Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with systems

Help me update my PC / Windows literacy for the 21st Century

KMH — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:26:02 -0800

I used to feel pretty confident with computers / IT in general (80s child). Now I need a boost to get back up to speed, especially digging around in the OS / filesystem. Recommend me a good book / website / hands-on project? I want to improve my general PC knowledge, focussing on the real "under-the-hood" day-to-day stuff, like managing my Windows configuration, playing around with files, building my own website on my own domain etc.

The background is that back in the day (15 years ago!) I felt I knew more than average about computers; I had an Amiga back when they were more cutting edge and could play around with the set-up, etc. I could learn all I needed from Amiga Format and fellow geeky kids.

At university I did Physics, and we learned C++ and basically built a very, very simple memory unit and so forth, so I'm sure I have the "smarts" for this stuff. Plus I passed ECDL with no problems, I work with IT all the time, just not "under the hood".

It just seems the computer world has moved on a bit, and while I'm sure I could handle the ins and outs of Windows / DOS / etc etc, I feel I've missed the boat and there's way too much detail.

I own a fairly decent Inspiron laptop, but is it my imagination or is Windows just not self explanatory? Where is the manual? PC magazines don't seem to help much either.

Can anyone recommend a couple of books, websites, (cheap/free) online courses or whatever to get me back up to speed with this stuff???

Work Flow Systems - Open Source

bright77blue — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:20:28 -0800

Business Process Management - or Workflow Management. I am looking at Bonita and ProcessMaker. Anyone using these? Which one is better for a "non-programmer" in a SMB environment? Oh - and if you have other open source suggestions, let me know. Thanks! BB

How does the sewage and electrical systems work at an established station in Antarctica?

querty — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:32:52 -0800

How does the sewage and electrical systems work at an established station in Antarctica? Just finished watching Encounters at the End of the World, I'm curious how the sewage and electrical systems work at places like McMurdo Station. There's only so much googling I can do. So if someone knows about this stuff, better yet, has been to Antarctica, then please provide some free knowledge for myself and the readers.

What did I do wrong?

peewinkle — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:02:57 -0800

So I was trying to install a slave drive into an old Gateway box and now it won't see the OS. Help! (Long, confusing story ensues) (disclaimer: I am a novice, at best, hardware guy)

I recently dumpster-dove an old Gateway Essential 500.
-Pentium III
-Windows 98
-20 Gig HD
-128 RAM

I deleted everything I didn't want off of the machine. I found it surprisingly quick. So I loaded my audio editing software onto it (Cool Edit Pro 2.1, Audacity, etc) and discovered that it performs much faster than the Dell Dimension I have been using. (I am a ghetto-tech audio engineer. I record music onto a Fostex DAW and then dump the files into CEP to mix/edit/etc).

After installing a Dio 2448 soundcard (for monitor reference) and an Ethernet card (it still had a dial-up card when I found it), and finding the drivers and getting those to work correctly, I found the machine will work great as a stand-alone music-editing work station. I only installed the ethernet card to facilitate data transfer from my network, not to connect to the internet.

I also installed a faster CD/RW drive and a DVD/RW drive. After a few days of frustration, I also got those working fine (somehow). The machine then ran like a song. Booted up in like 20 seconds, worked great.

Well, a 20-gig HD isn't a lot for audio processing, as far as data storage goes. (I have already ordered more RAM, two 256-sticks for even faster processing).

So I decided to install a Western Digital 450AA 45 gig HD as a slave. I figured I would install that, clone the 20 gig HD onto that, turn the 450AA into a single drive, replace the 20 gig drive with a Western Digital WD400, and use that as a slave, making the 450AA the master.

Well, I installed the 450AA. Found the correct jumper pin locations for a slave drive, hooked it up and fired the machine up. Went into BIOS and it recognized both HD's. So I configured them as Primary (20-gig) and Secondary (450AA). But I forgot to change the jumper on the original 20 gig HD to "master" from "single."

Now the computer won't boot. I can get into Bios, have played around a little bit, but realize I don't know enough to mess with it too much.

After the Bios initial start up, I get the message "Operating System Not Found."

I removed the 450AA and tried again, same result.

I have reset the Bios to default settings and get still the same result.

I have tried safe mode.

Still with me?

Question one: Did I blow the original 20 gig HD by trying to boot with the 450AA hooked up like that?

I tried running a boot disc (three, actually, that I have found and downloaded) but I can't get the machine to boot from either the CD nor the DVD drive. It wants to boot from the floppy, but I have no way to make floppy boot discs. In BIOS, it says the CD and DVD drives are secondary drives and that there are no primary drives. I cannot seem to make either a primary drive, if that even matters. I also cannot get the BIOS to boot from the "boot" menu.

Question two: Am I in way over my head?

I have also tried installing both the 450AA and WD400 drives as single drives, and have had the same results, though I have no idea what are on them. All three drives spin up when started, ,but after the 'Gateway" /enter BIOS screen, I get the same result.

This is the first time I have ever messed with the internals of a machine, other than installing sound cards.

Question three: Why does this old Gateway with 128 RAM run CEP much smoother and faster than my Dell Dimension that has 512 RAM? (The Dell has a 80 gig master drive and a 20 gig slave). I have removed as many back ground processes as I could off of the Dell and it is still slow, compared to the Gateway.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Or should I just STFU and leave such things to people who know? (Remember- key word here is GHETTOTECH).

Thanks very much in advance for any advice, ideas, and or knowledge.

How can one explain software licensing regulations and requirements?

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:03:46 -0800

What can I use in explaining to my boss how software licensing regulations work? My boss seems to think that we can just borrow software from another department and use it for a project that we need to deploy. I know this is not ethical and I am pretty sure it is illegal, but I am almost certain that my boss does not understand this. My boss is not a computer savvy person and I am pretty sure that he does not understand how these things work. I want to be able to cite a law or something official that will help me convey why we cannot do this, how they catch people who do this (systems and software licensing audits) and what the penalties are when a corporation is caught doing this. What information is out there that will help me in this endeavor?

What IT systems would Jesus use?

allkindsoftime — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:50:28 -0800

Looking for a IT consultant for a largish-church in NYC - please help? Asking for a friend, who manages media / communications for a large church in NYC. They need to conduct and evaluation of their current hardware / software environment for:

1) Church office internal systems
2) Church website hosting / management / design (site already exists but they want to pursue some new direction as well as plan an intranet)
3) Data storage / security / etc.

Further, they need to develop a strategy / vision for where their systems need to be in the future for more optimized operations.

The church currently has ~15,000 "clients" (for lack of a better word) that it communicates with regularly through snail and virtual methods, and does not feel their systems are up to speed with what they need for management of information exchange (church communications, demographic surveys of the clients, etc.). The data in its current state is fragmented, with some departments having certain information but others not having access to it, etc..

The church is looking to contract an IT Consultant that can help them with this evaluation and strategy development. I work in consulting but my firm deals primarily with large (for-profit) clients, so what we're looking here for specifically is a consultancy / firm that works with smaller clients, and (if possible) for non-profits in particular.

There's no formal RFP in process yet, they're just currently looking for someone capable for this effort before confirming scope / budget / scheduling. Any ideas?

TIA.

Help with MS Outlook 2002

CollectiveMind — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:23:52 -0800

I am using a computerized telephone management system called Advanced Call Center. One of its features is it emails me whenever I receive a call at my business. That feature needs and uses the Telephone Applications Programming Interface (TAPI) feature within Outlook to function. But Outlook generates a popup on the host PC that requires that I allow or disallow the message before it will allow ACC to reinitalize the modem and return to answering mode. If I'm not there, I can't turn off the window, so ACC doesn't answer anymore calls. Is there a way to turn this notification function off in Outlook 2002, or have it automatically send without notification?

I'm schizophrenic and need ideas on how to train myself to be active and able to work toward my goals.

hypervenom — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:48:40 -0800

I'm schizophrenic and need ideas on how to train myself to be active and able to work toward my goals. I was in college and had a psychotic break which revealed that while I do have severe anxiety, it's only a part of the schizophrenia.

I have a huge posterboard on my wall with a calendar which I mark every day so that I at least know what day it is, and my precise goals. I would like to start working on a "next action" list so I can see the baby steps on the way to acheiving these goals.

(the goals are basically to train myself to keep on top of tasks instead of getting overwhelmed and having to quit, and eventually achieve financial independence)

Have any of you tried something like this in the past? I am very motivated, but I get stuck sometimes. Any suggestions even remotely related to Getting Things Done are needed.

Resources for adult ADD?

mintchip — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:00:59 -0800

Does it sound like adult ADD? Resources? I am in the process of being tested for a learning disability. I have a terrible memory, particularly for auditory learning. I am also horribly disorganized, and have to spend a large amount of time and energy keeping track of things.

I have multiple systems that I have developed to help me (to do lists, reminders, etc.), but find that my systems overlap and inconsistent. For example, I'll lose the to do list, forget to look at the reminders. I am constantly overwhelmed both at work and at home, and feel that my career has been limited by my ineffectiveness managing these weaknesses.

I have always gotten by, but I feel I've never lived up to my true capacity. I suspect that, if I do have a LD, it's gone undetected because I've been able to compensate in other ways.

For those who have ADD, (or are very familiar with it) do these sound like symptoms? I do get diagnosed, what resources are available to help me? How can I learn to better handle my learning style and avoid doing "double and triple work" in order to cover my bases and keep organized? Finally, how do I find a career niche that is a good fit for a "big picture" person who struggles with details?

What is a recommended replacement to an existing home security system?

scooterdog — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 04:16:36 -0800

Home Security: What is a recommended alarm panel to replace a 15-year old hardwired alarm system? Just moved to a house built 35 years ago, and this house used to have ADT monitoring with a 15-year old 'Moose' brand 'Z1100 System II'. (Not to get into too much detail, but from what I can tell there are three doors, two motion detectors, and six windows with sensors on them.)

I used to use Brinks and would like to use a low-cost (i.e. $9/month) monitoring system like NextAlarm.com, but they do not support alarm systems as old as the one I have.

Any suggestions on what alarm panel that would use the existing wiring/sensors? I see brands like DSC and Ademco, and want a system that is relatively easy to program. The existing system appears to be very complicated as the manual which I have was printed in 1985, and is not unsimilar to programming an Apple ][+ in assembly language. (Not that there's anything against that but it does stretch my abilities...)

I'm fine (budget-wise) to spend up to $250 on a new panel. Ideas?

LibraryFilter: Should I make my goal to be a systems librarian?

griphus — Thu, 24 May 2007 16:36:11 -0800

Reading up on a few posts here, I realized I am building on being pretty well-equipped to become a systems librarian. Should I concentrate on it? I've got an ever-developing background in programming/information tech. Barely any of it is formal, but I have a technophilia that makes picking up concepts and executions not-horribly-difficult (read: if I had bothered to study during my time as a CS major, I would've been out with flying colors).

A bit of background: I kinda fell ass-backwards into wanting to be a librarian, but it seems to be the only "professional" profession I could so much as tolerate doing day-in day-out (my real desire: opening up a comic book store, sadly, is not in the cards). My community college has a "Library/Media Tech" certification that I'm enrolled in as an undergrad that pretty much teaches the ins and outs of library staffing, and I just finished an internship at a public library where most of my assignments revolved around being the only person around with both the time and will to dive face-first into computer-related activities. I'm back on track with my undergrad studies (after the standard high school -> college -> depression -> drop out cycle), and planning to transfer to a four-year and major in English with a minor in IT, and then off to get an MLIS (or an MIS, depending)

So is this a viable goal? During my internship I realized that I'm much, much more fascinated with the back-end of a library system rather than client service, but will I be given the opportunity to make this choice? Would getting certification (CCNA, etc.) help me out?

Where Have All The Systems Problems Gone?

gadha — Mon, 21 May 2007 08:12:09 -0800

For CompSci Researchers: Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from? I'm a compsci researcher in a UK institution, specifically doing systems research (more specifically, OS & network research).

The UK model for research is quite different from the American model. Here it is acceptable to pick a topic, ask a question and plug away at it eventually finding an answer -- even if it's totally obtuse and obscure. Hence a lot of the research is good, but very niche... -- and doesn't get published apart from tech reports and internal documents.

I find the American model of pushing-the-envelope very satisfying. Reading the proceedings of every SOSP/OSDI/USENIX makes me reel with wonder at the beautiful and elegant solutions to problems-I-didnt-even-know-existed. I am at the point now where I itch for really good problems in the systems field but can't find any for the life of me. Note that I am in a group where people are doing systems research but these tend to be in the form of yet-another-distributed-file system or yet-another-scheduler etc... nothing that is topical and relevant, or even zany. And our abysmal publishing record proves it.

So my question to all you American CompScis, and systems compscis in particular is -- where do you get the inspiration for your topical and timely research? Is it professors? industry? How could a person sitting in the UK come into contact with these inspirations?

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Single Entity Seeks Creative Consultation

SinisterPurpose — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:10:21 -0800

I'm looking for suggestions which will help me develop a more disciplined attitude toward my creative endeavors. Most people, or at least the ones I've come across, believe if a person posses any sort of creative tendencies whatsoever these talents inherently contain the will and ability to make these impulses manifest into a product. It's simple right? If you possess the raw materials for creative expression you must also possess the means to consistently manufacture effective and meaningful expression. The magnificent obsession of artistic endeavor is a self sustaining construct in a state of constant execution.

In my experience, this is so not the case.

I'm wondering how other Mefites have structured their creative activities for greater productivity. What is the methodology by which you have tooled your creative time for maximum efficiency? What system have you implemented to reduce creative down time? Do you have any proactive solutions for limiting the impact of organic existence on your processes?

The particular medium in which you toil is unimportant. I'm much more interested in stopgap measures.

Need a system for organizing electronic files

donp17 — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:41:03 -0800

Need to clean out and organize 15 years of electronic files. We are a small (8 person) design firm. We've been in business for about 15 years, and my boss would like me to go through our "Office Admin" folder on the server, get rid of useless documents and organize the stuff we're keeping. We currently have a folder for "Projects" and "Images" which seem well organized, but the "Office Admin" has been a grab bag of stuff, and I'd like to try to implement a system that would make sense to everyone and not just to me.

User Permission Encoding

yerfatma — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 07:03:21 -0800

Managing User Permissions: I'm reworking an existing system that has a fairly granular permission system and am looking to make it easier to use. At the risk of sounding like a complete clown¹, I've recently seen at least one OS permission system where permissions are encoded with ids that are (I think) all powers of 2, which allows the system to discern whether a user has access to a given permission from the sum of the user's permission ids. Can someone explain how this works? My question is entirely based on how I perceived the system works, so the details may be different (and that would be useful to know). Because I don't even know how to talk about this in simple labels, it's hard to Google.

1. Vs. the sub-100% clown I normally sound like.

Numbers are fun!

efalk — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 18:36:07 -0800

Asking for a friend... He's interested in examples of number systems not based on western sets of 10. Anyone know of good info on non-standard number systems used in other cultures or for niche purposes, such as hexadecimal?

Fixing up my sprinkler system

baggers — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 14:12:45 -0800

SprinklerFilter: My garden watering system seems to be behaving badly. The system waters OK, but the backflow filter (a Febco 825Y) is leaking. I've turned the water supply off for the moment, but when it is on, it makes an odd kss-kss-kss sound, and there seems to be water coming out of the bottom somewhere. Any ideas? Do I need to replace the backflow valve? Related question: the person who put the system in has subsequently vanished, so I can't discuss it with them. But the documentation that I've found for the backflow indicates that it should really be above ground, but he put it about a foot underground under an access panel. Should I relocate it?

Visual learning

foraneagle2 — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 00:01:50 -0800

I find that learning from visual reference (diagrams, animations, movies) is very effective for me. I'm looking for some good online resources that will help me utilize this. I am surprised at the lack of sysems (scienctific, anthropological, mechanical, etc..) described in simulation or visual form. Help direct me to some sites that might give me what I'm lookin for.

howstuffworks.com has some good stuff but I'm sure there is better stuff out there.

Who has theorized that you can understand a system by understanding just one part of that system?

safetyfork — Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:40:30 -0800

Intellectual History / History of Science Question: Examples of thinkers, scientists, artists, critics, etc. who theorized that you can understand a system by examining either a single component or a small set of components of that system. [More Inside] The exact parameters (the system, components, and the rules about each) of an example's specific use of this strategy don't have to be rigidly defined. Right now I want to think broadly about this theme. Ideally, if there were a book or resource written from a comparative perspective about this way of thinking/interpretive strategy that would be fabulous as I'm interested in learning about the disciplinary differences and challenges in the application of this idea. I'm less concerned with whether or not the example made a positive and lasting contribution to the particular field of knowledge as much as I'm interested in how its adherents pursued the idea and to what ends it came. I don't know if my ideal resource exists, so I'm looking to study disparate examples and make comparisons on my own. Any guidance you can give would be appreciated. I have some leads, but would encourage you to presume I know next to nothing about the topic (that as you can see I don't even have a proper name for). FWIW, this is not an assigned task (i.e. school-work).

Inventory management systems?

NotMyselfRightNow — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 11:25:08 -0800

Small- to medium-scale inventory management system recommendations? Our office has three supply rooms that we use. Two have office and classroom supply materials (standard stuff: pencils, pens, note pads, staplers, etc.) as well as some non-standard or items produced in-house (certificate folders, reams of letterhead, etc.). The third supply room has a huge quantity of books; multiple titles and multiple copies of each.

Are there any inventory management systems that exist that are rather simple to use? I’m thinking barcode scanners attached to PDAs, and then downloaded to a computer. Some sort of Excel or Word output that could be uploaded to a intranet site for internal use?

I’ve seen a interoffice mail delivery person using a (I think) Cassiopeia with a scanner attached. Has anyone used this? What’s required on the computer-end of things in order to handle the data when it’s transferred back?

Suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks!

How are you getting your email (software? web?)

ethylene — Thu, 16 Sep 2004 11:44:00 -0800

how do you get your email? (survey of mail and browsers and MI)

Has anyone had any experiences with the guys at sysbuilder.com?

kenko — Wed, 12 May 2004 20:54:01 -0800

Has anyone had any experiences with these guys or other such shops?