This article, while superficially about making beer, is really about the DIY movement in general, and seeing it as essential for Middle America as it moves ever more in the direction of "knowledge work". I think it is key that we encourage people to be "makers" again, for both the therapeutic value, and the innovation that results from backyard experimentation.
I'll definitely be sharing this article with everyone I know.
I'm using one right now and I like it. I've had 1GB of RAM installed the entire time I've been using it, so I suspect that the comments regarding the 512MB being the bottleneck might be right on.
Another thing that I have noticed that might be affecting performance is the presence of the "IBM Active Protection System." This locks the HD heads when it senses movement that may cause damage to the hard drive. The feature works well for extending HD life.
Problem is that on a Tablet, you're always jiggling the thing around and APS keeps "pausing" the hard drive, impacting disk performance. You can play with the sensitivity settings and this really seems to help. (You can also completly disable if you wish)
Bungie posts all kinds of statistics for Halo 2 games played over Xbox Live on their website. You can then subscribe to an RSS feed for your own games.
I saw a pretty cool app that used this feed as in essence the "delta changes" to the database and it would keep a local database of your game statistics (and others) up to date using RSS. Then you could run all kinds of custom reports not available on bungie.net.
Actually, that's a pretty good idea. Originally I was going to point out this line from the company's statement that everyone seems to be ignoring:
"These sources were not included because their sites are inaccessible."
Which I took to mean that the Chinese government is blocking those sites, so rather than giving you a bunch of inaccessible links, Google is filtering them out. An argument could be made they are providing a better service by only giving you links that actually work.
But your idea of including the Censored indicator is a perfect solution to the problem. No dead links to wade through, but you know how much of a topic your government has decided you shouldn't see.
I used to preach this too, until I realized that this isn't always a possibility.
A friend of mine, who is a sworn Linux-only user, stopped by to help his father with his home Windows machine. Seems that it was constantly infected with viruses. He took it offline, cleaned it up, put it back on the Net, and WHAM! Within like 15 seconds it was infected again.
When he was done cussing Microsoft and explaining this to me, I pretty much responded the same way you did. Doesn't he have a router/firewall? I mean come on, they're not that expensive. Sheesh! That's what I use on my Windows network, along with keeping current on patches and AntiVirus software, and I've never been infected!
Turns out the problem was that only one company offered high-speed Internet access in his area (it was fairly rural), and they only offered one type of cable modem - that only connected via USB. No Ethernet interface whatsoever.
I've found (the hard way, several times) that just making blanket statements like this doesn't take into account that there are very frequently exceptions you may have not thought of, and just ends up alienting people rather than helping them.
Is the Windows Firewall the be all to end all? No. Will it be extremely helpful to certain people in certain situations? Most definitely. And I think that MS turning it on by default is taking a positive step in helping people who don't know much about this stuff protect their computers. Once they learn more, or know someone who does, they can configure it in a more "intelligently streamlined" fashion. In the meantime, it's a least a step in the right direction.
The IBM PC was based on the 8088, which was a cheaper version of the 8086. (The sucessive generations of the 8086 were the 80286, 80386, and 80486 - more commonly known as 286,386, and 486)
* Print out the document and send it however you like. Assuming you've been giving the "Print" authority.
* Take screenshots and send the images as JPEGs. Yup, you're right - I don't see any way they can prevent this one
* Use the built-in fax modem to fax it somewhere Again, if you have "Print" authority
* Copy the text into the clipboard and paste it into another app. Assuming you have "Copy" authority. (I'm assuming). They can display a "Read-only" doc in a window where text is nonselectable. (For instance, Word's Help|About box is like this.)
The exploits are endless. You'd have to cripple the entire operating system while the document is open.
You're right again, I'm sure a dedicated hacker could find a way to grab the info as it's opened. Of course, in the US, this would be a DMCA violation.
Of course, this makes me wonder if the Screen Captures could be considered a DMCA violation...
It's possible the FBI did not "publicly announce" the arrest. The article sources an "US Official". It's very possible the FBI told the White House of the impending arrest, and the White House "leaked it."
Just a theory, but you have to pay attention to the source of the information.
Ok, so I was reluctant when I first picked up and started reading... After all, I'm fairly proficient in JavaScript already... and if I needed some cool DHTML scripts, I could just visit a good site... However, the book managed to both surprise and impress me, a great combination to have in a book.
As much fun as it is to blame Microsoft, the fault is not entirely theirs. (This time.) We can certainly blame them for the vulnerability in the first place, but they made the patch for this available on July 16th - plenty of time for responsible sysadmins to get it in place, and/or time to receive it if you use "Automatic updates" that Microsoft makes available for the less inclined.
This just goes to show that people are still not taking patching seriously enough.
You may want to check this out then!
on
NES PC
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· Score: 1
Actually, there is a huge flaw in your Insurance = Protection Racketeer analogy.
In insurance, you are paying into a third party money pool to be there when you need it. (Granted said third party is getting rich off of this money.) When something happens, you put in a claim to pay a second party. In the "Protection" scheme, you are paying off the second party directly.
Insurance's says: "Your money, or your life. It's your choice." to use your fear of the unknown to market to you.
Protectors say: "Your money, or your life. It's your choice." as a direct threat.
It was coming in at the time that the Saturn and PSX were reigning ( or at least beginning to reign), ie, it was dead before it came out. Hmmm... Jag in 93; PSX, Saturn in 94 - the Jag was already a year old when these systems were introduced. Unfortunately, Atari was spending no money to market it, so you may not have heard about it until much later in it's life.
I remember when Atari was reduced to/ desperate enough to say the jaguar constituted a 64-bit machine. It had two 32 bit processors, and they pawned that off as meaning it was 64 bit. Actually, the Jag had 5 total processors..3 graphic processors (32,64,64), a DSP (64), and a Motorola 68000 (32). The system bus was 64 bits wide, also. However, the claim that this was a true 64-bit machine were a little overstated. It really only performed 64-bit operations in limited situations.
no cdrom drive Actually there was a CD-ROM add-on
poor if any 3D hardware support Now you've actually hit on the problem. Atari blew it - they built the ultimate 2D machine when everyone else was designing consoles with 3D support. And everyone waited for them.
joypads that looked more like overly complex numpads I'm not sure what's complex about numpads. I love the Jag's controller. It fits nicely in your hands, and I don't cramp up after hours of play. Wish I could say the same for the PS2's cramped, button overpopulated controller. However, the rest of the market seems to agree with you. So I guess I'm wrong.;)
I daresay that it was behind the times, and died accordingly. Unfortunately true because of said 3D issue above. So overall you're right - it was the wrong machine for the time - but your facts are a little sketchy. Combine no 3D support and no marketing and it was a doomed machine.
My point is, you look at Greenbacks and you know you're looking at $US. No hip pretty colors, but worldwide recognition of a solid economy. That's why I say they're stately. Remember what your Mom told you about not judging a book by it's cover?
Re:Certainly a step in the right direction...
on
Greenbacks No More
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· Score: 1
Why don't we at least have a $250 or $500 and a $1000? Again, the dollar has become severly devalued in the last couple decades and it would be smart to start introducing larger bills again.
While it's true that a dollar isn't worth what it used to be, something else has changed as well. Most large transactions are not conducted with cash. Plastic and EFT usually take care of that now. I can't think of a single time in my life I was wishing for a $250.
I think your dancing around something but not seeing it:
They are going to encounter a ton of resitance from US citizens. Heck, just read the messages in this disussion so far, and you'll see that even geeks, the ones you think would be more interested in new things and change, are freaking out, and attacking the idea even though there's not a single valid complaint that I've seen so far.
Think about that: people not normally resistant to change are resistant to this. Maybe there's something to that! The point is to US Citizens Greenbacks are as important a symbol of our country as the Flag, the Statue of Liberty, or the Liberty Bell. Imagine how the French would feel if someone suggested painting the Eiffel tower in all different neons to make it stand out more.
Frankly, I don't get what's so hard about it. The numbers are represented as large digits on all four corners on both sides. (1,5,10,20) It is written out in English on the bottom on both sides (ONE DOLLAR)
Granted, it's a system I grew up with, but now looking at least the 1,10, & 20 objectively - they are clearly marked. Particularly the newer bills have bigger numbers.
I frequently go to Canada, and I've become accustomed to their monetary system as well. However, I don't feel the bright colors really help differentiate the bills - it just makes them seemer less stately, more Disney.
To read data, the tip is heated to 570 degrees -- not hot enough to deform the plexiglass -- and pulled across the surface. When it falls into a dent, the tip cools because more surface area is in contact with the cooler plexiglass. That temperature drop reduces its electrical resistance, which can be easily measured.
To erase data, a hot tip is passed over the dent, causing it to pop up.
I wish people actually read the article before posting comments like they know what they're talking about!
Slashdot Mirror
This article, while superficially about making beer, is really about the DIY movement in general, and seeing it as essential for Middle America as it moves ever more in the direction of "knowledge work". I think it is key that we encourage people to be "makers" again, for both the therapeutic value, and the innovation that results from backyard experimentation.
I'll definitely be sharing this article with everyone I know.
Funny... nobody complains that you can't die a real death in Halo...
Perhaps you can win "Microsoft Points" or whatever they're called in Xbox Live.
I'm using one right now and I like it. I've had 1GB of RAM installed the entire time I've been using it, so I suspect that the comments regarding the 512MB being the bottleneck might be right on.
Another thing that I have noticed that might be affecting performance is the presence of the "IBM Active Protection System." This locks the HD heads when it senses movement that may cause damage to the hard drive. The feature works well for extending HD life.
Problem is that on a Tablet, you're always jiggling the thing around and APS keeps "pausing" the hard drive, impacting disk performance. You can play with the sensitivity settings and this really seems to help. (You can also completly disable if you wish)
Bungie posts all kinds of statistics for Halo 2 games played over Xbox Live on their website. You can then subscribe to an RSS feed for your own games.
I saw a pretty cool app that used this feed as in essence the "delta changes" to the database and it would keep a local database of your game statistics (and others) up to date using RSS. Then you could run all kinds of custom reports not available on bungie.net.
Actually, that's a pretty good idea. Originally I was going to point out this line from the company's statement that everyone seems to be ignoring:
"These sources were not included because their sites are inaccessible."
Which I took to mean that the Chinese government is blocking those sites, so rather than giving you a bunch of inaccessible links, Google is filtering them out. An argument could be made they are providing a better service by only giving you links that actually work.
But your idea of including the Censored indicator is a perfect solution to the problem. No dead links to wade through, but you know how much of a topic your government has decided you shouldn't see.
I used to preach this too, until I realized that this isn't always a possibility.
A friend of mine, who is a sworn Linux-only user, stopped by to help his father with his home Windows machine. Seems that it was constantly infected with viruses. He took it offline, cleaned it up, put it back on the Net, and WHAM! Within like 15 seconds it was infected again.
When he was done cussing Microsoft and explaining this to me, I pretty much responded the same way you did. Doesn't he have a router/firewall? I mean come on, they're not that expensive. Sheesh! That's what I use on my Windows network, along with keeping current on patches and AntiVirus software, and I've never been infected!
Turns out the problem was that only one company offered high-speed Internet access in his area (it was fairly rural), and they only offered one type of cable modem - that only connected via USB. No Ethernet interface whatsoever.
I've found (the hard way, several times) that just making blanket statements like this doesn't take into account that there are very frequently exceptions you may have not thought of, and just ends up alienting people rather than helping them.
Is the Windows Firewall the be all to end all? No. Will it be extremely helpful to certain people in certain situations? Most definitely. And I think that MS turning it on by default is taking a positive step in helping people who don't know much about this stuff protect their computers. Once they learn more, or know someone who does, they can configure it in a more "intelligently streamlined" fashion. In the meantime, it's a least a step in the right direction.
Close but no cigar on the PC.
The IBM PC was based on the 8088, which was a cheaper version of the 8086. (The sucessive generations of the 8086 were the 80286, 80386, and 80486 - more commonly known as 286,386, and 486)
Assuming you've been giving the "Print" authority.
* Take screenshots and send the images as JPEGs.
Yup, you're right - I don't see any way they can prevent this one
* Use the built-in fax modem to fax it somewhere
Again, if you have "Print" authority
* Copy the text into the clipboard and paste it into another app.
Assuming you have "Copy" authority. (I'm assuming). They can display a "Read-only" doc in a window where text is nonselectable. (For instance, Word's Help|About box is like this.)
The exploits are endless. You'd have to cripple the entire operating system while the document is open.
You're right again, I'm sure a dedicated hacker could find a way to grab the info as it's opened. Of course, in the US, this would be a DMCA violation.
Of course, this makes me wonder if the Screen Captures could be considered a DMCA violation...
Just a theory, but you have to pay attention to the source of the information.
From the summary:
... After all, I'm fairly proficient in JavaScript already ... and if I needed some cool DHTML scripts, I could just visit a good site ... However, the book managed to both surprise and impress me, a great combination to have in a book.
Ok, so I was reluctant when I first picked up and started reading
Emphasis mine.
Shouldn't be hard to convince the people that believed Bill Gates would send them $1 for every person they forwarded that email to!
So explain to me how deregulation caused the huge blackouts of 1965 and 1978?
This just goes to show that people are still not taking patching seriously enough.
Exercise Decathalon
It's called "photic sneeze reflex". I have it and so does my Mom. Here's a quick blurb on it.
"Dude, You're not getting a floppy!"
hmm. I wonder what kind of feedback loop that would send it into?
...
intruder! burn it!
fire! put it out!
intruder! burn it!
fire! put it out!
intruder! burn it!
fire! put it out!
Actually, there is a huge flaw in your Insurance = Protection Racketeer analogy.
In insurance, you are paying into a third party money pool to be there when you need it. (Granted said third party is getting rich off of this money.) When something happens, you put in a claim to pay a second party. In the "Protection" scheme, you are paying off the second party directly.
Insurance's says: "Your money, or your life. It's your choice." to use your fear of the unknown to market to you.
Protectors say: "Your money, or your life. It's your choice." as a direct threat.
The first is distasteful, the second is a crime.
It was coming in at the time that the Saturn and PSX were reigning ( or at least beginning to reign), ie, it was dead before it came out.
Hmmm... Jag in 93; PSX, Saturn in 94 - the Jag was already a year old when these systems were introduced. Unfortunately, Atari was spending no money to market it, so you may not have heard about it until much later in it's life.
I remember when Atari was reduced to/ desperate enough to say the jaguar constituted a 64-bit machine. It had two 32 bit processors, and they pawned that off as meaning it was 64 bit.
Actually, the Jag had 5 total processors..3 graphic processors (32,64,64), a DSP (64), and a Motorola 68000 (32). The system bus was 64 bits wide, also. However, the claim that this was a true 64-bit machine were a little overstated. It really only performed 64-bit operations in limited situations.
no cdrom drive
Actually there was a CD-ROM add-on
poor if any 3D hardware support
Now you've actually hit on the problem. Atari blew it - they built the ultimate 2D machine when everyone else was designing consoles with 3D support. And everyone waited for them.
joypads that looked more like overly complex numpads
I'm not sure what's complex about numpads. I love the Jag's controller. It fits nicely in your hands, and I don't cramp up after hours of play. Wish I could say the same for the PS2's cramped, button overpopulated controller. However, the rest of the market seems to agree with you. So I guess I'm wrong.
I daresay that it was behind the times, and died accordingly.
Unfortunately true because of said 3D issue above. So overall you're right - it was the wrong machine for the time - but your facts are a little sketchy. Combine no 3D support and no marketing and it was a doomed machine.
My point is, you look at Greenbacks and you know you're looking at $US. No hip pretty colors, but worldwide recognition of a solid economy. That's why I say they're stately. Remember what your Mom told you about not judging a book by it's cover?
While it's true that a dollar isn't worth what it used to be, something else has changed as well. Most large transactions are not conducted with cash. Plastic and EFT usually take care of that now. I can't think of a single time in my life I was wishing for a $250.
They are going to encounter a ton of resitance from US citizens. Heck, just read the messages in this disussion so far, and you'll see that even geeks, the ones you think would be more interested in new things and change, are freaking out, and attacking the idea even though there's not a single valid complaint that I've seen so far.
Think about that: people not normally resistant to change are resistant to this. Maybe there's something to that!
The point is to US Citizens Greenbacks are as important a symbol of our country as the Flag, the Statue of Liberty, or the Liberty Bell. Imagine how the French would feel if someone suggested painting the Eiffel tower in all different neons to make it stand out more.
P.S. We should go metric, though.
Granted, it's a system I grew up with, but now looking at least the 1,10, & 20 objectively - they are clearly marked. Particularly the newer bills have bigger numbers.
I frequently go to Canada, and I've become accustomed to their monetary system as well. However, I don't feel the bright colors really help differentiate the bills - it just makes them seemer less stately, more Disney.
Just my $.02 US
Who knows? Maybe the car that was about to run over him just looked like a really challenging opponent?
I think it's a little premature to assume this was an bolt for "freedom."
To read data, the tip is heated to 570 degrees -- not hot enough to deform the plexiglass -- and pulled across the surface. When it falls into a dent, the tip cools because more surface area is in contact with the cooler plexiglass. That temperature drop reduces its electrical resistance, which can be easily measured. To erase data, a hot tip is passed over the dent, causing it to pop up.
I wish people actually read the article before posting comments like they know what they're talking about!