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User: bonehead

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  1. Re:My method on Best Way To Store Digital Video For 20 Years? · · Score: 1

    One of the ISPs my company uses offers very low priced colocation services for individual users. It's basically just a big room with some shelves that you can put your computer on, plug it in, and have a server on their OC-3. Since my company is a big customer of theirs, they let me put a box in that room at no charge. Then I basically just rsync from my home file server to that box on a nightly basis, and log in every week or so to make sure the drives haven't crapped out.

    Sure, there's a chance that both servers could die at the same time, but it's a remote enough chance that I feel pretty comfortable.

  2. Re:No Ethics on 1 In 3 Sysadmins Snoop On Colleagues · · Score: 1

    You think that makes you mad?

    Just wait until you get told to drop what you're doing to perform an emergency restore, even if it means calling in tapes from offsite storage, and the requested files are someone's iTunes folder.

    And it will ALWAYS be someone high enough up that you can't say no.

  3. Re:For the obsessive compulsive... on World of Warcraft Achievement System Rumored · · Score: 1

    Actually, it looked like it would add even more grind to the game. It was all "Do random mundane task X million times".

    There are enjoyable aspects to WoW, but in my experience, the farther along you get, the more boring it gets. I've been playing for about 2 years now, and haven't even got one char to 70. In fact, my account is currently inactive, and I've not decided if I'll pay it up again. I'm halfway through lvl 65 and just that half of a level has taken me over 4 months. There are things I'm looking forward to at 70, but I can't take the grinding necessary to get there.

  4. Re:Correction on Apple Cracks Down On iPhone Unlockers · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, when he was talking about the $199 maximum, he used the words "most countries".

    There's the loophole for charging more for an unlocked version in countries that require it.

  5. Re:Is biodiversity also booming? on Scientists Surprised to Find Earth's Biosphere Booming · · Score: 1

    Sure, that would be great. But just the convincing stuff, I have yet to see any of that.

  6. Re:Is biodiversity also booming? on Scientists Surprised to Find Earth's Biosphere Booming · · Score: 1

    "People usually act with enough of the facts to feel confident."

    And this is the part where we're still falling short when it comes to global warming.

    Not on whether it's happening, but A) Are we causing it? and B) Is there a damn thing we can do about it?

  7. Re:Hey, Mr. Monkey, don't be asking why. on What Shall We Do With the Moon Once We Get There? · · Score: 0

    Anyway, the French don't have the right to oppose our ideas because they're only French I was pretty sure you were trying to be funny, then I saw this little gem of truth in there....
  8. Re:It's not just a weak dollar issue.... on Weak US Dollar Means Nintendo Favors Europe For Now · · Score: 2, Informative

    I spent mine. It all went into the gas tank and to the power company.

  9. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? on Sneaky Blackmailing Virus That Encrypts Data · · Score: 1

    I believe it was even capable of hooking into rsync. It does, in fact, support backups via rsync, even from Windows clients.

    The cool thing is that is can also restore files via rsync. It's nice being able to push an accidentally deleted file back to the users desktop without ever having to lift your butt from your chair.
  10. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? on Sneaky Blackmailing Virus That Encrypts Data · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well, if you want to spend the money for complete OS backups that will only come in handy every couple of years, by all means, go for it.

    Both at home and at work, I have better things to spend my hardware budget on than insuring that restoring a PC 2 years down the road will be slightly more convenient. Besides, the vast majority of Windows reinstalls that I do are a result of spyware infestations, not hardware failures. In that situation, I'm still reinstalling the OS regardless of how complete a backup I have on hand.

    I tend to treat backups like I treat insurance. Their point is to make a disaster "survivable", not "painless". As long as I have the data backed up, I can deal with the OS and apps.

  11. Re:But where is Google Browser Sync for FF3? on Firefox 3 Hits Release Candidate 2 · · Score: 1

    Haven't tried it myself, but from every account I've read, it just fails. None of the usual tricks for getting old addons to run seem to work.

  12. Re:But where is Google Browser Sync for FF3? on Firefox 3 Hits Release Candidate 2 · · Score: 1

    I agree. I've tried the betas and would love to be running them, but I've become way too dependent on google browser sync.

    Before anyone chimes in and suggests foxmarks, it's not an adequate substitute. In addition to syncing bookmarks, I need to keep my sessions synced, too.

    As much as I'm chomping at the bit to move to FF3, I'll unfortunately be sticking with FF2 until google browser sync gets updated, or a good substitute comes along.

  13. Re:My favorite moment... on NYTimes Speculates On the Next iPhone · · Score: 1

    Why would the email need to be "push"? Does anyone actually take pictures with their cell phones that are so amazing that they need to be seen instantly?

  14. Re:One Advantage on NYTimes Speculates On the Next iPhone · · Score: 1

    Emphasis on "slightly".

  15. Re:Like Verizon is really better on NYTimes Speculates On the Next iPhone · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've had service from all of the viable carriers in my area (T-Mobile is available, but there bad coverage makes them non-viable around here). The fact is that if you want to have a cell phone, then you're going to have to deal with a shitty company. They ALL suck.

    As a result, I pretty much choose my carrier based on who has the phone I want.

    As for the objections to getting stuck in a contract, all I have to say is WTF? If I'm going to spend $400 for a phone, I'm doing it with the intention of using that phone for at least a few years. And since we've already established that ALL of the carriers suck, I don't really see the advantage in being able to switch to a different one.

  16. Re:My favorite moment... on NYTimes Speculates On the Next iPhone · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And why you would want to is beyond my comprehension. You can send it via e-mail for free. Last time I sent a picture via MMS (several years ago), my carrier charged me 50 cents to do it.

  17. Re:The Iraq theater on What Examples of Security Theater Have You Encountered? · · Score: 1

    Attack Mexico. Their beach property is better.

  18. Re:Wow on First Pictures From Mars Phoenix Lander · · Score: 1

    I'm not so sure about a rover like the ones we've already sent. But a little bulldozer would sure be cool. My biggest WTF? moment learning the details of this mission was when I found out that the robotic arm could only dig down about 3 feet. 3 feet? What if it finds the beginning of something interesting just as it's reaching maximum depth? With a little robotic bulldozer, it could just keep digging deeper. With the arm, we're pretty much stuck designing a new craft and waiting for it to get there.

    On a side note, I found this picture and caption interesting. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/phoenix/images.php?fileID=9353

    Does anyone know the criteria that was used to pick out the quarter million names that they put on the DVD? Seems like too many to choose them individually, at some point they almost certainly had to resort to a "pick random names from the phonebook" methodology. Would be interesting if the list was available online somewhere so we could all go and see if our name made it to Mars.

  19. Re:I wanted to be shown the door... on Getting Rid of Staff With High Access? · · Score: 1

    Yep, I can relate.

    Personally, I always know I'm doing my job well when the rest of the employees start bitching that I just "sit around all day". It's when something happens that actually makes my activities visible that I know I've dropped the ball on something.

  20. Re:I wanted to be shown the door... on Getting Rid of Staff With High Access? · · Score: 1

    I've noticed this as well. In my current job I've been handed cash bonuses for fixing major problems quickly.

    When I fill my days doing routine and preventative maintenance, and keep things running at 100% uptime (during business hours), I get called in every couple of months and have to explain "what is it you do all day?"

    I could probably earn myself a nice, crisp $100 bill today just by typing "sudo halt" on the main file server, then walking around with a frustrated look on my face for two hours until I finally hit the reset switch and let it boot back up.

  21. Re:Wow on Getting Rid of Staff With High Access? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I was in the exact same position once. 3 weeks notice, ability to do my job completely cut off, but still expected to be there and still getting paid.

    I brought in a large stack of books and my laptop, and began brushing up on skills that I needed in my new job but had become a bit rusty on.

    Then there was the time I gave 2 weeks notice at a large bank (you've all heard of them). I was immediately escorted out the door, and 3 days later got a check in the mail for the 2 weeks I had offered notice for, plus the 3 weeks of vacation that I still had coming. Cashed the check, hopped in the car, and went on a nice 2 week road trip.

  22. Re:It would be nice.. on Parent-Friendly Wireless Bridge To Span 500 Meters? · · Score: 1

    If you don't have line of sight then its going to depend on whats in the way if its possible at all. Trees will be your biggest enemy. I've gone 200 yards, non-line of sight with a pair of WAP-11s. Worked great through several brick buildings. In the winter. Once spring came around and the trees leafed out, the link completely broke.

    Water does "bad things" to radio waves, and tree leaves are full of, you guessed it, lots of water.
  23. Re:Don't get that... on $100 Roku Netflix Player Targets Apple TV · · Score: 1

    And depending on how well it's seeded, I might be able to watch it in 3 hours, or it might take 3 days.

    See, my objection to BitTorrent isn't the legality, it's the inconvenience.

    What I want is something that will work like on-demand from my cable co. I want to sit down with the kids in front of the TV (not computer), pick out a movie, and start watching it right then and there. I can do this with my cable box (although the selection is pathetic, thus my search for something else), and there are several other products on the market that can do it, with various payment structures.

    BitTorrent isn't the solution for the problem I'm trying to solve.

  24. Re:Don't get that... on $100 Roku Netflix Player Targets Apple TV · · Score: 1

    That's an interesting device, but where do you get the content from?

    My interest for a device like this is to be able to watch current movies without running to the video store. I have a DVD player and Netflix account, so having to rip the DVDs to an iso image just to play it through the popcorn box is an unnecessary hassle. I didn't see anything on the popcornhour site that indicated there was a good source for current movies to play through the box.

    So far the best option I've seen is the VuDu. Just waiting for a chance to see my brother-in-law's in action before I pull the trigger.

  25. Re:I wonder what is inside... on $100 Roku Netflix Player Targets Apple TV · · Score: 1

    And the bad part about that is that even if you do scrounge up that tape of the Comcast board, it won't even do me any good, since I'm stuck in a Mediacom area.