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"It's important to be jitter-free whilst performing full-bandwidth ingests." What on earth is DataDirect Networks CTO Dave Fellinger talking about?
He is explaining why his company's S2A9900 storage box is so great. Apparently other storage products can support as many as three Apple Final Cut Mac workstations doing uncompressed high-definition video editing work in real time. Not a lot really - these workstations are storage bandwidth hogs. The DataDirect S2A9900, on the other hand, can support 30 Final Cuts. It does this through sheer speed and with very scalable block-level storage of up to 1.2PB in one box (taking up two data centre floor tiles.)
Isn't clustered Isilon kit used for this kind of thing? Yes and no, says another DataDirect man. In his experience broadcast and post-production customers use, at most, 8-10 Isilon nodes in production. These users say they couldn't keep anywhere near the theoretical Isilon maximum of 96 nodes in production, no matter what they tried. In any case the energy costs would be astronomical and possibly present a potential fire hazard, our DataDirect fella claims. Isilon's kit just isn't used, he says, to support Apple Final Cut Pro workstations.
He quotes a Wachovia analyst: Isilon IQ-series systems run at 100MB/sec read and 50MB/sec write levels with a 1GB/sec internal bandwidth. DataDirect's box puts out 6GB/sec of both read and write I/O and has 24GB/sec of internal bandwidth.
Fellinger sums it up: "When running multiple Final Cut Pro sessions in parallel, only DataDirect Networks ensures that users experience extremely low latency response times for jitter-free playback while concurrently performing full-bandwidth ingests."
Isilon has a different take on this. Ninety six nodes is a real cluster node number and it has its own internal 96-node cluster known as the Whopper.
Jay Wampold, Isilon's senior marcomms director, thinks DataDirect (DDN) doesn't understand how Isilon clusters work: "Comparing the performance of one Isilon node to that of a DDN box is comparing apples to oranges. Isilon delivers a truly symmetric clustered storage architecture where all nodes in a cluster serve as simultaneous pathways out to the network, so when comparing Isilon to a DDN box, you must compare aggregate performance (the performance of all nodes in a cluster) to that of DDN. Isilon can deliver 10GB/sec of performance from a cluster (single file system, single volume) surpassing the 6GB/sec of DDN."
The DDN view of Isilon use in post-production environments is wrong too: "Isilon has hundreds of customers in the media and entertainment industry to power a number of production applications, including Apple Final Cut Pro. Depending on the application, a typical deployment in the production segment of media and entertainment will range from 15-25 nodes. Again, we have a number of customers in this arena who have deployed much larger clusters in (the) 40-70 node range."
He reckons Isilon delivers an integrated HW + SW system whereas DDN ships out HW, "and depends on third party file system integration ... essentially outsourcing the intelligence of their system, to ... their customers. ... (who) are left to manage an extremely complex, difficult to scale science project that requires constant care and feeding to continue to operate. ... Media IT managers don't want to hold a PHD in storage to manage a DDN build-your-own system."
This area of the market for very high-performance and extremely scalable storage kit is giving manufacturers the jitters. The market is set to boom as web 2.0-type unstructured file storage needs go through the roof. No-one wants to cede superiority to anyone else. DDN is chasing an IPO. Isilon is recovering from management misfortunes, and Atrato has announced product. Waiting in the wings are HP's ExDS9100, IBM's XIV, and the hulking presence of EMC.
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Looks like we are seeing aother glimpse of the much anticipated BB 10 OS. Although the device may look familiar, whats in the picture is something actually very refreshing. The photos are taken from what is said to be an external ad agency's marketing documents. The pictures show what appears to be a QNX based OS running on the current Blackberry Torch 9860/9810 models. However, the odds are that we wont actually be seeing the BB 10 OS running on the current OS 7 devices. In addition, new homescreen widgets are shown. This gives us a nice little surprise that RIM may indeed be working on some widgets for us.
As you can see there are quite a few similarities between the OS on this device and the QNX based OS that runs on the PlayBook. If you look closely you can see that the folder icon shows a preview of the contents inside much like the PlayBook OS 2.0 developer beta that we have now. Folder creation like that on a mobile device will be a really nice touch. The other nice thing about the picture above, is that it shows a fresh new user interface that actually invites the user to home screen instead of differing them to a menu button or a slide like action.
In the picture below it shows what looks like a new in-call menu. In addition there is an icon labeled video chat. Could this mean that video chat will be an option with BB 10? Another interesting point to note about this picture is that it actually shows the carrier brand in the top corner. Does this mean that AT&T will be one of the first carriers to have available a BB 10 device?
It's hard to say whether or not these images depict the final product, but it does leave us wanting more. The pictures seem to go from one extreme to another in regards to functionality, but do have some key features that coincide with previous rumors. As always with these types of pictures only time will tell the truth. In the meantime were still waiting.

subset: commoncrawl


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Antiphonal KyrieSusan Thrift - BriLee Music Publishing
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A cappella Here is the perfect way to introduce a cappella singing to your young choir! The chant-like melody is stated in echo style, then all voices join in harmony. The excellent performance notes include a pronunciation guide for the simple Kyrie text. At just over one minute in duration, this is a little gem! Highly recommended!
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June 04, 2014
Dear Colleagues,
It is my great pleasure to announce that Robert Goldberg has been named the next Chief Operating Officer of the College. Chosen from a remarkable group of final candidates, Rob brings an extraordinary depth of experience in budget, finance, and policy management to this vital role. I will be honored and delighted to welcome him to Barnard on August 11, 2014, when he begins his tenure as COO.
From the start of the search this spring, the committee was charged with finding an imaginative leader with vision, energy, and a distinguished record of administrative achievement. At this important moment in the College's history—with a strategic planning process underway, and a major fundraising campaign in its early stages—we were seeking a candidate who could lead and develop a team of experienced professionals, manage and secure our complex fiscal landscape, and navigate the nuanced environment that is Barnard. Rob Goldberg's financial expertise and interpersonal skills, along with his deep understanding of multi-level organizations, will serve him well with Barnard's many constituencies, and in our relationship with Columbia University.
Since January of 2010, Rob has served as the Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources at the Department of State. At State, Rob has been responsible for managing all aspects of the $32 billion foreign assistance budget for the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development, including planning, budget formulation and execution, and program performance. He also oversees the Department's budget formulation information technology system and the foreignassistance.gov website.
Prior to his position at the State Department, Rob served for five years as the Deputy Associate Director for International Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget, the senior career official responsible for budget and policy matters related to the U.S. government's international affairs program. In addition to the State Department and USAID, he worked with and oversaw programs managed by other international agencies including the Peace Corps. He received his education at The George Washington University, earning both his bachelor's degree in International Relations in 1988 and a master's in International Affairs in 1990.
In the many conversations that led to this important decision, Rob proved to be a thoughtful communicator and a natural leader. From his years as a member of the Senior Executive Service, he understands how to shape policies and broker compromises, and is exceedingly comfortable working with multiple constituencies on complex management and program issues. We are excited that Rob will bring this extensive experience to his new position at Barnard.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate special thanks to Greg Brown for his eight years of unparalleled service to the College. And, of course, I want to thank our diligent and thoughtful search committee, supported by the search firm, Brill Neumann, and chaired by Avis Hinkson. The committee included Becky Friedkin, Louise Hood, Leslie Cawley, David Weiman, and trustees Eric Rosenfeld and Nancy Garvey.
Finally, I want to thank the President's Operating Council—Gail Beltrone, Eileen Di Benedetto, Catherine Geddis, Carol Katzman, and Jomysha Stephen—for stepping up to the plate and carving out new models of collaborative management during this time of transition. They have been a wonderful team, and I truly appreciate their tireless efforts on behalf of the College.
I know that you will all join me in warmly welcoming Rob to Barnard.
Debora Spar


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"Land Ho!" is a droll, Icelandic "Odd Couple" — just two slightly mismatched geezers on a sight-seeing/skirt-chasing trek to the island of ice and volcanoes. Its pleasures are slight, but rewarding, if you know where to look for them.
Paul Eenhoorn, of "This is Martin Bonner," is a depressed retired bank manager whose second wife just ditched him.
Gregarious, drawling Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson of "Pilgrim Song") is a New Orleans surgeon, Colin's ex-brother-in-law and a hale fellow determined to get Colin out of his funk with a vacation. He's bought them both a trip to Iceland.
"It's already decided," Mitch announces. That becomes something like his mantra.
Co-writer/directors Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz, working in a sort of post-mumblecore style, don't give these two a lot to do or that much to talk about. We get their history together. But Mitch drives the conversations — about women, younger women, famous women and sex.
And Colin plays along with his boorishness, hiding his occasional cringe from the blowhard nice enough to spring for this trip.
Two coeds — one of them a cousin of Mitch's — show up, and he's determined to take them out for a five star meal. Here's my Platinum Card, go buy something nice to wear.
"Looks like you got into Janet Reno's closet!"
The two 20somethings go clubbing with the two pushing-70s, with unpredictable results. Then they fly off, and Mitch and Colin drive their rented Hummer across the gorgeous Icelandic countryside, from geysers to spas, hot springs to seaside retreats. They eat well, drink a lot and dance on the black volcanic sand of Iceland's beaches. Sometimes, they bicker.
Forget the Neil Simon analogy — this is "The Trip" with far fewer laughs. But the actors — both of whom have found (indie) stardom late in life — make the seemingly improvised banter feel fresh, even when Mitch is trying too hard, even when Colin is biting his tongue.
One of them has a secret. It's not much of a secret. One of them has to find his way back to the human race, but it's not a long trek.
The co-directors pepper the soundtrack with '80s sync-and-guitar pop (Big Country) or bands that sound like they're from that era (Monster Party). It adds bubbles to the show, but doesn't change the essentially deadpan, amusingly banal nature of this journey and the two charming old men who take it.
MPAA Rating: R for some language, sexual references and drug use
Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson
Credits: Written and directed Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens. A Sony Classics release.
Running time: 1:35
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Was Bush an Accident Waiting to Happen?
I truly want to find a way to somehow spin this into a positive post, but I can't.
I am not only appalled, but I am both emotionally angered and saddened simultaneously with the recent events involving Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Matt Bush. I hate to admit it, but this is clearly a definite third strike against a guy who has tried to face his demons on his own, and now might be mandated legally to force-feed himself some real medicine and counseling to help deal with his issues.
I am a compassionate human being who truly want to stand up for Bush and his actions, but the reality is that I could not even look him in the face right now for the vile and angry triad that would spill from my lips. I want to show empathy for his past, present and future struggles with alcohol and it's dependency issues, but to me, Bush broke what I consider the fundamental cardinal rule.
Matthew Brian Bush got willingly into an automobile knowing he was impaired and drove not a few miles, but at least a half hour on US 41 North from Sarasota to Port Charlotte, and in the process Bush could have easily impacted countless additional innocent lives or untold damage before this final horrific event unfolded in front of his Dodge SUV.
That angers me to a state of rage that is not fit for print, and shows the lack of concern or even basic principle of common decency and responsibility that we all assume when we collectively get into our vehicles and take to the roadways. What angers me more to the core is the fact that Bush had an alert to his inebriated state when he hit a pole during his blurry travels back. This first accident should have jolted Bush back into the reality of his state of mind, but Bush still drove on. And that is where my anger increases tri-fold because money for cab fare, a hotel or even the distance should not be the issue for ignoring this basic safety issue.
Getting into a car after even feeling a bit tipsy in my opinion is asking for something bad to happen. I know personally if I go over my predetermined 2-3 beer limit I have alternative solutions to a safe night home. My salvation is a cab ride , a designated driver or non-drinking friend or maybe even a Good Samaritan. These are the options I have laid out for myself in the even of a tipsy evening. I wonder if Bush had any inclinations to any of these secondary actions, or if he just ignored them like that incident with the pole. You do not get into a car impaired because you could effect and change another life, not just your own.
When the Lee County Sheriff's Deputy asked Bush if this was his "serious awakening", Bush responded in his arrest report, " It wasn't, he had 'already been there'." To compound the issue, Bush admitted to the arresting officer he had "stopped and bought a few (adult beverages) and kept driving", a clear sign of his addiction consuming him. Seems as if things were piling onto Bush with a vengeance prior to this final accident, but he did not heed their signals.
Some of you might not know this of my background, but my father owned a towing service when I was young and I did a lot of the accident calls with him, even at night. I also worked for several police rotation and towing services from 1987-1994 were I got to see the aftermath and destruction first hand. I even had the unfortunate event of having to hold an elderly woman's hand back in 1988 as the life was leaving her and I was helpless to help her since she was impaled and pinned into her car by the steering column after a head-on collision with a drunk driver. That is only one story of the many I have witnessed first-hand where the effects of alcohol took the wheel and severely changed people's lives in an instant.
I understand addiction. I want to have empathy for Bush, but even after his horrific crime, he drove away completely oblivious that his SUV had rolled over the helmet of a downed motorcyclist. Even less of a defense is his blood alcohol limit of .180 which clearly is 2 times the Florida legal limit. Truly Bush's demon was firmly at the controls.
I wonder what broke Bush? Was it the clarity that he might be back in Triple-A Durham and not sitting in the AC confines of Tropicana Field? Could all the expectations, responsibilities have somehow descended on him that day and plunged him into this liquid abyss and Bush knew of no other alternative.
For his ignorance Bush now sits behind bars currently without an attorney and not eligible for bail an a elderly motorcycle rider fights for his life at Lee Memorial Hospital. How his evening would have been different if Bush had been forthright and just picked up his phone, call a teammate, a friend, a Rays clubhouse attendant…..a cab and admitted he was not fit to be behind the wheel. This angers me to the core because this not the road a baseball career, or a life should ever travel.
3 Comments
If you actually understood addiction as you claim, you wouldn't even be asking why this happened or why he failed to do the responsible thing at several intervals. I am not defending Matt at all, but I know first hand why. I am a recovering alcoholic. Alcoholism is the only disease where your mind tries to convince you that you don't have it. The only control or defense he has regarding alcohol is the choice to take that first drink or not. If he CHOOSES to not call someone for help before he picks up that first drink, and he CHOOSES to take a drink, all of his defenses are gone. He has an allergy to alcohol. After that first bit of alcohol, he is powerless to stop. Have you ever tried willpower to stop diarhea? It won't work. Alcohol for an alcoholic is the same thing. He is no longer able to control or limit his drinking after that point, and as he becomes impaired, there is no way to make rational & responsible decisions, like a non-alcoholic would. Why would he call someone after he started drinking? He was ashamed. He was scared. He f'd up and he knew it. His responses to law enforcement were not to blow off what he did, but more of an attitude that he didn't think he was actually capable of hitting a bottom lower than the one he had a few years ago. He knows he messed up, and I bet he wishes more than anything he could go back and make the right decision. I'm sure right now he wants to die. No words could express how sorry he probably is. I am sure baseball is the last thing on his mind. I have met Matt. Arrogant, cocky, self-righteous he is not. Shy, humble, gracious and soft-spoken he is. I don't believe his decision to pick up a drink that day had anything to do with baseball. As alcoholics, an urge to drink can hit you out of the blue. We are taught what steps to take when that happens. He knows what he should have done, and he chose otherwise. The consequences that an alcoholic must face for making a single bad choice are not the same for a non-alcoholic. You drink too many one night and you may lose sleep and suffer a hangover. If I take a drink, I might end up where Matt is. Sometimes it is not so easy for an alcoholic to remember that theory every second of every day for the rest of one's life. Now he will have to take responsibility for his actions, which I am sure he will. From all I know, he has never been anything but open & honest about his past failures & mistakes. However, I Will say that he might be one of those alcoholics like the one I was married to, that just can't handle success. That usually is a result of some deeply rooted shame they have about their past actions. My spouse would get back on the wagon for a few years and life couldn't be any better. Finally! A success story! And the next day it all vanished when he picked up a drink, lost his job, looted our home of all valuables, and was in jail facing another felony. He felt so shameful of his behavior & the harm he caused others as a result of his drinking that he never felt deserving of the rewards sobriety gave him, so he unconsciously sabotaged it all. No one knows why Matt chose to drink, matt may not even know why. But everyone in ST knows his situation and I'm sure his pride would not allow him to tell anybody what was going on with him that day. Be mad at him all you want to, but know that he is far more angry with himself. I'm sure he deserves more prayers than judgement, unless you are the victim or the judge. Just because he has a certain athletic talent doesn't make him any more capable to understand what he is risking and throwing away.
I have said it for the past few years, but MLB has got to make some changes in regards to alcohol in spring training. When ST starts, so do the DUI's. Baseball players adhere to a very routine life as far as their schedules & day-to-day life. Most of the year their day starts & ends later than most people. Spring rolls around and they are excited to be reunited w/ their teammates, get it going, etc. But their schedule is reversed. They wake up early, work hard, play a game and end their work day early in the afternoon. Some don't know what to do when they have free time because they are used to not having any. They now have this block of time available in a warm climate with their buddies to do what? Drink. The earlier they get started, the more likely chance they will get drunk, and here come a slew of DUI's because somebody thinks they can drive. Alcohol is accepted in baseball. That won't change. But I am sure that it isn't easy for someone like Matt who is around it more in ST than the regular season, and he has to remind himself that he isn't like them, they can drink and he can't. That is what happened that day Plain & Simple…He gave himself permission to drink that day.


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Easter is one of those magical days in the year when diets don't exist. So today, in addition to a mountain of other sweet confections, you can enjoy Raphael Volkmer's chocolate 'Calories Bomb' grenade that explodes with even more delicious shrapnel.
Just think of it as an uneasy truce with your diet, although when you step on the scale Monday morning you might discover that one side's actually gained quite a bit of ground over the weekend. [Raphael Volkmer via Notcot]


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ElectronicsAccessories & SuppliesCamera & PhotoCamerasTelevision & VideoWearable Technology
ElectronicsAccessories & SuppliesCamera & PhotoCamerasTelevision & VideoWearable Technology
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Televisions: What is a home without a television? These devices have become a vital part of home living and can even be found in a wide range of places like offices, hotels, restaurants, etc. Find a large selection of televisions including flat-screens, curved-screens, and smart TVs all from the most favorite and trusted brands like Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony and a lot more.
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Hi Folks!
Got a big chance coming up! Chase Bank is giving away 12 BIG grants but you need 250 votes to qualify.
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We have a good shot at this if we can just get these votes by June 30. We can finally build the creative film/game/writing studio this town needs. As always we appreciate every bit of support you can give to make this work.
Thank You ALL!!!
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Epic Age Media


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BrainBashers Easy 10 x 10 Bridges - July 12
Copyright © Kevin Stone
• Connect every island, such that any island can be reached from any other.
• Each island contains a number that shows you how many bridges leave that island.
• Up to two bridges can connect islands together.
• Bridges can only go horizontally or vertically and may not cross each other.
[Puzzle Code = Bridges-0712-10x10-Easy-085524]
Printed from BrainBashers [www.brainbashers.com]


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DS PH200M Powermatic 80
Reference: C036.407.11.050.00
Diameter: 42.80 mm
With the DS PH200M, Certina has resurrected a 1960s model which was inspired by the depths of the ocean. The new edition represents a seamless continuation of a timeless design, combining it with an automatic calibre of the latest generation.
MOP 6150.- Recommended retail price (incl. VAT)
Case: DS Concept Stainless steel 316L Screw-down crown Screw-down case back
Bezel: Stainless steel 316L Aluminium Turning bezel Superluminova
Glass: Hesalite Nex scratchguard treatment
Dial: Black Index
Movement: Swiss Made Mechanical, automatic winding 80 h Power Reserve
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of 20 bar (200m)
Bracelet: Stainless steel 316L NATO Mesh Quick release
Buckle: Stainless steel 316L
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Water resistant to a pressure of 20 bar
The water resistance of this tough model has been tested to 20 bar (200 m) – placing it way over the average. A real sporting ace.
Packaging as unique as the watch
The inspiration behind the DS PH200M lies deep below the surface of the ocean. Accordingly, this exceptional Heritage model is presented in special packaging designed to look like a diving box. Alongside the watch and an information leaflet, the case also contains a second strap that can be fitted quickly and easily.


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Travel back to the Middle Ages with the Castles of La Mancha
Haro Castle
Here we suggest a journey into the Middle Ages in the land of famous knight Don Quixote. Castile-La Mancha is in inland Spain, and is the ideal place to travel back in time and discover castles that were once the setting for great battles. A look into historic-artistic heritage that is not to be missed.
The Region of Castile-La Mancha has a landscape of great plains topped by impressive castles. Most were built in the Middle Ages, a time when they were considered the best form of defence. Throughout the route you will be able to see their various origins: Moorish, medieval, even some built on top of Roman fortifications. This route in Castile-La Mancha is a journey into the history of Spain.
The province of Toledo is your starting point. You will soon notice that there is a castle in most of its towns and villages. In places like Oropesa, the 13th-century Christian fortress is built onto the defensive wall that surrounds the whole historic centre. Besides climbing to the top of the tower, you can also spend the night - it is now a Parador Hotel. Less than 200 kilometres away, Consuegra is another stop not to be missed. From the top of the castle there is a unique view: the fields of La Mancha between the Tagus and Guadiana Rivers. The stars of the view are the seven windmills that became giants in Miguel de Cervantes's novel, Don Quixote.
The route now heads for the province of Ciudad Real. As soon as you get to this region you will be transported back to the Castilian Middle Ages. An hour from Consuegra is Calatrava la Nueva, where you can see one of the maximum exponents of La Mancha history: the Calatrava Castle-monastery. The Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabela, Charles I and Philip II all stayed here.
Now in the province of Albacete, don't miss the Gothic Castle of Almansa. It is set atop a huge rock on the site of a previous Moorish fortress. You will notice its imposing keep.
The next stop is in the province of Cuenca. There you will be able to live a very different experience, staying the night in a castle. Alarcón castle is now a Parador Hotel. You will see that it maintains its Renaissance appearance, with arrowhead battlements. 70 kilometres away, right on the Route of Don Quixote, head towards Belmonte and enjoy its beautiful monuments. Its castle has an unusual structure in the shape of a six-pointed star.
The province of Guadalajara, further to the north, is the end of the route. This is where you will find the largest number of castles in Castile-La Mancha. You can also stroll around its walled towns, visit more than 30 fortresses and see a hundred or so different towers. The town of Sigüenza is a designated historic-artistic site, and its castle is one of the most representative. It is built on top of an earlier Moorish structure, and is now a Parador Hotel.
These are just a few of the castles you can visit on your next trip to Castile-La Mancha. There are many more. If you would like more information on them, then get in touch with any of the tourist offices. Each stop, a castle. Each castle, a story. Plan your own route and take a trip back to the Middle Ages. If you like this article then have a look at: - Route to Spain's medieval towns and villages
Have you found this information useful?


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Inversion is a game that doesn't so much defy your expectations as - literally - turn them upside down. What looks like a straightforward third-person shooter in the Gears of War mould turns out to have a distinctive twist.
Using advanced, alien technology you can harness the forces of gravity, sending enemies drifting helpless in the air, crushing them under their own weight, and even battling up the sides of skyscrapers. In Inversion, the laws of physics can be treated more like guidelines.
What platform is it on?
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
When's it due out?
February 2012
What other game is it like?
Gears of War, Vanguard, Prey
Does it use any new tech like 3D, PlayStation Move or Kinect for Xbox 360?
The pitch
Don't just defy gravity. Command it. Learn to maneuver and shoot in an ever-changing state of global gravity, including weightless gameplay in zero gravity. Control gravitational forces using your Gravlink device to either increase or decrease the amount of gravity on a given target. Command gravity to crush objects in your way, float enemies into range or even pick up cars to use them as mobile cover. With bullets flying, seek cover objects in the environment or manipulate objects to create cover for yourself.
Inversion has been specifically designed to allow for maximum destructibility using the "Havok Destruction" module. Blast through the environments, target your enemies' cover blasting it to bits or even knock down overhead objects to crush the enemy below.
The storyline
Take on the role of a young father and husband, Davis Russel, who finds himself thrust into war when his peaceful city is invaded by an unknown enemy. With his daughter missing and conventional weapons and tactics all but useless, this ordinary cop and his partner Leo Delgado will rise up to heed the call of duty, master the fundamental forces of gravity and save the world.
Trailers, demos and video
Our first impressions
At Gamescom we had time for a lengthy demo of an early part of the game, followed by a chance to sample Inversion's gameplay for ourselves. The initial impression was of a solid but rather cliched Gears of War clone - think meathead heroes, nasty aliens, big guns and a whole lot of duck-and-cover shooting, all very much in the vein of Epic's hit series.
However, we knew there was more to expect from this one. Saber Interactive's last big game was the underrated TimeShift - itself a slightly generic first-person shooter made more exciting by a cool time-control mechanic. Saber seems to be repeating the same trick with Inversion, but here it's all about the gravity.
Sick of those Locust-a-likes hiding behind that crumbling wall? Smack the right-bumper on your 360 gamepad, and you lob a kind of gravity grenade at the cowardly custards, levitating them into the air so you can blast at them with impunity. Run up to a bunch of 'em, click both bumpers, and you send them flying off in all directions. You can use your gravity powers to draw weapons towards you and grab them - handy if you're low on ammo - or to lift objects and use them as projectiles, or even as a means of mobile cover. Later on, we're assured, you'll be able to lock onto larger items and unlock a high gravity mode, which makes objects and enemies two or three times their normal weight. The bigger they are, the better they crush.
That's not all, however. It turns out that your alien foes also use their gravity powers to get around on vertical surfaces, or even upside down. As a result, Inversion's levels send you on a head-spinning journey up the side of skyscrapers, crashing through glass ceilings as if they were the floor, and dealing with snipers assaulting you from just about every direction imaginable. In one sequence we played we made our way up, through and over a building, before joining in a firefight between marines and aliens on the streets below. It's a little disappointing that the paths seem pre-determined - you can't leap from floor to wall at any time - but it is quite spectacular, mind-boggling stuff, bringing to mind everything from the original Prey, which had it's own wall and ceiling-walking, to the classic spinning hotel sequence in Christopher Nolan's Inception.
And Inversion also goes big on mass destruction. While the graphics engine is Saber's own, the game uses a new version of Intel's Havok physics engine to maximise the mayhem, so that you can wreck whole environments then drag out chunks of scenery to hurl at your enemies. Unfortunately for you, your alien foes are similarly tooled-up, so no piece of cover is safe. And if the wall you're cowering behind isn't blasted to smithereens, there's still a chance that you'll find yourself being floated out from behind it.
The whole game has been designed for two-player co-op, either split-screen or online, and Saber expects players to find plenty of fascinating strategies where one uses gravity while the other blasts away. We can also expect some 16-player competitive action, with which Inversion's rich toolkit promises to be a blast. We still need convincing that Inversion has the weapons, the enemies and the distinctive design to be a truly great shooter, but at the worst it looks like a smarter-than-average clone with a genuinely clever twist.
Please note
Gamescom is a fantastic chance to see the latest games due out over the coming year or beyond, as well as letting us get a glimpse into what is going to be the big titles and the ones to avoid like the plague.
The big problem however, is that for most of the titles that glimpse is, well, just that. At the show you'll get to play a level here or a multiplayer map there or even have a product manager walk you through a specific level.
So, with that in mind, we present you with our Quick Play.
What we've done is broken down the key facts you need to know and then given you our first impressions based on around 15 minutes of gaming. For us, that 15 minutes isn't enough to do a First Look review, and especially not a review. How can you rate a game that offers over 30 hours of gaming based on just 15 minutes of play? However, it should hopefully give you an idea, a feeling, a notion of what to expect come launch day.


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That's good news for rebuilders, because most of them are in vehicles that are worth fixing when they need an engine, but there's some bad news, too.
Ford has made a lot of changes over the years, so building the right engine can be a challenge. In fact, if you include the front cover with the engine, there have been more than 10 short blocks and 20 long blocks used since 1991, so there's plenty of room to make a mistake if you're not paying attention.
It's been four years since we sorted our way through all the different versions of these engines that Ford has built, so it's time to take another look to see what has changed since then. There were quite a few different combinations before 1999 and there have been several more since then, but the latest variations all revolve around a few key changes:
- The heads are either "power improved" (PI) or "not power improved" (NPI), depending on the engine, the year and the application.
- All of these engines came with a heavy crank and rods in 2002.
- Some of the Explorers and Expeditions had an aluminum block.
- There have been several different front covers used on both the cars and trucks since '99.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at what Ford did, year by year, from 1999 through 2004.
Ford continued to build the 4.6L motors in both the Romeo and Windsor plants through 2004, so there were still two distinctly different blocks in use. Most of the 4.6L engines built during these years were manufactured in the Romeo plant, because the Windsor plant was too busy building the 5.4L and 6.8L motors, but there were just enough 4.6L Windsors built to make it interesting.
Romeo Blocks
The XW7E block that was used from '99 through '00 was the same as the original F7AE block that first showed up in '97. It had the jackscrews for the main caps and a 12.0mm hole in the valley for the knock sensor.
2001-'04 Cast Iron Block
Ford continued to use the XW7E block through '04, but the front of the block was modified because they changed the timing set. Two of the dowel pins that had been used to locate the steel-backed, plastic chain guides found on the earlier Romeos were deleted when these engines started using the Windsor-style, all plastic chain guides beginning in '01. Just as a side note, the XW7E block was modified to provide more rod clearance for the Manley rods that were used in the Cobra motors '03-'04, but it still works for all the other car and truck applications.
2002-'04 Aluminum Block
The aluminum Romeo block was introduced in '02 for the all-new Explorer. It was used in the Explorer from '02 through '04 and it's been seen in a few '03-'04 Expeditions, according to some rebuilders. It's a 1L2E or 3L2E casting that's very similar to the XW7E cast iron Romeo block, but there are a few noticeable differences. The intake valley isn't quite as deep because there's a vent passage in the valley that connects the front of the block with the back of the block. There are two raised bosses for a pair of 8.0mm knock sensors in the valley, too. And, Ford moved one of the holes for the front cover down about a half an inch, just to see if we were paying attention.
Windsor Blocks
The F75E blocks that were used from '99-'04 were identical to the original F75E castings except that they had an 8.0mm hole for the new knock sensor. The Windsor motor was used in the pickups along with the Mustang and the Expedition in '99, in the Mustang in '00, and in the F150 Supercrew, four door pickups from '01 through '04.
Romeo and Windsor
There were two cranks used in these motors from '99 through '04 with a couple of variations. There's a light one and a heavy one, depending on the year, and they had six or eight bolt crank flanges, depending on the application and the year. The Romeos always had a six-bolt flange, but the Windsors came both ways, so check the application charts to see when and where they were used.
The F65E crank that came out in '96 was used up through '01. We call it the "lightweight crank" because it had lighter counterweights for the lightweight rods that were used through '01. However, we have seen a F65E crank that was balanced for the heavy rods in a 2002 Explorer block. All of the balance holes were similar to the ones in the 2C5E crank and the balance was nearly the same as the 2C5E crank when we spun it up with the bobweights we used for the heavy rods. There may not be many of them out there, but putting a F65E "heavy crank" in a motor with light rods will cause a problem, so be sure to check it out before you make a mistake and get to do it over again.
The 2C5E crank showed up in '02 when the new, heavy duty rods were introduced. The casting number isn't always easy to read, but the crank is easy to identify because it has bull-nosed counterweights instead of the knife-edged ones found on all the F65E castings.
Be careful though, because all of the cranks for the 5.4L motors are bull-nosed, too, so be sure to check the stroke if you can't read the casting number.
Connecting Rods
There have been four different rods used in these engines, depending on when and where the engine was built.
Romeo Rods
The Romeo motors used a lightweight, press-fit rod (F1AE/F2AE) through '01. It usually weighed around 575 grams.
2002-(Before 1/2/02)
Ford put a heavy duty, press-fit rod that weighed around 615 grams in the Romeo motors in '02. The big end was beefed up, so all of the additional weight (35 to 40 grams) was rotating weight. It was a 2L1Z-6200-AA part number.
2002-(After 1/2/02)- '04
The heavy rod was converted from a press-fit to a bushed design after 1/2/2002. It carried a 2C5Z-6200-AA part number.
Windsor Rods
The Windsor motors had the lightweight rods from '99 through '01, too, but they were always bushed instead of press-fit like the Romeos. Apparently the engineers at the Windsor plant wanted all the bearing surface they could get for the wrist pins that were used in the truck motors.
2002- (Before 1/2/02)
There were very few 4.6L Windsors built in '02, but they did get the heavy duty rods along with the heavy crank, just like the Romeos. The early '02 Windsors should have been press-fit, just like the early '02 Romeos, but we suspect that all the heavy rods that were used in the Windsor motors were bushed, because the Windsor rods were always bushed in the past so it doesn't seem likely that they changed their piston design to accommodate a press-fit rod for just a few months in early '02. In fact, some people have suggested that the Romeo plant switched over to the bushed rods to accommodate the Windsor plant and their requirement for a bushed rod, but we'll never know for sure.
2002 (After 1/2/02)- '04
All of the 4.6L Windsors built after 1/2/02 had the heavy, bushed rods, even if some of the earlier ones didn't…
There have been two different pistons used in the 4.6L motors, one that has a shallow dish for the engines with the NPI heads and one that has a deeper dish for the engines for the PI heads. Both pistons came with and without pin locks, too, depending on the application. There's a slight difference in the design because the ones that were used up through '00 had slipper skirts and the ones that were used from '01 through '04 were a full-round design. There is a slight difference in weight (20-25 grams) between the two designs, but they appear to be interchangeable because Ford used them with both the light and heavy cranks.
Romeo Pistons
1999-'00 Not Power Improved
These engines had NPI heads with the big chambers so the pistons had a shallow dish and press-fit pins.
2001-EARLY '02 Power Improved
The Romeo motors got the PI heads in '01 so the pistons came with a deeper dish because the PI chambers were smaller than the NPI chambers. These pistons were full-round, but they were still press-fit.
LATE 2002-'04 Power Improved
These Romeos motors had the full-round, deep dish pistons, but they had pin locks now, because the rods were bushed for full-floating pins.
Windsor Pistons
1999 Not Power Improved
Most of the '99 Windsors had NPI heads, so the pistons had the shallow dish, but they had pin locks because the Windsor rods were bushed for full-floating pins.
1999-'04 Power Improved
The PI heads with the small chambers were originally used on the Expedition and Mustang in '99, so the pistons had the deeper dish. All of the Windsor pistons had pin locks except for the early '02 motors that were supposedly built with the heavy, press-fit rods, but we're willing to bet that all the heavy rods for the Windsors were bushed, so all of these pistons probably had pin locks, too. The early pistons had slipper skirts and the later ones ('01-'04) were the full-round design.
There have been four basic heads used on these engines including the Windsor NPI and PI along with the Romeo NPI and PI. Each version is pretty much the same, but there are a few subtle differences within each type that can get you in trouble.
Romeo Heads
1999-'00 Not Power Improved
The NPI heads with the oval ports and big chambers were used on all the Romeos through 2000. Look for a F5AE casting with ladder caps and the four 8.0×1.25mm threaded holes on both ends of the heads.
2001-'04 Power Improved
Ford put the 1L2E/2L2E PI heads on the Romeo in '01. They have ladder caps, square ports and smaller chambers. They also have the extra bolt holes for the high mount power steering pump that was bolted directly to the left head using the two bolt bosses that are right behind the front cover and just below the rocker rail.
Windsor Heads
1999 Not Power Improved
All the pickup trucks that were built in '99 had the F65E-BB/F75E NPI casting with the oval ports and big chambers. These Windsor heads can be identified by the individual caps, oval ports and the four 10.0 x 1.50 mm bolt holes on both ends of the heads.
1999-'01 Power Improved
The XL3E Windsor PI castings that originally came on the '99 Mustang and Expedition were used up through '01. They had individual caps and the 10.0 mm bolt holes on both ends along with the smaller chambers.
2002-'04 Power Improved
The original PI Windsor heads were replaced by the 2L1E castings in '02. They had two extra bolt holes for the high-mount, power steering pump on the driver's side, just like the Romeo PI heads.
Ford has used several cams for these engines, but we have narrowed it down to four basic combinations:
- Romeo NPI
- Romeo PI
- Windsor NPI
- Windsor PI
The specifications for the NPI/PI Romeo and Windsor cams are very similar, but the cams are different because the gears are pressed on the Windsors and bolted on the Romeos. The cam charts on page 44 spell it out in more detail along with the identification numbers, part numbers and applications. You may or may not want to consolidate as many of the cams as we do, so be sure to compare all the specifications before making your decision.
Timing Components
The chain guides on all the early Romeo engines had a steel backing and a plastic wear surface. They also used the thin crank gear (1.00?) and the thick (.200?), powered-metal reluctor wheel. The reluctor wheel we took off an early core had a F2LE-12A227-BB engineering number on it.
Ford made two changes to the timing set for Romeo in '01. 1) They switched to the Windsor all-plastic chain guides that were mounted differently, and, 2) they used a thicker crank gear (1.180?) along with a thinner (0.100?), stamped metal, reluctor wheel. The reluctor wheel we took off a later core had XW1E-12A227-AA stamped on it.
The Windsor motors used an all plastic chain guide from '96 through '04, so the only difference in the Windsor timing set was the change to the thick crank gear and the thin reluctor wheel in '01.
That's the story on all the major components, but it still doesn't tell which ones were used for any particular vehicle, so we have included some charts along with this article that do show which castings were used for each specific application, year by year.
You may notice some surprises when you read over them. We were surprised to see that the Expedition had a PI Windsor motor in '99, a NPI Romeo in '00, and a PI Romeo in '01. And we were even more surprised to discover that there were PI Windsor motors in the '01-'04 F150 Super crew pickups and that they came with a Romeo VIN code, especially since there weren't supposed to be any 4.6L Windsors built after 2000.
With all that in mind, here's the disclaimer:
We've spent a lot of time researching all the applications so we think the charts are pretty accurate, but there may be some more surprises, so let us know if you have any additional information to share.
Here are some things you need to know before you do it wrong the first time.
Ring Sets
The Romeo and Windsor motors used different ring sets so the top ring grooves weren't the same. Don't mix them up.
Intake Gaskets
The holes for alignment pegs for the intake gaskets have been moved from the inside of the port to the outside and back again on some of these engines, so it's hard to know which intake gasket set to send with the long block unless you physically check both of the heads before you ship the motor. We have eliminated the problem by drilling both sets of holes on the intake surface so either gasket will work.
Crank Gears and Reluctor Wheels
Be sure to use the matching crank gear and reluctor wheel. The engine won't start and run if you are using the thin crank gear along with the thin reluctor wheel. Installing the thick crank gear with a thick reluctor will crack the front cover when you bolt it on and lock up the engine, too.
Knock Sensor Holes
It appears that all the motors with the PI heads used the new style knock sensor that was held on by an 8.0mm bolt or stud, so make sure all the PI Windsors, starting in '99, and all the PI Romeos, beginning in '01, have an 8.0mm hole or stud.
The F75E Windsor block came with both 8.0mm and 12.0mm threads in the valley, so you must use a block with the right bolt hole for the specific application. Some rebuilders avoid the problem by drilling and tapping all the Windsor blocks to 12.0mm and sending a thread insert along with each engine. If you choose to do this, we would recommend the "Bigsert" made by Timesert (p/n 58121) that reduces the threads from 12.0mm to 8.0mm
All of the cast iron Romeo blocks we've seen have 12.0mm threads, so you can either send the Timesert with the motor or include the OEM stud (p/n W704602-S309) that has 12.0mm threads on one end and 8.0mm threads on the other end.
We've seen some Romeo cams that have had the keyways in an unusual location relative to the number one lobe. We couldn't find any cam gears with different keyways, so we were at a loss until we talked to the guys at Gopher Motors. They heated a cam red hot, removed the snout and discovered that it was galled on the outside because it had spun on the inside of the tube when the engine locked-up and bent all the valves on one bank. With that in mind, be sure to check the location of the keyway relative to the number one lobe before reusing any of these cams.
The two valve SOHC 4.6L has been one of the most popular engines in many of Ford's cars, trucks, vans and sport utilities since 1996. The three valve engine that's used in the Mustang, Explorer, Mountaineer and some pickups today is doing an exceptional job, so it's inevitable that it will replace the two valve motor, probably within the next year or two, but that doesn't change the fact that there are five million two valve motors out there, just waiting to come see us.
Doug Anderson is President of Grooms Engines, Parts, Machining,
Inc., located in Nashville, TN. He has authored numerous technical
articles on engine rebuilding for Engine Builder magazine for more than
15 years. Anderson has also made many technical presentations on engine
building at AERA and PERA conventions and seminars.


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Romeo and Juliet Stoned to Death
Just when you thought that absurd, monstrous Biblical punishments had been consigned to the dustbin of history, the Taliban is bringing back stoning. Way to be awful monsters, guys. What crime merited this horrific execution method?
Elopement. A couple eloped, because their families didn't think they should be married. Then they were lured back to the village with promises of forgiveness. Then they were seized and sentenced to death.
After the Taliban proclaimed the sentence, Siddiqa, dressed in the head-to-toe Afghan burqa, and Khayyam, who had a wife and two young children, were encircled by the male-only crowd in the bazaar. Taliban activists began stoning them first, then villagers joined in until they killed first Siddiqa and then Khayyam, Mr. Khan said. No women were allowed to attend, he said.
Mr. Khan estimated that about 200 villagers participated in the executions, including Khayyam's father and brother, and Siddiqa's brother, as well as other relatives, with a larger crowd of onlookers who did not take part.


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|Written by
|David Korr
|A. Delaney
|Golden Press
|Little Golden Books
I Think That It Is Wonderful is a collection of reflective, illustrated poems. The title poem is reworked from the song of the same name. Other poems, illustrated by the Sesame Street cast, include "The Strangest Word," "When My Imagination," "A Silly Mystery," "What Is a Song?" "Oh, I Was So Embarrassed!" "There Is a Road," "There Is a Place," "I've Been Wondering," "When You're New on the Street," "The Mirror Poem," and "So Many Things."
Characters depicted include Big Bird, Count von Count, Cookie Monster, Betty Lou, Grover, Little Bird, Bert, Ernie, Sherlock Hemlock, Prairie Dawn, Barkley, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Farley, Herry Monster, and the Busby Twins.
A few illustrations of Big Bird and Little Bird in this book were reused in the adaptation of Everyone Makes Mistakes in Three Sesame Street Stories in 1985 (like this book, Everyone Makes Mistakes was also illustrated by A. Delaney).
Other editions
This book was also recorded for the Big Bird StoryMagic toy in 1987, two illustrations were cut from the book.


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terrellm had een nieuw andere ontwerp nodig en lanceerde daarom een wedstrijd op 99designs.
Een winnaar werd gekozen uit47 ontwerpen ingezonden door13 freelance designers.
Website masthead needed for cattle rancher website. The site logo was recently designed here on SitePoint. The image should be similar to http://www.cattlepages.com/headerbackground.jpg but Hi-Res and not washed out.
The Cattle Pages
The Internet Guide to the Cattle Industry
Desired Color Scheme:
See instructions
Desired Style:
Cattle ranching theme. Current example at http://www.cattlepages.com/headerbackground.jpg but this image is not Hi-Res and appears washed out.
Accepted File Formats:
Hi-Res PSD file (with layers if available)
This picture should have a cattle ranching theme, with open land, possibly cattle, or cowboy and horse. If picture includes cattle, they should not have horns or be black and white. Our current photo in the masthead can be viewed at: http://www.cattlepages.com/headerbackground.jpg. This image portrays the basic idea we are looking for, but is not of high resolution and appears too washed out.
You will most likely need to find a stock photo of a background, and a stock photo of a landscape image to blend and create the picture we are looking for. http://www.istockphotos.com has a good selection, and if you use copyrighted images in your design, please let us know so that if your entry is selected we can purchase the images.
Photo should be of high resolution and panoramic, so that it could fit the pixel resolution of 800w x 130h on website, but will maintain image quality when printed on a 4' tradeshow booth.
Your entry should simply be a panoramic photograph, without special effects, rounded edges, etc. We are going for a "custom" stock photography type image that we can use throughout the website and its printed materials (so remember, high resolution is important). Also, do not worry about incorporating the logo, slogans, etc at this time.


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Just to briefly introduce this article before I start; I've written this because I am, quite simply, sick and tired of stupid questions being asked on AntiOnline by people who can't be bothered to think for themselves before starting a thread. If you're going to ask a question, make sure you do it the right way - follow the principles in this guide and you shouldn't go far wrong. I've put a lot of time and effort into writing this tutorial, but if it stops just one stupid question it will be worth it.
If I've made any mistakes (particulary typos), please feel free to point them out, either post them in the thread or PM me. I won't be able to edit this post after 24 hours because of the time limit imposed by the forums, but I will update it as necessary and re-post it if I make any major modifications. You'll be able to find the tutorial on my website: http://www.rixort.com/tutorials/smart-questions.php. Again, I'll let everyone know if this changes.
A quick note about political correctness, you'll see me using male pronouns (he, his etc.) throughout most of this tutorial, because I can't be bothered writing out he/she, his/hers every time. I'll alternate between tutorials though so that everyone's happy.
I drew inspiration for this article from Eric S. Raymond's article: How to ask questions the smart way (http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html). However, it's by no means a copy (I want to point this out before anyone accuses me of doing a quick copy/paste - although if you view the two guides you'll see that they are distinctly different), in fact I spent nearly 3 hours writing this last night. I used Eric's article mainly to see how to start and layout my tutorial, since they are usually the two areas that I have trouble with when writing - once I've started, I can continue writing for ages, it's just the first few paragraphs that I find difficult.
Enough talk, on with the show!
Asking smart questions
On public discussion forums such as AntiOnline, the response that you receive to your question depends heavily on how you ask it in the first place. Set the tone right, and people will be glad to help you, but forget one rule of etiquette and you can expect to be publically ridiculed and flamed by more senior members. This guide will teach you how to avoid the latter types of questions and get the answers you seek, without treading on anyone's toes in the process.
This guide will be biased towards asking questions on AntiOnline, because that's where I'm posting it and where I expect it to be read. However, the guiding principles covered in this guide can be applied to asking questions almost anywhere, whether on Usenet, other internet forums or indeed real life.
First and foremost, you should remember that most of the active members on AntiOnline like to answer difficult questions. Asking such questions gives us the opportunity to strech our minds to the full and temporarily relieve the boredoms of everyday life, whether it be our job, college or unemployment. And, strange though it may sound, a lot of us actually get an adrenalin rush from applying our minds to a problem to find a solution. It's a learning experience for everyone.
However, newbies are often afraid of asking questions because they fear a knee jerk reaction from the established community and the backlash that follows. Whilst I can see where this reputation comes from, it's not a true picture of the people on AntiOnline. Belive me, most of us are more than willing to answer your questions, but we've become so used to stupid queries that we can seem somewhat hostile to those who don't know the situation.
What we are, without any reservations, is hostile towards anyone who is unwilling to think for themselves before asking a question. Those people who just can't be bothered to try and find the answer from basic sources that are available to everyone or who ask questions that have been answered time and time before, will be labelled as 'stupid newbies', 'losers/lusers' and other derogatory names. We make no apologies for this, if you can't be bothered to check the most basic sources and think through the simplest ideas for yourself then we are not prepared to help you. Your questions waste our time that could be spent helping someone who deserves support more than you.
The most important thing that you must remember is that pratically everyone on AntiOnline is a volunteer. We don't get paid to help you, we don't ask for much in return and it costs nothing other than your time to ask us a question. Keep this in mind and perhaps you'll understand why we get so angry if you ask a stupid question. Hundreds of volunteers around the world have taken some of their precious spare time in order to read your question. Time that you've now wasted. Time that can never be regained. Time that many people will be very, very angry to have wasted on you and your stupid question.
You may think that the attitude taken so far portrays the AntiOnline community as a bunch of arrogant, obnoxious and condesending group of people who look down on others who are often making their first steps into the realm of computers and the internet. I can assure you that the vast majority of us do not fit into those categories. We're not asking you to grovel at our feet every time you ask a question (though it would help to boost our egos a bit), nor are we asking you to shower us with gifts (although it would be nice once in a while...). We'd like nothing more than to help you on your way and even join us if you wish, but if, and only if, you are prepared to think for yourself before asking questions.
If you do decide to ask for help from the AntiOnline community, make sure you're not one of the losers who gets flamed on first sight for posting a stupid question. The fact that you're reading this guide shows that you are at least willing to learn how to do things the right way. Follow the guidelines where you can, feel free to improvise where necessary and you'll find asking questions easier and your answers relevant and fulfilling.
Before you ask
Before you ask any question, there are a number of avenues that you must first explore if you do not wished to be flamed at first sight. Don't worry, nothing here is particulary taxing, but it's far more productive for all concerned if you can find your answer before you even ask the question. Just think about it for a moment, you find what you're looking for and we don't have any time helping you out which can instead be spent on someone with a much more complex query that can't be answered through a simple reference point.
The first thing that you absolutely must do is read the manual for whatever you're having trouble with. Believe me, if the answer you seek is in the manual and you still ask the question then you will be told, in no uncertain terms, to RTFM (Read the F'ing Manual). If someone tells you to do this, chances are that the exact answer that you are looking for has been covered in the manual, in which case you should humbly apologise and go and look up the answer yourself. The manual is there for a reason, so use it and all those trees won't have died for nothing.
The smaller cousin of RTFM that I have been seeing more and more of lately is STFW (Search the F'ing Web). So do this before you ask your question and see if you can't find an answer straight away. It's usually a good idea to use Google, since that's what most of us will use and we'll direct you there if that is where your answer is to be found anyway. Make sure you try advanced searches as well, and be specific - don't type "linux" into Google and expect to find out information about Canon BCJ-210 printer drivers for that operating system.
Why do we tell you to STFW if you haven't already? Because the exact question you are thinking of has probably already been asked and answered before. Find it and your problem is solved. I remember someone on AntiOnline asking recently about where they could find BackOrfice 2000 for download (supposedly for research purposes). I typed in "back orfice" at Google and the first five results all took me to places where I could either directly download or find out where to download the software. This took me all of ten seconds, but the person who asked the question didn't seem to want to put in this tiny amount of effort to find what they are looking for.
A final note on searching the web - don't expect to be given exact URLs for what you're looking for. Often, if we can find the answer to your question with a quick search, we will direct you to the Google homepage and not to the specific search result. This fulfils two purposes; firstly, it punishes you for not bothering to look there in the first place and secondly, it forces you to do some work for yourself, hopefully showing both you and others that simple answers will not be handed to you on a silver plate.
The next thing that you should do is check the FAQs for whatever you are having trouble with. FAQ documents are lists of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). I'd say at least 70%, if not more, of questions asked about specific products could be answered by reading the FAQs - which is why people got so sick of answering these questions and created the FAQs in the first place. One example of this (which is by no means unique), is one of the Perl FAQs. *The* most frequently asked question is "how do I change the file extension on a group of files using Perl?". As such, it is prominently placed at the start of the FAQ document, with a comprehensive answer and code snippet that does exactly what you asked. Yet it remains the most frequently asked question because people don't bother to read the FAQs!
Faqts is an excellent place to start looking for FAQ documents, just search for what you're having problems with and it will probably find a long list of FAQs, one of which may answer your question. Failing that, check out the official homepage for whatever's causing you bother, as they'll probably have an FAQ document. As mentioned before, people will get really angry if you ask a question that's already been answered numerous times before and covered in the FAQ, so make sure you check it out first before asking any questions. Even if the FAQ does not address your exact question, it may give you enough pointers to find the answer yourself.
Another option that you can explore is asking a skilled friend to help you. However, that person will expect you to have read all the documentation (manual, FAQs etc.) and looked for an answer on Google before helping you out. Otherwise, you're just wasting his time as much as you'd waste ours if you posted your question on AntiOnline. The great thing about a skilled friend is that you can explain your problem to him in person, whereas it may be more difficult to put your problem into words for us to read. Just make sure that you don't test your friend's patience with endless stupid questions and certainly don't assume that it's his fault that the problem can't be fixed or that your troubles are down to him in the first place (I get this all the time - when anyone's computer breaks down it's my fault and I have to try and fix it - even if I've never seen the computer before in my life!).
When you ask
If you have read all the documentation, searched the web etc. and still can't find a satisfactory answer, now's the time to post your question on AntiOnline. The most important thing that you must remember is that you are in no way entitled to an answer, as I mentioned before we are all volunteers - we don't get paid to answer your questions and we are not obliged to do so or give you any reason as to why. Those of you who think you somehow deserve an answer will be met by either a stony silence or a (potentially rude or witty) retort. If you do deserve an answer then you will get one, assuming an answer is possible.
Make sure that you mention that you have already checked the documentation, searched the web etc., otherwise some people will think that you are just bone idle and will ignore or flame you. Something along the lines of "I've checked the manual and the FAQs, plus I tried various searches on Google, but to no avail" should be sufficient to tell others that you've tried all other avenues and are now throwing down the gauntlet to the AntiOnline community.
One thing that you absolutely must do when you post your question is make sure that it is placed in the correct forum. On AntiOnline, there are specialist forums for almost everything to do with computing. If you have a specific technical problem, post it in one of those, e.g. *nix Security. On the other hand, if you need help with a general problem (e.g. your computer isn't passing the POST test), then feel free to ask your question in the Newbie Questions forum. Whatever you do, don't post your question in here, the tutorials forum (unless you have a problem with a particular aspect of a tutorial). I will personally seek out, redirect and flame anyone who posts non-tutorial questions in this forum, so be warned in advance. Other members will probably also get annoyed if you start asking technical questions in a forum that's intended for general chat or tutorials.
Never cross-post your question to dozens of forums. I've seen this done a few times recently on AntiOnline, one member posted the same question three times to three separate forums, even after some of us had given exact answers to what he was asking about. Even if your question has not been answered, don't post it to other forums as well, you just add to the noise and will be ignored. If you realise that you've posted to the wrong forum by accident, ask the moderator of the forum politely (or the admin if no moderator exists) if he will move the thread, otherwise post a short apology and start another thread in the correct forum.
Another mistake that you should never make when asking a question is to send the question by private message and/or email to someone who you are not familiar with and who is not familiar with you. It's a bit of a shock to some people if they open their inbox only to find a lengthy technical query from a complete stranger. I don't mind too much if you want to ask a question of me this way (in case you're worried about a stream of abuse if you venture into the forums), but other people might not react in this way so just be polite and don't use private mail unless you know who you're talking to.
Another reason for not asking questions via private mail is that your question (and any answer you may or may not receive) will not be seen by anyone else. This has a number of implications; firstly, your question is not reaching a wide target audience. The more people who see your question, the more chance you have of someone coming along who can help you; but this is not an excuse to post to every mailing list you can get your hands on!
Secondly, there may well be someone with a similiar question to yours who also wants help. By posting in a public forum, they too will be able to benefit from the advice and help that you are given. Instead of work being duplicated, it is instead shared, which is much more effective in terms of time for everyone.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
I don't want to end up sounding like one of my English teachers, who spent two years teaching us basic rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar, but failing to remember these rules when asking your question will make you sound like an uneducated moron. I can't stand it when people fail to use even the most basic punctuation (sentences end will full stops and begin with capital letters) in their posts; it just shows complete and utter laziness on their part. If you can't be bothered to check your punctuation before posting, then I can't be bothered to answer your question; it's as simple as that.
Whatever you do, never *ever* type in ALL CAPS. It makes you sound like you are shouting. Of course, use capitals where necessary, e.g. PHP, ASP etc., but don't capitialise more than four or five words in a row without exceptionally good reason. In a similar vein, don't type in all lowercase either, it's extremely annoying. Remember that the letter 'I' on its own is always capitialised, there are no exceptions to this rule in the English language. Typing in proper mixed case (as opposed to all upper or lower case) is actually helpful because humans look for patterns of letters to form words, which allows us to read more easily, and we cannot do this if you type all in one case.
It's not at all cool to talk in l337 sp34k (elite speak), as some people like to do. Substituting numbers for letters and spelling things by the way they sound rather than the way they're written makes it far harder for us to read your question. It also makes you look extremely immature and almost guarantees that someone will flame you for being a lamer. Oh, and one really big bug point for me, 'a lot' is two separate words. There is no such word as 'alot' (perhaps I'm being a bit pedantic here, but I'm sick and tired of people spelling this incorrectly all the time) and 'your' is a possesive pronoun, it is not short for 'you are' (that would be 'you're' instead).
Having ranted on about the fundamental rules of the English language, don't be put off asking a question just because you haven't written a bestseller. If you trip up once or twice, that's perfectly fine, the only thing that annoys me are people who clearly can't be bothered to even attempt to follow the rules of punctuation and grammar. Don't worry if English isn't your first language, people will appreciate this and cut you some slack to compensate. You probably write better English than some people who use it as their first language (I know Negative can constantly pull me up on various mistakes if he wants to).
Use meaningful names for your threads
If you're going to ask a question on AntiOnline, make sure that you choose a suitable title that briefly describes your problem. Most of us don't spend every waking hour surfing the internet, so we scan pages very quickly and see if anything catches our eye. If you start a thread about whether or not you should upgrade from FAT32 to NTFS partitions with the title 'Help!', you'll get little if no help. However, if you choose a more appropriate title, e.g. 'FAT32 vs NTFS - which should I use?', you will (hopefully) catch the attention of those people who have expertise in that area and they will be able to help you.
Be informative about your problem
Vagueness will make it much harder for us to help you. Provide as much information as possible when asking your question, for example if you having problems with Outlook Express (as many people do), tell us what version of Windows, Internet Explorer and, most importantly, Outlook Express you are running. Have you installed the latest security patches (either way this could be the source of the problem) etc. All this is information that we need to know in order to help you if we can. If you don't provide enough information, you'll be asked for it anyway, so provide it in the first place and you'll make everyone's life easier.
If you have performed any diagnostic tests whilst trying to solve your problem, let us know - you may be closer to an answer than you think. Any relevant stack dumps, server logs etc. should either be enclosed with your post or linked to on an external website. Information like this can be vital for us to figure out exactly what is wrong, especially because logs tend to be platform independent (i.e. a log for Apache on Unix tends to be the same as that on a Win32 platform).
However, you must also be as precise as possible in your question. Surplus information is almost as bad as scarcity. You need to tell us what the exact problem is, as closely as possible. We may be able to help you if you tie down your problem to a particular piece of software that is playing up, but if you give us too much information it may be difficult to analyse what the problem exactly is - and we can't fix your entire system for you.
Basic courtesy
One thing that you must never do is ask people to reply by private email. First of all, this makes it seem to everyone that you don't have the time for the rest of the community because you can't be bothered to check back and see if anyone has replied. Besides, there is no excuse for this anyway because AntiOnline allows you to subscribe to threads, and you will be e-mailed when anyone replies to your message.
If you ask for a private reply, you are denying the community the opportunity to see the answer to your question. Other people who may have a similiar question will have to ask again because you were too selfish to share the assistance you received with the community. On the other hand, if someone helps you out on the forums then that answer stays there, for both you and other people to refer to, hopefully solving other people's problems and reducing the amount of duplicate questions that are posted.
Do not, under any circumstances, post a homework question and expect us to write a model answer for you. Your homework is yours to do, if we do it for you there is no learning experience on your part and the whole point of setting the work is wasted. Asking us to do your homework show laziness on your part and we can tell quite easily when you are trying to trick us into doing your work for you. Of course, this doesn't mean that we won't help you with your homework, quite the contary in fact. If you need us to fill in some questionnaires for a research project, or you are stuck on a problem question, then most people will happily help you out, so long as you're prepared to do the rest of the work yourself.
A small point needs to be made on the idea of marking posts as 'urgent'. An answer may be urgent for you, but we aren't in any rush to answer your question. We might need time to think about the answer or we might not have time to answer your question immediately. Marking it as 'urgent' just makes it look as if you don't have time for the community - you want an answer fast and then get out. Tough. You'll receive a reply if and when someone has found an answer and is willing to share it with you, and not before.
The absolute rule that you must remember though is to be courteous at all times. Even if you ask a stupid question, you will escape at least some flak if you are polite about it. Say please when you ask a question, and people will be more likey to answer it. "Thanks in advance" is a phrase that's good to use (often abbreviated to TIA) because it shows that you appreciate people helping you out even before they have actually done so. It also implies that you will be returning to see if anyone has managed to find a solution to your problem, and that we are not going to be wasting our time helping someone who will never see the help we give them.
When your question has been answered
So, you've researched everything, decided to ask your question and got a helpful answer. Great! Is that the end of the process though? No, of course it's not. It is essential that you return to the place where you asked the question and clear everything up. A quick note to say "thanks for your help everyone, the problem turned out to be down to..." etc. is better than nothing. This lets everyone know that you solved the problem and that you appreciated their help. Although you don't *have* to do this, it will display your courtesy and consideration for others, and make it more likely that people will answer any further questions you have in future.
The end (for now)
That's all folks, although I'm open to any suggestions as to how I can improve this guide/tutorial - shoot me an email or PM, or post your ideas in this thread if you've got anything to say, all comments are appreciated. I suppose I should take my own advice and say "thanks in advance" as well.


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