You can spend days, week, or even longer... trying to make your systems run better and with fewer problems... but problems will crop up. And if you spent all that time just "Optimizing," you might find yourself between a rock and a hard place...
I learned early on that Backups are ever so important. Our shop doesn't do tape backups, but we do Disk-to-Disk backups of our virtual machines, and the backups are off-site. We also do a traditional file backup as well, with versioning.
Depending on your shop, money may or may not be an issue. Whatever you want to do, it can be done for every budget. The cheaper ways just require more time/expertise on your part, and that means it might not pass the "Mack Truck Test*." If your company wants something somebody else can step in with a basic training of how things work, you'll have to go with a more expensive solution.
Once everything is working like it should, then start working on improving it.
--Pathway
*: The Mack Truck Test - If a system requires some expertise to operate, and the sysadmin is hit by a Mack Truck, how long will it take for somebody else to fill the role of sysadmin? If the amount of time is acceptable to the employer, then it passes the Mack Truck Test.
Note: I have not been keeping up on the Hans Reiser case, nor have I read the attached articles nor comments.
So, this kind of brings up a question on how the FLOSS community will handle things in a different situation.
Let's say Hans gets out in 7 years (Good behavior and all that), and returns to write code, and begins working on Reiser FS version 5. His code is tight, the file system performs fantastically, self heals, does not fragment files, washes the dishes, cleans the clothes, makes coffee... but it's code from a known felon.
The question is, can the FLOSS community recognize good code from a person who has done bad things? Or will his previous actions dictate what we think of him and any product he creates?
I hope we can accept the good with the bad. Some people probably will hate Hans forever, and will never accept anything which has his code (let alone anything with his name on it). Others will not care, and will use the code if it fits their needs.
If you want to do a very cheap video servalence system, here's the best bang/buck ratio setup:
1. Zoneminder, making the entire software side of the equation $0. 2. Computer hardware requirements is whatever you can afford, plus a supported analog capture card. (check www.bluecherry.net, it's a good starting place.) 3. Get Cheap Analog cameras with good lenses. Analog cameras can do a fairly good job, and they are orders of magnitude (not really, but they seem so) cheaper. The secret is to use a good lense, zoomed properly and good spending the time to get a good focus on your target, which is true of analog or IP cameras. 4. Record 1-2fps, Black and Whilte. Do you really need 10fps? 2 will probably capture what you need. Black and White will save you a ton of space as well.
Cost? Let's do a quick addup:
Cheap PC: $400 8 Port Capture Card: $240 Cat 5e (for Wire and Power): $80 8 Cheap analog cameras: $100 x 8 = $800 Add for outdoor housings and any other accessories.
Total: $1520 for an entire 8 camera setup. That's dirt cheap.
I do appreciate the article, and the author's sentiment. But, for me... Linux is not fun. It's useful.
I'm not a programmer, but I can script a little. I'm not one of those who want a customized desktop, but if something isn't behaving like how I want, I'll look into how to fix it. I don't sit down on my linux machine because I want to tweak it, I sit down and use it because it can do what I need it to how I want it to.
Now... why do I use windows? Because it's fun... well, actually, no... I use windows because it runs the games which I have fun playing. I could spend my time tweaking Wine to run most of my games, but I'm not having fun doing the tweaking. So, Windows it is for now.
Maybe it's just me, but most of my downtime from my internet, cell phone, or satellite TV is not the provider's fault.
I get dropped cell calls only when I go somewhere with bad reception.
I loose my internet only when my router needs to be reset.
My satellite looses signal only on heavy wind and/or rain storms, or if snow builds up on the dish.
Are any of these things under the control of the provider? No. From my point of view, they do a fairly good job. And if they didn't, I wouldn't use them.
Having just upgraded my Dish to a brand new ViP722 receiver... talk about your bad timing... This kinda sucks.
That being said, bravo Tivo. This is clearly in Tivo's court, as they did create the technology. They should be paid for what they own.
Now, here's hoping that Tivo and Dish reach an agreement without interrupting my service or raising my bill... how likely is that? It's not very likely...
Here's an idea - Dish should give Tivo free press: "Dish PVR, based on Tivo Technology!" and drop the "It's Better than Tivo!*" Advertisement they currently have running. Maybe that will lessen those fees owed.
Sure, FOSS has lots of good things about it. Free as in beer, Free as in speech, More eyes on the code, Lower cost of ownership, on par or better performance than the alternatives in many cases...
But I don't think that's how you will get most people to support it. Instead, you need to change how they think about FOSS... So, I propose that we use this way of thinking:
FOSS is the software world's Standard of Living.
I'll take a very strong computer software industry with a lot of competition and that many users are willing to pay for: AntiVirus software. There are many players here willing to compete for this market. Now, what of the open source solution? ClamAV is an excellent anti-virus solution. It's able to catch and clean most of the viruses which appear in the wild. It's not the best, but it's awfully good. Sure, it has its drawbacks (in particular, the inability to check in real time on a Win32 box) but that hasn't stopped it from being used in many products like Firewall, mail servers, file servers and others.
So, this means that ClamAV is available to everybody, no matter what platform or price point. Not made for your platform? Port it yourself. You can't do that with the proprietary options.
If we promote FOSS as the standard of living, then hopefully people will want to contribute to the standard of living. Thanks to the "Standard of Living", nobody will have to go without an Office Suite anymore. (Thank you OpenOffice.org, and the others like KOffice and AbiWord!)
Trust me, Mom and Dad bought that PS3 for Timmy to play games, not to watch Blu Ray DVDs. *sigh* The same thing could have been said for the PS2. but the ps2 was strategic for introducing dvd sets into alot of homes, including my own as it was my family's first dvd player.
The same goes for my ps3, I bought it primarily for games but also use it as my primary movie player now. It looks like everybody who responded to my post pointed this out: They bought it for the Blu-Ray player as well as the game system. Okay, sure... most of those who read deep into comments on slashdot, have accounts, and willing to respond to my post probably would buy a system for its' many possible uses. But, again... not Mom and Pop. Most of them probably don't even realize that it's possible. And if I'm wrong, good for them.
Some need firmware upgrades to play newer discs, which in a year or so's time should be inconsequential. We're still in the early adopters phase and crap happens. Bluray 2.0 isn't really in the works. The profile has been defined, it's more a matter of deploying the profile which some manufactures have taken into account and some haven't. The PS3 is Profile 2.0 capable as it's main difference over 1.1 (which the ps3 is compliant with as of update 2.10) is internet connectivity and 1GB of local storage Ah, good info. Unfortunately, anybody who doesn't go with the PS3 option will have to upgrade their BluRay players as well. These users will be, on average, much less likely to be tech savy than the PS3 owners. Will they have it connected to the internet? Perhaps. The technology's saving grace is that they are now selling with the updated code, and only a few users should be effected... But I fear Sony will come out with the 2.0 standard some day, causing major headache for all. I hope I'm wrong here.
read somewhere that WB chose Blu Ray because of a recent surge in it's popularity, especialy in December... Uh, can we say Cristmas? Take that number and subtract the number of Playstation 3s sold in the same month. Um, I'm pretty sure Warner could care less about how many actual bluray units are in homes than how many BDs they sold during that period, and if you check the charts, the potter series and 300 sold very well in BD format during the holidays; which is why they made their decision to go blu Don't give WB too much credit, but you're right. I'm sure they looked the numbers over very carefully. All of them. Number of players sold for each format. Number of discs sold... I'm just arguing that they may have counted the PS3s as BluRay players, even though I'm willing to bet more than half of them are never going to be used as BluRay players for another 12 months. And I'm also curious to see what the BluRay player to PS3 ratio actually is... but I guess I'll never know.
--Pathway
Well, the fact is, Warner Bros. has decided to make the choice for Blu Ray. So, does this mean that the Format War is over?
Probably.
With nearly everybody exclusively Blu Ray now, I doubt if HD-DVD Can recover from this blow. Personally, I hadn't made a HD Disc Player purchase yet. I haven't yet seen picture quality above and beyond what my DVD player can produce to warrant the upgrade. Maybe if I got a bigger TV, I might see a difference.
I was kind of hoping that HD-DVD would continue to win support and edge out Blu Ray for dominance. HD-DVD seemed up to the task, looked cheaper for the players, and seemed stable. Blu Ray, on the other hand, I've heard nasty things about, like that not all the players will play all Blu Ray discs. Also, I've heard that there is a Blu Ray 2.0 which is in the works, and some of the older 1.x discs may have problems... And the HD-DVD players are cheap, too.
I read somewhere that WB chose Blu Ray because of a recent surge in it's popularity, especialy in December... Uh, can we say Cristmas? Take that number and subtract the number of Playstation 3s sold in the same month. Trust me, Mom and Dad bought that PS3 for Timmy to play games, not to watch Blu Ray DVDs. *sigh*
Oh well. If HD is Dead, a whole bunch of HD-Players are going to be thrown away this year.
Cheaper - We want a cheaper iPhone. I'm sure Apple is already working on this.
More Open - I want to be able to add my own apps. I know why Apple is against it: the AT&Ts of the world don't want the phone to work on other networks, so they make an agreement with Apple that it won't be hacked. Well, Mr. Jobs... figure out a way for the next iPhone to do just that...
Smaller, yet Bigger. - The iPhone is an exellent mix of "small enough to fit in your pocket" and "large enough to watch a movie on". That being said, some people want the whole phone to be smaller. Others want the screen to be bigger. Depending on which camp you fall in, you'll want that. Can apple do anything about this? Not really, except release multiple "sizes" for their iPhone line.
More Carriers - I know Apple has an agreement with AT&T, but when that contract is up, they should open up the iPhone to other carriers.
Uploadable MP3 (or AAC) Ringtones - A friend of mine has the "Murlock Sound" from World of Warcraft for his ringtone. Most anoying ring ever, but it's funny as well. Every other phone can do this... if you can get it to connect to your computer, you can upload pictures, music and __ringtones__. And the iPhone can't because... Because...
More Applications - Where's my SSH client? You KNOW that would be useful. Stuck on a bus? Check the status of your servers. Seeing that there are a lot of "hacked" applications out there should give a good idea of what apple might want to "bundle" into the iPohne with apple's blessing.
Wireless Headphones - Okay, now we're heading into truly dream-land here, but I'd love a high quality pair of wireless headphones with the next ipod/iphone... It could be done! I know blue-tooth does it, sorta... but no, I'm talking about something that generates the audio at the earpeace, and just streams the music from the ipod... so there is NO sound degration...
Okay, and with that last wacky one... I'm done for now.
More cameras != less crime. Seriously, does anybody think that by having cameras will prevent crime?
Too much information is difficult to go through. Since there are so many cameras, with so many feeds... That's a lot of video! I'd hate to be one of the guys (or gals) who has to go through it all.
Cameras can help identify people/vehicles/buildings/etc. After the fact, if you needed to know the license plate on a car, or the color of someone's hair... what better way than to check the camera feed? How long was the guy standing there? The camera never blinks.
I'm not against cameras in public places. I'm more against the waste of money. Want to put a camera somewhere? Then put it somewhere important like a Bank or a Police station... Not the park or every street corner.
I was introduced to (good) Anime via Robotech, which was on for half an hour every day after school. I was quite young, and did not start to pay attention to it until much later in the series. That being said, I liked the 1st War, never really understood the 2nd war, and fell in love with the Invid invasion of the 3rd war.
So, which is the movie going to be based on? I suspect the 1st war.
I've been meaning to buy/rent/borrow/catch on tv all the episodes some time to re-acquaint myself with the old series... I still have an old VHS of some of the 3rd war (Denver, Rook's battle with the biker bounty hunter...) and would love to see this series taken correctly to the big screen.
Truthfully, the three wars _could_ be done in 3 movies. Think "Lord of the Rings," as it was difficult but translated to the silver screen successfully. But it would take somebody who truly loves the series to do it right.
Here's hoping to a god movie, not another ruined 80's remake.
And you all know... we're eventually going to come to what some call "the mother of all 80's remakes"... G.I. Joe.
There are a ton of firewalls out there. Depending on what you're looking for, you will have plenty of choices.
Basicaly, you can split firewalls into two camps: Those which are installed onto a computer with multiple network cards, and Those which are a pre-build appliance.
I don't use the pre-built appliances (too expensive) but I can recommend a few of the linux-based installed types:
ClarkConnect.com - This is a very flexible and inexpensive firewall. Can do just about everything. There is a free community edition and a few pay-for editions. Very flexible, very reasonable.
Astaro.com - Another very powerful firewall with plenty of features. Again, a free version is available... and the company offers hardware appliances with their firewall as well.
Smoothwall.org - I used to use Smoothwall. I only moved from it to ClarkConnect when I found that CC did all the features of Smoothwall that I used... plus lots more. I would say that Smoothwall was easier to install and run, but harder to modify and expand.
These are just a few, and they may not be what you're looking for. Good luck!
The Dells don't work with Apples at all, unless you buy an expensive networking option. Nor with linux. The only support they have is for windows.
Also, the Dell doesn't have magnetic ink avalible. Not necessary for everybody, but for those who want to print checks... this is a very useful feature.
Do you have a suggestion, or just mearly trolling?
I don't know the exact details of your situation, but anyone on Slashdot can only give advice with on the details given to him/her. Here's a possible solution: Virtualize.
You say you need 3 desktop sized servers. Why? Unless there are speciffic tasks that cannot be done in a virtual machine, you should seriously consider running your servers on a virtual machine. Plus, you should be able to reduce the number of UPSs.
If you are able to virtualize, build the most powerful (dual-xion or quad-amd) machine you can buy/build in a 1-4 U case, and mount it verticaly on the wall. This will allow all the space to be used for your desktops/workstations. Oh, and since you can have "all the AC you want"... Have some custom AC piped over your vertical rack... Keep that server nice and cool.
You say you need space for 3 workstations in a roughly square 45 square-foot room? By my gestimate, that's an about 6.5'x7' room.... Ouch. That's smaller than most cubicals. LCD monitors are your friends. Infact, Flat-pannel computers should be your friends... Apple iMacs and Gateway Profiles (To bad other companies besides Gateway sell these all-in-one computers. I've got nothing against Gateway, but other companies should be in this market as well) will save you deskspace and floorspace. Also, with no computer and thin monitors, you should be able to have these computers work on 2' deep tables... or even less.
Workstation diagnostics? Fold out table. No, seroiusly. You won't need a space to do diagnostics all the time. Most of the time, you workstations should be working, or can be repaired out in the field. And, in my experiance... if there is an open flat surface, stuff get's placed there that shouldn't be.
Laptop Docking stations: Why? Laptops don't need docking stations... especialy in a room where every inch is needed, such as your situation. No, a laptop can work just as well without one.
Last bit of advice: Think outside the box. Is there a basement? Heating and Air Conditioning room? Attic? Maybe you have to use this room, but maybe you can split things up as well. Why can't visiting users use a confrence room? They would most likely be more comfortable than in a noisy, cramped room like this.
1) Install a proxy server. You probably have a router of some kind. Perhaps it's a linux box. What you could use to save your bandwidth is use some of your server's HD space to download the common items (like patches from Windows Updates). Since the proxy _can_ be transparrent, there is nothing to configure on the other computers. There are many ways to do this. My suggestion: Squid. In particular, I have used the implementation in ClarkConnect. It's easy to setup, and there is a free version. If you want the pay version, it's extremely inexpensive. http://www.clarkconnect.com/
2) Use nLite. nLite is a utility that makes custom Windows install CDs/DVDs. With the program, you can make an updated CD that installs SP2, all the updates, and even drivers. It even has the option to make the install "unattended", requireing no input by you. This might not be an option since you apparently don't have the Volume License version of of XP. None the less, highly recommended for those who have to re-install often. http://www.nliteos.com/
3) Consider some way to harden the researcher's experiance. Don't want to install Linux on your search stations? Use VMWare Player and the Browser Appliance! By doing this, you effectivly remove any possiblity of Viruses, Spyware or otherwise unwanted downloads. And the best part is... if you don't like/can't use the browser appliance to do what you need... go back to windows. http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
Note: I have not read TFA nor have I read previous comments.
Microsoft has forgotten that they didn't always have the easiest of operating systems... yet they became successfull using DOS and Windows, even though everything had to be configured by the users by hand, following writen instructions.
This is the kind of nearsightedness which makes me truly dispise Microsoft. Microsoft makes some truly great products... but they force these products and their prices on everyone. Bah, I guess Microsoft will loose to the people willing to learn linux on their old 486's, because linux still runs well on them.
1. I don't buy music. Really, I don't. I feel fine listening to everybody else's music which they bring to work. Or listen to oldie's on the radio. (My local stations have no good music, so oldies it is for me.)
2. There are plenty of bands I've never heard of, and are quite good. I had never heard of Jet, but a friend brought them in to work to listen to. Good stuff. I've heard some old Harvey Danger when I lived in Olympia, WA in the 90's. They were quite the sensation. Good stuff is hard to come buy, and when it does... we get interested and want to find out more.
3. For those who do buy music, they'll buy the album. Seriously, the average consumer likes to support what he or she likes. If the price isn't outragous, they'll pay. Sometimes they'll play again, because they lost the CD somewhere. I've seen it happen all the time.
4. For those who won't buy music, this changes nothing. People who won't buy the music they listen to are probably stealing it... So, this doesn't change the model.
5. For older music, either you already have it, or you have to go find it. If it's available on your band's website, then you can tell them all about your new music, or tours, or whatever.
I've always been of the opinion that if you broadcast any media, it should be public domain. Basicaly, if I can pick it up off the air, why can't I record it and replay it whenever I want? Don't want it to become public domain? Then don't broadcast it: Use pay-service such as Cable or satellite radio. Put it on a broadcast channel?
Slashdot Mirror
First off, Optimization is less important.
You can spend days, week, or even longer... trying to make your systems run better and with fewer problems... but problems will crop up. And if you spent all that time just "Optimizing," you might find yourself between a rock and a hard place...
I learned early on that Backups are ever so important. Our shop doesn't do tape backups, but we do Disk-to-Disk backups of our virtual machines, and the backups are off-site. We also do a traditional file backup as well, with versioning.
Depending on your shop, money may or may not be an issue. Whatever you want to do, it can be done for every budget. The cheaper ways just require more time/expertise on your part, and that means it might not pass the "Mack Truck Test*." If your company wants something somebody else can step in with a basic training of how things work, you'll have to go with a more expensive solution.
Once everything is working like it should, then start working on improving it.
--Pathway
*: The Mack Truck Test - If a system requires some expertise to operate, and the sysadmin is hit by a Mack Truck, how long will it take for somebody else to fill the role of sysadmin? If the amount of time is acceptable to the employer, then it passes the Mack Truck Test.
Note: I have not been keeping up on the Hans Reiser case, nor have I read the attached articles nor comments.
So, this kind of brings up a question on how the FLOSS community will handle things in a different situation.
Let's say Hans gets out in 7 years (Good behavior and all that), and returns to write code, and begins working on Reiser FS version 5. His code is tight, the file system performs fantastically, self heals, does not fragment files, washes the dishes, cleans the clothes, makes coffee... but it's code from a known felon.
The question is, can the FLOSS community recognize good code from a person who has done bad things? Or will his previous actions dictate what we think of him and any product he creates?
I hope we can accept the good with the bad. Some people probably will hate Hans forever, and will never accept anything which has his code (let alone anything with his name on it). Others will not care, and will use the code if it fits their needs.
We shall see.
Let me add my voice in the "Use Zoneminder" camp.
If you want to do a very cheap video servalence system, here's the best bang/buck ratio setup:
1. Zoneminder, making the entire software side of the equation $0.
2. Computer hardware requirements is whatever you can afford, plus a supported analog capture card. (check www.bluecherry.net, it's a good starting place.)
3. Get Cheap Analog cameras with good lenses. Analog cameras can do a fairly good job, and they are orders of magnitude (not really, but they seem so) cheaper. The secret is to use a good lense, zoomed properly and good spending the time to get a good focus on your target, which is true of analog or IP cameras.
4. Record 1-2fps, Black and Whilte. Do you really need 10fps? 2 will probably capture what you need. Black and White will save you a ton of space as well.
Cost? Let's do a quick addup:
Cheap PC: $400
8 Port Capture Card: $240
Cat 5e (for Wire and Power): $80
8 Cheap analog cameras: $100 x 8 = $800
Add for outdoor housings and any other accessories.
Total: $1520 for an entire 8 camera setup. That's dirt cheap.
--Pathway
I do appreciate the article, and the author's sentiment. But, for me... Linux is not fun. It's useful.
I'm not a programmer, but I can script a little. I'm not one of those who want a customized desktop, but if something isn't behaving like how I want, I'll look into how to fix it. I don't sit down on my linux machine because I want to tweak it, I sit down and use it because it can do what I need it to how I want it to.
Now... why do I use windows? Because it's fun... well, actually, no... I use windows because it runs the games which I have fun playing. I could spend my time tweaking Wine to run most of my games, but I'm not having fun doing the tweaking. So, Windows it is for now.
--Pathway
Maybe it's just me, but most of my downtime from my internet, cell phone, or satellite TV is not the provider's fault.
I get dropped cell calls only when I go somewhere with bad reception.
I loose my internet only when my router needs to be reset.
My satellite looses signal only on heavy wind and/or rain storms, or if snow builds up on the dish.
Are any of these things under the control of the provider? No. From my point of view, they do a fairly good job. And if they didn't, I wouldn't use them.
And no, I did not RTFA.
--Pathway
A very interesting idea... Use a known vulnerability to "infect" a system, and close that very same vulnerability.
I foresee legal problems, trojans, network bandwidth being wasted, and new bugs introduced. "No Sir, I don't like it."
--Pathway
Linus is right. Linux (The kernel) should be invisible to the end user. Gnome and KDE should be concerned about what the user sees.
--Pathway
Having just upgraded my Dish to a brand new ViP722 receiver... talk about your bad timing... This kinda sucks.
That being said, bravo Tivo. This is clearly in Tivo's court, as they did create the technology. They should be paid for what they own.
Now, here's hoping that Tivo and Dish reach an agreement without interrupting my service or raising my bill... how likely is that? It's not very likely...
Here's an idea - Dish should give Tivo free press: "Dish PVR, based on Tivo Technology!" and drop the "It's Better than Tivo!*" Advertisement they currently have running. Maybe that will lessen those fees owed.
--Pathway
(* As said by some guy on CNet)
Sure, FOSS has lots of good things about it. Free as in beer, Free as in speech, More eyes on the code, Lower cost of ownership, on par or better performance than the alternatives in many cases...
But I don't think that's how you will get most people to support it. Instead, you need to change how they think about FOSS... So, I propose that we use this way of thinking:
FOSS is the software world's Standard of Living.
I'll take a very strong computer software industry with a lot of competition and that many users are willing to pay for: AntiVirus software. There are many players here willing to compete for this market. Now, what of the open source solution? ClamAV is an excellent anti-virus solution. It's able to catch and clean most of the viruses which appear in the wild. It's not the best, but it's awfully good. Sure, it has its drawbacks (in particular, the inability to check in real time on a Win32 box) but that hasn't stopped it from being used in many products like Firewall, mail servers, file servers and others.
So, this means that ClamAV is available to everybody, no matter what platform or price point. Not made for your platform? Port it yourself. You can't do that with the proprietary options.
If we promote FOSS as the standard of living, then hopefully people will want to contribute to the standard of living. Thanks to the "Standard of Living", nobody will have to go without an Office Suite anymore. (Thank you OpenOffice.org, and the others like KOffice and AbiWord!)
This is Just how I would promote it.
--Pathway
Bathroom Mirror. I kid you not.
--Pathway
Well, the fact is, Warner Bros. has decided to make the choice for Blu Ray. So, does this mean that the Format War is over?
Probably.
With nearly everybody exclusively Blu Ray now, I doubt if HD-DVD Can recover from this blow. Personally, I hadn't made a HD Disc Player purchase yet. I haven't yet seen picture quality above and beyond what my DVD player can produce to warrant the upgrade. Maybe if I got a bigger TV, I might see a difference.
I was kind of hoping that HD-DVD would continue to win support and edge out Blu Ray for dominance. HD-DVD seemed up to the task, looked cheaper for the players, and seemed stable. Blu Ray, on the other hand, I've heard nasty things about, like that not all the players will play all Blu Ray discs. Also, I've heard that there is a Blu Ray 2.0 which is in the works, and some of the older 1.x discs may have problems... And the HD-DVD players are cheap, too.
I read somewhere that WB chose Blu Ray because of a recent surge in it's popularity, especialy in December... Uh, can we say Cristmas? Take that number and subtract the number of Playstation 3s sold in the same month. Trust me, Mom and Dad bought that PS3 for Timmy to play games, not to watch Blu Ray DVDs. *sigh*
Oh well. If HD is Dead, a whole bunch of HD-Players are going to be thrown away this year.
--Pathway
Note: I do not own an iPhone.
General improvements we want with all devices...
Cheaper - We want a cheaper iPhone. I'm sure Apple is already working on this.
More Open - I want to be able to add my own apps. I know why Apple is against it: the AT&Ts of the world don't want the phone to work on other networks, so they make an agreement with Apple that it won't be hacked. Well, Mr. Jobs... figure out a way for the next iPhone to do just that...
Smaller, yet Bigger. - The iPhone is an exellent mix of "small enough to fit in your pocket" and "large enough to watch a movie on". That being said, some people want the whole phone to be smaller. Others want the screen to be bigger. Depending on which camp you fall in, you'll want that. Can apple do anything about this? Not really, except release multiple "sizes" for their iPhone line.
More Carriers - I know Apple has an agreement with AT&T, but when that contract is up, they should open up the iPhone to other carriers.
Uploadable MP3 (or AAC) Ringtones - A friend of mine has the "Murlock Sound" from World of Warcraft for his ringtone. Most anoying ring ever, but it's funny as well. Every other phone can do this... if you can get it to connect to your computer, you can upload pictures, music and __ringtones__. And the iPhone can't because... Because...
More Applications - Where's my SSH client? You KNOW that would be useful. Stuck on a bus? Check the status of your servers. Seeing that there are a lot of "hacked" applications out there should give a good idea of what apple might want to "bundle" into the iPohne with apple's blessing.
Wireless Headphones - Okay, now we're heading into truly dream-land here, but I'd love a high quality pair of wireless headphones with the next ipod/iphone... It could be done! I know blue-tooth does it, sorta... but no, I'm talking about something that generates the audio at the earpeace, and just streams the music from the ipod... so there is NO sound degration...
Okay, and with that last wacky one... I'm done for now.
--Pathway
Some thoughts about this:
More cameras != less crime. Seriously, does anybody think that by having cameras will prevent crime?
Too much information is difficult to go through. Since there are so many cameras, with so many feeds... That's a lot of video! I'd hate to be one of the guys (or gals) who has to go through it all.
Cameras can help identify people/vehicles/buildings/etc. After the fact, if you needed to know the license plate on a car, or the color of someone's hair... what better way than to check the camera feed? How long was the guy standing there? The camera never blinks.
I'm not against cameras in public places. I'm more against the waste of money. Want to put a camera somewhere? Then put it somewhere important like a Bank or a Police station... Not the park or every street corner.
--Pathway
I was introduced to (good) Anime via Robotech, which was on for half an hour every day after school. I was quite young, and did not start to pay attention to it until much later in the series. That being said, I liked the 1st War, never really understood the 2nd war, and fell in love with the Invid invasion of the 3rd war.
So, which is the movie going to be based on? I suspect the 1st war.
I've been meaning to buy/rent/borrow/catch on tv all the episodes some time to re-acquaint myself with the old series... I still have an old VHS of some of the 3rd war (Denver, Rook's battle with the biker bounty hunter...) and would love to see this series taken correctly to the big screen.
Truthfully, the three wars _could_ be done in 3 movies. Think "Lord of the Rings," as it was difficult but translated to the silver screen successfully. But it would take somebody who truly loves the series to do it right.
Here's hoping to a god movie, not another ruined 80's remake.
And you all know... we're eventually going to come to what some call "the mother of all 80's remakes"... G.I. Joe.
-Pathway
There are a ton of firewalls out there. Depending on what you're looking for, you will have plenty of choices.
Basicaly, you can split firewalls into two camps: Those which are installed onto a computer with multiple network cards, and Those which are a pre-build appliance.
I don't use the pre-built appliances (too expensive) but I can recommend a few of the linux-based installed types:
ClarkConnect.com - This is a very flexible and inexpensive firewall. Can do just about everything. There is a free community edition and a few pay-for editions. Very flexible, very reasonable.
Astaro.com - Another very powerful firewall with plenty of features. Again, a free version is available... and the company offers hardware appliances with their firewall as well.
Smoothwall.org - I used to use Smoothwall. I only moved from it to ClarkConnect when I found that CC did all the features of Smoothwall that I used... plus lots more. I would say that Smoothwall was easier to install and run, but harder to modify and expand.
These are just a few, and they may not be what you're looking for. Good luck!
--Pathway
Okay, almost everything.
The Dells don't work with Apples at all, unless you buy an expensive networking option. Nor with linux. The only support they have is for windows.
Also, the Dell doesn't have magnetic ink avalible. Not necessary for everybody, but for those who want to print checks... this is a very useful feature.
Do you have a suggestion, or just mearly trolling?
--Pathway
You have lots of options, but I must put my vote in for the HP Laserjet 1022n.
All the B&W laser printers in this price range have about the same features. Resolutions, price, peformance... they are all about equal.
But the HP works with everything... Except I must warn you it doesn't work with Mac OS 9 or earlier.
Check out your options... If you're like me, you'll find that a good brand name and support are worth a lot.
--Pathway
I don't know the exact details of your situation, but anyone on Slashdot can only give advice with on the details given to him/her. Here's a possible solution: Virtualize.
You say you need 3 desktop sized servers. Why? Unless there are speciffic tasks that cannot be done in a virtual machine, you should seriously consider running your servers on a virtual machine. Plus, you should be able to reduce the number of UPSs.
If you are able to virtualize, build the most powerful (dual-xion or quad-amd) machine you can buy/build in a 1-4 U case, and mount it verticaly on the wall. This will allow all the space to be used for your desktops/workstations. Oh, and since you can have "all the AC you want"... Have some custom AC piped over your vertical rack... Keep that server nice and cool.
You say you need space for 3 workstations in a roughly square 45 square-foot room? By my gestimate, that's an about 6.5'x7' room.... Ouch. That's smaller than most cubicals. LCD monitors are your friends. Infact, Flat-pannel computers should be your friends... Apple iMacs and Gateway Profiles (To bad other companies besides Gateway sell these all-in-one computers. I've got nothing against Gateway, but other companies should be in this market as well) will save you deskspace and floorspace. Also, with no computer and thin monitors, you should be able to have these computers work on 2' deep tables... or even less.
Workstation diagnostics? Fold out table. No, seroiusly. You won't need a space to do diagnostics all the time. Most of the time, you workstations should be working, or can be repaired out in the field. And, in my experiance... if there is an open flat surface, stuff get's placed there that shouldn't be.
Laptop Docking stations: Why? Laptops don't need docking stations... especialy in a room where every inch is needed, such as your situation. No, a laptop can work just as well without one.
Last bit of advice: Think outside the box. Is there a basement? Heating and Air Conditioning room? Attic? Maybe you have to use this room, but maybe you can split things up as well. Why can't visiting users use a confrence room? They would most likely be more comfortable than in a noisy, cramped room like this.
Good luck. Obviously, you'll need it.
--Pathway
1) Install a proxy server. You probably have a router of some kind. Perhaps it's a linux box. What you could use to save your bandwidth is use some of your server's HD space to download the common items (like patches from Windows Updates). Since the proxy _can_ be transparrent, there is nothing to configure on the other computers. There are many ways to do this. My suggestion: Squid. In particular, I have used the implementation in ClarkConnect. It's easy to setup, and there is a free version. If you want the pay version, it's extremely inexpensive. http://www.clarkconnect.com/
2) Use nLite. nLite is a utility that makes custom Windows install CDs/DVDs. With the program, you can make an updated CD that installs SP2, all the updates, and even drivers. It even has the option to make the install "unattended", requireing no input by you. This might not be an option since you apparently don't have the Volume License version of of XP. None the less, highly recommended for those who have to re-install often. http://www.nliteos.com/
3) Consider some way to harden the researcher's experiance. Don't want to install Linux on your search stations? Use VMWare Player and the Browser Appliance! By doing this, you effectivly remove any possiblity of Viruses, Spyware or otherwise unwanted downloads. And the best part is... if you don't like/can't use the browser appliance to do what you need... go back to windows. http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
Hope these suggestions help.
--Pathway
Oh my god... he doesn't get it.
I don't know what else to say.
Offtopic? Bah! Silly Moderators!
Note: I have not read TFA nor have I read previous comments.
Microsoft has forgotten that they didn't always have the easiest of operating systems... yet they became successfull using DOS and Windows, even though everything had to be configured by the users by hand, following writen instructions.
This is the kind of nearsightedness which makes me truly dispise Microsoft. Microsoft makes some truly great products... but they force these products and their prices on everyone. Bah, I guess Microsoft will loose to the people willing to learn linux on their old 486's, because linux still runs well on them.
-Pathway
Why is it everybody's mind is in the gutter?
It's a play on the name of the band "Nine Inch Nails." Not a sexual reference.
I get this all the time, and it bugs me a little more than it should.
--Pathway
This is good because:
1. I don't buy music. Really, I don't. I feel fine listening to everybody else's music which they bring to work. Or listen to oldie's on the radio. (My local stations have no good music, so oldies it is for me.)
2. There are plenty of bands I've never heard of, and are quite good. I had never heard of Jet, but a friend brought them in to work to listen to. Good stuff. I've heard some old Harvey Danger when I lived in Olympia, WA in the 90's. They were quite the sensation. Good stuff is hard to come buy, and when it does... we get interested and want to find out more.
3. For those who do buy music, they'll buy the album. Seriously, the average consumer likes to support what he or she likes. If the price isn't outragous, they'll pay. Sometimes they'll play again, because they lost the CD somewhere. I've seen it happen all the time.
4. For those who won't buy music, this changes nothing. People who won't buy the music they listen to are probably stealing it... So, this doesn't change the model.
5. For older music, either you already have it, or you have to go find it. If it's available on your band's website, then you can tell them all about your new music, or tours, or whatever.
I've always been of the opinion that if you broadcast any media, it should be public domain. Basicaly, if I can pick it up off the air, why can't I record it and replay it whenever I want? Don't want it to become public domain? Then don't broadcast it: Use pay-service such as Cable or satellite radio. Put it on a broadcast channel?
--Pathway