libra00

Yup, that shit was an arcane art known only to a few, and dared by even fewer. It was like writing modem initialization strings for US Robotics 9600 baud modems when they came out. The 9600DS/HST required an init string that, printed out on a standard dot matrix printer, was literally as long as my arm. Crazy.

Also I veeeery dimly remember something about OLE registration database.. but just that I've heard the name, I never messed with it.

As someone who did IT 30 years ago, this isn't really true. Manuals weren't very good for direct troubleshooting except that they provided insight into how the device or software works. In my experience problems were mostly solved by people who knew what they were doing, with occasional reference to the old guy who had seen all the weird obscure shit no one else even knew was possible.

There was no manual for the windows registry for example, so when I needed it to not shit the bed on a new motherboard I had to dig into it myself and figure out that if I blew out the PCI bus enumeration windows would realize that it's gone and rebuild it with the new IDs and such for the new hardware on boot instead of looking for old IDs and eating itself when it couldn't find them.

Denver has quite a nice one. Or did last time I was through there, which to be fair was like 2002.

The earth rotates 90 degrees multiple times every day, so, uh, I'ma go with 'nothing'.

Oh wait, this is XKCD's What If, that dude has some funky ideas, I retract my statement and replace it with 'Some real bad shit probably.' :P

Because even if I had the time or inclination to find out how to do it, I have no desire to do so, much less the interest in paying server hosts and whatever else. Why do I need my own instance? The one I use now is fine.

First let me say that I'm sincerely very sorry about what you went through as a kid. No one should have to.

But the answer is because living things require a constant energy input to be sustained, whether that energy comes from chasing mammoths down or from the groceries you buy with the salary from your office job. It's not fair, to anyone, ever, but you have the same choice everyone else has: accept that life isn't free and get on with it because it's better than the alternative, or.. the alternative. I'm going to offer some advice, but it's not the 'help me out today' kind, it's the 'stick this in the back of your head and let it steep for a while' kind.

So much of one's experience in life comes down to attitude. If that sounds stupid it's only because you don't have enough life experience to recognize that you get to decide what things mean to you. Whether this is an unfair burden that you shouldn't have to bear or a miraculous opportunity that shouldn't be wasted is entirely - and I do mean entirely - up to you. When someone tells you to 'cultivate a positive attitude' this is what they mean. Decide for yourself whether you're staying or going (and I recommend staying because it's the only option that will let you change your mind later) and, as the kids say, get busy doin' it. But if you're staying, you will really have a much better time of it if you let go of this sense that the world owes you anything, that life is unfair, or that you have been singled out for undue suffering. Take it from someone who has been down that path, it's a tough row to hoe, and you only make it worse for yourself by pushing people away with that anger. This isn't something that will happen overnight, but I promise that developing a positive attitude will make a difference.

If you want to speed the process along a bit, I recommend reading some existentialist philosophy, it can really help give you a sense of perspective. I particularly like Camus, the Myth of Sisyphus in particular was a real eye-opener for me. Most people think of existentialism as something scary to avoid, but honestly once I really started to understand it I found it a comfort.

And if you ever just need someone to talk to who's been where you are now, don't hesitate to DM me. I know people just say that, but I mean it sincerely.

lawl. Kinda reminds me of the front fell off

Sure, but only the talking kind who understand what the words 'boy' and 'girl' mean. :p

Do yourself and go dig up the send receipts from the emails you've already sent on the subject, because if it comes down to it the company will not hesitate to delete them to try to get rid of the evidence. Email them to your private account or print them out and take them home, keep off-site records that aren't attached to their network.

I'm a former cybersecurity professional who has done penetration testing for companies where it turned out the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing and we almost got seriously fucked (as in criminal charges pressed) because the guy who hired us and gave us the OK to hit their systems did not have clearance from his boss and tried to delete emails to cover his ass. Never trust someone who might have a vested interest in screwing you with the ability to do so.

Stove? Nah, just buy yourself a decent Weber kettle grill and do your cooking outside. It's not like it rains much in England, right? ;)

..okay. Historians do, though, so I hope you understand if I go with them on this one. Also those were just examples, if you don't like them there are plenty of other proxy wars you can pick from to see my point illustrated pretty much everywhere.

That's fair though, it was more than just one thing, and like most things in life it's far more complex than it seems on the surface. I just take particular exception to any suggestion that politicians in any way risked their neck for literally anything ever.

I mean, with a little love that could be quite a nice little courtyard, but damn, not for ~US$1k/mo.