How many times has anyone installed something on a newish system, and had to have a driver disk on floppy? Oh, sure, there are Lots of new pieces of hardware that have HUGE drivers (NVidia, ATI, Creative Labs...) but most of the time (Modems, NICs etc) the drivers are small enough to fit on a handy-dandy HD floppy.
Also mentioned, are ROM updates and Boot Disks.
No technician worth his Tweaker would be without as assortment of 'em! Just about EVERY OS out there has Some sort of Boot disk on an HD Floppy!
It would be nice to see a downward compatible standard take hold, but that is realy unlikely. Imation had the right idea. New media, and access/use of the older stuff, too. Shame they didn't have a chance with IOmega flooding the market with those gawd-awful ZIP disks! They are just plain EVIL! (IMNSHO)
Anyone else feel the industry/common consumer needs an "Omni-Drive" that'll swallow and use just about any of the older media? I know, I know, "lay off the caffene, and cash that reality cheque"...
The RIAA has juristiction over any company Owned and/or Incorporated in the US. Simply Hosting it elsewhere is not enough. The Company would have to actually MOVE out of the US.
Not a lot of P2P nerds would want to leave their comfy basements for the hassle of another country, someone elses' basement, learning the locaiton of the nearest edible fodd dispensation establishment, getting use to the new currency... Not to mention those pesky New Local Laws that govern everything;)
Oh, did I mention getting a VISA? Getting Into the country in question? Finding a Job? No?
There are those in the camp of "Don't Do It", and those in the tribe of "Take the Original Offer".
My take is as follows: If you actually don't mind being where you are, you just might be better off staying.
It's cliché, I know, but "Better the Devil you Know" kinda fits in this situation fairly well.
Look at the Negatives of leaving:
There's (possibly) the hassle of Moving involved. Maybe even to anothe city/state/province/country.
A whole new work environment, fellow employees, boss, supervisor, etc.
The "Probationary period" starts all over, and you Just Might Not Fit there. If that's the case, you're out of a job, *And* you probably can't go back!
If you can get your hands on one, an oddball drive of some sort, and a box or two of the correct media, would provide her with some semblance of safety for her personal data. Some examples are:
SyQuest drives. 44, 88, 105 MB, etc. An Imation SuperDisk drive (aka an LS-120) Also doubles as a standard floppy. An old IBM 2.88 drive (of all things) Uses standard floppies. Undistinguishable from a "normal" disk, too.
Basicly any drive that would be difficult to get ahold of, but has a reputation for relability. Make sure you have another to send her, just in case hers goes 'south', and she has an important paper stored on it;)
Needless to say, a ZIP drive is pretty much too common. Useful as they may be, it's not the right choice for "security". You might want to include one though, if she needs to transport larger files, and the college has such a drive. Common for Graphic Arts types, or swapping larger files (or MP3 collections) without the local sysadmin having a Cow over the P2P traffic (or has blocked the file type(s).
Maybe a copy of PGP (or similar encryption) software, and instructions on proper use.
I see you already have a Pro/Con list. Here's a few more thinmgs to consider:
DIY Rollout: Pros: You know exactly what parts are, or are not, in your systems, and can (usually) get spares easily. OS installation/options/configuration is(are) also a known quantity. Can be extremely cost effective to roll out.
Cons: Warrenty is provided by whoever you bought your parts from (new), or long-past dead on recycled parts (in most cases). Tech support? Look in the mirror!;) Large Scale network support? See above.
There are a few good reasons for a DIY rollout, but the long term support may be the price you pay later. If you have confidence in your skills, and have a friend or two that can help you out when "it" hits the fan on the next "I Love You" type virus hits, I'd say, Save The Cash, and Go For It!
If your Boss (the guy signing the cheques) want "Guarantees", you just might have to talk to a Big Name company.
Here's a thought: Try selling off your older componants. The extra revenue, however small, might be enought to help get things rolling.
The question was asked: "Why would you stop short or actually downloading the software?"
Here's a clue: They got it somwehere other than your site!
Truly useful software, reguardless of source, will find itself plastered all over the 'net. Ask youself this: When was the last time I downloaded WinZip from NikoMak? (Just as an example.)
What you might want to ask (and I do mean Ask) is where the client managed to get their copy. After all, Evaluation versions fall into the Shareware category, and get traded like yesterdays' Magic Cards. Anyone that wants it just asks a friend that has it to e-mail/P2P it to them, and there you go.
One piece of Encouraging news for you: People are going through the motions of registering, despite getting the software elsewhere. This is a HUGE compliment! That, and think of the Bandwidth your company is saving in Not having all those downloads comming off their site!
I'm probably comming off as very snotty here. Sorry. Not Enough Caffene in my system as yet.
As for what ticks me off: Adware. Icon "Infestation". Unwanted TSR installation. Oh, and having my precious resources leeched away by some minor program. Last, but not least would be Memory Leakage and/or poorly written code that ends up acting much like a virus.
Something that limits the change is that universiality, or ability for more than one proprietary manufacturer to make cases, boards and other items (power supplies, for example), that will *all* be compatible with the "new form factor".
If there was one idea that the x86 community embraced, and made common, it could just fly. Mac seems to have simply thrown away the standard with their new systems, and we see the results as unexpandable, and, thus, inflexible. At least they have something Innovative in style, though. I don't see the "If you want a Floppy, just plug it into a port" idea as acceptable. Sorry.
There are a few ideas kicking around in my head, and I'm going to persue them in my R&D over the next few months.
Quick Question: What is the Minimum acceptable level of expandability required? How many slots, and what type? How many bays, and what sizes? Internal? External? Ports? What type(s), and how many?
Has anyone ever seen or heard of a little known PBS (Canada) show entitled "Prisoners of Gravity"? It starred "Commander Rick" (Rick Green of The Frantics), who did taped, Devil's advocate-type interviews with Big name artists and authors about all kinds of SF&F topics.
If it was still on the air (at last awareness, it has slipped into commercial laden syndication,) it might still be covering the latest and greatest (or even the Dogs, life Cleopatra 2525), with a certain air of authority, as asnwers to the occasional tough queston came Driectly from the author/artists/muses' mouth!
Oh, for the original, commercial-free 27 minute shows!
Slashdot Mirror
Drivers!
;)
How many times has anyone installed something on a newish system, and had to have a driver disk on floppy? Oh, sure, there are Lots of new pieces of hardware that have HUGE drivers (NVidia, ATI, Creative Labs...) but most of the time (Modems, NICs etc) the drivers are small enough to fit on a handy-dandy HD floppy.
Also mentioned, are ROM updates and Boot Disks.
No technician worth his Tweaker would be without as assortment of 'em! Just about EVERY OS out there has Some sort of Boot disk on an HD Floppy!
It would be nice to see a downward compatible standard take hold, but that is realy unlikely. Imation had the right idea. New media, and access/use of the older stuff, too. Shame they didn't have a chance with IOmega flooding the market with those gawd-awful ZIP disks! They are just plain EVIL! (IMNSHO)
Anyone else feel the industry/common consumer needs an "Omni-Drive" that'll swallow and use just about any of the older media? I know, I know, "lay off the caffene, and cash that reality cheque"...
I'll just shut up now
Well, he was *half* right ;)
You can format HD floppies to quad. I personally have never eve Seen a box of QD floppies in my life, so all I have ever used are the HDs reformatted.
/.ed again! And not a Chance to see it, eigther!
Somebody fire up the Way Back Machine to, say yesterday and post a link, please?
Thanks!
The RIAA has juristiction over any company Owned and/or Incorporated in the US. Simply Hosting it elsewhere is not enough. The Company would have to actually MOVE out of the US.
;)
Not a lot of P2P nerds would want to leave their comfy basements for the hassle of another country, someone elses' basement, learning the locaiton of the nearest edible fodd dispensation establishment, getting use to the new currency... Not to mention those pesky New Local Laws that govern everything
Oh, did I mention getting a VISA? Getting Into the country in question? Finding a Job? No?
Oh well. Must just be my imagination.
One thing I'd like to see is a way to search (what's left of) their available songs for *Gasp* What's Actually Available!!!
;)
There seems to be *Absolutely Nothing* left to download.
Needless to say, I know of Nobody willing to pay for a Gold Membership to an Empty Directory.
Gonzo from My system, it is.
Maybe in a few months, I'll pop by and see if it's actually got anything of interest to me. Until then, I'll be seeking out an "alternative" P2P.
Not Kazaa, though. I'd ask for suggestions, but that just opens the dorr for the Next source to be attacked
There are those in the camp of "Don't Do It", and those in the tribe of "Take the Original Offer".
My take is as follows: If you actually don't mind being where you are, you just might be better off staying.
It's cliché, I know, but "Better the Devil you Know" kinda fits in this situation fairly well.
Look at the Negatives of leaving:
There's (possibly) the hassle of Moving involved. Maybe even to anothe city/state/province/country.
A whole new work environment, fellow employees, boss, supervisor, etc.
The "Probationary period" starts all over, and you Just Might Not Fit there. If that's the case, you're out of a job, *And* you probably can't go back!
Just my silly thoughts on the matter.
Just echos of the board, simplified, really.
If you can get your hands on one, an oddball drive of some sort, and a box or two of the correct media, would provide her with some semblance of safety for her personal data. Some examples are:
;)
SyQuest drives. 44, 88, 105 MB, etc.
An Imation SuperDisk drive (aka an LS-120) Also doubles as a standard floppy.
An old IBM 2.88 drive (of all things) Uses standard floppies. Undistinguishable from a "normal" disk, too.
Basicly any drive that would be difficult to get ahold of, but has a reputation for relability. Make sure you have another to send her, just in case hers goes 'south', and she has an important paper stored on it
Needless to say, a ZIP drive is pretty much too common. Useful as they may be, it's not the right choice for "security". You might want to include one though, if she needs to transport larger files, and the college has such a drive. Common for Graphic Arts types, or swapping larger files (or MP3 collections) without the local sysadmin having a Cow over the P2P traffic (or has blocked the file type(s).
Maybe a copy of PGP (or similar encryption) software, and instructions on proper use.
You can never have too much privacy!
Good Luck!
I see you already have a Pro/Con list. Here's a few more thinmgs to consider:
;)
DIY Rollout:
Pros:
You know exactly what parts are, or are not, in your systems, and can (usually) get spares easily.
OS installation/options/configuration is(are) also a known quantity.
Can be extremely cost effective to roll out.
Cons:
Warrenty is provided by whoever you bought your parts from (new), or long-past dead on recycled parts (in most cases).
Tech support? Look in the mirror!
Large Scale network support? See above.
There are a few good reasons for a DIY rollout, but the long term support may be the price you pay later. If you have confidence in your skills, and have a friend or two that can help you out when "it" hits the fan on the next "I Love You" type virus hits, I'd say, Save The Cash, and Go For It!
If your Boss (the guy signing the cheques) want "Guarantees", you just might have to talk to a Big Name company.
Here's a thought: Try selling off your older componants. The extra revenue, however small, might be enought to help get things rolling.
Good Luck eigther way!
The question was asked: "Why would you stop short or actually downloading the software?"
;)
Here's a clue: They got it somwehere other than your site!
Truly useful software, reguardless of source, will find itself plastered all over the 'net. Ask youself this: When was the last time I downloaded WinZip from NikoMak? (Just as an example.)
What you might want to ask (and I do mean Ask) is where the client managed to get their copy. After all, Evaluation versions fall into the Shareware category, and get traded like yesterdays' Magic Cards. Anyone that wants it just asks a friend that has it to e-mail/P2P it to them, and there you go.
One piece of Encouraging news for you:
People are going through the motions of registering, despite getting the software elsewhere. This is a HUGE compliment! That, and think of the Bandwidth your company is saving in Not having all those downloads comming off their site!
I'm probably comming off as very snotty here. Sorry. Not Enough Caffene in my system as yet.
As for what ticks me off: Adware. Icon "Infestation". Unwanted TSR installation. Oh, and having my precious resources leeched away by some minor program. Last, but not least would be Memory Leakage and/or poorly written code that ends up acting much like a virus.
I think I've ranted enough now.
Something that limits the change is that universiality, or ability for more than one proprietary manufacturer to make cases, boards and other items (power supplies, for example), that will *all* be compatible with the "new form factor".
If there was one idea that the x86 community embraced, and made common, it could just fly. Mac seems to have simply thrown away the standard with their new systems, and we see the results as unexpandable, and, thus, inflexible. At least they have something Innovative in style, though. I don't see the "If you want a Floppy, just plug it into a port" idea as acceptable. Sorry.
There are a few ideas kicking around in my head, and I'm going to persue them in my R&D over the next few months.
Quick Question: What is the Minimum acceptable level of expandability required? How many slots, and what type? How many bays, and what sizes? Internal? External? Ports? What type(s), and how many?
Have fun.
Play Nice.
Keep that Frag Count up.
Has anyone ever seen or heard of a little known PBS (Canada) show entitled "Prisoners of Gravity"? It starred "Commander Rick" (Rick Green of The Frantics), who did taped, Devil's advocate-type interviews with Big name artists and authors about all kinds of SF&F topics. If it was still on the air (at last awareness, it has slipped into commercial laden syndication,) it might still be covering the latest and greatest (or even the Dogs, life Cleopatra 2525), with a certain air of authority, as asnwers to the occasional tough queston came Driectly from the author/artists/muses' mouth! Oh, for the original, commercial-free 27 minute shows!