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User: jmcmurry

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  1. Re:Don't use your distro tools to install it... on Firefox 1.0.7 Released · · Score: 1

    Which is fine, except that Firefox 1.0.6 (linux-i686 en-US at least) appears to have been released on July 19. You waited nearly two months to get a security release.

    This isn't your fault, of course, but it points out a problem with waiting for your vendor to release new versions of software with security fixes. I got Firefox 1.0.7 today because I'm installing it myself.

  2. Re:DLT on Iomega Patents 850GB DVD Nano-Technology · · Score: 1

    I'm sure that the data on that tape was destroyed beyond recoverability when the tape hit the floor, so your company and its customers have nothing to worry about.

  3. MS Press Release on Microsoft to Acquire Groove Networks · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's a press release from Microsoft with more information and some Q&A with Ozzie and Jeff Raikes, Microsoft group vice president of their Information Worker Business group.

  4. Re:what they should have done with the mini on Accessories for Mac mini · · Score: 1

    I think it's only a matter of time before someone starts selling a drive enclosure that perfectly matches the Mini's footprint and comes with a 6" FireWire cable, designed to fit under the Mini. Something like the 10MB drives you could find for the Plus and SE/30 cases.

    Extra points if it includes a USB hub on the front.

  5. Re:Is it just me... on Apple Announces New iBooks · · Score: 1

    Laptop snobs insist on ThinkPads, at least for PC laptops. I've dealt with a few Vaios, and they always seemed heavy on gimmicks and light on solid functionality.

    In my experience, ThinkPads are heavy on functionality and light on gimmicks. YMMV.

  6. Re:The World is 4:3 on Cable HDTV Not Ready For Primetime? · · Score: 3, Funny

    If the HD broadcast is in 4x3 and has side letterboxes, then the picture is effectively 50% of my total screen real estate. I wind up with an incredibly clear 16" picture in the middle of my 32" tv, surrounded by black boxes on all sides. And of course, there's no way to override this "feature."

    I really hate this. And it's worse when you get commercials that are in a faux 16:9 format, like most IBM commercials. Then you get this:

    1. horizontal letterboxes from the TV going from 4:3 format to 16:9 signal
    2. vertical letterboxes because the 16:9 signal is actually 4:3 content
    3. inner horizonal letterboxes as part of the 4:3 content because the ad agency wanted to shoot in 16:9

    ...such that what you see looks stupid on your 36" television.

    It's not that I care that commercials look good, but I feel absurd trying to explain this to visitors who ask why the picture is so small. It looks like Picture In Picture without the outer Picture.

  7. Re:Does *not* work on Verizon on Google Launches SMS Search Service · · Score: 1

    Doesn't work for me either, and my number is the original Verizon number on this Verizon phone. I sent an email to the support address like a good beta tester...

  8. Re:Features on Fedora Core 1 Released · · Score: 1

    mutt, screen, and xdelta.

    Those were the three (!) RPMs that required me to put in the third CD during a recent RedHat 9 install. I chose packages by category; no "select individual packages". Unfortunately, I had only burned the first two. Ugh.

    At work, I use the boot.iso image and a NFS shared volume with the RedHat disc contents. Installs are fast and painless. And I never have to think about which disc contains the packages I'm interested in installing.

  9. Re:Or it could be because you don't have any mirro on Three New Releases (And Other News) From Mozilla · · Score: 1

    From ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/mozilla/rele ases/mozilla1.5/MD5SUMS:

    1f025ea6acd1cf3b5a6b6e9f41acb5da ./mozilla-win32-1.5-installer.exe
    05c7e551d630c85 2274835e00cec4b8f ./gecko-sdk-win32-1.5.zip
    0a1447d0c4ff99a39d4a07e 65b5f544f ./src/mozilla-source-1.5.tar.bz2
    a0a3d54278a37655 f3eb0ecf14ffab2e ./src/mozilla-source-1.5.tar.gz
    205ad05d4ff432665 e9b0678c260a2c1 ./mozilla-win32-1.5-stub-installer.exe
    165789ba0a e122cb11ecc3c536110549 ./gecko-sdk-i686-pc-linux-gnu-1.5.tar.gz
    3b155ada 068771bb8984dfdf09aa3351 ./mozilla-i686-pc-linux-gnu-1.5-sea.tar.gz
    624d30 3f7dab498bd07541c371da06ae ./mozilla-i686-pc-linux-gnu-1.5.tar.gz
    cec2d6fdf4 69c8735c305b67f2e257ca ./mozilla-mac-MachO-1.5.dmg.gz
    6a07c48d29a483dd54 095e5354d7ebdd ./README
    aed838a1f643fc4a9db98e0fafbe215e ./mozilla-win32-1.5.zip
    9def1a2318df77f0be6508f16 b775b38 ./mozilla-win32-1.5-talkback.zip
    6f3104840e177c0a 6af6e4a3f1488471 ./linux-xpi/browser.xpi
    8ef0e87fe6a2b6aef56713efe 71763d4 ./linux-xpi/chatzilla.xpi
    ea12fe4ac6096fe5c44c0ea ed74897db ./linux-xpi/deflenus.xpi
    3d2319dc7f9806b86e92d8eb 436aaefe ./linux-xpi/inspector.xpi
    f91a7cf743fbd27ec0b42d1 e6c4568b2 ./linux-xpi/langenus.xpi
    81989b57d13d14df3379c301 a9b65a4a ./linux-xpi/mail.xpi
    ba5d124a7d5b891aa146d16a064c 7b4a ./linux-xpi/psm.xpi
    27dcbcca8a079cb41d0ac5e9bcda8 99a ./linux-xpi/regus.xpi
    5c2002c731ed084153a0b09e14c 5cf4f ./linux-xpi/spellcheck.xpi
    caa1b36a146a7d22fb7dc8 d8429e1fe5 ./linux-xpi/talkback.xpi
    00477fd8968eefbe850bf56a 7f1d824a ./linux-xpi/venkman.xpi
    45dde70e3a185f73bbd91257d 549189c ./linux-xpi/xpcom.xpi
    4c649d8a26671e7ff7a2754aae3 91de4 ./windows-xpi/browser.xpi
    08ec47aeb603168e78d467d 81419acf2 ./windows-xpi/chatzilla.xpi
    232734ec06bc823ae04aa b8e72c41fc1 ./windows-xpi/deflenus.xpi
    63a58d685dbd2fbb9618b9 c4bedf5827 ./windows-xpi/gre-win32-installer.zip
    c906c3c44e6 f4b9ff70b4218881fc360 ./windows-xpi/inspector.xpi
    64406c547f2457907844f ca14c42b09a ./windows-xpi/langenus.xpi
    648ba5ee5d647dbb4b90db 4c034b78ba ./windows-xpi/mail.xpi
    6adc29214c0fbda7c6096c06f3 618441 ./windows-xpi/mozillauninstall.zip
    564c9cd73d4f7b 0310a7042b86949fa3 ./windows-xpi/regus.xpi
    76a131b78ce079696ae2952fc ea70d24 ./windows-xpi/spellcheck.xpi
    0ea8d3a91ac6702454fc 283d0c22ff0a ./windows-xpi/talkback.xpi
    fcf62136a6cbe766cfbf89 b3b3340aed ./windows-xpi/venkman.xpi
    caf7a3127b93048a53a1379 81fdc0446 ./windows-xpi/xpcom.xpi
    27c3338b2456c32f3e892c7ba 9f20d74 ./mozilla-i686-pc-linux-gnu-1.5-installer.tar.gz

    (BTW, Slashdot's "Code" formatting option eats characters, at least in the above text, so it's just "Plain Old Text". Boo.)

  10. Re:Solaris *IS* your father's UNIX. on Merrill Lynch Rips Sun · · Score: 1

    Weird. I thought I was commenting on Comment 7126702...

  11. Re:Solaris *IS* your father's UNIX. on Merrill Lynch Rips Sun · · Score: 1

    admintool is deprecated in Solaris 9. Now there's Solaris Management Console, which is pretty slow and kinda lousy, but not nearly so lousy as admintool.

    Using SMIT or SAM in a terminal is much nicer than SMC.

  12. Re:Lower your prices, Apple on Updated Power Macs at Apple.com · · Score: 1

    ...and a ATI Radeon 9000 Pro. And faster memory, for what that's worth.

    You can take the "Fast" model (single 1GHz G4, DDR266 SDRAM) and configure it with the same options as are the defaults on the "Faster" model (dual 1.25 GHz G4, DDR333 SDRAM). The difference is $454. Probably worth it, if you're seriously looking for a Mac.

    You seem to be in the same market that I'm in; I don't want to "Switch", I want "Both", but a Power Mac is just too expensive to be a good value in my mind. If I were already a dedicated Mac user (which I was once), I wouldn't mind getting a nice new machine for these prices. But, since I'm only thinking about getting one "for fun", they seem like expensive playtoys that I can probably do without.

    Too bad.

  13. Re:12" Powerbook Very Cool! But... on All-New PowerBooks, Web Browser Featured at Macworld · · Score: 1

    Does anyone know if Apple or a third party plans to offer a PC Card with DVI support?

    If they did, it wouldn't work in the 12" PowerBook, which has no PC Card slot.

    Looks like the 12" PB is a shiny iBook with a G4 and SuperDrive option. Cool with me; those are the two things I would miss in a 12" iBook.

  14. Re:$1530 down the tubes on Apple To Charge for Some iApps · · Score: 1

    You make $1.5 million a year?

    Wow. That's like a lot. (sic)

    Maybe you should use some of that money to buy a dedicated OpenBSD machine so you don't mess up your multiboot machine. Or pay someone who doesn't quite make your $93.75/hr to help you get OpenBSD running. I bet you'd find some takers around here.

    Good luck...

  15. Re:Standalone or component in new "Mozilla Suite"? on Mozilla Jumps on 'Lean Browser' Bandwagon · · Score: 1

    ...which is why I don't use Emacs. There are other options available if you want a text editor. Most of them are lightweight and simple in comparison.

    And with Phoenix, there are other options available in the "I want a browser from the Mozilla folk that runs on Windows" space. Specifically, one that's lightweight and simple. And speedy.

    (Seems awfully speedy on my computer, anyway...)

  16. Re:Apple really isn't hugely overpriced anymore... on Xserve Outperforms Sun, SGI, Windows · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's a similarly configured Penguin Computing Linux server.

    In case that quote link dies:

    Standard Features

    • 1U (1.75") Rackmount Chassis
    • Dual AMD Athlon MP Processors
    • 266MHz Front Side Bus
    • Up to 3.5GB of PC2100 ECC Reg. DDR Ram
    • Integrated Dual Channel ATA-100 Controller
    • Two Fixed 3.5" Hard Drive Bays
    • Dual Integrated 10/100 Ethernet NICs
    • One Available PCI Slot
    • Integrated Video
    • 24x Slim CD-Rom Drive
    • Red Hat Linux
    • Altus 130 Documentation
    • Penguin Computing two-year warranty

    Selected Features

    • Altus 130 Base System
    • Dual Athlon MP 1800+ Processors
    • 512 MB PC2100 (1x512)
    • 40 GB, EIDE, 7200 RPM
    • Slimline 24x CD-Rom Drive
    • Intel Copper Gigabit Adapter
    • Ball-Bearing Rails
    • Red Hat 7.3 Installation with Documentation
    • 1U Packaging

    Price: $2,124

    Compared to the "Fastest" Xserve configuration ($3999 with default options), it's only got a 40GB drive, a single Gigabit Ethernet interface (with two integrated 10/100 nics), and no FireWire. Neither system has a support plan other than the free warranty coverage.

    Not "sub-$1000", but not too bad.

    Of course, the Penguin system runs Red Hat Linux 7.3, which isn't so hard to use, but it's certainly not "point at the picture and click" like the Xserve appears to be.

    There's obviously not as much room for expansion with the Penguin system. (Drive bays, Gigabit card uses the only PCI slot, etc.)

    I don't really have an opinion about this; just wanted to provide an example of a "Dual AMD 1U Server with identical[ish] specs."

  17. Re:Well done to the team (again) but.. on Mozilla 1.1 Alpha Released · · Score: 1

    Another approach is to send comments to companies with web applications which work fine in Mozilla and tell them "thanks for making your site work fine with Mozilla."

    I've done this with a few online banking and credit card sites that I use. I sometimes get back a note telling me thanks for saying thanks. Many web developers want to do the right thing, and they appreciate getting something good to show the boss.

    Evangelism can mean encouraging good behavior as well as discouraging bad behavior.

  18. Re:Happier now. on PC Users Switch to Apple · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm sure these people will be surprised to hear they aren't "real people."

    Maybe Apple's interested in going after the set of Windows users who are deeply unhappy with their computers and can't understand why things can't be simpler and just work better.

    I agree that harder analytical stories would be nice to see in addition to this stuff. As a matter of fact, I can read a few right now at http://www.apple.com/switch/stories/ if I like.

    Seems to me that these ads cater to what Apple considers its strengths: ease of use, style, design, empowerment through simplicity, etc. They're a bit whimsical and quirky, which != "tough"; maybe that's why they aren't doing anything for you.

    Primarily, the ads get across something that people might perceive to be true anecdotally, but haven't heard directly from Apple in a while: There is a simpler way to do the basic stuff you might want a computer to do. Buy a Macintosh and check it out. These people did, and they're happier.

    I am sure that there are lots of people out there who are sick of Windows crashing and hate dealing with confusing (and sometimes non-functional!) preinstalled software which makes it difficult to print a few pictures of the baby or write a paper or read something interesting on the Internet.

    Apple is trying to target these "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" people who are generally pretty bright but don't feel like they should have to learn how the computer approaches problems in varied instances just so they can do a few things that the computer was advertised as being able to do.

    How is that a flawed marketing strategy?

  19. Happier now. on PC Users Switch to Apple · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I don't see that these ads show people who were too stupid to make their Windows computers work. I think these are people who want to get something done with their computers, hated the experience they got with Wintel, and are happier now that they've switched.

    "I was smart enough to buy a Mac because it works better than what I had before. It looks and feels better, too."

    The message seems to be:

    :( + OurProduct = :)

    Marketing 101, second week.

    The most important feature of the DJ spot isn't that she thinks her Mac is pretty. It's that someone told her to buy Wintel, she did, and didn't like it. She then bought her own Mac, and she likes it a lot more. She went against the flow, jumped off the bandwagon, and bought a "niche" computer. As a result, she's happier. The marketing message is: Maybe you'd be happier like our friend Liza here if you did the same thing she did.

    I much prefer advertising trying to influence me with real people saying they're getting more done with less headaches as opposed to advertising trying to influence me with a fictional glue addict whose catchphrase is "Dude!" Talk about "loser"...

  20. Re:Server in a coma on Video of Apple Xserve Introduction · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I had a demo unit of the Apple Network Server 500 under my desk for a while, and I remember how much fun it was to turn it on with the key. Turning on computers with keys was new to me then. I thought it was like starting a sports car.

    As I recall, it was loud like a sports car, too.

    I used it to telnet to other stuff, making it the most expensive VT100(-ish) terminal I've ever seen.

    But the hardware was pretty cool.

    Back on topic, anyone catch the guy from Genentech talking about running Blast in a "massively parallel fashion", then going back and saying "well I can't say we're massive at this point, but we're parallel"?

    Maybe they'll make a big XServe if the little one works out?

  21. Re:Streaming Video + Slashdot on Matrix Reloaded Trailer Online · · Score: 1

    Sorry, not Holst. At least in the trailer I saw. The orchestral music is from the original score to "The Matrix." Listen to the music during the hotel ambush scene.

    Not all heavy, syncopated orchestral music is "Mars", you know.

    BTW, check out the Don Davis soundtrack on the DVD for "The Matrix" to hear some great commentary on the score and what it's like to write film music.

  22. And in Moz... on Mozilla Tree Closes for 1.0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Ctrl + N does the same thing.

    Ctrl + Button1 opens the clicked link in a new window.

    Button2 opens the clicked link in a new window, too.

    None of these are "killer features."

  23. briQ on Terra Soft Releases Rackable Dual G4/1GHz · · Score: 1

    Not exactly what you were thinking of, but you can buy a briQ from Terrasoft. Teeny little PPC computer that can fit in a drive bay (!). The 500Mhz G4 is $1985, the 500Mhz G3 is $1485.

    This was news to me.

  24. Re:It really needs SCSI drives! on Dual 1Ghz G4 PowerMac With Extra Yummy · · Score: 1

    But that depends on the version of the Ultra 5 you have.

    Don't know the details of the drive model in the Ultra 5 under my desk, but as IDE drives go, it's a real bottom feeder. To wit: http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Devices/Disk/ DISK_Sgte_ST34342A.html

    That's right: 4500 RPM...

  25. Re:Explanation via Analogy on Open Source Programmers Stink At Error Handling · · Score: 1

    The best teacher in the world is scar tissue.