I setup/run and code for the 2nd largest DSL provider in Houston TX (not saying much, SWB is a monopoly over here), and I can say that DHCP is often an absolute necessity on cheap DSL accounts. Why? Because your average Joe's head would explode trying to configure his network. That or quickly cancel and go to another ISP that wasn't such a PITA to configure.
And no...we do NOT oversubscribe our IP address ranges. That would be lunacy, as 90% of the residential users out there have a router or leave their PC on constantly. I can't count on there being a certain percentage that won't be utilizing their connection...there needs to be an IP for each.
I think there are issues with fragmentation of the market and such...which is a big reason for it not replacing floppies (although, there are more).
Floppies still beat CD and USB media at the moment. Just look at the capabilities of each media (with current software/OS/etc).
Can boot from it?
Floppies: Yes.
USB Media: Yes, some recently older BIOS do not support it nor do some older OS's, however.
CD-Rom: Yes, some very aged BIOS and OS's do not support it though.
From that you can see some hardcore techies and old sk00l3rz won't be using them, or are less inclined to do so.
Can write to on the fly after booting? (to sneaker net data from one PC to another, sys admins and the like do it often)
Floppy: Yes.
USB Media: Yes.
CD-Rom: Kinda, but not really (re-writable media is writable, but takes time).
For that reason it puts CD based media down a bit...but not too bad.
Availability of such devices in the PCs?
Floppy: Almost every damn one out there.
USB Media: not very likely.
CD-Rom: Almost every damn one out there...but less than Floppy.
Cost of said device?
Floppy: Buy the floppies in bulk and they are cheaper than CD-Rom media, reader/writer is usually $10-15.
USB Media: Cheapest is around $24 retail for 64meg, plus cost of the drive unless built in (drive cost is similar to floppy, around $10-15 for a cheap one).
CD-Rom: Around $0.30 each disc, plus the drive itself unless included (around $35 for the cheapest new cd drive out there).
So CD-Rom is atleast somewhat cost prohibitive just from the drive cost. USB is more cost prohibitive with the higher media prices IMO.
Also going for floppies is that it is a very established, very widespread, and very simple to use media. Not to mention that many of the geek amoung us can't imagine a day without our precious floppy disks! I have quite a few fond memories around them ("Don't copy that floppy!" la la la)....and damnit until I can't use them in new PCs you can bet your left arm each PC I build will have one. They are simply too versatile and cheap to not install still (IMHO).
There are many other reasons that other media hasn't replaced floppies completely yet..but those were the ones off the top of my head.
I definitely agree with the main point of the parent poster. Older technology sometimes just downright works better.
Case in point: New cell phones vs Old cell phones.
New cell phones have mostly all had software problems of sorts, with laggy displays, crashing software (damnit I have to reboot my phone AGAIN), etc, etc. Older cell phones weren't so reliant on the 'cruft' that makes up new cell phone software, and generally worked a LOT smoother, and FAR less buggily.
Example: I have a Motorolla T720 color screen phone, which IMHO, really bites ass. The thing drops calls, I get a black screen of death pretty much every few days (which requires me to completely remove the battery to drain the power), the display is soooo laggy its not even funny, plus many other small software bugs I am sure I can't recall of the top of my head.
I would LOVE to get my old StarTac back...man that thing was rock solid! I even accidentally ran it through a FULL wash cycle in the washer and all I had to do was replace the battery. It also has/had none of the drawbacks I listed for the T720. Operation was as smooth as it could be IMO.
Here's a vote for old technology when it works well.
I suppose by certain methods you may be able to get somewhat of an idea of what is on the road...but by no means can you really measure it with good accuracy considering the fact that the number constantly changes.
Maybe my example wasn't the best...but my point is still valid.
Just because it is immesurable, does not mean you cannot have an 'abundance' of it.
Ex: How many cars in the world are on the road right now? Well no one can really say to any degree of accuracy....but you definitely can't say its a scarcity.
You _can_ have different abundances of love...they may not be directly mesurable..but I know that Joe the crack head has far less of it than you and your wife.
Do people REALLY think this will work for a day to day user? I think not...this simply is another layer of fog in between you and the operating system that very well may not match your needs/wants. Personally, I prefer to know exactly where I place files...it kind of helps with knowing where they are. Also, pop-ups are annoying...no matter what form they come in they always get in your way somehow. What if a user changes his habits? That means the software no longer is working for, but against you. What if someone else jumps on your computer for a day while you are out sick? It will merge some of their habits with yours...creating more crap to deal with.
Really, this is similar to adding another abstraction layer into software...another source of error, except in this example...its definitely prone to error...causing myself and countless other admins/software engineers lots and lots of headaches.
Rather than working to make computers use with the users...which is ass-backwards, creating all sorts of nasty problems IMO...how about we make users learn to use the technology properly...like it should be?
I should also note that there are several bottlenecks with implementing this accross all software, since all software works in different ways...that means each developer will have to write this 'AI' crap into it...I don't know about other developers..but I say hell no to more cruft.
Humans are not predictable enough in their habits for something like this to work...even the same person changes their habits over time...which will make keeping up with what data is where even more difficult.
Whether YOU think its a tired joke or not doesn't change the fact that it was a JOKE and NOT flaim bait. Thanks...but whatever...
Good job mods on jumping to conclusions and having a sparse sense of humor. There are always a few people who are insulted by a joke such as that...but thats the nature of such a joke, can't make everyone laugh when its directed towards a certain group of people.
I can relate as I have experienced the same thing. Hell...visit my website...the one project I have up there (removed all of my exremely old ones) currently hasn't been updated in almost a year, why? Because I never hear anything from any users about what features they like/don't like/want added etc.
I guess thats ok though...because work has kept me too busy to mess with OSS lately anyhow. Gotta pay the bills first you know...
It could be used to help keep a charge on a device, thus causing the device to last longer. No one said it would keep your phone charged indefinitely.
I personally, am all for it. My cell phone gets the crappiest standby time with its color screen.
Slashdot Mirror
Welcome to 1997 (I think?).
(yes, I know it will be cheaper in the future with demand/etc...)
I setup/run and code for the 2nd largest DSL provider in Houston TX (not saying much, SWB is a monopoly over here), and I can say that DHCP is often an absolute necessity on cheap DSL accounts. Why? Because your average Joe's head would explode trying to configure his network. That or quickly cancel and go to another ISP that wasn't such a PITA to configure.
And no...we do NOT oversubscribe our IP address ranges. That would be lunacy, as 90% of the residential users out there have a router or leave their PC on constantly. I can't count on there being a certain percentage that won't be utilizing their connection...there needs to be an IP for each.
I think there are issues with fragmentation of the market and such...which is a big reason for it not replacing floppies (although, there are more).
Floppies still beat CD and USB media at the moment. Just look at the capabilities of each media (with current software/OS/etc).
Can boot from it?
Floppies: Yes.
USB Media: Yes, some recently older BIOS do not support it nor do some older OS's, however.
CD-Rom: Yes, some very aged BIOS and OS's do not support it though.
From that you can see some hardcore techies and old sk00l3rz won't be using them, or are less inclined to do so.
Can write to on the fly after booting? (to sneaker net data from one PC to another, sys admins and the like do it often)
Floppy: Yes.
USB Media: Yes.
CD-Rom: Kinda, but not really (re-writable media is writable, but takes time).
For that reason it puts CD based media down a bit...but not too bad.
Availability of such devices in the PCs?
Floppy: Almost every damn one out there.
USB Media: not very likely.
CD-Rom: Almost every damn one out there...but less than Floppy.
Cost of said device?
Floppy: Buy the floppies in bulk and they are cheaper than CD-Rom media, reader/writer is usually $10-15.
USB Media: Cheapest is around $24 retail for 64meg, plus cost of the drive unless built in (drive cost is similar to floppy, around $10-15 for a cheap one).
CD-Rom: Around $0.30 each disc, plus the drive itself unless included (around $35 for the cheapest new cd drive out there).
So CD-Rom is atleast somewhat cost prohibitive just from the drive cost. USB is more cost prohibitive with the higher media prices IMO.
Also going for floppies is that it is a very established, very widespread, and very simple to use media. Not to mention that many of the geek amoung us can't imagine a day without our precious floppy disks! I have quite a few fond memories around them ("Don't copy that floppy!" la la la)....and damnit until I can't use them in new PCs you can bet your left arm each PC I build will have one. They are simply too versatile and cheap to not install still (IMHO).
There are many other reasons that other media hasn't replaced floppies completely yet..but those were the ones off the top of my head.
I definitely agree with the main point of the parent poster. Older technology sometimes just downright works better.
Case in point: New cell phones vs Old cell phones.
New cell phones have mostly all had software problems of sorts, with laggy displays, crashing software (damnit I have to reboot my phone AGAIN), etc, etc. Older cell phones weren't so reliant on the 'cruft' that makes up new cell phone software, and generally worked a LOT smoother, and FAR less buggily.
Example: I have a Motorolla T720 color screen phone, which IMHO, really bites ass. The thing drops calls, I get a black screen of death pretty much every few days (which requires me to completely remove the battery to drain the power), the display is soooo laggy its not even funny, plus many other small software bugs I am sure I can't recall of the top of my head.
I would LOVE to get my old StarTac back...man that thing was rock solid! I even accidentally ran it through a FULL wash cycle in the washer and all I had to do was replace the battery. It also has/had none of the drawbacks I listed for the T720. Operation was as smooth as it could be IMO.
Here's a vote for old technology when it works well.
Now I can finally make some real sounding prank calls for once! Oh the joy!
Although...most idiots out there fall for the midi based voices anyhow...
I suppose by certain methods you may be able to get somewhat of an idea of what is on the road...but by no means can you really measure it with good accuracy considering the fact that the number constantly changes.
Maybe my example wasn't the best...but my point is still valid.
Just because it is immesurable, does not mean you cannot have an 'abundance' of it.
Ex: How many cars in the world are on the road right now? Well no one can really say to any degree of accuracy....but you definitely can't say its a scarcity.
You _can_ have different abundances of love...they may not be directly mesurable..but I know that Joe the crack head has far less of it than you and your wife.
Do people REALLY think this will work for a day to day user? I think not...this simply is another layer of fog in between you and the operating system that very well may not match your needs/wants. Personally, I prefer to know exactly where I place files...it kind of helps with knowing where they are. Also, pop-ups are annoying...no matter what form they come in they always get in your way somehow. What if a user changes his habits? That means the software no longer is working for, but against you. What if someone else jumps on your computer for a day while you are out sick? It will merge some of their habits with yours...creating more crap to deal with.
Really, this is similar to adding another abstraction layer into software...another source of error, except in this example...its definitely prone to error...causing myself and countless other admins/software engineers lots and lots of headaches.
Rather than working to make computers use with the users...which is ass-backwards, creating all sorts of nasty problems IMO...how about we make users learn to use the technology properly...like it should be?
I should also note that there are several bottlenecks with implementing this accross all software, since all software works in different ways...that means each developer will have to write this 'AI' crap into it...I don't know about other developers..but I say hell no to more cruft.
Humans are not predictable enough in their habits for something like this to work...even the same person changes their habits over time...which will make keeping up with what data is where even more difficult.
Thanks but....I think I'll pass on this one.
Whether YOU think its a tired joke or not doesn't change the fact that it was a JOKE and NOT flaim bait. Thanks...but whatever... Good job mods on jumping to conclusions and having a sparse sense of humor. There are always a few people who are insulted by a joke such as that...but thats the nature of such a joke, can't make everyone laugh when its directed towards a certain group of people.
Nobody has a sense of humor anymore. That wasn't flaimbait...it was a joke...you know...the kind you laugh at? geez...
Paris WiFi? I think this network is going to stink...er I mean suck. But seriously...is WiFi affected by massivley bad BO? ;)
I can relate as I have experienced the same thing. Hell...visit my website...the one project I have up there (removed all of my exremely old ones) currently hasn't been updated in almost a year, why? Because I never hear anything from any users about what features they like/don't like/want added etc. I guess thats ok though...because work has kept me too busy to mess with OSS lately anyhow. Gotta pay the bills first you know...
It could be used to help keep a charge on a device, thus causing the device to last longer. No one said it would keep your phone charged indefinitely. I personally, am all for it. My cell phone gets the crappiest standby time with its color screen.
The solution to the world energy crisis! Just slap one of these babies on Pamela Anderson, it would work, really.
Maybe they will make something for my bouncing booby phone!
Huge bouncing boobies > 3d wireless, ALWAYS. Hear that corporations? I WANT BOOBIES NOT 3D!@# ok ok....3d boobies is acceptable...
me: dud3 1 g0t 64 b1t CpU!@#!
friend: 0wnz0r!
But really, its all said above. Main thing being the memory access problems which current 32bit systems can have.