Topics

201

General Software Discussion / If shareware prices double in 2010, can you still afford to upgrade?

« on: November 06, 2009, 01:16 AM »

Would you keep buying a shareware app if its price doubles in 2010?



I've seen a few programs already pre-announce new prices for next year (or their next version) that is twice the cost. Perhaps some of this can be attributed to high transaction fees (PayPal, etc.) or to the USDollar's drastic decline. There may be other reasons, but will you be able to continue to upgrade at twice the current price?

202

General Software Discussion / The next cool thing: Web Open Font Format (WOFF)

« on: November 02, 2009, 07:40 AM »

Web Open Font Format (WOFF) combines the work that Leming and Blokland on embedding a variety of useful font metadata with the font resource compression that Kew had developed. The end result is a format that includes optimized compression that reduces the download time needed to load font resources while incorporating information about the font's origin and licensing. The format doesn't include any encryption or DRM, so it should be universally accepted by browser vendors—this should also qualify it for adoption by the W3C.

.....................
The video in the article explains how it works. Since most of my online time is spent simply reading text and (data) numbers, this should be a big boost. Firefox will get a boost by being first to implement it. More linked at the photo below.

203

General Software Discussion / Time to kill the OS upgrade disc?

« on: October 30, 2009, 06:48 AM »

CNet's Rafe Needleman has a great idea: Kill the OS upgrade disc!



Here's a better idea: Sell software at a reasonable price. And take the upgrades off the shelves.

I love upgrades. But I hate upgrade discs and upgrade pricing. Let's find a way to do away with both, or at least make the upgrade transaction a bit cleaner. The reason I'm writing this column won't be a surprise to anyone one who follows technology: Windows 7. I bought the upgrade disc (on the pre-order special price). When it arrived, I started the upgrade process for my Vista desktop. Knowing that the disc was licensed only to upgrade an existing Windows installation, I pressed the big button for a "Custom" installation and the disc set up my computer more-or-less cleanly with Windows 7. What I really wanted to do was re-format my hard drive and start from a blank slate on my computer, but I was afraid to do that since I thought the disc would see that as a non-upgrade install and not work.

He includes OSX in this, too.

204

General Software Discussion / Top 10 Windows 7 Booster Apps

« on: October 29, 2009, 07:58 AM »

Lifehacker strikes again with a good start: Top 10 Windows 7 Booster Apps, which include:

• ninite
  
• VistaSwitcher
  
• Ultimate Windows Tweaker
  
• StandaloneStack
  
• Hulu Desktop Integration (Hulu, really?)
  
• WinFox
  
• Gmail Notifier Plus
  
• Windows 7 System Recovery Discs
  
• Logon Changer for Windows 7
  
• CSMenu

To make it easier, will ninite install all of these at once? And one commenter was right: Where the heck is CCleaner!

205

General Software Discussion / The Mac turns 25. Damn.

« on: October 26, 2009, 12:12 PM »

Saw this in the store today, so I bought it. On page 42 of its first issue, Bill Gates explained why the Mac was a "classic" computer. There were also two articles on MultiPlan, Microsoft's predeccessor to Excel. I loved it and used it, but by 1986, could no longer afford it. (I still can't.) But I will give them credit for surviving. Apple's revenue is vastly defined by its gadgets and phones, not its computers in this century.

206

Living Room / What are you waiting for?

« on: October 21, 2009, 01:54 PM »

I'm waiting for:
— The mechanic to call me back and tell me if my 15-year old truck can be saved. I think the engine is gone.
— openSUSE 11.2
— The rain to stop. Wettest year ever in Missouri’s Ozarks.
— Cold weather. It’s like free air-conditioning to me.
— What impact Android 2.0 will have (DroidDoes.com)
— To find out whether the neighbor’s kid caught a fish in the lake across the park. He did, a catfish. He asked me to clean it. I gave him a recipe on how to cook it instead.

207

General Software Discussion / Worst Win7 reviews (ongoing)

« on: October 19, 2009, 10:33 AM »

Since Win7 launches this week, I thought it would be nice to start a topic that listed the worst Win7 reviews you come across. You've seen these types of reviews over the years -- some written from those who only used the OS for 15 minutes, some who are hypercritical of small things, and just some outright haterade. Critical honesty is what we're all about here at DonationCoder, so when you see either a cheerleader GREATEST OS EVER review or an unfair review, link to it so we can read what the village is writing.

Here is my first example, reprinted below. The PC World review does not carry a byline for some odd reason.

208

General Software Discussion / 10 things to do after installing Linux

« on: October 19, 2009, 01:17 AM »

[via Graham Morrison]:



You’ve finally decided to try Linux. The installation went without a hitch (they usually do these days) and you’ve got a shiny new desktop sitting in front of you. What do you do next? It’s a whole world of limitless possibilities. Thanks to the nature of open-source development, thousands of applications, games, tools and utilities can be installed with just a few mouse clicks. None of these will be shareware, commercial or sponsored through advertising. They'll be functional, full-blown applications. And there's a lot to look at. The trick is knowing where to start.

Nice intro for beginners and tweaking.

209

General Software Discussion / Who should judge Win7's success?

« on: October 14, 2009, 01:53 AM »

For the most part, we DC members are power users and can find our way around any software. And based on early reviews and beta use, Win7 is a hit. But those same testers and early reviewers had good things to say about Vista, too. Whom should we trust to be the better judge of Win7's success?

• Mom/Dad?
  
• Niece/Nephew?
  
• The mythical "Average User"?
  
• Win7 party attendants?
  
• College students?
  
• Your co-workers?

210

General Software Discussion / openSUSE Linux 11.2 user interface is something to try

« on: October 05, 2009, 04:30 PM »

Jason Perlow shows off the latest build leading up to the release of openSUSE 11.2 in November, among them the graphical environment. Might be something to try over the holidays with a LiveCD that doesn't make any changes to your system.


<a href="http://vimeo.com/6888216">Tech Broiler openSUSE 11.2 M8 Video Tour</a>

As with any openSUSE release 11.2 will be jam-packed with all of the latest Open Source software, including the superior Go-Oo.org build of OpenOffice.org. But clearly I think this is the first distribution that will really make the desktop Linux naysayers, especially the Mac crowd, go “Wow!”

That “Wow” factor is KDE 4.3. KDE 4.x is a radical departure from the 3.5.x series, which has always been considered more Windows XP-like in its general UI model, although it has featured a great deal of object-oriented technology that Windows didn’t have and still lacks. While GNOME 2.x is stable and certainly very usable, it never had the sex appeal of something like OS X or even Windows 7, and from a raw technology standpoint does not have the object-oriented features of modern UI’s such as Mac OS X or KDE.

211

Living Room / Here come the airport rectal exams! (NSFW)

« on: September 28, 2009, 09:29 AM »

Why I don't fly:
http://www.boingboin...come-the-airpor.html



Uh-oh. Now that a terrorist has tried unsuccessfully to blow up a Saudi prince with a bomb shoved up his ass, the TSA is obliged to perform rectal exams on every flier for the rest of time. After all, once a jihadi failed to blow up a plane with his shoe, we all needed to start taking our shoes off. Then some knuckleheads believed they could blow up a plane with energy beverages and hair gel, so now we have to limit ourselves to 100ml of all liquids and gels, unless they're for babies or are prescription (because no mass-murderer would be so evil as to forge a doctor's note, which, as every junkie knows, cannot possibly be forged).

Now we found someone who was made to believe he could kill people with an asshole bomb, and so it follows that the TSA will have to ban -- or at least inspect -- our assholes. They're like opinions, you know, everybody's got one. Except, of course, most of us got to keep our assholes to ourselves.

Not anymore.

..........................
Oy vey.

212

General Software Discussion / Win7: Anyone else getting excited?

« on: September 28, 2009, 08:34 AM »

I know it's not a super/major change, but seems like Windows 7 is going to be a lot of fun. Heck, custom PC manufacturer, Puget Systems, says it will begin shipping Windows 7 machines on October 13th, nine days before its release date.

213

General Software Discussion / Switching to Linux: A Windows developer’s view

« on: September 28, 2009, 08:22 AM »

I found the switch easy enough as a user, but it's more interesting to read a developer who did so. Anteru writes about making the switch to Linux from a developer's view.

A few weeks ago, I switched my development environment from Windows to Linux, on a project which was developed so far on Windows only. In this post, I want to describe the issues that brought me to this switch, a short overview how I did the actual port, and some observations on Linux for developers. This is the first post in a series of at least two, the second post will describe the tools I use on Linux right now.
...
Actually, the switch is so simple that Microsoft should get concerned. For instance, I have been developing mainly on Windows since several years, and I occasionally tried Linux, but I never did a complete switch due to various smaller and bigger problems. However, since 1-2 years, the Linux desktop, together with the tools, is good enough to provide some real benefit, especially if you cannot access the latest Microsoft products. Microsoft used to have the best developer tools by far, and quite stable APIs, which were in my opinions the corner stones of their success. However, they’re changing APIs now rather quickly (WinForms? WPF? WinAPI?), they provide new platforms which require rewriting your application....

In a followup post, Antero lays out his tools:
That’s probably the tools which account for 99% of my work time. I hope you find this list useful if you come also try to get started with Linux development, at least I would have saved some time if I knew it beforehand  What’s very nice about nearly all of this tools is that installing them is very easy, as they are free and directly available from the package manager – something which I miss on Windows.

The responders' comments are also informative.

214

General Software Discussion / Google liberates your data, making it easier to leave the cloud

« on: September 14, 2009, 03:29 PM »

My adult life coincides with the first PCs, and since I have data and documents dating back to the early 1980s, keeping that data in a readable format is important. Companies and software that enable open standards and open formats are my friends; those that promote proprietary formats only cost me time, money, and serious aggravation.



Thus the news that Google allows one to take their data with them when they leave Google, or who no longer want to use Google Services (software), is well worth noting. They call the project the Data Liberation Front, which uses open standards for data export, such as OPML for Google Reader and KML for Maps data, and isn't pushing for any new data formats. Google board member Eric Schmidt said that the site will include instructions for safely deleting your data from Google's server soon.

Wherever your lifestyle leaves data about (phone, computer, camera, social sites, etc.), make sure you can take it with you when you go.

215

General Software Discussion / Will Win7 last as long as XP?

« on: September 12, 2009, 04:59 PM »

By all accounts, Windows 7 is going to be worth having, but I have a few questions.

(a) Are you planning on upgrading to Win7 before year's end?
(b) Will it last as long as XP, or will Microsoft kill it in time for another upgrade in two years?
(c) Are you planning to buy an upgrade version, full version, or just buy it with a new computer?

216

Living Room / 1p2u: a new twist on the micropayments

« on: September 08, 2009, 11:42 AM »

[via Glyn Moody]



Glyn writes that maybe the reason so many micropayment systems have failed in the past is "a matter of implementation rather than any deep flaw with idea itself." Seems that banks and payment processors like PayPal can kill just about micropayment system before it gets off the ground due to high transaction fees. And since we agree that a place like DonationCoder.com is well worth supporting, I'm curious for your response to 1p2U's idea of creating a revenue mechanism that doesn’t rely upon copyright (or patent):

-- It lets your readers pay you to write your blog!
-- It's a little widget you put on your blog
-- It lets your readers become paying subscribers.
-- Subscribers pay you a penny for each article you write.

Here are some details from the FAQ:
Why would anyone pay me?
Your readers want to encourage you to write!
If you write, they pay. If you don't write, they don't pay.
If you write well they continue subscribing, if poorly, they stop.
Your readers are your new publisher, paying you for your writing.

How does it work?
You register your blog's RSS feed with 1p2U and put the widget on your blog.
1p2U monitors your feed and has a record of your 1p2U subscribers.
1p is due to you from each subscriber each time a new item appears in your feed.
Readers become your 1p2U subscribers by clicking on the 1p2U widget.

Where's my money?
Your subscribers can pay their dues whenever they want - if at all.
As soon as they do pay, you can start withdrawing your earnings.
Your other readers are unaffected and still read your blog without paying you a penny.
You are not charging people to read your words. You are letting people pay you to write them.

What's in it for 1p2U?
1p2U makes money the same way you do.
If you want to encourage the improvement of 1p2U you can subscribe to the 1p2U blog that publishes details of each improvement.
1p2U does not charge commission, does not insert 3rd party advertising, and does not spam or sell e-mail addresses.
1p2U is a project of Digital Productions and uses its Contingency Market web service.

.......................................
Crosbie Fitch is a UK chap who writes a very informed blog on copyright, digital data issues, intellectual monopolies, and other things. Worth checking out.

217

General Software Discussion / What is your preferred font?

« on: September 04, 2009, 01:01 AM »

There are about ten basic fonts that people tend to use with browsers, which makes me curious: What is your font preference for (1) screen/browser and (2) print?



................................................................

For readability, I like Neue Frutiger, since it looks great on both Linux and Windows machines.

218

General Software Discussion / Dying technologies: do you still use a printer much?

« on: August 26, 2009, 03:58 PM »

With the rise of online suites such as Google Docs, Zoho Office, the prevalence of PDF, Twitter, email, etc., are you still buying and using as much printer ink and paper as you were a few years ago?



Since HP's printing revenue continues to decline, I figure this must be the case. Or maybe it's because a lot of businesses are no longer in business.

219

Living Room / What happens to your online life when you die?

« on: August 20, 2009, 02:58 PM »

CodeTrucker got me thinking with this post recently: Is your online life in your will? Then by coincidence, Time magazine posted: How to Manage Your Online Life When You're Dead



...______________
As more and more people carry out their lives online, and as older generations make the digital move, there's less being stored away in dusty attics for loved ones to discover and hang onto. Letters have become e-mails; diaries have morphed into blogs; photo albums have turned virtual and come with tags. The pieces of our lives we put online can feel as eternal as the Internet itself, but how much of our virtual identity actually lives on after we die?
...______________
I wonder, what will happen to your online life -- or digital legacy -- when you die? And do you care?

220

General Software Discussion / Steven's handy desktop Linux guide

« on: August 20, 2009, 04:30 AM »

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols provides a nice guide toward Linux choices. It's short, so I copied most of it over.


(Links at source.)
________________________________________________
With so many desktop Linux distributions, unless you're an expert it's hard to know what's what. Since I've been using desktop Linux almost since day one, and I've used every major distribution out there and many of the minor ones, I think I qualify as a desktop Linux expert.  So here's my quick and dirty guide to picking out the right desktop Linux.

You're sick of Windows, but you don't want to spend a lot of time learning Linux. If that's you, get a pre-installed Ubuntu Linux PC. Ubuntu is easy to use, and you can get ready-to-go laptops from Dell and System 76 among other companies.

You no longer want Windows, or you're not interested in 'upgrading' to Windows 7, on your business PCs, but your office is using a Windows-based server infrastructure. If that's you, you're in luck. While some people really dislike Novell for partnering with Microsoft, if you want a Linux desktop that will work hand-in-glove with Microsoft servers and AD (Active Directory), Novell's SLED (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop) 11, is for you.

You want nothing to do with proprietary software what-so-ever. There are several desktop Linuxes that steer clear of any contamination from closed-source programs or drivers, and the Free Software Foundation has an up-to-date list of closed-source free Linux distributions. Of these, I like gNewSense the best.

On the other hand, if you want a Linux with some proprietary goodies, such as support for some Wi-Fi hardware or Windows media formats, you have two good choices. OpenSUSE, which like SLED, works well with the business side of Windows, and Mint, which is built on top of Ubuntu. I use both a lot and I can heartily recommend either.

If you want a Linux that has great community support, but is also right on the cutting edge of technology, Fedora is your distribution of choice. Fedora 11, I might add, is also an excellent distribution in its own right.

Finally, if you just want a Linux that works really well, let me recommend one of my personal favorite Linux distributions: SimplyMEPIS. MEPIS, which is based on Debian is remarkably stable, easy-to-use and full-featured Linux.

221

General Software Discussion / MS Word: Live by the patent, die by the patent? (rant)

« on: August 19, 2009, 12:51 AM »

Microsoft, Adobe, Apple, IBM, et al. are all guilty of chasing each other in the insane patent race. One has even gone so far as to patent gestures (such as diagonal movement across a phone screen), another downloading; gestures and downloading damnit! But this time, thanks to a patent-friendly court in East Texas (US), Microsoft gets kneecapped as a judge has issued an injunction that prevents it from selling Word 2003 and Word 2007 in the US after October 10th.



Isn't it time to rethink this whole process?

The patent system has long been distorted and corrupted by corporate money in the US. The main beneficiaries are attorneys. Why should the system change? Microsoft regularly rattles its patent portfolio when it wants to, and because of the system that's flooded with patent trolls and frivolous patents of every conceivable thought, it's on the receiving end.

Politicians are swayed by campaign contributions that help them stay in office, but also by the promise of lucrative lobbying jobs after they leave it. Indeed, the promise of post-congressional soft landings probably makes it easier to ignore the corrosive effects that patents have on betrayed constituents (as consumers).

- Need to slash greenhouse emissions to prevent the ice caps from melting? You have to do it without hurting the energy companies.
- Need to rescue the economy and reform the financial system? You have to do it without hurting Wall Street.
- Need to make healthcare affordable and available to everyone? You have to do it without hurting the insurance companies.
- Need patent reform? You have to do it without diminishing the influence of the corporations or the advantages of holding thousands of frivolous patents each.

So if you're waiting for anything to change, it's virtually impossible to get there from here.

222

General Software Discussion / Deciphering Win7 Upgrades: The Official Chart

« on: August 05, 2009, 01:43 AM »

Walt Mossberg asked, and Microsoft created a nifty upgrade path chart:

Over the past two weeks, in my Personal Technology columns, here and here, I’ve explained some of the challenges and limitations that will be involved in upgrading an existing Windows XP or Windows Vista PC to the forthcoming Windows 7 operating system, due out October 22. Several readers asked me to publish a chart showing which current versions of Windows could be easily upgraded to which planned versions of Windows 7, and which couldn’t. So I asked Microsoft to supply such a chart we could publish, and the company graciously did so. It is reproduced below, unaltered.


PNG version

223

General Software Discussion / Life with Linux: The series ... [Bob Sutor, IBM]

« on: August 03, 2009, 10:47 PM »

Bob Sutor went from Windows to Linux to Mac and back to Linux, and he chronicles his Linux setup in a series of posts. Quite nice.

224

General Software Discussion / 101 Lectures for Your Open Source Education -- Online College Tips

« on: July 30, 2009, 02:57 PM »

101 Lectures for Your Open Source Education

As a college student, open source philosophy has a lot to offer you. You can not only take advantage of the great resources open source has, but also become a part of a movement that shares more freedom of ideas. In these lectures, you’ll learn more about the open source philosophy and what it can be used for.

225

Living Room / Anyone have an i7 chip yet? If so, tell me how you like it

« on: July 27, 2009, 10:06 PM »

Trying to scrape together a plan for saving a few hundred dollars for an i7 chip/&MB late in the year or next year. If you have one in your system, what has been your experience with it so far?