I'm a graphic artist, and I sympathize with your position, as I used to feel the same. After using the Gimp 2.0 (replaces Photoshop), and Inkscape (replaces Illustrator [still needs a bit of refining, but moving quickly]), the only real gaping hole that remains for me to make a complete switch to F/OSS is an InDesign replacement. Scribus appears to be the likely, eventual choice, but their latest version still needs much work. If you haven't tried Gimp lately, or Inkscape, give them a shot. They're both quite usable, as far as I'm concerned.
Foreget the tinfoil! I've got your RF shielded wallet right here! While your at it, check out the Faraday cage baseball cap -- much more stylish than your basic tinfoil!:-D
Note: Scroll about half way down to where it says "Card-Safe(TM) Wallet"
Think of Bush and Kerry as the RIAA/MPAA pushing out Britney Spears and "boy band" quality answers to your questions (catering to the lowest common denominator for higher $$$ returns), and Nader, the Greens, Libertarians, and other independents as your local indie bands that really care about their craft.
I currently have a Treo 600. It's really been a great phone/pda. The camera's pictures aren't the best, but they're about what you'd expect from a phone-camera. I use it (together with my 512 mb SD card) as my mobile mp3 player using Pocket Tunes, and even use it to watch movies using MMPlayer and avi's specially encoded with mencoder thusly:
...actually this would seem to prove the point of those who oppose using stem cells from aborted fetuses [feti??] -- namely that there are plenty of other sources for stem cells, and therefore, no need to take those from abortion leftovers.
"Wouldn't the vast majority of americans want to have this technology available to them ?"
...tch, tch, tch... if you're gonna make a link to some litigous bastard, then you have to do it right! That way their pagerank gets associated with the correct terms.:-D
Virtual machine shootout: VMware vs. Virtual PC by Adam Baratz
Introduction A recent film ignited a new generation of armchair epistemologists when it proposed that we could be living inside an elaborate computer simulation. While your philosophy major friends were quick to point out that thinkers since Descartes have posed the same question, it's likely that none of them ever considered the converse: what if, unbeknownst to them, our computers were really running inside other computers for the selfish interests of a special group of people? As esoteric as this may sound, such a setup has been in use for a very long time. Virtual machine software can fool an operating system into thinking it's running on its own hardware, when in reality it's simply mooching off unused CPU cycles and RAM. Since the OS is running on its native platform, no emulation is necessary; virtualization allows it to run with little cost to CPU performance. However, since display and I/O functions are mapped to slightly different components (a window or a virtual partition, for example), they incur a slight performance hit.
Why should I use a VM? Say you're developing an application under Windows XP. If you need to test your program on other versions of Windows, virtual machine (VM) software allows you to run Windows 98 without forcing you to reboot your computer. Decent VM software also allows some exchange between the host machine (the real one) and the virtual one. If you encounter a bug, you can switch back to the host, correct the code, and send an updated executable back for further testing. On especially beefy hardware, VMs can be used to simulate complicated network operations. With the right VM software, you can setup a virtual network to practice domain management and software rollouts without putting production equipment on the line. More robust pieces of software are available for virtualizing servers. VMware has two products in this category (VMware GSX Server 3 and ESX Server 2). Microsoft is getting ready to release Virtual Server 2005. The feature sets of both companies' offerings are more specialized for integration with server OSes. They also include strong scripting tools for automating VMs. You can also use VM software to sample alternative operating systems without committing a dedicated partition to the job. Since VMs can use virtual partitions (a partition that lives inside a file of dynamic or fixed size), you don't have to worry about reclaiming any hard drive space lost to experimentation. Also, since VM software tends to emulate common hardware, you're less likely to encounter driver issues with an esoteric OS. Anyone hoping to use VM software to play favorite DOS games will probably be disappointed. Tests with a couple random games (Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri and Gabriel Knight 2) didn't get far beyond their installation. Simpler games ran reasonably, but people solely interested in gaming should try something like DOSBox first.
Let's get down to business... If you're interested in running applications, Virtual PC 2004 (Microsoft; US129) and VMware Workstation 4.5 (VMware; US189 to download, US199 with packaging) are both competitive tools for the job. In fact, they're both so refined that your ultimate purchase decision will be affected more by your own needs than by any inherent problems with the programs. While general performance is an important consideration (and easily quantified), your eventual uses for the software are more important. Are you planning on rigorous compatibility testing or just sampling other possible configurations? Do you want pure performance or just an environment for containing potential accidents? Do you want to run lots of different OSes or will you stay within the Windows family? Will you need to use special hardware within your VM or is a generic setup acceptable? Both pieces of software come with
...apparently this technology could be used to 'brute force' someone's knowledge of anything (passwords), but if you don't know the password, there will be no way for it to work.
I work as a graphic artist (work for a company and freelance). At work I use both proprietary and GPL software for vector work (Inkscape) and at home, almost exclusively Inkscape. If you ask me, Inkscape *is* ready for prime time. Even Jimmac admits that his problem is being too locked in to Illustrator's way of doing things. Though Everaldo praises Inkscape, I'm shocked to read that he complains of Illustrator's lack of compatibility with real SVG (especially transparency), but fails to note that Inkscape has the best transparency implementation of any vector software around (can even do transparent colors within gradients [Illustrator can't]).
Slashdot Mirror
I'm a graphic artist, and I sympathize with your position, as I used to feel the same. After using the Gimp 2.0 (replaces Photoshop), and Inkscape (replaces Illustrator [still needs a bit of refining, but moving quickly]), the only real gaping hole that remains for me to make a complete switch to F/OSS is an InDesign replacement. Scribus appears to be the likely, eventual choice, but their latest version still needs much work. If you haven't tried Gimp lately, or Inkscape, give them a shot. They're both quite usable, as far as I'm concerned.
Foreget the tinfoil! I've got your RF shielded wallet right here! While your at it, check out the Faraday cage baseball cap -- much more stylish than your basic tinfoil! :-D
Note: Scroll about half way down to where it says "Card-Safe(TM) Wallet"
Think of Bush and Kerry as the RIAA/MPAA pushing out Britney Spears and "boy band" quality answers to your questions (catering to the lowest common denominator for higher $$$ returns), and Nader, the Greens, Libertarians, and other independents as your local indie bands that really care about their craft.
mplayer -dumpstream $location
*I* already do this every day, using a GNU screen. Thanks to GNU, of course, not X, or X.org. :-)
I wasn't aware that the Boy Scouts of America were such a group of hard-core hackers.
I currently have a Treo 600. It's really been a great phone/pda. The camera's pictures aren't the best, but they're about what you'd expect from a phone-camera. I use it (together with my 512 mb SD card) as my mobile mp3 player using Pocket Tunes, and even use it to watch movies using MMPlayer and avi's specially encoded with mencoder thusly:
mencoder {infile} -vf scale=-3:120:0:0,scale=180:-1:0:100,crop=160:120 -oac mp3lame -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vhq:vbitrate=64:keyint=300 -ofps 20 -o {outfile}The only drawback has been the low-res screen (160px^2). I'd love to get a version with a 320x240 or something like that.
...actually this would seem to prove the point of those who oppose using stem cells from aborted fetuses [feti??] -- namely that there are plenty of other sources for stem cells, and therefore, no need to take those from abortion leftovers.
...if you have bone marrow, you already do.
Apparently, it doesn't run at all. :-)
...that it's time to upgrade my 300 baud modem?
You've got a great point. The majority of Americans are the ones that waste their vote on the © Two Party System (tm). I'm in the minority that really *uses* my vote.
...tch, tch, tch... if you're gonna make a link to some litigous bastard, then you have to do it right! That way their pagerank gets associated with the correct terms. :-D
Maybe she's just a transsexual. you insensitive clod! ;-)
Together we can take the slashdot effect to her cell phone!
...when it asks for a login/password, don't forget bugmenot!
...somehow I doubt he was originally trying for an "Informative" score when he posted this.
1st post!
Virtual machine shootout: VMware vs. Virtual PC
by Adam Baratz
Introduction
A recent film ignited a new generation of armchair epistemologists when it
proposed that we could be living inside an elaborate computer simulation. While
your philosophy major friends were quick to point out that thinkers since
Descartes have posed the same question, it's likely that none of them ever
considered the converse: what if, unbeknownst to them, our computers were
really running inside other computers for the selfish interests of a special
group of people?
As esoteric as this may sound, such a setup has been in use for a very long
time. Virtual machine software can fool an operating system into thinking it's
running on its own hardware, when in reality it's simply mooching off unused
CPU cycles and RAM. Since the OS is running on its native platform, no
emulation is necessary; virtualization allows it to run with little cost to CPU
performance. However, since display and I/O functions are mapped to slightly
different components (a window or a virtual partition, for example), they incur
a slight performance hit.
Why should I use a VM?
Say you're developing an application under Windows XP. If you need to test your
program on other versions of Windows, virtual machine (VM) software allows you
to run Windows 98 without forcing you to reboot your computer.
Decent VM software also allows some exchange between the host machine (the real
one) and the virtual one. If you encounter a bug, you can switch back to the
host, correct the code, and send an updated executable back for further
testing.
On especially beefy hardware, VMs can be used to simulate complicated network
operations. With the right VM software, you can setup a virtual network to
practice domain management and software rollouts without putting production
equipment on the line.
More robust pieces of software are available for virtualizing servers. VMware
has two products in this category (VMware GSX Server 3 and ESX Server 2).
Microsoft is getting ready to release Virtual Server 2005. The feature sets of
both companies' offerings are more specialized for integration with server
OSes. They also include strong scripting tools for automating VMs.
You can also use VM software to sample alternative operating systems without
committing a dedicated partition to the job. Since VMs can use virtual
partitions (a partition that lives inside a file of dynamic or fixed size), you
don't have to worry about reclaiming any hard drive space lost to
experimentation. Also, since VM software tends to emulate common hardware,
you're less likely to encounter driver issues with an esoteric OS.
Anyone hoping to use VM software to play favorite DOS games will probably be
disappointed. Tests with a couple random games (Terra Nova: Strike Force
Centauri and Gabriel Knight 2) didn't get far beyond their installation.
Simpler games ran reasonably, but people solely interested in gaming should try
something like DOSBox first.
Let's get down to business...
If you're interested in running applications, Virtual PC 2004 (Microsoft;
US129) and VMware Workstation 4.5 (VMware; US189 to download, US199 with
packaging) are both competitive tools for the job. In fact, they're both so
refined that your ultimate purchase decision will be affected more by your own
needs than by any inherent problems with the programs. While general
performance is an important consideration (and easily quantified), your
eventual uses for the software are more important.
Are you planning on rigorous compatibility testing or just sampling other
possible configurations? Do you want pure performance or just an environment
for containing potential accidents? Do you want to run lots of different OSes
or will you stay within the Windows family? Will you need to use special
hardware within your VM or is a generic setup acceptable?
Both pieces of software come with
You can't fool us with that 'LamerX' psuedomym! We know it's really you, ESR!
bash# history | grep -E '^ +[0-9]+ +(figure|plot)'
:-)
In order to do a correct diminutive form in Spanish, it would have to be spelled "jaquito". I'm sure you were just dying to know. :-)
...to counter this:p hp
http://www.brainwavescience.com/counterterrorism.
In Soviet Russia, the anthrax attacks YOU! ...oh, wait...?
I'd love to see a Beowulf cluster of these things? :-)
I work as a graphic artist (work for a company and freelance). At work I use both proprietary and GPL software for vector work (Inkscape) and at home, almost exclusively Inkscape. If you ask me, Inkscape *is* ready for prime time. Even Jimmac admits that his problem is being too locked in to Illustrator's way of doing things. Though Everaldo praises Inkscape, I'm shocked to read that he complains of Illustrator's lack of compatibility with real SVG (especially transparency), but fails to note that Inkscape has the best transparency implementation of any vector software around (can even do transparent colors within gradients [Illustrator can't]).