Recent Posts

5101

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of ... RAMdisk opinions

« Last post by 40hz on September 23, 2012, 02:08 AM »

RAMdisks have their place although they're far less important or necessary than they used to be thanks to cheap RAM, faster drives, and multicore processors

They still find good use on a busy server when you have some running application with a very active log or busy temp caching requirement. But now, with affordable SSDs (which I will go on record saying I still don't sufficiently trust for anything important) it's become fairly moot. At least as far as workstation use is concerned.

Just my  

5102

Living Room / Re: Ubuntu will now have Amazon ads pre-installed

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 11:28 PM »

I liked how the folks on the Linux Action Show handled affiliate links. They point them out on the bottom of their webpage during the show and ask the listeners/viewers to consider using them next time they buy something from one of the companies listed. They further explain how it benefits them, why they do it, and how it doesn't have any effect on the price you pay.

5103

Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 04:14 PM »

^thx for that. Any time I have a real conceptual or design issue with a language I always worry it's probably just me.  

5104

Living Room / Re: 1080p playback: hardware discussion

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 12:15 PM »

^I'll have t take your word for it. I've only read maybe four or five books and a bunch of articles on SCs so I'm far from being that knowledgeable about the topic. However, I was always given to understand that there were two basic approaches currently being used to implement a supercomputer architecture, one of which is as a cluster. (The other is a grid.) And that the test for thinking of a machine as a supercomputer wasn't so much the capacity (in flops, RAM, CPUs, etc.) as it was the capability of the machine. Sort of like saying it's isn't so much what it is as what it's used for. So if a computer was capable of doing something either extremely difficult or impossible for an alternative architechture to do, then it was a de facto supercomputer - even if the absolute 'specs' of the other machine were better.

Much like what separates 'audiophile' from consumer electronics - the audiophile products consistently produce better sound than the consumer products do - even if the distortion and other figures are technically better for the consumer product.

But it's been about 5 years for me...so maybe they've since changed some of that viewpoint about SCs?


----

@f - PS: thx for taking my comment in  the way it was intended.

5105

Living Room / Re: 1080p playback: hardware discussion

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 10:49 AM »

I wish people would stop calling it 'super computers'.

-f0dder (September 22, 2012, 07:50 AM)

Uh-oh! Next thing you know, f0dder's gonna be telling us how to abbreviate Firefox too...

5106

Living Room / Re: Ubuntu will now have Amazon ads pre-installed

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 10:17 AM »

Nope.

5107

Living Room / Re: Ubuntu will now have Amazon ads pre-installed

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 08:53 AM »

Yes. Maturing and growing Ububtu into the next iOS.

Sorry. Mark Shuttleworth still sucks. 

5108

Living Room / Re: 1080p playback: hardware discussion

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 07:51 AM »

^According to the guys on the Linux Action Show, video @1080 works fine.

Can't say yea or nay since I *STILL* haven't received mine. (grumble...grumble)

5109

Living Room / Re: Is my pen-drive performing okay?

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 07:46 AM »

Doesn't seem too bad to me, for a pendrive. The theoretical speed limit of USB2 is 480mbit/s, which would translate to 60MB/s (and that's excluding stuff like ATA protocol overhead - dunno if the USB protocol overhead is included?). Even for harddrive enclosures, I've never had better than close to 30MB/s, leading me to think that the 480mbit/s is marketing snake-oil, and they should be saying 240mbit/s full-duplex?

Also: never use those drives for primary storage of anything. They go flaky without warning.

-f0dder (September 22, 2012, 07:05 AM)

+1 x 10 on all of the above.

Especially the part about these things going bugger all with no warning.

If you have important docs on the drive, set it up to auto sync with something (preferably both your home and work machine) and make sure it does. I love keys.  I have a half dozen set up for various tasks when I'm at a client site.  I've had three different premium quality USB keys from two different "name" manufacturers die on me to date. None gave a hint of any problem before doing so.

Sync those puppies regularly.  


---

Addendum: oops! I see you posted while I was composing.

Never mind!

5110

General Software Discussion / Re: What exactly is a "Windows idle time", anyone?

« Last post by 40hz on September 22, 2012, 07:34 AM »

You could also go to the hardware properties for your NIC and disable any power management features it has if you're running on a desktop PC.

Some NICs don't always play nicely with Windows' power management service and vice versa. Sometimes 'dumbing down' the interface fixes that problem.

5111

General Software Discussion / Re: sublime text: some innovative text editor!

« Last post by 40hz on September 21, 2012, 05:03 PM »

Possibly the developer is more concerned about issues of support a sudden large influx of orders from casual users (as in discount buyers) might create?

FWIW all the volume licenses I've ever seen for software are restricted to use in a single organization and are not intended to be resold as single units.

5112

Living Room / Re: Help scientists decipher 'lost' gospel

« Last post by 40hz on September 21, 2012, 01:50 PM »

Structured Procrastination is aught but the poor stepchild of Dynamic Apathy.

I'd be happy to provide further details, but...well...you know how it is.  

------------

@A - make that 124 reads.

5113

General Software Discussion / Re: sublime text: some innovative text editor!

« Last post by 40hz on September 21, 2012, 01:40 PM »

A discount would definitely motivate me.

-Renegade (September 21, 2012, 11:44 AM)

Good luck!

On the "how to buy" page, the developer isn't even offering educational discounts.

But the page is refreshingly honest and up front about the terms. Cash only (i.e. PayPal. Period.). License is issued to the individual who may exclusively use it on as many machines as they like. Upgrades are free within a version number. Upgrades to a new version number must be paid for. All spelled out clear as day. Refreshing!

Sounds like this is a real old school/no-BS sort of dev who doesn't want to get into any special deals or arrangements.

I think I may just buy a copy for that alone!

5114

Living Room / Re: What's the name of your car?

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 08:43 PM »

Ours is called "the car."

We're very original and creative about things like that at my house.

----------

Back in my college days I owned an English-built Ford with all manner of erratic and bizarre electrical and mechanical problems. Funny thing was, for some odd reason, I actually liked that car despite it sometimes driving me to the brink of madness. My college best chum Anne christened that car Mistress Wanda von Dunajew for obvious reasons.

5115

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: I'm practicing how to make films

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 08:25 PM »

A few things you might want to look at. Shows just how much you can do with limited sets and low budgets.

First is one of the best riffs on the zombie apocalypse theme (with maybe just a touch of the film Pulse) I've ever seen. It's called Pontypool. Takes place in a backwater of Canada - at the studio of the local radio station with only three main characters. All action takes place in the course of a single day. Seriously creepy movie with an excellent script and some fine acting. This one sucks you in so quickly and  completely that you almost miss how amazing it is that the director can pull it off with so little.

Full film is up on YT with (unfortunately) German subtitles. Watch it a bit and then go get it on DVD and really spend some time with it. It's a textbook example of how to do a small budget film.

Also check out Pioneer One and Tyranny - two made for the web "TV" series.

Some trailers:

5116

General Software Discussion / Re: What went wrong with Linux on the Desktop

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 05:30 PM »

 

5117

General Software Discussion / Re: What went wrong with Linux on the Desktop

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 05:21 PM »

I think I'm going to adopt a policy of not replying to one line "comeback" posts - like this one I just posted for example.

5118

Living Room / Re: Thread to annoy mouser

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 09:27 AM »

Fools errand: Attempting to screw with an op who has administrative priviliges on the system you're messing with him/her on. (see also: Tilting at Windmills)
 

5119

Living Room / Re: Tram-mļöi  hhâsmařpţuktôx

« Last post by 40hz on September 20, 2012, 06:29 AM »

^I am. 

The story deals with the same. Only it's set about 3000 years into the future.

5120

Developer's Corner / Re: Licensing Free Software

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 09:22 PM »

Any standard commercial type license would fit the bill. All you'd then have to do is continue to not charge for it and include a license term which says it "can be freely copied and distributed" - but not sold.You'd also probably want to put a splash screen in the installer that says "If you paid money for a copy of this program ask for it back!" followed by a brief explanation of how you released it for free distribution.

As far as enforcing it...that's another matter. Unless you have a legal firm on retainer, you probably wouldn't be able to do that. Possibly you could join some association (if there is one) that provided a license enforcement member benefit. The FSF is out because your program is closed source - and you'd have to assign the license over to them before they could enforce it anyway. Does the ASP or some other software organization do something like that?

5121

DC Gamer Club / Re: The story of Origin/Ultima/EA

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 07:50 PM »

Ultima 7 was the best for me... I spent way too much time with that game.

-wraith808 (September 19, 2012, 07:38 PM)

I spent way too much time with all of them.  

They were the definition of overproduced with all of their nice extras.  It seems that would be a good way to cut down on piracy- start making the game worth having the physical product again.

Exactly right. Most people don't mind paying if they feel they're getting their money's worth. And for most people that means nice packaging and some "spiffs" thrown in to make it seem special. That was something Lord British (aka Richard Garriott) understood all to well. Everybody else was packaging games in skinny paper folders like the old LP records came in. The Ultima series came in boxes. Nice colorful boxes with all this neat stuff in them! It was like Christmas opening up a new Ultima title. Forget they cost significantly more than other game titles during that era. We happily paid it because it was worth it. Getting that stuff along with the disk made Sosaria seem more real. Almost like it physically brought that imagined world into our own somewhat - and we had the map to prove it!

Better times!

5122

DC Gamer Club / Re: The story of Origin/Ultima/EA

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 07:35 PM »

I stayed with Ultima up to the end of the second series: The False Prophet (VI). I still thought Exodus (III) was the most clever and probably the best story arc. Especially the eerie theme music which the C64 SID chip rendered beautifully.

Later on I didn't really care for where Garriott was taking the story. It got a little preachy to my ears. Oh well...

Sure do miss those lovely cloth maps and other accessories that used to come in Ultima boxes.



They were both cool and functional. They contained information and clues you actually needed to complete the adventures. Good luck figuring out how to use the absolutely critical 'Moon Gates' in Ultima III without that map and some of the clues it held.



Nice touch!

5123

Living Room / Re: Tram-mļöi  hhâsmařpţuktôx

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 07:04 PM »

It was part of some background research I was doing for a piece of fiction in which the unusual native language some of the characters spoke became a key plot element in the story.

-40hz (September 16, 2012, 11:46 AM)

@40hz What was the name of the fiction?

-Arizona Hot (September 19, 2012, 04:48 PM)

The title is Fianna. It's my own. It's a work in progress.

What other conlang do you think is closest to Ithkuil in approach? I have a specific language in mind, the grammar is just as complicated but the spelling doesn't use accented characters or have the cool script Ithkuil does.

-Arizona Hot (September 16, 2012, 05:06 PM)

About the only 'real' language I'm noddingly familiar with that resembles some of Ithkuil is CycL - unless you're talking about Ilaksh. But I'm guessing from the above that you're much more knowledgeable about esoteric conlangs than I'll ever be - so I'd be happy to hear anything you'd care to teach us about them.

5124

Living Room / Re: xkcd - password truth

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 03:32 PM »

I saw a portable app some time ago (can't remember where) that generated a very long and complex password out of a passphrase and a number you keyed into it. So if you entered something like: Eta kooram nah smech, and a number like: 314159 it would return a string like: r=+-~/[$=a^LADwR0t%W&JT011\b9^A~qrIgvvC]_tgY&f,P0;cO*ZfwD`r&(c. You could then copy and paste it as needed.



You could specify the length of the generated string. And there were checkboxes to select what type of characters (i.e UC, LC, number, symbol) to allow in the string.

Anybody know the name of this app?

-40hz (September 19, 2012, 01:17 PM)

Oh Oh I know this one!

http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=IPphyjkXnPc

 

-TaoPhoenix (September 19, 2012, 02:14 PM)

That's it!

5125

Living Room / Re: Open source cell phone projects.

« Last post by 40hz on September 19, 2012, 03:29 PM »

these first to file vs first to invent really worries me.  If this is a legit concern for someone like myself, I'm going to just ask one of my entrepreneur friends to focus on those issues while I work on the actual project.  because I don't think I have the ability to do the work AND make sure all my eyes are dotted at the same time, while being effective at both.

-superboyac (September 19, 2012, 03:08 PM)

Very smart move. Too many start-up entrepreneurs (and social activists for that matter) shoot themselves in the foot trying to do it all by themselves.