My current desktop is 8 years old. It dual boots Windows 10 and Ubuntu and works great for what I need it to do. If I ever bothered to update the graphics card I could probably play most modern games (albeit not at the highest quality), but that's what I have my consoles for. I never understood people who had to get a brand new computer every 3 or 4 years. If I need more power I update the weakest part of the system (usually memory or graphics) and go from there.
Apple has really lost their way since Jobs died. They've pretty much given up on their desktops, their laptops are hit and miss, and the iPhone line has seriously stagnated. They need to figure out what their place is in the computer world or they risk becoming irreverent (although they have the cash to wander aimlessly for years I suppose). Today's Apple is starting to look a whole lot like the Apple of the 90's.
I still use my Powerbook G4 (11 years old) for those times I need a laptop. It surfs the web, checks e-mails, and plays music just fine. Only sites with tons of flash and javascript give it issues.
Who has the time to comb through page after page on their watch to find an answer? Unless the test is relatively short or the user only needs to jog his memory on one or two questions there's no way you'd have the time to do this.
Back when I was in school most of my teachers gave us either one page of paper or a note card that we could use as a 'cheat sheet'. I used to fill it up with all kinds of formulas and equations, but rarely actually looked at it during the exam because hunting for the info took too much time, and by writing it all down I already memorized it. This was actually a great study tool that I used even when we weren't allowed a cheat sheet (I obviously didn't bring it to the exam). I remember seeing people with the front and back of the paper absolutely crammed with info at a 6 point font (some even brought a magnifying glass to read it) and would consult it for almost every question. They were usually the ones crying for more time to finish.
And no, that pun was not intended. Sometimes they just work out that way.
>>Well, the reciprocal to that is "why should the rest of the world give a fuck about what Americans want"?
Because we have the internet?
>>You're acting like the guy who invented the wheel gets a vote in how it's used forever... the internet got created decades ago, get over it. That doesn't mean the US retains control of it forever.
We have a bunch of old Dell servers where I work that are from the early 2000's (around the time when the Pentium/// was new) that are still chugging away running Windows 2000. They're only used for trouble shooting old versions of software running at plants that haven't updated to newer versions yet, but they still run mostly problem free. They're finally being retired now, but I'm sure some of the database servers will be kept just in case they're needed for some reason or another. The biggest problem we've had with them is that the battery on the RAID card tends to blow up and destroy the motherboard if not caught quickly.
I work for one of the big three car companies, and OS/2 Warp was just recently retired. It may still be in use at a few plants for specific tasks though. PC-DOS is still going strong though.
It was actually a really powerful computer in terms of graphics and sound, unfortunately IBM decided to cripple it with no memory and lack of DMA. Tandy fixed most of the flaws and made the PCjr into a decent PC and gave the world Tandy Graphics Mode. If you look up the JrIDE, you'll find that someone made a sidecar that allows for 640K, DMA, clock chip, and the ability to use a hard drive. It's some seriously nice hardware.
10 cents seems to be the threshold. There are a few states that have the 5 cent deposit (NY and you mentioned) and it doesn't seem to work there. I guess people don't care about a nickle but dimes are serious business. Lord knows what they'd do for a quarter.
One thing Michigan has going for it is the 10 cent deposit on carbonated beverage containers (soda, sparkling water, etc). Yes it's a cost up front, but you never see cans with a deposit on the ground. Someone is always scouring the roadsides looking for cans to get a little extra money. Heck, I supported my childhood candy habit by collecting cans that was (construction sites were always a goldmine). In contrast when I go to other states without can deposit laws (like Wisconsin) I see cans everywhere. No one bothers to recycle them because there's no money in it.
I always thought that if they extended the can deposit to other easily recycled items then you might see less trash on the roads. Unfortunately this is basically a tax, and no one will ever go for that.
I'd laugh but at my office we still do testing on Windows XP systems with 40GB HD's because that's what they use out in the plants (we're finally phasing them out though). It's sad to see XP being used on a system where security should be of the utmost importance.
Hell, I have a 300GB in my PS2 (yes 2, not 3)! Cost me about $30. While I understand having to go through vendors, it shouldn't cost more to upgrade the drive than it does to go through the hassle of revising the retention policy.
I was vaguely interested in the Ouya when it was announced as an emulator for other systems. I thought that maybe I could put something like MAME on it and have a cheap and easy way to play arcade games on my TV. I might pick one up eventually when they clearance them out, but for right now $100 seems like a lot of money for an emulator box.
I updated from 14.10 to 15.04 last night but now I'm getting some weird errors on the start up screen. Stuff like 'sse/media not found', 'ssf/media not found', 'ssg/media not found'. It keeps going on like that for a bit but it eventually boots into Ubuntu. It looks like the system is looking for non-existant drives or something, but I'm not sure how to fix that.
Ubuntu seems to become unstable after updating. The last few times I've updated to the newest version I had weird errors on boot up, but none of them ever seemed to affect the functionality of the system. It makes me wonder how well they test the update feature, or do they think that everyone is going to do a fresh install each time?
I'll never understand why Unity gets so much hate, I actually like it. My only complaint is the stupid 'search' feature that you're forced to use when you want to find something that's not in the dock. Even though I've managed to filter out all the Amazon crap, it's still slow as molasses (and I'm running a Core i7 with 6GB of RAM). Other than that I've been pretty happy with Ubuntu and Unity although I've considered moving to Mint and using a 3rd party dock of some sort (Cairo or Docky) to mimic the Unity dock.
I can't really weigh in on the Systemd vs Upstart debate since I'm not enough of a power user to really have it affect me. I suppose the only thing that comes to mind is that the 'If it's not broke, don't fix it' argument has merit, it can also hold back innovation. Change is scary, but it's not always bad (although sometimes it does go horribly wrong). This sort of reminds me of when Apple went from 13 to 16 sector disks or even the whole CP/M vs DOS debate.
So out of curiosity, are those signs that say "We reserve the right to refuse serve to anyone" legal? If they are, then why would they need to pass this law? If not, does a business have the right under ANY circumstance to refuse service to someone outside of where the law demands it (like a bartender refusing to serve an intoxicated customer)? Are businesses considered to be public and therefore must be open to everyone or are they considered private and open only to whomever the owner wants (like a private club)? I've always been curious about this
Same here. I use it to keep in touch with relatives and friends who are in different parts of the country. It's useful when I want to post a quick 'Look at this' kind of thing that doesn't require a phone call. It's also useful for chatting with people in various groups that don't have dedicated websites. I'm not on it 24/7 like some people seem to be, but I check a few times a day.
At seven I was allowed to go up to the corner store (about a mile) by myself as long as I was careful and looked both ways before crossing the street (a mildly busy four lane road). This was a privilege and I was extra careful to make sure I didn't get into trouble or my parents would revoke that right. I wasn't aware I was endangering myself. The closest I ever came to harm was stuffing my face with too much candy.
The way things are going kids are going to either have to be placed in protective bubbles or have an appointed minder with them at all times to 'keep them safe'.
Ditto. I was given the standard lectures about not talking to strangers, staying away from dogs, etc. and told to 'go out and play for the day'. I think I turned out just fine. Did I do some stupid stuff that was in hindsight a little dangerous? Sure, but that's part of growing up. I pity today's kids. Sure they have cool stuff that we didn't have like the internet and cell phones, but they also can't just be kids. Playing by yourself without distractions or constant monitoring is something they'll never get to experience. I find that sad. Even now I cherish those times I can 'go off the grid' and be alone with my own thoughts even though that's basically impossible now.
I had trouble with my version of Flash not working with some sites but found a website describing how to make use of Pepper Flash (part of Chrome) with Firefox and it worked for me. I forget the details but it involved using some free flash player and linking to the Pepper Flash files in the Chrome directory.
Hell my office still has some IBM XT boxes in the back for 'running simulations' (whatever that means). Those don't get used often but the OS/2 Warp boxes are in regular use for support issues.
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My current desktop is 8 years old. It dual boots Windows 10 and Ubuntu and works great for what I need it to do. If I ever bothered to update the graphics card I could probably play most modern games (albeit not at the highest quality), but that's what I have my consoles for. I never understood people who had to get a brand new computer every 3 or 4 years. If I need more power I update the weakest part of the system (usually memory or graphics) and go from there.
Apple has really lost their way since Jobs died. They've pretty much given up on their desktops, their laptops are hit and miss, and the iPhone line has seriously stagnated. They need to figure out what their place is in the computer world or they risk becoming irreverent (although they have the cash to wander aimlessly for years I suppose). Today's Apple is starting to look a whole lot like the Apple of the 90's.
I still use my Powerbook G4 (11 years old) for those times I need a laptop. It surfs the web, checks e-mails, and plays music just fine. Only sites with tons of flash and javascript give it issues.
Who has the time to comb through page after page on their watch to find an answer? Unless the test is relatively short or the user only needs to jog his memory on one or two questions there's no way you'd have the time to do this.
Back when I was in school most of my teachers gave us either one page of paper or a note card that we could use as a 'cheat sheet'. I used to fill it up with all kinds of formulas and equations, but rarely actually looked at it during the exam because hunting for the info took too much time, and by writing it all down I already memorized it. This was actually a great study tool that I used even when we weren't allowed a cheat sheet (I obviously didn't bring it to the exam). I remember seeing people with the front and back of the paper absolutely crammed with info at a 6 point font (some even brought a magnifying glass to read it) and would consult it for almost every question. They were usually the ones crying for more time to finish.
And no, that pun was not intended. Sometimes they just work out that way.
>>Well, the reciprocal to that is "why should the rest of the world give a fuck about what Americans want"?
... the internet got created decades ago, get over it. That doesn't mean the US retains control of it forever.
Because we have the internet?
>>You're acting like the guy who invented the wheel gets a vote in how it's used forever
Why not?
We have a bunch of old Dell servers where I work that are from the early 2000's (around the time when the Pentium /// was new) that are still chugging away running Windows 2000. They're only used for trouble shooting old versions of software running at plants that haven't updated to newer versions yet, but they still run mostly problem free. They're finally being retired now, but I'm sure some of the database servers will be kept just in case they're needed for some reason or another. The biggest problem we've had with them is that the battery on the RAID card tends to blow up and destroy the motherboard if not caught quickly.
I work for one of the big three car companies, and OS/2 Warp was just recently retired. It may still be in use at a few plants for specific tasks though. PC-DOS is still going strong though.
This needs serious research! I only need two more Damascus Steel to get Matchless Steel. Tournesol will be mine!
It was actually a really powerful computer in terms of graphics and sound, unfortunately IBM decided to cripple it with no memory and lack of DMA. Tandy fixed most of the flaws and made the PCjr into a decent PC and gave the world Tandy Graphics Mode. If you look up the JrIDE, you'll find that someone made a sidecar that allows for 640K, DMA, clock chip, and the ability to use a hard drive. It's some seriously nice hardware.
10 cents seems to be the threshold. There are a few states that have the 5 cent deposit (NY and you mentioned) and it doesn't seem to work there. I guess people don't care about a nickle but dimes are serious business. Lord knows what they'd do for a quarter.
One thing Michigan has going for it is the 10 cent deposit on carbonated beverage containers (soda, sparkling water, etc). Yes it's a cost up front, but you never see cans with a deposit on the ground. Someone is always scouring the roadsides looking for cans to get a little extra money. Heck, I supported my childhood candy habit by collecting cans that was (construction sites were always a goldmine). In contrast when I go to other states without can deposit laws (like Wisconsin) I see cans everywhere. No one bothers to recycle them because there's no money in it.
I always thought that if they extended the can deposit to other easily recycled items then you might see less trash on the roads. Unfortunately this is basically a tax, and no one will ever go for that.
I'd laugh but at my office we still do testing on Windows XP systems with 40GB HD's because that's what they use out in the plants (we're finally phasing them out though). It's sad to see XP being used on a system where security should be of the utmost importance.
Hell, I have a 300GB in my PS2 (yes 2, not 3)! Cost me about $30. While I understand having to go through vendors, it shouldn't cost more to upgrade the drive than it does to go through the hassle of revising the retention policy.
I've had pretty much the exact same experience. I'm over in SE Michigan and Charter is way better than my other choice (AT&T U-Verse)
I was vaguely interested in the Ouya when it was announced as an emulator for other systems. I thought that maybe I could put something like MAME on it and have a cheap and easy way to play arcade games on my TV. I might pick one up eventually when they clearance them out, but for right now $100 seems like a lot of money for an emulator box.
I updated from 14.10 to 15.04 last night but now I'm getting some weird errors on the start up screen. Stuff like 'sse/media not found', 'ssf/media not found', 'ssg/media not found'. It keeps going on like that for a bit but it eventually boots into Ubuntu. It looks like the system is looking for non-existant drives or something, but I'm not sure how to fix that.
Ubuntu seems to become unstable after updating. The last few times I've updated to the newest version I had weird errors on boot up, but none of them ever seemed to affect the functionality of the system. It makes me wonder how well they test the update feature, or do they think that everyone is going to do a fresh install each time?
Then they're in for a quite shock. They'll probably have to burn the server when they're done.
I'll never understand why Unity gets so much hate, I actually like it. My only complaint is the stupid 'search' feature that you're forced to use when you want to find something that's not in the dock. Even though I've managed to filter out all the Amazon crap, it's still slow as molasses (and I'm running a Core i7 with 6GB of RAM). Other than that I've been pretty happy with Ubuntu and Unity although I've considered moving to Mint and using a 3rd party dock of some sort (Cairo or Docky) to mimic the Unity dock.
I can't really weigh in on the Systemd vs Upstart debate since I'm not enough of a power user to really have it affect me. I suppose the only thing that comes to mind is that the 'If it's not broke, don't fix it' argument has merit, it can also hold back innovation. Change is scary, but it's not always bad (although sometimes it does go horribly wrong). This sort of reminds me of when Apple went from 13 to 16 sector disks or even the whole CP/M vs DOS debate.
So out of curiosity, are those signs that say "We reserve the right to refuse serve to anyone" legal? If they are, then why would they need to pass this law? If not, does a business have the right under ANY circumstance to refuse service to someone outside of where the law demands it (like a bartender refusing to serve an intoxicated customer)? Are businesses considered to be public and therefore must be open to everyone or are they considered private and open only to whomever the owner wants (like a private club)? I've always been curious about this
Same here. I use it to keep in touch with relatives and friends who are in different parts of the country. It's useful when I want to post a quick 'Look at this' kind of thing that doesn't require a phone call. It's also useful for chatting with people in various groups that don't have dedicated websites. I'm not on it 24/7 like some people seem to be, but I check a few times a day.
This happens to me all the time. Glad to know I'm not the only one.
Yes. Mark 5:9 to be exact.
>>And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
>>As such, people that do not drink alcohol fall into three general categories. Religious, Sickly, and Ex-Alcoholics.
Actually I know a bunch of non-drinkers who simply don't like the taste (beer, wine, hard liquor, etc.)
At seven I was allowed to go up to the corner store (about a mile) by myself as long as I was careful and looked both ways before crossing the street (a mildly busy four lane road). This was a privilege and I was extra careful to make sure I didn't get into trouble or my parents would revoke that right. I wasn't aware I was endangering myself. The closest I ever came to harm was stuffing my face with too much candy.
The way things are going kids are going to either have to be placed in protective bubbles or have an appointed minder with them at all times to 'keep them safe'.
Ditto. I was given the standard lectures about not talking to strangers, staying away from dogs, etc. and told to 'go out and play for the day'. I think I turned out just fine. Did I do some stupid stuff that was in hindsight a little dangerous? Sure, but that's part of growing up. I pity today's kids. Sure they have cool stuff that we didn't have like the internet and cell phones, but they also can't just be kids. Playing by yourself without distractions or constant monitoring is something they'll never get to experience. I find that sad. Even now I cherish those times I can 'go off the grid' and be alone with my own thoughts even though that's basically impossible now.
I had trouble with my version of Flash not working with some sites but found a website describing how to make use of Pepper Flash (part of Chrome) with Firefox and it worked for me. I forget the details but it involved using some free flash player and linking to the Pepper Flash files in the Chrome directory.
Hell my office still has some IBM XT boxes in the back for 'running simulations' (whatever that means). Those don't get used often but the OS/2 Warp boxes are in regular use for support issues.