Here are a few links to apps I use on a regular basis (and a couple that are new to me). 'Mr. Modem' (aka Richard Sherman) promotes these in his column in the Fall 2009 issue of Smart Computing.

Firefox - if you're a Windows user and you're still using Internet Explorer, then you probably just don't know any better and really can't be blamed for your ignorance (in the non pejorative sense of the word of course). IE is a piece of crap. It's ugly, slow, and full of security holes. Microsoft refuses to comply with standards, and it makes the life of web developers a royal pain in the butt. Case in point, Google just came out with an add-on/plug-in, Google Chrome Frame, for IE that by-passes the 'guts' of IE and 'replaces' it with Google code, thereby eliminating the issues of web developers. This all came about because Google is coming out with 'Wave', and IE is not up to the task. With this 'add-on' web developers can now skip coding for IE, and just place a download link on their site, and IE users can then install the add-on to get the site to work properly. You've gotta love Google.

(old pic from Wikipedia)

Foxit Reader - why would anyone need a PDF reader when Adobe's Reader is free, and everyone who's ever needed to read a PDF document has probably already downloaded and installed it? Well, for starters, Reader is quite a big download. And on top of that it's slow and bloated. Foxit Reader is small, fast, and best of all it works (and it's also free).


Google Docs - Microsoft did a good job of cornering the market on Office apps long ago. When people get a new computer, one of the first extra programs they think they need to buy (that is, if it doesn't come default, or if you didn't choose to add it to your online shopping cart) is MS Office. We need to step back and realize that lock-in is a very bad thing. Choice is where it's at. Most MS Office formats can be accessed in other free programs, so there's no good reason not to try them out. If they work for you, great. If not, you're not out anything but time (which isn't necessarily insignifcant). If you already have a gmail account, you really have no excuse not to try out Google Docs. It's free, and you can access it from any web-connected computer.


OpenOffice - this is another free alternative to MS Office. Instead of being an online app, it's a download/install app. It's a bit of a big download (and some would argue bloated, much like MS Office) but it works great, and it's free. I use it on regular basis and love it.


Thunderbird - this is a desktop email app (download/install). I have multiple email accounts and I've configured Thunderbird to pull in my email from all of these accounts. I open Thuderbird and all of my email accounts are there. I can access all of my emails from one location. Even without being online I can see every email I've saved to my laptop. I can even write emails to be mailed once I'm back online. Thunderbird, along with Firefox, are the 2 big open source programs that got me into Linux.


Now, if you're a Windows user, security is a serious problem that can't be overlooked. My number one suggestion is to switch to Linux, or, if you're loaded (and not very techie) buy a Mac. But if you're stubborn and entrenched in the world of Windows, here are a few apps to check out.

Malwarebytes - According to Mr. Modem it "detects and removes malware other anti-malware programs often miss". There's a free version and a paid version (one time $24.95 licensing fee). I've never used this, but I've been hearing good things about it recently and if Mr. Modem recommends it, that says a lot.


Moon Secure (Beta) - This free anti-virus program is another app I've never used, that Mr. Modem recommends. If you're a Windows user, you really need an anti-virus program. There are a lot of good free apps out there, and if a techie I trust recommends something, that says a lot to me.


Now, here's something extra just for fun: Foodgawker


Be productive. Be safe. Enjoy!

Just a few brief mentions

Not a lot of interesting things this month, but there are a few things you may find interesting:

Laptop Magazine, July 2009

Ever take your laptop outside and wish you could see the screen better. This product from NuShield looks pretty great. I'm ordering a few of these later this evening:

• NuShield DayVue Antireflective Screen Protector Film (Surf Outdoors); $17; http://www.nushield.com

I'm making an effort to switch over to using open source (as opposed to proprietary/closed source) micro-blogging, from Twitter to Identi.ca. For now, I'm using both tho, and I'm looking for apps that help me use both. I always have Firefox running, so it makes some sense to look for a FF add-on. I've got 2 that I'm using now, but the jury is still out on these. To be honest, I'm not thrilled with them (very limited options).

• Twitterfox: http://www.Twitterfox.net or https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5081

• Identifox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10941

Linux Format, September 2009 & Linux Pro Magazine, August 2009

One app that I'm eager to start playing around with when I get the time is 'Tonido'. It's available for OS X, Windows, and Linux. The idea of Tonido is, you run your own piece of the 'Cloud'. To find out more about Tonido go to: http://www.tonido.com

Here's my review of Maximum PC August 2009

Not much for me to comment on with this issue. It was a decent issue, a lot of good stuff, just not a lot that grabbed me.

“Steal Mac OS X’s Desktop Features”

For Windows users, add these 2 apps, and mimic the Mac experience:

“Rocket Dock” – http://www.rocketdock.com

“Switcher” – http://www.insentient.net

I used Rocket Dock a couple of years ago, and while I liked it, it was a bit buggy at the time. From the screen shots it looks like it’s come a long way since then. I’ll be installing this one on my work laptop, en la mañana. Switcher, ... meh. I don't need it, but I can see how someone might.

“Software Mashups”

None of these really grabbed me, but I have to say, I love the concept. Maybe you'll see something you like: http://bit.ly/W1Er0

I know. I know. I haven't written an article for a while now. Most of the PC mags I've been reading haven't been too noteworthy.

I've got a couple of things to mention from PC World, July 2009.

So, here are the highlights, according to me. Enjoy!

SideReel is apparently a great pointer to great online content.


Megavideo is a supplier of video for the previously mentioned Sidereel. Don't go to the site to find videos tho. You must do a search to find content, so use the pattern 'showtitle +megavideo'; where 'showtitle' is the show you're looking for.

{can't get to the site right now, so no pics}

SupernovaTube is supposed to be about the same as above, but may be higher quality video. (use the same search techniques).



The folks at SwarmPlayer & EZTV might have something really great here. sounds like an up and coming technology for viewing content. Watch some shows and see what you think.

(SwarmPlayer)

(EZTV)

Adobe Reader warning: turn off Java Script, due to an unpatched security vulnerability. Edit -> Preferences, select JavaScript on the left and uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'.

(Adobe Reader - Preferences)

There's a good article on Facebook safety practices. Suffice it to say, err on the side of paranoia. Don't add apps. Don't add friends you don't know & trust. Don't share info with friends that you wouldn't want the world to know.

The free Web Browser "KidZui" keeps kids safe while browsing the web. Looks great.

(Kidzui)

Manage all your email from one interface, by using Gmails' "Get mail from other accounts" feature. I have to admit, this sounds pretty good to me right about now. I'm getting tired of setting up Thunderbird every few months.

Well, there you go. Hope you found something useful here!

Magazine highlights: Maximum PC July 2009

I subscribe to a number of PC & Linux magazines and each month I usually pick up a few more magazines from Borders or Barnes & Noble, that I don't subscribe to. As I read thru them, I always fold over the corner on a page that has something of interest to me, and put an asterisk next to it if there's a lot on the page. Once I finish going thru the magazine, I go back and collect all of the notes I've taken, and take notes, bookmark, or whatever. It's all really good stuff and I've been wanting a better way to hold onto this stuff, and then it came to me. I'm always looking for stuff to blog about, why not combine the two and blog about the magazines I read. People are always reviewing books, why not magazines. I'm not sure if it's ever been done before, but it could be a good service for people. They won't have to buy the magazine, nor read them. And I too can benefit, since my notes will be collected here, in easy to read blog form.

I'll try this for a bit, and see how it goes.

So, first up is Maximum PC, July 2009. I got it just a few days ago, and zipped thru it in about 3 days or so. After I finished, I sat down with the magazine at the computer and typed up these notes. Then I cut and pasted those notes here, and went thru them cleaning them up a bit.

So here we go.

In Windows XP, it seems to me that the 'Add/Remove Programs' (what a misnomer) has been a piece of $*#&! for years. Even the 'Uninstall' programs that come with most quality software is hit or miss; sometimes they uninstall and clean up quite nicely, and other times they royally muck things up. For a while now I've been hearing great things about a free alternative, 'Revo Uninstaller' (http://www.revouninstaller.com) and I've been wanting to try it out. Apparently it works magic with those hard to remove apps. The next time I need to remove something in Windows XP, I'm using Revo Uninstaller (and I'll do a write up about my experiences when I do).


Secunia's Personal Software Inspector (http://secunia.com) takes an inventory of your non-MS apps, and keeps you informed of what needs patching and how to go about getting those all important patches.


Phoenix Technologies' DriverAgent (http://driveragent.com) is a web-based app that scans your current hardware, and lets you know, which devices have updated firmware that you may want to get your hands on. If you're willing to fork over some $$, they'll be more than happy to serve those updates to you, but I'd just take a few screenshots, or print out the page, and then I'd go a-hunting for the needed firmware.


Now here are 3 Malware apps that might come in handy, SuperAntiSpyware (http://www.superantispyware.com) install then run it and remove what it tells you to, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org) same goes for this one, and Panda Activescan 2.0 (http://www.pandasecurity.com/activescan/index) which is a web-based scanner and won't fix anything for you just informs.


Here's an application I've used before, and it's one to keep in your tech toolbox. PC Decrapifier (http://www.pcdecrapifier.com). When you get a Windows PC there's often a lot of programs/trialware installed that you don't want and will never use and for a whole host of reasons its prudent to zap these buggers ASAP. That's where PC Decrapifier really shines. Believe me, I've used it, I love it, I highly recommend it, and I'm sure you'll love it too.



Tons of apps and services start up when you turn on your Windows pc, and R2 Studios' Startup Delayer (http://www.r2.com.au) enables you to be in charge of what runs, and in what order, and if there's any delays required (or desired). I know how frustrating it can be sometimes when you turn on your computer to check on something quickly, but you end up waiting forever for the startup services/apps to relinquish cpu cycles and RAM so that you can get on with whatever it is that you're trying to accomplish. This program is designed to help soften the emotional blow of this kind of situation.


Every Windows pc needs a good defrag once in a while (monthly perhaps) and the free app that MS supplies just isn't up to snuff. Diskeeper 2009 (http://www.diskeeper.com) steps in to do what the MS app can't/won't.


You may want to consider switching from the DNS service your ISP provides to OpenDNS (http://www.opendns.com/).


And if you want a better way to tweak those hidden settings in Firefox, check out Firetune (http://www.totalidea.com/download.php).


Well, overall it was a great Maximun PC magazine for the month of July 2009.

Star Trek Movie - Disappointing

I don't get it.

As a life-long Trek fan-boy (Trekker not Trekkie, I don't go to conventions, I don't dress up, and I sold all my books, more than 200, over a decade ago) I had high hopes that I'd love the new Star Trek film. With all the hype out there from die-hard Trek fans, Trek familiars, Trek noobs, and Trek haters, I really thought there was a good chance I'd like (dare I say love) the film, but alas, I didn't. I hesitate to say I hated it, hate is such a strong word, and it implies strong negative feelings. My feelings are not based on anger or hatred (or resentment for that matter) they're based on disappointment mixed with an all around feeling of 'meh'.

I went into the theater knowing that the film probably wouldn't fully follow along with the Trek cannon, and I was planning to be ok with that. And to be honest I was ok with it. What I felt was lacking most from the film was a good story. And on top of that, I felt that the acting was generally terrible all around as well.

The new Kirk (Chris Pine) was, for me, the best part of the film. The guy who played Chekov (Anton Yelchin) was actually pretty good too. While watching the film I actual had a number of moments of boredom, where I was checking my watch and wondering when the film was going to end. That's never a good sign.

The theater we were in was slam-packed, which I guess shouldn't be too surprising, since it's only been out just over a week, and it's getting loads of good press.

It I were to gauge the overall vibe coming from the crowd in our theater I'd say they seemed to love the film. Numerous times they were laughing out loud (I don't think I even cracked a smile thru the whole film) and at the end of the film they were actually clapping and cheering.

It really annoyed me when there were signature lines taken from the original series/films and the theater goers bust out in laughter. If it weren't for the crowd reaction, I may have smiled at those moments, but their laughter honestly ruined it for me. We never laughed in the old days at those lines. At most we'd smile and let out a 'huh'. Why now does it warrant excessive laughter? Now that I think about it some more, I think at the time I must have felt that they were laughing, not at the actual lines being said, but at the culture and traditions of the old series/films.

Bones was awful (a good caricature tho). Scotty wasn't too terrible. Sulu was meh. Uhura was hot, but she didn't have much of a role. Honestly I'm a fan of these actors, just not in these roles.

I'm also a huge Leonard Nimoy fan. I met him once at a local bookstore and he signed his autobiography. My wife even took a picture of us. We even share the same birthday March 26^th (different years tho). I thought he too was terrible in this film.

No doubt, the series had been run into the ground before this film, and as a life-long fan of the franchise I'd like nothing more that to see it alive and thriving. But I'm not so sure that this film will give it the shot in the arm it needs to resurrect what for many classic fans has felt dead for far too long. I'm highly skeptical about that prospects of me ever calling myself a Neo-Trekker or Neo-Trekkie. I'll certainly be keeping my eye on it, but I'm wondering if maybe our last hope is finally gone.

I'll stop here, since there's not much more to say. I wanted to like film, but I didn't. I didn't hate it, but I was hugely disappointed by it.

Live long & prosper.

Runcore 32GB SSD Benchmarking stats

Here's a link to the SSD I purchased from My Digital Discount a few weeks ago for my new Dell Mini 9.

A fellow twitterer @donikatz asked if I'd benchmark the SSD, and I decide to post the 'full' results here, since they're a bit longer than 140 characters.

I did some searching around for a program that runs on Linux that would do the job for me and I came up with bonnie++. Running the program and collecting the results was simple and painless.

The first run stats didn't wow me, so I decided to run it again to see if I'd get different results, which I did, and the second run results were more in line with the SSDs' 'advertised performance'.

I couldn't sort out the formatting for this text, so here's a screenshot of the data (click on the pic to enlarge it):



I went ahead and converted the numbers from (K) to (M) to make them easier to look 'digest'.

1st runs' summary:
Writes Chr - 3.76 M/Sec
Writes Blk - 14.41 M/Sec *
Rewrt - 11.43 M/Sec
Read Chr - 5.73 M/Sec
Read Blk - 68.73 M/Sec *

2nd runs' summary:
Writes Chr - 9.08 M/Sec
Writes Blk - 30.67 M/Sec *
Rewrt - 12.87 M/Sec
Read Chr - 11.32 M/Sec
Read Blk - 73.39 M/Sec *

My Digital Discount lists the read/write stats as:
Sustain Read Speed up to 78MB/s
Sustain Write Speed up to 44MB/s

That's a bit more than my 73 & 30, but still pretty good.

I haven't had a chance to really use the SSD yet, but from 'real world' experience with it so far, it seems a whole lot peppier than the original 8 GB that came with the Dell Mini 9. I didn't time it, but it certainly boots faster, shuts down faster, programs seem to open quicker, and copying files to/from flash drives seems quite fast as well.

All in all I'd have to say that I'm very happy with my purchase.

At lunch yesterday I went up to Best Buy to get a new VCR, since the one in our living room is on it's last leg.

Our home set up is such that we have Cable TV, but we don't have/need a box. The coaxial cable comes right from the wall and plugs into the VCR, and coaxial cable goes from the VCR to the TV. Apparently this is a rare thing these days, because stores aren't carrying VCRs like this any more. I've found a number of them online, but it's tough to find one with all the features I want/need, for a reasonable price (under $100). It seems to make sense to go ahead and get a DVD Recorder/VCR combo, since you get so many more features, for not much more then I'd pay for the VCR alone. The problem is, I need it to have a 'tuner' of some kind. My tech knowledge in this regard is seriously lacking. I'm not too picky about the quality of what I listen to or watch, probably because I'm cheap, so I've spent very little time learn all of the ins and outs of it all.

So, we pick up one of these combo devices w/ a tuner today and it's an LG (which in my mind means it's likely to be pretty good).

To make a long story short, I ended up taking it back to get a refund.

Most of our channels that we tape wouldn't show up when we did the channel scan. The signal coming into the house is analog. The device had a ATSC tuner. We first chose to scan 'TV' which picked up about half of our channels, and only about half of the ones we care about. Then we tried scanning w/ 'CATV', and that never seemed to finish, it kept getting stuck, and then we'd stop it, and there weren't any channels available. We then decided to look up this model online, and it was trashed everywhere we looked. No one seemed to like it.

So now we're a bit leery to buy anything, but we're desperate to get something, since the remote for the old one has lost much of it's functionality.

Oh well. I'm a perpetual newbie when it comes to Audio/Video tech (my interest lie elsewhere), but to my family I'm a Tech God, so there's always that.

Welcome!

This is my 3rd attempt at blogging. I joined twitter a short while ago, mostly to follow a few tech people, and I was surprised when a few people started following me. I hadn't even posted anything at that point. So I decided that since I had a few followers I'd start tweeting a few things every now and then. I have to say, I've really grown to like it. And I don't see myself quiting any time soon.

But every once in a while I have more to say than a few tweets allow for, so I decided to set up this blog for just those occasions; in which case I'll just tweet a link to this site where I'll post something a bit longer than a tweet.

This seems like the perfect marriage of 2 technologies for me. Hopefully you'll find it useful, informative, and maybe even entertaining.

Warm regards,