Personal computing discussed

Search found 81 matches

by ekul
Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:43 pm
Forum: General Software
Topic: Ports & Protocols Google Chrome Supports
Replies: 3
Views: 1958

Re: Ports & Protocols Google Chrome Supports

@ekul Thanks, guess it's not practical to name all the ports & protocols that a browser uses. Best to to do a write up describing the common ports that will be allowed, and that everything else depends on the user's need & what the company firewall will allow/block. Basically except for spd...
by ekul
Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:34 pm
Forum: General Software
Topic: Ports & Protocols Google Chrome Supports
Replies: 3
Views: 1958

Re: Ports & Protocols Google Chrome Supports

Chrome also supports SPDY which is google's improved replacement for HTTP: http://www.chromium.org/spdy/spdy-whitepaper And like all browsers depends pretty heavily on DNS. Looking at the source it also seems to support ocsp As far ports as ports go, like all other broswers chrome will try outgoing ...
by ekul
Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:07 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Macbook Air <> Ultrabook
Replies: 28
Views: 4398

Re: Macbook Air <> Ultrabook

I disagree. If you run OSX or linux get a macbook air. If you run windows, get a windows based ultrabook. Consider the SSD alone. On the air you have a 128gb SSD that now has to hold OSX and Win7. I'd recommend waiting till april as the ultrabook prices for todays models are expected to fall by abo...
by ekul
Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:03 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Macbook Air <> Ultrabook
Replies: 28
Views: 4398

Re: Macbook Air <> Ultrabook

I love my macbook air. It fit in my work laptop bag. With my work laptop. Still in the box. Once a laptop fits your size and battery life requirements the only 3 things that actually matter (at least to me) are keyboard, touchpad and screen. Macbooks all have great keyboards and their touchpads are ...
by ekul
Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:22 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Where does the task manager get CPU utilization numbers?
Replies: 9
Views: 3824

Re: Where does the task manager get CPU utilization numbers?

So how does Windows figure out the CPU utilization and what does that even mean? I'm a computer architecture and VLSI design student so I know how a CPU works and I can't figure out how you would ever get to 100% CPU utilization on a consistent basis. It seems that branch mispredicts (as rare as th...
by ekul
Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:21 pm
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Cable Boxes = The Devil.
Replies: 29
Views: 3034

Re: Cable Boxes = The Devil.

I'm in Canada, stuck with Robbers and so I'm still on an analogue cable feed in to my MythTV server. I was in the same boat. Rogers sucks with their stupid HD encryption and **** cable box interface. It's like they set out to build the most input laggy device in history. Then to clinch first place ...
by ekul
Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:56 pm
Forum: Networking
Topic: mail server
Replies: 19
Views: 3277

Re: mail server

It becomes an even bigger pain in the ass when something goes wrong: virus, massive spam hit, etc. For reference, how many users are you talking about? From a thread over at HardOCP : Pros to a hosted e-mail solution: 1. no need to buy additional servers to run the mail server(s). 2. no expensive m...
by ekul
Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:35 pm
Forum: Networking
Topic: mail server
Replies: 19
Views: 3277

Re: mail server

I am installing an email server for my office for the first time and need assistance on good server installation and tech support professionals. could anyone help me out. Everyone who is saying run away screaming is right. Running a good email system is a giant pain in the ass. If you only have a f...
by ekul
Thu May 05, 2011 9:19 am
Forum: Processors
Topic: 2600K->VT-D issue while running VMWare
Replies: 27
Views: 10554

Re: 2600K->VT-D issue while running VMWare

yes VMware tools are installed .... thats the very first thing we do when working with VMs ....... I am not sure about the sata controller though....about CPU ... I choose 1 CPU and 4 cores in all VMs, I think thst correct as 2600 does have 4 physical cores right ......about RAM I mentioned in the ...
by ekul
Tue May 03, 2011 12:59 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: 2600K->VT-D issue while running VMWare
Replies: 27
Views: 10554

Re: 2600K->VT-D issue while running VMWare

have you installed and configured the guest additions yet? Those can make a big difference in how fast a VM "feels". It can also make a difference which SATA controller you choose for your virtual hard disks. The default is the safest but also the slowest. A similar situation can occur if ...
by ekul
Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:27 pm
Forum: Networking
Topic: Very Small Network - Need Advice
Replies: 18
Views: 2478

Re: Very Small Network - Need Advice

I mentioned that, but he wants a server. He's the one spending the money. I've stopped trying to convince people of things they have heard elsewhere. What he might want is a NAS. Lots of places make ones designed for small offices to store big files and backups. qnap makes some nice ones. They have...
by ekul
Fri Apr 29, 2011 10:51 am
Forum: Networking
Topic: Very Small Network - Need Advice
Replies: 18
Views: 2478

Re: Very Small Network - Need Advice

I know nothing about Raid arrays, that's why I thought they were for file protection - or in this case, redundancy. The basic idea if raid is reduce the risk of hard drive failure. With RAID1 you write 2 copies of everything, one to each drive in the array, so if one fails there is any copy. You ha...
by ekul
Fri Apr 29, 2011 8:46 am
Forum: Networking
Topic: Very Small Network - Need Advice
Replies: 18
Views: 2478

Re: Very Small Network - Need Advice

As I am looking into RAID for data protection, which would be the better RAID setup for a small outfit like this? Is Adaptec a reputable company for RAID cards? I've never had trouble with them but I also haven't used too many. Are you thinking of RAID 1 or 5? Since this is a single server hosting ...
by ekul
Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:03 pm
Forum: Networking
Topic: Very Small Network - Need Advice
Replies: 18
Views: 2478

Re: Very Small Network - Need Advice

I'd look closely at Windows Small Businss Server - http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/overview.aspx Windows Home Server is actually based on it (SBS itself is based on Windows Server). It'll handle email, file serving, account management and email and since you don't like dealing with software it co...
by ekul
Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:28 am
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Game of Thrones TV series HBO
Replies: 53
Views: 6267

Re: Game of Thrones TV series HBO

Seems ok, but neither Catelynn nor Eddard have appropriate actors to my mind's eye. Everyone else seems to have been cast fine, though. I agree. I always pictured Eddard as a much harder man and Catelyn with a much sharper gaze. It's hard to describe but casting is like porn, I know it when I see i...
by ekul
Mon Apr 18, 2011 6:13 pm
Forum: Networking
Topic: Windows 7 and Samba 3.5.2
Replies: 6
Views: 3380

Re: Windows 7 and Samba 3.5.2

Try adding
client ntlmv2 auth = yes
to your SMB.conf and that might resolve it. Window 7 does have much tighter default security.
by ekul
Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:15 am
Forum: General Software
Topic: SQL SERVER 2008 performance difference between builds
Replies: 11
Views: 2652

Re: SQL SERVER 2008 performance difference between builds

Our software vendor does have a DBA. However, I think he's clueless about the performance problems coz he hasn't been able to fix anything so far. They are still "looking into it". I am fairly above average in both development and IT but it's not part of my job description. So if I mess u...
by ekul
Mon Apr 04, 2011 3:37 pm
Forum: Linux, Unix, and Assorted Madness
Topic: Linux RAID success
Replies: 25
Views: 6292

Re: Linux RAID success

Don't run RAID5 in software. Even with a dedicated RAID controller than can do all the parity calculations, the consensus seems to be that RAID 10 is a better solution overall except when it comes to how much disk space is used by the redundancy, which is a non-issue given the price/GB that disks a...
by ekul
Sat Feb 26, 2011 6:17 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: Would we have been better off if IA64 was the standard?
Replies: 26
Views: 4813

Re: Would we have been better off if IA64 was the standard?

Yeah, IMO ARM will dominate in areas where x86 compatibility is a non-issue (pretty much anything that doesn't run desktop/server versions of Windows). But on any platform where being able to run generic Windows apps is a desirable trait, x86 will likely continue to be the platform of choice for qu...
by ekul
Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:45 am
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Fusion OR SandyBridge for "HTPC + File/Backup Server"
Replies: 15
Views: 3272

Re: Fusion OR SandyBridge for "HTPC + File/Backup Server"

Let's just say I have 2 x 2TB setup in RAID 1 that only contains DATA, no OS. What will happen if I unplugged One drive and put it on my other computer or plugged it in my HDD dock? Will it be read as a normal HDD? Can I still view/copy/manipulate my DATA in there? Will my OS fail to recognize it b...
by ekul
Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:13 am
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Fusion OR SandyBridge for "HTPC + File/Backup Server"
Replies: 15
Views: 3272

Re: Fusion OR SandyBridge for "HTPC + File/Backup Server"

Anyway, I was just thinking to moving to RAID backup because of these hassle I've been through. I know RAID is not fail-proof but It could be less (or maybe more - I honestly don't know). But from what I read, Raid 5 is suggested. RAID != backup. Nothing replaces the need for regular backups. Using...
by ekul
Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:01 pm
Forum: Developer's Den
Topic: Looking for I/O bound compile test for benching
Replies: 13
Views: 3729

Re: Looking for I/O bound compile test for benching

It all depends on the config you build. A stripped down config for your particular machine with limited modules can take as little as a few minutes. A kernel fedora or ubuntu would ship can take over an hour or more to build even on fastest hardware. Hmm... I don't build kernels much, but I don't t...
by ekul
Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:30 pm
Forum: Developer's Den
Topic: Looking for I/O bound compile test for benching
Replies: 13
Views: 3729

Re: Looking for I/O bound compile test for benching

1) Does the test need to run under Windows? If not, I suspect that the Linux kernel may come as close as you can get (though perhaps not, I'm no expert). Yeah, though I suspect the Linux kernel is far too big to be practical as a benchmark. It's been years since I've compiled one but I remember it ...
by ekul
Sat Nov 20, 2010 4:08 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: Floating-point units in server-grade CPUs
Replies: 178
Views: 22640

Re: Floating-point units in server-grade CPUs

Ideally, programs would be recompiled to make the most efficient usage of the chip by replacing floating point operations with integer instructions. It sounds like the people who complained either did not do that or were using the processors for things that it was not meant to process, like scienti...
by ekul
Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:39 pm
Forum: Storage
Topic: RAID is not a backup solution
Replies: 4
Views: 1554

Re: RAID is not a backup solution

Yup, in fact this issue is a pet peeve of mine. RAID protects you against one thing, and one thing only: An internal hardware failure affecting a single hard drive Well it depends on the RAID level. RAID6 protects from 2 disks failures per array, for instance. Not many people use it though, since i...
by ekul
Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:33 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: Floating-point units in server-grade CPUs
Replies: 178
Views: 22640

Re: Floating-point units in server-grade CPUs

No one has brought up the Niagara chip yet so it would be worth spending some time on. Sun has actually designed and sells (Oracle now, boo) a series of SPARC CPUs that have limited floating point units. These CPUs are designed to be "thread monsters" with limited single thread performance...
by ekul
Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:49 pm
Forum: Storage
Topic: RAID is not a backup solution
Replies: 4
Views: 1554

Re: RAID is not a backup solution

RAID was never intended to be a replacement for regular, off-site backups. Backups are for disaster recovery and there is no replacement. RAID was designed to reduce the frequency of disasters you might have to recover from. There is a big difference. RAID lets you continue working with hard drive f...
by ekul
Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:43 pm
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Gas turbine hybrid Jag
Replies: 23
Views: 8769

Re: Gas turbine hybrid Jag

I've been somewhat surprised that no-one (AFAIK) has done a hybrid AWD implementation with the gas engine running the front wheels and electrics in the rear (which has the nice side-effect of eliminating the driveshaft hump in the cabin). Though of course it would be better to have the electrics ru...
by ekul
Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:32 pm
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Gas turbine hybrid Jag
Replies: 23
Views: 8769

Re: Gas turbine hybrid Jag

I've thought the same thing for a long time as well. GM is on the right track with their Volt that is purely electric when it comes to powering the wheels but they still have a heavy, inefficient piston engine recharging the battery. Turbines never made sense in cars because they are only efficient ...
by ekul
Thu Sep 30, 2010 12:57 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Friend is pondering the HTPC vs. TiVo question
Replies: 2
Views: 1513

Re: Friend is pondering the HTPC vs. TiVo question

boxee is pretty good for playing back content you already have (torrented tv shows, ripped movies that sort of thing) and has decent support for streaming stuff like hulu and netflix but for DVR he'll need either mythtv or windows media center. If he doesn't want to spend very much money then mythv ...
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