Wow Dr. Schoenfield, you're amazing! It's all coming together!
{kicking back on the good doctor's chaise lounger}:

I think it all started when my momma dropped me on my head. I was furious with her... but all my friends defended her. At that moment, I decided I had to seek approval from anonymous people... so I turned to BBS's and then later, the Internet. But you see, I still love my momma, so I had to stay close even after the age of when "normal" people move out of their parents' house.

Looking back, I guess this stunted my social growth. But it is a trade-off... I mean, if I was to move out, who would cook for me and wash my clothes? Besides, all my disposable income that could be used for moving out and hooking up with a member of the opposite sex is invested in my WoW addiction ... you oughta see all the boxes I have running for my gold mining operation!

But I do want to be a productive member of society! Can you help me, Doc?

;-)

@Nohone:

Well, that was a rude post; therefore, the knives have to come out.

"I am so sorry that I marked you down"

I never asked for a markup, on the contrary, I even went so far as to state this was not a "reverse psychology ploy". Try 'reading comprehension' sometime.

"please accept my sincerest apologies if I hurt your fragile feelings."

Huh? As I said to John McPoop: "I didn't take it personally". BTW, your attempt at "Mind Reading" my "feelings" is a common logical fallacy, called, appropiately enough, "Mind Reading". Causes all sorts of problems, especially in relationships. Only now has my widdle feelings been affected, and that is due to your incoherent response. But trust me, it is not "hurt" I am feeling.

"Aparently your thoughts are more important than mine, and anybody who dares disagree with you (even if it is a "joke") is clearly in the wrong."

See above. Next:

"I don't care if you are Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or even f-ing Santa Claus, if you say something worthless and stupid, you get marked down. Here is a company trying out new things, seeing what works and what doesn't, but rather than saying something constructive, you make a pathetic little "joke". There are many other comments here in the "how stupid" area even though they have never tried it (for the record, I have not either), and I marked them down also. If you don't like getting marked down, say something worth me taking the time to read it. I may not agree, but if it is constructive then you will get my +. You are not entitled to a better ranking just because you think you deserve it."

Wow. Mind Reading once again AND a lack of reading comprehension. A "two-fer". Again you imply I wanted a better ranking!

"As for the last 1/2 of your little diatribe, I know it was "joking" (at least I hope it was), but it does nothing to help you sound any less than a little child."

Diatribe: bitter criticism: a bitter verbal or written attack on somebody or something.

Joke: funny story: a story, anecdote, or wordplay that is intended to amuse

Almost antynoms, I would say.

So which is it? Was it a diatribe to you, or was it joking to you? I guess you meant the first half was a diatribe, and the second half was a joke ...(?) Color me confused due to your conflicting statement. Please, take a course in writing coherently.

And while your at it, since your comment came a full 23 minutes after I already admitted the whole thing was lame ("Fair enough. You win some, you lose some. I'll admit I lost on this attempt. It is stale.
... Again, I'll admit it, a bad joke ... But all in all: I failed. Twice, I'll admit."), you might want to look inward. I mean, kicking a man when he is down and has admitted he is down is rather, well, uncivilized.

Thankfully, my widdle feelings were unaffected by this fiasco until you came along, and as I already said, your post didn't "hurt" my feelings. Perhaps it affected my faith in mankind, perhaps it affected my faith that there was still rationale left in the world, perhaps it just pissed me off with your incoherent rambling, but don't worry, it did not *hurt* my widdle feelings.

Next time... ahh forget it! You bore me. You're too easy to slice and dice.

Quikboy:

Note: this is no way associated with my initial post or reply, but an off-topic response to Quikboy's (possible) assertion that I had crappy hardware.

On the issue of crappy computer and not being Windows fault for the Vista issues (if that it was you meant)..... uh, hardly:

3.2 dual core, 4 gigs of RAM (forgot the Mhz, but it scored 5.5 on the Vista test out of the best rating of 5.9), nVidia Quadro with dual GPU's (256 megs apiece), Creative X-Fi Platinum, 4 gig Sandisk Cruzer USB thumbdrive being used for ReadyBoost, Vista Ultimate (32 bit), Tweak-UAC to turn off all three levels of UAC, two SATA II's in a hardware RAID 0 (which scored 5.9). And yes, EasyCleaner run on a regular basis to keep deleting all the apps that want to start up with my computer, so it is running quite lean, process count-wise. Defrag is performed nightly, including Disk-Cleanup with a custom Sageset.

So in a word, hardware-wise and software-wise, I know what the f*ck I am doing.

No crashes, except IE & EchoVNC locking up on me periodically, but no major OS crashes. My complaints with Vista are:

1) Drivers. Main one here is BT: I have a pair of Motorola HT820's that I used to be able to switch between headset and audio sink and control WMP with no problems. Now, none of that works. I am presently tethered to my machine with a wired headset. Toshiba BT stack, generic MS BT stack, it doesn't matter. It pairs, but with zero functionality. Ditto for alot, but not all, of the services on my cell phone, so I get to send photo's MMS to my email address. This does not count the box of peripheals and gizmos sitting next to my desk that I have yet to find drivers for.

2) No "snap" to programs loading. This simply should not be happening with a hardware based RAID 0 Sata 300 config, fast RAM, dual-core 3.2 and a lean amount of processes running. This was not the case when I had XP on it.

3) Network copying over of files is a joke. It's worse then a joke when you are porting a DOS app to .Net that runs on DBF's, and the DOS app has to keep 85 of those DBF's open on the server. I use TameDOS for sandboxing the DOS app's resources, and it runs fine when the DBF's are local. Off the network, forget about it. What's really bad is that I have Virtual PC 2007 installed with a copy of XP, and it does it (copying files) a hell of alot faster then Vista, even though it is just being emulated on Vista ...WTF?

4) On more then one occasion, I have had icons such as the recycling bin just simply not be there... the text was, the space was, but no icon. I have also started to experience "double" icons, where the secondary duplicate icon is half there below the main one. If this was video card related, we both know that it would not happen just to icons on the desktop.

5) The UAC. We use EchoVNC (a fork off VNC, but I suspect all VNC flavors would be the same, I know TightVNC has this problem). Anyway, I have at least a couple hundred client computers on my server running EchoServer. Out of that, I'd say 25% and steadily growing, are Vista OS's. You log in via VNC, and as soon as you need to do something that requires a UAC prompt, you click "OK", and the whole OS shifts the security setting, which terminates your VNC connection. Much fun having to reconnect and reconnect. In order to not get kicked off, you have to disable all three levels of UAC, not just the one accessible in the control panel. The other two hidden in the registry as well. Thankfully, Tweak-UAC makes short order of this problem... however, try explaining to a business owner or their "tech" guy (the proverbial "little tommy down the street") that they need to disable the UAC first. Great fun. Now, for shits and grins, make yourself a user on Windows 2003 Server. Leave yourself in the User group only. Log in via VNC. Run a program with "Run as Administrator". You'll notice you do not get kicked off, why? On 2003 Server, they sandbox the security context for that program alone... why couldn't they have done this on Vista?

6) And if you think VNC is alone in these problems with the UAC, you are quite mistaken. Development for Vista is a nightmare, and most of it is due to the UAC. I could post an endless list of problems the UAC causes in developing. But don't take my word for it, browse on over to a personal friend's site called eggheadcafe.com ... if your a Windows developer, you no doubt use that site quite often already and probably have it bookmarked.

Crappy hardware? No, not in the least. Everything I have installed that *runs*, runs great. But as "someone" at eggheadcafe.com pointed out, it is the "OS from Hell". Or as another developer friend put it a few weeks ago, "you're in the honeymoon phase". I laughed at him. I am no longer laughing.

ah jeez, not the hit the reply button twice again stuff....

Quikboy:

Note: this is no way associated with my initial post or reply, but an off-topic response to Quikboy's (possible) assertion that I had crappy hardware.

On the issue of crappy computer and not being Windows fault for the Vista issues (if that it was you meant)..... uh, hardly:

3.2 dual core, 4 gigs of RAM (forgot the Mhz, but it scored 5.5 on the Vista test out of the best rating of 5.9), nVidia Quadro with dual GPU's (256 megs apiece), Creative X-Fi Platinum, 4 gig Sandisk Cruzer USB thumbdrive being used for ReadyBoost, Vista Ultimate (32 bit), Tweak-UAC to turn off all three levels of UAC, two SATA II's in a hardware RAID 0 (which scored 5.9). And yes, EasyCleaner run on a regular basis to keep deleting all the apps that want to start up with my computer, so it is running quite lean, process count-wise. Defrag is performed nightly, including Disk-Cleanup with a custom Sageset.

So in a word, hardware-wise and software-wise, I know what the f*ck I am doing.

No crashes, except IE & EchoVNC locking up on me periodically, but no major OS crashes. My complaints with Vista are:

1) Drivers. Main one here is BT: I have a pair of Motorola HT820's that I used to be able to switch between headset and audio sink and control WMP with no problems. Now, none of that works. I am presently tethered to my machine with a wired headset. Toshiba BT stack, generic MS BT stack, it doesn't matter. It pairs, but with zero functionality. Ditto for alot, but not all, of the services on my cell phone, so I get to send photo's MMS to my email address. This does not count the box of peripheals and gizmos sitting next to my desk that I have yet to find drivers for.

2) No "snap" to programs loading. This simply should not be happening with a hardware based RAID 0 Sata 300 config, fast RAM, dual-core 3.2 and a lean amount of processes running. This was not the case when I had XP on it.

3) Network copying over of files is a joke. It's worse then a joke when you are porting a DOS app to .Net that runs on DBF's, and the DOS app has to keep 85 of those DBF's open on the server. I use TameDOS for sandboxing the DOS app's resources, and it runs fine when the DBF's are local. Off the network, forget about it. What's really bad is that I have Virtual PC 2007 installed with a copy of XP, and it does it (copying files) a hell of alot faster then Vista, even though it is just being emulated on Vista ...WTF?

4) On more then one occasion, I have had icons such as the recycling bin just simply not be there... the text was, the space was, but no icon. I have also started to experience "double" icons, where the secondary duplicate icon is half there below the main one. If this was video card related, we both know that it would not happen just to icons on the desktop.

5) The UAC. We use EchoVNC (a fork off VNC, but I suspect all VNC flavors would be the same, I know TightVNC has this problem). Anyway, I have at least a couple hundred client computers on my server running EchoServer. Out of that, I'd say 25% and steadily growing, are Vista OS's. You log in via VNC, and as soon as you need to do something that requires a UAC prompt, you click "OK", and the whole OS shifts the security setting, which terminates your VNC connection. Much fun having to reconnect and reconnect. In order to not get kicked off, you have to disable all three levels of UAC, not just the one accessible in the control panel. The other two hidden in the registry as well. Thankfully, Tweak-UAC makes short order of this problem... however, try explaining to a business owner or their "tech" guy (the proverbial "little tommy down the street") that they need to disable the UAC first. Great fun. Now, for shits and grins, make yourself a user on Windows 2003 Server. Leave yourself in the User group only. Log in via VNC. Run a program with "Run as Administrator". You'll notice you do not get kicked off, why? On 2003 Server, they sandbox the security context for that program alone... why couldn't they have done this on Vista?

6) And if you think VNC is alone in these problems with the UAC, you are quite mistaken. Development for Vista is a nightmare, and most of it is due to the UAC. I could post an endless list of problems the UAC causes in developing. But don't take my word for it, browse on over to a personal friend's site called eggheadcafe.com ... if your a Windows developer, you no doubt use that site quite often already and probably have it bookmarked.

Crappy hardware? No, not in the least. Everything I have installed that *runs*, runs great. But as "someone" at eggheadcafe.com pointed out, it is the "OS from Hell". Or as another developer friend put it a few weeks ago, "you're in the honeymoon phase". I laughed at him. I am no longer laughing.

@John McPoop: I didn't take it personally, my reply was in jest.

@mcatrage: Fair enough. You win some, you lose some. I'll admit I lost on this attempt. It is stale.

@Quikboy: Yes, I know all about the majority of BSOD's coming from drivers. I've only been running MS products since MS-DOS days on a XT clone with the 33 mgh Turbo button and CGA card, and running servers on the 'Net since NT 3.51 and IIS 2.0. Again, I'll admit it, a bad joke. On the second comment, no offense, but you missed the ":-p".

But all in all: I failed. Twice, I'll admit.

You guys and your ratings.... sigh. All you have to do is check my prior posts to see I'm no fanboi of "xyz" or hater of "xyz". I am a MSDN subscriber, love my xbox (but not an obsessive fanboy about it), partially own a company that develops C# .Net apps, gave the Vista OS Ultimate on the machine I am sitting here on a 85% personal satisfaction in a thread about a week ago (and stated its flaws) and have stated over and over I could care less if you choose Mac over Windows or Linux. It's all personal preference to me. Like the Zune and iPod, or like the XBox and PS3. Whatever floats your boat, have at it.

Now I come here, and make a joke at MS's expense, and get low rated?

You guys are never pleased! Just for that, I'm going out tomorrow and buying an iPhone, an iTouch and a Mac, picking up a PS3, and then come here and bash Windows and XBox guys all the time :-p

Go ahead, low rank me. Make mine the lowest ranked comment in the history of Engadget. This is no reverse psychology ploy... for my rant wouldn't make sense without the lowest ranking.

BTW, since my 85% satisfaction level of Vista was stated a week or so ago, I have downgraded it some, and am thinking seriously about reverting to XP Pro again.

But have it. I am even going to start it with ranking this and my initial comment with a -1!

to all (rational) posters: Why don't we just test it out? I've got a small heavy-duty plastic firesafe. I would presume that a firesafe can withstand heat from the inside if it can from the outside. I could drill two holes for the cords, wrap the PSU in layers of old clothes, shut the thing up, and let my box run 24 hours, perhaps on Forza 2 (idle, the xbox draws about 125 watts AC, forza 2 I've seen it draw as much as 170 watts AC). I would just need a few things:

1) Confirmation from someone that a firesafe would hold heat in as well as it does out. This would heat up the PSU good.

2) I don't have the foggiest idea what to seal the holes with the cords passing through with... it would have to be some sort of sealent that is heat-resistant and airtight.

3) I don't mind replacing a fried and melted PSU, but come'on, if everybody's curisioty is piqued enough, I would like at least my XBox Elite to be replaced if it went bonkers if the PSU melts.

4) Would the length of power cord going into the firesafe or the one coming out, or the outlet it is plugged into, pose a danger? If so, would need some sort of workaround (I live in a 1860's loft with plenty of nice, dried out wood).

hehehehe ... so when you get a BSOD, and you're so frustrated that you want to twist and bend it in half, what does it display?

@Shane: I have noticed the part about my cell phone making funky noises over the computer's sound system whenever a call comes in on my cell phone (usually, about a second before). Also, whenever I dial out.

But I do have a question, and you seem like you would know the answer: we have been developing a messaging server to a java app on NexTel (motorola) iDen phones... so we have a ton of them in the office "going off" all the time while testing.

I don't experience any interference in my computer's sound system.

Now, knowing next to nothing about anything, why would this be? Is it because of NexTel's usage of a different type of cell network?

TIA!