If you are making the switch because of a reason, chances are you are more motivated to do the switch then someone who is just going to try to make the switch.
I have tried several linux distributions in the past (RedHat, SuSe, Knoppix and I'm about to try Ubuntu), and allthough I'm a Linux fan, I always seem to return to Windows. Why? Because most of the applications I know run on Windows, and I do not want to spend my time looking for alternatives.
A friend of mine has made the switch from Windows to Linux in an entirely different fashion: he made a backup of all his important data, formatted ALL his PCs, and installed SuSe Linux on each and everyone of them. Whereas I had an easy way back (dual-boot), he forced himself to "hang on" until he got the hang of the system. Nowadays Linux is the only thing he uses, and he won't return to Windows. I've always wanted to make a clean break, but am reluctant to do so, and therefor I always end up dual-boot.
I've refused to make the switch from 2000 Professional to WinXp Professional. As soon as Vista comes out, I'll make my own clean break.
Another aspect of the matter is when you want to make the switch. Some years ago, two colleagues and I were forced to use Unix at work - and being thrown into the deep end in such a situation really makes you try and do the best you can, whereas the same situation at home would have driven you back to what you know. In the end we got used to Unix, but the fact that we were forced to use a system we did not know very well gave us a lot of trouble we could have done without. Editing a config file you don't know about, or can't seem to find is very frustrating if you need to do it against a deadline, whereas at home you'd take your time to learn the steps needed to do so.
In the end, my two colleagues ended up hating Unix (and according to them, Linux as well), just because of this bad experience. Each time I mention some distribution like Knoppix or Ubuntu to one of them, he tells me that, yes, it may be nice and easy to work with, but "do you remember back then?" .
It all boils down to this imho: the best way to get a user to switch, is to make a clean break, and make sure that he/she WANTS to make the switch. Not just because people tell him/her that Linux is better, but because he/she KNOWS that it's better for him/her.
The only reason so many people keep on clinging to Windows, is because it feels "safe" to them. It's what they know and have known.
Then it is high time for the ISPs to either refrase their TOS, or to deliver what they have promised in the past.
There is indeed no such thing as an infinite speed modem, and I agree that the unlimited data advertised is indeed the maximum available data given the speed of said modem, that does not give an ISP the right to judge whether or not the use of your connection is to be considered "fair" or not.
If I am promised an "unlimited data transfer", which comes down to x Gb per month, I should have the legal right to be able to download x Gb per month.
Alas, where I live there are even other problems. There is a fixed maximum amount of data you can transfer, you can of course transfer more if you are willing to pay for it, but the default maximum amount is quite low (10Gb/month). People have set up petitions for a higher (or unlimited) data transfer (such as GeenDataLimiet, which means "no data limit"), but so far without success.
There is however such a thing as "nightsurfing", where you get to double your data transfer if you surf at night. Using download managers etcetera helps, of course...
But I digress... The point I'm trying to make is that if you promise to deliver something, you should make sure that you are able to deliver what you have promised. Whether that is a car, a stereo, a bottle of water or access to the net.
Yes, ISPs are running into trouble at the moment - whether it's because of mp3s, bittorrent, HD video, whatever, should not matter. What matters now is solving the problem. If they keep looking for a new "thing" to blame, they'll keep on doing it for years to come.
I couldn't agree more. I see far too many posts and topics here and elsewhere discussing the fact which is the better language, and whether or not language x is better than language y.
The question one should ask is: which language is best suited for this project, or this type of project?
Somehow I always get the impression that some people are too focussed on a single language, and are therefore defending it above all, because that's all they know. It would be better to take a step back, learn additional languages, and choose wisely because of the benefits of one language in a project.
Well, if your guess is correct (which I suspect it is), they still could have used a 192k P2P sample to do their test.
Like I said before - leaving factors like this one in a test is just asking for reactions about the validity of the test. If you're comparing the maximum speed of two cars, one homebuilt (kitcar) the other a factory model, are you going to use models where one has almost twice the horsepower of the other?
While I do agree that this is indeed a good comparison between a typical P2P and a typical DRM song, couldn't they have used the same bitrate for both?
I still buy the occasional CD and have never bought DRM music online - but isn't it possible to choose the bitrate at some stores?
If so, it would have made more sense IMO to take one song from both sides in bitrate 128k for example, AND one in 192k and do the comparison for both sets.
Even if the test is 100% valid, doing it this way will at least raise questions - as it turns out it already did.
Yeah. May I suggest, though, that you try some of the recent warez distributions of Windows XP available over Bittorrent. They're starting to resemble Linux distributions in that they bundle lots of commonly used apps right into the installer. One I've tried gives you a set of checkboxes for applications...
So true. In fact, the last warez edition of Windows XP I tried didn't even require me to check all those checkboxes - it installed Bonzi Buddy, Flyswat, Hotbar, Webhancer, Comet Cursor, Doubleclick and Gator all in one go, without needing a single click from little old me:)
What about deleting copied files? Will the two cancel each other out?
I've had a quick browse through some legal documents to verify. Apparently, one is not allowed to delete copied files, and no, the two do not cancel each other out.
However, copying deleted files is ok - as long as it's for personal use.
Ah... I should have said that I'm a software developer and that I have modified the source code for eMule (also should have said that I use eMULE not eDONKEY, I always confuse them).
It's available for download for free (open source), so you can pretty much do what you want with it.
There are so called "leecher mods" out there, but I don't want to use them because they turn off the upload completely, AND speed up the download mechanism (queues and stuff) which poisons the network. Some of them even send out invalid packets as return packets (invalid data to poison the file of another downloader). This was and will never be my intention - I just want to be able to share within my own restrictions.
I suggest you take a look at the source code (it's on SourceForge), and go from there. It's pretty self-explanatory what you need to adjust, but getting the right libraries in the right versions together to get a decent build is another story. All in all, eMule is a wonderfull client. Good luck!
I did not say that I do NOT upload. I'm using an ISP which limits my download and upload capacity. I am allowed to download 10 GB per month, but I can only upload 1 GB per month.
So when I'm using eDonkey, I do upload, but as soon as I get near my limit, I turn off uploading, and stop the "heavy" downloads. This way I can still share about 1 GB per month with other users, download as usual, and during the last few days when I can't upload, I can still download some smaller files.
Do yourself a favour - don't always judge people for the worst.
Oh, and by the way - switching ISPs is not an option: there are two others, one is not available in my region and the other one sucks (ask me how I know).
To me, the general idea of filesharing is "share as much as you can", and that's what I try to do. With BitTorrent, alas, I cannot do this. I have tried it, and the moment I start downloading, my upload skyrockets and I am uploading a multiple of what I'm downloading, which in my case is not a good thing for long.
One: it's not dead. Razorback2 going down is only temporary, until the other servers pick up. And there are a LOT of others out there.
Two: While I like BitTorrent (and use it), it's not the same as eDonkey. At least with eDonkey, I can turn off the upload. I haven't found a BT client that can do that.
What about smokers? I guess they must spend an extra hour per day away from their desks.
Very easy solution. Where I work, smoking is forbidden indoors, and if you want to go out and smoke, you need to badge. Since you left the building (and badged to get out), the minutes you're spending outdoors to smoke do not count for your work time.
In order for a smoker to have his daily dose of poison, he/she needs to work longer hours than the others. Simple as that.
I must say that I as well am inclined to believe this story.
A few years ago I was involved in an accident, and the officer told me he would type out the report and mail me a copy. Two weeks later, I went to the station to ask what happened to my copy, and if I could have it there and then. They explained to me they did not have a copy at that time, because a copy still had to be made.
I thought to myself: how hard can it be to just print the report again, or photocopy the thing?
When they finally directed me to the officer who handled the accident details, I was amazed to learn that he had two systems: one computer to file the reports in, and another computer to print the reports. These were not connected via network, and he did not have floppies. He actually was expected to type the reports again on the second computer. Which was of course causing the delay.
As a software developer I had a hard time not bursting into laughter. But after I've seen THAT, I'm pretty much inclined to believe this story.
The strange thing I've noticed is that our IT department has always been divided into two sides.
At one side, you have the fat and happy camp, as you stated, but on the other side there's the stressed out thin camp. I'm afraid I belong to the second camp, since I wheigh in at barely 85kg (which is normal considering my height).
(Nevermind that she left for work at 0700, came back around 1600 in the afternoon, that would be, 4 o'clock for those who cannot read 24 hr clocks.)
You say that like it's not normal to work those hours. 0700 to 1600 is 9 hours, given one hour (unpaid) lunch, that is a normal 8 hour work day. I'd sign up for a job like that any day.
At the moment, I'm back working on a more relaxed project, and I average 8-9 work hours a day. Bu I've just finished a project where I have worked from 0630 to 2100 EACH day for 3 years.
Yes, I do work in IT, and no, I'm by FAR the only one in this situation.
Back on topic: in my company it's assumed to be normal to study in your free time, but courses are paid by the employer. I myself have taken on the habit of using my 1 hour lunch for a quick 10 minute lunch, and spending the remaining 50 minutes on studying. Beats studying at home.
my friends and family are spreading my email address more than any of the websites I sign up with
I've noticed this myself. A lot of people I know come to me to get their computers cleaned (spyware, adware, you name it) and see me as some sort of helpdesk.
They send me an email, asking me for help, and when I reply they put me on their "send funny mails to" list, thinking they are doing me a favor.
So one helpful mail from me, and I am getting emails from all over the place. That'll teach me.
Nowadays, I just use a Yahoo! account for those mails, so my main inbox remains clean.
So very true. In fact, this is the real reason why spammers do what they do - send out as much mails to as much people they can reach, in the hope to find that one true person in their life.
They even offer rewards in their emails! Such good people...
Unfortunately, racism is still very much alive everywhere.
My real last name sounds a lot like a common foreign name. You would not believe the kind of reactions I get when I mention my last name over the phone - but when I meet them face to face, I get an entirely different reaction.
I'll give you a little example. A few years ago, I got into an accident. My insurance company arranged my car to be towed to a garage. The owner of the garage was incredibly rude, refused to do any work on the car, and refused a replacement car (which he should provide, because of my contract with my insurance company).
Even though I settled things with my own insurance company, and got a car from them, it took them and me months to get the money due after the accident.
When I phoned the rival insurance company, they stated that "it's normal to have trouble when you've had an accident with (quote) one of those filthy foreigners (unquote)" . I told them the other party wasn't a foreigner, and that in fact, there was no foreigner involved. Then they mentioned MY name as the foreigner. The only reason I got my money sooner, was because I threathened to sue them for racism.
So if I, who have only a foreign sounding name, can notice racism from time to time in everyday life, imagine how it must be for foreigners who have to put up with this kind of abuse everyday?
ABS provides shorter and better controlled braking than non-ABS.
As an experienced driver and pistonhead I must say that alas, this is not true. ABS provides better controlled braking than non-ABS, but it does not ALWAYS provide shorter braking than non-ABS.
I'll take any car without ABS on a non-slippery road in summer for example, and I'll stop quicker than it's ABS equivalent without a doubt.
I would like to point out at this moment that for the average driver you encounter driving from A to B nowadays, ABS is a GOOD thing.
Slashdot Mirror
Because they need a way to cool the servers?
I have tried several linux distributions in the past (RedHat, SuSe, Knoppix and I'm about to try Ubuntu), and allthough I'm a Linux fan, I always seem to return to Windows. Why? Because most of the applications I know run on Windows, and I do not want to spend my time looking for alternatives.
A friend of mine has made the switch from Windows to Linux in an entirely different fashion: he made a backup of all his important data, formatted ALL his PCs, and installed SuSe Linux on each and everyone of them. Whereas I had an easy way back (dual-boot), he forced himself to "hang on" until he got the hang of the system. Nowadays Linux is the only thing he uses, and he won't return to Windows. I've always wanted to make a clean break, but am reluctant to do so, and therefor I always end up dual-boot.
I've refused to make the switch from 2000 Professional to WinXp Professional. As soon as Vista comes out, I'll make my own clean break.
Another aspect of the matter is when you want to make the switch. Some years ago, two colleagues and I were forced to use Unix at work - and being thrown into the deep end in such a situation really makes you try and do the best you can, whereas the same situation at home would have driven you back to what you know. In the end we got used to Unix, but the fact that we were forced to use a system we did not know very well gave us a lot of trouble we could have done without. Editing a config file you don't know about, or can't seem to find is very frustrating if you need to do it against a deadline, whereas at home you'd take your time to learn the steps needed to do so.
In the end, my two colleagues ended up hating Unix (and according to them, Linux as well), just because of this bad experience. Each time I mention some distribution like Knoppix or Ubuntu to one of them, he tells me that, yes, it may be nice and easy to work with, but "do you remember back then?" .
It all boils down to this imho: the best way to get a user to switch, is to make a clean break, and make sure that he/she WANTS to make the switch. Not just because people tell him/her that Linux is better, but because he/she KNOWS that it's better for him/her.
The only reason so many people keep on clinging to Windows, is because it feels "safe" to them. It's what they know and have known.
There is indeed no such thing as an infinite speed modem, and I agree that the unlimited data advertised is indeed the maximum available data given the speed of said modem, that does not give an ISP the right to judge whether or not the use of your connection is to be considered "fair" or not.
If I am promised an "unlimited data transfer", which comes down to x Gb per month, I should have the legal right to be able to download x Gb per month.
Alas, where I live there are even other problems. There is a fixed maximum amount of data you can transfer, you can of course transfer more if you are willing to pay for it, but the default maximum amount is quite low (10Gb/month). People have set up petitions for a higher (or unlimited) data transfer (such as GeenDataLimiet, which means "no data limit"), but so far without success.
There is however such a thing as "nightsurfing", where you get to double your data transfer if you surf at night. Using download managers etcetera helps, of course...
But I digress... The point I'm trying to make is that if you promise to deliver something, you should make sure that you are able to deliver what you have promised. Whether that is a car, a stereo, a bottle of water or access to the net.
Yes, ISPs are running into trouble at the moment - whether it's because of mp3s, bittorrent, HD video, whatever, should not matter. What matters now is solving the problem. If they keep looking for a new "thing" to blame, they'll keep on doing it for years to come.
The question one should ask is: which language is best suited for this project, or this type of project?
Somehow I always get the impression that some people are too focussed on a single language, and are therefore defending it above all, because that's all they know. It would be better to take a step back, learn additional languages, and choose wisely because of the benefits of one language in a project.
As a former inhabitant of the planet Zarkon I can't help but feel a little insulted!
Like I said before - leaving factors like this one in a test is just asking for reactions about the validity of the test. If you're comparing the maximum speed of two cars, one homebuilt (kitcar) the other a factory model, are you going to use models where one has almost twice the horsepower of the other?
I still buy the occasional CD and have never bought DRM music online - but isn't it possible to choose the bitrate at some stores?
If so, it would have made more sense IMO to take one song from both sides in bitrate 128k for example, AND one in 192k and do the comparison for both sets.
Even if the test is 100% valid, doing it this way will at least raise questions - as it turns out it already did.
So true. In fact, the last warez edition of Windows XP I tried didn't even require me to check all those checkboxes - it installed Bonzi Buddy, Flyswat, Hotbar, Webhancer, Comet Cursor, Doubleclick and Gator all in one go, without needing a single click from little old me :)
I've had a quick browse through some legal documents to verify. Apparently, one is not allowed to delete copied files, and no, the two do not cancel each other out.
However, copying deleted files is ok - as long as it's for personal use.
It's available for download for free (open source), so you can pretty much do what you want with it.
There are so called "leecher mods" out there, but I don't want to use them because they turn off the upload completely, AND speed up the download mechanism (queues and stuff) which poisons the network. Some of them even send out invalid packets as return packets (invalid data to poison the file of another downloader). This was and will never be my intention - I just want to be able to share within my own restrictions.
I suggest you take a look at the source code (it's on SourceForge), and go from there. It's pretty self-explanatory what you need to adjust, but getting the right libraries in the right versions together to get a decent build is another story. All in all, eMule is a wonderfull client. Good luck!
Thanks for your advice - I'll be sure to check out uTorrent.
So when I'm using eDonkey, I do upload, but as soon as I get near my limit, I turn off uploading, and stop the "heavy" downloads. This way I can still share about 1 GB per month with other users, download as usual, and during the last few days when I can't upload, I can still download some smaller files.
Do yourself a favour - don't always judge people for the worst.
Oh, and by the way - switching ISPs is not an option: there are two others, one is not available in my region and the other one sucks (ask me how I know).
To me, the general idea of filesharing is "share as much as you can", and that's what I try to do. With BitTorrent, alas, I cannot do this. I have tried it, and the moment I start downloading, my upload skyrockets and I am uploading a multiple of what I'm downloading, which in my case is not a good thing for long.
One: it's not dead. Razorback2 going down is only temporary, until the other servers pick up. And there are a LOT of others out there.
Two: While I like BitTorrent (and use it), it's not the same as eDonkey. At least with eDonkey, I can turn off the upload. I haven't found a BT client that can do that.
Very easy solution. Where I work, smoking is forbidden indoors, and if you want to go out and smoke, you need to badge. Since you left the building (and badged to get out), the minutes you're spending outdoors to smoke do not count for your work time.
In order for a smoker to have his daily dose of poison, he/she needs to work longer hours than the others. Simple as that.
Surely you mean: the post redunds ex fact posto? Ba-dum-tsjjjj...
A few years ago I was involved in an accident, and the officer told me he would type out the report and mail me a copy. Two weeks later, I went to the station to ask what happened to my copy, and if I could have it there and then. They explained to me they did not have a copy at that time, because a copy still had to be made.
I thought to myself: how hard can it be to just print the report again, or photocopy the thing?
When they finally directed me to the officer who handled the accident details, I was amazed to learn that he had two systems: one computer to file the reports in, and another computer to print the reports. These were not connected via network, and he did not have floppies. He actually was expected to type the reports again on the second computer. Which was of course causing the delay.
As a software developer I had a hard time not bursting into laughter. But after I've seen THAT, I'm pretty much inclined to believe this story.
At one side, you have the fat and happy camp, as you stated, but on the other side there's the stressed out thin camp. I'm afraid I belong to the second camp, since I wheigh in at barely 85kg (which is normal considering my height).
You say that like it's not normal to work those hours. 0700 to 1600 is 9 hours, given one hour (unpaid) lunch, that is a normal 8 hour work day. I'd sign up for a job like that any day.
At the moment, I'm back working on a more relaxed project, and I average 8-9 work hours a day. Bu I've just finished a project where I have worked from 0630 to 2100 EACH day for 3 years.
Yes, I do work in IT, and no, I'm by FAR the only one in this situation.
Back on topic: in my company it's assumed to be normal to study in your free time, but courses are paid by the employer. I myself have taken on the habit of using my 1 hour lunch for a quick 10 minute lunch, and spending the remaining 50 minutes on studying. Beats studying at home.
I've noticed this myself. A lot of people I know come to me to get their computers cleaned (spyware, adware, you name it) and see me as some sort of helpdesk.
They send me an email, asking me for help, and when I reply they put me on their "send funny mails to" list, thinking they are doing me a favor.
So one helpful mail from me, and I am getting emails from all over the place. That'll teach me.
Nowadays, I just use a Yahoo! account for those mails, so my main inbox remains clean.
So very true. In fact, this is the real reason why spammers do what they do - send out as much mails to as much people they can reach, in the hope to find that one true person in their life.
They even offer rewards in their emails! Such good people...
It's actually placed there by the RAND Corp., in conjunction with the Saucer People, under the supervision of the Reverse Vampires, who are...
Always remember: a Simpsons quote a day, keeps the doctor away!
My real last name sounds a lot like a common foreign name. You would not believe the kind of reactions I get when I mention my last name over the phone - but when I meet them face to face, I get an entirely different reaction.
I'll give you a little example. A few years ago, I got into an accident. My insurance company arranged my car to be towed to a garage. The owner of the garage was incredibly rude, refused to do any work on the car, and refused a replacement car (which he should provide, because of my contract with my insurance company).
Even though I settled things with my own insurance company, and got a car from them, it took them and me months to get the money due after the accident.
When I phoned the rival insurance company, they stated that "it's normal to have trouble when you've had an accident with (quote) one of those filthy foreigners (unquote)" . I told them the other party wasn't a foreigner, and that in fact, there was no foreigner involved. Then they mentioned MY name as the foreigner. The only reason I got my money sooner, was because I threathened to sue them for racism.
So if I, who have only a foreign sounding name, can notice racism from time to time in everyday life, imagine how it must be for foreigners who have to put up with this kind of abuse everyday?
I'd give anything to end racism NOW.
Ghostbusters?
Scully was meant to be sexy??? Good Lord!
As an experienced driver and pistonhead I must say that alas, this is not true. ABS provides better controlled braking than non-ABS, but it does not ALWAYS provide shorter braking than non-ABS.
I'll take any car without ABS on a non-slippery road in summer for example, and I'll stop quicker than it's ABS equivalent without a doubt.
I would like to point out at this moment that for the average driver you encounter driving from A to B nowadays, ABS is a GOOD thing.