First let me honestly hope that you are referring to those as professions and not people. Maybe not, most environmentalists tend to be violent people in my experience.
Now let's look at why loggers, lumber mills, and paper mills exist. Think about this for a minute. I don't know what society you are a part of but mine demands wood and paper products.
Look around you. Very carefully look around you. Are you, someone who is a part of "the new enviroment-conscious society" creating a demand for wood products?
Unless you can tell me for certain that you do not, in any way, shape, or form, use or depend upon anything wood based......well, I don't want to hear you complain about people who work DAMN HARD to satisify YOUR DEMANDS for wood products.
He's clueless? Well dip me in shit, all this time I thought those trees were growing.
You're honestly going to tell me that forestry companies don't replant trees?
Come on people, why aren't you all sitting in wheat fields too? I mean farmer Brown cuts his wheat crop and.....???????
Logging, like any other ag business has a cycle. Plant, tend, harvest, repeat.
The wildlife you speak of also depends upon cycles. There are points in those cycles which used to include forest fires and predators. We've decided to fight fire so in most instances logging can take the place of fire (for wildlife, plant seeding is another issue however {which is why we have more forests now and less prarie})
No pal, you're the one who's clueless. Try hooking up with your local educational facility and learn a bit about biology, ecology, business management and zoology. I don't know how to advise you on obtaining common sense.
First they suckered you into "upgrades", then they force you into them.
I started with Quicken. That was such a wonderful program thru about V3.0. The next couple of "upgrades" had lots of bells and whistles that seemed nice, but I got lost in the toys and wasn't paying attention to the actual accounting. Ouch.
Then there was the matter of the "upgraded" programs crashing all the time. Sometimes I lost data, sometimes not. In any case it was a pain in the arse.
A few years later, after I had become a *nix convert, I went to work for a small company. When I started they had zilch for an accounting system. Scraps of paper. That's no joke. So the owner hires a wiz bang accountant who promptly insists on Quickbooks.
I yelled, screamed, jumped up and down.
We purchased and installed Quickbooks. The accountant punched in the data and we were off and running. No sooner did we get things running and, wouldn't you know it, the network portion quits on us.
You guessed it.....gotta buy a network license upgrade.
So the owner takes a loan from her mom, gets the upgrade and we're back in bidness. Until tax time.
Manditory tax "upgrade". Isn't that like a tax tax?
So she shells out more of the green, gets the tax upgrade and everything is fine for a few more months. Or so I thought.........
The boss calls me in and wants to know why my department is only doing 57% of goal. I look at her numbers, from Quickbooks, and they don't match my invoices. Not trusting Quickbooks I tracked my own department in spreadsheets too (StarOffice 5.2). Sure it was double the "paperwork" but it proved worth it.
I never did find out the whole reason that Quickbooks was losing transactions. Didn't care. That's Intuit's problem, right? Not according to them it aint.
All that money you pay them and if "nobody else is having this problem" then you get zilch, zip, nada for tech support.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking on Intuit here. IMHE they are just par for the course in the windows world.
I agree. As "research" for graduate study this would be a waste of time. I would imagine that the CIA and the US Dept. Of State already know all of the details about this. They would know because this sort of data is so important to our GNP.
Something stinks with this question.
Recycling Paper Is Harmful
on
Green Geeks?
·
· Score: 2
I remember reading an article a few years back where a guy had done the research for his company to consider purchasing recycled paper. His conclusion was that the process of recycling paper caused more damage to the enviroment than the creation of virgin paper.
I realize that this is your first office. One of the things that is different about office life as compared to the cubicle is posters.
Posters are appropriate for a cubicle. The fact that you are in an office now is supposed to indicate some sort of promotion. Correct?
I'm not saying that you have to be stuffy, far from it. Put when one thinks of an office, one thinks of wood tones, frames, and art.
Oil paintings of nekkid ladies might be a bit much. But I'm sure that you can afford something. Show the world that you are a cut above. Show the world that you're also willing to make the next cut....the executive office.
But do buy the posters you seek. I've looked at what people pointed out here and there are some nice ones. Put some up in your garage at home. Ask some of your friends who still reside in the cubicles to put them up. Show them you haven't forgotten where you came from.
You've had a lot of input here, some of which seems good to me. But I think you're looking for input on something that isn't YOUR problem.
Grounding the network cables would be your problem if you were fighting noise. Then grounding one end would be the place to start.
But if you're worried about a difference in ground potential causing you problems, anything to do with network cable is NOT the solution. That is something that had better be dealt with by a marine electrician. Not any electrician, one who knows ships and knows them well.
Here's why: Network cable is small signal, low current stuff. If you have a difference in ground potentials you could be talking about high voltage and/or current. You don't want this on your network, it will fry everything. Have those problems solved first by an electrician and know that the enviroment you'll be working in is friendly for your network.....AND FOR YOU!
As an AC pointed out, you can do harm to the ship by changing the electrical properties of it. When those changes start to happen it will likely also do damage to your network.
If it were me I would:
1) Consult the marine electrician most familiar with the ship. Once you have his ok for safety and blessing with your project then...
2) Check with the radio operator/technician if you have one. He's got equipment that works much like your network. There are things he may know which will save you heartache and speed up your progress.
3) Install the network, tie all shields to the hub. Then "ground" the hub to whatever the electrician tells you to. Remember that you're only doing this to prevent noise on the network, it has NOTHING to do with ships ground...and you don't want it to.
4) Ask the electrician and radio op to check your work when you are done. Log this. Then if there is ever a problem you can show the captain the log and he'll know you did your homework. Cover your ass always.
It sounds as if you've experienced some loser corporations. Are any of them still in business?
If a corporation was going to hire someone and tell them what to do, why would they hire anyone who went to school? That must be a good side to your experience, the corporation making all the decisions and training you. Never a worry about what to do or how to do it, they tell you.
Now my experience has been quite different. The company hires people based upon their knowledge of the position they are hiring for. Once those people become a part of the company they are expected to perform that job without being told what to do or how to do it. The corporation looks to its employees for answers, that is why those people are hired. In my experience, executive management manages the corporations, that is why they are hired, it is the function they serve.
I do agree with you that it would be nice to have my every need met. Ah, to have my every whim served by slaves. Yes, the idea of never having to work is attractive........at first.
On second thought I don't know that I could live for long without some goals, some purpose in life. I don't know many people who like that idea. But if that is truely how you feel, good luck with it. Let me know if your dream of it comes true, I'll lay odds it doesn't.
Then again, it could happen. But someone would have to roll up their sleeves and build the infrustracture. From the sounds of it that isn't going to be you, you want to be free of work.
Someone still has to take out the trash. Someone still has to clean the shitter. In your system do those people ever have any hope of being work free? Or is it just for the elite.
Sorry, but here in the real world you don't have to work forever. But you have to contribute BEFORE you retire. Most people take great pride in their contributions too.
Now you've really confused me. In one paragraph you complain because a company mass produces a low end product in quantity such that those with low income can afford it. You complain about the low quality but you acknowledge that it's made for the masses.
Then, in the next paragraph, you complain that the masses are poor and can never afford such luxury.
WTF???
By the way, if you would like a quality car you can still purchase one of several. There is a company in England that makes a fine automobile, entirely hand crafted.
It seems to me that you were the one to point out that you get what you pay for.
Now you allude that you still believe that Enron, as a company, felt it was in their best interest to do what they did. Those actions resulted in those rolling blackouts and inconveinenced you. I guess you'll have to explain to me how this was a benefit to them. All this time I thought it was mismanagement by several individuals who acted in their own interests, not that of the company. Please enlighten me.
Anyone who pulls their investments simply because of media hype deserves the losses they take. Anyone who understands investments will tell you that decisions like that should be made with more data than that. Buy low, sell high. Sorry if you took it in the shorts but this has created a great enviroment for me with stocks at low prices. I can now invest with the hope of a return. Ride the wave.
Speaking of investments, why don't you fill me in on this great network you say is easy to build. You seem to indicate that it will cost nothing to build. I would like a cut of that action. Please let me in before companies like MCI gobble that up. If there is a demand for it then it will sell. If it's as cheap as you claim then the profit margins can be high, we can make a ton of money while providing service to those who have never had it and improving service to those who require.
And that is the sweet thing about living in a democratic republic with a capitalist economy. If there is a demand for these things, and they can be done, then they will be. If the demand is great enough, over time, the costs will come down as mass production is put into place and less expensive units can be built.
It sounds as if where you live people sit around and wait for the government or corporations to do what is in the common good. That must be frustrating. I can't imagine.
Over here we tend to look at a thing and determine if we can make a go of it. In other words, we look to see if people want what we have to offer, and if they are willing to work for it. If so then we forge ahead and do it. The people get what they want and the provider makes a profit. Win+win.
You seemed to say you have worked for large corporations. You also seem bitter about that. I can see why. It sounds like your people treat corporations as some entity with a mind of it's own. That is a sad thing.
Here we realize that corporations are just large companies which are made up of hundreds or thousands of individuals. When you get that many people working toward a common goal, together as a team, it is amazing to be a part of what happens. Of course it hurts like hell when it falls apart too, like when you get a few selfish bastards such as in the Enron, MCI, or Tyco examples. But the same thing can happen with small companies or Sole Props. The difference for us is that we recoginze that corporations are simply large groups of people, that the corporations themselves are simply a tool. They do not guide themselves, they do not think or act without the input of those who are a part of them.
I'm sorry that you have a class system. That never seems to benefit anyone except those on top. I've seen examples of that in my travels around the world, I choose not to experience that for myself. Oh I wish you could come to my country. We really don't have that sort of problem. There are some who tend to pretend that such a thing exists, usually because they have low self-esteem or a low drive to do things. But here you can be down and out but come up with a great idea (killer ap) and suddenly be making a decent living. While rare, sometime you can even hit the big time. Nobody here holds anyone to a particular class.
Maybe you can come to our country. Our "technology sector" is very healthy. The last shakeup of the stock market has really weeded out those who wern't producing. The ones who remain are the ones with stable business plans, and products or services that are in demand. Lots of secure jobs with those, the kinds of jobs that a guy can retire from someday. You might want to look into that. Or if working for those large corporations has really put a bad taste in your mouth, you can consider starting your own business, be your own man. The great thing about it is that you can still start a business here for no money, I've had several friends do it. They aren't getting filthy rich.....yet. But they do earn a very decent days pay for a days work.
Ok, I don't think I'm going to sway your opinion until you get a little more life experience under your belt. But let me try anyway.
I'll answer your questions, but I'm sure you already know the answers. Nobody is going to make something if it isn't profitable. For something to be repaired there must also be some profit, some benefit.
Lots of things are already designed to be cheaper to replace than repair. You're right, nobody pays to have those items repaired. That's simple logic. Would you pay a repair technician to patch up your broken PEZ dispencer? You would pay far more than the value of the item in labor alone. If you get a new one, not only are your replacing the broken parts, you're getting everything new.
I have no idea why you would "continue to strive to educate myself about how to fix this stuff" unless.....
That sort of education is great for learning how to design improved products. Or maybe for historical preservation.
There might be some niche market there for those skills. But if an item is cheaper to replace than repair you are going to have a very hard time eating.
As a repair technician you have to look at replacement costs vs. repair costs all the time. You have to do what is best for your customer and they expect you to know. So if you're going to persue this line of work, that would be the skill you should focus on the most right now.
While I embrace open source and helping other people, you are correct that I oppose communism. I am a former cold warrier. If you would like to persue that discussion then I will be happy to educate you, and we can start that discussion by having you provide me with any long term example of a communist state that has had any benefit to the population under its control.
Allowing ones source code to be open is not communism. Please do not confuse these two concepts.
You are correct that quality products would require fewer resources. There is a curve there, and quality will rise. But for the time being most people can't afford the quality of which you speak. But once the majority of people have the low end product they will then seek to upgrade that product in features and quality. You must learn patience.
As an example of that, look to the automotive industry. In the beginning there were lots of quality cars made, each by hand. Few could afford them. When Ford began mass production, their product in no way compared in quality. But people could afford them. Once the majority had them the quality rose to the level we have today, where mass produced cars are affordable and quality products.
Henry Ford therefor brought quality products to the people. Henry Ford was a capitalist, he made great amounts of money doing this.
It is possible to be a capitalist and help others. One does not have to be a bleeding heart in order to make the world a better place.
Think of this using the rule of thumb for first responders. You can't help the other guy if you are hurt as well. Provide for your own safety as well as those you are trying to help. Capitalists work on this principle as well.
If you honestly believe that companies who are wasteful succeed, then you need to talk to any business owner and become educated. Profit margins are usually quite narrow. A manufacturer has to pay for the materials that come in to the plant. Anything not required for production is waste, and is therefore money lost to the company. Not good business sense.
I don't know that much about the other companies you mentioned, but let's talk about MCI for a moment. As a company they have done much to improve the lives of others. If you care to study the thing you'll find that their industry was not a capitalist industry. For almost 100 years the telecommunications business was a monopoly.
When the monopoly was broken up, and companies like MCI came into the picture, the costs of telecommunications dropped. Technological advancement in telecommunications boomed.
Companies like MCI have given quality long distance voice and data communications at low price to the masses.
So it's not the company, or the mission of the company that is at fault. Again it is individuals within the company who are at fault. Those individuals were working to their own interests, not those of the company.
Or perhaps you can explain how the mismanagement of a company like MCI was at benefit to the company as a whole?
You seem to believe that communism is a better way. When you look at the mismanagement of Enron, MCI, etc and you look at the largest communist experement in history you find the same things brought them down. The failure of the Soviet Union was largely due to individuals acting in their own best interest, without regard for their comrads or the long term greater good.
Help others. Help yourself in the process. Build quality that everyone can enjoy, not just the elite few.
This is a good idea. I'm pretty sure this will actually result in me paying less in taxes when I buy from British Colombia.
Oh shit, they're not a state? Yet?
Well it will help me when I buy cool stuff from shops in London on the net.
What? If these places aren't states then how the hell are they allowed to put sites up on our internet. I mean come on, they are on our internet so the are going to have to obey our laws and pay our taxes, and collect our taxes too.
When are all these other wannabe countries going to wake up and realize that the U.S. Congress hasn't authorized their existance.
And if the day ever comes that we do authorize the existance of a foreign country we'll just make them another state so we can tax 'em.
Please note that it is strictly implied that this article refers to southern Idaho, the great state of Ada, only.
As usual those of us here in the north are not included. Most Boise residence, including government employees, might have heard of Coeur d Alene. Most would be suprised to learn that places like Sandpoint, Wallace, Priest River, St. Maries, or Bonners Ferry are part of the state. Add to that the fact that these places do NOT have a largely Mormon population.
It's always good to hear news of foreign places. This won't apply to most of the state. I wish Boise luck with their broadband.
Way offtopic and bait for sure....but I'll play your game.
It would appear that you and I took VERY different courses in economics. We sure have vastly different experiences.
It sounds as if you are claiming that these motherboard manufacturers built thier products intending them to fail in short order. You would have me believe that they did this to keep computer repairmen employed and sell more motherboards.
I don't know many people, in any country, in any economic system who would continue to purchase those products from those manufacturers for long. Maybe if it was the only choice, which might be the case if you are proposing something like the old USSR had. (And we all know how popular thier quality products have been in the marketplace).
In the real world, competition to develop an item (like....a capacitor) is considered good. One has to remember when shopping for the item to compare specifications, so that you compare apples to apples. Competition will generally result in the lowest prices for the best specs in a given tier.
In your world you have one choice: the one the General Secretary allows. Want a better capacitor, sorry we don't make one. Want a cheaper, less durable unit, same story. The Soviet authorizes and funds the production of a limited amount of choices. But hey, you get them at cost. It's a good price but what you can design and build is going to be pretty limited by the available parts supply.
You asked me to imagine all those unemployed service people who would be starving if quality products were built. I did. I imagined television repairmen, two way radio technicians, telephone repairmen, appliance repairmen, service station attendents. Hell, I don't have to imagine, I know these people. I am one! We're not starving, we eat quite well. Thank you for your concern. There aren't quite so many of us, most have gone on to other professions. But those of us who remain in the service industry are now able to support more equipment because the quality has, for the most part, improved.
You asked me to imagine a world where one does not have to work to survive. The basics of life handed to you. I did. You and I must also have very different imaginations because I imagine a good number of poor slobs doing nothing more than living off of the handouts. How is it I can imagine this? Come to the US sometime, we see it here everyday. We have quite the welfare program, where we support people based upon race. It is a very rare case when one of these people, whose basics in life are provided for them, makes a positive contribution to society. Make a better capacitor? Hell, these people can barely make their own lunch.
No, the people who are going to make the better capacitor are the ones who have to do it or they will starve. They know damn good and well that they had better do a good job or the work won't be there next week. They want to eat and eat well.
They will make what the market demands. If the market demands a quality product, which has been engineered with quality and specifies quality components, then those people will be asked to build a quality capacitor.
You and I do agree on one thing. Ignorant Americans who think that country is a democracy do have a hard time remembering that english is not the most popular language. They would do well to learn and remember that their country is a democratic republic and that white folks are the minority in the world. I think you'll be suprised to learn that those are the very same people who oppose capitalism and support socialism in this country.
The capacitor problem with be solved. Not because some goverment leader issues an order to build a better capacitor. It won't be because a bunch of people who don't have to work to survive decide it would be a good thing to do. It will be because the market will only except a certain minimum level of quality on the lower tier.
If you live here, get educated on the candidates and vote early. I am educated and will be voting first thing in the morning.
I've worked as a professional electronics technician (radio communications) for 13 years, and grew up around the industry. The one thing I learned early on is to always suspect the electrolytics.
Any electrolytic will change value with age, they simply dry out. Change it enough and the circuit either quits or is way out of spec. But I'm talking about caps that are 20+ years old. It seems like caps made back then could hold up for that length of time.
I've noticed in newer equipment that the caps just don't hold up. This seems to be a trend in the last 10 years or so. Everything else like diodes, resistors, transistors, etc. holds up just fine as long as you don't exceed engineered values in the circuit. But caps, anymore you just cant rely on an electrolytic to stay within spec for more than a year or two.
All this time I thought it was just me and my bad luck. Guess not.
Note that I'm not talking about just computer equipment here. Most of my experience is with land mobile radio, power supplies, and telephone equipment.
If your switching power supply in your computer has gone on to the afterlife, and the fan still worked (they won't take heat buildup)......I'll lay odds it was a cap that croaked.
Well no shit! I hadn't looked at it that way but you're right. There isn't any obvious way for joe consumer to report anything about a Microsoft product.
The last time I did try to report a flaw with a Microsoft product I was told that was just the way it worked and I would have to live with it. Even then that was after a 33 minute on hold time phone call.
So while you have a question about which route to use to report OSS bugs, at least there are several methods to chose from.
If you're going to play with their toys the you have to play by their rules. If their contract/TOS/whatever says you have to agree to have all that software and agree with the licensing to all in order to use their service, then I guess that's what you gotta do. But it's their system, their toys, so if you don't like it then don't play.
Now the installer was wrong. Very wrong. If you're gonna play by the rules then you should have read EVERY word of EVERY EULA and made the determination for each one. Since those are legal documents you would want to read carefully, perhaps consult with your lawyer on a few points. You could tie up that installer for a VERY long time. But for him to indicate that you accepted.....well, you might want to consult with your lawyer now.
I think I see your point. Remember tho that it's all in how you look at things.
As an example, you won't find anyone who denies the high mineral levels around the Bunker Hill superfund site. Nobody argues that there are elevated levels of minerals, including lead, downstream from there in the Coeur d Alene lake and Spokane river.
The arguement comes from different points of view. The enviromentalists say "it's bad, it should be removed", which makes one feel warm and fuzzy. Those who live there, work there, and raised families there say "it's good, it should be removed, it's called mining and we've been working at it for 120 years".
This thing with "global warming" (if it exists, in my area we've had colder temps for the last decade) is being argued the same way. People are choosing sides and getting their feathers ruffled because it feels good to get worked up like that. Nobody is really looking into it as a trend, as a long term geological event. What's the fun in playing "what if" on a time scale involving millions of years when people wont even exist no matter what. Much better to argue here and now, it makes us feel better.
The "global warming" enviromentalists are much like the Bunker Hill crowd. They would be easier to listen to if only they would get real jobs and make meaningful contributions to society. In the case of Bunker Hill, they could call themselves miners and get on with what they are doing. I have no idea how the "global warming" crowd could go about it.
Today he asks you to delete a single email. Next week he asks you do delete a bunch he wished he didn't send, like an email asking his accountants to shred the Enron documents.
That is the seed that starts a dangerous trend.
I agree with others here that you don't argue with the CEO on the point. It's his company and his email system.
But I would have started looking for another job right away. The best way to feel good about your ethics is to surround yourself with others who feel the way you do. Obviously you wern't in the best eviroment for you. And you certainly wouldn't want to be there when the feds come around looking for evidence that was deleted.
Oh I agree. It's also irresponsible to assume that global warming is caused by people.
Sure you and I would opt for scientific study. But that would result in theory, theory could be proven as fact, and facts would confuse the issue. This is an emotional arguement, not a scientific one.
You are correct that this should be studied, but that will not play in the emotional drama that the enviromentalists participate in.
I think you're wrong. That law gives us all the freedom to hack, crack, and do all the evil you want. All you have to do is set up a small business and call yourself a record company.
As someone who works in the industry on the fleet mechanic side I have to disagree.
The OBD-II codes have been around and they are helpful for the most part. What has been needed are the non-standard manufacturer specific codes.
I wish I could purchase a good scan tool that would work on the major brands for $300. With software, leads, and adapters for domestic only I think our Mastertech package was over $2,800. That's domestic only, no imports, and it is never current. I'm just now getting updated for 2002 model year vehicles.
You are correct that it still takes a good mechanic to find the problem. A good mechanic stays current with his training. Todays mechanic is not a programmer, but he is a technician.
Using the scan tool to read diagnostic codes won't tell the mechanic exactly where the problem is. He has to know the systems well enough to understand what the on board computer is telling him. The ability to read the real time data stream is important too, maybe even more important than knowing waht the diagnostic codes mean.
It is important to understand how the on board computer arrived at the diagnostic code. You have to know what test is run, how it is run, and what the conditions for the test are. If you don't have that information then you are correct, the codes will be misleading.
Is that the same band that went to war with Ticketmaster for overcharging fans on ticket prices? Amazing. You would think they would........aw hell, you never can tell with these guys.
Especially since Pearl Jam became the Neil Young backup band.
Slashdot Mirror
First let me honestly hope that you are referring to those as professions and not people. Maybe not, most environmentalists tend to be violent people in my experience.
Now let's look at why loggers, lumber mills, and paper mills exist. Think about this for a minute. I don't know what society you are a part of but mine demands wood and paper products.
Look around you. Very carefully look around you. Are you, someone who is a part of "the new enviroment-conscious society" creating a demand for wood products?
Unless you can tell me for certain that you do not, in any way, shape, or form, use or depend upon anything wood based......well, I don't want to hear you complain about people who work DAMN HARD to satisify YOUR DEMANDS for wood products.
He's clueless? Well dip me in shit, all this time I thought those trees were growing.
You're honestly going to tell me that forestry companies don't replant trees?
Come on people, why aren't you all sitting in wheat fields too? I mean farmer Brown cuts his wheat crop and.....???????
Logging, like any other ag business has a cycle. Plant, tend, harvest, repeat.
The wildlife you speak of also depends upon cycles. There are points in those cycles which used to include forest fires and predators. We've decided to fight fire so in most instances logging can take the place of fire (for wildlife, plant seeding is another issue however {which is why we have more forests now and less prarie})
No pal, you're the one who's clueless. Try hooking up with your local educational facility and learn a bit about biology, ecology, business management and zoology. I don't know how to advise you on obtaining common sense.
I'm sure this is due, in no small part, to the excellent software provided by Microsoft. You know, the folks who bring you MSNBC and Hotmail.
Oh.....shit.....wait a minute.....lemme rethink that.
.
First they suckered you into "upgrades", then they force you into them.
I started with Quicken. That was such a wonderful program thru about V3.0. The next couple of "upgrades" had lots of bells and whistles that seemed nice, but I got lost in the toys and wasn't paying attention to the actual accounting. Ouch.
Then there was the matter of the "upgraded" programs crashing all the time. Sometimes I lost data, sometimes not. In any case it was a pain in the arse.
A few years later, after I had become a *nix convert, I went to work for a small company. When I started they had zilch for an accounting system. Scraps of paper. That's no joke. So the owner hires a wiz bang accountant who promptly insists on Quickbooks.
I yelled, screamed, jumped up and down.
We purchased and installed Quickbooks. The accountant punched in the data and we were off and running. No sooner did we get things running and, wouldn't you know it, the network portion quits on us.
You guessed it.....gotta buy a network license upgrade.
So the owner takes a loan from her mom, gets the upgrade and we're back in bidness. Until tax time.
Manditory tax "upgrade". Isn't that like a tax tax?
So she shells out more of the green, gets the tax upgrade and everything is fine for a few more months. Or so I thought.........
The boss calls me in and wants to know why my department is only doing 57% of goal. I look at her numbers, from Quickbooks, and they don't match my invoices. Not trusting Quickbooks I tracked my own department in spreadsheets too (StarOffice 5.2). Sure it was double the "paperwork" but it proved worth it.
I never did find out the whole reason that Quickbooks was losing transactions. Didn't care. That's Intuit's problem, right? Not according to them it aint.
All that money you pay them and if "nobody else is having this problem" then you get zilch, zip, nada for tech support.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking on Intuit here. IMHE they are just par for the course in the windows world.
But didn't they start out as a Mac product?
I agree. As "research" for graduate study this would be a waste of time. I would imagine that the CIA and the US Dept. Of State already know all of the details about this. They would know because this sort of data is so important to our GNP.
Something stinks with this question.
I remember reading an article a few years back where a guy had done the research for his company to consider purchasing recycled paper. His conclusion was that the process of recycling paper caused more damage to the enviroment than the creation of virgin paper.
I think the article was in Inc. Magazine.
Does anyone here know anything about that?
I realize that this is your first office. One of the things that is different about office life as compared to the cubicle is posters.
Posters are appropriate for a cubicle. The fact that you are in an office now is supposed to indicate some sort of promotion. Correct?
I'm not saying that you have to be stuffy, far from it. Put when one thinks of an office, one thinks of wood tones, frames, and art.
Oil paintings of nekkid ladies might be a bit much. But I'm sure that you can afford something. Show the world that you are a cut above. Show the world that you're also willing to make the next cut....the executive office.
But do buy the posters you seek. I've looked at what people pointed out here and there are some nice ones. Put some up in your garage at home. Ask some of your friends who still reside in the cubicles to put them up. Show them you haven't forgotten where you came from.
You've had a lot of input here, some of which seems good to me. But I think you're looking for input on something that isn't YOUR problem.
Grounding the network cables would be your problem if you were fighting noise. Then grounding one end would be the place to start.
But if you're worried about a difference in ground potential causing you problems, anything to do with network cable is NOT the solution. That is something that had better be dealt with by a marine electrician. Not any electrician, one who knows ships and knows them well.
Here's why: Network cable is small signal, low current stuff. If you have a difference in ground potentials you could be talking about high voltage and/or current. You don't want this on your network, it will fry everything. Have those problems solved first by an electrician and know that the enviroment you'll be working in is friendly for your network.....AND FOR YOU!
As an AC pointed out, you can do harm to the ship by changing the electrical properties of it. When those changes start to happen it will likely also do damage to your network.
If it were me I would:
1) Consult the marine electrician most familiar with the ship. Once you have his ok for safety and blessing with your project then...
2) Check with the radio operator/technician if you have one. He's got equipment that works much like your network. There are things he may know which will save you heartache and speed up your progress.
3) Install the network, tie all shields to the hub. Then "ground" the hub to whatever the electrician tells you to. Remember that you're only doing this to prevent noise on the network, it has NOTHING to do with ships ground...and you don't want it to.
4) Ask the electrician and radio op to check your work when you are done. Log this. Then if there is ever a problem you can show the captain the log and he'll know you did your homework. Cover your ass always.
5) Have a nice day.
It sounds as if you've experienced some loser corporations. Are any of them still in business?
If a corporation was going to hire someone and tell them what to do, why would they hire anyone who went to school? That must be a good side to your experience, the corporation making all the decisions and training you. Never a worry about what to do or how to do it, they tell you.
Now my experience has been quite different. The company hires people based upon their knowledge of the position they are hiring for. Once those people become a part of the company they are expected to perform that job without being told what to do or how to do it. The corporation looks to its employees for answers, that is why those people are hired. In my experience, executive management manages the corporations, that is why they are hired, it is the function they serve.
I do agree with you that it would be nice to have my every need met. Ah, to have my every whim served by slaves. Yes, the idea of never having to work is attractive........at first.
On second thought I don't know that I could live for long without some goals, some purpose in life. I don't know many people who like that idea. But if that is truely how you feel, good luck with it. Let me know if your dream of it comes true, I'll lay odds it doesn't.
Then again, it could happen. But someone would have to roll up their sleeves and build the infrustracture. From the sounds of it that isn't going to be you, you want to be free of work.
Someone still has to take out the trash. Someone still has to clean the shitter. In your system do those people ever have any hope of being work free? Or is it just for the elite.
Sorry, but here in the real world you don't have to work forever. But you have to contribute BEFORE you retire. Most people take great pride in their contributions too.
Now you've really confused me. In one paragraph you complain because a company mass produces a low end product in quantity such that those with low income can afford it. You complain about the low quality but you acknowledge that it's made for the masses.
Then, in the next paragraph, you complain that the masses are poor and can never afford such luxury.
WTF???
By the way, if you would like a quality car you can still purchase one of several. There is a company in England that makes a fine automobile, entirely hand crafted.
It seems to me that you were the one to point out that you get what you pay for.
Now you allude that you still believe that Enron, as a company, felt it was in their best interest to do what they did. Those actions resulted in those rolling blackouts and inconveinenced you. I guess you'll have to explain to me how this was a benefit to them. All this time I thought it was mismanagement by several individuals who acted in their own interests, not that of the company. Please enlighten me.
Anyone who pulls their investments simply because of media hype deserves the losses they take. Anyone who understands investments will tell you that decisions like that should be made with more data than that. Buy low, sell high. Sorry if you took it in the shorts but this has created a great enviroment for me with stocks at low prices. I can now invest with the hope of a return. Ride the wave.
Speaking of investments, why don't you fill me in on this great network you say is easy to build. You seem to indicate that it will cost nothing to build. I would like a cut of that action. Please let me in before companies like MCI gobble that up. If there is a demand for it then it will sell. If it's as cheap as you claim then the profit margins can be high, we can make a ton of money while providing service to those who have never had it and improving service to those who require.
And that is the sweet thing about living in a democratic republic with a capitalist economy. If there is a demand for these things, and they can be done, then they will be. If the demand is great enough, over time, the costs will come down as mass production is put into place and less expensive units can be built.
It sounds as if where you live people sit around and wait for the government or corporations to do what is in the common good. That must be frustrating. I can't imagine.
Over here we tend to look at a thing and determine if we can make a go of it. In other words, we look to see if people want what we have to offer, and if they are willing to work for it. If so then we forge ahead and do it. The people get what they want and the provider makes a profit. Win+win.
You seemed to say you have worked for large corporations. You also seem bitter about that. I can see why. It sounds like your people treat corporations as some entity with a mind of it's own. That is a sad thing.
Here we realize that corporations are just large companies which are made up of hundreds or thousands of individuals. When you get that many people working toward a common goal, together as a team, it is amazing to be a part of what happens. Of course it hurts like hell when it falls apart too, like when you get a few selfish bastards such as in the Enron, MCI, or Tyco examples. But the same thing can happen with small companies or Sole Props. The difference for us is that we recoginze that corporations are simply large groups of people, that the corporations themselves are simply a tool. They do not guide themselves, they do not think or act without the input of those who are a part of them.
I'm sorry that you have a class system. That never seems to benefit anyone except those on top. I've seen examples of that in my travels around the world, I choose not to experience that for myself. Oh I wish you could come to my country. We really don't have that sort of problem. There are some who tend to pretend that such a thing exists, usually because they have low self-esteem or a low drive to do things. But here you can be down and out but come up with a great idea (killer ap) and suddenly be making a decent living. While rare, sometime you can even hit the big time. Nobody here holds anyone to a particular class.
Maybe you can come to our country. Our "technology sector" is very healthy. The last shakeup of the stock market has really weeded out those who wern't producing. The ones who remain are the ones with stable business plans, and products or services that are in demand. Lots of secure jobs with those, the kinds of jobs that a guy can retire from someday. You might want to look into that. Or if working for those large corporations has really put a bad taste in your mouth, you can consider starting your own business, be your own man. The great thing about it is that you can still start a business here for no money, I've had several friends do it. They aren't getting filthy rich.....yet. But they do earn a very decent days pay for a days work.
Ok, I don't think I'm going to sway your opinion until you get a little more life experience under your belt. But let me try anyway.
I'll answer your questions, but I'm sure you already know the answers. Nobody is going to make something if it isn't profitable. For something to be repaired there must also be some profit, some benefit.
Lots of things are already designed to be cheaper to replace than repair. You're right, nobody pays to have those items repaired. That's simple logic. Would you pay a repair technician to patch up your broken PEZ dispencer? You would pay far more than the value of the item in labor alone. If you get a new one, not only are your replacing the broken parts, you're getting everything new.
I have no idea why you would "continue to strive to educate myself about how to fix this stuff" unless.....
That sort of education is great for learning how to design improved products. Or maybe for historical preservation.
There might be some niche market there for those skills. But if an item is cheaper to replace than repair you are going to have a very hard time eating.
As a repair technician you have to look at replacement costs vs. repair costs all the time. You have to do what is best for your customer and they expect you to know. So if you're going to persue this line of work, that would be the skill you should focus on the most right now.
While I embrace open source and helping other people, you are correct that I oppose communism. I am a former cold warrier. If you would like to persue that discussion then I will be happy to educate you, and we can start that discussion by having you provide me with any long term example of a communist state that has had any benefit to the population under its control.
Allowing ones source code to be open is not communism. Please do not confuse these two concepts.
You are correct that quality products would require fewer resources. There is a curve there, and quality will rise. But for the time being most people can't afford the quality of which you speak. But once the majority of people have the low end product they will then seek to upgrade that product in features and quality. You must learn patience.
As an example of that, look to the automotive industry. In the beginning there were lots of quality cars made, each by hand. Few could afford them. When Ford began mass production, their product in no way compared in quality. But people could afford them. Once the majority had them the quality rose to the level we have today, where mass produced cars are affordable and quality products.
Henry Ford therefor brought quality products to the people. Henry Ford was a capitalist, he made great amounts of money doing this.
It is possible to be a capitalist and help others. One does not have to be a bleeding heart in order to make the world a better place.
Think of this using the rule of thumb for first responders. You can't help the other guy if you are hurt as well. Provide for your own safety as well as those you are trying to help. Capitalists work on this principle as well.
If you honestly believe that companies who are wasteful succeed, then you need to talk to any business owner and become educated. Profit margins are usually quite narrow. A manufacturer has to pay for the materials that come in to the plant. Anything not required for production is waste, and is therefore money lost to the company. Not good business sense.
I don't know that much about the other companies you mentioned, but let's talk about MCI for a moment. As a company they have done much to improve the lives of others. If you care to study the thing you'll find that their industry was not a capitalist industry. For almost 100 years the telecommunications business was a monopoly.
When the monopoly was broken up, and companies like MCI came into the picture, the costs of telecommunications dropped. Technological advancement in telecommunications boomed.
Companies like MCI have given quality long distance voice and data communications at low price to the masses.
So it's not the company, or the mission of the company that is at fault. Again it is individuals within the company who are at fault. Those individuals were working to their own interests, not those of the company.
Or perhaps you can explain how the mismanagement of a company like MCI was at benefit to the company as a whole?
You seem to believe that communism is a better way. When you look at the mismanagement of Enron, MCI, etc and you look at the largest communist experement in history you find the same things brought them down. The failure of the Soviet Union was largely due to individuals acting in their own best interest, without regard for their comrads or the long term greater good.
Help others. Help yourself in the process. Build quality that everyone can enjoy, not just the elite few.
This is a good idea. I'm pretty sure this will actually result in me paying less in taxes when I buy from British Colombia.
Oh shit, they're not a state? Yet?
Well it will help me when I buy cool stuff from shops in London on the net.
What? If these places aren't states then how the hell are they allowed to put sites up on our internet. I mean come on, they are on our internet so the are going to have to obey our laws and pay our taxes, and collect our taxes too.
When are all these other wannabe countries going to wake up and realize that the U.S. Congress hasn't authorized their existance.
And if the day ever comes that we do authorize the existance of a foreign country we'll just make them another state so we can tax 'em.
Bend over brother, the tax man cometh!
That's a load of crap. You pay a man an honest wage for an honest days work.
Seems like these things have been going on in the comic book industry from the beginning tho.
Please note that it is strictly implied that this article refers to southern Idaho, the great state of Ada, only.
As usual those of us here in the north are not included. Most Boise residence, including government employees, might have heard of Coeur d Alene. Most would be suprised to learn that places like Sandpoint, Wallace, Priest River, St. Maries, or Bonners Ferry are part of the state. Add to that the fact that these places do NOT have a largely Mormon population.
It's always good to hear news of foreign places. This won't apply to most of the state. I wish Boise luck with their broadband.
Way offtopic and bait for sure....but I'll play your game.
It would appear that you and I took VERY different courses in economics. We sure have vastly different experiences.
It sounds as if you are claiming that these motherboard manufacturers built thier products intending them to fail in short order. You would have me believe that they did this to keep computer repairmen employed and sell more motherboards.
I don't know many people, in any country, in any economic system who would continue to purchase those products from those manufacturers for long. Maybe if it was the only choice, which might be the case if you are proposing something like the old USSR had. (And we all know how popular thier quality products have been in the marketplace).
In the real world, competition to develop an item (like....a capacitor) is considered good. One has to remember when shopping for the item to compare specifications, so that you compare apples to apples. Competition will generally result in the lowest prices for the best specs in a given tier.
In your world you have one choice: the one the General Secretary allows. Want a better capacitor, sorry we don't make one. Want a cheaper, less durable unit, same story. The Soviet authorizes and funds the production of a limited amount of choices. But hey, you get them at cost. It's a good price but what you can design and build is going to be pretty limited by the available parts supply.
You asked me to imagine all those unemployed service people who would be starving if quality products were built. I did. I imagined television repairmen, two way radio technicians, telephone repairmen, appliance repairmen, service station attendents. Hell, I don't have to imagine, I know these people. I am one! We're not starving, we eat quite well. Thank you for your concern. There aren't quite so many of us, most have gone on to other professions. But those of us who remain in the service industry are now able to support more equipment because the quality has, for the most part, improved.
You asked me to imagine a world where one does not have to work to survive. The basics of life handed to you. I did. You and I must also have very different imaginations because I imagine a good number of poor slobs doing nothing more than living off of the handouts. How is it I can imagine this? Come to the US sometime, we see it here everyday. We have quite the welfare program, where we support people based upon race. It is a very rare case when one of these people, whose basics in life are provided for them, makes a positive contribution to society. Make a better capacitor? Hell, these people can barely make their own lunch.
No, the people who are going to make the better capacitor are the ones who have to do it or they will starve. They know damn good and well that they had better do a good job or the work won't be there next week. They want to eat and eat well.
They will make what the market demands. If the market demands a quality product, which has been engineered with quality and specifies quality components, then those people will be asked to build a quality capacitor.
You and I do agree on one thing. Ignorant Americans who think that country is a democracy do have a hard time remembering that english is not the most popular language. They would do well to learn and remember that their country is a democratic republic and that white folks are the minority in the world. I think you'll be suprised to learn that those are the very same people who oppose capitalism and support socialism in this country.
The capacitor problem with be solved. Not because some goverment leader issues an order to build a better capacitor. It won't be because a bunch of people who don't have to work to survive decide it would be a good thing to do. It will be because the market will only except a certain minimum level of quality on the lower tier.
If you live here, get educated on the candidates and vote early. I am educated and will be voting first thing in the morning.
I've worked as a professional electronics technician (radio communications) for 13 years, and grew up around the industry. The one thing I learned early on is to always suspect the electrolytics.
Any electrolytic will change value with age, they simply dry out. Change it enough and the circuit either quits or is way out of spec. But I'm talking about caps that are 20+ years old. It seems like caps made back then could hold up for that length of time.
I've noticed in newer equipment that the caps just don't hold up. This seems to be a trend in the last 10 years or so. Everything else like diodes, resistors, transistors, etc. holds up just fine as long as you don't exceed engineered values in the circuit. But caps, anymore you just cant rely on an electrolytic to stay within spec for more than a year or two.
All this time I thought it was just me and my bad luck. Guess not.
Note that I'm not talking about just computer equipment here. Most of my experience is with land mobile radio, power supplies, and telephone equipment.
If your switching power supply in your computer has gone on to the afterlife, and the fan still worked (they won't take heat buildup)......I'll lay odds it was a cap that croaked.
Well no shit! I hadn't looked at it that way but you're right. There isn't any obvious way for joe consumer to report anything about a Microsoft product.
The last time I did try to report a flaw with a Microsoft product I was told that was just the way it worked and I would have to live with it. Even then that was after a 33 minute on hold time phone call.
So while you have a question about which route to use to report OSS bugs, at least there are several methods to chose from.
If you're going to play with their toys the you have to play by their rules. If their contract/TOS/whatever says you have to agree to have all that software and agree with the licensing to all in order to use their service, then I guess that's what you gotta do. But it's their system, their toys, so if you don't like it then don't play.
Now the installer was wrong. Very wrong. If you're gonna play by the rules then you should have read EVERY word of EVERY EULA and made the determination for each one. Since those are legal documents you would want to read carefully, perhaps consult with your lawyer on a few points. You could tie up that installer for a VERY long time. But for him to indicate that you accepted.....well, you might want to consult with your lawyer now.
You gotta mod that one down since I'm obviously against "enviromentalists"
I think I see your point. Remember tho that it's all in how you look at things.
As an example, you won't find anyone who denies the high mineral levels around the Bunker Hill superfund site. Nobody argues that there are elevated levels of minerals, including lead, downstream from there in the Coeur d Alene lake and Spokane river.
The arguement comes from different points of view. The enviromentalists say "it's bad, it should be removed", which makes one feel warm and fuzzy. Those who live there, work there, and raised families there say "it's good, it should be removed, it's called mining and we've been working at it for 120 years".
This thing with "global warming" (if it exists, in my area we've had colder temps for the last decade) is being argued the same way. People are choosing sides and getting their feathers ruffled because it feels good to get worked up like that. Nobody is really looking into it as a trend, as a long term geological event. What's the fun in playing "what if" on a time scale involving millions of years when people wont even exist no matter what. Much better to argue here and now, it makes us feel better.
The "global warming" enviromentalists are much like the Bunker Hill crowd. They would be easier to listen to if only they would get real jobs and make meaningful contributions to society. In the case of Bunker Hill, they could call themselves miners and get on with what they are doing. I have no idea how the "global warming" crowd could go about it.
Today he asks you to delete a single email. Next week he asks you do delete a bunch he wished he didn't send, like an email asking his accountants to shred the Enron documents.
That is the seed that starts a dangerous trend.
I agree with others here that you don't argue with the CEO on the point. It's his company and his email system.
But I would have started looking for another job right away. The best way to feel good about your ethics is to surround yourself with others who feel the way you do. Obviously you wern't in the best eviroment for you. And you certainly wouldn't want to be there when the feds come around looking for evidence that was deleted.
Oh I agree. It's also irresponsible to assume that global warming is caused by people.
Sure you and I would opt for scientific study. But that would result in theory, theory could be proven as fact, and facts would confuse the issue. This is an emotional arguement, not a scientific one.
You are correct that this should be studied, but that will not play in the emotional drama that the enviromentalists participate in.
I think you're wrong. That law gives us all the freedom to hack, crack, and do all the evil you want. All you have to do is set up a small business and call yourself a record company.
As someone who works in the industry on the fleet mechanic side I have to disagree.
The OBD-II codes have been around and they are helpful for the most part. What has been needed are the non-standard manufacturer specific codes.
I wish I could purchase a good scan tool that would work on the major brands for $300. With software, leads, and adapters for domestic only I think our Mastertech package was over $2,800. That's domestic only, no imports, and it is never current. I'm just now getting updated for 2002 model year vehicles.
You are correct that it still takes a good mechanic to find the problem. A good mechanic stays current with his training. Todays mechanic is not a programmer, but he is a technician.
Using the scan tool to read diagnostic codes won't tell the mechanic exactly where the problem is. He has to know the systems well enough to understand what the on board computer is telling him. The ability to read the real time data stream is important too, maybe even more important than knowing waht the diagnostic codes mean.
It is important to understand how the on board computer arrived at the diagnostic code. You have to know what test is run, how it is run, and what the conditions for the test are. If you don't have that information then you are correct, the codes will be misleading.
Is that the same band that went to war with Ticketmaster for overcharging fans on ticket prices? Amazing. You would think they would........aw hell, you never can tell with these guys.
Especially since Pearl Jam became the Neil Young backup band.