When recommending test equipment, I tell them the same thing that I tell those needing a PC and ask for recommendations. I ask what are your requirements, and what are your wishlist.

Start with the essentials. Do you need Microsoft Office, why? Do you need to keep in a budget? If so how much and why? Can you spend extra for extras? If you can get the extra from an alternate for less, would it meet your requirements?

The PC scope. Define your requirements. Budget is item one listed. This severly limits your options. Is above audio REQUIRED? If not some simple audio interfaces can be used. On Linux there is an oscope program that works great with a sound card. Back to requirements, are you taking absolute voltage measurements? Do you require DC coupling? If so this is not an option that meets your requirements.

If working in audio frequencies, there are some excellent free spectrum analizers for free in Linux and not sure what is the options in Windows or Mac. For Linear Frequency and Log amplitude the JAAA program in most linux repositories whorks great. For Log frequency and Log amplitude, the companion JAPA program works great. I use it to ring monitors for band/PA. Audacity does a great job creating waveforms. I use it to create frequency sweeps for sound setup with the JAPA program. The sweep generation is a little obscure. Under Generate tab, it is the Chirp function. Set start frequency, end frequency, start amplitude and end amplitude, liner or log sweep, and duration of the "Chirp" to generate your signal.

For those with a good soundcard or external audio interface the generated sound is direct digital so any noise is not in the recording, but in the analog stream after the digital. Be sure to set the project frequency high, such as 96KHZ, in Audacity to prevent ailising in the upper frequencies. This is a better signal source than any CD recorded sweep due to the higher sample frequency than 44.1K of CD.

To recap, due to budget, shop for what is free or low cost. Your interface to the outside world will be your expense. There are low cost or no cost software that can enable better capture hardware. The above while nice did not meet the stated budget requirement. Retails for $299. So is the wishlist able to justify the higher cost?

I'm assuming their modems/routers have a way of provisioning a second IP address so that the wifi hotspot doesn't get you in legal trouble (or steal your bandwidth).

All your reasons are valid. Tinkering with something you bought and own. Moving into hardware became second nature. Unlocking printers married to their ink supplier (reset ink levels, and refilling), Re-using VOIP hardware such as Sunrocket, Clearvoice, etc as a cheap source for hardware, etc. Please don't sell stuff as criple ware.

Bought one game the demo ran great once loaded. Found the real game would not play without the CD in the tray. If this is the case, IT SHOULD BE STATED ON THE BOX. Having to get the CD crack to play the game on some machines was unacceptable. Not all my machines have a CD in them. Digging out and connecting an external CD to play a game on the road is a quick way to get a return, regardless of the opened software can't be returned policy. The demo ran fine in testing. The final product failed to run in my configuration. No Refund = no future sales.

Sorry, I was talking about the electric power steering found on steer-by-wire cars, like the Infiniti Q50.

http://www.autoweek.com/articl...

Electric power steering works with sensors on the steering wheel that detect when you turn it, and how much. The car then does some calculations taking into account the force and speed with which you turn the wheel, and the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. It then activates a motor, which actually turns the wheels.

I believe there is an electromagnetic clutch that disconnects the steering wheel from the actual rack and pinion, unless a fault is detected.

That way they'd fit into the corner.

I've been waiting for ink prices to follow MP3 players, VCR's, DVD's etc in the price drop. The funny thing is this hasn't happened, so the expectation is not met leaving a market vacuum the same way physical CD's have dried up due to inflated prices. How is the sound track of music for a DVD more expensive to produce and distribute than the DVD?.

The high price for ink is creating alternatives to printing. This is being filled by other companies, and alternatives to hard copy.

Case in point. I have an HP 950C inkjet. It has been out of ink for over a year now. Costco has a bargain on ink. 2 black carts and one color cart for $97. Unable to justify the cost, I passed on the purchase.

I purchased a 2nd hand Laserjet all in one for $10 with a functioning cartridge. I just mail ordered an aftermarket 4 pack of carts for under $100 delivered.

Sorry HP, It is not an HP printer.

Sadly, environmental issues, and limited resources, isn't something that the free market will handle when left to its own devices. I have no sympathy for automakers that need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Now I want to buy an electric Fiat out of spite!

Do not track does not prohibit advertising. It is privacy for which websites you visit. Advertisers love that info to target ads and talor them to their target demographic. Let's face it, most beginning programmers are not interested in golf clubs. A guy shopping for an RV is a much better target.

Back on topic, I f I have an online persona that may be a grey area and I don't want a future employer to find out, while using a public hotspot, I could use a PC without a hard drive to boot from a Live CD to do my grey activities and then power down when done. Later in normal browsing that session is not associated with the other persona.

Example uses could be for protection on a whistle blower case. Your employer would not have a clue unless you provided unique information that only you had access to.

Logging in at work everything would be normal. Logging in at home only normal activities are in your history with your browser and ISP. A raid etc will come up clean of whistle blower materials.

There is nothing unique about an Ubuntu installation CD or DVD in your media that can tie you to your contacts with the press about the leaking drums of industrial solvent burried out back.

There are legit uses for do not track. Leave no fingerprints behind.

Uber seems to hit a lot of legal challenges. It seems like, in every city, the incumbent taxi market has a different set of legal hurdles for you to pass through. It's kind of a shame, too, because everyone involved with Uber is making an honest living providing a needed service.

What's tends to be your day-to-day balance of being lawyer versus entrepreneur? Would you say that you have more legal woes than a normal startup? Do you think this is "par for the course" any time someone's starting an interesting company?

An antenna is tuened for a frequency band. Nothing special about a "Digital" antenna. A good antenna that could reduce or eliminate ghosting from multipath will work just fantastic for "Digital" TV. I never upgraded to a digital antenna.

Check your cable provider's rate for telephone. Then look for VOIP solutions instead.

Cable typically charges 29.95 or more + per month.

There are at least 3 VOIP providers that charge under $10 per month, including fees, which includes all of the US and Canada + and 60 minutes to about 40 counries.

I have an elderly relative living with us. We bought a phone adaptor. A Linksys PAP2T-NA was about $50 for the box so we don't rent a box. That box is discontinued. The SPA2102 replaced it. A Grandstream GPX1400 is about the same price.

No Particular endorcement.. Viatalk, Phone Power, Call Central, etc. Compare prices and plans. Warning, not all cheap plans include 911 service. Google Talk/Voice work for free in the US, but needs a phone toforward to if you are not at the computer logged in.

I use VOIP for long distance when home. I downgraded to a lower cost cell plan with fewer minutes which makes the VOIP a no cost solution.

The truth is there are a lot of cable cutters. The basic subscription is only to get a break on Internet. DSL and basic phone service is the same thing. My home phone has no long distance plan at all. It is redundant and expensive compaired to my Cell or VOIP which include all of US and Canada as a local call.

WIth Netflix, Hulu, etc, unless you want the sports package, why would you even have cable at all, other than to get a break on the Internet package.

Intenet without basic TV is often higher in price or not offered at all, so the basic TV added is close to zero additional cost.

I've cut Cable TV long ago. I'm not an armchair quarterback.

When working nights, and infomercials plug up the daytime TV, there is little to watch, except on Netflix. TV seasons, science, etc shows can be watched at your convience commercial free. Cable companies hate that. To keep profits up, with cord cutting, they soak the sports junkies that need real time program delivery.