I certainly didn't mean to imply that my machine actually used 200W, that's just the size of the PSU. I'm sure the actual consumption is much less than that. Also, my view on what is a small amount of power consumption is probably skewed. My primary desktop uses one of the original Athlon XP CPUs (read: space heater).
I'm using an old Pentium 166Mhz for my network server and find that it works great. In fact, it's probably overkill. I've got 128mb ram, some old small (~10GB disks), and a couple of network cards. The machine is running an internal dhcp server, a samba server, an lpd server, and a firewall under RH 7.3. The power consumption is quite low - I think the power supply is 200W.
Why do I have to call your company to unsubscribe from premium services (ie. SportsPass, Starz, etc.). If I start the unsubscribe process on-line, all I end up with is a phone number. I have a feeling this is done so that when a customer calls, the 'sales rep' who answers can offer them something free in exchange for not canceling. While this may help your bottom line, it is not a great way to engender loyalty and happiness in customers.
It seems that if I can sign up for it online, I should be able to cancel online.
Thats interesting to know. I'm running the current suse 9.1 kernel, but perhaps there is something turned off in the kernel settings. I saw a post in the suse forums with someone having the same problem with suspend-to-ram, but the response was in german.
Regardless, the suspend-to-disk works fine for me. It takes about 20 seconds to come back, but thats a lot faster than a cold boot.
I can't comment on the HP machine, but am running Suse 9.1 on my Gateway 200X. The CPU throttling, fan, and disk management worked without any fiddling. I had to turn on the suspend to disk, because Suse defaults this off. This was easy, but couldn't (as far as I know) be done from within YAST. I had to change one switch in '/etc/powersave.conf'. The suspend-to-ram is flakey, and I've heard it is not well developed yet. It will suspend just fine, and the light on the front of the case starts blinking (just like it does under a Windows standby), but nothing short of pulling the plug will allow the machine to turn back on. None of the buttons are responsive (under windows, I just hit the power button).
As for wifi, the centrino chip now works under SuSE 9.1. You have to install the proper firmware, but this shows up when you run your first software update. Otherwise, it works fine - even WEP.
I think what this says is not so much that hardware is becoming better, but that SuSE 9.1 is really quite good.
I've got a Gateway 200X with the Intel Pro Wireless (Centrino) 11b card. It now works fine under SuSE 9.1. The kernel module and firmware are easily installable via the 'Upgrade Packages' tool. Configuration with or without WEP is straight forward. However, trying to use multiple networks is still a PITA and requires root access.
Although I am not sure how blind people are going to watch movies anyway:-)
This is not a terribly intellegent statement. I have a blind aunt, and she does attend movies quite frequently. She is able to listen to the movie and pretty much follow what is going on. Occasionally, someone with her will have to lean over and quietly explain something (for example, if there is a landscape scene without any dialogue). Likewise, she 'watches' TV.
Disabled people are remarkably more capable than many people think. If someone is blind and is used to relying in their normal lives on sound alone, their senses are more finely honed than yours or mine. There's no reason that entertainment with audio components is any different.
Yeah, I've occasionally seen the blends. But the amount of pure Blue Mountain in there is usually quite low. I've seen some Kona blends (in Hilo & Kona) that list the percentage of pure Kona, and it is usually something like 5-10%. Who knows what the other 90% is.
Blue Mountain is indeed supposed to be the best coffee in the world. But it is even more expensive than Kona (I've seen it online for ~$40-50/lb). I travel to the big island a couple of times a year for work (astronomer), and pick up a few pounds worth for cheap (~$15-20/lb). That may not seem cheap, but buying it on the mainland will cost you at least 50% more.
I was thinking more like 'because it's so acid filled it will give you an ulcer'. But the hot thing is a good point too. I prefer my coffee cooled down so it is just slightly warm. I think that way you can best experience the flavor. Granted, that's probably not something you want to do with McDonald's coffee.
Well, one sentence in the article you point to really irritates me...
Of course, Starbucks' homogeneity is the secret to its success; whereas local coffee shops can be inconsistent with their products, automation and training ensure that at Starbucks, you'll get the exact same latte every time, anywhere in the world.
Who wants the same thing all the time? Thats nuts! Its no different than not always drinking the same beer, or trying a different bottle of wine. Variety is good. Coffee-shop coffee should not be like a fast food chain where you get the same thing everytime. It's supposed to be a learning experience. If I wanted the same thing everytime, I'd just get my coffee at the grocery store or the local diner.
if that was what I wanted, I wouldn't get it from starbucks
And I usually don't. I only venture in the place a few times a year, and usually not by choice (ie. drug in by friends).
I wouldn't complain at all if Starbucks hadn't run so many small coffee shops out of business. But it is so very rare that I find a place where I can satisfy my fix without requiring a bank loan...
And if you're drinking a lot of McD's coffee, I hope you have good health insurance.
I have not been impressed with Gevalia. My girlfriend used to get that, and I never really liked it that much (but of course drank it and didn't say a word). Actually, my preferred coffee is 100% pure Kona. But that's a little expensive for everyday drinking, so I'm usually quite happy with a pure Costa Rican or Guatemalan. In general I think I'll drink anything without complaining as long as it's not a blend or been flavored.
And I have never once been given any attitude. In fact, a couple times my coffee was free because there was a delay while they made a fresh pot. Oh, and the coffee is not $4.00, it's like $1.35.
Well, my coffee has never been free. But the fact that they had to make a fresh pot for you shows how little regular coffee they sell. And yes, you're right, the coffee is not $4.00, but in NY I pay close to $2, which is a bit extreme.
Another grip that I didn't mention earlier is that they claim to be a coffee shop, yet only have one type of coffee brewed (and in your case, it sounds like none at all...). I would like to be able make a selection at a coffee shop. Even if it is only 4 or 5 different roasts or varietals. There used to be a coffee shop in my home town that had a good dozen different brews ready to go at any given time.
Typically by looking very surprised and displaying facial expressions like I'm wasting their time. Or they might ask 'what' like they didn't hear me or thought I made a mistake in my incredibly simple order. Occasionally, I've also been pressed to order a bigger size, although they don't usually do this if they are busy (I assume because they know there is a bigger sale standing right behind me in line).
Looking back over what I typed, that doesn't seem as bad as I made it out to be. I guess that the employees display a sense of haughtiness towards my order that disturbs me ('We're too good for just coffee...')
Exactly. Why some people pay that kind of money for coffee is beyond me. This guy must have a wealthy benefactor or something.
The only coffee product I drink is 'plain black coffee', so needless to say I don't stop in their establishments very often, but occasionally when in an airport, or walking around Manhattan. What really irks me about Starbucks though is how irritated they seem when I order a small (or whatever size that equates to in starbucks land), black, coffee.
Starbucks runs all of the small coffee shops out of town, and then gets irritated when I want to order something that these small shops easily provided. What kind of business model is that. Doesn't anyone in this world drink regular coffee anymore!
I have to say that the last time I installed Windows XP on my home built AthlonXP machine, it was no cake walk either. Ok, getting windows up in its most basic functionality is simply a matter of following the prompts. However, after the install completes, there is still the matter of installing specific drivers for every piece of hardware. I'm not just talking about the video, sound, ethernet, and modem cards). But also a handfull of main board specific drivers.
This problem is not just limited to my homebuilt machine either. I have a Gateway laptop, and after reinstalling Windows XP, I had to go through a lengthy driver installation procedure that hung in the middle on the first try.
On the other hand, I've been very impressed with SuSE linux. I was a big Red Hat user before they changed their business model. My machine at work is still running RH 7.3. But my home desktop and notebook both have SuSE 9 (notebook 9.1). Installation was very simple. No complicated installation of countless drivers. Even the driver for my NVIDIA video card was available automatically through Yast.
In the Wash. Post article the author states incorrectly that none of the linux distros can automatically repartition your windows drive to setup a dual boot. This is incorrect. SuSE does include whatever the latest version of the partition shrinker software is (I used FIPS for this long ago, but don't know what it is called now). The resizing happens automatically, if you accept the default partitioning scheme. Granted, you still have to be smart enough to defrag your windows partition first and have enough free space at the end of the drive. But even my mom could understand that.
Or the size of solar cells needed at that distance from the sun (and their wieight).
NASA did just this. See the PDF I linked to above, and there is a diagram showing the relative sizes solar arrays would have to be to be used at the outer planets.
That's a bit low, but not too far off. Cassini uses 3 RTG power sources to generate the ~700-800 W necessary for the science instruments. Solar cells are not practical at that distance.
This PDF file details the power supply situation on the spacecraft.
It's pretty remarkable how little power spacecraft like this consume (and I'm pretty sure that Cassini is the most power hungry of the 'outer-solarsystem' probes NASA has launched).
Putting aside for the moment that the picture looks ludicrous and I agree this is probably a hoax, the idea in itself doesn't see so far fetched. What happens when someone with a pacemaker gets hit by one of these things? I imagine it wouldn't be pretty...
I think to answer this we can look to the past. For example, Pioneer 10 was launched in 1972, and NASA continued to receive signals from it until 1993! There's no way this was anticipated - it comes down to excellent engineering and construction, and extreme carefulness during the mission.
the fact that the first three movies were not stunning pieces of filmmaking in the first place
This is certainly true. And I have no complaints about the plot lines/story of Ep I & II. (except maybe Jarjar). My problem with the new episodes is the dialoge. The original episodes were so great because of all of the one liners. No matter how many times I hear 'I've got a bad feeling about this' and 'Look at the size of that thing', they are still hillarious. The dialog in Ep II was more like something out of a cheezy romance novel or a drama movie, and that was why they sucked. Lucas just needs to keep each line to 10 words or less!
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I certainly didn't mean to imply that my machine actually used 200W, that's just the size of the PSU. I'm sure the actual consumption is much less than that. Also, my view on what is a small amount of power consumption is probably skewed. My primary desktop uses one of the original Athlon XP CPUs (read: space heater).
I'm using an old Pentium 166Mhz for my network server and find that it works great. In fact, it's probably overkill. I've got 128mb ram, some old small (~10GB disks), and a couple of network cards. The machine is running an internal dhcp server, a samba server, an lpd server, and a firewall under RH 7.3. The power consumption is quite low - I think the power supply is 200W.
Why do I have to call your company to unsubscribe from premium services (ie. SportsPass, Starz, etc.). If I start the unsubscribe process on-line, all I end up with is a phone number. I have a feeling this is done so that when a customer calls, the 'sales rep' who answers can offer them something free in exchange for not canceling. While this may help your bottom line, it is not a great way to engender loyalty and happiness in customers.
It seems that if I can sign up for it online, I should be able to cancel online.
Thats interesting to know. I'm running the current suse 9.1 kernel, but perhaps there is something turned off in the kernel settings. I saw a post in the suse forums with someone having the same problem with suspend-to-ram, but the response was in german.
Regardless, the suspend-to-disk works fine for me. It takes about 20 seconds to come back, but thats a lot faster than a cold boot.
I can't comment on the HP machine, but am running Suse 9.1 on my Gateway 200X. The CPU throttling, fan, and disk management worked without any fiddling. I had to turn on the suspend to disk, because Suse defaults this off. This was easy, but couldn't (as far as I know) be done from within YAST. I had to change one switch in '/etc/powersave.conf'. The suspend-to-ram is flakey, and I've heard it is not well developed yet. It will suspend just fine, and the light on the front of the case starts blinking (just like it does under a Windows standby), but nothing short of pulling the plug will allow the machine to turn back on. None of the buttons are responsive (under windows, I just hit the power button).
As for wifi, the centrino chip now works under SuSE 9.1. You have to install the proper firmware, but this shows up when you run your first software update. Otherwise, it works fine - even WEP.
I think what this says is not so much that hardware is becoming better, but that SuSE 9.1 is really quite good.
I've got a Gateway 200X with the Intel Pro Wireless (Centrino) 11b card. It now works fine under SuSE 9.1. The kernel module and firmware are easily installable via the 'Upgrade Packages' tool. Configuration with or without WEP is straight forward. However, trying to use multiple networks is still a PITA and requires root access.
This is not a terribly intellegent statement. I have a blind aunt, and she does attend movies quite frequently. She is able to listen to the movie and pretty much follow what is going on. Occasionally, someone with her will have to lean over and quietly explain something (for example, if there is a landscape scene without any dialogue). Likewise, she 'watches' TV.
Disabled people are remarkably more capable than many people think. If someone is blind and is used to relying in their normal lives on sound alone, their senses are more finely honed than yours or mine. There's no reason that entertainment with audio components is any different.
We're still running one for some email accounts and other things in my department!
They probably also drink Miller and/or California White Zinfandel. People in this country need to relax a bit more and try new things...
Yeah, I've occasionally seen the blends. But the amount of pure Blue Mountain in there is usually quite low. I've seen some Kona blends (in Hilo & Kona) that list the percentage of pure Kona, and it is usually something like 5-10%. Who knows what the other 90% is.
Blue Mountain is indeed supposed to be the best coffee in the world. But it is even more expensive than Kona (I've seen it online for ~$40-50/lb). I travel to the big island a couple of times a year for work (astronomer), and pick up a few pounds worth for cheap (~$15-20/lb). That may not seem cheap, but buying it on the mainland will cost you at least 50% more.
I was thinking more like 'because it's so acid filled it will give you an ulcer'. But the hot thing is a good point too. I prefer my coffee cooled down so it is just slightly warm. I think that way you can best experience the flavor. Granted, that's probably not something you want to do with McDonald's coffee.
Well, one sentence in the article you point to really irritates me... Of course, Starbucks' homogeneity is the secret to its success; whereas local coffee shops can be inconsistent with their products, automation and training ensure that at Starbucks, you'll get the exact same latte every time, anywhere in the world.
Who wants the same thing all the time? Thats nuts! Its no different than not always drinking the same beer, or trying a different bottle of wine. Variety is good. Coffee-shop coffee should not be like a fast food chain where you get the same thing everytime. It's supposed to be a learning experience. If I wanted the same thing everytime, I'd just get my coffee at the grocery store or the local diner.
And I usually don't. I only venture in the place a few times a year, and usually not by choice (ie. drug in by friends).
I wouldn't complain at all if Starbucks hadn't run so many small coffee shops out of business. But it is so very rare that I find a place where I can satisfy my fix without requiring a bank loan...
And if you're drinking a lot of McD's coffee, I hope you have good health insurance.
Ahh, it's a beautiful thing to no longer have to consider air quality when entering a resturant.
I have not been impressed with Gevalia. My girlfriend used to get that, and I never really liked it that much (but of course drank it and didn't say a word). Actually, my preferred coffee is 100% pure Kona. But that's a little expensive for everyday drinking, so I'm usually quite happy with a pure Costa Rican or Guatemalan. In general I think I'll drink anything without complaining as long as it's not a blend or been flavored.
Well, my coffee has never been free. But the fact that they had to make a fresh pot for you shows how little regular coffee they sell. And yes, you're right, the coffee is not $4.00, but in NY I pay close to $2, which is a bit extreme.
Another grip that I didn't mention earlier is that they claim to be a coffee shop, yet only have one type of coffee brewed (and in your case, it sounds like none at all...). I would like to be able make a selection at a coffee shop. Even if it is only 4 or 5 different roasts or varietals. There used to be a coffee shop in my home town that had a good dozen different brews ready to go at any given time.
Typically by looking very surprised and displaying facial expressions like I'm wasting their time. Or they might ask 'what' like they didn't hear me or thought I made a mistake in my incredibly simple order. Occasionally, I've also been pressed to order a bigger size, although they don't usually do this if they are busy (I assume because they know there is a bigger sale standing right behind me in line).
Looking back over what I typed, that doesn't seem as bad as I made it out to be. I guess that the employees display a sense of haughtiness towards my order that disturbs me ('We're too good for just coffee...')
Exactly. Why some people pay that kind of money for coffee is beyond me. This guy must have a wealthy benefactor or something.
The only coffee product I drink is 'plain black coffee', so needless to say I don't stop in their establishments very often, but occasionally when in an airport, or walking around Manhattan. What really irks me about Starbucks though is how irritated they seem when I order a small (or whatever size that equates to in starbucks land), black, coffee.
Starbucks runs all of the small coffee shops out of town, and then gets irritated when I want to order something that these small shops easily provided. What kind of business model is that. Doesn't anyone in this world drink regular coffee anymore!
I have to say that the last time I installed Windows XP on my home built AthlonXP machine, it was no cake walk either. Ok, getting windows up in its most basic functionality is simply a matter of following the prompts. However, after the install completes, there is still the matter of installing specific drivers for every piece of hardware. I'm not just talking about the video, sound, ethernet, and modem cards). But also a handfull of main board specific drivers.
This problem is not just limited to my homebuilt machine either. I have a Gateway laptop, and after reinstalling Windows XP, I had to go through a lengthy driver installation procedure that hung in the middle on the first try.
On the other hand, I've been very impressed with SuSE linux. I was a big Red Hat user before they changed their business model. My machine at work is still running RH 7.3. But my home desktop and notebook both have SuSE 9 (notebook 9.1). Installation was very simple. No complicated installation of countless drivers. Even the driver for my NVIDIA video card was available automatically through Yast.
In the Wash. Post article the author states incorrectly that none of the linux distros can automatically repartition your windows drive to setup a dual boot. This is incorrect. SuSE does include whatever the latest version of the partition shrinker software is (I used FIPS for this long ago, but don't know what it is called now). The resizing happens automatically, if you accept the default partitioning scheme. Granted, you still have to be smart enough to defrag your windows partition first and have enough free space at the end of the drive. But even my mom could understand that.
Or the size of solar cells needed at that distance from the sun (and their wieight).
NASA did just this. See the PDF I linked to above, and there is a diagram showing the relative sizes solar arrays would have to be to be used at the outer planets.
That's a bit low, but not too far off. Cassini uses 3 RTG power sources to generate the ~700-800 W necessary for the science instruments. Solar cells are not practical at that distance.
This PDF file details the power supply situation on the spacecraft.
It's pretty remarkable how little power spacecraft like this consume (and I'm pretty sure that Cassini is the most power hungry of the 'outer-solarsystem' probes NASA has launched).
Putting aside for the moment that the picture looks ludicrous and I agree this is probably a hoax, the idea in itself doesn't see so far fetched. What happens when someone with a pacemaker gets hit by one of these things? I imagine it wouldn't be pretty...
I think to answer this we can look to the past. For example, Pioneer 10 was launched in 1972, and NASA continued to receive signals from it until 1993! There's no way this was anticipated - it comes down to excellent engineering and construction, and extreme carefulness during the mission.
This is certainly true. And I have no complaints about the plot lines/story of Ep I & II. (except maybe Jarjar). My problem with the new episodes is the dialoge. The original episodes were so great because of all of the one liners. No matter how many times I hear 'I've got a bad feeling about this' and 'Look at the size of that thing', they are still hillarious. The dialog in Ep II was more like something out of a cheezy romance novel or a drama movie, and that was why they sucked. Lucas just needs to keep each line to 10 words or less!