My wife was consulting at the time and was called to a similar case. The network admin was fired and a few days later most of the workstations and a few of the servers just formatted themselves. She got there in time to save most of the servers and a few workstations, but it took weeks to rebuild. This was at the HQ of a regional company.... The last I heard the FBI was going after the guy after he ran off to New York.
This is the reason network contractors and admins almost NEVER get to work a notice.
Last year I rarely got a spam complaint at the office. This year I get them all the time. It's not "innocent" spam either, now it's animated XXX GIF files. I'll be implementing an anti-spam system very soon.
The XBox media player does most media including DIVX, SVCD, VCD, mp3, etc. The next version due any time has a great interface and even better media support. It would be a great system to make an XBox a good media server.
I've tested a couple of these for the office. With "extended" batteries most of them can run 8 hours. Not bad at all. Just put it in standby when walking around and you should be good to go all day.
Usually the people in the tech industry don't. They get them for a toy and then don't use them. I didn't use mine much, so I gave it to my wife. She uses it constantly and keeps a lot of info in there. It's much easier than the paper system she had before.
At my office the directors and VPs use theirs like crazy. They'd be lost without them. The guys on my team (network team) don't use them much, since we don't have all the meetings and contacts to track.
I have a modified XBox. It's great for things like streaming movies to the TV. I was on the Live beta and got caught in the first ban on Nov. 12th playing legit games. I figured it was coming... Anyone with sense saw it coming...
I just bought a second XBox to play on Live and it's well worth it. I'm glad I won't be messing with cheaters. I'm sure chipped boxes will eventually get on, but most likely they'll be with the chips disabled. I suggest anyone that has a modified XBox be VERY careful. It's easy to target modified HDs.
For those bitching that they spent $50 and can't use it, read the EULA. It says plainly that you can't use a modified XBox on the service. Once it is modified they say it will NOT be considered normal if you remove it. Too bad. My only complaint is I wish MS would have come out right off and said "Yes, we banned modchips." or at least had the XBox give a better error than "XBox Live Not Found.". That just makes it look like a connection problem.... It ends up causing their support too many issues.
When Live works it's great. I'm VERY happy with it. The voice communication works very well and some of the games are lots of fun.
But, there seems to be an issue at launch. Most people thought they banned mod chip users, but that doesn't seem to be the case. This problem is affecting many mod users and some legit users. It appears to be a problem if you were a beta user, like me. Some XBoxes are not getting authenticated by the Kerberos server when you try and connect to Live.
Some people with mod chips that weren't beta testers are working fine, IF they disable the mod. With the mod enabled they can't connect, but if they disable it they can get on fine. The people with the problem can't connect at all, however. So far MS hasn't admitted the problem but from some testing it seems obvious.
It's a bug. Some devices are getting a bad response from the Kerberos authentication server. I also thought at the beginning it was a ban (I have a mod'd XBox), but it doesn't appear to be. A lot of people with "legit" boxes are getting the same response while some people with modified XBoxes are working fine.
Note, they do seem to be bloking mod chips, not BANNING them. If you go on with a mod chip you can't connect to Live. If you disable it you can get on fine. This is a seperate issue than the connectivity issue many beta users are now having, including me.
Over the years I've had several Linksys and Netgear routers fail. I got tired of that and decided to try something new. Since I wanted good UPNP support I grabbed one of the new Microsoft routers. I'm not sure who actually makes them, but I figured they had good keyboards and mice, right?
The router is VERY nice. The interface is the best of the bunch, by far. While the Linksys never showed up as a UPNP device on my network (even with upgraded firmware and UPNP enabled) the MS router did. It also has a very simple setup procedure for a new user so they could get a whole network going in a few minutes with no confusion. I've also read that their wireless NAT routers will NOT let you run without WEP enabled and it makes it real easy to enable it. It rights the key to a floppy that can be put in the client workstations to get WEP going.
Not easily in that form factor and be silent. Not to mention it has excellent TV-out support. TV-out on video cards look terrible. Plus, Dolby Digital 5.1 support.
Another good device for this is an XBox. Just chip it and put in a 120GB hard drive. You can play almost any media with the XBox Media Player software off the HD or streaming from a networked PC. It works really well and is easy to do.
You use the media for the device that plans to read it. My DVD player supports DVD-R(W), but not DVD+R(W)...so that's what I use for it. The XBox will read either, so whichever media is cheaper/faster... etc.
Well, this drive negates the multiple format problem. Write whatever format you need at the moment. As for speed, these drives are much faster than the first gen drives. You have to remember, a full DVD is 4.7GB, that's a lot more than a 700MB CD-R. So, taking 30mins to write one isn't all that bad.
I like it. I originally ordered one from Dell but they pushed my shipping date WAY back so I grabbed one at CompUSA three weeks ago. It works well and I've had no problems. I'm only using 1x media right now, except for the included DVD+RW disc.
The only issue right now is software support. Most apps don't support this drive, yet, but they should have updates out any day. Definately a good drive to cover all your bases.
I've used the discs in my notebook, XBox, and DVD player.
We have about 180 users and our standard Exchange mailbox size limit is 90MB (soft) and 100MB (hard). Some higher ups get double that, and some really high ups and people that have jobs where they need to keep a lot of old email have none.
I couldn't imagine a 5MB limit. That's fine in a world of text only email, but not today. Too many Word/Excel/Project docs floating around. I do not limit mail attachment sizes because it has not been abused, yet.
For the XBox go buy a Matrix chip from EasyBuy2000. They are shipping them faster now and they don't require any soldering. Easy to install.
There are some good homebrew apps coming out too. The XBox Media Player is very nice. You can stream VCD/SVCD/DIVX/MPEG to your TV. It works VERY well.
I just got the Sony DRU500A yesterday. For those looking for one CompUSA actually had them in stock when NO ONE else did. Dell screwed me on my order for one pushing it back until Nov. 29th...so I gave in and went to Comp and got it for $349.
It's a great drive. Does DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and CD-R/RW. No more worrying about DVD standards. So far I've only got to test it at 1x since that's the media I have, but it worked just fine.
My only complaint is the the front of the tray is Sony silver, while the rest of the drive is white. Might look OK in an aluminum case, though.
HPNA is good, but not fast. 802.11b works well, but is definately not fast. I just switched from 802.11b to 802.11a and the speed increase is GREAT. I can now stream divx movies across the wireless with no slowdown or chop.
The cost of the APs is already very reasonable and definately worth going with over 802.11b.
Don't use them. I *DO* want an FM Tuner. I can't figure out why no one else adds one. I use my MP3 player at the gym a lot. When doing cardio I'd like to watch the news or the game on the TV, but to hear it I need an FM tuner. That's another device to bother with.
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My wife was consulting at the time and was called to a similar case. The network admin was fired and a few days later most of the workstations and a few of the servers just formatted themselves. She got there in time to save most of the servers and a few workstations, but it took weeks to rebuild. This was at the HQ of a regional company.... The last I heard the FBI was going after the guy after he ran off to New York.
This is the reason network contractors and admins almost NEVER get to work a notice.
Last year I rarely got a spam complaint at the office. This year I get them all the time. It's not "innocent" spam either, now it's animated XXX GIF files. I'll be implementing an anti-spam system very soon.
The XBox media player does most media including DIVX, SVCD, VCD, mp3, etc. The next version due any time has a great interface and even better media support. It would be a great system to make an XBox a good media server.
I've tested a couple of these for the office. With "extended" batteries most of them can run 8 hours. Not bad at all. Just put it in standby when walking around and you should be good to go all day.
Usually the people in the tech industry don't. They get them for a toy and then don't use them. I didn't use mine much, so I gave it to my wife. She uses it constantly and keeps a lot of info in there. It's much easier than the paper system she had before.
At my office the directors and VPs use theirs like crazy. They'd be lost without them. The guys on my team (network team) don't use them much, since we don't have all the meetings and contacts to track.
Go ahead. Know how to break the Kerberos authentication?
I have a modified XBox. It's great for things like streaming movies to the TV. I was on the Live beta and got caught in the first ban on Nov. 12th playing legit games. I figured it was coming... Anyone with sense saw it coming...
I just bought a second XBox to play on Live and it's well worth it. I'm glad I won't be messing with cheaters. I'm sure chipped boxes will eventually get on, but most likely they'll be with the chips disabled. I suggest anyone that has a modified XBox be VERY careful. It's easy to target modified HDs.
For those bitching that they spent $50 and can't use it, read the EULA. It says plainly that you can't use a modified XBox on the service. Once it is modified they say it will NOT be considered normal if you remove it. Too bad. My only complaint is I wish MS would have come out right off and said "Yes, we banned modchips." or at least had the XBox give a better error than "XBox Live Not Found.". That just makes it look like a connection problem.... It ends up causing their support too many issues.
They've already patched NFL2K3 via Live. It had some Live annoyances and bugs that had to be fixed to make the game really playable.
I just hope we don't end up in patch hell like PC games.
When Live works it's great. I'm VERY happy with it. The voice communication works very well and some of the games are lots of fun.
But, there seems to be an issue at launch. Most people thought they banned mod chip users, but that doesn't seem to be the case. This problem is affecting many mod users and some legit users. It appears to be a problem if you were a beta user, like me. Some XBoxes are not getting authenticated by the Kerberos server when you try and connect to Live.
Some people with mod chips that weren't beta testers are working fine, IF they disable the mod. With the mod enabled they can't connect, but if they disable it they can get on fine. The people with the problem can't connect at all, however. So far MS hasn't admitted the problem but from some testing it seems obvious.
It's a bug. Some devices are getting a bad response from the Kerberos authentication server. I also thought at the beginning it was a ban (I have a mod'd XBox), but it doesn't appear to be. A lot of people with "legit" boxes are getting the same response while some people with modified XBoxes are working fine.
Note, they do seem to be bloking mod chips, not BANNING them. If you go on with a mod chip you can't connect to Live. If you disable it you can get on fine. This is a seperate issue than the connectivity issue many beta users are now having, including me.
Just don't try to play Linux AND play on Live. They blocked mod chipped Xboxes.
OK, I know I'll be shunned for this...but...
Over the years I've had several Linksys and Netgear routers fail. I got tired of that and decided to try something new. Since I wanted good UPNP support I grabbed one of the new Microsoft routers. I'm not sure who actually makes them, but I figured they had good keyboards and mice, right?
The router is VERY nice. The interface is the best of the bunch, by far. While the Linksys never showed up as a UPNP device on my network (even with upgraded firmware and UPNP enabled) the MS router did. It also has a very simple setup procedure for a new user so they could get a whole network going in a few minutes with no confusion. I've also read that their wireless NAT routers will NOT let you run without WEP enabled and it makes it real easy to enable it. It rights the key to a floppy that can be put in the client workstations to get WEP going.
Not easily in that form factor and be silent. Not to mention it has excellent TV-out support. TV-out on video cards look terrible. Plus, Dolby Digital 5.1 support.
Another good device for this is an XBox. Just chip it and put in a 120GB hard drive. You can play almost any media with the XBox Media Player software off the HD or streaming from a networked PC. It works really well and is easy to do.
You use the media for the device that plans to read it. My DVD player supports DVD-R(W), but not DVD+R(W)...so that's what I use for it. The XBox will read either, so whichever media is cheaper/faster... etc.
I'm using Ritek DVD-R media with good results. Only 1x speed, though....
Well, this drive negates the multiple format problem. Write whatever format you need at the moment. As for speed, these drives are much faster than the first gen drives. You have to remember, a full DVD is 4.7GB, that's a lot more than a 700MB CD-R. So, taking 30mins to write one isn't all that bad.
I like it. I originally ordered one from Dell but they pushed my shipping date WAY back so I grabbed one at CompUSA three weeks ago. It works well and I've had no problems. I'm only using 1x media right now, except for the included DVD+RW disc.
The only issue right now is software support. Most apps don't support this drive, yet, but they should have updates out any day. Definately a good drive to cover all your bases.
I've used the discs in my notebook, XBox, and DVD player.
We have about 180 users and our standard Exchange mailbox size limit is 90MB (soft) and 100MB (hard). Some higher ups get double that, and some really high ups and people that have jobs where they need to keep a lot of old email have none.
I couldn't imagine a 5MB limit. That's fine in a world of text only email, but not today. Too many Word/Excel/Project docs floating around. I do not limit mail attachment sizes because it has not been abused, yet.
Suprisingly good, dependong on the quality of the encode of course. Good quality encodes look just fine on my 64" TV. Bad ones look, well, bad.
Get a modchip and install the XBox Media Player. It'll stream DiVX/AVI/MPEG/SVCD/VCD from a PC (or off the internal HD) and display on your TV.
Very nice.
For the XBox go buy a Matrix chip from EasyBuy2000. They are shipping them faster now and they don't require any soldering. Easy to install.
There are some good homebrew apps coming out too. The XBox Media Player is very nice. You can stream VCD/SVCD/DIVX/MPEG to your TV. It works VERY well.
I just got the Sony DRU500A yesterday. For those looking for one CompUSA actually had them in stock when NO ONE else did. Dell screwed me on my order for one pushing it back until Nov. 29th...so I gave in and went to Comp and got it for $349.
It's a great drive. Does DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and CD-R/RW. No more worrying about DVD standards. So far I've only got to test it at 1x since that's the media I have, but it worked just fine.
My only complaint is the the front of the tray is Sony silver, while the rest of the drive is white. Might look OK in an aluminum case, though.
HPNA is good, but not fast. 802.11b works well, but is definately not fast. I just switched from 802.11b to 802.11a and the speed increase is GREAT. I can now stream divx movies across the wireless with no slowdown or chop.
The cost of the APs is already very reasonable and definately worth going with over 802.11b.
Don't use them. I *DO* want an FM Tuner. I can't figure out why no one else adds one. I use my MP3 player at the gym a lot. When doing cardio I'd like to watch the news or the game on the TV, but to hear it I need an FM tuner. That's another device to bother with.