---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 11/10/12: 3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 0. 12:09 AM - Please Support The Lists... (Matt Dralle) 1. 12:31 PM - Re: Re: Soldering Iron Recommendations (Michael Pereira) 2. 06:48 PM - Re: Re: AeroElectric-List Digest: 29 Msgs - 11/05/12 (Christopher Cee Stone) ________________________________ Message 0 _____________________________________ Time: 12:09:11 AM PST US From: Matt Dralle Subject: AeroElectric-List: Please Support The Lists... Dear Listers, Just a reminder that November is the Matronics Email List Fund Raiser month. There are some very nice incentive gifts to choose from as well! Please make your Contribution today at: http://www.matronics.com/contribution or by dropping a personal check in the mail to: Matt Dralle / Matronics 581 Jeannie Way Livermore CA 94550 Thank you! Matt Dralle Matronics Email List Administrator ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:31:33 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Soldering Iron Recommendations From: Michael Pereira On Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Eric Page wrote: > As I see it, the major problem that Linux faces is that 99% of computer > users, myself included, look at the box as an appliance. I want my > computers to work like my fridge: open the door, find cold food; next time > I open the door, cold food, and so on. The computer should *just work*. > > One reason I use linux is specifically because it *just works* and it stays that way (unlike any version of windows that is exposed to the internet). > Linux is widely perceived as an OS for IT geeks and experimenters. The > very idea of learning how to configure a new OS, finding hardware drivers, > getting networking hooked up, finding, installing and learning software to > do what I want, etc., is exhausting. For better or worse, the majority of > computer users have decades of experience and $$ invested in the Windows > platform. > > You can buy linux preloaded from companies like thinkpenguin or linuxcertified. Microsoft structures their pricing to force oem's to preload Windows on all their systems for a reason. Comparing oranges to oranges, preloaded OS to preloaded OS there's really no difference. You'll actually have to pay to have linux preloaded however. Having either OS preloaded precludes the "is this device supported and which drivers do I need" exercise. As far as networking is concerned it'll pick up an ip address automatically via dhcp just like any windows box. With Ubuntu/Mint opening up "software manager" will provide options for almost any typical home office or household application. All of this software will be automatically downloaded and installed without effort or charge. The update manager will provide security updates for the applications as well as the operating system as they become available. There are still annoyances here and there. Ex, Intuit doesn't make a version of quickbooks (defacto small business standard) for linux. I use vitalization to run windows 7 along side linux to handle that issue. The learning curve from windows 7 to Ubuntu, Mint or Fedora is probably less than from windows 7 to windows 8. WRT Win7, I have two boxes running that OS, one 64-bit, one 32-bit. The > x64 system is a media server connected to a cable TV feed and an LCD TV. > It frequently goes weeks or months between reboots and never hiccups, > despite multiple daily wake-sleep cycles. It's an appliance. > > You can't record encrypted cable tv via linux (in the united states). This is a result of political stupidity brought to you via the likes of the RIAA. I don't watch much tv these days so I haven't bothered with the media tv setup. In any case I've already traded the $50-$100 a month cable/sat tv bill for a cheap netflix bill and over the air hdtv. I do all of my new software work on the x32 box, so I'm much less careful > about what I install, with predictable results. I credit my own actions > for 99.9% of that system's few problems. > > Overall, I think Win7 is the best OS that Redmond has produced. It's > light-years ahead of XP for security and stability. Vista was, IMHO, an > unmitigated disaster. > I'm trying not to mention xenix here. :) c'ya, Michael do not archive. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 06:48:24 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: AeroElectric-List Digest: 29 Msgs - 11/05/12 From: Christopher Cee Stone Re. Metcal You guys got my curiosity peeked... so I bid and won one on Ebay... $28 bucks. It just arrived and I took it up to the shop to try it out... Alas no tip. So I'll will see what I can find on ebay. Question: Most of the soldering I do is wire splice and wire to connectors...Tefzel 18-24 ga. single and shielded. Only occasional PCB assembly and/or repair. Most being SMT now but some through hole. What tips would you recommend? Chris Stone RV-8 On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 4:35 PM, Eric M. Jones wrote: > emjones@charter.net> > > Joe, > > > > I, too, am one of the people who has his Metcal station up an a pedestal > with motherhood and apple pie and I'd quit flying before giving it up, BUT, > before anyone starts thinking that it is the solution to all the world's > problems, there is one thing it still wont do. You can not use it to solder > an IC in a BGA (ball grid array) package to a multilayer > > > PCB.http://www.mectronics.in/metcal-bga-rework-system.htm > > do not archive > > -------- > Eric M. Jones > www.PerihelionDesign.com > 113 Brentwood Drive > Southbridge, MA 01550 > (508) 764-2072 > emjones(at)charter.net > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=387407#387407 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message aeroelectric-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/AeroElectric-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/aeroelectric-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.