Take out the space between the 4 and the 16 and the link will work fine.
Did you try that? Did it work for you? When I try http://help.broadband.att.com/ all I get is "UNRESOLVED_HOSTNAME". The domain itself is dead, not just that URL.
Technically, I don't think anyone had a "static" IP.
Actually, I did. It was 24.16.253.108. And I had fixed DNS addresses, too. They were 24.0.224.33 and 24.0.224.34. Now they're dynamic and it's causing me fits configuring my network. I had to convert the firewall from the fixed addresses to DHCP and, mostly because I don't know what I'm doing:-), I can't see the DNS servers from my LAN, but I can at the firewall itself. Before it was no problem because I just pointed each PC to the static DNS addresses, but now I can't because their addresses change, so I'm going to have to do DNS on the firewall. Oh, well, it's an opportunity to learn more about TCP/IP, DNS, and Linux:-)
I have mixed feelings about all this. We got back up today, which is not bad considering.
The minus is we lost our static IP address, which means we can't let it leak through the firewall to VPN into work anymore -- now we're back to physically bypassing the firewall to work from home.
The plus -- and it's a big one -- is the new Subscriber's Agreement. Under @Home we were not allowed to run a "server" -- any server. They did not allow http or ftp or anything else. ATTBI say:
Customer acknowledges that when using the Service there are certain applications such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server or HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) server which may be used by other persons or entities to allow such other persons or entities to gain access to Customer's Equipment. Customer is solely responsible for the security of the Customer Equipment or any other equipment Customer chooses to use in connection with the Service, including without limitation any data stored on such equipment. Neither AT&T Broadband nor its affiliates shall have any liability whatsoever for any claims, losses, actions, damages, suits or proceedings resulting from, arising out of or otherwise relating to the use of such applications by Customer, or the access by others to the Customer Equipment or other equipment of Customer.
In other words, if you run an FTP server and someone downloads your files, it's your problem not theirs. In other words, they don't care! They also say:
Customer agrees not to use a dynamic DNS to associate a host name with such dynamic IP connection(s) for any commercial purpose.
But that also means you can use dynamic DNS to associate a host hame to your dynamic IP for non-commercial purposes. Way cool -- I like that a lot!
But I'm bummed at losing the static IP. And myname@Home sounded better than myname@ATTBI. I just hope that I'm not forced to switch to AOL or MSN next month.
[Linux]
only works for them because you're there to administrate it for them. Have they every tried to add a printer? An external hard drive? A sound card?
You haven't had the pleasure of Windows XP, have you? So far I have not been able to get my scanner or my CD-RW drive to work with it. Like it or not, Windows needs an administrator, too. The difference between Linux and Windows is that everyone knows Linux needs an admin, while Micro$oft is bending over backward to make you think you don't need one for Windows. But anyone who works in an office knows better.
My wife works at Micro$oft and is expected to load her own software and do other tasks that in my office are done by the admin, yet even they still have admins. If Micro$oft needs admins for their Windoze boxes, what makes you think tato22's mom and little sister don't?
It's extortion. AT&T made an offer to buy the network from excite@home and the bond holders didn't think that it was high enough. They think that AT&T or some other entity who has an interest in having the network operational will make a better offer when they are under a more real threat of having the network turned off.
cNet says "Attorneys for the bondholders insist that cable companies are playing a 'game of chicken,'"
Seems to me the bondholders are the ones playing chicken. I don't get it: "The network is worth more than you're offering. Pay us more or at midnight the network goes down!" "OK, fine, shut it down; then the network will be worth zero." Seems to me the bondholders made a bad investment and are trying to get their money back. That's the risk they took; they should be big boys and take their lumps, like everyone else who lost on the.com bubble burst. 30 cents on the dollar is better than nothing.
Funny how not too long ago the cable companies said they couldn't possibly allow competition, that @Home was the only game allowed. Too bad they didn't listen to us customers and allow us to choose our own ISP.
According to this Reuters story, "AT&T Corp. (NYSE:T - news) is expected by Monday to receive offers from Cox Communications Inc., Comcast Corp., and AOL Time Warner Inc. to take over its broadband cable television unit, as well as a proposal by Microsoft Corp. for an investment of up to $3 billion to $5 billion, sources familiar with the situation said."
I don't get it. Why can't you play a multi-player game by yourself? Or won't it run without a second copy running on another PC? But then, how do you start the first copy, or do you have to start them all at the same time? I don't get it.
OK, so how do I get everyone I know to use GPG as well? It won't work unless everyone else uses it, too. I'm with you on this, but I need help convincing the rest of the world that unless you encrypt everything then encryption is worthless. This is especially difficult when my brother, sister, father-in-law, and damn near everyone else I know believes with all their heart and soul that the only reason to encrypt anything is if you have something to hide, and by extension the only reason to fear government intrusion into your personal life is if you have something to hide.
I really believe the only way to have a secure society is if encryption is totally banned, and everything is open and public. Sure, go ahead and put a webcam in my bedroom -- but first, what's the address of the webcam in George W's bedroom, the governor's bedroom, the mayor's bedroom, the sherrif's bedroom, etc. If they have nothing to hide, then I have nothing to hide. I would welcome my bedroom webcam under those conditions.
I note that nobody's proposing that we all read John Ashcroft's personal mail. I also note that Dubya dropped his personal email after the election, because he knew Presidential email was open to eventual public scrutiny. I further note that he has blocked the relase of his father's Vice-Presidential records. Nice double standard, eh?
That doesn't bother me nearly as much as the reaction I get when I ask my brother, sister, father-in-law, etc. to please explain why the double standard doesn't bother them. I'm about to disown my family, the cretins.
When is the industry going to realize that the only difference between digital and analog, in the eyes of the consumer, is ease of use?
Never, because that's not the only difference. If it was the only difference, I wouldn't have two copies of several movies, one on VHS and the other on DVD. Digital is better. It looks better and it sounds better. To Hell with the bonus material -- they could sell us most of it on a 2nd VHS tape if they really wanted -- I buy DVD for the digital sound and picture.
As for ease of use, VHS is better, because I fast-forward through the FBI warning and commercials, then note the time on the counter and write that on the label. From then on I just FF to 10:15 or whatever and press Play. So it's:
DVD: Insert disk, press Play, wait through the warnings and ads, watch video.
VHS: Insert tape, FF through the warnings and ads, press Play, watch video.
There's one difference between Win9x giving all users "admin" level access and WinNT/2K/XP having a real Administrator account: When you load an application (like Office or Quake) on Win9x, you are the only user who sees it. You have to manually put the shortcuts on the other user's Start/Programs menus. When you load an application on NT as Administrator, all users will then see it. This is the sort of stuff people don't grok, and M$ appears to want to keep them ignorant of any need for an Admin.
I guess when you cater to the lowest common denominator you have to treat all your customers like idiots. Sort of like television.
Fortunately, they don't go down often enough to bother. But if it happens again, I might. Also, I'm running a LRP single-floppy firewall, sticking to the KISS principle, so adding DNS on top of that would bend the rules and possibly force me to switch to a bootable CD or - gasp! - add a hard drive.
This post is a letter to the editor, not a reply to a news item.
My post will be modded down; Mr. Katz' will not. This is not fair. There is always room for improvement, and this points out two glaring holes in Slashcode:
Slashdot needs an editorial page, where the Powers That Be can pontificate their opinions separate from the news.
And Slashdot needs a Letters column, where readers can bitch about duplicate stories, etc., without relevant insightful posts disappearing below the threshold due to "Offtopic" moderation.
Too bad there's no way to propose such an improvement... (despite what the FAQ says, they don't appear open to suggestions [have they ever answered your email?], so as far as I can see that's not a viable option)
Unquestionably, the ability to "see" connected devices makes troubleshooting and customer care somewhat easier.
I've had the @Home techs admit over the phone that their DNS was down, and in the next breath blame my problems on me because I'm running a Linux firewall. Every time I call them I must disconnect the home network and connect a Windows PC (no Macs or Unix or anything not from billg) directly to the cable modem. I can't even go through my hub, even though I pay for two IP addresses (how they expect me to use two addresses on one cable modem without a hub is anybody's guess).
So, do you have another source for the quote, or should we just take your word for it?
Sadly, no. I heard this on television last fall, from his lips (remember his daddy's famous quote?). He did say it -- I remember it because I thought it was an amazing statement from a candidate for the Presidency. But I don't have it on video tape. And I, too, have only found this one reference on the web. I've considered paying the Houston Chronicle'sregistration fee to search their archives, but that could be a waste of money -- who knows if they have it? I may break down and pay it anyway. Naturally, the Texas Governor's Office doesn't have it on their web site.
If anyone can provide another reference, I'd greatly appreciate it. But he did say it.
The whole point of distros is that most users are incapable of administering a system.
I doubt that's the whole point of distros, but that's another topic.
You make a very good point, one that is lost on most PC users. Like it or not, the average PC user must become an admin. I'm talking home users here. Most business users enjoy some sort of support at work, but when they go home they think they can run their personal PCs on their own. Or worse, they think they can run it like a toaster, with no thought or planning.
WindowsME was the last Microsoft OS that users could safely ignore; with XP someone should play Administrator (hopefully a parent). Microsoft is trying desperately to dispell this rumor, but there's no denying it: Each user requires their own account, and someone must decide (and implement) what level of access each user gets to each resource. I think the wakeup call will come when their teenager trashes their Quicken files because everyone in the house has Administrator privilages.
What does any of that have to do with Linux? Well, if we wish to promote Linux (or *BSD) as a viable alternative to Windows on the desktop then we'll need more than KDE or Gnome, we'll also need tools that make administration easy. And we need some guidance in making the decisions that cannot be set by default, such as who has access to the family bank records and who has access to the adult games (do you really want your 6 year old to play Quake?).
Business Opportunity: If you want to make some money, write "Linux administration for Dummies". If you want to make a ton of money, write "Windows XP administration for Dummies."
A local Seattle comedy show, Almost Live!, did a spot-on parody of him (with his hushed, almost heavy breathing voice) that had him painting a cabin in the woods, with "smoke coming out of the chimney, and a window, and in the window we see a women coming out of the shower, she's naked, and..."
You can't have both, it just doesn't work like that. If you run new software, expect it to fall over occasionally. If you want stable software, you'll have to wait for the people who ran it when it was new software to find and report the bugs...
Yes, I know. However, my specific comment was about the 2.4.x kernel. How long before that is considered stable? Lots of other distros use it, why not Debian? I don't mind beta testing the occasional application, but as I said I'm running Red Hat now and I'm looking to upgrade, and I want the 2.4.x kernel. So that rules out Debian, which is too bad because other than the older kernel it's exactly what I'm looking for. So I'm going to try Mandrake, which from what I understand should indicate my willingness to be a beta tester:-)
Telling schools to download an ISO is nowhere close to the support M$ is going to give them. If you want to give these kids a real alternative you've got to hold their (the school's) hands to help them get started. Remember, Open Software is just as new to most teachers as it will be to the students.
Perhaps I was too brief, but I meant that Red Hat, Sun, etc. should step in and offer to load their software on the hardware M$ is buying. Of course the schools are free to replace Windoze with Linux or *BSD or even DR-DOS if they wish, but like the majority of PC owners they won't, they'll stick with what came loaded on the box. If you want to break that cycle, you'll have to do it actively, not passively.
I doubt my local school district is one of the 14,000 poorest, but if it is I'll be right there in M$'s face offering to upgrade at least some of those PCs to Open Software. It would be nice if I had Red Hat and Sun (or whoever) backing me up.
Slashdot Mirror
The minus is we lost our static IP address, which means we can't let it leak through the firewall to VPN into work anymore -- now we're back to physically bypassing the firewall to work from home.
The plus -- and it's a big one -- is the new Subscriber's Agreement. Under @Home we were not allowed to run a "server" -- any server. They did not allow http or ftp or anything else. ATTBI say:
In other words, if you run an FTP server and someone downloads your files, it's your problem not theirs. In other words, they don't care! They also say:But that also means you can use dynamic DNS to associate a host hame to your dynamic IP for non-commercial purposes. Way cool -- I like that a lot!But I'm bummed at losing the static IP. And myname@Home sounded better than myname@ATTBI. I just hope that I'm not forced to switch to AOL or MSN next month.
My wife works at Micro$oft and is expected to load her own software and do other tasks that in my office are done by the admin, yet even they still have admins. If Micro$oft needs admins for their Windoze boxes, what makes you think tato22's mom and little sister don't?
Seems to me the bondholders are the ones playing chicken. I don't get it: "The network is worth more than you're offering. Pay us more or at midnight the network goes down!" "OK, fine, shut it down; then the network will be worth zero." Seems to me the bondholders made a bad investment and are trying to get their money back. That's the risk they took; they should be big boys and take their lumps, like everyone else who lost on the .com bubble burst. 30 cents on the dollar is better than nothing.
Funny how not too long ago the cable companies said they couldn't possibly allow competition, that @Home was the only game allowed. Too bad they didn't listen to us customers and allow us to choose our own ISP.
So it looks like we'll either be forced onto iComcast, Scientology.net^H^H^H^H^H^HEarthLink, AOL, or MSN.
I'm rooting for Comcast as the least objectionable option. Oh, well, back to 24,000bps dialup for me!
OK, so how do I get everyone I know to use GPG as well? It won't work unless everyone else uses it, too. I'm with you on this, but I need help convincing the rest of the world that unless you encrypt everything then encryption is worthless. This is especially difficult when my brother, sister, father-in-law, and damn near everyone else I know believes with all their heart and soul that the only reason to encrypt anything is if you have something to hide, and by extension the only reason to fear government intrusion into your personal life is if you have something to hide.
I really believe the only way to have a secure society is if encryption is totally banned, and everything is open and public. Sure, go ahead and put a webcam in my bedroom -- but first, what's the address of the webcam in George W's bedroom, the governor's bedroom, the mayor's bedroom, the sherrif's bedroom, etc. If they have nothing to hide, then I have nothing to hide. I would welcome my bedroom webcam under those conditions.
I note that nobody's proposing that we all read John Ashcroft's personal mail. I also note that Dubya dropped his personal email after the election, because he knew Presidential email was open to eventual public scrutiny. I further note that he has blocked the relase of his father's Vice-Presidential records. Nice double standard, eh?
That doesn't bother me nearly as much as the reaction I get when I ask my brother, sister, father-in-law, etc. to please explain why the double standard doesn't bother them. I'm about to disown my family, the cretins.
Never, because that's not the only difference. If it was the only difference, I wouldn't have two copies of several movies, one on VHS and the other on DVD. Digital is better. It looks better and it sounds better. To Hell with the bonus material -- they could sell us most of it on a 2nd VHS tape if they really wanted -- I buy DVD for the digital sound and picture.
As for ease of use, VHS is better, because I fast-forward through the FBI warning and commercials, then note the time on the counter and write that on the label. From then on I just FF to 10:15 or whatever and press Play. So it's:
DVD: Insert disk, press Play, wait through the warnings and ads, watch video.
VHS: Insert tape, FF through the warnings and ads, press Play, watch video.
Same difference, really.
Given the education you received, know wonder you're upset.
I guess when you cater to the lowest common denominator you have to treat all your customers like idiots. Sort of like television.
This post is a letter to the editor, not a reply to a news item.
My post will be modded down; Mr. Katz' will not. This is not fair. There is always room for improvement, and this points out two glaring holes in Slashcode:
Too bad there's no way to propose such an improvement... (despite what the FAQ says, they don't appear open to suggestions [have they ever answered your email?], so as far as I can see that's not a viable option)
I've had the @Home techs admit over the phone that their DNS was down, and in the next breath blame my problems on me because I'm running a Linux firewall. Every time I call them I must disconnect the home network and connect a Windows PC (no Macs or Unix or anything not from billg) directly to the cable modem. I can't even go through my hub, even though I pay for two IP addresses (how they expect me to use two addresses on one cable modem without a hub is anybody's guess).
Customer Care? WTF is that?
Sadly, no. I heard this on television last fall, from his lips (remember his daddy's famous quote?). He did say it -- I remember it because I thought it was an amazing statement from a candidate for the Presidency. But I don't have it on video tape. And I, too, have only found this one reference on the web. I've considered paying the Houston Chronicle's registration fee to search their archives, but that could be a waste of money -- who knows if they have it? I may break down and pay it anyway. Naturally, the Texas Governor's Office doesn't have it on their web site.
If anyone can provide another reference, I'd greatly appreciate it. But he did say it.
I doubt that's the whole point of distros, but that's another topic.
You make a very good point, one that is lost on most PC users. Like it or not, the average PC user must become an admin. I'm talking home users here. Most business users enjoy some sort of support at work, but when they go home they think they can run their personal PCs on their own. Or worse, they think they can run it like a toaster, with no thought or planning.
WindowsME was the last Microsoft OS that users could safely ignore; with XP someone should play Administrator (hopefully a parent). Microsoft is trying desperately to dispell this rumor, but there's no denying it: Each user requires their own account, and someone must decide (and implement) what level of access each user gets to each resource. I think the wakeup call will come when their teenager trashes their Quicken files because everyone in the house has Administrator privilages.
What does any of that have to do with Linux? Well, if we wish to promote Linux (or *BSD) as a viable alternative to Windows on the desktop then we'll need more than KDE or Gnome, we'll also need tools that make administration easy. And we need some guidance in making the decisions that cannot be set by default, such as who has access to the family bank records and who has access to the adult games (do you really want your 6 year old to play Quake?).
Business Opportunity: If you want to make some money, write "Linux administration for Dummies". If you want to make a ton of money, write "Windows XP administration for Dummies."
Oh, he'll sign it, but that doesn't matter, because the 50 states can safely ignore it. Really, they can, because Federal treaties are not binding on the states! This is according to George W. Bush himself: "Texas did not sign the Vienna Convention, so why should we be subject to it?" Statement from the office of Texas Governor George W. Bush
So please write your state Attorney General and ask that they please ignore this treaty.
Also, and more importantly, write your Senators and ask that they not ratify it in the first place.
Yes, I know. However, my specific comment was about the 2.4.x kernel. How long before that is considered stable? Lots of other distros use it, why not Debian? I don't mind beta testing the occasional application, but as I said I'm running Red Hat now and I'm looking to upgrade, and I want the 2.4.x kernel. So that rules out Debian, which is too bad because other than the older kernel it's exactly what I'm looking for. So I'm going to try Mandrake, which from what I understand should indicate my willingness to be a beta tester :-)
Perhaps I was too brief, but I meant that Red Hat, Sun, etc. should step in and offer to load their software on the hardware M$ is buying. Of course the schools are free to replace Windoze with Linux or *BSD or even DR-DOS if they wish, but like the majority of PC owners they won't, they'll stick with what came loaded on the box. If you want to break that cycle, you'll have to do it actively, not passively.
I doubt my local school district is one of the 14,000 poorest, but if it is I'll be right there in M$'s face offering to upgrade at least some of those PCs to Open Software. It would be nice if I had Red Hat and Sun (or whoever) backing me up.