DavidCrow wrote:

But what if you have different sized hammers? ;)

Then you call yourself David "The Tool Man" Crow and open your own hardware store. ;)

Vasudevan Deepak Kumar wrote:

Diversification is better since there is a proven saying that advising not to put all eggs in the same basket. However, dipping nose into all available technologies without analyzing one's skills and weaknesses would turn one becoming a standing testimony of 'Jack of all trades is a master of none' and make one appear like a jackass.

Agreed, and it's good that Chris doesn't seem to be doing that. Dipping a few cautious toes in the water is a far cry from embracing everything, which would indeed be a bit much. Concentrating on various technologies (like Java) that are of interest to the vast majority of the current programming crop, while not straying too far from the core focus on Microsoft-based technologies, is certainly the way to go (IMHO).

Looks to me like Chris is trying to expand CP's focus to the wider world of software development, beyond the myopic world of "Microsoft, Microsoft, Microsoft." I see this as a good thing, because just like a hammer is not the only solution to every problem, so too is Microsoft not the only solution to every software project. Besides, no one's putting a gun to your head and forcing you to click on that "dirty, filthy, disgusting Java link." ;)

zkrr01 wrote:

I sure wish "The Code Project" would hire a real joke writer to write the jokes placed in the News area. What is placed there now is really bad! Do it right, or don't do it at all.

Perhaps you should volunteer for the job. You certainly appear to be a person of extraordinary wit and intelligence.

jchigg2000 wrote:

I got mine last friday! I was headed to Chicago on a weekend vacation and did my best to stimulate the economy inside Wrigley Field! So I did my part...anyone else?

Considering the amount of driving I normally have to do in a week, the only thing that's going to be stimulated is my gas tank. :((

Salem's Lot, definitely; it's a very good take on the "old school" vampire genre. King does a great job of invoking visions of Small Town, New England, and the layers of sin and decay that lay beneath the Norman Rockwell exterior... a perfect stage for the arrival of an Old World evil (a vampire and his human servant). If you want to watch the TV movie adapation, however, you should read the book first. The TV version (I'm talking the 1979 one starring David Soul, not the recent one with Rob Lowe) does deviate from the book somewhat (some characters are combined, some plot lines are dropped), but it's still enjoyable, and some scenes are very effective (the scene in the jail still makes me nearly wet my pants; fans of the movie will know what I'm talking about!).

Steve Mayfield wrote:

or the "Law & Order" (original, SVU & CI) or CSI (Las Vegas, Miami, NYC) franchises

I was just about to say that! About a month ago, I was laid up in the hospital with pneumonia for about 12 days. The good news is that their television system had a decent variety of cable channels (including Sci-Fi, which shocked me). The bad news is that one can tolerate only so much "Law & Order" and "CSI" (of all varieties) before wishing the nurses would inject cyanide into my IV drip... and I normally like these shows. X|

Got myself a Dell Vostro 1500 a few months back. XP SP2 (very important!), Intel Core2 Duo (I forget the speed but I know I went faster than the minimum), 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD (5400 RPM but 7200 is available), 15" LCD (1680x1050 works real nice with VS), extended life battery, CD/DVD burner, WiFi, Ethernet, the whole enchilada. I could've gone with one of those comes-in-a-rainbow-of-colors Inspirons, but I wanted something a little more serious. :) (Besides, the Vostro turned out to be less expensive when I went through the whole customization process on both, plus it was one of the few models that clearly and unambiguously stated that XP was available as an option.) As I said, I've only had it a few months now, but I'm very satisfied, and it's quite perky for development. I'd imagine that a 7200 RPM drive would be even moreso, but I went with battery life over speed.

Good for them. This is the kind of big-bucks piracy the Big Media Conglomerates(tm) need to concentrate on, and not Joe Schmoe who makes a personal-use copy of his "Finding Nemo" DVD for his kids to use so they won't destroy the original.

FWIW, I just bought a Dell Vostro 1500. Intel Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 15" widescreen display, 160GB HD, CD/DVD burner (does all formats except DVD-RAM), nVidia video chipset, WiFi, and XP Pro SP2. It's a sweet little machine, much better than my ancient IBM ThinkPad with a Celeron 366, 64MB, and Win98. :) The Vostro can come with XP or Vista, your choice, and drivers are available for both. XP availability was very important, as as I plan on skipping Vista entirely and wait for Windows 7 (or whatever it will finally be called). Unless you absolutely need the latest and greatest, my recommendation is to stick with tried-and-true XP for as long as possible. Let others cut themselves on the bleeding edge. :)

Michael Dunn wrote:

1. Bungee jumping at Circus-Circus

Write this one off. My girlfriend and I were there in January (on our yearly pilgrimage) and it was closed for good. Too bad, too; I really liked standing in the CC parking garage and watching to see who would drop so low they'd hit the water in the pool below. :laugh:

Billy-boy, thank you for the best laugh I've had all day! :laugh: As utterly moronic as you are, one thing I can't disagree with anyone about is the high level of entertainment you bring to these boards. (Here's some more info for your infomercials, kingy: you're a maroon... you're an im-bessil... you're an ignoranimus... you're a frelling twit. Need more? I have a whole bagful with your name on it. How many more will it take to get on King Bill's List of Big Ol' Meany-Mean People?)

FYI, the song is "Convoy" by C.W. McCall, aka Bill Fries. It was released during the height of the C.B. craze back in the 1970s. Another piece of useless trivia :)... the guy who wrote the song is Chip Davis, who went on to found the new age group Mannheim Steamroller (of "Fresh Aire" album fame). Interesting way to introduce myself ("long-time listener, first-time caller") to the Code Project crew, eh? :-D