First step I've always done when getting a new Dell is to format the drive, reinstall XP from scratch.
As for the support, I actually have had very good experiences with them. I had a Dell workstation at my last job. One of the USB ports got fried or something, but basically the motherboard needed replaced. I explained the problem to the CSR, and the next morning a technician was there, replaced the motherboard in about 20 minutes, and was done. I was up and running like that. Just my $.02
So what? More and more it sounds like Vista is just going to be a colossal pain in the ass. I'm perfectly happy with XP. It doesn't everything I want to do, and is stable for me, to boot. When the time comes to upgrade my hardware, I have my XP discs to install it on that. I just don't have that incessant feeling to *want* Vista. When will we see programs that actually REQUIRE Vista? I mean, it may say "recommended", but I'm pretty sure it'll be at least 5 years before that even begins to happen. If I buy a cheapo dell laptop or something, I usually reformat and reinstall the OS anyway. I'm guessing I'd probably go with XP there, too. When the time comes that I *don't* use XP, I'm guessing Ubuntu and the linux scene will be a VERY good alternative (that XGL stuff anyone?), and who knows where the Mac scene will be. I think the whole OS thing is coming to a head, with interoperability of software taking off and virtualization becoming mainstream. I have a feeling Microsoft as an OS company is nearing it's end of growth (if it hasnt' already), and all it will have left is it's Office to stand on. Just my $.02.
Does it have a ToDo list? I know there are a few homemade extensions out there for google's homepage, but they just feel clumsy. It'd be nice to integrate a checklist of things I need to do in with google calendar. Also, can I integrate the calendar in with my google/ig page?
Man, what I really want is a sharp google-esque (or yahoo, whatever) calendar I can install on my own host. WebCalendar feels clumsy, I tried 30boxes and didn't like it, and there were a few out there that seemed nice, but only read iCal files. What I really want is something like Outlook Web Access, only not Outlook, but something free, OSS, and that I can install on a webhost. Bah!
I mean, all of the games out there are homogenized boring piles of cute fuzziness and all. We don't have anything like GTA or wizards and magic and fighting and violent themed games. It's all NASCAR and Big Buck Hunter. [:roll eyes] I mean, you *can* argue about the quality of a lot of games out there, but I just don't see a massive watering down of things because Walmart won't sell them. It seems like there's a lot of variety out there, of both good and bad.
Thanks all for the good info. Basically, I want something that can be installed as a package of sorts, so I wouldn't have to separately and manually install on the client the app, plus the SQL Express database. It sounds like the bootstrap loader thing would handle that. I *thought* the SQL Express stuff was meant to act as a portable database of sorts where you didn't necessarily want to install SQL Server to a central server and have the client software connect; instead, it was packaged with the app itself. I'll do some more reading and check out those links. I've also batted around the idea of just using flat files (XML maybe?) to store the data, too. Guess we'll see!
This comes as I was actually planning on (tonight maybe?) putting together a small database app in C# for my fiancee. I want to keep up / improve my.NET 2005 skills, but my experience is primarily on client/server setups where the SQL Server 2000 is on a dedicated server. I was aiming to use SQL 2005 Express for the database part of the app. Does SQL Server 2005 Express give you sort of a glorified Access database? I want a database tied to the application, but I don't want to have to install the application AND a database instance - does the Express edition handle including the database with the app? I'm hoping maybe it creates the database file, and then just includes that in the application directory, and accesses it via some sort of database file connection?
Either way, I doubt I'll look to getting this book - I feel pretty confident in SQL 2000, and am hoping there's enough online docs to get me through a basic setup. Plus, once the db stuff is setup, I'll just need to focus on the application itself, which it doesn't sound like this book really covers.
Wow. I can't wait to see where this all goes in the near future - I'm of the camp where I'd like to try OSX, I just can't justify spending that much $$ on a machine that I can't guarantee I'd get my money's worth out of. Same with linux - I want to switch, but I do have a handful of things that I can't do in it. With this development, I think I will very much consider a MacBook Pro for my next laptop purchase. The possibilities of using OSX for most of my stuff, but being able to do my.NET development in native XP on the same box would be awesome. Granted, I still think virtualization of some sort would be better (natively or VMWare, I don't care), but this is a step in the right direction!
Maybe, but I for one know that I would work a lot more comfortably at work if I could at least wear jeans. I hate business casual - khakis, shirts tucked in, blech. I'm not gonna wear torn jeans or a tshirt, but come on, if I'm not interacting with anyone outside of my department, why can't I just be comfortable?
Why don't they rip out the legacy support, offer a slim, fast, "next-gen" Windows OS, and then offer an optional (free?) legacy pack that would install all the unnecessary crap if someone needs to run that DOS checking app from 1990? Or maybe if people can't run their 20 year old software that doesn't have support anymore, they might be inclined to move to something better.
Where is the free and opensource 30boxes that I can install on my own host and manage myself? I've tried Webcalendar, but it still seems very rough and early in it's product life. What else is out there, that's good?
Wait, it's not a computer game, but something I have to download, print out, and then cut out in order to play? And it's gonna be all monochrome on my laser printer, and I wouldn't waste ink on it. Heh, my apathy gets the better of me, ironically - its more work than I want to invest, political statement or not.
While I haven't bought more than a few CDs in the past 5 or so years probably, the ones I did buy I got because I wanted a physical tangible item. I wanted liner notes to read, something to stack in the corner, something to leave in my car and warp from the sun. Besides, CDs are still the measuring stick for digital media - where do the P2P originals come from? If all of our songs were only available through digital downloads, what would our source mesasurement be? ITune's lossy compressed files?? And I don't forsee being able to download exact digital uncompressed versions of any album in the distant future. Until something gets hashed out so that online digital media is as convenient as current CDs (taking them to a friends house, copying them for backups, etc.), compact discs are here for awhile.
I think that while, yes, they are taking a "chance", they are betting on something big and innovative coming from someone who has already proven himself, Will Wright. It's not like they're banking on some indie-born game from some students who have no track record. It's like saying a studio is gambling on Steven Speilbergs latest project even if that project is a little "out there". It's different, but it's friggin' Steven Speilberg, so odds are it will be good.
Regardless, I think I'll be looking forward to Spore - it looks very interesting!
Agreed. How often does Joe Officeworker have to open up the Run... command in Windows? He shouldn't be expected to work in a DOS box to do things he would expect a GUI to handle.
this "open concept" crap where I can hear everything and everyone, every stupid cell phone, people are always walking by, and there's no privacy to do my web surfing at work!
Will someone please knock some goddamn sense into these politicians? Seriously, I'd just like to walk up to each and every one of these retarded morons, slap them upside the head, and ask then "What in the blue hell is going on in your head?!?" It seems like more and more every day I feel that the only remaining saving grace is that these societal fvckups are going to be dead or useless in 30-40 years, so we just have to wait them out.
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First step I've always done when getting a new Dell is to format the drive, reinstall XP from scratch.
As for the support, I actually have had very good experiences with them. I had a Dell workstation at my last job. One of the USB ports got fried or something, but basically the motherboard needed replaced. I explained the problem to the CSR, and the next morning a technician was there, replaced the motherboard in about 20 minutes, and was done. I was up and running like that. Just my $.02
Without reading the comments yet, let me just say, here's another reason to pirate stuff! What's with The Man, always trying to keep us down?!
So what? More and more it sounds like Vista is just going to be a colossal pain in the ass. I'm perfectly happy with XP. It doesn't everything I want to do, and is stable for me, to boot. When the time comes to upgrade my hardware, I have my XP discs to install it on that. I just don't have that incessant feeling to *want* Vista. When will we see programs that actually REQUIRE Vista? I mean, it may say "recommended", but I'm pretty sure it'll be at least 5 years before that even begins to happen. If I buy a cheapo dell laptop or something, I usually reformat and reinstall the OS anyway. I'm guessing I'd probably go with XP there, too. When the time comes that I *don't* use XP, I'm guessing Ubuntu and the linux scene will be a VERY good alternative (that XGL stuff anyone?), and who knows where the Mac scene will be. I think the whole OS thing is coming to a head, with interoperability of software taking off and virtualization becoming mainstream. I have a feeling Microsoft as an OS company is nearing it's end of growth (if it hasnt' already), and all it will have left is it's Office to stand on. Just my $.02.
Does it have a ToDo list? I know there are a few homemade extensions out there for google's homepage, but they just feel clumsy. It'd be nice to integrate a checklist of things I need to do in with google calendar. Also, can I integrate the calendar in with my google/ig page?
Man, what I really want is a sharp google-esque (or yahoo, whatever) calendar I can install on my own host. WebCalendar feels clumsy, I tried 30boxes and didn't like it, and there were a few out there that seemed nice, but only read iCal files. What I really want is something like Outlook Web Access, only not Outlook, but something free, OSS, and that I can install on a webhost. Bah!
Ummmm, college professor is number 2, for many of the reasons you mentioned....
I mean, all of the games out there are homogenized boring piles of cute fuzziness and all. We don't have anything like GTA or wizards and magic and fighting and violent themed games. It's all NASCAR and Big Buck Hunter. [:roll eyes] I mean, you *can* argue about the quality of a lot of games out there, but I just don't see a massive watering down of things because Walmart won't sell them. It seems like there's a lot of variety out there, of both good and bad.
the Slashdot interview with the kid?
Thanks all for the good info. Basically, I want something that can be installed as a package of sorts, so I wouldn't have to separately and manually install on the client the app, plus the SQL Express database. It sounds like the bootstrap loader thing would handle that. I *thought* the SQL Express stuff was meant to act as a portable database of sorts where you didn't necessarily want to install SQL Server to a central server and have the client software connect; instead, it was packaged with the app itself. I'll do some more reading and check out those links. I've also batted around the idea of just using flat files (XML maybe?) to store the data, too. Guess we'll see!
Whoa, that sounds very cool. Thanks much!
This comes as I was actually planning on (tonight maybe?) putting together a small database app in C# for my fiancee. I want to keep up / improve my .NET 2005 skills, but my experience is primarily on client/server setups where the SQL Server 2000 is on a dedicated server. I was aiming to use SQL 2005 Express for the database part of the app. Does SQL Server 2005 Express give you sort of a glorified Access database? I want a database tied to the application, but I don't want to have to install the application AND a database instance - does the Express edition handle including the database with the app? I'm hoping maybe it creates the database file, and then just includes that in the application directory, and accesses it via some sort of database file connection?
Either way, I doubt I'll look to getting this book - I feel pretty confident in SQL 2000, and am hoping there's enough online docs to get me through a basic setup. Plus, once the db stuff is setup, I'll just need to focus on the application itself, which it doesn't sound like this book really covers.
Wow. I can't wait to see where this all goes in the near future - I'm of the camp where I'd like to try OSX, I just can't justify spending that much $$ on a machine that I can't guarantee I'd get my money's worth out of. Same with linux - I want to switch, but I do have a handful of things that I can't do in it. With this development, I think I will very much consider a MacBook Pro for my next laptop purchase. The possibilities of using OSX for most of my stuff, but being able to do my .NET development in native XP on the same box would be awesome. Granted, I still think virtualization of some sort would be better (natively or VMWare, I don't care), but this is a step in the right direction!
I don't remember having to buy Netscape....
I, for one, would rather be infamous, than famous.
Mmmmmmmm Oregon Trail....now THAT would be fun!
What they really need is a good, union created, American made, General Motors PC!
Maybe, but I for one know that I would work a lot more comfortably at work if I could at least wear jeans. I hate business casual - khakis, shirts tucked in, blech. I'm not gonna wear torn jeans or a tshirt, but come on, if I'm not interacting with anyone outside of my department, why can't I just be comfortable?
Why don't they rip out the legacy support, offer a slim, fast, "next-gen" Windows OS, and then offer an optional (free?) legacy pack that would install all the unnecessary crap if someone needs to run that DOS checking app from 1990? Or maybe if people can't run their 20 year old software that doesn't have support anymore, they might be inclined to move to something better.
Where is the free and opensource 30boxes that I can install on my own host and manage myself? I've tried Webcalendar, but it still seems very rough and early in it's product life. What else is out there, that's good?
Wait, it's not a computer game, but something I have to download, print out, and then cut out in order to play? And it's gonna be all monochrome on my laser printer, and I wouldn't waste ink on it. Heh, my apathy gets the better of me, ironically - its more work than I want to invest, political statement or not.
While I haven't bought more than a few CDs in the past 5 or so years probably, the ones I did buy I got because I wanted a physical tangible item. I wanted liner notes to read, something to stack in the corner, something to leave in my car and warp from the sun. Besides, CDs are still the measuring stick for digital media - where do the P2P originals come from? If all of our songs were only available through digital downloads, what would our source mesasurement be? ITune's lossy compressed files?? And I don't forsee being able to download exact digital uncompressed versions of any album in the distant future. Until something gets hashed out so that online digital media is as convenient as current CDs (taking them to a friends house, copying them for backups, etc.), compact discs are here for awhile.
I think that while, yes, they are taking a "chance", they are betting on something big and innovative coming from someone who has already proven himself, Will Wright. It's not like they're banking on some indie-born game from some students who have no track record. It's like saying a studio is gambling on Steven Speilbergs latest project even if that project is a little "out there". It's different, but it's friggin' Steven Speilberg, so odds are it will be good.
Regardless, I think I'll be looking forward to Spore - it looks very interesting!
Agreed. How often does Joe Officeworker have to open up the Run... command in Windows? He shouldn't be expected to work in a DOS box to do things he would expect a GUI to handle.
this "open concept" crap where I can hear everything and everyone, every stupid cell phone, people are always walking by, and there's no privacy to do my web surfing at work!
Will someone please knock some goddamn sense into these politicians? Seriously, I'd just like to walk up to each and every one of these retarded morons, slap them upside the head, and ask then "What in the blue hell is going on in your head?!?" It seems like more and more every day I feel that the only remaining saving grace is that these societal fvckups are going to be dead or useless in 30-40 years, so we just have to wait them out.
Of course as soon as I write that I see the comment subject - please disregard my stupidity :-P