malbs

Damn disappointing to see I can't upgrade the Mac mini I have from ~2008. It's a Macmini2,1, but I have upgraded the ram from 500mb to 4gb (3gb addressable), the cpu to the fastest possible (2.3ghz core2), and a samsung 840 128gb ssd. The machine is a beast now, except for the fact the sound occasionally stops working (sudo killall coreaudiod!)

I understand the why - the chipset/cpu is 32bit, and Mavericks is 64-bit only. Bit of a bugger. The user won't notice though (My wife)

I'm sure the upgrade experience would be better than my Windows 8 -> Windows 8.1 experience of last week. The best way to describe that would be train wreck.

Oh the other amazing thing we used to have - a system that generated so many alerts that everyone just created outlook rules to automatically delete all the alerts. I mean really? I wondered if we should modify the system to only generate messages when there are actual exceptional cases? People looked at me like I was an idiot

Yeah ours was monitoring just rubber stamped it. Afterwards everyone remarked, everyone could tell they were bad just looking at what was in front of them, our theory was she was too busy watching the breaking bad final episode or something.

Just one of the risks of automation, and a good reminder why human monitoring is necessary.

Having said that, we deployed a system that was mostly automated, with the human operator to oversee investments and if any out-of-the-ordinary transactions (based on experience) were taking place, to shut it down. She happily sat there approving the recommendations even though the recommendations were absolutely outside of anything we'd ever generated in the past, and bled accounts dry in one evening, so sometimes even with a human observing you're still boned.

It's pretty cheap to pick up IL2 on gog. I think I got it for around 10 bucks. Worthwhile!

Read that article just makes me angry. Who the hell makes a living doing this, and still sleep at night? They must be sociopaths

There is already a filter in place. It was utilised most recently earlier this year. ASIC maintains a database of fraud/scam websites, and blocks them so as to minimise the impact on unsuspecting victims.

"The Federal Government has confirmed its financial regulator has started requiring Australian Internet service providers to block websites suspected of providing fraudulent financial opportunities, in a move which appears to also open the door for other government agencies to unilaterally block sites they deem questionable in their own portfolios." (http://delimiter.com.au/2013/05/15/interpol-filter-scope-cre...)

And direct press release from ASIC: "ASIC has already blocked access to these websites."

http://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/13-061MR+ASI...

Good old vocational education.

out of curiosity I started looking at the x1000, found a page where you can buy one:

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php...

$2,800 for pretty low spec hardware. Surely it only appeals to people who have fond memories of their Amiga 500? I knew two people who owned them when I was younger, always jealous! but that seems like an insane amount of money to spend on something that is seriously dated. What am I missing?

The guy claim himself to be a "mildly out of shape 28 year old", and then state: "I consider myself a pretty health-conscious person. No alcohol. No meat. Slow-carbs when possible. Run three miles, three times a week. Pull-ups, push-ups on the days I don’t run" which indicates he's more active than 90% of the population (I just made that stat up)

I was irritated from that point on-wards.

wow, senic - I just pre-ordered one, my wife is absolutely going to love it, christmas present == sorted.

fuckedcompany was an important resource at the time - I should have paid more attention to the commentary!

Wouldn't mind an Aeron chair though! Definitely pick one of those up for yourself in a sell-off ;)

I've gone through a number of these company bust-ups. The first one was fairly traumatic for a lot of people, but I'd only been there 3 months. 2001, In my interview, when I was asked "Is there anything you'd like to ask us" I said, "look this is awkward, but I've seen the company mentioned on fuckedcompany.com a number of times, and it's all bad news, is there any concern?" and I received the answer "Oh that's our American parent company, we'll be unaffected". 3 months later, gone gone gone. I watched people who'd worked there/started the company get turfed out, and crying. I had barely been in the office (working offsite) so I didn't even really feel any attachment at all, so it was all quite surreal.

Next job I worked for a small company where the two directors ended up being unable to pay staff, so they put everything on their credit cards, and convinced everyone to resign and sign up as contractors. It was only years later that it dawned on me, that by resigning they didn't have to pay severance packages. We were young and trusting.

My brother-in-law is an accountant who specialises in insolvency. He doesn't touch tech company failures, because there are usually no assets they can sell to pay creditors. Believe it or not computers are actually very hard to sell unless you outsource it to one of the big auction places. I've picked up a number of computers from them for nothing, because it's all rotting in their office basement, jobs wrapped up, "assets" unable to be sold for small change.

So companies will try and package up your severance to include things like your work laptop (which you've maybe become attached to), they can put a $ value on it, and mark it off what you're owed, but in reality you're losing out. Better to take cash rather than hardware, unless there is no cash.

"a three star Michelin chef who was Head of R&D at The Fat Duck Restaurant in England"

They must be referring to Heston right? I'm pretty sure he can make anything taste good

In Victoria the TAC handles it - "The TAC will pay the reasonable costs of medical treatment, rehabilitation services, disability services, income assistance, travel and household support services that you may need as a result of your injuries from a transport accident."

They also pay out on accident claims - my brother was involved in a multi-vehicle accident as a passenger in Victoria, sustaining serious head injury which will impact him for life.

In Tasmania the MAIB handles it - "The Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB) is a Tasmanian Government Business Enterprise which operates a combined common law/no fault motor accident scheme for Tasmanians.

The scheme provides medical and income benefits on a no fault basis to persons injured in motor vehicle accidents whilst enabling access to common law."

For example, my car registration is around $600 aud per year, however only about $150 is actual registration/administration costs. The rest is a tax that is paid straight to the MAIB.

In Australia, car registration fees predominantly go towards paying compulsory insurance which funds common law/no fault motor accident victims.

The roads/infrastructure costs are paid for by fuel taxes.

So really, if people get upset about cyclists' right-to-road access, then they should also be upset about electric car drivers, and to a lesser extend, hybrid drivers!

I'm actually curious what will happen when Tesla start selling vehicles in Australia. These are very heavy vehicles - they will absolutely impact the roads, yet will be essentially using them "for free" - no fuel tax being paid.

As someone who gets claustrophobic on planes - I have to fight the panic every time I fly, the dread that fills me at the thought of a service/system malfunction, while halfway between LA and SF, what happens then?

I'm reminded of this water slide at the Gold Coast's Wet and Wild - you end up going upside down - but in order to attain the velocity required to make the loop, you need to be dropped from a particular height, only some people don't make it - so they have a single access point into the tube where people who haven't made it, can get out, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a fun experience, so I opted for not going on that slide, even though my kids were pleading with me to do it. No thanks.

The hyperloop looks amazing, but my heart rate went up reading that document, and it wasn't out of excitement

my personal experience on options:-

- I was offered holiday pay in lieu, or options @ 20% of their market value the options seemed like a much better deal, so I took it (as it turns out the smart punters took the holiday pay!)

- After 6 months or so most people were terminated, at the termination meeting the CEO told us we would have 12 months to exercise our options if we chose to do so.

- 2 months went by, I was then contacted by the new CFO and asked "Will you be planning on exercising your options in the next month, because otherwise they will expire", which was a surprise to me because we were told verbally (lol) that we had 12 months.

- So now I was in a bind, pay more money to the company to buy my options, or just give up on seeing anything for my efforts, stupidly chose to exercise the options, which cost me a thousands

- When it came time to deal with the tax office, I had to pay the tax on the market value of the options, which was going to slug me again, as it turns out the options weren't worth anything at all, which was good in one way - I didn't have to pay any tax on them.

- Also turned out that the VC who had invested in the company had options that were fully vetted, or fully vested, I can't remember the details, but essentially it meant if the company ever actually earned any money, the VC shares had more weight, and in all likelihood, were the only ones who would actually get any money out of any sale

my advice on people who are being offered options:-

- get some external financial advice

- make sure you read the fine print

- if some VC has already invested, make sure you understand if there are any exceptions with regards to the options you've been offered

- I know this is just obvious, but no matter how close or friendly you think you are with management (small teams this happens!) get everything signed and dotted

same, everyone I know switched to Chrome, and always had said "why are you still using Firefox?". Because I've used it since 0.5 or whatever, I like the browser, I've stuck with it. It doesn't install a bunch of uninstallable tools into Windows either like any Google app does (Try and find where you uninstall the Google update binaries, it involves deleting folders, editing the registry, editing scheduled tasks)

You download either the integrated package, or the Visual Studio Shell separately

Integrated package:

https://pytools.codeplex.com/downloads/get/697389

Isolated Shell downloads:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=3066... http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=3067...

good luck

Great article, but the best take away for me.. Alembic, awesome! I'd just started to write something myself (poorly)

Depends on your age/industry

Aus minimum wage is as low as $5.87 (for a 15 yr old)

Yeah, the X1 looks slick! Does get pricey when you try and get it up to the same (albeit low) specs of the baseline Air. It's definitely second on the list

Actually I've never looked at Samsung as a vendor for a laptop. They make great phones, I loved my S3 until it took a bath when I was drunk (hah).

If it doesn't creak when you hold it at the corners, I could be sold. The airs aluminium case makes it "feel" sturdy, and silent.

I also really like the feel of the keyboard when typing. Most laptop keyboards I fat finger constantly. The air (and probably MBP) actually feel good to type on

edit: Had a look around for Samsung laptops similar spec. MBA still can't be matched price vs perf

I might give that a go (if it resolves the missing texture problem), but I'm also hesitant to do it now given that she actually does work on her laptop now ;)

The installer isn't the issue - I have an old mac mini I installed the game on to.

Half the textures don't load. The game menu is basically a whole lot of black buttons without labels, and if you get a game running by muscle memory, pretty much most of the screen is black. I spent a good couple of days trying to find some sort of resolution, all I found was other users complaining about the same issue.

My wife went back to school this year, and she needed a laptop, so I got her one for christmas. I went with the base model 11" air because that's what I would have bought if I was getting it for me.

She hated it. I couldn't believe it. "The screen is too small", "I can't play warcraft 3 on it" (ok legit gripe, war3 doesn't work, and she still plays that game!) "I don't like the way the track pad works"

Admittedly, the track pad default settings leave a little to be desired. I made a few tweaks to her setup, and it worked a lot better.

I asked her the other day how she feels about her laptop now, with 6 months use under her belt. She loves it, as I knew she would.

Next laptop I buy for myself will be a 11" air. I'm no apple fan boy, but it is the highest quality laptop you can get. But if you've found a better one for the same price, please let me know

That is all well and good, anonymous MS guy can claim that the games will be cheaper in the long run, citing steam as the model that works and drives prices down.

Not in Australia.

In Australia we pay 89.95 / 99.95 for a AAA game released on Steam, versus the USD price of 39.95 / 49.95 / whatever. It must be the shipping of the bits over the pacific that jacks the price up right?

Yes, eventually the prices drop, and you can buy a game that originally retailed for almost $100 for under $20, but that takes a long time. I just gave up on buying big studio games on steam. I only buy indie stuff now.

I was really excited about the xbone (day one owner of original xbox and 360), then the official word came out about it, and I decided I would buy the ps4 instead.