Are you sure you're talking about the original MS Natural?
No, you're right, mine's an Elite. I've given it heavy use for coming up to 10 years, and it's still as good as new. The one I was whinging about is the multimedia version.
...however, the difference is that contrary to the title of this topic suggests, the Australian so-called smartcard is not compulsory. It is (or will be) required to claim welfare benefits, which, unless they include simple medicare rebates, won't affect me one way or the other.
So far, however, the Government has not made it very clear which of the various cards are being replaced with this one, so we'll see how that goes. So far, their record leaves a lot to be desired.
I have (and am using right now) the earliest of all of the MS Natural keyboards, despite the fact that I haven't used any Microsoft software on my own machines since 1997. It is a superb piece of hardware.
The newer equivalent keyboards, however, are way too big and clunky; I've got one sitting in a cupboard that used to be attached to a box that I am now running as a headless NetBSD server. Hopefully, I won't need to get it out for a long time to come...
Best thing ever...to happen to Linux and, to a smaller degree, Mac OSX.
How nuch smaller? My household fairly recently became a Linux/OS X environment when my wife, who is doing a PhD in history decided that she needed to be able to use EndNote, and thus OpenOffice.org was no longer sufficient for her needs.
I, with comparatively little exposure to Macs, had been sort of impressed with Apple's "embrace & (maybe sort of) extend" philosophy of interaction with the OSS world until I had to actually deal with it, and definitely impressed by the fact that OS X has the BSD tools under the bonnet to get her set up or out of trouble (since I'm the IT head around here).
However, I was a bit disappointed to discover how many different applications demanded payment, again and again, and quickly found that Apple and all its hangers-on are every bit as rapacious as Microsoft.
I know you got modded +1 Funny, but my immediate reaction to any of these nag screens is indeed to delete the software. It's not as if there normally aren't any alternatives.
Ummm. OK, I'll take your last point first: "TXTing = sterile messages that cost more than a quick phonecall" first: Here in Australia, the average cost of an SMS is 10 cents. The cost of connecting even the shortest call averages around 25 cents with most providers. (Oh, and FYI, they also give us 160 characters for the message here.)
This feeds directly into a rebuttal of your claim that "if you feel something isn't importaint[sic] enough to possibly interupt someone with, it's not worth talking about." I'm not saying one should spend one's entire day sending out SMS messages (though I suppose some people must). All I'm saying is that it makes sense to suit the medium for communication according to the purpose of the message; i.e. if a short message is all that is required, and doesn't need a response, then SMS suits the bill quite well.
Since I'm into molecular biology and biochemistry (and an impecunious student), I can see where you're coming from about the cost of books. However, to be fair to the publishers (!) it should be pointed out that in this field there is a disproportionate amount of work that has to go into production of these books, most of which requires a serious quantity of man-hours in production of all those pretty graphics. Plus, if it's a *really* good book, there is all the peer-reviewing to be taken into account.
Anyone in search of examples should take a look at Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (Nelson & Cox) or Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland et al). Yes, my referencing is non-canonical, but I'm lazy and any decent library catalogue will find them. There are abridged digital versions of a lot of texts at PubMed, but these tend to be cumbersome and of limited usefulness.
This might shock some slashdotters, but there are some areas where the retail cost of a book might just happen to reflect cost of production rather than greed on the part of the publisher.
How long does it take you type that shit out and then get a response?
That's not the point. Sure, it does take a long time to punch "all that shit" in - especially if the first thing you have to do is turn off that dumbass predictive text that is unalterably on-by-default on my phone, but that's a rant for another post.
The point I was going to make is that an SMS doesn't have to interrupt anybody. If it needs a reply, the recipient can do so at his or her leisure. A voice-to-voice call always has to interrupt somebody, and is doubly inconvenient for the recipient if he can't find or get to the handset in time and ends up having to call up voicemail to pick up a message.
I heartily agree, though. I would be much happier with my phone if the manufacturers took out the useless crap like cameras, games and all that associated scheissdreck and concentrated on making a device that is actually useful for making calls and SMS messages (yes, I like SMS - it's a useful and nonintrusive way of communicating) and made it so that it doesn't take up so much room in my pocket.
you have friends without computers or internet access?!
I know this is Slashdot, but not all nerds are IT nerds.
Apart from those in my own area (molecular biology but former sysprog) I know geeks who are into classical archaeology, mediaeval history and South-East Asian anthropology.
Computers and the internet often only figure in their world as a tool, unlike those of us for whom they are a major part of headspace.
If I were to remain in contact with my friends 24/7, I'm fairly sure they wouldn't remain friends for very long. And they would probably feel likewise about me.
This is exactly why I think that while Linux may be fine for servers and for enthusiasts, it is not ready for prime time (i.e. end users).
Err, OK, since I'm not moderating on this thread (having already posted once) - I fail to see how the two issues connect.
I have come across any number of situations where an installation of Microsoft products has failed for inexplicable reasons. Exhortations to RTFM are useless since MS documentation is woefully inadequate ("YOU can connect your computer to the Internet(TM). The Internet(TM) is a..."... yeah, get to the point...)
Note, I'm not flaming MS here (well, not much, anyway) but my point is that there are a great many experienced computer users around who find Microsoft's (or Apple's, for that matter) configuration procedures to be unnecessarily complicated by comparison with Linux or the other Unices.
This fear of the command line is an artifact; when the first "IBM" PCs came out (using PC-DOS), there was little choice when it came to invoking your program. You simply typed its name and hit Enter. Not that hard. If it was that hard, nobody would have bought the damn things, and history tells us otherwise. So why is it hard now? Linux is infinitely more ready for the desktop than DOS was back then, and is arguably much more ready for the desktop than Windows XP is now.
When people who are new to a discussion group or IRC channel ask a simple (to the experienced) question and receive a RTFM response, they can be quite offended by the apparent harsh reaction. They see Read The F'ing Manual and think, "How rude! What a bunch of snobs"
Indeed, and they're right. It really doesn't cost anything to just answer the question (if you're able to). I've been prowling on the Linux and BSD circuits for as long as they have been around (though rarely on IRC) and I have seen this kind of response all too often.
The good news is that there are still forums (fora?) around where good manners still seem to prevail. A good example is Dropline, devoted to Slackware and Gnome-ish issues, where newbies get treated with the same equanimity as the rest of us old fart^W hands.
If there's anything Slashdotters are known for, it's being total Internet geeks
Sadly, I suspect they might be better known for being complete rednecks. This would certainly be borne out by many of the unenlightening posts earlier in this thread.
However, I can only agree with "the guy clearly isn't THAT famous" since I had not heard of him.
In any case, given that the subject in question was supposed to be an inmate at a nursing home, it seems to me that it is not in the best of taste to publish articles about someone who may not be in a position to respond or defend himself. It is this lack of accountability that leads to a deep and justified suspicion of Wikipedia, despite its obvious strengths in other areas.
I do this on all of my servers. And even more, there's this great command if you really need a root shell: sudo su
In that case, what benefit is there in disallowing root login? Seems to me that if you don't trust someone with root privileges, you simply don't give him the password - assuming, of course, that you don't have him down in/etc/sudoers as NOPASSWD:ALL.
As far as I'm concerned, when I'm working as admin on any of my machines, I prefer to log in as root simply because I prefer to forego the tedium of typing "sudo" in front of every command line. Sure, it means that I have to be a bit careful what I type (but I haven't trashed a root directory yet) but sudo isn't going to protect anyone from carelessness or stupidity.
I have never been successful in getting iTunes to index my music library.
It's that indexing that is my biggest problem with my iPod. I would much rather do my own indexing where necessary (but actually, hierarchical directories suit me much better), along with flat text files for playlists.
I've found that database on my iPod gets corrupted all too easily and unnecessarily. Which is why when the warranty is up on my iPod, I probably will give rockbox (or alternatively Linux for iPod) a try.
Dude, stop being a fucktard, and get with the program. If the lack of gapless playback pisses you off enough to avoid getting an iPod, you seriously need to get laid and stop being such a goddamn nerd...
What is it about Slashdot that brings out the most offensive behaviour in adolescents?
The parent post was making perfectly sane and cogent points on a site nominally devoted to being "news for nerds".
If you really object so much to nerds, you are warmly invited to go elsewhere.
The only reason everyone uses Windows is that everyone uses Windows.
Speak for yourself. I have been a Linux user exclusively on my desktop machines since 1997 - and yes, I do interact with those who work in a Microsoft-driven world. For those of us who can't be bothered with computer games, it really isn't hard.
Many of those companies catering to Windows users fail to provide versions even for Mac users, who probably still outnumber those of us who use Linux.
This tends to say more about the quality of their software than we really want to know. I have lost count of the number of proprietary Windows-only drivers I have come across that are flakey in their implementation and ugly/incongrous in their interfaces.
Slashdot Mirror
No, you're right, mine's an Elite. I've given it heavy use for coming up to 10 years, and it's still as good as new. The one I was whinging about is the multimedia version.
So far, however, the Government has not made it very clear which of the various cards are being replaced with this one, so we'll see how that goes. So far, their record leaves a lot to be desired.
The newer equivalent keyboards, however, are way too big and clunky; I've got one sitting in a cupboard that used to be attached to a box that I am now running as a headless NetBSD server. Hopefully, I won't need to get it out for a long time to come...
How nuch smaller? My household fairly recently became a Linux/OS X environment when my wife, who is doing a PhD in history decided that she needed to be able to use EndNote, and thus OpenOffice.org was no longer sufficient for her needs.
I, with comparatively little exposure to Macs, had been sort of impressed with Apple's "embrace & (maybe sort of) extend" philosophy of interaction with the OSS world until I had to actually deal with it, and definitely impressed by the fact that OS X has the BSD tools under the bonnet to get her set up or out of trouble (since I'm the IT head around here).
However, I was a bit disappointed to discover how many different applications demanded payment, again and again, and quickly found that Apple and all its hangers-on are every bit as rapacious as Microsoft.
I know you got modded +1 Funny, but my immediate reaction to any of these nag screens is indeed to delete the software. It's not as if there normally aren't any alternatives.
As far as I know, none do so very comprehensively. But Slackware has a number of BSD-isms thrown into it, which happens to suit me quite well.
This feeds directly into a rebuttal of your claim that "if you feel something isn't importaint[sic] enough to possibly interupt someone with, it's not worth talking about." I'm not saying one should spend one's entire day sending out SMS messages (though I suppose some people must). All I'm saying is that it makes sense to suit the medium for communication according to the purpose of the message; i.e. if a short message is all that is required, and doesn't need a response, then SMS suits the bill quite well.
Anyone in search of examples should take a look at Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (Nelson & Cox) or Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland et al). Yes, my referencing is non-canonical, but I'm lazy and any decent library catalogue will find them. There are abridged digital versions of a lot of texts at PubMed, but these tend to be cumbersome and of limited usefulness.
This might shock some slashdotters, but there are some areas where the retail cost of a book might just happen to reflect cost of production rather than greed on the part of the publisher.
That's not the point. Sure, it does take a long time to punch "all that shit" in - especially if the first thing you have to do is turn off that dumbass predictive text that is unalterably on-by-default on my phone, but that's a rant for another post.
The point I was going to make is that an SMS doesn't have to interrupt anybody. If it needs a reply, the recipient can do so at his or her leisure. A voice-to-voice call always has to interrupt somebody, and is doubly inconvenient for the recipient if he can't find or get to the handset in time and ends up having to call up voicemail to pick up a message.
I heartily agree, though. I would be much happier with my phone if the manufacturers took out the useless crap like cameras, games and all that associated scheissdreck and concentrated on making a device that is actually useful for making calls and SMS messages (yes, I like SMS - it's a useful and nonintrusive way of communicating) and made it so that it doesn't take up so much room in my pocket.
If it ever gets that bad, I think I'll throw my phone away and start keeping carrier pigeons.
;-)
I know this is Slashdot, but not all nerds are IT nerds.
Apart from those in my own area (molecular biology but former sysprog) I know geeks who are into classical archaeology, mediaeval history and South-East Asian anthropology.
Computers and the internet often only figure in their world as a tool, unlike those of us for whom they are a major part of headspace.
If I were to remain in contact with my friends 24/7, I'm fairly sure they wouldn't remain friends for very long. And they would probably feel likewise about me.
If he has been watching any CNN at all, then he has been watching too much.
;-D
Err, OK, since I'm not moderating on this thread (having already posted once) - I fail to see how the two issues connect.
I have come across any number of situations where an installation of Microsoft products has failed for inexplicable reasons. Exhortations to RTFM are useless since MS documentation is woefully inadequate ("YOU can connect your computer to the Internet(TM). The Internet(TM) is a..." ... yeah, get to the point...)
Note, I'm not flaming MS here (well, not much, anyway) but my point is that there are a great many experienced computer users around who find Microsoft's (or Apple's, for that matter) configuration procedures to be unnecessarily complicated by comparison with Linux or the other Unices.
This fear of the command line is an artifact; when the first "IBM" PCs came out (using PC-DOS), there was little choice when it came to invoking your program. You simply typed its name and hit Enter. Not that hard. If it was that hard, nobody would have bought the damn things, and history tells us otherwise. So why is it hard now? Linux is infinitely more ready for the desktop than DOS was back then, and is arguably much more ready for the desktop than Windows XP is now.
Indeed, and they're right. It really doesn't cost anything to just answer the question (if you're able to). I've been prowling on the Linux and BSD circuits for as long as they have been around (though rarely on IRC) and I have seen this kind of response all too often.
The good news is that there are still forums (fora?) around where good manners still seem to prevail. A good example is Dropline, devoted to Slackware and Gnome-ish issues, where newbies get treated with the same equanimity as the rest of us old fart^W hands.
Hmmm, let me see... Oh yes, here we go:
"Windows has been found on your hard drive. Click [OK] to remove it."
:-P
Sadly, I suspect they might be better known for being complete rednecks. This would certainly be borne out by many of the unenlightening posts earlier in this thread.
However, I can only agree with "the guy clearly isn't THAT famous" since I had not heard of him.
In any case, given that the subject in question was supposed to be an inmate at a nursing home, it seems to me that it is not in the best of taste to publish articles about someone who may not be in a position to respond or defend himself. It is this lack of accountability that leads to a deep and justified suspicion of Wikipedia, despite its obvious strengths in other areas.
In that case, what benefit is there in disallowing root login? Seems to me that if you don't trust someone with root privileges, you simply don't give him the password - assuming, of course, that you don't have him down in /etc/sudoers as NOPASSWD:ALL.
As far as I'm concerned, when I'm working as admin on any of my machines, I prefer to log in as root simply because I prefer to forego the tedium of typing "sudo" in front of every command line. Sure, it means that I have to be a bit careful what I type (but I haven't trashed a root directory yet) but sudo isn't going to protect anyone from carelessness or stupidity.
It's that indexing that is my biggest problem with my iPod. I would much rather do my own indexing where necessary (but actually, hierarchical directories suit me much better), along with flat text files for playlists.
I've found that database on my iPod gets corrupted all too easily and unnecessarily. Which is why when the warranty is up on my iPod, I probably will give rockbox (or alternatively Linux for iPod) a try.
What is it about Slashdot that brings out the most offensive behaviour in adolescents?
The parent post was making perfectly sane and cogent points on a site nominally devoted to being "news for nerds".
If you really object so much to nerds, you are warmly invited to go elsewhere.
Speak for yourself. I have been a Linux user exclusively on my desktop machines since 1997 - and yes, I do interact with those who work in a Microsoft-driven world. For those of us who can't be bothered with computer games, it really isn't hard.
Many of those companies catering to Windows users fail to provide versions even for Mac users, who probably still outnumber those of us who use Linux.
This tends to say more about the quality of their software than we really want to know. I have lost count of the number of proprietary Windows-only drivers I have come across that are flakey in their implementation and ugly/incongrous in their interfaces.
They wouldn't have to look very far. John Howard himself took to spamming his electorate just before the last election.
Egads! That'll teach me to try to be funny. Four wikipedia links in as many lines...
...resulting from increased angular velocity due to circular logic? ;-P