Why dont many (if not nearly all) have no way to auto escalate calls on people who know what they talk about? Hewlett Crapard was one of the worst about this, as you had to talk to some indian while they pile away through scripts (the power button and touch strip went out for the second time). IF you were lucky, you got to the "call center manager" and perhaps were transfered to the real call center in Canada.
The only place that had a decent call center was Western Digital when we got shipped a DoA drive. I said that, and they then went into shipping options for a new drive. I like that.
Im sure Chrome's nice and all, but I use firefox with quite a few plugins that make browsing bearable.
Its got to be at a certain point before I switch, or consider switching. However, it would be rather spiffy if they could figure out if they could use FF plugins, but that is a heck of a lot of work. I'd rather see a TCL/TK, Ruby, or BASIC plugin engine.
Obviously, compiled and linked is faster, but we're looking for compatibility and usability here, so I'd wager that very high level languages like BASIC would be applicable, though I guess that XUL and the likes are the same.
Stable are the ones that have been tested and vetted and work 99.99999% of the time (6sigma). Testing drivers are the ones that work rather well, but have occasional problems. Not quite a Work in Progress, but not bug free. Unstable. Yummy. Kernel Panic warnings and such abound. Ye civilized people not belong here!
Debian has it right, at least in the driver department. Stuff they say works just works.
---Firstly, this is a pretty useful utility for those that aren't very computer savvy. Everyone knows that most "slowness" can be resolved by simply maintaining the computer every now and again. Clearing temp files, defragmenting, cleaning off viruses, trojans, and other malware. So for the people that are prone to these types of problems, this is a pretty useful utility.
More likely, its due to install-ism (where they install anything and everything), fragmenting, and garbage-ware either in the form of shovel from the OEM or malware. The install-ism is rather bad when they just click yes/ok/stfu button to get the windows to go away. This is a major state of mind issue and can be hard to break. Losing their files would be a rather wide wake-up from this. Fragmentation should be handled by the OS and should NOT be a standard user activity. What? The OS isnt smart enough to connect disjoined files? Linux does. OSX does. FreeBSD does. Why not Windows?
And we get to the garbageware. Even the box guys are charging for a "complementary garbage removal" on the crap they put on there. They evidently make a lot from this garbage. But the worst offenders are the trojans, spyware, adware and so on. Even multiple tools cant remove it properly. When the spyware gets in as local admin, they then set themselves firmly in the system and can usually only be completely removed via a reinstall. Wrong.
MS could have done this the Right Way. Chroot is your friend. Programs that whine about XYZ not being where it is, then throwing up a UAC prompt is not the right way to do things. Instead, they could have made a default CHROOT environment for each program, with access to the users home directory. The "Programs and Files" directory could have been symlinked back to the home directory. Programs that are aware (announce as such to OS) could be given a proper environment in which to interact. This is the right way, but MS botches it up again and again.
---Their alternative is either "the friend" whom has now grown up and gotten a real IT job and doesn't want to be bothered by them, or Best Buy's GeekSquad who will try and tell you your ram is broken and your hard drive died, all the while copying your personal album off of the PC to their internal servers.
The Box Stores lie. Just like the little guys. Big surprise.
---Now, the more "OMG anti M$" side of the argument is that Microsoft needs to do something to help improve its image with consumers. Right now, consumers just don't like Windows. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There is a growing movement of disdain for Windows. While every day normal Joe might not care either way, the people he or she asks for computer purchasing advice does care.
I like the Linux way of things, yet I still wonder about one very critical issue: executables.
My example: I wanted to install Rockbox 3.0 on my 5th gen iPod. Ok. I can do it the manual way, or I can use the automated installer. I elect to use the installer and go download it. Once I get it, I need to go into properties (or commandline) and go set the executable bit. If I dont do this, the OS refuses to run it. Now, is his a bad program? Nope. But it solves the "run_anything_from_email" and related issues in MS based systems.
Setting an exec bit lets ME know that I have the intention to run it.
Now, this relates to all those nasties on the net. Now, IE will open up and run whatever. Lookout Express (now, windows mail) will execute anything in the preview pane (or it use to, havent used it in years). In Windows, it runs from damn near everywhere. As a point of absurdity, I can open up Winamp, look at my MP3's, find an executable in program files, and right-click and run it. That's broken. Open file should mean open file, not run everything.
---Microsoft, after years of keeping hands off on a lot of issues with Windows due to the whole "antitrust" thing, is finally taking charge and trying to improve their image with their software. A "We Care(tm)" approach to a person's computers. Tha
However, one can already do that by using system standard disks, installing them on an "island", no in or out to any network, and then boot up Linux and MD5hash every file in/windows or wherever they put them and save it to a read-only-capable drive like a SD card or a usb thumbdrive with write-only switch.
One only needs to profile machines and save the hashes. Verification could be done by a set of scripts that verify a standard base and throw log-catches to a logserver.
I believe that the Coroners Toolkit does most of this.
I remember something similar, in that it messed my video card driver up, but fixed sound. Though, I'm talking more about a repository ala the Linux style.
Though, I know how MS will pervert it: they will charge for listing and ranking and will require yet another bloated app on your desktop. It's just the MS way:(
Take your receipt and your credit card. Now put the receipt OVER the raised numbers and your name. Now holding the paper steady, rub and imprint the paper with the raised letters and numbers.
Now, flip over to the security number. remember the 3/4 digit number on the back.
You just duplicated that card and nobody will ever know.
That MS would surely get in trouble for this, but MS could very well use a repository, along with MD5 hashes of recommended programs.
They could provide what we Linux users have with Synaptic and dpkg. They could provide "MS Legit Software", "Driver Repository", "3rd party Software", and "GPL and derivatives". There's 6 branches of Windows to do right now (98, ME, 2k, XP, 03 server, Vista), and most of them are rather outdated.
But really, can we really say how bad this tool is by it not catching somewhat out of date drivers? Where exactly can a bot get the filename for the specific driver you need? nVidia, ATI, and Intels websites are rather hard to find drivers IF you screen-scrape.
You know, my friends are somewhat a mirror to who I am. I'm an engineering student, as they are too. We have similar hobbies and similar dislikes. I'd say that they represent a part of me.
I look at Obama. I see someone who went to a church of hatred and racial segregation (go watch the guys sermons). He didnt go there for a year, or 2 years.. He went there for 20 years. He also got married in there, along with having his children in there and baptized. You dont pal up with people who hate without sharing some of those beliefs.
I then look at Michelle Obama. There's a really interesting Princeton thesis that she wrote that, in effect, says there's no way that whites and blacks can ever unite, and that whites hold the blacks down. Defeatist thinking in the least, and something just plain more sinister. She's no uniter, nor do I think he is the same.
And then we can add up those connections that McCain has said about that domestic terrorist group he supposedly was close to.
Now, are the Obamas smart? Im sure they are. Will they yet divide the country between blacks and whites? Most likely.
Is McCain any better? Nope. Unfortunately, it's just like the catchline for that movie Aliens Vs Predator: "Whoever wins. we lose."
Do you realize that Metallica also went in the "piracy" game.
During their concerts in the 80's, they tossed mix-tapes of all sorts of their songs, released as well as unreleased. Along with doing that, they told us to share with everybody. The idea was you were at the concert, and you buy stuff. They want you to come with friends to their concerts and freebies of tapes are awesome.
The tapes were illegal. They signed copyright over to their label, and thus they were illegally distributing their own songs.
They changed their tune when Napster rolled around. Then evul piracy was teh evul. meh. They used it when it was their gain, but bitch later on, just like MS has.
Have the plebes learned? One doesnt mess with those authority types, especially when they revel in power?
Happens here in the USA, happens in UK, happens in Germany, happens in Australia, and damn near everywhere else where there is power at a few people and the will to keep it.
Malaysia is NO different in that regard. We just cover it up a bit better.
The RIAA will NOT die overnight. They wont die tomorrow, nor will they die 5 years from now (unless disbanded via RICO). Ling Chi comes to mind as the form of death.
If no or few artists sign on, they will end up with fewer talented artists while the rest of them create their own music guilds and trade unions in which they giants will have to deal with. With fewer One-Hit-Wonders to milk profits, they will be forced to lower overall advertising. Those musicians who are in the guilds not represented by the RIAA will be able to provide low or no cost media as teasers for self-advertising. The CC is already well used in this regard.
This is no fast swift death. This is death by a thousand cuts, each only nicking a small portion of flesh. Unfortunately, a corporation cannot take opium to allay the pain.
Thats precisely it: "Pirates" are also some of the biggest spenders. They buy collections just to have them, they download them when the works are 'not released yet', they buy concert tickets, they buy auxiliary materials like DVDs and tshirts.
When some faceless, emotionless company "Owns" a band, and the people know that damn near no money goes back to the artists, downloading and sharing doesnt matter. Who does it hurt? Who gives a shit, its some corporation.
Instead, now you're "pirating" from the artists directly. Wouldn't that be sad if your help got the group disbanded because they couldn't afford it? I mean, they then are getting direct money from selling product. Then again... isn't pirating another form of advertisement, and one that specifically Adobe and MS used at one time?
Perhaps one could encourage purchasing via addons and other perks, rather than "sue-happy hours in court". Something about Honey and Vinegar...
Pioneer did this to Aa! Megami-Sama in which the fansub (Nekomi) was translated better than the bought and paid for.
Good thing I ripped the video as a raw and applied the good scripts and remastered the DVD. Too bad I dont have silk-screen stuff at home, else I would have made a true copy.
And make sure to disable firewire IF you think the feds (or other high-tech snoops) are around.
Firewire is a hole in RAM and can access anything. One could create a hole in RAM and have console auto-log you in. There's even a python-firewire auto-hacker for Windows machines. Got a server with firewire? It's as easy as 1,2,3.
Slashdot Mirror
I have a question for you then.
Why dont many (if not nearly all) have no way to auto escalate calls on people who know what they talk about? Hewlett Crapard was one of the worst about this, as you had to talk to some indian while they pile away through scripts (the power button and touch strip went out for the second time). IF you were lucky, you got to the "call center manager" and perhaps were transfered to the real call center in Canada.
The only place that had a decent call center was Western Digital when we got shipped a DoA drive. I said that, and they then went into shipping options for a new drive. I like that.
Im sure Chrome's nice and all, but I use firefox with quite a few plugins that make browsing bearable.
Its got to be at a certain point before I switch, or consider switching. However, it would be rather spiffy if they could figure out if they could use FF plugins, but that is a heck of a lot of work. I'd rather see a TCL/TK, Ruby, or BASIC plugin engine.
Obviously, compiled and linked is faster, but we're looking for compatibility and usability here, so I'd wager that very high level languages like BASIC would be applicable, though I guess that XUL and the likes are the same.
That's simple. Do it the Debian Way.
Stable, Testing, Unstable.
Drivers in that order.
Stable are the ones that have been tested and vetted and work 99.99999% of the time (6sigma).
Testing drivers are the ones that work rather well, but have occasional problems. Not quite a Work in Progress, but not bug free.
Unstable. Yummy. Kernel Panic warnings and such abound. Ye civilized people not belong here!
Debian has it right, at least in the driver department. Stuff they say works just works.
Engine breaking on vehicles that are not intended for it (most passenger vehicles) cause ecessive wear and tear on the engine.
Using brakes wears out the brakes. Brake pads are 20-30$.
Using engine braking wears out the engine. Engine overhaul is multiple thousands $.
Guess what I'd rather repair.
---Firstly, this is a pretty useful utility for those that aren't very computer savvy. Everyone knows that most "slowness" can be resolved by simply maintaining the computer every now and again. Clearing temp files, defragmenting, cleaning off viruses, trojans, and other malware. So for the people that are prone to these types of problems, this is a pretty useful utility.
More likely, its due to install-ism (where they install anything and everything), fragmenting, and garbage-ware either in the form of shovel from the OEM or malware. The install-ism is rather bad when they just click yes/ok/stfu button to get the windows to go away. This is a major state of mind issue and can be hard to break. Losing their files would be a rather wide wake-up from this. Fragmentation should be handled by the OS and should NOT be a standard user activity. What? The OS isnt smart enough to connect disjoined files? Linux does. OSX does. FreeBSD does. Why not Windows?
And we get to the garbageware. Even the box guys are charging for a "complementary garbage removal" on the crap they put on there. They evidently make a lot from this garbage. But the worst offenders are the trojans, spyware, adware and so on. Even multiple tools cant remove it properly. When the spyware gets in as local admin, they then set themselves firmly in the system and can usually only be completely removed via a reinstall. Wrong.
MS could have done this the Right Way. Chroot is your friend. Programs that whine about XYZ not being where it is, then throwing up a UAC prompt is not the right way to do things. Instead, they could have made a default CHROOT environment for each program, with access to the users home directory. The "Programs and Files" directory could have been symlinked back to the home directory. Programs that are aware (announce as such to OS) could be given a proper environment in which to interact. This is the right way, but MS botches it up again and again.
---Their alternative is either "the friend" whom has now grown up and gotten a real IT job and doesn't want to be bothered by them, or Best Buy's GeekSquad who will try and tell you your ram is broken and your hard drive died, all the while copying your personal album off of the PC to their internal servers.
The Box Stores lie. Just like the little guys. Big surprise.
---Now, the more "OMG anti M$" side of the argument is that Microsoft needs to do something to help improve its image with consumers. Right now, consumers just don't like Windows. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There is a growing movement of disdain for Windows. While every day normal Joe might not care either way, the people he or she asks for computer purchasing advice does care.
I like the Linux way of things, yet I still wonder about one very critical issue: executables.
My example: I wanted to install Rockbox 3.0 on my 5th gen iPod. Ok. I can do it the manual way, or I can use the automated installer. I elect to use the installer and go download it. Once I get it, I need to go into properties (or commandline) and go set the executable bit. If I dont do this, the OS refuses to run it. Now, is his a bad program? Nope. But it solves the "run_anything_from_email" and related issues in MS based systems.
Setting an exec bit lets ME know that I have the intention to run it.
Now, this relates to all those nasties on the net. Now, IE will open up and run whatever. Lookout Express (now, windows mail) will execute anything in the preview pane (or it use to, havent used it in years). In Windows, it runs from damn near everywhere. As a point of absurdity, I can open up Winamp, look at my MP3's, find an executable in program files, and right-click and run it. That's broken. Open file should mean open file, not run everything.
---Microsoft, after years of keeping hands off on a lot of issues with Windows due to the whole "antitrust" thing, is finally taking charge and trying to improve their image with their software. A "We Care(tm)" approach to a person's computers. Tha
It's just like the tag-line for that bad movie- Alien vs. Predator.
Whoever wins, we lose.
Absolutely.
However, one can already do that by using system standard disks, installing them on an "island", no in or out to any network, and then boot up Linux and MD5hash every file in /windows or wherever they put them and save it to a read-only-capable drive like a SD card or a usb thumbdrive with write-only switch.
One only needs to profile machines and save the hashes. Verification could be done by a set of scripts that verify a standard base and throw log-catches to a logserver.
I believe that the Coroners Toolkit does most of this.
I remember something similar, in that it messed my video card driver up, but fixed sound. Though, I'm talking more about a repository ala the Linux style.
Though, I know how MS will pervert it: they will charge for listing and ranking and will require yet another bloated app on your desktop. It's just the MS way :(
It's also what's holding computing back.
Ok. Try this:
Take your receipt and your credit card. Now put the receipt OVER the raised numbers and your name. Now holding the paper steady, rub and imprint the paper with the raised letters and numbers.
Now, flip over to the security number. remember the 3/4 digit number on the back.
You just duplicated that card and nobody will ever know.
RFIDs are even easier. Scan and save. meh.
That MS would surely get in trouble for this, but MS could very well use a repository, along with MD5 hashes of recommended programs.
They could provide what we Linux users have with Synaptic and dpkg. They could provide "MS Legit Software", "Driver Repository", "3rd party Software", and "GPL and derivatives". There's 6 branches of Windows to do right now (98, ME, 2k, XP, 03 server, Vista), and most of them are rather outdated.
But really, can we really say how bad this tool is by it not catching somewhat out of date drivers? Where exactly can a bot get the filename for the specific driver you need? nVidia, ATI, and Intels websites are rather hard to find drivers IF you screen-scrape.
Go look up near infrared photography. It's mainly used as bikini-see through and such voyeurism.
Im sure it works on most burkas.
You know, my friends are somewhat a mirror to who I am. I'm an engineering student, as they are too. We have similar hobbies and similar dislikes. I'd say that they represent a part of me.
I look at Obama. I see someone who went to a church of hatred and racial segregation (go watch the guys sermons). He didnt go there for a year, or 2 years.. He went there for 20 years. He also got married in there, along with having his children in there and baptized. You dont pal up with people who hate without sharing some of those beliefs.
I then look at Michelle Obama. There's a really interesting Princeton thesis that she wrote that, in effect, says there's no way that whites and blacks can ever unite, and that whites hold the blacks down. Defeatist thinking in the least, and something just plain more sinister. She's no uniter, nor do I think he is the same.
And then we can add up those connections that McCain has said about that domestic terrorist group he supposedly was close to.
Now, are the Obamas smart? Im sure they are. Will they yet divide the country between blacks and whites? Most likely.
Is McCain any better? Nope. Unfortunately, it's just like the catchline for that movie Aliens Vs Predator: "Whoever wins. we lose."
goatSHE was hot thou..
I really _didnt_ want to see that.
The many faces of GOATSE.
And the richies arent willing to screw us over?
Congress awards 700$ billion in bailouts. AIG execs go shit-crazy on a almost half million$ luxury getaway... on our dime.
I'd have sympathy if it was individuals I was dealing with, but no.
If the richies get whatever they want, SO CAN I.
And what exactly is bad about decreasing reflected power?
The less reflected power, the better by overall signal on the power grid. Cleaner power = better acting appliances.
Do you realize that Metallica also went in the "piracy" game.
During their concerts in the 80's, they tossed mix-tapes of all sorts of their songs, released as well as unreleased. Along with doing that, they told us to share with everybody. The idea was you were at the concert, and you buy stuff. They want you to come with friends to their concerts and freebies of tapes are awesome.
The tapes were illegal. They signed copyright over to their label, and thus they were illegally distributing their own songs.
They changed their tune when Napster rolled around. Then evul piracy was teh evul. meh. They used it when it was their gain, but bitch later on, just like MS has.
Have the plebes learned? One doesnt mess with those authority types, especially when they revel in power?
Happens here in the USA, happens in UK, happens in Germany, happens in Australia, and damn near everywhere else where there is power at a few people and the will to keep it.
Malaysia is NO different in that regard. We just cover it up a bit better.
Well, that's obvious.
The RIAA will NOT die overnight. They wont die tomorrow, nor will they die 5 years from now (unless disbanded via RICO). Ling Chi comes to mind as the form of death.
If no or few artists sign on, they will end up with fewer talented artists while the rest of them create their own music guilds and trade unions in which they giants will have to deal with. With fewer One-Hit-Wonders to milk profits, they will be forced to lower overall advertising. Those musicians who are in the guilds not represented by the RIAA will be able to provide low or no cost media as teasers for self-advertising. The CC is already well used in this regard.
This is no fast swift death. This is death by a thousand cuts, each only nicking a small portion of flesh. Unfortunately, a corporation cannot take opium to allay the pain.
Thats precisely it: "Pirates" are also some of the biggest spenders. They buy collections just to have them, they download them when the works are 'not released yet', they buy concert tickets, they buy auxiliary materials like DVDs and tshirts.
When some faceless, emotionless company "Owns" a band, and the people know that damn near no money goes back to the artists, downloading and sharing doesnt matter. Who does it hurt? Who gives a shit, its some corporation.
Instead, now you're "pirating" from the artists directly. Wouldn't that be sad if your help got the group disbanded because they couldn't afford it? I mean, they then are getting direct money from selling product. Then again... isn't pirating another form of advertisement, and one that specifically Adobe and MS used at one time?
Perhaps one could encourage purchasing via addons and other perks, rather than "sue-happy hours in court". Something about Honey and Vinegar...
Here it is. The start of the final fall of the RIAA and its ilk.
The musicians and songwriters are revolting and refusing to be put in their place.
The only question remains: Will they re-do what the RIAA has done? Will they seek an iron-fist of control?
Pioneer did this to Aa! Megami-Sama in which the fansub (Nekomi) was translated better than the bought and paid for.
Good thing I ripped the video as a raw and applied the good scripts and remastered the DVD. Too bad I dont have silk-screen stuff at home, else I would have made a true copy.
The firewire disable is just stopping the low-hanging fruit.
You wouldnt leave telnet enabled, unfirewalled on the internet, would you? Same thing. And most people I know dont use firewire.
And make sure to disable firewire IF you think the feds (or other high-tech snoops) are around.
Firewire is a hole in RAM and can access anything. One could create a hole in RAM and have console auto-log you in. There's even a python-firewire auto-hacker for Windows machines. Got a server with firewire? It's as easy as 1,2,3.
Not Cool.
There's something wrong with using Wikipedia as a sole source.
There's nothing wrong with using Wikipedia as a starting point in your research.