Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2002:June:24 Monday <Sunday, Tuesday>
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2002/6/24 [Uncategorized] UID:25177 Activity:nil
6/23    What was that url for credit unions in sf/ba?  Thx.
2002/6/24-25 [Computer/SW/Security] UID:25178 Activity:high
6/24    I'd like to use Cygwin to manage my Redhat 7.2 box.  I can ssh in no
        prob, but when I try to open an xterm, it fails, with:
        xterm Xt error: Can't open display: server:10.0
        I can get X11 over ssh just fine from soda.  This is a stock 7.2
        install--nothing special.  Any ideas?
        \_ first did you try ssh -X
           and then have you tried ssh -v
           for verbose mode.
           \_ Yes, -X works fine, -v lists the following X11 related stuff:
           debug1: Requesting X11 forwarding with authentication spoofing.
           debug1: channel request 0: x11-req
           debug1: channel request 0: shell
           debug1: fd 5 setting TCP_NODELAY
           debug1: channel 0: open confirm rwindow 0 rmax 16384
           \_ have you installed xhost on the redhat box?
              I don't remember what rpm contains it.
              \_ yes, xhost is installed.
                 \_ "xhost +" and try again.
                    \_ tried it with no effect (BTW, thanks for this help-- I
                       really appreciate it).
        \_ Found the solution.  My ssh connection set the DISPLAY on the remote
           site to "machine:10.0" instead of "localhost:10.0".  When I fix the
           display variable to use "localhost" it works just fine.
           \_ Just had the same problem a few days ago. Another way to deal
              with this is add your machine name ("machine" above) to
              /etc/hosts with your correct IP (if it's static). Then it'll
              work as-is, without requiring a manual reset of $DISPLAY every
              time. -alexf
2002/6/24-25 [Computer/SW/SpamAssassin] UID:25179 Activity:high
6/24    Has anyone been getting spam mail from these CSUA users: thsc, daronk,
        jschwart?  I wonder if the spam indeed was sent by those users or if
        someone outside faked the senders' addresses.
        \_ Consider viewing the full headers.
        \_ i've gotten spam from kkat in the last couple of days.
        \_ Someone forged spam in my name to a bunch of earthlink users.
           I complained to abuse@earthlink and they turned off the account.
           Hopefully this is not a harbinger of things to come. -ausman
           \_ It definitely is.  spammers are starting to use valid From:
              names to get around relaying restrictions.  -tom
              \_ what can the average email user out there in netland do
                 to fight these jerks(spammers in general)?
                 \_ Learn how to read the mail headers and use whois; then
                    write their ISPs and/or upstreams any time you get spammed.
                    Sounding like a lawyer is sometimes useful. Cite California
                    Business&Professions Code 17538.4 and 17538.45, too (even
                    though the courts have had their way with those already).
                    Back when I still bothered to do this, about 20-25% of
                    the ISPs would get back with "thanks; we kicked the fucker
                    off our network" within a couple of days. Doesn't solve
                    the problem, but it's at least something. -alexf
                    \_ Can someone show us how to automate the process using
                       SpamAssassin?
                       \_ Check out /csua/bin/SpamAssassin/README*
                       \_ Or at least post a template e-mail and let us
                          manually fill in the details?  I don't know how to
                          write like a lawyer.  Thanks.
                        \_ automatic complaining is a really bad idea--what
                           about when the spammer uses a forged From: address,
                           which is how this thread started?  If you're
                           going to complain, you need to do it manually. -tom
                    \_ If only this worked on all those spammers in Taiwan
                       and Korea. -geordan
                \_ Nothing, really.  Unless you have a lot of time and/or
                   money to waste on an annoyance.  -tom
2002/6/24-25 [Computer/SW/Security, Computer/SW/OS/Windows] UID:25180 Activity:nil
6/24    The future of computer security is Palladium:
        http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/06/24/020624hnpalladium.xml
        \_ Uhm, no it isn't.  Only in BG's little brain.
2002/6/24-25 [Computer/Rants] UID:25181 Activity:very high
6/24    Yet more evidence that Sun is screwed up:
        link:www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/3532881.htm
        \_ I don't even have to read the link to know Sun is screwed up!  :-)
        \_ SUN is done and the sad part is that they don't realize it. If
           they realized it then maybe they'd be able to do something about
           it, but pride is a bitch. --dim
           \_ someone forgot to tell SGI they were "done"
              \_ I'm friends with an SGI fanatic.  It's sad.
              \_ SGI is "done" as far as competing in the marketplace is
                 concerned. The only thing that keeps them going is huge
                 tax payer subsidies in the form of DoE, DoD, USGS and
                 NASA contracts.
        \_ hiring cheap H1B workers over citizens is unethical but not
                  \- why is it unethical? --psb
           illegal. It cuts costs and makes stock holders happy. Welcome
           to the new economy.
           \_ The only reason it is legal is because high tech companies
              lobbied to change the law and increase the number of H1B
              visa-holders allowed in. And because high tech workers did
              not try to stop them back in 96 when we had a chance, or
              even in 2000, when they increased again the number allowed.
                \_ yes, in America, justice is a decision in your favor,
                   and legal is when you have the money to make it so.
           \_ How is it unethical?
              \_ It is not. There is no ethic but the desire for money.
                 Anyone who tells you otherwise is a communist.
           \_ Incorrect. It is illegal and unethical. For illegal, see:
       http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ETA/Title_20/Part_655/20CFR655.739.htm
              Unethical because the company is not using the immigration/work
              policy in the spirit in which it was concieved and established.
              \_ Guess where the companies will go if they can't hire
                 enough workers at competitive rate.  See all the industries
                 that left US for cheaper labor?  Companies are in it to
                 make money.  They will go where the money is.  The trend l
                 ately is to open design centers in India and China, tech
                 will probably go the way of other industries eventually.
                 make money.  The trend lately is to open design centers
                 in India and China, tech will probably go the way of other
                 industries eventually.
                 \_ There is more to an economy than cheap labor. If that was
                    all there was to it, countries like Nigeria would be
                    booming, instead of the basket cases they are. Business
                    needs a stable legal system, respect for property rights
                    and an educated and entrepreneurial workforce. Why don't
                    all the silicon valley companies just move to Mississippi
                    or better yet Nigeria if labor cost was all there is
                    to it? We will lose some jobs to other regions, but I
                    think business owes some responsibility to those regions
                    and economic systems that make them successful.
                    \_ Being meritocratic is part of what makes the system
                       work.
                    \_ True.  But when the rest of the world can provide
                       equally good labor at cheaper rate, corporations will
                       move.  I don't advocate it, but I dont want to be
                       a victim when it happens, see the textile and steel
                       industry.  What's left for people that worked in the
                       steel factories for decades, only to find out that
                       the factories are bankrupt and can not afford the
                       retirement benefit that was promised once upon a time?
                       US has distinct advantage of able to gather some
                       of the brightest minds, with some of the best
                       universities, but eventually, the rest of the world
                       will catch slowly as far as technology goes.  Some
                       of the more "trivial" tasks like tech supports are
                       already being moved off shore, what's to gaurantee that
                       companies won't do the same for R&D jobs?
                 \_ Which means, what, that US industries should adapt
                    illegal and unethical practices in order to compete?
                    Lovely thought. You es eh! You es eh! Exploit! Exploit!
                    Race ya to the bottom. Let's see who falls apart first.
                    \_ If companies/execs care so much about ethics, there
                       wouldn't be likes of Enrons and Imclones.  When execs
                       stands to reap millions in options by beating the
                       forcast by a cent, they'd do it in a heart beat,
                       ethical or not, sometimes even illegally.  Wake up
                       to reality.  Make yourself employeable, and not
                       wait for ethical companies to save you, they hardly
                       exist.
           \_ But is considering citizenship status when doing layoffs
              ethical or illegal discrimination?  If they laid off all the
              H1-B's first, it would look a lot like illegal discrimination
              against Asians.
              \_ Nonsense.  First of all, the H1b program is not for Asians.
                 It is for any foreigners with tech skills desirable to this
                 country's employers.  Secondly, by definition an H1b worker
                 is not a citizen and therefore does not have all the same
                 rights a citizen has.  They're guest workers and subject to
                 being first-fired with no recourse.  That's the risk they
                 take for the bigger bucks available.  And thirdly, Jesus F.
                 Christ on a stick!  Get over all the PC _bullshit_!
2002/6/24-25 [Finance/Banking] UID:25182 Activity:low
6/24    What are some rule of the thumb in buying a house? Some say you can
        live comfortably if you buy a house that is 3-4X your salary, and if
        you have 20% down for it. What about other rules? Are there good
        books to get on this?
        \_ I heard that loan companies usually approve a loan whose monthly
           payment is up to 1/3 of your pre-tax monthly salary.
        \_ In the Bay Area, you have to throw those rules out the window.
           You can get a mortgage for up to 50% of your gross income, if
           you have good credit. What kind of payment you think you can
           afford is up to you. -ausman
        \_ As the above says, this is the BA so it's all different.  I know
           more than 1 person who have 105% loans (negative 5% down).  All
           sorts of whacky stuff goes on here.  Since there are numerous
           evil loan agents and especially real estate agents who will try
           to oversell you a home, keep in mind the following: You *must*
           actually *READ* every single tiny bit of paper someone puts in
           front of you *BEFORE* you sign it.  *ASK* what something means if
           you don't *FULLY* understand it.  Do *not* get yourself into some
           whacky loan situation where you're going way outside the historical
           norm of 20% and 1/3rd max income.  You *can* get all sorts of weird
           things but there's a reason for the 20% down & 1/3rd income figures.
           These are numbers calculated to make sure you can make your payment
           and still have money for food, etc, for the average person.  One
           whacky thing you *DO* want in the BA is a split loan.  Instead of
           getting a jumbo loan (over $300k or so these days), get yourself
           a lower interest standard loan on the first $300k and a higher rate
           loan on the rest and then *PAY OFF THE HIGHER RATE LOAN FAST*!
           Your monthly out-go with a split will be about the same but all
           money you put into early payments on that higher loan will *really*
           benefit your future bottom line.  Do the math.  It's amazing how
           much you save over the life of your loan(s) doing this stuff.
           \_ If you make more money, you can probably afford a higher
              percent of your income toward your mortgage, but that depends
              on your spending habits. Think about it, if you make 30k/yr and
              33% is house payment, you are left with 20k/yr to live on, but
              if you make 90k/yr and 50% is house payment, you still have
              45k/yr to live on. This is simplified, but the truth is, you
              can probably afford more than the 28-31% usually suggested,
              but you will have to forgo the nice car and the vacations
              overseas. It is all a matter of what is important to you.
              \_ Yes, this is all true and I agree 100%.  What I left out of
                 my long thing about split loans, etc, was the shakey job
                 market and economy in general.  As a matter of pure personal
                 preference and choice I like being able to go on those nice
                 vacations.  I also like knowing I can afford to be out of a
                 job for 18 months without worrying about my mortgage or
                 dramatically changing my lifestyle.  With BA salaries, you
                 can go *much* higher than the 1/3rd rule and _probably_ be
                 ok.  But bad things happen.  Enjoy the best but be prepared
                 for the worst.  Balance in everything.  IMHO a house is only
                 just so nice and can add only just so much to your life to
                 increase your happiness.  Nice vacations, better cars, and a
                 growing bank account improve mine with a nice but not super
                 duper fantastic house.  I suggest not being a slave to one's
                 mortgage.  Being happy is more important than being miserable
                 in a bigger house.  This is all very personal and will vary
                 greatly by individuals.  Others might be much happier with a
                 nicer house and lower-quality vacations, cars, cash, etc.
2002/6/24-25 [Computer/HW/Laptop] UID:25183 Activity:kinda low
6/24    Are CardBus PCMCIA cards compatible with older, non-CardBus PCMCIA
        slots (albeit at a slower speed)?  Thanks.
        \_ Mostly yes. -daveh
           \_ you sure?  I heard that CardBus cards are physically incompatible
              with non-CardBus slots.
2002/6/24-25 [Transportation/Car] UID:25184 Activity:very high
6/24    How much does it cost to replace front and rear brakes?
        Darn Acura dealer charing me $490!!
        \_ are they resurfacing the rotor? That may be why.
           \_ I had my rotors resurfaced, pads and fluid replaced for
              $130 at Pep Boys, and I still felt scammed.  Plus they
              somehow "lost" a lugnut and didn't bother replacing it
              or even sitting the wheel properly.  Fuckers.
              \_ Thanks!  I knew they are scamming me.  Those bastards!
                 I will never go there again.  p.s. yes, they are
                 resurfacing the rotors.
              \_ yeah, Pep Boys quality is pretty bad.  But they are cheap.
        \_ are they also "balancing" your tires as well?  Or, er, aligning
           your tires.  Some say after doing work with tires, they
           may need to realign them.
           \_ I am not sure about that.  I will ask them.
              \_ You do need to have your tires realigned every so often
                 because of potholes and things like that-- every 12-24
                 months, basically.  Simply removing your tires does not
                 mean you need a realignment.  At any rate, realignment
                 probably isn't enough to explain $490 - $130.  I replaced
                 2 and realigned all 4 tires for $120.
        \_ So what's a good place to go to service breaks?
           \_ brakes?  How about a specialty tire and brake shop.
           \_ Try your Acura dealer.  I've heard good things about them.
        \_ For $490 they should be *replacing* the rotors. Are you sure
           they aren't replacing them, rather than resurfacing? --dim
        \_ Pep Boys is cheapest, quality is bad.  Dealers are usually
           more expensive, but they may have good quality.  Or, a specialty
           or other type of shop -- perhaps somewhere in the middle?
        \_ Wow that's cheap. BMW wanted $1290 to resurface my rotors.
Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2002:June:24 Monday <Sunday, Tuesday>