Detlef

I would like to set up a 24 h chat room for our department in a big oil co. team members are scattered around the world, and we are looking to have a 24/7 communication board available. Nothing like this exists in our current environment (we have tailored Netmeeting and MSN msgr, but those require someone to host the meeting and/or accept/reject participants, not the intent). The chat software could be put on a stable Linux or Win server, we have tons of those around. Does anyone have a recommendation of what to use, both for hosting the board and for end-user software to log in and participate? Our environment is firewall fenced off (no IP packets except web based can enter or leave), and the chat should stay inside the firewall, so publicly accessible outside-hosted boards are not an option. Thanks, Detlef

thanks to all who bothered! I have win2k (no choice...), Sandoz's method worked fine there, too.

With all the hype about Sony's copy-protection *spyware* on their CDs, I noticed that my PC also has CD autorun turned on. But how in the world can I turn it off???? *Properties* on the CD drive had no such option... --Detlef

no, we're really talking 18 rds in the mag. Easily done with Dawson or Grams pads. I was wondering the same thing about weight and weight distribution change during a course, but I would never have known from how the gun shoots whether it was holding an empty or full mag. That is not where the attention belongs, I guess, so that's not where it goes...

nice to hear that they're not that loud, but what about accuracy? Can you hit anything out to, say, 7 y? What's the group size at that distance? Maybe too far? 3 y? --Detlef

Indeed, give us some more details. Para mags have changed over the years. I have competed for many y with the 14-45 loaded with 18 rds. Both Dawson and Grams pads worked equally well. The most common capacity problem I saw was that the follower somehow did not manage to dive inside the pad (which it must do to load 18). Ammunition OAL can do that (check that you are not over length). I found it helpful to bevel the bottom of the mag, i.e. round off sharp edges. Though usually, if that's not done, *feeding* with the full mags is the problem, not loading them to 18. Some people use too long springs (12 coils is enough). I also always worked w/o plastic the inserts supplied by some base pad manufacturers. And the followers themselves are a big issue (best I found were Arredondo's...)

another classic, I remember first hearing it from a friend when we were both 7 or 8, and that is now more than 20 y ago :)

I see, I think I will revise my statement, makes sense what you 2 say about lock-up position being different. No conflict with the fact that the slide not even move before the bullet is out. The barrel is positioned differently, though.... D

you have to remember that everything that impacts POI for a single shot (!) happens long before the spring even compresses. If you look at slow-mo movies, the bullet exits the barrel, then (a long time after that...) the slide starts moving. So....if you see any POI or group size/position change it will be shooter induced (recoil recovery for multiple shots, maybe your eagerness to feel a change etc asf)...

don't blanket blame: The last WS in South Africa was also superbly organized. Of course some things always go wrong (the ammo locally provided was not top-notch quality), but all the basics were well worked out. Sorry to hear about all the confusion, everyone who goes puts up *so* much money and effort... Detlef

for what you are doing I would start with 10 lb and work down from there. --Detlef

o.k., this is not really "Computers", but there's so much expertise here that I am asking anyway: My house is equipped with speakers in every room (Sapphire IC/IWs, plus center/back speakers in main room) but I am still looking for a central receiver unit to distribute the sound from all my audio (and video) sources neatly. I have a good (B&O) stereo system, the TV, VCR, DVD, computer as sources (toal of 5 now, I'd like 2 or 3 spare input slots), and I have tried a Denon 7-1 ($ 700.-), but the user interface is abysmal, and the 2nd one just broke so I think I'm going to stay away from those. Plus the sound quality was mediocre and below what I know the (not top-end, I know) speakers can produce. Any recommendations? Taking out another mortgage (i.e. above $2000) is not an option... I was also thinking how nice it would be to have a radio-based remote instead of the IR-based ones where you have to be in the same room with the receiver... --Detlef

nothing works for cc verification: Detlef

IMHO, any training that breeds familiarity with what is encountered in a match is beneficial. As such, I use steel in practice. If nothing else, it teaches you how bad your practice is. Yes, it's very easy to get carried away by the speed factor with steel, but hell YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT IT! You can move the steel out to 25 and 50 y, and that gets rid of the "too big" issue. But you can also move it up close and get instant feedback on how fast you can really go, and what level of attention and seeing is necessary. After all, you don't want to spend more time on close steel than necessary (but surely not less, either ) --D.