I didn't buy mine. I got it free for doing a product review.:)
But, for $90 it's worth it. I don't have to worry about a hard drive dieing...or using a lot of power...or listening to ANOTHER fan... less space...etc etc.
The reason the telcos and cable companies can give people broadband cheaply is that they base the price on "average" use. If people start putting 8 systems on there (and..uh..who would do that?) the average goes out the window. Many companies, I know my RoadRunner service does, will give you another IP (you can get another dynamic) for like $10/month to help cover costs.
But, they also don't seem to mind NAT here. I think they should hand out NAT routers with every cable modem, or integrate it in, just for the sake of security. I know I tell everyone at the office to buy one RIGHT AWAY when they get cable or DSL.
I don't think they can support it with ads. I may buy the ad free version soon, and I hope others would too. I hate to pay $39 for my web browser but there aren't many other GOOD options right now. I figure it is at least a solution until Mozilla gets really good.
My main complaint about mozilla right now is speed. It's much better than it was, but going back to IE and Opera for somethings shows how slow it still is.
I have a script that gets the nightly build of Mozilla for me every day, so I've seen it get better and better. It's starting improve and be very usable performance wise. But...lately I've been using Opera v5.0b6 and the more I use it the more I like it. Very fast with few rendering problems. Well worth checking out!
It can cost a lot when a business gets hit hard by a virus..but it shouldn't.
Take today for example..that big new scary.vbs virus is running around but we are protected. Why? Not because we run Linux (We do..just not most people), but because I block *ALL*.vbs attachments coming in our network. Easy to do..works damn well. I have 14 hits of this new virus in our log but none of my users are the wiser.
As for costs... I know when I Luv You hit many businesses were without email for DAYS. It took several admins hours and hours to clear out the systems, which costs a lot of money. Plus lost productivity from users. I don't think we'll get hit by another one like that again, hopefully admins learned their lesson.
If you're not blocking.vbs files TODAY, you need to be asking why not.
We did this several years ago. I found out that people will in fact go elsewhere to save $50 on a $2K system, even if that means calling some faceless company's support. They don't care about customized systems... You won't be able to compete on price or other included items that Joe Consumer wants...like Internet Access....extra software...etc...etc...It's truly amazing how cheap some people are. But don't worry, they'll be more than happy to call you and ask you about the system they bought at another store!
I hate to sound like you can't win..but have a good plan. You'll find that your wholesale price on parts is what others can get from pricewatch, unless you order 500 of them.
It's hard to work the computer guru angle. They know enough to shop around and order exactly what they want, without paying your markup you need for overhead. The best you can offer them is to have parts when they need them NOW.
Now, the thing you WILL make money on is service. Promote your service...uprades, repairs, small networks, WHATEVER. But this is where you will be profitable and can beat Best Buy and CompUSA.
Someone that helps with ALS said they could not get a spot in Atlanta this year. Everything is just full. I'd be happy to see them bring it to Raleigh, but we don't have enough room.
As for NYC...I was at LWE and it was *DEAD*. People don't like to go there for shows..maybe it's better in the summer but it was about 1/3 as busy as LWE in San Jose.
We use a VTech 2.4GHz phone and have just added an 802.11 wireless LAN using a D-Link access point and LinkSys cards. They work fine. There is no interference at all.
First, I'd like to say my wife and I are writing an LPI study guide for IDG. This is the certification IDG supports, not us. But after taking both exams I'm happy to be writing this book.
I took the SAIR exams at LinuxWorld in San Jose and I'm not impressed. I've also taken the LPI exams, and they are better geared toward real-world job experience. SAIR also partners with Wave to provide training material. That material basically spoon feeds you the answers. After taking the exams my wife and I both looked over the Wave books and just picked out the answers to the questions word for word. I don't consider that very professional.
I'm scheduled for the RHCE exam in two weeks. I wish more people did lab exams....
But...the exhibit hall is $25 or free now, depending on if you can get a pass. I know Ximian was giving some out. If you go to the half-day tutorials and/or the other conference sessions it will go way up...usually to $800.
We did the sessions last time in San Jose and they were nice, but not worth going to unless your company pays. My wife and I will be driving up this time to do the exhibit hall, and to help promote a new book we're finishing up for IDG.
I was a HUGE fan of the original transformers. Wish I could buy this set. I've looked at what they call Transformers now and they are terrible! Cheap plastic... terrible transformations.... terrible shame.
If you are starting to feel RSI, get some good wrist rests too along with your trackball. I use 3M gel filled. They are GREAT. They aren't cheap like most of the gel filled ones you find in stores. I've had the same set for about 4 years now and they are still going fine. Full selection at 3M under their office - ergonomic section. I know buy.com sells them for a good price.
HIGHLY recommended. The gel doesn't hurt or bother your arms while you work.
Go to a large computer store, like CompUSA here, and try them out. I can't really tell you which trackball you will like best. They vary greatly. I use the Marble+ from Logitech on all my systems now and love it. My wife hates it. She uses the thumb operated trackball they have. I hate that one. See.:)
She has now switched to the Microsoft Explorer trackball. If you think the Marble+ is too small, check the Microsoft one that looks like it. It is larger than the Marble+, but uses your thumb.
The Microsoft trackballs seem to roll smoother than the Logitechs, but I just didnt like the feel and larger size over my Marbe+.
This is a great idea. I won a Compaq notebook from Mandrake at Linux World in San Jose. When I got the notebook it had Mandrake installed, of course, which was just fine with me. But, in the box was a Windows 2000 license and CD they had to buy with the system. I'm sure they just loved that.
Does FreeBSD have a file system with dynamic inode allocation? We store millions of small files on our filesystems, and I would like to compare FreeBSD to Linux with ReiserFS.
We built our system up with Paradigm speakers and have been VERY happy. Find a local dealer and go test them out. Take the things you like to listen to, so you know how they will sound for you.
We looked at a lot of speakers and everyone I talked to kept pointing us to Paradigm, as they provide the best quality for the price. I agree.
First off, my wife and I are currently working on a study guide for the LPI level 1 exams, which should be out soon. I wouldn't say I'm biased by it, though.
We took the Sair tests and "training" at Linux World in San Jose. Skip the "training". It's a waste. You miss a lot of the conference, and you get no real information. The "instructors" were not that good. We were really disappointed. If you want to pass the Sair exams just go buy the Sair books. The answers are spelled out word for word in them. The questions on the exams were not that good. They really didn't test your knowledge.
I much prefer the LPI exams, which is why we're doing an LPI book. The questions are MUCH better, and do require knowledge of how to work with Linux. The LPI exams don't get as much press, though...which is a shame. They have backing by major players in the Linux world. The level 1 exams are out of beta now, so check them out at http://www.lpi.org.
But, since the exams are free at Linux World, go for it. Just don't waste time in the "classes". Whoever came up with the line saying "$5500 worth of training!" is on crack.
One final note...for the security exam go learn the different informatino laws and how they apply to work. They ask a lot about that and proper chain of command....or what they consider proper. Go take the practice exams they have.
Slashdot Mirror
I didn't buy mine. I got it free for doing a product review. :)
But, for $90 it's worth it. I don't have to worry about a hard drive dieing...or using a lot of power...or listening to ANOTHER fan... less space...etc etc.
The reason the telcos and cable companies can give people broadband cheaply is that they base the price on "average" use. If people start putting 8 systems on there (and..uh..who would do that?) the average goes out the window. Many companies, I know my RoadRunner service does, will give you another IP (you can get another dynamic) for like $10/month to help cover costs.
But, they also don't seem to mind NAT here. I think they should hand out NAT routers with every cable modem, or integrate it in, just for the sake of security. I know I tell everyone at the office to buy one RIGHT AWAY when they get cable or DSL.
I don't think they can support it with ads. I may buy the ad free version soon, and I hope others would too. I hate to pay $39 for my web browser but there aren't many other GOOD options right now. I figure it is at least a solution until Mozilla gets really good.
My main complaint about mozilla right now is speed. It's much better than it was, but going back to IE and Opera for somethings shows how slow it still is.
I have a script that gets the nightly build of Mozilla for me every day, so I've seen it get better and better. It's starting improve and be very usable performance wise. But...lately I've been using Opera v5.0b6 and the more I use it the more I like it. Very fast with few rendering problems. Well worth checking out!
It can cost a lot when a business gets hit hard by a virus..but it shouldn't.
.vbs virus is running around but we are protected. Why? Not because we run Linux (We do..just not most people), but because I block *ALL* .vbs attachments coming in our network. Easy to do..works damn well. I have 14 hits of this new virus in our log but none of my users are the wiser.
.vbs files TODAY, you need to be asking why not.
Take today for example..that big new scary
As for costs... I know when I Luv You hit many businesses were without email for DAYS. It took several admins hours and hours to clear out the systems, which costs a lot of money. Plus lost productivity from users. I don't think we'll get hit by another one like that again, hopefully admins learned their lesson.
If you're not blocking
We did this several years ago. I found out that people will in fact go elsewhere to save $50 on a $2K system, even if that means calling some faceless company's support. They don't care about customized systems... You won't be able to compete on price or other included items that Joe Consumer wants...like Internet Access....extra software...etc...etc...It's truly amazing how cheap some people are. But don't worry, they'll be more than happy to call you and ask you about the system they bought at another store!
I hate to sound like you can't win..but have a good plan. You'll find that your wholesale price on parts is what others can get from pricewatch, unless you order 500 of them.
It's hard to work the computer guru angle. They know enough to shop around and order exactly what they want, without paying your markup you need for overhead. The best you can offer them is to have parts when they need them NOW.
Now, the thing you WILL make money on is service. Promote your service...uprades, repairs, small networks, WHATEVER. But this is where you will be profitable and can beat Best Buy and CompUSA.
Someone that helps with ALS said they could not get a spot in Atlanta this year. Everything is just full. I'd be happy to see them bring it to Raleigh, but we don't have enough room.
As for NYC...I was at LWE and it was *DEAD*. People don't like to go there for shows..maybe it's better in the summer but it was about 1/3 as busy as LWE in San Jose.
We use a VTech 2.4GHz phone and have just added an 802.11 wireless LAN using a D-Link access point and LinkSys cards. They work fine. There is no interference at all.
First, I'd like to say my wife and I are writing an LPI study guide for IDG. This is the certification IDG supports, not us. But after taking both exams I'm happy to be writing this book.
I took the SAIR exams at LinuxWorld in San Jose and I'm not impressed. I've also taken the LPI exams, and they are better geared toward real-world job experience. SAIR also partners with Wave to provide training material. That material basically spoon feeds you the answers. After taking the exams my wife and I both looked over the Wave books and just picked out the answers to the questions word for word. I don't consider that very professional.
I'm scheduled for the RHCE exam in two weeks. I wish more people did lab exams....
Did you update your modutils like it said to?
Check http://www.linuxworldexpo.com
But...the exhibit hall is $25 or free now, depending on if you can get a pass. I know Ximian was giving some out. If you go to the half-day tutorials and/or the other conference sessions it will go way up...usually to $800.
We did the sessions last time in San Jose and they were nice, but not worth going to unless your company pays. My wife and I will be driving up this time to do the exhibit hall, and to help promote a new book we're finishing up for IDG.
Those are nice...but a bit pricey... Wish they'd just rerelease them in the US for a more reasonable price.
I was a HUGE fan of the original transformers. Wish I could buy this set. I've looked at what they call Transformers now and they are terrible! Cheap plastic... terrible transformations.... terrible shame.
If you are starting to feel RSI, get some good wrist rests too along with your trackball. I use 3M gel filled. They are GREAT. They aren't cheap like most of the gel filled ones you find in stores. I've had the same set for about 4 years now and they are still going fine. Full selection at 3M under their office - ergonomic section. I know buy.com sells them for a good price.
HIGHLY recommended. The gel doesn't hurt or bother your arms while you work.
I'm just as quick and accurate with my USB Optical trackball now as I was with a USB optical mouse. Just takes a week or two of practice.
Oh yeah..and my wrists won't hurt as bad when I'm older.
Go to a large computer store, like CompUSA here, and try them out. I can't really tell you which trackball you will like best. They vary greatly. I use the Marble+ from Logitech on all my systems now and love it. My wife hates it. She uses the thumb operated trackball they have. I hate that one. See. :)
She has now switched to the Microsoft Explorer trackball. If you think the Marble+ is too small, check the Microsoft one that looks like it. It is larger than the Marble+, but uses your thumb.
The Microsoft trackballs seem to roll smoother than the Logitechs, but I just didnt like the feel and larger size over my Marbe+.
This is a great idea. I won a Compaq notebook from Mandrake at Linux World in San Jose. When I got the notebook it had Mandrake installed, of course, which was just fine with me. But, in the box was a Windows 2000 license and CD they had to buy with the system. I'm sure they just loved that.
Thanks Mandrake!
I won a Compaq Armada E700 from Mandrake at LinuxWorld in San Jose. It works great with Linux! :)
My Gateway Solo at work also works well. They both handle PC Card changes much better than Windows....
Does FreeBSD have a file system with dynamic inode allocation? We store millions of small files on our filesystems, and I would like to compare FreeBSD to Linux with ReiserFS.
Look at the Empeg. Doesn't meet your price requirements, but does most else. Last I heard they were adding 802.11 wireless to it.
http://www.empeg.com
My wife ordered that shirt, and that is one of her favorites.
We built our system up with Paradigm speakers and have been VERY happy. Find a local dealer and go test them out. Take the things you like to listen to, so you know how they will sound for you.
We looked at a lot of speakers and everyone I talked to kept pointing us to Paradigm, as they provide the best quality for the price. I agree.
Here is an article on inside.com as well. PR stunt? Good one if it is.
8 &p od_id=8
http://www.inside.com/jcs/Story?article_id=2021
Another article about it on Salon is here.
e r/ index.html
http://www.salon.com/books/wire/2001/01/09/ging
First off, my wife and I are currently working on a study guide for the LPI level 1 exams, which should be out soon. I wouldn't say I'm biased by it, though.
We took the Sair tests and "training" at Linux World in San Jose. Skip the "training". It's a waste. You miss a lot of the conference, and you get no real information. The "instructors" were not that good. We were really disappointed. If you want to pass the Sair exams just go buy the Sair books. The answers are spelled out word for word in them. The questions on the exams were not that good. They really didn't test your knowledge.
I much prefer the LPI exams, which is why we're doing an LPI book. The questions are MUCH better, and do require knowledge of how to work with Linux. The LPI exams don't get as much press, though...which is a shame. They have backing by major players in the Linux world. The level 1 exams are out of beta now, so check them out at http://www.lpi.org.
But, since the exams are free at Linux World, go for it. Just don't waste time in the "classes". Whoever came up with the line saying "$5500 worth of training!" is on crack.
One final note...for the security exam go learn the different informatino laws and how they apply to work. They ask a lot about that and proper chain of command....or what they consider proper. Go take the practice exams they have.