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I've heard that the US army uses macs. Does the airforce and navy also use them? What about at the Air Force Academy?
US forces use macs?
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Depends where and what they are doing.
The Army used to run their web servers on Macs because of being hacked several times, they now run Linux, IIRC.
The Navy bought a slew of XServes with Yellow Dog Linux installed for their submarines recently also.
One would think that the Air Force Academy would allow Macs, although I don't think it is there practise to allow anybody except American citizens to join the army. Especially since 9/11.
Your best bet is to contact whereever you want to go and ask them their policy. There are however many places that do not officially support them, but a Mac will work just fine.
The Army used to run their web servers on Macs because of being hacked several times, they now run Linux, IIRC.
The Navy bought a slew of XServes with Yellow Dog Linux installed for their submarines recently also.
One would think that the Air Force Academy would allow Macs, although I don't think it is there practise to allow anybody except American citizens to join the army. Especially since 9/11.
Your best bet is to contact whereever you want to go and ask them their policy. There are however many places that do not officially support them, but a Mac will work just fine.
I have several friends (fellow oilpatch workers) who were in the National Guard (Wyoming and North Dakota). They have all been called up to active duty and I haven't heard much from any of them since that time.
They were using Panasonic Toughbooks while on manouvers in the USA, but one of them told me that his group had switched to Apple Powerbooks as soon as he arrived in the Middle east....although I would think that the frontline guys would still be using something like a ToughBook. Those things are really rugged.
As for the question of who can join the US military....surprisingly enough, they will take on foreign nationals without much persuasion. I know this because I have met several Canadians who are now living and working in the US who are veterans of the US military. They have told me that, once you have served a term in the US Forces and been honorably discharged, you can retain full Canadian citizenship while living in the states with all the rights of a US citizen. Most of these guys seemed to think that this was the best of two worlds.
Admittedly, just anecdotal. But it was quite convincing to this particular Canuck while I was working down south of the border. I actually considered it for a while, back when I was a lot younger and had to renew my American work visa all the time. Once they gave me a permanent pass, I gave up the notion.
Rig food was bad enough. Military chow always gives me gas.
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They were using Panasonic Toughbooks while on manouvers in the USA, but one of them told me that his group had switched to Apple Powerbooks as soon as he arrived in the Middle east....although I would think that the frontline guys would still be using something like a ToughBook. Those things are really rugged.
As for the question of who can join the US military....surprisingly enough, they will take on foreign nationals without much persuasion. I know this because I have met several Canadians who are now living and working in the US who are veterans of the US military. They have told me that, once you have served a term in the US Forces and been honorably discharged, you can retain full Canadian citizenship while living in the states with all the rights of a US citizen. Most of these guys seemed to think that this was the best of two worlds.
Admittedly, just anecdotal. But it was quite convincing to this particular Canuck while I was working down south of the border. I actually considered it for a while, back when I was a lot younger and had to renew my American work visa all the time. Once they gave me a permanent pass, I gave up the notion.
Rig food was bad enough. Military chow always gives me gas.
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" ... surprisingly enough, they will take on foreign nationals without much persuasion. ..."
Although this may soon change (for the obvious reasons) there are a lot of questions that must be answered on a US military recruitment application. Citizenship or Nationality is not one of them.
In other words, they don't even ask.
There are more than 25,000 Canadians who enlisted in the 60's/70's and are Viet Nam Vets.
The US does offer a path to citizenship to discharged volunteers; but it's my understanding that it's not automatic.
The "best" army to join if you really need to "get away" is the French Foreign Legion. Not only do you get a very generous pension when you're discharged, and an automatic right to French citizenship, if you move to French soil they will refuse to extradite you to any other nation for any reason whatsoever.
The downside is the term of service is longer than most (not positive but I think it's 8 years), and Africa is a lousy place to be a colonial soldier.
Getting back on topic, the US military does use Macs but not to any large extent.
The TerraSoft sale (parent of Yellow Dog Linux and the only Apple Authorized reseller in the world who can purchase/sell Macs without an Apple OS) was to Lockheed Martin for Sonar Systems being built for the US Navy. The sale was for 260 Xserves.
The Navy is naturally a little gun-shy of the Wintel crowd after a number of embarassing incidents involving the complete dead-in-the-water-and-have-to-be-towed-into-port failures of front-line battleships running Microsoft NT-powered ship control systems.
At least one of these total failures happened solely because a sailor recieved an eMail from his girlfriend.
[ December 30, 2003, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
Although this may soon change (for the obvious reasons) there are a lot of questions that must be answered on a US military recruitment application. Citizenship or Nationality is not one of them.
In other words, they don't even ask.
There are more than 25,000 Canadians who enlisted in the 60's/70's and are Viet Nam Vets.
The US does offer a path to citizenship to discharged volunteers; but it's my understanding that it's not automatic.
The "best" army to join if you really need to "get away" is the French Foreign Legion. Not only do you get a very generous pension when you're discharged, and an automatic right to French citizenship, if you move to French soil they will refuse to extradite you to any other nation for any reason whatsoever.
The downside is the term of service is longer than most (not positive but I think it's 8 years), and Africa is a lousy place to be a colonial soldier.
Getting back on topic, the US military does use Macs but not to any large extent.
The TerraSoft sale (parent of Yellow Dog Linux and the only Apple Authorized reseller in the world who can purchase/sell Macs without an Apple OS) was to Lockheed Martin for Sonar Systems being built for the US Navy. The sale was for 260 Xserves.
The Navy is naturally a little gun-shy of the Wintel crowd after a number of embarassing incidents involving the complete dead-in-the-water-and-have-to-be-towed-into-port failures of front-line battleships running Microsoft NT-powered ship control systems.
At least one of these total failures happened solely because a sailor recieved an eMail from his girlfriend.
[ December 30, 2003, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
Wasn't that incident aboard the USS Vincennes, Gord?
And I did not mean to infer that US citizenship was automatically bestowed upon anyone who had served out their term in the US military.
But the guys I met all told me that they had all the same rights as an American citizen, once they had completed their tour of duty. Everything. Just as though they had been born there.
All were still Canadian citizens by the way. No dualies.
They could live as Americans in America...but still be Canadian. They thought that this was the very best of two worlds...and I thought so too, at the time.
Living in a friendly and very rich country (and making LOTS of money) without having to worry about visa renewal, or making some goofy mistake that could get you deported, would have been a big relief back then.
But, eventually, they gave me a permanent work visa. And I didn't even ask for one!
They treated me really well down there. I enjoyed every minute of it.
And I didn't have to sign up with the military to do it.
And I did not mean to infer that US citizenship was automatically bestowed upon anyone who had served out their term in the US military.
But the guys I met all told me that they had all the same rights as an American citizen, once they had completed their tour of duty. Everything. Just as though they had been born there.
All were still Canadian citizens by the way. No dualies.
They could live as Americans in America...but still be Canadian. They thought that this was the very best of two worlds...and I thought so too, at the time.
Living in a friendly and very rich country (and making LOTS of money) without having to worry about visa renewal, or making some goofy mistake that could get you deported, would have been a big relief back then.
But, eventually, they gave me a permanent work visa. And I didn't even ask for one!
They treated me really well down there. I enjoyed every minute of it.
And I didn't have to sign up with the military to do it.
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I've worked in the US as well; in my case I was working for a Canadian company on the same payroll as I was in Canada; it was just a matter of saying so when you entered (6 mos or less). The visa is C-1/C-2 (commercial) etc. instead of T-1/T-2 (tourist).
Many people don't realise it, but there is always a visa issued for every visit to the US. For short visits they don't actually give you a piece of paper saying so, they keep it themselves instead.
If you're laid off while there under those circumstances, you can even collect EI; you apply at the State Unemployment agency and get a cheque just as if you were in Canada.
If you're a Professional (there is a definition, but essentially if you have a degree or specialised training/knowledge, you qualify) then NAFTA gives you a right to work in the US, no need to become landed or apply for immigration.
So, nurses can work there at any time; a tradesman who is a housepainter can't, but if he is a Journeyman Painter then he qualifies. "Specialized knowledge" generally refers to management of a company; they can't force you to hire an American to run your firm. The same goes for Americans seeking work in Canada.
[ January 02, 2004, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
Many people don't realise it, but there is always a visa issued for every visit to the US. For short visits they don't actually give you a piece of paper saying so, they keep it themselves instead.
If you're laid off while there under those circumstances, you can even collect EI; you apply at the State Unemployment agency and get a cheque just as if you were in Canada.
If you're a Professional (there is a definition, but essentially if you have a degree or specialised training/knowledge, you qualify) then NAFTA gives you a right to work in the US, no need to become landed or apply for immigration.
So, nurses can work there at any time; a tradesman who is a housepainter can't, but if he is a Journeyman Painter then he qualifies. "Specialized knowledge" generally refers to management of a company; they can't force you to hire an American to run your firm. The same goes for Americans seeking work in Canada.
[ January 02, 2004, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
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that's cause Amerika doesn't allow dual citizenship if you emigrated from another country, you MUST renounce all claims to any citizenship BEFORE you can become an Amerikan citizen - not talking about landed immigrant or work visas here
the only time dual citizenship is allowd is if you are born in the U.S. or are born of Amerikan parents. you can then obtain a 2nd citizenship from another country that doesn't require you to RENOUNCE your U.S. citizenship, like ummmm, Canada...
i haven't researched the option of becoming a naturalized Amerikan citizen and then accepting another country's citizenship afterwards
BTW, for anyone that thinks being a naturalized Amerikan citizen is the same as being born Amerikan, you're in for a very rude awakening - cause they ain't the same
2 levels of citizenship - even though it is not discussed
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Yes, my dad had to renounce his US citizenship when the US entered WWII; all US citizens enlisted in Canada could either renounce or be repatriated for duty in the US army.
As for different "levels" of citizenship, many nations do so. For example, only ethnic Japanese can become citizens (and in that case you are automatically a Japanese citizen no matter where you're born) while there are 3rd and 4th generation Koreans in Japan who can never be citizens.
In order to become a citizen of Israel (and be allowed to vote) you must be ethnic Jewish. There are many, many others with similar or even more restrictive rules; that's just a few of the more well-known examples in "democratic" countries.
As for a difference between naturalized and natural-born citizens; just about every country does make such a disctinction, including Canada. We will revoke your citizenship if it's found you misrepresented anything on your application, for example.
It is entirely up to any nation to define citizenship as it sees fit.
[ January 02, 2004, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
As for different "levels" of citizenship, many nations do so. For example, only ethnic Japanese can become citizens (and in that case you are automatically a Japanese citizen no matter where you're born) while there are 3rd and 4th generation Koreans in Japan who can never be citizens.
In order to become a citizen of Israel (and be allowed to vote) you must be ethnic Jewish. There are many, many others with similar or even more restrictive rules; that's just a few of the more well-known examples in "democratic" countries.
As for a difference between naturalized and natural-born citizens; just about every country does make such a disctinction, including Canada. We will revoke your citizenship if it's found you misrepresented anything on your application, for example.
It is entirely up to any nation to define citizenship as it sees fit.
[ January 02, 2004, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: gordguide ]
Actually, I think macspectrum was trying to make an ideological statement. And, subliminally, trying to prove how truly awful and fascist that the USA really is.
Trouble is...nobody's listening anymore.
Massses of people are applying to reside in the USA every single day. Tens of thousands. I know, because I have stood in these lineups while renewing my work visa.
And a whole boatload of them are natural born Canadians, as well. This is probably the biggest single group who are always trying to attain landed status in the United States at any given time. Certainly according to everything I've seen or heard.
I recall when I was working down there, they announced a lottery where they would allow fifty THOUSAND Canadian citizens to emigrate into the US with virtually no hassles.
Half a million Canadians applied within the first week. It got seriously busy after that, and they lost count after a million.
My American border dude pointed to a foot-high stack of two-page applications while he was renewing my visa and commented that "the whole damn country of Canada seemes to want to get into the States for permanent resident status!"
And that was at a backwater border crossing between Alberta and Montana! Who knows how busy it was at one of the really big ones.
Nowadays...some of the more ideologically driven amongst us would like you to believe that the United States has become some sort of an armed fortress where personal liberties are being curtailed. They like to claim that fascism is just around the corner. For no real reason.
But my border buddy tells me that even MORE people are trying to get into the States these days, than ever before!
They seem to think that it is more secure, more stable, has more opportunities and will protect them better than the country they came from!
And even MORE Canadians are applying for entry than ever before!
Gee...go figure.
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Trouble is...nobody's listening anymore.
Massses of people are applying to reside in the USA every single day. Tens of thousands. I know, because I have stood in these lineups while renewing my work visa.
And a whole boatload of them are natural born Canadians, as well. This is probably the biggest single group who are always trying to attain landed status in the United States at any given time. Certainly according to everything I've seen or heard.
I recall when I was working down there, they announced a lottery where they would allow fifty THOUSAND Canadian citizens to emigrate into the US with virtually no hassles.
Half a million Canadians applied within the first week. It got seriously busy after that, and they lost count after a million.
My American border dude pointed to a foot-high stack of two-page applications while he was renewing my visa and commented that "the whole damn country of Canada seemes to want to get into the States for permanent resident status!"
And that was at a backwater border crossing between Alberta and Montana! Who knows how busy it was at one of the really big ones.
Nowadays...some of the more ideologically driven amongst us would like you to believe that the United States has become some sort of an armed fortress where personal liberties are being curtailed. They like to claim that fascism is just around the corner. For no real reason.
But my border buddy tells me that even MORE people are trying to get into the States these days, than ever before!
They seem to think that it is more secure, more stable, has more opportunities and will protect them better than the country they came from!
And even MORE Canadians are applying for entry than ever before!
Gee...go figure.
GordGuide....
My permanent work visa has all sorts of numbers and codes on it. But it does clearly state the words "special abilities" in red letters on the upper right hand corner.
I have no idea what the criteria is for "special abilities" is.... but I DO know a guy from Lethbridge Alberta who specialises in asphalt paving of driveways. He's been living and working in the USA about as long as I was (in fact, he's still down there).
His permanent US work visa also says "Special Abilities" in red letters in the upper right hand corner. We compared visas in a bar just outside Dallas, Texas in late 1998.
Hmmmm....radical cutting edge oilfield technology using one of the very few mobile mass spectrometers on the planet to make multi-million dollar decisons about a hydrocarbon pay zone...
Versus paving a fifteen foot driveway with asphalt.
Apparently, both are worth a "Special Abilities" permanent US work visa.
Kinda brought me back down to earth....if you know what I mean.
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Such is life.
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My permanent work visa has all sorts of numbers and codes on it. But it does clearly state the words "special abilities" in red letters on the upper right hand corner.
I have no idea what the criteria is for "special abilities" is.... but I DO know a guy from Lethbridge Alberta who specialises in asphalt paving of driveways. He's been living and working in the USA about as long as I was (in fact, he's still down there).
His permanent US work visa also says "Special Abilities" in red letters in the upper right hand corner. We compared visas in a bar just outside Dallas, Texas in late 1998.
Hmmmm....radical cutting edge oilfield technology using one of the very few mobile mass spectrometers on the planet to make multi-million dollar decisons about a hydrocarbon pay zone...
Versus paving a fifteen foot driveway with asphalt.
Apparently, both are worth a "Special Abilities" permanent US work visa.
Kinda brought me back down to earth....if you know what I mean.
Such is life.
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