)
As a tech support agent, you of all people should know that your last sentence is completely false. The user, having been burned by cheap hardware, will call every tech support number they recieved with anything they own, starting with the free, 800 numbers, then the free, area-code+ph number, and then finally to the ones they have to "pay for" support on. When noone can help them or fix their problem they take it to some 3 bit computer repair shop where the repairman demonizes everyone from their case manufacturer to their ISP, sells them the part they should have gotten to begin with at a 500% markup, and then everyone is relatively happy.
What if you re-encode it in a superior format, with links to the appropriate plugins and decoders, and help spread the defeat of a patent encumbered, technically inferior system of transferring audio recordings.
Oh, and I didn't see anything in their TOS about.ogg files, did you;^)
I was just thinking about that myself, having done a search for "warez" on Veronica, it appears that not many people are thinking that way either. In fact the second result I got was some dude who was reporting a warez server to the FBI. Keep in mind that there are natives there, and they may not like a sudden invasion of stuff that they see as superflous or illicit, regardless of your views.
Think about it, you're a third party S/W vendor, and you WANT your code to be blessed by MS, right? Who's going to sue the benevolent giant for making sure their apps are going to work?
What's really funny is that they say this as if the TPSV hasn't already sent their program to MS to get it approved and obviously failed, or else why would the *user* be sending it to them? Other than legacy/abandonware apps there shouldn't be any NEED for users to be sending programs to MS to test (not that it won't happen of course). Sounds like just another way to force the IT types to move over to an MS-Only shop.
Is this the same way we've been handed.CC, the steaming pile of shit that it is? If this is the case why doesn't Taco just go and start.dot like he wants? Wouldn't ICANN pretty much go the way of the horse and carriage if everyone did this?
I think what he means is something where traffic coming from slashdot is automatically let into a story, without having to log in at all.
Perhaps if they explained that pretty much noone here is going to give correct demographic information to read stories about invasion of privacy (can you smell the irony here?)anyway. I would reccomend Roblimo or whoever does the wheeling/dealing get in touch with them, and in exchange for not having everyone here mess with their marketing department by listing themselves as 120 year old brain surgeons with interests in cars and modeling, offer some basic info that would still allow them to target ads to traffic coming from slashdot (computer companies, technotoys, etc) so that we could click a link and have it log in with a blessed generic user/pass, and everyone wins.
Failing that, just click the link and on the login page, erase everything up to and including the second "www" and type in there "partners". Works every time...
FWIW I just picked up some bottled Mackeson triple stout at the store, it seems a bit sweeter than Guinness, but otherwise very drinkable...Is there anything you'd reccomend mixing with it?
That's already happened once, and I for one would beg Rob and crew to seriously considerjust deleting any posts outright if it happens again (this is assuming there actually is MS code inthe wild of course...)
Well, for one thing a stink raised on a public forum like this will help, be sure to include a link to the story no matter what if you choose to write them. Yes corporations really don't have any reason to care what their customers think as long as they're buying, but sometimes they do listen, expecially when faced with loyal customers expressing their dissapointment in public. Just try to explain your case in terms the PR people can understand...
Slashdot Mirror
Slashdot actually does okay under the load considering that they actually use those things. I was actually surprised to hear them boast about the arrowpoints at all after their less than spectacular performance with them before, both in the load handling and the resulting customer service they received (the "Great DDoS" episode right about the time they switched toexodus).
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
You can hire someone to code something for you, but unless it's a real simple shell script or something, it'll cost much less to go out and buy some pre-packaged app that already does that, even if it isn't exactly what you had in mind.
.sig and on your web-pages (I've thought of this, going into newbie forums, answering all manner of questions in as thorough manner as possible, and then having the .sig "Did I help? I wouldn't turn down a dollar at paypal.com/blah/blah. Thank you notes are also very welcome!". Probably be a little over the top I suppose, plus then they'd email you every time an icon gets out of place too...)
What is needed is some way to get money from the end-users to the people writing code, that doesn't screw over the end-users, and still feeds the coders. I always buy some distro now and then, because a lot of them fund projects and hire coders to do this (make things easier on user). What else can be done, short of including paypal account information in your
Maybe an ebay-style auction house where folks could bid on the next feature they'd like to see implemented?
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
As I see it, the choice of the word "may" in the above quote renders the statement as sort of a recommendation.
:-)
I always get the impression it was more like Kibo saying "You are allowed"
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Another great fallacy is that anyone who uses a computer needs to either be a programmer, or should *have*to* look under the hood of their OS to get it working right.
/etc/foo file in order to get things working just right. However companies such as RedHat and Suse are really trying (and mostly succeeding) in getting things to pretty much automatically fall into place. A lot of times their installation scripts will find hardware that some of the other distros can't or won't (i.e. don't bother to check for).
Of course this isn't always the case, there will always be a need at some point to fire up a text editor and hunt down some
I love Slackware, and will probably always be drawn to the less "whizz-bang" distros, however for someone just starting out, or who wants to *use* their computer more than administer it, I think that relying on (i.e.supporting with your $$) distributions that do what you want is the right thing to do. It insures that these distros will continue to get better, and one day regular "I know nothing about computers" people will be able to install and really *use* free Unix.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
I'd prefer to have no security holes, but if I had to choose I'd rather face a script kiddie than an experienced, determined cracker....
Is there really any difference between the two once you've been 0VVn3d? Any exploit that results in gaining root and you'd have to do what- reinstall, apply patches, then restore your data making careful sure that everything is good that you're replacing, or you'll be owned all over again.
And who says that just because it's a script-kiddie attack that it's a script kid that got in, and not someone looking to sell your corporation's data to a competitor? Unless you can nail the little fscker down to an individual person, there really isn't any way to tell.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
That's all well and good. It's not as if restaraunts and theatres don't have regular phones. And any dangerous stretch of highway where this ought to be considered for safety reasons should have ample emergency phones (It would be real easy, just leave emergency phones every 1/4 mile like they do in Fl. and then set up the jammer to cut off cellular communications for a few hundred feet around each one. People stuck between them could call for help but conversations while driving would be made impossible.)
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Here's one that's already ready already:
Squirrel Fishing.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
That's the esteemed Professor Loof Lipra. Try holding a mirror up to your monitor and re-reading this post if you still don't get it.
--
Tsorp Tsif
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Since my cable company also provides my internet access I suppose this would be nothing more than the natural progression. Of course I imagine It'll be PPV, and treated with anti-copy, anti-fair use spray before they send it down the pipe to me. Only time will tell I suppose.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
"When they make encryption against the law, only (8erhnfd9(*9yh3^%$@@ IHDSFiED(#*)HR Y#(R$#HDHS#@(*Y..."
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
The most flamage you'll find among BSD "users" is right here, where anything not in the green+white coloscheme is an invitation to flame. Open and Free are both very nice operating systems, and are very similar to Linux in many ways. Most of the S/W is only a recompile away on BSD, and they're Unix in every way but the trademark.
If you're interested in trying one of them out, I'd reccomend using Slackware Linux for a while. Its installation, its init scripts and its package management are very similar to what you'll find in FBSD. It's about the closest distro to any of the BSDs you'll see in fact, and it doesn't trade off any speed, security or stability to be that way.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
It would seem to be the same as the argument that comes up everytime a digital copy-protection scheme is mentioned.
All it takes is one copy to produce more.
I'm sure that among all the people in the world you will find some female willing to give birth to a "headless abomination" (that's hyperbole, not personal beliefs) for the right amount of cash. It has been shown time and time again that the human creature will do bizarre things for all sorts of reasons, perhaps there are even folks out there who would think it would be cool to have the worlds first headless child.
All it takes is one copy to make more. The only difference is the amount of time involved.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
The idea is that "What you got on them there CD-R's anyway? Prolly pirated music I'd bet..."
Expect more of this where that came from. My Apex doesn't play mp3 CD's like my roomate's does, it's pretty much pointless asking why. You know why...
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
"Note: linked-to content is not guaranteed to be hosted by the Web site owner for any specific length of time;"
:^)
IOW, they will probably change the link locations if they find enough hits coming from hosts who didn't pay, and the people who actually did pay for the priviledge of giving directions will be SOL. I wonder how long they will be making money off this if they have to keep changing links to foil rogue deep-linkers, and how long it will take those paying to realize the stupidity of this when their own links no longer work, and the TOS they agreed to says they can go get bent.
So...anyone have some links for me? I feel like researching some
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
As a tech support agent, you of all people should know that your last sentence is completely false. The user, having been burned by cheap hardware, will call every tech support number they recieved with anything they own, starting with the free, 800 numbers, then the free, area-code+ph number, and then finally to the ones they have to "pay for" support on. When noone can help them or fix their problem they take it to some 3 bit computer repair shop where the repairman demonizes everyone from their case manufacturer to their ISP, sells them the part they should have gotten to begin with at a 500% markup, and then everyone is relatively happy.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
It's not as if there are any variants on "signal 11" left for him to take, you know ;^)
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
What if you re-encode it in a superior format, with links to the appropriate plugins and decoders, and help spread the defeat of a patent encumbered, technically inferior system of transferring audio recordings.
.ogg files, did you ;^)
Oh, and I didn't see anything in their TOS about
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
I was just thinking about that myself, having done a search for "warez" on Veronica, it appears that not many people are thinking that way either. In fact the second result I got was some dude who was reporting a warez server to the FBI. Keep in mind that there are natives there, and they may not like a sudden invasion of stuff that they see as superflous or illicit, regardless of your views.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Think about it, you're a third party S/W vendor, and you WANT your code to be blessed by MS, right? Who's going to sue the benevolent giant for making sure their apps are going to work?
What's really funny is that they say this as if the TPSV hasn't already sent their program to MS to get it approved and obviously failed, or else why would the *user* be sending it to them? Other than legacy/abandonware apps there shouldn't be any NEED for users to be sending programs to MS to test (not that it won't happen of course). Sounds like just another way to force the IT types to move over to an MS-Only shop.
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Is this the same way we've been handed .CC, the steaming pile of shit that it is? If this is the case why doesn't Taco just go and start .dot like he wants? Wouldn't ICANN pretty much go the way of the horse and carriage if everyone did this?
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
They ought to cough up their first $2000 to WIPO and get that domain back, or something...oh wait, we're not supposed to do things things like that :-)
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
I think what he means is something where traffic coming from slashdot is automatically let into a story, without having to log in at all.
Perhaps if they explained that pretty much noone here is going to give correct demographic information to read stories about invasion of privacy (can you smell the irony here?)anyway. I would reccomend Roblimo or whoever does the wheeling/dealing get in touch with them, and in exchange for not having everyone here mess with their marketing department by listing themselves as 120 year old brain surgeons with interests in cars and modeling, offer some basic info that would still allow them to target ads to traffic coming from slashdot (computer companies, technotoys, etc) so that we could click a link and have it log in with a blessed generic user/pass, and everyone wins.
Failing that, just click the link and on the login page, erase everything up to and including the second "www" and type in there "partners". Works every time...
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
FWIW I just picked up some bottled Mackeson triple stout at the store, it seems a bit sweeter than Guinness, but otherwise very drinkable...Is there anything you'd reccomend mixing with it?
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
That's already happened once, and I for one would beg Rob and crew to seriously considerjust deleting any posts outright if it happens again (this is assuming there actually is MS code inthe wild of course...)
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."
Well, for one thing a stink raised on a public forum like this will help, be sure to include a link to the story no matter what if you choose to write them. Yes corporations really don't have any reason to care what their customers think as long as they're buying, but sometimes they do listen, expecially when faced with loyal customers expressing their dissapointment in public. Just try to explain your case in terms the PR people can understand...
Fist Prost
"We're talking about a planet of helpdesks."