I was just about to mention this. I used to work in a mom-n-pop shop, the only one in the area, for a long time.

I have seen some of the most ridiculous problems that were PSU related. Serial mouse not working, VGA card outputting in B&W, slow and or intermittent performance, HD's that constantly reset (and sound like click of death in the process), new memory being blown, known good memory acting like bad memory, CD-R's that can't burn (or finish burning successfully), software modems that couldn't go off hook, AGP cards crashing, PCI cards crashing, VLB SCSI cards not working at all.

The list really just goes on and on and on. Software to diagnose faulty PC hardware? Sorry, no thanks. I had tried all manner of diagnostic and test software over the years. Some worked some of the time. (mem tests and HD scanners), the rest were borderline use-less pieces of crap. Not only that, but because of faulty PSU's (usually overloaded, or just old, or overheating, etc etc etc) I have seen those same programs misdiagnose just about everything.

Aside from simple sensor reading and verification (of code, built in HW diagnostics, etc) I do no trust 'software based' hardware diagnosis, especially on a PC.

YMMV.

Why not upgrade the infrastructure to support the usage they have been advertising and people have been using?

Simply ridiculous.

"People are using the phone in a manner consistent with how we told them they could use it! Upgrade the network to meet our promises? Wrong. Change the pricing structure. This problem is clearly the consumers fault."

Yes. The artist chose to make these arrangements. They signed up to be screwed over by a morally corrupt organisation. Voluntarily. Perhaps they weren't familiar with how these companies operate. Perhaps, as an artist, they were merely ignorant to the fact that they could have sold their wares themselves and kept all the money. Perhaps They felt they needed big-dollar representation for something or other.

If that's the case they were wrong. Given the compensation typical for a struggling artist (or even a minor-league success story) signed to an RIAA label. Selling his CD's himself, even with a signifigantly lower volume I have a hard time believing they would have trouble being just as broke as they already are.

Ignorance may explain the situation, but it does not excuse it.

How about this, if these artists were doing the suing themselves do you think they would ask for $1,920,000 in damages? ...and if they were directly awarded that, do you think they would be able to sleep at night?

...and I might agree with most of what you say if the content-creators (the Artists, not their representatives) were seeing this money directly.

As a recording and performing musician who is both excited by the limitless distribution and disgusted with their treatment of artists I find you personally offensive. Furthermore I also find you to be nothing more than a rhetoric spewing fool of the lowest order. I hope you choke on those party lines you parrot off mindlessly.

GTFO, troll.

speechless.

You think the Earth's environment is something of tantamount importance? WE NEED TO STOP THE INSANITY!

Can't you see?

This type of technology is starting a race to the impending heat death of the universe!

Won't somebody think of the childrens childrens childrens childrens childrens childrens childrens childrens children?

I think you may be reading too deeply into his situation.

I suffered (or, rather, endured) a very similar situation. I was cohabitating with my girlfriend. Things didn't work out, I had to get out. I was unemployed at the time, so for the couple months I was sleeping out of my car and/or couch surfing (people get sick of that really quickly, the polite notice it and act accordingly).

I got a job, saved up some cash and got a place to live. But in the months leading up to that I was homeless. While I wouldn't reccomend it, especially to the light of heart, it isn't neccesarily nearly as much an indication of an underlying condition so much as a sign of lack of concern for something most people would obsess over.

Was it comfortable? No. Was I happy about the situation? No. Did I make the best of it? Damn straight I did.

In the time that I was homeless I managed to secure a job, save money to get a place to stay, form a new band and coordinate practices and shows. I kept up with my myspace and emails on a daily basis. I didn't dumpster dive. I had money to purchase food. But I wasn't obsessed with needing a place to call home. On a temporary basis. I knew that I was working towards that and I was dealt (or had caused my self to have to deal with) a bad hand. Live, learn, etc.

There is nothing in that behavior that suggests that I need to get 'checked out'. The GP as well as myself both enjoyed a reletively high standard of living, however we weren't so entrenched in our way of life that when our situation was drastically changed that we fretted needlessly over our lack of walls.

...and yes, GP is right. It was VERY freeing. It was a sense of freedom that was underscored by a need for change and progress. As I wasn't content living that way for any extended period of time. But being honest with myself and coming to terms with my situation allowed for me to accept what had happened, formulate a plan to change that and not worry in the interim.

So I went to partys and instead of leaving, I'd do what I wouldn't ordinarily do. Crash on the couch. I went home with girls I may not have ordinarily gone home with. I also acted in a more gentlemanly manner that I ordinarily wouldn't have acted with.

...and there was a certain excitement to being 'on the go' constantly. Constantly. Though sleeping in commuter lots was a little scary--as was driving anywhere--given that my car wasn't insured or registered and my license was suspended...all things I was able to neglect while having a home and an SO with such amenities.

All in all it was an exciting time that I wish to never revisit, a lot was learned, progress was made, and it was all dealt with in a very honest and pragmatic manner. I see no reason why GP or myself should seek treatment for merely 'living off the land' in an urban setting.

-Dan

So, the world "in real life" and the world "in real life represented in a different form" should for some reason conform to a different set of rules? ...RLAA? Do you see what I'm getting at here?

I agree whole heartedly. I left IT about 6 years ago. I started entry level in an entirely unrelated field. Had to work my way up from $7.50 an hour after previously getting $13k for month long contracts and $120/hr consulting. But at the end of the day, I'm happy. More importantly, at the begining of the day I don't hate my life and my job. The toughest part of waking up is waking up. Not the misery that resumes once you remember what your job is that you need to get to soon. While I'm making a damn good wage now compared to $7.50, I'm still not making what I was making at age 19. But I love my job--a priceless feeling. They can keep the fucking money. IT is a soul sucking thankless field. A field with many disciplines. I tried a couple of them. All felt the same. I used to have rage issues, depression and an unidentifiable source of dissatisfaction with my life...untill I bailed on the field entirely...almost randomly. Then, after I rebuilt my life around my new career--and only then--did I realize what was ruining what felt like _everything_. YMMV

What about Edlin? now that was a sweet package.