[geeks] KVM for Sun Sparc Servers with USB keyboards

[Shannon Hendrix]

On May 13, 2009, at 08:20 , Phil Stracchino wrote:


> Shannon Hendrix wrote:
>> High end factory stereos are a waste of money because even a mid- 
>> range
>> aftermarket will usually put them to shame.
>
> Arguably true.  On the other hand, in the high-background-noise
> environment of a car, I'm not expecting concert-hall reproduction in  
> the
> first place, and any decent aftermarket stereo is a theft target.  I  
> had
> aftermarket stereos stolen out of my Z28 Camaro twice.

I've never had a problem with stereo theft myself, and around here it  
is reported that the factory head units are the more common targets  
because they are expensive.

I don't expect a concert hall either, but I do expect clarity, and  
enough power for a car environment.

> On top of that, I hate to say this, but many aftermarket stereos are
> ergonomically awful.

I haven't been that impressed with most of the factory units either,  
and at least with the aftermarket units, there are some that are nice.

I like the look of the factory unit in my car, so I'm thinking of just  
upgrading the power level and get speakers with more clarity.

> They have a hundred features I will either never
> use or might use once to initially set them up and will then never  
> touch
> again, and they have fifty little tiny buttons to control those  
> hundred
> features.

I don't like the overcomplicated units either, but I found a few that  
were decent over the years.  The main thing is the lack of 2U units  
that aren't video.  I think they should use 2U height just to make the  
user interfaces and controls better.


> The REALLY stupid thing I hate about Detroit is the damned option
> matrix.

Detroit?

Japan and Germany do it too.

You can't order a V6 Honda with manual, or get the Civic Si with auto.

You can't get a VW Golf without the kitchen sink.

You can't get most German or Japanese cars with a sunroof without also  
having to buy one or more expensive and unrelated options.

You can't get leather seats in most cars without the higher end  
package, or get the high end package with cloth seats which many  
people prefer.

I see this is a general automotive industry screwup.

> And speaking of shiny, there's the bloody badge-engineering crap.   
> Build
> a car.  Sell it as a Chevrolet.  Change some trim, install plusher
> seats and carpets, sell the mechanically-exactly-the-same car as a
> Buick.  Add half an acre of chrome and a little extra soundproofing,  
> and
> sell it as a Cadillac for twice the price of the Chevy.  Who's kidding
> who here?

Cadillac usually did not do this, and paid a heavy price every time  
they did.

Remember the Cimmaron?  It was a cheap Chevy made worse by added  
weight and power options it could not support.  Total disaster.

All car companies make too many models, and compete in markets that  
make no sense for them.

Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes making SUVs?  What the hell for?

-- 
Shannon Hendrix
shannon at widomaker.com