I'd like to know if the engineer turns up or not, and what you decide to do about buying Dells.
My own experience with Dell is consistently bad. I spent months trying to convince Dell Tech Support that they should replace my CD Writer on a fairly new Optiplex. Eventually I swapped the unit with a nearby identical PC, and called in the same error again on the 2nd PC. When the quibbling began, I told them I'd swapped the part from the original PC. I got a CD Writer in the post within a week. We're meant to have onsite service, though!
Still, at least Dell apologised for wasting my time.
To reduce support time, 1) use a standard hardware configuration for each class of computers you run. 2) Install a standard Operating System and driver set, then use Norton Ghost or any similar application to back that up. Any PC problem short of a hardware problem can now be fixed with your standard image. 3) Hold your data on backed up servers or RAID arrays. 4) If you needed any hardware for mission critical work you might buy a support contract for it with a third party contractor.
But you were talking about a network at home run by a hobbyist so you may not want to apply these kind of rules or spend much money to reduce your support burden.
Many computer users may not realise a 100GB hard disk cannot hold a 100GB file. Some of the data space is needed to organise the file or more usually, files plural saved on the hard disk. So there's one figure for HDD size and another for actual maximum file size capacity.
However this figure can't be easily quoted, as it changes depending on the OS used, the drive format type, and the nature of the files on the disk. It seems to me this has more impact than than the ~2.3% difference between the actual size of a Gigabyte and the assumptions often made by people using the term incorrectly.
Ah, but Evian doesn't kill 50% of its users when taken in normal doses. And tobacco isn't essential for health.
If tobacco is made illegal that'll only relinquish any control we have over the market. Prohibition laws have never worked.
"My point of view, while extremely cogent, is unpopular. . . . That the repressive nature of the legalities vis-a-vis drugs are destroying the legal system and corrupting the police system." Jack Nicholson
Interesting story, but it ends with the minister admitting the retaliation was ineffective on this occasion. If the advertisers are to be pursuaded not to spam, we need more people willing to bring it to their attention.
If their phones were blocked *every day*, they might have to stop spamming.
Hmmm. If I were to blame a security lapse on the OS I used, my boss would ask me if there were other choices I could make that were more secure.
It's not Microsoft's fault you chose a MS OS for a task for which it's not suited:-)
Re:The enCYClopedia of AI 'common knowledge '
on
AI in Sci-Fi
·
· Score: 1
Hadn't heard that specific one, but that sounds like the sort of thing Cyc comes up with. Another time it deduced that "everyone is famous." The cyclists had to explain to Cyc that almost all the humans it had specific knowledge of were famous, but the majority of us aren't.
"The researchers also told Cyc to ask questions if it decides it needs more clarity about a concept.
In 1986 Cyc asked whether it was human. That same year it asked whether any other computers were engaged in such a project."
That's either cool or scary, take your pick:-)
The enCYClopedia of AI 'common knowledge '
on
AI in Sci-Fi
·
· Score: 1
These Guys call themselves 'Cyclists' and have been working on an interesting AI project for a few years. They're building the database (or enCYClopedia) of human common knowledge that any AI program will need in order to pass the Turing test.
The project is estimated to complete somewhere around 2015. Still, already they're asking Cyc questions and sometimes getting very interesting answers. From that web page:
"At this stage, Cyc can answer only specific kinds of questions, although it answers them quickly and accurately---sometimes with surprising intuition. Given a database of sample phrases and a vague query like "Show me happy people," Cyc selected the phrase, "A man watching his daughter learn to walk."
I wouldn't accept a Dell printer if they were giving them away. My hatred of Dell knows no bounds. This all started when the Dell on my desk at work broke one day, shutting off with a flashing amber LED on the power switch and a blank screen.
Upon ringing Dell and asking for a replacement PSU, I was asked to apply all manner of diagnostic procedures. Fair enough. This ended up with them asking me to replace the PSU. "Well I don't have another PSU, and that's why I rang you."
It took a couple more months and about a dozen phone calls before I managed to contact a Dell employee with a brain. He told me that a flashing amber LED means the PSU needs replacing, and sent one to me the next day.
My major complaint is most of the phone calls were never recorded in their log, so almost every time I rang I had to start from scratch.
Saudis drink plenty, they just keep it secret as it's against their religious law. When they're over here in London UK, Saudis are well known for their interest in whiskey and prostitutes.
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
on
Strike on Iraq
·
· Score: 1
The Bravery of Being Out of Range From the album Amused to Death(1992) by Roger Waters from Pink Floyd
Hey bartender over here, two more shots and two more beers Sir turn up the TV sound, the war has started on the ground Just love those laser-guided bombs, they're really great for righting wrongs You hit the target and win the game from bars three thousand miles away Three thousand miles away We play the game with the bravery of being out of range We zap and maim with the bravery of being out of range We strafe the train with the bravery of being out of range We gain terrain with the bravery of being out of range With the bravery of being out of range We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
*"Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota) has an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces" Michael Moore.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd like to know if the engineer turns up or not, and what you decide to do about buying Dells.
My own experience with Dell is consistently bad. I spent months trying to convince Dell Tech Support that they should replace my CD Writer on a fairly new Optiplex. Eventually I swapped the unit with a nearby identical PC, and called in the same error again on the 2nd PC. When the quibbling began, I told them I'd swapped the part from the original PC. I got a CD Writer in the post within a week. We're meant to have onsite service, though!
Still, at least Dell apologised for wasting my time.
NOT!!
To reduce support time,
1) use a standard hardware configuration for each class of computers you run.
2) Install a standard Operating System and driver set, then use Norton Ghost or any similar application to back that up. Any PC problem short of a hardware problem can now be fixed with your standard image.
3) Hold your data on backed up servers or RAID arrays.
4) If you needed any hardware for mission critical work you might buy a support contract for it with a third party contractor.
But you were talking about a network at home run by a hobbyist so you may not want to apply these kind of rules or spend much money to reduce your support burden.
Yup, that works. Those boxes look exquisite. Thanks for fixing the link :-)
Want a Japanese Puzzle Box? [pandorapuzzles.com] Ooh! This seller is not currently offering any items for sale. Bah! :-(
You should have seen them on IMAX. Most impressive.
Macs can do P2P, too..
Many computer users may not realise a 100GB hard disk cannot hold a 100GB file. Some of the data space is needed to organise the file or more usually, files plural saved on the hard disk. So there's one figure for HDD size and another for actual maximum file size capacity.
However this figure can't be easily quoted, as it changes depending on the OS used, the drive format type, and the nature of the files on the disk. It seems to me this has more impact than than the ~2.3% difference between the actual size of a Gigabyte and the assumptions often made by people using the term incorrectly.
Ah, but Evian doesn't kill 50% of its users when taken in normal doses. And tobacco isn't essential for health.
If tobacco is made illegal that'll only relinquish any control we have over the market. Prohibition laws have never worked.
"My point of view, while extremely cogent, is unpopular. . . . That the repressive nature of the legalities vis-a-vis drugs are destroying the legal system and corrupting the police system."
Jack Nicholson
They can read my outgoing email if they really want to. Boredom will brainlock them fairly quickly.
As for incoming email, the signal to noise ratio is getting smaller every day. Good luck getting any useful intelligence outta that stream!
"I think this may be a chicken-and-the-egg scenario."
That's easy then. Eggs came before chickens, in fact before birds of any species.
Eyethengyew.
Don't bother. I hopped on over and there were no damn pictures.
"Hop on over for a read" more like. It's all made up anyway.
Shoot the Messenger .
We bought Ironmail (http://www.ciphertrust.com/ironmail/) after increasing complaints from our users about junk email.
Interesting story, but it ends with the minister admitting the retaliation was ineffective on this occasion. If the advertisers are to be pursuaded not to spam, we need more people willing to bring it to their attention.
If their phones were blocked *every day*, they might have to stop spamming.
You have a point. Then again, trying to hit one of these things would be tough. It's very small.
'Gregory's Girl' (1981).
Hmmm. If I were to blame a security lapse on the OS I used, my boss would ask me if there were other choices I could make that were more secure.
:-)
It's not Microsoft's fault you chose a MS OS for a task for which it's not suited
Here's another Cyc question
"The researchers also told Cyc to ask questions if it decides it needs more clarity about a concept.
In 1986 Cyc asked whether it was human. That same year it asked whether any other computers were engaged in such a project."
That's either cool or scary, take your pick :-)
The project is estimated to complete somewhere around 2015. Still, already they're asking Cyc questions and sometimes getting very interesting answers. From that web page:
"At this stage, Cyc can answer only specific kinds of questions, although it answers them quickly and accurately---sometimes with surprising intuition. Given a database of sample phrases and a vague query like "Show me happy people," Cyc selected the phrase, "A man watching his daughter learn to walk."
I wouldn't accept a Dell printer if they were giving them away. My hatred of Dell knows no bounds. This all started when the Dell on my desk at work broke one day, shutting off with a flashing amber LED on the power switch and a blank screen.
Upon ringing Dell and asking for a replacement PSU, I was asked to apply all manner of diagnostic procedures. Fair enough. This ended up with them asking me to replace the PSU. "Well I don't have another PSU, and that's why I rang you."
It took a couple more months and about a dozen phone calls before I managed to contact a Dell employee with a brain. He told me that a flashing amber LED means the PSU needs replacing, and sent one to me the next day.
My major complaint is most of the phone calls were never recorded in their log, so almost every time I rang I had to start from scratch.
Dell sucks ass.
So long as they don't wire frame the walls. That would be cheating.
As yet, no-one's posted a variation on Microsoft's favourite slogan to suit this story.
I'm shocked.
"The only people who drink [beer] are expats"
Saudis drink plenty, they just keep it secret as it's against their religious law. When they're over here in London UK, Saudis are well known for their interest in whiskey and prostitutes.
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
From the album Amused to Death(1992)
by Roger Waters from Pink Floyd
Hey bartender over here, two more shots and two more beers
Sir turn up the TV sound, the war has started on the ground
Just love those laser-guided bombs, they're really great for righting wrongs
You hit the target and win the game from bars three thousand miles away
Three thousand miles away
We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
We zap and maim with the bravery of being out of range
We strafe the train with the bravery of being out of range
We gain terrain with the bravery of being out of range
With the bravery of being out of range
We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
*"Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota)
has an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces" Michael Moore.
Aerotech make juggling balls that glow in the dark and change colour.