Subj : Re: Slow PPP/IE with 8 MB
To   : comp.programming,comp.lang.java.programmer,comp.lang.lisp
From : Patricia Shanahan
Date : Wed Aug 24 2005 06:13 am

rambam@bigpond.net.au wrote:
> rem642b@Yahoo.Com (Robert Maas, see http://tinyurl.com/uh3t) writes:
> 
> 
>>>You say that you are running running System 7.5.5 on your Mac Performa.
>>>There should be no problem using PPP on your system.
>>
>>bar to see a different portion of that home page. Do you know how to
>>get better response time with only 8 megabytes of RAM?
> 
> 
> With system 7.5.5 8 megs should be fine for the trivial things you are trying.
> I have run graphical web browsers on systems with 4 megs.
> 
>  
> 
>>>Configuring PPP is something that even a child can do.
>>
>>Only if that child has the proper set of instructions.
> 
> 
> But you are the "experienced programmer with 20 years of experience"
> And it turns out that your inability to access the internet is because you
> dont know how to install software on your system !
> LOL!!!
> 
> 
>>Currently when I try to start IE from CD-ROM, it freezes the whole
>>machine, requiring cold restart. 
> 
> 
> So dont use IE
> There are many other browsers.
> Only idiots who are completely oblivious to security issues use IE.
> 
> I think that you should abandon any idea of working in a computer related field.
> Your computer skills are abyssmal.
> 

That is a bit harsh, but I think there is a real message here. You see
identifying useful applications, downloading them, and getting them
running as absolutely essential computer skills. It doesn't matter
whether someone can program well, if they can't make effective use of
the enormous body of existing software. That is, I believe, the reality
today. It wasn't, when I started programming. Few programs existed and
there was relatively little chance of finding one that did just what you
wanted, and ran on the computer you had.

If Robert is going to get a computing job, he needs to develop the
skills that are needed now. My suggestion, given his limited resources,
is to become a CS grad student.

Student loans have lower interest rates than credit cards, he would have
access to college computing labs, and college placement services, and
would benefit from immersion in a mass of youngsters with 10+ years of
experience selecting and downloading software. Between being able to TA
for the more mathematical courses, and writing scientific programs for
professors as a research assistant, he could probably cover his fees
plus some living money. Robert might also be able to make some money on
the side doing mathematics tutoring.

Of course, I may be biased, because I'm enjoying being a student again,
as well as learning a lot.

Patricia

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