From: adam@address.invalid   
      
   Moe Trin wrote:   
   > On Mon, 11 Jun 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva, in   
   article   
   > , Adam wrote:   
      
   [boot schemes]   
      
   > I'd suggest that having "that many" filesystems on a single disk is a   
   > bit on the unusual side for the average user.   
      
   I suppose that the other extreme would be the folks who use separate   
   partitions for /usr, /var, etc. within a single install, but they're not   
   "the average user" either.  I haven't yet decided how to repartition the   
   internal HD on the new box, but it will have at least / for production   
   distro, / for migration, /accounts, and swap.  I put everything on the   
   root partition, but with links to /accounts and other data partitions.   
   I may repartition the external HD at some point too.   
      
   > I'd be asking on the a.o.l.suse   
   > newsgroup.  If that can't be trivially fixed, thats a -10 in the eval   
   > (which is to say "total reject").   
      
   I just asked there.  I'm hoping they won't reply with "No, that's not a   
   problem, it's a feature."  BTW the "distro shootout" taking place on   
   "eris" will probably get temporarily suspended, and I'll take the path   
   of least resistance by installing the latest Mandriva and/or Mageia (64   
   bit) on the new box.  I can always migrate to other distros later if I   
   want to.   
      
   [wireless and Ethernet]   
      
   > If you've been following   
   > the stupidity being revealed about the LinkedIn password fiasco, one   
   > researcher discovered some of the exposed passwords were apparently   
   > produced by an ancient and highly b0rken program called "mkpasswd".   
      
   Yep, I saw that article.  I gather that when mkpasswd first appeared ca.   
   1995, it was adequate, given the comparatively slow speed of a brute   
   force attack back then.   
      
   For security, I use my "theory of relativity" -- my system doesn't have   
   to be 100% secure, it just has to be more secure than most.  And of   
   course, even the most elaborate software precautions won't help if   
   somebody breaks into my home and steals a system.   
      
   [my next computer]   
      
   > "I'm told" [...] there   
   > will be no problems supplying PCs able to "insecure boot" (if that's   
   > the politically correct term for it).  I've heard similar reports from   
   > other parts of the company.   
      
   I think "disable secure boot" would be the term.  One of Maurice's posts   
   here yesterday said that MS now /requires/ that option on "Windows   
   8-certified" PCs.  Before, that was each OEM's decision, but it had to   
   ship with "secure boot enabled".   
      
   >>>> I'm planning on an HP full-size tower, quad-core, 64-bit, 6-8 GB   
   >>>> RAM, 750+ GB HD, for $500-600.   
   >   
   > I see your  where you bought a HP P7-1258   
   > on clearance.   
      
   Yep, that model only hit the market in March and is already on   
   clearance.  I looked for things that couldn't be changed, like maximum   
   RAM allowed.  If something that was fairly easy to change wasn't what I   
   wanted, like the amount of RAM it's shipped with, I put up with that   
   because I can improve on it.   
      
   What's also important, and a great relief to me, is that now I can stop   
   worrying whether my next system can handle Linux, and problems with UEFI   
   and "secure boot" and all that stuff being discussed in the other thread   
   here.   
      
   > I'm a little confused about the USB - I'm assuming it   
   > has USB connectors in the back for keyboard/mouse and you won't need   
   > to use the front ports.   
      
   Yep, it has two USB 2.0 ports on the bottom of the back where I'm used   
   to seeing two PS/2 connectors for the keyboard and mouse.  Higher up,   
   where you'd expect them, are 2 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports, plus   
   two on the front.  I think there are unused USB connectors on the   
   motherboard so I /may/ be able to add two more on the back, where one of   
   the expansion cards would go.   
      
   > Does the built-in wireless work, or is that a bit early to ask?   
      
   Too early to ask.  I haven't even booted up Windows on it yet.  Probably   
   its first few days will be spent mostly running diagnostics and making   
   the Windows recovery DVDs.  I know the first Windows bootup will require   
   "registration" and a lot of other "paperwork" for Windows, HP, and the   
   shovelware.   
      
   > Re your "I should be   
   > able to repartition the HD and install the distros of my choice on it,   
   > and should not expect to encounter any UEFI-related problems." item,   
   > yes, as long as you don't get a BIOS update (unlikely, but...).   
      
   This Compaq had an optional BIOS update a few months after I bought it.   
     The HP ships with Windows 7 but has an option to buy a Windows 8 Pro   
   (Upgrade) DVD for $15.  I'm not sure whether I should do that upgrade,   
   though.  If it's not a machine-specific disc, I doubt it would alter any   
   BIOS.   
      
   I suppose this means I'm going to have to start using a 64-bit OS to   
   access more than 4 GB of RAM.  OTOH I gather that 32-bit apps will work   
   unchanged under a 64-bit OS.   
      
   I'm trying not to get ahead of myself, but I'm starting to think about   
   related purchases I might want to make soon.  Something so I can connect   
   the external HD as eSATA instead of USB.  The latest edition of Mueller   
   because it'll cover the hardware on this box.  More RAM (ships with 8   
   GB, max is 16 GB).  Maybe I'll put one of those older CPUs I have on the   
   bottom of the case, just so I can legitimately give it an "Intel inside"   
   sticker. ;-)   
      
   Then there's stuff I'll need to set up "eris" in the other room.  I   
   might add a PATA HD or two to it (the external HD will stay in the LR   
   with the new system), as that's probably the last box I'll have with   
   PATA connectors.   
      
   [kitty news]   
      
   > we had a local vet who ran "The Cat Clinic" in Mountain View, CA   
   > (and few of the vets I've found since measured up to Doctor Jim)   
      
   When I wanted a recommendation for Louise, I asked the animal care   
   manager at the SPCA (back when I was a volunteer), and got a good one.   
      
   > Princess was an outdoor/indoor cat, and one time she wandered into a   
   > neighbor's garage and got locked in there over a weekend.  Drove us   
   > nuts trying to find her   
      
   Once as a kitten Allegra accidentally got locked into the study (bedroom   
   #3).  It was Lionel (a grown cat) who noticed and alerted the humans to it.   
      
   [ZIP codes]   
      
   >> I checked the USPS website, and this building (12 apartments) has two   
   >> ZIP+4s, even though all 12 mailboxes are together.   
   >   
   > Are the two ZIP+4s unique to the building, or are they shared with   
   > others?   
      
   Darn it, I forgot to look those up when I was at the P.O. yesterday.  By   
   asking usps.com for the ZIP+4s for apartments in adjacent buildings, I   
   think those two are unique to this building.  OTOH years ago I tried   
   sending a postcard to just my last name and my ZIP+4, and it never got   
   delivered.   
      
   Adam   
   --   
      
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