When I started out contracting, even though I was billing monthly, I didn't get to see a single cent for just over 3 months.
Everyone took their time for paying, the client took a couple of months, and the agency I went through another month on top of that. I'd maxed out all of my credit cards and have even borrowed from my parents just to survive.
Of course, when I finally got paid, it was in 3 months the same as I'd previously made in an entire year, so all of my debts went instantly, but it was really hard surviving up to that point.
My advise for anyone starting out is to make sure you've got enough saved up for a few months of rent and food.
They're tying people's worth to their physical (dis)abilities rather than how good they are as a person, and as they're doing this, they try to pretend that their personal disability isn't a disability but is just 'different' to try to self validate. We see anorexics doing this, blind people doing this, deaf people,...
This is very true, and Im ashamed to admit that I had no idea that this occured until recently.
There was a documentary on the BBC which followed some deaf people, one couple were having a baby. The maternal grandmother was deaf, and the paternal grandmother was not deaf. Both parents were deaf.
When the baby was determined to be profoundly deaf, the reaction of the paternal grandmother was "Oh, I'm so sorry", while the reaction of the deaf maternal grandmother was "I'm so happy for you". Both of the parents were very happy and were wanting their child to be deaf.
They were rationalizing it as that now their child would be living in a special world of deaf people, and would have all of the same wonderful experiences as they, deaf people, have. If their child was able to hear, then they would have been disappointed that their child would live in a different 'world' to them.
I was totally amazed at this attitude, and when I told my wife about the show, she was shocked and couldn't understand their perspective (and I probably didn't do a good job of explaining the entire show to her as well). We're just so glad that our son is perfect and is not limited by any loss of any of the senses.
Sorry, I can't agree with you. The main feature is the hard disk, not the usb.
I've just instaled gcc on my c3000, a full uncompressed install, abd next I'll be downloading some software and be compiling on the c3000 itself.
I'v already installed alot of other prepackages software on to the hard disk. If this was any other model, I would have had to used CF cards - and anyway, my CF slot is occupied by a d-link wireless card as I'm posting this from my c3000.
With around 2.5g free space, that's a massive amount of storage which is always with you - far better than swapping SD and CF cards.
btw, I got mine from www.trisoft.de, I have no conection to then, but they gave me fanstatic service and ship to all Europe.
PeopleSoft, they won't have to immediately migrate to another ERP system:
My guess is that Oracle will do to PeopleSoft the same thing they did (are doing) to RDB.
For those who are too young to remember, once upon a time, there was a company known as DEC, and they had a database which ran on their VAX hardware called RDB, and it was way ahead of everyone esle in terms of being a multi-dimensional database - much the same way their clustering technology was so advanced that others are only now catching up.
Oracle bought RDB from DEC, and slowly, over the last 10 years, took all of the good features and technology and added it to their rdbms. Now with Oracle 10G, there's hardly any reason why anyone but a old-time hard core VAX-running customer would ever consider RDB.
The RDB product line isn't dead, but with all of the features now available elsewhere, it might as well be.
Oracle will probably get everyone to migrate over a 10-15 year period before they kill PeopleSoft.
Hiring a couple of in-house programmers for a year will get you jack squat progress towards a full-blown home-rolled ERP system.
If I had mod points, I'd give you a +1 insightful.
As for an example, where I'm currently working uses Oracle's E-Business suit. There are 4 full-time DBA's, and about 20 full-time developers.
What do these people do? Create new wizz-bang system? No. Everyone is either involved in keeping things running, or making minor modifications or additions to the existing system. (Some of us have been here for more than 7 years, just keeping things ticking over.)
If we wanted to produce even a small fraction of Oracle's E-Business suit, we'd need 100 times more people.
Oracle's E-Business suit is vast, and should not be under estimated.
You're also wrong, by the way. A spoiler doesn't create any downforce
hmm... now either you're wrong, or the ride and handling Engineers at Lotus Cars are wrong.
When I went to drive the new Lotus Eixge around a track, then engineers first gave a slide show, giving the differences between the new model Lotus Elise, and the new Lotus Exige (which is based on the Elise).
The Elise has only a spolier, which is integrated into the body of the car. The Exige has a spoiler, sitting about 20cm above the rear clamshell.
Both the Elise and Exige produce downforce, but the Exige produces about 80kg more downforce at 120km/h (roughly, I can't remember the exact figures).... hmm... who to believe.....
Do you think that you could be less definitive about telling someone they're wrong next time.
The problem with slashdot, there's always going to be someone eho knows more that you.....
It's actually a lot like the olympics. The United States consitently fields a huge ammount of great athletes and manages to win a bigger portion of metals than any other nation. Yet the average American is fat (and often lazy).
I'd just like to point out, as a flag waving Aussie, that Australia, while didn't win as many medals as the US, on a per captia basis, our 20 million people vs your 380 (or whatever) kicked your ass!
Also, although we're not as fat and lazy as the average American, we're catching you up there are well. Maybe even on a per capita basis, we're fatter and more lazy that you!
Ha! Take that, you Yanks!... oh..... that's not good, it is?...
> because the CIA already had the legal power to neutralize the guilty parties in those cases before PATRIOT passed.
umm, one thing I'd like to point out...
The CIA is not allowed to operate in the US, anything domestic is for the FBI, etc.
Now, it may be that the US govt has said that it's fine and dandy for the CIA to kill, capture or 'neutralize' foreign nationals, but, the foreign nationals governments wouldn't agree.
Whenenever the CIA do almost anything, they are breaking the laws of the country in which they are working.
Let me give you an example which doesn't involve the US - The French govt sent it's people in to blow up the GreenPeace Rainbow Warrior. The French decided that their people had the right to do it. The NZ govt didn't agree, and caught and arrested the French operatives.
So, I can't really see how the CIA can have any legal power to do anything outside of the US, and they don't have any legal power to do anything inside the US either.
Really, the US needs more draconian laws, which they have the legal right to enforce in other countries, that would really help things get under control. All which is needed is alot more weapons and a bigger army.
I, on the other had, had an 8-processor rs/6000, a sun sparc laptop, a dell laptop running linux, and when I bring them in tomorrow, 4 additional linux servers. These are all my own personal equipment, but I do let other people in my department use them.
So, please tell me where you work - I'll make sure that I never apply for a job there!
I have a (for me) significant investment in lenses. No matter how fine your film grain, no matter how many MPixels, you're still limited by the quality of your lens.
I couldn't agree with you more. Optics is king.
Canon and Nikon don't have anything to worry about, in fact, it's good for them, as all the pros and semi-pros are going to have to replace their camera bodies (if they haven't already).
The thought of pitching all that hardware is, for me, painful. I'm waiting for the D-100 body to come down in price enough for me to use the lenses I already have. Quality optics are not cheap, and whatever camera
Right, I think this is more your personal problem - you care about optics, but don't have enough to splash out on a good digital body.
My favourite lens of mine is a Canon IS f2.8 400mm. If you compare the cost of that lens against a pro digital camera body, you'll see there in the same ballpark. And that's just one of my expensive lenses. Added all up, my lenses are worth far more than a pro digital body, so it's worth splashing out and getting one. Most pros and semi-pros are in the same situation.
You, I think, are in the very small market segment where you appreciate quality, but for some reason, it isn't worth spending alot on an expensive digital body - but don't worry, your market segment will be catered for very soon.
since I use Linux mainly to run a bunch of servers. If SCO were to win, it would greatly restrict my ability to do this.
But if SCO do win, now the code in question is known, all that has to happen is that the code is removed, and you can now switch to the new, improved version.
You're really only going to have problems if the code can't easily be re-written, and then, it's only going to affect more enterprise-level mulit-cpu boxes - You're probably still going to be fine.
In fact, it does currently work, and there are alot of people currently using it under Linux.
The problem is that for windows, they have created a n installation package which automatically installs a java applet and signs it with a downloaded certificate. They don't have package so far for Linux, so the only people using Linux are the more technical users who can manually install the correct Sun jdk bits and certificate manually.
Pointy haried bosses, even if they allow Linux, don't like custom, unsupported installs.
In fact, "suck it up" is the worst thing a parent or advisor can say to a bullied kid
Really?
I would have thought something like 'Aim for the chest' would be worse advice than that - after all, a head shot is far better, sure you'll use more rounds as you'll miss more, but the dead don't sue.
2) being an honest 'I left it at home', in which case the police will have to give you a reasonable time period to go home, get it, and present it to them, thus putting you to some inconvenience for your honesty,
Ah, hold on there, you assume that they'll let you go. That isn't so in other EU countries where we already had ID cards.
Here in Belgium, the police can hold you until you prove who you are. This means somone else has to go home and pick up your card for you.
No, the police here don't always do it, but they have the power to do it, and be selective about how they enforce it.
Surely you remember the case of the 70 year old grand mother who took a trip on the Eurostar to see her grand-daughter, but forgot her passport and was held overnight in a holding cell and sent back to the UK, a year or so ago. If she'd had any form of valid photo id (ie identity card) then she would have been ok, but she didn't, as her only acceptable form was her passport which she left behind.
A book I happen to have sitting on my desk right now, "Java How To Program" - Deitel & Deitel, has in big fonts on the back cover -
"Not for Sale in USA and Canada"
Above this, in a box, it has -
"This is a special international edition of an established title widely used by colleges and universities throught the world. Pearson Education International published this sepcial edition for the benefit of students outside the United Sates and Canada."
"If you purchased this book within the United States or Canada you should be aware that it has been wrongfully immported without the approval of the Publisher or the Author."
I thought this was a little strange, as if I ever buy books from the US, I get them from bookpool, and the prices are always less than I can get locally in Europe, even with the shipping and import duty included.
Now I understand why is has this - it's either telling me that I'm privledged to be able to buy a copy of the book, or that the people in the US and Canada are really getting screwed on the price.
The thing which gave me the greatest thrill was to watch the launch of Columbia on STS-55 (a few years back now).
I don't think there's anything more amazing than seeing a space craft take off.
I'm planning to go back and take my wife and son to florida just to see another launch - it's an experience of a life time, and well worth it, whatever the cost in time an money.
Just to put an international perspective on this, neither I, nor my wife were taught about Edison in school, and we went to schools on differnet continents.
I think that it's more of a US perspective where Edison is revered. For the rest of the world, he's just another foreign inventor. People tend to learn about their local inventors and are told how great they are, and gloss over the foriegners.
As an example, I bet no-one from the US knows who invented that greatest of farm inventions, the stump-jump plow.
And why haven't you mentioned Australia? You can't brush them off as a nothing country which didn't supply anything.
Australia had over 2,000 troops, mostly sepcial forces.
Australia provided frigates, destroyers and support ships.
Australia had mine clearance teams there.
Australia provided F/A-18s.
Australia had the 3rd largest combat force in Iraq.
Re:Decline and fall of the general purpose compute
on
Microsoft's Athens PC
·
· Score: 1
who, aside from the hardest of the hardcore gamers, actually NEEDS a 3 Ghz P4, or an Athlon XP 3000 in their home? Not too many people. Who aside from mass copyright actually needs a 120GB+ hard drive? Not a lot of people)
I do.
I own a Sony IP-5 MicroMV video camera. I records directly to MPEG2 format. One hour of tape is alot of gigabytes. I've recorded many hours worth.
Video editing need alot of CPU. Have a look at videocdhelp.com, it has lots of tips to help to edit and save without the computer interrupting the task - basically disable everything but the program you're using. A fast CPU really helps.
I may be an early adopter, but soon almost everyone will have a digital video camera and will be editing using their PC.
Who will need a 3Ghz P4 and 120GB+ hard drive - probably your Mom, or your uncle, or brother, or you!
Would they lock me up for a long time if I were to be an American Tourist walking around Antwerp without my Belgian National ID
I'm sorry to say, but yes, you would be locked up.
Of course, you don't have to have a Belgian id card, but you do need to have a form of photo id recognised by the Belgian govt.
There was the case a couple of years back, when a grandmother came over from England to visit her grand-daughter, and she forgot her passport. She was held in a cell overnight and then put on a train and sent back to England. We can't have grandmothers without id rampaging around Belgium now, can we?
Slashdot Mirror
When I started out contracting, even though I was billing monthly, I didn't get to see a single cent for just over 3 months.
Everyone took their time for paying, the client took a couple of months, and the agency I went through another month on top of that. I'd maxed out all of my credit cards and have even borrowed from my parents just to survive.
Of course, when I finally got paid, it was in 3 months the same as I'd previously made in an entire year, so all of my debts went instantly, but it was really hard surviving up to that point.
My advise for anyone starting out is to make sure you've got enough saved up for a few months of rent and food.
They're tying people's worth to their physical (dis)abilities rather than how good they are as a person, and as they're doing this, they try to pretend that their personal disability isn't a disability but is just 'different' to try to self validate. We see anorexics doing this, blind people doing this, deaf people,
This is very true, and Im ashamed to admit that I had no idea that this occured until recently.
There was a documentary on the BBC which followed some deaf people, one couple were having a baby. The maternal grandmother was deaf, and the paternal grandmother was not deaf. Both parents were deaf.
When the baby was determined to be profoundly deaf, the reaction of the paternal grandmother was "Oh, I'm so sorry", while the reaction of the deaf maternal grandmother was "I'm so happy for you". Both of the parents were very happy and were wanting their child to be deaf.
They were rationalizing it as that now their child would be living in a special world of deaf people, and would have all of the same wonderful experiences as they, deaf people, have. If their child was able to hear, then they would have been disappointed that their child would live in a different 'world' to them.
I was totally amazed at this attitude, and when I told my wife about the show, she was shocked and couldn't understand their perspective (and I probably didn't do a good job of explaining the entire show to her as well). We're just so glad that our son is perfect and is not limited by any loss of any of the senses.
Sorry, I can't agree with you. The main feature is the hard disk,
not the usb.
I've just instaled gcc on my c3000, a full uncompressed install,
abd next I'll be downloading some software and be compiling
on the c3000 itself.
I'v already installed alot of other prepackages software on to
the hard disk. If this was any other model, I would have had
to used CF cards - and anyway, my CF slot is occupied
by a d-link wireless card as I'm posting this from my c3000.
With around 2.5g free space, that's a massive amount of storage
which is always with you - far better than swapping SD and CF
cards.
btw, I got mine from www.trisoft.de, I have no conection to
then, but they gave me fanstatic service and ship to all Europe.
PeopleSoft, they won't have to immediately migrate to another ERP system:
My guess is that Oracle will do to PeopleSoft the same thing they did (are doing) to RDB.
For those who are too young to remember, once upon a time, there was a company known as DEC, and they had a database which ran on their VAX hardware called RDB, and it was way ahead of everyone esle in terms of being a multi-dimensional database - much the same way their clustering technology was so advanced that others are only now catching up.
Oracle bought RDB from DEC, and slowly, over the last 10 years, took all of the good features and technology and added it to their rdbms. Now with Oracle 10G, there's hardly any reason why anyone but a old-time hard core VAX-running customer would ever consider RDB.
The RDB product line isn't dead, but with all of the features now available elsewhere, it might as well be.
Oracle will probably get everyone to migrate over a 10-15 year period before they kill PeopleSoft.
Hiring a couple of in-house programmers for a year will get you jack squat progress towards a full-blown home-rolled ERP system.
If I had mod points, I'd give you a +1 insightful.
As for an example, where I'm currently working uses Oracle's E-Business suit. There are 4 full-time DBA's, and about 20 full-time developers.
What do these people do? Create new wizz-bang system? No. Everyone is either involved in keeping things running, or making minor modifications or additions to the existing system. (Some of us have been here for more than 7 years, just keeping things ticking over.)
If we wanted to produce even a small fraction of Oracle's E-Business suit, we'd need 100 times more people.
Oracle's E-Business suit is vast, and should not be under estimated.
You're also wrong, by the way. A spoiler doesn't create any downforce
... hmm... who to believe .....
hmm... now either you're wrong, or the ride and handling Engineers at Lotus Cars are wrong.
When I went to drive the new Lotus Eixge around a track, then engineers first gave a slide show, giving the differences between the new model Lotus Elise, and the new Lotus Exige (which is based on the Elise).
The Elise has only a spolier, which is integrated into the body of the car. The Exige has a spoiler, sitting about 20cm above the rear clamshell.
Both the Elise and Exige produce downforce, but the Exige produces about 80kg more downforce at
120km/h (roughly, I can't remember the exact figures).
Do you think that you could be less definitive about telling someone they're wrong next time.
The problem with slashdot, there's always going to be someone eho knows more that you.....
It's actually a lot like the olympics. The United States consitently fields a huge ammount of great athletes and manages to win a bigger portion of metals than any other nation. Yet the average American is fat (and often lazy).
... oh..... that's not good, it is? ...
I'd just like to point out, as a flag waving Aussie, that Australia, while didn't win as many medals as the US, on a per captia basis, our 20 million people vs your 380 (or whatever) kicked your ass!
Also, although we're not as fat and lazy as the average American, we're catching you up there are well. Maybe even on a per capita basis, we're fatter and more lazy that you!
Ha! Take that, you Yanks!
I can drive for an entire week and remain within English speaking areas
Yeah, I had a car like that once too!
Maybe you should consider getting a Toyota?
> because the CIA already had the legal power to neutralize the guilty parties in those cases before PATRIOT passed.
umm, one thing I'd like to point out...
The CIA is not allowed to operate in the US, anything domestic is for the FBI, etc.
Now, it may be that the US govt has said that it's fine and dandy for the CIA to kill, capture or 'neutralize' foreign nationals, but, the foreign nationals governments wouldn't agree.
Whenenever the CIA do almost anything, they are breaking the laws of the country in which they are working.
Let me give you an example which doesn't involve the US -
The French govt sent it's people in to blow up the GreenPeace Rainbow Warrior. The French decided that their people had the right to do it. The NZ govt didn't agree, and caught and arrested the French operatives.
So, I can't really see how the CIA can have any legal power to do anything outside of the US, and they don't have any legal power to do anything inside the US either.
Really, the US needs more draconian laws, which they have the legal right to enforce in other countries, that would really help things get under control. All which is needed is alot more weapons and a bigger army.
.
Man, that's one tough workplace.
I, on the other had, had an 8-processor rs/6000, a sun sparc laptop, a dell laptop running linux, and when I bring them in tomorrow, 4 additional linux servers. These are all my own personal equipment, but I do let other people in my department use them.
So, please tell me where you work - I'll make sure that I never apply for a job there!
I have a (for me) significant investment in lenses. No matter how fine your film grain, no matter how many MPixels, you're still limited by the quality of your lens.
I couldn't agree with you more. Optics is king.
Canon and Nikon don't have anything to worry about, in fact, it's good for them, as all the pros and semi-pros are going to have to replace their camera bodies (if they haven't already).
The thought of pitching all that hardware is, for me, painful. I'm waiting for the D-100 body to come down in price enough for me to use the lenses I already have. Quality optics are not cheap, and whatever camera
Right, I think this is more your personal problem - you care about optics, but don't have enough to splash out on a good digital body.
My favourite lens of mine is a Canon IS f2.8 400mm. If you compare the cost of that lens against a pro digital camera body, you'll see there in the same ballpark. And that's just one of my expensive lenses. Added all up, my lenses are worth far more than a pro digital body, so it's worth splashing out and getting one. Most pros and semi-pros are in the same situation.
You, I think, are in the very small market segment where you appreciate quality, but for some reason, it isn't worth spending alot on an expensive digital body - but don't worry, your market segment will be catered for very soon.
>"tell that to my girlfriend!"
>
>Can't, she's asleep.
You've made a typo. Here, I'll fix it for you -
Can't, she's a sheep.
There, now that makes more sense.
since I use Linux mainly to run a bunch of servers. If SCO were to win, it would greatly restrict my ability to do this.
But if SCO do win, now the code in question is known, all that has to happen is that the code is removed, and you can now switch to the new, improved version.
You're really only going to have problems if the code can't easily be re-written, and then, it's only going to affect more enterprise-level mulit-cpu boxes - You're probably still going to be fine.
In fact, it does currently work, and there are alot of people currently using it under Linux.
The problem is that for windows, they have created a n installation package which automatically installs a java applet and signs it with a downloaded certificate. They don't have package so far for Linux, so the only people using Linux are the more technical users who can manually install the correct Sun jdk bits and certificate manually.
Pointy haried bosses, even if they allow Linux, don't like custom, unsupported installs.
If she forgot her passport why wouldn't she forget her ID card?
Because if you always had to carry around your card as a legal requirement, you're less likely to forget it.
If you don't normally carry around your passport, it's easy to forget it.
In fact, "suck it up" is the worst thing a parent or advisor can say to a bullied kid
Really?
I would have thought something like 'Aim for the chest' would be worse advice than that - after all, a head shot is far better, sure you'll use more rounds as you'll miss more, but the dead don't sue.
2) being an honest 'I left it at home', in which case the police will have to give you a reasonable time period to go home, get it, and present it to them, thus putting you to some inconvenience for your honesty,
Ah, hold on there, you assume that they'll let you go. That isn't so in other EU countries where we already had ID cards.
Here in Belgium, the police can hold you until you prove who you are. This means somone else has to go home and pick up your card for you.
No, the police here don't always do it, but they have the power to do it, and be selective about how they enforce it.
Surely you remember the case of the 70 year old grand mother who took a trip on the Eurostar to see her grand-daughter, but forgot her passport and was held overnight in a holding cell and sent back to the UK, a year or so ago. If she'd had any form of valid photo id (ie identity card) then she would have been ok, but she didn't, as her only acceptable form was her passport which she left behind.
Well, this explains things a litte.
A book I happen to have sitting on my desk right now, "Java How To Program" - Deitel & Deitel, has in big fonts on the back cover -
"Not for Sale in USA and Canada"
Above this, in a box, it has -
"This is a special international edition of an established title widely used by colleges and universities throught the world. Pearson Education International published this sepcial edition for the benefit of students outside the United Sates and Canada."
"If you purchased this book within the United States or Canada you should be aware that it has been wrongfully immported without the approval of the Publisher or the Author."
I thought this was a little strange, as if I ever buy books from the US, I get them from bookpool, and the prices are always less than I can get locally in Europe, even with the shipping and import duty included.
Now I understand why is has this - it's either telling me that I'm privledged to be able to buy a copy of the book, or that the people in the US and Canada are really getting screwed on the price.
The thing which gave me the greatest thrill was to watch the launch of Columbia on STS-55 (a few years back now).
I don't think there's anything more amazing than seeing a space craft take off.
I'm planning to go back and take my wife and son to florida just to see another launch - it's an experience of a life time, and well worth it, whatever the cost in time an money.
Why is the name Thomas Edison so revered?
Just to put an international perspective on this, neither I, nor my wife were taught about Edison in school, and we went to schools on differnet continents.
I think that it's more of a US perspective where Edison is revered. For the rest of the world, he's just another foreign inventor. People tend to learn about their local inventors and are told how great they are, and gloss over the foriegners.
As an example, I bet no-one from the US knows who invented that greatest of farm inventions, the stump-jump plow.
And why haven't you mentioned Australia? You can't brush them off as a nothing country which didn't supply anything.
Australia had over 2,000 troops, mostly sepcial forces.
Australia provided frigates, destroyers and support ships.
Australia had mine clearance teams there.
Australia provided F/A-18s.
Australia had the 3rd largest combat force in Iraq.
who, aside from the hardest of the hardcore gamers, actually NEEDS a 3 Ghz P4, or an Athlon XP 3000 in their home? Not too many people. Who aside from mass copyright actually needs a 120GB+ hard drive? Not a lot of people)
I do.
I own a Sony IP-5 MicroMV video camera. I records directly to MPEG2 format. One hour of tape is alot of gigabytes. I've recorded many hours worth.
Video editing need alot of CPU. Have a look at videocdhelp.com, it has lots of tips to help to edit and save without the computer interrupting the task - basically disable everything but the program you're using. A fast CPU really helps.
I may be an early adopter, but soon almost everyone will have a digital video camera and will be editing using their PC.
Who will need a 3Ghz P4 and 120GB+ hard drive - probably your Mom, or your uncle, or brother, or you!
Would they lock me up for a long time if I were to be an American Tourist walking around Antwerp without my Belgian National ID
I'm sorry to say, but yes, you would be locked up.
Of course, you don't have to have a Belgian id card, but you do need to have a form of photo id recognised by the Belgian govt.
There was the case a couple of years back, when a grandmother came over from England to visit her grand-daughter, and she forgot her passport. She was held in a cell overnight and then put on a train and sent back to England. We can't have
grandmothers without id rampaging around Belgium now, can we?
Ok, you're posting as an A/C, so you may just be trolling.
Didn't you happen to notice the fights between the
Arabs and the police in Antwerp just a shot time ago?
What about the Arab group which is patrolling an monitoring the police? You've never heard of them.
The only few examples of this happening
I have friends who have darker skin colour, or who are arab (including my sister in law who is from Marocco), and they all disagree with you.
If you're white, you just don't even notice it.
Manually copying down information from the front of the card is far too time consuming and obvious.
You right. That's why whenever I have to hand over my identity card, they take a photocopy of it.
Obvious, eh?
Maybe not, if you don't live in a country with mandatory id cards.