One thing Wal-Mart is notorious for is driving smaller competitors out of business. Selling new computers for cheaper than older systems would put a lot of pressure on local businesses. One thing is certain IMHO -- Wal-Mart wouldn't be selling these systems if they didn't think they could make a profit.
You're right about the used market though. More than once, I've gotten a laugh from reading the classifieds and seeing old systems going for the price of a new one.
Why buy a old machine to do this when these are only 200 bucks.
That's an interesting point -- what will the ultra-cheap PC do to the used PC market?
A computer shop near me sells used and refurbished machines. "Complete" Pentium computers including HD, video, modem, Windows, etc (without monitor) were 100-200 dollars (US). And Pentium means Pentium 1, under 233 Mhz.
Anyone with a clue is going to buy the new cheapo PC and "transfer" the Windows license.
"I love the way older media on computers just assumed that you'd need to be able to program, and to know how a microprocessor works to get any value out of the machine: I only wish it was still like that today."
Why would you want that? Do you not remember how in the 80's, every brand of computer (Apple, Atari, Commodore, etc) was incompatible? Often older models weren't compatible with newer ones -- C64 and VIC-20, Apple 2 and GS, etc.
Even now architectures chage quickly -- look at the changes of video cards and CPUs over the past 5-10 years. If you write code for a specific graphics card or CPU, it would be "out of date" in just a few years. Consider this: in 20 years, we've gone from 8 bit CPUs on the desktop to 32 bit CPUs. AMD's Hammer has the potential to make 64-bit desktop computers common. For most people knowing the specifics about the CPU is more info than is needed -- let the compiler do the optimizations.
I'm just wondering what can happen to a "good samaritan" in terms of liability. If you hadn't been able to fix the network, or if some malware (virus, trojan) shows up sometime in the near future, what's to stop them from coming after you with a team of attack lawyers? While it's unlikely, if somebody was willing to make a demand of you like that, I wouldn't be surprised if they were willing to play pass-the-buck if something unfortunate happens.
While I admire you for following your beliefs, I don't know that I would have done the same. Only if the livelihood of my friends at the company were jeopardized would I go for it -- or if the money was exceptional.
I've got a dual-boot Red Hat 7.3 and Windows 98 SE system. I spend most of my time in Linux, but find myself rebooting to Windows for several reasons.
1. MP3 Ripping. After spending hours messing around with CD Paranoia, and still not having in want to rip CD's faster 0.2x, I've given up. Exact Audio Copy + Lame do the job better, faster, and with minimal hassle.
2. Games and Legacy Apps. For example Civ 2, Icewind Dale 1&2, Unreal Tournament, and some pen-and-paper RPG utilities. Wine lists a fair amount of compatibility, but I've never gotten Wine itself to work successfully! Likewise, I've had a lot of problems with the NVidia drivers -- including accidentally blowing away my X server!
3. CD Burning. The only program that worked "out of the box" in non-root mode is Gnome Toaster. While it's not a bad program, it's definitely still a beta:). Again, other programs would probably work -- with manual configuration, if I felt like doing it.
4. Office 2000. Open Office isn't bad, but it lacks some features. Worse, I've got some documents that make extensive use of macros, and I have no desire to convert them. Yes, Crossover Office exists, but I can't see shelling out $50 dollars when I can reboot for free.
6. "Helpdesk". Sometimes I have to walk friends and family through Windows problems online or over the phone. While my memory is good, sometimes I need to actually be in Windows to remember certain steps.
7. Poor Linux support. The official Yahoo Messenger client seems to be in perpetual beta. Acrobat Reader is much slower and clunkier on Linux than Windows.
Yes, 1, 2, and 3 are "my fault". But given the choice of using my software or screwing around with configurations, I'll reboot.
There is one situation where being required to wear a suit to work is beneficial: job-hunting.
If you have an "appointment" during the day, it's a lot more convenient to already be dressed up for the interview than having to return home or change in the car.
When I was working at a company with an informal dress code (no denim, no sporting shoes), employees showing up in suits usually meant that someone had an interview, or wanted everyone to know they were a flight risk.
Offtopic, but here goes anyway... There are two kinds of drivers: Good and Bad.
Good drivers are aware of their surroundings, can deal with multiple inputs (music, children, cellphone, rear-view-mirror), and handle technology responsibly. Good drivers know when to turn things off and pay attention.
Bad drivers can't deal with distractions or non-optimal conditions. These are the cellphone idiots, the soccer moms yelling at their kids, the feebs who need to take a long look at their stereo to make adjustments. They're easily distracted, or don't react quickly, but all consider driving to be a right, not a responsibility.
You can legislate away some of the distracting technology, but bad drivers are a fact of life. Take an honest look at the bad drivers around. Some will be cellphone users... but not all cellphone users. In my driving experience, the majority of bad drivers I've seen are the elderly, PAWs *, soccer moms with hyperactive kids, and SUV/truck drivers who think that size determins right-of-way.
I haven't seen this kind of trolling since I finished playing Icewind Dale. I've got time to kill, so I'll bite...
Joe Sixpack is buying new parts -- hard drives, CD/DVD RW's, etc -- for his PC. He might pay the store to install them or have someone else do the dirty work, but upgrades are taking place. Best Buy, CompUSA, and Walmart (!) wouldn't sell those parts if they were losing money.
Since Joe Sixpack never personally opens up his PC, it never gets dusted on the inside. A thick layer of dust is probably as bad for hard drive longevity as excess heat. (Hint: hard drives are not airtight.) And in terms of heat... most cases are designed with some leeway. A quick look at a couple of PC sites (Gateway, Micron) tells me that I can add a second hard drive as well as a second CD/DVD drive. If heat were such an issue, they wouldn't allow it -- regardless of which part fails Gateway/Micron is responsible. And that costs them money.
DRM has nothing to do with warranties. Regardless of whether a warranty is 3 years, 12 months, or 30 days, a drive failure still means data loss. If you read the warranty, data loss is not covered in any way.
As for the rest of your comments... try getting your head out of your ass. Even if your post had some validity, the cliche stereotypes you chose to drag out ruin your credibility.
I said that "The Voodoo 3 and 4 line weren't much more than fast Banshees."
Other than being faster, they really didn't offer any new features. Excluding fillrate, maximum screen resolution, and texture buffer size, my Voodoo 3's 3D (and your Banshee's) is just a sped-up Voodoo 1. No transform and lighting, no shaders, no 24/32 bit color, no support for large textures, etc.
My Voodoo 3 was a great card for the time -- it still does a great job with Half-Life and Unreal Tournament -- but even when it was new, it wasn't "new".
1. The Voodoo 3, 4, and 5 all had integrated 2D and 3D.
2. If OEMs didn't like add-on cards, why did they sell them preinstalled? I was shopping online for my PC way-back-when, and Voodoo 1 (and eventually Voodoo 2) cards were offered as (overpriced) options. Just like you can get NIC's and CD-RWs as options now.
3. The GeForce and Radeons weren't the main killers of 3dfx. The other contributing factors were:
a. Technical limitations. The Voodoo 3 and 4 line weren't much more than fast Banshees. My Voodoo 3 card has most of the same limitations as a Voodoo 1 (16-bit color, 256x256 textures), but almost no additional 3D features (primarily higher screen resolution).
b. Marketing. The Voodoo 1 and 2 lines were always the fastest in benchmarks. NVidia's TNT line was slower (but had more stable framerates), and Matrox was known for picture quality. When the Voodoo 3/4 came out, 3dfx lost the speed crown, and started talking about "image quality".
c. NVidia's 6-month release cycle. 3dfx couldn't keep up, and their "older" cards had an outdated feature-set. The GeForce was a big advance, but only in terms of fill-rate; there weren't any games (at that time) taking advantage of the new features. 3dfx lost a lot of the hearts of gamers and enthusiasts when they started pushing back release dates.
d. Buying STB. I don't think that the purchase was the final nail in 3dfx's coffin, but it certainly didn't provide the desired benefits.
I've had nothing but positive experiences asking questions at Anandtech Forums. Even if you don't like the articles on the site, the forums (and FAQs!) are a great source of technical help. Posting requires free registration, but is relatively painless. The forums cover just about everything involving PC tech, plus "off-topic" and "hot deals" categories. They are fairly tolerant of newbies as well.
Google is probably an overlooked resource too. Most of the time I can find answers to my Linux questions by searching for "linux howto topicname" (without the quotes). And I have bookmark folders full of sites devoted to one or two specific topics (networking, MP3's, beginner-level Linux, CD-RW's, etc).
Doesn't anyone else think lawns are just a bit silly? What's wrong with forest floor? Plant some nice big shade trees, don't rake the leaves, have a wild flower spot, some herbs and veggies
Having seen homes that have similar setups... they look awful when next to a decently-manicured lawn. My grandmother's front yard has several large oaks, giving it lots of shade. What little grass is present grows in small tufts and clusters -- too much for a weedwacker, too little to really justify a lawnmower. The ground that doesn't have any covering washes away. Unless the leaves are raked on a regular basis, they get full of bugs if it's a wet autumn, and are a fire hazard if it's dry.
A friend of the family has a no-cut "lawn". She replaced all of her grass with ivy and vines. There's not a lot of upkeep for it, but it's also not usable for anything: you really can't walk through it or plant anything near it. And it looks like a lawn that's just gotten overgrown.
Our relatively new home has made me feel like a grass farmer all summer. What an ass I feel like spending hours upon hours farming the perfect turf.. with NO CROP.
Not to be unsympathetic, but if you didn't want a yard, there are probably a lot of options -- apartments, condominiums, city townhomes, or houses in the woods that you wouldn't need to landscape.
The chipmakers keep bringing out newer and faster chips, but the cost of the "bleeding edge" chips is enough to give pause to many people. Looking at Pricewatch, a P4 2.8Ghz CPU is twice as expensive as their 2.53 Ghz CPU. For AMD, the XP2200+ is 60% more expensive than the XP2000+. Even those who don't know computers realize that they'll be paying a whole lot of extra cash ($250 for the P4), and not getting a lot of Gigahertz in return.
Even though CPU clockspeeds go up, it seems like the best time to upgrade is after a major change is made: faster FSB, faster RAM, more L2 cache, smaller die size, etc. The incremental upgrades are almost always smaller than the clock speed would suggest. Compounding the problem is the fact that a lot of computer components haven't increased in speed; the PCI bus, consumer hard drives, and Internet connections have seen little or no change over the past few years.
If Microsoft wasn't developing DRM, someone else would.
Perhaps. But Microsoft has the advantage of being a monopoly, and a history of leveraging that against all competitors. Compare this to credit cards and stocks: there are a lot of companies offering the service, all of them are fairly secure. Imagine what things would be like if there was only one bank, one credit card, or one securites company.
There are many who want a secure platform.
Other than the big media companies and Microsoft, could you name a few? Preferably consumers and consumer groups, not just corporations.
Does anyone ever try to objectively think through both the pros and cons of a either DRM or trusted computing platform?
Yes, I've given it some thought. The problem is that DRM is truly "Digital Restrictions Management" -- many of the legal things I do now with software, books, movies, and music would cease to be possible.
The reason for the intense dislike of DRM is simple: DRM isn't about stopping piracy, it's about big companies getting bigger and richer at the expense of their customers. Most of the DRM proposals I've heard about have been aimed at companies making more money by taking ownership and first-sale rights away from customers, turning one-time purchases into subscriptions, locking content into a device, and screwing the consumer in general. Simple (and legal!) activities, like lending a book or movie, making a backup copy, selling a CD, or using media in more than one device aren't allowed under most (if not all) of the proposed DRM rackets.
As for "trusted computing"... was it really problem before Microsoft's operating systems had such significant security problems? Trusted computing won't stop trojans, buggy software, or user errors. So what exactly is the point of it?
The GBLUG was forced to relocate after our meeting place (a local library) was snatched by a number of other groups. The officers did some research, and here's the ideas we came up with and what we found out for our area (Central Maryland):
Libraries: Free, very accessible, and easy to deal with. Surprisingly, all of the libraries in our county allow light refreshments in the meeting room.
Community Centers: Expensive. Even for a non-profit, all of them wanted $50 per hour. Way out of our budget.
Police Stations: Free, accessible, and safe. Apparently all of the stations with meeting rooms cannot charge for them. While I've never been to a meeting at one, everyone who has says they're quite nice. (I guess they were expecting bars:)
Large Bookstores: We contacted several bookstores in the area, but none of them were willing to allow the LUG to meet. One would think that the prospect of selling more computer books would be sufficient incentive.
Churches, Fire Halls, Union Halls: Most of these places view their large areas as a means for profit, and may charge serious money to rent them.
Other options. You may be able to get space at a college (four-year or community). Also, have you considered talking to other companies about a meeting space?
Also, is your group able to pay anything toward a meeting place? We're still pretty new, and have almost nothing in the treasury; there isn't any way for us to pay for a meeting place currently, and we're not willing to start charging.
The current method of making and marketing RPG's is difficult to sustain. Every D&D player "should have" their on Player's Handbook, and every DM "needs" the Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Book. After that, the market shrinks rapidly.
Campaign worlds appeal only to those who use those worlds (obviously:) or those wanting a complete collection. Splatbooks (the crunchy class/clan-specific handbooks) are only useful to players using that class. Sales get smaller and smaller, while the cost of production doesn't drop (and may increase due to smaller print runs!)
The only ways to really keep making money are:
Releasing more splatbooks and campaign-specific minutia
Using "meta-plots" to make every book critical to the entire gaming line
Selling consumables like dice, miniatures, paint, character sheets and other forms
Having a MMORPG that extorts^H^H^H^H^H^H^H charges a monthly fee for each character
I wouldn't be surprised to see a D&D-based MMORPG in the next couple of years. Given the huge amounts of money that other companies are making (and the steady revenue stream), I would say that it's almost inevitable.
D&D is too valuable to disappear from the market entirely. It may change hands several times, but between name recognition and player base it's worthwhile for someone to save. I think sales are reflecting the economy right now, and when things get better (read: geeks get back into high-paying positions) RPG sales will improve.
One mistake a lot of interviewers make is asking job candidates to bring in copies of programs they've written.
The first reason is that the programmer's employer is (almost always) the copyright holder of the code. A lot of companies consider their programs to be both property and a protected secret -- asking the candidate to bring in code is like asking them to steal. To put things another way... how would you feel if one of your employees was taking your company's programs to other employers (and potential competitors)?
You could require that the candidate to have done something for the Open Source or shareware communities... but then you're really limiting your choices.
The second reason not to ask for code is because you have no reference for it. You don't know how well it works, how well it integrates into the system... you don't even know if the person you're interviewing wrote it! I have known a couple of programmers who have submitted "brilliant" code samples to the PHB, but couldn't function in a working environment.
On a related note, would you penalize the programmer for adhering to his/her company's standards for formatting code, because they don't conform to yours? I've had interviewers say they didn't like the way I formatted my code, despite the fact that it was required for the job I was currently doing.
My suggestion: set up a computer off the network. Allow the candidate access to manuals, and give them a small programming task (and about 30-45 minutes) to complete, and let them work.
The biggest question you should try to answer for your investors is why people will patronize your business instead of rolling their own LAN. Just by looking at Best Buy's web site -- where your target demographic might look -- it's possible to get an 8-port switch for $70 USD. PCI network cards and Cat5 cables will cost each user $10-$35, depending on sales and rebates. Total price is $150-250 (BTW, a 16-port switch will double the costs). How much will you be charging for gaming time?
In terms of things you can do to make money: * Sell ethernet cards (PCI, PCMCIA, and USB) for a decent markup. If someone needs a card they're less likele to waste game time by going elsewhere. Also, 10/100 wired ethernet cards are pretty stable technologically; you don't have to worry about them being seriously obsolete for *shrug* 5 years. * Roll your own Cat5 cable and sell it. Reasons listed above. * Sell sodas (and bottled water) for a reasonable price. If you can get them wholesale, sell them for less than most stores. If you gouge, people will just bring their own. * Were you thinking about including a dedicated server? They don't need as much horsepower as the clients, so older PCs would work decently. Pick up a few discount (or used) PCs and rent them for an extra few dollars.
Also, read up on the FAQs about setting up LAN parties. A lot of the same ideas will be applicable. Off the top of my head: * Everyone is responsible for their own computer -- both the hardware, and the contents. * No one gets in without paying. Parents may pay a reduced "chaperone" fee, but you don't want the gaming area to be freely accessible to anyone.
First of all, you can get rid of the digital cable. My girlfriend had it, and it's definitely not for people who like to tape, or switch channels during commercials.:( I can't see paying extra to effectively "degrade" my service. I don't have movie channels or access to pay-per-view without a converter box, but that just keeps my bill down.:)
Also, if you're in the United States, you may be able to complain to the cable comissioner. I don't know how effective it will be, but as a taxpayer and customer of a regulated monopoly you have the right to complain.
I don't think that throwing away your TV is the answer. Just be more selective in the bills that you make for yourself.:)
Its still 199/299 for a box, which for most of us is all we regularly upgrade, but for joe public, A MONITOR IS NECESSARY.
So what do you suggest? Include a poorly-made piece of landfill-bait, an nice 19" CRT (which is going to increase the base price and shipping significantly, or an LCD monitor... And whatever they choose is bound to not work for someone.
I'm not trying to flame, but the price without monitor is the best "one size fits (almost) all" solution for the bargain-hunting crowd. And anyone with the savvy and willingness to order a PC over the internet is probably able to use a Pricewatch-type site to find a good deal.
I knew the price went up, but I didn't know how much. $180/year per person can buy a lot of pen & paper RPG's; both my girlfriend and I play, so that gives us a lot of "buying power".
She wanted to get into Everquest, but I explained the economics to her... at $240 per year (then) for both of us to play, we could buy a LaserJet toner cartridge, a case of paper, and still have over a hundred dollars for new p&p books. $360 per year just buys that much more!
If the monthly fee wasn't so large, we might both be playing. Instead, we're waiting for the Neverwinter Nights Linux client. Spending around $100 for unlimited Internet gaming is a much better deal IMHO.
One of the reasons software companies like subscriptions (besides the huge profit margin), is that it's a regular monthly income. With the traditional release cycle, there's a massive influx of money when a game is released that slowly trickles off -- making it hard for the accountants to budget, and putting pressure on the development team to speed up the next release.
Income from a monthly subscription isn't going to change drastically -- barring technical problems and expansion packs. The accountants and game designers can make long-term plans with more security: they have a "guaranteed" revenue stream. It's a win-win scenario: accountants get a regular revenue stream (and profit!), and game designers can take their time on a game and make it as excellent (and addictive) as possible. The only people who lose are the customers stuck paying over $120/year for a game.
The best way to figure it out is to follow the money... At a consumer level, low price, convenience, and (to a lesser degree) "gee-whiz" factor are the major things to consider. (I should probably mention that I'm talking about Joe Sixpack, not the average/. reader.) The fuel-cell battery may have a greater life, but it's not "easy-to-use": you can't just plug it in and forget it, and consumers have years of conditioning to not mix liquids and electronics. The "add-on" screen for the cellphone is also nice, but for most people it's another part to lose.
At the business level, the question is whether the inventions save money, make money, or enable new strategies. Fuel-cell laptops would make a lot of sense, because users can work a lot longer without being plugged in to AC power. Selling pre-packaged fuel-cells for cellphones would be a major moneymaker (think inkjet cartridges)! Visual text-to-speech could eliminate a lot of Tier 1 phone workers (the receptionists and script readers). The DNA probe would be hard to justify at a physician level in overly-litigious areas.
Finally there's the military level, where you have to ask yourself if the technology is useful at any price. The DNA probe would definitely be suitable for troops in the field, and the humanoid robot might be useful for information gathering in dangerous and difficult terrain. (Then again, non-humanoid robots seem to do that job well enough.)
OTOH, there are things that seem destined to remain vaporware. I've heard about 3D/holographic storage, humanoid robots, and smart homes for years now, but they don't seem any closer despite new research. Maybe this time the creators will find a market?
I wasn't able to live on-campus, so I commuted every day. I can't give you info on dorm life, but I do have a few tips:
1. Schoolwork comes first. You're going there for an education, and someone (whether you, your parents, the government, etc) is paying a lot of money for you to get an advanced education. Make sure you get it! I knew a _lot_ of people who played around freshman year, and didn't come back for a second year because of poor grades.
2. There are no easy majors. You will hear lots of "urban legends" that the social sciences - Psychology, Sociology, etc - are easy. That's pretty much wrong. Some majors are easier than others, but once you get into 300 and 400 level courses, they will all be difficult.
3. Don't be afraid to explore campus. You may feel dumb just walking around aimlessly, but you'll feel worse being a 2nd or 3rd year student and not knowing where Building X is. (I'm guilty of this one!)
4. Plan for graduation. Sooner or later you're going to get a job and think about a career. Find out what you like now -- both in terms of employment and hobbies. Don't go for a major you dislike because of a lucrative career path. You'll be able to tell when someone is taking a class "just for the money"... it's not a pretty sight.
5. Be safe. If you're going to party, drink, or do drugs, don't do it to excess. It seems like every year there are a few college students in the state (Maryland, FWIW) who end up dying from alcohol (either intoxication or drunk driving). Likewise, find out how safe the campus and surrounding areas are. Getting mugged at an ATM is a real possibility in some places (like my school).
6. Enjoy yourself. Freshman year is difficult for everyone, but by the second semester you'll be more comfortable. Take some time for yourself: hang out with friends, go to parties, etc. College is the last chance you'll get to enjoy your youth and freedom before you enter the real world. You can make mistakes in college that won't follow you around in your "adult" life.
#6 is my one regret -- that I really didn't get into college life until my last year.
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One thing Wal-Mart is notorious for is driving smaller competitors out of business. Selling new computers for cheaper than older systems would put a lot of pressure on local businesses. One thing is certain IMHO -- Wal-Mart wouldn't be selling these systems if they didn't think they could make a profit.
You're right about the used market though. More than once, I've gotten a laugh from reading the classifieds and seeing old systems going for the price of a new one.
Why buy a old machine to do this when these are only 200 bucks.
That's an interesting point -- what will the ultra-cheap PC do to the used PC market?
A computer shop near me sells used and refurbished machines. "Complete" Pentium computers including HD, video, modem, Windows, etc (without monitor) were 100-200 dollars (US). And Pentium means Pentium 1, under 233 Mhz.
Anyone with a clue is going to buy the new cheapo PC and "transfer" the Windows license.
"I love the way older media on computers just assumed that you'd need to be able to program, and to know how a microprocessor works to get any value out of the machine: I only wish it was still like that today."
Why would you want that? Do you not remember how in the 80's, every brand of computer (Apple, Atari, Commodore, etc) was incompatible? Often older models weren't compatible with newer ones -- C64 and VIC-20, Apple 2 and GS, etc.
Even now architectures chage quickly -- look at the changes of video cards and CPUs over the past 5-10 years. If you write code for a specific graphics card or CPU, it would be "out of date" in just a few years. Consider this: in 20 years, we've gone from 8 bit CPUs on the desktop to 32 bit CPUs. AMD's Hammer has the potential to make 64-bit desktop computers common. For most people knowing the specifics about the CPU is more info than is needed -- let the compiler do the optimizations.
I'm just wondering what can happen to a "good samaritan" in terms of liability. If you hadn't been able to fix the network, or if some malware (virus, trojan) shows up sometime in the near future, what's to stop them from coming after you with a team of attack lawyers? While it's unlikely, if somebody was willing to make a demand of you like that, I wouldn't be surprised if they were willing to play pass-the-buck if something unfortunate happens.
While I admire you for following your beliefs, I don't know that I would have done the same. Only if the livelihood of my friends at the company were jeopardized would I go for it -- or if the money was exceptional.
I've got a dual-boot Red Hat 7.3 and Windows 98 SE system. I spend most of my time in Linux, but find myself rebooting to Windows for several reasons.
:). Again, other programs would probably work -- with manual configuration, if I felt like doing it.
1. MP3 Ripping. After spending hours messing around with CD Paranoia, and still not having in want to rip CD's faster 0.2x, I've given up. Exact Audio Copy + Lame do the job better, faster, and with minimal hassle.
2. Games and Legacy Apps. For example Civ 2, Icewind Dale 1&2, Unreal Tournament, and some pen-and-paper RPG utilities. Wine lists a fair amount of compatibility, but I've never gotten Wine itself to work successfully! Likewise, I've had a lot of problems with the NVidia drivers -- including accidentally blowing away my X server!
3. CD Burning. The only program that worked "out of the box" in non-root mode is Gnome Toaster. While it's not a bad program, it's definitely still a beta
4. Office 2000. Open Office isn't bad, but it lacks some features. Worse, I've got some documents that make extensive use of macros, and I have no desire to convert them. Yes, Crossover Office exists, but I can't see shelling out $50 dollars when I can reboot for free.
6. "Helpdesk". Sometimes I have to walk friends and family through Windows problems online or over the phone. While my memory is good, sometimes I need to actually be in Windows to remember certain steps.
7. Poor Linux support. The official Yahoo Messenger client seems to be in perpetual beta. Acrobat Reader is much slower and clunkier on Linux than Windows.
Yes, 1, 2, and 3 are "my fault". But given the choice of using my software or screwing around with configurations, I'll reboot.
There is one situation where being required to wear a suit to work is beneficial: job-hunting.
If you have an "appointment" during the day, it's a lot more convenient to already be dressed up for the interview than having to return home or change in the car.
When I was working at a company with an informal dress code (no denim, no sporting shoes), employees showing up in suits usually meant that someone had an interview, or wanted everyone to know they were a flight risk.
Offtopic, but here goes anyway... There are two kinds of drivers: Good and Bad.
Good drivers are aware of their surroundings, can deal with multiple inputs (music, children, cellphone, rear-view-mirror), and handle technology responsibly. Good drivers know when to turn things off and pay attention.
Bad drivers can't deal with distractions or non-optimal conditions. These are the cellphone idiots, the soccer moms yelling at their kids, the feebs who need to take a long look at their stereo to make adjustments. They're easily distracted, or don't react quickly, but all consider driving to be a right, not a responsibility.
You can legislate away some of the distracting technology, but bad drivers are a fact of life. Take an honest look at the bad drivers around. Some will be cellphone users... but not all cellphone users. In my driving experience, the majority of bad drivers I've seen are the elderly, PAWs *, soccer moms with hyperactive kids, and SUV/truck drivers who think that size determins right-of-way.
* Punk-Ass Weasels
I haven't seen this kind of trolling since I finished playing Icewind Dale. I've got time to kill, so I'll bite...
Joe Sixpack is buying new parts -- hard drives, CD/DVD RW's, etc -- for his PC. He might pay the store to install them or have someone else do the dirty work, but upgrades are taking place. Best Buy, CompUSA, and Walmart (!) wouldn't sell those parts if they were losing money.
Since Joe Sixpack never personally opens up his PC, it never gets dusted on the inside. A thick layer of dust is probably as bad for hard drive longevity as excess heat. (Hint: hard drives are not airtight.) And in terms of heat... most cases are designed with some leeway. A quick look at a couple of PC sites (Gateway, Micron) tells me that I can add a second hard drive as well as a second CD/DVD drive. If heat were such an issue, they wouldn't allow it -- regardless of which part fails Gateway/Micron is responsible. And that costs them money.
DRM has nothing to do with warranties. Regardless of whether a warranty is 3 years, 12 months, or 30 days, a drive failure still means data loss. If you read the warranty, data loss is not covered in any way.
As for the rest of your comments... try getting your head out of your ass. Even if your post had some validity, the cliche stereotypes you chose to drag out ruin your credibility.
I said that "The Voodoo 3 and 4 line weren't much more than fast Banshees."
Other than being faster, they really didn't offer any new features. Excluding fillrate, maximum screen resolution, and texture buffer size, my Voodoo 3's 3D (and your Banshee's) is just a sped-up Voodoo 1. No transform and lighting, no shaders, no 24/32 bit color, no support for large textures, etc.
My Voodoo 3 was a great card for the time -- it still does a great job with Half-Life and Unreal Tournament -- but even when it was new, it wasn't "new".
Sorry, but you're completely wrong.
1. The Voodoo 3, 4, and 5 all had integrated 2D and 3D.
2. If OEMs didn't like add-on cards, why did they sell them preinstalled? I was shopping online for my PC way-back-when, and Voodoo 1 (and eventually Voodoo 2) cards were offered as (overpriced) options. Just like you can get NIC's and CD-RWs as options now.
3. The GeForce and Radeons weren't the main killers of 3dfx. The other contributing factors were:
a. Technical limitations. The Voodoo 3 and 4 line weren't much more than fast Banshees. My Voodoo 3 card has most of the same limitations as a Voodoo 1 (16-bit color, 256x256 textures), but almost no additional 3D features (primarily higher screen resolution).
b. Marketing. The Voodoo 1 and 2 lines were always the fastest in benchmarks. NVidia's TNT line was slower (but had more stable framerates), and Matrox was known for picture quality. When the Voodoo 3/4 came out, 3dfx lost the speed crown, and started talking about "image quality".
c. NVidia's 6-month release cycle. 3dfx couldn't keep up, and their "older" cards had an outdated feature-set. The GeForce was a big advance, but only in terms of fill-rate; there weren't any games (at that time) taking advantage of the new features. 3dfx lost a lot of the hearts of gamers and enthusiasts when they started pushing back release dates.
d. Buying STB. I don't think that the purchase was the final nail in 3dfx's coffin, but it certainly didn't provide the desired benefits.
Google is probably an overlooked resource too. Most of the time I can find answers to my Linux questions by searching for "linux howto topicname" (without the quotes). And I have bookmark folders full of sites devoted to one or two specific topics (networking, MP3's, beginner-level Linux, CD-RW's, etc).
A friend of the family has a no-cut "lawn". She replaced all of her grass with ivy and vines. There's not a lot of upkeep for it, but it's also not usable for anything: you really can't walk through it or plant anything near it. And it looks like a lawn that's just gotten overgrown.
Not to be unsympathetic, but if you didn't want a yard, there are probably a lot of options -- apartments, condominiums, city townhomes, or houses in the woods that you wouldn't need to landscape.The chipmakers keep bringing out newer and faster chips, but the cost of the "bleeding edge" chips is enough to give pause to many people. Looking at Pricewatch, a P4 2.8Ghz CPU is twice as expensive as their 2.53 Ghz CPU. For AMD, the XP2200+ is 60% more expensive than the XP2000+. Even those who don't know computers realize that they'll be paying a whole lot of extra cash ($250 for the P4), and not getting a lot of Gigahertz in return.
Even though CPU clockspeeds go up, it seems like the best time to upgrade is after a major change is made: faster FSB, faster RAM, more L2 cache, smaller die size, etc. The incremental upgrades are almost always smaller than the clock speed would suggest. Compounding the problem is the fact that a lot of computer components haven't increased in speed; the PCI bus, consumer hard drives, and Internet connections have seen little or no change over the past few years.
The reason for the intense dislike of DRM is simple: DRM isn't about stopping piracy, it's about big companies getting bigger and richer at the expense of their customers. Most of the DRM proposals I've heard about have been aimed at companies making more money by taking ownership and first-sale rights away from customers, turning one-time purchases into subscriptions, locking content into a device, and screwing the consumer in general. Simple (and legal!) activities, like lending a book or movie, making a backup copy, selling a CD, or using media in more than one device aren't allowed under most (if not all) of the proposed DRM rackets.
As for "trusted computing"... was it really problem before Microsoft's operating systems had such significant security problems? Trusted computing won't stop trojans, buggy software, or user errors. So what exactly is the point of it?
Libraries: Free, very accessible, and easy to deal with. Surprisingly, all of the libraries in our county allow light refreshments in the meeting room.
Community Centers: Expensive. Even for a non-profit, all of them wanted $50 per hour. Way out of our budget.
Police Stations: Free, accessible, and safe. Apparently all of the stations with meeting rooms cannot charge for them. While I've never been to a meeting at one, everyone who has says they're quite nice. (I guess they were expecting bars :)
Large Bookstores: We contacted several bookstores in the area, but none of them were willing to allow the LUG to meet. One would think that the prospect of selling more computer books would be sufficient incentive.
Churches, Fire Halls, Union Halls: Most of these places view their large areas as a means for profit, and may charge serious money to rent them.
Other options. You may be able to get space at a college (four-year or community). Also, have you considered talking to other companies about a meeting space?
Also, is your group able to pay anything toward a meeting place? We're still pretty new, and have almost nothing in the treasury; there isn't any way for us to pay for a meeting place currently, and we're not willing to start charging.
Campaign worlds appeal only to those who use those worlds (obviously :) or those wanting a complete collection. Splatbooks (the crunchy class/clan-specific handbooks) are only useful to players using that class. Sales get smaller and smaller, while the cost of production doesn't drop (and may increase due to smaller print runs!)
The only ways to really keep making money are:
Releasing more splatbooks and campaign-specific minutia
Using "meta-plots" to make every book critical to the entire gaming line
Selling consumables like dice, miniatures, paint, character sheets and other forms
Having a MMORPG that extorts^H^H^H^H^H^H^H charges a monthly fee for each character
I wouldn't be surprised to see a D&D-based MMORPG in the next couple of years. Given the huge amounts of money that other companies are making (and the steady revenue stream), I would say that it's almost inevitable.
D&D is too valuable to disappear from the market entirely. It may change hands several times, but between name recognition and player base it's worthwhile for someone to save. I think sales are reflecting the economy right now, and when things get better (read: geeks get back into high-paying positions) RPG sales will improve.
The first reason is that the programmer's employer is (almost always) the copyright holder of the code. A lot of companies consider their programs to be both property and a protected secret -- asking the candidate to bring in code is like asking them to steal. To put things another way... how would you feel if one of your employees was taking your company's programs to other employers (and potential competitors)?
You could require that the candidate to have done something for the Open Source or shareware communities... but then you're really limiting your choices.
The second reason not to ask for code is because you have no reference for it. You don't know how well it works, how well it integrates into the system... you don't even know if the person you're interviewing wrote it! I have known a couple of programmers who have submitted "brilliant" code samples to the PHB, but couldn't function in a working environment.
On a related note, would you penalize the programmer for adhering to his/her company's standards for formatting code, because they don't conform to yours? I've had interviewers say they didn't like the way I formatted my code, despite the fact that it was required for the job I was currently doing.
My suggestion: set up a computer off the network. Allow the candidate access to manuals, and give them a small programming task (and about 30-45 minutes) to complete, and let them work.
The biggest question you should try to answer for your investors is why people will patronize your business instead of rolling their own LAN. Just by looking at Best Buy's web site -- where your target demographic might look -- it's possible to get an 8-port switch for $70 USD. PCI network cards and Cat5 cables will cost each user $10-$35, depending on sales and rebates. Total price is $150-250 (BTW, a 16-port switch will double the costs). How much will you be charging for gaming time?
In terms of things you can do to make money:
* Sell ethernet cards (PCI, PCMCIA, and USB) for a decent markup. If someone needs a card they're less likele to waste game time by going elsewhere. Also, 10/100 wired ethernet cards are pretty stable technologically; you don't have to worry about them being seriously obsolete for *shrug* 5 years.
* Roll your own Cat5 cable and sell it. Reasons listed above.
* Sell sodas (and bottled water) for a reasonable price. If you can get them wholesale, sell them for less than most stores. If you gouge, people will just bring their own.
* Were you thinking about including a dedicated server? They don't need as much horsepower as the clients, so older PCs would work decently. Pick up a few discount (or used) PCs and rent them for an extra few dollars.
Also, read up on the FAQs about setting up LAN parties. A lot of the same ideas will be applicable. Off the top of my head:
* Everyone is responsible for their own computer -- both the hardware, and the contents.
* No one gets in without paying. Parents may pay a reduced "chaperone" fee, but you don't want the gaming area to be freely accessible to anyone.
First of all, you can get rid of the digital cable. My girlfriend had it, and it's definitely not for people who like to tape, or switch channels during commercials. :( I can't see paying extra to effectively "degrade" my service. I don't have movie channels or access to pay-per-view without a converter box, but that just keeps my bill down. :)
:)
Also, if you're in the United States, you may be able to complain to the cable comissioner. I don't know how effective it will be, but as a taxpayer and customer of a regulated monopoly you have the right to complain.
I don't think that throwing away your TV is the answer. Just be more selective in the bills that you make for yourself.
I'm not trying to flame, but the price without monitor is the best "one size fits (almost) all" solution for the bargain-hunting crowd. And anyone with the savvy and willingness to order a PC over the internet is probably able to use a Pricewatch-type site to find a good deal.
I knew the price went up, but I didn't know how much. $180/year per person can buy a lot of pen & paper RPG's; both my girlfriend and I play, so that gives us a lot of "buying power".
She wanted to get into Everquest, but I explained the economics to her... at $240 per year (then) for both of us to play, we could buy a LaserJet toner cartridge, a case of paper, and still have over a hundred dollars for new p&p books. $360 per year just buys that much more!
If the monthly fee wasn't so large, we might both be playing. Instead, we're waiting for the Neverwinter Nights Linux client. Spending around $100 for unlimited Internet gaming is a much better deal IMHO.
One of the reasons software companies like subscriptions (besides the huge profit margin), is that it's a regular monthly income. With the traditional release cycle, there's a massive influx of money when a game is released that slowly trickles off -- making it hard for the accountants to budget, and putting pressure on the development team to speed up the next release.
Income from a monthly subscription isn't going to change drastically -- barring technical problems and expansion packs. The accountants and game designers can make long-term plans with more security: they have a "guaranteed" revenue stream. It's a win-win scenario: accountants get a regular revenue stream (and profit!), and game designers can take their time on a game and make it as excellent (and addictive) as possible. The only people who lose are the customers stuck paying over $120/year for a game.
At the business level, the question is whether the inventions save money, make money, or enable new strategies. Fuel-cell laptops would make a lot of sense, because users can work a lot longer without being plugged in to AC power. Selling pre-packaged fuel-cells for cellphones would be a major moneymaker (think inkjet cartridges)! Visual text-to-speech could eliminate a lot of Tier 1 phone workers (the receptionists and script readers). The DNA probe would be hard to justify at a physician level in overly-litigious areas.
Finally there's the military level, where you have to ask yourself if the technology is useful at any price. The DNA probe would definitely be suitable for troops in the field, and the humanoid robot might be useful for information gathering in dangerous and difficult terrain. (Then again, non-humanoid robots seem to do that job well enough.)
OTOH, there are things that seem destined to remain vaporware. I've heard about 3D/holographic storage, humanoid robots, and smart homes for years now, but they don't seem any closer despite new research. Maybe this time the creators will find a market?
I wasn't able to live on-campus, so I commuted every day. I can't give you info on dorm life, but I do have a few tips:
1. Schoolwork comes first. You're going there for an education, and someone (whether you, your parents, the government, etc) is paying a lot of money for you to get an advanced education. Make sure you get it! I knew a _lot_ of people who played around freshman year, and didn't come back for a second year because of poor grades.
2. There are no easy majors. You will hear lots of "urban legends" that the social sciences - Psychology, Sociology, etc - are easy. That's pretty much wrong. Some majors are easier than others, but once you get into 300 and 400 level courses, they will all be difficult.
3. Don't be afraid to explore campus. You may feel dumb just walking around aimlessly, but you'll feel worse being a 2nd or 3rd year student and not knowing where Building X is. (I'm guilty of this one!)
4. Plan for graduation. Sooner or later you're going to get a job and think about a career. Find out what you like now -- both in terms of employment and hobbies. Don't go for a major you dislike because of a lucrative career path. You'll be able to tell when someone is taking a class "just for the money"... it's not a pretty sight.
5. Be safe. If you're going to party, drink, or do drugs, don't do it to excess. It seems like every year there are a few college students in the state (Maryland, FWIW) who end up dying from alcohol (either intoxication or drunk driving). Likewise, find out how safe the campus and surrounding areas are. Getting mugged at an ATM is a real possibility in some places (like my school).
6. Enjoy yourself. Freshman year is difficult for everyone, but by the second semester you'll be more comfortable. Take some time for yourself: hang out with friends, go to parties, etc. College is the last chance you'll get to enjoy your youth and freedom before you enter the real world. You can make mistakes in college that won't follow you around in your "adult" life.
#6 is my one regret -- that I really didn't get into college life until my last year.
But I've got a LUG meeting tonight!