Ladies and gentleman, Windows XP is dead.
Say goodbye to annoying pop up balloons, and say hello to Ubuntu!
Sure, I am sad about the departure of Windows XP, but this just gives me more reason to transition to Linux. Windows XP was very productive for me (I'm using it right now), and I will continue to use my laptop for a few tasks that require Windows, but XP got in the way of a lot of processes, including my programming. It is considerably harder to program on all Windows operating systems than it is Linux.
Before I talk more about Linux, let me talk a bit more about Vista. I've used Vista before, and overall, it does seem to be a pretty good operating system for the common person. But not for me. After all, I'm not too common (I hope!). For example, Vista excels in searching and multimedia, but how often do I have to search for files and edit videos? Not often enough to upgrade to a new operating system. Also, Vista is a flashy, impressive operating system. The common, non-tech-savvy person will look at Vista and see nothing but shiny, slightly-transparent windows and cool transitions. They will not think of what's behind this. I want an operating system that is flashy on the inside, and not the outside.
Sure, Vista does upgrade some aspects of XP, such as symlinking. This is one aspect that I truly missed in the Windows operating systems that is present in all Linux operating systems. Unixware.it defines a symlink as ?a special kind of directory entry that contains a relative or absolute path to another file.? This means that if a file read ?a.txt?, and this file was symlinked to ?b.txt?, the program would be passed the contents of ?b.txt?. This addition in Vista is very useful, but the addition of this feature does not want to make me use it. Vista is just not productive enough for me. XP was horrible enough as an operating system, and Vista took it too far. Vista is too horrible.
Now that that's over with, I can talk about Linux. Since it looks like a lot of people have the same opinion as me, hopefully the number of people running a variation of Linux as an operating system will increase. However, few forms of Linux are available for the common person. Ubuntu is one of the only forms that I've seen that a non-tech-savvy person can actually install with ease, but hopefully the hate of Vista will be motivation enough to endure the transition from Windows to Vista. And besides, Linux is free!!!
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I am going to start a new series of blog entries in which I will review new or lesser known technologies and software I think people will find useful. This week the software is Xobni. Xobni is a plug-in for Microsoft Outlook and it loads to the right of your inbox in the Outlook window. Xobni tracks and indexes your email communications and provides some interesting information about each email. For instance, when you highlight an email message in your inbox, Xobni will show you the following about that email:
Happy teching,
Ryan Williams
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On June 17, 2008, Firefox 3 was officially released to the public on Download Day 2008. Mozilla's goal was to set the world record for the most downloaded software in 24 hours. They wanted to reach five million downloads, but they greatly surpassed it with more than eight million downloads.
Although Download Day 2008 is over, Mozilla is still keeping count of how many people download Firefox 3. At the time I am writing this, there are more than fifteen million downloads. When you consider the fact that about half of all these downloads were on the first day Firefox 3 was released, you realize that Mozilla did pretty well with Download Day 2008. There were also more Firefox downloads in those 24 hours than Mozilla has ever had in a single day.
The Guinness Book of World Records is currently processing Mozilla's attempt, and the final results will be posted sometime in the future on the Download Day 2008 website.
There are not too many noticeable changes between Firefox 2 and 3, but the navigation bar has changed a bit and the bookmarking system has been completely redone. Searches for bookmarks can be made using the address bar, and specific bookmarks can be assigned tags to simplify searches.
I am proud of Mozilla for their attempt at setting a world record, even if it is just a publicity stunt. This event has also shown just how many people in the world use Firefox. It makes one wonder if there would be as much unity between users of Internet Explorer, Safari, and the other web browsers.
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Backup files regularly.
This should be automated to happen every day, not once per week or less. I have seen companies go out of business because they lost their accounting data and didn't even know who owed them money.
Test restoring from backup.
It is important to occasionally test your backups to make sure they are working properly. I have seen companies have backups that complete successfully every day, however, when a restore was attempted, the business realized they had been backing up the wrong folder.
Keep a copy of your backups offsite.
This step is too easy and too important to ignore. Natural disasters, fire, theft, and malicious employees are just a few examples of times when an offsite backup may come in handy. With automated offsite backup solutions, this process does not even require effort.
Keep your anti-virus software turned on and the virus definition updates current.
This goes for every computer on your network.
Have a professional install and setup your firewall.
Just having a firewall on your network does not solve anything. It must be configured properly.
Install a web content filter on your network.
This will help guard against employees browsing the internet and accidentally clicking on internet links they should not and being tricked into installing spyware and viruses. It happens all the time, and no virus or spyware protection is 100% fail proof.
If you have wireless in your building, make sure it is secured with the latest encryption.
Most people would be surprised at how many wireless access points within businesses are completely unsecured and open to the public. Make sure your wireless is secure.
Keep all your software current with updates and security patches.
This includes Microsoft Windows, Office and other Microsoft products as well as your specialized business software solutions. In general, it is a bad idea to fall behind on the major updates to your software. Pay maintenance on your software and keep it current.
I hope you find this tech tip helpful.
Happy teching,
Ryan Williams
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Frets on Fire is a free open source Guitar Hero esque pc game. Turn you keyboard upside down in this fully customizable guitar emulation. Change everything from skin mods, to programming the songs yourself. Joystick support allows you to program not only your keys of choice, but also joystick and guitar controllers. Links on how to build your own guitar below. Frets on Fire is available for Windows, Linux and experimentally on OS X.
Links:
Frets on Fire Official Page
Frets on Fire Wiki
Alternative song creation software:
Freetar and Feedback
Instructables on building your own guitar controller:
Easy Guitar Controller
Make a Guitar Kit
How To Make a Custom Controller
Customizing your Keyboard
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I freakin love frets on fire! and much easier to install than the other guitar hero clone i was messing with.
Mozilla has recently announced their intent to set a world record with the introduction of Download Day 2008. Monitored by the Guinness Book of World Records, Mozilla wants to make Firefox 3 the most downloaded software in 24 hours by having the public pledge to download their web browser when it is released. The actual release date of Firefox 3 has yet to be announced, but it will be soon (possibly in June), as stated by Mozilla on the Download Day 2008 website. The date will be posted there shortly.
Firefox 3 will be a step up from its previous versions, boasting new features, security enhancements, productivity tools, and a new level of customization. Mozilla hopes to tower over the number of downloads of Firefox 2, which was 1.6 million, and hit the 5 million mark.
Right now, Mozilla fanatics are able to go to the website and pledge to download the program. When the official release date of Firefox 3 is announced, they will be sent an email announcement, but the actual record-breaking will start the second that Firefox 3 is released, and will last for 24 hours. Currently, the Download Day website hosts a map that shows how many people have pledged to download the new version of Firefox, and where they are from.
I just have one question in my mind. Strangely, it is not if Mozilla will actually accomplish this feat, but if Mozilla will ever try this again. Notice that the title is Download Day 2008. Will there be a 2009? Or 2010? Who knows....
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Today is an important day for freedom. With Obama's winning of the Democratic presidential nomination, all indications are that freedom is coming. It's coming in the form of another economic stimulus check. Another economic stimulus check? So soon after the last one?
Yes, and here is how it may all unfold. One of Obama's first executive acts may be to standardize all Federal offices to OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice is free, robust, stable and more than sufficient for 99 percent of government work. If any particular government office requires Microsoft Office, they'll be able to purchase it -- after explaining in a few sentences why OpenOffice is insufficient for their needs.
What do you get when all Federal offices standardize on OpenOffice? The effect of this is a second economic stimulus check. You get increased productivity at lower cost. Scratch that. You get increased productivity at no-cost.
But far more than that, you put this nation and the world on the path towards accepting free software as wholly mainstream. Within a few months of the Federal government standardizing on OpenOffice, several large U.S. corporations will standardize on OpenOffice. School districts will soon follow. State governments, more often followers than leaders, will pull up the rear.
Brazil, a country with great foresight and leadership, has standardized free software in their schools. That means 100 million students in Brazil will have several years more experience using free software than students in the United States. In a competitive, flat world market, schools in the United States cannot afford to be left behind like that.
Our students will be using Windows while Brazilian students will be using Linux. We can't afford to be falling that far behind.
The new leadership coming to Washington has the difficult task of correcting some very serious mistakes made in the past. A small, but important, first step is to switch all Federal agencies to free software. When you make wise choices, you become known for your wisdom.
Our civilization has reached a digital tipping point. Old way of doing things are no longer acceptable. And so we say: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty we are free at last.
Rejoice.
Phil Shapiro
The blogger is an educator in the Washington DC-area. He can be reached at: philshapiroblogger@gmail.com
i'm a hindu & i'd vote for obama, even if he were a muslim. learn to look at a person first, then decide if his religion will hinder his ability to govern
olddave208, I have been in Brazil for 24 years! I was born here and I can tell you that, more than a poor country, Brazil is, unfortunately, an inequal country. Free software here is one way to change the social inequality. Not only for "simply economics" reasons, but for giving people autonomy and freedom to change. I am happy most part of American People would vote in a Muslin or a Christian. And if you wnat to change: YES, YOU CAN!
To olddave208:
Dude, I guess you are way out of this world.
If you think Brazil is a crap place, ok, it is your sad opinion, but we, here from Brazil, are not so dumb and poor as many may think.
We have at least the option to choose what we want to use on our computers, no matter if it is free or paid. Too Bad you had to mess with my country, But I will do a thing with you, instead of curse and call you bad names, i will invite you to make a visit at my country. Yeah, come visit us here, and maybe, when you see things by yourself, you will change your mind about us, the poorish third wolrd brazilian people. Okay? =) (At least we are trying to grow in peace and helping the others as we can, not making WAR or trying stupid things.)
IF Obama wins or not, not my problem, Just don't come mess with others that have nothing to do with your own business, okay?
Peace
There are a couple of problems with Linux. For example, no Photoshop. I invested something like $800 in the package to build content for customers. Another fact, what about iTunes songs that we've bought and downloaded and are copy protected.
Until Linux gets more popular, it will be just a hobby box. Even yourself, you still can't get off of Windows as you have to use it for some tasks. That's not computing done right. That's like having 2 TV's. TV A can view all the channels but switches the channels slowly where TV B switches channels really quickly but can only view 60% of the channels.
Linux is great, but simply unfeasible. I have Ubuntu on my PC w/a 20Gb partiion.
I don't see the need to use 2 OS's. Use 1, it will save you lots of time... and who cares if 1 is slower and buggier.
Personally what I see the problem with Windows Vista... not the OS... but the users. Whining, just because they have to switch. Now, everyone stopped whining about the Mac... just move on. Jeeeeeez!