This has been done in Italy for many years to get polluting old cars of the road and help FIAT in the process - I suspect.
I have been tempted but I am not a fan of new cars. My oldest Fiat is worth about nothing (15 years old 300.000km - working and looking well). If I buy a new small Fiat costing about â7000, the state and Fiat will value the old car â3000 above it's value. So you can drive out of the showroom in a new car for no more then â5000.
Of course it is much nicer to have a (working) old banger you don't need to keep clean or be careful with. And keep â5000 in the bank! I have been thinking of running it on rapeseed oil (its a diesel) but that is illegal in Italy, and more expensive with current fuel prices.
What I do wonder, if you factor in the production related pollution, is a new car really cleaner than an old one?
I sympathize with you, it's hard for a nerd to own fashion statement.
There are older phones on the market (Nokia's with Opera for example) that would probably suit you better and save you money. But you couldn't resist, could you? And now all you can do is play it down; the ultimate snob.
I live in Italy where there are similar conditions but as I am self employed if my business goes down I am on my own. My business is building and selling second homes, a luxury purchase if nothing else. Having a basic understanding of the property markets I have also been sceptical since about 2004 and kept fixed costs down.
My savings are enough to see us through 18 months without change in lifestyle, 24 months with a few cuts (travel, not 2 but 1 car etc).
I think it pays to use common sense and not spend all you have, or even more. Aren't these basics taught by parents anymore?
Having said all that, if young graduates cannot afford a starter home anymore you are effectively removing the feeder at the bottom of the market and a correction will be needed. A bit of a reshuffle creates opportunities for some and is a threat for some. Understanding where you are can give you peace of mind or enable you to prepare for change and embrace it. If you are in IT understanding how and where you can add value by using Open Source is only one of them. Cutting fixed costs where possible and maneuvering to be in pole position when things pick up should probably be top priority for any manager.
Although it may seem strange because of it's small screen, the first eeepc is the only computer my 82 year old friend is consistently getting to do what he wants: check AOL mail, web and skype. Large icons, no updates no antivirus, no changes. Just a simple appliance that does a few things well. We tried Ubuntu after his windows installation became a honeypot, but that also 'kept asking him things'.
Funny that you are buying Mac for the hardware and delete the software. My primary reason is the software and I must say that the hardware on our two (white) MacBook has been a let down.
One of them is going into repair for a cracked top (common issue, a a crack right of the touchpad)
The other one is going into repair for a cracked top, hairline cracks in the bottom casing (around the usb and dvd slot) and a faulty something that makes the screen flicker. As they will replace the whole top (including keyboard and touchpad) I will be getting a practically new computer.
Apple is having all that fixed outside of warranty, and that is the other reason for choosing Apple. I would prefer not having had those issues though and in fact that was my expectation. I live 700km from the nearest Apple service provider so it is very inconvenient.
So the aluminium is possibly also a reaction to the issues they must have been having with the plastic, but from the pictures I can't say they look better. What surprises me, and has been surprising me with the MacBook pro's for some time, is that now we seem to be getting everything in aluminium and black - but the power adapter, cables, mouse etc are all still white. So much for consistency, once a thing Apple prided themselves on.
I think the latest upmarket Nokia's do just that: bluetooth keyboard, TV output, YouTube (the irony!) etc. It also makes calls. Nokia N95 I think it is.
The only issue I have with the iWorks suite is that Apple decided to introduce yet another file format, seriously pissing off their customers who have started a petition to include ODF. Whilst ODF and DOC are supported by the nifty 'TextEdit' most of my work is done in Pages and Numbers and if it were to be possible to use ODF as the default file format Apple iWork users could exchange documents easily with OpenOffice users giving the format another boost.
I will try the new ooo and see where it is at.
I do like MsOffice 2008, have run the trial but it is a bit slow (despite 4gb ram) and on the expensive side for a small business with 4 users.
Hi, I have been there. For me it was possibly even harder as I could provide support in 4 languages, so it was front-line where I was needed the most.
Here is what I (eventually) did: - volunteer for training new recruits (now you apply for training jobs) - volunteer to set up (or update) an intranet site with know issues, outages, tips etc that colleagues can check (now you can apply for information management jobs or web master jobs) - volunteer to organize weekly or monthly update meetings for your colleagues (now you can apply for team leader jobs)
Where did this get me? Well, I enjoyed my work a lot more, could negotiate better salary - but I was still in support. Next I applied for a webmaster job, and got it. Next I applied for a release manager job, got it Then I was a project manager Then I was fed up with IT and working for large corporations.
Now (10 years later) I have my own property development company in Italy and IT is a hobby but my understanding of IT enables me to run a very efficient operation and have one of the most popular website in the sector. I use my languages to manage sales agents across Europe and the US.
If you cannot do the above at your current job, change job. If you work for a small company, apply for a big company. If you work for a large one apply for a small one. If you work in a company that has support as a core business move to one where it is not. In all cases you bring a valuable and different experience to the new company which could create opportunity.
Don't underestimate your current function, be proud of it. It is not important what you do, but how you do it. I have washed dishes for a living in a country where I did not speak the language. When I left I got a thank you cheque with a card that said I was the best dishwasher ever. I am proud of that. Technical support is an important role in a company as it is a way to manage the perception and a chance to make a difference from the competition. Any company can make and sell a product, the good ones solve the inevitable problems to the customer's satisfaction. A good understanding of what can be done to improve your department will lead to a better job. My feeling is that you are also looking down on your support job. Don't be apologetic about it. You can make a difference there, and move on.
Summarizing: 1 - have a support job 2 - show some initiative 3 - Profit!
you don't think Swedish or Finnish CEOs embezzle from their companies or exploit the economic system to their advantage
.
Actually, no. Or at the very least an awful lot less. The culture is more about long term stability as opposed to immediate personal gain. It has something to do with the way people are brought up in school, history, the political system and perhaps even the weather. Together we are stronger - that kind of thing.
Still I would hate to be helped by a clerk in a shop who thinks his customers are idiots because they don't know what the salesman knows. The salesman should advise and give information.
How about if you walk into a bookstore and you know very little about, say, the classics, but you are interested in Shakespeare as you have heard of him.
Oh well, I guess you are right. It's just the sort of shop you work in.
I can see the point of that, but all it does is reinforcing the belief that smaller nations are better managed, particularly when they pool together on a number of matters - see EU and.... US...
In fact we non-americans tend to forget that the various US states are very different between them.
How about one (wo)man one vote? As a Dutchman I am flabbergasted by the US election system. That's not to say all is well here - our system of many parties and coalition negotiations means that just about everything get's moderated yet it has brought people such as Wilders in parliament.
For outstanding imap service check them out. I have been a happy customer for years. Included in the account is a reliable roaming smtp server with several possible configurations.
Haha, I said booted, not rebooted. I have done that and it seems I am doing it more often as there are more updates - or so it seems. It is rather annoying. One of the reasons I closed on windows was the constant nagging: windows update, antivirus, antithis and that.
Never been in the situation though that I needed the computer and had to wait for it to start.
I am thinking along those lines. I use itunes movie rental or purchase which works great with a Macbook connected to a big screen. Considering to get an Apple TV at some point.
I live in a remote area where it is 40 minute drive to the nearest videostore, so piratebay was the solution until iTunes came along. Much faster downloads and consistent quality. Oh, and it's legal.
Not trolling, but there is nothing wrong with the European movie scene. Great stuff coming from Scandinavia (zero kelvin, the dogma movies), Italy (La meglio gioventu), Germany (the live of others), Spain and the UK. That's not to say everything is great, but US movies are often a bit dull by comparison.
Slashdot Mirror
channel4.co.uk
we also invented slavery and futures apparently.
This has been done in Italy for many years to get polluting old cars of the road and help FIAT in the process - I suspect.
I have been tempted but I am not a fan of new cars. My oldest Fiat is worth about nothing (15 years old 300.000km - working and looking well). If I buy a new small Fiat costing about â7000, the state and Fiat will value the old car â3000 above it's value. So you can drive out of the showroom in a new car for no more then â5000.
Of course it is much nicer to have a (working) old banger you don't need to keep clean or be careful with. And keep â5000 in the bank! I have been thinking of running it on rapeseed oil (its a diesel) but that is illegal in Italy, and more expensive with current fuel prices.
What I do wonder, if you factor in the production related pollution, is a new car really cleaner than an old one?
I sympathize with you, it's hard for a nerd to own fashion statement.
There are older phones on the market (Nokia's with Opera for example) that would probably suit you better and save you money. But you couldn't resist, could you? And now all you can do is play it down; the ultimate snob.
I live in Italy where there are similar conditions but as I am self employed if my business goes down I am on my own. My business is building and selling second homes, a luxury purchase if nothing else. Having a basic understanding of the property markets I have also been sceptical since about 2004 and kept fixed costs down.
My savings are enough to see us through 18 months without change in lifestyle, 24 months with a few cuts (travel, not 2 but 1 car etc).
I think it pays to use common sense and not spend all you have, or even more. Aren't these basics taught by parents anymore?
Having said all that, if young graduates cannot afford a starter home anymore you are effectively removing the feeder at the bottom of the market and a correction will be needed. A bit of a reshuffle creates opportunities for some and is a threat for some. Understanding where you are can give you peace of mind or enable you to prepare for change and embrace it. If you are in IT understanding how and where you can add value by using Open Source is only one of them. Cutting fixed costs where possible and maneuvering to be in pole position when things pick up should probably be top priority for any manager.
happy New Year to you too. Pity I missed out on the creepy community. Never heard of that forum. Just as well that is gone then.
Although it may seem strange because of it's small screen, the first eeepc is the only computer my 82 year old friend is consistently getting to do what he wants: check AOL mail, web and skype. Large icons, no updates no antivirus, no changes. Just a simple appliance that does a few things well. We tried Ubuntu after his windows installation became a honeypot, but that also 'kept asking him things'.
Why not plug the external drive into a router with USB support? Funny how over the network these things work better.
Well, this is how I overcame the same issue.
Funny that you are buying Mac for the hardware and delete the software. My primary reason is the software and I must say that the hardware on our two (white) MacBook has been a let down.
One of them is going into repair for a cracked top (common issue, a a crack right of the touchpad)
The other one is going into repair for a cracked top, hairline cracks in the bottom casing (around the usb and dvd slot) and a faulty something that makes the screen flicker. As they will replace the whole top (including keyboard and touchpad) I will be getting a practically new computer.
Apple is having all that fixed outside of warranty, and that is the other reason for choosing Apple. I would prefer not having had those issues though and in fact that was my expectation. I live 700km from the nearest Apple service provider so it is very inconvenient.
So the aluminium is possibly also a reaction to the issues they must have been having with the plastic, but from the pictures I can't say they look better. What surprises me, and has been surprising me with the MacBook pro's for some time, is that now we seem to be getting everything in aluminium and black - but the power adapter, cables, mouse etc are all still white. So much for consistency, once a thing Apple prided themselves on.
I think the latest upmarket Nokia's do just that: bluetooth keyboard, TV output, YouTube (the irony!) etc. It also makes calls. Nokia N95 I think it is.
The only issue I have with the iWorks suite is that Apple decided to introduce yet another file format, seriously pissing off their customers who have started a petition to include ODF. Whilst ODF and DOC are supported by the nifty 'TextEdit' most of my work is done in Pages and Numbers and if it were to be possible to use ODF as the default file format Apple iWork users could exchange documents easily with OpenOffice users giving the format another boost.
I will try the new ooo and see where it is at.
I do like MsOffice 2008, have run the trial but it is a bit slow (despite 4gb ram) and on the expensive side for a small business with 4 users.
1 - have a support job. 2 - show some initiative. 3 - Profit!
Hi,
I have been there. For me it was possibly even harder as I could provide support in 4 languages, so it was front-line where I was needed the most.
Here is what I (eventually) did:
- volunteer for training new recruits (now you apply for training jobs)
- volunteer to set up (or update) an intranet site with know issues, outages, tips etc that colleagues can check (now you can apply for information management jobs or web master jobs)
- volunteer to organize weekly or monthly update meetings for your colleagues (now you can apply for team leader jobs)
Where did this get me? Well, I enjoyed my work a lot more, could negotiate better salary - but I was still in support.
Next I applied for a webmaster job, and got it.
Next I applied for a release manager job, got it
Then I was a project manager
Then I was fed up with IT and working for large corporations.
Now (10 years later) I have my own property development company in Italy and IT is a hobby but my understanding of IT enables me to run a very efficient operation and have one of the most popular website in the sector. I use my languages to manage sales agents across Europe and the US.
If you cannot do the above at your current job, change job. If you work for a small company, apply for a big company. If you work for a large one apply for a small one. If you work in a company that has support as a core business move to one where it is not. In all cases you bring a valuable and different experience to the new company which could create opportunity.
Don't underestimate your current function, be proud of it. It is not important what you do, but how you do it. I have washed dishes for a living in a country where I did not speak the language. When I left I got a thank you cheque with a card that said I was the best dishwasher ever. I am proud of that. Technical support is an important role in a company as it is a way to manage the perception and a chance to make a difference from the competition. Any company can make and sell a product, the good ones solve the inevitable problems to the customer's satisfaction. A good understanding of what can be done to improve your department will lead to a better job. My feeling is that you are also looking down on your support job. Don't be apologetic about it. You can make a difference there, and move on.
Summarizing:
1 - have a support job
2 - show some initiative
3 - Profit!
you don't think Swedish or Finnish CEOs embezzle from their companies or exploit the economic system to their advantage
.
Actually, no. Or at the very least an awful lot less. The culture is more about long term stability as opposed to immediate personal gain. It has something to do with the way people are brought up in school, history, the political system and perhaps even the weather. Together we are stronger - that kind of thing.
. I was born in a country where everyone tries to game the system, to screw up his/her fellow
Are you Italian or Nigerian?
Just kidding, I live in Southern Italy currently but have lived in Sweden and my wife is Swedish.
I agree with you and my wife too. ;-).
Much more likely it is WorldPeace96.
Come on, how old are you??
Still I would hate to be helped by a clerk in a shop who thinks his customers are idiots because they don't know what the salesman knows. The salesman should advise and give information.
How about if you walk into a bookstore and you know very little about, say, the classics, but you are interested in Shakespeare as you have heard of him.
Oh well, I guess you are right. It's just the sort of shop you work in.
I can see the point of that, but all it does is reinforcing the belief that smaller nations are better managed, particularly when they pool together on a number of matters - see EU and .... US ...
In fact we non-americans tend to forget that the various US states are very different between them.
How about one (wo)man one vote? As a Dutchman I am flabbergasted by the US election system. That's not to say all is well here - our system of many parties and coalition negotiations means that just about everything get's moderated yet it has brought people such as Wilders in parliament.
No I haven't, but you might have it the wrong way round...
For outstanding imap service check them out. I have been a happy customer for years. Included in the account is a reliable roaming smtp server with several possible configurations.
Haha, I said booted, not rebooted. I have done that and it seems I am doing it more often as there are more updates - or so it seems. It is rather annoying. One of the reasons I closed on windows was the constant nagging: windows update, antivirus, antithis and that.
Never been in the situation though that I needed the computer and had to wait for it to start.
I am thinking along those lines. I use itunes movie rental or purchase which works great with a Macbook connected to a big screen. Considering to get an Apple TV at some point.
I live in a remote area where it is 40 minute drive to the nearest videostore, so piratebay was the solution until iTunes came along. Much faster downloads and consistent quality. Oh, and it's legal.
Not trolling, but there is nothing wrong with the European movie scene. Great stuff coming from Scandinavia (zero kelvin, the dogma movies), Italy (La meglio gioventu), Germany (the live of others), Spain and the UK. That's not to say everything is great, but US movies are often a bit dull by comparison.
ou are very competent on TV matters but you sound like a pretentious twat.