Survey posted 2005-10-30 17:49 by Jon.

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Survey idea by Alex Clink.

Also, I received the most survey ideas this week than I ever have before, so please keep it up! I'm very rushed to be creative for the next couple of weeks.

On an aside, newsletter will be a little late, but just about everything is together. Who will was interviewed this edition? Find out shortly!</teaser>

It's all Michael V's fault... :)

I beg to differ it has to be Microsoft's fault....

...just like it is microsoft's fault that this world is soo stuffed up.....

Right, everything's their fault! (jk)

Amen to that brother
everything is microsoft's fault

The saddest part is that everything doesn't have to be their fault. If Microsoft would just use its monopoly power to create a software product worth using (yes, I'm using Windows right now, but that's beside the point), then no one would need to rag on Microsoft all the time. I realize this is wishful thinking on my part, but if I were CEO of Microsoft...

the only thing I have to add to that:
Microsoft isn´t willing to improve anything as long as they´re getting their precious money...
So Windows is only usable for me the way I use it...
about 1/3 of my windows XP (hate it) is changed in a way... either by implementing other programs doing the job or by ripping out and changing unneeded registry entires...

That's the problem with a monopoly. They're not forced to keep on improving their stuff the way they would be if there was competition, so unless there's a company in control of the market that really _is_ committed to producing good software *laughs until I choke and die*, it's just going to be this way.

Yeah, and if they wouldn't try to patent and hide everything to drive out alternative systems like Linux...

If you were CEO of Microsoft... please help me because I would say some really nasty thing right here

Why is Michael Vincent an option?

Cuz he thinks he's brilliant, like Microsoft.

;-)

microsoft isn't brilliant

He thinks that he's brilliant, just as Microsoft considers itself to be brilliant...

You get it ;-)

But he is.

Ex employee?

no, but close. I am a mac user

GRRRRRRR!!! Evil Mac user!
Click the link, get brainwashed by the evil Microsoft Halo music!

I mean...um...listen to the pretty music.

Sorry, link doesn't work.

Go here:
http://softwarex-files.download.com/sd/ -eZ20JnfueLcYeCeC3VBAlQXRKCjrRiCCXdP41zm vVNqJN3YE7YD2S5P1OKz6Q_fCUi4nn3DO5OVjWN OKbmedHwCPkvSK6p9/ software/10283058/102 83057/3/remembrance.mp3? lop=link&ptype=3000&ontid= 7453&siteId= 4&edId=3&pid=10283058&psid= 10283057

(No spaces)

Ouch...
404'd!

Allow me to be the first to run to his defence.

What's so evil about Macs? Better than using M$ products! (Not that I'm not involuntarily tied to them at the moment, unfortunately)

Yeah, I know what you mean. I get by with just using Windows....

I don't like Macs. They are way to user friendly, and I hate very much that they have no task manager, so u cant see how busy ur cpu is. Microsoft isn't much better. Linux is much much better. GO LINUX!

they do have a "task manager" (command + option + esc) and what is so bad about being able to fling windows everywhere and rearrange them instantly? better than having your computer crash every 2-5 minutes. did you know that when bill gates was presenting new microsoft software he suffered from 3 windows related crashes?

As a Linux proponent, I would imagine that you know about the "top" command. Mac OS is, and has been for many years, based on BSD Unix. However, if you are intimidated by the command line and need a GUI, Apple includes a process manager that gives cpu usage and much, much more. Since you are complaining about user-friendlyness, though, I'd would expect that the "top" command would be fine for you. Yet some aspects of your post suggest otherwise.

This is all off topic, though.

I blame my programs; there's nothing like accidentally overwriting system memory to crash a calculator. Strangely, bugs in my (unreleased!!!) programs have caused the random seed to get entirely screwed up, resulting in a randInt() that returns the bottom boundary of the range every time. Of course, from a statisticians viewpoint it could still be random-- but after 30 times, it is highly, highly unlikely...

The random number generator is made like that. It will never set it to that particular value in normal operation because it would cause the aforementioned glitch. Well, assuming the RNG is like on the TI-81, anyway. I have looked at the TI-81 RNG (IDAFree is very helpful for such things) & I know that it both will get stuck at a certain value, & that it is impossible to cause it to go to that value either by running it or reseeding it.

The random number generator is made like that. It will never set it to that particular value in normal operation because it would cause the aforementioned glitch. Well, assuming the RNG is like on the TI-81, anyway. I have looked at the TI-81 RNG (IDAFree is very helpful for such things) & I know that it both will get stuck at a certain value, & that it is impossible to cause it to go to that value either by running it or reseeding it (one would have to poke values into certain addresses, which is apparently impossible on a TI-81, of course).

Oops...quasi-double-post occured.

Cool- I did not know about the top command. I just use Gkrellm to track my system's status.

Of course Linux is better...

lol
i h8 macs. they don't have DOS =(

But you can get a bash command line in a terminal, which just beats the crap out of DOS.

How rude! You use McDonalds? Are you a playa of the hamburgers of the world? Sick!

Why not? They have some pretty brilliant guys. I know one of them, from the Applied Statistics group at Microsoft Research.

not the people, the computer and it's software.

Microsoft isn't a computer. And they don't make computers either.

define "computer" (Xbox)

An XBox can only play games(Unless Microsoft realesed XBox-Word(NotLikeyly)). A computer should be able to do many things.

ya. a cumputer is basicly a watered down version of an 89 ti...

Actually, I remember seeing something about people installing Linux on their Xboxes...

OS X on XBox:
www.cc.gatech.edu/~ranma1/ mac_install.html (no spaces)

Linux on Ipod:
www.xlr8yourmac.com/ feedback/linux_on_ipod/ Linux_on_ipod_review. html (no spaces)

For more things like that, go to hackaday.com(see link).

An Xbox is a computer. It can do almost anything any other computer can do, it just hasn't been instructed to. Games don't involve much word processing. But I'm sure if someone wanted to waste a lot of money they could write a word processor for the Xbox. Same for Play Station. It would just be run from a CD. The Xbox isn't a desktop, per se, but it is a computer.

According to Microsoft, an XBox is a "Console game system" not a computer.

dictionary.com:
"The Xbox is Microsoft's >>game console<<..."
"Microsoft built the Xbox around industry-standard PC hardware, unlike the traditionally proprietary design of nearly all other gaming consoles. >>However, it still uses standard console architecture.<<"

But a "console game system" is a computer. Not a desktop, but still a computer.

in other words, the set of 'console game systems' is a subset of the set of 'computers'. not all computers are console game systems, however, virtually all console game systems are computers. even the lower bit models, like nintendo 64 and NES. our graphing calculators contain computers. many simple calculators are not considered computers though. but still...

i meant the OS

You mean the PS? No, I didn't think so. Cause then you would be adding something into a letter after you already closed it.

yur face isn't brilliant

Who the crap is Michael Vincent???

My hero!

(see link)

Long live the legned of Omnicalc!!!

Yeah, Omnicalc is great, but I think when you run games from archive a lot and recover the memory a lot it can cause instability.

I've found that the RAM recovery feature is basically only useful to get back programs in your RAM that you want to archive. After every RAM recovery, you should reset your RAM to minimize instability.

N00b...
^_^

J/K

He's a good programmer and the news editor...

the one who gave birth to Reuben Quest series

well seriously there would be no reuben without Omnicalc...

omnicalc crashes my calc, as does your programs. in fact, you inspired me to create an anti-omnicalc RPG, which is still in the making, tentatively titled Beowulf 3, which is going to replace my currently buggy Beowulf 3.

" you inspired me to create an anti-omnicalc RPG, which is still in the making," I dunno, u need anger management. It works on most people's calcs, so maybe the problem is yours.

yes, omnicalc works great on my ti-83+

Hee hee...Windows always had problems on my old computer but not on my suitemates' computers, so they always complained about me being a Windows basher. Then again, my new system only has Linux installed, so I will not have that problem again. Now, if I ever get around to writing my own OS, my data better run hide. :)

Hee hee...Windows always had problems on my old computer but not on my suitemates' computers, so they always complained about me being a Windows basher. Then again, my new system only has Linux installed, so I will not have that problem again. Now, if I ever get around to writing my own OS, my data better run hide somewhere. :)

Another quasi-double post? :-)

If all his programs crash on your calc, then it sounds like your calc is the problem, not the programs. Try upgrading the OS or something.

Michael's a choice because he caused my calculator to crash. I'd figure he'd get at least my vote :P

Why Blame Michael? Its all Microsofts Fault!

here, here to that!
check out the Kill Bill shirt on split reason (see the link)