RTFP: "How many Microsoft-attacking pieces of malware can infect Linux desktops or servers directly?"
Let me rephrase... How many of the worms, trojans, viruses and other pieces of malware that infect Microsoft systems can use the included code to attack Linux systems?
Yes, Virginia, I'm looking for a numerical response.
"I think you should be educating your users on things not to do."
Good intentions and well-designed educational programs break down quickly in the business world. Resources are finite, and forcing other departments and management to wait for an IT class so they can hire people is crazy. Likewise, even the smartest and most computer-savvy of users can make the occasional mistake.
I know a lot of IT departments (first and second hand)... none of them have the kind of hiring and firing power you want.
> "Oh, they run linux and are immune to all this." "Obviously phrased so that it implies that linux is immune to all virii, spyware, and other exploits. "
The truth hurts! How many Microsoft-attacking pieces of malware can infect Linux desktops or servers directly?
Even when shut down, my PC's keyboard LEDs are still illuminated. My optical mouse continues to emit light (which increases if it gets bumped). The various LEDs on the NIC are still illuminated, and flashing if there's a signal.
This isn't "sleep" or "standby" mode -- this is the normal "shut down" mode I'm talking about. The only way to really shut it down is turn it off and then cut power.
"Isn't reiserfs4 actually providing some of this functionality (and much more) and has allready been released?"
Yes, it has.
I was just thinking that it would be cheaper, easier, and faster for Microsoft to just license Reiserfs v4. Just the atomic file writes/updates would be worth the effort! And the filesystem supports plugins.
Some people in the Linux community don't think Reiserfs v4 is stable... but I'm willing to bet by 2006 the issue will be settled.:)
"I still find that my 30MHz Sparc 2 running fvwm wasn't a ton less useful than my current FreeBSD setup. I *know* that my 40MHz NeXT (in the office) isn't 1/20th the speed of my 867MHz (RISC) PPC. The issue with really fast systems is really bad and bloated software is allowed."
Part of the problem is that users haven't kept up with their computers. A desktop computer's CPU is fairly idle, waiting either for the user to do something or for some kind of I/O. Eight-bit computers were able to do tolerable GUIs with WYSIWYG applications -- but having less responsiveness, no multitasking, limited task switching, and none of the flexibility of today's systems.
Try doing something CPU intensive -- you may find that your NeXT really is a fraction of the speed of your PPC. (Just out of curiosity, I timed my computer systems a few years ago by making an MP3 with LAME (the.wav was already ripped). The systems were vastly different in terms of OS, RAM, hard drives, etc... but were representative of their generation IMHO. The reduction in encoding times was pretty much what one would expect based on MHz ratings.)
Bloat can be a real problem. But one person's bloat is another person's feature. And with so many idle CPU cycles, it's a no-brainer to add more features.
Unreal Tournament -- It runs on what's now "low end" PCs, and has a better "feel" that UT 2003 (IMHO). Single player with bots just as enjoyable as multiplayer. And there's tons of maps and mods out there.
Civ 2 -- I had my girlfriend addicted to it. With the low hardware requirements, it'll run well under VMWare. Multiplayer support isn't great compared to modern games, but it's adequate.
Planescape:Torment -- I got it out of the bargain bin years after it had been released. Even after playing Baldur's Gate 2 and Icewind Dale, P:T's story and characters made it worthwhile.
Starcraft + Brood War -- Lots of fun, numerous options that favor different styles of play (defensive, offensive, etc). Game balance is pretty close to perfect once Brood War is installed.
Most drive failures happen fairly early after purchase (first month or so of use). How many people will endure the hassle of warranty repair on a 3-5 year old hard drive, when they can pick up something significantly bigger and faster? Getting a refurbed 80-250 GB drive won't seem worth the effort when retailers will have 1-2 TB drives (guesstimate) available for the price of the original.
And like Ars Technica said, it's something else that they can advertise on the box to set themselves apart from other vendors.
My close friends were victims of identity theft, and for a short period of time lost all access to their funds (except a Paypal card with some cash). Losing the money in your wallet is one thing -- losing every asset and piece of credit in your name for two weeks can be *ahem* problematic.
Don't agree with me? Go two weeks without spending any money -- cash, credit, debit, or check. Guess what you can't do: * Purchase groceries for the family * Purchase gasoline or pay for public transportation * Pay rent * Make car payments
Unless you're living in your parents' basement, money is essential to Western life.
Then why do businesses have "campaign contributions"? Why is a business sending a letter to the Senate (a law-making body)? Please explain.
"Most people in this country oppose online piracy."
Numbers, please.
"If you are downloading music illegally, you are causing this right to be taken away."
Um... how is that? The RIAA's numbers would seem to disagree with your rhetoric. There may be a small dip in the RIAA's desired profits, but unemployment, war, and other factors are bigger contributors than downloads.
"The RIAA is just pissing in the wind by trying to delay their own obsolesce, but that can do that if they want to and it doesn't hurt anyone."
When they start buying laws that are detrimental to freedom of expression and fair use of copyrights, they're hurting everyone.
If they want to go out of business, that's their choice. They don't have the right to harass other industies with overbearing laws, legislate how you use your technology, or collect royalties on media without authorizing copying.
"...I can't say that it's entirely undeserved. We had the right to share files freely, and we abused it. The results are detrimental to society, and therefore that right is now being taken away.... it is the responsibility of every world citizen to respect intellectual property and behave appropriately."
A while back, the MPAA was complaining about people using text messaging in movies. Not because they were "pirating", but they were complaining about movies and recommending friends not go. According to them, it's disrespectful to offer honest opinions about movies. What exactly did we do to deserve that?
We're not talking about people murdering, raping, or destroying physical property. The public has spoken -- they want music now, choosing their own songs, and inexpensively. The RIAA didn't cash in when they had the chance -- their business model is obsolete, they dragged their feet in coming to terms with reality, and now want government protection (and regrettably has the pockets to purchase it). Apple is making millions doing selling songs online. Whose fault is that?
I'm sure that the makers of candles, chamber pots, and buggy whips would agree with your sentiments. But fortunately for society people didn't respect those important industries, and "small" advances like electricity, water, sewer systems and horseless carriages came into being.
"It won't work, unless Joe User can play the latest, greatest games on the box without having to hack around with Wine(X)."
Most of the older users (40's and 50's) I've worked with have never played any games on their Windows install -- except for Solitaire and Minesweeper. The default games included with Gnome or KDE would be more than enough for people with similar interests.
For PCs in the office (from the SOHO to corporate level) or in schools, the lack of games could be seen as an advantage.
I would have replied sooner, but I was playing Unreal Tournament on my Gentoo system. (True, it's an older game, but I have an "older" computer.)
I think the first big vendor[1] to properly commit to shipping Linux-based systems has the opportunity to make a killing.
Anyone can sell a cheap x86 box (Windows or Linux) to Joe Sixpack.
The first big vendor that offers a complete Linux system can really rack up the profits. By system I mean modem, networking, scanner and printer. The vendor would be in a position to (somewhat) honestly claim "if you don't buy from us, good luck getting it to work." Reinvest the MS-tax in Crossover Office, so they can advertise compatibility with Office, Photoshop, etc[2].
[1] Big == national, with an advertising budget to reach non-geeks.
[2] Having Office compatibility makes switching to Linux easier to swallow for Joe Sixpack -- even if he never uses it.
I agree with you. I've got almost everything that uses batteries on some form of rechargeable. These are just my observations and educated guesses...
* The term "rechargeable" gets associated with NiCad batteries for a lot of 'older' people. They immediately think low capacity, short shelf life, "memory effect", etc.
* Standard NiMH cells (AAA-D) can only output 1.2 volts. That causes problems in some devices; they may use the voltage to determine battery capacity. I had a Rio MP3 player that said the NiMH cell was only "half-charged", even though it lasted longer than a rechargeable alkaline cell. I have an LED flashlight that refuses to work with NiMHs, and another that is noticably dimmer when using NiMH cells. Other lights may be dimmer with NiMHs, due to the "reduced" voltage.
* The self-discharge rate increases with temperature. NiMHs left in a hot car in summer will drain faster than those in a cool house. Single-use lithium style batteries can hold their charge for 5-7 years.
* The NiMH C and D cells sold in most stores suck -- their capacity is about 2200 mAh. The latest AA NiMHs have capacities around 2100-2300 mAh.
* People are short-sighted and cheap. I bought a pack of six NiMHs the other day for about the same price as 48 alkalines. So I won't break even until the 9th charge. After that it's like having batteries "for free".
My first method of documentation is going through my typical workday, and writing down everything important. In the space of a week, that covers most of my tasks.
Next, look at what scripts or macros are used on a regular basis. Make a note of them, and email copies to managers whenever possible. You never know if the person who "cleans up" behind you is going to erase every file with your username.
Don't forget the 80/20 rule. Focus on the 80% first, then the more arcane aspects of the 20%. It shouldn't need to be said, but don't make comments about individuals -- positive or negative. Just comment on the needs of various areas, and try to leave names out.
Use whatever word processor is standard in the office, and type up the directions in outline format. That makes it easier to make small notes, exceptions to the rule, etc.
Email copies to your supervisor/manager and your current account. Printouts have a habit of getting lost... Keep a copy for yourself too (but don't email it). Being able to show your writing style is a major plus in interviews.
The Red Cross is even worse. My ex-girlfriend donated blood immediately after 9/11, in an attempt to help.
Since then, every 2-4 weeks she's gotten a phone call from them asking for more blood. She's even received two calls in the same night, despite telling them to take her off the list every single time. Saying that she's on medication did no good either.
I've thought about giving blood, but after seeing the harassment she went through, I won't without a damn good reason.
"It would take years before anyone actually making use of the code could build up the infrastructure and reputation that google has got"
Let's say a company wants to buy their way into the search engine business...
If each PC cost an average of $3000US (to include large amounts of RAM, networking infrastructure, etc) 50,000 of them would cost a "whopping" $150 million. That's a lot of cash for a startup, but pocket change for Apple, IBM, or Microsoft.
Both IBM and Microsoft have the programming resources to take advantage of the hardware, although IBM would have the upper hand (IMHO) having an army of consultants that they can draw upon for technical help.
"After all, since the IT person is being eliminated it is EVERYONES responsibility to keep things up and running."
Better yet, give admin privs to all of the managers at senior and middle level. They won't complain about their newfound powers, and most won't have the skill or objective view to use them safely.
It's only a matter of time before the shoot themselves in the foot!
Be professional, and don't mess with their systems. In this day and age, it's not a good idea to be labelled as a "[cr|h]acker". Best case scenario: you get let go early. Worst case: they blame all of their problems on you (now and in the future), and/or The Law comes knocking at your door. That level of liability is not good.
Having said that... enjoy your "paid vacation". Don't put in overtime or give the extra effort unless you know the rank-and-file workers (not management) will be harmed by it.
Turn the pager and cellphone off when you're not at work.
Take time every day to look at the newspaper's job section -- even if you've already got something lined up.
This is place-specific, but... if your company has an informal dress code, show up in a suit and tie. And make sure that you are adamant about your hours that day -- or cut back a few hours. If you're in a suit-and-tie office, tweak the dress code as far as possible within the letter of the rules.
Take the time to correspond with friends and contacts, giving them all your new email address.
Catch up on your reading. Put your name in ink on your computer books, or if you want to be bold, pick up just about anything else. You know what will be least (or most) upsetting to your coworkers.
If at all possible, try not to write any kind of scripts to automate your job. This sounds petty on the surface, but if/when something breaks you don't want to be getting any phone calls -- or having it look like you got in to break something. Unless you're getting a nice stay-bonus or severance package, what happens after you're gone is not your problem.
"Give them a wrong address for the company. Nothing too misleading , such as a different town, just be a few streets out."
It cuts both ways though. If I was applying to a company that hired people incapable of giving the correct address, I'd think twice. Likewise, if a company deliberately misled me as part of the interview process, it would be harder to believe anything else they said.
And the most you've done is prescreened people who can use Mapquest. Whoop-DEE-doo.
"For fun, give them some paperwork to fill out at the end of the interview and say "I just have to duck out and check on something - back in a tick". Leave and time how long it takes for them to wander out of the office in search of someone... 15 minutes to half an hour's a pretty good baseline."
Most of the interviews I've been to have had a specified time limit (or have been happy to tell me when asked). A lot of people don't have time to waste on interviews: they're either taking time away from their current job, or have the day off. Why waste their time "for fun"? Wasting 15-30 minutes of interview time is stupid when you could be doing something productive (like talking to them).
Many of the "nicer" ties -- the ones that are higher priced, higher quality, "more professional" -- are dry-clean only. All but the cheapest ties I've seen/bought have been dry-clean only! Also, frequent cleaning can cause the ties to lose their vibrancy.
I'd wager that most professionals don't think ties get dirty unless something is dropped/spilled on them -- it's not actually in contact with your skin except when being adjusted.
A friend was in a similar situation -- she had recorded a phone interview [1], and needed to transcribe it. To make certain there were no technical glitches, the interview was recorded to cassette and as a WAV file on her PC.
When the time came to transcribe the interview, she found the version on her PC more helpful -- her hands never had to leave the keyboard in order to pause or "rewind" the audio.
If you go this route, remember that you'll need about 600 MB per hour of uncompressed audio. If space is an issue and you need to compress, don't max out the compression; saving a few megabytes here and there could result in hours of extra work due to artifacts.
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RTFP: "How many Microsoft-attacking pieces of malware can infect Linux desktops or servers directly?"
Let me rephrase... How many of the worms, trojans, viruses and other pieces of malware that infect Microsoft systems can use the included code to attack Linux systems?
Yes, Virginia, I'm looking for a numerical response.
"I think you should be educating your users on things not to do."
Good intentions and well-designed educational programs break down quickly in the business world. Resources are finite, and forcing other departments and management to wait for an IT class so they can hire people is crazy. Likewise, even the smartest and most computer-savvy of users can make the occasional mistake.
I know a lot of IT departments (first and second hand)... none of them have the kind of hiring and firing power you want.
> "Oh, they run linux and are immune to all this."
"Obviously phrased so that it implies that linux is immune to all virii, spyware, and other exploits. "
The truth hurts! How many Microsoft-attacking pieces of malware can infect Linux desktops or servers directly?
Sometimes the "obvious" solution isn't.
Even when shut down, my PC's keyboard LEDs are still illuminated. My optical mouse continues to emit light (which increases if it gets bumped). The various LEDs on the NIC are still illuminated, and flashing if there's a signal.
This isn't "sleep" or "standby" mode -- this is the normal "shut down" mode I'm talking about. The only way to really shut it down is turn it off and then cut power.
"Isn't reiserfs4 actually providing some of this functionality (and much more) and has allready been released?"
:)
Yes, it has.
I was just thinking that it would be cheaper, easier, and faster for Microsoft to just license Reiserfs v4. Just the atomic file writes/updates would be worth the effort! And the filesystem supports plugins.
Some people in the Linux community don't think Reiserfs v4 is stable... but I'm willing to bet by 2006 the issue will be settled.
"Her PC was in such bad shape, it required 10 1/2 hours of surgery to restore it to working condition.""
[sarcasm]
That's pretty quick for installing Gentoo and compiling KDE!
[/sarcasm]
"I still find that my 30MHz Sparc 2 running fvwm wasn't a ton less useful than my current FreeBSD setup. I *know* that my 40MHz NeXT (in the office) isn't 1/20th the speed of my 867MHz (RISC) PPC. The issue with really fast systems is really bad and bloated software is allowed."
.wav was already ripped). The systems were vastly different in terms of OS, RAM, hard drives, etc... but were representative of their generation IMHO. The reduction in encoding times was pretty much what one would expect based on MHz ratings.)
Part of the problem is that users haven't kept up with their computers. A desktop computer's CPU is fairly idle, waiting either for the user to do something or for some kind of I/O. Eight-bit computers were able to do tolerable GUIs with WYSIWYG applications -- but having less responsiveness, no multitasking, limited task switching, and none of the flexibility of today's systems.
Try doing something CPU intensive -- you may find that your NeXT really is a fraction of the speed of your PPC. (Just out of curiosity, I timed my computer systems a few years ago by making an MP3 with LAME (the
Bloat can be a real problem. But one person's bloat is another person's feature. And with so many idle CPU cycles, it's a no-brainer to add more features.
Unreal Tournament -- It runs on what's now "low end" PCs, and has a better "feel" that UT 2003 (IMHO). Single player with bots just as enjoyable as multiplayer. And there's tons of maps and mods out there.
Civ 2 -- I had my girlfriend addicted to it. With the low hardware requirements, it'll run well under VMWare. Multiplayer support isn't great compared to modern games, but it's adequate.
Planescape:Torment -- I got it out of the bargain bin years after it had been released. Even after playing Baldur's Gate 2 and Icewind Dale, P:T's story and characters made it worthwhile.
Starcraft + Brood War -- Lots of fun, numerous options that favor different styles of play (defensive, offensive, etc). Game balance is pretty close to perfect once Brood War is installed.
Most drive failures happen fairly early after purchase (first month or so of use). How many people will endure the hassle of warranty repair on a 3-5 year old hard drive, when they can pick up something significantly bigger and faster? Getting a refurbed 80-250 GB drive won't seem worth the effort when retailers will have 1-2 TB drives (guesstimate) available for the price of the original.
And like Ars Technica said, it's something else that they can advertise on the box to set themselves apart from other vendors.
Unfortunately, it takes money to live.
My close friends were victims of identity theft, and for a short period of time lost all access to their funds (except a Paypal card with some cash). Losing the money in your wallet is one thing -- losing every asset and piece of credit in your name for two weeks can be *ahem* problematic.
Don't agree with me? Go two weeks without spending any money -- cash, credit, debit, or check. Guess what you can't do:
* Purchase groceries for the family
* Purchase gasoline or pay for public transportation
* Pay rent
* Make car payments
Unless you're living in your parents' basement, money is essential to Western life.
"No one is buying laws."
Then why do businesses have "campaign contributions"? Why is a business sending a letter to the Senate (a law-making body)? Please explain.
"Most people in this country oppose online piracy."
Numbers, please.
"If you are downloading music illegally, you are causing this right to be taken away."
Um... how is that? The RIAA's numbers would seem to disagree with your rhetoric. There may be a small dip in the RIAA's desired profits, but unemployment, war, and other factors are bigger contributors than downloads.
"The RIAA is just pissing in the wind by trying to delay their own obsolesce, but that can do that if they want to and it doesn't hurt anyone."
When they start buying laws that are detrimental to freedom of expression and fair use of copyrights, they're hurting everyone.
If they want to go out of business, that's their choice. They don't have the right to harass other industies with overbearing laws, legislate how you use your technology, or collect royalties on media without authorizing copying.
"...I can't say that it's entirely undeserved. We had the right to share files freely, and we abused it. The results are detrimental to society, and therefore that right is now being taken away.... it is the responsibility of every world citizen to respect intellectual property and behave appropriately."
A while back, the MPAA was complaining about people using text messaging in movies. Not because they were "pirating", but they were complaining about movies and recommending friends not go. According to them, it's disrespectful to offer honest opinions about movies. What exactly did we do to deserve that?
We're not talking about people murdering, raping, or destroying physical property. The public has spoken -- they want music now, choosing their own songs, and inexpensively. The RIAA didn't cash in when they had the chance -- their business model is obsolete, they dragged their feet in coming to terms with reality, and now want government protection (and regrettably has the pockets to purchase it). Apple is making millions doing selling songs online. Whose fault is that?
I'm sure that the makers of candles, chamber pots, and buggy whips would agree with your sentiments. But fortunately for society people didn't respect those important industries, and "small" advances like electricity, water, sewer systems and horseless carriages came into being.
"It won't work, unless Joe User can play the latest, greatest games on the box without having to hack around with Wine(X)."
Most of the older users (40's and 50's) I've worked with have never played any games on their Windows install -- except for Solitaire and Minesweeper. The default games included with Gnome or KDE would be more than enough for people with similar interests.
For PCs in the office (from the SOHO to corporate level) or in schools, the lack of games could be seen as an advantage.
I would have replied sooner, but I was playing Unreal Tournament on my Gentoo system. (True, it's an older game, but I have an "older" computer.)
I think the first big vendor[1] to properly commit to shipping Linux-based systems has the opportunity to make a killing.
Anyone can sell a cheap x86 box (Windows or Linux) to Joe Sixpack.
The first big vendor that offers a complete Linux system can really rack up the profits. By system I mean modem, networking, scanner and printer. The vendor would be in a position to (somewhat) honestly claim "if you don't buy from us, good luck getting it to work." Reinvest the MS-tax in Crossover Office, so they can advertise compatibility with Office, Photoshop, etc[2].
[1] Big == national, with an advertising budget to reach non-geeks.
[2] Having Office compatibility makes switching to Linux easier to swallow for Joe Sixpack -- even if he never uses it.
I agree with you. I've got almost everything that uses batteries on some form of rechargeable. These are just my observations and educated guesses...
* The term "rechargeable" gets associated with NiCad batteries for a lot of 'older' people. They immediately think low capacity, short shelf life, "memory effect", etc.
* Standard NiMH cells (AAA-D) can only output 1.2 volts. That causes problems in some devices; they may use the voltage to determine battery capacity. I had a Rio MP3 player that said the NiMH cell was only "half-charged", even though it lasted longer than a rechargeable alkaline cell. I have an LED flashlight that refuses to work with NiMHs, and another that is noticably dimmer when using NiMH cells. Other lights may be dimmer with NiMHs, due to the "reduced" voltage.
* The self-discharge rate increases with temperature. NiMHs left in a hot car in summer will drain faster than those in a cool house. Single-use lithium style batteries can hold their charge for 5-7 years.
* The NiMH C and D cells sold in most stores suck -- their capacity is about 2200 mAh. The latest AA NiMHs have capacities around 2100-2300 mAh.
* People are short-sighted and cheap. I bought a pack of six NiMHs the other day for about the same price as 48 alkalines. So I won't break even until the 9th charge. After that it's like having batteries "for free".
My first method of documentation is going through my typical workday, and writing down everything important. In the space of a week, that covers most of my tasks.
Next, look at what scripts or macros are used on a regular basis. Make a note of them, and email copies to managers whenever possible. You never know if the person who "cleans up" behind you is going to erase every file with your username.
Don't forget the 80/20 rule. Focus on the 80% first, then the more arcane aspects of the 20%. It shouldn't need to be said, but don't make comments about individuals -- positive or negative. Just comment on the needs of various areas, and try to leave names out.
Use whatever word processor is standard in the office, and type up the directions in outline format. That makes it easier to make small notes, exceptions to the rule, etc.
Email copies to your supervisor/manager and your current account. Printouts have a habit of getting lost... Keep a copy for yourself too (but don't email it). Being able to show your writing style is a major plus in interviews.
The Red Cross is even worse. My ex-girlfriend donated blood immediately after 9/11, in an attempt to help.
Since then, every 2-4 weeks she's gotten a phone call from them asking for more blood. She's even received two calls in the same night, despite telling them to take her off the list every single time. Saying that she's on medication did no good either.
I've thought about giving blood, but after seeing the harassment she went through, I won't without a damn good reason.
"It would take years before anyone actually making use of the code could build up the infrastructure and reputation that google has got"
Let's say a company wants to buy their way into the search engine business...
If each PC cost an average of $3000US (to include large amounts of RAM, networking infrastructure, etc) 50,000 of them would cost a "whopping" $150 million. That's a lot of cash for a startup, but pocket change for Apple, IBM, or Microsoft.
Both IBM and Microsoft have the programming resources to take advantage of the hardware, although IBM would have the upper hand (IMHO) having an army of consultants that they can draw upon for technical help.
"After all, since the IT person is being eliminated it is EVERYONES responsibility to keep things up and running."
Better yet, give admin privs to all of the managers at senior and middle level. They won't complain about their newfound powers, and most won't have the skill or objective view to use them safely.
It's only a matter of time before the shoot themselves in the foot!
Be professional, and don't mess with their systems. In this day and age, it's not a good idea to be labelled as a "[cr|h]acker". Best case scenario: you get let go early. Worst case: they blame all of their problems on you (now and in the future), and/or The Law comes knocking at your door. That level of liability is not good.
Having said that... enjoy your "paid vacation". Don't put in overtime or give the extra effort unless you know the rank-and-file workers (not management) will be harmed by it.
Turn the pager and cellphone off when you're not at work.
Take time every day to look at the newspaper's job section -- even if you've already got something lined up.
This is place-specific, but... if your company has an informal dress code, show up in a suit and tie. And make sure that you are adamant about your hours that day -- or cut back a few hours. If you're in a suit-and-tie office, tweak the dress code as far as possible within the letter of the rules.
Take the time to correspond with friends and contacts, giving them all your new email address.
Catch up on your reading. Put your name in ink on your computer books, or if you want to be bold, pick up just about anything else. You know what will be least (or most) upsetting to your coworkers.
If at all possible, try not to write any kind of scripts to automate your job. This sounds petty on the surface, but if/when something breaks you don't want to be getting any phone calls -- or having it look like you got in to break something. Unless you're getting a nice stay-bonus or severance package, what happens after you're gone is not your problem.
"Give them a wrong address for the company. Nothing too misleading , such as a different town, just be a few streets out."
It cuts both ways though. If I was applying to a company that hired people incapable of giving the correct address, I'd think twice. Likewise, if a company deliberately misled me as part of the interview process, it would be harder to believe anything else they said.
And the most you've done is prescreened people who can use Mapquest. Whoop-DEE-doo.
"For fun, give them some paperwork to fill out at the end of the interview and say "I just have to duck out and check on something - back in a tick". Leave and time how long it takes for them to wander out of the office in search of someone... 15 minutes to half an hour's a pretty good baseline."
Most of the interviews I've been to have had a specified time limit (or have been happy to tell me when asked). A lot of people don't have time to waste on interviews: they're either taking time away from their current job, or have the day off. Why waste their time "for fun"? Wasting 15-30 minutes of interview time is stupid when you could be doing something productive (like talking to them).
Many of the "nicer" ties -- the ones that are higher priced, higher quality, "more professional" -- are dry-clean only. All but the cheapest ties I've seen/bought have been dry-clean only! Also, frequent cleaning can cause the ties to lose their vibrancy.
I'd wager that most professionals don't think ties get dirty unless something is dropped/spilled on them -- it's not actually in contact with your skin except when being adjusted.
Many days I don't use many more programs than these.
My GF got me a 256 MB DIMM for my computer, and has Player's Guide to Faerun on pre-order. And she took me out to dinner, to Famous Hot Weiner.
I got her a charoite pendant, serpentine chain -- plus a new hard drive for her computer.
Having a geek grrlfriend: priceless.
A friend was in a similar situation -- she had recorded a phone interview [1], and needed to transcribe it. To make certain there were no technical glitches, the interview was recorded to cassette and as a WAV file on her PC.
When the time came to transcribe the interview, she found the version on her PC more helpful -- her hands never had to leave the keyboard in order to pause or "rewind" the audio.
If you go this route, remember that you'll need about 600 MB per hour of uncompressed audio. If space is an issue and you need to compress, don't max out the compression; saving a few megabytes here and there could result in hours of extra work due to artifacts.
[1] With explicit permission given.