I clicked the link for ISONEWS so that I could see what important business the U.S. Government Cybercrime division has been working on. However, the instant the page was loaded, my cable modem died.
Coincidence?
I just wondered if it happened to anyone else. Working in the computer field for many years has taught me that temporal proximity of events does not imply causality, but you never know.
A quick power cycle on the modem got me back online, but it was still a bit unsettling.
I remember trying to fit all that FIDO mail on a 20MB Seagate RLL Harddrive. Remember when harddrive used to cost $800? Imagine the BBS you could run if could magically transport a modern system back in time. The storage and speed would be insane!
I used to run the T.A.G. BBS, and I even wrote some door programs in Borland Turbo Pascal. Remember the automagic file detecting ZMODEM upload door? That was mine:)
1. A software architecture for a distributed computing system comprising: an application configured to handle requests submitted by remote devices over a network; and an application program interface to present functions used by the application to access network and computing resources of the distributed computing system.
There is so much prior art for this claim it's not even funny.
But wait, it gets even funnier in claim #4....
4. A software architecture as recited in claim 1, wherein the application program interface comprises: a first group of services related to creating Web applications; a second group of services related to constructing client applications; a third group of services related to data and handling XML documents; and a fourth group of services related to base class libraries.
What?!! A network web service that can handle XML data using (said with pinky put to side of mouth) "CLASS LIBRARIES."
Hmmmmmm... Now where have I seen this before? Maybe Microsoft will try to patent a network service for sending and receiving text messages for the express purpose of communicating.
This is just another example of why software patents need to DIE! DIE! DIE! The sad thing is that about 50 guys had to waste their time writing this patent. Does anyone else see the irony of the first name listed on the patent, "Adam Smith"?
Adam Smith wrote in his famous book, The Wealth of Nations, "Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way,
and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man or order of men."
Do you see the irony now? Today he would be be called an "ANARCHIST!" and he would definately be at home (somewhat) on slashdot.:)
As an RHCE, I can tell you that Red Hat has recently polled RHCE's to find out if anyone was willing to DONATE time to NON-PROFIT organizations in their vicinty and offer assistance with Linux (setup, deployment, troubleshooting, and staff education).
The RHCE program hasn't been around that long and the final 6 hour really test pushes your endurance and breadth of knowledge. A year or two ago, RHCE's were very sparse and rounding up volunteers to help in a specific area would have proved challenging. However, now that the RHCE population has grown there might be enough volunteers to go around. I volunteered! I'd be happy to help my local library, school, or public institution into Linux Land.
Incidentally, I've never seen MSCE's volunteer for anything related to MS products. The only time I see them is when we are interviewing. You can always tell an MSCE since the logo is usually printed LARGE at the top of the re'sume'. They usually try to regale us with tales of how they used TCP/IP engineering and the OSI standard to assign an IP address to their cable modem router. Of the batch I interviewed, none even had Computer Science degrees. However, this was back in the day when we used to do interviews. It was so long ago we had a different President.
Ok, enough picking on MSCE's... I can't pick on RHCE's because I honestly don't know any others. Even the smarter UNIX admin peers I have that attempted it, didn't pass. Maybe all the stars aligned for me on test day. My class had a 20% pass rate. However, before you blast me for picking on MSCE's I want you to know that if RHCE's deserved to be picked on, they would get a dose as well.
If there are any other RHCE's out there, I'd really like to start an RHCE listserv or community. Also, I live in the Detroit area and have tried to get Red Hat to hold a RHD (Red Hat Kernel Development) class in Detroit, but they claim there isn't enough interest. If you have a similar desire, please check the Red Hat training website and drop me an email. I can fill two seats, but believe a minimum of 5 is required to fly in an instructor.
However, keep in mind. All certifications are mostly worthless. They usually won't get you a job or even a raise. The best bet is still a college degree followed by an MBA. It's mostly personal satisfaction.
I think the Red Hat Educational Push is great! I fully endorse it and will even volunteer time to support it! Please do the same if you get the call for help.
Also, keep in mind that Red Hat is not the ANTI-CHRIST. Anyone who wishes can still make their own distro and if you want to compile it all yourself, check out gentoo. Without IBM, Red Hat, and the hard working developers plowing ahead, the Linux movement might be over except maybe in some parts of Europe.
Microsoft will still try to stop and block Linux, but I have it on good authority that some of the guys at Redmond actually like Open Source and have the desire to incorporate some of it's features. Linux is no longer just chasing tail lights!
The Space Program represents some of our best and brightest. It represents cooperation between different countries and cultures against the backdrop of political problems.
Making jokes when 7 brave people die is not appropriate. Especially when these 7 people are astronauts who have prepared and trained most of their adult lives for their mission into the new frontier.
There is a time and place for everything. This is not the time and/or place for poor taste. Try to learn the difference.
Re:Painful? Yes. Helps long term? I don't see it.
on
Giant Sucking Noise
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· Score: 1
1. Mini Mills can make auotmotive grade steel?
I want to know which automotive manufacturer is using it for Class 1 (body skin) surfaces. To my knowledge, mini mills don't produce steel with good enough surface qualities in terms or formability and paintability for the external surfaces.
2. Mini Mills run on SCRAP steel. Integrated Steel Mills use RAW IRON ORE (usually in pellet form). Without integrated mills making steel and scrap, the price of scrap would skyrocket. How low cost will mini mills be when scrap prices go up? Additionally, when you use scrap to make flat rolled steel, you lose control over the chemistry of the steel mix and pick up whatever was in the scrap metal. They don't call it STEEL REFINING at Integrated Steel Mills for nothing.
3. Mini Mills can't make all grades of steel. Can minimills make plate steel used in military machines? Can mini mills produce high carbon steel? Can mini mills produce steels with specific mechanical properties and chemistrys?
Henry Ford's Rouge Plant was called the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII. Steel helped fight wars and build America.
It's sad that we should turn our backs on the Steel Workers, just because un-unionized plants with no EPA regulations or OSHA (saftey) standards can produce steel for pennies a ton out of the country.
If we are going to have globalization, everyone has to play by the same rules. If not, the country with the lowest wages and lowest safety standards will get the business. Should free-trade and globalization mean that we go back to the dark ol days of the Industrial Revolution, where pollution was rampant and children were chained to machines in factories.
Either we all work by the same rules or globalization will just exploit poorer countries and workers. Man, I am starting to sound like a socialist or something.
Mr. Bush, Chairman Mao Called
on
Giant Sucking Noise
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· Score: 4, Interesting
One of these days, Chairman Mao is going to call the President of the United States and tell him to surrender.
Chairmain Mao will explain that Chinese Corporations are the subcontactors to the subcontractors to the subcontractors of the Department of Defense Subcontractors and furthermore; China now makes ALL the key components for ALL of America's military weapons and machines.
Then he will let out an evil sounding Chineese Laugh! (The kind you hear in James Bond movies.)
How can the US maintain it's power if all it's strategic manufacturing capability is located offshore? Recently, we nearly lost the US Steel Industry and it's not over yet.
Sure we have rules and laws which on paper prevent this sort of problem, however as the FDA recently found out in the "Tainted Strawberry Harvest", these rules are not always followed. In this specific case the FDA had rules that all food used in school lunch programs must be grown in the United States. The subcontractors decided to ignore the rule and subcontract from Mexico and imported 1.7 million pounds of Hepatitis laced frozen Strawberries. The good news is that the fraudulent company was the lowest bidder and we saved tax dollars.
I won't even comment on the strategic technology which has been leaked to other countries by defense subcontractors.
`(1) for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, or
`(2) by the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $1,000,
Exactly what is a Phonorecord? Does this mean that in order to procescute, the RIAA will have to bring back vinyl records, then prove that converted your vinyl "phonorecords" to MP3, prove you shared it for 180 days, and then find the retail value of your online P2P collection to make sure it's in excess of $1000? Does the retail price take into account inflation or is the "original" retail price of the "phonorecord"? I just called Wal*Mart and tried to get the price of my "Buck Owens, Under Your Spell Again" phonorecord, but didn't have any luck.
If they can apply this law to P2P sharing, I will be amazed. I still can't believe that the US Congress, (the government of the most technologically advanced society in the world), used the word "Phonorecords" in 1997. How embarassing. France and Germany are probably still snickering.
As far as I am concerned, anything that came out only on "Phonorecord" should be in the public domain already. Looks like the geeks are going to have to organize a political party if we want this nonsense to stop. I vote for TUX as the party mascott.
This was announced on 1/22/2003 and I consider it old news, however here is the EOL list if you are interested:
Release EOL DATE -------------- ------------- RHAS 2.1 -- May 31,2005
RH 7.1 to 8.0 -- Dec. 31, 2003 RH 6.0, 6.2 -- Mar. 31, 2003 RH 6.1 -- Already EOL'ed
This is mostly just a push to get all the serious corporate users to move to Red Hat Advanced Server 2.1, if they want support and errata longevity. For simplification Red Hat has also consolidated the kernels into two code branches, one for the 7.x one for the 8.x release.
One of the disadvantages of spinning out new releases as fast as RedHat is keeping up with the errata and support associated with each version. Speaking of errata, does anyone have a 6.1 system that they can run "up2date" on? I am just curious if it still works after the EOL date.
You can't, unless you first do business with the guy. The feedback system is linked to specific transactions -- you "earn" one feedback comment per transaction with a buyer or seller.
Sorry about that. I have an EBAY ID and can lookup a seller's email address and view his rating and feedback. I wanted to make an assessment of his behavior and send him a personal email with my thoughts on his lawsuit.:)
This guy obviously wants attention, so I thought I would give him some. He'd have to come to Michigan to sue me. It's really cold in Michigan this winter and I doubt any Californian would want to leave Sunny CA! I don't even know what the sun looks like anymore.
Does anyone know this loser's EBAY ID or email address? I would like to give this guy some direct negative feedback. In case you didn't read the article, not only is he whining about his (allegedly deserved) "negative feedback" but
The lawsuit also demands that buyers and sellers, who use aliases in eBay transactions, register their screen names with the state of California as fictitious business names, and that eBay be forced to collect state sales tax.
So not only does he want better EBAY Karma, but he wants to try and destroy EBAY via judicial legislation. I don't think the court has the power to make every Ebay'er in California register, but you never know how judges will interpret the law in these uncertain times.
Ebay is the world's largest yard sale and should remain sales tax free!
Son, we live in a world that has passwords! When a user forgets his password to email because, it is different from his password in the accounting application. Who is going to reset his password?
You!??
Face it son, you want tech support on that wall! You need tech support on that wall.
But seriously, Tech support may morph into something more than basic user hand-holding. Just keep in mind a user with a little knowledge who thinks he is an expert, is far more dangerous than a user who is terrified of the computer. The ones who "think" they are computer experts are the ones who really keep tech support in business, since they are capable of inflicting the most damage.
1st Note to self: Time to sell stock in companies that make large ropes for mooring ships in harbors.
2nd Note to self:
1. Patent, and copyright a system that uses DRM enabled, pulsed-electromagnets that attact each other.
2. Wait a few years until new electromagnetic boat docking system becomes popular.
3. Sue everyone that uses this new system under the DMCA and demand hefty license fees.
4. Profit!
5. Ask congress to invent a new tax on magnets and electromagnets that is paid directly to me for piracy compensation.
6. Low probablility of Profit, but a fun waste of time.
Switching supplies run at maximum efficiency only at their designed operation level (usually somewhere around 70-80% of maximum load, but this tends to vary greatly) and a lightly-loaded switching power supply may actually be LESS efficient than a linear supply for equivalent ratings and loads.
Thus, if you buy a power supply that is rated much higher that you need for you system (like most case moders) you are wasting power. And, "YES" you are CORRECT that switching power supplies are very efficient realtive to linear power supplies when the are loaded properly.
I invite you to get out your meter and verify the results independently before accusing me of spouting BS!:) I don't claim to be a power supply design expert, but I have fried enough of them to learn a little bit about their characteristics.
Every Christmas, since Amazon was a struggling startup using "doors" as desks, I have done a lot of Christmas shopping at Amazon. They always seemed to have what I wanted at a good price, and it seemed that they always knew when to email me the FREE shipping coupon.
However, this is the first year I did not spend my Holiday dollars at Amazon. Here are my reasons.
* Amazon is moving towards a retail pricing model. No more good deals.
* Consumer Electronics are cheaper at Best Buy / Comp USA sales (even with tax).
* Amazon's customer recommended product matcher is wildly innaccurate (at least for me).
This year I was shopping for a 4 MegaPixel Digital camera, photo printer, books, and toys. I added the items I wanted to "My Wish List" hoping it would trigger the Amazon to take action. Do you think the Amazon AI (Artificial Intelligence) was smart enought to email me a coupon, or possibly even propose a packages, e.g. (Camera, + Media + Accessories + Printer). Nope, instead Amazon gave me a "Gold Box" and filled it unrelated junk like "Steak Knives" and "Foot Massagers".
Meanwhile, all my holiday shopping dollars went to local brick and mortar shops. I predict that Amazons holiday sales figures are going to be disappointing. I tried to email Bezos and make suggestions, but his auto responder just kept emailing back. I wonder if he reads slashdot?
Anyway, I was just curious how many that usually shopped at Amazon went elsewhere this year and your reasons for doing do.
If Amazon doesn't figure out a new model, all they may have in the end is patent royalty revenue. Note to the Computer Industry and Jeff Bezos, "Stop Litigating and Start Innovating"!
May I have your Attention Please: To all the MSCE's who went to the MS mouse wiggling academy, get ready for elightenment, a real scripting language may be coming to a server near you. No longer will remote systems administration require VNC, PC-Anywhere, Windows Terminal Server, or a Webconsole (which works some of the time).
As a person that despises inefficiency in enterprise systems, I have been ignoring all Microsoft technology since it is a Royal PAIN in the arse in terms of administration. Theres nothing I like more than trying to use a GUI over dialup to fix a problem at 2AM. While the Microsoft mouse wiggling academy has produced some of the finest mouse wigglers and mice (that new MS optical mouse rocks), I am glad to see them finally open the door to the smarter administrators that like their hands glued firmly to the keyboard. Taking steps like this may even allow me to integrate Win2K into the enterprise instead of forcing it to live in it's own little world off to the side.
This industry just keeps getting stranger and stranger. No camp seems happy in their current location. Linux wants the desktops and Microsoft wants the servers. I guess all brunettes want to be blondes too, eh?....
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Re:could this be the xbox "killer app"? - Ask Sony
on
Xbox Live Goes Online
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· Score: 3, Interesting
The real killer app is called "Ever Crack", I mean "Ever Quest", too bad it's owned by Sony:)
Seriously, if EverQuest could be ported to XBOX or PS2, people would flock in droves since the game might actually have a chance of being stable, fast, and hacker resistant.
This would be the killer app... It might even revive the tech economy.
I really thought there would be more Microsoft on the Top 500 Super Computer list, just as a matter of honor and homage to the Chief Software Architect.
Looking at the list, we can see that Super Computers Prefer ANYTHING BUT Microsoft, 499 to 1. I tried to find out more about the "1", but it has been encrypted by Seoul National University using a character set "charset=euc-kr". If anyone has more info on it, please post it in english.
I wonder when Steve Jobs will get a MAC cluster on this list:) What a lot of information, thanks for the great article!
I have two mottos for this type of situation.
"Cash up Front!" and/or
"Show me the money!"
It is also wise to have them email/fax you a P.O. (Purchase Order) not to exceed ($x). That way if they try to stiff you in the end you can take them to small claims and still collect your fee. Additionally, asking for a P.O. gives the problem a bit of visibility outside of IT.
By calling you up and making demands, this loser manager probably took credit for your work. You made her look compotent and she was able to "save the day" with your FREE work.
Remember my friend, "Cash up front!", especially if the place laid you off.
Exhibit B Red Hat/Samba far outscales Windows 2000 on identical hardware
Yes your honor, it's true, at a load level of 16 clients Windows 2000 filesystem throughput flat lines vs. Red Hat Linux with Samba which is still scaling up nicely with 28 clients.
Does Windows 2000 mask the true power of the Intel hardware? Examine the report and look at the benchmark graphs. Decide for yourself if it's FUD or FACT. Note: the source is PC Magazine which if you will refer to this months copy contains many advertisements for Microsoft.NET.. Looks like PC Mag has some integrity.
Shall I continue?
Want to see
why TUX stomps IIS and Apache for serving static content?
I challenge you to find the FUD in any of this. In fact, many of you might wish to save these links for future TCO discussions within your local IT departments.
PROVE ME WRONG!!!! Show me how Microsoft is doing it faster and better compared to either a) A Previous Microsoft Server Product, or b) Linux. Wave your hands and shout FUD all you want, but be prepared to back it up.
I wish someone would back me up!:)
As for my 486, I wrote a user mode driver which allows me to access the data pins on the
parallel port to
activate a relay and ultimately switch A/C power. (Web page coming soon.) This device can be used to remotely reboot Windows servers that BSOD, or turn on Christmas Lights add/or Coffee Pots via cron or telnet. Did I mention it all fits on a floppy, runs on a 486, and is network accessible? I am trying to shoe-horn a webserver onto the floppy now.
Why does Microsoft use insane amounts of RAM for simple applications you ask?
Simple, because it gets you to upgrade. It all starts innocent enough, you are running Windows 98 and your buddy gives you a copy of Windows ME. Wanting to be at the same level of modernity as your buddy, you install it, only to have your machine run slower. Eventually, your machine suffers from the dreaded Windows O/S decay and conveniently christmas rolls around. You then decide the old computer is going to the kids (or trash) and you get yourself a spiffy new Dell or eMachine.
This moves hardware, software, and yes another OEM Windows license that is locked to your genuine Intel processor. It also moves money out of your bank account.
I hope that clears it up. It's about getting consumers to buy more, so the latest and greatest bloat code will perform at an acceptable level of performance. Windows does a great job of masking the true power of the Intel architecture. In fact, the gap between Windows and Linux performane is growing and on identical hardware, doing identical work, Linux is 10-15% faster and tends to scale higher and support more clients as we have been seen in Samba vs Win2K, and tux vs. IIS benchmarks on identical hardware. Again, Win2k scalability has more to do with selling server licenses than creating better code. If your Win2k server runs out of ummpphh at 50 users and you have 75 users, then the solution is to buy another server from Dell and of course another OEM Win2k license locked to the CPU in the new server. Or, if you are just doing file and print server, you can scrap it all and put in a Linux box running Samba.
There is no economic incentive for Microsoft to write efficient code with a small memory footprint.
In contrast, the Linux kernel is constantly under the microscope running of embedded devices, strong-arm CPU's, and I still run a single floppy micro linux distro on a 486 (that even gets me a network stack). I am amazed at how much throughput I can get out of an old 486/100 with 32MB of RAM running Linux that booted off a floppy. It's just amazing how much power is there.
If I am wrong on any of these points, please correct me. If not, mod me up.
Re:Other sources and MAME Java client...
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MAME To Become GPL?
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· Score: 2
Do they make a modern processor that's fast enough to run a Java app that emulates a 1 Mhz Z80 processor??:)
I can't image MAME under Java, but those Java guys just never give up.
Slashdot Mirror
I clicked the link for ISONEWS so that I could see what important business the U.S. Government Cybercrime division has been working on. However, the instant the page was loaded, my cable modem died.
Coincidence?
I just wondered if it happened to anyone else. Working in the computer field for many years has taught me that temporal proximity of events does not imply causality, but you never know.
A quick power cycle on the modem got me back online, but it was still a bit unsettling.
And don't forget Stacker !
:)
I remember trying to fit all that FIDO mail on a 20MB Seagate RLL Harddrive. Remember when harddrive used to cost $800? Imagine the BBS you could run if could magically transport a modern system back in time. The storage and speed would be insane!
I used to run the T.A.G. BBS, and I even wrote some door programs in Borland Turbo Pascal. Remember the automagic file detecting ZMODEM upload door? That was mine
1. A software architecture for a distributed computing system comprising: an application configured to handle requests submitted by remote devices over a network; and an application program interface to present functions used by the application to access network and computing resources of the distributed computing system.
:)
There is so much prior art for this claim it's not even funny.
But wait, it gets even funnier in claim #4....
4. A software architecture as recited in claim 1, wherein the application program interface comprises: a first group of services related to creating Web applications; a second group of services related to constructing client applications; a third group of services related to data and handling XML documents; and a fourth group of services related to base class libraries.
What?!! A network web service that can handle XML data using (said with pinky put to side of mouth) "CLASS LIBRARIES."
Hmmmmmm... Now where have I seen this before? Maybe Microsoft will try to patent a network service for sending and receiving text messages for the express purpose of communicating.
This is just another example of why software patents need to DIE! DIE! DIE! The sad thing is that about 50 guys had to waste their time writing this patent. Does anyone else see the irony of the first name listed on the patent, "Adam Smith"?
Adam Smith wrote in his famous book, The Wealth of Nations, "Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way, and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man or order of men."
Do you see the irony now? Today he would be be called an "ANARCHIST!" and he would definately be at home (somewhat) on slashdot.
You are correct!
The "All your cash are belong to us." rule still applies.
About 1 week post release you could buy info on EBAY telling you how to scam the system.
As an RHCE, I can tell you that Red Hat has recently polled RHCE's to find out if anyone was willing to DONATE time to NON-PROFIT organizations in their vicinty and offer assistance with Linux (setup, deployment, troubleshooting, and staff education).
... I can't pick on RHCE's because I honestly don't know any others. Even the smarter UNIX admin peers I have that attempted it, didn't pass. Maybe all the stars aligned for me on test day. My class had a 20% pass rate. However, before you blast me for picking on MSCE's I want you to know that if RHCE's deserved to be picked on, they would get a dose as well.
The RHCE program hasn't been around that long and the final 6 hour really test pushes your endurance and breadth of knowledge. A year or two ago, RHCE's were very sparse and rounding up volunteers to help in a specific area would have proved challenging. However, now that the RHCE population has grown there might be enough volunteers to go around. I volunteered! I'd be happy to help my local library, school, or public institution into Linux Land.
Incidentally, I've never seen MSCE's volunteer for anything related to MS products. The only time I see them is when we are interviewing. You can always tell an MSCE since the logo is usually printed LARGE at the top of the re'sume'. They usually try to regale us with tales of how they used TCP/IP engineering and the OSI standard to assign an IP address to their cable modem router. Of the batch I interviewed, none even had Computer Science degrees. However, this was back in the day when we used to do interviews. It was so long ago we had a different President.
Ok, enough picking on MSCE's
If there are any other RHCE's out there, I'd really like to start an RHCE listserv or community. Also, I live in the Detroit area and have tried to get Red Hat to hold a RHD (Red Hat Kernel Development) class in Detroit, but they claim there isn't enough interest. If you have a similar desire, please check the Red Hat training website and drop me an email. I can fill two seats, but believe a minimum of 5 is required to fly in an instructor.
However, keep in mind. All certifications are mostly worthless. They usually won't get you a job or even a raise. The best bet is still a college degree followed by an MBA. It's mostly personal satisfaction.
I think the Red Hat Educational Push is great! I fully endorse it and will even volunteer time to support it! Please do the same if you get the call for help.
Also, keep in mind that Red Hat is not the ANTI-CHRIST. Anyone who wishes can still make their own distro and if you want to compile it all yourself, check out gentoo. Without IBM, Red Hat, and the hard working developers plowing ahead, the Linux movement might be over except maybe in some parts of Europe.
Microsoft will still try to stop and block Linux, but I have it on good authority that some of the guys at Redmond actually like Open Source and have the desire to incorporate some of it's features. Linux is no longer just chasing tail lights!
If you were here I'd slap you upside the head.
The Space Program represents some of our best and brightest. It represents cooperation between different countries and cultures against the backdrop of political problems.
Making jokes when 7 brave people die is not appropriate. Especially when these 7 people are astronauts who have prepared and trained most of their adult lives for their mission into the new frontier.
There is a time and place for everything. This is not the time and/or place for poor taste. Try to learn the difference.
1. Mini Mills can make auotmotive grade steel?
I want to know which automotive manufacturer is using it for Class 1 (body skin) surfaces. To my knowledge, mini mills don't produce steel with good enough surface qualities in terms or formability and paintability for the external surfaces.
2. Mini Mills run on SCRAP steel. Integrated Steel Mills use RAW IRON ORE (usually in pellet form). Without integrated mills making steel and scrap, the price of scrap would skyrocket. How low cost will mini mills be when scrap prices go up? Additionally, when you use scrap to make flat rolled steel, you lose control over the chemistry of the steel mix and pick up whatever was in the scrap metal. They don't call it STEEL REFINING at Integrated Steel Mills for nothing.
3. Mini Mills can't make all grades of steel. Can minimills make plate steel used in military machines? Can mini mills produce high carbon steel? Can mini mills produce steels with specific mechanical properties and chemistrys?
Henry Ford's Rouge Plant was called the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII. Steel helped fight wars and build America.
It's sad that we should turn our backs on the Steel Workers, just because un-unionized plants with no EPA regulations or OSHA (saftey) standards can produce steel for pennies a ton out of the country.
If we are going to have globalization, everyone has to play by the same rules. If not, the country with the lowest wages and lowest safety standards will get the business. Should free-trade and globalization mean that we go back to the dark ol days of the Industrial Revolution, where pollution was rampant and children were chained to machines in factories.
Either we all work by the same rules or globalization will just exploit poorer countries and workers. Man, I am starting to sound like a socialist or something.
One of these days, Chairman Mao is going to call the President of the United States and tell him to surrender.
Chairmain Mao will explain that Chinese Corporations are the subcontactors to the subcontractors to the subcontractors of the Department of Defense Subcontractors and furthermore; China now makes ALL the key components for ALL of America's military weapons and machines.
Then he will let out an evil sounding Chineese Laugh! (The kind you hear in James Bond movies.)
How can the US maintain it's power if all it's strategic manufacturing capability is located offshore? Recently, we nearly lost the US Steel Industry and it's not over yet.
Sure we have rules and laws which on paper prevent this sort of problem, however as the FDA recently found out in the "Tainted Strawberry Harvest", these rules are not always followed. In this specific case the FDA had rules that all food used in school lunch programs must be grown in the United States. The subcontractors decided to ignore the rule and subcontract from Mexico and imported 1.7 million pounds of Hepatitis laced frozen Strawberries. The good news is that the fraudulent company was the lowest bidder and we saved tax dollars.
I won't even comment on the strategic technology which has been leaked to other countries by defense subcontractors.
Greed will destroy us!
`(1) for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, or
`(2) by the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $1,000,
Exactly what is a Phonorecord? Does this mean that in order to procescute, the RIAA will have to bring back vinyl records, then prove that converted your vinyl "phonorecords" to MP3, prove you shared it for 180 days, and then find the retail value of your online P2P collection to make sure it's in excess of $1000? Does the retail price take into account inflation or is the "original" retail price of the "phonorecord"? I just called Wal*Mart and tried to get the price of my "Buck Owens, Under Your Spell Again" phonorecord, but didn't have any luck.
If they can apply this law to P2P sharing, I will be amazed. I still can't believe that the US Congress, (the government of the most technologically advanced society in the world), used the word "Phonorecords" in 1997. How embarassing. France and Germany are probably still snickering.
As far as I am concerned, anything that came out only on "Phonorecord" should be in the public domain already. Looks like the geeks are going to have to organize a political party if we want this nonsense to stop. I vote for TUX as the party mascott.
This was announced on 1/22/2003 and I consider it old news, however here is the EOL list if you are interested:
Release EOL DATE
-------------- -------------
RHAS 2.1 -- May 31,2005
RH 7.1 to 8.0 -- Dec. 31, 2003
RH 6.0, 6.2 -- Mar. 31, 2003
RH 6.1 -- Already EOL'ed
This is mostly just a push to get all the serious corporate users to move to Red Hat Advanced Server 2.1, if they want support and errata longevity. For simplification Red Hat has also consolidated the kernels into two code branches, one for the 7.x one for the 8.x release.
One of the disadvantages of spinning out new releases as fast as RedHat is keeping up with the errata and support associated with each version. Speaking of errata, does anyone have a 6.1 system that they can run "up2date" on? I am just curious if it still works after the EOL date.
You can't, unless you first do business with the guy. The feedback system is linked to specific transactions -- you "earn" one feedback comment per transaction with a buyer or seller.
:)
Sorry about that. I have an EBAY ID and can lookup a seller's email address and view his rating and feedback. I wanted to make an assessment of his behavior and send him a personal email with my thoughts on his lawsuit.
This guy obviously wants attention, so I thought I would give him some. He'd have to come to Michigan to sue me. It's really cold in Michigan this winter and I doubt any Californian would want to leave Sunny CA! I don't even know what the sun looks like anymore.
Does anyone know this loser's EBAY ID or email address? I would like to give this guy some direct negative feedback. In case you didn't read the article, not only is he whining about his (allegedly deserved) "negative feedback" but
The lawsuit also demands that buyers and sellers, who use aliases in eBay transactions, register their screen names with the state of California as fictitious business names, and that eBay be forced to collect state sales tax.
So not only does he want better EBAY Karma, but he wants to try and destroy EBAY via judicial legislation. I don't think the court has the power to make every Ebay'er in California register, but you never know how judges will interpret the law in these uncertain times.
Ebay is the world's largest yard sale and should remain sales tax free!
If I only had some mod points, you would be headed straight for "FLAMEBAIT!"
Not true!
Son, we live in a world that has passwords! When a user forgets his password to email because, it is different from his password in the accounting application. Who is going to reset his password?
You!??
Face it son, you want tech support on that wall! You need tech support on that wall.
But seriously, Tech support may morph into something more than basic user hand-holding. Just keep in mind a user with a little knowledge who thinks he is an expert, is far more dangerous than a user who is terrified of the computer. The ones who "think" they are computer experts are the ones who really keep tech support in business, since they are capable of inflicting the most damage.
1st Note to self: Time to sell stock in companies that make large ropes for mooring ships in harbors.
2nd Note to self:
1. Patent, and copyright a system that uses DRM enabled, pulsed-electromagnets that attact each other.
2. Wait a few years until new electromagnetic boat docking system becomes popular.
3. Sue everyone that uses this new system under the DMCA and demand hefty license fees.
4. Profit!
5. Ask congress to invent a new tax on magnets and electromagnets that is paid directly to me for piracy compensation.
6. Low probablility of Profit, but a fun waste of time.
"Where have all the great men gone?" -me
Switching supplies run at maximum efficiency only at their designed operation level (usually somewhere around 70-80% of maximum load, but this tends to vary greatly) and a lightly-loaded switching power supply may actually be LESS efficient than a linear supply for equivalent ratings and loads.
:) I don't claim to be a power supply design expert, but I have fried enough of them to learn a little bit about their characteristics.
Thus, if you buy a power supply that is rated much higher that you need for you system (like most case moders) you are wasting power. And, "YES" you are CORRECT that switching power supplies are very efficient realtive to linear power supplies when the are loaded properly.
I invite you to get out your meter and verify the results independently before accusing me of spouting BS!
PC Power Supplies tend to be very inefficient, where efficiency is defined as
Power Output
% Efficiency = ----------------
Power Consumed
I wonder how much power we could save as a nation if we had higher efficiency power supplies in our PC.
Every Christmas, since Amazon was a struggling startup using "doors" as desks, I have done a lot of Christmas shopping at Amazon. They always seemed to have what I wanted at a good price, and it seemed that they always knew when to email me the FREE shipping coupon.
However, this is the first year I did not spend my Holiday dollars at Amazon. Here are my reasons.
* Amazon is moving towards a retail pricing model. No more good deals.
* Consumer Electronics are cheaper at Best Buy / Comp USA sales (even with tax).
* Amazon's customer recommended product matcher is wildly innaccurate (at least for me).
This year I was shopping for a 4 MegaPixel Digital camera, photo printer, books, and toys. I added the items I wanted to "My Wish List" hoping it would trigger the Amazon to take action. Do you think the Amazon AI (Artificial Intelligence) was smart enought to email me a coupon, or possibly even propose a packages, e.g. (Camera, + Media + Accessories + Printer). Nope, instead Amazon gave me a "Gold Box" and filled it unrelated junk like "Steak Knives" and "Foot Massagers".
Meanwhile, all my holiday shopping dollars went to local brick and mortar shops. I predict that Amazons holiday sales figures are going to be disappointing. I tried to email Bezos and make suggestions, but his auto responder just kept emailing back. I wonder if he reads slashdot?
Anyway, I was just curious how many that usually shopped at Amazon went elsewhere this year and your reasons for doing do.
If Amazon doesn't figure out a new model, all they may have in the end is patent royalty revenue. Note to the Computer Industry and Jeff Bezos, "Stop Litigating and Start Innovating"!
May I have your Attention Please: To all the MSCE's who went to the MS mouse wiggling academy, get ready for elightenment, a real scripting language may be coming to a server near you. No longer will remote systems administration require VNC, PC-Anywhere, Windows Terminal Server, or a Webconsole (which works some of the time).
....
As a person that despises inefficiency in enterprise systems, I have been ignoring all Microsoft technology since it is a Royal PAIN in the arse in terms of administration. Theres nothing I like more than trying to use a GUI over dialup to fix a problem at 2AM. While the Microsoft mouse wiggling academy has produced some of the finest mouse wigglers and mice (that new MS optical mouse rocks), I am glad to see them finally open the door to the smarter administrators that like their hands glued firmly to the keyboard. Taking steps like this may even allow me to integrate Win2K into the enterprise instead of forcing it to live in it's own little world off to the side.
This industry just keeps getting stranger and stranger. No camp seems happy in their current location. Linux wants the desktops and Microsoft wants the servers. I guess all brunettes want to be blondes too, eh?
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
The real killer app is called "Ever Crack", I mean "Ever Quest", too bad it's owned by Sony :)
Seriously, if EverQuest could be ported to XBOX or PS2, people would flock in droves since the game might actually have a chance of being stable, fast, and hacker resistant.
This would be the killer app... It might even revive the tech economy.
I really thought there would be more Microsoft on the Top 500 Super Computer list, just as a matter of honor and homage to the Chief Software Architect.
:) What a lot of information, thanks for the great article!
Looking at the list, we can see that Super Computers Prefer ANYTHING BUT Microsoft, 499 to 1. I tried to find out more about the "1", but it has been encrypted by Seoul National University using a character set "charset=euc-kr". If anyone has more info on it, please post it in english.
I wonder when Steve Jobs will get a MAC cluster on this list
I have two mottos for this type of situation. "Cash up Front!" and/or "Show me the money!" It is also wise to have them email/fax you a P.O. (Purchase Order) not to exceed ($x). That way if they try to stiff you in the end you can take them to small claims and still collect your fee. Additionally, asking for a P.O. gives the problem a bit of visibility outside of IT. By calling you up and making demands, this loser manager probably took credit for your work. You made her look compotent and she was able to "save the day" with your FREE work. Remember my friend, "Cash up front!", especially if the place laid you off.
Accuse me of FUD all you want, but examine the evidence for yourself.
.NET .. Looks like PC Mag has some integrity.
:)
Exhibit A
Win NT beats Windows 2000 in SQL Server 7 Benchmarks
What? The new O/S is slower? Must be FUD, doesn't have anything to do with bloated code and forcing users into hardware upgrades.
Exhibit B
Red Hat/Samba far outscales Windows 2000 on identical hardware
Yes your honor, it's true, at a load level of 16 clients Windows 2000 filesystem throughput flat lines vs. Red Hat Linux with Samba which is still scaling up nicely with 28 clients.
Does Windows 2000 mask the true power of the Intel hardware? Examine the report and look at the benchmark graphs. Decide for yourself if it's FUD or FACT. Note: the source is PC Magazine which if you will refer to this months copy contains many advertisements for Microsoft
Shall I continue?
Want to see why TUX stomps IIS and Apache for serving static content?
I challenge you to find the FUD in any of this. In fact, many of you might wish to save these links for future TCO discussions within your local IT departments.
PROVE ME WRONG!!!! Show me how Microsoft is doing it faster and better compared to either a) A Previous Microsoft Server Product, or b) Linux. Wave your hands and shout FUD all you want, but be prepared to back it up.
I wish someone would back me up!
As for my 486, I wrote a user mode driver which allows me to access the data pins on the parallel port to activate a relay and ultimately switch A/C power. (Web page coming soon.) This device can be used to remotely reboot Windows servers that BSOD, or turn on Christmas Lights add/or Coffee Pots via cron or telnet. Did I mention it all fits on a floppy, runs on a 486, and is network accessible? I am trying to shoe-horn a webserver onto the floppy now.
Why does Microsoft use insane amounts of RAM for simple applications you ask?
Simple, because it gets you to upgrade. It all starts innocent enough, you are running Windows 98 and your buddy gives you a copy of Windows ME. Wanting to be at the same level of modernity as your buddy, you install it, only to have your machine run slower. Eventually, your machine suffers from the dreaded Windows O/S decay and conveniently christmas rolls around. You then decide the old computer is going to the kids (or trash) and you get yourself a spiffy new Dell or eMachine.
This moves hardware, software, and yes another OEM Windows license that is locked to your genuine Intel processor. It also moves money out of your bank account.
I hope that clears it up. It's about getting consumers to buy more, so the latest and greatest bloat code will perform at an acceptable level of performance. Windows does a great job of masking the true power of the Intel architecture. In fact, the gap between Windows and Linux performane is growing and on identical hardware, doing identical work, Linux is 10-15% faster and tends to scale higher and support more clients as we have been seen in Samba vs Win2K, and tux vs. IIS benchmarks on identical hardware. Again, Win2k scalability has more to do with selling server licenses than creating better code. If your Win2k server runs out of ummpphh at 50 users and you have 75 users, then the solution is to buy another server from Dell and of course another OEM Win2k license locked to the CPU in the new server. Or, if you are just doing file and print server, you can scrap it all and put in a Linux box running Samba.
There is no economic incentive for Microsoft to write efficient code with a small memory footprint.
In contrast, the Linux kernel is constantly under the microscope running of embedded devices, strong-arm CPU's, and I still run a single floppy micro linux distro on a 486 (that even gets me a network stack). I am amazed at how much throughput I can get out of an old 486/100 with 32MB of RAM running Linux that booted off a floppy. It's just amazing how much power is there.
If I am wrong on any of these points, please correct me. If not, mod me up.
Do they make a modern processor that's fast enough to run a Java app that emulates a 1 Mhz Z80 processor?? :)
I can't image MAME under Java, but those Java guys just never give up.