Kent

I called off the dogs when I read you went back to XP. Let me know when things change and I'll hook you up...

Everything has a cost.... Ex: Sure...you can use Skype rather than have a phone line, but is the cost of having increased bandwidth worth it? You need to balance cost. Ex 2: In the above example, what if you wanted to dial 911? I've never had to call 911, but is it worth $20/month to be able to connect with someone who knows where to find you? I could go on forever. In the grand scheme of running a business, you focus on what is going to generate revenue, lower cost and keep service high. If you go back to the open source business model....you'll note that it's built from the bottom-up rather than top-down. Don't get me wrong....being a techie, it's "cool stuff", but that isn't what pays the bills.

You're still talking in fuzzy-vague phrases and anecodal comments....much of which are kinda true (admittely). However, in the real world...what really matters is the bottom line. The bottom line is dollars-in need to be more than dollars-out. That's the reality of running a business. Now...if you.....say, make snowboard bindings AND have competancy to work on your IT system, then perhaps you'll either work late or shift working hours to something non-revenue generating. But, each minute your devote to operations is a minute loss generating revenue. Doesn't take a small business consultant to tell you than most failed businesses are due to working on non-revenue projects. In that category, Linux loses. Seriously. The fact are out there. As in my first post...it's "Free Like A Puppy".

http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html This article couldn't be more slanted towards Ubuntu, but save yourself the time reading and simply scroll to "My 2 Cents". I'd agree with much of the article...but obviously take issue with a lot of MSFT bashing. There's 10-fold troubles on the Linux side, thus the distros....and sooner or later someone needs to pay the bills. The whole notion of "free" is laughable...a business' purpose is to MAKE MONEY. You need to pay the bills...thus the distros. There have been many MBA papers written on this model. And....if the money doesn't make you wonder...then the legal implications (indemnification) will certainly make the point. http://www.cnet.com/topic-news/indemnification.html

Yes, Linux would be a great offering for a small business consultant. Tell them it's "free", but then charge for your services. Novell and Red Hat have made an industry out of this model. It AMAZES me that people still say it's free. It's NOT free. A few years ago, it was an interestesting conversation. Today...the data is pretty clear and the analysts have spoken. The game is over, Linux is dead. www.getthefacts.com How can “free” be this expensive? http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/compare/windows-server-vs-red-hat-linux.mspx As for Apple...if you like it / NEED it, and have the extra cash to blow, then buy it.....but don't use the cost argument. Anyhoo...nuff said. We can talk about bikes or something else. k

Bob - Seriously man...don't do this to yourself. Do you want this to hurt? ;) Okay..let's agree on the criteria and we'll build it out. Hardware Software Maintenance (Security, admin, maintenance, etc) We'll also need to consider the soft cost, esp with Linux. Apple is REALLY happy to say that Jeopard grew market share install by 35% in 6 months, by yet they forget the fact that Vista actually grew market share install by 335% (not kidding). So, when we talk about numbers, we really need to consider the magnitude of having 91% market share...in a time when there are so many other choices and many years after the anti-trust settlement. Don't get me wrong....Mac OS and Linux are "cool", but they ARE more expensive to purchase and maintain over time. If you want to pay more for the criteria you say above..then fine. But, if you're a cost conscious organization....that's an entirely different arguement. I work with the largest Mac install in the world (besides Apple, of course)...so have a pretty good understanding of long term cost, esp with hardware repair. K

Funny. Yes...for piddling around at home, it's good stuff.

Do you want to talk about hard or soft costs? I'm not sure you can find an analyist that would recommend open source or Apple OS for a business desktop. Open Office costs roughly 33% more than Office MS for enterprise (i.e. managed) environments. As for OS, Windows offers the enterprise the ability to manage and monitor all systems from a centralized console. Apple does not offer this type of functionality unless you move to a VERY expensive solution that runs on the underlying UNIX code inside the Macintosh. In that case, you are leveraging custom scripting for management. Web servers....certainly Windows lost market share (but well exceeded the industry growth) several years ago, but has since changed the game. Don't get me wrong...open source is cool and fun to play with, but not such a good choice to run your business (or personal finances).

This ranks right up there with stealing Jasey Jay's Coiler and then racing on it. Pirated software is a crime.

Yes....free like a puppy! You took it home only to find out it needed $150 of shots, has a disease which is going to take $1500 surgery, crapped on your carpet for $2500 and then chewed apart your couch for another $2000. Then, it bit yor neighbor and they sued you for $25,000. But....it was free!!!! No software is free. No "service" (Google) is free either. It all comes with a price..so the question is what price do you want to pay in order to use it? We will revisit this thread in 5 years.....

Solidworks is the partner solution and should be the point of frustration. I'll check on the ESC issue A$$ holes - Will you take that back if I fix your button? Thumb drives - probably a Flash die issue. Fairly typical..not an OS problem.

I haven't read all the replies...but for a commuter (assuming low to medium hills), I'd recommend a Redline 925 or 9 to 5, whichever you prefer to say Cheap, has all the fixings and very low maintenance.

I haven't tried it, but I heard the "Fin" diet is very effective. You simply take a summer trip to Frisco and chase him around on a mountain bike for several days, then repeat. In all seriousness folks....calories out need to be more than calories in = weight loss. 75% of it is diet, this is by far the hardest part. Don't believe me? Keep a food log for 2 weeks and report back and we'll discuss. ;) 25% is your exercise. This is tough because time constraints, enjoyment and folks overall current fitness. You can't simply go from nothing to 8 running miles a day overnight..it takes a bit of time. Regardless...just do something you enjoy, then repeat.

And...why not stop at 29 when you can have 36? Fellow hardbooter and bike designer/builder/welder/mechanic made this baddass last summer! Also, fwiw....if you note the pic of my Superfly, I took off the Juicy Ultimates (gasp!) for BB7s, which I prefer the action and durability.

Kinda agree and disagree with many of the statement above....as typical. :) I bought a 29er this year to race Leadville and Cheq Fat Tire. I don't notice a large difference in PERFORMANCE b/w my Superfly (ht 29er) and my Superlight (fs 26er)...duck for cover. There's certainly a riding difference, but the jury is still out regarding performance. Of course, my Superfly is 7 pounds lighter and comes in around 20.5 pounds. I LOVE my 26 FS, so I'll use whatever fits the bill at the time. A few thoughts... A. Cost. A good FS 26 is going to cost A LOT of money. A good riding 29er is a fraction of that. Of course, not an accurate comparison as a 26 HT is a darn good deal too. B. Wheel durability. 26 wheels are stiffer and more durable. Period. C. An expert rider doesn't "roll over" stuff, he moves vertically as much as he does horizontally...bunny hopping, lifting the front wheel over obstacles, wheelie drops, etc. Not sure if the 29 argument on roll over if 100% valid. D. I think the manufacturers are loving the 29er craze. If I could only have 1 MTB, it would probably be my 29 rigid as a FS is a pain in the ass to maintain...... FWIW - I noticed a larger difference switching to tubeless than from going from 26 to 29. MUCH greater traction and handling.

Just checking.... IMO, I'd go with the carbon-forked Jake the Snake or a Felt F1x. Both can be bought this time of the year for around $1000. I'd also choose to buy locally...or through an authorized dealer. While BikesDirect has some good deals...I do think that ultimately you'll get better value from working with a LBS. But..if you're a wrench and enjoy tinkering with bikes....by all means, save the money and do BikeDirect. Why not the Cannondale? Easy...it's going to be more expensive. I don't know why Cannondale jacks up their bikes. Yes...technically they are stiffer, but not to justify the price increase. The important thing is to compare apples to apples. Most entry level CX bikes are going to cheap-out somewhere. IMO, I'd get a bike with full Shimano 105 10 speed or higher. Good luck. K To lighten things up a bit.... Last year's pair.... Good watchin. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkOhzvv-4vA&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkOhzvv-4vA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZOa_E9Qs8&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZOa_E9Qs8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Are you going to add anything constructive to this thread or are you just being a dick?

Let's back up.... Are you looking for the cheapest cx bike you can find or looking to stay within certain parameters? i.e. carbon fork, 20 speed, 105 or higher, etc. K

Then why not put up some evidence rather than acedotal comments? Heck...maybe even a link to a bad review? You could easily post to the recent Cannondale recalls....but done of them are for their frames. If you don't like Cannondale...that's totally cool. I think Burton sucks.

Doesn't work that way my friend..the product has to work while in competition. A broken bike means nothing during a 60 minute race, regardless of how much a rider is getting spiffed. He's sponsored by CyclocrossWorld. Just so happens HealthNet has a pretty tight relationship with Cannondale....and the whole trail from that point.

I never have run into Ron...... Oddly enough, TJ goes AGAINST his primary sponsor and rides Cannondale....below is his bike. Yes, I raced (and crashed) at Nationals this year. As for Cannondale...rather than "trial by internet", how about you give the model and make of the bikes you're claiming to have trouble? The only Cannondale bikes (that I'm aware of) that has any sort of design flaw is the Six13. As for all the other bikes...ALL the CAAD series, ALL the Synapse Series and ALL the System series ALL receive top of the heap reviews year after year. I would WITHOUT ANY DOUBT put a CAAD frame up against any alumuim frame on the market for both stiffness and durability. It's literally unmatched in in industry...it's legendary. Want a crit bike? Easy....buy a CAAD. I'm NOT a Cannondale fanatic...quite the opposite. My CX bikes are Focus...but good luck trying to get one in the US. Guess my point is that I don't believe in trial by internet..... http://www.efbe.de/testergebnisse/fulltest/enindex.php?typ=3&sort=1 K

Evidently you've been living in a cave the past 5 years....the US CX Champ rides a Cannondale (and SPD, btw). The Cannondale CX frame (with or without SI) kicks serious ass and is a great value. To the original post...I think the comparison b/w a "cyclocross" bike and a "cross" bike is valid. Matter of fact, you might want to check into "urban" bikes...which is basically a 700c mountain bike without front suspension..kinda like a guy's fitness bikes without calling it a cross bike. If you do want a cyclocross bike..there is a BIG BIG BIG difference between a race-specific cx bikes and consumer based cx bike. So..if you're remotely interested in racing CX, start with that goal in mind rather than buying too cheap and having all the upgrades later.

I used to love iTunes...so much that I bought everything on iTunes and ripped it back to Mp3 to put on my Sandisk. After changing over to Zune subscription...WHOA!!! This is cool stuff. Subscription is definately the way to go....otherwise I'd be using Satellite Radio.

Yep...and yet their consulting group uses SoftGrid as their preferred solution. VMware is not an infastructure solution. It should divest.