You raise a good point, that's not the kind of free software to which I was referring. I meant LOOK HERE! FREE CURSORS, GAMES AND SCREENSAVERS! CUTE PUPPIES! Not free (as in speech) software written by neckbeards that's actually useful and not riddled with crapware. Unfortunately for kids (say, under 13) using PCs, they're not really able to differentiate. How do I explain the concept of F/OSS and tell them that's OK, but cute puppies arent?
BS. I do the same thing, even charge the same price. Note that I usually only have to perform this service for new customers, or customers who ignored my training and advice in how to maintain a spyware-free pc*. I'm usually doing this for someone's teenager's PC, choked with crap from downloading FREE SCREENSAVERS! OMG PONIES!
A burn-down and reinstall involves backing up data (usually mp3s and photos) they wish to retain onto outboard storage, running a scan on said data, running the reinstall from customer-provided recovery CD (which is not a hands-off process), then restoring retained data. Figure I've got my eyeballs on this machine for about 90 minutes over the course of three or four hours. Seeing as how they pay $100/hr, 2-hr minimum for in-home pc support, this is right in line price-wise, and they save $50 from me being able to do it from the comfort of my nerd-lair.
* how I keep my customers crapware-free (not rocket science):
Explain to their kids that there's no such thing as free software, and they are never to download software without showing parents first. Set up kids' computers with limited-access accounts, show parents how to log into admin-level accounts
Firefox with No-Script (show them how to temporarily enable javascript on a case-by-case basis)
AVG Free antivirus
Never ignore the yellow or red shield in the task tray. If you don't know what it means, call or e-mail me.
I believe what they're talking about here is network-edge routing applications, not core switching that would require a Catalyst 65xx. Don't need that kind of backplane bandwidth.
If you have a knock sensor, your engine should just compensate for the lower octane gas by running at a lower compression ratio. But even then, if a car requires premium, it's going to get better power and fuel economy when using it, and the premium you pay for buying premium is less than 5% these days... so there is little or no incentive to buy cheap gas.
My car does have a knock sensor, that's why I'm able to run 89 instead of 91. But 87 still knocks. And a knock sensor doesn't adjust the compression ratio--there isn't a car in production today with an adjustable compression ratio that I'm aware of, forced-induction engines notwithstanding. Knock sensors are usually used by PCMs to adjust ignition timing, backing off on the advance to allow for lower-octane fuel. And contrary to intuition, my car gets better mileage on 89 octane, because the reduced spark advance, while producing lower peak power, produces better fuel economy, at least in my experience. YMMV (I just had to say that, it actually applies this time).
Then buy regular unleaded. 93 isn't better than 91, and 91 isn't better than 87 -- they're just different.
Uhh, wrong. High-compression engines designed for midgrade or premium gas can be damaged under certain circumstances by running on a lower-octane fuel. My car's owner manual specifies 91+ octane. It runs fine on 89, but it pings on 87.
My Lincoln LS, which shares it's platform with the Jaguar S Type, is undriveable in snow with the stability control turned off.
The stability control saved my bacon last fall when I overestimated available traction on the twisty Rock Creek parkway in DC. I would have ended up in the creek for sure. I'll never buy another car without it.
What you don't understand is that if ISPs didn't oversell bandwidth, they'd have to charge something like $500US/mo for 1 Mb service, not the $30-40US/mo they usually charge here for consumer-grade broadband.
I've seen the thing fly in the DC area a few years ago, when they were doing technology demos to the pentagon. It is definitely an autogyro, however, it has the ability to power up the rotor WHILE ON THE GROUND to provide very short takeoff capabilities (what they call the jump takeoff, 50' takeoff run). However, once aloft, it cannot power the rotor because it has no anti-torque provisions (like the tailrotor on a conventional heli).
If you configure your Polycom with both IP and PRI, you can connect to pretty much anything else out there, including Tandberg and netmeeting.
I've done this with the Polycom VSX7800, and it works well. However, note that they recently turned off their camera auto-tracking function because it was causing more problems than it solved (see other comment about jingling change).
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You raise a good point, that's not the kind of free software to which I was referring. I meant LOOK HERE! FREE CURSORS, GAMES AND SCREENSAVERS! CUTE PUPPIES! Not free (as in speech) software written by neckbeards that's actually useful and not riddled with crapware. Unfortunately for kids (say, under 13) using PCs, they're not really able to differentiate. How do I explain the concept of F/OSS and tell them that's OK, but cute puppies arent?
A burn-down and reinstall involves backing up data (usually mp3s and photos) they wish to retain onto outboard storage, running a scan on said data, running the reinstall from customer-provided recovery CD (which is not a hands-off process), then restoring retained data. Figure I've got my eyeballs on this machine for about 90 minutes over the course of three or four hours. Seeing as how they pay $100/hr, 2-hr minimum for in-home pc support, this is right in line price-wise, and they save $50 from me being able to do it from the comfort of my nerd-lair.
* how I keep my customers crapware-free (not rocket science):
I believe what they're talking about here is network-edge routing applications, not core switching that would require a Catalyst 65xx. Don't need that kind of backplane bandwidth.
If you have a knock sensor, your engine should just compensate for the lower octane gas by running at a lower compression ratio. But even then, if a car requires premium, it's going to get better power and fuel economy when using it, and the premium you pay for buying premium is less than 5% these days... so there is little or no incentive to buy cheap gas.
My car does have a knock sensor, that's why I'm able to run 89 instead of 91. But 87 still knocks. And a knock sensor doesn't adjust the compression ratio--there isn't a car in production today with an adjustable compression ratio that I'm aware of, forced-induction engines notwithstanding. Knock sensors are usually used by PCMs to adjust ignition timing, backing off on the advance to allow for lower-octane fuel. And contrary to intuition, my car gets better mileage on 89 octane, because the reduced spark advance, while producing lower peak power, produces better fuel economy, at least in my experience. YMMV (I just had to say that, it actually applies this time).
Same leap you make when telling the GP that he doesn't need 91. He makes no mention of whether his car owner's manual specifies 91+ octane or not.
Then buy regular unleaded. 93 isn't better than 91, and 91 isn't better than 87 -- they're just different.
Uhh, wrong. High-compression engines designed for midgrade or premium gas can be damaged under certain circumstances by running on a lower-octane fuel. My car's owner manual specifies 91+ octane. It runs fine on 89, but it pings on 87.
My Lincoln LS, which shares it's platform with the Jaguar S Type, is undriveable in snow with the stability control turned off.
The stability control saved my bacon last fall when I overestimated available traction on the twisty Rock Creek parkway in DC. I would have ended up in the creek for sure. I'll never buy another car without it.
What you don't understand is that if ISPs didn't oversell bandwidth, they'd have to charge something like $500US/mo for 1 Mb service, not the $30-40US/mo they usually charge here for consumer-grade broadband.
I've seen the thing fly in the DC area a few years ago, when they were doing technology demos to the pentagon. It is definitely an autogyro, however, it has the ability to power up the rotor WHILE ON THE GROUND to provide very short takeoff capabilities (what they call the jump takeoff, 50' takeoff run). However, once aloft, it cannot power the rotor because it has no anti-torque provisions (like the tailrotor on a conventional heli).
If you configure your Polycom with both IP and PRI, you can connect to pretty much anything else out there, including Tandberg and netmeeting.
I've done this with the Polycom VSX7800, and it works well. However, note that they recently turned off their camera auto-tracking function because it was causing more problems than it solved (see other comment about jingling change).