i've used quite a number of computers:
- Mac128, Plus, II, IIcx, Quadra 700
out of all of these - the iBook2 is the QUIETEST.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but the Mac 128 and Plus don't have fans or hard drives in them. There's a mild hum from the power supply, but it's a little quieter than a TV set. The revision 4 iBook has both a hard drive and a fan (near the hinge - temp controlled). The quietest computer I've ever used has to have been the Timex-Sinclair T/S-1000. No sound support, no fan, no hard drive, no floppy, not even any keyboard noise.
If you remember, when the N64 came out, there was a lot of hype about the controller having both a d-pad and analog pad. Granted, I sold mine off in '98, so I haven't tried too many later games, but IIRC, most N64 games either had no support for the d-pad, or supported both, with the analog pad being the most obvious choice for the game. Don't forget, the developers knew the d-pad was on every machine.
The GBA has no analog controls. Add to that the fact that it costs $99.99 (great price for a game system, bad price for a controller) and developers won't have much reason to expect gamers to have both, and the cable.
I think it could have potential in RPGs. It could be revolutionary in strategy games like Command & Conquer. Of course, a C&C clone could probably be run on the GBA without the Cube.
Of course, I could be wrong, but I have the NES Action Pad folded up in my attic. I hated all the jogging in place, but I did enjoy the long jump in Track and Field - just step off for a second or two.
By the way, the "per bogohertz" comparison was outright dishonest. It doubles the actual cost of the G4, even by these tests, since the G4 is a dual processor. Presumably most people who buy dual processor computers are actually planning to use both...
Agreed! I'd really like to see how things would have come out in more SMP friendly conditions. The dual G4 seemed to be an effort by Apple to overcome the MHz war, and was priced accordingly. OTOH, the classic OS has had only limited support for SMP, so the uniprocessor numbers aren't totally misleading. Apple released a machine a few years ago - I think it was 604 based - that supported multiple processors, but because it was the only machine available, developers never got into it.
The iCab browser for the Mac has some potential. They already have an image filter that allows disabling image loading by server and by size, by default the filters are off, but come preloaded with the more popular banner sizes and ad servers.
They also have filters for Java and Javascript, allowing users to filter apps from various sites. It even allows disabling parts of the scripting support
I really don't mind seeing ads in a standard size, on the same page as my content, in a standard file format. When they start using Flash, or asking me to click some damned monkey to win $30,000. (I'm waiting for someone to sue them for $30,000, claiming to have clicked on the monkey.) I start to get a little cheesed.
I can't seem to get at the manual, but I wonder if it's just a terminal program "adjusted" to work with a modified version on Lynx....
Of course, it's a neat idea, but with what computers are going for today, I wonder what I could reasonably use it for. (Don't believe me, go to ebay and search for "IBM Thin Client") Personally, a web server would be better. It would then be really useful for various embedded applications. I could put one in a robotic lawnmower or my refrigerator. I even have an old children's book lying about that details the building of a robot that interfaces with the C64 - in other words, it's dead easy.
Oh, and ahem....
"Could you imagine a Beowulf cluster of these?"
MiniDisc audio uses a 140MB disc to hold 74 minutes of audio. On a CD, you'd be using 650MB to do the same thing. In order to fit the same amount of audio on a smaller disc, the MiniDisc standard calls for a psychoacoustic compression scheme called ATRAC (Adaptive TRansform Acoustic Coding). This format works a bit like MP3. It uses strategies like critical bands (you hear certain frequency ranges better, so the encoder focuses on details there, and ignores details in other bands), and masking (if you drop a pin and blow up dynamite at the same time, both sounds are recorded; the encoder removes audio detail from the pin drop).
Of course, anything that removes detail from the sound will degrade its quality. As time has passed, the algorithims employed in the compression have improved, allowing for higher quality.
So, while the compression system does degrade the sound quality, it isn't for anti-piracy reasons. In fact, the first portable Sony unit, the MZ-R1 was one of the few portable MiniDIsc recorders featuring a digital output. There is a MiniDisc technology working against piracy (or fair use): SCMS. The Serial Copy Management System is designed to record in the disc's TOC information on each track's origin. In conjunction with compliant players, SCMS prevents digital copies being made from MiniDisc tracks that were themselves digital copies. Its implementation is essentially the same (and interoperable with) the copy protection system on home audio CD recorders.
"Right now, we have patients who often must travel two hours just to find out that nothing's wrong."
One of the things I remember from a bicycling book I read in high school was that a mirror could be relied on to tell it's user that it was not safe behind, but never that the road is clear. The same would seem to be true here. I'd trust the unit to tell the doctor that there were problems, but I would probably go into the hospital if it said everything okay and I felt otherwise.
I also wonder what sort of security we're talking about. I would hope the encryption is outside the patient, for easy updating in the event of an exploit. I would also hope that the internet related system is completely isolated and unable to interfere with the more critical aspects of the device.
Over at http://www.minidisc.org/miyadisc/faq.html find the following quote:
How do you make the discs?
With a normal Sony MDH-10 MD Data drive and a special program.
9. How did you figure out the UTOC format?
By experimentation, and frequent glances at Wolfgang Buresch's MiniDisc Secrets and MiniDisc Analyzer pages. We eventually made a page describing the UTOC data structures we found
So, it would appear someone has hacked this. The problem seems to be that they intend to use the hack for financial gain, so they may not share it with you. Good links there though.
Good Luck!
I think the best position on this whole MacThemes.org issue was made at their website when they drew a parallel between their project, and its contribution to copyright infringement and Apple's iTunes' role in the same sort of activity.
Earlier today, I bought a Sony MZ-R700 and I ran into a SCMS issue. I went home powered up the iBook, loaded iTunes, plugged in the MD recorder, and boom, no problems. Granted, all I wanted to do was fair use (I tried using a consumer MD recorder/CD combo to copy a consumer music CD-R made as a backup to one of my discs) but Apple is as, or more guilty of contributary infringement.
hey, then we could use it to directly spin the hard drive . . .:)
Well, it might work. I could see the ads now. On the down side, I could see all hell breaking loose if some overclocker gets hurt from running nitrous on their hard drive.
I hate to be negative, but I don't think we've seen a console system take off in this country without a ton of money behind it. What you have with TuxBox is a great console idea, but with little or no money behind it. Don't think that developers like EA don't look directly at the advertising revenue of a new console platform before deciding to develop for it. That's why you still hear so much more about Windows, Photoshop, and such. Free tools will get the small developers, but they can't afford to make Need For Speed, nor can they afford the cobranded primetime TV commercials that promote the box. The big development firms consider the tools the least expensive part... They may spend more on coffee and stocking the bathrooms than on development tools in one year.
Torque isn't a rotary strong suit unless it's forced induction - I cannot imagine how that will be done in a very small application. Rotaries run well at high RPMs and make great HP but they need that RPM.
You can also get around the torque issue with more rotors. NSU had a single rotor car and a number of single rotor motorcycles, but a car really needs 2-3 rotors. I have a hard time remembering the details - it's been a while, but John Deere has a larger engine that puts out torque but doesn't rev. I think it's about 7 liters, and has more than four rotors.
On the other hand, the generator could be wound to make the required power at a higher rpm, but be easier to turn against a load.
For the forced induction thing, you could use a small electric motor to blow the air into the engine.
Brilliant. Really. There are a few problems and considerations with using a rotary like the one in the site you mentioned.
It would be loud. Internal combustion engines are loud to begin with, but wankels are damn loud, mostly because there is no valve train on the exhaust side serving to muffle the sound.
The lack of a valve train also means the exhaust gases are very, very hot.
While the wankel isn't itself the cleanest burning design, it does tend to lend itself well to use with cleaner fuels, like hydrogen. Hydrogen tends to be a tricky fuel because it can be prone to igniting as soon as it hits the hot cylinder of a traditional piston engine. With a rotary, the intake portion of the engine stays cool, and the combustion takes place elsewhere, avoiding preignition.
Wankels also tend be very smooth when running at higher rpms.
Traditional fuel and lubrication systems tend to be very sensitive to being turned upside down. That means fuel injection and dry sump lubrication more than likely, and that tends to mean there will have to be a bit of pressure in both those systems.
Maintainance. Most current wankel designs I've seen burn lubricant because of the large swept area in the combustion chamber. Not only does that mean emissions, it also means you'll need to refill the lubricant.
I could see that engine built into a generator the size of a laptop battery, but I don't think it will ever actually fit in the laptop. It will probably be rather noisy, and I suspect it will be a specialized product. It would, for example, be perfect for satillite phones, backpackers, just about any electronics on a sailboat, and of course, it would make a great UPS.
Well, first, I do think it's silly to put a terminal in the bathroom....:)
That being said, it does present some interesting questions. I was thinking about it, and here's what I've come up with. First, there are a number of ruggedized laptops out there. They tend to be okay with the sort of stuff you're doing. Check eBay. You can usually find a 486 class machine for a song. Tiger Toys had a product called the Game.com. It was a competitor to the Game Boy. The internet cartridge comes with a serial cable and terminal software. It's slow, but it's driven through the tiny touch screen and the whole thing should cost you less than $75. You could use it with lynx. Put some clear vinyl over the unit and it should be cool in the shower. Ditto for a pen based PDA.
I agree. I'd also add to this that you can get little packages of the standoffs from Radio Shack for a song. I'd get some plexi and close the sides, and then add a good set of fans to keep air moving inside. The only thing that really concerns me about putting motherboards in a rack like are cards. There's nothing but the motherboard's edge connector keeping them in place. I'd suggest trying to get motherboards that have as much of the hardware you need built in. Maybe one of the 810 chipsets...
Good luck
You need a geek. Not just any geek, mind you. You need someone that can take some time, and understand the organizations needs, and not just install Linux on
everything and disappear.
In this case, the perfect candidate is someone in their mid teens that might not quite be old enough for a job, but is interested in a good letter of recommendation so
they can work in a computer store instead of flipping burgers next summer. Or, they need some charitable work to put on a college application.
This sort of nerd has the skills to get the system set up for the organization, and make sure it meets their needs.
For example, the aforementioned Pentium 75 is more than capable for straight web browsing, desktop publishing, mailing lists, contact management, and any number
of other minor tasks. Windows 95 is perfect for that sort of thing. While I do have a new laptop, I'm typing this on my Pentium 100. It doesn't frag like it used
to, but with a 4.x/5.x browser, it's perfect for the web. The trick is to get out the excess garbage.
Even very old machines can be useful as a learning tool. I have an old 42 MB hard drive that died about five years ago. Why I didn't throw it out is beyond me. I
could replace the lid with a sheet of polycarbonate and give it to an elementary school. My favorite science teacher came equipped with a screwdriver.
I learned from my mistakes early on. Don't just show up with a Heath H89 and a Tandy TRS-80 Model IV. Ask them what sort of stuff they need and cater to that.
That way, you'll both save a hernia.
Packard Bell Pentium 75? Could you imagine a Beowulf cluster of those things?
Well, it fits in with their strategy of moving away from advertising as their sole source of revenue. News doesn't seem to sell well, but auctions do, as does adult content. I can't see them being filtered as a domain by all the filtering services. Their business is precarious enough now, they can't go about filtering top 10 mainstream sites without a backlash.
First, the Impreza. Killer car! I'm a huge fan of the Subaru race team. Thankfully, the WRX is now available in the US. Too bad they introduced it two months after I settled on a Miata... Then again, I can't cry about owning a Miata, can I?
Second, I've known the manufacturers have taken the game market as a stronger and stronger tool to sell their wares. Look at some of the later games that feature more obtainable iron. The Gran Turismo series, Need for Speed (the first one, at least) were very focused on the cars, their features and appointments. Newer games, like Beetle Buggin' 1 and 2 and 4x4 Evolution focus on the under $20k cars and trucks young game buyers may find themselves driving.
Let's not forget the Ford Simulator games of the late 80's and early 90's. That was a situation when there was a game in the advertisment. There is something to be said, however, for a game that allows one to run an Aerostar and a Mustang through the standing quarter.
I'm sure you could get your hands on an old eMachines eOne. It's the one that caught the attention of Apple legal a few years ago. I'm not sure how propriatary the board is, but you might be able to get something in there.
I'm country A, and I've put a number of satillites into orbit for my military. A number of consumers living in countries that !=A are using this technology to go skiing and such. One day, a consumer electronics company suddenly hands me a weapon for free. They let me use the little switches on my satillites to deactivate all the TV sets in bad country B. All I have to do is tell my satillites to tell all those TVs that they are actually hanging out in country C.
Sounds good to me. I would think that we have the technology...
The fastest way for this to become a standard is for Microsoft Windows to require CPRM. Add Office and it's a done deal. It will be sold to consumers just like SDMI, as an enabling technology.
"The HP Pavillion 9920 also features a 220GB CPRM compliant hard drive, allowing you to take advantage of the latest in games and productivity software."
I should do this. I used to work at Sam's Club. They had a little kiosk in the tire department that had Winzip 7.0 shareware installed. That's commercial use.
Slashdot Mirror
The GBA has no analog controls. Add to that the fact that it costs $99.99 (great price for a game system, bad price for a controller) and developers won't have much reason to expect gamers to have both, and the cable.
I think it could have potential in RPGs. It could be revolutionary in strategy games like Command & Conquer. Of course, a C&C clone could probably be run on the GBA without the Cube.
Of course, I could be wrong, but I have the NES Action Pad folded up in my attic. I hated all the jogging in place, but I did enjoy the long jump in Track and Field - just step off for a second or two.
Agreed! I'd really like to see how things would have come out in more SMP friendly conditions. The dual G4 seemed to be an effort by Apple to overcome the MHz war, and was priced accordingly. OTOH, the classic OS has had only limited support for SMP, so the uniprocessor numbers aren't totally misleading. Apple released a machine a few years ago - I think it was 604 based - that supported multiple processors, but because it was the only machine available, developers never got into it.
http://sunsite.kth.se/sun/sunflash/www/march.1995/ sunflash/75.04.sparc-xterm.html
Good luck.
They also have filters for Java and Javascript, allowing users to filter apps from various sites. It even allows disabling parts of the scripting support
I really don't mind seeing ads in a standard size, on the same page as my content, in a standard file format. When they start using Flash, or asking me to click some damned monkey to win $30,000. (I'm waiting for someone to sue them for $30,000, claiming to have clicked on the monkey.) I start to get a little cheesed.
Of course, it's a neat idea, but with what computers are going for today, I wonder what I could reasonably use it for. (Don't believe me, go to ebay and search for "IBM Thin Client") Personally, a web server would be better. It would then be really useful for various embedded applications. I could put one in a robotic lawnmower or my refrigerator. I even have an old children's book lying about that details the building of a robot that interfaces with the C64 - in other words, it's dead easy.
Oh, and ahem.... "Could you imagine a Beowulf cluster of these?"
Of course, anything that removes detail from the sound will degrade its quality. As time has passed, the algorithims employed in the compression have improved, allowing for higher quality.
So, while the compression system does degrade the sound quality, it isn't for anti-piracy reasons. In fact, the first portable Sony unit, the MZ-R1 was one of the few portable MiniDIsc recorders featuring a digital output. There is a MiniDisc technology working against piracy (or fair use): SCMS. The Serial Copy Management System is designed to record in the disc's TOC information on each track's origin. In conjunction with compliant players, SCMS prevents digital copies being made from MiniDisc tracks that were themselves digital copies. Its implementation is essentially the same (and interoperable with) the copy protection system on home audio CD recorders.
One of the things I remember from a bicycling book I read in high school was that a mirror could be relied on to tell it's user that it was not safe behind, but never that the road is clear. The same would seem to be true here. I'd trust the unit to tell the doctor that there were problems, but I would probably go into the hospital if it said everything okay and I felt otherwise. I also wonder what sort of security we're talking about. I would hope the encryption is outside the patient, for easy updating in the event of an exploit. I would also hope that the internet related system is completely isolated and unable to interfere with the more critical aspects of the device.
Good links there though.
Good Luck!
I think the best position on this whole MacThemes.org issue was made at their website when they drew a parallel between their project, and its contribution to copyright infringement and Apple's iTunes' role in the same sort of activity.
Earlier today, I bought a Sony MZ-R700 and I ran into a SCMS issue. I went home powered up the iBook, loaded iTunes, plugged in the MD recorder, and boom, no problems. Granted, all I wanted to do was fair use (I tried using a consumer MD recorder/CD combo to copy a consumer music CD-R made as a backup to one of my discs) but Apple is as, or more guilty of contributary infringement.
Well, it might work. I could see the ads now. On the down side, I could see all hell breaking loose if some overclocker gets hurt from running nitrous on their hard drive.
I hate to be negative, but I don't think we've seen a console system take off in this country without a ton of money behind it. What you have with TuxBox is a great console idea, but with little or no money behind it. Don't think that developers like EA don't look directly at the advertising revenue of a new console platform before deciding to develop for it. That's why you still hear so much more about Windows, Photoshop, and such. Free tools will get the small developers, but they can't afford to make Need For Speed, nor can they afford the cobranded primetime TV commercials that promote the box. The big development firms consider the tools the least expensive part... They may spend more on coffee and stocking the bathrooms than on development tools in one year.
On the other hand, the generator could be wound to make the required power at a higher rpm, but be easier to turn against a load.
For the forced induction thing, you could use a small electric motor to blow the air into the engine.
Erm....
Damn, I gotta say, that comment wasn't there when I posted mine. Spooky too, down to the bullets...
It would be loud. Internal combustion engines are loud to begin with, but wankels are damn loud, mostly because there is no valve train on the exhaust side serving to muffle the sound.
The lack of a valve train also means the exhaust gases are very, very hot.
While the wankel isn't itself the cleanest burning design, it does tend to lend itself well to use with cleaner fuels, like hydrogen. Hydrogen tends to be a tricky fuel because it can be prone to igniting as soon as it hits the hot cylinder of a traditional piston engine. With a rotary, the intake portion of the engine stays cool, and the combustion takes place elsewhere, avoiding preignition.
Wankels also tend be very smooth when running at higher rpms.
Traditional fuel and lubrication systems tend to be very sensitive to being turned upside down. That means fuel injection and dry sump lubrication more than likely, and that tends to mean there will have to be a bit of pressure in both those systems.
Maintainance. Most current wankel designs I've seen burn lubricant because of the large swept area in the combustion chamber. Not only does that mean emissions, it also means you'll need to refill the lubricant.
I could see that engine built into a generator the size of a laptop battery, but I don't think it will ever actually fit in the laptop. It will probably be rather noisy, and I suspect it will be a specialized product. It would, for example, be perfect for satillite phones, backpackers, just about any electronics on a sailboat, and of course, it would make a great UPS.
That being said, it does present some interesting questions. I was thinking about it, and here's what I've come up with. First, there are a number of ruggedized laptops out there. They tend to be okay with the sort of stuff you're doing. Check eBay. You can usually find a 486 class machine for a song. Tiger Toys had a product called the Game.com. It was a competitor to the Game Boy. The internet cartridge comes with a serial cable and terminal software. It's slow, but it's driven through the tiny touch screen and the whole thing should cost you less than $75. You could use it with lynx. Put some clear vinyl over the unit and it should be cool in the shower. Ditto for a pen based PDA.
Good Luck
I agree. I'd also add to this that you can get little packages of the standoffs from Radio Shack for a song. I'd get some plexi and close the sides, and then add a good set of fans to keep air moving inside. The only thing that really concerns me about putting motherboards in a rack like are cards. There's nothing but the motherboard's edge connector keeping them in place. I'd suggest trying to get motherboards that have as much of the hardware you need built in. Maybe one of the 810 chipsets...
Good luck
In this case, the perfect candidate is someone in their mid teens that might not quite be old enough for a job, but is interested in a good letter of recommendation so they can work in a computer store instead of flipping burgers next summer. Or, they need some charitable work to put on a college application. This sort of nerd has the skills to get the system set up for the organization, and make sure it meets their needs.
For example, the aforementioned Pentium 75 is more than capable for straight web browsing, desktop publishing, mailing lists, contact management, and any number of other minor tasks. Windows 95 is perfect for that sort of thing. While I do have a new laptop, I'm typing this on my Pentium 100. It doesn't frag like it used to, but with a 4.x/5.x browser, it's perfect for the web. The trick is to get out the excess garbage.
Even very old machines can be useful as a learning tool. I have an old 42 MB hard drive that died about five years ago. Why I didn't throw it out is beyond me. I could replace the lid with a sheet of polycarbonate and give it to an elementary school. My favorite science teacher came equipped with a screwdriver.
I learned from my mistakes early on. Don't just show up with a Heath H89 and a Tandy TRS-80 Model IV. Ask them what sort of stuff they need and cater to that. That way, you'll both save a hernia.
Packard Bell Pentium 75? Could you imagine a Beowulf cluster of those things?
Well, it fits in with their strategy of moving away from advertising as their sole source of revenue. News doesn't seem to sell well, but auctions do, as does adult content. I can't see them being filtered as a domain by all the filtering services. Their business is precarious enough now, they can't go about filtering top 10 mainstream sites without a backlash.
First, the Impreza. Killer car! I'm a huge fan of the Subaru race team. Thankfully, the WRX is now available in the US. Too bad they introduced it two months after I settled on a Miata... Then again, I can't cry about owning a Miata, can I?
Second, I've known the manufacturers have taken the game market as a stronger and stronger tool to sell their wares. Look at some of the later games that feature more obtainable iron. The Gran Turismo series, Need for Speed (the first one, at least) were very focused on the cars, their features and appointments. Newer games, like Beetle Buggin' 1 and 2 and 4x4 Evolution focus on the under $20k cars and trucks young game buyers may find themselves driving.
Let's not forget the Ford Simulator games of the late 80's and early 90's. That was a situation when there was a game in the advertisment. There is something to be said, however, for a game that allows one to run an Aerostar and a Mustang through the standing quarter.
I'm sure you could get your hands on an old eMachines eOne. It's the one that caught the attention of Apple legal a few years ago. I'm not sure how propriatary the board is, but you might be able to get something in there.
I'm country A, and I've put a number of satillites into orbit for my military. A number of consumers living in countries that !=A are using this technology to go skiing and such. One day, a consumer electronics company suddenly hands me a weapon for free. They let me use the little switches on my satillites to deactivate all the TV sets in bad country B. All I have to do is tell my satillites to tell all those TVs that they are actually hanging out in country C. Sounds good to me. I would think that we have the technology...
The fastest way for this to become a standard is for Microsoft Windows to require CPRM. Add Office and it's a done deal. It will be sold to consumers just like SDMI, as an enabling technology. "The HP Pavillion 9920 also features a 220GB CPRM compliant hard drive, allowing you to take advantage of the latest in games and productivity software."
I should do this. I used to work at Sam's Club. They had a little kiosk in the tire department that had Winzip 7.0 shareware installed. That's commercial use.