Joking aside, how about Slashdot offering this as a public service? "Distributed Web Stress Testing". Put a button on the front page, saying "Click here to stress test this week/day's site". Charge the companies that ask you to stress test, send the proceeds to the EFF or similar.
Do they still call that dialer "PAL"? (Phone Access Lookup) If so, that's an old Compuserve Network Services package - very well done (but a bitch to support!)
Gric and Ipass are two providers that my company are investigating at the moment. Like the poster, we also use Compuserve for international roaming customers and the costs are excessive, we feel.
I'd like to see Quake running on this turdly P-133 I've typing on right now. Now THAT would impress me.
It works, try it. I frequently run Quake 2 between two Dell P133s with crappy old graphics cards (ie not 3D) - one is running a multiplayer server, works fine (apart from when my girlfriend finds the BFG before I do..).
matt
Don't worry too much, Hemos
on
WAP Bashing
·
· Score: 1
The feature has some good points; but I still find WAP to be almost entirely useless to me, compared to how it was supposed to have walked my dog, cooked dinner, dry cleaned my t-shirts, cloned me, traded currency derivative and played bridge well. Ah, well, I suppose that's an issue more of hyping then the actual protocol.
I wouldn't worry too much Hemos, I'm led to believe that Bluetooth will do all this Real Soon Now.
I worked for a while for Compuserve Network Services here in the UK and as a pre-sales engineer was issued with a Panasonic CF-25, what looks to be a predecessor of the Toughbook.
Obviously we took them apart;-)
The case was pretty thick aluminium. The screen had an extra protective screen over the front. The most fascinating thing was the hard drive, which was encased in a little coccoon of jelly.
I dropped the laptop a couple of times when the strap snapped on my Tenba bag, running through airports usually! The hinge cracked, but the laptop was ok.
ISTR seeing similar on pyro pages..take 2 refuse bags, fill one with an oxyacetelyne mix, and the other with helium. Tie together, attach slow-burning fuse, & release.
Years back, ERNIE (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) was the system used to pick Premium Bond numbers here in the UK. (Premium Bonds are basically "lottery tickets" sold by the UK Government - your investment doesn't make interest, but some of the interest gained by the scheme is payed back in the form of monthly prizes - currently the top prize is £1 million)
http://www.xrefer.com/entry/107493
ERNIE used to produce random numbers by measuring the fluctuations of light intensity in a number of neon tubes, in other words it was pretty well "white noise". I believe another similar "random" source is the junction of a zener diode.
Think I'd agree that this way of thinking used to be prevalent - I remember being taught rudimentary programming as part of a maths class in the early 80's, and the teacher informing the class that "women often make good computer programmers because they are used to reading knitting patterns...". Saying something like that these days would get you shot! (and rightly so)
Energis here in the UK are already doing something like this. Whilst they don't have fibre optic cores to cables, they took the opportunity (at least initially, they have have moved on now) to string fibre along the earth cables on transmission pylons. (UK pylons have an earth cable at the top to lessen damage from lightning strikes).
The beauty of such a method is that they already have legal rights-of way onto private land where the pylons may be situated.
(If you're REALLY bored you can visit this website for some pylon pictures!)
Links for goatsephobics: www.energis.net www.pylonofthemonth.co.uk
I was in a very similar position to you a couple of years ago. At that time I was a Systems Engineer for CompuServe/Worldcom here in the UK. We covered the UK & Scandinavia. Long work hours & international travel were really eating into my social life - I'd been single for 3 yrs & couldn't honestly see how I'd meet a partner working the hours I did.
Like you, I did on-call: fine when there are 5 engineers in the group, hey, it's only one week in five, right? Wrong...when 2 of them resign because of the pay/hrs, you end up doing it one week in three. And for this you got? £2000 p/a (about $3000 at that time).
After a particularly heavy week (4 countries in 7 days) I sat down & decided to re-evaluate my life. Was what I was being paid (MUCH MUCH less than the sales/marketing people, with no commission or company car) worth the continual colds, mouth ulcers, etc? No - I was running myself into the ground. My mother even offered me my old room back "just until you can sort yourself out" (I'm 35, by the way!)
Luckily after 5 months or so searching I found a job that was a 10 minute commute (instead of a 90 minute drive) with a local company. I'm now their Network Development Manager - so it means yes, occasionally I have to play politics, and I don't get to touch the toys as much either. I took a salary cut of £6000 (approx $8000) - but believe me, it was worth it for my health, if nothing else.
Sometimes you just have to take a step back & look at what you're doing. Hope you sort something out soon.
Matt
Re:So where IS all this bandwidth?
on
Telecosm
·
· Score: 1
Ahh, but I'm stuck here, 80 miles from London in the sticks with the carrot-crunchers (aka Swindon). I do take your point tho. What were L3 like?
So where IS all this bandwidth?
on
Telecosm
·
· Score: 3
Well, according to the European trade press, sitting in the ground, dark.
I don't know what the current situation is in the rest of the world, but certainly in the UK and the rest of Europe we're seeing the press state that the carriers have great gobs of fibre capacity going spare, and they're annoyed that they can't sell it.
But no bloody wonder when as a Network Manager I find myself having to pay £24,500 per annum for a 2M Internet connection (delivered on aforementioned fibres). Here in the UK we're being held back in business and at home by such high prices. I'd argue that it's regulatory bodies (in the UK, OFTEL) and predatory pricing by incumbent bodies (e.g. BT) that are holding back developments, NOT lack of capacity or content.
The car was unveiled on BBC Television's Tomorrow's World.
"Unveiled" is a bit over the top, I think. Did anyone else see the section? It must have lasted about 15-20 seconds (if that) and consisted of various shots of the car ponceing about some racetrack.
Barely any technical details (in fact the website has more, and that's saying something!). Lots of long shots of the car approaching from the distance & zooming past the camera. No interior shots as far as I recall. Certainly no engine shots. Occasional soft-focus/blur - a marketing executive's wet-dream.
Now ok, I'm not expecting miracles from Tomorrow's World - it's transmitted in the early evening just after the news, so it's aimed at the majority of viewers - by definition it can't be too technical. But this was just bubblegum, pure & simple.
This is already done in some computer centres. Many networking devices (not so sure about processing equipment) have an option for a 48 volt DC feed. Presumably this voltage was chosen as it's the standard line voltage for telephone systems.
Slashdot Mirror
I dunno...there might be people out there who actually WANT to be Slashdotted. Granted, I can't think of any off hand, but you never know.
Joking aside, how about Slashdot offering this as a public service? "Distributed Web Stress Testing". Put a button on the front page, saying "Click here to stress test this week/day's site". Charge the companies that ask you to stress test, send the proceeds to the EFF or similar.
Matt
Do they still call that dialer "PAL"? (Phone Access Lookup) If so, that's an old Compuserve Network Services package - very well done (but a bitch to support!)
Matt
Gric and Ipass are two providers that my company are investigating at the moment. Like the poster, we also use Compuserve for international roaming customers and the costs are excessive, we feel.
Matt
"Clicking on an executable attachment is a bit like taking a drink from an open bottle you found by the side of the road"
(I've probably messed that quote up, but you get the idea).
Matt
I'd like to see Quake running on this turdly P-133 I've typing on right now. Now THAT would impress me.
It works, try it. I frequently run Quake 2 between two Dell P133s with crappy old graphics cards (ie not 3D) - one is running a multiplayer server, works fine (apart from when my girlfriend finds the BFG before I do..).
matt
The feature has some good points; but I still find WAP to be almost entirely useless to me, compared to how it was supposed to have walked my dog, cooked dinner, dry cleaned my t-shirts, cloned me, traded currency derivative and played bridge well. Ah, well, I suppose that's an issue more of hyping then the actual protocol.
I wouldn't worry too much Hemos, I'm led to believe that Bluetooth will do all this Real Soon Now.
I *used* to like farm machinery.
I'm an extractor fan.
Matt
I worked for a while for Compuserve Network Services here in the UK and as a pre-sales engineer was issued with a Panasonic CF-25, what looks to be a predecessor of the Toughbook.
;-)
Obviously we took them apart
The case was pretty thick aluminium. The screen had an extra protective screen over the front. The most fascinating thing was the hard drive, which was encased in a little coccoon of jelly.
I dropped the laptop a couple of times when the strap snapped on my Tenba bag, running through airports usually! The hinge cracked, but the laptop was ok.
Matt
3. Read Slashdot while taking a dump (Thanks to 802.11 wireless networking).
Either it was a slow news day on Slashdot, or you're constipated, mate..
Matt
ISTR seeing similar on pyro pages..take 2 refuse bags, fill one with an oxyacetelyne mix, and the other with helium. Tie together, attach slow-burning fuse, & release.
Not that I condone this, of course...
Matt
>Freon is better and less noisy.
But also comes with less bragging points.
Matt
Years back, ERNIE (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) was the system used to pick Premium Bond numbers here in the UK. (Premium Bonds are basically "lottery tickets" sold by the UK Government - your investment doesn't make interest, but some of the interest gained by the scheme is payed back in the form of monthly prizes - currently the top prize is £1 million)
http://www.xrefer.com/entry/107493
ERNIE used to produce random numbers by measuring the fluctuations of light intensity in a number of neon tubes, in other words it was pretty well "white noise". I believe another similar "random" source is the junction of a zener diode.
Matt
>Cricket? But no one gets brutally beaten all to hell like in rugby!
:(
Unless you're the poor official kicked black & blue whilst protecting the stumps from "fans" trying to grab them for souvenirs.
(Happened over the weekend in a game here in the UK)
Matt
Think I'd agree that this way of thinking used to be prevalent - I remember being taught rudimentary programming as part of a maths class in the early 80's, and the teacher informing the class that
"women often make good computer programmers because they are used to reading knitting patterns...".
Saying something like that these days would get you shot! (and rightly so)
Matt
Here is a great site covering lots of other Cold War bunkers and radar sites. They are updating it all the time, adding pics, etc.
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/
Matt
Energis here in the UK are already doing something like this. Whilst they don't have fibre optic cores to cables, they took the opportunity (at least initially, they have have moved on now) to string fibre along the earth cables on transmission pylons. (UK pylons have an earth cable at the top to lessen damage from lightning strikes).
The beauty of such a method is that they already have legal rights-of way onto private land where the pylons may be situated.
(If you're REALLY bored you can visit this website for some pylon pictures!)
Links for goatsephobics: www.energis.net www.pylonofthemonth.co.uk
Matt
>Sure it's easy to install, but if you don'k know your win2k, the server is wide open for everyone(kinda like my old neighbor)
Where *exactly* did you say you lived again?
Dunno, but I know the difference between a planeload of Aussies & a planeload of Brits...
....a planeload of Brits keeps making a whining noise even after you turn the engines off.
Matt (a Brit)
I was in a very similar position to you a couple of years ago. At that time I was a Systems Engineer for CompuServe/Worldcom here in the UK. We covered the UK & Scandinavia. Long work hours & international travel were really eating into my social life - I'd been single for 3 yrs & couldn't honestly see how I'd meet a partner working the hours I did.
Like you, I did on-call: fine when there are 5 engineers in the group, hey, it's only one week in five, right? Wrong...when 2 of them resign because of the pay/hrs, you end up doing it one week in three. And for this you got? £2000 p/a (about $3000 at that time).
After a particularly heavy week (4 countries in 7 days) I sat down & decided to re-evaluate my life. Was what I was being paid (MUCH MUCH less than the sales/marketing people, with no commission or company car) worth the continual colds, mouth ulcers, etc? No - I was running myself into the ground. My mother even offered me my old room back "just until you can sort yourself out" (I'm 35, by the way!)
Luckily after 5 months or so searching I found a job that was a 10 minute commute (instead of a 90 minute drive) with a local company. I'm now their Network Development Manager - so it means yes, occasionally I have to play politics, and I don't get to touch the toys as much either. I took a salary cut of £6000 (approx $8000) - but believe me, it was worth it for my health, if nothing else.
Sometimes you just have to take a step back & look at what you're doing. Hope you sort something out soon.
Matt
Ahh, but I'm stuck here, 80 miles from London in the sticks with the carrot-crunchers (aka Swindon). I do take your point tho. What were L3 like?
Well, according to the European trade press, sitting in the ground, dark.
I don't know what the current situation is in the rest of the world, but certainly in the UK and the rest of Europe we're seeing the press state that the carriers have great gobs of fibre capacity going spare, and they're annoyed that they can't sell it.
But no bloody wonder when as a Network Manager I find myself having to pay £24,500 per annum for a 2M Internet connection (delivered on aforementioned fibres). Here in the UK we're being held back in business and at home by such high prices. I'd argue that it's regulatory bodies (in the UK, OFTEL) and predatory pricing by incumbent bodies (e.g. BT) that are holding back developments, NOT lack of capacity or content.
Matt
From the BBC website:
The car was unveiled on BBC Television's Tomorrow's World.
"Unveiled" is a bit over the top, I think. Did anyone else see the section? It must have lasted about 15-20 seconds (if that) and consisted of various shots of the car ponceing about some racetrack.
Barely any technical details (in fact the website has more, and that's saying something!). Lots of long shots of the car approaching from the distance & zooming past the camera. No interior shots as far as I recall. Certainly no engine shots. Occasional soft-focus/blur - a marketing executive's wet-dream.
Now ok, I'm not expecting miracles from Tomorrow's World - it's transmitted in the early evening just after the news, so it's aimed at the majority of viewers - by definition it can't be too technical. But this was just bubblegum, pure & simple.
Matt
That's certainly the case in the UK - sending your children to a "public" school (i.e. fee-paying) doesn't mean you can get a rebate on your taxes.
Matt
This is already done in some computer centres. Many networking devices (not so sure about processing equipment) have an option for a 48 volt DC feed. Presumably this voltage was chosen as it's the standard line voltage for telephone systems.
Matt