That's like saying to the car dealer, "hell, if this car you're tying to sell me can't keep running without any maintenance whatsoever, I'm takin' my business elsewhere."
When you talk about a "reliable" car, you're NOT saying the car NEVER needs maintenance--or downtime--but that the downtimes are widely-spaced and as short as possible.
I tried setting up Edubuntu on my grandkids' computer the other night. Mostly an "unmonitored install," I would just check back by every so often to see if it needed my attention, so I wasn't really thinking about it.
Lo, and behold, I finally stop by and it has the login screen there. I use the very fancy userid "kids" and password "kids" (not really worried much about "security" on my home network behind the NAT/Firewall), and started playing with it. Sound didn't seem to be working so I went into the configurations, and it asked for the Root password.
It dawned on me suddenly that I had never GIVEN a root password during the install! I tried various passwords that I though might work including "" (nothing) and "kids," but no go.
I still have no idea what the h*ll happened that the system set up a "root" account but didn't bother inviting me to participate!
...I have wanted something like this for a long time. Even now, as internet commerce is firmly established in the mainstream, you have to work very hard to aggregate all the information you need when you are SHOPPING (as opposed to BUYING) online.
After all this time I still have to spend a lot of time just looking for the best prices for things like replacement computer parts to feed my hobby.
A few days back we were arguing that a university shouldn't require students to purchase laptop computers, because "they only help you do schoolwork more efficiently, not better."
Ah, but now Bill Gates weighs in, and says the "hand-cranked" laptop would be useless for kids in impoverished countries, and we slap back at him for that.
How is it "bad" for a university student in the U.S. to be required to have a laptop computer--with the argument that it really doesn't "help him learn"--but it's GREAT to give this "$100 laptop" to a kid in the third world?
Is it because the second is "compassionate"? Or is it really because we don't want to be on the side of Bill Gates for any reason whatsoever?
Me, I say give each of these villages where the kids live, a small library with basic learning books in it. It would probably end up costing about $100 per kid anyway. But more to the point: A kid who is at the START of the learning curve is going to benefit more from the books than from the computer.
And yes, I DO believe the kids going to the U.S. university ought to have a laptop. It's an "age appropriate" learning tool.
Call and tell them you don't appreciate their actions, you don't appreciate their products,...
How do you know you don't appreciate their products unless you have been BUYING them?
Wait a minute, what th...!!!
You haven't been PURCHASING the enemies' WARES have you? For shame!
No, it couldn't be. You must be a "purist." You're just PIRATING their products, and THEN calling them to tell them of your lack of appreciation, aren't you!
And this was in the USA? H*ll, I grew up in rural Georgia (Peach County). True we had a "party line"--until about 1965! I never recall the telephone out of order, not once.
And we wore shoes even then. The dog slept in my room. I guess that counts as "rustic."
We actually have a grayscale HP 1200--it has served us well for the last four years or so. But much of what she wants to print is color, so we still use the venerable HP 1120C inkjet.
Thought about getting a color inkjet, but now that I'm no longer self-employed there's no incentive--the consumables for color laser are, if anything, more expensive.
Rural areas still have some people who are thankful to have a phone line most hours of the day.
With respect: Spoken like someone who probably never ventured far from suburbia--who only *thinks* he knows what "flyover country" is like.
Technology is embraced with open arms by "rural people" my friend. Not only do they all have 24/7 telephones, they were early-adopters of satellite television and broadband internet (over their satellite dishes, a la "Starband").
And H*ll, most of 'em even have 'lectricity and wear SHOES, if you can believe it.
Yeah: Live Meeting, about which I cannot comment--having never used it.
But I find it interesting that (1) MS "abandoned" NetMeeting for the "new, improved" prodcut, and (2) our shop still uses NetMeeting--I guess they don't want to shell out more bucks for something that they have every expectation will "work just as well" as the old brand.
FWIW, the problems we have with NetMeeting is mostly with regard to frequent dropping signals, having to restart clients--and once, even having to restart the SERVER.
I did "attend" a presentation for which we paid to do some training, using Live Meeting, and the presenter had to restart their server twice.
They actually agreed to refund part of our cost for the presentation as a result.
I'm not sure that Vinge was the originator, however. It seems to me that he got the idea from Kurzweill.
That said, I'd MUCH rather have Vernor Vinge "explain" the concept to me through one of his excellent stories, than read Kurzweill's *blahblahblah* exhortations.
Vernor Vinge is in my top five all-time favorite SF authors. It's a stinkin' pity that he's just not very prolific. Waiting five years between novels is agony.
ANYTHING has to be better...
on
Ekiga 2.0 Released
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· Score: 5, Informative
...than Netmeeting.
I remember trying NM for the first time several years ago--maybe 1998 or so. I couldn't believe how badly it DIDN'T work.
Flash forward to about three months ago. Our company HR department is having a presentation on the new benefits package. Seems like the SAME OLD PROBLEMS that were "en vogue" eight years ago are still around.
I have asked, and been given no satisfactory answer, why we do not look around for a better alternative. "Well, it's supported by Microsoft" seems to be the only cogent response.
It would be one thing to say "the more popular films aren't necesarily the 'best.'" But you cannot assume that those which won the awards were by some stretch of the imagination "good films" or had more "artistic value" or whatever.
The fact is, Hollywood's political agenda is front and center anymore, and has been for some years now.
There will come a time when Hollywood no longer has the clout--political or financial--to continue thumbing its nose at America. It will be interesting to see what happens then.
If you'll recall he was the guy who coined that term, speaking of a time when "enhanced" humans (with biotechnology aboard) would leave the rest of us in the dust.
Slashdot Mirror
No, downtime is *INEVITABLE* so let's make it as infrequent as possible, as short as possible.
When you talk about a "reliable" car, you're NOT saying the car NEVER needs maintenance--or downtime--but that the downtimes are widely-spaced and as short as possible.
Same thing here. It DOES make a difference.
Uh, Cyrix?
Not at all.
It's the difference between a few seconds, and several minutes' worth of downtime.
..."We have the technology..."
What a country.
Back a few years ago, Iomega was doing that regularly with their Zip disks.
Lo, and behold, I finally stop by and it has the login screen there. I use the very fancy userid "kids" and password "kids" (not really worried much about "security" on my home network behind the NAT/Firewall), and started playing with it. Sound didn't seem to be working so I went into the configurations, and it asked for the Root password.
It dawned on me suddenly that I had never GIVEN a root password during the install! I tried various passwords that I though might work including "" (nothing) and "kids," but no go.
I still have no idea what the h*ll happened that the system set up a "root" account but didn't bother inviting me to participate!
Is it possible it drops root privileges?
After all this time I still have to spend a lot of time just looking for the best prices for things like replacement computer parts to feed my hobby.
"Bugger all"?
EIGHTY BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS is "bugger all?"
And that's not even COUNTING private funds originating in the U.S.
You have a very strange concept of "bugger all."
A few days back we were arguing that a university shouldn't require students to purchase laptop computers, because "they only help you do schoolwork more efficiently, not better."
Ah, but now Bill Gates weighs in, and says the "hand-cranked" laptop would be useless for kids in impoverished countries, and we slap back at him for that.
How is it "bad" for a university student in the U.S. to be required to have a laptop computer--with the argument that it really doesn't "help him learn"--but it's GREAT to give this "$100 laptop" to a kid in the third world?
Is it because the second is "compassionate"? Or is it really because we don't want to be on the side of Bill Gates for any reason whatsoever?
Me, I say give each of these villages where the kids live, a small library with basic learning books in it. It would probably end up costing about $100 per kid anyway. But more to the point: A kid who is at the START of the learning curve is going to benefit more from the books than from the computer.
And yes, I DO believe the kids going to the U.S. university ought to have a laptop. It's an "age appropriate" learning tool.
West Virginia?
How do you know you don't appreciate their products unless you have been BUYING them?
Wait a minute, what th...!!!
You haven't been PURCHASING the enemies' WARES have you? For shame!
No, it couldn't be. You must be a "purist." You're just PIRATING their products, and THEN calling them to tell them of your lack of appreciation, aren't you!
Way to go, sport!
And we wore shoes even then. The dog slept in my room. I guess that counts as "rustic."
Thought about getting a color inkjet, but now that I'm no longer self-employed there's no incentive--the consumables for color laser are, if anything, more expensive.
With respect: Spoken like someone who probably never ventured far from suburbia--who only *thinks* he knows what "flyover country" is like.
Technology is embraced with open arms by "rural people" my friend. Not only do they all have 24/7 telephones, they were early-adopters of satellite television and broadband internet (over their satellite dishes, a la "Starband").
And H*ll, most of 'em even have 'lectricity and wear SHOES, if you can believe it.
Sheesh.
And I KNOW there are millions more like her.
H*ll, how do you think the inkjet printer business grows by leaps and bounds every year?
But I find it interesting that (1) MS "abandoned" NetMeeting for the "new, improved" prodcut, and (2) our shop still uses NetMeeting--I guess they don't want to shell out more bucks for something that they have every expectation will "work just as well" as the old brand.
FWIW, the problems we have with NetMeeting is mostly with regard to frequent dropping signals, having to restart clients--and once, even having to restart the SERVER.
I did "attend" a presentation for which we paid to do some training, using Live Meeting, and the presenter had to restart their server twice.
They actually agreed to refund part of our cost for the presentation as a result.
Anecdotal, yes, but that's my experience.
That said, I'd MUCH rather have Vernor Vinge "explain" the concept to me through one of his excellent stories, than read Kurzweill's *blahblahblah* exhortations.
Vernor Vinge is in my top five all-time favorite SF authors. It's a stinkin' pity that he's just not very prolific. Waiting five years between novels is agony.
I remember trying NM for the first time several years ago--maybe 1998 or so. I couldn't believe how badly it DIDN'T work.
Flash forward to about three months ago. Our company HR department is having a presentation on the new benefits package. Seems like the SAME OLD PROBLEMS that were "en vogue" eight years ago are still around.
I have asked, and been given no satisfactory answer, why we do not look around for a better alternative. "Well, it's supported by Microsoft" seems to be the only cogent response.
The fact is, Hollywood's political agenda is front and center anymore, and has been for some years now.
There will come a time when Hollywood no longer has the clout--political or financial--to continue thumbing its nose at America. It will be interesting to see what happens then.
So it's not just an erstwhile hobby with him.
And did they record it using a Plantronics microphone?
Why do we not read, rather, that "an ensemble has created compositions" based on...(etc.)
Varèse, Stockhausen, Cage and Penderecki were creating their works long before pop musicians ever tried "going serious," after all.