The worst came when I tried to Cancel my BroadVoice account. I followed BV's support page instructions and emailed billing with the exact information necessary. NO response. I called support several times to no avail.
Although I agree that their service is spotty depending on the type of broadband service you have, my experience with customer service was actually good with BV. I guess YMMV. All I did was fire off an email and they replied within the next day to cancel my service AND credited me back the full month that I used with them. I went with their BYOD (bring your own device) plan, however. When I emailed them about a problem with voicemail, they were on the ball within hours and left me a voicemail on the system to inform me that they tested my setup.
Then, quite simply, for most people who just want email and browsing it's more than sufficient for them.
Then a live Windows CD is all they need. For all other needs listed, they should be running an open source alternative -- more stable, cheaper, and can run on minimal hardware.
I could use Google Desktop Search to really search through it all.
Awesome idea. I'm gonna be doing this.
How about the command line tool, normalize?
on
Normalizing Music?
·
· Score: 1
Would you believe that there is a tool in Linux called normalize? It's a command line tool written by Chris Vaill. You may have to break up your wav file into different files. Here's the man page (sorry for the mashed-up text, but you get the picture):
NAME normalize adjusts volume levels of audio files. SYNOPSIS normalize [ options ][-- ] file... DESCRIPTION normalize is used to adjust the volume of wav audio files to a standard volume level. This is useful for things like creating mp3 mixes, where different recording levels on different albums can cause the volume to vary greatly from song to song. normalize operates in two phases. In the first phase, it analyzes the specified files as wav audio files, and computes the volume of each file. In the second phase, it applies a volume adjustment to each file to set each file s volume to a standard level. OPTIONS -a, --amplitude=AMPLITUDE Adjust the RMS volume to the target amplitude AMPLITUDE; must be between 0.0 and 1.0. If a number suffixed by "dB" or "dBFS" is specified, the amplitude is assumed to be in decibels from full scale. The default is -12dBFS. -b, --batch Enable batch mode: see BATCH MODE, below. -c, --compression Deprecated.In previous versions, this enabled the limiter,but now the limiter is enabled by default. --clipping Disable the limiter,and just clip any samples that are too large. Same effect as -l 0dBFS. --fractions Display all values as decimal fractions instead of in decibels. By default, volume adjustments are shown in decibels, and volume levels in dBFS, where 0 dBFS is the level of a square wave of max-imum amplitude. -g, --gain=GAIN Skip the volume computation phase: don t compute the volume adjustment from the current vol-umes of the files. Instead, just apply the given gain as a volume adjustment to all files. As a plain number this is just a multiplier applied to all samples, If a number suffixed by "dB" is specified, all volumes are adjusted by that many decibels. --id3-compat Use this option when adjusting MPEG audio files if your MP3 player does not recognize ID3v2.4 tags. See MPEG AUDIO ADJUSTMENT,below, for details. --id3-unsync Use this option when adjusting MPEG audio files if your MP3 player does not recognize ID3v2 tags and has trouble playing some ID3v2 tagged MP3 files. See MPEG AUDIO ADJUSTMENT, below, for details. -l, --limiter=LEVEL This controls the behavior of the limiter.By default, all samples above -6dBFS (0.5) are limited, but this option sets the limiting level toLEVEL.Setting LEVEL to 1 (or 0dBFS) does no limiting (clipping is done instead); setting LEVEL to 0 does limiting on all samples. The default value is recommended unless you know what you re doing. -m, --mix Enable mix mode: see MIX MODE, below. Batch mode and mix mode are mutually exclusive. -n, --no-adjust Compute and output the volume adjustment that would set the volume to the target, but don t apply it to any of the files (i.e. skip the second phase). If you use this option, your files will not be altered in any way. --no-progress Don t print any progress information. All other messages are printed as normal according to the verbosity level. --peak Adjust using peak levels instead of RMS levels. Each file will be adjusted so that its maximum sample is at full scale. This just gives a file the maximum volume possible without clipping; no normalization is done. -q, --quiet Don t output progress information. Only error messages are printed. -t, --average-threshold=THRESHOLD When averaging volume levels for batch mode or mix mode, throw out any volumes that are more than THRESHOLD decibels from the average. A high value here (say,50) will make sure that the volumes of all files are considered in the average. -T,--adjust-threshold=THRESHOLD If an adjustment to be made to a file is smaller than THRESHOLD decibels, consider the file already normalized and don t do the adjustment. This is 0.125 by default, or 0 if the -g option is given. -v,--verbose Increase verbosity.This option can be repeated
If you do IT and have Linux machines, then you will need programs to access the machines remotely. As mentioned by many comments previously, you will need an ssh client. I would like to also suggest you install an NX client from NoMachine.com. You can remotely access the GUI desktop on your Linux desktop (you'll need to install Free NX in your Linux box). Or you can install a VNC client and just about control any OS remotely.
(BTW, if anyone needs a top-flight, alpha geek UNIX geek with programming and network skills and over 10 years UNIX and linux experience, who HAS to telecommute because he lives in the middle of nowhere, send me an email.:)
Oh, I forgot to add "AND allows me to/. at work";-)
Calls from one of our cellphones tell the caller how many new voicemails are waiting, then distinctive-ring the phones, then go to voicemail.
I think it'll be a better setup if the system doesn't pick up on a cellphone call (for like 10 rings) and instead will call your cell phone back to tell you how many voicemails you have and play them. My mobile plan is setup such that the first minute is free -- I'd rather use that free minute for my voicemails rather than use up the minutes.
I apologize if this sounds like an advertisement, but have you looked into dedicated hosting services? Or the cheaper option is VPS hosting from places like RimuHosting or Linode.com? User mode linux in any of these two VPS plans can actually be very cost effective, especially if you run lots of sites each with low bandwidth needs since apache virtual hosting is allowed. Peter at RimuHosting is really knowledgeable and can help you setup the site the way you want it and will even help tweak it to its max performance. The cost is really affordable -- just skimp on Starbucks a couple times a month and you have it paid for.
I'm actually finally considering migrating my wife off of Win32
I had the wifey use Debian Linux for a while before her place of employment required us to use Windows again on the home PC. It was actually satisfying to hear her ask, "can't we have multiple virtual desktops in Windows like we did in Linux?" My experience just confirms your position -- Windows is "the man" who's bringing us down!
You at least have at least 3 non-work days. Although it's probably better for you to exercise every other day, my med school teacher said that exercising three days straight is better than no exercise during the week at all. So find the discipline to do that.
Secondly, find out how to commute smarter. Those 3 hours involve only you behind the wheel, then it's going to take a toll on you -- mentally and physically. Be creative on how to commute. For example, in the DC metro area, there's a growing phenomenon called slug lines, which are "unofficial meeting places where commuters catch free rides with drivers who need additonal riders to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes." If you don't have to drive, you can at least use that time for personal enrichment, like reading the paper, book, or listening to music or audiobooks, or you can do some work if you have a laptop, etc. That's 3 hours that you can have to yourself. If you buy an Archos AV340 and have a ReplayTV (or a networked TiVo) at home, you can even catch up on your favorite shows during the commute -- it makes the workday more bearable.
"a good idea comes from many ideas." It sounds like Carly Fiorina does not truly understand how research and development is funded. If an exec comes in thinking that all ideas and prototypes that come out of the lab must have an economical payout, then they will commit innovation suicide. Give a little slack and allow the engineers and researchers do what they do best -- create. If you make them worry about their job or their wallet, then that's wasted brain energy that could have been put to good use for creativity.
Some venture capitalists (which I think Carly was before joining HP) truly understand the nature of the beast, which is why we often hear about companies, crazy ideas, or projects the VCs back that should have never had funding in the first place. Fund lots of ideas, one of them will be a great one.
I find it strange that/.ers aren't clamoring more for SVG growth and development. I understand that SVG is under the radar because development tools are rare. I can't see how we can tout standards in many other aspects of the internet but not this.
Depends on the business. For most non-mission critical types of businesses and small businesses, then sure, google enterprise package would be great. But for the big companies and industries such as health care, then redundant email systems are very important (and critical) -- if part of the internet is down and I can't access sites west of the mississippi, then hopefully there's an accessible server on the east side of the mississippi that I can reach. Can anyone tell me with authority how redundant google's email service is? I mean, just two days ago I had an access error (502 error) from gmail telling me to try again later--at least now it's beta, but in an enterprise setting that won't fly.
I know this will sound like an advertisement. But if you are a parent, you MUST read some of Mel Levine's work. He's a pediatrician whose sole work is to encourage and teach children how to maximize their learning based on their aptitude. If I can explain the gist of his beliefs, he believes the school systems today are too reliant on performance based on standardized tests; parents are too hung up on "college prep" when they should be stuck on teaching their children "life prep;" and there is no such thing as "well-roundedness" (by packing a child's schedule with unneeded even detrimental extracurricular activities) and he labels it "mental obesity."
Each child is wired differently and it's the schools job to identify how the child is wired and to approach their teaching according to how the child learns, rather than sticking with the current monolithic system that essentially espouses the "one size fits all" model. As a parent it is imperative that you learn how your child learns and foster that. He believes that the current system is one of the reasons why there are so many children returning home from college, "living in the basement," with nary an idea of what to do with their lives or what steps to take next because all their lives, decisions were made for them.
One thing that he advocates quite vocally is that children should read more biographies. His reasoning is that if they are interested in a certain field, biographies give a glimpse of the "untold" aspects of the career that is often overlooked, like office politics and the social involvements required in certain careers.
You can also learn more about his organization All Kinds of Minds online.
Also, for a quick "intro" of his program, you can hear an online interview with him by Susan Page at the Diane Rehm Show. He talks about everything from the current school system to the increasing diagnoses of ADHD among children.
Sounds like you could use an internal website with a calendar to schedule loan times. In fact, I was looking into such a system for my department. Unfortunately, google is inundated with non-open source (read: non-free) software. But if you find one that suits you (or develop a site yourself) you could advertise the "office hours" when you will be there for equipment pickup and allow people to login and sign up for equipment in available time slots. That way, you have a digital record of who has what AND it's automatically logged and blocked off so others can work their schedule around it without involving you (that's the most important part). Make it a policy that if they haven't logged their loan request in the system, then they can't take the equipment. If you have the site developed well enough, then with this policy you minimize ID fraud since the criminal not only has to have the right personal ID card, but the would have to know the login and password for the appointment system.
I realize that I haven't given a suggestion on how to NOT be there in person when lending the equipment out, but I'm in line with the other suggestions that you should hire an underling to do it if you can't do it--that's most cost effective.
In my university, the IDs are now smartcards. Assuming that you also have this system, you could possibly use a smartcard reader for access to a secure room (ask the facility staff to do this). A smartcard reader on a PC with a barcode reader (to scan a barcode on the equipment, you do use barcodes for inventory management don't you?) could possibly be used to log the actually equipment transaction without you being there, but that's still insecure and takes staff training, yuck.
Turning off Flash is great solution. Hopefully the annoying uses of Flash will lead to more focused attention on SVG development. I'm all for open standards, but Flash is so ubiquitous right now that I wonder if SVG usage will grow beyond a threshold of public awareness. We need a popular application for SVG like there is Firefox/Mozilla for the browser world.
True for the/. crowd you won't need to define blog, but the vast majority of my colleagues -- at a university no less -- do not know what it is. They may have heard of it, but still do not know how it works.
My best suggestion would be to go sneakernet -- get yourself a small removeable storage medium (an iPod, a USB drive, a floppy, a digitil camera, whatever), and just transfer the files from one machine to the other that way.
I agree. Assuming that the complication here is that he needs the laptop running Windows as a VPN client to work, all the other suggestions such as SAMBA or live Linux CD won't work. But I wonder, does the VPN also shut out port 5900? If it doesn't, he can always run a VNC server and use the Mac to control the laptop desktop. I know you can't file share from Mac to the laptop or vice versa that way, but if he's just wanting to use one computer at home, then this is another option to the sneakernet.
Mac mini is the next TiVo unit?
on
Apple to Buy TiVo?
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
A cursory glance certainly highlights pros of an Apple/TiVo merger:
1. Mac mini can be a TiVo unit (just use the S-Video out adapter for your TV set). Although it'll need a TV card (wish they'd come out with something like the Hauppauge Nexus-S satellite TV card). 2. Next generation iPod Photo will probably be iPod Video with content that can be transferred from your TiVo unit (the Mac mini) to your iPod Video portable unit. 3. Apple is probably not happy with just distributing music media (via its iTunes store) but is looking to the future to also provide downloadable video content via an "iVideo" store--what better way to do that than to buy the TiVo customer base and offer them this content. 4. Apple can ensure that the saved video content has the right digital stamps (a la.AAC but for video) to restrict transfer of video to approved "devices" such as other TiVo units or portable accessories.
The one downside I see in this merger is that Apple will probably concentrate less and less on the service of "timeshifting" (i.e. drop it entirely), unless they can ensure that users have a right to that material. READ: unless the bigwigs of TV land is happy about how Apple handles digital rights management of timeshifted/saved content. Although timeshifting and saving media for later viewing is currently acceptable, the logical path that this technology leads to, is the ability to share that content or make it portable--something that is not yet acceptable among Hollywood and the TV networks.
Please overlook my seemingly sarcastic title, but in all seriousness, can any of you please let me know if you're solely in the field of "bioinformatics" and if you are, how happy are you? To many of us, gratification is measured in so many different ways---albeit monetarily or academically such as by the amount of publications, tenure, or student satisfaction---so please clarify how you view your current position's gratification. My impression with this whole "bioinformatics" craze is that there is little in the way of career paths for pure _bioinformaticians_. Rather, researchers tend to learn a few bioinformatics tools here and there when they need to, but at the end of the day, they're still just biologists, chemists, clinical scientist, etc. Am I wrong?
Listening to long mp3's on my player
on
SCALE 3X Audio Series
·
· Score: 2, Informative
Whenever I listen to mp3s that are more than 15 minutes long, I like to cut them up into smaller more digestible chunks for easier navigation in my portable player. The tool I use is mp3splt. As podcasts become more and more popular and ubiquitous, this is a utility that you should keep in your linux toolbox.
Reading the following excerpt of the mindfully.com article, I was intrigued at how this thermal depolymerization process was invented. It reminded me so much of how VaPOOrize was invented (go ahead, follow that Dreamworks link, it's funny, plus Dreamworks supports MPAA anyway, so slashdotting it does a body good):
That's the challenge that Baskis, a microbiologist and inventor who lives in Rantoul, Illinois, confronted in. the late 1980s. He says he "had a flash" of insight about how to improve the basic ideas behind another inventor's waste-reforming process. "The prototype I saw produced a heavy, burned oil," recalls Baskis. "I drew up an improvement and filed the first patents." He spent the early 1990s wooing investors and, in 1996, met Appel, a former commodities trader. "I saw what this could be and took over the patents," says Appel, who formed a partnership with the Gas Technology Institute and had a demonstration plant up and running by 1999.
So where does all this offal go? It just disappears, "up and out" like magic? Put in s#$t in and out comes sweet nectar of the gods. Sounds too good to be true if you ask me---unless there's a bioprocess in there somewhere or a collection of energy from solar or geothermal heat or something along those lines, the amount of energy put in to do this TDP thing sounds too costly (think "Conservation of Energy").
Slashdot Mirror
Although I agree that their service is spotty depending on the type of broadband service you have, my experience with customer service was actually good with BV. I guess YMMV. All I did was fire off an email and they replied within the next day to cancel my service AND credited me back the full month that I used with them. I went with their BYOD (bring your own device) plan, however. When I emailed them about a problem with voicemail, they were on the ball within hours and left me a voicemail on the system to inform me that they tested my setup.
I have an account, the password is:
1...2...3...4...5
Brilliant! Just like my luggage combo.
Then a live Windows CD is all they need. For all other needs listed, they should be running an open source alternative -- more stable, cheaper, and can run on minimal hardware.
Awesome idea. I'm gonna be doing this.
Would you believe that there is a tool in Linux called normalize? It's a command line tool written by Chris Vaill. You may have to break up your wav file into different files. Here's the man page (sorry for the mashed-up text, but you get the picture):
NAME normalize adjusts volume levels of audio files. SYNOPSIS normalize [ options ][-- ] file... DESCRIPTION normalize is used to adjust the volume of wav audio files to a standard volume level. This is useful for things like creating mp3 mixes, where different recording levels on different albums can cause the volume to vary greatly from song to song. normalize operates in two phases. In the first phase, it analyzes the specified files as wav audio files, and computes the volume of each file. In the second phase, it applies a volume adjustment to each file to set each file s volume to a standard level. OPTIONS -a, --amplitude=AMPLITUDE Adjust the RMS volume to the target amplitude AMPLITUDE; must be between 0.0 and 1.0. If a number suffixed by "dB" or "dBFS" is specified, the amplitude is assumed to be in decibels from full scale. The default is -12dBFS. -b, --batch Enable batch mode: see BATCH MODE, below. -c, --compression Deprecated.In previous versions, this enabled the limiter,but now the limiter is enabled by default. --clipping Disable the limiter,and just clip any samples that are too large. Same effect as -l 0dBFS. --fractions Display all values as decimal fractions instead of in decibels. By default, volume adjustments are shown in decibels, and volume levels in dBFS, where 0 dBFS is the level of a square wave of max-imum amplitude. -g, --gain=GAIN Skip the volume computation phase: don t compute the volume adjustment from the current vol-umes of the files. Instead, just apply the given gain as a volume adjustment to all files. As a plain number this is just a multiplier applied to all samples, If a number suffixed by "dB" is specified, all volumes are adjusted by that many decibels. --id3-compat Use this option when adjusting MPEG audio files if your MP3 player does not recognize ID3v2.4 tags. See MPEG AUDIO ADJUSTMENT,below, for details. --id3-unsync Use this option when adjusting MPEG audio files if your MP3 player does not recognize ID3v2 tags and has trouble playing some ID3v2 tagged MP3 files. See MPEG AUDIO ADJUSTMENT, below, for details. -l, --limiter=LEVEL This controls the behavior of the limiter.By default, all samples above -6dBFS (0.5) are limited, but this option sets the limiting level toLEVEL.Setting LEVEL to 1 (or 0dBFS) does no limiting (clipping is done instead); setting LEVEL to 0 does limiting on all samples. The default value is recommended unless you know what you re doing. -m, --mix Enable mix mode: see MIX MODE, below. Batch mode and mix mode are mutually exclusive. -n, --no-adjust Compute and output the volume adjustment that would set the volume to the target, but don t apply it to any of the files (i.e. skip the second phase). If you use this option, your files will not be altered in any way. --no-progress Don t print any progress information. All other messages are printed as normal according to the verbosity level. --peak Adjust using peak levels instead of RMS levels. Each file will be adjusted so that its maximum sample is at full scale. This just gives a file the maximum volume possible without clipping; no normalization is done. -q, --quiet Don t output progress information. Only error messages are printed. -t, --average-threshold=THRESHOLD When averaging volume levels for batch mode or mix mode, throw out any volumes that are more than THRESHOLD decibels from the average. A high value here (say,50) will make sure that the volumes of all files are considered in the average. -T,--adjust-threshold=THRESHOLD If an adjustment to be made to a file is smaller than THRESHOLD decibels, consider the file already normalized and don t do the adjustment. This is 0.125 by default, or 0 if the -g option is given. -v,--verbose Increase verbosity.This option can be repeated
If you do IT and have Linux machines, then you will need programs to access the machines remotely. As mentioned by many comments previously, you will need an ssh client. I would like to also suggest you install an NX client from NoMachine.com. You can remotely access the GUI desktop on your Linux desktop (you'll need to install Free NX in your Linux box). Or you can install a VNC client and just about control any OS remotely.
Oh, I forgot to add "AND allows me to
I think it'll be a better setup if the system doesn't pick up on a cellphone call (for like 10 rings) and instead will call your cell phone back to tell you how many voicemails you have and play them. My mobile plan is setup such that the first minute is free -- I'd rather use that free minute for my voicemails rather than use up the minutes.
Can Asterisk do that?
I apologize if this sounds like an advertisement, but have you looked into dedicated hosting services? Or the cheaper option is VPS hosting from places like RimuHosting or Linode.com? User mode linux in any of these two VPS plans can actually be very cost effective, especially if you run lots of sites each with low bandwidth needs since apache virtual hosting is allowed. Peter at RimuHosting is really knowledgeable and can help you setup the site the way you want it and will even help tweak it to its max performance. The cost is really affordable -- just skimp on Starbucks a couple times a month and you have it paid for.
I had the wifey use Debian Linux for a while before her place of employment required us to use Windows again on the home PC. It was actually satisfying to hear her ask, "can't we have multiple virtual desktops in Windows like we did in Linux?" My experience just confirms your position -- Windows is "the man" who's bringing us down!
You at least have at least 3 non-work days. Although it's probably better for you to exercise every other day, my med school teacher said that exercising three days straight is better than no exercise during the week at all. So find the discipline to do that.
Secondly, find out how to commute smarter. Those 3 hours involve only you behind the wheel, then it's going to take a toll on you -- mentally and physically. Be creative on how to commute. For example, in the DC metro area, there's a growing phenomenon called slug lines, which are "unofficial meeting places where commuters catch free rides with drivers who need additonal riders to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes." If you don't have to drive, you can at least use that time for personal enrichment, like reading the paper, book, or listening to music or audiobooks, or you can do some work if you have a laptop, etc. That's 3 hours that you can have to yourself. If you buy an Archos AV340 and have a ReplayTV (or a networked TiVo) at home, you can even catch up on your favorite shows during the commute -- it makes the workday more bearable.
"a good idea comes from many ideas." It sounds like Carly Fiorina does not truly understand how research and development is funded. If an exec comes in thinking that all ideas and prototypes that come out of the lab must have an economical payout, then they will commit innovation suicide. Give a little slack and allow the engineers and researchers do what they do best -- create. If you make them worry about their job or their wallet, then that's wasted brain energy that could have been put to good use for creativity.
Some venture capitalists (which I think Carly was before joining HP) truly understand the nature of the beast, which is why we often hear about companies, crazy ideas, or projects the VCs back that should have never had funding in the first place. Fund lots of ideas, one of them will be a great one.
I find it strange that /.ers aren't clamoring more for SVG growth and development. I understand that SVG is under the radar because development tools are rare. I can't see how we can tout standards in many other aspects of the internet but not this.
Depends on the business. For most non-mission critical types of businesses and small businesses, then sure, google enterprise package would be great. But for the big companies and industries such as health care, then redundant email systems are very important (and critical) -- if part of the internet is down and I can't access sites west of the mississippi, then hopefully there's an accessible server on the east side of the mississippi that I can reach. Can anyone tell me with authority how redundant google's email service is? I mean, just two days ago I had an access error (502 error) from gmail telling me to try again later--at least now it's beta, but in an enterprise setting that won't fly.
I know this will sound like an advertisement. But if you are a parent, you MUST read some of Mel Levine's work. He's a pediatrician whose sole work is to encourage and teach children how to maximize their learning based on their aptitude. If I can explain the gist of his beliefs, he believes the school systems today are too reliant on performance based on standardized tests; parents are too hung up on "college prep" when they should be stuck on teaching their children "life prep;" and there is no such thing as "well-roundedness" (by packing a child's schedule with unneeded even detrimental extracurricular activities) and he labels it "mental obesity."
Each child is wired differently and it's the schools job to identify how the child is wired and to approach their teaching according to how the child learns, rather than sticking with the current monolithic system that essentially espouses the "one size fits all" model. As a parent it is imperative that you learn how your child learns and foster that. He believes that the current system is one of the reasons why there are so many children returning home from college, "living in the basement," with nary an idea of what to do with their lives or what steps to take next because all their lives, decisions were made for them.
One thing that he advocates quite vocally is that children should read more biographies. His reasoning is that if they are interested in a certain field, biographies give a glimpse of the "untold" aspects of the career that is often overlooked, like office politics and the social involvements required in certain careers.
His two most popular books:
A Mind at a Time
Ready or Not, Here Life Comes
You can also learn more about his organization All Kinds of Minds online.
Also, for a quick "intro" of his program, you can hear an online interview with him by Susan Page at the Diane Rehm Show. He talks about everything from the current school system to the increasing diagnoses of ADHD among children.
I believe you can also install mplayer-plugin for mozilla and have a setting to save all temporary file streams...here it is, use the option "keep-download=1".
Sounds like you could use an internal website with a calendar to schedule loan times. In fact, I was looking into such a system for my department. Unfortunately, google is inundated with non-open source (read: non-free) software. But if you find one that suits you (or develop a site yourself) you could advertise the "office hours" when you will be there for equipment pickup and allow people to login and sign up for equipment in available time slots. That way, you have a digital record of who has what AND it's automatically logged and blocked off so others can work their schedule around it without involving you (that's the most important part). Make it a policy that if they haven't logged their loan request in the system, then they can't take the equipment. If you have the site developed well enough, then with this policy you minimize ID fraud since the criminal not only has to have the right personal ID card, but the would have to know the login and password for the appointment system.
I realize that I haven't given a suggestion on how to NOT be there in person when lending the equipment out, but I'm in line with the other suggestions that you should hire an underling to do it if you can't do it--that's most cost effective.
In my university, the IDs are now smartcards. Assuming that you also have this system, you could possibly use a smartcard reader for access to a secure room (ask the facility staff to do this). A smartcard reader on a PC with a barcode reader (to scan a barcode on the equipment, you do use barcodes for inventory management don't you?) could possibly be used to log the actually equipment transaction without you being there, but that's still insecure and takes staff training, yuck.
Turning off Flash is great solution. Hopefully the annoying uses of Flash will lead to more focused attention on SVG development. I'm all for open standards, but Flash is so ubiquitous right now that I wonder if SVG usage will grow beyond a threshold of public awareness. We need a popular application for SVG like there is Firefox/Mozilla for the browser world.
True for the /. crowd you won't need to define blog, but the vast majority of my colleagues -- at a university no less -- do not know what it is. They may have heard of it, but still do not know how it works.
I agree. Assuming that the complication here is that he needs the laptop running Windows as a VPN client to work, all the other suggestions such as SAMBA or live Linux CD won't work. But I wonder, does the VPN also shut out port 5900? If it doesn't, he can always run a VNC server and use the Mac to control the laptop desktop. I know you can't file share from Mac to the laptop or vice versa that way, but if he's just wanting to use one computer at home, then this is another option to the sneakernet.
Thawing out old bacteria is not a new discovery--what's interesting here is that it is older bacteria.
The more interesting question about possible unicellular organisms in Mars is whether they share a common ancestor with Earth's unicellular organisms or did they develop independently of each other. If there is a link/common ancestor, then the currently weak theory of panspermia (life exists and is distributed throughout the universe in the form of germs or spores) would have a big boost in support. Also see this article about possible space bugs written over 2 years ago.
A cursory glance certainly highlights pros of an Apple/TiVo merger:
.AAC but for video) to restrict transfer of video to approved "devices" such as other TiVo units or portable accessories.
1. Mac mini can be a TiVo unit (just use the S-Video out adapter for your TV set). Although it'll need a TV card (wish they'd come out with something like the Hauppauge Nexus-S satellite TV card).
2. Next generation iPod Photo will probably be iPod Video with content that can be transferred from your TiVo unit (the Mac mini) to your iPod Video portable unit.
3. Apple is probably not happy with just distributing music media (via its iTunes store) but is looking to the future to also provide downloadable video content via an "iVideo" store--what better way to do that than to buy the TiVo customer base and offer them this content.
4. Apple can ensure that the saved video content has the right digital stamps (a la
The one downside I see in this merger is that Apple will probably concentrate less and less on the service of "timeshifting" (i.e. drop it entirely), unless they can ensure that users have a right to that material. READ: unless the bigwigs of TV land is happy about how Apple handles digital rights management of timeshifted/saved content. Although timeshifting and saving media for later viewing is currently acceptable, the logical path that this technology leads to, is the ability to share that content or make it portable--something that is not yet acceptable among Hollywood and the TV networks.
Please overlook my seemingly sarcastic title, but in all seriousness, can any of you please let me know if you're solely in the field of "bioinformatics" and if you are, how happy are you? To many of us, gratification is measured in so many different ways---albeit monetarily or academically such as by the amount of publications, tenure, or student satisfaction---so please clarify how you view your current position's gratification. My impression with this whole "bioinformatics" craze is that there is little in the way of career paths for pure _bioinformaticians_. Rather, researchers tend to learn a few bioinformatics tools here and there when they need to, but at the end of the day, they're still just biologists, chemists, clinical scientist, etc. Am I wrong?
Whenever I listen to mp3s that are more than 15 minutes long, I like to cut them up into smaller more digestible chunks for easier navigation in my portable player. The tool I use is mp3splt. As podcasts become more and more popular and ubiquitous, this is a utility that you should keep in your linux toolbox.
So where does all this offal go? It just disappears, "up and out" like magic? Put in s#$t in and out comes sweet nectar of the gods. Sounds too good to be true if you ask me---unless there's a bioprocess in there somewhere or a collection of energy from solar or geothermal heat or something along those lines, the amount of energy put in to do this TDP thing sounds too costly (think "Conservation of Energy").