I've played around with BO2k already. Great tool for remote admin - in a market where other packages cost an arm and a leg. If the AV companies all delete the hell out of BO2k, I'm not going to be able to use it, because I'm thinking I will rely on both. (the upcoming plugins for bo2k will help in software distribution GREATLY.) what should I do? I don't know enough C/++ whatever to modify what the signature would be - maybe some tips?
I'm interested in BO2K for the same reasons as you. I use VNC all the time to fix the bi-daily problem with my brother's 98 machine. I also connect to my machine from work and school to check mail, read documentation, etc.
Frankly, I don't see the security risk. Putting BO2K on my brother's computer is no different than putting VNC or PC-Anywhere on it.
I'll try out BO2K when there is a *NIX client. My favourite VNC feature is the Java client so that I can use it within a browser without having to download stuff.
As for your AV problem, I suggest you find out what your AV software does (or will do) regarding BO2K. I think nothing is appropriate. This is a tool, and anybody who is scared of it is, well, not very computer-literate. According to the site, there is no known way to detect it running on a remote machine. That's a good thing. There's obviously no backdoor, or we'd all know about it now.
Any AV company who discriminates against BO2K needs a stern talking to. Imagine if AV software automatically deleted Linux partitions from your HD. It's a similar situation, discriminating against OSS alternatives to proprietary software. On my computer at school, the previous user turned on the AV features and password protected it (I would have fixed that, but I haven't rebooted it in months, and don't care to). It detects in the boot sector, oh my god, a VIRUS!!! Sorry, only LILO. Imagine the new user who installs Linux only to get this message, thinking it's real.
It depends on where you are. Apparently, in the States you need some rrlogin program to get in. Here in Newfoundland you can get static IP (like me) that you set up like a regular ethernet, or a dynamic IP which uses DHCP.
As for the company minding, they don't at all. They make sure the NIC they give out works under Linux and they didn't care that I had a three box network when they installed it, in fact, the guy was impressed that I had print/file/intranet database server on it. He was also impressed with Linux itself.
The coolest thing was when I ordered it the second time (I moved) I told the guy I used Linux and was capable of setting it up myself and he gave a NIC right there so I could have it already set up before the installer came around.
Now if only they'd relax the packet filters on the routers and "officially allow" IPMasq (though the rules state that stuff in a Windows context...). I knew a guy who decided to try WinGate to connect multiple computers and immediately received an email asking him to stop. Nobody I know using Linux has gotten such an email (including myself).
How does she like waiting 5 minutes for StarOffice to load? Or how does she like it when X crashes?;P
Ok, with 1400K of free physical memory (out of 96M total) it took ~20 seconds. And X hasn't crashed on her yet. I run *a lot* of software and I'm thinking of getting an additional 128M. That would certainly speed it up. Don't buy cheap no-name brand components for any computer. That'll often cause failure in Linux, because Linux actually uses it where win barely does. See the Sig11 FAQ for the facts on that.
She *hates* 98. I put in a new NIC and let win install a driver for it, which causes a blue screen on startup, and the network doesn't work. Rather than mess around with it, I let Linux do it properly.
It doesn't handle not being shutdown very well (powerless etc)
It handles it fine, especially for a server where you don't have to press 'enter' a bunch of times for no reason. Nice list of options there: press enter to continue, or turn off your computer and never use it again.
Any serious server should have a UPS anyway.
Oh yeah, I've had to use VC++ at a previous job and hated it. KDevelop is only at 0.4 and isn't nearly finished yet. But it's quite useable for me so far.
Every other piece of work SuSE does goes back into it. XFree86 is only one example.
I get quite angry at how everybody is quick to chastise SuSE for YAST, without doing even the tiniest bit of research as to what else they've done. I've been using SuSE for a while now, and I love it. I've always hated RedHat, but not for any dumb MS comparison. I installed it many times and everything just plain annoys me, from the installer to the stupid X only control panel. Hmm, so I have to do some remote administration... Too bad, gotta have X.
YAST also puts the software you install into the menus of whatever window managers you're using. It's quite useful, but not necessary.
You can do everything you need without it, but I use it. And I simply do not care that it's not open-source. It's still free.
Oh yeah, my point. SuSE *does* work on a lot of open-source software. They simply don't shove that info into your face everytime you hear of them.
And if you don't like it, don't buy or download it. Use RedHat and never ever use Civ:CTP, Borland's software (if they do it), Codewarrior, or any other piece of useful software that isn't specifically GPL'ed.
I always went on the assumption that nobody should ever buy a laptop for their main computer.
I bought one for a 4th computer, and I'm not too sure anymore, as long as you get a separate keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Avoid docking stations unless you need a game port for games or something, and even then you can hook a PSX, SNES, or TG-16 controller up to the parallel port without needing a docking station.
My Toshiba has VGA, PS2, serial and parallel ports on it, so it's not a big deal.
However, with 3 full machines I find that I never use it anymore, probably because of the paltry 8MB RAM, the fact that I have no ethernet card in it and I have my own computer at school (SuSE 6.1, baby). Actually, it's on top of my cable modem right now with a full charge and a harddrive of pure streaming Slack.
I may be getting a couple of monitors soon so I'll probably set it up and use it a little more (gotta have one in every room).
Wow, I left this message in limbo before I went downtown (where the hooch is) so I'm posting it many hours after wrote it (a disadvantage of having multiple computers). So I'm forgetting what I wrote and simply submitting it.
Ok, I just got home in a cab (you know why:-)* ) and what you said prompted me to reply about applications.
I've been running Linux since '93 do I've got quite a bias. However, advocacy in the way I do it works (especially when talking to programmers).
My mother used excel since the Win3.1 days until I bought a new PC that included Lotus Smartsuite 97. She was hooked. She never looked back on Excel. I moved her to my brothers Win computer so that she could use 1-2-3 because LILO often dumped her into the Linux console if she waited too long (5 seconds). This confused her and I was often woken up from hangovers to help her get into Win or attempt to recover from a BSOD.
Recently (a couple of months ago) I installed SuSE. She loves it. Linux doesn't crash on her and she's happy with StarOffice. I'll soon show her LyX, which I'm sure she'll take to. She avoids my brother's Win machine simply because it crashes. And the vnc server simply blew her mind. I also installed a PHP/MySQL site I developed at school and now she has access to a contact database from anywhere with Internet access.
The way many programmers think (if they don't, they should) is 'Will my mother use it?' I think Linux currently has that capability as long as there is an admin (me, in this case) who can solve problems.
Just a year ago, I would never have pushed it on her. Times change, and she's happy for it.
She loves the 'no crashing' idea, because she's plain sick of blue screens. When I told her it didn't have to be like that, she was all ears.
So my point (I'm currently 'under the infulence' so please excuse typos, etc, if you've been in this state:-)* ) is that applications are currently available under Linux, and therefore any *NIX. I'm currently praising KDE, because it has so much potential (try KDevelop, I now depend on it. Also check out the documentation, wow) as an API and a way to bring Win users over to the light side.
ESR said that someday people won't tolerate crashes anymore. It's starting to happen.
I did a similar thing, only I used a resistor ladder (no DACs lying around).
Most modplayers and many trackers supported it as well as many demos. There was even a Win3.1 driver available (Covox Speech Thing).
It was through all this stuff I ended up buying a GUS. One of the best computer purchases I ever made. It cost CAN$215 and I'm still using it right now (listening to some PF Station, ahh yeah).
To be on topic, the adjacent computer has a TB Montego in it, I thought it to be a worthy successor to the GUS. You can get a SPDIF daughterboard for it with optical I/O. You can also buy a montego (or Montego II) with the daughterboard already on it. They're sold as "home recording studio" versions. While there are no open-source drivers available, the 4Front drivers work fairly well, and their support is awesome (I got an email within 10 minutes).
Compared to SB junk, the prices are a little high, but in my opinion are really cheap for the 18-bit quality and high bandwidth. They're comparable to more professional cards.
Would it be possible to have sort of "on screen programming" coming out of a linux box? Like, having the regular TV channel being watched but have a small line of text being displayed by the linux box, while not using a regular off the shelf vga-to-tv type of video converter...
Yes, it's quite possible, but not entirely simple.
Basically you would have to mix the video. There are other ways, though. Some do not involve a video card.
<sound of rummaging through various magazines>
All right, I'm back. Chips of interest:
Phillips 87c055 - 8051 microcontroller for television and video, you can control it through a serial or parallel port.
Analog Devices AD722 - RGB-to-NTSC converter
Phillips SAA5252 TV Data Display (this is what I recommend for titling, it costs ~US$8, is controlled serially, and takes composite or RGB input and outputs RGB (which can be converted using the US$8 AD722 above). You can use a parallel or serial port to tell it what to display.)
There's more out there, try Phillips first and try also Analog Devices who gives out free samples (I got a ~$100 ADC from them a while back).
Articles and columns:
Build This Video Titler, Dan Michelson, Electronics Now, May 1995, p.49
Hardware Hacker: Low-cost TV data displays, thoughts on brain implants,..., Don Lancaster
Hardware Hacker: Lamps and lighting efficiency, Don Lancaster
Tech Musings: Video, Video Editing, Character Generators, and more, Don Lancaster
Hardware Hacker: Laser printer repairs, sync-separator circuit, GPS navigation update, video interface module, and hacking Super Nintendo!, Don Lancaster
Hardware Hacker: Dye-based solar energy, Neo Geo interface cables, another sad patent story, and RGB monitor fundamentals, Don Lancaster
Yes, Lancaster's titles are messed up, so is his website. He has a lot to learn about site design. Though he did invent the TV Typewriter.
All the articles should be there (save the first one, he didn't write that), somewhere, and may be hard to find. I found a couple with a quick search, though.
However, info from the semiconductor manufacturers is typically very good, and many offer free samples.
If anyone wants to attempt any of this, email me. I have experience with this kind of stuff and would be happy to help.
Re:getting in shape and eating right HOWTO
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Hacker's Diet
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· Score: 1
Me too.:-)*
Sorry, had to do that, I miss the good ol' days of usenet...
Seriously though, I believe that if you have information and don't mind compiling it, there will always be an audience.
And for some reason, HOWTOs are often better than FAQs, they're straight, simple, and to the point just because it's called a HOWTO rather than FAQ. The author's writing style reflects that. FAQs just answer questions while HOWTOs tell specifically how to do something. It's still just text, but it seems to work.
If it weren't for HOWTOs, I'd know nothing about Linux.
I did not, however, have the luxury of a SCART I/F (damn North American TVs). I wired up a circuit to convert RGB to composite video and hooked it up to my TV.
I knew nothing of vertical and horizontal sync at the time and the picture looked scrambled, but I could tell that my C prompt was flying around in there.
It was only two years later when I dicovered SVGATextMode for Linux, but never tried it again because I lost the schematic and was too lazy to look for it again, but I'm almost sure it will work. X would probably work too.
I remember when every day, there was some guy asking for VGA-to-NTSC schematics on sci.electronics and the answer was always "you'll have to store the video and re-code it in NTSC, which will be expensive."
Hmmmm. You've got me thinking now, damnit. I might try it again on an old crappy video card. SVGATextMode even has an example NTSC text mode in the default config file. If STM works, so will X.
I originally found the circuit using an old DOS electronics magazine database called CSearch. It was a simple RGB-to-composite circuit that didn't require external power. I think you may still be able to find CSearch somewhere. If not, email me and I'll try to retrieve it from my old disk collection (I had a 100MB HD at the time so I used a lot of disks!).
This is something that is of interest to a nerd like myself. News for nerds. The fact that it's also an ad isn't very relevant.
If IBM announces Linux support it's news, but it's also an ad. When/. reported on Sony's AIBO it was both news and an ad. That doesn't bother me. The ads tend to be of interest to me, and if my interest helps out/. financially, then that's a *good* thing.
I missed it the first time around and when I saw it this time I ordered one and told my brother to order one as well (he's obsessed with remotes, he has one for his PC). I always wanted to try out X-10 and this gets me into it.
Now I can go to ftp.ee.ualberta.ca and try out some of the X-10 circuits they have there and start designing my own. I can do a lot of tinkering with this.
It was news to me, and so what if was also an ad? At least it wasn't a porn banner.
Re:Generalizations suck
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Storm Linux
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· Score: 1
Actually, with Debian, you can bootstrap the entire installation from a directory on a FAT partition or CDROM.
This is true. However, I rarely have a FAT partition and If I bought a CD for every OS I try, I could get very poor, quickly.
Congratulations, BSDers, I installed it, and I like it. The install reminds me of Slackware (that's a good thing). I was quite surprised at the number of available packages. OTOH, I'm really used to Linux/dev naming conventions and directory structure. The boot disk refused to work with my keyboard and kept going into serial console until I replaced it with my only other keyboard which has some broken keys.
Meanwhile I'll have to try Storm tomorrow and probably throw FreeBSD back on to do some more exploring.
Too many people here make generalizations about users of this, users of that , and users of t'other.
It's boring me.
I'm thinking of trying out FreeBSD on my computer I try out OSes on (I'm downloading Storm as I write, though I wish they allowed NFS install in this release, so I could avoid those oh-so-slow CDROMs). I thought about doing it before but some vocal people turned me off. I decided to try out Solaris, which I borrowed from school, only to find out there was no support for my hardware (and my Millenium G200 and 10GB disk were not supported).
When I first got into Linux (1993) that kind of stuff was almost non-existant. That's no longer the case, but I've invested so much time and am completely dependant on it.
There are certain personality types that are everywhere. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are a Debian user, a GNOME user, a BSD user, a win user, a Mac user, a Ford driver, a VW driver. It's their personality, which isn't shaped by what OS they use, what car they drive or what country they're from (at least I hope not!).
Because of these people, generalizations are made about the products they use. STOP IT! Ignore them if you wish or do what I do: see what all of the fuss is about so that if you reply, you might actually have something insightful to say rather than making assumptions. You might even like what they blarbling about. I installed SuSE just to see what GNOME was all about (I used Slackware from '93 to a few months ago). I didn't like GNOME (gmc was severely disappoining, I'm a long time mc/nc user) but I ended up liking SuSE. Now I have SuSE on two machines (my notebook is still 100% Slack though, and it'll probably stay that way) and I have another box to try stuff out on.
So I have the FreeBSD page open in another window and I'm going to download those 2 floppies. Twice as many as SuSE:-)* and still much less than Debian's annoying 7 disks (I hate floppies). Then I'll put that Storm disc in and try that, too. It'll be a learning experience, I haven't turned the damn thing on since I tried out OpenLinux on it a couple of weeks ago (everything about it seems unfinished, the manual, the install, the amount of software, the tutorial it dumps you in at first startup).
So I'll just shut up and continue downloading now:-)*
I did my first workterm doing process automation with embedded controllers (Z180). In fact, I was the only employee for much of that term. I really like working for small companies. The ones I've worked for don't care how you dress, wear your hair (I have long hair), and most importantly what tools you use. I try to use Cygwin32 for win development as much as possible (unless I have to use a 3rd party lib, like NiDAQ, etc). I use an editor of my choosing (In win, Programmer's File Editor, PFE. I was impressed to find that Microchip's MPLAB IDE was based on it, it's funny using an embedded controller dev system for windows that has TeX support) and I get to decide which controllers and tools the company buys. I brought Protel into my last job and showed the guy that hired me, and he loved it. I also tended to bring my own hand tools, soldering iron, DMM, etc..
With unions, these jobs will be harder to find because I know that techs will be all over them to avoid being unionised (my brother was a courier who quit when the Teamsters took over).
On my first WT I worked on a project for Magna International (a piece of robotic factory machinery) and I spent a lot of time at a factory. They're completely non-union. The unions have tried, and failed, to come in. The workers are treated very well. All of the managers and high-up positions are filled by people who started on the factory floor. They give out $100 prizes to the person who submits the best entry in the suggestion box, which guarantees that workers' voices are heard and that they aren't afraid to make suggestions. The food in the (beautiful-looking) cafeteria is really good. Workers and their families can go on company vacations to various places (DisneyWorld, etc) for cheap. There's a whole lot more, but the most important thing is, it works.
And without greedy unions, which only serve to alienate workers and managers.
Ok, it's a little different from most other distribs.
There are a number of ways to install. Here's what I do:
- In the disks directory, download eide01 and dd it or rawrite it to a floppy - Insert disk and reboot - Select my net card (load modules) - start the FTP installation (I use IP 195.176.255.9, directory/mirror/SuSE/suse/i386/6.1/suse. The server is in Switzerland, I believe and is the fastest I have found from my location, YMMV. a list of mirrors are available on www.suse.com) - Install only the basic setup (select 'load configuration' and pick the last one) - Start install - When it's done I can reboot and use it while Yast downloads everything else I want to install (the distribution is 5 CDs)
Of course, I'd only recommend this one if you have cable, xDSL, etc.
You can also do it from an existing DOS partition (which I don't usually have) by downloading certain directories and disksets (ala Slack). The SuSE manual describes this in detail, you'll find the.dvi file somewhere in the ftp site, I think in a directory called books.
Of course you can get the distribution (I'm thinking of buying the official one because I've been using it for a while, I'm quite impressed, and it comes with a ~500 page manual, IIRC. It was also originally based on Slack (which I haven't completely dumped)).
The coolest thing, IMO is the update. I had a SuSE 6.0 server and wanted to upgrade it to 6.1. Insert either 6.0 or 6.1 eide01 disk, select 'Update system' and it updates everything you have on your system that has changed from FTP, reboot, done.
I also like their support DB, component DB, massive amount of documentation, and the instant PHP/MySQL functionality (if you wish).
Have fun!
It's what we've known all along (In EDA, I Mean)
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EDA: Unix vs. NT
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· Score: 2
I remember a big thing in Integrated System Design last year about how many companies were porting their UNIX-based EDA tools to NT. There was a sampler CD (I still haven't microwaved that one yet) with useless demos on it.
The readers, the people who have to use the damn software, went on a rampage. Letters poured into the journal, and contained things like, "If my dept. goes NT, I quit." Some people knew their managers would jump on it and were scared of that. Some felt comfortable because their management wasn't that dumb.
Many suggested writing to the EDA companies and urging, "If you're gonna port it, port it to Linux."
It's good, this is a user base, that could care less about MSOffice, et al. and just want to use what they know works.
Of course we all kind of find out what it's like to be a win user with that Linux guy shoving Linux-this, Linux-that down everybody's throats (I admittedly get like that, I laugh at other people's BSODs:-)* ).
Oh well, I'm glad the EDA companies are getting the point.
Yeah, that's pretty annoying, but not as annoying as the fact that your screen size is generally 2.54 or more centimeters less than advertised. Not to mention the fact that the number is a diagonal "measurement."
Actually, if you look at the specs for a monitor (all of the monitors I have seen, anyway) there is usually a metric equivalent. Sometimes they put it right on the box.
As for floppy disks, who cares? I applauded the lack of them on the iMac. I only use mine for booting and nothing else (I like having a BIOS that will boot off a CDROM, it's about time). I have painful memories of splitting files to fit on the damn things, and of having a disk case just for Slackware (~60 odd disks) 5 and 6 years ago.
They had a 12 months, no payments, no interest deal on all of the DVD players at the local Future Shop. I got the extra 4 years service deal which means I can bring in my player for cleaning as often as I like for free. Any problems, including accidents, will be either fixed or I get a new player for free.
All for ~CAN$800 (divide by 1.5 for US$). It seems a bit much, but it *is* worth it. I'm running it through a Pioneer plain jane prologic reciever right now but I plan to eventually get a digital receiver, at which point, it will rock out those JBL speakers (which replaced the Tannoy speakers).
I'd like to get that Radiohead DVD they're touting on www.dvd.com (excellent, informative site, BTW).
I just recently bought a DVD player (full player, Panasonic, I didn't bother with the DVD-ROM) and I am *EXTREMELY* glad I bought it.
The discs are dirt cheap. There are some really neat discs out there (Dark City is cool, I really enjoyed the commentary track on Antz, The Suicide Kings had scads of neat features like alternate endings, different angles, commentary track, etc. I'd like to get the Criterion Brazil disc, too. I'll have to order that one.). Quality is excellent, I can watch any movie in widescreen.
Interestingly enough, Blockbuster doesn't rent DVDs around here. They only sell them, and the employee I talked too said that they were still awaiting confirmation from higher up...
But most of the M&P shops have them. The selection isn't the best, it's usually stuck in a little section, but there are a lot of good titles there and many of the places rent DVDs cheaper than VHS (there are many obvious reasons for this, I'll leave it as an excercise to the reader).
I'm moving, this weekend, to a new apartment almost next door to a movie place that rent DVDs @ CAN$5 for two (for US$ divide by 1.5). I couldn't be happier.
Now all I have to find out is if there are any Canadian sources for DVDs, like clubs, e-sites, etc...
Reading the articles in this thread is certainly interesting me now as I am doing a similar project on and off.
I have a server in the rec-room that does masquerading for my local network (I can even hook up my laptop using PLIP and use it whilst lying down on the couch. Man, am I lazy!). Though the main reason I put it in was for an MP3 player to hook into the receiver. Here's the specs for those interested:
- K6-2/300 - 64MB RAM - 2.5GB HD - Good ol' GUS (though you guys have gotten me interested in using one of my TB Montegos (they've have gone waaay down in price recently, I believe they're cheaper than the SBLive), which has SPDIF and 18-bit AD/DA converters, so that might get interesting, especially since I now have a DVD and am thinking of getting a digital receiver. I can record sound from DVD now, though) ATI All-In-Wonder Pro 8MB AGP (Waiting for gatos to get TV-Out... Then life will get more fun) - Generic (Packard Bell) PC remote. With LIRC, I can use any remote to control MP3 playing. - SuSE 6.1
It also does SETI@Home for Team Slashdot as does the other computers on the network (except the laptop of course):-)*
So, if you want absolutely, positively, best playback on a system, get a digital receiver and either a TB Montego or a SBLive and you should be sittin' pretty without having to worry about shielding.
I haven't seen the movie yet, I may not, I don't know. I just bought a DVD player yesterday and I'll probably be spending much of my time watching all of my favourite movies on that great invention (I saw Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas last night and again today and it's just so much better on this format). I bought A Fish Called Wanda when I bought it too. I like the "fishtank" mode:-)*
Point? Yeah, my point. Just a little tiny point. Garth was not "created" by Myers. He is based on Dana Carvey's brother, Brad, who, interestingly enough, was one of the creators of the Video Toaster. Notice in WW2 the scene where Garth wears a Video Toaster shirt.
Just thought I'd bring that little nitpick up, even if it's a little offtopic.
Ok, ok, to bring it more ontopic:
I was very disturbed by the way the commercials decided to hang off the Phantom Menace hype in the commercials. I wasn't very impressed.
I live in Newfoundland, and knew I would have to order it away, so I pre-ordered it (after trying to pre-order it at a local store ("uhh...what?")). I got it from Handeye.com. I couldn't find a Canadian on-line source so I had to pay customs, exchange, etc. Yuck. I have more luck ordering from UK than the states. So, basically, the point is: just buy it online. I paid extra for it, and I had to buy the sound driver for my sound card, and I DON'T CARE, because the game rules.
I like this game better than Civ II personally, and I haven't had this much Civ fun since the first one.
And it runs really good on my K6-2/350 w/96MB. I use Blackbox for the WM because it's small, fast, and doesn't intrude on my full screen like KDE.
Ok, I checked it out and that was the command I issued. I had a directory called slackware-4.0 which was a mostly complete mirror of the directory of the same name on ftp.cdrom.com. I was in the parent directory of it when I ran mkisofs. I got that line by searching for mkisofs on the forum at www.slackware.com.
If you still have trouble, I've (gulp, I may regret this, Slashdot effect and all...) placed the generated image on an ftp server at wiley229h022.roadrunner.nf.net port 4021. It's mostly complete minus 1.2 MB bootdisks, source, zipslack, slaktest, and/live (which is empty anyway). I've also placed the directory I used to generate the ISO there too.
The server is on a cable modem in Newfoundland, Canada, so your transfer rate may vary.
Slashdot Mirror
I've played around with BO2k already. Great tool for remote admin - in a market where other packages cost an arm and a leg. If the
AV companies all delete the hell out of BO2k, I'm not going to be able to use it, because I'm thinking I will rely on both. (the
upcoming plugins for bo2k will help in software distribution GREATLY.) what should I do? I don't know enough C/++ whatever to
modify what the signature would be - maybe some tips?
I'm interested in BO2K for the same reasons as you. I use VNC all the time to fix the bi-daily problem with my brother's 98 machine. I also connect to my machine from work and school to check mail, read documentation, etc.
Frankly, I don't see the security risk. Putting BO2K on my brother's computer is no different than putting VNC or PC-Anywhere on it.
I'll try out BO2K when there is a *NIX client. My favourite VNC feature is the Java client so that I can use it within a browser without having to download stuff.
As for your AV problem, I suggest you find out what your AV software does (or will do) regarding BO2K. I think nothing is appropriate. This is a tool, and anybody who is scared of it is, well, not very computer-literate. According to the site, there is no known way to detect it running on a remote machine. That's a good thing. There's obviously no backdoor, or we'd all know about it now.
Any AV company who discriminates against BO2K needs a stern talking to. Imagine if AV software automatically deleted Linux partitions from your HD. It's a similar situation, discriminating against OSS alternatives to proprietary software. On my computer at school, the previous user turned on the AV features and password protected it (I would have fixed that, but I haven't rebooted it in months, and don't care to). It detects in the boot sector, oh my god, a VIRUS!!! Sorry, only LILO. Imagine the new user who installs Linux only to get this message, thinking it's real.
That can't be good.
It depends on where you are. Apparently, in the States you need some rrlogin program to get in. Here in Newfoundland you can get static IP (like me) that you set up like a regular ethernet, or a dynamic IP which uses DHCP.
As for the company minding, they don't at all. They make sure the NIC they give out works under Linux and they didn't care that I had a three box network when they installed it, in fact, the guy was impressed that I had print/file/intranet database server on it. He was also impressed with Linux itself.
The coolest thing was when I ordered it the second time (I moved) I told the guy I used Linux and was capable of setting it up myself and he gave a NIC right there so I could have it already set up before the installer came around.
Now if only they'd relax the packet filters on the routers and "officially allow" IPMasq (though the rules state that stuff in a Windows context...). I knew a guy who decided to try WinGate to connect multiple computers and immediately received an email asking him to stop. Nobody I know using Linux has gotten such an email (including myself).
Check out this link:
X video timings HOWTO
How does she like waiting 5 minutes for StarOffice to load? Or how does she like it when X crashes? ;P
Ok, with 1400K of free physical memory (out of 96M total) it took ~20 seconds. And X hasn't crashed on her yet. I run *a lot* of software and I'm thinking of getting an additional 128M. That would certainly speed it up. Don't buy cheap no-name brand components for any computer. That'll often cause failure in Linux, because Linux actually uses it where win barely does. See the Sig11 FAQ for the facts on that.
She *hates* 98. I put in a new NIC and let win install a driver for it, which causes a blue screen on startup, and the network doesn't work. Rather than mess around with it, I let Linux do it properly.
It doesn't handle not being shutdown very well (powerless etc)
It handles it fine, especially for a server where you don't have to press 'enter' a bunch of times for no reason. Nice list of options there: press enter to continue, or turn off your computer and never use it again.
Any serious server should have a UPS anyway.
Oh yeah, I've had to use VC++ at a previous job and hated it. KDevelop is only at 0.4 and isn't nearly finished yet. But it's quite useable for me so far.
It's only YAST.
Every other piece of work SuSE does goes back into it. XFree86 is only one example.
I get quite angry at how everybody is quick to chastise SuSE for YAST, without doing even the tiniest bit of research as to what else they've done. I've been using SuSE for a while now, and I love it. I've always hated RedHat, but not for any dumb MS comparison. I installed it many times and everything just plain annoys me, from the installer to the stupid X only control panel. Hmm, so I have to do some remote administration... Too bad, gotta have X.
YAST also puts the software you install into the menus of whatever window managers you're using. It's quite useful, but not necessary.
You can do everything you need without it, but I use it. And I simply do not care that it's not open-source. It's still free.
Oh yeah, my point. SuSE *does* work on a lot of open-source software. They simply don't shove that info into your face everytime you hear of them.
And if you don't like it, don't buy or download it. Use RedHat and never ever use Civ:CTP, Borland's software (if they do it), Codewarrior, or any other piece of useful software that isn't specifically GPL'ed.
Meanwhile, I'll be using it, because it works.
I always went on the assumption that nobody should ever buy a laptop for their main computer.
I bought one for a 4th computer, and I'm not too sure anymore, as long as you get a separate keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Avoid docking stations unless you need a game port for games or something, and even then you can hook a PSX, SNES, or TG-16 controller up to the parallel port without needing a docking station.
My Toshiba has VGA, PS2, serial and parallel ports on it, so it's not a big deal.
However, with 3 full machines I find that I never use it anymore, probably because of the paltry 8MB RAM, the fact that I have no ethernet card in it and I have my own computer at school (SuSE 6.1, baby). Actually, it's on top of my cable modem right now with a full charge and a harddrive of pure streaming Slack.
I may be getting a couple of monitors soon so I'll probably set it up and use it a little more (gotta have one in every room).
Wow, I left this message in limbo before I went downtown (where the hooch is) so I'm posting it many hours after wrote it (a disadvantage of having multiple computers). So I'm forgetting what I wrote and simply submitting it.
Here goes...
Ok, I just got home in a cab (you know why :-)* ) and what you said prompted me to reply about applications.
:-)* ) is that applications are currently available under Linux, and therefore any *NIX. I'm currently praising KDE, because it has so much potential (try KDevelop, I now depend on it. Also check out the documentation, wow) as an API and a way to bring Win users over to the light side.
I've been running Linux since '93 do I've got quite a bias. However, advocacy in the way I do it works (especially when talking to programmers).
My mother used excel since the Win3.1 days until I bought a new PC that included Lotus Smartsuite 97. She was hooked. She never looked back on Excel. I moved her to my brothers Win computer so that she could use 1-2-3 because LILO often dumped her into the Linux console if she waited too long (5 seconds). This confused her and I was often woken up from hangovers to help her get into Win or attempt to recover from a BSOD.
Recently (a couple of months ago) I installed SuSE. She loves it. Linux doesn't crash on her and she's happy with StarOffice. I'll soon show her LyX, which I'm sure she'll take to. She avoids my brother's Win machine simply because it crashes. And the vnc server simply blew her mind. I also installed a PHP/MySQL site I developed at school and now she has access to a contact database from anywhere with Internet access.
The way many programmers think (if they don't, they should) is 'Will my mother use it?' I think Linux currently has that capability as long as there is an admin (me, in this case) who can solve problems.
Just a year ago, I would never have pushed it on her. Times change, and she's happy for it.
She loves the 'no crashing' idea, because she's plain sick of blue screens. When I told her it didn't have to be like that, she was all ears.
So my point (I'm currently 'under the infulence' so please excuse typos, etc, if you've been in this state
ESR said that someday people won't tolerate crashes anymore. It's starting to happen.
Rock on,
I did a similar thing, only I used a resistor ladder (no DACs lying around).
Most modplayers and many trackers supported it as well as many demos. There was even a Win3.1 driver available (Covox Speech Thing).
It was through all this stuff I ended up buying a GUS. One of the best computer purchases I ever made. It cost CAN$215 and I'm still using it right now (listening to some PF Station, ahh yeah).
To be on topic, the adjacent computer has a TB Montego in it, I thought it to be a worthy successor to the GUS. You can get a SPDIF daughterboard for it with optical I/O. You can also buy a montego (or Montego II) with the daughterboard already on it. They're sold as "home recording studio" versions. While there are no open-source drivers available, the 4Front drivers work fairly well, and their support is awesome (I got an email within 10 minutes).
Compared to SB junk, the prices are a little high, but in my opinion are really cheap for the 18-bit quality and high bandwidth. They're comparable to more professional cards.
Yes, it's quite possible, but not entirely simple.
Basically you would have to mix the video. There are other ways, though. Some do not involve a video card.
<sound of rummaging through various magazines>
All right, I'm back. Chips of interest:
Articles and columns:
Yes, Lancaster's titles are messed up, so is his website. He has a lot to learn about site design. Though he did invent the TV Typewriter.
All the articles should be there (save the first one, he didn't write that), somewhere, and may be hard to find. I found a couple with a quick search, though.
However, info from the semiconductor manufacturers is typically very good, and many offer free samples.
If anyone wants to attempt any of this, email me. I have experience with this kind of stuff and would be happy to help.
Me too. :-)*
Sorry, had to do that, I miss the good ol' days of usenet...
Seriously though, I believe that if you have information and don't mind compiling it, there will always be an audience.
And for some reason, HOWTOs are often better than FAQs, they're straight, simple, and to the point just because it's called a HOWTO rather than FAQ. The author's writing style reflects that. FAQs just answer questions while HOWTOs tell specifically how to do something. It's still just text, but it seems to work.
If it weren't for HOWTOs, I'd know nothing about Linux.
I know lots of people who'd love to read it.
I tried this when I was 14 and half-succeeded.
I did not, however, have the luxury of a SCART I/F (damn North American TVs). I wired up a circuit to convert RGB to composite video and hooked it up to my TV.
I knew nothing of vertical and horizontal sync at the time and the picture looked scrambled, but I could tell that my C prompt was flying around in there.
It was only two years later when I dicovered SVGATextMode for Linux, but never tried it again because I lost the schematic and was too lazy to look for it again, but I'm almost sure it will work. X would probably work too.
I remember when every day, there was some guy asking for VGA-to-NTSC schematics on sci.electronics and the answer was always "you'll have to store the video and re-code it in NTSC, which will be expensive."
Hmmmm. You've got me thinking now, damnit. I might try it again on an old crappy video card. SVGATextMode even has an example NTSC text mode in the default config file. If STM works, so will X.
I originally found the circuit using an old DOS electronics magazine database called CSearch. It was a simple RGB-to-composite circuit that didn't require external power. I think you may still be able to find CSearch somewhere. If not, email me and I'll try to retrieve it from my old disk collection (I had a 100MB HD at the time so I used a lot of disks!).
This is something that is of interest to a nerd like myself. News for nerds. The fact that it's also an ad isn't very relevant.
/. reported on Sony's AIBO it was both news and an ad. That doesn't bother me. The ads tend to be of interest to me, and if my interest helps out /. financially, then that's a *good* thing.
If IBM announces Linux support it's news, but it's also an ad. When
I missed it the first time around and when I saw it this time I ordered one and told my brother to order one as well (he's obsessed with remotes, he has one for his PC). I always wanted to try out X-10 and this gets me into it.
Now I can go to ftp.ee.ualberta.ca and try out some of the X-10 circuits they have there and start designing my own. I can do a lot of tinkering with this.
It was news to me, and so what if was also an ad? At least it wasn't a porn banner.
Actually, with Debian, you can bootstrap the entire installation from a directory on a FAT
/dev naming conventions and directory structure. The boot disk refused to work with my keyboard and kept going into serial console until I replaced it with my only other keyboard which has some broken keys.
partition or CDROM.
This is true. However, I rarely have a FAT partition and If I bought a CD for every OS I try, I could get very poor, quickly.
Congratulations, BSDers, I installed it, and I like it. The install reminds me of Slackware (that's a good thing). I was quite surprised at the number of available packages. OTOH, I'm really used to Linux
Meanwhile I'll have to try Storm tomorrow and probably throw FreeBSD back on to do some more exploring.
Too many people here make generalizations about users of this, users of that , and users of t'other.
:-)* and still much less than Debian's annoying 7 disks (I hate floppies). Then I'll put that Storm disc in and try that, too. It'll be a learning experience, I haven't turned the damn thing on since I tried out OpenLinux on it a couple of weeks ago (everything about it seems unfinished, the manual, the install, the amount of software, the tutorial it dumps you in at first startup).
:-)*
It's boring me.
I'm thinking of trying out FreeBSD on my computer I try out OSes on (I'm downloading Storm as I write, though I wish they allowed NFS install in this release, so I could avoid those oh-so-slow CDROMs). I thought about doing it before but some vocal people turned me off. I decided to try out Solaris, which I borrowed from school, only to find out there was no support for my hardware (and my Millenium G200 and 10GB disk were not supported).
When I first got into Linux (1993) that kind of stuff was almost non-existant. That's no longer the case, but I've invested so much time and am completely dependant on it.
There are certain personality types that are everywhere. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are a Debian user, a GNOME user, a BSD user, a win user, a Mac user, a Ford driver, a VW driver. It's their personality, which isn't shaped by what OS they use, what car they drive or what country they're from (at least I hope not!).
Because of these people, generalizations are made about the products they use. STOP IT! Ignore them if you wish or do what I do: see what all of the fuss is about so that if you reply, you might actually have something insightful to say rather than making assumptions. You might even like what they blarbling about. I installed SuSE just to see what GNOME was all about (I used Slackware from '93 to a few months ago). I didn't like GNOME (gmc was severely disappoining, I'm a long time mc/nc user) but I ended up liking SuSE. Now I have SuSE on two machines (my notebook is still 100% Slack though, and it'll probably stay that way) and I have another box to try stuff out on.
So I have the FreeBSD page open in another window and I'm going to download those 2 floppies. Twice as many as SuSE
So I'll just shut up and continue downloading now
I did my first workterm doing process automation with embedded controllers (Z180). In fact, I was the only employee for much of that term. I really like working for small companies. The ones I've worked for don't care how you dress, wear your hair (I have long hair), and most importantly what tools you use. I try to use Cygwin32 for win development as much as possible (unless I have to use a 3rd party lib, like NiDAQ, etc). I use an editor of my choosing (In win, Programmer's File Editor, PFE. I was impressed to find that Microchip's MPLAB IDE was based on it, it's funny using an embedded controller dev system for windows that has TeX support) and I get to decide which controllers and tools the company buys. I brought Protel into my last job and showed the guy that hired me, and he loved it. I also tended to bring my own hand tools, soldering iron, DMM, etc..
With unions, these jobs will be harder to find because I know that techs will be all over them to avoid being unionised (my brother was a courier who quit when the Teamsters took over).
On my first WT I worked on a project for Magna International (a piece of robotic factory machinery) and I spent a lot of time at a factory. They're completely non-union. The unions have tried, and failed, to come in. The workers are treated very well. All of the managers and high-up positions are filled by people who started on the factory floor. They give out $100 prizes to the person who submits the best entry in the suggestion box, which guarantees that workers' voices are heard and that they aren't afraid to make suggestions. The food in the (beautiful-looking) cafeteria is really good. Workers and their families can go on company vacations to various places (DisneyWorld, etc) for cheap. There's a whole lot more, but the most important thing is, it works.
And without greedy unions, which only serve to alienate workers and managers.
Ok, it's a little different from most other distribs.
/mirror/SuSE/suse/i386/6.1/suse. The server is in Switzerland, I believe and is the fastest I have found from my location, YMMV. a list of mirrors are available on www.suse.com)
.dvi file somewhere in the ftp site, I think in a directory called books.
There are a number of ways to install. Here's what I do:
- In the disks directory, download eide01 and dd it or rawrite it to a floppy
- Insert disk and reboot
- Select my net card (load modules)
- start the FTP installation (I use IP 195.176.255.9, directory
- Install only the basic setup (select 'load configuration' and pick the last one)
- Start install
- When it's done I can reboot and use it while Yast downloads everything else I want to install (the distribution is 5 CDs)
Of course, I'd only recommend this one if you have cable, xDSL, etc.
You can also do it from an existing DOS partition (which I don't usually have) by downloading certain directories and disksets (ala Slack). The SuSE manual describes this in detail, you'll find the
Of course you can get the distribution (I'm thinking of buying the official one because I've been using it for a while, I'm quite impressed, and it comes with a ~500 page manual, IIRC. It was also originally based on Slack (which I haven't completely dumped)).
The coolest thing, IMO is the update. I had a SuSE 6.0 server and wanted to upgrade it to 6.1. Insert either 6.0 or 6.1 eide01 disk, select 'Update system' and it updates everything you have on your system that has changed from FTP, reboot, done.
I also like their support DB, component DB, massive amount of documentation, and the instant PHP/MySQL functionality (if you wish).
Have fun!
I remember a big thing in Integrated System Design last year about how many companies were porting their UNIX-based EDA tools to NT. There was a sampler CD (I still haven't microwaved that one yet) with useless demos on it.
:-)* ).
The readers, the people who have to use the damn software, went on a rampage. Letters poured into the journal, and contained things like, "If my dept. goes NT, I quit." Some people knew their managers would jump on it and were scared of that. Some felt comfortable because their management wasn't that dumb.
Many suggested writing to the EDA companies and urging, "If you're gonna port it, port it to Linux."
It's good, this is a user base, that could care less about MSOffice, et al. and just want to use what they know works.
Of course we all kind of find out what it's like to be a win user with that Linux guy shoving Linux-this, Linux-that down everybody's throats (I admittedly get like that, I laugh at other people's BSODs
Oh well, I'm glad the EDA companies are getting the point.
Yeah, that's pretty annoying, but not as annoying as the fact that your screen size is generally 2.54 or more centimeters less than advertised. Not to mention the fact that the number is a diagonal "measurement."
Actually, if you look at the specs for a monitor (all of the monitors I have seen, anyway) there is usually a metric equivalent. Sometimes they put it right on the box.
As for floppy disks, who cares? I applauded the lack of them on the iMac. I only use mine for booting and nothing else (I like having a BIOS that will boot off a CDROM, it's about time). I have painful memories of splitting files to fit on the damn things, and of having a disk case just for Slackware (~60 odd disks) 5 and 6 years ago.
Heh. Reminds me of Dave Barry's "Read This First" column.
Instructions: For results that can be the finest, it is our advising that: Never to hold these buttons two times!! Except the battery.
I love it. The full text can be found in "Dave Barry's Greatest Hits" or the sci.electronics FAQ under humour. ( www.repairfaq.org).
I bought an A120 the other day.
They had a 12 months, no payments, no interest deal on all of the DVD players at the local Future Shop. I got the extra 4 years service deal which means I can bring in my player for cleaning as often as I like for free. Any problems, including accidents, will be either fixed or I get a new player for free.
All for ~CAN$800 (divide by 1.5 for US$). It seems a bit much, but it *is* worth it. I'm running it through a Pioneer plain jane prologic reciever right now but I plan to eventually get a digital receiver, at which point, it will rock out those JBL speakers (which replaced the Tannoy speakers).
I'd like to get that Radiohead DVD they're touting on www.dvd.com (excellent, informative site, BTW).
I just recently bought a DVD player (full player, Panasonic, I didn't bother with the DVD-ROM) and I am *EXTREMELY* glad I bought it.
The discs are dirt cheap. There are some really neat discs out there (Dark City is cool, I really enjoyed the commentary track on Antz, The Suicide Kings had scads of neat features like alternate endings, different angles, commentary track, etc. I'd like to get the Criterion Brazil disc, too. I'll have to order that one.). Quality is excellent, I can watch any movie in widescreen.
Interestingly enough, Blockbuster doesn't rent DVDs around here. They only sell them, and the employee I talked too said that they were still awaiting confirmation from higher up...
But most of the M&P shops have them. The selection isn't the best, it's usually stuck in a little section, but there are a lot of good titles there and many of the places rent DVDs cheaper than VHS (there are many obvious reasons for this, I'll leave it as an excercise to the reader).
I'm moving, this weekend, to a new apartment almost next door to a movie place that rent DVDs @ CAN$5 for two (for US$ divide by 1.5). I couldn't be happier.
Now all I have to find out is if there are any Canadian sources for DVDs, like clubs, e-sites, etc...
I want that Brazil disc..
Reading the articles in this thread is certainly interesting me now as I am doing a similar project on and off.
:-)*
I have a server in the rec-room that does masquerading for my local network (I can even hook up my laptop using PLIP and use it whilst lying down on the couch. Man, am I lazy!). Though the main reason I put it in was for an MP3 player to hook into the receiver. Here's the specs for those interested:
- K6-2/300
- 64MB RAM
- 2.5GB HD
- Good ol' GUS (though you guys have gotten me interested in using one of my TB Montegos (they've have gone waaay down in price recently, I believe they're cheaper than the SBLive), which has SPDIF and 18-bit AD/DA converters, so that might get interesting, especially since I now have a DVD and am thinking of getting a digital receiver. I can record sound from DVD now, though)
ATI All-In-Wonder Pro 8MB AGP (Waiting for gatos to get TV-Out... Then life will get more fun)
- Generic (Packard Bell) PC remote. With LIRC, I can use any remote to control MP3 playing.
- SuSE 6.1
It also does SETI@Home for Team Slashdot as does the other computers on the network (except the laptop of course)
So, if you want absolutely, positively, best playback on a system, get a digital receiver and either a TB Montego or a SBLive and you should be sittin' pretty without having to worry about shielding.
I haven't seen the movie yet, I may not, I don't know. I just bought a DVD player yesterday and I'll probably be spending much of my time watching all of my favourite movies on that great invention (I saw Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas last night and again today and it's just so much better on this format). I bought A Fish Called Wanda when I bought it too. I like the "fishtank" mode :-)*
Point? Yeah, my point. Just a little tiny point. Garth was not "created" by Myers. He is based on Dana Carvey's brother, Brad, who, interestingly enough, was one of the creators of the Video Toaster. Notice in WW2 the scene where Garth wears a Video Toaster shirt.
Just thought I'd bring that little nitpick up, even if it's a little offtopic.
Ok, ok, to bring it more ontopic:
I was very disturbed by the way the commercials decided to hang off the Phantom Menace hype in the commercials. I wasn't very impressed.
I live in Newfoundland, and knew I would have to order it away, so I pre-ordered it (after trying to pre-order it at a local store ("uhh...what?")). I got it from Handeye.com. I couldn't find a Canadian on-line source so I had to pay customs, exchange, etc. Yuck. I have more luck ordering from UK than the states. So, basically, the point is: just buy it online. I paid extra for it, and I had to buy the sound driver for my sound card, and I DON'T CARE, because the game rules.
I like this game better than Civ II personally, and I haven't had this much Civ fun since the first one.
And it runs really good on my K6-2/350 w/96MB. I use Blackbox for the WM because it's small, fast, and doesn't intrude on my full screen like KDE.
Ok, I checked it out and that was the command I issued. I had a directory called slackware-4.0 which was a mostly complete mirror of the directory of the same name on ftp.cdrom.com. I was in the parent directory of it when I ran mkisofs. I got that line by searching for mkisofs on the forum at www.slackware.com.
/live (which is empty anyway). I've also placed the directory I used to generate the ISO there too.
If you still have trouble, I've (gulp, I may regret this, Slashdot effect and all...) placed the generated image on an ftp server at wiley229h022.roadrunner.nf.net port 4021. It's mostly complete minus 1.2 MB bootdisks, source, zipslack, slaktest, and
The server is on a cable modem in Newfoundland, Canada, so your transfer rate may vary.