Messages

8226

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« on: May 23, 2008, 03:53 AM »

People who abuse the authority and power given to them.

8227

General Software Discussion / Re: Track a Stolen PC with Freeware LocatePC - Cybernetnews Essay

« on: May 21, 2008, 04:18 PM »

How useful is it really to know the IP and ISP of a system?

I was under the impression that the IP address was fairly general/broad and wouldn't let you precisely locate a machine.

And about the program, if anyone has it installed: I'm curious as to how it works with regard to LAN IPs vs. Internet IPs. Is it going to be stupid and say the IP is 192.168.0.3 or be smart and give the real IP address?

8228

General Software Discussion / Re: Track a Stolen PC with Freeware LocatePC - Cybernetnews Essay

« on: May 21, 2008, 04:14 PM »

I have something like this for my phone. Darned thing's never been stolen though! 

-nosh (May 15, 2008, 10:39 AM)

Haha! You sound so disappointed it's never been stolen or lost. 

8229

Living Room / Re: How hot is too hot? Overclocking thoughts...

« on: May 21, 2008, 04:07 PM »

Just be careful with how much you overclock your GPU. The GPU itself can withstand high temperatures, but other components on it may not.

I learned that the hard way when my GPU fan stopped spinning and melted off my GPU. The GPU still works, but obviously wouldn't last very long without another fan blowing on it.

8230

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Convertibles on sale from Cornucopia3D

« on: May 21, 2008, 01:12 AM »

And it looks like the car sale is over, since now the link just shows me a bunch of chairs.

8231

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Convertibles on sale from Cornucopia3D

« on: May 21, 2008, 01:10 AM »

I think it's all 3D models to use for photorealistic 3D scenes.

8232

Living Room / Re: How hot is too hot? Overclocking thoughts...

« on: May 20, 2008, 08:32 PM »

Just out curiosity, what is the default speed of your GPU that you're raising it from?

8233

Living Room / Re: Streaming audio across a network to multiple PCs?

« on: May 20, 2008, 05:51 PM »

Yea, I just need music. No other audio/video/whatever. iTunes/WMP stuff.

I use Wi-Fi (N) so not sure if that is an issue?

I just need synced music across 2-4 PCs.

-wreckedcarzz (May 20, 2008, 05:42 PM)

Seems like from the info given, the most reliable way to do this is to put the music on all PCs and have everyone press the play button at the same time.

8234

General Software Discussion / Re: Search GT .... how can this be?

« on: May 20, 2008, 01:32 PM »

GAotD registered a product that was offered nearly two months ago just by connecting to the server to register a product offered today?

Wow that's...  Neat.

8235

Developer's Corner / Re: The internet hijacked

« on: May 20, 2008, 01:21 PM »

Another WTF is that the IP address was changed in the first place. Now, the server might have needed to be moved to a different facility or what do I know, but when you're dealing with servers that have (and need) their IPs hardcoded in various places, you simply don't change that IP, period. And if it has to be done, for some extremely critical reason, you especially do not give up the old IP for grabs.

-f0dder (May 20, 2008, 08:20 AM)

I'm not sure if it's the real Bill Manning, but a user in the comments named Bill Manning said this:

Why was ICANN using the EP.NET address space?

It was assigned to "L" when I created it in 1996. ICANN should have renumbered when they took over "L". They did -not- and have been squatters on the space. They now threaten legal action if I announce my own space. This is a sad state of affairs.

I admit my own ignorance on what all these things truly mean, but if I understand it correctly, this is the reason why the IP address changed.

8236

Living Room / Re: Best Programming Jokes

« on: May 20, 2008, 12:24 PM »

PMSROFLMAO

-Edvard (May 20, 2008, 11:46 AM)

I've never really associated PMS with that much laughter before. . . 

8237

Developer's Corner / Re: The internet hijacked

« on: May 20, 2008, 03:05 AM »

What's with the big hat? I read the article and it wasn't there! 

8238

Living Room / Re: Why is all audio on websites so freakin loud?!

« on: May 19, 2008, 08:28 PM »

It seems to me that usually videos are on either extreme: Way too loud or way too quiet. But music on websites/blogs/home pages is usually just way too loud or maybe the music is just always annoying stuff I don't like so I don't like it being so loud.

8239

General Software Discussion / Re: XPPro SP3

« on: May 19, 2008, 08:24 PM »

I also downloaded the non-VL version from here, but now I can't activate it.
How did you do it? Did it accept your product key during the installation? Mine didn't, I tried again right after installing and it still doesn't, not even by phone.

-Cynic (May 19, 2008, 12:19 PM)

Yeah during installation it asked for the key and accepted it. Then when I got the wifi drivers installed I activated it via the internet.

Make sure you're downloading the right version for your key. XP Pro vs. XP Home.

8240

Living Room / Re: More Abuses of Technology - Government Surveillance - Computer Confiscation

« on: May 19, 2008, 08:20 PM »

Cpilot, in regard to your last post in this thread, you make very valid arguments on all points, and I agree with you.

I don't believe that everyone working for the government is evil, out to do horrible things and abuse power. I think the main concern with laws like this is that history has shown that people in power will abuse that power. Not all of them, certainly. But the checks, balances, and limitations that US Government was built on were put there for a reason: The people were in a revolution, attempting to break away from a government that had no checks and balances. What the monarch said was law. They were oppressed, had British soldiers demand entry into their homes and be provided for. People being arrested and rotting in jail for years before going to trial. Searches being made without due cause, etc., etc., etc.

The Bill of Rights were extremely important to the people then because these were rights that were not guaranteed to them under British rule, and it allowed the British government do some not-very-nice things to innocent people. These were people who knew from experience the importance of such freedoms, liberties, and human rights.

The law mentioned in this thread, about seizing electronic data/equipment without needing cause, and with no limitations, is only taking us back over 300 years to that same old system. Will it be abused in every case? Absolutely not. Will it ever be abused? Absolutely yes! Surely in the time you spent in the military, you saw some power abuse?

I firmly believe that most people are good. But there will be some who will abuse this power granted to them. That's a certainty.

Like you said, it's all a bunch of what ifs right now. The law is yet young. Give it some time and I'm sure we'll see concrete, specific examples of ways in which this power has not been used properly.

8241

Living Room / Re: More Abuses of Technology - Government Surveillance - Computer Confiscation

« on: May 18, 2008, 11:09 PM »

As I was typing this, several other posts were made, including mouser's reminder to keep politics to a minimum. As such I'd like to make a response to the question posed to me, but have trimmed out much of the more political aspects of what I originally wrote.

In that regard, the terrorists have been very successful, because we've been full of nothing but fear since the September 11 attack. Freedoms and liberties have been restricted. Laws are being passed that contradict the constitution this country was built on. I love my country more than I can describe, and it makes me extremely sad (and scared!) to see where it's heading with these laws that disregard the constitution and ignore our "inalienable rights" as human beings.

No offense Deozaan but I've read stuff like this all over the net and yet no one has ever been able to tell me exactly what laws are doing all this damage.
Lots of hysteria but not one person has been able to give me any specific instance where their rights have been violated, and what I mean by that is what rights have you had specifically, that have been violated?

-Cpilot (May 18, 2008, 10:12 PM)

First let me say that it's the law itself that violates the Bill of Rights. I don't need it to be enforced against me before I'm allowed to decry the fact that it's not constitutional.

I haven't left the USA in 10-15 years, since I was maybe 10 years old. So for one thing border security wasn't very intense back then (to my memory) and I was just a child going along with my parents and family to visit Canada. I haven't been on an airplane since 2002, when airport security was still ramping up to the mess I've been told it is today. So I haven't had many "opportunities" to have my rights taken from me by border control agents.

However, last year I married an alien. She's from Romania. We're planning a trip to visit her parents in December if we can. This makes things doubly scary for me. I am a US Citizen, so I may still feel fairly secure in my rights to enter the USA, without much trouble from border/customs agents. But clearly my wife is not a citizen, doesn't necessarily have the right to enter the country, and Romania may not be a known terrorist country but isn't exactly a trusted country either (banks can't guarantee that money transferred to Romanian accounts will get there).

What if she is detained? Or what if we're flagged as suspicious for no reason other than because she's a foreigner? Or what if the border/customs agent just "feels like" giving us a hard time and copying our data, or confiscating our laptop(s) that we paid thousands of dollars for? I have no recourse of action protecting me from the potential abuse from the power granted by this law.

These are just a few of the fears that I now have, thanks to seemingly never-ending after effects (from the US Government and elsewhere) of the terrorism of 2001. Considering the purpose of terrorism, and looking at how this country changed since 2001, I personally think there was a lot more damage done (and still being done) by the 2001 attack than a couple buildings falling down and the deaths of all those people.

8242

Living Room / Re: More Abuses of Technology - Government Surveillance - Computer Confiscation

« on: May 18, 2008, 10:00 PM »

The interesting thing here is that a lot of the things Cpilot seems to take issue with, I also take issue with.

For example, the contradiction of the world complaining about the USA being the "world police", but then turning around and complaining when we don't do anything to solve other countries' problems.

But the thing that worries me is that it seems to me that the terrorism of 2001 has lead the US to start making laws that may be, technically, terrorist in nature.

My first comment in this thread was a perfect example of what I mean. The fact that any US border agent could detain me or confiscate my personal belongings for no predetermined amount of time and no reason other than they felt like it makes me want to encrypt all my data. Yet the fear of that action arousing suspicions and automatically assigning me with a "guilty" keeps me from being sure if I should encrypt my electronic data.

In that regard, the terrorists have been very successful, because we've been full of nothing but fear since the September 11 attack. Freedoms and liberties have been restricted. Laws are being passed that contradict the constitution this country was built on. I love my country more than I can describe, and it makes me extremely sad (and scared!) to see where it's heading with these laws that disregard the constitution and ignore our "inalienable rights" as human beings.

8243

Living Room / Re: More Abuses of Technology - Government Surveillance - Computer Confiscation

« on: May 18, 2008, 09:01 PM »

Cpilot: You seem to be making false assumptions and selectively choosing what to acknowledge.

The attack on September 11th, 2001 was and is a tragedy, and yet it has nothing to do with the current discussion, other than perhaps being indirectly, partly responsible for some of these laws being passed.

I don't have a problem with a government controlling who crosses it's borders. I very much encourage it. In fact, I wish the government did a better job controlling who got through. There are numerous problems with the current border control in the USA, with most of the focus being on the southern border. But the northern border is probably just as much or more of a problem.

However, I very strongly oppose the idea that an innocent person can have their privacy and freedom violated without due cause.

The constitution guarantees certain freedoms and liberties to U.S. citizens that are now being violated freely all while raising the banner of national security. It seems to me just a modern Witch Hunt. The last remarkable one I know of being McCarthyism. Now be sure to read this next part carefully! I am aware that there really is a terrorist threat! I am not suggesting that terrorism isn't real or that there is no need for security measures. I am a U.S. Citizen. It was my country that was attacked in 2001!

Having nothing to hide from the government (or others) doesn't mean you want to volunteer the information to whoever wants to see it.

There is no innate human right to take anything you please anywhere in the world.

This is true. There are import and export laws that prohibit certain things from entering or leaving a country. Also, different countries deem different items as illegal. So while certain drugs in the USA may be illegal, another country might have no problem with those items being in someone's possession. As such, I wouldn't dream of taking an item into a country in which it is illegal.

But until Laptops, MP3 players, and other personal/consumer electronics are outlawed, I have every right (according to the sovereign nation's laws) to bring them with me wherever it's not illegal.

8244

Living Room / Re: More Abuses of Technology - Government Surveillance - Computer Confiscation

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:30 PM »

I just don't understand these things. The world is becoming a very scary place. How can you not be paranoid with laws like these coming into place?

In one sense it makes me almost want to encrypt my entire computer and refuse to share the password, but on the other hand I'm almost afraid to in order to avoid raising suspicions.

8245

Living Room / Re: Disabling Quick Launch once and for all - possible?

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:20 PM »

What happens if you delete all the icons from the Quick Launch, so even if it does show up again it will be empty?

8246

Living Room / Re: Show us your (physical) desktop

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:15 PM »

I see Logitech has been experimenting with new mouse designs . Congrats!

-Lashiec (May 18, 2008, 12:59 PM)

Well, "congrats" it's not the proper word here... See my thread regarding this and be warned.

-yksyks (May 18, 2008, 02:49 PM)

I think Lashiec's entire post was about the infant. The "mouse design experiment" being the playtoy and/or bottle.

8247

General Software Discussion / Re: which is the lightest instant messenger?

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:05 PM »

Gtalk works with msn and yahoo protocol?

-kalos (May 18, 2008, 02:14 AM)

Erm... Not that I'm aware of. I was just extending the original question to see if anyone knew of a really light IM client that supported GTalk. I've edited my post in an attempt to make that clearer.

8248

General Software Discussion / Re: Warning: Fresh Windows XP SP2 install does not get along with SP3 update

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:02 PM »

Just an update: Downloading the SP3 ISO and installing it that way did the trick. Everything installed properly and extra Windows Updates work. Everything seems in order.

8249

Living Room / Re: Unpredictable Windows ... Can someone HELP !! (Slowly going mad)

« on: May 18, 2008, 04:01 PM »

Definitely grab the SP3 ISO because installing Vanilla SP2 and updating to SP3 has been known to cause some problems.

8250

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Slow Down Music with GDT v4 Open Beta 1

« on: May 17, 2008, 08:45 PM »

What file formats does this support?