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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
Medicine

Tricks with your mind and a dummy's body->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "KOMO is reporting about a study from Stockholm's renowned Karolinska Institute. The story by the AP is using cameras setup to watch "you", from the perspective of a dummy. The system is set up so that as you perform activities with the dummy, you feel sensation. They start out with shaking hands with yourself. They have found out that most people (70-80%) tend to freak out the when the dummy is stabbed with a knife ("experience the illusion very strongly"). The entire article covers the perspective of both the study, and what the writer feels during the experience. Though this study was with short duration subjects, interest is raised with longer duration studies. "The questions is what happens if you did it much longer? If you were in there for days and weeks. Would it be like something out of Total Recall?" (Spence). I was intrigued with the possibility of VR in game simulation."
Link to Original Source
Government

Washington State: Is Blogging lobbying?->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "Washington State is asking — is blogging lobbying? As KOMO's website is reporting, if blogging is lobbying, then those who are doing the blogging are required to file public reports detailing their finances. This is another instance where 21st century and 1970s political reforms are clashing. Though media is excluded, this could have a chilling impact on private blogs (and websites)."
Link to Original Source
United States

Fed judge ruled part of law terrorism vage ->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "The Seattle PI is reporting a story by the AP where a Portland, Oregon Federal Judge has ruled against terrorism law: unconstitutionally vague.

He ruled a law prohibiting material support for terrorists is unconstitutional because it is too vague. The judge also ruled the law on the provision of "material support" to any group given the designation was unconstitutionally vague."
Link to Original Source
Republicans

Georgia men claim hairy, frozen corpse is Bigfoot ->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "Two men claim to have shot Bigfoot, and placed him in a freezer. The announcement describes the creature as a 7-foot-7 male, weighing 550 pounds with 16-inch human-like feet and reddish hair. Three different tales so far offered three different tales so far about how they came to find the creature:
In one, the animal was shot by a former felon, and the men followed it into the woods. In a second version, they found a "family of Bigfoot" in North Georgia mountains. In the third, the two were hiking and stumbled upon the corpse with open wounds.
One interesting note is that this is being picked up by the mainstream media.
However — this rates up there with — Wow, we've found a new and wonderful creature. Let's kill it!"
Link to Original Source
Education

Paper posts names of those it says bought degrees->

Submitted by
Bomarc
Bomarc writes "The Spokesman Review has published the names of nearly 10,000 people that have alleged to have purchased bogus college degrees from a Spokane diploma mill. The U.S. Department of Justice had refused to release to the public.
The list is available on Spokesman-Review's Web site. The newspaper did not say how it obtained the list.
A preliminary analysis by the newspaper, based on e-mail addresses, showed 135 individuals with ties to the military, 39 with links to educational institutions, and 17 employed by government agencies. But the numbers could be much higher if buyers used their personal e-mail accounts"
Link to Original Source
The Internet

SPAM: The Hazards of GM Foods In Your Shopping Cart

Submitted by
zerkblog
zerkblog writes "You may have heard that genetically modified (GM) foods are safe, properly tested, and the answer to the world hunger problem. Yet, ten years ago, virtually all-major food companies committed to remove GM ingredients from their European brands within a single week. In the US, consumer response to Monsanto's rbGH (GM bovine growth hormone) began two years ago, when Starbucks, Krogers, and 40 out of 100 top dairies removed these products. Wal-mart declared their milk rbGH free this March."
Link to Original Source

Teutonic: Not enough gin.