Recent Posts

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General Software Discussion / How to choose the best Linux distro for laptops

« Last post by zridling on January 03, 2011, 05:23 PM »

Mayank Sharma helps you pick which Linux distro is best for your notebook over at Techradar.  He covers gaming, movies, and office work and plays it safe among Ubuntu variants, Fedora, and openSUSE. I'd buy a laptop because they're so cheap these days, but I'd never take it anywhere. So I'll keep building my own little desktops on the cheap.

652

Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?

« Last post by zridling on December 31, 2010, 06:19 AM »

The cloud and social sites have taken the bite out of so many traditional OS arguments. Except it depends on how you interact with your computer. For programming, Linux kicks ass, unless you're just going to stick with Windows programming. If you're needing any OS to get you online, then any of the big three will do. If you're a professional video editor or photographer needed Photoshop, you'll want Windows. If you've got money to burn every six months, buy Apple! And so on. Sounds like a lot of folks in this thread haven't actually used Linux recently for more than a day or so, decided it wasn't like Win7, and promptly hit the dump key. I contend that learning a new OS is like taking on a new job, or in some sense moving to a different country: it takes a while to get accustomed to its ways. Flying into Paris and asking everyone "Do you speak English?" is being an ugly American. Once you immerse yourself, Linux is stupid-easy. Even easier if you pick a distro and stick with it. Oh well, here's my response, and thanks Renegade, for posting this.

1. You’re Tired of Paying for Software
I just couldn't afford to any longer.

2. You’re Tired of Upgrading Hardware
I just couldn't afford to any longer.

3. You’re Tired of Malware
Oh yeah. I laugh everytime I read about AV software.

4. You’ve Seen One Too Many Patch Tuesdays
Nah, updating often is a good thing Microsoft does.

5. You Don’t Have the Time
No, I've had the time, just not the patience.

6. You Like Speed
Oh hell yea, especially on older/2nd gen machines. Doubling the life cycle of my hardware is sweet.

7. You Like Sharing
In what sense? As long as your software uses open file formats, we can share. Otherwise, I could care less because I'm not paying for Microsoft Office, period. If you have to use Powerpoint (the example the author uses), don't. No one I know uses Powerpoint unless they want to put a crowd to sleep.

8. You Don’t Actually Love Internet Explorer
Just one in the crowd these days.

9. You Want to Be in Control
I want to be DRM-free and open source as much as possible.

10. You’re One of a Kind
No, not at all. My computer works and looks a lot like your Win7 computer. Only mine is far easier to customize, upgrade, update, try new software, copy the OS to share with others, install as many times as I want on as many machines as I want, all at zero cost. With openSUSE, I've had no hassles whatsoever, and it trades files back and forth seamlessly among discs, USB sticks, and networked Windows computers in the house.

653

Living Room / Re: People Who Get Paid To Touch Your 'Junk'

« Last post by zridling on December 29, 2010, 10:30 PM »

Next time I need a prostate exam, I'm heading to the airport, not the doctor. Women get free breast exams, too, with x-rays!

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General Software Discussion / Re: What is next best thing to FARR for Linux?

« Last post by zridling on December 24, 2010, 10:09 PM »

Probably Launchy.

-mouser (December 24, 2010, 07:52 PM)

Ah, Ubuntu only.

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General Software Discussion / Re: What is next best thing to FARR for Linux?

« Last post by zridling on December 24, 2010, 07:51 PM »

Depends on what window environment you're using, most all of which are part of the distribution. KDE has a nice fast app built-in:



Otherwise, hit ALT-F2 and start typing. Programs will autofill immediately.

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Developer's Corner / Re: Every programmer knows there is one true programming language

« Last post by zridling on December 24, 2010, 07:43 PM »

If you ask me, it all went to hell after FORTRAN. (That was the only language I took courses in.) But that doesn't make me a bad person. Just a stupid one.

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Developer's Corner / Every programmer knows there is one true programming language

« Last post by zridling on December 24, 2010, 07:40 PM »

Brian Hayes talks about how we've created one programming language per week since FORTRAN. Holy cow.
http://www.americans...css.print/issue.aspx



If you want to be the complete polyglot programmer, you also have quite a challenge ahead of you, learning all the ways to say:

                      printf("hello, world\n") ;

(This one is in C.) A catalog maintained by Bill Kinnersley of the University of Kansas lists about 2,500 programming languages. Another survey, compiled by Diarmuid Piggott, puts the total even higher, at more than 8,500. And keep in mind that whereas human languages have had millennia to evolve and diversify, all the computer languages have sprung up in just 50 years. Even by the more-conservative standards of the Kinnersley count, that means we've been inventing one language a week, on average, ever since Fortran.

658

Living Room / Re: Apple, Champion of Censorship

« Last post by zridling on December 23, 2010, 08:12 PM »

This is the among things -- censorship, proprietary through and through -- that drive me nuts about the coming wireless takeover. In the US, the Obama administration's FCC just handed over wireless internet to the corporations, who will do everything they can to make sure you never get what you want online. They'll censor the "tier" off the internet so that you're forced to use their search choices, their mapping choices, their software choices, their "data" plans, and so on. In other words, when you buy a tablet computer, you're really just buying a big damn phone contract where every minute costs you up the yinyang.

I'm blue in the face from saying it, but I don't want to rely on a corporation to tend my data or to decide where I go and what I see online. I shouldn't have to buy your hardware to get where I want to go (online).

659

Living Room / Why I Don't Want an iPad for Christmas

« Last post by zridling on December 22, 2010, 06:52 AM »

Brett Arends tells us why he doesn't want an iPad for Christmas.



Among the reasons:
1. It'll be cheaper next year.
2. It's going to be better next year.
3. Check out those profit margins!
4. Competitors are coming.
5. No Flash.
6. The cost of the add-ons.
7. The games.
8. The waste.
9. It'll get boring.
10. The whole Apple cult is starting to creep me out.

660

Living Room / Re: Great Britain is frozen!

« Last post by zridling on December 21, 2010, 10:24 PM »

My bath outflow has frozen as well  

-Beth UK (December 20, 2010, 07:05 AM)

Wow, I feel for you. Many houses in Missouri (US) have basements. Mine is built into the limestone. If my sump pump stops working, I'm fine because I have a backup pump. However, if the electricity goes, I don't have a generator and I'm in trouble. (It's one of those rainy day items I never have the money for.)

661

General Software Discussion / Re: Word Lens goes viral

« Last post by zridling on December 19, 2010, 09:54 PM »

This could be really helpful in future iterations, assuming advances in smartphones. For example, if your phone had infrared or image intensifying tech then you could read things like signs or numbers in the dark or poor light. In its present version, you need both good light and a still hand.

Surely James Bond has one of these lying around somewhere, right? British DC'ers, help us out on this one; make a call to MI5 or Major Boothroyd if you know the number!

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Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by zridling on December 19, 2010, 09:44 PM »

Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream

When it comes to matters of money, most Americans tend to view themselves as reasonably prudent people, reflecting the puritan roots of their European ancestors. Yet, at the same time, Americans also seem to feel entitled to a lifestyle, individually and nationally, that is well above the rest of the world's, and well beyond our current means. Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream explores more than two hundred years of American politics and monetary policy to examine this conflict. In doing so, it asks whether the current understanding of the American Dream, one of entitlement, is so ingrained that to expect Americans willingly to live in a "deflated" world is unrealistic. This book simply and directly tells the story of inflation and public debt as enduring, and perhaps even endearing, features of American life.

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General Software Discussion / Word Lens goes viral

« Last post by zridling on December 17, 2010, 02:51 AM »

Taking us one step closer to Star Trek's "universal translator":
http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=h2OfQdYrHRs



But will it eventually translate a page from a German book into English?
________________________________________
[via engadget]:
Augmented reality and optical character recognition have just come into their own, beautifully intertwined into an instant translation app for the iPhone. Download Word Lens, pay $4.99 for a language pack, then point it at a sign and watch as it replaces every word with one in your native tongue. It's a little bit like Pleco, but without the whole language learning stuff. We just gave it a spin, and while it's not quite as accurate as this video claims, it's still breathtaking to behold -- especially as it doesn't require an internet connection to do any lookup. Sadly, it only translates to and from English and Spanish for now. Still, Babelfish, eat your heart out.

664

Living Room / Re: The minimalist lifestyle. Anyone here successfully implemented it?

« Last post by zridling on December 15, 2010, 11:39 PM »

The only part of the lifestyle I've mastered is getting rid of junk I don't need or use. Each year -- sometimes twice a year -- I go through every shelf, closet, corner, and space in the house and pull out things I either will never use again -- that book I've read and don't intend to reread, the tool I have a duplicate of, printer cartridges for which I have no printer for, clothes I don't wear, etc., -- and either find someone to give them to or I take them to the recycle station or dump yard.

My mom is a hoarder and I refuse to live like that.

[tangent]
The other thing is I don't do credit cards or loans (except to buy a car). I was in the bank recently and they were flustered that they couldn't loan me any money. I finally said okay and asked for a $2.5mn loan but they were thinking more like $5000-10,000. "No deal, then." I could do a lot of good with millions and if I defaulted, I could claim I needed a government bailout and that I should receive a huge multi-million dollar bonus for failing to pay the loan back!

They didn't fall for it, since that's how banks do business, but they didn't think it fair that customers should borrow on the same terms they get! That didn't stop them from bringing the branch bank president over to shake my hand and ask again if there was any way I would take a $10,000 credit card before leaving. "Nope, I'm good."

The funny thing was: I'M UNEMPLOYED! They knew that. And you wonder why they went broke!

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Living Room / Re: I wish I'd had this when I was learning physics

« Last post by zridling on December 15, 2010, 11:27 PM »

Forgotten all about this Jenny. Thanks!

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Living Room / Re: I figured something out about Apple's device restrictions: file management.

« Last post by zridling on December 08, 2010, 08:46 PM »

superboyac, I really appreciate you sharing what you're finding about Apple through these posts. It has educated me.

I have this fierce attitude that MY system is mine; that MY files are mine; that most of what I do is file management! But if the computer is not a tool, but a toy (or just another gadget to carry around), then files are the same as viruses. I'm sure Apple will go the cloud way and soon suggest: Let us control, er, take care of them for you: just upload them to OUR servers!

667

Living Room / Re: Unbelievable 3D Holograph (on 2D surface) from Zebra Imaging

« Last post by zridling on December 08, 2010, 08:38 PM »

Ho. Lee. Crap.

668

Living Room / Re: 5 New Favorite Sites

« Last post by zridling on December 06, 2010, 02:11 PM »

My infamous "Ding Dong Diet" consists of eating your regular meals -- at least 5-6 a day to keep up your strength. Then make sure to have your "protein shakes" -- usually these are large milkshakes from your local ice cream store. And finally, when you get hungry in between all that, you choco-load with Ding Dongs. I don't recommend it for the faint of intestine.

The diet ends when either you teeth fall out or you explode like the Monty Python character!

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Living Room / Re: 5 New Favorite Sites

« Last post by zridling on December 03, 2010, 06:06 AM »

Lutz, that's exactly the blog I need -- an author who explains the research! His explanation of why the Twinkie Diet worked is true to my "Ding Dong Diet" experience I conducted from 2007-2009. Too bad (for me) that the price of fresh/healthy foods are prohibitive.

670

General Software Discussion / Re: Microsoft's dropped feature is Linux's gain

« Last post by zridling on December 02, 2010, 05:45 PM »

Losing such a feature would be rough on Linux boys like me who prefer to keep their own data on one drive and the OS and apps on a separate drive. Upgrade the OS all day, data still intact. I even did that with Windows since the 90s!

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Living Room / 5 New Favorite Sites

« Last post by zridling on December 02, 2010, 05:39 PM »

It's the end of 2010 and it's time each of you to share your favorite new sites you've been reading lately. I'm constantly updating my "start page" and if you have time to read when standing in line, waiting on a meeting/flight, etc., here are five I've been surprised by:

• Give Me Something To Read -- The best from Instapaper, which was designed as an iPad app, but works as a standalone page. Install a little java bookmark, and anything you want to “Read Later” gets saved to your instapaper page (and synched to your iPad).  You can create folders for different groupings of stuff. It's a simple, single-purpose page, but it works well.
• Longreads -- What the name suggests: Longer form journalism, magazine stories, and interviews (1500 words+).
• zunguzungu -- From California to Tanzania, here's an excellent blog about how small the world is, and no matter where you are, you're affected. Politics, literature, film, nothing is exempt.
• Five Books -- Five Books interviews a leading expert each day, and asks them to recommend -- you guessed it -- five books on their area of expertise. Another simple idea, well executed.
• Fake Name Generator -- When you need to not give your real name and detailed info about yourself. Gender and country appropriate!

_____________________________________
Mine is focused on reading, but yours will be your interests, of course.

672

General Software Discussion / Microsoft's dropped feature is Linux's gain

« Last post by zridling on December 02, 2010, 01:55 PM »

Microsoft's dropped feature is Linux's gain? Not sure why Microsoft would do this, but the coding complexity of making it work might not be worth the time?
http://www.networkwo...-feature-linux-gains



"Companies usually spend time and money developing new and interesting features to drive upgrades, but Microsoft is taking a different approach with the 'Vail' release of Windows Home Server (WHS): It’s dropping the popular Drive Extender feature that lets users 'pool' hard drives to increase storage. In response HP is kicking WHS to the curb and using WebOS for its MediaSmart systems."

Engadget has a short report, too:
http://www.engadget....der-support-ms-sugg/

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Living Room / Re: The conflict of interest that is Google

« Last post by zridling on December 02, 2010, 01:40 PM »

This is one of the best topics ever on DC.

As others have pointed out with far better clarity than I ever could, the problem with Google is its ad plan. If you set in motion profit before content, then naturally the greedy are going to go straight for the web hits, or more specifically, the ad hits. Already you've distorted every single result of your search engine right there, not to mention opened it to corruption.

There are plenty of trolls -- i.e., columnists -- who will post something just to get hits, and then turn around and post the opposite opinion a week or month later, hoping no one cares enough to notice. But by then, they (or their company) have already been to the bank.

Just as when you travel, your best experiences are had when you get out of the big city, off the main highway, and don't eat at chain restaurants, I find the same is true when using Google. I can find anything I want using it, but I have to sift through increasing digital noise to get there. I think that's also why when you come across something fresh like Yippy or Bing, it's kind of refreshing (for a while).

674

Living Room / Re: December has arrived...Are YOU Prepared for Christmas?!

« Last post by zridling on December 01, 2010, 09:11 PM »

Never ready, but for a reason -- only because I don't "do" xmas. I celebrate Festivus, but then that's not so much celebration as rasslin. Can't stand my family, so I haven't seen them for almost ten years and the last time was a blowout argument. Life's too short to suffer abusive fools, so I'm glad to be relieved of not driving 575 miles to visit. As for presents, if I want it, I save up and buy it.

It's not as depressing as it sounds!    I'm just not a people person anymore.

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Living Room / Re: Five Reasons Why People Hate Apple

« Last post by zridling on November 30, 2010, 08:32 PM »

Just joking superboy. Use what works for you.