From: adam@address.invalid   
      
   [combining replies again]   
      
   Moe Trin wrote:   
   > On Thu, 30 Aug 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva,   
   > in article , Adam wrote:   
      
   > RFC1035 only provided six result codes - this was expanded by RFC2136,   
   > RFC2671, RFC2845, RFC2930 and RFC4635.  In reality, we only normally   
   > see a few of the first 11 codes: [...]   
      
   Sounds like anything other than NOERROR and NXDOMAIN is strange enough   
   to be left to netadmins.   
      
   > YXDOMAIN 6   Some name that ought not to exist, does exist.   
      
   What sort of name would that be?   
      
   > What's to prevent you   
   > from attempting to register "ibm.biz" (other than the bunch of gorillas   
   > who will come to your house to "discuss" the matter)?   
      
   I heard that the publisher of "In-Between Magazine" (covering the area   
   between Dallas and Ft. Worth) got a threatening letter about their logo.   
      
   >> I mentioned changing /etc/mtab back to a file instead of a symlink to   
   >> /proc/self/mounts.   
   [...]   
   > That smells like a Mandriva feature.   
      
   Nope, it seems to be a trend, like systemd -- even if it breaks some   
   things.  My "ls $MOUNTPOINT >> file" script may need more rewriting than   
   I thought to allow for the various possibilities.   
      
   [cheap laptop]   
      
   >> I was hoping for something with at least 512 MB RAM, 20 GB HD, Wi-Fi,   
   >> with battery and charger, for at most US$50 including shipping.   
   >   
   > I'd suggest paying attention to the video requirements   
      
   As in "Is there a usable Linux video driver available?"  It does seem   
   that /most/ laptops can run Linux adequately, although it may take work.   
      
   >> What we do write, we have to bring   
   >> in 20 copies of to hand out to the rest of the class for a group   
   >> critique, which is why I think we won't be doing much writing during   
   >> class.   
   >   
   > Well, I suppose they aren't expecting more than a page or two, as   
   > otherwise that's going to start running into printer expense.   
      
   The instructor's aware of that, but he pointed out the textbook(s) for a   
   science course could come to $160, while this course's text is under   
   $20.  BTW our first assignment ended up anywhere from one to three pages.   
      
   > you've got the LJ5 at 15 cents a hundred copies, but I doubt the rest   
   > of the class is that lucky.   
      
   True.  BTW before class one of the students was surprised that there   
   were students who didn't know how to use email, then turned to me to   
   imply it was understandable in the "older generation".  I just said,   
   "Doesn't bother me.  I've been using email since 1979" (which is true,   
   although it was between users on the same PDP-11).   
      
   > I'd suspect that you would not be doing much creative writing _during_   
   > class, but you'd find it useful as a note-pad among other things.   
      
   Most instructors don't like laptops used during class, as they suspect   
   (usually correctly) that the student is using it for something unrelated   
   to the class.   
      
   >> I don't have any swap defined yet, and haven't seemed to   
   >> need any.  While running 'aide', about the worst case looks like   
   >   
   > That doesn't look bad at all.   
      
   I agree.  It looks like about 2 GB is used for the system and apps, and   
   5+ GB as a large disk cache.  (Why doesn't it add up to 8192 MB?)  I   
   should try GIMP with a large image to see.   
      
   > when eris was new, I bet it wasn't banging into the stops either.   
      
   Not with Linux (except when using VMs or GIMP), but it shipped with   
   Windows Vista and 1 GB which wasn't really enough for Vista.   
      
   >> System specs include:   
   >   
   >> "Supports DDR3 DIMMs   
   >>      PC3 10600 (1333 MHz)   
   >>      PC3 12800 (1600 MHz)   
   >>      PC3 14400 (1866 MHz)"   
   >   
   >> and of course it ships with the (comparatively) slowest of those, 2 x   
   >> 4 GB, leaving two empty slots.   
   >   
   > Of course - what the people will tolerate   ;-)    If you read what   
   > "Tom's Hardware" reports (try a search for "DDR3 speed", all is not   
   > a gamers joy.   
      
   I hadn't realized there was any real difference between brands of RAM   
   (e.g. latency), but it doesn't sound like there's much practical   
   difference for what I do.   
      
   > it's still a good idea to throw spare cash into maxing out the RAM.   
      
   I checked prices on NewEgg, and it looks like 2x4GB of the "slow" or   
   "medium" speed (of the three listed above) runs $40-60.  I'll get it   
   eventually, because I know if I wait too long it will be impossible to find.   
      
   [organ & tissue donor signup]   
      
   >> Our stick-on name tags (on our "Donate Life" t-shirts) listed our   
   >> transplants, or transplant status or relationship to a recipient.   
   >   
   > Part of it is convincing people that it's ordinary people who need   
   > the transplants, not the high/mighty or durn fereigners or something.   
      
   Yes, which is why having recipients manning the booth helps, I think.   
   Also that they are local people and are healthy-looking.   
      
   >> I assume those are more of historic interest, like a restored antique   
   >> car.   
   >   
   > A month or so ago, I was in El Paso, and on contacting the   
   > ground control to get permission to taxi to the active was told to   
   > "follow a DC-4".   
      
   It didn't occur to me that you had your own plane.   
      
   > Practical?  Oh, my no!   
   > While the Model T might sip gas like a modern econo-box, that DC-4 is   
   > sucking 2 1/2 gallons a minute per engine at takeoff, and 3/4 gallon   
   > a minute per engine at a gentle cruise (and that gas runs $7 a gallon   
   > give or take.)   
      
   So modern planes of comparable speed and capacity are considerably more   
   efficient?   
      
   > Many people have mixed feelings about having historic or vintage   
   > aircraft flying.   
      
   IMHO there's a difference between "historic" and "vintage" -- "Spirit of   
   St. Louis" is historic and belongs in a museum.  An otherwise identical   
   plane is "just" vintage.  Of the Aerodrome's aircraft in use, I don't   
   even know what proportion are genuine vintage, and what are (I gather   
   excellent) reproductions.   
      
   > Model T?  There's a few of those floating around, though I don't   
   > know how many are being driven. It was in production for a long time,   
   > but that was also a long time ago. The successor to the T was the A,   
   > and there are several being driven here on a regular basis.   
      
   Classic autos on the road aren't as common here as, say, California, but   
   I see them occasionally.  Mostly 1950s-1970s though.  For interesting   
   Model T info (such as how to start one), check out chapter I in   
   http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/ALLEN/cover.html .   
      
   Adam   
   --   
   Registered Linux User #536473   
      
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