----- Original Message ----- From: "Shaun Canning" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 11:19 PM Subject: RE: Dumb computer question
> It's a combination of everything Brad. You only need one line of code in one > program to not like another program trying to access a part of the memory > stack, or any other infinite combinations of things to make a PC or Mac s**t > itself. You're a geek, you know that. Hey Shaun, ya, I'm a proud geek at that! > Hardware certainly plays its part, as > I have had bits and pieces over the years that didn't like each other much. > Some motherboards don't like particular graphics cards for instance, no > matter how often you update drivers or patch the BIOS. I have heard and seen my fair share of this piece not liking this piece, but surprisingly, never on my own systems. > The problem I see > with many of the GIS apps is that they were designed and built on the UNIX > platform, and have not translated 100% to Windoze, and neither are they > available for LINUX, which would be the obvious choice for many. ArcView for > instance is generally stable, but will fall over. MapInfo is more stable, > but not as powerful. IDRISSI is a killer GIS app, but it's a bitch to learn. > ArcInfo likewise (although now its menu driven rather than command line). > These programs (i.e. ArcInfo cost upwards of $7500.00 in Australia, so we > don't tend to chop and change to often). I run MapInfo 5.0, ArcView 3.2a, > and IDRISSI 32 all at once. Of them all IDRISSI is the most stable. GRASS is > available for LINUX, but not a particularly easy package to grapple with. Well, I have this to say, you are lucky....or I was very unlucky. I was in the Honours Geography program at UWO, and unfortunately, our big GIS guy had a wife that worked in a research facility associated with the university. He started a GIS app, which was further developed by his wife and a team, at the facility. What was it? Map Factory by ThinkSpace, Inc. Heard of it? I'd be surprised if you did! It was crap. And was only for the Mac OS (at the time) Other programs with other professors used great programs like ArcInfo and IDRISSI, and we were not happy we got stuck with Map Factory. I was quite disappointed. I cannot recall what program we used for Remote Sensing. Damn. > As far as hardware is concerned I run 2 different systems. My main machine > is an AMD Athlon @ 1610 mhz. I run an ABIT KT-266 motherboard, 512mb 266 mhz > sd-ram (Hyundai), 80gb Seagate barracuda, 30 gb Quantum fireball, LG CDRW, > Pioneer DVD, Creative Sblive, MSI Starforce 64mb graphics card (nvidia TNT > MX400), a modem, and an Intel Ethernet card. This thing runs W2K SP3, and > all my main application requirements. My other machine is a P3 500mhz > running 512mb of 133mhz sd-ram, and a little itty bitty 8gb hd. What can I say, you have good tastes! Love the Abit motherboards and AMD, I have much the same (though not *quite* as up to date as you) because lately my cash is going into cameras and not solely to computers. > I run both machines through a 17" monitor using a > really funky Belkin KVB switch. I keep everything tucked up safe and warm > behind a firewall, and scan incessantly for viruses. > Now, what's all this got to do with Pentax. Well I did take some nice photos > just the other day..... I recently upgraded my monitor on my main system to a 19" flatscreen NEC. Wonderful unit. I'm running XP Pro, and despite what I said about software firewalls and windoze (which is true) I do run a Zone Labs on the system because I'm ultra paranoid about security and privacy. Of course the hardware router is my main line of defense. I check every week for any updates on almost all my stuff (but beware! I'm a pirate and I can't install the SP1 upgrade for XP because of course, I don't pay for anything anymore, but they somehow figured a way to detect an illegal version...buggers :)) I may have to *shutter* buy it! I use NAV which some will point out is not the best, but I like it, and I'm consistently checking to make sure it's up to date. Full systems scans of all files at least once a week. Don't ya just love being a geek? :) Oh ya, and what does this all have to do with Pentax? Well, I'm reading the PDML with it :) Brad Dobo
