No drivers? Now even if it is true, it worries me a bit: I work at a bank and they make very sure that no "huge amount" of data is going to the exterior. Floppy drives are disabled, on some stations even the CD's are disabled (don't dare to install anything, except with written permission of your superiors) Oh, and mail/internet is tightly watched.
Up until now there was no real danger in, for example, connecting a parallel Zip to one of the machines since you need to install the drivers. Which is near to impossible without Admin rights and floppy/CD access.
Now consider this kind of storage becomes popular: system/security admins of banks will have another headache. New PC's come with USB ports, if you want it or not, and removing them would void warranty (I'n not even sure if it is possible). For the moment at this bank they are still running NT4, but what happens when they upgrade to W2K? Good luck prohibiting data exchange then... Those (OS internal) drivers better be have a posibility to be disabled.
I agree with the statement that all the bloat and extra-non-standard thingies in Outlook are enabled by default...but do not forget *why* they did that: they know that Joe User does not know how to enable them but they want to show him eyecandy anyway(Joe User likes eyecandy). Why? That's simple: it makes the competition look "dull". Joe User doesn't realise he is not complying to standards and pretty fast other Joe Users will see his flashy email client, want it, and use the non standard stuff: Voila... standards broken, Joe User happy (in his ignorance) and all nerds/geeks angry. It's the price of being a minority.
I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I *do* help the all customers, even the stupid ones! I try to be polite, find the problem and for some even explain what they did wrong. You would be surprised how often they are grateful. Of course you need that little thing called "patience".
Now, for the kidding: yes, I do laugh with their stupidity, but mostly in the form of anecdotes in presence of my peers. Tales mostly start as "Oh, I knew this user who did this hilarious thing, etc...."
Try Active Worlds . Not VRML (as far as I know), but some other custom protocol. Only Windows clients tough. It is fun, well *I* had lotsa fun hours on it.
I was more thinking "Nicky Larson" or "Ranma 1 1/2" (later), and I recall "Catseyes" which could be very funny too. I loved "Chevaliers du Zodiak" and "Ulysse 31" (I loved it, very well thought, very well based on greek mythology. I think I'd pay to have all seasons on DVD). Shows I liked less were DGZ (even tough it was considered humorous, and I will probably getting bashed for it) It all depends on what kind of humour you like:-)
Damnit I missed those reruns on France 3... I live in Luxembourg and as you understood I too was impregnated by the 80's childrens TV shows. (Club Dorothée...it's bad quality now, well if it still exists) I mostly watch german chains now because they tend to give good movies. Would you care to give me a sign next time they do reruns? I'll try to watch the programmes, too. Man, I can't wait to see those reruns!
When I was a kid, french television brought a lot of Anime, (I didn't say "quality anime"). I must admit that I was addicted to it. Some shows were pretty violent...wel, I think some people might consider them violent, I still find them quite benign. I think the most violent show they broadcast was "Ken le survivant" (Don't ask the English or Japanese name, I have no clue) I don't remember that it was very long on air.
Well, I fondly remember those times: I was inclinde to like the more humour-oriented Anime, but that's probably just me. I'm sure that many french readers of my age will recall those times with a smile, because last time I was able to watch french TV at "children-watching hours", I had to notice that there is barely any Anime left.
I think I'll just have to store the "good 'ol times" in my memory...or buy the series in DVD.
I know the parent poster was flamebait, but you're overexaggerating it on the other side (on purpose I think).
You state that the "highly skilled manual laborer" should have done his schoolwork better. Now I will tell you something that may sound strange to you: some people just can't "use their brain more", not everyone is equal in an intellectual point of view. (Nor in a physical point of view of course) I can tell: I have a bother who is a "highly skilled manual laborer", not because he was lazy at school but because it was above his capabilities to finish middle school. He now has a good job, but please never associate that "being a laborer" means "being lazy at school"
Besides a lot of geeks owe their education to a hard working "highly skilled manual laborer" called "Dad" (or "Mom")...
bury them in our sandboxes for weeks
*Pinks away tear* Fondly recalls playing with my (full metal) Matchbox cars in the sandbox. I think I have some of those somewhere in a closet, just hope I cleaned them before stowing them away;-)
Sorry, but I completely disagree. I like sleek systems that come with "just enough" to do the job.
Honestly, do you really think that everyone has 20G+ harddrives? Sorry I think not: I still use my 5 year old laptop regularly which has only 1.3 Gig harddisk. When I started to play around with Linux (that was on my laptop), I coudn't get any usable install for Linux because SuSE, Redhat and Corel (the CD's I got hand on) filled the disk up so much that there was barely place to install any programs. Guess, what I found a nice sleek distro (150Meg installed, 90Meg iso-download, with KDE) and now this "too old to be used" laptop had a second life as a surfstation that does dual-boot W95-OSR2 and Peanut Linux 8.2 . Small size and elegance should go and hand in hand.
Evidently you and me have a different vision of computer literacy. You vision implies "knowing to use a computer", my vision is "knowing how a computer works". I loathe the fact that nowadays high-school kids say "oh, I have Computer Science class now", and you ask them what they learn there. The answer is usually MS Word or MS Excell. Come on that's no Computer Science, in french we have a distinct word for it "bureautique". I mean if you compare to real literacy (which is way more important): you can't call someone who knows enumerate the alphabeth "literate", can you?
Now, note that in my post I never said that I didn't agree with kids having a computer to email/chat/surf. I am glad they learn to use a computer and they have such a broad way of communication, but it was not the point: my point was that "in my young years" you needed to know how a computer works to use it. That skill is not required anymore and I find that sad, it was just a note of nostalgy.
You also state that your kids will have access to a computer. That is not enough, because a bit later on you state that you will teach them some things or two: that is the whole point! They will have someone that will teach them. Just as I learned from my dad. My rant was about the people who buy a P-VII 2THz for their kids and they (nor the kids nor the parents) can't distinguisch RAM from a harddisk.
Did you ever meet someone that complained because his computer was so slow and you went there to see why...turned out that his harddisk was full of pr0n/MP3's and other stuff...I said, hey your disk is full! He askes with an astonished face "can a computer be full?" Get real, what we miss is good education, and from what I see it is not at school you will get it. It's the whole point "education", my sister now complains that "bureautiqe" classes are too easy....sure I taught her. My mom can now check mail, but before I let her loose on the family computer I explained the basic fundamentals of how a computer works and the basic organisation of harddisks. You would be astonished how few people know about folders and files. Actually she has more problems with the GUI than with anything else...
Well I can't talk about government-funded computers at school. But when I was at high school (that's about some years ago), there was this mentality of -mostly wealthy- parents buying the newest computer for their kids because "they need it to learn computers". Honestly: most of those computers grew a nice layer of dust after the kids played the computer games and got fed up with it....down the drain the investment. Remember this was pre-mass-internet-age, nowadays the computers bought for "they need to learn computers/the internet" are plainly used to surf, chat and email. A very small minority is becoming the nerds/geeks as we used to know in the good old times. When I started my Comper Science study, I was driven by passion for computers. Nowadays, people don't enroll because of passion they do IT because "you'll earn big-bucks" I think that is sad.
As for those who wonder: my dad never bought a computer for me (we weren't that wealthy), he bought one for himself (for accounting) and I screwed around with it when he wasn't there (password cracking...fun!). He learned pretty quickly to back up his files;-)
As you guessed IANAL, and I can't keep my eyes open whil trying to read such licences. I'm sorry, I should have thought before posting my comment. (But then, most of the time you can say that about the vast majority of all posts around here;-) )
Technically anything on a computer that is a sequence of instructions can be considered a program, thus a normal shell script could be called a program.
Now imagine I use Linux (GPL) and use it as a plain Samba server (yes, I know...lame but a common use). Of course I want to back up -say- at least a week. As a good sysadmin I write a shell script that tars all relevant files, then gzips the tar and then dumps that tar on tape. Both tar, gzip (and ksh, the shell I use) are GPL. By you logic, I should opensource my (stupid and trivial) backup script because I *use* those tools?
I know it's a stupid example, but many many applications (closed source like inhouse applications) are based upon the services of opensource shell tools. Opensourcing those scripts would be senseless (imagine the net flooded by zillions of stupid backup scripts like mine above).
I consider the opensource movenment as a very noble philosophy, but one should not overdo it.
Hehe, no offense agains flash....but some flash thingies are so bloated they run really badly on slower machines. Even on "baloe" (you know which one I mean), it drenches all CPU power. Try Leonidas and be afraid...very afraid...
I woudn't hire him, because I like standards. I have a friend who is a professional webdesigner, with emphasis on "designer". So he likes every non-standard thingy he can use (a big Flash fanatic) as long as it looks perfectly as he intended it. I still have to see one of his sites work correctly on Nescape. (I'm a long time Netscape user, and I will not switch to Internet Explorer because I prefer the way Netscape keeps user profiles and bookmarks, and don't get me started on the dangerous ActiveX holes in IE)
Now, I told him that it would be better to comply to the standards and sacrifice a bit of design. His mantra is "The Clients want it this way", then I try to explain him that it is his task to explain the consequences of their decision to his clients and offer alternatives...but his mantra then is "everybody uses Internet Explorer anyway". He is a neat guy, but I don't discuss standards with him anymore: he is just too stubborn:-( I guess a lot of webdesigners are thinking that way.
Thanks, I'll look if I can find them on Google (can't right now, I'm at work). The game doens't *need* cheatcodes IMHMO. I find it perfectly playable without, but then I don't often play games.
Some advice for you: if you are the most technically gifted in the family, just take control. Install Windows NT and block their rights, that'll learn them! (or better, install Linux and let them be puzzeled).
Honestly, it's the way it works for me at home: I have full decision on all 4 computers at home and sister, brother and father (mom woudn't touch a computer for her life) just do as I say and get screamed at if they don't comply to the rules have I set. (Like my father installing some dumb shareware)
There is a drawback on that approach, you practically become System Administrator of your machines and if something doesn't work you get all the whining on your back. (Like my brother complaining that The Sims cheat codes don't work anymore since I did an upgrade on that game. Lamer!) But, I think it is a small price to pay for the power you get.
...for most people. Not everybody evaluates the real pro's and contra's while voting, heck some people just vote the most good-looking candidate. Okay, it's an idiot way to vote, but democracy doesn't ban idiots from voting.
Now as for your reasoning: tell a typical slashdot reader (in age to vote) that the Republicans will stop the anti-trust case against Microsoft and that the Democrats will stop it, he will vote Democrat....Big Surprise, Huh? (No flames please, this is an abstraction to make a point!)
We are humans and by definition influencable, unless you're Mr. Spock or so, you should be able to understand that.
The only usb device that I have found is better then using the traditional the port is scanners.
What are you talking about? Traditional port for scanner would be SCSI, and I never had problems with SCSI scanners...
I was in no way starting an OS war. Actually I use 2000 and NT4 most of the time and I started toying around with Linux about a year ago...as a challenge for myself.
I can guarantee you that I had my troubles installing Linux on different hardware constellations (I talk quite exotic older hardware), but then I already had troubles with very normal 3Com Network cards where the drivers delivered with the card were total crap. Another one: ever tried to install and ISA and a PCI Adaptec SCSI card (different chipsets) in the same PC when you run NT4. Not a very good idea when you NT4 is booting from a SCSI disk and the drivers were overwritten. (Nice little BSOD after NTLDR)
The original posted shared his experience with the GeForce2 MX on Linux and I shared mine. He, has his platform, I have mine....We're talking experiences, not complete tests on any imaginable platform possible. Geez...
I guess you mean the GeForce 2 MX...which is the card I have. Honestly it works very well, but it is quite tedious to get working. What you need to do is:
Download XFree 4.0.1 (or later, I guess) and install it. I didn't recompile, just took binaries.
Download the sources from NVidia and recompile them (I know, they are wrappers with binaries)
Beware of library (.so) clashes, I had a duplicate library and I just deleted the oldest one, after that no problem
Read the (quite complicated) FAQ at NVidia very very well. Very important is the change of "nv" into "nvidia" in XF86Config
To make it work with my screen I had to specify the resolution I wanted to use in XF86Config and only that one. Otherwhise it would go for the lowest resolution, I have no clue why. (I have a fancy LCD flatscreen, could be the problem)
Hope this will help you. I'm not a guru or so, I followed the instructions and (after some searching and trying) I made it work. I use Peanut Linux 8.1 (it is some small slackware derivate, methinks) with KDE (no Gnome, sorry). Good luck!
Slashdot Mirror
Up until now there was no real danger in, for example, connecting a parallel Zip to one of the machines since you need to install the drivers. Which is near to impossible without Admin rights and floppy/CD access.
Now consider this kind of storage becomes popular: system/security admins of banks will have another headache. New PC's come with USB ports, if you want it or not, and removing them would void warranty (I'n not even sure if it is possible). For the moment at this bank they are still running NT4, but what happens when they upgrade to W2K? Good luck prohibiting data exchange then... Those (OS internal) drivers better be have a posibility to be disabled.
I agree with the statement that all the bloat and extra-non-standard thingies in Outlook are enabled by default...but do not forget *why* they did that: they know that Joe User does not know how to enable them but they want to show him eyecandy anyway(Joe User likes eyecandy). Why? That's simple: it makes the competition look "dull".
Joe User doesn't realise he is not complying to standards and pretty fast other Joe Users will see his flashy email client, want it, and use the non standard stuff: Voila... standards broken, Joe User happy (in his ignorance) and all nerds/geeks angry. It's the price of being a minority.
I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I *do* help the all customers, even the stupid ones! I try to be polite, find the problem and for some even explain what they did wrong. You would be surprised how often they are grateful. Of course you need that little thing called "patience".
Now, for the kidding: yes, I do laugh with their stupidity, but mostly in the form of anecdotes in presence of my peers. Tales mostly start as "Oh, I knew this user who did this hilarious thing, etc...."
Try Active Worlds . Not VRML (as far as I know), but some other custom protocol. Only Windows clients tough. It is fun, well *I* had lotsa fun hours on it.
Damnit I missed those reruns on France 3... I live in Luxembourg and as you understood I too was impregnated by the 80's childrens TV shows. (Club Dorothée...it's bad quality now, well if it still exists)
I mostly watch german chains now because they tend to give good movies. Would you care to give me a sign next time they do reruns? I'll try to watch the programmes, too. Man, I can't wait to see those reruns!
When I was a kid, french television brought a lot of Anime, (I didn't say "quality anime"). I must admit that I was addicted to it. Some shows were pretty violent...wel, I think some people might consider them violent, I still find them quite benign. I think the most violent show they broadcast was "Ken le survivant" (Don't ask the English or Japanese name, I have no clue) I don't remember that it was very long on air.
Well, I fondly remember those times: I was inclinde to like the more humour-oriented Anime, but that's probably just me. I'm sure that many french readers of my age will recall those times with a smile, because last time I was able to watch french TV at "children-watching hours", I had to notice that there is barely any Anime left.
I think I'll just have to store the "good 'ol times" in my memory...or buy the series in DVD.
You state that the "highly skilled manual laborer" should have done his schoolwork better. Now I will tell you something that may sound strange to you: some people just can't "use their brain more", not everyone is equal in an intellectual point of view. (Nor in a physical point of view of course)
I can tell: I have a bother who is a "highly skilled manual laborer", not because he was lazy at school but because it was above his capabilities to finish middle school. He now has a good job, but please never associate that "being a laborer" means "being lazy at school"
Besides a lot of geeks owe their education to a hard working "highly skilled manual laborer" called "Dad" (or "Mom")...
bury them in our sandboxes for weeks ;-)
*Pinks away tear* Fondly recalls playing with my (full metal) Matchbox cars in the sandbox. I think I have some of those somewhere in a closet, just hope I cleaned them before stowing them away
Honestly, do you really think that everyone has 20G+ harddrives? Sorry I think not: I still use my 5 year old laptop regularly which has only 1.3 Gig harddisk.
When I started to play around with Linux (that was on my laptop), I coudn't get any usable install for Linux because SuSE, Redhat and Corel (the CD's I got hand on) filled the disk up so much that there was barely place to install any programs. Guess, what I found a nice sleek distro (150Meg installed, 90Meg iso-download, with KDE) and now this "too old to be used" laptop had a second life as a surfstation that does dual-boot W95-OSR2 and Peanut Linux 8.2 .
Small size and elegance should go and hand in hand.
Now, note that in my post I never said that I didn't agree with kids having a computer to email/chat/surf. I am glad they learn to use a computer and they have such a broad way of communication, but it was not the point: my point was that "in my young years" you needed to know how a computer works to use it. That skill is not required anymore and I find that sad, it was just a note of nostalgy.
You also state that your kids will have access to a computer. That is not enough, because a bit later on you state that you will teach them some things or two: that is the whole point! They will have someone that will teach them. Just as I learned from my dad. My rant was about the people who buy a P-VII 2THz for their kids and they (nor the kids nor the parents) can't distinguisch RAM from a harddisk.
Did you ever meet someone that complained because his computer was so slow and you went there to see why...turned out that his harddisk was full of pr0n/MP3's and other stuff...I said, hey your disk is full! He askes with an astonished face "can a computer be full?" Get real, what we miss is good education, and from what I see it is not at school you will get it.
It's the whole point "education", my sister now complains that "bureautiqe" classes are too easy....sure I taught her. My mom can now check mail, but before I let her loose on the family computer I explained the basic fundamentals of how a computer works and the basic organisation of harddisks. You would be astonished how few people know about folders and files. Actually she has more problems with the GUI than with anything else...
Sack all the guys at the patent office and use it as a kindergarden....perhaps patents will have some sense then ;-)
Well I can't talk about government-funded computers at school. But when I was at high school (that's about some years ago), there was this mentality of -mostly wealthy- parents buying the newest computer for their kids because "they need it to learn computers". Honestly: most of those computers grew a nice layer of dust after the kids played the computer games and got fed up with it....down the drain the investment. ;-)
Remember this was pre-mass-internet-age, nowadays the computers bought for "they need to learn computers/the internet" are plainly used to surf, chat and email. A very small minority is becoming the nerds/geeks as we used to know in the good old times.
When I started my Comper Science study, I was driven by passion for computers. Nowadays, people don't enroll because of passion they do IT because "you'll earn big-bucks" I think that is sad.
As for those who wonder: my dad never bought a computer for me (we weren't that wealthy), he bought one for himself (for accounting) and I screwed around with it when he wasn't there (password cracking...fun!). He learned pretty quickly to back up his files
As you guessed IANAL, and I can't keep my eyes open whil trying to read such licences. I'm sorry, I should have thought before posting my comment. (But then, most of the time you can say that about the vast majority of all posts around here ;-) )
Now imagine I use Linux (GPL) and use it as a plain Samba server (yes, I know...lame but a common use). Of course I want to back up -say- at least a week. As a good sysadmin I write a shell script that tars all relevant files, then gzips the tar and then dumps that tar on tape. Both tar, gzip (and ksh, the shell I use) are GPL. By you logic, I should opensource my (stupid and trivial) backup script because I *use* those tools?
I know it's a stupid example, but many many applications (closed source like inhouse applications) are based upon the services of opensource shell tools. Opensourcing those scripts would be senseless (imagine the net flooded by zillions of stupid backup scripts like mine above).
I consider the opensource movenment as a very noble philosophy, but one should not overdo it.
Hehe, no offense agains flash....but some flash thingies are so bloated they run really badly on slower machines. Even on "baloe" (you know which one I mean), it drenches all CPU power. Try Leonidas and be afraid...very afraid...
I woudn't hire him, because I like standards. I have a friend who is a professional webdesigner, with emphasis on "designer". So he likes every non-standard thingy he can use (a big Flash fanatic) as long as it looks perfectly as he intended it. I still have to see one of his sites work correctly on Nescape. (I'm a long time Netscape user, and I will not switch to Internet Explorer because I prefer the way Netscape keeps user profiles and bookmarks, and don't get me started on the dangerous ActiveX holes in IE) :-(
Now, I told him that it would be better to comply to the standards and sacrifice a bit of design. His mantra is "The Clients want it this way", then I try to explain him that it is his task to explain the consequences of their decision to his clients and offer alternatives...but his mantra then is "everybody uses Internet Explorer anyway". He is a neat guy, but I don't discuss standards with him anymore: he is just too stubborn
I guess a lot of webdesigners are thinking that way.
Thanks, I'll look if I can find them on Google (can't right now, I'm at work). The game doens't *need* cheatcodes IMHMO. I find it perfectly playable without, but then I don't often play games.
Some advice for you: if you are the most technically gifted in the family, just take control. Install Windows NT and block their rights, that'll learn them! (or better, install Linux and let them be puzzeled).
Honestly, it's the way it works for me at home: I have full decision on all 4 computers at home and sister, brother and father (mom woudn't touch a computer for her life) just do as I say and get screamed at if they don't comply to the rules have I set. (Like my father installing some dumb shareware)
There is a drawback on that approach, you practically become System Administrator of your machines and if something doesn't work you get all the whining on your back. (Like my brother complaining that The Sims cheat codes don't work anymore since I did an upgrade on that game. Lamer!) But, I think it is a small price to pay for the power you get.
Now as for your reasoning: tell a typical slashdot reader (in age to vote) that the Republicans will stop the anti-trust case against Microsoft and that the Democrats will stop it, he will vote Democrat....Big Surprise, Huh? (No flames please, this is an abstraction to make a point!)
We are humans and by definition influencable, unless you're Mr. Spock or so, you should be able to understand that.
The only usb device that I have found is better then using the traditional the port is scanners.
What are you talking about? Traditional port for scanner would be SCSI, and I never had problems with SCSI scanners...
Yeah, those electric thingies always get me :-(
I tought I was the only one still playing it! :-)
I played SQ3 this last weekend...those games never lost charm to me :-)
Thanx, I'll check that out :-)
I was in no way starting an OS war. Actually I use 2000 and NT4 most of the time and I started toying around with Linux about a year ago...as a challenge for myself.
I can guarantee you that I had my troubles installing Linux on different hardware constellations (I talk quite exotic older hardware), but then I already had troubles with very normal 3Com Network cards where the drivers delivered with the card were total crap. Another one: ever tried to install and ISA and a PCI Adaptec SCSI card (different chipsets) in the same PC when you run NT4. Not a very good idea when you NT4 is booting from a SCSI disk and the drivers were overwritten. (Nice little BSOD after NTLDR)
The original posted shared his experience with the GeForce2 MX on Linux and I shared mine. He, has his platform, I have mine....We're talking experiences, not complete tests on any imaginable platform possible. Geez...
Hope this will help you. I'm not a guru or so, I followed the instructions and (after some searching and trying) I made it work.
I use Peanut Linux 8.1 (it is some small slackware derivate, methinks) with KDE (no Gnome, sorry).
Good luck!