Re-read his post. I don't think he was suggesting to tie the power into the mains with no cutoff, rather he is suggesting (or maybe trying to sell) something I hadn't heard of: an off-the-shelf product to use multiple AC sources to power some of your systems. At least that's what I think he is trying to say.
IT seems like a good idea as I've heard that the electric companies find ways to "encourage you" to not do a home power system by monkeying with the rates you get charged if you enter into a grid tie arrangement with them.
I find the best razors to be the Mach 3's (I used to be a huge fan of the diamond coated double-bladed ones before they stopped making them a few years back.) I found them to be the best because they cleaned the easiest - I usually throw away blades that are too clogged to clean long before the blades themselves wear-out. I took a look at the 4 and 5 bladed ones that are available now, but the space between the blades is so small, that I'm sure they would plug-up and be impossible to clean in no time. The side advantage is the Mach 3's are now "old tech" so they are cheaper!
I always thought it would be interesting to get a machine that I could use with VGA goggles if I traveled or commuted enough. Have you ever considered using that type of rig?
I think a special tax or other such discencentive is a better idea. In some situaitons, an incandescent might be a better idea (like in a freezer.)
Don't get me wrong, I switched to CF years ago (because I am cheap and wanted to save on money/power), and for nearly all uses they are great, but it is REALLY hard to find an outdoor rated one and most (all?) of the darn things are made in China. I really hate to be dependant on them for something as basic as ALL our lighting needs.
So for example, a mix of mostly LED's with a CF or even incandescent to add up to a total white? I tried htis in one of my bathrooms for a while and it seemed to work: there were 3 light socketes and I used 2 CF's and one incandescent and it worked-out nicely (although I later switched out to all CF's.)
If your comment about the Best Buy salesman making over $100K/year is true, it confirms something I've always suspected: those guys at Best Buy claim to be "not paid on commission", but they always seemed to be pretty anxious to make a sale (ie not just being helpful like guys in say the local hardware store.)
My question is are they just flat-out lying about the lack of commission or is there some kind of sales target bonus that acts the same way, but lets them state that technically they are not on commission?
I don't know anything about the contract stuff, but your mention of Radio Shack as a battery club just took me back something like 30 years. I had completely forgotten about their free battery deal. I used to love going into my local Radio Shack and looking at all the cool stuff, picking-up/taking home a catalog (before they charged for them), buying a pack of LED's to play with, etc.
Belkin pulled this same stunt on me and I've read here of others getting the same rebate behavior from them. This has earned them a spot on my "never, ever buy from again and encourage others to do the same" list. Its too bad because they have had several products I would have otherwise considered in purchases since that time. I really hope the $5.00 was worth it to them.
I've been a Madrake/Madriva user off and on since version 6.0. Its the only commercial Linux distro I've used and most of the time I've been happy with it. When I went to select a Linux distro for my wife's notebook, I tried Ubuntu, Fedora and Suse's open release, but ended-up with Mandriva open (since I couldn't get any of the others to work with the wireless in it.) She has been pretty happy with it overall (the one issue was the lack of a power down option in the shutdown menu on the 64 bit version of 2007 open.)
I liked it well enough to buy a full copy of 2007 for my PC (its what I am using now) and will likely get a copy of 2008 when it comes out.
If I have one thing I'd ask you guys to look at it's your support and reference options on your web site. I don't know if its just me, but I have always struggled with finding things on your web site - something about the way things are organized just seems different than other web sites (maybe its a French language thing that doesn't translate well?)
Actually, that brings-up an interesting point.
on
SCO Loses
·
· Score: 1
If someone waits until SCO's stock is nearly worthless and then buys a controlling interest, could they then have the pleasure of playing Donald Trump (you know "You're fired!") to all the SCO execs? If you did buy enough SCO stock to do that, would you be financially vulnerable to IBM's counter suit (or any other legal action against SCO?)
While searching for solutions to a problem with a rear-projection TV I had that was failing, I ran across a reference to the manufacturer installing a "self-destruct" in the DVI decoding software "http://www.freelists.org/archives/techassist/08-2 005/msg00393.html"
I replaced that TV with a much nicer LCD unit (from a different manufacturer) and have recently had issues with my cablebox/DVR's DVI to it. The TV started complaining about something that sounded suspiciously like copy protection handshake and would just not display anything until I removed power from it to force a reset (it would then work fine for a week or so and then do the same thing.) I was able to work-around this by using a DVI to HDMI cable (the output on the DVR/cablebox is DVI and the TV has DVI, HDMI and component inputs), but am VERY NOT HAPPY that my $3400ish TV is defective by design!
Growlor
is a smokescreen for forcing us to buy different copies of the same song/movie/program for our different devices. They got a taste of it back when the people my age (late 30's) repurchased all the content we had on vinyl and casette tape to move to CD's and must be drooling over the prospect of selling another copy for my desktop computer and another for my laptop and another for my PDA and another for my MP3 player and...
We really need a "digital bill of rights" to be passed (and supercede the DMCA) to make it 100% legal to copy media licensed for personal use on any of the machines you own regardless of any "effective protection scheme" on it. This will eliminate alot of the incentive for the DRM nonsense they are pushing.
I have recently started doing this as well. It also helps to make me a little more social with my family. My 3 year old is a dinosaur addict and I recently bought an RTS game that has dinosaur units and he REALLY likes those battle scenes. I've been experimenting with wireless keyboard/pointer devices so we can lounge on the couch (I'm looking for something other than 2.4Ghz frequency and decent range) and play, but I often end-up over by the PC with him and my wife watching me from the couch.
would be our best bet. In fact, I've been wondering why a natural increase hasn't already started to happen naturally (although a stoy on slashdot a couple of months ago did mention possible reasons - I just don't remember them now.) If we can either help encourage large scale increases in their growth or help to slow-down what is stopping this from occuring naturally, it might help bring a more favorable CO2 balance.
This must be a sign that Bill is really not as
on
The Death of Clippy
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
influential or at least not as feared by MS leadership. The REAL reason clippy was inflicted on us was because he was (as another slashdot poster mentioned) the "last piece of MS Bob technology." The project manager for MS Bob is now better known as Mrs Bill Gates.
for me its personal. I (and scores of other people like me) spent a LOT of time and effort desperatly fighting IBM's FUD and risking our careers for the chance to have a flexbile, configurable system on our PC's and in our networks. I can't tell you how many user groups meetings I attended (from 3Com 3+open until it evolved into the MS NT netowkring user group) where we freely gave our best ideas and invaluable feedback to make MS's network products better. You all know what happened then: MS got greedy. They decided that a TINY percentage of casual piracy prevention was worth a HUGE break in faith with their customers (XP activation.) Anyone who has ever fought some odd PC problem knows that the last thing you need is one more FRIKKIN' thing to worry about (especially if its when you are working late or on a weekend) especially something as assinine as a software key. While this is relatively easy to use now, its almost guaranteed those jokers in Redmond will eventually decide to list it as "unsupported" and either completely stop automatic activations or make them hard enough that most people will give up in frustration and be forced to buy the latest greatest MS OS (and enjoy the new DRM "features" - Oh I just can't wait.)
So, to finish-up my rant, its because I beleive that Linux is the OS that has the best chance against MS on the desktop and MS must be overthrown.
Growlor
compared to Windows. Yes this is probably due to lack of support from hardware vendors, but it is still a problem.
I am a Linux newbie, but have been a PC "techie" type guy for 15 years now and have tried Linux on my home PC's several times, but have always went back to Windows in frustration due to sound card issues. The specifics really don't matter here, but I'll list them later anyway (I still REALLY want to re-load Linux on my home PC's.) The important point is that only recently have the mainstream sound blaster type cards loaded properly in the Linux installs I have tried. Even then, there are odd issues and fixing them is MUCH harder than it should be. What I think needs to happen is for it to be easy enough to get the basics running and then let you pick-up the rest in a hobby mode. Something like a generic driver that just works with a GUI config and a nice help that points you to the actual config files. This way you can get some quick positive feedback and then slowly assimilate the details.
Fro myself, I started with my previous PC and tried a couple of Red Hat and Mandrake with my previous PC and its SBLive card, but could never get it to work. I even went to Creative Lab's web site and "gave em an earful" about the lack of Linux drivers. A while later I got a newer PC (didn't even buy a MS OS as the hardware I bought was shown as being supported on Mandrake's web site) but ended up buying XP. A version or so later (by the way the versions I tried originally were not free downloads-I payed for retail boxes to get the manuals hoping it would help-NOT!) I did get it to work with my new PC's Audigy card and a nice surround sound system/ This was great, I'd play DiabloII (within a Windows emulator) on the net and brag about running Linux to anyone who would listen in hopes of encouraging more people to try it and create a larger user base-thus encouraging hardware vendros to supply drivers/info. However, I moved last year and my PC is in a different room than my surround sound, so I broke-out the old Cambridge soundworks 4.1 digital speakers and guess what, my PC is now mute in Linux! I cheked around the web and found lots of people with the same issue. Apparently getting something that requires a checkbox in Windows (digital output) to run in Linux involves something akin to sacrificing a heard of goats, changing the setting on several config files with acronyms I've never heard of before (ALSA, etc) and lots of luck! So for now, I am going to wait for Mandrake 10.0 to be publicly downloadable (I have given them enough of my money until they make somthing this simple work or at least build a help system that is user friendly to English speaking people) and try again. If it works, I'll but it but not before.
Slashdot Mirror
Re-read his post. I don't think he was suggesting to tie the power into the mains with no cutoff, rather he is suggesting (or maybe trying to sell) something I hadn't heard of: an off-the-shelf product to use multiple AC sources to power some of your systems. At least that's what I think he is trying to say. IT seems like a good idea as I've heard that the electric companies find ways to "encourage you" to not do a home power system by monkeying with the rates you get charged if you enter into a grid tie arrangement with them.
I find the best razors to be the Mach 3's (I used to be a huge fan of the diamond coated double-bladed ones before they stopped making them a few years back.) I found them to be the best because they cleaned the easiest - I usually throw away blades that are too clogged to clean long before the blades themselves wear-out. I took a look at the 4 and 5 bladed ones that are available now, but the space between the blades is so small, that I'm sure they would plug-up and be impossible to clean in no time. The side advantage is the Mach 3's are now "old tech" so they are cheaper!
I always thought it would be interesting to get a machine that I could use with VGA goggles if I traveled or commuted enough. Have you ever considered using that type of rig?
I typed the wrong PW - DOH!
I think a special tax or other such discencentive is a better idea. In some situaitons, an incandescent might be a better idea (like in a freezer.) Don't get me wrong, I switched to CF years ago (because I am cheap and wanted to save on money/power), and for nearly all uses they are great, but it is REALLY hard to find an outdoor rated one and most (all?) of the darn things are made in China. I really hate to be dependant on them for something as basic as ALL our lighting needs.
So for example, a mix of mostly LED's with a CF or even incandescent to add up to a total white? I tried htis in one of my bathrooms for a while and it seemed to work: there were 3 light socketes and I used 2 CF's and one incandescent and it worked-out nicely (although I later switched out to all CF's.)
If your comment about the Best Buy salesman making over $100K/year is true, it confirms something I've always suspected: those guys at Best Buy claim to be "not paid on commission", but they always seemed to be pretty anxious to make a sale (ie not just being helpful like guys in say the local hardware store.) My question is are they just flat-out lying about the lack of commission or is there some kind of sales target bonus that acts the same way, but lets them state that technically they are not on commission?
I don't know anything about the contract stuff, but your mention of Radio Shack as a battery club just took me back something like 30 years. I had completely forgotten about their free battery deal. I used to love going into my local Radio Shack and looking at all the cool stuff, picking-up/taking home a catalog (before they charged for them), buying a pack of LED's to play with, etc.
Belkin pulled this same stunt on me and I've read here of others getting the same rebate behavior from them. This has earned them a spot on my "never, ever buy from again and encourage others to do the same" list. Its too bad because they have had several products I would have otherwise considered in purchases since that time.
I really hope the $5.00 was worth it to them.
I've been a Madrake/Madriva user off and on since version 6.0. Its the only commercial Linux distro I've used and most of the time I've been happy with it. When I went to select a Linux distro for my wife's notebook, I tried Ubuntu, Fedora and Suse's open release, but ended-up with Mandriva open (since I couldn't get any of the others to work with the wireless in it.) She has been pretty happy with it overall (the one issue was the lack of a power down option in the shutdown menu on the 64 bit version of 2007 open.) I liked it well enough to buy a full copy of 2007 for my PC (its what I am using now) and will likely get a copy of 2008 when it comes out. If I have one thing I'd ask you guys to look at it's your support and reference options on your web site. I don't know if its just me, but I have always struggled with finding things on your web site - something about the way things are organized just seems different than other web sites (maybe its a French language thing that doesn't translate well?)
If someone waits until SCO's stock is nearly worthless and then buys a controlling interest, could they then have the pleasure of playing Donald Trump (you know "You're fired!") to all the SCO execs? If you did buy enough SCO stock to do that, would you be financially vulnerable to IBM's counter suit (or any other legal action against SCO?)
While searching for solutions to a problem with a rear-projection TV I had that was failing, I ran across a reference to the manufacturer installing a "self-destruct" in the DVI decoding software "http://www.freelists.org/archives/techassist/08-2 005/msg00393.html"
I replaced that TV with a much nicer LCD unit (from a different manufacturer) and have recently had issues with my cablebox/DVR's DVI to it. The TV started complaining about something that sounded suspiciously like copy protection handshake and would just not display anything until I removed power from it to force a reset (it would then work fine for a week or so and then do the same thing.) I was able to work-around this by using a DVI to HDMI cable (the output on the DVR/cablebox is DVI and the TV has DVI, HDMI and component inputs), but am VERY NOT HAPPY that my $3400ish TV is defective by design!
Growlor
is a smokescreen for forcing us to buy different copies of the same song/movie/program for our different devices. They got a taste of it back when the people my age (late 30's) repurchased all the content we had on vinyl and casette tape to move to CD's and must be drooling over the prospect of selling another copy for my desktop computer and another for my laptop and another for my PDA and another for my MP3 player and ...
We really need a "digital bill of rights" to be passed (and supercede the DMCA) to make it 100% legal to copy media licensed for personal use on any of the machines you own regardless of any "effective protection scheme" on it. This will eliminate alot of the incentive for the DRM nonsense they are pushing.
I have recently started doing this as well. It also helps to make me a little more social with my family. My 3 year old is a dinosaur addict and I recently bought an RTS game that has dinosaur units and he REALLY likes those battle scenes. I've been experimenting with wireless keyboard/pointer devices so we can lounge on the couch (I'm looking for something other than 2.4Ghz frequency and decent range) and play, but I often end-up over by the PC with him and my wife watching me from the couch.
would be our best bet. In fact, I've been wondering why a natural increase hasn't already started to happen naturally (although a stoy on slashdot a couple of months ago did mention possible reasons - I just don't remember them now.) If we can either help encourage large scale increases in their growth or help to slow-down what is stopping this from occuring naturally, it might help bring a more favorable CO2 balance.
influential or at least not as feared by MS leadership. The REAL reason clippy was inflicted on us was because he was (as another slashdot poster mentioned) the "last piece of MS Bob technology." The project manager for MS Bob is now better known as Mrs Bill Gates.
for me its personal. I (and scores of other people like me) spent a LOT of time and effort desperatly fighting IBM's FUD and risking our careers for the chance to have a flexbile, configurable system on our PC's and in our networks. I can't tell you how many user groups meetings I attended (from 3Com 3+open until it evolved into the MS NT netowkring user group) where we freely gave our best ideas and invaluable feedback to make MS's network products better. You all know what happened then: MS got greedy. They decided that a TINY percentage of casual piracy prevention was worth a HUGE break in faith with their customers (XP activation.) Anyone who has ever fought some odd PC problem knows that the last thing you need is one more FRIKKIN' thing to worry about (especially if its when you are working late or on a weekend) especially something as assinine as a software key. While this is relatively easy to use now, its almost guaranteed those jokers in Redmond will eventually decide to list it as "unsupported" and either completely stop automatic activations or make them hard enough that most people will give up in frustration and be forced to buy the latest greatest MS OS (and enjoy the new DRM "features" - Oh I just can't wait.) So, to finish-up my rant, its because I beleive that Linux is the OS that has the best chance against MS on the desktop and MS must be overthrown. Growlor
compared to Windows. Yes this is probably due to lack of support from hardware vendors, but it is still a problem. I am a Linux newbie, but have been a PC "techie" type guy for 15 years now and have tried Linux on my home PC's several times, but have always went back to Windows in frustration due to sound card issues. The specifics really don't matter here, but I'll list them later anyway (I still REALLY want to re-load Linux on my home PC's.) The important point is that only recently have the mainstream sound blaster type cards loaded properly in the Linux installs I have tried. Even then, there are odd issues and fixing them is MUCH harder than it should be. What I think needs to happen is for it to be easy enough to get the basics running and then let you pick-up the rest in a hobby mode. Something like a generic driver that just works with a GUI config and a nice help that points you to the actual config files. This way you can get some quick positive feedback and then slowly assimilate the details. Fro myself, I started with my previous PC and tried a couple of Red Hat and Mandrake with my previous PC and its SBLive card, but could never get it to work. I even went to Creative Lab's web site and "gave em an earful" about the lack of Linux drivers. A while later I got a newer PC (didn't even buy a MS OS as the hardware I bought was shown as being supported on Mandrake's web site) but ended up buying XP. A version or so later (by the way the versions I tried originally were not free downloads-I payed for retail boxes to get the manuals hoping it would help-NOT!) I did get it to work with my new PC's Audigy card and a nice surround sound system/ This was great, I'd play DiabloII (within a Windows emulator) on the net and brag about running Linux to anyone who would listen in hopes of encouraging more people to try it and create a larger user base-thus encouraging hardware vendros to supply drivers/info. However, I moved last year and my PC is in a different room than my surround sound, so I broke-out the old Cambridge soundworks 4.1 digital speakers and guess what, my PC is now mute in Linux! I cheked around the web and found lots of people with the same issue. Apparently getting something that requires a checkbox in Windows (digital output) to run in Linux involves something akin to sacrificing a heard of goats, changing the setting on several config files with acronyms I've never heard of before (ALSA, etc) and lots of luck! So for now, I am going to wait for Mandrake 10.0 to be publicly downloadable (I have given them enough of my money until they make somthing this simple work or at least build a help system that is user friendly to English speaking people) and try again. If it works, I'll but it but not before.