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Comment: What I use and problems encountered (Score 2) 356

by Bomarc (#35195568) Attached to: File Organization — How Do You Do It In 2011?
Having just started cleaning my house, this story comes close to my heart. Looking around, I have 6 boxes of old “documents”. What to do with them?

First to cover the common areas:
Video:
I have two TIVO boxes, one is high definition, both recording constantly.
I have one system with 8TB of storage to sort/organize the incoming TIVO recording.
I’m setting up two 60TB servers for my “movies and TV shows”. (Each will handle 26 hard drives). I use the term “setting up” as I’ve run into some issues with these systems.

Binary:
I have a 2TB system set up for binary files. (This would be development, OS, drivers, patches and the like). You never know when you will need a DOS bootable disc.

Music:
I have one system (with 2TB storage) to handle my MP3’s. (Still need to sort/organize/remove duplicates). Currently this one also houses my image collection, important documents and the like. It is acting as kind of a catchall for everything else.

Data:
I’ve recently set up a system to handle “data” (document based); with 130 GB of space. I’m using “Home Document Manager” . Though not mature, they are more amenable to fixing the problems.

And now to the point: Organization.
Overview
The first – glaring issue is lack of a good storage house. Most management systems sort a single file in a single location, sometimes with tags. A good example of the problem that I found: what if I have a Medical Bill, which is being kept for Legal reasons, which I will need at Tax time? What if I have a MP3, Music Video and Movie that I would like to tie together (or heaven forbid multiple playlists)? Or Movie props that I’ve purchased off eBay.
I would not like to keep the medical bill after 3 years, but for legal reason would like to keep it for seven. I don’t want to delete the “item”, but I no longer need to be reminded about the “bill”. I don’t want to have multiple copies of the same item, which makes searching a nightmare. And “tags” are a start, but are not granular enough.

Video organization:
Extreme Movie Manager. Ok, it has some bugs, but it does a VERY good job. With its multiple views, and multiple ways of keeping track of movies, it is the best one that I’ve seen.

Music: Currently I’m (just) using Media Monkey and MS Media Player. Media Money has a severe limitation in that it does not handle video (read music videos-Watch "Vertical Lines" by Leather Hands to get the point). I attempted to use an “automated sorting” system, however it has significant issues, the biggest being it took MPS’s from a known group (1970’s for example), and moved them to “Unknown”, “Unknown”. Can’t use that. I also used Clone Master, and found that I have almost 2500 duplicate (MP3) files. Unfortunately, it “guesses” the wrong one most time for the likely file needing to be deleted.

Binary is actually the most straightforward simple file structure

Other issues:
Video Servers: I’m also running hard drive selection into issues with the video servers. The problem is: Enterprise class SATA drives are expensive, “small” (only 2TB), fast (as such they use a lot more energy). “Green” drives are cheap and plentiful and use a lot less power (and generate a lot less heat) however they are not compatible with the RAID controllers needed.

Video Playback: I have a decent system to handle the Blue-ray, high def requirements. However the software also has problems: In/with high def you can’t read the “default” fonts displayed (on my TV). And when you change the font size to “large” some lazy tester (or lazy PM) at Microsoft didn’t bother the change ALL of the fonts. As such, it is not possible to read the warning pop-up messages. I’m not able to update the software for the Blue-Ray player. I tried to use dual monitor, but there is no Media player that (truly) support dual monitor. One monitor for playback, one monitor for status/text info.

I’ve just barley started looking for a image maintainer. What I would like to see is a system that – I can easily add images to, add tags to, and search for other images based on tags. I would also like to be able to have comments added. And to let others on the web see the info. I’ve found a web site (NOT SAFE FOR WORK) that shows concepts for what I’m looking for.

Any suggestions ... would be appreciated, and I hope that my struggles are of use.
Input Devices

Kinect Creators To Make PC Controller 96

Posted by Soulskill
from the platform-agnostic-arm-flailing dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "PrimeSense, the privately held Israeli company that licensed core Kinect technology to Microsoft, is teaming up with PC and peripheral maker Asus to create a similar device for the PC that can be used for browsing multimedia content and accessing the Internet and social networks — basically, the main things consumers use their PCs for. Last month, a Korean game developer claimed that Microsoft was working on a version of Kinect for the PC, but Microsoft hasn't confirmed any such plans."
Canada

Plastic Chemical BPA Declared Toxic In Canada 168

Posted by Soulskill
from the good-thing-it's-not-toxic-here dept.
Julie188 writes "The Canadian government has formally declared bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used to create clear, hard plastics, as well as food can liners, to be a toxic substance. Does this mean that you'll be tackled by the Canadian Mounties if you stroll around with some bottled water? Not exactly. Being a toxic chemical doesn't mean you can't get a little love. The government will at first try and set limits on how much BPA can be released into the air or water by factories that use the compound."
Medicine

Meta-Research Debunks Medical Study Findings 261

Posted by Soulskill
from the truthiness-in-medicine dept.
jenningsthecat writes "From The Atlantic comes the story of John Ioannidis and his team of meta-researchers, who have studied the overall state of medical research and found it dangerously and widely lacking in trustworthiness. Even after filtering out the journalistic frippery and hyperbole, the story is pretty disturbing. Some points made in the article: even the most respected, widely accepted, peer-reviewed medical studies are all-too-often deeply flawed or outright wrong; when an error is brought to light and the conclusions publicly refuted, the erroneous conclusions often persist and are cited as valid for years, or even decades; scientists and researchers themselves regard peer review as providing 'only a minimal assurance of quality'; and these shortcomings apply to medical research across the board, not just to blatantly self-serving pharmaceutical industry studies. The article concludes by saying, 'Science is a noble endeavor, but it's also a low-yield endeavor ... I'm not sure that more than a very small percentage of medical research is ever likely to lead to major improvements in clinical outcomes and quality of life.' I've always been somewhat suspicious of research findings, but before this article I had no idea just how prevalent untrustworthy results were."
Media

Media Mail: How to fighting the USPO?->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "Sending items using media mail is a great way to save money. However, the government (USPS) is dragging its feet. I recently tried to send a 160GB SATA hard drive filled with movies to a relative. I invite readers to understand what Media Mail is, and what it was intended to do by reading the pamphlet on line "A Consumer's Guide to Mailing". The relevant text: "Small and large packages and thick envelopes can be sent using Media Mail. Contents are limited to books, manuscripts, sound recordings, recorded videotapes, and computer-readable media (not blank). Informally called "Book Rate," Media Mail cannot contain advertising, except eligible books may contain incidental announcements of books. Media Mail is usually less expensive than Parcel Post."

After several phone calls, I was able to reach a real person sent them the question by email:

Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.

Attached are several images to give perspective on the items involved.

{images of SATA drive, SATA to USB connection, and descripton removed for clarity}

Technical details:
The drive is plugged into the device outside of the computer, and the computers normal operation is not required by it's absence or presence. It's operation is the same as a "thumb drive", only physically larger. (And it is more equivalent to a DVD in that the DVD requires a DVD drive — this device requires the docking station as shown in the above image)

My Issue:
What I am shipping is the "hard drive" with video's copied on the drive. This is the (more) modern equivalent of a "DVD" in that it has movies/ videos (approximately 100 hrs). Supplemental hard ware is not shipped, nor are games (etc) included.

My contention is that if VHS tapes, DVD's and CD's are allowed, than this MUST be allowed under the same pretext. Current technology is such that the hard drives being released today are intended for this sole purpose — holding movies. This is the same as shipping a DVD or a 3 1/2 floppy — just more data.


The response from the USPS was:
"I wanted you to know the information I received says Media Mail prices are not available for computer related parts, accessories, flash/thumb devices, and storage devices such as a hard drive. Any kind of drive, whether it be thumb drive or hard drive, is not eligible." This indicates a fundamental lack of understanding of what current standards are for holding data — out side of the computer.

Anyone know how to proceed from here? The USPS doesn't know (or want to tell) how to escalate the issue. I'm concerned that my next course of action might be to go to Federal Court (not my idea of fun, since I can't afford it)."
Link to Original Source
Spam

Swan song for SPAM->

Submitted by
Richard Fonger
Richard Fonger writes "Swan song for SPAM

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., October 11 , 2007 — Ingenious Systems Research LLC announced today that a three year conclusive test in a live operating environment has proven that existing Internet infrastructure can be used to eliminate spam globally.

The focus of the test, which used 1.17 billion real emails, was to measure the performance of a source verification system dubbed the Forensic Sender Test. This test differs from other source verification systems such as Microsoft's Sender ID by eliminating the requirement to do mass modification of mail exchanger registrations or software, the primary obstacle to adoption of other systems. The Forensic Sender Test system, by contrast, relies solely on already-available data to expose email spoofs.

Using the FST system as a core, a user authentication layer was added rounding out what ISR founders Steve Jackson and Mike Walker called their MailVICE project. This layer uses the Forensic Sender Test information to allow the end user to reliably pick and choose their email "buddies" in much the same way instant messaging applications do. There was absolutely no use of email content examination in the project. To insure participation by users on the test system, a $10,000 cash reward was offered for any user identifying an unsolicited bulk email that made it through to the inbox. None of the thousands of test participants received the single spam required to claim the prize. Users also reported a renewed trust in their email as a messaging facility because lost email from false-positive filtering is no longer possible.

MailVICE can eliminate SPAM completely since the project uses any improvement in the spammers' techniques to become even more accurate. It leaves no path for perpetuation. If used on a wide enough scale, the project would cause serious backlash in the UCE industry.

MailVICE is available on a "limited distribution" basis from Argent Solutions LLC of Novato, California.
The product launch will be at ISPCON in San Jose, California on October 16th, 2007

Ingenious Systems Research, LLC, is a Delaware limited liability company.

                                                                                    -30-

Media Contact:
  Richard Fonger
  415-899-9733
rfonger@times.net"
Link to Original Source
Censorship

Company uses the DMCA to silence criticism on Web->

Submitted by
Greg Beck
Greg Beck writes "This homebuilding company invoked the DMCA to take down a website that criticized its business practices, while the company's motion to shut down the site was still pending in court. The company claimed that the website infringed its copyright by posting an image the company included as an exhibit to its own complaint, publicly filed in Ohio court. The article examines how it is becoming increasingly common for companies to use the DMCA to shut up critics without having to go to court, thereby bypassing any First Amendment right to speak the truth."
Link to Original Source

Thank goodness modern convenience is a thing of the remote future. -- Pogo, by Walt Kelly