"And if you don't like Wal-Mart, don't shop there. Your personal experience isn't exactly scientific proof that Wal-Mart sucks, there are plenty of people (myself included) that shop there because the employees on the whole are friendly and because their prices are incredible."
But when you buy music at Wal Mart, are you getting the real version or the censored but identically packaged version made especially for that store? (This is why you never see those 'explicit lyrics warning' stickers at Wal Mart -- they just don't give you a choice and force their censorship on you without your knowledge or consent.)
"Moved in a 16x10x40 old (but working) cd-rw, added 128mb RAM, replaced a failing PSU, replaced the failing HD with a 120GB one (that really scared me-it was new and i've still got 1GB old drives working, why did it fail so early?)"
The HD probably failed early because of the failing power supply. Weak and/or highly variable voltages will easily kill a HD.
"CASE: $50 (great? who cares. FCC compliant. Your computer won't run faster with a better case, and it won't last longer)"
Firstly, your system will last longer with a better case. Better cases allow for better cooling and heat dissipation. Higher temperatures and temperature variations will kill your chips and hard drives more quickly.
And 50 Dollars? I suggest you try working with high end cases from Lian Li, Antec, Thermaltake and Coolermaster. They typically start around $120. You will never go back to working with cheap $50 cases again. The high end ones feature far better design, ease of installation of parts, fan control and placement and precision craftsmanship. (I mean really, have you ever opened up a Power Mac and worked with it? It puts standard PC cases to shame. Everything is much more accessible and well placed. Even compared to what's in my Lian Li PC-6070. And did you know that the G5's have a liquid cooling system? Try finding a complete liquid cooling system for PCs and figuring out the cost of all the peltiers, piping, pumps, etc. Of course installing it requires voiding your mobo and CPU warranty by modding them. Try not to damage them during the H20 cooling install either, OK?
"Mouse and Keyboard: $20"
For what? A low quality no name mouse and POS lightweight keyoard? The keyboard and mouse are the actual parts of the computer you touch and you want to get high quality of both. Get a proper logitech MX series mouse and logitech, fujitsu, or keytronics keyboard (though nothing replaces my Model M) and there's $100 to spend.
"Power Supply: $30"
For $30 you can get a POS low quality power supply that won't nearly power a dual CPU machine and will then crap out and fry your hard drives. Try an Antec TruePower 550 for $100+ with thermal fan control that does not have the per-fan fine tuning that the G5 has.
" The happy keyboard features no Win button (understandable) and a relocated Ctrl key (reminds me of an IBM mainframe terminal I used long ago)... but why the lack of the Caps Lock?"
Not reading the article is one thing, but this is new: Apparently you didn't read the page to which you linked! Do I sense a new slashdot cliché?
Referring back to the very page you linked, I quote: "** Caps Lock and Windows keys available by using mode setting"
"Apple does not have a history of shutting down stories on rumor sites. They will typically only complain if there are screenshots of photographs, and C&D the site to get them taken down. Text is almost never C&D'd"
There has been at least one case in the past where ThinkSecret took down stuff at Apple's request.
"That is exactly the reason why. If you use it often, the nozzles will stay clean. The problem starts when you don't print often, like not every week, or sometimes months inbetween a printjob"
Exactly. My old Epston Stylus 600 is absolutely unusable now because it just sat there for about 3 months. And then the black print head clogged and even with 20+ cleaning cycles, cleaning manually with 99% ispropyl alcohol, more cleaning cycles, etc., the thing simply does not print black anymore. I know that colour inkjet printers are not for me because I simply do not print colour that often.
How long until Apple forces this article off the net?
EXCLUSIVE: 60GB iPod to pack photo-viewing features
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor October 8, 2004 - After three years of being synonymous with "digital music player," Apple's iPod will widen its horizons and gain photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, highly reliable sources tell Think Secret.
The new iPod, which will sit at the top of Apple's fourth-generation line-up, will pack Toshiba's new 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive, a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, iPhoto synchronization, audio/video-out capabilities, and will sell for $499.
The new iPod is currently in production in Asia after delays from Toshiba in delivering its new 60GB drive hampered a planned early-September ramp up. Sources confirm Toshiba started shipping the drive to Apple in mid-September and iPod manufacturer Inventec began building the new device in the last two weeks.
The new iPod's form factor will be identical to the existing 4G iPods, sources report, but will be two millimeters thicker than the current 40GB iPod and marginally heavier.
The 2-inch color screen is identical in size to other iPods, but will sport a higher resolution for photo viewing. However, the new device's real shining feature will be its video-out port, which will enable users to tote their photo galleries with them, ready to be plugged into any television for big-screen viewing.
The 60GB iPod will feature only rudimentary built-in software for viewing photos, with no editing tools, sources say. Photo albums will be navigated in a similar fashion to music playlists, and a slideshow feature will provide transitions with user-specified background music, similar to iPhoto. Synchronizing features similar to iTunes will also be added to iPhoto.
The new iPod won't feature built-in flash memory stick slots for downloading photos from digital cameras, although such a feature will presumably be able to be employed through Belkin's $99 Media Reader.
Sources indicate that Apple will market the new photo iPod as being capable of storing 20,000 music tracks and 25,000 photos. As an added bonus for music fans, album artwork will be displayed on screen when it's available for a selected track.
Rumors of a 60GB iPod first surfaced in June, when Toshiba said that it was in the process of developing a 60GB drive and, much to the ire of Apple, confirmed that the iPod maker had already committed to buying it in quantity.
"Come on people... pizza joints have been doing this for decades."
I am constantly astonished by people talking about pizza places selling the numbers to telemarketers. How often does this happen? Is it a US problem only? I've never *ever* had it happen tp me here in Canada.
" What happened to their promise that all new portables would do MP3, and they'd have firmware updates for existing ones?"
Sony actually did announce a firmware to support MP3 in some existing players for early 2005. Slashdot just got it wrong, that's all. I wonder if they read their submission inbox these days, or have they completely switched over to posting paid slashvertisements?
2004-09-23 12:59:53 Sony Smartens Up: Music Players to Support MP3 (Index,Music) (pending)
"Does anyone know if there is a way to get an installable version of Windows off of a rescue CD, or failing that, rebuild the install CD from a running version of windows?"
Depends on the rescue CD. Some of them just contain a compressed hard drive image file, so you can't just generate an installable version of windows out of them. Other CDs might contain separately installable OS, drivers, apps, etc.
It should be pretty obvious if you just put the CD in the drive and look at the directory structure.
Though I believe it is impossible to build an install CD from an installed Windows OS.
"The longer answer, vis-a-vis Apple, is that it has been less than forthcoming initially about its hardware problems over the past 2-3 years."
Without a doubt this is true. Apple has still remained silent on the iPod 4G Audio Defect. I even described it to AppleCare and they paid for me to send it in, and then they shipped it back with a note indicating that it was working 'within standard specifications. '
IMO there is something wrong when you can hear the hard drive spinning up and down in your headphones. Thanks for the wonderful support, Apple.
"Or, in other words, how many DVDs would you have to buy instead of cinema tickets to make up for the value of your huge TV / surround sound? My pulled-out-my-ass guess is >1000 at least."
You forget: Watch each one twice and it's only 500. Watch each one with four friends / family members and it's only 100. Get the DVDs on sale and it's only 60-70. And that doesn't even consider what you're saving in overpriced soft drinks and popcorn.
My point is that, with DVDs, your cost doesn't scale with the audience. It is fixed.
" How many times do we have to tell you . . . they make Aluminum foil!!"
I actually do have a piece of aluminium (English spelling) foil in my wallet. It's spread in that little 'secret zipper compartment' at the back of the wallet, thus becoming the 'outer' layer of the closed wallet, aside from the leather of course.
Since I put it in a couple of months ago, I have flown on four domestic airline flights in the US and two international onces between the US and Canada and the security folks did not give me trouble for it at all. (They were more concerned with the metal in the zipper on my fly, and the security guy actually felt up my crotch at one US airport. That was after they whisked my shoes away for explosives-testing. Though this seemed to have nothing to do with the fact that I'm a brown guy, as this only happened after the wand-detectors kept alarming at those locations. And no, I did not wrap my thing in tinfoil.)
"I tried to uninstall it, but it kept comming back. This is actually the more permanent solution since it keeps it's shit in the registry so windows "thinks" it up and working."
I suggest you check out a pair of wonderful little tools called StartupMonitor and Startup Control Panel. The former will alert you when things try to register themselves as 'auto-startup' items in the registry and give you the option to shoot them down, and the latter will allow you to unregister already existing auto-startup items in the approximately seven different places they can lurk. It is very useful for eliminating and avoiding problems like this.
Slashdot Mirror
Until one of them buys the other :P
But when you buy music at Wal Mart, are you getting the real version or the censored but identically packaged version made especially for that store? (This is why you never see those 'explicit lyrics warning' stickers at Wal Mart -- they just don't give you a choice and force their censorship on you without your knowledge or consent.)
The HD probably failed early because of the failing power supply. Weak and/or highly variable voltages will easily kill a HD.
Firstly, your system will last longer with a better case. Better cases allow for better cooling and heat dissipation. Higher temperatures and temperature variations will kill your chips and hard drives more quickly.
And 50 Dollars? I suggest you try working with high end cases from Lian Li, Antec, Thermaltake and Coolermaster. They typically start around $120. You will never go back to working with cheap $50 cases again. The high end ones feature far better design, ease of installation of parts, fan control and placement and precision craftsmanship. (I mean really, have you ever opened up a Power Mac and worked with it? It puts standard PC cases to shame. Everything is much more accessible and well placed. Even compared to what's in my Lian Li PC-6070. And did you know that the G5's have a liquid cooling system? Try finding a complete liquid cooling system for PCs and figuring out the cost of all the peltiers, piping, pumps, etc. Of course installing it requires voiding your mobo and CPU warranty by modding them. Try not to damage them during the H20 cooling install either, OK?
"Mouse and Keyboard: $20"
For what? A low quality no name mouse and POS lightweight keyoard? The keyboard and mouse are the actual parts of the computer you touch and you want to get high quality of both. Get a proper logitech MX series mouse and logitech, fujitsu, or keytronics keyboard (though nothing replaces my Model M) and there's $100 to spend.
"Power Supply: $30"
For $30 you can get a POS low quality power supply that won't nearly power a dual CPU machine and will then crap out and fry your hard drives. Try an Antec TruePower 550 for $100+ with thermal fan control that does not have the per-fan fine tuning that the G5 has.
Not reading the article is one thing, but this is new: Apparently you didn't read the page to which you linked! Do I sense a new slashdot cliché?
Referring back to the very page you linked, I quote: "** Caps Lock and Windows keys available by using mode setting"
I'm still not buying an OQO. Its specs are far too underpowered to run Duke Nukem Forever.
There has been at least one case in the past where ThinkSecret took down stuff at Apple's request.
Exactly. My old Epston Stylus 600 is absolutely unusable now because it just sat there for about 3 months. And then the black print head clogged and even with 20+ cleaning cycles, cleaning manually with 99% ispropyl alcohol, more cleaning cycles, etc., the thing simply does not print black anymore. I know that colour inkjet printers are not for me because I simply do not print colour that often.
How long until Apple forces this article off the net?
EXCLUSIVE: 60GB iPod to pack photo-viewing features
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
October 8, 2004 - After three years of being synonymous with "digital music player," Apple's iPod will widen its horizons and gain photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, highly reliable sources tell Think Secret.
The new iPod, which will sit at the top of Apple's fourth-generation line-up, will pack Toshiba's new 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive, a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, iPhoto synchronization, audio/video-out capabilities, and will sell for $499.
The new iPod is currently in production in Asia after delays from Toshiba in delivering its new 60GB drive hampered a planned early-September ramp up. Sources confirm Toshiba started shipping the drive to Apple in mid-September and iPod manufacturer Inventec began building the new device in the last two weeks.
The new iPod's form factor will be identical to the existing 4G iPods, sources report, but will be two millimeters thicker than the current 40GB iPod and marginally heavier.
The 2-inch color screen is identical in size to other iPods, but will sport a higher resolution for photo viewing. However, the new device's real shining feature will be its video-out port, which will enable users to tote their photo galleries with them, ready to be plugged into any television for big-screen viewing.
The 60GB iPod will feature only rudimentary built-in software for viewing photos, with no editing tools, sources say. Photo albums will be navigated in a similar fashion to music playlists, and a slideshow feature will provide transitions with user-specified background music, similar to iPhoto. Synchronizing features similar to iTunes will also be added to iPhoto.
The new iPod won't feature built-in flash memory stick slots for downloading photos from digital cameras, although such a feature will presumably be able to be employed through Belkin's $99 Media Reader.
Sources indicate that Apple will market the new photo iPod as being capable of storing 20,000 music tracks and 25,000 photos. As an added bonus for music fans, album artwork will be displayed on screen when it's available for a selected track.
Rumors of a 60GB iPod first surfaced in June, when Toshiba said that it was in the process of developing a 60GB drive and, much to the ire of Apple, confirmed that the iPod maker had already committed to buying it in quantity.
Absolutely. I can recall more than one occasion when my desk was covered with sweat (from my arms) after playing that game.
Three words for you, my friend:
Make a link.
;-)
I stand corrected.
Sorry but you are not correct. The 19" Flat Screens do about 100-140W. My Sony G400 19" does about 140W and <1 W in standby.
Samsung Syncmaster 957 MB 19" CRT: 110 W
ViewSonic E90 19" CRT: 100 W
Benq Professional P992 19" CRT: 110W
I am constantly astonished by people talking about pizza places selling the numbers to telemarketers. How often does this happen? Is it a US problem only? I've never *ever* had it happen tp me here in Canada.
Sony actually did announce a firmware to support MP3 in some existing players for early 2005. Slashdot just got it wrong, that's all. I wonder if they read their submission inbox these days, or have they completely switched over to posting paid slashvertisements?
2004-09-23 12:59:53 Sony Smartens Up: Music Players to Support MP3 (Index,Music) (pending)
And look right at the top of the article: "By Michael S. Mimoso, Senior News Editor 30 Sep 2004 | SearchWebServices.com".
Shame on you Hemos.
Finally the US Patent Office is recognising MS Bloatware as prior art!
Depends on the rescue CD. Some of them just contain a compressed hard drive image file, so you can't just generate an installable version of windows out of them. Other CDs might contain separately installable OS, drivers, apps, etc.
It should be pretty obvious if you just put the CD in the drive and look at the directory structure.
Though I believe it is impossible to build an install CD from an installed Windows OS.
Sounds like you want a used laptop or a mac.
At this rate, we might as well put the painting on a platform above the centre of a tank full of sharks with frickin' lasers on their heads.
Without a doubt this is true. Apple has still remained silent on the iPod 4G Audio Defect. I even described it to AppleCare and they paid for me to send it in, and then they shipped it back with a note indicating that it was working 'within standard specifications. '
IMO there is something wrong when you can hear the hard drive spinning up and down in your headphones. Thanks for the wonderful support, Apple.
You forget: Watch each one twice and it's only 500. Watch each one with four friends / family members and it's only 100. Get the DVDs on sale and it's only 60-70. And that doesn't even consider what you're saving in overpriced soft drinks and popcorn.
My point is that, with DVDs, your cost doesn't scale with the audience. It is fixed.
Says "WhatAmIDoingHere" ... ;-)
I actually do have a piece of aluminium (English spelling) foil in my wallet. It's spread in that little 'secret zipper compartment' at the back of the wallet, thus becoming the 'outer' layer of the closed wallet, aside from the leather of course.
Since I put it in a couple of months ago, I have flown on four domestic airline flights in the US and two international onces between the US and Canada and the security folks did not give me trouble for it at all. (They were more concerned with the metal in the zipper on my fly, and the security guy actually felt up my crotch at one US airport. That was after they whisked my shoes away for explosives-testing. Though this seemed to have nothing to do with the fact that I'm a brown guy, as this only happened after the wand-detectors kept alarming at those locations. And no, I did not wrap my thing in tinfoil.)
I suggest you check out a pair of wonderful little tools called StartupMonitor and Startup Control Panel. The former will alert you when things try to register themselves as 'auto-startup' items in the registry and give you the option to shoot them down, and the latter will allow you to unregister already existing auto-startup items in the approximately seven different places they can lurk. It is very useful for eliminating and avoiding problems like this.