The collected works of GeneratriX - Page 5

GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 17, 2005, 2:59 p.m...
GeneratriX wrote:

Code: Select all

17:34:23 (sgifd) IN: "cpp" root@IRIS
gmake[1]: *** There is none rule to build the object `/usr/nekoware/lib32/libfreetype.a', needed for `/WareRoot/bf-blender/blender/obj/irix-6.5-mips/bin/blender'.  Stop.
gmake: *** [all] Error 1
gmake: Leaving directory `/WareRoot/bf-blender/blender'



Well, at first glance the path is wrong, since libfreetype.a lives at: '/usr/nekoware/lib' (and not '/usr/nekoware/lib32')... now I only have to find where it is erroneously called.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 17, 2005, 3:46 p.m...
I've fixed the path issues, now I only need to fix the 'MIPS4' thingy, since Nekoware is MIPS4, and by default Blender is arranged for MIPS3...
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 17, 2005, 5:11 p.m...
nekonoko wrote:
GeneratriX wrote: I've fixed the path issues, now I only need to fix the 'MIPS4' thingy, since Nekoware is MIPS4, and by default Blender is arranged for MIPS3...


Yep - I was thinking about compiling Blender myself this weekend with static MIPS3 libraries. I've done it before in the past, I just don't have a lot of spare time right now.


Hi Neko ;)
...Well, I'm pretty much in the same conditions, actually I only can work on this as a background work, while I'm sourcecoding my apps or replying mails... and then I'm doing the needed changes to the build once it bombs with some error... :P
But I think I'll be pretty much stuck for a while with this one, since I can see that it will take some more time to have a Nekoware/MIPS4 version working... and I'm actually a little bit delayed on my job.
If I have the time, I'll take a look later to see what is needed to achieve a MIPS4 build.
Cheers! ;)

P.S.: If anyone wants to give it a try with a similiar setup, the right steps actually are:

1) Add the environment variables (CShell):

Code: Select all

setenv NANBLENDERHOME /Your_Own_Path/bf-blender
setenv MAKEFLAGS "-w -I$NANBLENDERHOME/source"


2) Fix the paths on 'source/nan_definitions.mk' as follows:

Code: Select all

export NAN_ZLIB ?= /usr/nekoware


Code: Select all

export NAN_FREETYPE ?= /usr/nekoware
export NAN_GETTEXT ?= /usr/nekoware


3) Fix the paths on 'source/Makefile' as follows:

Code: Select all

COMLIB += $(NAN_FREETYPE)/lib/libfreetype.a


Code: Select all

COMLIB += $(NAN_FREETYPE)/lib/libfreetype.a
COMLIB += $(NAN_FREETYPE)/lib/libintl.a


4) Run:

Code: Select all

gmake


...But of course, previous to the 'gmake' we need to resolve the conflict between MIPS3/MIPS4 libraries to build a MIPS4 binary.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 18, 2005, 7:16 a.m...
lewis wrote: Incidentally you only need to set those two environment variables if you want to be able to run gmake lower down the source tree - if you're building just by running gmake in the root of the tree they're not nessecary.

Gonna try a MIPS4 build now before I break out ogldebug and go after FTGL. International fonts seem to be broken in the last official build so maybe it's something on my system...


Do you think to take the road to use MIPS3 versions of zlib, freetype, and gettext, compile Blender as a MIPS4 static?
If you do so, let me know how goes all, and the files you have "touched" to have it working. I found the build structure of Blender a little bit difficult to understand by now, since it seems to lack the presence of a centralized way to do changes... ditto: no .configure script for the older NaN Makefile, and a pretty complex three...

But I'll be happy to give it another spin anyway... ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 18, 2005, 4:30 p.m...
gandalf wrote: nice that you guys got something to work already... I had always problems with true type fonts, even in official builds: they showed up, but beveling caused artifacts. This also on a sparc with a mesa-based and gcc build.

I personally would prefer a generic 6.5.x build and mips3/mips4. I would hate not to be able to run it on my indigo2 :) and in some future, on my indigo1! but of course intermediate steps can be taken. I think that the official BF version which just run without having to depend on nekoware or freeware was the best thing.


Hey Gandalf ;)

...relative to my spins with Blender, I'm only lurking on it for a while, to see if I can understand better the build process on it, and maybe learn also a couple lessons from an app with years of development behind.

But I think I'll not be able to produce even a remotely standard build, since my development environment differs quite much from either the standardized in use for Nekoware, or the used on latest Blender's releases for IRIX. Anyway, I enjoy this task on my spare time; and if works fine I'll release a tardist later as an alternative option for those desiring to test it.

As Lewis says, could be really interesting to compare different builds to see which combination/environment works better on different IRIX platforms. But today I was working all the day with my office job without chance to continue my build...
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The True Future Of Blender On IRIX, By Ton Roosendaal at Nov. 21, 2005, 9:58 a.m...
Sir Louis wrote:
I can't agree on that with you!

Sadly, he's right. A good AMD system running XP64 can now pull this off:


Well, I think I must put clearest the idea, because I can see that both, you and he, are confussing it. Let's try it:

...Sure, PeeCee(s) are pretty powerful on this days, but also a lot lower quality beasts. PeeCee(s) are pretty cheaper boxes on this days, but also a lot lower quality beasts. PeeCee(s) are pretty comfortable on this days, but also a lot lower quality beasts... but I really can't see on this such a good excuse to drop the IRIX support on every app.

So, if some people chooses SGI, SUN, or Apple instead of PeeCee(s), no matter if we talk about vintage boxes or the more recent ones... then it is not a good reason to keep alive all those software applications giving life to all those alternative hard/soft platforms?
Putting the thing even clearest: I'm trying to help to keep useful for every day work the IRIX/MIPS platform, because I'm an everyday user of it; so, I think my call was dedicated escentially to all those folks with the same feel.

I know that at some point I'll buy a newer workstation, probably a Prism Deskside (maybe I could take these recent offer from SGI for developers); and I already use a couple PeeCee(s) as server boxes. Or maybe I'll buy instead any "good PeeCee workstation" (if these term can be really applied to a PeeCee) Opteron/Athlon64 based... I don't know...
...but it really does not matters here; I'll keep using also IRIX/MIPS boxes on my office, and it is only because:

I like them!
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of ShotMaker: free license info, and a question at Dec. 5, 2005, 2:44 p.m...
denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"


Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2


I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of ShotMaker: free license info, and a question at Dec. 5, 2005, 8:20 p.m...
denver wrote:
GeneratriX wrote:
denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"


Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2


I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/


Yes, I saw that, thanks. I do have all those bits and pieces installed, except for the HD I/O board. But I've read elsewhere that all you really need is the xfsrt.


Oh; I see... I've installed ShotMaker a couple hours ago by very first time on one of my SGI boxes. Tomorrow I'll check with a couple clips to see how it works, or if it works on my setup. We'll see! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of ShotMaker: free license info, and a question at Dec. 5, 2005, 11:07 p.m...
choza wrote: kind offtopic, but its common SGI releases courtesy keys?


I don't think courtesy license keys are a common thing from SGI, but this is what turns these event specially more relevant. I'm awared that SGI distributed Temporary courtesy keys on the past for ShotMaker and a few other tools; but I think the current ones on these page posted by "denver" are Permanent .

choza wrote: free is always good!


Yes; it is really a cool attitude from them. And it is even more cool when you watch the degree of activity that Supportfolio shows actually for IRIX. Out of joke; these guys are working hard releasing patches, overlays for their development environments, and so on. GOD bless them! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of ShotMaker: free license info, and a question at Dec. 6, 2005, 12:29 p.m...
denver wrote: Ok, hope yours works. It looks to me as if shotmaker isn't able to access my graphics for output. And since I have no video hardware, at least on the Octane, there's nowhere for it to go during playback. So is there something I have to do to configure my graphics so shotmaker can use it for playback?


I've with video, and I got:

"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: Can't find a suitable image playback route"

I've noticed that you can setup the input device from:

ShotMaker>File>Settings>Graphics Screen Recording>Video>Graphics Device>[...]

...On which we have only: "O2 Graphics Screen" as a valid option.

But I can't see any available Tab to setup the output device. In fact: ShotMaker on my O2 does not seems to have any output node for playback, and even what seems an OpenGL viewport on the app remains void... perhaps only Onyx-grade graphic/video options are supported, hence the absence of any valid route to play/decode the images? :roll:

Looks as the more logical explanation. But please probe me that I'm wrong and I'll be a lot more happy to have ShotMaker working on my desktop! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of ShotMaker: free license info, and a question at Dec. 6, 2005, 7:13 p.m...
denver wrote: This afternoon I tried the Onlyx2 again, and it works - I don't know what was wrong yesterday. So that supports your theory that it can only use IR type graphics. What you describe is exactly the same as what I see on O2 and Octane.

I have an indirect sgi contact that might be of some help. Let's see what I hear back from him. Hopefully there's a way to use the desk machines. After all, I've seen Piranha playing uncompressed HD on an MXI Octane, so that much is technically possible.


Well, ShotMaker is a nice app to try on any system even if you can't have it working with video. On my own case, I'll leave it anyway installed on my O2 box because I really like the way on which it handles the screen capture, so there'll be a useful app for me.
But hey!; feel free to share with us any other news about it! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of O2 As Serial Console: HOWTO at Dec. 7, 2005, 9:31 p.m...
=======================
O2 As Serial Console: HOWTO
=======================

Edit 'inittab':

Edit '/etc/inittab' To Disable 'getty' On "Port 2":

Code: Select all

t2:23:off:/sbin/suattr -C CAP_FOWNER,CAP_DEVICE_MGT,CAP_DAC_WRITE+ip -c "exec /sbin/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600"      # port 2


If the third field in the line is the word 'off' (as in the example above), exit the file and continue with next step.

If the third field is the word 'on', change it to 'off'. Then save the file, exit, and at the shell prompt enter this command:

telinit q

Edit 'Devices':

Edit '/etc/uucp/Devices' To Enable A Direct Line On "Port 2":

Code: Select all

Direct ttyd2 - 9600 direct


Edit 'Systems':

Edit '/etc/uucp/Systems' To Enable Direct Connections On Any Time:

Code: Select all

Direct Any Direct 9600 -


Resultant Device Settings: [9600 8N1]

    9600 baud
    8 Data bits
    No Parity
    1 Stop bit

cu Syntax:

Code: Select all

cu -d -s 9600 -l /dev/ttyd2


...Or Simply:

Code: Select all

cu Direct


cu Conversation Commands:

man cu wrote: ~.
terminate the conversation.

~!
escape to an interactive shell on the local system.

~!cmd...
run cmd on the local system (via sh -c).

~$cmd...
run cmd locally and send its output to the remote
system.

~^Z
suspend the cu session. (^Z, control-Z, is the
current job control suspend character (see csh(1) and
stty(1)).

~%cd
change the directory on the local system. Note:
~!cd will cause the command to be run by a sub-shell,
probably not what was intended.

~%take from [ to ]
copy file from (on the remote system) to file to on
the local system. If to is omitted, the from
argument is used in both places. The shell commands
below are sent to the remote machine to cause it to
transmit the file. In fact, they are sent in a
single line with semicolons (;) between each command.

stty -echo
if test -r arg1; then
(echo '~>':arg2;cat arg1;echo '~>')
else
echo cant\'t open: arg1
fi
stty echo

~%put from [ to ]

copy file from (on local system) to file to on remote system. If to
is omitted, the from argument is used in both places.

For both ~%take and put commands, as each block of the file is
transferred, consecutive single digits are printed to the terminal.

The shell command line below is sent to the remote machine to cause
it to accept the data. Obviously, the shell on the remote machine
must be /bin/sh or a shell that correctly interpret these commands.

stty -echo;(cat - > arg2)||cat - >/dev/null;stty echo

~~ line
send the line ~ line to the remote system.

~%break
transmit a BREAK to the remote system (which can also be specified
as ~%b).

~%debug
toggles the -d debugging option on or off (which can also be
specified as ~%d).

~t
prints the values of the termio structure variables for the user's
terminal (useful for debugging).

~l
prints the values of the termio structure variables for the remote
communication line (useful for debugging).

~%nostop
toggles between DC3/DC1 input control protocol and no input control.
This is useful in case the remote system is one which does not
respond properly to the DC3 and DC1 characters.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of O2 As Serial Console: HOWTO at Dec. 7, 2005, 11:21 p.m...
Another Tip:
...the right cable to connect a DB-9 based SGI Workstation as serial console is slightly more complex than the one required to connect a Characters Terminal:

DIN-8 to DB9F Server-to-Workstation Serial Cable

It will work to use a Challenge S as server, connected to a Challenge, Onyx, Personal IRIS, or Power Series as workstation as replacement of serial console:

DIN-8 Signal DB9F Signal

Pin 1 Data Terminal Ready (DTR) Pin 8 DCD
Pin 2 Clear to Send (CTS) Pin 4 RTS
Pin 3 Transmit Data (TXD) Pin 3 RXD
Pin 4 Signal Ground (GND) Pin 7 GND
Pin 5 Receive Data (RXD) Pin 2 TXD
Pin 6 Request to Send (RTS) Pin 5 CTS
Pin 7 Data Carrier Detect (DCD) Pin 9 DTR
Pin 8 Signal Ground (GND) Pin 7 GND


You'll not getting working, unless you can buy/built one of theses.

[EDIT]
...Well, thanks to Jan-Japp I'll extend these list with the right pin-to-pin setup for the use with O2/Octane/Origin.
[EDIT]

The first and third column lists the alternative pin-to-pin setup that will work to use a Challenge S as server, connected to an O2, Octane, or Origin as workstation as replacement of serial console:

DIN-8M Signal DB9F-Onyx Signal DB9M-O2 Signal

Pin 1 Data Terminal Ready (DTR)---------- Pin 8 DCD Pin 1 DCD
Pin 2 Clear to Send (CTS)---------- Pin 4 RTS Pin 7 RTS
Pin 3 Transmit Data (TXD)---------- Pin 3 RXD Pin 2 RD
Pin 4 Signal Ground (GND)---------- Pin 7 GND Pin 5 GND
Pin 5 Receive Data (RXD)---------- Pin 2 TXD Pin 3 TD
Pin 6 Request to Send (RTS)---------- Pin 5 CTS Pin 8 CTS
Pin 7 Data Carrier Detect (DCD)---------- Pin 9 DTR Pin 4 DTR
Pin 8 Signal Ground (GND)---------- Pin 7 GND Pin 5 GND
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of O2 As Serial Console: HOWTO at Dec. 8, 2005, 2:58 p.m...
jan-jaap wrote: My experience is different.

A few years ago, I hacked together a serial cable for an Indy or Indigo2, and it didn't work properly.
I then disconnected all hardware flow control lines (only TX/RX and GND left, so the most basic serial null modem cable), and it worked.

I use a generic windows PC with HyperTerm to connect. Of course you have to disable hardware flow control before you try to connect.


Thanks for these link Jan-Japp; it is alwys a really interesting piece of work to have as an off-line backup too! ;)
...Well, my experience using PC(s) as serial consoles confirms the your; since they seem to be a lot more serial-communications-friendly for this kind of jobs; and many times I've obtained success just adapting these cable that I have from my previous Wyse terminal (that I've used to admin a couple Indy(s)), adding just a home-built DB25F-DB25F converter at the end, and using on a PC the DB-25 COM port.

I've also used Indy and Indigo2 in replacement of serial console for SUN Sparcstation10 and SparcstationLX, with three-wire (RX-TX, TX-RX, GND-GND) cables.

I can recall also a problem on an old server that I've used to have (Intel Columbus-II, R-440LX Motherboard, Dual Pentium II 333MHZ), on which you could not connect to an Indy if at least 8 lines were not wired. The problematic line was the Pin6/DSR signal on the DB-9 side, which needed to be wired to Pin1/DTR on the DIN8 side. Without this, you could not use an HyperTerminal on this server to admin an Indy/Indigo2.

But seems that connections between SGI(s) with different serial port layouts require to have those extra lines wired. In example when you use a DIN8M based workstation to be administrated by a DB9M based workstation as serial console, as in this case.

But there is also another variable to have in account: I've used here a DB25F-DB9F stock converter, which could be internally wired slightly different in fabric. That's the reason why I'm now building my own converter to probe it on about 10 minutes, using the layout from Chan's site! :P

Unaffortunately; today is not a workable day in Argentine, and bussiness are closed, so I can't run to buy the right stuff to assembly the needed cable, and I don't want to wait tomorrow to try it. But I have the parts to arrange an adapter for the Serial-Null-Modem previously used here.

[EDIT]
...I've tried again with the three-wires layout between O2/Indy. Does not works at all.
[/EDIT]
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of O2 As Serial Console: HOWTO at Dec. 8, 2005, 7:26 p.m...
fu wrote: Excellent topic Diego + jan-jaap :D

should be turned to a sticky, i bet it'll come handy to O2 owners...


Thanks Fu; I've focussed in O2 as serial console to Indy as headless system, just because actually it is the case that motivated this post from me. But all the above is useful for an user/owner of any SGI system, just altering the port numbers if needed, or changing the kind of Serial-Null-Modem cable if the connectors are different.

Oh; and if you recall that both machines at the ends of the cable must be in working condition, it will work! :P
That was the fail in this particular case, since I have no luck by now here with these Indy, because his DALLAS chip is dead, and the ones I've received from MAXIM through an U.S. guy are both of the wrong chip type... :(
...Oh well! No luck with these box.

[EDIT]
...But stills my suggestion to use the "Full Version" of the Serial-Null-Modem cable, as the one detailed above, wich probedly works between systems with different Port standards.
[/EDIT]
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 1:07 a.m.
and authored 4224 notes
Wrote on the subject of What we* do for a living... at Dec. 20, 2005, 8:08 a.m...
Glock wrote:
Just play the friggin' guitar and shut the f*ck up or take your BLING BLING somewhere else, oo'kay???


Then, are you meanning these weird frog, displacing him as if he were on an invisible motorcycle, singing all the time "BLING...BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING...BLING...BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING...BLING..." (and so on...), while he's doing all kind of weird faces???

...Nop; I have not seen it! :D :lol:

_________________
Oh!, let me write that!

Image
Octane / Dual Head

http://twitter.com/GeekTronixShop
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 1:07 a.m.
and authored 4224 notes
Wrote on the subject of What we* do for a living... at Dec. 21, 2005, 7:11 p.m...
Glock wrote:
GeneratriX wrote:
Glock wrote:
Just play the friggin' guitar and shut the f*ck up or take your BLING BLING somewhere else, oo'kay???


Then, are you meanning these weird frog, displacing him as if he were on an invisible motorcycle, singing all the time "BLING...BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING...BLING...BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING-BLING...BLING..." (and so on...), while he's doing all kind of weird faces???

...Nop; I have not seen it! :D :lol:


With Bling Bling I was refering to the whore-mentality, so common in the entertainment-industry.

But your Frog remark is right on the spot: as it happens, the provider that sells the Crazy Frog ringtones for a company called Jamba, has just been fined 40,000 UK Pounds by ICSTS, for misinformation of its clients (stupid shallow kids who actually like the crap that's produced from that retard frog).

Shows you just what the entertainment-industry is all about... Bling Bling...


Cool!; At least now I know that I was not crazy, or allucinating late in the night when every local TV channel puts these Fv(|<|n9 Frog between the news!!! :roll:

...Well, I have to go now... you know, I can hear from here these "Sapito Bling-Bling" tune sounding on the TV in our bedroom!!! ;) :lol: :twisted:

_________________
Oh!, let me write that!

Image
Octane / Dual Head

http://twitter.com/GeekTronixShop
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The Less-Friendly/More-Friendly Software GUI On The History! at Jan. 5, 2006, 10:35 p.m...
Well, I'm sure you'll be curious about the subject! :P
The matter is: I want to try to stablish with this post some kind of reference for myself about the worst/better designs related to Graphic-User-Interfaces on the history of software.

So; what do you think? ...What is in your oppinion the worst GUI? ...What is in your oppinion the better GUI? :P

If you're still curious about the subject, I only can say that I'll try to learn things from those potential results of this post to use them on my next project of software... but hey! ...it is too secret ! ;)

Come on!; don't hold your emotions!; bring to the outside your critic inside! :D
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The Less-Friendly/More-Friendly Software GUI On The History! at Jan. 6, 2006, 11:19 a.m...
GIJoe wrote: hm, is this only about the looks or interaction as well?


My interest is, in order of priority of importance:

1) How easily you can learn to use it.
2) Work-Flux efficience.
3) Predictability on interaction.
4) Known issues. I.E.: refresh problems, buggy callbacks, etc.
5) How well it feels, in general.
6) How well it looks, in general.
7) Flexability for user customization.

Of course I'll be happy with those more emotive posts too, and answers in the lines of: "-I hate this stuppid app from FooFoo Co.!" :P
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The Less-Friendly/More-Friendly Software GUI On The History! at Jan. 6, 2006, 5:26 p.m...
sum][one wrote: Softimage|3D had the better GUI i ever used at the time ... and still I enjoy some cool stuffs have been ported to XSI too .. (middle mouse click is just one example)..


...Well, I've never worked too deeply with Softimage|3D, but I can recall a few times playing around with it on a local TV Channel. Nothing to complain on it by those days. Or at least, it was a lot more friendly and intuitive than what I recall about the suite Avid MediaIllusion/Matador ! :)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 12, 2006, 5:44 a.m...
Well, let's start with something different on this thread. I want to talk about the power of the marketing, and how you can make look better what in fact is the same, almost the same, or plainly worst.

Please notice that I'm not intending to offense to nobody, but:

Anyone noticed that:

1) When SGI uses Intel processors, we say "-their new hardware is just not the same as before!"
2) When SGI uses ATI graphic pipelines we say: "-oh nahhh... these crap graphic hardware from these canadian company... after all... what could know the canadians about how to make good drivers?"
3) When SGI used to have on their site the yin-yan logo, with the legend: "Linux And Irix: The Best Of Both Worlds", we said: "-oh geez!; please, somebody there can remove these nasty logo thing with Irix and Linux on the same sentence, right now?"
4) When SGI uses SATA drives we say: "oh yup; those cheap and unreliable shitty disks for gammers... oh well, they are not the same as SCSI!"

...And anyone noticed also that:

1) When Apple uses Intel processors, we say "-wishes do come true!"
2) When Apple uses ATI graphic pipelines we say: "-Oh!!! ...That means it’s screaming fast. Up to 256MB GDDR3 graphics memory!!!"
3) When Apple uses to have on their site the yin-yan logo, with the legend: "UIniversal Binary: Software just works", we said: "-oh geez!; it is a miracle... they managed to run Mac apps inside the intel-OSX!!! Geniouses!!!"
4) When Apple uses SATA drives we say: "-bloody hell!!! ...they will provide an amazing 250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive!!! Cool!!!"


...Oh Steve; what a magnificent genious you are, and what a magnificent genious are your marketing chieffs!!! ...You can make almost the same thing that the rest, but it will look different, and people will think that they are "Thinking Different" ! ;) ...Heheheh... we gotta love you, mediatic Guru! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 12, 2006, 11:03 a.m...
squeen wrote: I didn't really mean to compare Apples to oranages :) , but since I'm talking to SGI shortly about my concerns with the Prism, I'd like to address the points Diego brought up (and get some responses).

Brombear is excatly right.

1) SGI brought in faster processor (great!) but dumped a better (i.e. more robust, more parallel/scabale friendly) OS (IRIX). So we downgraded to Linux. We're hoping now that some of the functionality can be restored (e.g. real-time).
2) ATI graphics cards are faster vertex processor than InfiniteReality, but in all other areas inferior (e.g. color depth, multisample, pixel read, image processing, memory size, overlays, etc...). They do however support a few more modern OpenGL extension like Shaders. Unfortunately, as I recently discovered, the drivers are wicked broke and barely work. What's more, the interface to OpenGL (i.e. SGI's openGL libs and headers) have adopted the PC cluster fuck API (extension wrangler my ass!) Shameful for a system with *known* graphics configurations!! Again, feels like a downgrade.
3) who cares? --- Toasim rules --- whatever...
4) The research I've done on SATA drives shows thay have slower seek times, less bandwidth and are less reliable than SCSI. The only thing they have going for them is that there are cheap vs. size. But if you are paying $200,000 for a supercomputer, do you really care is SGI saved $300 when they resell you drives? Hell no! ANOTHER downgrade. Whos is archetechting these systems for SGI---Linux geeks fresh out of school?

Apple is a consumer product. iLife-style and all that. For hitting their mark I applaud Apple. The products are real works of art---quality in interface design, mid-level performance at an everyman cost. but SGI is trying to sell HPC. The big $$'s means you had better put something *extra* in those machines that the average high-schooler can't get off ebay. Cutting edge technology---because for real science and engineering ALL computers are way, way, WAY too damn slow. NUMA link is good, but the real-time and RASC are only marginal, and the graphics suck.

What's been eating me lately...a growing fear if you will, is an attitude that SGI has been giving me in regard to the Prism. I'm sure it due to limited resources, but I keep bumping into the attitude of either

1) It's SuSe Linux....there's nothing we can do about it.
-or-
2) It's ATI graphics...there's nothing we can do about it.

To which I find myself being forced (and I really do mean forced) into replying: "Then I'll have to find some other vendor that will provided an integrated system that performs." My only promblem is figuring out where to go next for HPC---I just don't have the time to gin something together myself. That should really be SGI's targeted niche---folks with more money than time (or computer smarts :) ). And the systems they deliver should seem like magic---not a jumbo-size version of last year's PC trash.

One last comment: Could you see Apple saying "It's BSD unix...there's nothing we can do about it?"

\rant


Hey Steve; I agree hundreed percent with you on every aspect of your post. But what I've tried to stablish now looks even clearer:

GeneratriX wrote: I want to talk about the power of the marketing, and how you can make look better what in fact is the same, almost the same, or plainly worst.


"...the same ...almost the same ...plainly worst."

I've only shown the case of Apple, to bring an example of how a succesful marketing managing, can help to clear from their inherent "taboo-registered-trademark" to things like the Intel processors (which by the way I've never liked, but I think they are a big company with mediocre products), and ATI graphics (which I consider decent graphics, but not too outstanding).

But of course! ...Apple is doing very well a lot of things, and their products are WAY COOL! ...As much cool as their department of industrial design, marketing, and management.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 12, 2006, 5:14 p.m...
foetz wrote: this is by far the best post i've read in a looong time.
they should promote you :P :P


Who could promote me to what, Foetz? :?: :P Geez! ...I'm asking them since months for a damn sponsorship to continue one of my key developments on the Global Development Program PLUS, and I've never received a penny as to at least put my programme on a production phase... and we are talking about something that should interest to a company with the word "Graphics" on their name...

Nahhh... don't be confussed, every cent to bring alive my software projects was originated in my own pocket and from my second job, or from the pocket of generous Nekochaners...

If they never wired transfer a single dollar to support my work, don't think that they will do just to put me to speak bullshit.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 12, 2006, 5:33 p.m...
GeneratriX wrote: Who could promote me to what, Foetz?

Ouch!; What a stupid asshole I am, Foetz! :oops: ...I've not realized until just a few minutes ago that you probably talked about SQueen! :oops: ...Well, sorry both guys, not intention to offense to nobody, whatever... ;)
Peace on the earth! :P
Cheers!
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 12, 2006, 6:25 p.m...
foetz wrote: hehe, yeah, indeed i meant squeen :lol: :lol:


:oops: That's what I suspected on my second reading! :oops: ...Sometimes seems that there are not enough gaps on the earth as to jump inside! :P ...Well, seems that I'm * a little bit * sensible about the plain idea to just crop my software line to multiply the time available for my second job, and I'm now finding relations with this matter even on the words that forms those little letter-noodles in my soup! :P

Oh well, I'm so grieved with these fact, that I act a lot more irritable than normal! :( ...You know, just not enough time to make everything at once, and I hate to be obligated to cut out one of my developments.

...You have my serious excuses! ;)

foetz wrote: but never mind feel free to promote yourself in your own company :P


Okay; since today at 00:00 Hours I'll take the position of... ehhrrr... huhh ...mmmhhh so much to choose ...well, whatever! ...I'll just be the guy that works here in the office! ...Call me GeneratriX! :)

foetz wrote: peace as well


Heheh!; feel free to ignore those fireworks as procedent from my italian-ancestor's DNA! ;)
Peace on Nekochan!
Saludos,
Diego
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 13, 2006, 5:08 a.m...
clavileno wrote: For my own part, the "Where did SGI go wrong" is a little more complicated. I think they fell into a classic trap of not knowing what business they were actually in. All their early work involving gfx involved throwing large amounts of data around to support visual output, so they got very good at that. However they seem to have interpreted that as being in the business of high-bandwidth data processing when much of their market thought they were in visual computing. "Their" perception took them towards HPC, whilst many of their customers expected them to stay in visual computing.


I have to accept that you have taken an step higher the SQueen's analysis with this paragraph, and what you describe there seems to be a very good approach to their problem, and left the door open for further analysis too.

clavileno wrote: Having bought Cray, they owned 2 iconic brands. They could easily have taken all of the gfx knowledge, kept it branded as Silicon Graphics, and been what nvidia are today.


Of course, even if they decided to stop their own production of custom graphic chips, what one could expect today from a brand with the importance of SGI is at least something as an onboard 256-chip graphic cluster based on NVidia, to have on the size of an Onyx4 or Prism Deskside a graphic engine board with 256 graphic cores working on a collaborative SMP way, but as a single high-power graphic pipeline... then just add the possibility to add more of those baords to have a multi-pipe graphic monstruosity... then of course, just write excellent drivers, and you're set.

And that's what I could call a relatively innovative thing.

clavileno wrote: The way they've gone they've just squandered decades of IP, hard work, development, testing and customer loyalty.


Indeed.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 17, 2006, 3:21 a.m...
clavileno wrote: And, forgive me, but isn't the market for really "HPG" just as small as that for "HPC"?


Sincerely, I don't know. I'm not following the statistics for the above facts; but probably, you're right.

clavileno wrote: I wonder if the turning point was when SGI management stopped believing they were right to innovate, that they were too small, that they had to "follow the market" - and their competitors didn't read the same book, so just carried on innovating...


Sadly, and again; you're probably quite right. The company screams for the fifth-escence from a brave soul to lead these change again.
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Selling MIPS = death of SGI? at Jan. 24, 2006, 11:21 a.m...
Bluefan wrote: I'm not expecting anything, but I think we should try it.
At least we would have tried :wink:


Sure! ...after all, who knows? ;)
GeneratriX
Old Salt
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 9:07 a.m.
and authored 3414 notes
Wrote on the subject of Got MipsPro Compiler License for free at April 11, 2006, 5:59 a.m...
Well; that was one of my main concerns up to this moment, every time I've wondered about to change/add a bigger development/compilation box than my maxed out O2 for which I have all the MISPRO licenses...

I have some hopes that maybe SGI will issue new licences for my new systems if I sell my main O2 and I add some O2K and/or Octane, or maybe even a few other O2(s) later as front-end? :)

Maybe would be safer if I ask them first...
Greetz! ;)
Diego
GeneratriX
Old Salt
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 9:07 a.m.
and authored 3414 notes
Wrote on the subject of Got MipsPro Compiler License for free at April 12, 2006, 3:31 a.m...
GIJoe wrote:
diego: you do know about change_sid, right? should work on o2, too


Yeah, I know about these thing, but by some strange reason I reject the idea to use these change_sid thing with my developer tools...

It is not ironic? ...So much work to make honor to these full set of licenses, to lately use at the end just a change_sid tool to be allowed to enjoy from a greater box? :roll: ...I don't know. Does not sounds too well... :(

Wat I really want is another set of legal licenses for my next box!!! :D
You know: "-Yeah, It seems soap, but it is real cheese!" ;)
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of dexter2 or deedee2 at April 26, 2006, 1:49 p.m...
dexter1 wrote: i'm happy to announce to you all that Fem and I are going to be parents:


What a cool news!!! :D ...Lots of congrats for both, Dexter1! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Nekoware-mips3 at April 26, 2006, 6:10 p.m...
Amazing news Neko! ...and I think you'll increase very sensibly the usefulness for MIPS3 boxes! ...It is really great!, I'm sure I'll have good use for these new software collection at some point. Thanks! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of iconbar at May 26, 2006, 2:21 a.m...
squeen wrote: "A Long Expected Party"...

iconbar v0.8

see here for details.

A nekoware package to follow shortly.


Amazingly great news SQueen!; Congrats on that, thanks by your excellent programme! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ at May 29, 2006, 5:17 a.m...
The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ
By Diego A. De Giorgio
Rosario / Santa Fe / Republica Argentina
Monday, May 29, 2006

Overview

I'll intend to write a short FAQ about the use of Magneto Optical Drives on IRIX/4Dwm. I'll cover initially only the Fujitsu MCC3064SS drives, but testings with Olympus MOS320E and others will follow soon.

The above Fujitsu model seems to be among the best of bests about reliability, speed, easiness to configure, and more specially, versatility and price/performance relationship.

I'll add more details on next posts, since this is a work in progress, motivated by an ask from one of my customers. Also, I'll try to include details about the undocumented DIP Switch settings for a few special features that I'm actually testing.

The Shortest Path

Assuming that you already have properly conected and configured your MOD drive to a given SGI system, with a SCSI Controller# (1), SCSI Device ID# (4), and SCSI LUN# (0), just open any command console and do the following:

(1) - Partitioning:

Code: Select all

'fx'
'dksc'
'1'
'4'
'0'
'r'
'o'
'efs' (...or...) 'xfs'
'yes'
'..'
'exit'


(2) - Formatting:

Code: Select all

'mkfs_efs /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (EFS Filesystem)

(...or...)

'mkfs_udf /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (UDF Filesystem)

(...or...)

'mkfs_xfs /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (XFS Filesystem)


(3) - Adding To The Filesystem Mounting Table:

Code: Select all

'nedit /etc/fstab'

(Add One Of The Following Lines)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD efs rw 0 0'

(...or...)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD udf rw 0 0'

(...or...)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD xfs rw 0 0'


(4) - Creating The Mounting Dir:

Code: Select all

'mkdir /MOD'


(5) - Mounting The Unit:

Code: Select all

'/sbin/mount /dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD'


(5) - Unmounting The Unit:

Code: Select all

'/sbin/umount /dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD'


(7) - Checking/Fixing The Filesystem:

Code: Select all

'fsck /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'


...And, Voila'! ;)



Para Mis Compatriotas, Tambien En Castellano! ;)

El FAQ De Los MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) En IRIX
Por Diego A. De Giorgio
Rosario / Santa Fe / Republica Argentina
Lunes, Mayo 30, 2006

Generalidades

Voy a intentar escribir un FAQ resumido sobre el uso de Magneto Optical Drives en IRIX/4Dwm. Inicialmente voy a cubrir solamente los drives Fujitsu MCC3064SS, pero pronto seguiran el Olympus MOS320E y algunos otros.

Los modelos Fujitsu parecen ser hasta el momento los mejores en cuanto a confiabilidad, velocidad, facilidad de configuracion, y mas especialmente, versatilidad y relacion precio/performance.

Pronto agregare mas detalles ya que este es un trabajo en progreso. Tambien tratare de incluir mas detalles sobre algunas caracteristicas indocumentadas sobre las configuraciones de los DIP Switchs.

El Camino Mas Corto

Asumiendo que uno ya tiene propiamente conectado y configurado el drive MOD para un determinado sistema SGI, con un SCSI Controller# (1), SCSI Device ID# (4), y SCSI LUN# (0), simplemente abrir una consola de comandos y tipear lo siguiente segun el caso:

(1) - Particionado:

Code: Select all

'fx'
'dksc'
'1'
'4'
'0'
'r'
'o'
'efs' (...o...) 'xfs'
'yes'
'..'
'exit'



(2) - Formateado:

Code: Select all

'mkfs_efs /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (EFS Filesystem)

(...o...)

'mkfs_udf /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (UDF Filesystem)

(...o...)

'mkfs_xfs /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'   (XFS Filesystem)



(3) - Agregado A La Tabla De Montaje Del Filesystem:

Code: Select all

'nedit /etc/fstab'

(Agregar Una De Las Lineas Siguientes)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD efs rw 0 0'

(...o...)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD udf rw 0 0'

(...o...)

'/dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD xfs rw 0 0'



(4) - Creacion Del Directorio De Montaje:

Code: Select all

'mkdir /MOD'



(5) - Montaje De La Unidad:

Code: Select all

'/sbin/mount /dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD'



(6) - Desmontaje De La Unidad:

Code: Select all

'/sbin/umount /dev/dsk/dks1d4s7 /MOD'



(7) - Revisacion/Reparacion Del Filesystem:

Code: Select all

'fsck /dev/rdsk/dks1d4s7'


...Y, Pan Comido! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ at May 29, 2006, 5:22 a.m...
The System Used For Testings

Code: Select all

hinv
CPU: QED RM7000 Processor Chip Revision: 5.1
FPU: QED RM7000 Floating Point Coprocessor Revision: 5.0
1 602 MHZ IP32 Processor
Main memory size: 1024 Mbytes
Secondary unified instruction/data cache size: 256 Kbytes on Processor 0
Instruction cache size: 16 Kbytes
Data cache size: 16 Kbytes
FLASH PROM version 4.18
Integral SCSI controller 0: Version ADAPTEC 7880
Disk drive: unit 1 on SCSI controller 0
Disk drive: unit 2 on SCSI controller 0
CDROM: unit 4 on SCSI controller 0
Integral SCSI controller 1: Version ADAPTEC 7880
Disk drive / removable media: unit 4 on SCSI controller 1
PCI SCSI controller 2: Version ADAPTEC 7880
On-board serial ports: tty1
On-board serial ports: tty2
On-board EPP/ECP parallel port
CRM graphics installed
Integral Ethernet: ec0, version 1
Iris Audio Processor: version A3 revision 0
Video: MVP unit 0 version 1.4
AV: AV1 Card version 1, O2Cam type 1 version 0 connected.
Vice: TRE


Code: Select all

scsicontrol -I /dev/scsi/sc1d4l0
/dev/scsi/sc1d4l0:  Disk          FUJITSU M2513A          2000
ANSI vers 1, ISO ver: 0, ECMA ver: 0; supports:  reladdr synch linkedcmds
vendor specific data:
98 00 00 00  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 02  00 19 00 00      ...............
00 00 00 00  00 00 20 41  30 30 37 37
reserved (for SCSI 3) data:
00 00 20 41  30 30 37 37
Device is  ready
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ at May 29, 2006, 6:31 a.m...
About 'mediad' (Not Tested Yet)

(8) - Adding To The 'mediad' Configuration File:

Code: Select all

'nedit /etc/config/mediad.config'

(Add The Following Lines)

'# Check A MOD Device For Insertion And Removal
# Every 60 Seconds
monitor device /dev/scsi/sc1d4l0 inschk 60 rmvchk 60'


(9) - Starting/Stopping The 'mediad' Daemon:

Code: Select all

'/etc/init.d/mediad'

(...or...)

'/etc/init.d/mediad -f' (Foreground Service And Full Debugging)

(...or...)

'/etc/init.d/mediad -l 7 -a' (Background Service And Full Debugging)

(...or...)

'/etc/init.d/mediad -e /dev/scsi/sc1d4l0' (Media Ejecting)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ at May 29, 2006, 3:33 p.m...
foetz wrote: very good description. thanks :D


You're welcome, Foetz. Maybe it will be useful at some point; you never knows when you could need an M.O.D. on IRIX! ;)
GeneratriX avatar
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of The MOD/M.O.D. (Magneto Optical Drive) IRIX FAQ at May 30, 2006, 6:46 a.m...
mia wrote: Now that blu-ray is *almost* available, I really don't see the point of this, the MO reader is afordable, but the media is so darn expensive. I don't see the application for this.


Legacy.
My customer is a company with dozens of boxes with MOD already installeds, and they need MOD compatibility on a few IRIX boxes that they/ve added to their stuff.

mia wrote: Storage? Hard drives are Waaay less expensive, even scsi ones.
Archival? Can't beat a tape or few dvds.


Tape or DVD does not have a fraction of the reliability that you have on a magneto optical disk. Actually, DVD's and CD's are one of the less reliable supports for critic-mission backups.

[EDIT]

...Also, in addition, the MOD support can be writen, erased, and re-written, re-formatted, or whatever you want, several million times. You could not believe the reliability of this support. My customer operates with this since years, with several platforms, including Indigo(s), Indy(s), O2(s), PeeCee(s), Mac(s), and you would not find a failed media among the big amount of daily used disks. The same disks are used over and over and over, since years. They are a fashion of temporary backup to transport the data easily, and after that, they are re-formatted for the next use. The amount of space available is not relevan at all in this case, since they use only less than 230MB each time. They only care about one thing:

RELIABILITY!, DATA-STABILITY!, PERFORMANCE!

... and there is where the MOD really shines! They are so fast as a good hard disk, and even more reliable and stable than any ATA disk, and also than many SCSI disks too.

Sadly, I could not talk about these company, so you would know that there, the MOD is just THE perfect support... but you'll find many other similiar scenaries on many other real-life events too.
[/EDIT]
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Brasil, World Cup Champion 2006 !!! at June 6, 2006, 8:35 p.m...
unixmuseum wrote: This is a European WC, none of that Brazil or Argentina nonsense, please!


:? :roll: :twisted:
GeneratriX
From Rosario / Santa Fe / República Argentina
Who joined Oct. 21, 2003, 2:07 a.m.
Wrote on the subject of Brasil, World Cup Champion 2006 !!! at June 6, 2006, 9:42 p.m...
unixmuseum wrote:
GeneratriX wrote:
unixmuseum wrote: This is a European WC, none of that Brazil or Argentina nonsense, please!


:? :roll: :twisted:
What? You're part Italian, aren't you? FORZA ITALIA!


Ahh hahahahaha!!!; Right to the point, evil guy!!! ...but I've always supported to Argentina on first place, and then Italia on a second place! ;) That is, I hope any of both can bring the cup to home; but since I'm residing here... you know! ;)

unixmuseum wrote: BTW Diego, since you love the O2 so much, support my team and get yourself an Arsenal jersey:

Image


I guess you don't mean Arsenal Futbol Club (Sarandi Buenos Aires), right? :lol:
Image

BTW: yeah!; your above Arsenal "casaca" looks as the perfect mixture between a computer geek and a football's "hincha" ! :P :lol: