I want to know who was funding their "research" and how they talked them into paying for shipping and travel expenses for everyone that went. Why the hell would they need to go all that way just to find a km of flat land?
I've got a "robot" that can go 1km on its own in the desert. It's called CRUSE CONTROL! It came with my car. I push it and the car just takes off on it's own! I imagine it could make it 1km in the freakin middle of the desert before it hit something/ran out of gas.
First, I have to say IT WAS A JOKE! You shouldn't find it offensive unless it was directed at you or saying something bad about people that wear glasses in general.
Second, I've worn glasses since the 3rd grade (contacts mostly now) and am very near-sited (can only see about 3 inches out without them). It's interesting to hear what it's like from someone that has even worse vision than I do. Have you looked into laser surgery? They are doing amazing things with it now and a lot of insurance companies will pay at least part of it especially if it's affecting your work.
He could save some weight with just a few little mods. First, get rid of the voltage regulator and just put a current limiting resistor in series with the relay. Second, use the 9v battery as the power supply for the camera. All he would have to do is measure the current the camera uses and put a resistor in series with it to drop the voltage (or maybe two resistors acting as a voltage divider if the camera doesn't use much current). Third, remove the case from the camera and just use a couple pieces of tape to hold everything together. 4, if he's using the 9v to power the whole thing, the timer is going to have a common ground with the camera so he can use another method to trigger the shutter and save the weight of the relay. One option would be to tie the output of the 555 to the shutter through a couple voltage dividing resistors to trigger it directly bypassing the switch, but this would depend on how the trigger circuit in the camera works.
As for the timing, he could add another 555 timer as a delay to start the second one after the balloon is at the desired height. Then it wouldn't matter how long it took to get it in the air and more of the pictures would be usable.
Wow! nice shots, really! I really like the first shot of the ocean. I didn't know it looked so textured from up high. But, what I'm afraid of is what the hell that GIANT FOOT is attached to and where it's going?!?!?!
"I STILL don't know if I want to be working with computers all my life"
Finish your degree! Even if you want to quit computers and do something else, just having a degree, in anything, will help you like you wouldn't believe.
My best method is to just let them talk. Try and pay attention enough to get the details you need, then zone out for a while. Most people who are frustrated with their computer have already had people talking down to them like you said and just want to be heard out. Also while they were waiting on hold, they've already thought of every point they can argue with you and if you let them get it all out first, they don't have any fight left to disagree with what you tell them. And it gives you time to think about the problem and come up with a solution or at least make up something that sounds good to get them off the phone.
"the mag stripe reader just piggybacks onto the keyboard"
That's why they wouldn't be secure either. All the reader does is read the data off the card and enter it in a text field. That's why it piggybacks on the keyboard and why a keylogger could log it too.
Datapol makes a program called i-cafe for use in internet cafes or other places with public terminals. It monitors any change made to the computer and restores it when the user logs off. It also handles billing and locks down any programs that aren't allowed by the owner. I've never used it, but it looks interesting.
Actually, most self respecting key loggers have several options for storing logs.
Among those are local disk storage, network drive storage, and sending to an email address. Both the remote options will let you set the intervals to send and delete the local copy after it's sent. The email option uses its own built in SMTP to send unknown to the user. The email option is where an anonymous hotmail account made up on the spot would come in handy.
Yes, a public terminal can be made secure, but people should assume they are not secure and act accordingly.
The only way I would consider using public terminal for such reasons is if the owner guaranteed its security and accepted legal responsibility for what happened from it. I don't think anybody is going to do that for an internet machine. An ATM is a secure box connected to a proprietary network and everything it does is double-checked and logged by the owner.
Not that I'm pro M$ or anything, but, there is a difference.
Yes, M$ has almost a monopoly on desktop OS, but if someone gets sick of them, they can just uninstall it and change. There might be some consequences, but it still can be done relatively easily.
SBC owns the physical lines running to your house. Little mom and pop ISP/phone providers can't just run more lines across the poles to everyone's house to offer them an option, they have to use SBC's.
Around here, there are several Walmart Neighborhood Markets popping up. It's basically a Walmart brand grocery store. The point is, about half of their checkouts are self checkouts. You walk up and scan your own items and place them on a conveyer belt and the go through some kind of scanner (not sure what this does yet, I think it just makes sure you only send one thing through at a time) to a little bagging area. If you have produce or something that can't be scanned, there is a touch screen to pick out what it is and a scale built into the scanner if it needs to be weighed. Then you either swipe your credit card and sign this little electronic tablet, or put in cash and it gives you change. After you've paid, you go to the bagging area and put your own purchases in bags (which I think is nice because then I don't end up with 10 different bags when I only bought 11 items) and leave.
They have about 8 of these checkouts and 8 of the regular ones which may or may not have checkers at them, but there is always one attendant watching over the self checkouts incase something goes wrong.
I like them because I don't have to talk to anyone or interact with any teenage walmart employees, and there is never any wait, I've never been there and had to wait on one of the lines. There are 2 other major grocery stores within a half mile of my apartment, but I drive the extra half mile to be able to use the self checkout and be in and out quicker.
For someone who is 100lbs overweight, dropping 500-1000 calories per day just from their diet isn't that hard. Combine that with the regular walking, and I'm sure he was making better eating choices during other meals. I can totally believe it.
If you really want to loose weight, it isn't that hard. You don't need some strict insane diet, just get some kind of regular exercise and being conscious of what you eat. Little things make a big difference when added up. Choosing light dressing instead of regular or eating a burger instead of 20 hotwings or choosing lite beer over regular
The point is that it was being sold as a device to steal TV. If someone was trying to sell me a knife as a "Pig Shank" and I bought it because I needed to cut a peice of rope does that mean I can be put in jail for attempting to stab a cop?
Slashdot Mirror
In Soviet Russia, enough gets you!
I want to know who was funding their "research" and how they talked them into paying for shipping and travel expenses for everyone that went. Why the hell would they need to go all that way just to find a km of flat land?
And the driest person on earth is Steven Wright.
I've got a "robot" that can go 1km on its own in the desert. It's called CRUSE CONTROL! It came with my car. I push it and the car just takes off on it's own! I imagine it could make it 1km in the freakin middle of the desert before it hit something/ran out of gas.
First, I have to say IT WAS A JOKE! You shouldn't find it offensive unless it was directed at you or saying something bad about people that wear glasses in general.
Second, I've worn glasses since the 3rd grade (contacts mostly now) and am very near-sited (can only see about 3 inches out without them). It's interesting to hear what it's like from someone that has even worse vision than I do. Have you looked into laser surgery? They are doing amazing things with it now and a lot of insurance companies will pay at least part of it especially if it's affecting your work.
He could save some weight with just a few little mods. First, get rid of the voltage regulator and just put a current limiting resistor in series with the relay. Second, use the 9v battery as the power supply for the camera. All he would have to do is measure the current the camera uses and put a resistor in series with it to drop the voltage (or maybe two resistors acting as a voltage divider if the camera doesn't use much current). Third, remove the case from the camera and just use a couple pieces of tape to hold everything together. 4, if he's using the 9v to power the whole thing, the timer is going to have a common ground with the camera so he can use another method to trigger the shutter and save the weight of the relay. One option would be to tie the output of the 555 to the shutter through a couple voltage dividing resistors to trigger it directly bypassing the switch, but this would depend on how the trigger circuit in the camera works.
As for the timing, he could add another 555 timer as a delay to start the second one after the balloon is at the desired height. Then it wouldn't matter how long it took to get it in the air and more of the pictures would be usable.
But, you would be ok releasing it downtown in a big city. Just be within 250 feet of the tallest building.
Just think of it as the big blue room.
Wow! nice shots, really! I really like the first shot of the ocean. I didn't know it looked so textured from up high. But, what I'm afraid of is what the hell that GIANT FOOT is attached to and where it's going?!?!?!
"I STILL don't know if I want to be working with computers all my life"
Finish your degree! Even if you want to quit computers and do something else, just having a degree, in anything, will help you like you wouldn't believe.
Hey, his tech work is only worth $20 an hour, what do you expect his comments to be worth?
My best method is to just let them talk. Try and pay attention enough to get the details you need, then zone out for a while. Most people who are frustrated with their computer have already had people talking down to them like you said and just want to be heard out. Also while they were waiting on hold, they've already thought of every point they can argue with you and if you let them get it all out first, they don't have any fight left to disagree with what you tell them. And it gives you time to think about the problem and come up with a solution or at least make up something that sounds good to get them off the phone.
"Woman-in-the-Middle"
I think I saw a video of that one time.
"the mag stripe reader just piggybacks onto the keyboard"
That's why they wouldn't be secure either. All the reader does is read the data off the card and enter it in a text field. That's why it piggybacks on the keyboard and why a keylogger could log it too.
Datapol makes a program called i-cafe for use in internet cafes or other places with public terminals. It monitors any change made to the computer and restores it when the user logs off. It also handles billing and locks down any programs that aren't allowed by the owner. I've never used it, but it looks interesting.
Actually, most self respecting key loggers have several options for storing logs.
Among those are local disk storage, network drive storage, and sending to an email address. Both the remote options will let you set the intervals to send and delete the local copy after it's sent. The email option uses its own built in SMTP to send unknown to the user. The email option is where an anonymous hotmail account made up on the spot would come in handy.
"Public terminals can be made reasonably secure."
Yes, a public terminal can be made secure, but people should assume they are not secure and act accordingly.
The only way I would consider using public terminal for such reasons is if the owner guaranteed its security and accepted legal responsibility for what happened from it. I don't think anybody is going to do that for an internet machine. An ATM is a secure box connected to a proprietary network and everything it does is double-checked and logged by the owner.
That's why I'm not an SBC customer anymore. Cell phone for voice, cable for internet.
Not that I'm pro M$ or anything, but, there is a difference.
Yes, M$ has almost a monopoly on desktop OS, but if someone gets sick of them, they can just uninstall it and change. There might be some consequences, but it still can be done relatively easily.
SBC owns the physical lines running to your house. Little mom and pop ISP/phone providers can't just run more lines across the poles to everyone's house to offer them an option, they have to use SBC's.
Did you read the headline at all? Why is it do you think they have to charge you 119.99?
Around here, there are several Walmart Neighborhood Markets popping up. It's basically a Walmart brand grocery store. The point is, about half of their checkouts are self checkouts. You walk up and scan your own items and place them on a conveyer belt and the go through some kind of scanner (not sure what this does yet, I think it just makes sure you only send one thing through at a time) to a little bagging area. If you have produce or something that can't be scanned, there is a touch screen to pick out what it is and a scale built into the scanner if it needs to be weighed. Then you either swipe your credit card and sign this little electronic tablet, or put in cash and it gives you change. After you've paid, you go to the bagging area and put your own purchases in bags (which I think is nice because then I don't end up with 10 different bags when I only bought 11 items) and leave.
They have about 8 of these checkouts and 8 of the regular ones which may or may not have checkers at them, but there is always one attendant watching over the self checkouts incase something goes wrong.
I like them because I don't have to talk to anyone or interact with any teenage walmart employees, and there is never any wait, I've never been there and had to wait on one of the lines. There are 2 other major grocery stores within a half mile of my apartment, but I drive the extra half mile to be able to use the self checkout and be in and out quicker.
For someone who is 100lbs overweight, dropping 500-1000 calories per day just from their diet isn't that hard. Combine that with the regular walking, and I'm sure he was making better eating choices during other meals. I can totally believe it.
If you really want to loose weight, it isn't that hard. You don't need some strict insane diet, just get some kind of regular exercise and being conscious of what you eat. Little things make a big difference when added up. Choosing light dressing instead of regular or eating a burger instead of 20 hotwings or choosing lite beer over regular
.
Eleventy-billion!!!!!
The point is that it was being sold as a device to steal TV. If someone was trying to sell me a knife as a "Pig Shank" and I bought it because I needed to cut a peice of rope does that mean I can be put in jail for attempting to stab a cop?
"Rock and Roll is no solution- my daughter singing AC/DC"
:P
That's how I sing it too.
"Rock and Roll is no solution
Rock and Roll is going to die."
or "Rock and Roll is nose polution"
yes, yes, off topic and all that.