Re: [CGUYS] Verizon Done with FIOS?

[b_s-wilk]

That is disturbing to me - I am in a copper only DSL area of Verizon's service. 
I was hoping to eventually get FIOS, as no cable vendor serves my area. Now I 
guess I will have to hope that LTE comes to my DirectTV eventually or that a 
cable company decides to serve this area. I am beginning to wonder exactly what 
business Verizon is in - they want to get out of copper and are abandoning 
FIOS, so the only consumer product left is their Wireless cellphone business.



We've had connection issues with our DSL service for over two months. It 
disconnects at the same time almost every day for 5-90 minutes. Verizon 
is working on it.


When the tech came to check wiring, switch, etc., he told me that the 
trunk line from town is fiber even though the neighborhood isn't 
connected, so we can't get FIOS. He told me that it's the same where he 
lives--fiber to the area, but neighborhoods not connected. He has DSL 
and DirecTV, just like we do.


Verizon may be finished with the main FIOS installation, but they're not 
doing the last mile or so. Do neighborhoods and small towns have to get 
their own connections through cooperation of all the residents? Ha! Fat 
chance!


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] welcome to thunderbird

[b_s-wilk]

What's wrong with Apple? Steve Jobs should have retired a long time ago and
taken his sadistic narrow micromanagement style with him.


  It is my thought that Apple wants to go with program installations
on-line as opposed to having the user employ a downloaded installer
because Apple has decided to design their devices to satisfy the needs
of the lowest common denominator as far as users of their devices is
concerned.  Apple thinks that their users are, to a great degree it
seems, a bunch of dumb asses in terms of relating to digital devices.
Apple could well be correct in that assessment, at least as far as iOS
device users go.  It seems to me as though Apple is headed in the
direction of making most of their devices suitable for easy use and
equally attractive for anyone from toddlers up to the elderly.



Apple is also making their devices much less attractive for 
professionals who make a living with their computers and peripheral devices.


It started with sealed computers, iPods and phones. What has always been 
a relatively simple process to change a battery or swap out a drive has 
become complicated to the point that we need special proprietary tools 
to open our devices to perform basic upgrades and repairs. We work on 
our own computers. We don't have time to send them out or wait for a 
tech to arrive. We have deadlines.


The last straws are twofold. First, they broke Final Cut Pro, a very 
expensive "downgrade/upgrade". Now they insist on installing the OS 
instead of permitting the user to do a very basic function.  Was it 
REALLY necessary to discontinue Rosetta? When I finally downgrade to OS 
10.7, it will cost me well over $1000 to upgrade all the important 
software that the new OS breaks, and more money to replace hardware that 
stops working--like my printer and scanner, perhaps even the interface 
with my camera. I like the OS, except 10.7, but the company is getting 
worse by the minute.


The least that Apple can do is to admit that there are pros and basic 
consumers, and to treat them differently, treat them with respect.  Have 
you ever tried to unlock a version 1, 2, or 3 iPhone? Apple refuses to 
do what every other phone manufacturers does routinely. Have you seen 
the odd screws they use on iPhone 4 and their notebooks? Why is my iPod 
touch glued together???


Apple doesn't respect its customers, no matter their levels of expertise.

Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] welcome to thunderbird

[b_s-wilk]

> On Aug 25, 2011, at 12:00 AM, b_s-wilk   wrote:
>

>> These examples are the best reasons to NEVER buy software at an app
>> store where it's automatically installed, overwriting the last version.
>> The worst bugs are always in the automatic installs, and they're harder
>> to clean up, too.

>
>
> Even most non-App Store apps don't automatically update themselves.
> For the most part, they tell me that an update is available and give
> me the option of upgrading immediately or postponing the update.



  I think that the point was that the app store automatically
INSTALLED the update, thereby overwriting the version being updated,
not that the app store automatically UPDATED the application without
input from the end user.

  I absolutely prefer to download an updated version of any
application and install it "alongside" the older version.  That allows
me to test the new version to ensure it works properly before I
consider deleting the older one.  That approach has saved me
considerable grief and a lot of time on a number of occasions.

  Steve


I want to have a backup of the INSTALLER, not the backup of the program. 
Without the installer, vital files could be missing. The online 
installer will overwrite what I have without giving me the choice not to 
do that -- Apple has done this for years, BUT they used to give a choice 
of downloading an installer instead of online only. I don't want to 
waste time digging through a series of backups, delving into the 
invisible system files to find all the pieces to recover, when a decent 
company would simply provide an installer for their software. I can even 
download Android and Symbian software without having it installed 
automatically, overwriting my files.  At least Mozilla gives us software 
installers--and Bugzilla.


What's wrong with Apple? Steve Jobs should have retired a long time ago 
and taken his sadistic narrow micromanagement style with him.


Without the software installer, we're also at the whim of our ISP which 
hasn't treated us very well lately; connection has the hiccups, and 
calling them doesn't do any good. They blame it on our computers, even 
though the odds that all of our many computers will have exactly the 
same glitch at the same time are almost nil. Will call them and try again.


Internet providers' flaky service can make a horrible product [Mac App 
Store online installations] even worse. Such is the pleasure of country 
living!


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] welcome to thunderbird

[b_s-wilk]

On 08/12/2011 09:47 AM, gerald wrote:


vista, firefox, tbird, big computer with lots of free space.

once every couple weeks i get a tbird upgrade.  seems even more agressive than 
MS improvements.  i get to the computer in the morning, and it's there.  a 
couple weeks ago, i got a sidebar calendar from them.  did not have much use 
for it, but really did not know how to completely delete it.

about tues or wed, got another UG.  few minutes later, got an email that wanted 
display on firefox.  attemped display crashed the computer, pretty hard.  after 
3 hours of mucking around, and probably doing no good at all, i was able to get 
firefox back up.  could not open tbird.  went to the thunderbird site to look 
for reported problems.  saw none.  google post mentions the calender sidebar 
causes some problems.

while at the tbird site, i downloaded and then ran the latest tbird.  all 
works.  there is no sidebar calender at the moment.



When I update a program, I put the original in a separate folder, naming 
it something like Thunduhboid or Tbird ƒ, so the new one doesn't 
overwrite it. I just got TBird 5.0 and I hate it. It doesn't even have 
an easy keyboard command to get mail, so I have to mouse around. That's 
a loser. I could rewrite the preferences to add a command, but went back 
to v.3.1.12 and it does everything I need, plus it has current security 
updates.


I installed Mac OS 10.6 on my MacBook and discovered that things that 
were easy before take more steps now--and for no good reason either, 
only to be different so we feel like we got what we paid for. Glad I 
didn't install it on my iMac, except that I like QuickTime Pro being 
built-in instead of extra.


Yesterday, I downloaded Firefox 6.0. It's buggier than 5.x. Not sure if 
I like it. Might try one of the nightly builds or a beta to see if new 
bugs are going away. Save 5.x just in case I want to go back.


These examples are the best reasons to NEVER buy software at an app 
store where it's automatically installed, overwriting the last version. 
The worst bugs are always in the automatic installs, and they're harder 
to clean up, too.


I look at the AOL list from time to time. The main list is at Yahoo now, 
but as long as Tom is absent, nobody is blocking spammers. OTOH, the AOL 
list owner is Ray Everett Church. Haven't seen him post to any list 
since 2007. He's a very busy lawyer, but I'm sure he'd answer an email 
or two about resurrecting the AOL list. AOL is much better about keeping 
spammers away than Yahoo anyway. 
[http://www.mail-archive.com/computerguys-l@listserv.aol.com/maillist.html]


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] COMPUTERGUYS-L Digest - 28 May 2011 to 29 May 2011 (#2011-38)

[b_s-wilk]

Henry - I saved these instructions from the old list, just for you! 
--and everyone else who needs it.


The new list is at Yahoo. See details at the end of each message on the 
old list.


Send your SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L message to lists...@listserv.aol.com. 
Don't bother to tell Tom. He created the new Yahoo list.


Easy. See below:


HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE:
***

Allcommands   mustbesent   tothe   "LISTSERVaddress",
lists...@listserv.aol.com.  It  is  very   important  to  understand  the
difference between the two, but fortunately it is not complicated.



|||  HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM COMPUTERGUYS-L  |||


Had enough?  You may  leave the list  at any time  by sending  a "SIGNOFF
COMPUTERGUYS-L" command to lists...@listserv.aol.com.

(It would also be nice to send  a short note to t...@tjpa.com telling him
why you're leaving.)




Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] COMPUTERGUYS-L Digest - 22 May 2011 to 23 May 2011 (#2011-33)

[b_s-wilk]

Henry

Why don't you get a new email address? It's easy--lots of choices.

Then unsubscribe your hotmail.com address and rejoin the group at 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComputerGuys-L.


Betty



My email contacts file has been captured by a hacker sometime in the
past. The problematic emails are not being sent from my computer. The
only option for receivers of these emails is to be suspicious - or to
not allow emails from hmbr...@hotmail.com to be
accepted. You may "block" them or "filter" them out.



Sorry for the problem



Henry Bruhl



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[CGUYS] The Next Brick to Decorate Your Wall: iOS 3.x Devices

[b_s-wilk]

This is an iPhone story, but could be the same issue for other devices 
and systems. Be careful when installing new software on old 
devices--important for those who plan to keep them for a long time.


Don't you hate it when your phone/computer/device works perfectly until 
you install an "upgrade"? IOW, if it ain't broke, don't "fix" it.


http://www.osnews.com/story/24428/The_Next_Brick_to_Decorate_Your_Wall_iOS_3_x_Devices

Betty


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[CGUYS] Odd email server messages

[b_s-wilk]

Got this from a friend early this morning. He checks his email online, 
using Firefox. FWIW, SBC/ATT uses Yahoo for email.


Bored tech, playing with server messages or something else?

---

Here's a weird one.

I woke up at 3:15 am and
decided to check my mail.
Suddenly started getting
this series of pop-ups,
that repeated:


...he attached screen shots with dialog boxes like these below...

 ___
|_att.net Mail (***@sbcglobal.net)_
|
|The page at http://us.mg201.mail.yahoo.com says:
|
|hi
|___



 ___
|_att.net Mail (***@sbcglobal.net)_
|
|The page at http://us.mg201.mail.yahoo.com says:
|
|hi
|___



 ___
|_att.net Mail (***@sbcglobal.net)_
|
|The page at http://us.mg201.mail.yahoo.com says:
|
|41782903
|___



 ___
|_att.net Mail (***@sbcglobal.net)_
|
|The page at http://us.mg201.mail.yahoo.com says:
|
|1
|___


Betty

1252


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Re: [CGUYS] A**hole + iPad = trouble, leads to censorship and idiocracy

[b_s-wilk]

"phartz...@gmail.com"  wrote:


  My best friend says that she just endured the worst short airplane
flight in her life.  She was seated next to some jerk of a guy who
wanted to play motion sensor games on his iPad the whole way from
Charlotte to Dulles.  He kept jamming and poking his elbow into her
side and making all manner of guttural noises as he manipulated his
iPad back and forth and to and fro.  She kept complaining and trying
to move away, and he would be more careful for about two minutes until
he once again began to go out of control, under that 'magical' spell.
She was close to calling upon the flight attendant when she realized
that there was only about 15 minutes to go, so she bit her tongue and
a couple of minutes later the guy finally put his little toy away in
preparation for the landing.  She says that the next time someone she
is seated next to on a flight pulls an iPad out she is going to warn
the person off the bat to be careful by retelling her tale of misery.



I belong to a computer user group with a Yahoo group list; been a member 
long before the list moved to Yahoo. The present "owner" of the list is 
also the jerk who plays kiddie games [not even challenging or exciting 
games] on his iPad during our meetings, giggling, with his tongue out 
[age 46 going on 7]. All he and a few others wants to discuss on the 
list is iPads and iPhones, not computers, not even iPod Touch.


He "moderated [censored]" me, and one other member last week, blocking 
our emails when she posted links to contribute aid to victims of the 
Japanese tsunami and I agreed it was a good idea to provide links. He 
said it was off-topic [it was labeled off-topic], three others wrote in 
to complain and start an argument. We were both censored even though 
neither of us started an argument, and off-topic subjects were never an 
issue before--they were common.


This is what happens when a fanboi zombie gets to control things: 
Censorship and Stupidity. Will fix him on Tuesday, then may leave the 
group. It sucks when a few of jerks ruin a group for everybody.


Idiot fanboi didn't notice that there's a link in red on Yahoo Groups 
pages for Japan Relief. If he did, he'd probably complain, but we'd be 
lucky if he left. A**holes abound.


Betty


p.s. Have I flamed anybody on either CGuys list lately who didn't 
deserve it? :-D



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Re: [CGUYS] EXT :Re: [CGUYS] Question re External HDD

[b_s-wilk]

Any Windows drive can be read-write on a Mac, including the "invisible" 
NTFS drives, using MacFuse and NTFS-3G utilities, available from 
http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/ and 
http://www.tuxera.com/community/ntfs-3g-download/.


Betty



I would win that bet quickly, Mike - as long as the drive format is compatible
with Windows, I can connect it to either pc or Mac.

Thank you,
Mark Snyder



In my own experience, it is that simple. All my machines are Windowz
based, If you are moving between Mac and Win machines, all bets are off.

Mike



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Re: [CGUYS] Wanted: reliable corded ear piece for cell phone

[b_s-wilk]

Seems like a minor thing but the corded ear pieces I keep buying for the
cell phone keep going bad.  Sick of being frustrated, so can anyone
recommend a got one that might last a few months or at least a place to buy
one?

Also, speaking of frustration, any places to buy low-cost batteries for
cordless phones that will last awhile?  Or do you get what you pay for,
basically?  Have had hit or miss - mostly miss - on Ebay.

Thanks

Randall




Which phone? Does it have a standard 3mm plug? 2mm? micro-USB?  claw??

I have a device from Nokia that I really like. It has an On/Off button, 
mic, volume control, clip, but no headphones. You plug ANY headphones 
into it. I like my Sennheiser and Koss headphones. There are copies that 
may work OK. Mine is OEM and works well. I got it from DealExtreme. 
Headphones could be better, but mic is good. Works well when walking or 
running.


This setup works well with phones that also have music so you can listen 
to your music with good stereo headphones and still be able to answer 
the phone. There are also short adapter cables you can buy for phones 
that have different ports.


http://www.dealextreme.com/p/genuine-nokia-n95-stereo-headset-with-microphone-and-volume-control-24661 
Buy two, just in case...


All Nokia phones have a place at the bottom where you can attach a 
removable handstrap or lanyard. When driving alone, I usually wear my 
lovely red phone around my neck. The phone rings--I answer it and turn 
the loudspeaker on. Since the mic is at the bottom of the phone, the 
phone is upside down, and the stereo speakers on on the side, I can 
easily talk and listen completely 'hands-free'. Can you wear your phone? 
Doesn't have to a red phone.


---

For batteries [mostly iPod], we've been using eforcity.com. They're an 
Amazon store and have different merchandise at Amazon and at their own 
site. Quality is OK.


Sometimes cordless phone batteries don't recharge well if they're not 
placed exactly right on the cradle. Having to find specialty batteries 
for multiple phones led us to buy a set of four Panasonic DECT6 cordless 
phones that use standard AAA batteries, AND have good reception. I put 
Duracell 900 mAh batteries in the phones so they hold a charge almost 
twice as long as the OEM 550 mAh Panasonic batteries.


Phone is 2005 version of this phone, http://is.gd/BoFbSp- [Amazon], 
which cost less!


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Question re External HDD

[b_s-wilk]

Hi...I have a large external HDD connected to my desktop computer by a USB 
cable. I would like to use some of the data on the HDD on my Laptop. Can it be 
as simple as moving the USB cable from one machine to the other or am I missing 
something major here?

If it works that easily, I can envision storing my photos and music on the HDD 
for use on both of my computers.

As always, thanks in advance!
Gail Miller




Gail

Although it's simple to move the USB drive from one computer to another, 
it's generally not a good idea to do that too frequently. Ports don't 
last forever, and ports on laptops aren't easy to replace. Yes, you can 
share the drive among many computers as long as it's formatted as FAT32 
[also FAT 16?]. For Macs, sharing works with Samba [smb://--insert path 
or IP here-- ].


Other solutions are to leave the drive plugged into the desktop PC or 
hub and share it wirelessly with the laptop. Desktop must be running to 
share a drive. Better solution is to have a network drive, easy to 
access with its own IP address from both computers.


Problem with using one drive to hold iTunes library for both computers 
is that the library will be missing when the drive is missing, so you'll 
have to create two versions of the library on each computer--one with 
the external drive, one without. Does your broadband modem have a USB 
port where the drive can be shared? Otherwise you'll need to put a bare 
drive into a NAS case and share it through a router/modem/switch.


Next solution and cheaper than the NAS, could be best choice: get 
another drive, an extra 2.5-inch notebook drive. I picked up a WD 'My 
Passport' 500GB drive for $56 in November--it's very good, so far. For 
around the same price you can get a full-size external 3.5" 1TB drive. 
You can sync both drives, or portions of each, wirelessly.


Last solution only works if you have an old iPod. I have a 40GB Toshiba 
iPod hard drive in a very tiny USB enclosure. Fits in my pocket and is 
smaller than the Classic iPod. External cases for the 1.8-inch drives 
are hard to find. Saw some at Amazon a few weeks ago for $12. Can't help 
with that though. I got mine at w00t.com on a lucky day--drive and 
enclosure, $25.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] think i've been taken: replacement laptop keys

[b_s-wilk]

Judy

Contact an electronics recycler. They get all kinds of computers and 
peripherals. When they can, they fix them, otherwise they sell parts, or 
or dismantle and recycle the parts into base components and elements. I 
just found a video card for one of our older computers for about 25% of 
the price for used ones online.


I've found Wifi cards, optical drives, almost new mice, projectors. Call 
a few recycling companies. Maybe they have the full keyboard for the 
price of a few keys. Doesn't hurt to ask.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] A MAC hard drive question -

[b_s-wilk]

On Sun, Jan 23, 2011 at 11:39 AM, Tom Chambers  wrote:


> List members ;
>A friend wants to dispose of two old MACs , but is
> worried about information which may still
> be on the hard drives . Is there a way to wipe or overwrite the drives
> before dumping the machines ?

  Why not just remove the drives?  The older Macs, OS 9 machines, were
quite easy to get into.  It would take less time to take those drives
out than to zero them out.

  Steve


Tom

I just did that. Removed drives from two old PowerMacs and put a hammer 
to them after leaving them outside in the 12 degree cold overnight. 
Didn't bother to open the case. The way it rattles, there's a few pieces 
inside. Now I can take them to the local recycle center as soon as it 
warms up to freezing.


A disk recovery company can still retrieve data from a broken disk [very 
difficult and time consuming], but is it likely they'd want your 
friend's data? Probably not unless they're gummint computers.


BTW:
*Mac* = Apple Macintosh computer

*MAC* = Media Access Control, the lower sublayer of the OSI
data link layer, the interface between a node's Logical
Link Control and the network's physical layer. The MAC
differs for various physical media. [acronym]

Get out your ball peen hammer and whack away at the disk! A maul might 
work better, but ball peen hammer is more fun.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Unsubscribe

[b_s-wilk]

On 11/23/10 12:00 AM, COMPUTERGUYS-L automatic digest system escribió:


Subject: Unsubscribe
From: Bernie Hylton 
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:33:45 -0500




|||  HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM COMPUTERGUYS-L  |||


Had enough?  You may  leave the list  at any time  by sending  a "SIGNOFF
COMPUTERGUYS-L" command to lists...@listserv.aol.com.


+

This message used to be at the bottom of each email:


* ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in  <==
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*  Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST
* Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L
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Join us at Yahoo Groups:

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Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Re: Understanding the iPad

[b_s-wilk]

When a major change in computing is before us and all you geezers can do is
whine about the good old days, I see nothing wrong with mocking you. In fact, it
is my duty to do so. You have missed the boat. The train left the station. This
parrot is no more.


The iPad isn't a major change in computing hardware. It's old technology 
and very limited, almost crippled. The major change is that the system 
and device are closed, the store is censored, and the iPad is designed 
to suck money out of your wallet [according to Goldman Sachs] and make 
you fat.


The train has left the station and the doors and windows are bolted and 
chained shut with the glass obscured and mirrored from the inside. Bye 
bye. Have a nice ride!


See you when the next fad comes along.


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Re: [CGUYS] Thoughts on Flash

[b_s-wilk]

On May 4, 2010, at 2:16 AM, mike wrote:

A false argument, Apple supports all kinds of 'old technology', why does
Apple still put USB on their systems?


If you don't know that Apple is consistently the first to drop obsolete technologies you haven't been paying attention. You haven't even been reading the howls here about Apple dropping USB. 


Apple drops USB App syncing for iPhones, not desktops/notebooks, except 
for its giant iPod. Since you can get your apps directly from the App 
Store on your iPhone, this is no big deal.


Did they announce they're dropping USB completely? No.

Regarding Flash, Adobe has a knack for buying good programs and 
breaking, discontinuing, or overpricing them. Have they created any of 
their own products lately [in the past 15 years]?


Apple didn't entirely ban Flash anyway. They require that apps for touch 
screens be developed using the Apple SDK. Adobe refused to use the SDK 
or to make Flash more open--it's totally proprietary. There's no 
guarantee that Flash will work properly without interfering with the 
underlying system.


I don't like Flash. It's overused unnecessarily. It doesn't belong on 
most web pages where simpler nonproprietary code works better and 
faster--contributes too much to the World Wide Wait and crashes.



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Re: [CGUYS] Free advertising [was: [CGUYS] illegal search warrant?]

[b_s-wilk]

The thing is, Apple has never liked this kind of noise.  They like noise
they control.  And at this point, if this guy gets fired it would make the
evening news.


Any noise is free publicity. Controlled noise is better.

Have you ever done marketing or advertising? There are many ways to keep 
potential customers excited about a new product that don't involve 
direct advertising or product placement. "Accidental" releases happen 
frequently.



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[CGUYS] Free advertising [was: [CGUYS] illegal search warrant?]

[b_s-wilk]

I doubt Steve would agree with you.



but Powell  is arguably the more aggrieved party.



The entire iPhone prototype adventure--"Lost"--can't be too serious to 
Apple. Otherwise they would have fired the guy who lost it. Just like 
the TV show, there's lots of confusing twists, and both versions will 
end soon.


The product isn't scheduled for release yet. On CGUYS list alone this 
thread has now over 60 comments--at no cost to Apple Inc--with many more 
on other sites/lists. Any noise is good noise.


FWIW, iPhone OS 4 will be released in early summer. AT&T Wireless store 
employees were told not to plan any vacations in June, supposedly in 
anticipation of new products.



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[CGUYS] How to Opt Out of Facebook’s Instant Person alization | Electronic Frontier Foundation

[b_s-wilk]

Facebook needs to make money. Is Instant Persalization a good way? EFF 
doesn't like it.


"Friday morning Facebook changed its privacy settings layout, making it 
a bit more challenging to opt out completely. As before, unchecking the 
"Allow" box is not sufficient because you need to block each Instant 
Personalization website to fully opt out. However, the previous path 
(via "Learn More") to the necessary Block Application buttons was 
removed, with Facebook suggesting instead you first go to the sites (at 
which point your information is disclosed)..."


http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/how-opt-out-facebook-s-instant-personalization


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Re: [CGUYS] Some of you will find this tragic

[b_s-wilk]

I transferred data from all of my floppy disks to Zips, then CDs over a 
dozen years ago, then to DVD, gave most of them away, but still have a 
few to use with my ancient computers. Problem is that my Mac SE has a 
broken floppy drive--only works on a network; makes a better museum piece.


I went to Ollie's  yesterday to see if 
they had any good DVD-RW disks left [they didn't], but they had several 
cases of floppy disks--CHEAP.


Floppies have been effectively obsolete for over 15 years. My 1GB flash 
drive is obsolete. I bought a Toshiba 40GB 1.8" microdrive for $25 last 
week--and it's obsolete, otherwise it wouldn't be so cheap! How many 
floppy disks do you need to hold one commercial movie?


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] fios renewal was:Digital TV [Was: Broadband Speeds Map]

[b_s-wilk]

Too true you could stream quite a few car-b-ques on that fast network.
Haven't ever heard of 30,000 cars getting torched in LA or Miami or The
Bronx...


Mike

You probably weren't around when DC, Philly, Newark, Detroit, LA were 
burning during the riots of the 60s and 70s.


But if you were, and filmed it, you could broadcast those today very 
cheaply, on fast broadband, but not so cheaply on overpriced US networks.


Burning cars in rough neighborhoods has nothing to do with FIOS or 
broadband or digital TV, anyway. What's your point in foolishly trashing 
Europeans? Don't you know that NATO [Europeans, mostly French] gave the 
east coast of the US protection with air support after 9/11, until March 
2002? It's another distraction that you and too many other Americans 
fall for, like the unnecessarily fearful people in Arizona.


Get back to the broadband/TV topic.

Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] fios renewal was:Digital TV [Was: Broadband Speeds Map]

[b_s-wilk]

my promo fios ran its' course.  so, since i had a really lot of time to waste, 
i tried to renew online.  i cannot renew on line, as i am an existing 
customer.  all packages on line are promo packages and are for new customers.



for the "triple play"(tv,computer, telephone), the telephone person gave me 3 
options .  lo,mid,hi:$120,130, and 145.  two year package, with a $360 pro 
rated early cancellation penalty.   i had a $110 cost for the middle package.  
the mid pack is 5/20 up/down.  the hi pack was 30/30.  big push (lots of sales 
ups) to get me to get that wonderful speed.  after starting on acoustical 
modems, 5/20 seems pretty fast to me.


If there are two people at the address, you can cancel one and re-up new 
in the other name. Then you can get the promo overcharge instead of the 
existing customer overcharge. You're lucky. We can't get FIOS. "Nobody" 
lives in this county.


Move to France and get TV, phone, Internet, cellular for $33/mo total. 
But you can't have that in the US. Too bad. Your elected representatives 
think they're supposed to represent the telcos instead of the customers.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] illegal search warrant?

[b_s-wilk]

Scott Adams Blog: That Lost 4G Phone 04/26/2010

according to Wally...
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/thatlost4gphone/


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[CGUYS] Is Apple Readying for a Rematch With Microsoft in Personal Computing? - NYTimes.com

[b_s-wilk]

By SAAD FAZIL of VentureBeat
Published: April 16, 2010

Pundits are declaring mobile the new PC. The number of mobile phones far 
outstrips the number of desktops. Mobile phones are available to people 
in the developing world who never had an opportunity to buy or even use 
a PC. With phones becoming smarter, there will be even less need for 
people to own PCs. Microsoft has dominated the PC-based world ever since 
it drove Apple close to extinction in the mid ’90s. But with Apple’s 
strong footing in mobile, its recent release of a larger, tablet form 
factor, iPad, also based on its mobile iPhone OS, and more form factors 
likely on the way to challenge the traditional PC, we may be in for a 
rematch...


...Imagine a stronger and slightly bigger iPad (with perhaps even a 
keyboard) with multi-tasking capability among features that are lacking 
in today’s iPad*...the threat to Apple’s mobile dominance won’t come 
from another platform (like Windows or Blackberry) but from web apps and 
cloud computing.**


http://www.nytimes.com/external/venturebeat/2010/04/16/16venturebeat-is-apple-readying-for-a-rematch-with-microso-22806.html

--

*A bigger iPad, with a keyboard? Sounds like a notebook. FWIW. I used an 
iPad on Tuesday. It's heavy, slippery, can be easily dropped. Keyboard 
is not much better than my iPod keyboard. The curves may be beautiful, 
but not for holding securely. Combined with the $69 iPad keyboard dock, 
together they weigh more and are less portable than small notebook. 
Apple--get back to R&D. I'll take a mini-notebook or 13" MacBook Pro, 
and keep my iPod Touch, thank you.


**Our broadband went out yesterday, all day, didn't come back until this 
afternoon. And it's slow, but faster is too expensive. Glad we don't 
store important things in the so-called "cloud" or use only the simplest 
web apps, otherwise we'd be SOL.



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Re: [CGUYS] Need Internet Radio Recommendations

[b_s-wilk]

On Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:45:21 -0700 Ellen Rains Harris escribió:



I have two of the Grace Digitals, and I love them.

They do internet, Sirius and Pandora.




At home I still use an FM transmitter connected to my iMac. It's a 
stereo transmitter for cars that I plugged into a DC/AC adapter. It 
transmits in stereo to any FM radio within around 150 feet. The sound is 
as good as the radio that receives the transmission.


Only downside is that I have to go back to my computer to "change 
stations". I have dozens of my favorite stations' streams bookmarked, 
and also use streaming services for multiple stations. For travel, I 
have a battery charged Arkon Soundfeeder to broadcast stations in stereo 
from my iPod Touch which also has several apps that play Internet radio 
stations.


When the tabletop Internet radios are more affordable, I may consider 
one, but the iPod [and iMac or MacBook] does a good job for some of my 
favorite stations, using FM transmitters instead of dedicated radios. 
There are even some streams that can run in a browser on the iPod, with 
links at http://www.tuned.mobi/. Might reconsider when Internet radio is 
standard equipment in my next MINI.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Digital TV [Was: Broadband Speeds Map]

[b_s-wilk]

t.piwowar escribió:




On Apr 14, 2010, at 12:52 PM, b_s-wilk wrote:

Useless!

My thoughts exactly. Only the object of our frustration differs.



Do you have a source for data comparison of device tuners for current 
TVs, converters, DVD recorders, comparing them for consumers to decide 
which one to purchase? The report doesn't direct us to that kind of 
information.


We need to have good data on the boxes. I can compare headphones--all 
that information is in the specs. I can compare cars, radios/receivers, 
linens, but not TV tuners. Specs for tuners tell us about product 
dimensions, channel range and which cables can be connected, but nothing 
about how well the tuner picks up local and distant stations.


The report tells us in 200 pages how last year's converter boxes fared. 
We're still waiting for comparison data in plain English to help us 
choose the device with the best range, reception, reliability, etc., on 
a few easy to read pages.


And you're frustrated about...


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Re: [CGUYS] NEF plugin for Irfanview

[b_s-wilk]

This is a problem, but for those who want the very best image it is a
problem that is worth tolerating. The reason to capture the image in
RAW format is that it is the only version of the data that is exactly
what the camera captured. A TIFF or JPEG file is obtained by
processing what the camera captured. This processing is performed by
the puny computer inside the camera and in a context where speed is
of the essence. Hence the algorithms employed are designed for speed,
not to produce the best quality. Capturing RAW postpones the
processing for later and moves the processing to a powerful desktop
computer and a context where speed is not as important. The
conversion from RAW to TIFF or JEPG can be performed using algorithms
that emphasize quality.



I know the problem with RAW files. Format is camera dependent. Is there 
a standard yet?



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Re: [CGUYS] NEF plugin for Irfanview

[b_s-wilk]

Lastly, "all digital images" share the "post processing" characteristic of film 
images in darkroom.  Snapshot or not.  Finishing the image is something 
photographers have done since the 1820's.  But dibble-dabble with archaic file 
formats in post-production is time lost.  If you must have capacious and 
lossless files, get an FX sensor camera that captures to a universal format, 
such as .tif.  Heavy-up your storage, and clear your calendar.  (btw, those 
juicy iPad images for Apple?  8x10 transparency film; further example of how 
digital continues sold to the public in advertising via film image)


Mr Turk, Ms Wilk, I'd sure like to hear you weigh in...


You gets what you pays for.

Why use an ever-changing format when you can use a reliable universal 
standard like TIFF or the largest JPEG. With basic SLR and darkroom, and 
scanner, or digital camera and Photoshop, I can get whatever kind of 
image I want and not have to worry that my file won't open in the near 
future.


Can't afford Photoshop? Photoshop Elements has some good features, so 
does GraphicConverter. I haven't tried Irfanview, but it seems to have a 
variety of translators you can download.


It makes more sense to set your camera to save in a standard lossless 
format or the largest lossy format. That way you won't be concerned with 
finding plugins. Or take your pix to a friend with a program that can 
convert your pix to TIFF or JPEG [at the same resolution]. Then set your 
camera to something more standard. RAW is nice when it's universal. It's 
not.


What formats can you save on/from your camera? Does Nikon have a 
converter you can download or use on their web site?


Friends are good.

Chad - do you have a link about the 8 x 10 iPad images?

Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Digital TV [Was: Broadband Speeds Map]

[b_s-wilk]

Perhaps Mr. Parish is going to bop you in the nose for such a response. 

The report is rich with useful information, but you have to read it. What a hardship! 




Useless!

I looked through the report, DTV Converter Box Test Program--Results and 
Lessons Learned. Aside from bad puctuation, yes, the report is rich with 
information. After you read it your brain will be filled with lots of 
information, but useful? Maybe for the researchers, but not to consumers.


Does it really matter how well any of the converter boxes performed in 
the Threshold of Visibility (TOV) and Reacquisition, single-static-echo, 
RF emissions tests or any other test? No, it doesn't. Why? None of the 
converter boxes I've seen, nor new digital TVs, nor DVD recorders have 
any of this information on the box or in the description. Few have any 
technical info on their web sites. Disclaimer: I haven't looked at specs 
for ALL devices, only ones we considered buying.


Specs for my converter, from the manual [less info on the box]:

- Product Name - Digital TV converter

- Power Supply
Input Voltage 100-240  50/60 Hz
Power consumption : Maximum 8W, standby <1W

- Decoder
Video Format: Standard definition VCBS
Audio Format: Dolby Digital audio

- Signal Input/Output
ATSC Antenna/Cable RF IN: F-Connector
RF Loop through or NTSC Ch 3/4 out: F-Connector
Antenna Impedance: 75 Ohms
Channels: VHF 2-13, UHF 14-69
SmartAntenna interface

- Video Outputs
Composite Video Output for standard analog sets: RCA Connector

- Audio Outputs
Analog Audio Outputs (L/R): RCA Connectors

- Service
Software upgrade through RS-232 port: 9 pin D-Sub type

- [box also lists dimensions, remote that includes batteries, cables]


Is there any useful data from the report to tell me how well this 
converter box will perform? No. Is there any data from the report to 
guide consumers to the better devices based on test results?


No.

Lots of geeky data that Tom or Steve or Roger or I may understand is no 
help when the manufacturers don't provide any of it in the device specs. 
How many people/consumers checked with these sites while searching for 
the right converter or TV:


https://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm - maybe [when it was available]
http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com
http://www.haluyatech.com
http://www.compendiumarcana.com/
http://mail.ing-steen.se
[full links and additional links are in report]


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Recommendation for MIDI to USB cable

[b_s-wilk]

Any MIDI knowledgeable users in the group? Just got a keyboard and would like 
to connect to my laptop. Looking for a good MIDI to USB cable. See some very 
cheap (like $6); any good? Also any concern about the cable vis-a-vis drivers 
for Win 7 64-bit?

Don't want to go further with MIDI help in this group, so can anyone point me 
to a good group for MIDI education and support (like software, synthesizers, 
editors, recorders etc.).



The cheap cable looks cheap, but cheap enough to give it a chance. Looks 
similar to eMedia one at guitarcenter.com. Try Hosa USB to MIDI at 
provantage.com for better quality and good price. My brother is a 
musician but can't recommend a group [he retired his synthesizer a few 
years ago]. Good luck.


Does it have any other output?


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Re: [CGUYS] cell phone recommendations

[b_s-wilk]

Any recommendations for a new cell?  Requirements are: att service and
free.  From the customer reviews on their website they all sound like crap.
 But I guess poor sound quality is endemic to the industry.  With thanks ...


Get one with a low SAR rating.


  Which would mean not getting a "smart phone."  For whatever reason,
"smart phones" radiate much more RF than do "non-smart" phones.


"Free" phones aren't free. Their cost is included in your monthly fee. 
If you don't plan to use your phone a lot, buy a phone outright and use 
PAYGO, maybe AT&T network [AT&T is expensive], but with another provider 
like O2, or use T-Mobile network [best deal].


My dad [now over 90 yrs. old] recently got a cheap Nokia 2600--speaker 
phone, puny camera, bluetooth, excellent reception, cost <$30. He likes 
it, it's easy, but we did have to do the text for inserting address book 
entries. Speaker is clear, reception awesome.


Buy either an unlocked phone or AT&T phone. Unlocked is best, so you can 
choose network instead of being stuck with one. Nokia phones have best 
reception. My husband is still using [infrequently] my old Nokia 6010. I 
got rid of Samsung, Moto, and S-E phones because their reception quality 
is awful, Moto sounds terrible. Some newer Samsung phones and HTC phones 
are better than older ones.


Consider a gently used unlocked phone. I bought my last one on eBay and 
saved around $300. When my new Nokia 3220 was stolen, I bought another 
one, barely used, online for less than half the retail price. You'll 
probably want a speakerphone, maybe bluetooth and a low-res camera.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Making my website compatible with Internet Explorer 8

[b_s-wilk]

When I launch Internet Explorer on my Windows XP computer, opening my 
website, www.intensivecarecom.com, locks up the computer. Task Manager CPU 
Usage 
goes to 100%. I had already followed Microsoft's page, "Display Web sites in 
Compatibility View" (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/pc_ie_methodb2000), 
and another website that had hung up my computer (CPU Usage, 100%) no longer 
did so. I can readily view my website in Mozilla Firefox ver 3.6.3.




Don't let Microsoft's programming quirks lead you to imagine that a well 
coded web site should be different in different browsers.


Make your site browser neutral and it should display properly in all 
browsers. Follow W3C guidelines. Complain loudly to/about Microsoft if 
their browser is the only one that's broken [if it is].


Is Microsoft still trying to code their software to restrict browsing, 
just like they did in 1997???



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Re: [CGUYS] FYI: News Alert: Court Rules Against F.C.C. in 'Net Neutrality' Case

[b_s-wilk]

I thought the court's ruling stated that Congress authorized the FCC to regulate only Telecommunications. If Congress wishes for the FCC to regulate Broadband, then it should do so. Hence Comcast, not a Telecommunications company, but a Broadband company does not fall under the juristicion of the FCC. Am I wrong? 


Isn't Comcast's VOIP telecommunication? They promote it heavily as part 
of their double and triple play packages. Paid VOIP is telephony, only 
over broadband. What's the difference between that and landline and 
mobile communication [except that the latter work when the power's out]?


Is Comcast exempted from FCC telecommunications regulations whereas 
Verizon or AT&T DSL aren't exempted because they uses the same lines as 
landline telephones? Why?


This is screaming for an update of the definition of telecommunications. 
With more people using VOIP and cellular services, of course 
telecommunications include cable services. It needs to be revised in the 
FCC's code.



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Re: [CGUYS] workaround for safari blocking popups

[b_s-wilk]

Mother Geek escribió:


Do any of you know these sites:

PithHelmet
Privoxy

as possibilities for blocking some popups and allowing others in Safari? I know 
there is the pulldown that one can toggle between off and on, but it does not 
always work. I am wondering if there is something else any of you are using? Or 
if the above are worthwhile?



Pop-ups don't bother me now that I've set my browsers to do 
"pop-unders." I can't see them, so I don't care. One of my browsers is 
set to open pop-ups in an adjacent tab. Can't see them, don't care.


Problem with blocking all pop-ups is that there are sites you may need 
that don't work without them. Try the above settings. It's easier than 
allowing pop-ups one at a time.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] FYI: News Alert: Court Rules Against F.C.C. in 'Net Neutrality' Case

[b_s-wilk]

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Federal
Communications Commission lacks the authority to require
broadband providers to give equal treatment to all Internet
traffic flowing over their networks.

I heard the tail end of this story on Market Place this afternoon. Then they said that Comcast's stock went *down*. What's up with that? 


Comcast's "win" isn't exactly a success. The FCC is an independent 
Federal agency that makes many of its own rules. The Bush 
administration's anti-government appointees effectively eviscerated the 
FCC by not enforcing existing rules and making new consumer-hostile 
rules that prevent protection of consumer privacy, truth in billing, and 
competition.


It's possible for the FCC to rewrite its rules to return the regulations 
that were removed by the previous administration's appointees. In the 
long run, this could be a boost to 'net neutrality--if the current 
commissioner has the guts to do it:  reinstate consumer protection, 
promote competition, and require Internet Neutrality.


While the FCC is doing its job, enforcing consumer-friendly 
rules--unlike in the past administration where they didn't do much of 
anything and let the broadband companies write the rules--Congress can 
try to pass legislation to protect consumers and ensure 'net neutrality. 
If this doesn't happen, the United States, which was first in Internet 
penetration, then fourth, now twenty-second, will continue to fall 
behind other industrial countries in broadband penetration, speed and 
affordability.


Let the "party of NO" have a real filibuster on the floor of the Senate, 
reading the phone book and Finnegan's Wake or whatever. Then when that 
one senator can't stand up and talk any more, the Senate can vote on 
something good for the people. How about requiring a capella singing 
filibusters?



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[CGUYS] Download US podcasts while traveling

[b_s-wilk]

I'm considering subscribing to a paid podcast, but the site only posts 
two weeks of podcasts at a time. I often travel for a month or more. 
Will I be able to download the podcast while overseas? Doesn't Apple 
restrict iTunes connections to US IP addresses--or did they change that?



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Re: [CGUYS] ipad/iphone/ipod touch and the lack of multitasking explained

[b_s-wilk]

Nice article, but I don't entirely buy it.  First, just because the 
iPad has plenty of processing power and battery capacity and 
Apple may add more multitasking in a future OS release, this 
doesn't make a straw man out of Apple's argument that third 
party multitasking is a hamper to stability and a drain on the 
battery.  An app that repeatedly crashes and restarts is obviously 
unstable and will certainly drain the battery faster, for example.  
Also, the OS was initially designed for iPhones, which do have 
some battery issues, and while the iPad does have a honking 
big battery, you still want it to last as long as possible(especially 
since it is going to be compared to the Kindle and Nook).   



The only app that crashes consistently on my iPod Touch is Safari. One 
other app crashed twice, iTunes crashed, but that's nothing compared to 
Safari. If Apple can't get its own apps to run, no wonder they're 
paranoid about third party developers.


When iPad gets beyond 1.0 it might be more compelling, but I have enough 
tech toys and low-tech methods that work better for me.



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Re: [CGUYS] My download speed

[b_s-wilk]

Rev. Stewart Marshall escribió:



Multiplier is 1.52


I'd be thrilled to pay £9.00 for month for 20Mbps broadband, even if I'd 
have to pay it in US dollars. Today's rate: 9.00 GBP = 13.7698 USD. I'll pay 
twice that at $27.54!

YES! We need Orange US!


That's great. The dollar has gone up since this morning. 1.5299 in the 
a.m., 1.52565 in the p.m. Maybe I'll connect in London this year.



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Re: [CGUYS] Broadband Speeds Map

[b_s-wilk]

phartz...@gmail.com escribió:


  It was a long and arduous search that I had to undertake in order to
find a digital TV that had a highly sensitive tuner.  I rely upon
over-the-air TV, and there is virtually no information whatsoever from
any TV maker regarding tuner specifications.  I really do not know how
a consumer can differentiate one tuner from another in a technical
sense since there does not appear to be any standards that are set for
TV tuners...


We read lots of reviews and comments, also visited what's left of the 
electronics stores within about 60 miles. I spent a lot of time 
adjusting and readjusting the in-store settings to see how 'normal' 
settings look. I took a couple of DVDs--one movie, another with movies 
compressed for iPod--to see how they looked. We even carried a home made 
antenna to a few stores.


It was pretty much the same as when I was looking for a portable 
shortwave. My test was whether I could get distant stations like BBC or 
Havana or Berlin or Beijing inside the store. With TVs, getting any 
decent signal inside a store without using the cable is a sign that 
things will be much better at home. We were looking for a good 24" 
monitor, and ended up with a very good TV instead--AOC 24" HDTV 1080p 
for under $200 at Staples.


What are the numbers to look for in a good TV? It's easy to figure out 
high def, brightness, contrast, colors, connections--but tuners? I 
dunno. Seems like a secret or not so secret plan to get you to pay $$$ 
for cable/FIOS/satellite. The antenna is in the attic. Our roof is 
scary, steep, high. Attic is high enough for signal. There must be some 
listings for signal strength and sensitivity like SNR and RF. When you 
get home you can do tests, but they should be in the literature for the 
TV before you spend your money. Are they? The specs on our TV say 
nothing about tuner sensitivity, 
http://us.aoc.com/support/documents/pdf/documents/106, except that it's 
a Clear QAM tuner.


Steve, did you find out additional useful tuner specs?


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Re: [CGUYS] My download speed

[b_s-wilk]

"Eric S. Sande"  escribió:


On the downlink. On the uplink the speed is typically 1/10 of that as  the 
providers have found yet another excuse for charging their  customers extra if 
they want symmetric service.


Not really.  Most of the traffic is server to client, not vice-versa.  It's
a well accepted transport architecture.  France Telecom/Orange is
widely regarded as being one of the highest market penetration
providers in Europe, yet they are mostly ADSL.  Asymmetric, in
other words,  not SDSL.

http://www.orange.com/en_EN/group/ 


Thanks for the link Eric. Proves my points completely. Only difference 
is that the monthly charge for broadband is less than half as much as it 
was when I looked a year ago. Orange UK charges £9.00 per month for 
20Mbps service [plus around and extra £9-10 line rental].


Consider that the UK pound is the equivalent currency to Brits as the US 
dollar is to us. In many cases the US dollar can buy more in the US than 
the UK pound can buy in the UK. Electronic communication services 
however--cellular and broadband--are at least 5X more costly here than 
in the UK.


Why? They have regulation and competition. We don't. We have barely 
regulated monopolies.


I'd be thrilled to pay £9.00 for month for 20Mbps broadband, even if I'd 
have to pay it in US dollars. Today's rate: 9.00 GBP = 13.7698 USD. I'll 
pay twice that at $27.54!


YES! We need Orange US!


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Re: [CGUYS] Broadband Speeds Map

[b_s-wilk]

I am flummoxed.  First they promote the over the air digital TV signal and make 
you go out and get "converters" so you don't hafta buy a new TV ...then you 
find out you only get 2 channels where you live (I have a 30' tower with 
uhf/vhf antenna 1h road south of Philadelphia ...no mountains here).  The 
converters sit on a shelf...


Yup. Consumers be damned. They'll pay whatever sky-high price the 
broadband companies charge because there's no competition, no 
regulation, no accountability. Corporate government will sell--not 
lease--the publicly owned airwaves then make us pay big bucks to buy all 
new equipment so we can watch the commercial TV that we've been watching 
for years with our old TVs and tuners.


We did find out something to improve the over the air signal--a cheap 
$29 DVD recorder with an amazing tuner from Big Lots. Better than the 
two converter boxes we tried, plus DVD! With a cheap home-made antenna, 
http://www.tvantennaplans.com/, pictures are good to very good, around 
20 stations, maybe more--and remember, we live even more "nowhere" than 
you do in NJ. Good luck with WYBE [ch.35?]. Somehow it only comes in 
when the Korean programs are on, then it disappears.


Sure would be nice to have affordable high-speed broadband and the 
cable/satellite/FIOS channels too, without being gouged for it.



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Re: [CGUYS] My download speed

[b_s-wilk]

"And in markets where Verizon's Fios service has been around the longest, insiders 
report penetration rates have exceeded 50 percent for Fios high-speed Internet and are 
approaching 50 percent for Fios TV."

And do a little math (scary, I know). . .let's see, ($750+$600)*2(half the 
potentials taking)=$2700. Now, I don't know what the service is going for, but 
if it's anything like Concast, er, Xfinity, It'll be more than $100/month. 
That's 27 months to break-even. Pure profit after that. That doesn't sound so 
bad.

Betty and Stewart will be waiting for Pedro, Jorge, and their amigos to come 
along and dig up their neighborhoods.



Ain't gonna happen. Verizon just told the city of Wilmington, Delaware 
to forget FIOS. They're not going to get it. Gosh. Thanks Verizon. 
Wilmington has people living there, unlike Cecil County, Maryland where 
"nobody" lives [according to Verizon]. Guess "nobody" lives in 
Wilmington either. 
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100404/BUSINESS/4040353


Not enough competition. Not enough regulation.


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Re: [CGUYS] ipad/iphone/ipod touch and the lack of multitasking explained

[b_s-wilk]

Gotta have that social networking thing, you know, not to mention the
games.  Dunno if Apple planned it that way, but if such a scenario
transpires, what a way to inculcate flocks of youngsters into the
Apple World... iPhones, iPods, iPads, and who knows what will be
next.  Maybe, slim chance, but just maybe youngsters will actually use the 
devices intelligently.


When the 3G version comes out, it could change the entire mobile phone 
pricing system. Whether the iPad is successful or not, being able to get 
cheaper data plans independent of cellular contracts is definitely a big 
plus. T-Mobile increased the number of minutes for voice service by 40% 
but they have data-only plans on one device, just as AT&T has its new 
data plans for iPad only. It would be better if we could get any plan we 
want instead of plans being device-specific.


Can the new SIM card fit in other current mobile phones? What is AT&T 
doing, other than using a different SIM card, to prevent getting the 
iPad SIM and using it in an unlocked cell phone [especially one that 
multitasks]?



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Re: [CGUYS] Broadband Speeds Map

[b_s-wilk]

WOW!

That is so absurdly expensive. The US is failing us. Broadband 
monopolies better be regulated soon, otherwise we're going to sink lower 
and lower.


In many places you can get 1Mbps for 1 euro. Here it's insanely higher, 
and not available many places, especially nowhere like here.


BUMMER.

Does that include any Video, TV, phone?


25 Mbps is $69 per month, with 125 Gb of download included and a surcharge per 
Gb after that.


50 Mbps is, I think $99 per month, with a limit of $175 G downloaded and a 
(smaller) per Gb surcharge afer that.


In both cases the surcharges for extra downloads are capped to a maximum of 
$50, so you could literally have truly "unlimited" for a max $119 and $149 per 
month respectively.


A lot of $$$, but the service has been pretty reliable for me, and is blazingly 
fast for a home service.


But cable service here is essentially a monopoly.




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Re: [CGUYS] Broadband Speeds Map

[b_s-wilk]

Can't speak for others, but I am on an account with Rogers Cable Systems in 
Ontario that gets me consistently up to 25 Mbps speed. And there is an account 
type that is one higher than that which tops out at 50.  Mind you it doesn't;t 
come cheap but there it is.


How much does Rogers Cable charge or 25 and 50 Mbps service? In Canadian 
dollars?



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[CGUYS] Wow, Apple is kicking Flash off the Web

[b_s-wilk]

...and is not wasting any time about it.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/04/01/apple_highlights_ipad_ready_adobe_flash_free_web_sites.html

Since most Flash on websites is superfluous and annoying, in addition to
being slow and a memory hog, I welcome the change. Few things are more
annoying on web sites than web links that don't work the way I want them
to--ex: I like to open links in a new tab or window while preserving the
original page. Can't do that in Flash. Can't extract web links from 
Flash pages either.


Good riddance.

Why isn't Adobe rewriting Flash to be more web and user friendly? Don't
they want to preserve their market share?


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Re: [CGUYS] Cellphone choices [WAS It's an app world...]

[b_s-wilk]

I read this, but again it is a faint rumor. NO one has verified it, and these have been going for a bout a year. 


A CDMA iPhone makes a lot of sense, but not necessarily because of 
Verizon. Both Japan and Korea also have CDMA service. The CDMA iPhone 
might appear in Japan first. However, since young Japanese tech 
consumers have short attention spans [they like the newest, latest, 
greatest] and aren't particularly loyal to one mfg., Japan could be a 
test market before Verizon gets an Apple product.


Or not...

New product or April fools?


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Re: [CGUYS] DVD recorder - .VRO file

[b_s-wilk]

I'm so glad I'm done trying to get self recorded dvds to play in my DVD
player, buying blanks, worrying about if they will be good a year from now.

1.5 TB's in an inexpensive system behind my tv running free media center
software with an ipod touch for a remote is the bomb.


I don't often try to save the things I put on the DVD-RWs. This month is 
an exception.


There's a series on Smithsonian Channel called Street Monkeys, about 
troops of vervet monkeys that live in and around a golf course community 
in South Africa. It's my cats' favorite program. They will sit still 
watching the TV for almost the entire show, sometimes leaping up to paw 
the screen. Then they'll look out the window for squirrels [that's when 
I toss them out]. Street Monkeys is an excellent series--I like it too; 
great soap opera, better than human soap operas.


Main problem is that the series from National Geographic in South Africa 
isn't for sale in the US [or anywhere I can find], otherwise I'd buy it. 
So I save it to DVD. The DVD recorder's instructions for making copies 
at 2 a.m. are confusing at best. Now that I've saved three episodes, 
I'll have to wait until next year to get the first two episodes, or buy it.


But, really, will the cats know which episode they're watching? or 
missing? At least I'm figuring out how to use the recorder.



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Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy

[b_s-wilk]

For single-layer DVDs, I recommend the Taiyo Yuden brand.
For dual-layer DVDs, Verbatim has done well for me.


I usually buy from http://www.meritline.com/ but there are a lot of listings on eBay. 


Taiyo Yuden brand are usually very good, but there are 2 or 3 different 
levels of quality. http://www.supermediastore.com/ has a variety of 
Taiyo Yuden disks, but not rewritable. Verbatim DVD-R are also excellent 
and easy to find. Your own DVDs should burn as region-free.


For rewritable disks, we've been using Maxell DVD-RW for a few 
years--the same 15 disks. There are about 7 or 8 that are still usable. 
The disk I used last week turned out to be bad, in addition to using the 
wrong format. Supermediastore has Philips DVD-RW that are OK, not great. 
The Verbatim DVD-RW at Meritline are excellent, not DVD+RW--many DVD 
recorders don't like DVD+RW disks, only DVD-RW.


When you buy in stores, look for the disks that are made in Japan [some 
Fuji, Taiyo Yuden], then Taiwan. Avoid disks from India.


I don't like lightscribe except for disks going to clients. Makes them 
happy. I use Staedtler Lumocolor pens for my disks and print labels for 
jewel cases instead of burning labels onto disks.



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Re: [CGUYS] DVD recorder - .VRO file

[b_s-wilk]

I recorded a TV show with a Samsung DVD recorder. The file is
VR_MOVIE.VRO located inside a DVD_RTAV folder.

How do I convert it on my Mac or on a PC so that it can play on a
regular DVD player or a computer? It refuses to even copy to the
Finder

Wow. Something I might actually be able to help with. I also have one of them 
Samsungs with the stupid-ass .VRO files.

First you have to "close" the disc in the Samsung. Otherwise it ain't gonna go. Then you should be able to copy the VR_MOVIE file to your drive. I've done it, so I know it *should* work. VLC *will* play the file as is. You'll probably have to drag it to the (already open) VLC player to make it go. That's what I have to do. 



I closed the file. That wasn't the problem. It was a bad disk, wrong 
format, and most of all, terrible instructions. DVD-RWs get scratchy and 
unusable after a year or two. DVD+RW doesn't work, only DVD-RW. Maybe my 
haphazard experience can be useful for you.


The DVD recorder is Samsung dvd-r135. It's excellent for its generation, 
but the manual leaves a lot to be desired.


Default for recording is DVD_VR which is used for editing on the 
recorder, but is a pain to use on a computer. Instead, you have to first 
initialize it as DVD_VR, then go to the menu and change the recording 
format choice to DVD Video or DVD_V. When you make a recording and close 
the file, it creates a Video_TS folder instead.


Did they translate the manual directly from poorly written Korean?

Betty


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[CGUYS] DVD recorder - .VRO file

[b_s-wilk]

I recorded a TV show with a Samsung DVD recorder. The file is 
VR_MOVIE.VRO located inside a DVD_RTAV folder.


How do I convert it on my Mac or on a PC so that it can play on a 
regular DVD player or a computer? It refuses to even copy to the Finder. 
It crashes Toast. It just sits there doing nothing in FFMPEG then gives 
these errors:


[mpeg2video @ 0x54340c]ac-tex damaged at 37 10
[mpeg2video @ 0x54340c]Warning MVs not available
[mpeg2video @ 0x54340c]concealing 900 DC, 900 AC, 900 MV errors
video:870kB audio:62kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 3.692377%


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Re: [CGUYS] LCD HDTV

[b_s-wilk]

Who is he ordering from?


One of the big online vendors. Don't recall which one.



What idiot company is delivering?


Fed Ex - not an idiot company. The big flat TVs are too big to take all 
the tumbling they get in regular delivery vans, even when they are 
packed well.


FWIW, I bought my LCD iMac online from Apple and it was also delivered 
to my door. However, the larger TVs aren't packed as well as Apple's 
computers. They can't be unless a 46" TV is packed in a solid 50" foam cube.




Granted I have picked up all my flat screen TV's. 


So did we. It was fun juggling all of the extra "insulation" and bungies 
in the back of my truck to get the TVs home in one piece.



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Re: [CGUYS] Wing Nuts Oppose Better Broadband

[b_s-wilk]

rleesimon escribió:

PROBLEM is there have emerged competitors to nationalized TV,phone,net service 
(Belgacom) but not available for all 3 outside population areas ...still stuck 
with Belgacom ...wifi 3g also only in population areas or else I would gladly 
dispense with cable internet and use wifi ...too bad.  All their internet 
options are volume limited.  There is a big stink in Belgium over the high 
price of internet of all flavors.  One thing though...cellular phone service is 
available pegged 5 bars 2g or 3g every square inch of that country ...even in 
the woods!!



Belgium is three countries with people that don't get along, much like 
Switzerland, Spain, France, Germany.


Main difference is that the hostilities make Belgians so angry that many 
hardly want to talk to each other. It's also difficult with multiple 
languages in a small country. That may be the reason why they can't 
build out beyond cities and why prices are so much higher there.



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Re: [CGUYS] Wing Nuts Oppose Better Broadband

[b_s-wilk]

rleesimon  escribió:


Cellular internet in Belgium is around $90/mo and only around major cities
do you get 3g ...the land line internet is around $60/mo with basic TV
(around 50 channels) and is "DSL speed" ...not that fast ...it is transited
over the phone lines ...now they are saying it is bumped to 4down1up for
only $2 more a month ...we'll see...


I can get a prepaid SIM card for 3G data from Vodafone in Spain, 250 MB, 
29 euros; 400 MB, 49 euros. Fits in phone or PC card adapter for 
notebooks. Good for basic surfing while traveling. For phones with WiFi, 
the basic 3G service is all you need. Haven't been in Belgium since 
before mobiles. Home broadband is cheaper in France.


Cellular internet in many countries is with prepaid cards, not monthly 
plans, and is often cheaper that way. Home service is usually cheaper by 
the month, depending on the country.



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Re: [CGUYS] LCD HDTV

[b_s-wilk]

My friend, Kurt, has one of those Samsung TVs. It's LCD with LED 
backlight. It's beautiful. It's ridiculously thin. I think it's 46". I 
want one.


He bought it online and made sure that he was home for delivery. First 
TV had broken screen; second TV was also damaged; third is fine. He's 
lucky that he could arrange his job so that he could be home. You may 
not be so fortunate when you're not home to receive and inspect a delivery.




Cost is much higher also.

On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 12:14 PM, gerald slawecki wrote:


> why you want an lcd instead of an led.  the samsung(the only one i follow)
> led has about a 10x superior brightness or contrast ratio.
>



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Re: [CGUYS] Apple security and Charlie Miller

[b_s-wilk]

This looks more like he took advantage of a badly written browser, not 
the OS--and it's been fixed since then. That was over two years ago. 
Nothing happened. No serious exploits of OS X since then. I think there 
were a few problems with Windows, though.


What's your point? Mike, you use Macs. Has your Mac been cracked?


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Re: [CGUYS] Cybercrooks take shine to Apple lineup

[b_s-wilk]

The claim is that the iPad will soon be pwned. Time for WFBs to put up or shut 
up. Let's see what happens.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031905613.html

"The iPad is expected to be a target for credit-card thieves and online scammers of 
all types."


The article doesn't say that the iPad will be cracked. It says that 
stolen credit cards will be used to purchase/steal them for resale in 
countries where Apple products are more expensive.


The PICNIC model is their weapon. Crooks depend on users falling for 
their phishing emails. Yesterday, I got at least a dozen emails with 
attachments telling me that the attachment contained my new Facebook 
password. I got at least as many for PayPal. Somebody must be making the 
phishing crooks very happy.


Few people notice the tiny purchases that they didn't make when they 
look at their credit card bills. Lots don't even look at the bills. Too 
many have automatic payment--that's begging for trouble!



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Re: [CGUYS] LCD HDTV

[b_s-wilk]

We have two Philips HDTVs -- one 37" LCD [1080p] and one 42" plasma 
[1080i], both 4 years old and are excellent. We bought them before 
prices crashed, so we had to look hard for a decent price. The huge TVs, 
bigger than 46" are good if you have no life because they dominate the 
room and are distracting, IMHO.


Everything is cheaper now. As I've said before, I'd avoid Sony--they're 
beautiful, and they'll break [your heart]. Samsung TVs are excellent. 
They used to call Vizio TVs "Buzzio" but they've improved significantly, 
so I hear. One thing to consider, no matter whose label is on the TV, 
there are only a few flat panel manufacturers. Philips is one, Samsung 
is another, there are a few others. Also there's no such thing as a 
consumer LED TV on the market yet. The ones that advertise LED are LCD 
panels with LED backlight, which reduces power consumption, a good thing.


Both Philips TVs have HDMI, composite, component, S-video, USB, stereo 
speakers, etc.


Buy locally, even from a big box store. Costco is OK; Sears has good 
sales; Beast Buy sometimes has good sales; Fry's too; avoid Walmart. 
DON'T BUY ONLINE OR HAVE IT SHIPPED!! That is unless you can be home to 
accept it AND have the delivery truck wait while you open and test your 
TV. When the TV arrives broken it's yours if you didn't examine it on 
arrival. Search for horror stories about delivery nightmares, especially 
with Amazon.


You'll be mesmerized. Buy two.



Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:28:36 -0700

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-42PFL3704D-F7-42-Inch-1080p/dp/B001LP6LPG

Something like that appears to be a good deal...under six bills at a local
dealer.

On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 10:12 AM, mike  wrote:


We may be on the cusp of a breakthrough ladies and gentlemen.  I may be in
the market for an HDTV.

Any thoughts will be considered...who to stay away from, brand and or
seller..who to go to first.  We are looking for something LCD in type, not
LED...42 or perhaps 46 inches.  We are budget conscious...read CHEAP.  I've
heard things like...vizio is a solid inexpensive brand and others say stay
far away.  I'm neither an audiophile or videophile, I'm just looking for
something solid and reliable.




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[CGUYS] Apple's Code Names

[b_s-wilk]

On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 10:36 PM, Rev. Stewart Marshall
 wrote:


I have noticed that Mac owners refer to their Mac's by certain names,
Lombards, Wallstreet, G3, G4, etc.

Is there someplace where a neophyte can look these evolutions up?


  Look here, Stewart:

http://www.everymac.com/



Macs have code names. So do Apple's peripherals and software. This is an 
old site that I really like [hasn't been updated since 2002]. Has code 
names through G5, http://www.mackido.com/CodeNames/index.html


The Easter Egg section is especially fun:  iguana iguana powersurgius!


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] Apple to charge $107 for iPad battery replacement EarthLink - Technology News

[b_s-wilk]

On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 8:59 PM, CITY BOY  wrote:



> On Mar 16, 2010, at 6:33 PM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote:

>>
>> Quite possibly.  What, may I ask, is the difference between the life
>> of a product as opposed to the useful life of a product?

>
> The internet has made it a lot shorter. Today it is hard to compute in
> isolation.


  Say what?


It's better to compute in relative isolation--and have a life. The 
Internet has made computing much harder because it's not there when you 
need it, and when it is, it's unreliable. Remote storage in "the cloud" 
is almost as good as lost. Remote storage elsewhere, where instant 
retrieval is possible is much better.


There are some new applications that are simply trash with flash [or 
maybe Flash]--redundant, and no more useful that what we already have, 
unless it's the "shiny new object" or toy factor that attracts you.


Get a life. Or give me the new toys--no charge. [not you Steve]


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[CGUYS] FreeHand [Was: Apple to charge $107 for iPad...]

[b_s-wilk]

Steve  escribió:


  My G3 Mac desktop still runs great, and most importantly to me, it
runs Freehand, an application that I just cannot really do without
unless I want to spend a lot of money.  Obsolete?  Definitely.
Useful?  Absolutely.  I think?  I think I share your affinity for
Freehand.


I like FreeHand. I used Illustrator on and off since Illustrator 88. I 
hate it. It appears to be written by coders who know nothing about 
illustration or drawing. FreeHand [Altsys, Aldus] used so many of the 
metaphors that those of us who actually draw for a living can relate to 
and use without a steep learning process. I used it for regular drawing 
and for basic mechanical drawing--very intuitive.


I only like the Mac version of FreeHand. When I worked at that unnamed 
Swiss company, only the top brass had their Macs, and a dedicated tech 
support person with very little to do. The rest of us were stuck with 
Windows, which is not artist friendly. FreeHand came out for Windows. I 
bought it for my PC. It was awful--almost unusable. Too many things that 
took one step in the Mac version, took 3 or 4 steps to get the same 
result in the Windows version for the supposedly identical program. I 
regularly took work home to do on my Mac, and made friends with one of 
the VPs who let me borrow his Mac at work.


Macromedia made FH for Mac worse for a few years, but FreeHand has 
always been a more versatile, user-friendly program than Illustrator. 
Adobe killed it because it competed with their inferior Illustrator. I 
have FH 10. It doesn't work well with Leopard.


My experience only--from working on tight deadlines in the dead of 
night, after working all day. So much great dead software replaced by 
L.C.D. software.



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Re: [CGUYS] Apple to charge $107 for iPad battery replacement EarthLink - Technology News

[b_s-wilk]

> This is a non-issue. These batteries typically last longer that the useful
> life of the product.


  Quite possibly.  What, may I ask, is the difference between the life
of a product as opposed to the useful life of a product?

  Steve


My Mac SE [1987] still works. It runs PageMaker 2, maybe FreeHand, 
Illustrator, MacDraw, MacWrite, a few games; has a 20 MB HD, 4 MB RAM. 
Still works, not  useful. My mobile phone is smarter. All 6 of our old 
Macs work, but none earlier than G4s are useful on a regular basis.


The Intel iMac [2007] runs Final Cut, Adobe/Macromedia suites, MS 
office, browsers, etc.--all at the same time. Has a 320 GB HD, 4 GB RAM. 
Very useful, but could use more memory. I expect it to be useful for 
another 3 or 4 years.



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Re: [CGUYS] noPad4me

[b_s-wilk]

I spent $52 today on weekly food shopping, after $18 in coupons. My 
point is that the savings from changing the battery yourself vs. paying 
much more to have the shop do the same thing is like finding free money. 
You can do weekly shopping with it or you can splurge or you can 
save/invest it. I used to keep track of refund/coupon savings on a 
calendar when it was around $3000 a year. We save a lot more by doing 
simple tech jobs ourselves.


After fixing the hardware yourself, you might need the drink.


You go to good restaurants.

Battery prices will be all over the place.  Price is not always an indicator of 
quality, manufacturer is.

Much like designer clothes.  Very often made in the same factory to the same specs and a similar shirt, but with two wildly varying price tags. 



> That leaves you with $52 for a nice dinner and a bottle of wine.



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Re: [CGUYS] noPad4me

[b_s-wilk]

I'm talking about the new tech batteries Tom mentioned.


So am I.

The unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros have used the "new" tech 
batteries--much longer life, holds charge longer, no mercury--since the 
early 2009 versions.


Most likely mfg. to put these in a PC? Your guess. MSI, Sony [but it 
will break], Toshiba, Lenovo...



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Re: [CGUYS] noPad4me

[b_s-wilk]

On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 9:05 PM, mike  wrote:


> When do these new batteries get into laptops?


  Is it only rumor that the newest MacBook Pro computers contain
batteries that are not serviceable by the user?

  Steve


Batteries have been "nonreplaceable" in iPods since 1st gen. We've 
replaced batteries in 3 iPods: two 20GB 4th gen, and one 60 GB 5th gen 
iPod. MacBook Air has replaceable "nonreplaceable" battery. Unibody 
MacBooks and MacBook Pros also have these batteries [since 2009].


How to open the MB/MBP to replace these batteries:

- Apple manual [see chapter 3], 

- ifixit.com teardown, 




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Re: [CGUYS] noPad4me

[b_s-wilk]

This is easy. The iPad is a giant iPod Touch. We can open up the Touch 
to change the battery. Why not the iPad? The biggest problem is finding 
a source for the right battery, instead of a cheap copy. The battery 
could cost $50 [the $5 one is worth 90% less], spudger is less than $5, 
and you save the rest by doing it yourself, just like any other computer 
repair. We'll have to see who has OEM batteries.


That leaves you with $52 for a nice dinner and a bottle of wine.


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Re: [CGUYS] Wing Nuts Oppose Better Broadband

[b_s-wilk]

This implies there is no cost of government provided services in the real
world.



No. That's a big DUH!

Of course there are costs to government services, but consider this.

How much of your income is disposable income? In countries with free 
democratic socialist governments like Sweden or Germany, taxes may by 
40-50% of their income. However that means that they have fully paid 
health insurance, long vacations, child care, sick leave, pensions, with 
50-60% of their income remaining as disposable income. They also have 
almost universal inexpensive broadband in most of western Europe. In the 
UK, you get FREE broadband as part of your mobile phone contract! Does 
AT&T or Verizon do this? For under $50/mo including 600 min?


That's more services than we have in the United States--for less. Here 
you gets what you pay for. That means that the anti-gummint sentiment 
means much lower taxes, with much higher costs for broadband, health 
insurance, child care, etc., etc.



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Re: [CGUYS] Wing Nuts Oppose Better Broadband

[b_s-wilk]

"Considering how frequently unintended consequences of regulation (when we
have yet to see any true problems with the current internet system) wreak
havoc on things I don't see the rush to go into giving FCC the power over
the internet. It is non-centralized at the core, and we should keep it that
way."


There are obvious problems with the present setup.  Lots of folks for
example lack access to the internet at home in any meaningful fashion...
The US disdain for government provided services has a cost in the real
world.


The stupidest and one of the most dangerous comments by any recent 
president was by Ronnie Raygun when he said, "The nine most terrifying 
words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here 
to help.'" It was a culmination of the corporate propaganda machine that 
wanted people to distrust/hate 'gummint', thus increasing corporate 
power while limiting citizen power.


The wingnuts who want gummint out of the Internet forget that the 
Internet was an entirely government funded project, and remains 
partially funded through federal funds.


The Internet is mostly non-centralized, however ISP's gateways are not. 
There are now a relatively small number of large corporations 
controlling the gateways, trying to tell who is allowed to have service, 
and what service you're allowed to have. This opposition to universal 
broadband is simply bullsh*t. This propaganda is supported by the same 
nuts who are yelling "Get the government out of my Medicare!"


The government isn't the problem, except when it's run by corporations 
and wingnuts, as it has been mostly since Reagan was [s]elected. Better 
thank Al Gore for sponsoring the bills that gave government funding to 
expand [ARPANET] the Internet. Thank Eisenhower for the warnings--too 
bad not enough Americans listened or understood.


What about the completely intended consequences of deregulating 
financial markets that let to crashing the economy? Regulation is good. 
How about the states that regulate the rates that insurance companies 
are allowed to charge customers? Regulation is good. How about 
regulations that reduce pollution? Regulation is good. How about speed 
limits? Good, except for speed traps.



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Re: [CGUYS] Your house is a dump!

[b_s-wilk]

IS NOT!!

This site links to Google Maps, http://maps.google.com/, and does a poor 
job of showing your house.


I'm not sure whether Google deliberately points to the 
house/building/lot next door to whatever you seek. I checked an old 
address in Philly and the marker points to our former neighbor across 
the street on the north side, the one who said that we lived in a row 
house in South Philly and they lived in a townhouse in Center City.


Current map points to my next door neighbor's house.

Google is doing us a favor for when someone sends out a hitman--he goes 
to the wrong house.



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Re: [CGUYS] TinyURLs [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC wants to measure]

[b_s-wilk]

Please define "burned". What happened? Did your hard drive melt?

How is this "burned" experience different from the supposedly innocent 
URL you sent this week, http://tinyurl.com/X ?




No, they don't, in fact many wrap at 72 characters. Actually tinyurls
and similar services can be safer with preview features than a supposed
safe looking URL with a hidden link.

Of course the safest approach is not to click on links from folks you do
not know.  I suggest that few have gotten burned either with a tinyurl
or the entire link on this list regardless of how adversarial things
become.  Besides once someone on this list does burn others, that
individual's reputation is shot, so if for example I use some browser
like "links" or turn off script running...



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[CGUYS] Are Macs Really Cheaper To Manage Than PCs? - CIO.com

[b_s-wilk]

Does "I'm a Mac" mean "I'm less expensive to manage?" An Enterprise 
Desktop Alliance survey says Macs cost a lot less than PCs to manage -- 
yet Macs come with special challenges for enterprise IT admins.


By Tom Kaneshige
March 08, 2010 — CIO —

Macs in the enterprise aren't just cheaper to manage—they're a lot 
cheaper, according to a new survey released today by the Enterprise 
Desktop Alliance.


Keep in mind that Enterprise Desktop Alliance is a group of software 
developers who've bandied together to deploy and manage Macs in the 
enterprise. The group surveyed 260 IT administrators in large U.S. 
companies with both Macs and PCs who are involved in some degree with IT 
cost calculations. Enterprise Desktop Alliance members include Centrify, 
Absolute Software, Group Logic, Web Help Desk, and most recently IBM.


[ Another Enterprise Desktop Alliance survey shows two out of three 
companies buying Macs this year, which will bring integration challenges 
for IT admins, CIO.com reports. ]


The survey found that Macs were cheaper in six of seven computer 
management categories: troubleshooting, help desk calls, system 
configuration, user training and supporting infrastructure (servers, 
networks and printer). Nearly half of the respondents cited software 
licensing fees as roughly the same for both platforms.


A whopping 65 percent of respondents said it costs less to troubleshoot 
Macs than PCs, 19 percent said they spent the same on both computers, 
and only 16 percent said they spent less to manage PCs than Macs...


http://www.cio.com/article/569163/Are_Macs_Really_Cheaper_To_Manage_Than_PCs_


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Re: [CGUYS] TinyURLs [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC wants to measure]

[b_s-wilk]

With all the protections I have these days (UAC, Spybot immunize, safe
browsing warnings, etc), I don't feel the need for this, but if you must you
can see where these shortened links go before you click on them.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/8636 . Equivalents available
in other browsers too.

TinyURLs always give me the heebies. You can *claim* it's for Something

> Wonderful when the TinyURL actually points to something nefarious.
>



You need an add-on for this? As Art said, for tinyurl.com, you add 
"preview" for preview.tinyurl.com. Or go to http://untiny.me/ and insert 
the shortened URL.


I use http://is.gd which needs only an ending hypen to get a preview, as 
in http://is.gd/amyeC- . Is.gd is easy to remember and easy to type too 
Thank goodness for tiny countries like Grenada and Tuvalu to give us 
these domains--can they profit from this?. BTW, Art's URL example, 
http://tinyurl.com/X gets you to a real site for unicycling.


Are shortened URLs really that scary??? BOOO! What's the real risk 
that Something Wonderful turns out to be not so wonderful? Close the window.



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Re: [CGUYS] Twist in school spying scandal

[b_s-wilk]

> Trouble is from what was said they knew who had it.



Nope, they knew after they had pictures from the webcam, not before.
Suspecting someone has something and having proof that same individual
has it are two different things and usually two different sets of
circumstances too.

It should be noted that the parents filed this suit after they too had
been informed of the possible drug usage and the record of the possible
drug usage wasn't removed from the student's record.


Of course the school knew who had the computers. This assertion that 
they didn't is insulting to schools and to teachers. When any kind of 
electronics are borrowed from schools by teachers or students there are 
records of who has the equipment. Lower Merion is a wealthy district and 
they have a lot of equipment, but that doesn't mean that they simply 
hand it out to anyone without a record of who borrowed it.


The case of Lower Merion is more like a public library that often 
requires some kind of collateral to borrow some equipment.  Or for those 
instances that don't require collateral [like cash or your driver's 
license] they still know who has the material/equipment.


The IT creeps who spied on the students had to know who they were 
watching [MAC address, installed software, etc]. Since the 
administration also knew who had the computers, it was their 
responsibility to contact the parents, as it was also the parents' 
responsibility to pay the insurance fee--if they could afford it. There 
are areas with low-income families in the district [Ardmore, Narberth], 
as well as students who are bused into the schools--no excuse, but not 
everyone in the district is upper middle class.


Perhaps the issue isn't the method for distributing computers and the 
accompanying fees, along with the spying. The real issue is that the 
computers are required at all, and students are required to have them, 
take them home, use them for school work, especially since there is very 
little evidence that using the computers aids students in learning 
more/better/faster. The convenience is more for the schools than for the 
students.


Betty


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[CGUYS] combining PDFs

[b_s-wilk]

I have 11 1-page pdfs that I'd like to combine into one file. I'm tired. 
I know I can do this with simple tools, but don't remember which ones. I 
don't have Adobe Acrobat that runs in OS X. I do have InDesign and a 
collection of freeware and shareware. [Mac OS X v.10.5.8]



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Re: [CGUYS] Evil people

[b_s-wilk]

Fred Holmes escribió:



The law that was cited by the guy that drove his airplane into the IRS building 
in Austin, Texas.


The guy was a tax evader. The law he objected to is in common use around 
the country. If you contract for only one company, you're a de facto 
employee and subject to withholding. Stack not only objected to 
withholding, he didn't pay his taxes.


He also didn't like the tax exemptions for churches. I don't either, but 
I don't kill people to make a point. It seems that he hated the Catholic 
church, but didn't direct his hatred toward other wealthy churches either.


Do you have a real example or another nut case like Stack?


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Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]

[b_s-wilk]

Fred Holmes escribió:


And I'm sure you're not one of those uneducated who will bring up the lack of 
tort reform as a reason for high insurance costs.


So how much does liability insurance / damage claims add to the cost of 
healthcare?  As a percentage of overall costs? 


The main problem with high insurance costs for consumers is that medical 
practitioners are not policing themselves, and states don't police them 
either until too many patients are harmed. In too many cases, 
incompetent doctors who maim or kill patients, and bad hospitals, are 
still in business when they should be shut down and have medical 
licenses taken away. That could reduce insurance costs for everybody.


However, when Republicans talk about tort reform, they want to limit the 
ability of patients who have been injured due to medical incompetence to 
have their cases ineligible for hearings or trials. This injures more 
patients without solving the problem, while also hurting the lawyers who 
file legitimate cases, in effect, further denying coverage in multiple 
ways. "Tort reform" in the US is a euphemism for keeping Democratic 
lawyers from helping injured patients, solely because they're not 
Republican.


The liability and damage claims as a percentage of overall costs is less 
than 5%. The biggest health insurance cost to consumers from private 
for-profit companies is "overhead"--which is about 2-3% for Medicare, 
around 10% for private non-profits, and 20-30% for the for-profit 
companies. The for-profit companies made bad investments and raised 
premiums to make up for that, too. So "tort reform" makes minimal 
difference when compared to having nonprofit health insurance. After 
all, it's immoral to profit from others' illnesses and misfortunes, so 
why do many health health insurance executives have multi-million dollar 
salaries and benefits, and insurance companies have billion dollar profits?


That's what causes high premiums, not a trumped up "need" for tort reform.


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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

The genius of the Ten Commandments--whether intentional or not--is that 
there are ten proscriptions, and everything else is OK. The Bill of 
Rights is similar, providing protections, but needed elaboration, hence 
the current number of Constitutional Amendments to protect the rights of 
individuals and minorities.


For those who aren't familiar with the rest of the commandments, there 
were actually over 600. We're lucky that K.I.S.S. weeded out most of the 
noxious ones, mostly from Leviticus. Or Moses got tired of chiseling 
into stone when he got to ten.




Rev. Stewart Marshall escribió:


Only if you look at it that way

It was also proscriptive.

>So regulation is both a good thing and a bad thing depending on how
>it is done.

Lest we forget, the Ten Commandments is "regulation."



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

mike escribió:


And the Constitution is a specific lack of regulation.  Madison didn't even
want a bill of rights for fear it would weaken the individual by enumerating
specific rights, thus perhaps conversely weakening the power of citizens by
the absence of other rights.


Hardly. The existence of a Constitution, is the existence of regulation. 
The Constitution defines the legal structure of our government, with 
guidelines defining the kinds of laws that enforce restrictions and 
regulations.


What you're defining is anarchy.


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Re: [CGUYS] Evil people

[b_s-wilk]

That's not true. The "sweetheart deal" wasn't one, and never happened. 
It's not in the bill. Ideas are discussed as part of the process of 
writing legislation. Many of those never make it to law.


The Republican Supreme Court decided that lobbying by huge corporations 
is great, and just made it easier. That's not good for small businesses 
or individuals. Bet you're glad you voted for corporate excesses to be 
enhanced.


Give a real example, not a fantasy.


How about the health care bill?  Unions got a sweetheart deal to be free
from the higher taxes of the more expensive health plans thus screwing would
be smaller businesses wanting to give their employees good plans.  In
general, do you really think all the lobbying by multinational/multibillion
dollar corporations helps them or helps small business?

On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 11:23 PM, b_s-wilk  wrote:


Examples please.



Except sometimes the regulation is used to do the screwing.




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Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls...]

[b_s-wilk]

OK I come from this on both sides.

As a theologian I view mankind through both eyes.  He is basically
good, but there is a corrupt part of him that will screw you whenever
he gets a chance.


Sorry Stewart, I know you're in the business of thinking people are good, but these two statements are contradictory. If people were basically good they wouldn't be trying to screw you at every opportunity (and *wouldn't* need regulating). 



Even in dangerous places, even with language barriers, my experience has 
been that individuals are generally good--often exceptionally generous 
beyond expectation.


However we need regulation because people tend to do stupid things in 
groups that they wouldn't do alone. The bigger and more powerful the 
group, the greater tendency to be irresponsible or "evil", as in 
corporations. Hence the need for regulation.


Stewart is right.


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Re: [CGUYS] Evil people

[b_s-wilk]

Examples please.



Except sometimes the regulation is used to do the screwing.



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Re: [CGUYS] Apple Co(r)p...

[b_s-wilk]

Apple isn't ensnared, they are doing this themselves.  Apple is bar far the
most controlling tech company out there, controlling their customers,
controlling themselves..


That's silly. Ridiculous.

Apple doesn't control their customers. They provide products that people 
like, and if there's something else customers want, they can go to third 
parties. Or they can go into the OS and make changes themselves, like I 
do. Or upgrade hardware. Or use a different OS--on their Macs, or 
jailbreak iPhones.


The main thing that Apple controls is leaks by employees that could 
reveal new product ideas to competitors. Any good company does that.


Why do you think that Apple is so controlling? They don't make users' 
computers phone the Mother Ship to rat on users like M$ does. Does the 
App Store delete purchases from iPhones like Amazon did with the Kindle?


What Apple is doing with the iTunes App Store is selling what they want 
in their own store. If you want something else, go to Cydia.



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Re: [CGUYS] Apple Co(r)p...

[b_s-wilk]

On Feb 28, 2010, at 2:17 PM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote:

Why doesn't Apple Corp. develop a means of either preventing or
making it difficult for users of their computers to be able to access
or use "overtly sexual" material or applications?


Because Apple has customers around the world who aren't as sexually 
repressed as people in the US. It's refreshing to find that there are 
naturist beaches in Miami Beach and on Assateague Island, some more in 
California. Thank goodness for European tourists--topless sunning is 
here! Yet there are insane people in Colorado who censor puppets--and 
beach towns in the South where women can be arrested for wearing thong 
bikinis.


Bodies are natural. Sex is natural. The more you obsess about how normal 
things are perverted, the more your children will obsess. When my son 
was ten, we visited some friends in Zurich, and in Munich. In the 
Englischer Garten in Munich, people sunbathe nude--no big deal; he found 
some kids to play soccer instead of gawking. We went to the beach in 
Nice. He looked around and said, "The women aren't wearing their 
swimsuit tops." Then he went swimming and mostly ignored them. That 
prepared him five years later when traveling with his soccer team in 
Sweden and the girls' teams were topless in the swimming pool. His 
teammates gawked from their balconies, and he calmly spent the afternoon 
chatting and swimming with the girls, and Euro guys.


What's pornographic other than violence? If violent video games are 
perfectly legal, why censor the human body? You're the one who has to 
explain this to your children and to guide them. Then don't worry so 
much about them seeing nudes and sex. They'll be fine as long as you can 
be honest with them and explain that when sex involves violence it's 
bad, and when it's too casual it might cause emotional problems [or 
not]. What's so difficult about that?


Enjoy the scenery, 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_swimsuit/painting/, 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009_swimsuit/painting/. Would you hide 
this from children?



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Re: [CGUYS] Time for a Nation Defense Internet Infrastructure Project?

[b_s-wilk]

Sounds lIke a case could be made not to implement any expansion of
internet access, and even to curtail, limit or eliminate a lot of what
already exists.  I'd have to think that were any evidence to come to
light that a cyber attack was occurring, that internet access would be
shut down for all but "necessary" systems.

Sound's like today's conservative mantra: don't fix healthcare, dismantle it. 
So I suppose a true conservative would eschew TCP/IP for good old reliable 
smoke signals.



Why shut it down? Ramping up is better. Can you really shut down 
everything without something drastic and stupid like an EMP? And that 
wouldn't shut down those who are secure and off grid. There are too many 
short cuts and back doors. Expand everything. Are you likely to be attacked?


Who would attack and how? What software and hardware would be shut down 
by a cyber attack anyway?



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

chad evans wyatt escribió:


Exactly, Betty.  "Why can't they get together?"  We have propensity to deploy, 
with faux-entrepreneurial ideal, the same multiple-gauge railroads that 
bedeviled 19th century US commercial activity; that is our model, until it no 
longer can be driven forward.  We have what?  4, or is it 5 wireless systems 
here?  Each requiring its own tortured buildout (see Mr Sande's bill of 
particulars).  Imagine putting all of that investment into one system.  Oh, 
it's not hard, after all:  the rest of the world is GSM, 



I heard yesterday that the new commuter rail lines in the Baltimore [Red 
line light rail] - Washington [Purple line heavy rail] area use 
different technology for trains but the same kind of rails, which could 
make change in the style of transport less difficult.


Most of the world is exclusively GSM, with some CDMA holdouts in eastern 
Europe, east Asia, Africa, some Latin America, [only 500 million CDMA 
users worldwide vs over 2.5 billion with GSM]. There are multiple 
technology phones for those who use both networks. Most GSM smart[-er] 
phones also use the newer WCDMA/UMTS for data.


Without using the same telephone lines, MCI-WorldCom wouldn't have been 
able to slam us--twice. However without using the same infrastucture we 
wouldn't be able to switch services quickly either.


The problem with the lonely corporate business plan is that each company 
blindly does its own network without considering existing [but 
competing] infrastructure or the economy of shared networks. What a 
lonely way to waste both companies' and customers' money.


Does it really make any sense at all for there to be several mostly 
identical broadband networks anywhere when all that's needed is one good 
one?



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

Basically yes.  If you want a chicken in every pot.  Every local switch
and tandem switch has to be equipped.  Every mile has to be rebuilt.

It might be twice my estimate.


Or even 6 times as much. After you get done, and the cable companies run their 
system, then Google comes in behind all of you to run theirs.

I don't understand why everybody needs to roll their own fiber. I don't have three sets of power lines coming to my house. Why can't the "information" providers get together and run one system that they can all share at a fair price? *Before* the Feds regulate that you have to. 


Sure makes a lot of sense. That's the way they do it in some other 
countries where service is much cheaper than it is here. Both broadband 
and mobile service networks can be shared by multiple companies. 
Electric companies already share networks.


Why can't they get together? Why can't they share? Because the Feds 
didn't regulate that they have to, so they don't. Because even though it 
will be cheaper in the long run, it's more complicated to cooperate than 
to go it alone.



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

At 07:13 PM 2/20/2010, Eric S. Sande wrote:

Don't kiss me now, mike, just be glad your freaking phone works.


Yeah, but when they come to sell me FIOS, they will at the same time sell me 
VOIP, which dies four hours after the power grid goes down [frequently].


Not if you have your own larger, more efficient, solar/battery storage 
backup system to supplement the tiny battery backup in the installed 
setup. There's a battery backup system for sump pumps. A similar, but 
less powerful setup could easily keep your VOIP running for a few days 
at least.


Your main problem then will be to power your desktop computer or 
recharge your notebook.



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Re: [CGUYS] Password Keeper == Login King -- thoughts?

[b_s-wilk]

That brings to mind, how come banks (now they use 2 different passwords and
a pictogram for the most part) don't give you a teaser email reminding you,
periodically, to change your password... that would be a nice service.


I logged into a state payroll system this morning. As soon as I got into 
the system, it notified me that my password expired and I had to create 
a new one, otherwise it would lock me out, and I'd have to contact the 
state office which is closed until Monday.


I think either HSBC or ING did the same thing. One of my corporate 
emails did that too, and also an online subscription to Lancet.


I get lots of emails from "banks" and "credit card" companies with links 
to someplace in China where I can reveal my ID and password...How about you?



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

You should look around your neighborhoods, DC is the epitome of badly run
Dem stronghold.  Face it, government doesn't do much of anything right..or
left.  The larger the government, the smaller the citizen.


If you're talking about Washington, DC, the city, you're mistaken. The 
city can't do hardly anything without the permission of Congress. That 
means Congresscritters like Richard Shelby can vote to deny the city 
just about everything it needs, while holding up important appointments 
in an effort to get $billions for his home state to give to foreign 
companies.


If you're talking about Congress, then it's about time for everyone to 
work together instead of Democrats doing most of the work and 
Republicans voting against everything, including bills that they 
themselves introduce and sponsor, then taking credit for the success of 
Democratic programs that Republicans voted against. Is that the problem?


If you're talking about government being too big, then you didn't like 
Reagan, Bush I or Bush II, and liked Clinton, because under the former 
three, the size of government, and debt, increased a lot, and under the 
latter, the size of government and deficits decreased.


So what are you talking about?


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Re: [CGUYS] Creepy or what?

[b_s-wilk]

What in the Apple OS allows for this? I'd love it. I have 4 Apple 
laptops with built in web cams. Also have 2 iMacs with the same. I'd love to be 
able to take a picture of whoever stole one of them...I guess really I'd love the satisfaction of just nailing anyone who 
happened to steal my computer.


MobileMe: Back to My Mac
http://www.apple.com/mobileme/features/mac.html

Orbicle: Undercover
http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/mac/

bak2u mobile security
http://www.bak2u.com/products.php

etc...

Prepare for a stolen notebook. You can set a firmware password, 
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352, and FileVault encryption to protect 
your data. Know your MAC address. Set the WiFi card to be turned on all 
the time. Set up a VPN so you can control your camera remotely. Disable 
automatic login. Lock your System Preferences.


Whatever. Don't you want a new notebook anyway?


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Re: [CGUYS] Just what is a computer anyway?

[b_s-wilk]

So is the innovator the one who came up with 'app phones' or the one who
popularized them?


YES

Invention, creativity and innovation are essential in creating new 
and/or improved devices with intuitive, seamless operating systems, and 
also in developing the hype to convince people that they want the product.


YES


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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

We, the people, are the government of the United States.



Yes, that's the way it is **supposed** to be.  But it isn't, really.  The 
federal government does all sorts of extra-constitutional things, and gets away 
with it.  Who is doing anything about it?




Fred,

The US Constitution gives a lot of leeway for interpretation, starting 
with the preamble:


"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect 
union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the 
common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of 
liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this 
Constitution for the United States of America."


Promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty 
covers much of our investment in science, R&D, social programs, 
elaborated in Article I, Section 8, beginning with:


"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts 
and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and 
general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and 
excises shall be uniform throughout the United States..."


The extra-Constitutional things that have led to the huge debt and 
deficits are off-budget wars, secret funds for secret programs, not the 
tiny fraction of our budget that goes to infrastructure like broadband 
and cellular communications.


The government investment in infrastructure is an important part of 
promoting the general welfare--for both people and businesses. Crumbling 
infrastructure and citizens with poor health and limited means of 
communication leads to loss of liberty--the antithesis of promoting the 
general welfare.


The "common defense" depends intrinsically on the health of the people 
and the infrastructure.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

phartz...@gmail.com escribió:


On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 2:03 AM, Eric S. Sande  wrote:


That's about it for now.


  Good post.  I think that the FCC wants industry to get with the
various governmental agencies and really get this issue hashed
out...finally.  I see that President Obama just signed an Executive
Order, making it a requirement that the two sides in our federal
legislature sit down together to work out a fix for the economy.  He
finally had to take this draconian, some would say dictatorial step
because our Congress critters were essentially refusing to move on the
problem, refusing to work with one another.  I think the FCC head was
trying to say that the time has come for cooperation instead of
opposition and to do it for the welfare of our nation.  It somehow got
done back in the early days of wired telephone service and telcos did
not wither and die as a result and we can do it again today with this
newer technology that in many ways is supplanting telephone service as
being a necessity in the contemporary world.


Yes, I agree with both of you, mostly. The economy can't improve enough 
to be competitive when the world economy improves until we ramp up our 
communications systems. What we need most is public-private 
partnerships, and a lot of cooperation instead of behaving like 
adversaries or worse. Of course, companies need to make a profit to 
exist. Telcos can't afford to create a national network on their own, 
plus they need incentives. They also need their networks to survive in 
the long term.


It won't happen without partnerships, but the details need to be worked 
out in advance, and as the network is developed. The broadband speed 
must be in line with competing economies, since our competition is global.


Do we really want an overpriced 3Mbps national network, when competing 
nations already have less expensive 20-50Mbps and working on >100Mbps up 
to 1Gbps? Of course not. That's the kind of lowest common denominator, 
lowest bid nonsense thinking that gives us bad roads, bridges that don't 
last, electronics and hard goods that break before warranties expire. 
Lowest bid is counterproductive. Best bid for best quality [and 
expansion] we can afford for the future is better.


As Steve said, the original telco service and electrification didn't 
happen only through the goodness of private companies. They needed 
government assistance, grants, loans, prodding, sometimes with threats, 
and creation of public projects like REA and TVA, along with plenty of 
regulation to ensure universal service and prevent gouging. Eric, you 
know the technical and financial requirements for your network. 
Extrapolate for a national network. It's too much for the private sector 
to afford, yet it will make communication significantly better for both 
businesses and individuals.


Public-private is win-win.

BTW, I'm a fiscal conservative and socially liberal/progressive. I had 
to be somewhat fiscally conservative while taking risks to stay in 
business for a long time. I'm a capitalist and a technocrat too--started 
my first business when I was a sophomore in college. However, I don't 
have a problem with paying fair taxes for good services. Broadband is a 
valuable utility that's well worth our investment.


Betty


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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

I'll bet the "universal" broadband in other countries really doesn't cover everyone.  
Does it?  Even those in very sparsely settled areas?  The percentage in some countries is likely 
higher because a greater portion of the country's population lives in a high-population-density 
area that in the U.S.  We have a huge fraction of the population that live "in the 
country," where it is very expensive to provide broadband on a per drop basis.


False! Do your homework before you start betting with my money. 


Tom is so right.

I've been amazed at the obscure locations outside the US where I get all 
bars on my cell phone, even in Mexico near the Belize border, or on 
remote Greek islands. Similarly, broadband is so fast and pervasive [and 
cheap] in much of Europe, high in the Pyrenees mountains, miles from the 
closest small village, with WiFi on nearly empty beaches in Portugal.


I wonder why it's not like that here. Oh, right, no national broadband 
policy with conservatives fighting against it at every turn--for no good 
reason, just to be against something.



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Re: [CGUYS] Just what is a computer anyway?

[b_s-wilk]

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 7:56 PM, tjpa  wrote:


Perhaps they will look more like this guitar...
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/c498/


  That place does offer some unique items.  If I am not  mistaken,
they are located in Fairfax County, perhaps very near the Kamp
Washington area just outside of Fairfax City on Lee Highway.

  Steve



One of these locations may be a storefront, http://is.gd/8GWjk.

Will their dogs let us in the door to play with their toys before buying 
them?



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

Not a false premise at all.  It's a corollary to "Power corrupts . . ."  The 
power to regulate is the power to destroy.  People appointed as regulators are 
very powerful.




You're very confused.

We, the people, are the government of the United States. Only when you 
cede power to the corporations is the power outside of the hands of the 
people, and that is the true corruption of power. Corporations exist 
primarily to make a profit by any means, not for the benefit of their 
employees or even their customers [if they're a utility].


We, the people, have our representatives appoint regulators to keep 
corporations under control. Originally, corporations had ten-year 
charters, to keep them from being "evil", as were the corporations 
before the revolution. The British East India Company, along other 
corporations, were allowed by the King to be abusive to colonists. As a 
result, the founders of the US were extremely distrustful of 
corporations, as we should be now.


The corrupting power in the US is now in the 'hands' of huge banks and 
multinational corporations. Regulation gives some of the power back to 
the people of the United States. We need business. We need people to 
start and run businesses. We need people to buy products and services. 
We don't need companies that underpay employees, force them to work 
overtime off the clock, fire them for wanting union protection, and 
without that protection, send the jobs overseas, creating high unemployment.


How will people be able to afford any kind of broadband if they're 
underemployed or unemployed?


That's what unregulated corporate power does. From your comments, that's 
what you want. You are either an unrepentant corporatist, or very confused.



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

At 10:07 AM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote:
I never told you to emigrate. What I said is for you to look at countries that 
are doing better than the US both financially and socially, and you will find 
a balance between social good and corporate support through effective but not 
stifling regulation and partnerships. Instead, we're stuck with dominant 
corporate representation in Congress, conservative corporate media, and a 
general public that seems to accept that as being OK. It's not.


But the other countries have totally different circumstances, so it's an 
apples/oranges situation...Other countries don't have a real military, don't have the expenses.



Although the German military is fondly known as "hippies with guns" they 
have a real military, as does the UK, France, Greece, Spain, 
Scandinavian countries, etc., even Switzerland--have a Swiss ARMY 
knife?--has compulsory military service. The U.S. private military 
industrial complex thanks YOU for NOT paying attention.



Other countries own oil that they drill for and sell.  We prohibit drilling on 
federal lands.




**ARE YOU KIDDING?**

Where were you when Bush opened the most sensitive public land for oil 
and gas drilling? Where do you get your information?  What about oil 
drilling in Alaska? Utah? Gulf coast? As of July 1, 2008, forty-four 
million acres of public lands were leased for oil and gas development. 
The US gets less for its leases because most leases are underpriced. BP 
[UK] is a private company, Royal Dutch Shell is a private company. 
Total, S.A. [France] is a private company. None of these huge companies 
are owned by their home countries, however their home countries charge 
much higher royalties for their own petroleum than the US gummint.




There are lots of complaints about the socialism in other countries.



*They complain about dictators who claim to be socialist but are really 
ruthless dictators, not democratic socialists.*




If you like their socialism better than our capitalism, please emigrate.

It would be a terrible world if every country were a clone of the next one, and 
all of the countries were "perfect."


We are the best country in the world in terms of ability to create wealth.  
Everything done to redistribute wealth seems to stifle incentive, and thereby 
reduce total wealth as well.  Each country picks its own point on the curve.



What planet do you live on? [thanks Vickie] No we're not. You're saying 
that it's OK to redistribute wealth from middle class people to wealthy 
people by lowering the top tax rates, raising lower and middle tax 
rates, and crashing the world economy through deregulation of fantasy 
products like derivatives and credit default swaps to create bankster 
billionaires. You think that it's OK for corporate bosses to send jobs 
to countries with lower labor costs and put Americans out of their jobs? 
That's OK? That's exactly what happened, and it's not OK.


Have you ever traveled outside the US? Have you ever worked outside the 
US? Have you ever worked for a European company? Have you ever needed 
any medical help when you were outside the US? Do you have a good 
pension? long paid vacations? full medical coverage? job protection? 
inexpensive mobile and broadband service?


I'm not leaving. The US has so many wonderful possibilities and 
wonderful people. What the US needs is our own Marshall Plan, after the 
30 year war against US working people. The Marshall Plan worked quite 
well in much of Europe, but somehow its success has been lost to 
Americans, as the Texas nuts rewrite our children's textbooks. Our new 
Marshall Plan is vital to rebuild infrastructure and provide important 
services to both people and businesses. When you spend tax dollars 
inside the US for jobs and small businesses, the money is returned at 
least double to our economy when both consumers and businesses have the 
jobs and cash to buy products and services.


 


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[CGUYS] LABS GALLERY: 25 Decade-Shaping Technologies - IT Management from eWeek

[b_s-wilk]

"eWEEK Labs analysts picked the 25 Technologies that Changed the Decade. 
The products and technologies were chosen based on the impact they had 
not only on the decade that was but on the decade that will be."


http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Management/LABS-GALLERY-25-DecadeShaping-Technologies-718694/

There are so many excellent choices. I like Mac OS X and the iPod Touch, 
but multi-core processors, WiFi and blade servers rate at least as high. 
I'll even give a nod to Windows XP, even though I got a message to 
confirm with M$ for the first time last week on a system I've been using 
for 5 years--it's superior to both previous and subsequent systems, so far.


The tough challenge with this list is to choose the _least_important_ 
technology.



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Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability

[b_s-wilk]

Leave the country for a while and go where people enjoy a better standard of 
living--and it's not the US.


Why don't you leave the country and emigrate to one of the socialist countries 
where life is so much better?  I'm doing just fine here.




I never told you to emigrate. What I said is for you to look at 
countries that are doing better than the US both financially and 
socially, and you will find a balance between social good and corporate 
support through effective but not stifling regulation and partnerships. 
Instead, we're stuck with dominant corporate representation in Congress, 
conservative corporate media, and a general public that seems to accept 
that as being OK. It's not.


I ask you to open your eyes and open your mind to understand what 
doesn't work here [corporate dominance], and what does work elsewhere 
[fair social programs and business encouragement/support]. Just because 
you can't imagine that systems like that work well--they do--doesn't 
mean we don't have a lot to learn. Use your imagination and get a social 
conscience instead of spouting corporate talking points. So, you don't 
want universal broadband--admit it--or you have a better idea that 
works. Unregulated capitalism doesn't work; never did; never will.


What's your ideas for people to have affordable universal broadband?


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