Years ago I heard a reference to 'format fatigue', i.e. we got bought CDs because we were bored with vinyl. B*ll*cks I say. New formats are introduced to get us to buy again. It worked with vinyl->CD and VHS->DVD because everyone could see the advantage. It didn't work with CD->DVDA or SACD.
I don't anticipate buying movies again on the new DVD formats. My DVDs sound and look good enough with my 28" CRT and basic surround system and I don't re-watch them much anyway. Audio-/videophiles may think differently, but they are a small minority. I'll consider a new player when they get affordable.
Using any OS these days is a matter of clicking on menus and buttons. If they can work with Linux then Windows should not be a big leap. My kids use both with no real problems switching between them.
Let the learn the basics on Linux and they will deal with Windows when they meet it.
I bought a Model A as it was UKP100 less (only UKP299), but then you only got 16KB and a lot less interfaces. I eventually added the extra memory chips so I could run things like Elite, but I never got as far as a floppy drive. I had a lot of fun with that computer.
I remember when there were dozens of different computers and they were all incompatible with each other. Oh the fun of typing in several pages of Basic from a magazine to play a crappy little game.
Didn't have anything else until an Amiga 500+ a lot later, followed by a 1200 that was upgraded all the way to a 68040. About 7 years ago I got my first PC (PII/350) that has evolved into my current one (Duron 1200) and moved from W98->W2K->Ubuntu.
Those who stick a loud pipe on their car think that the people looking at them are impressed, but I bet they are thinking something else. I'd just like to see the police pulling more of them over. At least you get some warning that there's an idiot nearby.
I'd be embarrassed to drive a loud car, especially when coming home late at night. I don't think my neighbours would appreciate it.
Didn't someone sell a gadget that gave you 'big car' noise through your speakers? I'm sure it was linked to the rev counter and could simulate different engines.
The 'eco-nuts' are concerned about more than just annoying you. The fact is that many people just don't think about how much energy they might be wasting. They will never read about the issues, if they read at all. For them the only answer might be to pressure the manufacturers to make their devices more efficient. As the article says this can be difficult for one country to do when the manufacturers are on the other side of the world and that country only makes up a small percentage of their market.
Convenience has a cost. If I want to have cordless telephones I need wall warts (but they could be more efficient), if I want my kids to be able to watch DVDs I have to leave some devices turned on at the wall, if I want be able to record anything on my PVR I have to leave it in standby. If we're away for several days I will go around and turn off few sockets, and I will turn the heating down.
Electricity and gas prices are rising fast and are likely to become a large percentage of our expenses.
Soon as I heard about this I added my Google account to Psi and now I can chat to myself;) Google is supporting SSL. I can even send GPG encrypted messages to my Jabber.org account.
Nobody I know uses Google Talk. In fact I don't know many Jabber users. Most people at work have private MSN accounts and we use Skype to cut down the phone bills.
Ever tried waving your hand underneath a strobe light going at 30 cycles/sec? That's 30fps yet the motion still looks strange, since it's like you're seeing discrete frames and not continous motion burred between frames.
Who needs a strobe. Just wave you hand in front of your monitor. Just realised this only works on CRTs. I have an LCD on my desk as well that I checked with.
I've been using Enigmail with Thunderbird (Linux and Windows) for ages and it just works. I just installed TB1.5, it found the latest Enigmail and ran with it.
I now use Kmail on Linux and that also handles encryption well. I changed to Kmail to get the benefits of integration between apps (Kopete, Kalendar(?) and Palm sync)
My drive lives in my wallet. Not as geeky as hanging it around my neck, but it got admiring glances when I used it and it was always with me.
I've hardly used it lately as most files can go in email these days. I used to back up some of my files to it, but I have other methods now. There's a few Windows utilities on there for emergencies.
I've backed up my http://del.icio.us/steevc bookmarks just in case they decide to mess it up. I've almost given up using browser bookmarks apart from a few I visit every day.
I need to read that one again some time. I didn't fully get it the first time.
First I need to finish off my Neal Stephenson and then dive into the pile of books I've accumulated. I have a few technical books that I use mainly as references. For fun I read techie fiction (Stephenson, Iain Banks), humour (Pratchett) and assorted non-fiction. I'm currently catching up on some history that I missed out on at school. There's so many popular science books out there that can get you into totally new fields.
But can they run any decent video display? And do they have enough grunt for any sort of media conversion or playing back compressed video?
The fanless mini-ITX sounds like a better idea to me, even though I haven't got one.
When I eventually build my media PC I would be tempted to run some distributed processing project on it, but that is bound to result in a lot of extra heat. Really I want something that either uses very little power all the time or can suspend itself when not needed. That may be an issue when I want it to record TV.
I would be looking at something better than my Pace Twin for recording UK Freeview, but can also store DVD and VHS video for the kids to watch.
I meant to add that the Windows grouping allows someone to be in more than one group. I need to check how that they will appear in Linux as the Windows client picked up my existing groups.
A couple of features have been lost in this beta. You can't close the Skype window by double clicking the tooltray icon and the scroll wheel does not move through contacts as before.
I've been using it for a while on Ubuntu. It works pretty well, but I do have general issues with multiple programs using sound.
The Linux version has had contact groups for ages, but Windows has only just got it with this beta. It works differently though. The Linux one is more like MSN/Jabber (expand group to see contacts). The Windows one has a list of groups at the top that you can select from.
I've got some of the family using Skype just because it's simple to use and cross-platform even if it isn't open.
Windows 3.11 should run well on that. I'm sure I ran it on a 386 with 8MB. Some time before that I was booting DOS from floppies. I seem to remember a Toshiba laptop with no hard drive at one job.
It just seems to be that Operating Systems expand to use up the CPU power and memory available to them.
Actually, I have a K6-500 with 64MB and 6GB drive that I may try some sort of Linux on for a laugh.
Check out the benchmarks. Similar frame rates to the C version on the same hardware.
I've not tried it myself yet. Might get in trouble at work.
Re:I'm really enjoying The Baroque Cycle
on
Top 20 Geek Novels
·
· Score: 0
I'm also on the final book and enjoying it. It's been a long trek and hard going at times, but overall I think it's an excellent piece of fiction. I'll be interested to see how he ties up the ending. That's not usually his strong point.
My main PC, printer, scanner, speakers and a couple of other things are plugged into a power strip that gets turned off when I finish for the day. The cable modem and router stay on for convenience. It bugs me too that so many things are using power, but it can be hassle to turn some things off like the wall warts for our cordless phones which can't seem to hold a charge for 24 hours.
The AV equipment are probably the worst offenders as the Freeview (digital terrestrial box), video, AV amp and subwoofer are all on standby most of the time. I have yet to try turning off the amp at the socket to see if it keeps it's settings.
What's worse to my mind are all the people at work who leave on their monitors, sometimes with no powersaving screensaver, speakers and other assorted peripherals. But then this is probably insignificant next to the excessive use of A/C all year round. If it's freezing outside why do you need a machine to generate cold air. Open a window!
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Years ago I heard a reference to 'format fatigue', i.e. we got bought CDs because we were bored with vinyl. B*ll*cks I say. New formats are introduced to get us to buy again. It worked with vinyl->CD and VHS->DVD because everyone could see the advantage. It didn't work with CD->DVDA or SACD.
I don't anticipate buying movies again on the new DVD formats. My DVDs sound and look good enough with my 28" CRT and basic surround system and I don't re-watch them much anyway. Audio-/videophiles may think differently, but they are a small minority. I'll consider a new player when they get affordable.
Well if China has a Great Wall
What Windows skills do they really need?
Using any OS these days is a matter of clicking on menus and buttons. If they can work with Linux then Windows should not be a big leap. My kids use both with no real problems switching between them.
Let the learn the basics on Linux and they will deal with Windows when they meet it.
Model B? Luxury!
I bought a Model A as it was UKP100 less (only UKP299), but then you only got 16KB and a lot less interfaces. I eventually added the extra memory chips so I could run things like Elite, but I never got as far as a floppy drive. I had a lot of fun with that computer.
I remember when there were dozens of different computers and they were all incompatible with each other. Oh the fun of typing in several pages of Basic from a magazine to play a crappy little game.
Didn't have anything else until an Amiga 500+ a lot later, followed by a 1200 that was upgraded all the way to a 68040. About 7 years ago I got my first PC (PII/350) that has evolved into my current one (Duron 1200) and moved from W98->W2K->Ubuntu.
I did briefly try QNX a few years back and was very impressed with what they managed to fit on a floppy. I think it was all compressed.
:(
My current work and home PCs have no floppy drive
Ditto.
Those who stick a loud pipe on their car think that the people looking at them are impressed, but I bet they are thinking something else. I'd just like to see the police pulling more of them over. At least you get some warning that there's an idiot nearby.
I'd be embarrassed to drive a loud car, especially when coming home late at night. I don't think my neighbours would appreciate it.
Didn't someone sell a gadget that gave you 'big car' noise through your speakers? I'm sure it was linked to the rev counter and could simulate different engines.
The 'eco-nuts' are concerned about more than just annoying you. The fact is that many people just don't think about how much energy they might be wasting. They will never read about the issues, if they read at all. For them the only answer might be to pressure the manufacturers to make their devices more efficient. As the article says this can be difficult for one country to do when the manufacturers are on the other side of the world and that country only makes up a small percentage of their market.
Convenience has a cost. If I want to have cordless telephones I need wall warts (but they could be more efficient), if I want my kids to be able to watch DVDs I have to leave some devices turned on at the wall, if I want be able to record anything on my PVR I have to leave it in standby. If we're away for several days I will go around and turn off few sockets, and I will turn the heating down.
Electricity and gas prices are rising fast and are likely to become a large percentage of our expenses.
Soon as I heard about this I added my Google account to Psi and now I can chat to myself ;) Google is supporting SSL. I can even send GPG encrypted messages to my Jabber.org account.
Nobody I know uses Google Talk. In fact I don't know many Jabber users. Most people at work have private MSN accounts and we use Skype to cut down the phone bills.
I have yet to try the Google client.
Who needs a strobe. Just wave you hand in front of your monitor. Just realised this only works on CRTs. I have an LCD on my desk as well that I checked with.
I've been using Enigmail with Thunderbird (Linux and Windows) for ages and it just works. I just installed TB1.5, it found the latest Enigmail and ran with it.
I now use Kmail on Linux and that also handles encryption well. I changed to Kmail to get the benefits of integration between apps (Kopete, Kalendar(?) and Palm sync)
Cold fusion is ready for the desktop.
But can it open Word files?
Ages ago I bought a 128MB version of this
l ?rb=14814500263&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV 3&product_uid=51193
o ny-microdrives-146637.php
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.htm
I see that Sony has just done something similar
http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/ces/live-from-ces-s
My drive lives in my wallet. Not as geeky as hanging it around my neck, but it got admiring glances when I used it and it was always with me.
I've hardly used it lately as most files can go in email these days. I used to back up some of my files to it, but I have other methods now. There's a few Windows utilities on there for emergencies.
I can just imagine people walking around with their VR iPods, superimposing their media on their view of the 'real' world.
I fear for our future if we continue to cut our selves off from reality. We'll all end up in the Matrix or something weirder.
I've backed up my http://del.icio.us/steevc bookmarks just in case they decide to mess it up. I've almost given up using browser bookmarks apart from a few I visit every day.
I need to read that one again some time. I didn't fully get it the first time.
First I need to finish off my Neal Stephenson and then dive into the pile of books I've accumulated. I have a few technical books that I use mainly as references. For fun I read techie fiction (Stephenson, Iain Banks), humour (Pratchett) and assorted non-fiction. I'm currently catching up on some history that I missed out on at school. There's so many popular science books out there that can get you into totally new fields.
I don't like square wheels. I prefer the triangle. It eliminates one bump.
I may have stolen that from a BC comic strip.
...on Tom's multi-page reviews.
I hate sites where the article occupies less than 10% of the screen area.
But can they run any decent video display? And do they have enough grunt for any sort of media conversion or playing back compressed video?
The fanless mini-ITX sounds like a better idea to me, even though I haven't got one.
When I eventually build my media PC I would be tempted to run some distributed processing project on it, but that is bound to result in a lot of extra heat. Really I want something that either uses very little power all the time or can suspend itself when not needed. That may be an issue when I want it to record TV.
I would be looking at something better than my Pace Twin for recording UK Freeview, but can also store DVD and VHS video for the kids to watch.
Maybe next year.
I meant to add that the Windows grouping allows someone to be in more than one group. I need to check how that they will appear in Linux as the Windows client picked up my existing groups.
A couple of features have been lost in this beta. You can't close the Skype window by double clicking the tooltray icon and the scroll wheel does not move through contacts as before.
I've been using it for a while on Ubuntu. It works pretty well, but I do have general issues with multiple programs using sound.
The Linux version has had contact groups for ages, but Windows has only just got it with this beta. It works differently though. The Linux one is more like MSN/Jabber (expand group to see contacts). The Windows one has a list of groups at the top that you can select from.
I've got some of the family using Skype just because it's simple to use and cross-platform even if it isn't open.
Windows 3.11 should run well on that. I'm sure I ran it on a 386 with 8MB. Some time before that I was booting DOS from floppies. I seem to remember a Toshiba laptop with no hard drive at one job.
It just seems to be that Operating Systems expand to use up the CPU power and memory available to them.
Actually, I have a K6-500 with 64MB and 6GB drive that I may try some sort of Linux on for a laugh.
Check out the benchmarks. Similar frame rates to the C version on the same hardware.
I've not tried it myself yet. Might get in trouble at work.
I'm also on the final book and enjoying it. It's been a long trek and hard going at times, but overall I think it's an excellent piece of fiction. I'll be interested to see how he ties up the ending. That's not usually his strong point.
My main PC, printer, scanner, speakers and a couple of other things are plugged into a power strip that gets turned off when I finish for the day. The cable modem and router stay on for convenience. It bugs me too that so many things are using power, but it can be hassle to turn some things off like the wall warts for our cordless phones which can't seem to hold a charge for 24 hours.
The AV equipment are probably the worst offenders as the Freeview (digital terrestrial box), video, AV amp and subwoofer are all on standby most of the time. I have yet to try turning off the amp at the socket to see if it keeps it's settings.
What's worse to my mind are all the people at work who leave on their monitors, sometimes with no powersaving screensaver, speakers and other assorted peripherals. But then this is probably insignificant next to the excessive use of A/C all year round. If it's freezing outside why do you need a machine to generate cold air. Open a window!