This is NOT a price drop but a price correction for Intel since they've introducted a new product line. Sort of like when Chevy does for their 2007 models arrive this fall with their 2006 still on the floor. It's NOT a 'let's get our marketshare back from AMD' but a 'oh crap, we still have a tonne of P4 chips left. Sheesh!
Just as BJZQ8 stated, just because Intel touts their processors as power CPUs, doesn't mean that when put under the microscope they're performers. Customers have websites like Tom's Hardware, and hundreds more to watch the reviews of new products. I personally don't believe the hype. For example, back in the days, I purchased one of those 486 processors that had the math error. Intel knew about the problem before shipping, but decided to sell them anyways knowing it wasn't likely to be an issue with the hope customers wouldn't find out or care if they did. Boy, did they ever take a beating for that.
Since then, I haven't bought a Intel and been using AMD because I can get similiar performance for around a hundred-two hundred dollars less than an Intel. I always read the reviews, and watch the performance charts, then decide which is the better product for the $.
Besides, when was the last time you saw an ad from AMD on TV touting their products? Do blue-painted guys really make your computer run faster? How about funky-envirosuited dudes with disco backgrounds? A cute bell-sounding jingle with a flashy-swirly logo? How about a solid performing product that sells itself? Intel has something to learn from AMD.
Ya know, if we just covered the unpopulated areas of Canada with algae, would anyone really know the difference? I mean, Canada is 9,976,140 square kilometers, or 2,465,157,875.61 (that's trillion) acres. I think Canucks live in like 1/10000000 of that.
If we took 2400000000 acres, which produce at a minimum 5000 gallons per acre, that's 12 TRILLION gallons of bio-diesel. Of course, since Canada has winter 11/12 months, I guess we could squeeze a least a trillion gallons of bio diesel each year. Being such a big country, it would have the same risk of running a grow-op. Would anoyone notice? Maybe the lines of big trucks hauling out the algae... but if they made it like they were hauling out cows... yah, cows.
Actually, having a Union is not all that bad. We ARE the new blue collar workforce in case you're wondering. We are the first cut, the first out the door when things go bad.
Having worked in several hi-tech companies, EDS, SHL-System House, MCI-Worldcom, and several dot-coms bombs, being unionized is a completely different environment.
The crap I saw at EDS and other tech companies would not be tolerated in my work place. As a service desk manager for a IT help-desk, I have to say I enjoy the union agreement that forces my managers not to make bad decisions. Outsource the IT? Good luck in convincing the union. Good luck trying to force someone to stay at work because their dad is dying of cancer, or their wife is having a kid. All the sheit I put up with in a non-union tech place is mind boggling. Face it guys, most IT managers are IQ smart, not EQ, and we suffer as a result. My niece was on her deathbed - my old IT manager was wondering if it was ok if I was there just for the funeral. In a union environment, even asking me to stay at work when I'm entitled to be there would quash the every-day bullshiet we put up with because we're IT.
We are generally underpaid, outsourced at 3X what they pay us in return, and are viewed as a cost-centre (meaning that we're also the first out the door during layoffs).
If my manager calls me at home when I'm sick, it costs him my time in return. No such thing as working extra and not being paid for it. How many times have you seen EA or other software game companies being sued by employees for working extra without being paid for it. No earned time off.
Managers treat us like crap, and it's about time faced the fact that as the new blue collar workforce, we are entitled to union rights.
Didn't a company called Javien try out a micropayment system for Spam emails back in early 2001? Hyperion or something I thought it was called. Instead of the ISP charging for emails, email account owners could charge back to spammers willing to give them $coin$ to send their message.
Personally, I would rather receive a few dollars for spammers to send me emails. Since I get over 400 a day, if I charged a cent a spam, that would mean $1460 a year just to receive spam.
Bout time they started charging back the costs of handling spam, but I think it's in the wrong hands...
At first, my reaction was:O but I'm guessing a lot of us are >:( but as world government bodies are getting tired of the US patenting everything from berries to sounds:^o we sign in their general direction with our tongue firmly in cheek:p
As a Service Desk manager and network guru for my organization, I am responsible for ensuring that all workstation desktops are kept up-to-date and secure. Currently, Microsoft releases patches once a month, usually on the second Tuesday of the month.
With the current advances in smart viruses and malware, that release schedule seems unrealistic. OS security threats have been addressed with emergency patches, but that does not seem like a sustainable methodology.
What is Microsoft's long-range vision on OS patches to ensure that our Server and Workstation Operating Systems are secure, safe, and patched in a timely manner?
From my point of view, a security specialist, is that only 20-30% of the attacks on businesses and corporations are done electronicly from the outside, the rest (70-80%) are inside, mostly disgrunted employees. With the current trend of money/public focused companies treating employees like crap, all it would take is a vicious malware application to take them down.
Malware is also becoming intelligently designed, no longer the 'see-this-famous-tennis-star-naked so-I-can-use-built-in-vbs-code to-email-everyone-in-your-addressbook' stupid-is-as-stupid-does tricks. They're pointed, direct, and very very scary.
Here's to paying and treating your geek employee well!
In Caaaaaaaaaaaanada, we outsource to our biggest rural playground:the province of New Brunswick! Rural call centres are promised their own Tim Hortons cafe and free donuts and in incentive. Bring on the DOUBLE DOUBLE!
I can see it now - I want to burn a DVD a couple of HBO's Rome episodes and a high-pitch scream comes blaring out of my speakers to thwart myself, a pirate, from burning the disk.
As a Canadian fed agent, I emphasise with our US neighbours in their attempts to improve the security on the passports. It's a challenge to make passports secure, even with the best of technology. Canadian passports are one of the most forged in the world, and the safest to use from a suspicion point of view. With over 10% of our population landed immigrants, and a huge multicultural population, we represent one of the most diverse cultures in the world.
I'm sure they could devise an XYZ technology for their password and someone would either crack, track, or spoof it.
It's common practice for a local Blockbuster employee making $8 a hour, to have their personal hard drive computer secure with a $2000 piece of software that requires expertise to use and 90 days for a federal security agency to crack, isn't it?
If you're an average Joe, Hussar, Muhammad, John, Mary, Xi, Pieter, you drive a taxi for a living, or are a student, or you own a small convenience store, and arrested for suspicious activities, but your hard drive is encrypted with an expensive 256bit encryption software, maybe, just maybe, (a personal hunch) there is something you're hiding. Maybe.
Myself, a 25 year IT veteran, Federal Government manager, plus a dozen years experience military service in communications and electronics, my hard drive is wide open.
But then again, perhaps I'm being paranoid...or the 90 days are justified. As the saying goes, if you've got nothing to hide...
Hold them as long as it takes is my opinion, or they decrypt the hard drive for the investigators, which if they had nothing to hide, would mean they would get out in a few days.
Heck, around 2 dozen machines were infected in my government office with that adware vairant. Guess we might be able to claim timeshare on that BMW for the hours they spent cleaning infected machine? I'm hoping for the weekend to Vegas next month.
The Candian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has been showing their National nightly newscasts for years. NBC does it and they're adjusting to the new audience? How about 3 or 4 years late and reactive instead of proactive? That's how long I've been watching my CBC newscasts on the web. BTW - 'The National' is available shortly after the easter broadcast, or around 8pm EST daily.
We should give NBC kudo's however - it's a step in the right direction.
So, what would terrorists with these new technologies be capable of doing? That alone is enough to send shivers down anyones spine, especially developed nations. It's bad enough that they can take over aircrafts, bomb markets, schools, job centres, and kidnap and kill children in a school. What would they do with nanoassemblers? That thought is very very scary indeed.
But on the bright side, what capabilities will anti-terrorist forces have against them too? Maybe it will be a fine balance?
Uh oh. Don't let the cosmetic companies in on our cosmic find. Heaven forbid Channel or Revlon market a powder puff from comet dust. I can see it now. The funded research/harvesting rocket Delta rocket lifts off with 'Maybe it's Maybelline' on the side sliding past the live web-cam tower broadcast is just wrong. Ugh - cosmic cosmetics.
Canada's privacy laws prevent my ISP from giving out any personally identifiable information. If they did, I have every right to sue, and then the ISP would be subject to penalties, even loss of license to provide ISP services. On top of that, the RCMP might lay charges.
In other words, ISP's are more scared of the government slamming them than RIAA.
Duh! It's because of our Alberta's FOIP law. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. You can't collect any personally identifiable information without a) letting the person know, b) for legimit legal/lifesaving reasons, and c) plain and simple: it's against the law. Plain and simple.
From the FAQ on the law... Your employer can collect personal information that relates directly to and is necessary for an operating program or activity, as well as any information they are authorized by other legislation to collect (section 33).
Under the FOIP Act, your employer must tell you what authority they have to collect this information, and how it will be used (section 34(2)).
Normally, your employer must collect personal information directly from you. However, section 34 of the Act allows for information to be collected indirectly in some cases, for example, to determine whether you are eligible for a program, benefit, honour or award, or for the purpose of collecting a debt owed to the public body.
Guess this is really a moot point. Keylogging, if done discretely, and is without merit other than to spy on activities or productivity, is illegal. Plain and simple.
As a Canadian FedGov IT Manager, SpyWare has been the bane of my existence for a number of years. I recently considered approaching my legal team and a couple of items have come to our attention.
a) Software installed on any government machine without the users knowledge or permission, violates around a dozen Federal laws.
b) Information collected without a proper Privacy disclosure statement, violates Canada's new Privacy Law.
iSearch & iDownload violate both A & B. Their ELUA does not adhere to the proper Federal guidelines with respect to our new Privacy law and it constitutes action.
It's time the little folk stop getting hammered by these inhospitable companies and let big brother do our job. I'm moving forward in the coming months to engage any company that violates A or B.
As a Federal Government IT Manager, I have a problem with software that sits on a machine and collects information. Any application that can track a government employee's use of a workstation falls into the espionage law areas.
It would be interesting that as a Federal Agency, we deemed these programs malicious software, and seek Federal action against the companies who make these applications with a C&D of our own. Spyware constitutes spying. Without clear permission from the user, we shoud be fighting these companies on our own front.
Being a canuck, our courts have agreed that downloading stuff over the internet doesn't really violate any laws (sort of). What it means is that attempts by RIAA and the MPAA have failed due to Canada's strict privacy laws.
It also means that if you DL's stuff from Loki, and your a Canadian, MPAA will have 0.0000000% chance of coming after you. IP logs at our service providers are protected private information. Sucks to be MPAA - but then again, Canadian's aren't the biggest copyright violators on the planet, China is.
So as I sit back and download episode 12 of Battlestar Galactica from eXeem, I only wonder what is next for my American brothers down south.
I think MPAA is loosing this battle and better get on the bandwagon and offer their movies cheap like most music sites offer cheap quality songs.
You need to do a few checks: - Review current software licences and maintenance agreements. Ensure each agreement is necessary and that you are actually using them. Check and see if instead of a blanket cost, a charge per incident might be more economica. I just reviewed mine and found over $100'000 in unused maintenance for software that has been retired alone. - If you were planning workstation upgrades, could increasing the memory delay purchasing new hardware. This has saved my department over $200'000. - Are there problematic machines and equipment that you could retire? - Are you leasing your printers, or do you own? If you own, why aren't you leasing them? (that will save you thousands alone) - Could you run VMWare servers instead of buying new equipment? - Check your ISP contract. Are you really using what you need? Could you downsize your internet connection? - How much overtime are you paying your staff? - Do you hire college students during summertimes or contractors. You do realize hiring summer students is a cheap and effective temporary workforce. - Have you considered brining in co-op students? Do any colleges need people to work for free just to gain experience?...and this is just the top of the list...
I'll stick to my vanilla ASP coffee thanks. It's the old betamax/vhs story. Yes, PHP is better. Yes, it's free and easy to code. But most businesses tend to stick with micro$oft not because they want to, but because.net is designed to work with mssql and ie a lot better. . I want my betamax back...:)
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This is NOT a price drop but a price correction for Intel since they've introducted a new product line. Sort of like when Chevy does for their 2007 models arrive this fall with their 2006 still on the floor. It's NOT a 'let's get our marketshare back from AMD' but a 'oh crap, we still have a tonne of P4 chips left. Sheesh!
Just as BJZQ8 stated, just because Intel touts their processors as power CPUs, doesn't mean that when put under the microscope they're performers. Customers have websites like Tom's Hardware, and hundreds more to watch the reviews of new products. I personally don't believe the hype. For example, back in the days, I purchased one of those 486 processors that had the math error. Intel knew about the problem before shipping, but decided to sell them anyways knowing it wasn't likely to be an issue with the hope customers wouldn't find out or care if they did. Boy, did they ever take a beating for that.
Since then, I haven't bought a Intel and been using AMD because I can get similiar performance for around a hundred-two hundred dollars less than an Intel. I always read the reviews, and watch the performance charts, then decide which is the better product for the $.
Besides, when was the last time you saw an ad from AMD on TV touting their products? Do blue-painted guys really make your computer run faster? How about funky-envirosuited dudes with disco backgrounds? A cute bell-sounding jingle with a flashy-swirly logo? How about a solid performing product that sells itself? Intel has something to learn from AMD.
Ya know, if we just covered the unpopulated areas of Canada with algae, would anyone really know the difference? I mean, Canada is 9,976,140 square kilometers, or 2,465,157,875.61 (that's trillion) acres. I think Canucks live in like 1/10000000 of that.
If we took 2400000000 acres, which produce at a minimum 5000 gallons per acre, that's 12 TRILLION gallons of bio-diesel. Of course, since Canada has winter 11/12 months, I guess we could squeeze a least a trillion gallons of bio diesel each year. Being such a big country, it would have the same risk of running a grow-op. Would anoyone notice? Maybe the lines of big trucks hauling out the algae... but if they made it like they were hauling out cows... yah, cows.
Actually, having a Union is not all that bad. We ARE the new blue collar workforce in case you're wondering. We are the first cut, the first out the door when things go bad.
Having worked in several hi-tech companies, EDS, SHL-System House, MCI-Worldcom, and several dot-coms bombs, being unionized is a completely different environment.
The crap I saw at EDS and other tech companies would not be tolerated in my work place. As a service desk manager for a IT help-desk, I have to say I enjoy the union agreement that forces my managers not to make bad decisions. Outsource the IT? Good luck in convincing the union. Good luck trying to force someone to stay at work because their dad is dying of cancer, or their wife is having a kid. All the sheit I put up with in a non-union tech place is mind boggling. Face it guys, most IT managers are IQ smart, not EQ, and we suffer as a result. My niece was on her deathbed - my old IT manager was wondering if it was ok if I was there just for the funeral. In a union environment, even asking me to stay at work when I'm entitled to be there would quash the every-day bullshiet we put up with because we're IT.
We are generally underpaid, outsourced at 3X what they pay us in return, and are viewed as a cost-centre (meaning that we're also the first out the door during layoffs).
If my manager calls me at home when I'm sick, it costs him my time in return. No such thing as working extra and not being paid for it. How many times have you seen EA or other software game companies being sued by employees for working extra without being paid for it. No earned time off.
Managers treat us like crap, and it's about time faced the fact that as the new blue collar workforce, we are entitled to union rights.
Didn't a company called Javien try out a micropayment system for Spam emails back in early 2001? Hyperion or something I thought it was called. Instead of the ISP charging for emails, email account owners could charge back to spammers willing to give them $coin$ to send their message.
Personally, I would rather receive a few dollars for spammers to send me emails. Since I get over 400 a day, if I charged a cent a spam, that would mean $1460 a year just to receive spam.
Bout time they started charging back the costs of handling spam, but I think it's in the wrong hands...
At first, my reaction was :O but I'm guessing a lot of us are >:( but as world government bodies are getting tired of the US patenting everything from berries to sounds :^o we sign in their general direction with our tongue firmly in cheek :p
As a Service Desk manager and network guru for my organization, I am responsible for ensuring that all workstation desktops are kept up-to-date and secure. Currently, Microsoft releases patches once a month, usually on the second Tuesday of the month.
With the current advances in smart viruses and malware, that release schedule seems unrealistic. OS security threats have been addressed with emergency patches, but that does not seem like a sustainable methodology.
What is Microsoft's long-range vision on OS patches to ensure that our Server and Workstation Operating Systems are secure, safe, and patched in a timely manner?
Dude, he needs to get out of his parents basement and get a life!
Just kidding. Amazing mod for an ingenious design - a Geiger Counter. HIRE THAT LAD STEVE JOBS!
From my point of view, a security specialist, is that only 20-30% of the attacks on businesses and corporations are done electronicly from the outside, the rest (70-80%) are inside, mostly disgrunted employees. With the current trend of money/public focused companies treating employees like crap, all it would take is a vicious malware application to take them down.
Malware is also becoming intelligently designed, no longer the 'see-this-famous-tennis-star-naked so-I-can-use-built-in-vbs-code to-email-everyone-in-your-addressbook' stupid-is-as-stupid-does tricks. They're pointed, direct, and very very scary.
Here's to paying and treating your geek employee well!
In Caaaaaaaaaaaanada, we outsource to our biggest rural playground:the province of New Brunswick! Rural call centres are promised their own Tim Hortons cafe and free donuts and in incentive. Bring on the DOUBLE DOUBLE!
Pajamas has no business in the bedrooms of Slashdotters!
I can see it now - I want to burn a DVD a couple of HBO's Rome episodes and a high-pitch scream comes blaring out of my speakers to thwart myself, a pirate, from burning the disk.
As a Canadian fed agent, I emphasise with our US neighbours in their attempts to improve the security on the passports. It's a challenge to make passports secure, even with the best of technology. Canadian passports are one of the most forged in the world, and the safest to use from a suspicion point of view. With over 10% of our population landed immigrants, and a huge multicultural population, we represent one of the most diverse cultures in the world.
I'm sure they could devise an XYZ technology for their password and someone would either crack, track, or spoof it.
Something is better than nothing.
It's common practice for a local Blockbuster employee making $8 a hour, to have their personal hard drive computer secure with a $2000 piece of software that requires expertise to use and 90 days for a federal security agency to crack, isn't it?
If you're an average Joe, Hussar, Muhammad, John, Mary, Xi, Pieter, you drive a taxi for a living, or are a student, or you own a small convenience store, and arrested for suspicious activities, but your hard drive is encrypted with an expensive 256bit encryption software, maybe, just maybe, (a personal hunch) there is something you're hiding. Maybe.
Myself, a 25 year IT veteran, Federal Government manager, plus a dozen years experience military service in communications and electronics, my hard drive is wide open.
But then again, perhaps I'm being paranoid...or the 90 days are justified. As the saying goes, if you've got nothing to hide...
Hold them as long as it takes is my opinion, or they decrypt the hard drive for the investigators, which if they had nothing to hide, would mean they would get out in a few days.
....The feds hope to seize his BMW...
Heck, around 2 dozen machines were infected in my government office with that adware vairant. Guess we might be able to claim timeshare on that BMW for the hours they spent cleaning infected machine? I'm hoping for the weekend to Vegas next month.
The Candian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has been showing their National nightly newscasts for years. NBC does it and they're adjusting to the new audience? How about 3 or 4 years late and reactive instead of proactive? That's how long I've been watching my CBC newscasts on the web. BTW - 'The National' is available shortly after the easter broadcast, or around 8pm EST daily.
We should give NBC kudo's however - it's a step in the right direction.
So, what would terrorists with these new technologies be capable of doing? That alone is enough to send shivers down anyones spine, especially developed nations. It's bad enough that they can take over aircrafts, bomb markets, schools, job centres, and kidnap and kill children in a school. What would they do with nanoassemblers? That thought is very very scary indeed.
But on the bright side, what capabilities will anti-terrorist forces have against them too? Maybe it will be a fine balance?
Uh oh. Don't let the cosmetic companies in on our cosmic find. Heaven forbid Channel or Revlon market a powder puff from comet dust. I can see it now. The funded research/harvesting rocket Delta rocket lifts off with 'Maybe it's Maybelline' on the side sliding past the live web-cam tower broadcast is just wrong. Ugh - cosmic cosmetics.
Canada's privacy laws prevent my ISP from giving out any personally identifiable information. If they did, I have every right to sue, and then the ISP would be subject to penalties, even loss of license to provide ISP services. On top of that, the RCMP might lay charges.
In other words, ISP's are more scared of the government slamming them than RIAA.
Duh! It's because of our Alberta's FOIP law. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. You can't collect any personally identifiable information without a) letting the person know, b) for legimit legal/lifesaving reasons, and c) plain and simple: it's against the law. Plain and simple.
Check out the law here..
From the FAQ on the law...
Your employer can collect personal information that relates directly to and is necessary for an operating program or activity, as well as any information they are authorized by other legislation to collect (section 33).
Under the FOIP Act, your employer must tell you what authority they have to collect this information, and how it will be used (section 34(2)).
Normally, your employer must collect personal information directly from you. However, section 34 of the Act allows for information to be collected indirectly in some cases, for example, to determine whether you are eligible for a program, benefit, honour or award, or for the purpose of collecting a debt owed to the public body.
Guess this is really a moot point. Keylogging, if done discretely, and is without merit other than to spy on activities or productivity, is illegal. Plain and simple.
As a Canadian FedGov IT Manager, SpyWare has been the bane of my existence for a number of years. I recently considered approaching my legal team and a couple of items have come to our attention.
a) Software installed on any government machine without the users knowledge or permission, violates around a dozen Federal laws.
b) Information collected without a proper Privacy disclosure statement, violates Canada's new Privacy Law.
iSearch & iDownload violate both A & B. Their ELUA does not adhere to the proper Federal guidelines with respect to our new Privacy law and it constitutes action.
It's time the little folk stop getting hammered by these inhospitable companies and let big brother do our job. I'm moving forward in the coming months to engage any company that violates A or B.
As a Federal Government IT Manager, I have a problem with software that sits on a machine and collects information. Any application that can track a government employee's use of a workstation falls into the espionage law areas.
:)
It would be interesting that as a Federal Agency, we deemed these programs malicious software, and seek Federal action against the companies who make these applications with a C&D of our own. Spyware constitutes spying. Without clear permission from the user, we shoud be fighting these companies on our own front.
Stay tuned.
Being a canuck, our courts have agreed that downloading stuff over the internet doesn't really violate any laws (sort of). What it means is that attempts by RIAA and the MPAA have failed due to Canada's strict privacy laws.
It also means that if you DL's stuff from Loki, and your a Canadian, MPAA will have 0.0000000% chance of coming after you. IP logs at our service providers are protected private information. Sucks to be MPAA - but then again, Canadian's aren't the biggest copyright violators on the planet, China is.
So as I sit back and download episode 12 of Battlestar Galactica from eXeem, I only wonder what is next for my American brothers down south.
I think MPAA is loosing this battle and better get on the bandwagon and offer their movies cheap like most music sites offer cheap quality songs.
It's 2005 MPAA, not 1955.
You need to do a few checks: ...and this is just the top of the list...
- Review current software licences and maintenance agreements. Ensure each agreement is necessary and that you are actually using them. Check and see if instead of a blanket cost, a charge per incident might be more economica. I just reviewed mine and found over $100'000 in unused maintenance for software that has been retired alone.
- If you were planning workstation upgrades, could increasing the memory delay purchasing new hardware. This has saved my department over $200'000.
- Are there problematic machines and equipment that you could retire?
- Are you leasing your printers, or do you own? If you own, why aren't you leasing them? (that will save you thousands alone)
- Could you run VMWare servers instead of buying new equipment?
- Check your ISP contract. Are you really using what you need? Could you downsize your internet connection?
- How much overtime are you paying your staff?
- Do you hire college students during summertimes or contractors. You do realize hiring summer students is a cheap and effective temporary workforce.
- Have you considered brining in co-op students? Do any colleges need people to work for free just to gain experience?
I'll stick to my vanilla ASP coffee thanks. It's the old betamax/vhs story. Yes, PHP is better. Yes, it's free and easy to code. But most businesses tend to stick with micro$oft not because they want to, but because .net is designed to work with mssql and ie a lot better. . I want my betamax back... :)