CoffeeFiend

Actually, how many LOCs doesn't really matter that much. If I had made a little app to do this job, it would have been FAR longer (code quality e.g. error handling, documentation, use a XML config file (for lame settings and the like), checking command line args, app's architecture, expandability/readability concerns, whatever). I don't see how that would have made it a "lesser" solution (or perhaps I could try to fit the whole thing on one line?) And his script actually runs lame too instead of just renaming files (more features in a few more lines. No big deal really.) Between a batchfile and vbscript to do the same job (both being kind of old ways to do things and not overly great languages nor very powerful or anything), I'm not really sure of which one I'd pick... But if you want to nit-pick, then there's lots... Language choice (and arguably shell too - wscript instead of cscript), hardcoded stuff, coding standards (variable naming, indentation, comments, etc), maintainability/readability and such things. And even one possible "bug" for files already having ".wav" in their name - like the ones generated by his previous batch (".wav.mp3" and such), will be fed to lame again (He's not checking the extension or using a RegEx but just doing a in-string check). Either ways, no need for that app IMHO. BeSweet does the batch conversions just fine

I'd go for the Seagate too (well, anything BUT the WD really). I've got a pair of 300GB Seagates (SATA) and bought a bunch of the 320GB'ers too (SATA2), and I'm quite happy with all of them. Good price ($/GB; perfect for RAID), good warranty, good performance and all.

Wow. Hadn't even bothered reading that part... And even then it still depends on the local accent. I just assumed he was referring to these news. Oh well. I guess this one made that old "woosh!" sound way over my head

I thought it was the PSU's case which didn't fit... So they're using a proprietary connector for the motherboard? Wow. Didn't expect that at all. We've got a bunch of Dells at work but not like I bother to peek inside 'em for fun, but now I just might out of curiosity next time one breaks. The adapter might be a good option after all, I wouldn't want to change the motherboard for that (have to buy another copy of OS, might need a new case, ...) That really sucks. Guess I'm never buying a Dell now!

That's what happens when people try to use server OS'es for a desktop (with no real reason - it's no faster than XP really). Lots of software won't run on it. Anyway. There's a few things one can do: -try running in compatibility mode (will fake "Win XP" version, but NOT the service pack, so likely won't install) -patching installers manually, which will force to install, but the app might still not work (which I've seen many many times - like say Avid Xpress) as it's not meant to run on that OS/requires XP SP2 specific stuff (or one of its components/dependancies does) or such.

No, it's not a cure but a vaccine - there's quite a difference from preventing infection through imminuzation and curing someone already infected. And it's not quite proven safe yet (phase 1 trial, not quite like we've studied long term effects or possibilities like birth defects and such). The other phases (2 and 3) will better show if it's safe (that and time - because sometimes things are said safe and then are pulled from the market later, like vioxx was recently). Either ways, it's always nice to see we're making progress against diseases such as AIDS or cancer (I'm very much looking forward to advances in pain management myself). Perhaps you've mistakenly picked the wrong section though. I fail to see any reason why this belongs in the "funny farm".

Most vendors are known to do things like this. Dell isn't really all that bad compared to some IBM's I've seen... Those used custom power supplies with weird shapes to fit, a custom connector for the case's buttons on the motherboard and all. Your best bet might have been to keep the new (and decent) PSU and get a new case with it - one that'll fit "normal" parts. Many mfg's PSUs suck anyways, and if the old one broke, chances are the new one will too (it could be that they're using unreliable parts). I'm having some issues with the PSU of my HP right now, it likes to turn off randomly for no reason, and when it does it, there's almost nothing to make it turn back on, except waiting (no overheating, no electrical problems or anything). It's supposedly quite overkill for the system it runs (lots of amps where needed), but it started doing it after I added a new HD... Ended up swapping it momentarily with another one I got on hand and everything works. I'm not even going to bother calling it in... I'll just get a nice one instead (thankfully it uses normal ATX ones).

I wonder who told you they're the same company. I can't seem to find any sources stating that, and it makes no sense: develop 2 inferior products in parallel instead of combining efforts - and then again spend double effort to maintain 2 different and incompatible set of definitions? Essentially double deveopment and maintenance costs (and sales/HR/legal staff, offices, etc), only to create more competition (competing against each other)... That would be almost worse than SCO's business plan - and that's saying something! Kaspersky is from Moscow, Russia. I'll grant you that. NOD32 is made by ESET, and their HQ is in Bratislava, SK (Slovakia). No mentions of Russia anywhere on that page... AFAIK, they're NOT related in any way whatsoever.

It's not so much a joke. Just an old method called "search engine bombing" or more often/precisely "google bombing". I doubt it'll be pulled anytime soon. There are many, many more of these. Just look at the wikipedia entry...

I'll second that. They're both great AVs. Decently priced too. Great detection rates. Great updates/definitions. I ran Kaspersky for a long time even though it's a bit heavier than NOD32, until the day it's service pegged the CPU to 100% for no apparent reason. Made the switch to NOD32 since (a shop right across the street sells it), and haven't looked back. Either ways, they're both good. (I wouldn't say the same about SAV though, which has only been troubles ever since we moved from McAfee to that at work. What a POS!) But some people prefer other solutions for a number of reasons (memory used or extra feautres like antispyware/firewall or such)... Like we can see in the thread that was pointed out before. That thread along with some comparison tests should be enough to pick a few to evaluate (most have trials). There's also a few decent free AVs out there. I've seen a fair amount of people that use them. Some are pretty good, but I haven't played enough with them to elaborate much on that. Might not be the ultimate best detection rates, but most are still "good enough", and the price is right...

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A VPN would indeed solve these problems - it's just like being on that network (locally connected). Combined with a DynDNS account (tons of them these days), and you're set. VPN in (using DynDNS) and just use PC name to connect. No silly port forwarding and exposing stuff you shouldn't to the internet - just the bare minimum required, which is also well secured and encrypted. Personally, I use plain terminal services (remote desktop) for the most part, along with ultravnc (or sometimes tightvnc/realvnc) - mainly depending if I want to log in or remotely control someone else's session. TS is pretty hard to beat when it comes to speed over slow links (well, Citrix is quite a bit better, but insanely expensive and total overkill except for large corporate terminal servers). Dameware's OK (we use that one also at work), but I fail to see any real advantage to it - somewhat like VNC, except it's not free. As far as PC Anywhere goes, it's WAY at the bottom of my list... There's a bunch of others like LogMeIn and Copilot, but I've never bothered with them.

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...which you can't buy yet (while my M2N-E has already been in use for a few days). I had picked the only DFI board for AM2 that's available. The only places you can see this board is previews and their roadmap. And once it's finally available, it'll still cost double (M2N-E is ~110$, and I've seen the DFI on pre-order for 175 euros, which is ~220$ using xe.com's current rates). By me the extra few features (and wait) aren't worth paying twice as much.

Definitely? Not so. only 4 SATA ports, no RAID5. Definitely NOT the one Also, it only supports 4GB RAM (vs 8GB for the ASUS) - a significant difference if you use VMWare Server or the like. Seemingly the DFI doesn't support DDR2-800 either (only 533 and 667). Looks like a gamer's board to me. Bleh.

1. AM2 (940) is the new socket. Newer chips will mainly come in that socket. 2. Have a peek at the AUS M2N-E if you want a AM2 board. Really nice board, and quite reasonable price especially given the features. socket AM2 nforce 570 MCP dual channel DDR2 800, 4 DIMMs one ATA133 connector (for older stuff like DVD writers and such) 6 SATA2 connectors (yes, six of them!) - and with good & flexible RAID - even supports RAID5 across all 6 HDs! (not just RAID 0 or 1, nor are you forced to use it like many boards that offer RAID) Gigabit Ethernet High Def audio onboard (8 channels, 192/24; has spdif out) good BIOS plenty of USB2 ports comes with lots of cables (PATA, 4 SATA [data], SATA power, ...) etc. 3. The difference between first two is the cache, twice as big. The last one may be more expensive, but it's dual core (X2), different socket, and uses a different core too (Windsor), which has Pacifica (AMD's VT). And again, DDR2 support on this series of CPUs.

Why use ICS when you've got RRAS? ...

Picking codec first is indeed the main thing. Hence my MPEG4 recommendations As for the program, they're not quite all the same... I'd second the Virtualdub choice (or Gordian Knot to automate things somewhat - AGK if one really can't figure out GK), but I'd definitely stay away from Real's junk... I'd willingly install spyware on my system before that stuff. Reencoding only takes 5 minutes to setup at worst (let it happen while @ work, going shopping or out, or even overnight). HD space may be cheap nowadays, but not enough to keep uneccesarily large AV files around. I've got 4 300GB'ers for a small video server, and it's all filled with mpeg4. I'm already out of space. Ideally (using mpeg4), I'd need two or three times that. Now if I was using large MPEG2 files or not reencoding anything... Say, fifty drives or so? Even if 300GB'ers are ~100$ nowadays, that's still a good chuck of change. Quality loss if using decent codecs will be minimal anyways.

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Flaming perhaps, but how so true too. MS hasn't specifically copied Mac stuff. Definitely not "stolen" - there is no theft involved. And since you're getting "but only Apple innovates" on us, then that pretty tells us how you think. I suppose Apple has invented the GUI, the mouse, calendaring apps and all. Nobody else is entitled to do the same either, that'd just be copying or something. Software and computers has ALWAYS been copying concepts from each other. Everybody makes CPUs, everybody has GUIs, there are TONS of apps to do any specific task. Just like there are tons of manufacturers of car tires, TVs or basically anything else. Yet, you don't see any company whining "but they've copied us!" all the time. Good ideas are adopted, end of story. MS *DID* steal some stuff (like stacker's code), or copy others. But hardly any of it was Apple related in any way (and much of that was from someone else in the first place). Most of what Apple did recently could be called copying just as much - after all, the iPod is just a copy of the original mp3 player (the MPMan), right? Both have buttons, a screen, memory, a volume control, a headphone jack, and play mp3s! Total ripoff! All of it! They didn't invent it, so it must not be worth using or something I suppose... And when other OS'es or apps do just the same, they don't get trashed for "copying others" or such. I'm no fan of Thurrott, but he's right on this time. Quit whining, and make something good/worth using (at a half decent price), and people will buy & use it. BTW. Toshiba's Gigabeat is the ultimate iPod killer!

10 minutes of totally unimpressive generic computing using GUIs & interfaces I don't care for, on fugly & overpriced hardware. This is why I don't own a mac (nor anything Apple-made)

You've already been given all the answers. Use whatever app you prefer which supports streaming (there are tons, and nobody can pick for yourself, google's your friend). Then any commercial streaming host, as your connection won't be enough. Again, there are tons of hosts, with varying prices/features/support/etc. Check 'em out, pick one with prices you can afford and has the features you need (and supports the format you picked). How much speed/BW you'll need (hence price to pay) will be based on bitrate and # of listeners. Some of those hosts even have tutorials and FAQs. It's all there is to it. No point asking for more infos, there just isn't.

As Takeshi said, you can almost use any format. Size is affected by bitrate (size = bitrate * length) - resolution or actual codec used doesn't matter. Not all codecs will look alike at lower bitrates though. If it doesn't have to play on a DVD player or "divx player" then I would personallly suggest using a very good and recent codec: H.264 (MPEG4 AVC). Any good implementation will work just fine (x264, Ateme - from Nero, etc). Looks even better than divx and xvid (which are you next best option IMHO).