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  1. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    What does low-hanging water vapor have to do with making your car dirty? Is the air THAT bad out there? 'Cause I living in the Toxic Waste Capital of the USA (Yes, Gary Indiana is worse than Newark, New Jersey), and our air isn't THAT bad.
  2. Mercutio

    Building a Storage Server Thread

    CSA is its own bus to RAM, IIRC. Using GBoC/CSA on the i875 would mean extra PCI bandwidth for disk controllers. I'd still like to suggest something in a rackmount case, simply because of cable length limitations with IDE and with tower cases. I don't have any one in particular in mind, but...
  3. Mercutio

    Building a Storage Server Thread

    They wanted something they could use as a workstation. I can theorize that they might've wanted to realize the performance improvement of the 200Mhz-native bus used by high-end P4s, but they didn't make any other choices that would lead to a fast disk subsystem (e.g. WD *JB drives, RAID0, RAID1...
  4. Mercutio

    Building a Storage Server Thread

    OK, I know I'm not the only person here who has put together a workgroup storage server. How about some suggestions to do firingsquad one better? The goal of this process will be suggestions that can be integrated into a single article. It might also be a good idea to impose a budget...
  5. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    There's obviously a market for knowledge about small storage servers like this one. The firingsquad article was linked on slashdot as well, where it got 300ish comments, which stands as a moderately popular article for the day (about like a thread that get 8 or 10 replies here). I think there's...
  6. Mercutio

    Figuring out the graphic card universe...need for a database

    Funny you should mention that. I was looking at some new-model laptops (probably Dells, although I don't remember and I'm too lazy to look) today and happened to notice upgradeable GPUs on some of the newer models. I think it's a bad trend, since it's another way that fleets can end up...
  7. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    No giving the brits a free pass! I'd like it to make sense, yes. I've offered to write on the subject of HTPCs, but I'm fairly certain that the only other personhere who would be interested is Fushigi. Spending my free time - I don't usually have a lot of it in a stretch - writing about the...
  8. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    A couple of other thoughts: They completely neglect the software aspect of this PC. Their stated goal is to use this machine as a workstation as well as a server, which suggests to me that dumbass who wrote this probably wants to put a dumbass OS on it, like 2000 Pro or XP Pro or worst of all...
  9. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    Might I remind everyone of my offer: Write an article, 1000 words, on a computer related topic, and I'll ship you a 256MB PC3200 DIMM from Crucial.
  10. Mercutio

    HP agrees with Tannin, Merc, et. al.

    Dell already has a similar program. I have no idea why. Dell Whiteboxes are more expensive than regular whiteboxes and you're essentially responsible for support (Dell gives you a special support site you can visit). That HP is doing the same thing just says that they're trying to get greedy...
  11. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    Conversely, it's fairly easy to get a 4, 5, or 6U chassis with support for lots and lots of drive bays, builtin temperature monitoring, and a drive bay arrangement that lends itself easily to dealing with cables that can only be 18" long.
  12. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    Yeah, 'cause y'know? Rackmount cases need all the heat they can... Oh. Wait. They didn't use a rackmount case, either. Pardon me while I point and laugh.
  13. Mercutio

    [NEWS] - Building a budget storage server

    ... proving once again that the people at firingsquad are morons in search of a clue. For that price they should be able to manage 2400GB and a high-end Escalade to put it on.
  14. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    I ended up buying from a little shop that just opened in Highland Indiana. They keep weird hours - I think they do installs during the day, but they carry Denon and Integra, KEF and B&W. Plus furniture, interconnects and home automation equipment. This after visiting several places over in your...
  15. Mercutio

    Figuring out the graphic card universe...need for a database

    One of my personal favorites is the Rage Fury Maxx, which divided the screen in half and assigned each half (top v. bottom) to a Rage Fury Pro processor. Obviously, a last gasp before the Radeon. IIRC it benchmarked roughly equivalent to a Vodoo 3500. Also there were two chips from Rendition...
  16. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    Why does anyone in California need a garage? Garages are for keeping you from having to scrape ice off your windshield. Buck, have you ever even SEEN snow?
  17. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    KEF Reference series + Integra DTR-8.2 (with builtin cat5 terminals for multiroom speaker wiring and a radio remote) = Heaven. Bliss. Plus the damn thing weighs 60lbs. Perfect for beating Greek medical students who tell me I don't know anything about audio equipment 'cause I don't like Bose.
  18. Mercutio

    Dell to offer 16ms response time 20" LCD (2001FP)

    I am vindicated in my opinion of the Matrix. At last.
  19. Mercutio

    IE to Suck Less

    While still not Firebird or even Opera, Microsoft has decided there there is in fact something it can do to make IE suck less. If this is enabled by default, it'll probably mean web advertisers will have to come up with new ways to suck more.
  20. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    So you're actually planning on putting all your stuff in that little hutch they give you? I think that would be a PITA to deal with, as far as getting decent sound goes. I think I'd orient my living room to the straight, bare wall and put everything along that. Put speaker stands behind the...
  21. Mercutio

    Inwall Speakers

    I just upgraded my gear recently. For chrissakes, if you're spending real money on speakers, listen to them first. Buying speakers over the phone or online is a lot like buying a display online. I auditioned B&W, Mirage and Wharfedale before deciding on an all-KEF setup for my living room...
  22. Mercutio

    [News] Fedora Core 1 Released

    Basically it comes down to less knowledge of the testing material floating around. There are books out, about what to expect, but the 1st editions never get quite right.
  23. Mercutio

    Spam from your gateway

    Er, MSN Messenger, that is.
  24. Mercutio

    Spam from your gateway

    The most annoying thing about MSN? If you take the time to figure out how to remove it from XP, the FIRST THING that happens when you connect to the internet with MSN is that it gets downloaded and reinstalled.
  25. Mercutio

    Which system to sell?

    It can get worse than that, of course...
  26. Mercutio

    Best movie you've seen

    I'm just glad no one has made a post about the new Matrix movie in this thread...
  27. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    You could always try a Zalman cooler, Blake, or one of those 80mm lateral exhaust fans that screws into an expansion slot.
  28. Mercutio

    The end-of-2003 PC Config Thread

    The Antec Sonata is lust-inspiring. I like most of Compucase's lineup. Premier makes decent cheapies.
  29. Mercutio

    Disconnect issues with WRT54G

    Ahem. This will probably lead to re-visiting several customer sites. Maybe I'll just move 'em all to RADIUS and be done with it.
  30. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    It's not much of a problem for me. I pass my "old" ones out in builds. My current inventory: ATI 9800Pro (2003 Server) ATI 9700AIW (Gaming system) Sapphire 9600AIW (HTPC, because it's quieter, draws less power and can tune FM) Sapphire 9000VIVO (Linux Fileserver 1 and no, the VIVO features...
  31. Mercutio

    The united states Economy

    You specified public hospitals. It's somewhat off the topic. The fact is, those place will treat you. They'll also write you a large bill on your way out the door. The goal of something like Universal Coverage would be to keep medical costs within the bounds of rationality.
  32. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    I went out and bought a 9800 Pro. I wanted a copy of HL2 anyway. :)
  33. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    Yeah. I should still have the CD from my 9700 and a couple of retail 9500s I sold, but the installer from ATI's site isn't working with those.
  34. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    Unfortunately, it has to be from ATI for the DVD software update to work. It turns out that ATI's hardware MPEG2 decoding makes a big difference to playback quality on my HTPC
  35. Mercutio

    ATI 9600+ install CD

    I've got a half-dozen original ATI CDs sitting around my desk, absolutely none of which work with the CD-checking program that runs prior to upgrading or installing ATI DVD software on R300-based ATI cards. If someone has one (from a 9[5-8]00) they'd be willing to part with temporaril, or to...
  36. Mercutio

    [News] Fedora Core 1 Released

    It's not worth a whole lot any more. There's no way I would've bothered with the 2003 stuff if I didn't have to teach it.
  37. Mercutio

    Spam from your gateway

    Oh man does this make me pissed.
  38. Mercutio

    [News] Fedora Core 1 Released

    A+ or Server+ and Network+ together count as an elective toward MCSA certification. MCSA 2000 = 70-210 or 70-270 (2000 Pro or XP Pro), 70-215 (2000 Server) and 70-218 (Administering a Windows 2000 Network), and one elective. The 2003 exams were not a picnic and I'm not sure there's any point...
  39. Mercutio

    The united states Economy

    There is of course the issue of finding a public hospital. In all of Chicago, there is only one, Cook County General (the basis for the medical drama show whose name escapes me). Three million people, and only one that will take in anybody. A couple years ago, a gang member was shot and lay...
  40. Mercutio

    US government agency takes on Pop-up software

    I come into contact with people through my trainer job who think they're technical geniuses for being able to plug everything in the back of their PC. Trust me: They know the word "Popup". And "Spam". And complain loudly about both. We keep burned CDs with AVG, spamihiliator and Panicware's...
  41. Mercutio

    Which system to sell?

    You might do better to switch the SCSI drives for something largish and IDE. The person buying the machine will almost certainly not appreciate the performance and will probably dislike the noise. If you're selling it locally, absolutely don't try to price your computer higher than what someone...
  42. Mercutio

    The end-of-2003 PC Config Thread

    That's 3.5 years, Coug, even if MBTF *did* mean "lifespan". Again, I know the Optorite drives are cheap, but I'm pretty sure they're just the drives Sony didn't feel like putting its name on. They are usable products, particularly given Fushigi's budgetary constraint.
  43. Mercutio

    The united states Economy

    That every Canadian can actually see a doctor when he or she is sick?
  44. Mercutio

    The united states Economy

    If you're in Euroland, why do you care so much about our politics?
  45. Mercutio

    US government agency takes on Pop-up software

    After a little thought, I've decided this was a poor decision. Not going after a spammer... going after the WRONG spammer. Windows Messaging pop-ups are so easy to stop it's disgusting. Really. Even if you're a total moron. You don't know what causes them, but hey, right in the title bar for...
  46. Mercutio

    The end-of-2003 PC Config Thread

    I've only ever used the 4x models. That 8x unit doesn't look anything like the ones I've bought (DD2203, according to their site).
  47. Mercutio

    The united states Economy

    Ever hear of Section 8 Housing, Bill? Granted, I'm not sure the federal government still specifically funds that program, but there certainly are government funded programs for providing shelter to those who can't afford it (I know, for example, that when Chicago demolished Cabrini Green, a lot...
  48. Mercutio

    Wired Cricket Balls to Enhance Play

    And only 1.5 million direct from federal sources. The NEA and PBS are similarly self-supporting. It annoys me a great deal that certain people in our government claim that we need to stop supporting public broadcasting (all $1.5 million of it, for NPR), while they at the same time sponsor...
  49. Mercutio

    Which system to sell?

    The 2.4GHz-equivalent area is more or less where AMD and Intel actually run together in terms of performance (with Intel breaking away over 2.8 or so).
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