If you missed the first thread, I basically don't want to overload the forum with threads asking for help, so I'm creating one thread with a bunch of questions that probably have very short answers, but have bugged me for a while without an answer. Of course, #8 is more rhetorical, as well as something I just thought of since I saw the movie. Anyway, here goes:

1) how are hard disk sizes determined? Exactly what is 3.5", 2.5", 1.8", etc? Is it the platters?

2) I have no walls on the left and right of my home theater setup, a concrete slab floor, and I can't run cable through the ceiling. So I'm forced to run the wires for the rear speakers across the floor and under the couch. This leaves $70 in cables to be stepped on or tripped over. I've looked everywhere for one of those rubber cable protectors, but can't find anything. They're available at Staples and Home Depot, but not in lengths/sizes that I need. I need one where the main channel is .5" high and 1.5" wide, and the whole thing is about 10 feet long.

3) What do you think is that absolute easiest way to get music on an iPod without using a computer (if possible at all)? I believe devices like this exist, although unfortunately it doesn't look like this one is available yet. (this is for my mom, the technophobe with an iPod nano).

4) I'm jealous of all the people who have space heaters at their office desks. I think people who like warmth don't realize how hard it is on those of us who like the cold. Is there any such thing as a "space cooler"? (please don't say "a fan." That just moves warm air around)

5) Has anyone here taken the GMATs? I was wondering how difficult it was, particularly if your background doesn't lend its self towards the subject matter. They claim that your area of work and education aren't determinant of how well you'll do, but I'm a little nervous about taking it. I'm doing it for a program I'd like to get into (I don't want to be a help desk technician forever...or even a few more years...).

6) Can anyone recommend a good and/or fairly inexpensive single-cup coffe maker? My girlfriend's co-workers tend to like their coffee strong enough to melt mugs, and wants a little control over hers.

7) Why are these not available anywhere? They're on the Netgear website, there's nothing that indicates they haven't been released yet, and I've seen several news articles about them. I've searched for them, and found them listed in stores, but none of them seem to have any in stock.

8) Why can't JK Rowling create rules? I won't go too far into it, but in Goblet of Fire (at least the movie version), the rules for the tournamet make no sense whatsoever. As far as I can tell, the only thing you really need to do to win the tournament and go down in history is to wander around that maze. I get this from the fact that the girl (I don't know her character name) didn't complete the second task, yet still moved on for some reason. That made absolutely no sense to me.


So that's it. Thanks for any help you can give me. The last thread was very successful. In case you were wondering:
1) my friend bought one of those amplifiers. it works well, I think
3) these commands fixed the thumbnail issue:
regsvr32.exe /i SHDOCVW.DLL
regsvr32.exe /i BROWSEUI.DLL
4) I'm still waiting for that Korean cell phone to be released, but since it'll be GSM, I won't get signal on any carrier that would support it.
5) I bought two boxes of Count Chocula from Amazon, and had it in two days. The only local grocery store that carried it was one Safeway that had it for two days starting November 1st. Argh.
6) I use the Google homepage exclusively
7) I bought that SATA controller and it works just fine now. The one on my motherboard has problems. oh well.