[mdlug] Fwd: President's mail bag - Store to offer Linux preinstalled
God of Lemmings
god_of_lemmings at usol.com
Fri Jun 1 14:57:25 EDT 2007
Note about the current nvidia video drivers: The newer ones have a
memory leak that nvidia has been
working on for a few months already, it appears when compositing is
enabled, and such compositing
is required for Compiz and Beryl. You may wish to read about it at
nvidia:s forums.
Begin forwarded message:
> From: ebradley01 at wowway.com
> Date: June 1, 2007 1:10:40 PM EST
> To: mdlug at mdlug.org
> Subject: Re: [mdlug] President's mail bag - Store to offer Linux
> preinstalled
> Reply-To: "MDLUG's Main discussion list" <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>
> <snip>
>
> We are also considering offering preloaded laptops. Currently
> I have an Ubuntu 7.04 system decked out with the full Compiz/Beryl 3D
> desktop. The reaction to it has been overwhelmingly positive. It is
> helping to show that Linux is ready for home use.
>
> The Sytem Specs are:
> AMD Athlon 64 3200+
> 1 GB DDR2 Memory
> 80 GB SATA2 Hard Drive
> 18X Dual Layer DVD Burner
> MSI Nvidia 7300GT PCIe Card
>
> We are selling the system for $399.
>
> </snip>
>
> This seems like a really good deal to me...at least, when taken at
> face-value.
> Anything other than the above specs that should be considered when
> pricing a
> laptop for general usage purposes? (Internet, email, multimedia
> playback, no
> games...)
>
> Just looking to get everyone's opinion...
>
>
> Evan
>
> --
> "The road of life is rocky, and you may stumble too. So while you
> point your
> finger; someone else is judging you." --Bob Marley
>
>
> ---------- Original Message -----------
> From: mdlug-request at mdlug.org
> To: mdlug at mdlug.org
> Sent: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:00:01 -0400
> Subject: mdlug Digest, Vol 10, Issue 1
>
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>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. Converting DVDs to play on a Palm (Ingles, Raymond)
>> 2. President's mail bag - Store to offer Linux preinstalled
>> (Raymond McLaughlin)
>> 3. Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE! (Wolfger)
>> 4. Re: Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE! (Robert Adkins)
>> 5. Re: Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE! (Michael Corral)
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 18:03:18 -0400
>> From: "Ingles, Raymond" <Raymond.Ingles at compuware.com>
>> Subject: [mdlug] Converting DVDs to play on a Palm
>> To: "Mdlug (E-mail)" <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>> Message-ID:
>> <41C33488FEC67C43BC564F5F086C21FF03A33DAB at nasa-dtw-
>> ex001.nasa.cpwr.corp>
>>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>> I got a spare 512MB SD card and decided to try this out, since I'd
>> heard of people doing it. So, I did some googling and put together a
>> script or two to handle this.
>>
>> Basically, you use "mencoder" to read the DVD and convert it to
>> DIVX format, scaling the video to fit the 320x320 screen. I also
>> compress the audio to 128Kbit MP3 format, since I don't need a Dolby
>> soundtrack. :-> I've had very good results with a 224Mbit/sec video
>> rate. It looks quite good on the screen, better than VHS (certainly
>> richer color).
>>
>> Last night I converted the movie "Aliens". It's a 154-minute movie
>> in 16x9 format. It converted down to a 320x180 image, and takes up
>> 403MB on the card. That took approximately an hour and twenty
>> minutes on my dual-2GHz Athlon system. (If I used one-pass encoding
>> it would have been about half that.)
>>
>> I let the movie run all the way through (two hours and 34 minutes)
>> today as the Treo 650 sat on my desk as I worked (with the sound
>> muted) and my battery went from 99% to 77%. Not bad.
>>
>> It's a toy, sure, but might be fun on a long trip. I could fit five
>> or six half-hour TV shows on my card easily. Anyway, if anyone's
>> interested, the script I use is below.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Ray Ingles (313) 227-2317
>>
>> "Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any other
>> invention in human history, with the possible exception of
>> handguns and tequila." - Mitch Radcliffe
>>
>> ---begin dvd2palm.sh---
>> #!/bin/sh
>>
>> # Converts DVDs to AVI files suitable for viewing on a Palm w/TCPMP
>>
>> # If you're skipping frames, increase FPS. If duplicating, decrease
>> FPS.
>> # Usual values are 24000/1001 (23.976), 24, 25 (PAL), 30000/1001
>> (29.97), 30.
>> FPS=24000/1001
>>
>> # My Palm has a 320x320 screen. If you have a 480x320 screen, try
>> "480" here.
>> SCALEW=320
>>
>> # Set audio mode - these are arranged in decreasing order of
>> likelyhood
>> # to sync properly
>>
>> # Full AC3 audio, takes up a fair amount of space.
>> #AUDIO=copy
>> # Constant bit rate MP3, the 'br' field sets the bit rate
>> AUDIO="mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128"
>> # Average bit rate MP3, the 'br' field sets the bit rate
>> #AUDIO="mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128"
>> # Variable bit rate MP3, sometimes has sync problems
>> #AUDIO="mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3"
>>
>> # Set crop, if needed
>> # Get these numbers by running the command: mplayer -ss 60 -vf
> scale=320:-2,cropdetect dvd://[track number]
>> #CROP=",crop=320:160:0:28"
>>
>> # For mixed progressive/telecined content
>> #PULLUP=",pullup,softskip"
>>
>> # Set video bit rate, feel free to experiment here to see what fits
>> VBITRATE=224
>> #VBITRATE=336
>> #VBITRATE=448
>>
>> # Use DIVX
>> DIVX="-ffourcc divx"
>>
>> # These are the key parameters we gotta have from the user.
>> # Spaces in the output file name are probably not a good idea.
>> DVDTITLE=$1
>> NEWNAME=$2.avi
>>
>> # These are optional parameters that can be tweaked but have default
>> values.
>> # You might want to change the default to match your system.
>> DVDDEV=${3:-"/dev/dvd"}
>> # 128 is the default audio track on a DVD, usually
>> AUDIOTRACK=${4:-128}
>>
>> # Make sure we got the minimum info needed.
>> if [ -z "${DVDTITLE}" -o -z "$2" ]; then
>> echo "Usage: " $0 " dvd-title output-name [dvd-device] [audio-
>> track]" exit -1 fi
>>
>> # Just in case one's left over from a previous encoding run.
>> rm -rf divx2pass.log
>>
>> # Two-pass encoding, takes longer but produces best quality for a
>> given bitrate
>> mencoder -dvd-device ${DVDDEV} dvd://${DVDTITLE} -aid ${AUDIOTRACK} -
>> ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vpass=1:vbi trate=${VBITRATE} -ofps
>> ${FPS} ${DIVX} -oac ${AUDIO} -vf scale=${SCALEW}:-2${CROP}${PULLUP} -
>> o /dev/null
>>
>> mencoder -dvd-device ${DVDDEV} dvd://${DVDTITLE} -aid ${AUDIOTRACK} -
>> ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vpass=2:vbi trate=${VBITRATE} -ofps
>> ${FPS} ${DIVX} -oac ${AUDIO} -vf scale=${SCALEW}:-2${CROP}${PULLUP} -
>> o ${NEWNAME}
>>
>> # Clean up after ourselves.
>> rm -rf divx2pass.log
>> ----end dvd2palm.sh----
>>
>> The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee
>> only. It contains information that may be confidential. Unless you
>> are the named addressee or an authorized designee, you may not copy
>> or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you received it in
>> error please notify us immediately and then destroy it.
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 23:45:25 -0400
>> From: Raymond McLaughlin <driveray at ameritech.net>
>> Subject: [mdlug] President's mail bag - Store to offer Linux
>> preinstalled
>> To: "mdlug at mdlug.org" <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>> Message-ID: <465F9655.8010007 at ameritech.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>> Mr. Hughs,
>>
>> Thank you for contacting me. I find your idea both intriguing and
>> exciting. Right now I am swamped with other pressing business, but I
>> hope to be able to provide more extensive input in the next few weeks.
>>
>> For the time being I will pass your letter on to our membership. I
>> must
>> tell you that Computer Builders Warehouse got something of a bad
>> reputation in our group a couple of years ago. If I recall they were
>> promoting questionable MS 'facts' of some sort. I don't recall the
>> details off hand. Your project could go a long ways toward changing
>> this.
>>
>> I hope to be able to drop by your store some time in the next few
>> weeks.
>> Is there any chance that your store could accommodate a "mini
>> meeting" of about a dozen people? Just a thought. In the mean time I
>> suggest that you join one or more of our mailing lists to get an
>> idea of our group's inclinations. Be warned that purely commercial
>> postings are considered spam, and greatly frowned upon.
>>
>> I hope to see you soon
>> Raymond McLaughlin
>> President MDLUG
>>
>> Rich Hughes wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hello Mr. McLaughlin,
>>>>
>>>> My name is Rich Hughes, I manage the Computer Builders Warehouse
>>>> store
>>>> inside Great Lakes Crossing. I also run www.linuxtechdaily.com
>>>> <http://www.linuxtechdaily.com> and have written for other Linux
>> websites.
>>>>
>>>> I'm writing to announce to you and your group that my store in Great
>>>> Lakes Crossing has been approved for a pilot program, offering Linux
>>>> based systems. If it is successful it will expand to our other
>>>> locations. We are also considering offering preloaded laptops.
>>>> Currently
>>>> I have an Ubuntu 7.04 system decked out with the full Compiz/Beryl
>>>> 3D
>>>> desktop. The reaction to it has been overwhelmingly positive. It is
>>>> helping to show that Linux is ready for home use.
>>>>
>>>> The Sytem Specs are:
>>>> AMD Athlon 64 3200+
>>>> 1 GB DDR2 Memory
>>>> 80 GB SATA2 Hard Drive
>>>> 18X Dual Layer DVD Burner
>>>> MSI Nvidia 7300GT PCIe Card
>>>>
>>>> We are selling the system for $399. We have the ability to custom
>>>> build
>>>> any system and load any version of Linux on it, but are trying this
>>>> combo out to see how it does. I believe our non-propriatery, open
>>>> architecture systems are a perfect match for Free Software.
>>>>
>>>> Frankly, I'm asking for MDLUG's support. I think there is enormous
>>>> potential for success here. With the failure of Vista, and the
>>>> strides
>>>> Linux is making, I think now is the time. I'd love to get your
>>>> members
>>>> out here into the store to check out this system.
>>>>
>>>> I'm also interested in feedback in what systems people might be
>>>> interested in. Distro, system specs, etc...
>>>> If anyone wants to check out our website www.cbwstores.com
>>>> <http://www.cbwstores.com> , look at our stock and let me know what
>>>> they
>>>> would be interested in, I'd be happy to email back a coupon. My
>>>> email is
>>>> rhughes at cbwstores.com <mailto:rhughes at cbwstores.com> .
>>>>
>>>> I appreciate your time, I hope your group gets excited about this. I
>>>> think it is a great opportunity for the community, and for our
>>>> stores.
>>>> Feel free to call at any time or drop me an email.
>>>>
>>>> Thank You,
>>>>
>>>> Rich Hughes
>>>> Store Manager
>>>>
>>>> Computer Builders Warehouse
>>>> Great Lakes Crossing
>>>> 4354 Baldwin Road - Ste. 708
>>>> Auburn Hills, MI 48326
>>>> Tel: (248) 334-3061
>>>> Fax: (248) 334-5373
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 3
>> Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 07:32:17 -0400
>> From: Wolfger <wolfger at gmail.com>
>> Subject: [mdlug] Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE!
>> To: "MDLUG Main" <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>> Message-ID:
>> <3b00b3330706010432q6a974415r469a306223debc4c at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>
>> http://lolcode.com/home
>>
>> --
>> Wolfger
>> http://wolfger.wordpress.com/
>> http://1fjordaroad.wordpress.com/
>> AOL IM: wolf4coyot
>> Yahoo!Messenger: wolfgersilberbaer
>> Skype: wolfger88
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 4
>> Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:41:06 -0400
>> From: Robert Adkins <radkins at impelind.com>
>> Subject: Re: [mdlug] Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE!
>> To: MDLUG's Main discussion list <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>> Message-ID: <466013E2.2000208 at impelind.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>
>> Is it wrong that I actually understand the "code"?
>>
>> Wolfger wrote:
>>> http://lolcode.com/home
>>>
>>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 5
>> Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 10:35:59 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
>> From: Michael Corral <micorral at comcast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [mdlug] Forget Perl, I'm switching to LOLCODE!
>> To: MDLUG <mdlug at mdlug.org>
>> Message-ID:
>> <Pine.WNT.4.64.0706011034140.2540 at w2zzzp0601.amer.corp.eds.com>
>> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>>
>> Wolfger a ecrit:
>>> http://lolcode.com/home
>>
>> Well, it is more readable...
>>
>> Michael
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> End of mdlug Digest, Vol 10, Issue 1
>> ************************************
> ------- End of Original Message -------
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