We had this issue at a manufacturer I worked for. Management went to engineering and wanted time estimates for each category of product. This way, if a new customer wanted something similar to what was in our catalog, they'd know how long it would take. They swore up one side and down the other that they would not oversell the estimates.
Three weeks later Management announced a new contract for a product that was listed as "8 weeks start to finish" by Engineering. They told the customer 8 weeks, but the customer said they needed it in 4 or no deal. Management caved and agreed to 4.
The customer was shipped beta crap at 4, just to meet the terms of the contract. In reality, this is what the customer EXPECTED to happen.
Engineering had a fit. We asked management flat out "why didn't you just tell them 'no'. If you want it done right, it'll take 8 weeks.' We got a lot of standard bullshit and tap dancing about wanting to please the customer.
The sad part was this was a one-time, really small contract and it wouldn't have mattered one whit to say no -- other than PR value. Hell, the contract was done a break-even and didn't make a profit! (It was an auto-manufacturing company and the client was Rolls Royce).
It all stemmed from Management's inability to communicate to the client that "this was a real, not bullshit, time frame. Anyone who claims to do it significantly faster is lying to you."
Many people use similar passwords across different services.
Lots of crappy web sites limit the passwords to alpha-numeric and no special characters. This creates a "lowest common denominator" password that is totally crap.
So, since they are forced to use something weak and need to remember 2 dozen passwords, it is easier to use variants of the same ones. Thus, crippling *ALL* their passwords by association.
That is actually a complicated question. Most people assume that there are no training costs/issues with Microsoft upgrades, whether Office or the OS and that is just wrong.
At the companies I've been at, there were training issues and costs when going from Win2K/Win98 on the desktop to WinXP. There are also recurring costs with MS Office training, and major training costs associated with upgrading from Office 97 to Office 2003.
Saying that there are training costs when tranistioning from MS Office to OOo or from Windows to Linux usually doesn't take all that into account. There are training costs from MS to MS as well, and they aren't necessarily cheaper.
Time for someone to write a worm that forces an update from Windows Update; downloads a copy of SpyBot Search & Destroy, runs it and then turns on the firewall.
FYI: Several cities have laws against pointing telescopes at windows of buildings. Several also have laws regulating the minimum angle of elevation a telescope must be set to.
Of course, if you can identify a couple of nerds over 1 Km away pointing a telescope at your window, you're probably breaking the same laws.
Asked why the three companies came up with their own technology and risked yet another format war in the consumer electronics world, Chmielewski said: "We think our technology is better."
It specifies non-exclusive usage, meaning you can't stake out a section of geography as exclusively yours. Buy a chunk in an area with hopes of "building" later and you'll just lose your money.
Non-exlcusive usage means the prices for the licenses should be low -- mostly "maintenance" fees. (Supply isn't really limited.)
And at 25 Watts of power for fixed stations, it makes sense so they can build a database where people can look up fixed locations for coverage, etc.
Perhaps does the gov't know of a "quick" way to do large prime factorization unknown to the rest of us? With RSA resting so heavily on big primes, it would be uniquely vulnerable to something like a new way to do factorization.
You can burn or rip from withing amaroK. Personally, I prefer ripping straight from Konqueror -- it is the most intuitive interface I've ever seen with the drag-and-drop from virtual folders.
Does it mean something along the lines of "we were actively attacked by skilled persons who exploited a little-known/unknown flaw" or does it mean "we were sloppy".
(Side note: I'm generally on the side of the French in these little Franco-American spats. I saw a SUV that had a "Boycott France" bumper sticker today, and considered sticking a note under his wiper that said something to the effect of "Y'know, you have the French to thank for the philosophy of free speech that allows you to show that sticker without danger of your tires getting slashed...")
Now, had that SUV been riding on Michelin tires, you would have had such a wonderful opportunity...
Actually, considering they invented radial tires, it still could have been fun.
Spyware is a technical problem. Congress and the public should have learned from the CAN SPAM act, more accurately called "You Can Spam" Act. Spam is at an all-time high.
People don't read click-thru licenses now, what makes anyone think they're going to read them in the future?
The antivirus companies, who already have the technology and infrastructure, need to extend their scanning of executables to include ANY software that collects data and phones home. Make a big list and update it with the AV updates. When anything is installed that hit the list, pop up a big "POTENTIAL SPYWARE - ARE YOU SURE?" box.
Yet another "vote for me, I feel your pain" law isn't going to do anyone any good.
I'm sure there are numerous cases in the last 20 years where spouses recorded their home telephone calls in the hopes of catching a cheating spouse.
Don't be so sure. Audio recording of telephone conversations without consent is a felony. In Florida, ALL PARTIES must give consent. Federal law states (last I checked) that only ONE party needs give consent. Other States vary. Also, the law (Federal) requires a notification tone (that beeping you hear) unless you have a court ordered wiretap.
This is why a lot of "nanny cams" designed to be hidden and spy on the babysitter don't record audio -- only video. It is an old law.
Okay, not Office. Publisher, Visio, Project. OpenOffice does neither. Kivio and MR Project can't (last I checked) import/export those formats.
Frequently with Visio I just export to PDF and have others do the same, because I never co-edit Visio documents. Others, however, live and die by that. Project is almost always a group thing. Publisher is just plain evil and I refuse to acknowledge it.:-)
The guys making CrossOver seem to be doing a decent business selling their software.
Microsoft has every right to block someone from updating Office when it's being run from a Non-Microsoft Operating System...
No, they don't. Read the EULA and it says NOTHING of the kind.
I quote from the MS Word 2003 EULA found at http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/2/5/12538 ba0-3d24-4f00-aab1-dd9ff4aacfc9/en_client_eula.pdf
"Installation and use. You may: (a) install and use a copy of the Software on one personal computer or other device; and (b) install an additional copy of the Software on a second, portable device for the exclusive use of the primary user of the first copy of the Software."
If you can point out in the EULA where I missed it and there is a statement saying I have to run this software under MS Windows, I'd appreciate it.
Until such time, I have the right to run the software under any OS I want.
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Can you connect the iPod via USB to the PSP and let it act as a hard drive? Store the movies on that. (If this is possible.)
-Charles
We had this issue at a manufacturer I worked for. Management went to engineering and wanted time estimates for each category of product. This way, if a new customer wanted something similar to what was in our catalog, they'd know how long it would take. They swore up one side and down the other that they would not oversell the estimates.
Three weeks later Management announced a new contract for a product that was listed as "8 weeks start to finish" by Engineering. They told the customer 8 weeks, but the customer said they needed it in 4 or no deal. Management caved and agreed to 4.
The customer was shipped beta crap at 4, just to meet the terms of the contract. In reality, this is what the customer EXPECTED to happen.
Engineering had a fit. We asked management flat out "why didn't you just tell them 'no'. If you want it done right, it'll take 8 weeks.' We got a lot of standard bullshit and tap dancing about wanting to please the customer.
The sad part was this was a one-time, really small contract and it wouldn't have mattered one whit to say no -- other than PR value. Hell, the contract was done a break-even and didn't make a profit! (It was an auto-manufacturing company and the client was Rolls Royce).
It all stemmed from Management's inability to communicate to the client that "this was a real, not bullshit, time frame. Anyone who claims to do it significantly faster is lying to you."
-Charles
I mean 2 ethernet ports, making it look like a cross-over connector, and you've have a great firewall gizmo.
-Charles
Many people use similar passwords across different services.
Lots of crappy web sites limit the passwords to alpha-numeric and no special characters. This creates a "lowest common denominator" password that is totally crap.
So, since they are forced to use something weak and need to remember 2 dozen passwords, it is easier to use variants of the same ones. Thus, crippling *ALL* their passwords by association.
-Charles
I'm gonna give an amen to that. I moved to Xfce I think in Fedora Core 2 when it was included as a standard desktop option, and i haven't looked back.
Okay, now that is a damn fine example of irony. Start looking back. Xfce was removed from Fedora Core 4, though still available on Fedora Extras.
-Charles
This isn't posted as the typical /. really lame gag, but an honest question.
The PSP has a great screen, built in WiFi and a USB 2.0 port. If someone can shoehorn Linux onto it, I'd consider one, along with a USB keyboard.
-Charles
That is actually a complicated question. Most people assume that there are no training costs/issues with Microsoft upgrades, whether Office or the OS and that is just wrong.
At the companies I've been at, there were training issues and costs when going from Win2K/Win98 on the desktop to WinXP. There are also recurring costs with MS Office training, and major training costs associated with upgrading from Office 97 to Office 2003.
Saying that there are training costs when tranistioning from MS Office to OOo or from Windows to Linux usually doesn't take all that into account. There are training costs from MS to MS as well, and they aren't necessarily cheaper.
-Charles
Time for someone to write a worm that forces an update from Windows Update; downloads a copy of SpyBot Search & Destroy, runs it and then turns on the firewall.
-Charles
FYI: Several cities have laws against pointing telescopes at windows of buildings. Several also have laws regulating the minimum angle of elevation a telescope must be set to.
Of course, if you can identify a couple of nerds over 1 Km away pointing a telescope at your window, you're probably breaking the same laws.
-Charles
Asked why the three companies came up with their own technology and risked yet another format war in the consumer electronics world, Chmielewski said: "We think our technology is better."
Translation: We patented our version. Ka-ching!
It specifies non-exclusive usage, meaning you can't stake out a section of geography as exclusively yours. Buy a chunk in an area with hopes of "building" later and you'll just lose your money.
Non-exlcusive usage means the prices for the licenses should be low -- mostly "maintenance" fees. (Supply isn't really limited.)
And at 25 Watts of power for fixed stations, it makes sense so they can build a database where people can look up fixed locations for coverage, etc.
So lighten up.
-Charles
Perhaps does the gov't know of a "quick" way to do large prime factorization unknown to the rest of us? With RSA resting so heavily on big primes, it would be uniquely vulnerable to something like a new way to do factorization.
-Charles
Can be avoided by plugging in a hardware firewall that does NAT between the cable/DSL modem and any computers. Operating system be damned.
I've seen Linksys BEFW's go for $10 on E-Bay.
Or go whole hog and get the Motorola SURFboard SBG900, combination DOCSIS 2.0 cable modem/wireless-G AP/firewall.
-Charles
Not quite... read the fine print.
The $70 is for Linspire, not the beamer software -- which looks to be just a snazzied up version of LSongs.
LSongs is free, if you want to compile from source. It is also free (and simple) if you run Linspire.
Keep in mind, Linspire is a "family" license. Buy it once and install anywhere you want, pretty much.
-Charles
Ripping chews cycles. The speed is mostly so it doesn't take 20 minutes to import a new CD.
-Charles
Ask and ye shall receive...
n _I _rip.2Fencode_Audio-CDs_with_amaroK.3F
http://amarok.kde.org/wiki/index.php/FAQ#How_ca
You can burn or rip from withing amaroK. Personally, I prefer ripping straight from Konqueror -- it is the most intuitive interface I've ever seen with the drag-and-drop from virtual folders.
-Charles
Ticket Agent: May I see your ID?
Me: I'm sorry, I lost my wallet somewhere. All I have is some cash until I get everything replaced. You have no idea just how difficult this has been.
Ticket agent: Okay, you'll have to go thru some extra screening, though. [Meaning a guaranteed wanding, remove shoes, etc.]
Me: Okay.
Been there, done that. It works.
Of course, I actually DID lose my wallet on that trip, but the principle is the same.
-Charles
I'm too lazy to look this up, but didn't something similar happen with aspirin in the U.S. during the 1940s?
Aspirin is (was) a trademark of Bayer, a German company, who was a big supporter of the the Nazi regime in Germany.
The U.S. Gov't nullified the trademark and patents back in the early 40s, thus allowing other drug companies to call their product "aspirin".
-Charles
Does it mean something along the lines of "we were actively attacked by skilled persons who exploited a little-known/unknown flaw" or does it mean "we were sloppy".
-Charles
(Side note: I'm generally on the side of the French in these little Franco-American spats. I saw a SUV that had a "Boycott France" bumper sticker today, and considered sticking a note under his wiper that said something to the effect of "Y'know, you have the French to thank for the philosophy of free speech that allows you to show that sticker without danger of your tires getting slashed...")
Now, had that SUV been riding on Michelin tires, you would have had such a wonderful opportunity...
Actually, considering they invented radial tires, it still could have been fun.
-Charles
Spyware is a technical problem. Congress and the public should have learned from the CAN SPAM act, more accurately called "You Can Spam" Act. Spam is at an all-time high.
People don't read click-thru licenses now, what makes anyone think they're going to read them in the future?
The antivirus companies, who already have the technology and infrastructure, need to extend their scanning of executables to include ANY software that collects data and phones home. Make a big list and update it with the AV updates. When anything is installed that hit the list, pop up a big "POTENTIAL SPYWARE - ARE YOU SURE?" box.
Yet another "vote for me, I feel your pain" law isn't going to do anyone any good.
-Charles
I'm sure there are numerous cases in the last 20 years where spouses recorded their home telephone calls in the hopes of catching a cheating spouse.
Don't be so sure. Audio recording of telephone conversations without consent is a felony. In Florida, ALL PARTIES must give consent. Federal law states (last I checked) that only ONE party needs give consent. Other States vary. Also, the law (Federal) requires a notification tone (that beeping you hear) unless you have a court ordered wiretap.
This is why a lot of "nanny cams" designed to be hidden and spy on the babysitter don't record audio -- only video. It is an old law.
-Charles
I expect them to allow me to update the software with the fixes, etc. I don't expect them to guarantee they work -- that is my problem.
Okay, not Office. Publisher, Visio, Project. OpenOffice does neither. Kivio and MR Project can't (last I checked) import/export those formats.
:-)
Frequently with Visio I just export to PDF and have others do the same, because I never co-edit Visio documents. Others, however, live and die by that. Project is almost always a group thing. Publisher is just plain evil and I refuse to acknowledge it.
The guys making CrossOver seem to be doing a decent business selling their software.
-Charles
Microsoft has every right to block someone from updating Office when it's being run from a Non-Microsoft Operating System...
8 ba0-3d24-4f00-aab1-dd9ff4aacfc9/en_client_eula.pdf
No, they don't. Read the EULA and it says NOTHING of the kind.
I quote from the MS Word 2003 EULA found at http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/2/5/1253
"Installation and use. You may:
(a) install and use a copy of the Software on one personal computer or other device; and
(b) install an additional copy of the Software on a second, portable device for the exclusive use of the primary
user of the first copy of the Software."
If you can point out in the EULA where I missed it and there is a statement saying I have to run this software under MS Windows, I'd appreciate it.
Until such time, I have the right to run the software under any OS I want.
-Charles