Because you asked direct questions I will answer them, rather than providing a list of snarky remarks.
What is the average age of your workplace?
I work for what I believe is actually a fairly young company. The average age is probably 30, possibly slightly higher but I wouldn't expect it to be over 35.
How easily do your coworkers accept and absorb new technology?
We're a bunch of geeks - we LIVE for new technology. That's not to say we accept everything with open arms, there's plenty of bitching when something bucks the norm, but for the most part we like new stuff and we like integrating it into our clients' environments.
Are most IT environments like this, where people refuse to learn anything about new technology they don't like, or did I just get stuck with a batch of stubborn case-screws?"
I believe most IT people are interested in fancy new technology, making it work, and integrating it with things they are already familiar with. However, there are people who are just in it for the money and probably don't have the interest in geeky exploration. They took required courses and fulfill a specific role. If you ask them to do something outside of that role they will become agitated quickly.
Actually, no. It seems my phone purges them frequently without my interaction. I've made a dozen or more in the past two weeks and there is only one currently available.
I only wish my phone would hold by default the X-million data points that my outmoded (but cheap and functional) dedicated GPS device does, without quite so much cloud-centric bottlenecking, and leave all expensive data use for optional overlays and current conditions.
No shit dude. I have a fucking 32GB phone of which I'm using about 3GB. The thing I use more than anything is Google Maps. If it's downloaded something, why does it ever delete it? I can cache apparently unlimited 10 mile squares (100 square miles?), but I can't say "Just fucking download the entire state of Iowa" (because, really, who would want to?).
Absolutely. Some of the RDP connections I make are over 256kbit VSAT connections with greater than five seconds of latency at times. Drop the resolution and color depth and it's usable. But I what I'm saying is that from my experience 2mbit and reasonable latency of 100ms RDP can *seem* like using a 'local OS'. Maybe just a bit sluggish PC;) But in turn, some aspects can be far superior. Like disk I/O, for example, if you are running an RDP session on a 32 core system with SAN access and want to compress a 3GB folder into a ZIP file, it'll happen a bit quicker than if you were trying to do the same thing on even a fantastic local PC. And 100 users could all be working on that RDP server at the same time. At which point it starts to become really financially beneficial to use this arrangement.
Honestly the only gripe I see with their specs is the relatively low resolution display. My primary display is 23" 1920x1080 and it bugs the shit out of me. Spreadsheets need more pixels. Configuration windows also need more room.
If it's a thin client doing RDP or such the speed to the thin client is negligible. I use RDP clients over 2mbit internet connections nearly everyday and it works fine - even with the increased latency. Keep in mind all the file access and disk I/O is taking place on the RDP server, not the thin client. The only data going to and from the thin client is information about how to render the video output. You could even use Photoshop effectively through this.
That just looks like a hodgepodge of cheap consumer crap he picked up at Home Depot and literally taped to the walls and ceiling of the dorm room. He even runs free apps on his Apple products to control that stuff.
Where's the fit and finish of quality hackery? Practically any geek with a spare couple of weekends could throw this together.
"Will searching the Internet become less useful in the future, when people have small personal chochkies that know all of their personal preferences, their habits, location and can give them exactly what they want, instead of 400 things that might be, interspersed with dozens of ads."
If you use Google Search while logged in with a Google account they're doing the same thing for you.
The difference between Siri and what this author is referencing as "Google" is query entry by voice or query entry by keyboard.
*** News flash, you can enter your query in Google Search with your voice as well. ***
"... the collecting society would not get an annual lump sum for the contested videos, but a fixed fee each time copyright-protected videos are watched..."
I don't know what test servers you're referring to, but typically when I test a client's internet connection with speedtest.net using the automatically found best server I get results under 50ms. I would imagine anything over 100ms to a nearby server indicates some kind of network mismanagement.
I also have clients using satellite connections. Their latency is typically around 750 to 900 ms.
Legs are cool and all, Star Wars, but it seems a properly designed tracked unit would be much more efficient and able to carry significantly more load.
Just fill their stupid database with so much junk information that the data is worthless. Run a program that mimicks regular internet use to sites you usually go to, and a whole bunch of others.
"Mr. Doe, can you explain your reasons for visiting these illicit sites on these 137 different occasions?"
"Yeah. I run a program on my computer that randomly loads websites. Wanna see? Thanks for wasting my time and tax dollars. Can I go now?"
The profession of inventing numbers has always intrigued me. The article says, "The hiatus cost Microsoft $100 million." Well, sure they can figure out how much money they usually make in a time frame, and how much money they didn't make during this time frame, and BAM you've got a number. But that number, $100,000,000, just seems a bit too... round. It seems like someone said, "Hey, call the department that makes up numbers. We need one that's not so small it seems insignificant but not so big no one believes it. Not too cold, not too hot. Not too lumpy, not too soft. Something that's juuussssssttt right." Which is certainly a shorter route to 'news' than actually doing the work to figure out what it actually cost. It also sounds like something a 7 year old would say on the playground in a screaming match about fathers' occupations, "OH? Yeah?! Well! My dad works for Microsoft and they lost a hundred million dollars!"
And how can they know that's what it would have been? Maybe that was the month, had they asked, that Apple would have sold out to Microsoft. But they didn't ask and no one will ever know. Would have been more than a hundred million dollars, for sure.
Yes, wildly off topic, but it's the crazy shit that goes through my brain.
I think this is a good idea. Most kids these days who have the opportunity to become a programmer were born into an environment where a significantly powerful computer existed (likely running Windows or Mac OS or OS X). To them, that is the extent of computers. And likely game consoles don't initially register as a computer. Teaching them the history of computers will show them just how far we've come in such a short time and inspire them to begin thinking about what will be available, at a hardware level, in the next few decades.
The group of people who will invent the next technological leap are children right now. We need to inspire them by showing them what we've accomplished. But we have to do it on their level. Computer museums like the one in Mountain View are excellent. Being able to put your hands on a Cray that was less powerful than an iPhone could really open some minds - minds that didn't even exist before the iPhone.
The same suggestion I had for mucking up Facebook's data. Create false data. Though this is more difficult but could still easily be done. Just schedule shopping trips to coincide with your friends. Swamp cell phones in the parking lot, do your shopping on separate routes, swap back in the parking lot. Use a variety of friends. Suddenly their data is all fucked up.
You say "lift and shift" - I'm not entirely sure I know what that means, but from my experience the best solution is to place the old drive on the shelf, purchase and install a new drive new software environment from the ground up.
I have a toy, called a sling-shot, that will render your flying spy drone toy useless long before its batteries run out. My toy has centuries of R&D ahead of your flying robotic spy drone.
Slashdot Mirror
Because you asked direct questions I will answer them, rather than providing a list of snarky remarks.
What is the average age of your workplace?
I work for what I believe is actually a fairly young company. The average age is probably 30, possibly slightly higher but I wouldn't expect it to be over 35.
How easily do your coworkers accept and absorb new technology?
We're a bunch of geeks - we LIVE for new technology. That's not to say we accept everything with open arms, there's plenty of bitching when something bucks the norm, but for the most part we like new stuff and we like integrating it into our clients' environments.
Are most IT environments like this, where people refuse to learn anything about new technology they don't like, or did I just get stuck with a batch of stubborn case-screws?"
I believe most IT people are interested in fancy new technology, making it work, and integrating it with things they are already familiar with. However, there are people who are just in it for the money and probably don't have the interest in geeky exploration. They took required courses and fulfill a specific role. If you ask them to do something outside of that role they will become agitated quickly.
Move to the Pacific Northwest. That's what my wife and I did.
http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/graph/USOR0275
No concern of heat or dry or hurricane or earthquake or tornado ...
They're already out there, but you're probably not in the right country to get the really good ones.
http://www.hecklerspray.com/top-26-sexiest-tv-ads-for-men/200816793.php
Actually, no. It seems my phone purges them frequently without my interaction. I've made a dozen or more in the past two weeks and there is only one currently available.
I only wish my phone would hold by default the X-million data points that my outmoded (but cheap and functional) dedicated GPS device does, without quite so much cloud-centric bottlenecking, and leave all expensive data use for optional overlays and current conditions.
No shit dude. I have a fucking 32GB phone of which I'm using about 3GB. The thing I use more than anything is Google Maps. If it's downloaded something, why does it ever delete it? I can cache apparently unlimited 10 mile squares (100 square miles?), but I can't say "Just fucking download the entire state of Iowa" (because, really, who would want to?).
But I suppose they're getting there. Slowly.
Absolutely. Some of the RDP connections I make are over 256kbit VSAT connections with greater than five seconds of latency at times. Drop the resolution and color depth and it's usable. But I what I'm saying is that from my experience 2mbit and reasonable latency of 100ms RDP can *seem* like using a 'local OS'. Maybe just a bit sluggish PC ;) But in turn, some aspects can be far superior. Like disk I/O, for example, if you are running an RDP session on a 32 core system with SAN access and want to compress a 3GB folder into a ZIP file, it'll happen a bit quicker than if you were trying to do the same thing on even a fantastic local PC. And 100 users could all be working on that RDP server at the same time. At which point it starts to become really financially beneficial to use this arrangement.
Honestly the only gripe I see with their specs is the relatively low resolution display. My primary display is 23" 1920x1080 and it bugs the shit out of me. Spreadsheets need more pixels. Configuration windows also need more room.
If it's a thin client doing RDP or such the speed to the thin client is negligible. I use RDP clients over 2mbit internet connections nearly everyday and it works fine - even with the increased latency. Keep in mind all the file access and disk I/O is taking place on the RDP server, not the thin client. The only data going to and from the thin client is information about how to render the video output. You could even use Photoshop effectively through this.
If England develops bullets that can pierce American body armor, will we hear about new "British Guns Aimed at America!"?
Yes, of course it will! That's how they sell ads!
That just looks like a hodgepodge of cheap consumer crap he picked up at Home Depot and literally taped to the walls and ceiling of the dorm room. He even runs free apps on his Apple products to control that stuff.
Where's the fit and finish of quality hackery? Practically any geek with a spare couple of weekends could throw this together.
"Will searching the Internet become less useful in the future, when people have small personal chochkies that know all of their personal preferences, their habits, location and can give them exactly what they want, instead of 400 things that might be, interspersed with dozens of ads."
If you use Google Search while logged in with a Google account they're doing the same thing for you.
The difference between Siri and what this author is referencing as "Google" is query entry by voice or query entry by keyboard.
*** News flash, you can enter your query in Google Search with your voice as well. ***
"... the collecting society would not get an annual lump sum for the contested videos, but a fixed fee each time copyright-protected videos are watched ..."
And then start paying people to watch the videos.
Profit!
Ha ha ha, privacy.
That's really all I have to say. Slashdot wanted more text though so here it is.
The ignorant are often more outspoken than the intelligent.
I don't know what test servers you're referring to, but typically when I test a client's internet connection with speedtest.net using the automatically found best server I get results under 50ms. I would imagine anything over 100ms to a nearby server indicates some kind of network mismanagement.
I also have clients using satellite connections. Their latency is typically around 750 to 900 ms.
Legs are cool and all, Star Wars, but it seems a properly designed tracked unit would be much more efficient and able to carry significantly more load.
Just fill their stupid database with so much junk information that the data is worthless. Run a program that mimicks regular internet use to sites you usually go to, and a whole bunch of others.
"Mr. Doe, can you explain your reasons for visiting these illicit sites on these 137 different occasions?"
"Yeah. I run a program on my computer that randomly loads websites. Wanna see? Thanks for wasting my time and tax dollars. Can I go now?"
Other than the hot chick in the boot, that was a worthless video.
The profession of inventing numbers has always intrigued me. The article says, "The hiatus cost Microsoft $100 million." Well, sure they can figure out how much money they usually make in a time frame, and how much money they didn't make during this time frame, and BAM you've got a number. But that number, $100,000,000, just seems a bit too ... round. It seems like someone said, "Hey, call the department that makes up numbers. We need one that's not so small it seems insignificant but not so big no one believes it. Not too cold, not too hot. Not too lumpy, not too soft. Something that's juuussssssttt right." Which is certainly a shorter route to 'news' than actually doing the work to figure out what it actually cost. It also sounds like something a 7 year old would say on the playground in a screaming match about fathers' occupations, "OH? Yeah?! Well! My dad works for Microsoft and they lost a hundred million dollars!"
And how can they know that's what it would have been? Maybe that was the month, had they asked, that Apple would have sold out to Microsoft. But they didn't ask and no one will ever know. Would have been more than a hundred million dollars, for sure.
Yes, wildly off topic, but it's the crazy shit that goes through my brain.
Read the fine print when you agree to their terms of service.
I think this is a good idea. Most kids these days who have the opportunity to become a programmer were born into an environment where a significantly powerful computer existed (likely running Windows or Mac OS or OS X). To them, that is the extent of computers. And likely game consoles don't initially register as a computer. Teaching them the history of computers will show them just how far we've come in such a short time and inspire them to begin thinking about what will be available, at a hardware level, in the next few decades.
The group of people who will invent the next technological leap are children right now. We need to inspire them by showing them what we've accomplished. But we have to do it on their level. Computer museums like the one in Mountain View are excellent. Being able to put your hands on a Cray that was less powerful than an iPhone could really open some minds - minds that didn't even exist before the iPhone.
The same suggestion I had for mucking up Facebook's data. Create false data. Though this is more difficult but could still easily be done. Just schedule shopping trips to coincide with your friends. Swamp cell phones in the parking lot, do your shopping on separate routes, swap back in the parking lot. Use a variety of friends. Suddenly their data is all fucked up.
You say "lift and shift" - I'm not entirely sure I know what that means, but from my experience the best solution is to place the old drive on the shelf, purchase and install a new drive new software environment from the ground up.
I am not a sales representative.
Amazon!
http://wireless.amazon.com/dp/B0061R2A1S
I have a toy, called a sling-shot, that will render your flying spy drone toy useless long before its batteries run out. My toy has centuries of R&D ahead of your flying robotic spy drone.