A simple solution would be to use Token Ring for the avionics and plain old 100BaseT for the passenger areas - and then send to Guantanamo anyone Googling 'madge' or 'wtf is 802.5'.
Following the use of the Rolling Stones' 'Start me Up' for Windows 95, Microsoft launches their new Frustration Detection software to the blare of Alanis Morissette's 'Ironic'.
I can remember sitting in on an IT meeting at a place where I was contracting (doing Netware Support) where one guy had to report back on his efforts to sell an old IBM Mainframe System that spanned the entire length of the computer room. The system had been replaced by this tiny, shiny, black AS400 that sat in the corner.
"Best so far is about £2000" said the man.
"You can only get £2000 for all that equipment!?" said the astonished IT Director.
"No", came the reply, "That's the cheapest to pay someone to strip it out and take it away!"
I reckon we look out for Windows XP/Vx (XP - Vista Experience) as a reaction to the XP/Vista dilemma - and we should all pray it does not turn out like Windows Me.
Glad you're not having hassles with Vista. I have just got Vista Business on a laptop at work, making a total of 3 Vista laptops in our organisation:
Laptop 1 is mine (for supporting Vista). Yesterday I installed Adobe Acrobat 8.1 - the installer told me approximate install time was 160 minutes and it was not lying. The other day I installed another app and the same thing happened - several hours elapsed while a single app was installing. When the machine comes out of standby, it occasionally will go slow for about 10 mins (I have 1.2GB RAM). The wifi switch/LED didn't work properly until a driver update was applied.
Laptop 2 is in marketing. The user is currently sitting in their car to be outside our wireless zone because she's trying to finish tidying a mailshot spreadsheet and the laptop keeps freezing. She was working OK on two other sites yesterday where there was no wireless so she's testing the theory that it's network-related. Her wifi switch won't turn off the adaptor reliably and it also works in reverse - when the LED is ON, the wifi is OFF and vice versa - even though the switch event handler puts on the screen 'wireless on' and 'wireless off' the right way round.
Laptop 3 has just been brought in because it stopped making RDP connections and I have just had to hack the registry.
I am totally neutral when it comes to Vista - I don't love it or hate it, but user experience in our office has been poor; there's too many 'rough edges' and annoying little habits - simple things like the power button options not including 'ask me what to do' and sometimes a USB mouse not being detected when plugged in etc. Overall, the support effort for just these 3 laptops is disproportionate compared to the 100-odd desktops, servers and other laptops (ranging from NT4 through 2000 to XP) we support.
I had to setup a replacement laptop for one of my users and it came with Vista (ugh - it's causing all sorts of problems). I found an alleged workaround for PDFCreator to install on Vista but it refused. Had to go for CutePDF.
One thing I remember about our 11/750 is we had a teleprinter attached to it - together with some wonderful, pre-Ethernet gizmos called 'Infaplugs'. Our Infaplug network comprised a ring of TV coax round the building and the plugs gave you a serial port wherever you fitted one of their sockets on the ring.
Anyway, one night the ring was hit by a glitch which reset the plugs back to factory defaults - this turned on automatic echoing, which led to the classic situation of the VAX sending 'Login', to which the plugs replied 'Login', so the Vax asked for 'Password' - to which the plugs replied 'password' - which led to 'incorrect username or password'...etc...
The end result was a whole box of listing paper dumped into a massive pile by the teleprinter reporting the multiple invalid logins all night.
A QR code reader app comes with the Dopod release of WM6 for the HTC Tytn (Hermes) phone - and, no doubt, other WM6 ROM packs originating from Japan. These ROMs have been widely leaked for the HTC phones. A good starting point for more info is here: http://www.xda-developers.com/
I have played with the QR code reader on my phone and while I like the idea, I find that getting the camera aligned 'just right' to get an image shot that decodes propely is a real pain. I hope that it's perhaps the optics of the phone or just my lack of experience but it seems that the size of the code (there's online tools to make your own) and camera setup are pretty important. I put some test codes on an internal Web site and when the images were obtrusively big compared to other elements on the page, I could capture them about 80+% of the time first go, but when they were shrunk down to banner size, I'd get a decode perhaps 1 time in 10 on my 17" LCD monitor. Results with printed codes were better, but it still took some time to get the capture process right.
Maybe the Japanese phone users have this down to a fine art now and I just need more practice.
No - you're rubbing off dead skin cells and dirt and then rolling them into little strips - FFS wash your hands more often and use an exfoliating scrub.
I have a business login and PIN for our local village hall in the UK. The current Google Earth marker for the hall is about 1 mile out of place and the yellow pop-up box that appears when you click it has the name of a completely unrelated Web site advertising party planning services. I moved the marker to the right position over a month ago but it's still wrong and I have not found out how to remove the Web site that has 'hijaaked' the marker - anyone!?
About 6 of our 30 branches (veterinary clinics) still run a practice management app based on Access 97 running on NT4. The systems work fine and at the moment we're only replacing machines when the old ones (PIIs) fail beyond economic repair.
Eventually we will move to one app across all clinics. One of the contenders is java based and although we'll probably use the opportunity to put in new hardware, we could theoretically run the app on the existing kit - I haven't yet tested how well the java-based app runs on NT4 but before tooling up for Vista, I'd run through this list first:
Existing hardware + NT Existing hardware + Linux desktop client New hardware + Linux desktop client
We'd be looking for about 40 machines and considering the comparatively modest CPU + RAM + licencing requirements for a new Linux client PC, I reckon we'd save a considerable amount of money avoiding Vista.
Unless of course it's the overload switch of an electromagnetic lifter (ie: Scrapyard crane) where you don't want that 4 ton load to suddenly drop from 60ft onto you just because someone heard a gear grind and pressed the panic button - better to lock the electromagnet ON.
I am sure I could play the Ric Romero card right about...now!
Things can be fixed - I'm Shocked - Shocked!
I suppose the truth is though that a major percentage of the consumer brigade won't be soldering iron-wielding, ebay-scavenging, have-a-go types.
I've fixed many an item in the past - I suppose the best to date was an HP laptop where the screen was cracked and I managed to get an identical model with working screen, but duff motherboard, on ebay for £20!
Mind you - the replacement fuser for a Brother HL1540 laser printer is approximately £10 less than the cost of a completely new printer and a broker wanted something like £160 for a 'genuine' replacement PSU for an HP Proliant server (I found a compatible for £25) so there are some clear imbalances in the prices for spare parts - almost as if the manufacturers would prefer things not to be fixed, eh!?
Slashdot Mirror
Poors Law?
Thanks - that was interesting - deterministic Ethernet!
A simple solution would be to use Token Ring for the avionics and plain old 100BaseT for the passenger areas - and then send to Guantanamo anyone Googling 'madge' or 'wtf is 802.5'.
Following the use of the Rolling Stones' 'Start me Up' for Windows 95, Microsoft launches their new Frustration Detection software to the blare of Alanis Morissette's 'Ironic'.
Maybe they could sell the chairs to Steve Ballmer?
I can remember sitting in on an IT meeting at a place where I was contracting (doing Netware Support) where one guy had to report back on his efforts to sell an old IBM Mainframe System that spanned the entire length of the computer room. The system had been replaced by this tiny, shiny, black AS400 that sat in the corner.
"Best so far is about £2000" said the man.
"You can only get £2000 for all that equipment!?" said the astonished IT Director.
"No", came the reply, "That's the cheapest to pay someone to strip it out and take it away!"
I reckon we look out for Windows XP/Vx (XP - Vista Experience) as a reaction to the XP/Vista dilemma - and we should all pray it does not turn out like Windows Me.
...oh, I must redeem myself by adding that our core mail/database/file servers and Intranet server are all running CentOS!
Glad you're not having hassles with Vista. I have just got Vista Business on a laptop at work, making a total of 3 Vista laptops in our organisation:
Laptop 1 is mine (for supporting Vista). Yesterday I installed Adobe Acrobat 8.1 - the installer told me approximate install time was 160 minutes and it was not lying. The other day I installed another app and the same thing happened - several hours elapsed while a single app was installing. When the machine comes out of standby, it occasionally will go slow for about 10 mins (I have 1.2GB RAM). The wifi switch/LED didn't work properly until a driver update was applied.
Laptop 2 is in marketing. The user is currently sitting in their car to be outside our wireless zone because she's trying to finish tidying a mailshot spreadsheet and the laptop keeps freezing. She was working OK on two other sites yesterday where there was no wireless so she's testing the theory that it's network-related. Her wifi switch won't turn off the adaptor reliably and it also works in reverse - when the LED is ON, the wifi is OFF and vice versa - even though the switch event handler puts on the screen 'wireless on' and 'wireless off' the right way round.
Laptop 3 has just been brought in because it stopped making RDP connections and I have just had to hack the registry.
I am totally neutral when it comes to Vista - I don't love it or hate it, but user experience in our office has been poor; there's too many 'rough edges' and annoying little habits - simple things like the power button options not including 'ask me what to do' and sometimes a USB mouse not being detected when plugged in etc. Overall, the support effort for just these 3 laptops is disproportionate compared to the 100-odd desktops, servers and other laptops (ranging from NT4 through 2000 to XP) we support.
Desks, lower would they be.
..just needs decent Vista support (ducks).
I had to setup a replacement laptop for one of my users and it came with Vista (ugh - it's causing all sorts of problems). I found an alleged workaround for PDFCreator to install on Vista but it refused. Had to go for CutePDF.
At least we know clownpenis.fart will probably be on the list.
One thing I remember about our 11/750 is we had a teleprinter attached to it - together with some wonderful, pre-Ethernet gizmos called 'Infaplugs'. Our Infaplug network comprised a ring of TV coax round the building and the plugs gave you a serial port wherever you fitted one of their sockets on the ring.
Anyway, one night the ring was hit by a glitch which reset the plugs back to factory defaults - this turned on automatic echoing, which led to the classic situation of the VAX sending 'Login', to which the plugs replied 'Login', so the Vax asked for 'Password' - to which the plugs replied 'password' - which led to 'incorrect username or password'...etc...
The end result was a whole box of listing paper dumped into a massive pile by the teleprinter reporting the multiple invalid logins all night.
A QR code reader app comes with the Dopod release of WM6 for the HTC Tytn (Hermes) phone - and, no doubt, other WM6 ROM packs originating from Japan. These ROMs have been widely leaked for the HTC phones. A good starting point for more info is here: http://www.xda-developers.com/
I have played with the QR code reader on my phone and while I like the idea, I find that getting the camera aligned 'just right' to get an image shot that decodes propely is a real pain. I hope that it's perhaps the optics of the phone or just my lack of experience but it seems that the size of the code (there's online tools to make your own) and camera setup are pretty important. I put some test codes on an internal Web site and when the images were obtrusively big compared to other elements on the page, I could capture them about 80+% of the time first go, but when they were shrunk down to banner size, I'd get a decode perhaps 1 time in 10 on my 17" LCD monitor. Results with printed codes were better, but it still took some time to get the capture process right.
Maybe the Japanese phone users have this down to a fine art now and I just need more practice.
...that's nearly as big as my...er...friend's...MP3 collection.
Yeah, but then it seem like Murdoch owns about 95% of TheEarth plc and so it's all his anyway.
No - you're rubbing off dead skin cells and dirt and then rolling them into little strips - FFS wash your hands more often and use an exfoliating scrub.
I have a business login and PIN for our local village hall in the UK. The current Google Earth marker for the hall is about 1 mile out of place and the yellow pop-up box that appears when you click it has the name of a completely unrelated Web site advertising party planning services. I moved the marker to the right position over a month ago but it's still wrong and I have not found out how to remove the Web site that has 'hijaaked' the marker - anyone!?
Thanks
I will only use oxygen free, litz-wound snake oil.
About 6 of our 30 branches (veterinary clinics) still run a practice management app based on Access 97 running on NT4. The systems work fine and at the moment we're only replacing machines when the old ones (PIIs) fail beyond economic repair.
Eventually we will move to one app across all clinics. One of the contenders is java based and although we'll probably use the opportunity to put in new hardware, we could theoretically run the app on the existing kit - I haven't yet tested how well the java-based app runs on NT4 but before tooling up for Vista, I'd run through this list first:
Existing hardware + NT
Existing hardware + Linux desktop client
New hardware + Linux desktop client
We'd be looking for about 40 machines and considering the comparatively modest CPU + RAM + licencing requirements for a new Linux client PC, I reckon we'd save a considerable amount of money avoiding Vista.
You're new here eh?
Yep - Computer room where I once did some freelancing had a pull cord light switch just behind the door as you walked in.
Guess what was on the wall immediately behind said pull cord - 'sright: the big red button to kill the computer room.
Now guess what happened every week or so as someone scrabbled for the light cord...
Unless of course it's the overload switch of an electromagnetic lifter (ie: Scrapyard crane) where you don't want that 4 ton load to suddenly drop from 60ft onto you just because someone heard a gear grind and pressed the panic button - better to lock the electromagnet ON.
I checked out Moodpulse:
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server.
Apache/2.0.54 Server at www.moodpulse.com Port 80
Was it supposed to do that?
I am sure I could play the Ric Romero card right about...now!
Things can be fixed - I'm Shocked - Shocked!
I suppose the truth is though that a major percentage of the consumer brigade won't be soldering iron-wielding, ebay-scavenging, have-a-go types.
I've fixed many an item in the past - I suppose the best to date was an HP laptop where the screen was cracked and I managed to get an identical model with working screen, but duff motherboard, on ebay for £20!
Mind you - the replacement fuser for a Brother HL1540 laser printer is approximately £10 less than the cost of a completely new printer and a broker wanted something like £160 for a 'genuine' replacement PSU for an HP Proliant server (I found a compatible for £25) so there are some clear imbalances in the prices for spare parts - almost as if the manufacturers would prefer things not to be fixed, eh!?