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User: Nate+B.

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  1. Meanwhile, out here in the sticks... on AT&T To Match Google Fiber In Kansas City, Charge More If You Want Privacy · · Score: 1

    AT&T takes our money and builds infrastructure in customer rich locations like KCMO, DFW, etc. Even here in the county seat where I work all AT&T can offer is DSL, or at least they did at one time. Out of town? Nevermind, all you'll get is dial tone. AT&T has done ZERO infrastructure upgrades in our rural area within the past 30 years ago or so. It is really inexcusable, IMO. But then it is becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy as fewer customers are keeping their landline phone which has prompted AT&T to run FUD ads trying to scare people into buying a landline for "peace of mind". Despicable.

    The local WISP thus has no competition and is now quite slow to update anything. 512 kbps is all they can muster out to where I live and during daylight hours it's generally much slower. I guess I should be glad I no longer rely on dialup any more.

  2. Re:So roll your own. on Is Modern Linux Becoming Too Complex? · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, there are some that are intent on doing just that despite being labeled "haters" even though their motivations have nothing to do with "hate". Disagreement does not mean hatred. So long as the Linux kernel does not require specific user space software or versions, those of us who prefer a more traditional approach will be fine.

  3. Re:Be careful... on Codec2 Project Asks FCC To Modernize Regulations · · Score: 1

    Please, don't "work" on your son. The last thing he needs is to think that he's obligated to participate in dad's hobby. If/when he shows an interest then guide but don't press him. Pressing can only leave a bad impression of amateur radio on him if he clearly is not interested. Enjoy your participation in the hobby and perhaps he'll find it interesting in its own right. If so, great, if not, don't let your ego get bruised.

    Also, amateur radio appeals to those interested in radio for radio's sake and experimenting with technologies on top of that. Comparing it to commercial telecom services really does amateur radio a disservice. The two aren't even in the same universe. Let's get away from repeating the mistake of comparing amateur radio to commercial services.

  4. Re:parenting on AT&T To Start Data Throttling Heaviest Users · · Score: 1

    Well, this is cheaper for the carriers to implement than building the infrastructure to support their over selling.

  5. Re:Gnome on KDE 4.7.0 Released · · Score: 2

    Perhaps it's not as prevalent but it does exist in KDE as well. Mind that I was dedicated KDE user after 3.4 hooked me. I stuck with it until 4.4.something, or about a year ago on Debian. I installed a second video card and KDE4 lost its mind and barfed widgets, apps, and desktop backgrounds everywhere. I dumped it in short order, tried GNOME which coped better with the setup only by a matter of degree. I then gave XFCE4 a spin and it handles my Zaphod heads independent desktops like a champ. Session restoration does what I expect by putting apps back on the screen/desktop I prefer them and doesn't bork backgrounds or panels either.

    The download/installation footprint of KDE these days makes it a non-starter to see if things have improved with respect to handling independent desktops. If it's working for someone else, that's great. I'm not going back.

  6. Re:Holding back? on Lennart Poettering: BSD Isn't Relevant Anymore · · Score: 1

    Do you have a link to make this claimed "Plug in USB speakers and have audio come out" actually work? I'm not trolling as I'd really like to know. I nearly tore my hair out trying to find one bit of documentation on doing just that as all I found was post after post on removing PA and then writing a ~/.asoundrc to make the USB speakers work which is what I did. But if you have a link to any sort of documentation (and don't point me to the PA site as it is as useless as tits on a boar hog for end user docs) please do post it.

    Thus far I have to agree with those arguing against PA as I've simply been unable to achieve any of PAs claimed benefits/features.

  7. Re:Holding back? on Lennart Poettering: BSD Isn't Relevant Anymore · · Score: 1

    Some months back I decided to install PA on my Debian laptop so I could plug my USB Logitech speakers in and have them work. It didn't. (I was frustrated as KDE has a nice GUI to set sound device ordering but I don't use KDE any longer, opting for XFCE) I spent all manner of time reading FAQs and using my Googlefu, all to no avail. Seems that what does not exist in the PA universe is a sane bit of documentation for the end user on how to configure and use the POS. I wound up with a simple hack to ~/.asoundrc that lets me use the speakers. It is inelegant and it works.

    I'd really like to use its claimed features but it only seems useful as the volume slider on a Ubuntu desktop. Any use case beyond that violates GNOME HID or some such nonsense.
     

  8. Re:No problem! on Our Lazy Solar Dynamo — Hello Dalton Minimum? · · Score: 2

    Are you arguing that there was never any concern about a near-future ice age back in the '70s? If you are, then you may wish to re-examine your facts as it was there, in full scare-force as the warming scare has been ongoing for the past decade. While I was in elementary school (3rd or 4th grade in the early '70s) we were shown a series of films that portended the coming ice age and that where I live right now would be under a glacier in 40 years or so time, i.e. right now (there is only a dusting of snow although the temp is -12C ATM)! The propaganda was out there even then and there is no denying that fact.

  9. Re:Presentation this week. on Codec2 — an Open Source, Low-Bandwidth Voice Codec · · Score: 1

    Why not LGPL2? You still get the ability of having any code under any license linking to the codec but contributions to the codec must be released under the LGPL2. Seems like a very smart (and best) way to do it to me.

  10. Re:depends on where the repeater is on Amateur Radio In the Backcountry? · · Score: 1

    Perhaps, but not wise, IMHO. Some years ago there was a case in California where a hiker got into hot water for transmitting on the local sheriff's frequency to report a legitimate emergency. The FCC did nothing to defend the radio amateur for using any means at his disposal during an emergency. Since then my advice is that radio amateurs do not have carte blanche access to the frequencies of other radio services even during a legitimate emergency.

    In short, transmitting outside the amateur radio bands opens one up to any legal actions from all entities up to and including the FCC.

  11. At the end of the day on Followup To "When Teachers Are Obstacles To Linux" · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Ignorance is the most expensive commodity in the USA today. And we pay for that ignorance on a daily basis.

    Hopefully Ken has been able to push the frontiers of ignorance back just a little. Sometimes it requires a jolt to get that moment moving and I think that both Ken and Karen have learned a lot about jumping to conclusions. Here's hoping that Karen will now become an ally to Ken and his project.

  12. Re:No surprise on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    If anyone is conservative, it's the European Union whose member states ban such things, limit speech, and limit travel.

    That's not conservative, that's authoritarian.

    In the USA conservatism gravitates toward more power to the individual and less to the government, especially the federal government.

  13. Re:Duh. on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why even bother to have elections any more then? Let's just put Mensa in charge and walk away. That should work, right. Right?

  14. Re:No surprise on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is a good example of how journalists should be providing
    a lot of useful information, so much so that there's enough
    real information there to allow the audience to make up their
    own mind and counteract whatever bias might be obvious in those
    presenting it.

    Exactly. Had the media been doing their constitutional duty rather than merely cheerleading the outcome during the primaries would have been decidedly different for both parties. For McCain the cheerleading had been going on since 2000 and for Obama since his convention speech in 2004. But since the media has gravitated toward large top-down government, these are the candidates they promote, and why there really was no choice between the major party candidates in this election.

  15. Re:That's nothing on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 0, Troll

    Under-qualified? She was emminently qualified as she met the Constitutional requirements for the office. That is all that is necessary.

  16. Re:UK is *very* different on Is the US Ready For the Switch To DTV? · · Score: 1

    1. I wasn't the GP, pops.

    2. For many (most?) commercial stations, the transmitter is on 168 hours/week. If the average employee works 40 hours/week, that's four employees plus some overtime or part time help.

    3. Your $20/hour for the transmitter works out to $3360/week or $174720/year. Now, that may be a drop in the bucket as far as the overall cost of operating the station goes, but that's a rather fair chunk of change in my book and/or a lot of windmills turning.

  17. Re:UK is *very* different on Is the US Ready For the Switch To DTV? · · Score: 1

    The employee is only costing $20/hr for eight hours a day, five days a week (or thereabouts) while the transmitter is going 24/7/365. Electricity is definitely a significant part of a broadcaster's budget especially when studio and other ancillary equipment is figured in.

  18. Re:I have a feeling on Is the US Ready For the Switch To DTV? · · Score: 1

    Ummmm, you could buy them an antenna and install it for them as a Christmas (or some such) gift? Just a thought as that's what I do.

  19. Re:ah, what about the backends? on MythTV Allows Multiple Front-Ends On Wide Range of Platforms · · Score: 1

    I found that this changed in Myth 0.21 and now has several playback "profiles". I would up choosing the "High Quality" profile which taxes the CPUs, but improved the playback dramatically. I am now pleased with the performance of my MythTV setup, especially since it consists of less than $100 of video hardware.

    Thanks for the tip that got me looking in the right direction.

  20. Re:ah, what about the backends? on MythTV Allows Multiple Front-Ends On Wide Range of Platforms · · Score: 1

    I started playing with MythTV about two and one half weeks ago. I installed an FX5200 based card with S-Video out and found that my TV was very adamant about not working with the S-Video to composite cable as the video level was very low and color too saturated. I even tried a second cable and then tried the S-Video output from my RCA DirecTV receiver with better results as the picture level and color was good but onscreen graphics (such as on ESPN) would ghost to the right. I now capture from the receiver's S-Video out with my PVR-150 and the picture is pleasing to me, so the issue is with my TV, a Zenith I bought in 1993.

    I bought an Averkey iMicro VGA to TV out device and while it too looks good, I notice some frame chopping of high motion video, such as a car or motorcycle race, and color dithering. So this is not ideal but it is watchable.

    I would like to find an adjustable S-Video to composite converter as my TV is working just fine and really just needs an acceptable composite signal. Anyone?

  21. Re:Marketing on Ubuntu Is Hyper-Active At OSCON · · Score: 1

    I have no issues with Ubuntu and as a Debian user I believe their work has largely benefited me as a Debian user. My point is that no matter how shiny, the person on the street will respond with, "U what?", at the mention of Ubuntu.

    Ubuntu is not Apple. Thankfully.

    Agreed, and neither Ubuntu nor the larger F/OSS community should aspire to be Apple. We just need to focus on the areas where F/OSS is a natural fit and allow Apple to be the designer label of consumer tech. The success of F/OSS does not hinge on "taking" Apple's market share.

  22. Re:Marketing on Ubuntu Is Hyper-Active At OSCON · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think the "problem" is a bit deeper than most people will care to admit. Apple is a common word and the name of a computer company with 30+ years of history behind it. Mention ipod or iphone and even non-techies can identify the company behind it.

    Ubuntu sounds multicultural and foreign. No offense, but most people will readily identify Apple and remain cautious about Ubuntu. That may not be what anyone here wants to read, but I don't think the Free Software desktop can go head-on with Apple with the Ubuntu name leading the way and expect the Free Software desktop to be anything but roadkill in Apple's wake, no matter how shiny it is.

    The grandparent has swerved into the truth, Apple is an exclusive brand that is hot now and has been hot for several years. Likewise, Linux and F/OSS is its own exclusive brand that appeals to a different group of people. I don't fault Mr. Shuttleworth for trying to improve the Free Desktop as I think it's a worthy goal. I just think it's a fool's game to try to out-Apple Apple.

  23. Re:In other news, hell freezes over on Shuttleworth Sees Possibility For a QT-based GNOME · · Score: 1

    That's a dichotomy that I've never understood. We can have all manner of multiple brands of the same product, but people seem to believe that only one brand of software is all that there should be. It doesn't bother me that multiple desktops exist, only that we can communicate.

    This is what's important, just like roads and gas for cars and electricity for electronic equipment, file formats are the infrastructure that data lives in, so the battle for open and usable file formats is far more critical than the look and feel of a desktop environment.

  24. Re:Hopefully. on Mars Had an Ancient Impact Like Earth · · Score: 1

    And add to all of the above that somewhere else where all this has happened like here, there is a Slashdot site discussing this very matter.

  25. Re:Time Zones on Firefox Download Day To Start At 1 p.m. EST · · Score: 3, Informative

    No. 1 PM EST would be 2 PM EDT.

    "Spring forward. Fall back"

    I agree that for a world wide product such as Firefox, UTC would have been the proper time frame to use.