That's not too far off the way Dell really seem to operate. They change hardware all the time and it makes keeping disk images a real paain if you have to support a lot of Dell systems. It also makes finding drivers far more awkward than it should be; evwn if you give Dell's website the system asset tag it can often offer more than a dozen guesses for each component. I received a shipment of eight Dell laptops last week. All were the same model but there were three different wireless adapters in them. Contrast this to IBM or Compaq who can tell you exactly what is in each system they sell.
Re:The question that's on all of our minds:
on
Ask Sid Meier
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· Score: 2
a is for amazon b is for bbc c is for currency converter d is for dictionary e is for ebay f is for firefox g is for gmail h is for hotmail i is for ikea j is for jokes k is for kelly blue book l is for lyrics m is for mapquest n is for news o is for orbitz p is for paris hilton q is for quotes r is for ryanair s is for spybot t is for target u is for ups v is for valentines day w is for weather x is for xbox y is for yahoo z is for zip codes 1 is for 1 2 is for 24 3 is for 3m 4 is for 411 5 is for 50 cent 6 is for 60 minutes 7 is for 7th heaven 8 is for 89.com 9 is for 911 0 is for 02
If you run Windows and want to check if your system has a rootkit installed try running Rootkit revealer.
It scans all files and registry entries at a high and low level then compares the two to see which files and registry entries were hidden to the high level scan.
Something has to be said about the famous accent. I don't know that many Scots, but I'm told that nobody from Scotland actually talks that way. It's a sort of Hollywood convention.
Don't forget that he played a 24th century Scotsman. I would guess that no-one in Scotland now speaks like a 16th century Scot would have done; accents change and it's not unreasonable to assume that the Scotish accent will change in the cosmopolitan future depicted in ST.
This is a problem in robotics known as the uncanny valley.
Basically, people have no problems with robots that are reasonably similar to real people but tend to react negatively to robots that are very realistic but subtly wrong.
....that if patents on games were allowed 20 years ago, none of today's games producers would be in business. Imagine if Atari patented sprites, Xerox patented the mouse and selecting icons with a pointer, and Bressenham patented his line-drawing algorithm; the games business would have died back in the 8-bit days, or even earlier and todays multi-billion dollar industry would never have been created.
All games are built on what has been done before and I don't like the idea of today's games makers building on the hard work of others but being too selfish to allow others to do the same - much like Disney built on public domain tales then stopped their own works falling into the public domain in turn.
I think the biggest problem with running.net apps on non-microsoft platforms is working around the gaps in the framework.
Off the top of my head I can think of two specific examples that will cause problems, but I'm sure there are many more:
1. Printing the contents of a rich text box.
Microsoft's solution to working around this hole is detailed here. Note how it starts with the line [DllImport("user32.dll")].
2. Clearing the console
Microsoft's recommended way of doing this is detailed here and, once again, imports a windows dll - [DllImport("kernel32.dll", EntryPoint="GetStdHandle", SetLastError=true, CharSet=CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention=CallingConvention.StdCall)]
Best of luck dealing with these cases just using the.net framework!
I thought the way that fingerprints are checked in a database was to pick fixed points and count the number of lines crossed by lines drawn from each fixed point to another. This would be encoded as a numeric sequence just like the one they say they are storing. You don't need to store an image of the fingerprint itself and compare that against another image.
It's a bit disingenious of them to try and calm people's fears with this sort of bullshit; the 'unique numeric sequence' they're storing is as good as storing the actual fingerprint.
The human eye is wired up backwards; ie. the connections to the light-sensetive cells in the eye aren't behind the eye, they're inside it and the nerves block a significant portion of the light from reaching them as well as leaving a blind spot where they pass through the eye to reach the brain.
We faced the same problem when generating random passwords for users and decided that the best method was to generate two short (4-6 characters) english words with a number at the end. This creates passwords such as swimeasy12, turnright62, sidedoor81, etc. These proved to be very easy to rememeber and we only had one complaint: A secretary had her random password set to fatgirl13 and was really not happy, even after we expained the random process.
How is this any different to games needing to distribute the latest version of DirectX or linux applications having to be shipped with the needed libraries?
If you're in the UK checkout uk2.net. They offer free dialup and email and seem to be staying in business. I've been using their free email service for a couple of years and I've often used their free dialup when a modem connection is all that is available to me and I need to download drivers or software; just enter the number, type any username/password and you're connected.
The early 80s UK TV series 'Making the most of your micro' used a flashing black and white square in the top right corner of the screen that was read by a sensor stuck to the screen with a suction cap. The idea being that you downloaded the software while watching the program. I didn't own a BBC computer at the time and don't know anyone that used the device so I'm not sure how well it worked but they used it on every program so it must have worked for some people.
Some years ago I almost completely killed an Atari ST trying to make disk images of my old Sinclair Spectrum tapes. I connected a tape deck to the line-in socket on the ST and started reading them but kept getting read errors (as any Sinclair owner will tell you, tapes were often a nightmare to load) so I played around with the bass and volume for a while before getting frustrated at my complete lack of success. I then did something really stupid - I turned the volume on the amp up as high as it would go and pressed play. The moment I did this there was a loud bang and ball of smoke from the Atari and it lept a few inches into the air. Closer examination revealed the sound/floppy disk controller chip had exploded (literally; reduced to fragments) and left a crater in the motherboard. I removed the debris and was surprised to find that the computer still worked! No sound and no floppy disk access but I could still boot from the external hard drive and use it until I sourced a new chip.
I guess they just don't make computers like they used to.
What Moore gives, Gates takes away. While the number of transistors on a chip doubles every 18 months, the amount of processor power needed to run the current version of Windows also seems to double at roughly the same rate. I'm reminded of this every time Windows XP inexplicably decides it needs to redraw every icon on my desktop really slowly for no apparent reason.
However, there is such a thing as a "business optimized" PC, and I can see the value in a business paying a premium for them. Speaking as as a person who has been charge of those who support the hardware on these things, a "business optimized" PC means a PC line whose hardware components don't change very often. I wouldn't necessarily buy into the argument that I need "proven" hardware, but having a line of PCs that don't change their overall component structure can be a very good thing in terms of supportability.
I would agree with this completely but this isn't a practice that Dell adheres too anyway. My employer buys lots of Dell 'business' systems and we are constantly surprised by the unanounced hardware changes and upgrades. It makes keeping images of systems for rapid deployment and recovery a real pain.
As for finding drivers on Dell's website for their systems; even though they insist you enter the asset tag to search they can still do no better than offer a selection for what might be in the system that sometimes lists a dozen alternatives. Contrast this to IBM, for instance, who can still supply a replacement front bezel for a 15 year old PC if you give them its serial number.
To be fair I should say that the Dell systems we get are nicely designed and easy to work on; they just need to work on the business support.
I did this to a friends room several years ago and would just like to point out the flaw with this plan - static electricity. All those balloons rubbing against each other generated a large static charge that could have damaged any electronic devices in the room - I ended up moving the PC from the room when it was almost full of balloons and we started to worry that this could be a very expensive practical joke.
It's my first thought that the federal courts would assert jurisdiction over outsourcing firms, as well.
I can't see how you could come to this conclusion. If, for instance, I as a British citizen living in Britain was contracted to write some software for a foreign client I would only be intersted in adhering to British law. I couldn't possibly be expected to be conversant with the laws of another country and all contracts and other legal matters would be decided in a British court.
I suppose jurisdiction would hinge on where the deal was struck; if I was to travel to the other country and solicit business there I could expect to have to follow that country's laws even if I left the country to actually do the work, whereas if I was approached in my own office by the foreign client then it would be an entirely British matter.
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper
on
Newsy Numbers
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· Score: 4, Informative
The article reminded me of 'A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper' by John Allen Paulos. A great read for those interested in the mangling of science and numeracy by the media and politicians.
Given that the chinese government seems intent on censoring and isolating their citizens on the Internet so they don't get funny ideas about freedom and democracy and such like from outsiders, having chinese servers spamming the rest of the world with impunity probably looks like a good policy to chinese authorities; the great firewall of china will soon be more opaque as more and more outside servers just stop receiving amy emails from chinese servers and other blocks on traffic are imposed.
So long as they don't spam other chinese servers there isn't really a downside to it for the chinese authorities.
Slashdot Mirror
That's not too far off the way Dell really seem to operate. They change hardware all the time and it makes keeping disk images a real paain if you have to support a lot of Dell systems. It also makes finding drivers far more awkward than it should be; evwn if you give Dell's website the system asset tag it can often offer more than a dozen guesses for each component.
I received a shipment of eight Dell laptops last week. All were the same model but there were three different wireless adapters in them.
Contrast this to IBM or Compaq who can tell you exactly what is in each system they sell.
The High Crusade goes into some detail answering that question.
a is for amazon
b is for bbc
c is for currency converter
d is for dictionary
e is for ebay
f is for firefox
g is for gmail
h is for hotmail
i is for ikea
j is for jokes
k is for kelly blue book
l is for lyrics
m is for mapquest
n is for news
o is for orbitz
p is for paris hilton
q is for quotes
r is for ryanair
s is for spybot
t is for target
u is for ups
v is for valentines day
w is for weather
x is for xbox
y is for yahoo
z is for zip codes
1 is for 1
2 is for 24
3 is for 3m
4 is for 411
5 is for 50 cent
6 is for 60 minutes
7 is for 7th heaven
8 is for 89.com
9 is for 911
0 is for 02
It scans all files and registry entries at a high and low level then compares the two to see which files and registry entries were hidden to the high level scan.
Don't forget that he played a 24th century Scotsman. I would guess that no-one in Scotland now speaks like a 16th century Scot would have done; accents change and it's not unreasonable to assume that the Scotish accent will change in the cosmopolitan future depicted in ST.
Basically, people have no problems with robots that are reasonably similar to real people but tend to react negatively to robots that are very realistic but subtly wrong.
Q. How many Microsoft programmers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. Bill Gates just declares darkness to be the new standard.
All games are built on what has been done before and I don't like the idea of today's games makers building on the hard work of others but being too selfish to allow others to do the same - much like Disney built on public domain tales then stopped their own works falling into the public domain in turn.
Off the top of my head I can think of two specific examples that will cause problems, but I'm sure there are many more:
1. Printing the contents of a rich text box.
Microsoft's solution to working around this hole is detailed here. Note how it starts with the line [DllImport("user32.dll")].
2. Clearing the console
Microsoft's recommended way of doing this is detailed here and, once again, imports a windows dll - [DllImport("kernel32.dll", EntryPoint="GetStdHandle", SetLastError=true, CharSet=CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention=CallingConvention.StdCall)]
Best of luck dealing with these cases just using the .net framework!
It's a bit disingenious of them to try and calm people's fears with this sort of bullshit; the 'unique numeric sequence' they're storing is as good as storing the actual fingerprint.
There's also a good article on hacking minesweeper here
The human eye is wired up backwards; ie. the connections to the light-sensetive cells in the eye aren't behind the eye, they're inside it and the nerves block a significant portion of the light from reaching them as well as leaving a blind spot where they pass through the eye to reach the brain.
Intelligent design? Stupid design, more like.
We faced the same problem when generating random passwords for users and decided that the best method was to generate two short (4-6 characters) english words with a number at the end. This creates passwords such as swimeasy12, turnright62, sidedoor81, etc. These proved to be very easy to rememeber and we only had one complaint: A secretary had her random password set to fatgirl13 and was really not happy, even after we expained the random process.
How is this any different to games needing to distribute the latest version of DirectX or linux applications having to be shipped with the needed libraries?
If you're in the UK checkout uk2.net. They offer free dialup and email and seem to be staying in business. I've been using their free email service for a couple of years and I've often used their free dialup when a modem connection is all that is available to me and I need to download drivers or software; just enter the number, type any username/password and you're connected.
The early 80s UK TV series 'Making the most of your micro' used a flashing black and white square in the top right corner of the screen that was read by a sensor stuck to the screen with a suction cap. The idea being that you downloaded the software while watching the program. I didn't own a BBC computer at the time and don't know anyone that used the device so I'm not sure how well it worked but they used it on every program so it must have worked for some people.
Interface Hall of Fame
Interface Hall of Shame
Whenever I design a UI I always think "what would the lotus notes designers do?" and then make sure I do nothing like that.
Can anyone tell me why it's ok for the US to increase funding for bunker busting nuclear weapons but it isn't ok for other countries to research similar technologies.
I guess they just don't make computers like they used to.
What Moore gives, Gates takes away. While the number of transistors on a chip doubles every 18 months, the amount of processor power needed to run the current version of Windows also seems to double at roughly the same rate. I'm reminded of this every time Windows XP inexplicably decides it needs to redraw every icon on my desktop really slowly for no apparent reason.
I would agree with this completely but this isn't a practice that Dell adheres too anyway. My employer buys lots of Dell 'business' systems and we are constantly surprised by the unanounced hardware changes and upgrades. It makes keeping images of systems for rapid deployment and recovery a real pain.
As for finding drivers on Dell's website for their systems; even though they insist you enter the asset tag to search they can still do no better than offer a selection for what might be in the system that sometimes lists a dozen alternatives. Contrast this to IBM, for instance, who can still supply a replacement front bezel for a 15 year old PC if you give them its serial number.
To be fair I should say that the Dell systems we get are nicely designed and easy to work on; they just need to work on the business support.
I did this to a friends room several years ago and would just like to point out the flaw with this plan - static electricity. All those balloons rubbing against each other generated a large static charge that could have damaged any electronic devices in the room - I ended up moving the PC from the room when it was almost full of balloons and we started to worry that this could be a very expensive practical joke.
I can't see how you could come to this conclusion. If, for instance, I as a British citizen living in Britain was contracted to write some software for a foreign client I would only be intersted in adhering to British law. I couldn't possibly be expected to be conversant with the laws of another country and all contracts and other legal matters would be decided in a British court.
I suppose jurisdiction would hinge on where the deal was struck; if I was to travel to the other country and solicit business there I could expect to have to follow that country's laws even if I left the country to actually do the work, whereas if I was approached in my own office by the foreign client then it would be an entirely British matter.
The article reminded me of 'A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper' by John Allen Paulos. A great read for those interested in the mangling of science and numeracy by the media and politicians.
So long as they don't spam other chinese servers there isn't really a downside to it for the chinese authorities.