Author Topic: Hardware/OS Geek Thread  (Read 54513 times)

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Offline The Chief

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #500: November 02, 2009, 10:33:57 PM »
To be fair, the nebulous Apple support people will reset your 5 authorizations once you max out, it's just a bit tedious.  I had to do it once a couple years ago.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #501: November 02, 2009, 10:34:11 PM »
Because your windows key will change. You will lose one of your 5 authorized computers forever. I got burned when I installed Vista Service Pack 1 & 2 (which you need to do before you upgrade vista, by the way). Go to windows.com in internet explore, and search for the manual upgrades.

ah, ok. thanks.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #502: November 02, 2009, 10:44:57 PM »
To be fair, the nebulous Apple support people will reset your 5 authorizations once you max out, it's just a bit tedious.  I had to do it once a couple years ago.

Good to know. I authorized my in-law's computer to show them a travel show once, getting that one back would be good too.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #503: November 03, 2009, 12:41:01 AM »
Because your windows key will change. You will lose one of your 5 authorized computers forever. I got burned when I installed Vista Service Pack 1 & 2 (which you need to do before you upgrade vista, by the way). Go to windows.com in internet explore, and search for the manual upgrades.
Not entirely true.  As Chief said, you can contact Apple and have them reset them but it is tedious.  They aren't "burned forever".

And actually, now you don't have to contact Apple if you have all 5 used because you forgot to deauthorize one of them.  When they're all used, you can go into your acct settings in iTunes and reset them yourself.  You can't, however, reset them yourself if they aren't all used up, eg you have 4 used and want to reset, you still have to contact Apple.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #504: November 03, 2009, 12:43:49 AM »
Not entirely true.  As Chief said, you can contact Apple and have them reset them but it is tedious.  They aren't "burned forever".

And actually, now you don't have to contact Apple if you have all 5 used because you forgot to deauthorize one of them.  When they're all used, you can go into your acct settings in iTunes and reset them yourself.  You can't, however, reset them yourself if they aren't all used up, eg you have 4 used and want to reset, you still have to contact Apple.

Ok it's still annoying though, and easier to just deauthorize before upgrading.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #505: November 03, 2009, 04:19:44 AM »
Ok it's still annoying though, and easier to just deauthorize before upgrading.
Yeah, they should allow you to deauthorize on a machine by machine basis in the account settings.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #506: November 03, 2009, 09:14:59 AM »
Yeah, they should allow you to deauthorize on a machine by machine basis in the account settings.

Sure. If you break up with your girlfriend and she takes her stuff and leaves, shouldn't you be able to deauthorize all your movies on her machine :evil:

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #507: November 05, 2009, 08:13:10 PM »
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/walmarts-300-hp-g60-laptop-gets-real-detailed/

Bargain basement laptops for the holidays are starting to pop up now.  That one is $300 from Walmart.

Celeron 900 @ 2.2GHz
3 GB RAM
250 GB HDD
DVD Burner
Intel 4500M IGP

Offline JMW IV

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #508: November 07, 2009, 02:46:22 PM »
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/walmarts-300-hp-g60-laptop-gets-real-detailed/

Bargain basement laptops for the holidays are starting to pop up now.  That one is $300 from Walmart.

Celeron 900 @ 2.2GHz
3 GB RAM
250 GB HDD
DVD Burner
Intel 4500M IGP

that's not bad. boo @ Celeron processor though. but otherwise, not bad.

you could probably splurge for a really good Video Card, and be set.

*edit* oh wait...it is a Laptop. nevermind about the Video Card then. from what I hear its damn near impossible to swap out a Video Card on a laptop.

Offline PC

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #509: November 07, 2009, 05:43:11 PM »
JMadIV, if you're still looking for a notebook, I just bought an off lease, IBM Thinkpad R52 at Tiger Direct for $249.

Pentium M 1.73 GHz
2 GB RAM
60GB hard drive
14.1 inch LCD

Not great specs but more than adequate for what I plan for it and it's CHEAP!

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #510: November 09, 2009, 05:21:39 PM »
Finally configured my iPhone 3G to tether to my laptop to use the 3G Connection.

so sick. I'm paying $30 a month for the 3G service so might as well get the most out of it.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #511: November 09, 2009, 07:09:13 PM »
Dumb geeky joke:

  Top 10 reasons computers are male
  ===========================

  10. They have a lot of data but are still clueless.
   9.  A better model is always just around the corner.
   8.  They look nice and shiny until you bring them home.
   7.  It is always necessary to have a backup.
   6.  They'll do whatever you say if you push the right buttons.
   5.  The best part of having either one is the games you can play.
   4.  In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.
   3.  The lights are on but nobody's home.
   2.  Big power surges knock them out for the night.
   1.  Size does matter

   Here's the quid pro quo:

   Top 10 reasons compilers must be female:
   ========================================

   10. Picky, picky, picky.
   9.  They hear what you say, but not what you mean.
   8.  Beauty is only shell deep.
   7.  When you ask what's wrong, they say "nothing".
   6.  Can produce incorrect results with alarming speed.
   5.  Always turning simple statements into big productions.
   4.  Smalltalk is important.
   3.  You do the same thing for years, and suddenly it's wrong.
   2.  They make you take the garbage out.
   1.  Miss a period and they go wild


Offline JMW IV

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #512: November 10, 2009, 07:09:15 PM »
google, further endeavors to take over the world:

http://bit.ly/3jvt5m

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #513: November 10, 2009, 07:16:55 PM »
google, further endeavors to take over the world:

http://bit.ly/3jvt5m
WTF, Google?

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #514: November 10, 2009, 07:36:44 PM »
I think I'll have to learn this. Sounds awesome if they pull it off.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #515: November 10, 2009, 08:15:11 PM »
Interesting.

I just want to make it known right now that I've been maintaining for years that Google will eventually become skynet and wage war against us.

Offline PC

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #516: November 10, 2009, 08:18:17 PM »
I think I'll have to learn this. Sounds awesome if they pull it off.

How do you "pull off" a computer programming language?  Either people lean and use it or they don't.

Frankly, speaking as someone who learned FORTRAN 20 years ago (FORTRAN!!! :shock: ), there are TOO DAMNED MANY computer programming languages!  :lol:

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #517: November 10, 2009, 08:34:56 PM »
How do you "pull off" a computer programming language?  Either people lean and use it or they don't.

Frankly, speaking as someone who learned FORTRAN 20 years ago (FORTRAN!!! :shock: ), there are TOO darnED MANY computer programming languages!  :lol:

If it incorporates useful aspects of C and python, then I'll learn it. Otherwise, I'll stubbornly reject it. Luckily I have that luxury. Plus I learned FORTRAN in a college course, unfortunately.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #518: November 10, 2009, 08:36:57 PM »
I refuse to program any other way -

Offline PC

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #519: November 10, 2009, 08:44:35 PM »
Plus I learned FORTRAN in a college course, unfortunately.

I actually learned while in high school...but on a college campus.  :D  The summer between my junior and senior years at the U of M.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #520: November 10, 2009, 10:30:59 PM »
I have a confession to make.  I want to buy a PC laptop :shock:

Regretting the $2500 MBP when there are Core i7 quad core machines with beastly 1GB dedicated graphics for $1000 less.  Damn you Steve Jobs and your Reality Distortion Field!

Offline The Chief

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #521: November 10, 2009, 10:32:24 PM »
I've built some pretty insane PCs in my day, and even I've never spent more than 2 grand on one complete machine, all told.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #522: November 10, 2009, 10:39:30 PM »
I'm talking more about notebooks though.  I just saw an Asus with a Core i7 @ 1.6 GHz and a 1 GB Nvidia GTX 260m and a full HD 1080p display for $1499

Offline The Chief

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #523: November 10, 2009, 10:42:31 PM »
I'm talking more about notebooks though.  I just saw an Asus with a Core i7 @ 1.6 GHz and a 1 GB Nvidia GTX 260m and a full HD 1080p display for $1499

Well yeah but what I said applies there too :P

nvidia's mobile parts are misleadingly named, btw.  Not that they're bad performers, but their names aren't at all representative of their performance as compared to their desktop counterparts.  Anything with a Mobility Radeon 4850 will mop the floor with a GTX 260m.  And Mobility Radeon 5000-series are right around the corner.

Personally I'd be waiting for notebooks with "real" mobile i7's.  Those "Cram a desktop CPU in a giant 'notebook' chassis" are little more than portable desktop replacements.  You could probably measure the battery life with a stopwatch.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: Hardware/OS Geek Thread
« Reply #524: November 10, 2009, 10:42:43 PM »
So....I just downloaded Google Chrome to see what it's all about. Pretty slick. Anything I should look for? Like Firefox-type stuff (add-ons, etc)?

One of the bookmarks on my Bookmarks bar doesn't show up and I need to click and arrow to get to it. Not a big deal, just annoying.