LinkSys or Belkin? Makes you think!!

I've been reading the threads here for awhile and have noticed that there are numerous people having connection trouble with their LinkSys routers. Many have talked about Belkin routers, saying that they're more stable. So... I looked on the Belkin website and would you believe, there is no "Support Forum". Humm...makes you kinda think, no way to find out whether Belkin has a similar problem!? I do find it brave that LinkSys has a Community Forum for people to vent. I'm also wary that Belkin does not! What is the real picture on Belkin?

I consider myself to be a little bit computer savvy with most apps. Just got a new computer, and holy cow, things are getting even more complicated. So much so that I feel very sorry for the average consumer, that they are going to get killed in the computer world with all the junk that is going to be unknowingly put on their computers, nevermind the complexity of setting up a network.
As most people are fairly ingnorant about how their systems work, I think it exceptional to have a forum like this. I've used similar forums for various programs, and I wouldn't buy or use complicated programs that don't have a forum.
Programmers and manufacturers can only think up so many scenarios. The real world presents so many more. Its from other users that we can learn from similar situations, and the makers can then also learn from the feedback.

Similar Messages

This will make you think

Ok here it is, i have a max limit of 201 thread running at once, i have a class object called Thread Tracker which i have synchronized to keep the number of threads running. Now if 201 thread are running no other threads can start, if a thrwad finnishes it subtracts one from the threadtracker class (yes it is synchonized) and than another thread is able to run. However eventually i get to a point when all 201 thread are waiting for tht thread running to drop below 201, but it never will because they are all waiting.
See im creating a web crawler and the problem is ill start with one site it could have 6 link on that page so it creates htread for all those pages and all the links on those pages, See bellow.
1 - 6 - 36 - 216 - 1296
6 is just a estimated number of new urls on each page, but hopefully u can see wat i mean, soo the porblem is that the number of threads being created massively outnumbers the number of threads finnishing and i end up with a dead lock.
The reason i limit the number of thread running is because if i dont i reach max mem usage and get memory errors, i can prob go to about 800 threads but im using 200 as a test.
lol to tell ya the truth i have no idea wat todo. ne help would be great.

Maybe a workers and boss architecture?
Let the Boss start with a queue seeded with the initial URL. If there are items in the queue and no workers, the boss employs a new worker and hands the worker the item in the queue. The worker reports new URLs back to the boss. The boss puts the new items into the queue.
The workers also report "job done, ready for another" to the Boss. If the Boss reaches max employees, it continues to add new items to the queue while waiting for this report, then hands an item to the next free worker.
Since only the Boss handles the queue, you shouldn't have a deadlock problem. You can also give the Boss some logic about which URLs are the best candidates for crawling, since it will see the workload (size of queue) and number of employees.
The Boss could also send memos to the workers telling them "due to overloaded queue, please wait no more than Xx millis before giving up and reporting in "job done, ready for another."
As in the physical world, the Boss could be very intelligent or quite the moron. Up to you to avoid Dilbert.

I have a question can you please add so the iphone also have 5 icon dock like the iPad have it would make my day easy as h..:) maby in the next update? What do you think?

I have a question can you please add so the iphone also have 5 icon dock like the iPad have it would make my day easy as h..:) maby in the next update? What do you think? What do everyone think?

I have a question can you please add so the iphone also have 5 icon dock like the iPad have it would make my day easy as h..:) maby in the next update? What do you think? What do everyone think?

My Ipod plug into stereo, some how the stereo not work and burn the battery, its make my ipod can't turn on at all, if I need to repair it how much its cost, do you think?

Hi, I put my Ipod into the stereo, some how the power of the stereo burned out & make my ipod not work anymore. If I plug my ipod into computer its not on and the battery feel very hot, so if I send it out to fix, how much do you think its cost? And how do I check online to see what generation I was bought? I bought it online with Apple. Thanks.
Tran Thai.

Try:
- iOS: Not responding or does not turn on
- Also try DFU mode after try recovery mode
How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
- If not successful and you can't fully turn the iOS device fully off, let the battery fully drain. After charging for an least an hour try the above again.
- Try another cable
- Try on another computer
- If still not successful that usually indicates a hardware problem and an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store is in order.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar

Scammer trying to make you believe they are in lov...

Ok, first I knew what would to come from this request and I wanted to bring it to the end to try to prevent this for other skype users.
I will change my name in this but let his.
[2013-06-21 21:08:57] GEN DAVID MILLER: Coucou ! Merci de m'ajouter à votre liste de contacts
[2013-06-21 21:09:03] *** Me a partagé ses détails avec GEN DAVID MILLER. ***
[2013-06-21 21:09:11] Me: hi
[2013-06-21 21:10:16] GEN DAVID MILLER: yes am here
[2013-06-21 21:10:29] Me: he dcd
[2013-06-21 21:10:40] GEN DAVID MILLER: what?
[2013-06-21 21:10:48] Me: disconnected
[2013-06-21 21:11:37] GEN DAVID MILLER: disconnected what dear?
[2013-06-21 21:12:01] Me: I was talking to him and his skype disconnected... logged off
[2013-06-21 21:12:18] GEN DAVID MILLER: when dear?
[2013-06-21 21:12:26] Me: as soon as you got in
[2013-06-21 21:12:34] GEN DAVID MILLER: are you sure is not play games here?
[2013-06-21 21:12:44] Me: I don't play game
[2013-06-21 21:13:22] GEN DAVID MILLER: ok
[2013-06-21 21:13:30] GEN DAVID MILLER: i trust you
[15:56:56] GEN DAVID MILLER: thats ok
[15:57:03] Me: I gave him the paper he needs to get her in school
[15:57:16] GEN DAVID MILLER: thats good
[15:57:25] GEN DAVID MILLER: you are a caring mother
[15:57:45] Me: yes but I would love to be able to do everything alone
[15:57:47] Me:
[15:58:22 | Modifié (15:58:32)] GEN DAVID MILLER: soon am coming to make you feel happy
[16:01:15] GEN DAVID MILLER: and you will no longer be lonely ok
[16:01:19] GEN DAVID MILLER:
[16:01:56] Me: she's my baby...
[16:02:15] GEN DAVID MILLER: yes i know that quite understood
[16:02:30] GEN DAVID MILLER: so how is your job going my queen
[16:03:24] Me: going ok
[16:03:34] Me: that's the only thing that going well
[16:03:51] GEN DAVID MILLER: thats good
[16:04:05] GEN DAVID MILLER: there is something you must know now my queen
[16:04:09] GEN DAVID MILLER: i am so so sad
[16:04:31] Me: ??
[16:04:55] GEN DAVID MILLER: i am sad and i want to share and confile in you
[16:05:13] GEN DAVID MILLER: can i trust you my queen...seriously
[16:05:36] Me: I guess you can
[16:05:48] GEN DAVID MILLER: ok my dear
[16:06:46] GEN DAVID MILLER: ever since i started my service with the united states army i have ben saving but now everything i have succeded in saving is about to perish..........
[16:09:15] *** Appel de GEN DAVID MILLER ***
[16:09:23] Me: yes?
[16:09:23] *** Appel terminé, durée 00:08 ***
[16:09:27] *** Appel de GEN DAVID MILLER : durée 00:14 ***
[16:10:28] GEN DAVID MILLER: like you know its a good ideal saving when you have the opportunity too
[16:10:38] Me: mhm
[16:11:23] GEN DAVID MILLER: as you already know i am here in kabul afgha nistan for peace keeping and this happens to be y last duty for the sevice
[16:12:04] Me: not really knew it.. you never had time to talk with me much
[16:13:15] GEN DAVID MILLER: i recieve a mail earlier from my bank in thailand notifying me about the close and wrap up of the bank due to the fact that they can no longer meet up with the terms and policy of thier central bank
[16:14:00] Me: and you really think I will believe that **bleep**?
[16:14:05] Me: I'm not dumb
[16:14:18] GEN DAVID MILLER: what do you mean my dear
[16:15:12] GEN DAVID MILLER: are you there?
[16:15:58] Me: yes I'm here
[16:16:18] GEN DAVID MILLER: som why are you sounding like that?
[16:16:27] Me: been there done that
[16:16:48] GEN DAVID MILLER: i do not understand you my dear
[16:17:18] Me: no problem keep going
[16:18:55] GEN DAVID MILLER: so my dear all banking with them are now advise to come and possible transfer of thier funds before the close up date l
[16:19:32] Me: so you will ask me if I can care of your money until your duty is over
[16:19:57] GEN DAVID MILLER: yes my dear
[16:20:01] GEN DAVID MILLER: and as you already know i am here in camp and as a general i am not permitted to leave
[16:20:02] Me: that's what I meant
[16:21:38] Me: how come an american working for his country (us military) put his money in a Thailand bank... aren't you suppose to serve YOUR country...
[16:22:13] GEN DAVID MILLER: yes
[16:22:42] Me: well, by banking in another country you are not helping your own country
[16:23:58] GEN DAVID MILLER: but as you know i am a global pessonel who travels from poles to poles due to my service and beside i was formally serving in thai thats why i end up saving there
[16:25:14] Me: I see
[16:25:58 | Modifié (16:26:13)] GEN DAVID MILLER: so what i am saying here is that i want you to be my trusted benefiiary ,,because in no time i will be coming over to you
[16:27:29] *** Appel de GEN DAVID MILLER ***
[16:27:34] Me: I'm here
[16:27:36] *** Appel terminé, durée 00:07 ***
[16:28:08] GEN DAVID MILLER: so tell me ,,, can you do this for me my queen
[16:28:22] GEN DAVID MILLER: please
[16:28:24] Me: I'm not a queen
[16:28:36] Me: I can do it but I can't pay any fee
[16:28:43] GEN DAVID MILLER: you are the queen of my heart
[16:28:53] GEN DAVID MILLER: i understand your point
[16:29:44 | Modifié (16:29:56)] GEN DAVID MILLER: but come to think of it manon how do you expect me to pay for the transfer fees when i am here i camp and kabul pricisly
[16:30:18] GEN DAVID MILLER: i am out of reach of that because i cannot leave here for no reason
[16:30:21] Me: I have no money so I can't
[16:31:13] GEN DAVID MILLER: but something you must know is that any expenses you have to do will be given back to you and i am willing to give you some percent for this
[16:31:35] Me: I can't
[16:31:49] GEN DAVID MILLER: why my dear?
[16:31:59] Me: I have alot debt
[16:32:23] GEN DAVID MILLER: you will pay for that as soon as you recieve
[16:32:28] GEN DAVID MILLER: all of that
[16:32:35] GEN DAVID MILLER: because you will egt some for all expenses
[16:32:40] Me: I can't
[16:32:53] Me: and I won't because I can't
[16:34:24] GEN DAVID MILLER: so what do you want me to do now... you want me to loose all i have ever laboured for?
[16:35:24] Me: not my problem.... sorry but... that's a fact... you're not the first one that try to get money from me and I never give anything because I DON'T HAVE IT
[16:36:28] GEN DAVID MILLER: so what you mean now is that you cannot help me here
[16:36:34] GEN DAVID MILLER: so what are friends for
[16:37:03] GEN DAVID MILLER: is this how you are going to make me feel rejected when i come over to you
[16:37:22] Me: I CAN'T GIVE WHAT i DON'T HAVE
[16:37:36] Me: if you feel reject it's not my fault
[16:38:04] Me: and from the first time you talked to me I knew you would end to ask money to pay anyting
[16:38:15] Me: so you are just a scammer like every other
[16:38:40] Me: thanks for showing me the truth and thanks god I'm smart enough to not believe **bleep** like you and all others
[16:46:11] GEN DAVID MILLER: thanks for the words
[17:12:40] *** Me a bloqué GEN DAVID MILLER ***
Please everyone be very careful about those persons who try to make you fall in love with them... they will just end to try to get money from you, one way or another.
Thank you.

[Outdated information redacted.]
Please refer to this FAQ article for next steps:
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34447/what-should-i-do-if-i-see-abusive-behavior-on-skype
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This will make you Smile

I came across this whilst browsing today and it did make me laugh. So I thought I`d put it here and maybe it will put a smile on all those (me included) who have had bad days with BT.
Sorry - the link has been blocked so here it is in it`s entirety
Enjoy
Dear Mr. BT,
Thank you for the email from your BT Migration Team regarding the network upgrade on my line, due to take place last Wednesday, the 20th July.
I must confess to a wry smile when I read your statement that I might temporarily lose the use of my phone for ‘up to 10 minutes’, because the words "over" and "optimistic" sprang to mind ‐ curiously enough in that very order.
I was right, wasn’t I?
Now although life is short, at the time I felt that I could live with not having a phone or internet connection for 10 minutes because I would be at work but even if I hadn’t been, rather than checking online to see if I’d won Tuesday’s Euromillions Lottery, I could instead have used the time at home constructively - perhaps to read a book for a little while, do the washing‐up or even listen to that quaint old thing we used to call the radio.
I wasn’t surprised therefore on the 20th at midday to receive a text at work from my son informing me that the broadband wasn’t working. I replied explaining that you were upgrading the line to a new fibreoptic, mega‐sonic speed internet connection and that he should ‘wait a few minutes’. He told me that it didn’t matter because he was going out.
I was a little surprised however to receive a text from my wife at 2.37pm who informed me that the phone wasn’t working. I told her that the Mr BT’s Migration Team were busy fiddling with their knobs to make our line ‘better’ (she’s not very technical) and that they were probably taking a long lunch and the phone would work again soon.
I was more than a little surprised when arriving home at 7.00pm to discover that you still hadn’t finished.
Nor had you finished by midnight.
My surprise increased dramatically on getting up the next morning to find I still had a dead phone and an internet connection speed of zero mega‐gigaflops per second.
Indeed this surprise was nothing compared to my astonishment on reaching work and reading another email from your BT Migration Team telling me that my upgrade was now "complete". You will not be surprised to learn that at this point the words: “No it **bleep** well isn’t” issued forth from my lips in quite a loud manner.
Luckily, work is quite old‐fashioned and still had both an internet connection and phone line so I visited your BT web site to see if I could report this problem to you personally. Of course on reaching the first help page I had to shut down the window that immediately popped up asking me if I’d found the help pages helpful because you hadn’t actually helped me at all yet. Nevertheless I eventually found the page to check my line, entered my number and pushed the button and waited.
“Your phone line isn’t working” said the resulting page.
Really? You do amaze me.
“Would you like to report this fault?”. Yes please. I pushed the button and waited again.
On seeing: “By which method would you prefer to be kept informed as to the progress of the repair?”, I obviously chose ‘by text’ as opposed to other methods because, funnily enough, I DON’T HAVE A PHONE OR AN INTERNET CONNECTION AT HOME (AND I DON'T OWN AN OWL!)
It’s at this point that I’d like to congratulate you Mr Bee. Within three minutes, you had texted me not once, but twice.
The first to was tell me you’d received my report and the second was to inform me when the repair would be carried out.
Well done BT!
Even my youngest son would not have been able to input letters on his phone that fast and he even uses both thumbs to do it. I think you should consider contacting the Guinness Book of World Records to see if you can enter. I was very impressed at your ruthless efficiency and you didn’t even use the abbreviation ‘U’ or ‘R’ once.
I was not so impressed to read the second text however. It said: “Your repair will be completed by 5.00pm ….” (Good so far)....
"…..on Tuesday, July 26th” !
SIX days ??? Are you having a laugh?? What has happened to the BT Migration Team? Have they all flown South to escape the English Summer? And how can you possibly confuse the figure of ‘10’ with ‘8,640’ minutes??
Today, thinking that you may have mis‐texted, I arrived at work and phoned you instead. During the ensuing long, one‐sided conversation with your automated robot system I think I must have pressed more buttons on the telephone than Neil Amstrong did during the entire Apollo 11 mission to the moon and back. Eventually, the she‐bot told me that the nice repair man would begin to LOOK at my problem on the 26th!!
You mean that you’re not actually working on it now?? Have the BT Migration Team migrated to Homebase to exchange that fibre‐optic cable that must be just 6 inches too short to reach my socket??
“There is a problem at our exchange” I am told. A problem? Clearly! Has it been nuked?? Have you lost the key and are unable to gain entry?? Have you checked under the mat?
Is Rupert Murdoch a shareholder in your company? Did he perhaps hack into my mobile and overhear me say several dubious things about him and government conspiracies and this is his way of getting revenge?
Yes, we have mobile phones to ‘fall back on’ but some of us don’t have posh contracts with one million free minutes and unlimited web surfing (Oh, yes – I remember that). Some of us are on pay‐as‐you‐go because some of us have too much month left at the end of the money after paying the prices for your telephone line rental , calls and broadband.
Fortunately I don’t feel alone right now. If it’s a problem at the exchange there are probably thousands of people in the same boat as me. In fact, I’m going to phone our friends up the road and see how they’re doing.
Oh, no. I can’t can I?
I hope it’s not seriously going to take that long and I do hope the Migration Team are having a nice holiday.
Yours Sincerely,
Keith Hunt
Needless to say Keith had a call from BT on his mobile less than two minutes after BT received his complaint! Quite impressive. But when asked the obvious question as to when it would be fixed, the lovely lady replied:
"Tuesday 26th". (!!??)
But it didn't happen. By the 29th, Keith was putting pen to paper again:
Dear Mr BT.
Happy anniversary for Wednesday.
Did you think I’d forgotten? Don’t be silly – you should know me better than that by now. No, indeed I would really liked to have called you or emailed on the exact date but I didn’t have a phone line or internet connection at that precise moment.
A bit like now in fact.
I know it’s only been a two or three days since my promised reconnection on the 26th but it seem so much longer, doesn’t it? It’s my understanding that a 1 year anniversary is known as ‘paper’ but I’m not sure what a 1 week’s anniversary would be called and obviously I can’t look it up on the internet. Logic dictates that it must be smaller and thinner than ‘paper’ so I’m going to guess at ‘hair’.
So, happy ‘hair’ anniversary Mr Bee. In celebration I would have liked to have sent you one of my hairs for you to keep and cherish forever but what few I had, have now been torn out in frustration.
To be brutally frank, I’m beginning to wonder where our relationship is heading.
You teased me on Monday 25th didn’t you? I was thrilled when at around 1.15pm I received a phone call on my mobile, a full 1,440 minutes ahead of your predicted repair date, from a person who introduced herself as ‘Anne Engineer’. (She has quite a masculine voice doesn’t she?) Anyway, she explained that she was working on my fault and asked me what the symptoms were. I explained that although I’m not a doctor, my amateur diagnosis was that ‘I had no phone line’. She promised to work on it.
Thank you Anne.
Then you teased me again on Tuesday with a text message. I had a huge smile on my face when I read: “Hello, this is Mr BT....” but sadly, that faded quite rapidly as I read the rest of your message: “…It’s still not fixed”. And that’s the last I’ve heard.
It’s now Friday the 29th.
After your hollow promise of me having to lose my phone connection for ten minutes, here we are – nine DAYS later (or twelve thousand, nine hundred and sixty minutes in Telecom time) and I still have no phone.
I’m beginning to think that I was right in my first letter; in that your exchange has been hit by a small, tactical nuclear weapon. Given that, just like at Chernobyl, your Migration Team have probably had to draw straws to choose which unlucky person would ‘volunteer’ to enter the building.
Anne lost, didn’t she? This would certainly account for her deep voice and the fact that she now glows in the dark. I expect that my short length of fibre‐optic cable, sitting discarded in the corner of your exchange now has a radioactive half‐life of 50,000 years and I would recommend that Anne doesn’t touch it in case of any possible Health & Safety ramifications or potential litigation.
Despite the stress over the last nine days I’m still in reasonable health, thank you for asking. I just think that it’s a good job that I’m not elderly or infirmed and have the need for a ‘Careline’ panic button linked to my phone to press in cases of emergencies. Guess why? Go on – I dare you.
Some elderly people are not as au fait with modern technology as you or I Mr Bee and may not have access to an iPhone, iPad, iMessengerPigeon or even a mobile phone. I wonder how they’re getting on?
I hope they’re not lying lifeless in the middle of their hallway at the moment ‐ just like my phone ‐ with a doctor standing over them asking: “And what exactly seems to be the matter?”.
I like your new TV advert Mr Bee. You know the one I mean? The one where all the blue lines cascade through cities and towns into a house and into the lucky family’s computers, X‐boxes and PS3’s to show your unhindered and uninterrupted wi‐fi coverage. Have you seen it? You must remember it, yes ‐ no?
It’s the one I paid for.
My son and I have spent a long time over the last few days looking for our own blue lines and despite us opening all doors and windows and moving various large items of furniture, we still failed to allow in or discover one single line of any colour.
So in my humble opinion, our wi‐fi is SO interrupted that I would have to describe it as being completely and utterly rupted. Perhaps you could try opening a window at your end to see if that might help.
I called your she‐bot automated person again today who has a marginally sexier voice than Anne. I took a very positive attitude about it – for me to press so many buttons in such rapid succession is good practice for using our game console’s hand controller because usually I’m rubbish at playing the online version of ‘Call of Duty’. The good news is that it’s been so long since my son has played online he might have forgotten everything and I might stand a chance of beating him. I’m about to write to the game’s software team suggesting they create a new ‘BT ‐ The Final Decimation’ level. I’m very much looking forward to that.
Phoning the she‐bot was a bit like a computer game actually – after hours of battling through many levels, you think you’ve won when all of a sudden you’re told by the end‐of‐level Boss to ‘press button 2 to continue’ and then all you hear is: “Thank you for calling BT. Goodbye” and you have to start the game again. It’s not as addictive as playing Worms or Bejewelled I have to say.
I’m hoping my phone will work soon Mr BT. My voicemail is probably full and I’m looking forward to making and receiving calls again.
I hope the very first call I get is from your Subscribers & Accounts Department.
It’s been SUCH a long time and we have SO much to talk about.
Yours in baldness,
. . . it must be remembered that the sea is a great breeder of friendship. Two men who have known each other for twenty years find that twenty days at sea bring them nearer than ever they were before, or else estrange them.

Guess you didn't read the manual which says:
"This optical drive reads and writes to standard-size CDs and DVDs."
and
"The SuperDrive in your MacBook Pro supports standard 12 cm (4.7 inch) discs. Irregularly shaped discs or discs smaller than 12 cm (4.7 inches) are not supported."
so I'm not sure a sticker would have been of much help.

My IPod no longer shuffles songs within playlists that are clearly set to shuffle. It is about 3/4 full so I thought of maybe compressing the files to get more space. Do you think that is the problem and if that might help?

My IPod no longer shuffles songs within playlists that are clearly set to shuffle. It is about 3/4 full so I thought of maybe compressing the files to get more space. Do you think that is the problem and if that might help?

Storage space on the iPod would not affect shuffled playlists or playlist shuffling, though substantially full iPods may wind up skipping songs on larger playlists after a while, and require a restart. As for compressing the files themselves, you can automatically re-encode files to a lower bitrate by checking the box on the summary page when your iPod is connected to your PC/Mac.
As for the shuffle problem, after restarting your iPod (hold the center button and Menu for a few seconds, until the Apple logo appears), make sure you're telling the iPod to shuffle the songs in a playlist by repeatedly clicking the center button until the Suffle Menu comes up, then scroll to the right to turn it on. From that song forward, the playlists' contents should be shuffled every time the playlist ends, or is accessed from a new song.
Shuffle does sometimes turn itself off, I've found, so double-check the setting is still on. Also, iPods shuffle by randomly assigning a playlist order for your songs, which is different from traditional shuffle (on, say, iTunes or Windows Media Player, where the new song is determined at random upon the current track ending. The iPod only chooses a random order of songs when you shuffle, to conserve battery life and queue up songs coming up on the playlist in the event of a shock).

Which do you think; Windows 7: 32-bit / 64-bit, (plus unused RAM issues) is best for video editing?

Hi there!
Just received delivery of a Lenovo G550 with the following spec:
2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo,
4GB (DDR3 - 1066Hz) RAM,
500GB HDD
NVIDIA GeForce G210M (512MB)
Windows 7
The entire purpose for buying this laptop, was for video editing and it is the best spec I could find for my needs and budget.
So what's the problem?
1) Windows 7 is installed as 32-bit, not 64 bit. Why is this? I was given no choice in this decision.
2) Only 2.96GB of that juicey RAM is being used by Windows 7. I need as much RAM as possible for video editing.
3) Lenovo sent NO install disc. - When I eventually get a virus or my HDD fails, I have NO WAY to clean install the very product I have just purchased! (A laptop with Windows 7 OS).
Considerations:
As I understand it (please comment if there are alternative views on this); The 64-bit architecture is only useful for compatible software which has been designed to run 64-bit.
The video editing software I use is "Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 9.0"
The suggested problems with Windows 7 run as 64-bit include:
* Possible lack of driver compatibility support.
* Possibility of 32-bit programs running SLOWER in 64-bit environment, than their native 32-bit environment.
* Higher running temperatures & processor cooling issues.
* No performance gains for all other programs running as 32-bit (email, internet browser, etc).
The suggested advantages with Windows 7 run as 64-bit could be:
* Full utilisation of the 4GB RAM. (Presently limited to 2.96GB)
* Faster rendering and video editing tasks in 64-bit environment.
Questions:
4) How can I get an install disc for Windows 7? Shouldn't this come with the computer?
5) Do you think the potential hassle and architecture conflicts are worth suffering, to get the reported performance gains of 64-bit architecture and the remaining unused RAM?
Thank you for any help and advice!

contact lenovo support line for windows 7 dvds, but make sure if they send recovery dvds instead of windows 7 dvd.
most of people are having trouble with installing windows and drivers, so companies has found as this as solution to send recovery dvd -if asked- or using hidden partition to recovery system - like one key recover - instead of.
but if you ask me, they need to send dvds.
i'll contact the mods and admins about this issue, please stay connected to this post.
anyp wrote:
the member should contact lenovo, as of recently users are entitled to request media for 32 / 64 bit if they purchased one and want the other.

Oracle Security : what do you think about the following policy violation ?

If you install OEM10, you will be able to see if you violate some security guidelines :
Interresting is revoking UTL_FILE from public, which is critical. Also revoke UTL_TCP and UTL_SMTP. This is going to upset an expert I know...
Take care about the failed login attempts. If you set it to 10 to the default profile, and if your DBSNMP password is NOT the default password, then Oracle will lock your account after node discovery!
In Solaris, you can disable execution of the user stack with the system parameters set noexec_user_stack=1
set noexec_user_stack_log=1. I did not find how to do it on AIX. However, those settings may have side effects.
About the ports, it complains about open ports, even if this is the port oracle listener is using! Simply ignore most of the violations there.
About JAccelerator (NCOMP), it is located on the "companion" CD.
Ok, Waiting for your feedback
Regards
Laurent
[High]      Critical Patch Advisories for Oracle Homes     Configuration     Host     Checks Oracle Homes for missing critical patches
[High]      Insufficient Number of Control Files     Configuration     Database     Checks for use of a single control file
[High]      Open ports     Security     Host     Check for open ports
[High]      Remote OS role     Security     Database     Check for insecure authentication of remote users (remote OS role)
[High]      EXECUTE UTL_FILE privileges to PUBLIC     Security     Database     Test for PUBLIC having EXECUTE privilege on the UTIL_FILE package
[High]      Listener direct administration     Security     Listener     Ensure that listeners cannot be administered directly
[High]      Remote OS authentication     Security     Database     Check for insecure authentication of remote users (remote OS authentication)
[High]      Listener password     Security     Listener     Test for password-protected listeners
[High]      HTTP Server Access Logging     Security     HTTP Server     Check that HTTP Server access logging is enabled
[High]      Web Cache Access Logging     Security     Web Cache     Check that Web Cache access logging is enabled
[High]      Web Cache Dummy wallet     Security     Web Cache     Check that dummy wallet is not used for production SSL load.
[High]      HTTP Server Dummy wallet     Security     HTTP Server     Check that dummy wallet is not used for production SSL load.
[High]      Web Cache owner and setuid bit'     Security     Web Cache     Check that webcached binary is not owned by root and setuid is not set
[High]      HTTP Server Owner and setuid bit     Security     HTTP Server     Check the httpd binary is not owned by root and setuid bit is not set.
[High]      HTTP Server Directory Indexing     Security     HTTP Server     Check that Directory Indexing is disabled on this HTTP Server
[High]      Insufficient Redo Log Size     Storage     Database     Checks for redo log files less than 1 Mb
[Medium]      Insufficient Number of Redo Logs     Configuration     Database     Checks for use of less than three redo logs
[Medium]      Invalid Objects     Objects     Database     Checks for invalid objects
[Medium]      Insecure services     Security     Host     Check for insecure services
[Medium]      DBSNMP privileges     Security     Database     Check that DBSNMP account has sufficient privileges to conduct all security tests
[Medium]      Remote password file     Security     Database     Check for insecure authentication of remote users (remote password file)
[Medium]      Default passwords     Security     Database     Test for known accounts having default passwords
[Medium]      Unlimited login attempts     Security     Database     Check for limits on the number of failed logging attempts
[Medium]      Web Cache Writable files     Security     Web Cache     Check that there are no group or world writable files in the Document Root directory.
[Medium]      HTTP Server Writable files     Security     HTTP Server     Check that there are no group or world writable files in the Document Root directory
[Medium]      Excessive PUBLIC EXECUTE privileges     Security     Database     Check for PUBLIC having EXECUTE privileges on powerful packages
[Medium]      SYSTEM privileges to PUBLIC     Security     Database     Check for SYSTEM privileges granted to PUBLIC
[Medium]      Well-known accounts     Security     Database     Test for accessibility of well-known accounts
[Medium]      Execute Stack     Security     Host     Check for OS config parameter which enables execution of code on the user stack
[Medium]      Use of Unlimited Autoextension     Storage     Database     Checks for tablespaces with at least one datafile whose size is unlimited
[Informational]      Force Logging Disabled     Configuration     Database     When Data Guard Broker is being used, checks primary database for disabled force logging
[Informational]      Not Using Spfile     Configuration     Database     Checks for spfile not being used
[Informational]      Use of Non-Standard Initialization Parameters     Configuration     Database     Checks for use of non-standard initialization parameters
[Informational]      Flash Recovery Area Location Not Set     Configuration     Database     Checks for flash recovery area not set
[Informational]      Installation of JAccelerator (NCOMP)     Installation     Database     Checks for installation of JAccelerator (NCOMP) that improves Java Virtual Machine performance by running natively compiled (NCOMP) classes
[Informational]      Listener logging status     Security     Listener     Test for logging status of listener instances
[Informational]      Non-uniform Default Extent Size     Storage     Database     Checks for tablespaces with non-uniform default extent size
[Informational]      Not Using Undo Space Management     Storage     Database     Checks for undo space management not being used
[Informational]      Users with Permanent Tablespace as Temporary Tablespace     Storage     Database     Checks for users using a permanent tablespace as the temporary tablespace
[Informational]      Rollback in SYSTEM Tablespace     Storage     Database     Checks for rollback segments in SYSTEM tablespace
[Informational]      Non-System Data Segments in System Tablespaces     Storage     Database     Checks for data segments owned by non-system users located in tablespaces SYSTEM and SYSAUX
[Informational]      Users with System Tablespace as Default Tablespace     Storage     Database     Checks for non-system users using SYSTEM or SYSAUX as the default tablespace
[Informational]      Dictionary Managed Tablespaces     Storage     Database     Checks for dictionary managed tablespaces (other than SYSTEM and SYSAUX)
[Informational]      Tablespaces Containing Rollback and Data Segments     Storage     Database     Checks for tablespaces containing both rollback (other than SYSTEM) and data segments
[Informational]      Segments with Extent Growth Policy Violation     Storage     Database     Checks for segments in dictionary managed tablespaces (other than SYSTEM and SYSAUX) having irregular extent sizes and/or non-zero Percent Increase settings

Interresting is revoking UTL_FILE from public, which is critical. Also revoke UTL_TCP and UTL_SMTP. This is going to upset an expert I know...Okay, as this is (I think) aimed at me, I'll fall for it ;)
What is the point of revoking UTL_FILE from PUBLIC? Yes I know what you think the point is, but without rights on an Oracle DIRECTORY being able to execute UTL_FILE is useless. Unless of course you're still using the init.ora parameter
UTL_FILE_DIR=*which I sincerely hope you're not.
As for UTL_SMTP and UTL_TCP, I think whether a program is allowed to send e-mail to a given SMTP server is really in the remit of the e-mail adminstrator rather than the DBA.
Look, DBAs are kings of their realm and can set their own rules. The rest of us have to live with them. A couple of years ago I worked a project where I was not allowed access to the USER_DUMP_DEST directory. So every time I generated a TRC file I had to phone up the DBA and a couple of hours later I got an e-mail with an attachment. Secure yes, but not very productive when I was trying to debug a Row Level Security implementation.
I have worked on both sides of the DBA/Developer fence and I understand both sides of the argument. I think it is important for developers to document all the privileges necessary to make their app run. Maybe you don't have a better way of doing that than revoking privileges from PUBLIC. Or maybe you just want to generate additional communication with developers. That's fine. I know sometimes even DBAs get lonely.
Cheers, APC

What do you think of my Bash Script? What about the error checking?

Well what do you think of this Bash script
It works
I gave it some problems (i.e. unpluged the ethernet, messed up the URL's, uninstaled some programs...) to see if would report errors and stop or just keep going... But it did
I just kind of thought up a way to do some error checking with the commands that I know.....
What is a better way to do error checking?
What do you think I should add/Do to this script?
#!/bin/bash
# Shell script to make a USB Tumb Drive for Flashing BIOS on a Lenovo Ideapad Y510.
# This script needs to be owned and run as ROOT with the "sudo command"
# i.e. sudo usbbiosflasher
# If you have anyideas send me a PM on ubuntufourms.org my user name is HunterThomson
# Name/Rename this script usbbiosflasher and save it to the ~/home directory.
# Then run the command- chown root:root usbbiosflasher
# Then run the command- chmod 755 usbbiosflasher
# Then copy the script to the directory /usr/bin.
# Run this comand to do that- sudo cp ~/usbbiosflasher /usr/bin
# You also must have the program "mbr" installed
# You can install the mbr program by running this comand in the shell on Ubuntu
# sudo apt-get install mbr
# In Arch Linux you have to get it from Aur
# First you will need to know a few things...
# You will also need to know the Mount Point i.e. /media/disk and the /dev path i.e. /dev/sdb1.
# You can find these by using the df -T comand.
# Run df -T in the shell. Then plug in the USB Thumb Drive and run the df -T comand agin.
# The new listing is the USB Thumb Dirve.
# Also check to make sure the File System tipe is vFAT or FAT16 or FAT32.
# If it is not use gparted to format it to FAT32.
# I am farly certen that all USB Thumb drives come formated with FAT file system out of the BOX.
# You may want to fromat it anyway just to make sure.
echo "Interactive Shell Script to Make a USB Thumb Drive \for Flashing BIOS On a Lenovo Ideapad Y510"
echo ""
echo "You will need to have the program mbr installed"
echo "If you are on Ubuntu Linux you can retreve it form the repositories"
echo "If you are on Arch Linux you will need to get it from the Aur repository"
echo "Open anuther shell and \do that now..."
echo ""
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != y ]
do
printf "Do you have mbr installed... yes or no?"
read AN1
echo ""
printf "You answered... $AN1 I have installed mbr. Is this correct... y or n?"
read verify
done
echo ""
if [ "$AN1" == "no" ]
then
echo "Install mbr now. Then run this script agin"
exit
else
echo "contunuing script"
fi
echo ""
# The next comand will make a directory to put needed files into. Note this file and everything init will be owned by root.
mkdir ~/usbbiosfiles && check1="yes"
if [ "$check1" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Made directory usbbiosfiles... OK"
else
echo "Could not \make directory usbbiosfiles"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
exit
fi
# The next two comands will get the FreeDOS file and the .ROM file.
cd ~/usbbiosfiles && checka="yes"
if [ "$checka" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Changing to the usbbiosfiles directory... OK"
else
echo "Could not Change to the usbbiosfiles directory"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
wget "http://www.fdos.org/bootdisks/autogen/FDOEM.144.gz" && check2="yes"
if [ "$check2" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Download of FreeDOS... OK"
else
echo "Could not Download FreeDOS"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
wget "http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=78460&d=1216648756" && check3="yes"
if [ "$check3" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Download of the BIOS.ROM \file... OK"
else
echo "Could not Downlad the BIOS.ROM \file"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
# The next comand will name the .ROM file to the right name.
mv ~/usbbiosfiles/attachment.php?attachmentid=78460\&d=1216648756 ~/usbbiosfiles/06CN29WW.bios.update.tar.bz2 && check4="yes"
if [ "$check4" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Renameing of the BIOS.ROM \file... OK"
else
echo "Could not rename the BIOS.ROM \file"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
echo ""
# The next two comands set the variables. DEVX for the path i.e. /dev/xxx and MOUNTX for the mount point i.e. /media/xxx
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != y ]
do
echo "You will need to know the Mount Point and the dev Path. You will also need to \make sure the File System \type is vFAT, FAT16 or FAT32."
echo ""
echo "With the USB Thumb Drive unpluged, Open another shell and run the comand df -T Then plug \in the USB Thumb Drive and run the comand df -T one \more time. The new device listed is the USB Thumb Drive. Note the Mount Point and The dev Path and the File system Type i.e. vFAT... If the File System \type is not vFAT, FAT16 or FAT32 you will need to fromat it with gparted. You may want to format the USB Thumb Drive anyway just to \make sure. In any \case delete all files and directorys on the USB drive before you go any ferther with this program."
echo ""
printf "Enter the dev path the USB Thumb Drive is at?"
read DEVX
echo ""
echo "Are you sure $DEVX is the dev path of the USB Thumb Drive... y or n?"
read verify
done
echo ""
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != y ]
do
printf "What is the Mount Point of the USB Thumb Drive?"
read MOUNTX
echo ""
echo "Are you sure $MOUNTX is the Mount Point of the USB Drive... y or n?"
read verify
done
echo ""
install-mbr --enable A1 --partition 1 --force --timeout 0 $DEVX && check5="yes"
if [ "$check5" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Installing MBR on USB Thumb Dirve... OK"
else
echo "Could not install MBR on USB Thumb Drive"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
tar xjf ~/usbbiosfiles/*.tar.bz2 && check7="yes"
if [ "$check7" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Unpacking BIOS.ROM file... OK"
else
echo "Could not unpack BIOS.ROM file"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
gunzip ~/usbbiosfiles/FDOEM.144.gz && check8="yes"
if [ "$check8" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Unpacking FreeDOS files... OK"
else
echo "Could not unpack FreeDOS files"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
mkdir ~/usbbiosfiles/fdoem144 && check9="yes"
if [ "$check9" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Made directory fdoem144 in direcoty usbbiosfiles... OK"
echo ""
echo "Going to \sleep \for 5secs"
else
echo "Could not make directory fdoem144 in usbbiosfiles directory"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
modprobe loop && sleep 5 && check0="yes"
if [ "$check0" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Modprobeing loop... OK"
else
echo "Could not \modprobe loop"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
mount -o loop ~/usbbiosfiles/FDOEM.144 ~/usbbiosfiles/fdoem144 && check10="yes"
if [ "$check10" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Mounting FreeDOS on the fdoem144 directory... OK"
else
echo "Could not \mount FreeDOS on the fdoem144 directory"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
cp ~/usbbiosfiles/fdoem144/* $MOUNTX && check11="yes"
if [ "$check11" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Copying FreeDOS files to $MOUNTX... OK"
else
echo "Could not copy FreeDOS files to $MOUNTX"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
cp ~/usbbiosfiles/*.ROM $MOUNTX && check12="yes"
if [ "$check12" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Copying BIOS.ROM files to $MOUNTX... OK"
else
echo "Could not copy BIOS.ROM files to $MOUNTX"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
sync && check13="yes"
if [ "$check13" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Runing the syncing command... OK"
else
echo "Could not run the syncing command"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
umount ~/usbbiosfiles/fdoem144 && check14="yes"
if [ "$check14" = "yes" ]
then
echo "Unmounting of FreeDOS... OK"
else
echo "Could not unmount FreeDOS"
echo "Look above for errors or problems reported and fix the problem"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this script agin"
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
fi
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != y ]
do
printf "Do you see any errors... yes or no?"
read AN2
echo ""
printf "You answered... $AN2 to errors. Is this correct... y or n?"
read verify
done
echo ""
if [ "$AN2" == "yes" ]
then
echo "User Repoted... Error"
echo "Look above for errors or problems reported and fix the problem"
echo ""
echo "removeing directory usbbiosfiles..."
echo ""
echo "Reformat the USB Stick to FAT32 with gparted"
echo "Fix the problem and run this script agin"
rm -r ~/usbbiosfiles
exit
else
echo "Success"
echo "I did a lot of error checking too and didnt find anything"
echo ""
echo "Go get a pen and paper to write down these instructions"
printf "Then hit the Enter to continue"
read WAIT
echo ""
echo "Now leave the USB Thumb Drive pluged into your computer and Reboot. When the Lenovo Logo POST screen appears hit F2 to enter the CMOS setup utility. Go over to BOOT tab and go down to HardDrive \(Not Boot Order) \then \select the USB Thumb Drive as the 1st hard drve. Then F10 and yes to save changes. Your compter will reboot agin. Then when the Lenovo Logo POST Screen appers on reboot hit F4 to enter the BIOS FLASHING program. The USB Thumb Drive will be seen as the C drive \in the list on the Left, Select it. Then \select the .ROM \file \in the list on the Right and start the BIOS FLASH. \(NOTE Your hart may stop beating... This is normal) Pray to any God you know of and your computer should restart just like normal. Hit F2 and the BIOS will now stay it is 06CN29WW. You will need to \set the boot order to the way you like it and other things \if you need to because they have been changed to the default."
fi
echo ""
echo "End of script"
Last edited by hunterthomson (2008-08-10 11:17:47)

Personally..... (this is just how I would have written it - if it works, then it's good enough for me though )
I would change this whole block:
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != y ]
do
printf "Do you have mbr installed... yes or no?"
read AN1
echo ""
printf "You answered... $AN1 I have installed mbr. Is this correct... y or n?"
read verify
done
echo ""
if [ "$AN1" == "no" ]
then
echo "Install mbr now. Then run this script agin"
exit
else
echo "contunuing script"
fi
To this much shorter code:
MBR='/usr/bin/install-mbr' # Or where ever you expect it to be
if [ ! -x $MBR ] ; then
echo "mbr doesn't appear to be installed."
echo "If it is installed, check it's location, make sure it's executable and then make sure the MBR variable in this script is correct"
exit 1
fi
I wouldn't have used the checkXX variables for each stage:
mkdir ~/usbbiosfiles
if [ $? != 0 ] ; then
#failed
echo "Could not \make directory usbbiosfiles"
echo "look above \for \info"
echo "Fix the problem and run this scrip agin"
exit 1
else
echo "Made directory usbbiosfiles... OK"
fi
There is an issue with the way you do your verifications - the user can never get out unless they answer 'y' or hit CTRL+C. Something like this gives them options:
verify="n"
while [ "$verify" != "y" && "$verify" != "n" ]; do
echo "You need to answer 'y'es or 'n'o"
read verify
echo $verify | tr "[:upper:]" "[:lower:]" # This converts the answer to lowercase so replies entered in upper case will still work
done
if [ $verify != 'y' ] ; then
exit 1
fi
One last thing I try to do in scripts... Declare all your binaries as variables at the start of the program, then execute the binary program by using the variable. For example:
# Binaries
TAR='/bin/tar'
CP='/bin/cp'
CHMOD='/bin/chmod'
# Execute tar and chmod the created file
$TAR cvzf /tmp/tarfile.tar.gz /etc/*.conf
$CHMOD 400 /etc/*.conf
This way, it's easy to change the path in future without having to hunt through the script if the paths change, and it also ensures you're calling the programs using the full paths to make sure you're not executing some strange variant or alias that someone has setup. If I use `chmod` 30 times in a script, and the path changes in the future or on a different system (`chmod` is a bad example cause it's highly unlikely to change, but you know what I mean), then all you need to do is update the variable at the start of the script, and it all works again without having to script-hunt and change it 30 times.

Lack of SD card slots what do you think

I don't know about the rest of you, but I like my stuff on an SD card. Not in a cloud. It seems Motorola, Verizon, and android all want you to put your stuff in the cloud. I'm sorry but I like my privacy and I like to access my content even when I have no signal. The cloud is for morons who don't realize their stuff can be hacked. If the Pentagon can be hacked, so can the cloud. Verizon, give us the option. Quit force feeding us stuff that a bunch of techno geeks sitting around and dream up. I have been a loyal customer for years and your trying my patience. I like my Droid Razr MAXX HD. It has served me well for 2 years in some of the worst environments. It has never failed me and I think you hit the nail on the head when you introduced it. But you took a moronic stance and quit offering it. You got it right and then screwed it up. The only complaint I had was all the bloat ware. Give us the choice. We buy the phone, it is ours, we should be the ones to decide what stays and what goes. Not some ***** sitting in marketing. If you want to introduce it, then do so but allow the people the choice of what stays and what goes. It will cost you customers in the future if you don't, including me. Have a nice day!!!!

You ask "what do you think".
I think that your message would/will be better received if you didn't resort to name calling and "colorful" language.
You/we will never win the "argument" over what you term "bloatware". Verizon enters into financial agreements with the providers of that software to be able to install it on the devices. They make a lot of money (presumably) on this, so it is not likely to end.

Still in a quandary about hardware specs. What do you think?

I need to build a new system as editing machine for CS4. Everything is more or less clear as to what I need, there are only two issues remaining:
1. How much RAM to install, and
2. Disk setup.
As always there is the balance between performance and costs. Since this is not "an unlimited means available" type of machine, you will not see much esoteric components, like SSD raids or nVidia Quadro CX card. It is a dual E5472 Harpertown system (8 core), running Vista 64 Business.
1. How much RAM would be a good balance in price/performance? 8 or 16 GB? We are talking about Kingston Value Ram DDR2-6400 ECC FBDIMM, either 4 x 2 GB ( 420) or 4 x 4 GB ( 650), with the possibility to double memory in the future. If you do not make a habit of continuously switching between PP, AE, EN, PS etc. and are mainly using only 1 application at the time, I wonder if there is a noticeable performance gain to justify the additional cost. The choice is obvious if the total cost of the machine would not be stretching available means. So what do you think?
2. Main storage is 8 x WD Caviar Black 1 TB disks in raid50 for media, renders, scratch etc. But what about the boot disk? Either a 300 GB WD Velociraptor ( 240), or 4 x WD Scorpio (7200 RPM) 160 GB in raid10 ( 250), using on-board ESB2 chipset.
While we are at it, does it make sense to add 4 x WD Scorpio 250 GB in Raid5 (on an Areca ARC controller with free ports) only for pagefile, projects and temporary export. Final export will be transferred over the network to a burning machine for DVD's. Backups of projects is to external USB disks and on a separate machine over VPN.
The case has room for 8 hot swappable 3.5" disks and 8 hot swappable 2.5" laptop disks plus another disk and a DVD/BR burner internally. There are still 4 external eSATA ports available for future expansion. Foreseen video card is ATI 4870 512MB. Network is currently a 1 Gb connection, but can be enhanced to 2 Gb with 2 NIC's.
Look forward to your reactions.

Bill,
The case is the
Supermicro SC743TQ-865SQ
and the storage bay for the 2.5" disks is the
Addonics AE4RCS25NSA (2.5 Disk Array 4SA)
Thanks for your remark about the difficulty of troubleshooting boot arrays. That might be an advantage for the Velociraptor.
Dag, no. I don't make the mistake of visiting Amsterdam, unless it is absolutely necessary, like visiting the IBC, let alone visiting those bars. I came to realize that Vista has grown up a bit with SP1 and with full support for 64 it now makes a bit more sense than XP64. It does imply a couple of days tweaking Vista (= removing 'features') to make it work decently, but after that is accomplished I will make a slip streamed DVD version for future installs, so that is a one time investment. With recent enhancements in Nullsoft that is easily accomplished, including all intermediate patches and 'Patch Tuesday' versions.

'DNG-back-to-X' or 'reverse conversion'. Do you think it's needed ?

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I still need to speak my mind
I believe a "reverse DNG converter" is not a convenience but a necessity.
I've come to the conclussion, from what I've observed since I use DNG myself, that having this converter would eliminate the two main reasons I find people still have to not use DNG.
The main fear I've observed is that A LOT of people have the impression that Adobe pretends to lure them into a trap, 'slaving' them to an Adobe format instead of their camera format : just a change of master, but remaining a slave just the same. Their reasoning is 'why change, there are no advantages freedom-wise'.
Added to this, a lack of real/full support of the DNG format in software outside of Adobe reinforces that perception: they feel they're forced to use an Adobe product from the day they start using DNG.
The other one is caused by disinformation : Most people believe they lose data in the process of conversion. This is also reinforced because all non-Adobe software fail to read the propietary info, maker notes, inside the DNG file.
A 'DNG-back-to-X' converter would end the discussion instantly. This would not only ensure them that they can go back at any time they wish, no harm done, but they could test if their data is conserved back-and-forth, finally understanding that no data is lost and that the only problem is software companies not fully understanding/supporting DNG.
They reason often given for not having this reverse converter is technical. I believe it can be done ... if Adobe wants to make a point having it done.
I'm no engineer, but I have the perception that though it may be difficult, they main reason for not having it done is that Adobe feels there's not enough benefit from it and their resources are better employed elsewhere.
With this message I just wan't to expose MY reasoning of why Adobe needs to address this.
What is your oppinion on what I've just said ? Do you think it would be a welcome tool ? Do you think it is technically possible to do it ?
Thanks for reading my poor excuse of an analysis

JimHess:
I use DNG because, apart from the normal metadata cuestion, it saves me from having original and (multiple) final versions of the image. All the edit steps and therefore all the version of the image, can be contained within one single file.
It can do that for Lightroom, and it could do that for any other program that chose to save the processing steps inside the DNG file instead of on an internal database. For me it solves a lot of archiving problems.
BUT I need it to succeed, or all the advantages of using it now will turn into headaches in the future when no one apart from Adobe really supports it.
In your answer I find the same 'barrier against DNG spread' problem I'm talking about. DNG is, in each and every aspect, a better format than any propietary RAW file, and the benefits of having to manage just one format are many ... yet you don't find the need to use it as the main filetype in your workflow.
I believe that, if 'de-converting' were as easy and trivial as converting to DNG, you would indistinctly use any of them. Right now, as you said, have to be convinced to use DNG... because it has tradeoffs.
Being able to convert and de-convert would wipe any tradeoffs and need-to-be-convinced.
Greg Barnett :
I obviously enjoy having better noise reduction and lens corrections too. But that can be done with many other tools.
DNG conversion and de-conversion foundations must be done by the 'fathers' of the format. It can't be done by anyone else, and it needs to be done or DNG will lack a solid and trustworthy roots to grow further.
Any doubt about being a wise move to convert to DNG or not must be erradicated in order to be adopted without remorses, and the most important step is, more important than denoising algorithms from my point of view, to tell everyone - you can trust us with your image, we are TRULY open, we won't held your images hostages, you are free using DNG and here's the proof.

What do you think is the best method to achieve this:

Within my main timeline, I have a bunch of buttons that scale up on mouseOver and scale down on MouseOut. With your help, I have gotten these all set up exactly how I need them to be.... so thanks for that.
My next question is a bit trickier, I think I have a few options to achieve it, but curious what you think is the best way to do such a thing:
So, if you rollover a button, you get the scale up, now, what needs to happen, is when you click that button, the button scales to full screen with bleeds, check out the AS2 version here: www.straightlinenyc.com/introduction/launch.html (go to explore, and click any of the circles).
Right now, I am thinking that when you click a bubble, within its movieclip I will build the transition – so if you click, it will go to the btnHit label and there the button will scale up and set the stage for me to load in the case study work. My thinking is at the end of the scale up to full screen, I could put an enterFrame function, saying once you hit this frame, gotoAndPlay the case study frame that I will place on the main timeline.
Obviously, my problem right now, is that if you mouse off the buttons hit state while this is occurring, everything goes away – so thinking on hit I should remove the hit state child.
The other option that may make more sense, is to addChild the hit state, so when you click it, that just loads on top of the button then runs, is this the simpler way?
Anyway, just would be good to get "some" direction, and take it from there. Thanks!

Depending on the specs of your computer, time taken to convert DVD's to an iPod-playable format can vary. On my computer (see below), it takes about 10 hours to convert a 2-hour DVD to the iPod format, using Videora.
So, due to the extremely large size of the DVD rip, it'll take a while to convert it, regardless of how fast or slow your system is.

Digital Security - What do You Think?

Here's a thought: what if we used our own digits (ie 'fingers') to make up the digits of our passcode?
So, while it's possible that the hacker may find one or two of our prints, they are very unlikely to find all five of them, and to guess the length of the code, or the code itself.
And I'm pretty sure that the possible permutations will be enormous (in the order of quintillions) if we allow, say, up to 10 digits to be applied in a user specific, digital order.
And quite difficult to run a dictionary attack on a string of one or more images, too.
Might be of interest to percolate this idea.

Interresting is revoking UTL_FILE from public, which is critical. Also revoke UTL_TCP and UTL_SMTP. This is going to upset an expert I know...Okay, as this is (I think) aimed at me, I'll fall for it ;)
What is the point of revoking UTL_FILE from PUBLIC? Yes I know what you think the point is, but without rights on an Oracle DIRECTORY being able to execute UTL_FILE is useless. Unless of course you're still using the init.ora parameter
UTL_FILE_DIR=*which I sincerely hope you're not.
As for UTL_SMTP and UTL_TCP, I think whether a program is allowed to send e-mail to a given SMTP server is really in the remit of the e-mail adminstrator rather than the DBA.
Look, DBAs are kings of their realm and can set their own rules. The rest of us have to live with them. A couple of years ago I worked a project where I was not allowed access to the USER_DUMP_DEST directory. So every time I generated a TRC file I had to phone up the DBA and a couple of hours later I got an e-mail with an attachment. Secure yes, but not very productive when I was trying to debug a Row Level Security implementation.
I have worked on both sides of the DBA/Developer fence and I understand both sides of the argument. I think it is important for developers to document all the privileges necessary to make their app run. Maybe you don't have a better way of doing that than revoking privileges from PUBLIC. Or maybe you just want to generate additional communication with developers. That's fine. I know sometimes even DBAs get lonely.
Cheers, APC

LinkSys or Belkin? Makes you think!!

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