Recent Posts

1576

Living Room / Re: Distrowatch is looking for an editor

« Last post by zridling on November 17, 2008, 10:39 PM »

Could be a good 'jump' job on the resume, and lead to bigger things.

1577

General Software Discussion / Re: Should licensed Vista users get free upgrade to Windows 7?

« Last post by zridling on November 17, 2008, 12:50 PM »

[Darwin]: My dream is that Micorsoft produce and market a single version of WIndows 7 that acts will upgrade older Windows installs and install the full version on new equipment and that ships with all functionality that is available at the user's discretion. Then, charge a realisitc price for it.

I've never heard anyone argue in favor of multiple versions and price schemes, except for Server/Workstation. Same for sensible, affordable pricing. So can anyone explain why Microsoft does it? (other than for more cash)

1578

Living Room / Re: Distrowatch is looking for an editor

« Last post by zridling on November 17, 2008, 12:46 PM »

I love and rely on DistroWatch, but no thanks. Column writing, which usually consists of 900-1500 words once or twice a week, is unusually exhausting. I write like I eat: impulsively. Thus the reason I have a deep respect for [interesting] columnists and bloggers who can consistently post clickworthy content day after day or week after week.

1579

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Countdown Timer Showdown

« Last post by zridling on November 15, 2008, 09:40 PM »

Also, if the author would have looked a little further down Karen's page, he would have seen Karen's Time Cop, which counts up or down minutes, hours, (or days). Used it since it came out and it's wonderful for letting me know when to make a call or get to a meeting when immersed in a project.

1580

Living Room / Re: Tech News Weekly: Edition 46

« Last post by zridling on November 14, 2008, 10:16 PM »

Speaking of spam, did anyone else notice the naughtiest Dilbert comic ever this week?

Do you know what the "lucky guess" refers to?

1581

Living Room / Re: How To Keep Hostile Jerks From Taking Over Your Online Community

« Last post by zridling on November 14, 2008, 04:25 PM »

Phantom zone? Seems misnamed; maybe 'Jerk zone'? 

1582

Living Room / Re: Now that is one happy cat!

« Last post by zridling on November 14, 2008, 04:23 PM »

Yea, that were some clever toons on that site. Loved the one about dating, too.

1583

General Software Discussion / Re: Add a computer to a cable

« Last post by zridling on November 13, 2008, 09:06 PM »

I'm not sure, f0dder, but that's a good question.

1584

General Software Discussion / Re: Lessons from 2 years without Windows

« Last post by zridling on November 13, 2008, 09:02 PM »

If you are considering making the move, do not listen to anyone who tells you Linux has equivalents for your favorite Windows programs. It does not and it cannot, and recent versions of anything rarely run in Wine. And really, if you are going to depend on Wine, why not just use Windows?

I agree with the author, Derrick, that using Wine is more trouble than its worth, and YES, if you're going to depend on Wine, then just stick with Windows (you'll be happier). Even though, the few apps I have loaded using Wine, I could not tell the difference in speed, specifically NewsLeecher, Photofiltre, and AutoHotkey. But OpenOffice 3 does run natively on the Mac now, and not within a windowed X11 session; also, it now tracks changes well.

Derrick, I'm wondering why you're stuck using Ubuntu. Why not Ubuntu Studio or Sabayon? Telling a Linux user not to customize is like telling an addict not to take another hit. 

I started using GNU/Linux in October of 2006, but then finally made a full switch a year later. I think what either a distro of one of the major Window environments must do is work on the small stuff that makes Windows and Mac so "useful." Linux's first focus is always on developers and their needs, and not necessarily common end users like myself. However, I've been surprised that my new digital camera works out of the box on Linux, as do all my HP printer(s), and any USB stick I can throw in it.

Until it becomes a major player in the industrial desktop market, the companies who have already spent decades setting the industry standard will not invest in bringing their big programs to Linux. Just accept it.

This will likely not happen anytime soon. The difference is cloud computing and SaaS solutions. Yes, the graphic professional needs photoshop, but the rest of us, the vast majority, never will. Same goes for corporations. In a company that employs over 75,000 people, with 55,000 of them using computers throughout the day, Linux devices are far more nimble and customizable than a Windows device ever could be. Check the netbook and smartphone markets to start with. I'm not arguing against Photoshop or QuarkXpress, but professional shops use those apps and their prices reflect that. Little ol' Zaine Ridling pissing around editing and resizing his own digital photo collection can get the same results from a hundred different free and shareware apps rather than shelling out $899.

If you treat your Linux desktop as the reliable place to handle basic tasks, enjoy games, chat, watch movies, and maybe do some small work on the side, then the software it has today is more than enough. Keep Windows or Mac for your actual workstation and equip them with just that—the software you need to work.

I've been able to make the switch quite well, but then my work has to do with data analysis and databases, not editing movies and graphics. Now if you use FileMaker, for instance, you won't get that kind of UI beauty on Linux, but I have to use MySQL anyway given the very large data sets I work with. So that depends on what you do as 'work.' For example, check out slideshare.net, which can import and use a wide variety of formats, starting with ODF.

1585

General Software Discussion / Re: easy backups on linux: timevault

« Last post by zridling on November 13, 2008, 07:54 PM »

Nice apps, thanks!

1586

Living Room / Re: Now that is one happy cat!

« Last post by zridling on November 13, 2008, 07:42 PM »

Wow, I had no idea this was one method in How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you! (Best just to look)

1587

General Software Discussion / Add a computer to a cable

« Last post by zridling on November 13, 2008, 10:31 AM »

One more reason I'm having a blast with Linux. (I will get one of these next year.)[via Glyn Moody]:
Here's a GNU/Linux-based computer the size of an RJ-45 jack:



Specs listed for the Digi Connect ME 9210 are said to include:
* Processor -- 32-bit Digi NS9210 75MHz (ARM926EJ-S)
* Security -- On-chip 256-bit AES accelerator
* Memory -- 8MB SDRAM
* Flash -- 4MB or 8MB of NOR flash
* Networking -- 1 x 10/100 Ethernet
* Expansion -- Flexible Interface Modules (FIM) with 300MHz DRPIC165X CPU
* Interfaces:
ooo High-speed TTL serial
ooo Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
ooo I(2)C v1.0 bus with 7- and 10-bit address modes
ooo 10 x shared GPIO ports with up to 3 external IRQ options
* Power management -- modes for on-the-fly clock scaling, low power sleep, and configurable scaling/wake-up events (EIRQ, UART, Ethernet, etc.)
* Other features -- software watchdog
* Operating temperature -- -40 to 176 deg. F (-40 to 80 deg. C)
* Power -- 3.3VDC @ 346 mA; 1.14 W typical consumption
* Operating systems -- Digi Embedded Linux; NET+OS (ThreadX-based

Don't miss the pix -- they are almost literally incredible. (via Wind River blog.)

1588

Living Room / Re: "What is Cody's breed?" Contest

« Last post by zridling on November 11, 2008, 05:09 PM »

Hell, all this time I thought Cody was a turducken. Darwin described such a species from the Beagle way back, no?

1589

Living Room / Now that is one happy cat!

« Last post by zridling on November 10, 2008, 11:02 PM »

Even the toughest coders need a break.

1590

General Software Discussion / Re: Should licensed Vista users get free upgrade to Windows 7?

« Last post by zridling on November 08, 2008, 02:16 AM »

Hi Ken! No, fortunately, my only personal experience with Vista has been has been with the x64 version, although I've installed a dozen or more 32-bit copies on others' computers.

Although I'm a Linux guy now, I see the role of the OS being diminished by what "I do" with a computer, which is access info via a browser, download porn, word process, text editing, photo editing, and video watching/some minor video editing. I can set up Linux to do all this comfortably and then the OS updates itself from then on, even kernel updates — all free of charge. You could also do the same with BSD, OS X, very well with Windows.

However, I want Win7 to be a success because so many of friends and family's hassles will be reduced. They deserve a good OS, and damnit, Microsoft should get serious about improving the user experience, not merely adding more layers of eye candy and DRM to the system. Win7 is a second chance to get it right, and for Microsoft not to spend the next year allowing the marketing department to hype non-existent features or enhancements. I will never forget Feb. 1st, 2007 after loading Vista, my only response was: Five years and this is what I got for my $299?

1591

Living Room / Re: Things your kids will never know - old school tech!

« Last post by zridling on November 08, 2008, 01:54 AM »

On the flip side, some "survivor technologies" continue on by reinventing themselves:

• railroads
  
• mainframes
  
• radio (satellite)

1592

Living Room / Re: Things your kids will never know - old school tech!

« Last post by zridling on November 08, 2008, 01:40 AM »

Hey, I was never smart enough to be an AV geek and handle the filmstrip machine. But I remember watching a lot of classic movies from them, and for the life of me, I can't remember the class in which we did it -- humanities? english? history?

[40hz]: Speaking of school technology - how about those tubs of white paste that had the consistency of peanut butter, which got doled out in scoops of for various crap craft projects. Then along came "stickies" and "rub-ons," and those little  bits of low-tech ended the days of "paste projects."

Those were the days, indeed. Man, those bottles would become so crusty and their 'sticks' would get so thick it was hilarious. Being a kid would suck today. Where's the fun; where's the danger of splitting your skull open from riding your tricycle!!

1593

Living Room / Re: Tech News Weekly: Edition 45

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 11:18 PM »

"Remote Buffer Overflow Bug Bites Linux Kernel"
- actually fixed back in early October when it was found (Ubuntu patched it within 24 hours). Another reason to open source drivers, so many eyes can see the problem.

1594

General Software Discussion / Re: Should licensed Vista users get free upgrade to Windows 7?

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 10:11 PM »

Vista-SP1 is actually quite fine, if you have the hardware to make it sing. After Win 7 comes out, just once I want John Hodgman to kick the Apple schmuck in the onions; commercial ends with him writhing and crying on the ground! 

1595

Living Room / Re: Christmas Gift Ideas Under $25... Make a List!

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 09:41 PM »

(1) Home made cookies
(2) Framed children's art
(3) Something cool from CafePress
(4) A cool hemp shopping bag from Reusablebags.com (these are seriously strong)

1596

Living Room / Re: Tech News Weekly: Edition 45

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 09:27 PM »

Ehtyar, I appreciate you pooling these stories rather than posting them individually. It's nice to come here and spend some time reading through quite a few of them. (And it makes it really easy to find them the second time around.)

1597

General Software Discussion / Re: Should licensed Vista users get free upgrade to Windows 7?

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 02:09 PM »

Yea, they really should give up on all the different versions. Call the server version something else. If they offered a flat price like Apple does (is OS X still $129?), then that would help. It would certainly make advertising easier. But hey, how about a "lousy economy" discount? 

1598

Living Room / Re: Things your kids will never know - old school tech!

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 02:06 PM »

Anyone else remember getting high as a kid when the teacher handed out mimeographed copies of tests? I can still smell that ink. Maybe that's why I can't give up sniffing glue well into my 40s. 

1599

General Software Discussion / Should licensed Vista users get free upgrade to Windows 7?

« Last post by zridling on November 06, 2008, 01:54 PM »

Seems like this would be money better spent than on hundreds of millions on strange and bad ad campaigns. And it's not unprecedented in the software realm. If nothing else, it might slow the trickle of users who are lured by Linux and OS X.

1600

General Software Discussion / Re: WINDOWS 7 THREAD (ongoing)

« Last post by zridling on November 04, 2008, 03:36 PM »

If Win7 is as good as this ActiveWin preview, then it will be pretty fantastic.

"It's safe to say I am overwhelmed, overjoyed and most of all excited about Windows 7", the author concludes.