A newbie's observations

[Paul King]

On 15 Mar 2005 at 15:24, Patrick wrote:

> 1. I have yet to find a radio station that will play music over my
> speakers other than WBJC in Baltimore. Are there such animals around, or is
> every station a captive to you know who? 

Well, if you have RealAudio, there is CBC (cbc.ca) which has a simulcast for 
Radio 1 and 2. 

There is also http://www.cbcradio3.com/ (Click on the "Launch CBC Radio 3" 
Link), which is a kind of contemprary alternative/multimedia hybrid site. Not 
sure how you feel about "alternative contemporary" music. It comes with its own 
interactive player that cannot be briefly described. I've been having X-Windows 
troubles, and haven't had the chance to use Radio 3 on Linux, but I can say it 
does work in Firefox, which is present in both operating systems. Radio 3 is 
currently undergoing changes, but you can still get some idea from the site.

Other than that, it's a kind of discovery process. I find that you have to hear 
about this kind of stuff from other people. As of now, I only know of 
"alternative music" sites like shitkatapult.com, which deals mostly in techno 
stuff (usually of the milder kind; makes great background music). But these are 
not radio stations; they are just playlists.

IMO, any station worth listening to for music will not be listed on your 
default bookmarks in Explorer.

> 2. I like to listen to investment
> webcasts. But, once again, the companies concerned seem happy to limit
> themselves to Windows Media or the Windows version of Real Player. Even my
> broker, who has quite a good web site, has taken to telling me I must download
> the Acrobat Reader (Windows version is implied) to read my statements when I
> have a perfectly good Linux Acrobat reader that opens PDF files on other pages
> of the same broker's site for me daily. Is there any way of persuading the great
> world out there that there are other computer users than Windows or Mac users,
> and that we have a right to be served in our own language? This is a real
> stumbling block we yet have to overcome. Patrick
> 

Until 95% of the desktop market is no longer controlled by M$, then Windows 
will always be implied in all conversations regarding computers (unless you 
talk to us). :-)

Paul

=========================================================
Paul King            http://alimentarus.net
"Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are captains 
of our fate and masters of our soul" -- Unknown


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