test-drb January 2002

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

303 participants
1201 discussions

Megabyte vs Mebibyte (was Re: Language and English)

by msell＠ontimesupport.com

The guys on the Linux Kernel Mailing List are going wacko over this. Apparently somebody wanted to change all of the definitions of MB and GB, etc, etc, to use powers of ten, rather than the traditional binary notations. That really set off a firestorm of discussions.... - Matt At 03:49 PM 1/4/2002 -0500, you wrote: >! From: Sellam Ismail [mailto:foo@siconic.com] >...... >! They should coin a new term for a fake Megabyte (i.e. >! something other than 1024 ^ 2). Call it a "Maybebyte". >! >! That wasn't funny. >! >! Sellam Ismail > >I thought it was. Or am I that weird? > > >--- David A Woyciesjes >--- C & IS Support Specialist >--- Yale University Press >--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu >--- (203) 432-0953 >--- ICQ # - 905818 Matthew Sell Programmer On Time Support, Inc. www.ontimesupport.com (281) 296-6066 Join the Metrology Software discussion group METLIST! http://www.ontimesupport.com/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi "One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer" - Adolf Hitler Many thanks for this tagline to a fellow RGVAC'er...

22 years, 11 months

FreeVMS

by csmith＠amdocs.com

> -----Original Message----- > From: Pat Finnegan [mailto:pat@purdueriots.com] > On Fri, 4 Jan 2002, Merle K. Peirce wrote: > > > If it doesn't have wheels, it isn't really a computer. > Actually if i wanted to get a new tower case, i COULD get a tower case > with casters already attached for about $300 new.... but i > like to save > money for other things.......... I would add that a real computer must have a console monitor in firmware, and have the option of attaching an independent single device (as in a serial terminal) to use for a console. KVM switches don't count, of course ;) Regards, Chris Christopher Smith, Perl Developer Amdocs - Champaign, IL /usr/bin/perl -e ' print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n"); '

22 years, 11 months

Crescent wrenches (was: Nomenclature (was: NEXT Color Printer find

by mythtech＠Mac.com

>I don't know what they're teaching kids these days, but in the time period >for which this list is relevant, mechanics did/do indeed refer to any >adjustable wrench of that particular design as a "Crescent Wrench". They >do NOT use the term "Crescent Wrench" to refer to any other style of >adjustable wrench, and would consider THAT misuse as comparable to >referring to a box-end wrench as a "socket". At least around here, they are teaching that it is an Adjustable Wrench, and specifically teaching that it is NOT a Crescent wrench. I also am personally unaware of ANYONE that professionally works with tools like these (and that means, NOT a person that repairs computers for a living and happens to have one for the rare occasions it is needed, but rather people that are in construction, or automotive repair, or similar), and calls it a Crescent wrench. At least as far as everyone I know, and what I learned in school (theater set construction, and the fire academy, and what I have found from friends that went to VoTech schools), the only people that call it a Crescent wrench are snickered at behind their backs because they are a "layman". That doesn't mean I think it is wrong to call it a crescent wrech (I still do sometimes as that was what I originally knew it as), they just specifically teach here NOT to call it that. But that is just around here, and like all language terms, change dramatically with region (go to a restaurant around here and order "pop" and you will get a funny look... do it in the midwest, and they will know exactly what you want). Also, flip open any tool catalog you want, you won't see a generic adjustable wrench listed as a Crescent Wrench. Flip open a electronics parts catalog, and you *might* see the push on, D shapey, "Centronics" connector (regardless of number of pins), listed as a "Centronics". Mind you, that does NOT make it correct, just that at least you can find it listed that way. Of course, with all this, I am NOT saying that the connectors should be called Centronics. I personally don't care what they are called. Centronics, Blue Ribbon, or Susan... as long as I know what the person is talking about, then the term did its job, it conveyed meaning... and isn't that really the point to language in the first place? >Calling the connector in question an "Amphenol connector" (regardless of >who made that particular one) would, indeed be like using the >common term "Crescent Wrench" when referring to an "adjustable >wrench" (rather a vague, ambiguous name for it!) But the term arguers will complain about calling it an Amphenol just as much I am sure. >But calling it a "Centronics connector", particularly when dealing with >sizes other than 36, would be like calling the same wrench a "Ford >wrench". Agreed, but it still happens (albeit, wrongly) >In the original post that was objected to, the writer referred to >"Centronics Ports". THAT was wrong. If he were to have said "ports with >50 pin centronics connectors", then it would be a trivial misuse, and >everyone would know what he meant (although some would DOUBT whether what >he was seeing was correct -"are you sure they're 50s?"). BUT, a >"Centronics PORT" means a parallel printer port as its primary and only >meaning, and the ports in question were obviously not that. Again, agreed. >One of the old classics of email "humor" mentions in passing a "Craftsman >10mm crescent wrench". Calling a wrench made by Craftsman a "Crescent" is >what you are talking about. Since the dimensions of such wrenches were >the LENGTH of the wrench, and Crescent didn't at that time label any of >theirs in metric units, the "10mm" is just weird. LOL >In my garage, we had a box with a 150mm Crescent WANNABE, "rubber nails" >(steel nails for nailing rubber weatherstripping), spotted paint (sold in >a spray can by GM for repairing trunks), etc. for hazing the new parts >runners. And the all time favorite, ask for the 8/16th socket. I think maybe I am the only one that saw the inherent humor and irony in arguing about calling things by their correct name, and not their common name, and using a Crescent wrench as an example of how TO call items by their correct name. <sigh> humor is wasted... -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

22 years, 11 months

NCD 88k Boot monitor

by darek-ss＠wp.pl

Hi, I've got recently 2 old, but very good NCD Xstations 88k & 88kP6 based on Motorola 88100 processor. They are looking great, much better than what they are selling now :-) But unfortunately they are without Boot Manager EPROMS ... Does anyone could help me and tell where I can find such EPROM or just the image file which I can use to program one ? As far as I know BM from HMX & HMXPro doesn't work because it is made for R4xxx processor. Darek ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Zapro? znajomych na czata! Wy?lij SMSa z nowego czata WP! Czat.wp.pl - Jedyny czat z ludzk? twarz? < http://czat.wp.pl >

22 years, 11 months

Free to good home - 2 obscure computers

by pcw＠mesanet.com

These are the Viking AVAB (Swedish) computers I asked about before Obscure enough that no one seems to know anything about them... has the following cards: Western Digital MCP-1600 based CPU (maybe Pascal pcode machine) Western Digital FDC Western Digital 4Serial + Parallel I/O card 2X AVAB 32K battery backed SRAM cards Couple of odd AVAB I/O cards Proprietary bus, ~8"x10" cards -- Rack mount enclosure Were used for theater lighting system 1 system has 2x3.5" (720k ?) floppy drives a 1 8" drive (narrow Tandon) other system has 2x3.5" (720k?) drives Free for pickup in SF bay area (otherwise out they go) Peter Wallace

22 years, 11 months

Language and English

by csmith＠amdocs.com

> -----Original Message----- > From: r. 'bear' stricklin [mailto:red@bears.org] > At the SCM prompt, type, "SHOW BOOT." > > At the SCM prompt, type, "SHOW BOOT". > > Which one is correct? Personally, I always try to move punctuation away from quoted commands, and the like. Otherwise I use the normal convention of leaving it inside the quotes. So both are "correct," but the second is what I would do to prevent confusion in this case. Regards, Chris Christopher Smith, Perl Developer Amdocs - Champaign, IL /usr/bin/perl -e ' print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n"); '

22 years, 11 months

Language and English

by csmith＠amdocs.com

> -----Original Message----- > From: Sellam Ismail [mailto:foo@siconic.com] > Let's be accurate here. cummings was a poet. The people > posting without > proper grammar and punctuation are not. Well, if you use the "modern" definition of poetry, sure they are. ;) ... and given the "modern" definition of art, the people who paint lines down the middle of the street are "artists." According to the "modern" definition of music, one can talk over top of some drum lines from Judas Priest's first album and be a wonderful "musician." Things are so much simpler now. Etc, etc. :) Regards, Chris Christopher Smith, Perl Developer Amdocs - Champaign, IL /usr/bin/perl -e ' print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n"); '

22 years, 11 months

RFD: SPAM

by Innfogra＠aol.com

In a message dated 1/4/02 12:10:24 PM Pacific Standard Time, foo(a)siconic.com writes: > I've said this repeatedly. I use this account EXCLUSIVELY for receiving > list traffic and it has NEVER received any spam outside of the occasional > bullcrap that gets posted to the list directly. > > And no, I don't have any filtering turned on. > I have to agree. I also use this email address for the CCMP list only. I get no spam on it except the very occasional one that is posted to the list directly. This list does not lead to increased spam. It is very well maintained. Paxton Astoria, OR

22 years, 11 months

FreeVMS

by msell＠ontimesupport.com

Actually you would have to add 900 lbs. of lead, and include a 1000 watt space heater..... - Matt >I guess then, if i went to the store and mounted casters on my Sun >SparcStation 1, it'd be a 'real computer'. Of course if nothing else, >it'd be a 'really slow computer' that rolls faster than the framebuffer >can scroll text. (hehe) > > > Regards, > > > > Chris > > > > > > Christopher Smith, Perl Developer > > Amdocs - Champaign, IL > > > > /usr/bin/perl -e ' > > print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n"); > > ' > > > > Matthew Sell Programmer On Time Support, Inc. www.ontimesupport.com (281) 296-6066 Join the Metrology Software discussion group METLIST! http://www.ontimesupport.com/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi "One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer" - Adolf Hitler Many thanks for this tagline to a fellow RGVAC'er...

22 years, 11 months

Language and English

by csmith＠amdocs.com

> -----Original Message----- > From: Ian Koller [mailto:vze2mnvr@verizon.net] > > English is a Germanic language, > That was my mistake. I have now learned something new, or > a misconception of mine has now been corrected. I thank you, > it will not be forgotten. Actually, to step in here, I'm certain that it depends on which "English" you're talking about. Of course old English and the original Anglo (Anglish?) languages that may have preceded it were Germanic. Modern English has been influenced as much by Latin as by the original English, IMO. > Now I will have to ponder why there are so many similarities > between French and Italian words and their English counterparts, > while to me the German language seems so much different. ... and there's your answer. Compare German to old English and you'd be surprised -- at least as surprised as you'd be to compare English to Spanish today. Regards, Chris Christopher Smith, Perl Developer Amdocs - Champaign, IL /usr/bin/perl -e ' print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n"); '

22 years, 11 months

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test-drb January 2002