Calling all geeks... calling all geeks...

TerryinMD · Feb 8, 2003

Watch those teenagers like a hawk! 

Oh yeah!! Indeed!! My youngest daughter has a couple of friends who consider themselves self-ordained computer guru's. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Not!! I consider myself computer literate - but far from a guru. I had a discussion with one of the local wizards a couple of days ago about using Kaaza and "borrowing" software using the tool. These kids think that it is okay to download, music, movies, and software using this tool. I tried to reason with him that he was "stealing" the data and he should reconsider his actions. That's all I can do as he is not my son. Even if I mentioned this to the parents, the boy would continue. Minimumly, he could buy one copy of a CD and copy it. That does not make it right, but at least you are supporting the artisit (I wait with baited breath on this comment!!!)

My kids know how I feel about downloading stuff and installing it because it seems to be cool and it's free. I always remind them that there is no free lunch. There is always a hook somewhere to be found.

DocHeb, thank you for the advice.

Terry

frank_f15 · Feb 11, 2003

TERRY: different generation i guess, what u and i consider stealing to them is just free music. not going to get into a whole thing about what is right or wrong, but on the other end of the spectrum what about the software that, don't work when u buy it? where is the protection for the consumer? VERY TOUGH QUESTIONS. and i sure as heck don't have the ans.

thcri · Feb 11, 2003

Got the same problem with my son. He is 19 so I can only try to reason with him. I did install the program Kazaa on my computer and did download a bunch of files. I have since deleted the program and have almost destroyed all the discs I made. I only made about 5 disc. I ran a spy ware program and you wouldn't believe the programs running on my PC. Anyway I guess I look at it as taking from someone else's way of making money.

Murph

TerryinMD · Feb 11, 2003

Well, to get back to the original topic....

I sent off a message to the HP Online Support System.... Not!!! I asked them to explain what "ktchnsnk.exe" is and it's purpose in life. After several autogenerated email replies, I finally got a message stating that yes, "kchnsnk.exe" is one of the programs included with the OfficeJet Multifunction software. Additionally, if I wanted a detailed explaination, please call this toll-free number and talk to their support people for a FEE. Nice!!! I'm not going to pay them to tell me something that could be explained in a email by one of their techies in a minute or so.

Then, HP has the nerve to send me a customer survey asking how well they did.... I rated the basic service Satisfactory and let them know that I was displeased with them asking me to pay for information that should be provided by them. Scheeeezzz!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I understand some of the reasoning because you do have people who call for some of the silliest things and abuse the service. But, cut me a break. At least attempt to answer an intelligent question.

Forever confused....

Terry

herbenus · Feb 11, 2003

I have mixed fellings about downloading music, copying cd's, etc. When I was younger, I routinely taped music off the radio, or taped from a record. Against the law? Yep. No different then today only the technology is different. Did I fell guilty? Not really. Actually I felt kind of clever for obtaining music that I was too poor to buy. The manufacturers will come up with a scheme to block some of it. And someone will come up with a workaround. etc.

Last year I bought an audio cd recorder to put my plastic onto cd. Probably I'm breaking some law again.

DocHeb · Feb 11, 2003

One of the pages of the software manual that came with CRM or DOS Software was a list of all the files affiliated with the program. That way you knew which ones you needed and which ones you didn't have to copy onto your 8" floppy disk.

My fifteen year old found several 5 1/2" floppies in a drawer - "Hey dad, what are these things?" Time marches on - I'm just trying to keep up.

TerryinMD · Feb 12, 2003

Well, you may as well add 3.5" floppies as well. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Dell is beginning to exclude them now. If you want a 3.5 floppy disk drive in your new machine, you'll have to ask for it!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Consider the power you have at your disposal with a desktop machine compared with the mainframes of 20 or so years ago. Truely amazing!! Time marches on....

Terry

Wingnut · Feb 12, 2003

Well, you may as well add 3.5" floppies as well 
One of my virtual staff (I have people scattered across 3 continents) asked me for some advice to aid her on the days when she needs to work from home. She wanted to know what the possibilities were for taking the spreadsheets she's working with home.
I listed the pluses and minuses of floppies, zip disks, burning CD's and then suddenly thought of the new, very tiny, USB "drives". I just got an email noting rebates on one model which would bring the price of their offering down to $49 ... for a 128 mb model .... and that really made me realize how far we've come.
In 1985, I hacked together 2 Miniscribe hard drives and some cables, enclosures and such to make myself an 80 mb hard drive for my Amiga 1000 .... it cost me a little over $1200 to cobble that together ... and I was so proud, having 80mb of hard drive on a machine that wasn't made to recognize a hard drive .... and now, 18 years later, I can purchase a device that stores 50% more data on a little dingus hardly bigger than my pinkie.
And back on floppies .... my new IBM laptop (company owned) came sans floppy drive ... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

looch · Feb 12, 2003

( Well, you may as well add 3.5" floppies as well.)

Wouldn't it be nice, though, before obsoleting the 3.5" floppy, if those in power actually made a computer that could be repaired without requiring a boot disk. It has not been done yet. I regularly need to use a floppy boot disk to repair, recover, re-initialise the machines that I'm responsible for.

In fact, funny that you mention it, Wingnut - I had to repair a brand new IBM T30 laptop just last week. It wouldn't boot - \windows\systems32\config\system file was corrupt or missing. This brand new laptop has all kinds of data on it that I don't want to lose over such a dumb problem. I find out from IBM that the only thing to do in this case is to bite the bullet and use the "System Recovery" option from the boot menu. Wrong answer. I grab a Windows XP CD (because the laptop doesn't come with one /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif) and installed a second copy of the OS. This allowed me to boot the thing and get the files off to a safe location. Then, my idea was to reboot it and run the recover procedure. Problem - I reboot and the F11 "System Recovery" option is gone. Must have been something to do with me installing a second copy of the OS.

I go back to the IBM site and find a utility to restore that boot option. You guessed it - "unpack the contents of this file to bootable floppy disk."

OK, first, you must overcome the fact that you can't create a boot disk with any MS OS younger than Millenium. I did however manage to find a utility (rawrite2) to get past this hurdle.

Second, This laptop has no floppy drive!! I tried making a bootable CD - I gave up after the 3rd one. So, I caved and ordered a floppy drive. Once I received it - all of 5 minutes to repair the boot menu problem.

For the record - I hate floppies. They're slow, limited to 1.44 MB, and completely unreliable. However, it burns my butt that even though they are still needed, more and more machines are coming without them.

Wingnut · Feb 12, 2003

we keep one floppy hanging around taht we can switch to any machine that might need it .... but I don't have any files small enough for a 1.44 .... been doing the sneakernet thing with 100mb zips instead.
Which brings to ming MY problem with the "new" T30 ... I finally got irked enough to put in a trouble call (hey, I'm trying to be good, I kept catching heck (and getting this completely UNDESERVED rep as a rebel) for hacking every piece of hardware that hits my desk /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) ... because the silly thing wouldn't boot proerly when in the dock. So I learned to boot while it was out of the replicator and then put it into the replicator when it was searching for the NT bootgod machine.
Wasted 15 minutes trying to explain it to "our" help(less) desk, and then 30 minutes logging the call with IBM and talking ot their help(less) desk and their (clueless) techie ... they sent out a new port replicator. Npoe that wasn't it .... ok, let's try switching out the machine ... nope .... ok, what's different here ... why is it looking for remote devices to boot from ... hmmm ... let's try to NOT have the zip drive plugged into the USB post .... hmmm - look it works.
I'd blame BillyGates ... but this is on boot so IFVM (again) gets the nod for missing another obvious goofup.
So now I only plug in the bigsneakernet box when I have to take a file home and get some real work done /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif