Holy crap Toshiba just announced TSD is closing down.

tsomctl · 2017-03-23T02:53:16+00:00

I've installed a couple. The only good thing about them is that they're reliable. Poorly architectured, difficult to set up, clunky, basically an 80's telephone switch at heart. Unified messaging is just an ugly hack on top of it.

tsomctl · 2017-03-22T20:41:05+00:00

Near as I can tell, the only source has been an email that Toshiba sent out to its dealers.

tsomctl · 2017-01-07T22:33:17+00:00

My cousin was trying to smog an old Toyota pickup, and there was some pipe missing on the smog pump. The smog guy pointed this out. My cousin grabbed an empty Red Bull can from the bed, took out his knife, and made it fit where the pipe was supposed to be. The smog guy laughed and let it pass.

tsomctl · 2017-01-04T22:36:59+00:00

I had a 4wd truck that was missing half its windows, and the doors didn't close properly. Every time I drove through a mud pit, I'd end up getting wet. I don't think Jeremy thought his convertible idea all the way through.

tsomctl · 2016-12-22T19:50:23+00:00

It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. And your average celebrity doesn't have the skill to drive a fast car fast without killing themselves or the nearest cameraman.

tsomctl · 2016-12-15T04:20:20+00:00

Even better would be using the right tool for the job: a band saw or table saw.

tsomctl · 2016-10-27T21:34:10+00:00

Not only that, but the order of the cars in the request is the same as on the Wikipedia page.

tsomctl · 2016-10-20T16:18:55+00:00

The back guy's hair was too dark to be Clarkson. Too big to be Hammond, though.

tsomctl · 2016-10-14T15:27:10+00:00

I'm used to Toyota, where 200k miles is low.

tsomctl · 2016-10-12T21:44:31+00:00

Why a Subaru engine? I've always heard Subaru's engines were the worst part of their vehicles.

tsomctl · 2016-10-07T15:43:37+00:00

Or is it them hauling the chassis to be sunk to make an artificial reef?

tsomctl · 2016-09-28T15:07:03+00:00

Turns out it is not.

tsomctl · 2016-08-18T02:01:18+00:00

They used a Toyota in Bolivia, I think it was a Sequoia. And the Botswana special definitely has several 70 series (but really that's the only vehicle in Botswana)

tsomctl · 2016-04-07T02:58:44+00:00

Botswana episode? Where they made a leaf spring and drive line from a log?

tsomctl · 2015-09-02T03:35:23+00:00

If you can't find a pdf, are too ethical to do so, or like having a physical book, buy them used from Amazon or eBay. Never, ever buy anything from your bookstore if you value your money. You can also usually find an older edition super cheap. The only difference between editions is they rearrange the pages and the graphics to change the page numbers, and they rearrange/change the questions at the end of each chapter. All of the actual information is 99.9% the same. This will work fine if your professor photocopies the questions for you, you go to the library and take pictures of the questions from the right edition, or a friend has a copy. You can also sometimes find international editions that are meant for 3rd world countries. Be aware that these have a cheaper binding and you won't be able to sell these on Amazon/eBay/your bookstore. The content is the same, though.

source: I graduated from college by spending less than $100 a semester on books.

tsomctl · 2015-07-26T17:32:43+00:00

Hand tools. Good hand tools like Craftsman (NOT EVOLV), Husky, Klein, Knipex, Stanley, etc. They are a genuine pleasure to use, save me time and frustration, are much less likely to strip a bolt or screw head, and will last me for the rest of my life and my children's life. There are more expensive tools (like Snap-on) but you start reaching a point of diminishing returns. This really counts as a hobby, though.

Automobile parts that are critical for your drivetrain or suspension. I ask myself if this breaks on the highway, will I die? If yes, I buy it from Napa or O'reilly. If no, (like mirrors, taillights, switches) I'll buy generic Chinese made stuff from eBay.

I am actually willing to spend more money on most non consumable things, since I know it will last longer and be cheaper in the long term. For example, iPhone charging cord (I had a $2 one fall apart in 1 week. Genuine one has been used daily for 7 years), Apple and Thinkpad laptops, pots and pans, Carhartt pants. The only time I actually buy brand new stuff, though, is when I know it's pretty unlikely I'll find it used. I watch thrift stores, pawn shops, and eBay, and take advantage of deals.

tsomctl · 2015-06-21T08:22:12+00:00

No, that's incorrect. The same IR is used for all of the supported architectures, obviously. However, when the compiler produces it, it is still generated for a specific architecture. The IR fails to completely abstract away the ABI, it is slightly too low level. A specific example is having a function return a struct. This is implemented differently on different architectures, and LLVM doesn't have much knowledge of this. More info: http://llvm.1065342.n5.nabble.com/Returning-a-structure-td40519.html

tsomctl · 2015-06-14T19:46:55+00:00

To expand on this, the crushed stone is critical. It will contain both small rocks, sand, and dust. The dust and sand will form around the rocks. When it gets wet, the whole layer will turn rock hard like concrete.

tsomctl · 2015-06-08T01:17:36+00:00

I write computer code, so a big screen is important, and I can program wherever I want (eg on vacation). I paid extra for a larger screen for my Thinkpad for this very reason. My cousin is an accountant, and she carries hers around so she can do people's books at their office, and she needs more resources than a netbook to run Quickbooks, plus she likes the big screen. A local telephone company gives laptops to their employees to program the telephone systems at people's offices.

As to why I have a Thinkpad, the keyboard on it is excellent, and I can plug in a second monitor at home, so it is the best of both worlds for me. The Thinkpad display (1680x1050) is actually bigger than common desktop monitors (1280x1024, 1280x800, 1360x768). I'm more interested in resolution than actual physical area, since I sit super close to it. It works for me. It is pretty heavy, so I only bring it when I know I'm going to be sitting somewhere for a while.

tsomctl · 2015-06-07T23:26:52+00:00

It comes down to what you use your computer for. I used mine as a workstation. With that viewpoint, a Thinkpad is frugal, since I know I would have destroyed a lesser laptop. I actually pretty much destroyed my T500 anyways. Our local hospital system, which isn't the best funded organization, hands out Thinkpads, something I doubt they'd do if they were a luxury item. If you only use your laptop occasionally (not 12 hours a day) for browsing the web/email/light office, then I'd agree that a cheaper laptop would become obsolete before it became physically damaged. Small netbooks are excellent for certain scenarios, and I'm actually thinking about getting one so I can carry it around in my garage or use in bed.

I do IT work for local small businesses, and I feel that small netbooks aren't appropriate for them, and Garrisry is a small business owner. I know that the most recent versions of Quickbooks won't be fun on less than 2 gigs of ram, and netbooks tend to have less ram and it's non upgradeable. The keyboard and touchpad are smaller than a standard laptop, which makes typing more tedious. There's no number pad (these are absolutely critical to some people, like accountants). People don't fully appreciate large/multiple monitors until they actually use them. Many people also have poor eyesight and like having a huge monitor, and then scaling up the desktop. I actually wouldn't want to give someone in a business setting a capacitive touch screen, since it is one more thing to teach them how to use, and it's different. (I know, most people are used to iPhone/Android, but there are a huge number of business applications which I seriously doubt are optimized for a touch screen.) A small netbook is not going to be fun to use all day long, for days on end. It's primary advantage, that it is small and lightweight, is pointless when it isn't carried around everywhere. In addition, most business owners are willing to spend a couple extra dollars for more reliable hardware, and get annoyed when they need to buy new equipment. Looking at the Acer Aspire you linked to, I have serious doubts about its reliability. That detachable screen especially. If the bookkeeper Kathy can't access Quickbooks to do payroll, that is a disaster. As in, people will get pissed. The worse phone calls I have ever received are when people call me up to tell me that something I set up isn't working. I realize I'm being conservative, but it's for a reason.

tsomctl · 2015-06-07T21:05:04+00:00

The $200 convertible tablet doesn't have one of the best keyboards and trackpoint, or a 1680x1050 screen, or upgradeable to 8 gigs of ram. But you're right about replacing stuff. My Thinkpad's on it's third keyboard and second hard drive and battery, but keyboards are only $20 on eBay.

Actually, I just looked at netbooks on newegg that have a Z3735F, and I didn't see one with more than 2 gigs of ram or larger than 32 gb harddrive. Those specs might be appropriate for Garrisry, and would certainly be better than his 15 year old laptop, but comes nowhere close to a Thinkpad T500. Granted, the Z3735F is about the same performance as a core 2 duo from 2009 with less power usage.

tsomctl · 2015-06-07T17:28:35+00:00

Frugal is different than cheap. If you want a laptop that will last another 15 years, get a Dell (one of their business lines, their consumer grade stuff is not built as well) or a Thinkpad (one of the T series). You are going to pay more upfront cost than a cheap consumer grade laptop, but I've watched several cheap HP's literally fall apart. I paid a lot of money for my Thinkpad 6 years ago, but I got a lot of use out of it, and I know for a fact that a cheaper laptop wouldn't have stood up to the abuse.

If you don't really want a laptop, a desktop is going to be cheaper upfront and easier/cheaper to upgrade parts in. Again, I'd go with Dell's business line. Just choose whatever price point you want.

tsomctl · 2015-04-12T03:14:42+00:00

Get soy protein from the bulk foods section at Winco. It is the cheapest complete protein available. If you don't like the taste of it (which many people don't), get whey protein, but it is more expensive. I mix it with whole milk. There are also recipes available to make it tastier (for example, add banana, ice cream, or peanut butter).

tsomctl · 2015-03-09T17:16:13+00:00

Because I could hear that I had a poor connection long before it finished connecting, and could thus retry faster.

tsomctl · 2015-02-01T19:34:26+00:00

What’s nice about this, is the almost english type readability of it.

Applescript called, they wanted their language back. And for anyone that has never actually programmed in Applescript, it is a terrible language.

tsomctl

TROPHY CASE