Recent Posts

4776

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Wireless sensor

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 09, 2011, 11:00 AM »

Is it possible to do that on XP, (have a webpage as a background on the logon screen) ?

-4wd (January 09, 2011, 10:52 AM)

The gist of the thread seemed to be that it would/did work before (with older OSs), but the OP was having trouble getting it to work on Server08 R2. So I'm hoping that doing it on XP wont be a wild goose chase.

4777

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Wireless sensor

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 09, 2011, 10:53 AM »

I've used this key/profile decription in the past to enable num-lock on the logon screen, so it could be worth a shot to try running/launching it from there.

-Stoic Joker (January 04, 2011, 06:49 AM)

That was on Windows NT, and for newly created accounts only, from W2K on it (sort of) remembered the last state of num-lock

-Ath (January 09, 2011, 09:47 AM)

I never actually played with NT4 much, so I can't say much there. But I do recall using that trick on an XP machine for a client that had an alphanumeric password and couldn't remember to hit numlock.

Also MS still has a KB article for it: How do I enable the NUM LOCK key for the logon screen?

4778

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Wireless sensor

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 09, 2011, 09:05 AM »

Okay, this is either the right answer, or the stupidest thing I've ever said...I'm not sure which (be gentile).

But, I ran across this: Displaying server/domain name on the logon screen.

So if the service is creating a plain text file, why not have it create an .htm file, and set the logon screen's wallpaper to that. Assuming the page could be made to auto-refresh and display status changes it could work.

4779

Living Room / Re: Fantastic Rant ...

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 09, 2011, 08:47 AM »

hm, well I think snopes is wrong in their closing remarks.

http://www.snopes.co...ss/bank/takethat.asp

Saying that should this situation present itself, it's more the customers fault.
I have to disagree, seeing that my bank used for 5 years of service (so far) will cover any checks with insufficient funds (I can't remember if there is a limit) for a period of 7 days before any rejection or penalties.

-cmpm (January 09, 2011, 08:15 AM)

I was more than a bit irked by that rather unrealistic wise-crack also. The whole point of Electronic Deposit is it is supposed to be guaranteed and hassle free...Or at least that's what they tell you when you sign-up for it...

Back in the "Good Ol' Days"...There was also a courtesy practice of doing all the deposits first, and then the debits were done. Unfortunately that hampered their grubby fee collection claws too much so now they do it (backwards...) in what ever order they come to it in... (BS).

I had one shister credit card company that thought it would be a hoot to play games with the payment timing so they could jack my interest from 7% up to 30%. This was done under the rather foolish assumption that I would be a proper sheeple and just pay it... hehe ...Wrong. If they'd have just been a bit less gready...

Now I pay nothing, IMO they violated the spirit of the contract, and I have chosen to sever the relationship. 

4780

Living Room / Re: Fantastic Rant ...

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 08, 2011, 09:52 PM »

While I've read it before, it was well worth reading it again.

-Stoic Joker (January 07, 2011, 11:30 AM)

Guess I did too. Snopes covered this "letter" previously. Link to it here.

Update: I now see the same Snopes link has begun showing up in the comments that follow the LinkedIn article starting yesterday.

-40hz (January 08, 2011, 08:53 PM)

Actually the snopes links and "It's a fake" battle cry was already in the LinkedIn comments (albeit far down the page) when I did the first post here right after Carol. I saw no point in raining on her parade, so I didn't mention it.

However I did (perhaps a bit too subtly) allude to it in my second post by saying "The nay sayers should really stop and think really hard about what they are doing. This woman should be wontedly willed into existence"...

4781

Living Room / Re: Fantastic Rant ...

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 08, 2011, 01:42 PM »

nevertheless I love the sentiments

-Carol Haynes (January 08, 2011, 09:15 AM)

As do I. The nay sayers should really stop and think really hard about what they are doing. This woman should be wontedly willed into existence, given a name, and then publicized until every man, woman, and child on the planet knows it by heart. Her name (now a common household word) should then become the 8th dirty word you can't use on television and reserved for exclusive use on bank personnel when they are once again trying to stick it in to the elbow.

Places like Bank of America, which I just pulled out of last week because their constant fees were draining my savings account. They actually have the balls to charge me for using my money?!? Oh hell no.

I think they should erect a statue of this woman in the center of every town as a hero to the common man ... and then hang a banker from it, at least once a year ... Just until they (the banks) start catching on to the whole when enough is enough thing.

4782

Living Room / Re: Fodder for history buffs

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 02:40 PM »

No that would have been history for f0dder buffs.

4783

Living Room / Re: Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 12:27 PM »

lol ...According to the wife yes (he got a bunch of his friends busted), but his last name really was Dick back then. Hollywood changed it to Allen (as they're in the habit of doing (ala Norma Jean).

-Stoic Joker (January 07, 2011, 12:05 PM)

he got them busted for what?  Drugs?

-superboyac (January 07, 2011, 12:17 PM)

But officer the coke is only for "Personal Use"... You want the guy I got it from...That'll get you in the papers.

Can You Say, Canary Mode??

4784

Living Room / Re: Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 12:05 PM »

lol ...According to the wife yes (he got a bunch of his friends busted), but his last name really was Dick back then. Hollywood changed it to Allen (as they're in the habit of doing (ala Norma Jean).

4785

Living Room / Re: Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 11:48 AM »

^ Tim Allen?  Or are we talking some thing else? 

-wraith808 (January 07, 2011, 11:28 AM)

Yepper Tim Allen, then known as Tim Dick. She's talked to him via FB once or twice.

4786

Living Room / Re: Fantastic Rant ...

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 11:30 AM »

While I've read it before, it was well worth reading it again.

4787

Living Room / Re: Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 11:15 AM »

The badge could be like an apple with horns coming out or something.

-superboyac (January 07, 2011, 09:41 AM)

That does sound like fun ... Can the rest of us (or at least Renegade and I) get a flaming apple with a knife stuck through it?

Freaking Pixar...they sure make awesome movies.  The Toy Story's are all brilliant.

-superboyac (January 07, 2011, 10:28 AM)

My wife went to high school with Buz Lightyear

4788

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your preferred server OS for home use? And Why?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 07, 2011, 06:58 AM »

--The one thing I am worried about and will probably spend the most time thinking about: how to prevent BAD backups and only have good backups.  Let me explain.  Let's say I have a hard drive, and I back it up with double-redundancy using two more hard drives and syncing (SFFS).  Now, let's say the original drive got infected with a virus that got into a bunch of my files.  Soon after, that virus will be backed up to three places.  And now I don't have an original GOOD version anywhere!  How do you prevent that?  It doesn't help if you back up with multiple redundancy if they all have the same BAD files.

-superboyac (January 06, 2011, 09:14 PM)

If you become infected, you should expect all files on all disks on your system to be infected... but (silent) file corruption not caused by virii is another situation.

-f0dder (January 07, 2011, 06:00 AM)

Realistically how likely of a threat is that (I've been wondering about this for a while)? It seems like the bulk of the EvilDoerWare these days only goes after the shell and your wallet/identity (not necessarily in that order). There really hasn't been a good file eating virus (that I recall) in the wild since Snow White almost a decade ago. The SBD file corruption seem a more (real?) likely threat these days to me (But I'm on the fence).

Mind you I'm not arguing the point, I really am just curious about your thoughts on this matter.

4789

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your preferred server OS for home use? And Why?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 11:09 PM »

Personally, though I used to use tape backup more than a decade ago, I just don't see myself ever going back there given the low cost of drive space and speed advantages (both for backup and restore). I know it's still widely used by enterprise though.

-JavaJones (January 06, 2011, 10:55 PM)

I'm with Ya, I'm beginning to transition to USB drive backups myself now that the small easy to carry 2.5" drives are over 500GB and under $100. However the setup I described above was deployed 5 years ago when that wasn't the case. So tape made sense back then.

My point for SB was how the backups can be staggard to maximize coverage and minimize futzing arround at the same time. By organizing the data based on (static vs. dynamic) change frequency. And I agree that not everything really needs to be backed up if it's already stored as a hard copy, or just really not that critical (we all have a few files like that...).

4790

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your preferred server OS for home use? And Why?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 10:50 PM »

Damn JJ we're turning into a couple of long winded bastards here ain't we? I'm guessing you type alot faster than I do 'cause ya beat me ... So I'll have to read yours in a minute.

 

4791

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your preferred server OS for home use? And Why?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 10:46 PM »

It's a question of static vs. dynamic data. Backup frequency is dependant on how often critical changes are made.

Example:
I have a client with 300GB of important business data, and a 36GB tape backup drive. But, 90% of the data is historical (e.g. never changes). So... The have 2 servers, one new, and the old one it replaced.

Server 1 (the new(er) one), runs SBS2k3, and stores all their currently active stuff. It also has the tape drive in it. Backup of their active data, System State, AD, etc. require all of one tape, and sometimes part of a second. Exchange (also critical to backup) just flat won't fit...without going to a 3 tape a day rotation - Which is insane. So...

Server 1 is RAID5, That's the primary line of defense for the OS in the event of a disk failure. secondary line (if 2 disk failure, etc.), is the daily backup of AD and System State data. The complete configuration is also heavily documented so a brick level rebuild can be done quickly if necessary. The other business data is backed up fully Monday through Thursday when a 2nd tape can be added in the morning if necessary (this is the data that changes most frequently).

Exchange is backed up on Fridays only by itself, because it handily fits on one tape, and nobody is there on Saturdays to add a second tape. otherwise a daily business data backup would always fail (timeout) on Saturday morning if it was run. So there I've staged when what was backed based on a heriarchy of what was most likely to change to maximize the highest number of changes that could be saved.

Now the bulk of the static historical data on server 2 (also RAID5) is backed up once a month, to one of a pair of 1.5TB USB drives. This is because the data on it only changes when the file handling policy declares that something is "old enough" and is manually pushed to the server. This is done in the last few days of the month, because the USB drive backup is scheduled on the 1st of every month.

That way if - by some odd strike of bad luck - something went wrong big time ... the only unbackedup data that could be lost, would be the most current, and therefore easiest data to recreate.

All of the backup operations are logged, and a full report of the results are Emailed to both myself and the business' owner every morning. That way if something does go wrong with the backups... We Know!

4792

Living Room / Re: complete 180 on mouse preference - what's the best cheap mouse?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 10:07 PM »

Fork? Knife?  Just make everything "finger food"!

Jim

-J-Mac (January 06, 2011, 09:18 PM)

As apposed to food fingers..?

4793

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your preferred server OS for home use? And Why?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 08:10 PM »

Stoic, one of the things you seem to be implying above is that RAID can be a stand-in for backup (the comment about how do you backup 10TB of data). As far as I understand that's contrary to common wisdom about RAID.

-JavaJones (January 06, 2011, 06:23 PM)

Many of the really high-end deduplicating RAID6 storage devices claim to be able to eliminate the need for a backup. However I'm not entirely sold on that idea either. I prefer to have RAID as a first line of defense, and then have a backup for those "special moments" when shit really hits the fan.

Here's the thing, from SMBs to SOHOs down to the average Home Owner, everybody is on-a-budget. So what typically happens is enough hardware is bought to store the data being used. Some type of backup is discussed and is maybe even used a few times. Then the data grows and the space needed to store it gets bigger. Now it all no-longer fits on the backup, so the "important stuff" discussion ensues. Either that or somebody comes up with the "Let's do an incremental backup" idea, and nobody has the forethought to shoot them for saying it ... before the plan is put in place.

Note: I'm cringing right now just thinking about the number of time I walked into a new client to find they've been using the same five pieces of media to do incremental backups, for the last five years ... Chance of a successful recovery? Zero!

Both scenarios tend to end badly as backups just love to fail. And they do so at an extremely high rate. RAID on the other hand, could fail. Synchronization & backup schemes both have the same (glaring) flaw. The are simple, easy, set-it-and-forget-it systems. ...and it's that last, forget it, part that bites'em in the ass every time!

Synchronization, like mirroring (RAID1) both like to give people two identical copies of the same error. So if a disk fails in the middle of a sync... (point here being every system has a weak point)

Now for the average end user that comes trotting home with a brand new PC, a few ideas of what they can do with it, and maybe even a shiny new digital camera... Obviously a server would be a completely stupid to even suggest. (I'm picturing Goofy from the old Disney driving cartoons trotting out of a BestBuy here)

However, you and SB are not typical end users. You have an established system architected into a strategy that is so far working for you. Great go with it. SB on the other hand, is looking to start-from-scratch (so to speak), and is coming out of the gate planing on warehousing 10+TB of data. Those NAS boxes ain't cheap, as anything with more than 2-3 slots is well over $1,000. So if you looking at budgeting enough money for three of those ... You are much better off going with the off-lease commercial hardware that will give you a true scale-able hardware RAID configuration for a fraction of the money you would have spent on the consumer grade stuff.

Even if you are working out of your mother's basement (not saying you guys are), with 10+TB of data you have an enterprise class problem ... Which should be handled in much the same way regardless of where the data is and whom it belongs.

I'm hoping I covered everything as this has takes awhile for me to type.

4794

Living Room / Re: Anti-Necrospamming

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 05:49 PM »

I was the one that dragged this thread up from the dead, because I had a comment to make in reference to ewemoa's script and the recent server move that came along with a change of forum path that caused it to stop working. That script had been posted in this thread and no other. There was no more appropriate thread to post my comment in than this one.

-app103 (January 06, 2011, 05:09 PM)

Right, I caught that part, and I agree completely with your reasoning for the post. I'd just been watching to see the "crowd reaction" to it ... Which is what got me started thinking about the rule circle.

As you'd mentioned both 1 & 2 are (supposed to be) Okay. But it doesn't always seem to work out that way (again with the crowd reaction part). So working off Deozzan's post I was pondering aloud a solution to something, as it had been bugging me for a bit.

4795

Living Room / Re: complete 180 on mouse preference - what's the best cheap mouse?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 05:39 PM »

I've never understood this bizarre tradition. Let's teach everyone to use a fork in their left hand if they are right handed - what lunatic decided that was the right thing to do.

-nudone (January 06, 2011, 05:22 PM)

Fork vs. knife - Fork creates smaller lacerations on error... (win)

 

4796

T-Clock / Re: T-Clock 2010 (download)

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 05:35 PM »

the new T-Clock version is really cool!

-freaky44 (January 06, 2011, 12:14 PM)

Thank you.

But i have two feature suggestions:

- I use the drop to recycle bin feature, and it works great! It would be great to have the option to see the size and number of files of the recycle bin in the Mouse-over Tooltip Text. (e.g. "10 Files, 135 MB").

-freaky44 (January 06, 2011, 12:14 PM)

Hm... There is grand potential for this to lag badly if there are a large number of files in the recycling bin. But I can try playing with it for a bit and see what happens.

- I would love to have the option to set the action in mouse-properties to "open files/folders (with command-line switches)". Just like you can do it in the "Menu Item Details". Then i could empty/open the recycle bin with just one click.

-freaky44 (January 06, 2011, 12:14 PM)

Sounds reasonable enough, I'll look into it.

Little Bug report:
Middle Mouse Button Actions doesn´t work.

-freaky44 (January 06, 2011, 12:14 PM)

That's actually a "Known Issue" ... That I forgot about... I'll have to go through my notes and see what the original issue was/is. I'm thinking that the middle button/mouse wheel was asigned to bring up a task list in Windows 7 by default so I'd given up on/disabled it at one point. But it isn't doing it now (it could have been just me...) so I've not a clue. *Shrug* I'll look into it ... Thanks for the reminder.

4797

Living Room / Re: What is a good desktop stapler?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 04:59 PM »

Take the easy way out (I do) ... Just send electronic copies of everything and let the other poor bastard go hunt down a friggin stapler.

 

4798

Living Room / Re: Anti-Necrospamming

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 04:51 PM »

This has actually been bugging me for awhile now, as there seems to be two different (seemingly diametrically apposed) schools of thought.

School 1 - Don't keep asking questions that have already been answered, use the search function.

School 2 - Don't resurrect old long dead threads.

So if you have a new spin on an old question you can't add it to the old thread without violating rule 1, and you also can't start a new thread without violating rule 2. Hence there really is no correct answer.

Maybe if the board would add a little tombstone to a post made to a thread that was inactive for (say...) more than 6 months to dramatize the resurrection ... And we lightened up on rule 2 a bit, it could work.

4799

Living Room / Re: complete 180 on mouse preference - what's the best cheap mouse?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 04:38 PM »

While primarily a lefty/south paw/evil one (according to J-Mac's nuns), I am ambidextrous which was quite handy back when I was a mechanic. I can do just about anything with either hand, however I am faster with my left on everything except using a mouse. I always use a mouse with my right hand.

4800

General Software Discussion / Re: Is it possible to have a future without a .NET-style takeover?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on January 06, 2011, 11:17 AM »

Christ they've damn near got me talked into using C# at this point...