I found the logitech ultrathin keyboard case a good choice for the ipad. It adds little to the size of the device and is really quick to detach / attach. It also acts as stand, which actually improves touch only use such as reading / watching a movie on the sofa.
Most sane grey-listing implementations will at least assume that a resend from the same class C network is OK. This tends to work around these problems.
When the dodgy $1 Windows+Office disk comes complete with Malware this is really no surprise. I'm sure the $1 Norton disk also comes with free anti-virus+rootkit.
They are pretty good, but really work just the same way as the OP described.
Unifi offers a pretty convenient way to monitor and configure a larger number of access points without anywhere near the cost or infrastructure required with a controller.
Can I save you some time? You will suffer from the "one app" problem. One app will not work on Wine or Linux. This will be deemed critical by the educator. You will end up flipping back machines one by one to Microsoft. Even if you have an acceptable level of compatibility today, this can yet become an issue when new software is purchased (or pirated knowing the education sector)
I've had similar experiences with Terminal Services (VDI Version 0) on a Microsoft Platform or Linux on a government desktop. It's tempting to apply the 80:20 rule, but in this situation you'll find everyone has a different 80%.
I have one of the new Logitech Ultra thin keyboards. This is pretty slick and looks as though it was designed for use with the iPad. It uses the magnets like the dock connect to hold it in place. It's stable on a lap or bed or sofa. It's much easier to hold than the iPad on it's own. When folded up it looks like the silver back of the iPad over the front.
It's not quite a dock, but it certainly seems well designed. Apple couldn't have done a much better job if they'd designed it themselves along with the iPad.
They need to evolve their product fast enough to keep up with the other smartphone platforms, but they can't change it so much that they alienate their hardcore base. RIM may have leaned too far toward conservatism
Blackberry's conservatism gives RIM a huge advantage not enjoyed by any other smartphone vendor. The Blackberry at least in the UK is the only government approved mobile operating system that is certified for use for anything above unclassified.
The only reason why Microsoft / Apple / Google etc. could not also join this party is that their platform changes faster than accreditation could be granted. If RIM started wholesale quick changes, then they'd risk losing this large worldwide market.
Reading the summary, dangerous I know. There are hints that the exact costs of running cell phones are not known. What I'm finding odd, is that on a quantity of 48,000 phones, the average monthly rental is $35. An off the page, consumer cell plan with AT&T is $39.99 monthly. Is this some silly figure based on ignorance of the actual contract costs or have California really negotatied such a bad deal? Heck even the pre-pay GoPhone package at $2 per day used, would cost them around $12M a year, probably significantly less as the phones that aren't used won't incur any costs at all.
I think your comment regarding DMV clerk is probably a bit of an exagerration. You'll find any state government, that there are a lot of senior managers, plus a surprising amount of workers who are out there working on the road and may need to be contactable. State employees might include policemen, construction, highways engineering, police force, park rangers, social workers etc. etc. At a wild guess at least 40%+ of the employees would be mobile and in the community on a routine basis.
We had some debate on this in our state equivilant organisation in the UK. We quickly realised that on our contact, the cost to issue and support and run a phone for two years, is the equivilant of a couple of hours pay for the average employee (we have an excellent contract, not ridiculously high salaries). We've also found that the free handsets issued for the contract have good resale/cycle cash value, perhaps covering one year line rental.
So the shocking conclusion was that the cost in management time to evalutate whether an individual needs a phone, was more expensive than the contract. If we screwed up the decision and put someone's safety in danger (ie. female social-worker, with potentially dangerous clients), the resulting law suits might make $20M seem cheap.
The problem isn't that you can't build an awesome UI experience on top of Android. No, the problem is that you dont HAVE to build an awesome UI experience on top of android. And with that, anyone selling apps has to cater to all the dirt cheap handsets (that sell in droves) and at the same time work with the high end handsets with "rock star" UIs.
HTC have been doing that with HTC Sense on both their android and windows mobile derived handsets. Although on the Android it more or less works out OK based on my testing, with the Windows Mobile devices it's a disaster. The HTC Sense layer breaks an awful lot of phone functionality.. For instance the replacement PIN / Phone unlock screen does not cater for the exchange device recovery password, the replacement SMS app does not support SMS synching with Exchange. The replacement home screen prevents apps from showing information, so for instance prevents the Office Communicator client from showing presence.
This is less of an issue on the android, the closed source nature of windows mobile prevents HTC from simply customizing the existing screens and so is in effect utilising a replacement shell / window manager, that simply cannot emulate all the native device features. This is pretty frustrating when the only market for Windows Mobile is for those who have an investment in Windows Mobile business applications and Microsoft Exchange.
Your point that individual companies tinkering with the GUI will create incompatibilities is spot on and should be avoided.
My figures were right I think. There is a RENTAL charge for the pipe, plus a USAGE charge for the traffic.
I also didn't include the costs of actually enabling the end-users phone line for ADSL, that's another £8-9 a user a month.
Of course after all this, the ISP also has got to provide the onward internet connectivity, maintain there own infrastructure and cover their operational costs.
If you are a small tech shop, then instead of wrongly looking at MSDN, then gaining partner status and the "Action Pack" is a bargain. 10 seats of pretty much all Microsoft end-user / server Software to use, plus the possibility of extending beyond the 10 seats buy purchasing regular priced CALs.
Ah, you are missing the key point in UK broadband economics. The link between ADSL ISPs and the exchanges are charged for by BT OpenReach or Wholesale (can't remember which one off the top of my head).
These "centrals" are extremely expensive, because this is how BT Openreach/Wholesale recoup the costs of the network of exchanges.
Rental of a 155Mbit backhaul was £347K annually, with a charge of £2.76 per averaged utilisation per k/bit s a year. Assuming my calculations are correct, that means that to give a user a 1:1 contention on a 1Mbit connection (and have the user use it all), that would cost the Service Provider around £5,100 in central rental and usage fees alone.
Remember that BT the ISP, is seperate from OpenReach/Wholesale so they must pay these fees!
I'd question the logic in apply fruity open source solutions to a startup. A Microsoft Small Business Server is relatively cheap (£800 for first 5 CALs, then around £60 for additional users) and provides pretty much everything you'd need for e-mail, groupware and server functions. It can be supported by any competent local computer shop.
Open source for a startup or small business pretty much guarantees that you'll need a highly skilled systems administrator from the outset. When you are a startup you need to concentrate on developing your business, not on maintaining complex IT systems.
Wrong - most people USE software, that USES an RDBMS. The majority of businesses and individuals don't build any software at all. Of course for those providing the software, the client being GPL might cause a few problems, but then there is always postgres.
Are you sure it's not your NICS/Servers/Switches? I remember seeing 250-400Mbit over Gigabit Ethernet a few years ago on older machines. Newer stuff particularly servers seems to be able to get close to a full Gigabit over the same cabling.
I suspect the bottleneck is actually the ability to deliver data and not the cabling.
I think the point is really that IT have no incentive to spend money on software/systems to manage the shutdown of machines when the power savings do not contribute back into their budget. Worse still users who helpfully turn off computers and peripherals often accidently switch off other things like printers, hubs and routers (in small offices now). Queue irrate staff at 08:00am who cannot login because a colleague switched off some equipment.
If Ted had released his Kerberos implementation under the GPL, one of two things would have happend.
1. Microsoft would have implemented their own Kerberos implementation. 2. Microsoft would have developed an alternative to Kerberos.
If Microsoft had not utilised Kerberos at all then Open Source would not be in a position to integrate with Windows at all. Despite making some extensions, Microsoft's Kerberos and Active Directory interoperate well with Unix systems.
So the irony is, that had Ted GPLed Kerberos, then Windows interoperability with Linux could have been severely impacted and the GPLed Samba implementation would be struggling right now.
>This is really an about face... 10 years ago, Linux was the platform you often couldn't get running due to missing hardware drivers -- you really had to be very careful about what hardware you chose.
Nothing has really changed here, if your hardware is not supported on Linux out the box then the chances are it won't work at all. In Windows land you expect to have to provide a driver disk, this option doesn't really exist on Linux.
This is really caused by the infrequent releases of Windows vs the yearly or quarterly updates of OpenSource distributions. If you grab the latest release of a Linux distribution then the chances are that your hardware is supported. I think Microsoft have given up trying to maintain all drivers in the Windows distribution and only typically include those that are WHQL certified.
I'm pretty sure that the offending servers are re-routed to an ISPs content filtering server, which then makes the final filtering decision. This allows selective blocking of an offending site whilst preventing trivial bypasses.
Actual implementation of blocking is largely down to the ISPs however.
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I found the logitech ultrathin keyboard case a good choice for the ipad. It adds little to the size of the device and is really quick to detach / attach. It also acts as stand, which actually improves touch only use such as reading / watching a movie on the sofa.
Jason
Most sane grey-listing implementations will at least assume that a resend from the same class C network is OK. This tends to work around these problems.
Jason.
When the dodgy $1 Windows+Office disk comes complete with Malware this is really no surprise. I'm sure the $1 Norton disk also comes with free anti-virus+rootkit.
Jason.
They are pretty good, but really work just the same way as the OP described.
Unifi offers a pretty convenient way to monitor and configure a larger number of access points without anywhere near the cost or infrastructure required with a controller.
Can I save you some time? You will suffer from the "one app" problem. One app will not work on Wine or Linux. This will be deemed critical by the educator. You will end up flipping back machines one by one to Microsoft. Even if you have an acceptable level of compatibility today, this can yet become an issue when new software is purchased (or pirated knowing the education sector)
I've had similar experiences with Terminal Services (VDI Version 0) on a Microsoft Platform or Linux on a government desktop. It's tempting to apply the 80:20 rule, but in this situation you'll find everyone has a different 80%.
Jason
I have one of the new Logitech Ultra thin keyboards. This is pretty slick and looks as though it was designed for use with the iPad. It uses the magnets like the dock connect to hold it in place. It's stable on a lap or bed or sofa. It's much easier to hold than the iPad on it's own. When folded up it looks like the silver back of the iPad over the front.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00835UQK8/ref=asc_df_B00835UQK88477193?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B00835UQK8
It's not quite a dock, but it certainly seems well designed. Apple couldn't have done a much better job if they'd designed it themselves along with the iPad.
Jason
Does google even have any direct revenue for android?
Jason
I think his view is, If it isn't urgent or important, don't bother sending it at all.
Jason.
Ah cute. I like it.
Jason.
Not sure exactly how to read a patent, but one of the claims refers to a "removable memory card".
That looks fine for Apple then.
Jason.
They need to evolve their product fast enough to keep up with the other smartphone platforms, but they can't change it so much that they alienate their hardcore base. RIM may have leaned too far toward conservatism
Blackberry's conservatism gives RIM a huge advantage not enjoyed by any other smartphone vendor. The Blackberry at least in the UK is the only government approved mobile operating system that is certified for use for anything above unclassified.
The only reason why Microsoft / Apple / Google etc. could not also join this party is that their platform changes faster than accreditation could be granted. If RIM started wholesale quick changes, then they'd risk losing this large worldwide market.
Jason.
Reading the summary, dangerous I know. There are hints that the exact costs of running cell phones are not known. What I'm finding odd, is that on a quantity of 48,000 phones, the average monthly rental is $35. An off the page, consumer cell plan with AT&T is $39.99 monthly. Is this some silly figure based on ignorance of the actual contract costs or have California really negotatied such a bad deal? Heck even the pre-pay GoPhone package at $2 per day used, would cost them around $12M a year, probably significantly less as the phones that aren't used won't incur any costs at all.
I think your comment regarding DMV clerk is probably a bit of an exagerration. You'll find any state government, that there are a lot of senior managers, plus a surprising amount of workers who are out there working on the road and may need to be contactable. State employees might include policemen, construction, highways engineering, police force, park rangers, social workers etc. etc. At a wild guess at least 40%+ of the employees would be mobile and in the community on a routine basis.
We had some debate on this in our state equivilant organisation in the UK. We quickly realised that on our contact, the cost to issue and support and run a phone for two years, is the equivilant of a couple of hours pay for the average employee (we have an excellent contract, not ridiculously high salaries). We've also found that the free handsets issued for the contract have good resale/cycle cash value, perhaps covering one year line rental.
So the shocking conclusion was that the cost in management time to evalutate whether an individual needs a phone, was more expensive than the contract. If we screwed up the decision and put someone's safety in danger (ie. female social-worker, with potentially dangerous clients), the resulting law suits might make $20M seem cheap.
Jason.
The problem isn't that you can't build an awesome UI experience on top of Android. No, the problem is that you dont HAVE to build an awesome UI experience on top of android. And with that, anyone selling apps has to cater to all the dirt cheap handsets (that sell in droves) and at the same time work with the high end handsets with "rock star" UIs.
HTC have been doing that with HTC Sense on both their android and windows mobile derived handsets. Although on the Android it more or less works out OK based on my testing, with the Windows Mobile devices it's a disaster. The HTC Sense layer breaks an awful lot of phone functionality.. For instance the replacement PIN / Phone unlock screen does not cater for the exchange device recovery password, the replacement SMS app does not support SMS synching with Exchange. The replacement home screen prevents apps from showing information, so for instance prevents the Office Communicator client from showing presence.
This is less of an issue on the android, the closed source nature of windows mobile prevents HTC from simply customizing the existing screens and so is in effect utilising a replacement shell / window manager, that simply cannot emulate all the native device features. This is pretty frustrating when the only market for Windows Mobile is for those who have an investment in Windows Mobile business applications and Microsoft Exchange.
Your point that individual companies tinkering with the GUI will create incompatibilities is spot on and should be avoided.
Jason
My figures were right I think. There is a RENTAL charge for the pipe, plus a USAGE charge for the traffic.
I also didn't include the costs of actually enabling the end-users phone line for ADSL, that's another £8-9 a user a month.
Of course after all this, the ISP also has got to provide the onward internet connectivity, maintain there own infrastructure and cover their operational costs.
Jason
If you are a small tech shop, then instead of wrongly looking at MSDN, then gaining partner status and the "Action Pack" is a bargain. 10 seats of pretty much all Microsoft end-user / server Software to use, plus the possibility of extending beyond the 10 seats buy purchasing regular priced CALs.
Jason
Yes it would.. I quite agree with Microsoft's idea, it's a good one. Much better than analysing URLs / cookies etc. to detect the Safesearch status.
Ah, you are missing the key point in UK broadband economics. The link between ADSL ISPs and the exchanges are charged for by BT OpenReach or Wholesale (can't remember which one off the top of my head).
These "centrals" are extremely expensive, because this is how BT Openreach/Wholesale recoup the costs of the network of exchanges.
Take a look at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/ioi/bbpricing/model.pdf
Rental of a 155Mbit backhaul was £347K annually, with a charge of £2.76 per averaged utilisation per k/bit s a year. Assuming my calculations are correct, that means that to give a user a 1:1 contention on a 1Mbit connection (and have the user use it all), that would cost the Service Provider around £5,100 in central rental and usage fees alone.
Remember that BT the ISP, is seperate from OpenReach/Wholesale so they must pay these fees!
Jason
I'd question the logic in apply fruity open source solutions to a startup. A Microsoft Small Business Server is relatively cheap (£800 for first 5 CALs, then around £60 for additional users) and provides pretty much everything you'd need for e-mail, groupware and server functions. It can be supported by any competent local computer shop.
Open source for a startup or small business pretty much guarantees that you'll need a highly skilled systems administrator from the outset. When you are a startup you need to concentrate on developing your business, not on maintaining complex IT systems.
Jason
Wrong - most people USE software, that USES an RDBMS. The majority of businesses and individuals don't build any software at all. Of course for those providing the software, the client being GPL might cause a few problems, but then there is always postgres.
Jason.
Are you sure it's not your NICS/Servers/Switches? I remember seeing 250-400Mbit over Gigabit Ethernet a few years ago on older machines. Newer stuff particularly servers seems to be able to get close to a full Gigabit over the same cabling.
I suspect the bottleneck is actually the ability to deliver data and not the cabling.
Jason.
I think the point is really that IT have no incentive to spend money on software/systems to manage the shutdown of machines when the power savings do not contribute back into their budget. Worse still users who helpfully turn off computers and peripherals often accidently switch off other things like printers, hubs and routers (in small offices now). Queue irrate staff at 08:00am who cannot login because a colleague switched off some equipment.
Jason.
Storage? Servers? Power? Staff? More to this than just bandwidth.
If Ted had released his Kerberos implementation under the GPL, one of two things would have happend.
1. Microsoft would have implemented their own Kerberos implementation.
2. Microsoft would have developed an alternative to Kerberos.
If Microsoft had not utilised Kerberos at all then Open Source would not be in a position to integrate with Windows at all.
Despite making some extensions, Microsoft's Kerberos and Active Directory interoperate well with Unix systems.
So the irony is, that had Ted GPLed Kerberos, then Windows interoperability with Linux could have been severely impacted and the GPLed Samba implementation would be struggling right now.
Jason.
>This is really an about face... 10 years ago, Linux was the platform you often couldn't get running due to missing
hardware drivers -- you really had to be very careful about what hardware you chose.
Nothing has really changed here, if your hardware is not supported on Linux out the box then the chances are it won't work at all. In Windows land you expect to have to provide a driver disk, this option doesn't really exist on Linux.
This is really caused by the infrequent releases of Windows vs the yearly or quarterly updates of OpenSource distributions. If you grab the latest release of a Linux distribution then the chances are that your hardware is supported. I think Microsoft have given up trying to maintain all drivers in the Windows distribution and only typically include those that are WHQL certified.
Jason.
I'm pretty sure that the offending servers are re-routed to an ISPs content filtering server, which then makes the final filtering decision. This allows selective blocking of an offending site whilst preventing trivial bypasses.
Actual implementation of blocking is largely down to the ISPs however.
Jason.