I was at Fry's, a California electronics store, a week ago and was surprised to see a computer-enabled refrigerator; only $2000. I pushed a few buttons and the display promptly froze up. There was no keyboard, so I unplugged the refrigerator and plugged it back in. On bootup it disappointingly displayed the Windows 98 login screen.
Coming from the Microsoft world, I wanted to try setting up a home network using Linux and open source software. Red Hat with the default Postfix and Squirrelmail took a weekend to setup, with no past mail server experience (BIND taking up most of my time). Postfix online instructions are concise and it's easy to administer for a novice, especially with Webmin. I ended up selling my "Postfix" book on Ebay after the initial installation.
That this will also be the de-facto standard on OSX means that Postfix will be the alternative mail server to running Exchange.
Those of you who had to scroll through all that blather just to partition a hard drive in Debian should appreciate this:
"Before humans had a way of keeping time, no one paid much attention to the anniversary of important events, such as birthdays. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year.
"Evidence of birthday observances dates back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan cultures, people feared evil spirits - especially on their birthdays. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person.
My experience as a junior tech in the 3.12 days was that we needed to switch over to this TCP/IP thing in the office, so that users could have access to this new fangled thing called the World Wide Web. So after several days of headaches, I installed NT 3.51, which offered such services. The Netware remained as file & print, chugging along with YEARS of uptime. Then there was the need for email; the options being Lotus Notes, a complicated bit of software akin to Netware, or this nice, graphical Microsoft Exchange program. The first version of Exchange was a POS, but like NT 3.51, it provided excellent, easy to use service between server reboots. In my mind, Netware failed because it Novell failed to innovate at a modern pace.
Detergents in various octane fuels are the same, so there's no reason to use higher octane fuel than specified by the manufacturer.
Using lower octane fuel in a vehicle designed for higher octane fuel will create excessive heat and lower fuel economy, nullifying the savings of cheaper fuel. Plus, performance will suffer as the engine management computer retards the timing. You'll get pinging, or "pre-detonation" in older cars without management computers, resulting in damaged engine internals.
Been there. I was offered $150/month for a IT support position in Nepal. It came with servants. My calculations showed it was equivalant to making $250,000/year in the US.
The problem was that I wouldn't be able to save enough money to visit my family each year or to travel in the region. Oh yeah, and my monthly student loan payments were 250% of my salary.
As a side note, most SKS users in the US ditch their lousy fixed magazines that use 10 round stripper clips and instead install a custom 30 round detachable magazine.
In California, it is legal to own a SKS and legal to own a 30 round magazine. Place the 30 round magazine in the SKS and you've committed a felony.
Go figure.
90% compatible is a lot like 90% up time. Sounds good to management but it's unworkable in practice. I recently switched back to Office XP after using and touting OpenOffice with my tech buddies for the last six months. It's not quite there yet, but I'll be back.
I bought a copy from the Government Printing Office and you CAN'T actually read it unless you're a hardcore legislator. It's basically a bunch of nips and tucks on existing law, with little new content of its own.... Which is probably why it passed. They must have had this abomination sitting on the shelf waiting for this.
Check it out at:
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html
and the EFF analysis:
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_ militias/20011031_eff_usa_patriot_analysis.html
Then why don't they supply patches for their own products? I've got Office XP, MapPoint, MapPoint Europe, Visio, Frontpage and Project installed and I have to download patches for these applications MANUALLY. They certainly don't need to know that I have Quicken when they can't even provide me a patch for Office.
--gary
Yeah, but the Japanese also turn their headlights off at red lights because they think it conserves fuel. Goofy.
My Thinkpad T30 runs almost exclusively on AC power, with the battery in place. SO far I haven't heard anything convincing that will change this habit.
"As an example: I had an english teacher in highschool who was fanatically devoted to James Joyce. She had set opinions on him. I contradicted her in a paper on "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" and she gave me an A, said "Huh. I never thought of that." Why? Because I was convincing. YMMV, of course, but I've NEVER had a literature teacher that closed-minded."
I've found that to be somewhat suicidal at the university level, sort of like telling your boss he's an idiot.
Although essays and criticism may be subjective in the liberal arts, the "correct" subjective interpretation is that of the professor, not the student. Most traditional liberal arts professors could care less what a student thinks, as long as they use the same methods of criticism taught by the professor. This tends to lead to lots of regurgitation in liberal arts courses, spewing back what the professor says is relevant about a subject.
Also, don't forget the social sciences, which are clearly more objective. I've had tough philosophy courses that I'm sure rival some higher engineering courses.
As a Mandrake user (now switching to Red Hat), Mandrake had postive qualities over other distrubitions. It was the only distro that would work on my Thinkpad using VMWare. It also supported my Winmodem and Wireless card while Red Hat didn't. Mandrake also had an easy to use Hardware Database that allowed me to print a list of compatible parts I needed to buy at my local computer store to build a guaranteed Linux compatible server (at least Mandrake compatible).
Similarly, Caldera was the only distro to work on my old Emachine. That it couldn't check for dependencies with it's update service, breaking about 30 applications, drove me to build a new box to run another distro.
What's my point? Often the choice of Linux distributions has little to do with choice and more to do with technical details such as hardware compatibility (Caldera is excellent), default installed packages (Red Hat is packed with goodies), or even the number of ISO disks available for download (Where's the latest SuSE?).
Think LSB, Linux Installed Base, a guarantee of Linux compatible and consistency. Mandrake has it.
What this means is that American culture will slowly cease to be a creative force, something that you might already argue since most of our culture tends to appeal to the lowest common denominator and clearly stifles innovation. As has been mentioned, there's nothing new under the sun and all new works are written on the backs of other works. You can't say anything that hasn't been said before, you can only amplify and re-contextualize for increased cultural signal strength. That's how culture works. The term Lessig uses for it is Accretion: "Growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion."
When innovation is stifled due to copyright and patent issues, the world will see the US as "broken" and will route around it. Culture, much of it resembling American culture or even overly protected American culture itself will be produced in other countries without such restrictive laws protecting the old power structures. This is already happening with 50's era rock music that has slipped out of copyright in Europe, yet remains copyrighted in the US. The music industry is scrambling to partner with former pirates to ensure that they don't lose control.
The ability of this offshore culture, destined for the US market, to penetrate the US will be equal to the strength of the US on the world stage and its ability to use world courts and domestic technology to maintain control. If that were to fail, expect US companies to co-opt such cultural forces for true world cultural domination. Of course, in the long run, American culture will be in such decline that no one will wish to borrow it any longer. I suggest learning Mandarin.
It is true that you should find a profession that brings you satisfaction, but it's also true that we'll all find ourselves in careers, jobs or relationships that we don't like, either because we're on our way to someplace we want to be, circumstances have depressed a relatively good situation or simply that circumstances don't currently allow a planned change.
So more important than the advice to ditch your life for a new one, I would suggest finding ways to deal with bad situations to make them better.
I think it all comes down to defining ones values. Conflict comes from either not knowing ones values or doing things that go against ones values. The answer, I think, is to strongly define ones values and stick with them, despite the consequences. Don't quit banking because you're asked to do immoral things, don't do those things and work to change it. Don't quit IT because your tired of being a Microsoft slave in the certification rut, liberate yourself by learning a new skill (like Linux) or solving problems in new ways. You don't need to farm fish or join a monastery to find satisfaction and happiness, that's just one way. Work from within to simply hold onto your values and the job will transform. If you don't know your values or need to redefine, well, that's your next step.
Yes, it's simplistic advice, but it accepts the fact of suffering in life and that sometimes bailing is not always an option. I think we bail on too many things in this culture: jobs, relationships, school, marriages, religion, etc. Life is difficult for most people, especially when there's uncertainty and doubt. Get your head straight, define your values, follow them, and let the chips fall where they may. Change attitude, not latitude, to paraphrase a popular beer commercial.
Microsoft secretly loves Linux because OSS development sucks all the brainpower away from malicious anti-Windows activities and focuses it on innocuous projects that can do them no harm. Why crack Windows when you can get the same peer respect and feeling of civil disobedience by developing for Linux?
And for all the "external enemy" types: The constitution was written in a time before stategic aerial bombardment, thermonuclear weapons, ICBMs, and MIRVs. Anyone without military training and sophisticated weapons equipment can't make a damned bit of difference in a real war against a real military. When the constitution was written, they could. I challenge you to defend yourself against an incoming cruise missile with your assault rifle. Don't think the enemy will be stupid enough to send in troops for you to whack until he's glassed your city one or twice from several thousand miles away.
Some keywords to think about: Chechnya, Osama-bin-Ladin, Viet Cong, Hezbollah, etc. There is such thing as modern armed resistance in this world, despite technology. And who says you have to wear fatigues and march down the street to have an armed struggle?
This is mostly hypothetical. I personally believe that peaceful resistance and activism will invoke change in this country and that armed resistance is a nearly inconceivable last resort. But it's on the books, kind of like nuclear powers with weapons of mass destruction. There's this implied contract in the US that "the people" allow others to govern in their name, and will take back the country if that trust is broken. Firearms are the enfocement device of that implied contract.
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I was at Fry's, a California electronics store, a week ago and was surprised to see a computer-enabled refrigerator; only $2000. I pushed a few buttons and the display promptly froze up. There was no keyboard, so I unplugged the refrigerator and plugged it back in. On bootup it disappointingly displayed the Windows 98 login screen.
And BNC stands for? ...
That this will also be the de-facto standard on OSX means that Postfix will be the alternative mail server to running Exchange.
"Before humans had a way of keeping time, no one paid much attention to the anniversary of important events, such as birthdays. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year.
"Evidence of birthday observances dates back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan cultures, people feared evil spirits - especially on their birthdays. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person.
From: birthdayexpress.com
This feature is already present on Ebay: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32222.html
My experience as a junior tech in the 3.12 days was that we needed to switch over to this TCP/IP thing in the office, so that users could have access to this new fangled thing called the World Wide Web. So after several days of headaches, I installed NT 3.51, which offered such services. The Netware remained as file & print, chugging along with YEARS of uptime. Then there was the need for email; the options being Lotus Notes, a complicated bit of software akin to Netware, or this nice, graphical Microsoft Exchange program. The first version of Exchange was a POS, but like NT 3.51, it provided excellent, easy to use service between server reboots. In my mind, Netware failed because it Novell failed to innovate at a modern pace.
Using lower octane fuel in a vehicle designed for higher octane fuel will create excessive heat and lower fuel economy, nullifying the savings of cheaper fuel. Plus, performance will suffer as the engine management computer retards the timing. You'll get pinging, or "pre-detonation" in older cars without management computers, resulting in damaged engine internals.
If you don't like the system, you may discuss it and seek to change it. Ok, comrade?
How about photos and designs for nuclear power plants? http://www.ps.uci.edu/~sobel/
Try:
Akai: Red Kuroi: Black Aoi: Blue Shiroi: White Murasaki: Purple
The problem was that I wouldn't be able to save enough money to visit my family each year or to travel in the region. Oh yeah, and my monthly student loan payments were 250% of my salary.
As a side note, most SKS users in the US ditch their lousy fixed magazines that use 10 round stripper clips and instead install a custom 30 round detachable magazine. In California, it is legal to own a SKS and legal to own a 30 round magazine. Place the 30 round magazine in the SKS and you've committed a felony. Go figure.
90% compatible is a lot like 90% up time. Sounds good to management but it's unworkable in practice. I recently switched back to Office XP after using and touting OpenOffice with my tech buddies for the last six months. It's not quite there yet, but I'll be back.
I bought a copy from the Government Printing Office and you CAN'T actually read it unless you're a hardcore legislator. It's basically a bunch of nips and tucks on existing law, with little new content of its own.... Which is probably why it passed. They must have had this abomination sitting on the shelf waiting for this. Check it out at: http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html and the EFF analysis: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_ militias/20011031_eff_usa_patriot_analysis.html
Is that maidens humping donkeys or donkeys humping... oh never mind.
Then why don't they supply patches for their own products? I've got Office XP, MapPoint, MapPoint Europe, Visio, Frontpage and Project installed and I have to download patches for these applications MANUALLY. They certainly don't need to know that I have Quicken when they can't even provide me a patch for Office. --gary
My Thinkpad T30 runs almost exclusively on AC power, with the battery in place. SO far I haven't heard anything convincing that will change this habit.
I've found that to be somewhat suicidal at the university level, sort of like telling your boss he's an idiot.
Also, don't forget the social sciences, which are clearly more objective. I've had tough philosophy courses that I'm sure rival some higher engineering courses.
Similarly, Caldera was the only distro to work on my old Emachine. That it couldn't check for dependencies with it's update service, breaking about 30 applications, drove me to build a new box to run another distro.
What's my point? Often the choice of Linux distributions has little to do with choice and more to do with technical details such as hardware compatibility (Caldera is excellent), default installed packages (Red Hat is packed with goodies), or even the number of ISO disks available for download (Where's the latest SuSE?). Think LSB, Linux Installed Base, a guarantee of Linux compatible and consistency. Mandrake has it.
When innovation is stifled due to copyright and patent issues, the world will see the US as "broken" and will route around it. Culture, much of it resembling American culture or even overly protected American culture itself will be produced in other countries without such restrictive laws protecting the old power structures. This is already happening with 50's era rock music that has slipped out of copyright in Europe, yet remains copyrighted in the US. The music industry is scrambling to partner with former pirates to ensure that they don't lose control.
The ability of this offshore culture, destined for the US market, to penetrate the US will be equal to the strength of the US on the world stage and its ability to use world courts and domestic technology to maintain control. If that were to fail, expect US companies to co-opt such cultural forces for true world cultural domination. Of course, in the long run, American culture will be in such decline that no one will wish to borrow it any longer. I suggest learning Mandarin.
So more important than the advice to ditch your life for a new one, I would suggest finding ways to deal with bad situations to make them better.
I think it all comes down to defining ones values. Conflict comes from either not knowing ones values or doing things that go against ones values. The answer, I think, is to strongly define ones values and stick with them, despite the consequences. Don't quit banking because you're asked to do immoral things, don't do those things and work to change it. Don't quit IT because your tired of being a Microsoft slave in the certification rut, liberate yourself by learning a new skill (like Linux) or solving problems in new ways. You don't need to farm fish or join a monastery to find satisfaction and happiness, that's just one way. Work from within to simply hold onto your values and the job will transform. If you don't know your values or need to redefine, well, that's your next step.
Yes, it's simplistic advice, but it accepts the fact of suffering in life and that sometimes bailing is not always an option. I think we bail on too many things in this culture: jobs, relationships, school, marriages, religion, etc. Life is difficult for most people, especially when there's uncertainty and doubt. Get your head straight, define your values, follow them, and let the chips fall where they may. Change attitude, not latitude, to paraphrase a popular beer commercial.
Microsoft secretly loves Linux because OSS development sucks all the brainpower away from malicious anti-Windows activities and focuses it on innocuous projects that can do them no harm. Why crack Windows when you can get the same peer respect and feeling of civil disobedience by developing for Linux?
Some keywords to think about: Chechnya, Osama-bin-Ladin, Viet Cong, Hezbollah, etc. There is such thing as modern armed resistance in this world, despite technology. And who says you have to wear fatigues and march down the street to have an armed struggle?
This is mostly hypothetical. I personally believe that peaceful resistance and activism will invoke change in this country and that armed resistance is a nearly inconceivable last resort. But it's on the books, kind of like nuclear powers with weapons of mass destruction. There's this implied contract in the US that "the people" allow others to govern in their name, and will take back the country if that trust is broken. Firearms are the enfocement device of that implied contract.