*Dude, my SNES has PENNIES rattling around in it and it still plays. There's no excuse for the crap we put up with on these over-priced consoles.*
Your SNES isnt a 3-core 3.2 ghz monster that pushes 500 triangles and 48 shader operations per second either.
What you people forget is that todays consoles are MONSTER COMPUTERS confined into a small for YOU practical box that can play the overpriced games. The Consoles themselves are NOT overpriced, theyre kind of like cellphones where the absolute minimum cost are covered in, in fact - they flat out lose money on them - every time! Its when you BUY GAMES and SUBSCRIBE the money starts coming in.
Im an ex. teacher, now working in the industry instead, and I think I have an idea why they are like that - you know - incredibly impatient, demanding and everything has to be here and now!
Its because they are used to it, with search engines like Google and others - not to mention modern computers with awesome search facilities gives them the power of instant knowledge, so who wants to wait given alternatives like that?
We of the "older" generation are used to doing things by experience and heavy research into just about everything, and we have TRIED what they are doing now - therefor we know the difference between instant knowledge and well thought out and researched knowledge. There is a HUGE difference.
But how do we change this? The truth is - we need to "tap into" that generation and show real life advantages, the young generation are far from stupid, they have aquire information differently because we have given them the oportunity to do so, and natural selection comes home.
Police: Ok Stan, this is a dangerous situation but our new Phraselator 4000 will deal with the situation, just talk into the mike:
Stan: Everything will be just fine, just drop your weapons. Phraselator 4000: Every Bill be Your time, you topless weapon. Terrorist: Allah will punish you, infidel! Phraselator 4000: Allah will puke you, insurance! Stan: (looks at the other officers and talks) Stan: This is your second and final warning, drop down your weapons - NOW! Phraselator 4000: Piss is your semicolon and finally warm, top down groove you weapon - HOW? Stan: I don't think this is working, sir... Phraselator 4000: I don't think, piss is lurking, sir... Stan: Will you shut that useless piece of cr*p down!! Terrorist: In soviet russia - camel piss on you!
(*everyone fires their guns, Phraselator 4000 has saved the day - once again*)
Security-Central: Looks like we have a dropper again.. Monitor1: User death imminent. Monitor2: OK, notify MicroMorgue to fire up the incinerator, and dispatch two lawyers to deal with the family members. Send the wife a complimentary vista discount cupon. Monitor1: Wait, he moved... Monitor2: HOLD, ignore that MicroMorgue order and get the lawyers back to the Antitrust dep. again. Monitor1: Hes fine, great. Another buck saved, however Thompson in dep. 2 doesnt look entirely healthy. Monitor2: Inject 1500 MG of Vitamin-C in Subject 7271 Sector 1G, cubicle 1235. Security-Central: Injecting vitamin-C now, #1000001, (Blue Screen of Death) Monitor2: What the He..? Monitor1: Cr*p! The d*mn machine broke down during the vitamin-c injection. Monitor2: Uh, oh.... Thomson is running around naked, and thats no joystick... Monitor1: Run the backup servers and have him injected with 15 mg SleepWell 2000. Monitor2: The backup servers are runnin Linux... Monitor1: Were screwed!
My first video game experience was a battery operated phong game with a built in speaker inside the white chassis operating on a black and white panasonic television back in the 70's i believe.... I was fascinated with it,,,later on i bought an atari 2600 vcs video game....where it was possible to change the game cartridges...man was that a lot of fun.....i got so intrigued that I bought a commodore 64 from a magazine that just tested and reviewed it..that I had to make my own software from it...first in basic..then later in machine code using the hesmon 64 cartridge....creating shoot them up games for it..being naive enought to realize that there where no need for sellable games for this device back then..damnit...oh well....shit happens..and then you learn stuff...
People in 3rd world countries have desperate need for technology like this, I bet your old 80 gb harddrive would be cherished like a gift from above with these people as they can't afford a computer on their own. Donate your disks and old hardware to charity groups that deals with huge amounts of these, these will be repaired and put to good use in the 3rd world countries. Even those who put these together to help out other poor people will learn a great deal about IT just by refurbishing these old things and giving it away to people who need them. It raises the bar for life quality in those countries...bringing them the goods we had but they could not afford - this helping them - helping themselves, thus requiring less aid from us in the future if they finally manage on their own!
This "trash stuff that are older than 2 years old" mentality is bringing me to the brink of insanity because I know how many who needs these things. Sure it's fun to blow up stuff...I like that as much as the next guy....but I'm not insane either - I care about this planet - I care about our resources - by donating your old IT to charity you are reducing the need for cheaper products to be produced and sold to 3rd world countries! Thus you are saving rainforest space and literally families around the world!
If you want to "beat" Google - you have to go where google finds itself "too good" to go. In the beginning Google where an amazing search engine that gave us ALL what we where searching for , they don't do that anymore - because everyone (including YOU) trust them with everything you know -meaning - you will believe everything you search...but alas...I am afraid thats not quite the case. Google SENSORS a lot of data, they didn't do that in the beginning - hence why they became so popular in the first place, after popularity comes responsibility - hence google controls the content - for a certain amount of money- Google will delete all search information availiable on "whatever you pay for" if you so request. Therefor - it is no longer an "unbiased" real - search engine - it is dead. You want proof? I will personally deliver you proof of this if you are incapable of finding out yourself. Example. I put a certain "Fan-Reproduction" of a famous character on the web, ok...I recreated it in 3D while the original was made in 2D...but it was SO good that the company got google to remove all reference to it..so no one - no matter how you searched - could ever find it via google...all my other images they could find easily...but these vanished from google forever. Still not convinced? Think it's some doof idiot out there being paranoid? Ok - check this out: Try searching for relatively questionable information via your average google (insert country here...you KNOW they will force you to your country searches anyway)...ok...now go to a proxy placed in another country - now - do a search about the same stuff again - and experience different search results. Convinced yet? Well - there you have it - anyone with just the BASICS of brains will already have discovered this - so if you want to win the search engine wars? Easy - just provide UNBIASED - UNFILTERED search results - and bobs your uncle!
*So its not 2GB, its 3.something.*
Agreed, I too remembered that it said that, 3.2 gb actually, but I've read somewhere that you can max. utilize something like 1.7 gb (eg. in Photoshop)?
*Second, if your laptop/desktop is an HP, then the OS disk it came with asked you when you first booted whether you wanted to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Vista. The retail versions also ship with both 32 and 64-bit.*
Here you are a 100 % wrong - at least in DK. I did NOT get ANY choice between 32/64 bits install. The package was factory sealed and brand new. There are no disks with the machine only a harddisk. You can however create so called "recovery disks", these can not be upgraded to vista 64 bit - believe me - I've been on Microsoft support phone for hours, and they said that HP opted to deliver only the 32 bit version of Vista with this machine, and have only paid for that so it's HPs choice.
*So... Is Linux winning the desktop in 2008? Totally!*
Yeah, I totally agree with you, I never really thought I would see the day when Linux became the "people choice" for the desktop, but the Ubuntu people know what they are doing. I have Ubuntu 64 bit installed alongside with the 32 bit vista my computer came with - and guess what I use 95 percent of the time? You guessed it! Linux, vista is just pure annoyance... the harddisk NEVER sleeps and it is annoying the bajezuz outta me, for f*** sake I have 8 gig of memory in my QUAD core computer...and they ship a lousy 2gb-capable only 32 bits yesteryear system called vista with it? My browser works faster with Linux, downloads are faster, the system is more practical in relations with file recognition....vista always complain about this and that when I want to view some files that I don't have a decompressor for and doesnt even suggest what I can do about it... Ubuntu came with easy installers both for open drivers AND proprietary (restricted) drivers and it all worked OUT of the box, no fuzz.
And Compiz? Some may call it gimmicky like Vista Aero...and hey..I guess it is, but it is still fun somehow, also quite practical if you have a bundle of programs open everywhere. I really like the Opacity-scroll-wheel function though where you can set the opacity level of each open window/program so..eg..you can watch TV behind the text...or watch people chat...while you are surfing...gives you more screen real-estate, very nifty. Ubuntu had better drivers for my Card-Reader too, this card reader that CAME NATIVELY with the HP computer..didnt even function properly under vista...oh well... Linux to the rescue once again, who cares about Vista?
Personally I cant wait - this is TOO much fun, imagine the on-the-fly presentations you can do with this baby, no longer youll have to wave everyone over to your microscopic cell-phone screen to say "watch what I did this weekend".
Were living in times where everything you do online can and will be seen by - everyone - and thats about it...everyone who CARE about you and what you do, are you really that important? Maybe its time to have a drink or two dear mr. Bond, shaken - not stirred.
The point is - far too many people take their online business too seriously. Dont do anything online you wouldnt do in real life - because your online life is the same as your real life - you are namely responsible for every move you make no matter WHERE you make it.
Lets go ego-tripping for a while. Not many people in here know me, Im under an alias here - but I can tell you that over the years Ive been on the net...I am more famous than most people, famous like a movie star? No - famous like its possible to track my every move, Ive made mistakes, Ive said things that wasnt so smart but it was what I thought at that time in my life. In my experience - my online life have never really truly stood against me even though I have some WEIRD stories out there...not to mention my somewhat geeky and weird lifestyle that are known to those who are interested in what I have written. I have had MANY jobs - some as a direct result of my "Online-life" and someone as an result of good ol "knocking on the employers door". They ALL check people out - heck...I did it myself...I googled people for my "bosses" just to see if they had something behind them that we should know about, Im in no way perfect myself - but life is to short to check on the whole planet - and mostly - all my employers have judged me on how I appear to them - and how I "blend in" with the companies. Yes - Ive worked for some of the absolutely BIGGEST companies in the world.... chances are 99.9% that you know them, Ive been under heavy security control there - but never questioned for my ethics or the way I am, not even my somewhat weird geeky...demented even...online life, no...I was judged on the WORK I did - every time. Sure...Ive had my run-ins with my bosses, co-workers...but thats our personality...were REAL people...with REAL issues, the net makes no difference - really!
Many times I've been thinking - why is it so important to break the latest console to work with your "insert-homebrew-here"? Is it because it's some hardware that most have been importing in to your homes? is it because of the "scene" or is it because you "can"?. Technically you can do ANYTHING with your pc - if anything is what you want to do. Heck...I've even been contemplating creating my own "emulation-scene hardware incorporating processors of every arcade console of the past just to make the ultimate-console ever, do you know why I didn't? Because I realized that may not be what you (or I) want. When you have broken the system security to release your own homebrew - then what? Challenge over? Are you feeding the masses what they want? really - what do YOU want to do with this console? Now realize this my friend - why not create your OWN hardware with your OWN challenges? Difficult? Nintendo bigger? better development of what? You CAN do this - you just have to be focuses on what excactly WHAT you want to do or what you want to achieve. I remember back in the days when I where hacking hardware such as the "Arcade hardware" like "return of the Jedi" or "Super Punch Out III" hardware from Nintendo....yes we're talking arcade-machine hardware here... to do what I wanted, for what audience then, eh? Myself - the elf!;) Point is - whatever you end up doing - make sure you use that time you got - wisely - otherwise you're technically just wasting your time doing it!
Speaking of which...:) I recently received a nice Packet-APRS radio kit from Argent data (totally free - here on Slashdot..just for reading the stuff people write here)...I had to solder and assemble it myself...just to find that it was in need of an RS-232 port to work...and no one of my modern laptops OR desktops actually HAVE one of those ports, great! So I guess Ive got to use that old Port-replicator with the old Portege in order to make this APRS packet thingy work;). (and just in case you have NO clue of what Im writing about - keep in mind that this is near new-years eve - and Im a TAD bit fuzzy because of a drink or two) and - the fact that Im talking about an earlier radio-amateur thread here on slashdot.org where a guy from argent data where giving out free electronics samples of his Packet-radio reading/writing APRS modem....to whoever who read that post of his (yeah - I actually received this unit from him...so he is honest enough alright)... why am I telling you this? Because I need that RS-232 port youre mentioning...most modern laptops OR desktops doesnt even come with this anymore! Does the Asus Eee have this? I suppose I could google it, but I am too lazy to do it...besides the point is moot - as it have no purpose for the everyday use of the common man using an Asus Eee, but they DID mention robots and a Dell...sooooo:)
I think I was rather lucky with this unit, the screen wherent very yellow at all... looks bright and all, personally Id prefer to run Linux on it but I where baffeled on how fast it boots windows and how easy I got it up to speed (for surfing use). Heck...I even connected an USB-Microscope from Bresser just to use it as a portable microscope, and - yes - I did get the docking unit for it too (its a small dongle sort of thing) that gave me Serial and Parallel ports (which I used to burn Eproms on an older Eprom burner that only works on older serial units). They keyboard and everything works like a charm, I didnt ever have that kind of money to be able to afford those ULTRA-thin computers when they hit the marked so its nice to actually have one. It feels pretty weird to actually see one when comparing it alongside my modern 512 Mb-nvidia-card 2 gb ram "portable" from these days that weights 3 times as much and...yes...looks 3 times as big. the thing is - do you really want to do 3d-work on the move? Do you REALLY need the power of a desktop computer on the move? My answer? I am an old geezer by now...I remember back 10 years ago when I wanted Laptops to have Voodoo graphics cards..so I could play my 3d games on it and work with 3dstudio on it as well.... the truth is...there is no real need for this... now we know this...but back then was more "because we could" rather than "we need it", get it? A portable should be "truly" portable...and do only what we truly need. this really should give some design "room" for the designers of these units, dont you think?
You know what guys? I have a Toshiba Portege 3010 that I bought at a flea market just for fun, it was so cute and weights in the region of 1 KG! Its a full-fledged windows PC with 266 mhz speed, 64 Mb ram, 5 GB harddrive and a USB port. This thing is 9-years-old. Did ya get that folks? NINE-YEARS-OLD. Guess what I did with it? Thanks to some russian genious Windows 98 got USB support for general-mass-storage on it so it worked like a charm with todays USB memory stick, another smart person out there in the internet world figured out how to use CF (compact-flash) WiFi devices on it...so I could just insert that one into a pcmcia-cf converter and voila...I had WiFi on it as well. Now...this thing surfs with the speed of any portable today (exept flash videos that do require some cpu power)...but it boots in 17 seconds (yes folks - 17 seconds from the second you turn it on). The point I am trying to make here..is that my TFT-screen based 10.2 Inch portable 1 kilo laptop from yesteryear...does this just as fine as this "modern" device from Asus... cmon guys...I am sure they can do better than that? Or are we really stuck in time somewhere?
...coming back to frag you once more! I do like World of Padman...funny story, funny graphics....aw heck...funny game. Community 3d games are actually a lot more fun when they try to be themselves (original, don't have to conform to much of the real deal), look at Bz-flag....crap graphics...still fun as h*** to play and there are still hundreds of servers with thousands of players playing it.
...is getting hold of the games people. That IS the last bit they need to conquer. Me? I've been a Linux user for over 10 years now, but I've always had an installment of Windows on a partition or a separate computer - just for that moment of online-gaming with the friends, can't dump the friends because of an Operating system - but I'd really like to say goodbye! Get the games - and windows goes BYE BYE!
I see where you are getting at and you do make some sense , but all it is doing is sort of conveying a message that Linux is cheap and best for weaker computers, Its like these people who say - well - I have an old pc I could install Linux on - and then they get entirely disappointed because todays Linux distros are both as demanding and as modern as todays hardware, so they end up with a machine that'd be as sluggish as if they installed a new windows os on it and get a false impression of Linux, if they however ran it on a current system - they'd get the experience at least I would hope they got since I know how good it really is, most people dont know this. For the last 5-10 years people trying Linux have been screaming - make it easy for mr. and mrs. Johnson to use...nobrainer...etc... Yeah...so..we finally did - but the expecations seems to be stuck in the 90s or something - so I think they are to be selling more current high end system with Linux as an option.
Its so stupid to always look for the cheapest solutions and then say...lets go with "Linux". If you want a GOOD functional PC with the good stuff in it - running nicely and doing what you want - you'd want a STRONG PC with the good stuff in it, it doesn't really matter if you run Linux or Vista... I can't believe they always tout the cheap pcs with Linux...like Linux where the cheap alternative, it's not the price - its what you want to do with your system, silly! A hardcore PC config will most likely kick major B*TT with Linux (I know it does with mine, and I never went for the cheap stuff as I know what the outcome will be anyway)...even if you ran windows on it. The point is - dont tout Linux with a small system - give it the major system you'd sell as a top notch windows machine - then compare - you do the math, the Linux systems have come a LONG way now - and they're as serious for the Desktop as any Windows (even better on security) would ever be, I know because I've been running both systems for over 10 years now (ok...not vista for 10 years...but windows) side by side, today I'm like using Linux 95 percent of the time...windows for the essential games only, but really...its all about c choice - not the price!
...Especially since the law (in EU-Countries) now require the ISP to keep all data-traffic logged for up to 1 year minimum, some countries 2 - year minimum. Gawd - I cant even imagine the harddisk space for that, but yes - 2008 will therefor be a very interesting year. Who do ya trust?
No matter, carried, sent, delivered - it still goes into the repairshop in the back. I absolutely agree that he should get his original drive back straight up, but still - I would never bring sensitive information to untrusted sources. Heck...most places I've worked have a strict IT policy - no harddisks, usb drives, pendrives, cellphones leave the premises under any circumstances because of the danger of industry espionage, and that my friend - is very real, even in a small 10 man company that turns around millions and make a living of innovations - can't really afford risking this. We have it personnel that separate private computers from work computers and the private computers are NOT allowed at work (well not my current position, but thats irrelevant) but my previous workplace, they even had their own screened it specialists that would take care of ALL issues and where qualified service personnel even by most IT companies we bought computers from, same reason - you do NOT bring sensitive data with you to the repairshop - period! If you do - you either trust these people with your job, career, money and everything you hold dear (hope its your friend) or the stuff you're carrying aint all that hot.
Slashdot Mirror
*Dude, my SNES has PENNIES rattling around in it and it still plays. There's no excuse for the crap we put up with on these over-priced consoles.* Your SNES isnt a 3-core 3.2 ghz monster that pushes 500 triangles and 48 shader operations per second either. What you people forget is that todays consoles are MONSTER COMPUTERS confined into a small for YOU practical box that can play the overpriced games. The Consoles themselves are NOT overpriced, theyre kind of like cellphones where the absolute minimum cost are covered in, in fact - they flat out lose money on them - every time! Its when you BUY GAMES and SUBSCRIBE the money starts coming in.
Im an ex. teacher, now working in the industry instead, and I think I have an idea why they are like that - you know - incredibly impatient, demanding and everything has to be here and now! Its because they are used to it, with search engines like Google and others - not to mention modern computers with awesome search facilities gives them the power of instant knowledge, so who wants to wait given alternatives like that? We of the "older" generation are used to doing things by experience and heavy research into just about everything, and we have TRIED what they are doing now - therefor we know the difference between instant knowledge and well thought out and researched knowledge. There is a HUGE difference. But how do we change this? The truth is - we need to "tap into" that generation and show real life advantages, the young generation are far from stupid, they have aquire information differently because we have given them the oportunity to do so, and natural selection comes home.
...like all translation devices up to day:
Police: Ok Stan, this is a dangerous situation but our new Phraselator 4000 will deal with the situation, just talk into the mike:
Stan: Everything will be just fine, just drop your weapons.
Phraselator 4000: Every Bill be Your time, you topless weapon.
Terrorist: Allah will punish you, infidel!
Phraselator 4000: Allah will puke you, insurance!
Stan: (looks at the other officers and talks)
Stan: This is your second and final warning, drop down your weapons - NOW!
Phraselator 4000: Piss is your semicolon and finally warm, top down groove you weapon - HOW?
Stan: I don't think this is working, sir...
Phraselator 4000: I don't think, piss is lurking, sir...
Stan: Will you shut that useless piece of cr*p down!!
Terrorist: In soviet russia - camel piss on you!
(*everyone fires their guns, Phraselator 4000 has saved the day - once again*)
Security-Central: Looks like we have a dropper again..
Monitor1: User death imminent.
Monitor2: OK, notify MicroMorgue to fire up the incinerator, and dispatch two lawyers to deal with the family members. Send the wife a complimentary vista discount cupon.
Monitor1: Wait, he moved...
Monitor2: HOLD, ignore that MicroMorgue order and get the lawyers back to the Antitrust dep. again.
Monitor1: Hes fine, great. Another buck saved, however Thompson in dep. 2 doesnt look entirely healthy.
Monitor2: Inject 1500 MG of Vitamin-C in Subject 7271 Sector 1G, cubicle 1235.
Security-Central: Injecting vitamin-C now, #1000001, (Blue Screen of Death)
Monitor2: What the He..?
Monitor1: Cr*p! The d*mn machine broke down during the vitamin-c injection.
Monitor2: Uh, oh.... Thomson is running around naked, and thats no joystick...
Monitor1: Run the backup servers and have him injected with 15 mg SleepWell 2000.
Monitor2: The backup servers are runnin Linux...
Monitor1: Were screwed!
My first video game experience was a battery operated phong game with a built in speaker inside the white chassis operating on a black and white panasonic television back in the 70's i believe.... I was fascinated with it,,,later on i bought an atari 2600 vcs video game....where it was possible to change the game cartridges...man was that a lot of fun.....i got so intrigued that I bought a commodore 64 from a magazine that just tested and reviewed it..that I had to make my own software from it...first in basic..then later in machine code using the hesmon 64 cartridge....creating shoot them up games for it..being naive enought to realize that there where no need for sellable games for this device back then..damnit...oh well....shit happens..and then you learn stuff...
Why not give the disk to people who need them?
People in 3rd world countries have desperate need for technology like this, I bet your old 80 gb harddrive would be cherished like a gift from above with these people as they can't afford a computer on their own. Donate your disks and old hardware to charity groups that deals with huge amounts of these, these will be repaired and put to good use in the 3rd world countries. Even those who put these together to help out other poor people will learn a great deal about IT just by refurbishing these old things and giving it away to people who need them. It raises the bar for life quality in those countries...bringing them the goods we had but they could not afford - this helping them - helping themselves, thus requiring less aid from us in the future if they finally manage on their own!
This "trash stuff that are older than 2 years old" mentality is bringing me to the brink of insanity because I know how many who needs these things. Sure it's fun to blow up stuff...I like that as much as the next guy....but I'm not insane either - I care about this planet - I care about our resources - by donating your old IT to charity you are reducing the need for cheaper products to be produced and sold to 3rd world countries! Thus you are saving rainforest space and literally families around the world!
If you want to "beat" Google - you have to go where google finds itself "too good" to go. In the beginning Google where an amazing search engine that gave us ALL what we where searching for , they don't do that anymore - because everyone (including YOU) trust them with everything you know -meaning - you will believe everything you search...but alas...I am afraid thats not quite the case. Google SENSORS a lot of data, they didn't do that in the beginning - hence why they became so popular in the first place, after popularity comes responsibility - hence google controls the content - for a certain amount of money- Google will delete all search information availiable on "whatever you pay for" if you so request. Therefor - it is no longer an "unbiased" real - search engine - it is dead. You want proof? I will personally deliver you proof of this if you are incapable of finding out yourself. Example. I put a certain "Fan-Reproduction" of a famous character on the web, ok...I recreated it in 3D while the original was made in 2D...but it was SO good that the company got google to remove all reference to it..so no one - no matter how you searched - could ever find it via google...all my other images they could find easily...but these vanished from google forever. Still not convinced? Think it's some doof idiot out there being paranoid? Ok - check this out: Try searching for relatively questionable information via your average google (insert country here...you KNOW they will force you to your country searches anyway)...ok...now go to a proxy placed in another country - now - do a search about the same stuff again - and experience different search results. Convinced yet? Well - there you have it - anyone with just the BASICS of brains will already have discovered this - so if you want to win the search engine wars? Easy - just provide UNBIASED - UNFILTERED search results - and bobs your uncle!
*So its not 2GB, its 3.something.* Agreed, I too remembered that it said that, 3.2 gb actually, but I've read somewhere that you can max. utilize something like 1.7 gb (eg. in Photoshop)? *Second, if your laptop/desktop is an HP, then the OS disk it came with asked you when you first booted whether you wanted to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Vista. The retail versions also ship with both 32 and 64-bit.* Here you are a 100 % wrong - at least in DK. I did NOT get ANY choice between 32/64 bits install. The package was factory sealed and brand new. There are no disks with the machine only a harddisk. You can however create so called "recovery disks", these can not be upgraded to vista 64 bit - believe me - I've been on Microsoft support phone for hours, and they said that HP opted to deliver only the 32 bit version of Vista with this machine, and have only paid for that so it's HPs choice.
*So... Is Linux winning the desktop in 2008? Totally!*
Yeah, I totally agree with you, I never really thought I would see the day when Linux became the "people choice" for the desktop, but the Ubuntu people know what they are doing. I have Ubuntu 64 bit installed alongside with the 32 bit vista my computer came with - and guess what I use 95 percent of the time? You guessed it! Linux, vista is just pure annoyance... the harddisk NEVER sleeps and it is annoying the bajezuz outta me, for f*** sake I have 8 gig of memory in my QUAD core computer...and they ship a lousy 2gb-capable only 32 bits yesteryear system called vista with it? My browser works faster with Linux, downloads are faster, the system is more practical in relations with file recognition....vista always complain about this and that when I want to view some files that I don't have a decompressor for and doesnt even suggest what I can do about it... Ubuntu came with easy installers both for open drivers AND proprietary (restricted) drivers and it all worked OUT of the box, no fuzz.
And Compiz? Some may call it gimmicky like Vista Aero...and hey..I guess it is, but it is still fun somehow, also quite practical if you have a bundle of programs open everywhere. I really like the Opacity-scroll-wheel function though where you can set the opacity level of each open window/program so..eg..you can watch TV behind the text...or watch people chat...while you are surfing...gives you more screen real-estate, very nifty. Ubuntu had better drivers for my Card-Reader too, this card reader that CAME NATIVELY with the HP computer..didnt even function properly under vista...oh well... Linux to the rescue once again, who cares about Vista?
..around!
You know why? Because Linux runs on any "ol" computer while mac os X runs on...well...macs!
*imagines the airport customs*
...its a lady, is that a mustage? - Oh heck...arrest her anyway.
I bet hes a criminal.
Man, thats ONE scary looking bastard, and look at THAT...He has a mustage
No
No doubt!
Personally I cant wait - this is TOO much fun, imagine the on-the-fly presentations you can do with this baby, no longer youll have to wave everyone over to your microscopic cell-phone screen to say "watch what I did this weekend".
Oh wait...
Thats not good...
Were living in times where everything you do online can and will be seen by - everyone - and thats about it...everyone who CARE about you and what you do, are you really that important? Maybe its time to have a drink or two dear mr. Bond, shaken - not stirred.
...I am more famous than most people, famous like a movie star? No - famous like its possible to track my every move, Ive made mistakes, Ive said things that wasnt so smart but it was what I thought at that time in my life. In my experience - my online life have never really truly stood against me even though I have some WEIRD stories out there...not to mention my somewhat geeky and weird lifestyle that are known to those who are interested in what I have written. I have had MANY jobs - some as a direct result of my "Online-life" and someone as an result of good ol "knocking on the employers door". They ALL check people out - heck...I did it myself ...I googled people for my "bosses" just to see if they had something behind them that we should know about, Im in no way perfect myself - but life is to short to check on the whole planet - and mostly - all my employers have judged me on how I appear to them - and how I "blend in" with the companies. Yes - Ive worked for some of the absolutely BIGGEST companies in the world .... chances are 99.9% that you know them, Ive been under heavy security control there - but never questioned for my ethics or the way I am, not even my somewhat weird geeky...demented even...online life, no...I was judged on the WORK I did - every time. Sure...Ive had my run-ins with my bosses, co-workers...but thats our personality...were REAL people...with REAL issues, the net makes no difference - really!
The point is - far too many people take their online business too seriously. Dont do anything online you wouldnt do in real life - because your online life is the same as your real life - you are namely responsible for every move you make no matter WHERE you make it.
Lets go ego-tripping for a while. Not many people in here know me, Im under an alias here - but I can tell you that over the years Ive been on the net
...A giant fluffy USB-memory Pillow that can store my dreams!
[b]if you spent your time having fun, is it really wasted?[/b] no! But I bet you already knew the answer to that one - seriously.
Many times I've been thinking - why is it so important to break the latest console to work with your "insert-homebrew-here"? Is it because it's some hardware that most have been importing in to your homes? is it because of the "scene" or is it because you "can"?. Technically you can do ANYTHING with your pc - if anything is what you want to do. Heck...I've even been contemplating creating my own "emulation-scene hardware incorporating processors of every arcade console of the past just to make the ultimate-console ever, do you know why I didn't? Because I realized that may not be what you (or I) want. When you have broken the system security to release your own homebrew - then what? Challenge over? Are you feeding the masses what they want? really - what do YOU want to do with this console? Now realize this my friend - why not create your OWN hardware with your OWN challenges? Difficult? Nintendo bigger? better development of what? You CAN do this - you just have to be focuses on what excactly WHAT you want to do or what you want to achieve. I remember back in the days when I where hacking hardware such as the "Arcade hardware" like "return of the Jedi" or "Super Punch Out III" hardware from Nintendo....yes we're talking arcade-machine hardware here... to do what I wanted, for what audience then, eh? Myself - the elf! ;) Point is - whatever you end up doing - make sure you use that time you got - wisely - otherwise you're technically just wasting your time doing it!
Speaking of which ... :) I recently received a nice Packet-APRS radio kit from Argent data (totally free - here on Slashdot..just for reading the stuff people write here) ...I had to solder and assemble it myself...just to find that it was in need of an RS-232 port to work...and no one of my modern laptops OR desktops actually HAVE one of those ports, great! So I guess Ive got to use that old Port-replicator with the old Portege in order to make this APRS packet thingy work ;). (and just in case you have NO clue of what Im writing about - keep in mind that this is near new-years eve - and Im a TAD bit fuzzy because of a drink or two) and - the fact that Im talking about an earlier radio-amateur thread here on slashdot.org where a guy from argent data where giving out free electronics samples of his Packet-radio reading/writing APRS modem ....to whoever who read that post of his (yeah - I actually received this unit from him...so he is honest enough alright) ... why am I telling you this? Because I need that RS-232 port youre mentioning...most modern laptops OR desktops doesnt even come with this anymore! Does the Asus Eee have this? I suppose I could google it, but I am too lazy to do it...besides the point is moot - as it have no purpose for the everyday use of the common man using an Asus Eee, but they DID mention robots and a Dell...sooooo :)
I think I was rather lucky with this unit, the screen wherent very yellow at all... looks bright and all, personally Id prefer to run Linux on it but I where baffeled on how fast it boots windows and how easy I got it up to speed (for surfing use). Heck...I even connected an USB-Microscope from Bresser just to use it as a portable microscope, and - yes - I did get the docking unit for it too (its a small dongle sort of thing) that gave me Serial and Parallel ports (which I used to burn Eproms on an older Eprom burner that only works on older serial units). They keyboard and everything works like a charm, I didnt ever have that kind of money to be able to afford those ULTRA-thin computers when they hit the marked so its nice to actually have one. It feels pretty weird to actually see one when comparing it alongside my modern 512 Mb-nvidia-card 2 gb ram "portable" from these days that weights 3 times as much and ...yes...looks 3 times as big. the thing is - do you really want to do 3d-work on the move? Do you REALLY need the power of a desktop computer on the move? My answer? I am an old geezer by now...I remember back 10 years ago when I wanted Laptops to have Voodoo graphics cards..so I could play my 3d games on it and work with 3dstudio on it as well.... the truth is...there is no real need for this... now we know this...but back then was more "because we could" rather than "we need it", get it? A portable should be "truly" portable...and do only what we truly need. this really should give some design "room" for the designers of these units, dont you think?
You know what guys? I have a Toshiba Portege 3010 that I bought at a flea market just for fun, it was so cute and weights in the region of 1 KG! Its a full-fledged windows PC with 266 mhz speed, 64 Mb ram, 5 GB harddrive and a USB port. This thing is 9-years-old. Did ya get that folks? NINE-YEARS-OLD. Guess what I did with it? Thanks to some russian genious Windows 98 got USB support for general-mass-storage on it so it worked like a charm with todays USB memory stick, another smart person out there in the internet world figured out how to use CF (compact-flash) WiFi devices on it...so I could just insert that one into a pcmcia-cf converter and voila...I had WiFi on it as well. Now...this thing surfs with the speed of any portable today (exept flash videos that do require some cpu power)...but it boots in 17 seconds (yes folks - 17 seconds from the second you turn it on). The point I am trying to make here..is that my TFT-screen based 10.2 Inch portable 1 kilo laptop from yesteryear...does this just as fine as this "modern" device from Asus... cmon guys...I am sure they can do better than that? Or are we really stuck in time somewhere?
...coming back to frag you once more! I do like World of Padman...funny story, funny graphics....aw heck...funny game. Community 3d games are actually a lot more fun when they try to be themselves (original, don't have to conform to much of the real deal), look at Bz-flag....crap graphics...still fun as h*** to play and there are still hundreds of servers with thousands of players playing it.
...is getting hold of the games people. That IS the last bit they need to conquer. Me? I've been a Linux user for over 10 years now, but I've always had an installment of Windows on a partition or a separate computer - just for that moment of online-gaming with the friends, can't dump the friends because of an Operating system - but I'd really like to say goodbye! Get the games - and windows goes BYE BYE!
I see where you are getting at and you do make some sense , but all it is doing is sort of conveying a message that Linux is cheap and best for weaker computers, Its like these people who say - well - I have an old pc I could install Linux on - and then they get entirely disappointed because todays Linux distros are both as demanding and as modern as todays hardware, so they end up with a machine that'd be as sluggish as if they installed a new windows os on it and get a false impression of Linux, if they however ran it on a current system - they'd get the experience at least I would hope they got since I know how good it really is, most people dont know this. For the last 5-10 years people trying Linux have been screaming - make it easy for mr. and mrs. Johnson to use...nobrainer...etc... Yeah...so ..we finally did - but the expecations seems to be stuck in the 90s or something - so I think they are to be selling more current high end system with Linux as an option.
Its so stupid to always look for the cheapest solutions and then say ...lets go with "Linux". If you want a GOOD functional PC with the good stuff in it - running nicely and doing what you want - you'd want a STRONG PC with the good stuff in it, it doesn't really matter if you run Linux or Vista... I can't believe they always tout the cheap pcs with Linux...like Linux where the cheap alternative, it's not the price - its what you want to do with your system, silly! A hardcore PC config will most likely kick major B*TT with Linux (I know it does with mine, and I never went for the cheap stuff as I know what the outcome will be anyway)...even if you ran windows on it. The point is - dont tout Linux with a small system - give it the major system you'd sell as a top notch windows machine - then compare - you do the math, the Linux systems have come a LONG way now - and they're as serious for the Desktop as any Windows (even better on security) would ever be, I know because I've been running both systems for over 10 years now (ok...not vista for 10 years...but windows) side by side, today I'm like using Linux 95 percent of the time...windows for the essential games only, but really...its all about c choice - not the price!
...Especially since the law (in EU-Countries) now require the ISP to keep all data-traffic logged for up to 1 year minimum, some countries 2 - year minimum. Gawd - I cant even imagine the harddisk space for that, but yes - 2008 will therefor be a very interesting year. Who do ya trust?
No matter, carried, sent, delivered - it still goes into the repairshop in the back. I absolutely agree that he should get his original drive back straight up, but still - I would never bring sensitive information to untrusted sources. Heck...most places I've worked have a strict IT policy - no harddisks, usb drives, pendrives, cellphones leave the premises under any circumstances because of the danger of industry espionage, and that my friend - is very real, even in a small 10 man company that turns around millions and make a living of innovations - can't really afford risking this. We have it personnel that separate private computers from work computers and the private computers are NOT allowed at work (well not my current position, but thats irrelevant) but my previous workplace, they even had their own screened it specialists that would take care of ALL issues and where qualified service personnel even by most IT companies we bought computers from, same reason - you do NOT bring sensitive data with you to the repairshop - period! If you do - you either trust these people with your job, career, money and everything you hold dear (hope its your friend) or the stuff you're carrying aint all that hot.