4/1    Is it just me or has the quality of Farscape deteriorated.  The
       two episodes I've seen seem much different than before.  It seems
       like they changed writers, directors or both. -emin
        \_ Don't get FS anymore.  Now it's digital cable only.

4/1    How do I determine the total size of my UCLINK4 (or any other
       IMAP) mail spool when I do not have shell access?
       \_ They allow ssh right? scp a shell script that will execute
          /usr/bin/quota and mail you the results.  Then scp a
          procmail file that will recognize a certain string and execute
          the prior script.  viola!.  Then mail root@uclink4 asking them
          what crack they were smoking when they decided not to give
          students shell access to machines that have more CPU power
          then all of the EECS instructional machines do combined.
                \_ You vastly overestimate the CPU power of 3 alphas,
                   or haven't realized EECS inst is a decade beyond
                   the Sun 3/50 days.  Either the 12-CPU Sun E5000 or
                   the 3-CPU HP server could eat UCTwinkie4 for breakfast.
                \_ Or execute an xterminal and shell and DISPLAY: it on your
                   remote machine.
       \_ In the case of uclink4, you can use:
           http://weblink.berkeley.edu:8000/quota.html
           \_ Running arbitrary commands on uclink is no longer trivial. -tom

4/1    Anyone have experience setting up desktop systems for
       visually-impaired users?  Especially what types of software
       are recommendable? It is for an office worker in a heterogeneous,
       networked environment.  Any other aspects I should think about?
       The platform will be either a Windows PC or Sun Ultra-10 with
       Sun PCi card. Thanks much.
        \_ Answer the fucking question already, what are her exact
           impairments?  Are you too lame to understand that this
              i or probably you, uses them. I am thinking about some
              apps that use voice-control but am unsure what is good and
           has a bearing on the solutions?
        \_ If only Bill Gates had invested in the _other_ kind of PC years
           earlier... might've been *really* rich.  What's the value of having
           power over the entire English language and therefor the thoughts of
                \_ So she's blind *and* can't see very well?  YOU ARE FUCKING
                   STUPID.  You're so wrapped up in PC-ism you don't even
                   know what *you* said, much less what anyone *else* is
                   saying.
                   \_ Oh, okay, maybe I am wrong. Why cant someone be blind
                      *and* not see well?  I am not trying to be PC or
                      anything, I am just trying to help someone set up
                      a workstation so they can be productive. Sheesh.
              Do you *think* i am speaking about someone who just needs
              eye-glasses to drive? Come on. Get a girlfriend or whack off
              more so you can get rid of your misdirected frustrations.
                      I am sorry I asked for help. --samli
        \_ "visually impaired"??  Stop with the lame correct bullshit.  say
              then email me directly.  --samli
           what you mean.  the above reply is a perfect example of what's
           wrong with the PC shit.  No one knows wtf you're trying to say!
           If they're wearing coke bottle glass, say so.  If they're a blink,
           say so.  "Visually impaired", your politically correct ass!
           \_ what is your fucking problem asshole?
              I am not being "PC". I *am* using a more accurate term.
              Did you go to Berkeley? Are you educated? You know
              what I mean, but you still insist on being stupid.
              Do you *think* i am speaking about a user who just needs
              eye-glasses to see the chalkboard? Come on. Get a
              girlfriend or whack off more so you can get rid of your
              misdirected frustrations.
              If you have some experience/tips for my query, please post
              them.  If you want to discuss the term "visually-impaired"
              then email me directly. I find it quite ironic that *you*
              are the one who is telling me what is the "correct" term
              to use -- you are the one being PC, you are the one
              trying to control speech.   --samli
                \_ Very grade school.  "I know you are, but what am I?"
                   \_ This is not my term, I am using the term my employer
                      uses. I think the term "visually-impaired user"
                      is pretty clear and certainly more professional(not
                      that i am) and and short than what you suggest:
                   I was going to smash you for claiming clarity in your
                   speech even after the other person asked for clarification
                   of your idiotic PC-ism, but then you went off into stupid
                       My first comment describing you was clarity enough.
                   troll la-la fantasy land.  You're either a total retard
                   or one of the few trolls stupid enough to sign their name.
                   \_ You are just a nitpicking speech-nazi.
                      "visually-impaired" is not my term anyways, I am
                      using the term my employer uses.
                      "visually-impaired user" is not my term anyways, I
                      am using the term my employer uses.
                      But i still think the term "visually-impaired user"
                      is pretty understandable and certainly more
                      professional(not that i am) and and short than what
                       If they're a blink, say so." I do not think it would
                       be good of me to say "i have a coke bottle glass user"
                      you suggest:
                          "If they're wearing coke bottle glass, say so.
                           If they're a blink, say so."
                      I do not think it would be good of me to say
                      "i have a coke bottle glass user" at the office.
               \_  the level of arrogant immaturity is just simply appalling
                   here...the dear man just wanted to ask a simple question
                   about setting up something for a blind person and instead
                   the whole thread goes off into a wild tangent about
                   pc-verbiage.   hey, stupid fuckhead doing the nitpicking,
                   sign yer fucking name so that we can all rag on your sorry
                   ass!  -- [name withheld to protect the innocent]
           those speaking it?
        \_ windows 2k has some setting that translates text to spoken word
        \_ blind, or can't see very well?
                \_ I once worked for someone who was considered legally blind,
                   she couldn't see certain colors, and anything more
                   than a foot away from her face was a lost cause,
                   when i set up windows for her in some eye searing color
                   scheme like magenta, cyan and puce she could read
                   documents just fine - danh
                       \_ That's a clear violation of their rights.  They have
                          the right to see the same way you do if they so
                          choose.  Who are you to say the colors were eye
                          searing?  You have no basis upon which to judge
                          hir or any other huwoman being!!
           \_ yes, both. She is unable to use computers in the same way
              i or probably you, uses (sic) them. I am thinking about some
              voice-control software but am unsure what is good and
              what is well-supported/widely-compatible. I found some
              web-sites and also stuff specific for RSI people, but i am
              hoping to find someone who has done this before. thx. --samli
                \_ You mean to say that the individual in question has primary
                   access to an alternative sense set and associated motor
                   reflex abilities?  Or did you really mean the chick is
                   blind and crippled?

fumble fingered sloppy lazy emacs user was here

4/1     EE question.  Why would the delay through a CAM (content addressed
        memory) cache, like those used in TLBs, increase with size. Since
        CAMs are built with each entry connected to a comprator and the
        selection is done through an N-way multiplexor using straight
        pass logic gates (no multiplexor select line decoding is involved)
        then theoretically a 64 entry CAM should be about as fast as a
        32 entry CAM right (at least it shouldn't be drastically slower)?
        \_ how much slower is a 64 entry CAM? if it's on the order of a few
           ns, then it's the additional stage required to select between the
           output of the decoders and routing. if it's larger, then your
           assumption that there's one decoder per entry is wrong.
           \_ But in this case there is no need to decode the select lines
              since the select lines are not in an encoded form.  They
              come from the actual comparators themeselves so there are
              N select lines for an N-entry CAM.  There is no time to
              decode the select lines.
              \_ i guess if each select line is an OE for a buffer which
                 drives the output pads, then yeah. I guess using tristate
                 buffers instead of muxes on the output is the right way of
                 doing this. so what's the answer? have you looked at a
                 datasheet?
                 \_ I actually don't know the answer. I don't think anyone
                    makes an entire IC as a CAM for them to publish a
                    datasheet for them.  But every prof I've had in
                    \_ MCM69C233, for example.  you must not have looked
                       really hard, since i found one at the first place
                       i bothered to check.
                    computer architecture related courses have always
                    said that larger TLB's and higher associativity caches
                    are slower.  I don't see why.
                    \_ bigger rams are slower.  larger area is slower than
                       smaller area.  i can get a big tag ram for a direct
                       mapped cache.  or i can split the tag ram in 2 and
                       do 2-way associativity.  each ram is smaller, but i
                       eat an extra couple of levels of logic to figure out
                       which way hits.  is one always faster than the other?
                       doubt it for small cache sizes/ways.  probably for
                       extreme cases the n-way cache is always slower.  ditto
                       for cams.  i can see for small sizes the difference in
                       loading/driving the pass gate wouldn't make much
                       difference if num loads go from 32 to 64.  can't do
                       pass gates for large loads.  for large cams the extra
                       levels of logic to decode the hit entry will make a
                       difference.