Run an anti-virus program on your system that monitors everything around the clock and you'll have a slow PC, for example.
Are you actually suggesting that users that don't know how to maintain their systems well enough in the first place to DISABLE their antivirus?!?! I don't know what anti-virus you're using, but please tell us so we can all avoid it. I worked on a system using McAffee, found over 100 viruses on it (that McAffee did not discover) and McAffee was still what was using over 50% of the CPU. Any other anti-virus has been fine. I run either Symantec/Norton or Grisoft AVG on every system I administer, and neither has any noticeable impact on performance.
Depending on the user (some friends that click everything) I also configure the system helpers found in the anti-virus programs.
Even computers bought several years ago, most users use an insignificant percent of available power. I run a computer more intensively than most 'consumers' that have huge virus and spyware problems, and I still run an Athlon XP 1800+ that I bought 6 years ago, and only use a tiny fraction of the available power except when gaming.
Seriously - of all the things that may be slowing a computer down, running anti-virus (aside from McAffee!) is NOT something to "cure"
I don't know about better product in most cases, but in some sure. One game especially comes to mind: Dead to Rights. I originally got it at a LAN party and enjoyed it, so I bought it when I finally found a box on the shelf. I actually beat the game with the pirated install, with the retail box still sealed on my shelf (I also like to have the artistic boxes on display for some reason - part of my reason for buying a game I like). I went back to play the game again, this time with the legit retail install, and about half way through the game I reached a point that I could not pass. It would crash every time. I even tried putting the crack on the legit version, still crashed. Then I removed the legit version and re-installed the copy, loaded my save game, and passed the scene.
Now with DVD's on the other hand, I copy every DVD I own because then I can remove the damn Prohibited User Actions! I BOUGHT the DVD, and if I want to skip this preview or the warning, I better be able to. I'll watch the previews the first time I watch a movie, but after that, the skip/ff/menu button had better work ANYTIME I press it!
WTF has crawled up your butt? Nobody is even arguing the fact that the cops had the right to tell them to get out of the tree, or even talk to their parents, or maybe a little discussion. This is a full DNA sample and mouth swabbing. They didn't kill anything, and they didn't "strip every branch from a tree". Any branch that a 12 year old was able to break loose was already weak anyway. Have you ever tried breaking off even a small twig from a live, healthy, growing tree? It isn't easy! Say something to the kids, maybe even say something to the parents, but a consideration of criminal charges and DNA records? That's really over reacting.
As far as your "please relate stories of how you watched kids tear up your yards. . . " I'm not currently a property owner, but when I was a kid our neighbors actually removed the fence between our yards when I learned to ride a bike so that I'd have more room to ride without getting in the street. They were a SOCIAL couple that thought children should be allowed to be kids, NOT get arrested! And personally, when I go to a city park I'd rather see kids playing in the dry trampled grass and knocking a small, dead branch out of a tree now and then than a pristine green field with signs that say "keep off grass". Which is more inviting?
I don't go to a park to use the SIDEWALK! I can do THAT anywhwere! My tax dollars are paying for a large green recreational space that we're allowed to use without fear of criminal persecution because my cleats dug up too much grass in our game of kickball.
Geek Wannabe Squad? "Hey - we're A+ certified. We know what the acronym STANDS for. What it means or does is just useless trivia! And did we mention we drive bugs?"
As an in-store rep I witnessed them telling a customer that the reason a printer model (one of the ones they had on demo) wouldn't work was because they had the wrong brand of paper in it. They couldn't even get the demo to turn on for a couple of minutes. Forget the fact that the same customer was returning it's previous generation because it didn't work either - and the loads of customer complaints about that specific series. Must be the paper. I guess these new papers are lithium ion laced, and that's why the printer wouldn't turn on. It wasn't getting power from the paper!
I really want to return a ream of paper sometime and say "It's defective"
Even without new firmware though - I don't think I've had or logged into an open router that didn't have at least a client list
And no, posting a TOS inside your business isn't the same thing. I can easily access the signal without ever seeing that TOS. Suppose I hang a picture up that's visible through my plate glass window, and beside it post a sign that says that I own this picture and if you look at it, you agree to pay me the sum of $100. If you walk by and look at my picture through the window, are you bound by those TOS?
Why not? You're bound by software TOS just for opening the box, which is required to read them usually. I've seen some that state if you don't agree with the TOS, return the software for a refund. All fine and well, but where can you return open software? You can exchange it for the same title for case of defective media - but that's it. I know some stores have started keeping paper copies of these TOS for review, but not every store, and I doubt for every title.
Honestly - if he was parked in their private parking lot, then they could have him for loitering, but if he was parked on public property, what do they have on him? The only way they can prevent this stuff is do some sort of key, maybe a daily pass key that is printed on the back of every receipt? Or maybe they can just start building their stores out of lead, with lead plated windows - or no windows at all, so that you HAVE to be inside to receive anything.
I have to say - if I owned the business I would probably want something done about him too. An occasional person stopping by for a few minutes to do something they need is one thing, but 3 months is insane. I'd probably just watch the client list though and block his MAC address. Would be the easiest way with no confrontation or authorities. It really is just an annoyance, not a legal issue.
On the other hand, some businesses are *too* willing to share. When I moved I didn't have internet for about a month. I needed a connection to do some work, so I figured for dinner I'd go into a restaurant known to have wifi and just eat dinner there. I asked to make sure they had wi-fi, and the hostess was kind enough to even seat me by an outlet for power. Then they just forgot me. I tried to get their attention, and one waitress asked if I'd been helped, but before I could answer the hostess just butted in "He just wanted to use the internet." I actually planned to buy dinner, but they just assumed I was just wanting thier free connection, so I finished my work and left. Was cheaper for me - but lost them a ticket and a tip for the night.
Considering the way google page ranks works, wouldn't it pretty much do that anyway? If a site isn't very accessible, people are going to find alternatives that are, and then their page ranks will go up and get preferential listings. Unless the EvilISP ALSO pays advertising fees to get listed like expertsexchange.com
A bit overkill for most people, don't you think? Should people not be considered capable of driving a car if they can't build one from the ground up? Ninety percent of the world wouldn't be able to drive, and a cab would cost so much we'd all still be riding horses. This is basically the same thing.
My mom works on a computer all day. She can figure out how to use the new programs when the company switches. She knows how to protect herself from viruses, not to open random suspicious attachments, and can fix most simple issues (such as fixing formatting issues in her word programs). She can find her way around well enough to use OpenOffice.org when she learned on MSOffice. She could not program a "Hello World" application in anything though. She could probably make it show up on a web page (she used to code her website by hand after I tought her the basics, but that was years ago).
I, as well as most IT people I have worked with, would consider her computer literate. She knows enough to know WHAT questions to ask when she calls for help, and how to do what she is told by the IT guys when they respond without having to say "third button from the right, down 2". I can tell her to look for something along the lines of ___________. Such as, if I tell her to look for an address book, she won't completely overlook it because it's called contact list in her program. At most she'd ask "might this be it?"
People do not need to know how to program, or all the inner workings to be literate. You can get a drivers license without being a mechanic. A drivers license states (theoretically anyway) that you are car/traffic rule literate enough to operate a car safely and effectively. Although this isn't on the test, chances are you know to look for a gas station when the guage points to E, and how to figure out where to put gas in any car you drive, even if the door is not in the same place it is on your car.
When I lived on campus our university had a system for the residential networks that limited everyone to 4G/week. They raised this to 5.2 later on, but even the 4 was plenty for most people. The time frame was a rolling week, and you could check how much you had used at any time. Once you went over that limit, you were dropped into the low priority connection pool, which basically limited you to 10-15k until you had some available bandwidth back. It was still better than dial up, and if nobody else was using the network (rare on the residential side, but over breaks and middle of the night), you could still use higher bandwidth. The more you used, the deeper your debt went and the longer it would likely take before you got normal bandwidth back, but it worked.
Seriously, the only people that complained about this were people running a lot of illegal file sharing. 90% of the students never even knew the system existed, but it made the network substantially faster for everyone. I ran a small web server with a collection of funny videos, class resources, and other free tools and utilities, and even during my peak bandwidth usage I never went over this limit. Personally, I think a system like this is entirely fair, because the only person it really punishes are the ones that are leeching all the bandwidth for usually illegal activities anyway. Of course, this should be stated in the contract and they couldn't just add it now, but they could for all new contracts, or even pull one of the marketing "UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH*" fine print with the asterick moves. Technically it was unlimited since I could continue using it even after my quota was up. If people want to run higher grade servers, upgrade to a costlier plan. We don't all drive as far as we want for the same price per month.
Maybe not the perfect solution, but it cured most of the bandwidth troubles for us.
Yeah. . . and of course we ALL hold our wrists slightly elevated the entire time, and we ALL drive with our hands in the 10 and 2 positions and do hand over hand steering. Wait. . . . what do I shift with. . . . no matter how much I'd like to think so, I'm not *that* talented!
I personally benefit from ergo devices. Keyboard, chair (probably a bit excessive for most, but don't use folding chairs for computer chairs), and mouse. As far as wrist braces, I found I never have to wear them during the day if I sleep with it at night when I have any tiny indication of trouble. I'll wear it at night for a couple of weeks and then not wear it for months. The brace completely immobilizes my wrist (it's actually a nice splint from when I broke my wrist a few years ago). I found myself to curl that particular wrist in my sleep when pain started, therefore sleeping on it that way and aggravating it even worse. This has been the best cure I've ever found in the past 6 years or so that I've dealt with problems, and I've never worn a day brace since I started this procedure.
It's all in the way they're used, AND the student. I use one in class, and I use OpenOffice.org instead of MSWord. I can keep up with any professor I've had, including diagrams because OOo has better diagramming tools than Word. I had one professor who's goal was to draw something on the board I couldn't take in OOo (he was very pro MS), and never did succeed. One diagram he challenged me to draw I even color coded as quickly as he drew it in one color.
I'll admit in SOME classes I just chat and it's a distraction - but I still usually have a good grade in those classes as usually they are just gen ed crap.
I do still feel it's the teachers choice - and for the first two years of college I always asked before using it, then I just started assuming it was fine unless they said something, which nobody ever did. I started posting my notes online, and even the teachers would refer students to my website if they missed a day of class or wanted more information.
My point is not that the teacher is wrong in not wanting laptops in her classroom, just that they are not always a distraction, as she implies, and can be a benefit. Nothing stops the student from just doodling on their paper either. Personally I can type faster than I can write, READ my writing (very important), and when the teacher asks something it's easy for me to press Ctrl+F to find it.
I bought a laptop when I entered college, and in the beginning of my last semester it died, so I bought a tablet PC. This "Dell/Mac" contract would not allow that, but my tablet can do anything that Dell or Mac could (other than mac-specific software), and more. Dell and Apple don't make tablets though, so I couldn't have this?
Also - I'm a computer science major. Almost everything I do is on a computer. I scan my text books and carry PDF's so I don't need to carry the books. But some people don't need a computer that much, depending on what they do and how they do it. Issuing one is one thing, but forcing them to buy, and then forcing them to buy what YOU want would make a lot of people NOT go to that school I would think. Plus, a lot of people will not want to carry around that extra 7 pounds all day.
ICQ is the best protocol in my opinion - but certainly only with another client. Direct connections offline messaging e-mail an ICQ message to user (UIN@icq.org) server routing for when direct connects fail *per-buddy status* (always appear online to a couple of close friends, while mode goes away or busy for the rest of the world, or whatever you want to do) changeable nick names (can be over-ridden by user if a buddy changes their name too often to keep track of) talk from invisible mode
My old hardware modem (only a 33.6K) always said 115,200 baud. I think it had to do with it being hardware driven, so it listed the speed the modem and computer communicated rather than the modem and the line. That was the speed I had the COM port set on. If I changed the COM speed, that number changed accordingly.
Well what do you expect? They're geeks that study the physics of tipping a cow rather than just trying it themselves. They've probably never been that close to a cow. They think the center of gravity is the udders? The legs aren't that heavy, and I've never seen a cow produce THAT much milk before a milking. As far as the only being able to push their own body weight, they're probably actually exaggerating that. Again. . . consider who is making the study? You could probably tip a cow over right in front of them and they'd look for mirrors and holograph projectors because they've done the calculations to show that what they just saw is impossible.
I love these little Casio's. No graphs - but I've never really needed those. These little $12 USD calculators are amazing, and do integration and derivatives within limits, as well as statistics easily with very little wait time for such a cheap calculator. I used to use the TI-36 ($20 USD) until I found this little guy. Also solves up to 3 variable equations and allows inputing of formula's with variable prompts for solving a single equation for many data sets. I doubt I'll ever go back to the TI calculators.
I have used my laptop since my freshman year as a CS major. I export my notes daily-weekly-monthly, or whenever someone requests it to PDF form for download on my website (which is hosted on my computer in my apartment). The laptop syncs with my server daily if you can use OpenOffice.org files. I had a CS professor who's goal for the semester was to draw a diagram on the board that I couldn't take down on my laptop. I always had the diagrams, usually neater looking, AND color coded, because I use OpenOffice.org instead of MSWord. MSWord requires you to first set up the draw areas, and then has pathetic drawing tools, however with OpenOffice I could type the text in and then draw right over it or anywhere I wanted instantly, without having to prep an area. It then exports directly to PDF for my class mates to download and read in a searchable digital notebook. I could type faster, and actually read my writing this way, I could do a digital search rather than flipping pages, and I often had more data because I could type faster than most can write.
As far as a laptop being a waste - it is if you don't use the tools to make it useful. Find the right software (everything I run is Free/OSS except for WindowsXP itself). Plain text is not what a laptop is for anymore. Spend $12 on a portable mouse and draw the diagrams!
As far as in high school, and ESPECIALLY in middle school, I'd agree there's NO need for a laptop. Most teachers don't want students to have them in class anyway, but most college students are paying and going because they want to - so they aren't as bad about distracting the class.
The top 20 PC makers WORLDWIDE. Only a handful of those are in the US. Most of these computers come with a COA stuck on the side that is NEVER used! I rebuilt a Dell for a friend a couple weeks ago. I didn't use a recovery disc, I used the WinXP Home OEM disc that came with the computer. Even that copy is tied to the hardware, so no activation or key entry was necessary. That is not effecting legitimate users. If she lost that disc, and I gave her my XP home disc, she would be asked why she's using that key. She'd just tell them it's a Dell computer, and she lost the discs that came with it, so she's using another disc with the key on her system. That is still legit, but uncommon.
What is more common is for someone at school to copy a code off the side of the dell that is in the labs. That is what this is aiming at.
I work for the Computer Services department at my university, and we have a site license. Every machine that comes onto this campus is wiped clean of the OEM install and our build is installed before ever being used. All of those keys on the sides of those machine are pretty much free for the taking.
THAT is what this is aiming at. I hate to say this, but no matter how good you think you are, you are not in the "Top 20 OEM builders" - so your key should not be affected, and should still allow online activation.
I shut mine down for about 2 months. It clears up all the "legitimate" but annoying commercial e-mails that you missed in the fine print, but it doesn't stop the spam itself unfortunately. I guess he just had a lot of legitimate but annoying mailings.
On the plus side, I guess it is safer than trying that "click here to remove yourself from our list"
We were there for the Microsoft Imagine Cup contest a couple weeks ago. The building is totally sweet, and looks amazing. The bathroom has solid chrome hand-dryers. (I know that's not THAT much - but considering at MY school the paper towel dispensers don't always work. . . )
The only complaint I have is their network connection. You connect, it asks you to logon. I choose guest authentication, enter my info/purpose (We are there for legitimate CS business) - and it lets me on. Sometimes it lasts for an hour, sometimes it asks you to log on when you click a link from the authentication success screen. I checked cookies, so that wasn't it, and we were ALL having that problem. Seems like the worlds most advanced building needs an upgrade already:P
It still makes me happy and I want to go there. . . too bad I'm not rich:(
I find it funny how many people are in classes with me in 2004 "for the money". . . they admittedly hate computers, but the money is good. I'm kinda wondering what will happen when they try to get a job - considering those of us that enjoy it and do it as a hobby in spare time can't always get good jobs either.
I don't know if I'll take a job programming or not, I like designing, I don't want to be a code monkey, but I don't mind working my way up. I may end up doing something totally unrelated and just work open-source and private contracts, not sure yet, but either way I'm doing it for me, not for my job.
Perhaps the Beta or some sort of academic site license thing, either way I highly doubt it's the full corporate version. If it is, check the license policy, it may give you the features but probably forbids you to use them in any way other than academic.
I noticed that too. It was a pain, it's hard to write a program using obscure libraries when the Java Docs are down. Although I did find a good use for The Wayback Machine that day:)
Personally I'd prefer going into the physical store than *paying* for it online. You can't buy something online without leaving a paper trail, but in the store, you can use cash, no trail, no records, no names, etc.
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Are you actually suggesting that users that don't know how to maintain their systems well enough in the first place to DISABLE their antivirus?!?! I don't know what anti-virus you're using, but please tell us so we can all avoid it. I worked on a system using McAffee, found over 100 viruses on it (that McAffee did not discover) and McAffee was still what was using over 50% of the CPU. Any other anti-virus has been fine. I run either Symantec/Norton or Grisoft AVG on every system I administer, and neither has any noticeable impact on performance.
Depending on the user (some friends that click everything) I also configure the system helpers found in the anti-virus programs.
Even computers bought several years ago, most users use an insignificant percent of available power. I run a computer more intensively than most 'consumers' that have huge virus and spyware problems, and I still run an Athlon XP 1800+ that I bought 6 years ago, and only use a tiny fraction of the available power except when gaming.
Seriously - of all the things that may be slowing a computer down, running anti-virus (aside from McAffee!) is NOT something to "cure"
I don't know about better product in most cases, but in some sure. One game especially comes to mind: Dead to Rights. I originally got it at a LAN party and enjoyed it, so I bought it when I finally found a box on the shelf. I actually beat the game with the pirated install, with the retail box still sealed on my shelf (I also like to have the artistic boxes on display for some reason - part of my reason for buying a game I like). I went back to play the game again, this time with the legit retail install, and about half way through the game I reached a point that I could not pass. It would crash every time. I even tried putting the crack on the legit version, still crashed. Then I removed the legit version and re-installed the copy, loaded my save game, and passed the scene. Now with DVD's on the other hand, I copy every DVD I own because then I can remove the damn Prohibited User Actions! I BOUGHT the DVD, and if I want to skip this preview or the warning, I better be able to. I'll watch the previews the first time I watch a movie, but after that, the skip/ff/menu button had better work ANYTIME I press it!
WTF has crawled up your butt? Nobody is even arguing the fact that the cops had the right to tell them to get out of the tree, or even talk to their parents, or maybe a little discussion. This is a full DNA sample and mouth swabbing. They didn't kill anything, and they didn't "strip every branch from a tree". Any branch that a 12 year old was able to break loose was already weak anyway. Have you ever tried breaking off even a small twig from a live, healthy, growing tree? It isn't easy! Say something to the kids, maybe even say something to the parents, but a consideration of criminal charges and DNA records? That's really over reacting.
As far as your "please relate stories of how you watched kids tear up your yards. . . "
I'm not currently a property owner, but when I was a kid our neighbors actually removed the fence between our yards when I learned to ride a bike so that I'd have more room to ride without getting in the street. They were a SOCIAL couple that thought children should be allowed to be kids, NOT get arrested! And personally, when I go to a city park I'd rather see kids playing in the dry trampled grass and knocking a small, dead branch out of a tree now and then than a pristine green field with signs that say "keep off grass". Which is more inviting?
I don't go to a park to use the SIDEWALK! I can do THAT anywhwere! My tax dollars are paying for a large green recreational space that we're allowed to use without fear of criminal persecution because my cleats dug up too much grass in our game of kickball.
Geek Wannabe Squad? "Hey - we're A+ certified. We know what the acronym STANDS for. What it means or does is just useless trivia! And did we mention we drive bugs?"
As an in-store rep I witnessed them telling a customer that the reason a printer model (one of the ones they had on demo) wouldn't work was because they had the wrong brand of paper in it. They couldn't even get the demo to turn on for a couple of minutes. Forget the fact that the same customer was returning it's previous generation because it didn't work either - and the loads of customer complaints about that specific series. Must be the paper. I guess these new papers are lithium ion laced, and that's why the printer wouldn't turn on. It wasn't getting power from the paper!
I really want to return a ream of paper sometime and say "It's defective"
Even without new firmware though - I don't think I've had or logged into an open router that didn't have at least a client list
Why not? You're bound by software TOS just for opening the box, which is required to read them usually. I've seen some that state if you don't agree with the TOS, return the software for a refund. All fine and well, but where can you return open software? You can exchange it for the same title for case of defective media - but that's it. I know some stores have started keeping paper copies of these TOS for review, but not every store, and I doubt for every title.
Honestly - if he was parked in their private parking lot, then they could have him for loitering, but if he was parked on public property, what do they have on him? The only way they can prevent this stuff is do some sort of key, maybe a daily pass key that is printed on the back of every receipt? Or maybe they can just start building their stores out of lead, with lead plated windows - or no windows at all, so that you HAVE to be inside to receive anything.
I have to say - if I owned the business I would probably want something done about him too. An occasional person stopping by for a few minutes to do something they need is one thing, but 3 months is insane. I'd probably just watch the client list though and block his MAC address. Would be the easiest way with no confrontation or authorities. It really is just an annoyance, not a legal issue.
On the other hand, some businesses are *too* willing to share. When I moved I didn't have internet for about a month. I needed a connection to do some work, so I figured for dinner I'd go into a restaurant known to have wifi and just eat dinner there. I asked to make sure they had wi-fi, and the hostess was kind enough to even seat me by an outlet for power. Then they just forgot me. I tried to get their attention, and one waitress asked if I'd been helped, but before I could answer the hostess just butted in "He just wanted to use the internet." I actually planned to buy dinner, but they just assumed I was just wanting thier free connection, so I finished my work and left. Was cheaper for me - but lost them a ticket and a tip for the night.
Considering the way google page ranks works, wouldn't it pretty much do that anyway? If a site isn't very accessible, people are going to find alternatives that are, and then their page ranks will go up and get preferential listings. Unless the EvilISP ALSO pays advertising fees to get listed like expertsexchange.com
A bit overkill for most people, don't you think? Should people not be considered capable of driving a car if they can't build one from the ground up? Ninety percent of the world wouldn't be able to drive, and a cab would cost so much we'd all still be riding horses. This is basically the same thing.
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My mom works on a computer all day. She can figure out how to use the new programs when the company switches. She knows how to protect herself from viruses, not to open random suspicious attachments, and can fix most simple issues (such as fixing formatting issues in her word programs). She can find her way around well enough to use OpenOffice.org when she learned on MSOffice. She could not program a "Hello World" application in anything though. She could probably make it show up on a web page (she used to code her website by hand after I tought her the basics, but that was years ago).
I, as well as most IT people I have worked with, would consider her computer literate. She knows enough to know WHAT questions to ask when she calls for help, and how to do what she is told by the IT guys when they respond without having to say "third button from the right, down 2". I can tell her to look for something along the lines of ___________. Such as, if I tell her to look for an address book, she won't completely overlook it because it's called contact list in her program. At most she'd ask "might this be it?"
People do not need to know how to program, or all the inner workings to be literate. You can get a drivers license without being a mechanic. A drivers license states (theoretically anyway) that you are car/traffic rule literate enough to operate a car safely and effectively. Although this isn't on the test, chances are you know to look for a gas station when the guage points to E, and how to figure out where to put gas in any car you drive, even if the door is not in the same place it is on your car.
I have to go along with this post for my opinion. http://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=186509&ci
When I lived on campus our university had a system for the residential networks that limited everyone to 4G/week. They raised this to 5.2 later on, but even the 4 was plenty for most people. The time frame was a rolling week, and you could check how much you had used at any time. Once you went over that limit, you were dropped into the low priority connection pool, which basically limited you to 10-15k until you had some available bandwidth back. It was still better than dial up, and if nobody else was using the network (rare on the residential side, but over breaks and middle of the night), you could still use higher bandwidth. The more you used, the deeper your debt went and the longer it would likely take before you got normal bandwidth back, but it worked.
Seriously, the only people that complained about this were people running a lot of illegal file sharing. 90% of the students never even knew the system existed, but it made the network substantially faster for everyone. I ran a small web server with a collection of funny videos, class resources, and other free tools and utilities, and even during my peak bandwidth usage I never went over this limit. Personally, I think a system like this is entirely fair, because the only person it really punishes are the ones that are leeching all the bandwidth for usually illegal activities anyway. Of course, this should be stated in the contract and they couldn't just add it now, but they could for all new contracts, or even pull one of the marketing "UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH*" fine print with the asterick moves. Technically it was unlimited since I could continue using it even after my quota was up. If people want to run higher grade servers, upgrade to a costlier plan. We don't all drive as far as we want for the same price per month.
Maybe not the perfect solution, but it cured most of the bandwidth troubles for us.
Yeah. . . and of course we ALL hold our wrists slightly elevated the entire time, and we ALL drive with our hands in the 10 and 2 positions and do hand over hand steering. Wait. . . . what do I shift with. . . . no matter how much I'd like to think so, I'm not *that* talented! I personally benefit from ergo devices. Keyboard, chair (probably a bit excessive for most, but don't use folding chairs for computer chairs), and mouse. As far as wrist braces, I found I never have to wear them during the day if I sleep with it at night when I have any tiny indication of trouble. I'll wear it at night for a couple of weeks and then not wear it for months. The brace completely immobilizes my wrist (it's actually a nice splint from when I broke my wrist a few years ago). I found myself to curl that particular wrist in my sleep when pain started, therefore sleeping on it that way and aggravating it even worse. This has been the best cure I've ever found in the past 6 years or so that I've dealt with problems, and I've never worn a day brace since I started this procedure.
It's all in the way they're used, AND the student. I use one in class, and I use OpenOffice.org instead of MSWord. I can keep up with any professor I've had, including diagrams because OOo has better diagramming tools than Word. I had one professor who's goal was to draw something on the board I couldn't take in OOo (he was very pro MS), and never did succeed. One diagram he challenged me to draw I even color coded as quickly as he drew it in one color. I'll admit in SOME classes I just chat and it's a distraction - but I still usually have a good grade in those classes as usually they are just gen ed crap. I do still feel it's the teachers choice - and for the first two years of college I always asked before using it, then I just started assuming it was fine unless they said something, which nobody ever did. I started posting my notes online, and even the teachers would refer students to my website if they missed a day of class or wanted more information. My point is not that the teacher is wrong in not wanting laptops in her classroom, just that they are not always a distraction, as she implies, and can be a benefit. Nothing stops the student from just doodling on their paper either. Personally I can type faster than I can write, READ my writing (very important), and when the teacher asks something it's easy for me to press Ctrl+F to find it.
I bought a laptop when I entered college, and in the beginning of my last semester it died, so I bought a tablet PC. This "Dell/Mac" contract would not allow that, but my tablet can do anything that Dell or Mac could (other than mac-specific software), and more. Dell and Apple don't make tablets though, so I couldn't have this? Also - I'm a computer science major. Almost everything I do is on a computer. I scan my text books and carry PDF's so I don't need to carry the books. But some people don't need a computer that much, depending on what they do and how they do it. Issuing one is one thing, but forcing them to buy, and then forcing them to buy what YOU want would make a lot of people NOT go to that school I would think. Plus, a lot of people will not want to carry around that extra 7 pounds all day.
ICQ is the best protocol in my opinion - but certainly only with another client.
Direct connections
offline messaging
e-mail an ICQ message to user (UIN@icq.org)
server routing for when direct connects fail
*per-buddy status* (always appear online to a couple of close friends, while mode goes away or busy for the rest of the world, or whatever you want to do)
changeable nick names (can be over-ridden by user if a buddy changes their name too often to keep track of)
talk from invisible mode
My old hardware modem (only a 33.6K) always said 115,200 baud. I think it had to do with it being hardware driven, so it listed the speed the modem and computer communicated rather than the modem and the line. That was the speed I had the COM port set on. If I changed the COM speed, that number changed accordingly.
Well what do you expect? They're geeks that study the physics of tipping a cow rather than just trying it themselves. They've probably never been that close to a cow. They think the center of gravity is the udders? The legs aren't that heavy, and I've never seen a cow produce THAT much milk before a milking. As far as the only being able to push their own body weight, they're probably actually exaggerating that. Again. . . consider who is making the study? You could probably tip a cow over right in front of them and they'd look for mirrors and holograph projectors because they've done the calculations to show that what they just saw is impossible.
I love these little Casio's. No graphs - but I've never really needed those. These little $12 USD calculators are amazing, and do integration and derivatives within limits, as well as statistics easily with very little wait time for such a cheap calculator. I used to use the TI-36 ($20 USD) until I found this little guy. Also solves up to 3 variable equations and allows inputing of formula's with variable prompts for solving a single equation for many data sets. I doubt I'll ever go back to the TI calculators.
I have used my laptop since my freshman year as a CS major. I export my notes daily-weekly-monthly, or whenever someone requests it to PDF form for download on my website (which is hosted on my computer in my apartment). The laptop syncs with my server daily if you can use OpenOffice.org files. I had a CS professor who's goal for the semester was to draw a diagram on the board that I couldn't take down on my laptop. I always had the diagrams, usually neater looking, AND color coded, because I use OpenOffice.org instead of MSWord. MSWord requires you to first set up the draw areas, and then has pathetic drawing tools, however with OpenOffice I could type the text in and then draw right over it or anywhere I wanted instantly, without having to prep an area. It then exports directly to PDF for my class mates to download and read in a searchable digital notebook. I could type faster, and actually read my writing this way, I could do a digital search rather than flipping pages, and I often had more data because I could type faster than most can write.
As far as a laptop being a waste - it is if you don't use the tools to make it useful. Find the right software (everything I run is Free/OSS except for WindowsXP itself). Plain text is not what a laptop is for anymore. Spend $12 on a portable mouse and draw the diagrams!
As far as in high school, and ESPECIALLY in middle school, I'd agree there's NO need for a laptop. Most teachers don't want students to have them in class anyway, but most college students are paying and going because they want to - so they aren't as bad about distracting the class.
The top 20 PC makers WORLDWIDE. Only a handful of those are in the US. Most of these computers come with a COA stuck on the side that is NEVER used! I rebuilt a Dell for a friend a couple weeks ago. I didn't use a recovery disc, I used the WinXP Home OEM disc that came with the computer. Even that copy is tied to the hardware, so no activation or key entry was necessary. That is not effecting legitimate users. If she lost that disc, and I gave her my XP home disc, she would be asked why she's using that key. She'd just tell them it's a Dell computer, and she lost the discs that came with it, so she's using another disc with the key on her system. That is still legit, but uncommon.
What is more common is for someone at school to copy a code off the side of the dell that is in the labs. That is what this is aiming at.
I work for the Computer Services department at my university, and we have a site license. Every machine that comes onto this campus is wiped clean of the OEM install and our build is installed before ever being used. All of those keys on the sides of those machine are pretty much free for the taking.
THAT is what this is aiming at. I hate to say this, but no matter how good you think you are, you are not in the "Top 20 OEM builders" - so your key should not be affected, and should still allow online activation.
I shut mine down for about 2 months. It clears up all the "legitimate" but annoying commercial e-mails that you missed in the fine print, but it doesn't stop the spam itself unfortunately. I guess he just had a lot of legitimate but annoying mailings. On the plus side, I guess it is safer than trying that "click here to remove yourself from our list"
And then the next time the RIAA sues them, they'll be able to say "Well, at least we gave them all the money they need to fight back at us with!"
I'm sure they want a fair fight!
We were there for the Microsoft Imagine Cup contest a couple weeks ago. The building is totally sweet, and looks amazing. The bathroom has solid chrome hand-dryers. (I know that's not THAT much - but considering at MY school the paper towel dispensers don't always work. . . ) The only complaint I have is their network connection. You connect, it asks you to logon. I choose guest authentication, enter my info/purpose (We are there for legitimate CS business) - and it lets me on. Sometimes it lasts for an hour, sometimes it asks you to log on when you click a link from the authentication success screen. I checked cookies, so that wasn't it, and we were ALL having that problem. Seems like the worlds most advanced building needs an upgrade already :P
It still makes me happy and I want to go there. . . too bad I'm not rich :(
I find it funny how many people are in classes with me in 2004 "for the money". . . they admittedly hate computers, but the money is good. I'm kinda wondering what will happen when they try to get a job - considering those of us that enjoy it and do it as a hobby in spare time can't always get good jobs either. I don't know if I'll take a job programming or not, I like designing, I don't want to be a code monkey, but I don't mind working my way up. I may end up doing something totally unrelated and just work open-source and private contracts, not sure yet, but either way I'm doing it for me, not for my job.
Perhaps the Beta or some sort of academic site license thing, either way I highly doubt it's the full corporate version. If it is, check the license policy, it may give you the features but probably forbids you to use them in any way other than academic.
I noticed that too. It was a pain, it's hard to write a program using obscure libraries when the Java Docs are down. Although I did find a good use for The Wayback Machine that day :)
WMP can be used for porn. Although not the best media player (it's WMP for crying out loud), it CAN be used for it.
Personally I'd prefer going into the physical store than *paying* for it online. You can't buy something online without leaving a paper trail, but in the store, you can use cash, no trail, no records, no names, etc.