For those asking about the "logic" puzzles, yes, Microsoft does ask those during interviews. I did an interview for an Infrastructure Engineer job and was asked several of them.
They are stupid and pointless. Let me give everyone some advice. If you ever schedule an interview with Microsoft (or ex-Microsoftees) do a quick google search and you'll find web pages going over their puzzles and how to answer them.
They say they ask those so they can find out "how you think". Well, when I need to find an answer quickly I use Google. That's how I think.:)
One change to the lab test though. The model that comes with the NIC and Modem doesn't have the Lucent modem. It is a 3COM Mini-PCI winmodem, which is NOT Linux compatible. The NIC is though.
I don't use the modem so I don't care...but others may.
To make it the most useful, get some of those business card CDs that fit in a wallet. That's what LinuxCare uses when they give them out. That way you are sure to always have it when you need it.
Both of these are good companies. TurboLinux does some very nice things on the server side of Linux.
LinuxCare does some great stuff on the support side. Their bootable rescue CD is EXCELLENT. Also, their hardware certification tests are nice. I based a lot of my decision to buy an IBM Thinkpad X20 on their certification and haven't regretted it one bit.
At LinuxWorld LinuxCare was showing some very nice remote management and monitoring systems they have, along with some interesting R&D work they were doing. I hope somehow they both make it...
For anyone looking for GOOD wrist rests check out the 3M ones. Not the cheap ones you see in stores though. I have to order these and now have them at work and home, and have gotten many others to order them after using them.
I know buy.com sells them. The part number for the keyboard rest is WR510 and the mouse is WR511. These are the gel type rests, but not the cheap feeling/looking ones you normally see. I've used the set at home for several years now, and only need to replace it because I busted the cover with a pen.:)
I started getting dull wrist pains before using these and now I don't. Another good change I made was going to a good trackball. Yeah, they take a week or two to really get used to, but my wrists feel MUCH better now and I'm just as accurate and fast on the trackball as a mouse. I went with a good optical Logitech with the thumb roller.
I just expect it. Once you reach a certain level in the Network/Sys Admin field you are always on call...you may not be the primary on call person but you are ALWAYS on call.
At my current job we do a rotating shift that lasts two weeks. I don't get paid any extra for being "the" on-call person during that time. But, if I take a call for ANY reason I bill an hour, whether it took 2 mins or 59mins.
Luckily, we get VERY few off hours calls. The management here knows we aren't a 24/7 operation and makes sure that others know as well. If I got paged frequently after hours I'd definately be fighting for a "bonus" when on call.
In the US you can move retail licenses around, but the OEM licenses that come wtih new PCs is more restricted. That's the issue here. Since a company has 500 old PCs with old OEM licenses, they can't move those to 500 new PCs.
Microsoft doesn't care that you built a cool new Athlon and put Linux on it. They aren't after you. They are after the big companies that think because they just scrapped 500 old Pentium 166MHz systems they now have 500 Win98 licenses to use elsewhere.
A lot of companies think because they either have a site license or scrap old PCs they can just order new systems without buying a new Windows license, but that is not correct. They aren't going after Linux users....g'z....
I've seen SEVERAL stories on MSNBC really getting on Microsoft. I was surprised to see them, since I figured they'd be very biased. But I've seen numerous BIG EMAIL VIRUS!!! type stories on there. They don't seem to be holding many punches back.
Has anyone ever seen a test done with someone sitting in a parking lot attacking the 802.11b encryption? We've had several articles here on/. talking about how insecure the encryption MAY be, but no one has done any real tests yet.
Now for this article. Duh. These admins should be fired. I run 802.11b at my house with full encryption and other security features on. I wouldn't let an access point in this building without securing it first. This isn't a technology problem, it's a human problem. These are probably the same people that don't patch up to the security holes and wonder why they get hacked two years later.
To make it easier, there needs to be a good key exchange mechanism. People that don't put much thought in to security don't want the "hassle" of manually entering keys on everyone's notebooks. I wonder how long before there are web pages with key listings for companies and longitude/latitude locations....
So how long do you think these interruption ads will last? I figure when they fail we'll soon have them with a test at the end. Before you can go to the content you'll have to answer things like "What delicious flavors does product X come in?". They'll think this is a great way to make sure they have your attention throughout the ad.
For those looking for notebooks, check out the Thinkpads. Yes, they usually cost a little more than others but I think they are worth it. They are very solid and work very well now that they got rid of the mwave chips.
I just bought an IBM X20 and run Debian and Windows 2000 on it. The only piece that Linux has a problem with is the modem. If you order it without the NIC it comes with a Lucent modem that is supported, but if you get the built-in NIC it has a 3COM mini-PCI NIC and modem, and the modem is a non-supported software modem. I put a Lucent 802.11 card in it and now have a great 3.5lb wireless Linux box.
This is a business notebook. $3500 isn't that bad for a good business notebook. My X20 with ultrabay and DVD-ROM was $3300, and the T series has more in it than mine. Mine is just 3.5lbs though.:)
Well... Windows is about to unfragment with the release of XP. After a time, of course, there will not be Win9x, it will just be XP Personal which is the same core as XP Pro without some additions. But finally developers will have one base to code against again and not the many that are out right now.
I know the developers at my last company hated doing USB code because of the different variations.
I just ordered an IBM X20 for work. I wanted the lightest one I could find. One thing that LinuxCare offers is their labs where they test systems for Linux compatibility. If they have to do anything special, such as compiling a new kernel or using a non-provided driver, they tell you exactly what they did and where they got it.
TiVo runs Linux and has been hacked pretty well. So if they remove something and you want it back, add it yourself.
But.... I think it's easy to see why ReplayTV did this. They are failing. TiVo is beating them in the market, for good reason. ReplayTV isn't selling boxes any more, they are trying to "license their technology!". Which, if you know anything about this business, means they are gone.
I'm not saying this book is bad. I haven't read it.:)
But, as a general statement I stay away from books with more than 2 authors. I've worked on some books with 6. There is no way to stay consistant and know what others will say. My wife and I are just finishing our LPI Study Guide book, and it's hard enough for us. "Hey, how well did you cover X? What chapter was Y in?" etc...etc...etc....
Now, there are of course exceptions. The UNIX System Administrators Handbook (think that's the right name...new revision has the purple cover) was written by several people and is *GREAT*, but that isn't the norm.
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For those asking about the "logic" puzzles, yes, Microsoft does ask those during interviews. I did an interview for an Infrastructure Engineer job and was asked several of them.
:)
They are stupid and pointless. Let me give everyone some advice. If you ever schedule an interview with Microsoft (or ex-Microsoftees) do a quick google search and you'll find web pages going over their puzzles and how to answer them.
They say they ask those so they can find out "how you think". Well, when I need to find an answer quickly I use Google. That's how I think.
One change to the lab test though. The model that comes with the NIC and Modem doesn't have the Lucent modem. It is a 3COM Mini-PCI winmodem, which is NOT Linux compatible. The NIC is though.
I don't use the modem so I don't care...but others may.
To make it the most useful, get some of those business card CDs that fit in a wallet. That's what LinuxCare uses when they give them out. That way you are sure to always have it when you need it.
Both of these are good companies. TurboLinux does some very nice things on the server side of Linux.
LinuxCare does some great stuff on the support side. Their bootable rescue CD is EXCELLENT. Also, their hardware certification tests are nice. I based a lot of my decision to buy an IBM Thinkpad X20 on their certification and haven't regretted it one bit.
At LinuxWorld LinuxCare was showing some very nice remote management and monitoring systems they have, along with some interesting R&D work they were doing. I hope somehow they both make it...
I used some of the install disks someone made to install Debian to a 100% ReiserFS system. Does anyone know of any disks to do this for XFS?
The Debian disks are on Freshmeat and work GREAT.
My notebook and desktops are 100% ReiserFS, and LILO boots them fine.
I used it on my companies web servers at my last place. We had millions of tiny files, and EXT2 wasn't cutting it. ReiserFS worked great.
And if you want someone better... SourceForge's FTP site is half on ReiserFS. So it works for them.
If you unintentionally infringe on a patent you pay the patent holder damages. If you intentionally infringe on a patent you pay up to 3x damages.
So if you infringe on someone's patent, make sure you don't have any paperwork saying you knew about it before.
For anyone looking for GOOD wrist rests check out the 3M ones. Not the cheap ones you see in stores though. I have to order these and now have them at work and home, and have gotten many others to order them after using them.
:)
I know buy.com sells them. The part number for the keyboard rest is WR510 and the mouse is WR511. These are the gel type rests, but not the cheap feeling/looking ones you normally see. I've used the set at home for several years now, and only need to replace it because I busted the cover with a pen.
I started getting dull wrist pains before using these and now I don't. Another good change I made was going to a good trackball. Yeah, they take a week or two to really get used to, but my wrists feel MUCH better now and I'm just as accurate and fast on the trackball as a mouse. I went with a good optical Logitech with the thumb roller.
I just expect it. Once you reach a certain level in the Network/Sys Admin field you are always on call...you may not be the primary on call person but you are ALWAYS on call.
At my current job we do a rotating shift that lasts two weeks. I don't get paid any extra for being "the" on-call person during that time. But, if I take a call for ANY reason I bill an hour, whether it took 2 mins or 59mins.
Luckily, we get VERY few off hours calls. The management here knows we aren't a 24/7 operation and makes sure that others know as well. If I got paged frequently after hours I'd definately be fighting for a "bonus" when on call.
In the US you can move retail licenses around, but the OEM licenses that come wtih new PCs is more restricted. That's the issue here. Since a company has 500 old PCs with old OEM licenses, they can't move those to 500 new PCs.
Microsoft doesn't care that you built a cool new Athlon and put Linux on it. They aren't after you. They are after the big companies that think because they just scrapped 500 old Pentium 166MHz systems they now have 500 Win98 licenses to use elsewhere.
/.
A lot of companies think because they either have a site license or scrap old PCs they can just order new systems without buying a new Windows license, but that is not correct. They aren't going after Linux users....g'z....
Oh wait, I forgot, this is
I've seen SEVERAL stories on MSNBC really getting on Microsoft. I was surprised to see them, since I figured they'd be very biased. But I've seen numerous BIG EMAIL VIRUS!!! type stories on there. They don't seem to be holding many punches back.
Has anyone ever seen a test done with someone sitting in a parking lot attacking the 802.11b encryption? We've had several articles here on /. talking about how insecure the encryption MAY be, but no one has done any real tests yet.
Now for this article. Duh. These admins should be fired. I run 802.11b at my house with full encryption and other security features on. I wouldn't let an access point in this building without securing it first. This isn't a technology problem, it's a human problem. These are probably the same people that don't patch up to the security holes and wonder why they get hacked two years later.
To make it easier, there needs to be a good key exchange mechanism. People that don't put much thought in to security don't want the "hassle" of manually entering keys on everyone's notebooks. I wonder how long before there are web pages with key listings for companies and longitude/latitude locations....
How would holes in acrylic or other clear plastic cases hold up? It seems like they would strip out pretty fast.
Mine isn't a Lucent. It's a 3COM. Some of the X20s came with Lucent modems..just not this one.
So how long do you think these interruption ads will last? I figure when they fail we'll soon have them with a test at the end. Before you can go to the content you'll have to answer things like "What delicious flavors does product X come in?". They'll think this is a great way to make sure they have your attention throughout the ad.
For those looking for notebooks, check out the Thinkpads. Yes, they usually cost a little more than others but I think they are worth it. They are very solid and work very well now that they got rid of the mwave chips.
I just bought an IBM X20 and run Debian and Windows 2000 on it. The only piece that Linux has a problem with is the modem. If you order it without the NIC it comes with a Lucent modem that is supported, but if you get the built-in NIC it has a 3COM mini-PCI NIC and modem, and the modem is a non-supported software modem. I put a Lucent 802.11 card in it and now have a great 3.5lb wireless Linux box.
This is a business notebook. $3500 isn't that bad for a good business notebook. My X20 with ultrabay and DVD-ROM was $3300, and the T series has more in it than mine. Mine is just 3.5lbs though. :)
I'm a beta tester for XP, so I used it all the time. So far it's pretty good.
Well... Windows is about to unfragment with the release of XP. After a time, of course, there will not be Win9x, it will just be XP Personal which is the same core as XP Pro without some additions. But finally developers will have one base to code against again and not the many that are out right now.
I know the developers at my last company hated doing USB code because of the different variations.
I just ordered an IBM X20 for work. I wanted the lightest one I could find. One thing that LinuxCare offers is their labs where they test systems for Linux compatibility. If they have to do anything special, such as compiling a new kernel or using a non-provided driver, they tell you exactly what they did and where they got it.
It definately helped me pick out my new Thinkpad.
TiVo runs Linux and has been hacked pretty well. So if they remove something and you want it back, add it yourself.
But.... I think it's easy to see why ReplayTV did this. They are failing. TiVo is beating them in the market, for good reason. ReplayTV isn't selling boxes any more, they are trying to "license their technology!". Which, if you know anything about this business, means they are gone.
That's a good point. I can't say I've checked out any of the Unleashed series in depth. But if it is as you say, I can understand that.
I'm not saying this book is bad. I haven't read it. :)
But, as a general statement I stay away from books with more than 2 authors. I've worked on some books with 6. There is no way to stay consistant and know what others will say. My wife and I are just finishing our LPI Study Guide book, and it's hard enough for us. "Hey, how well did you cover X? What chapter was Y in?" etc...etc...etc....
Now, there are of course exceptions. The UNIX System Administrators Handbook (think that's the right name...new revision has the purple cover) was written by several people and is *GREAT*, but that isn't the norm.