Best Of 2007: Twenty Top 10's of 2007

Lifehacker is a GREAT source for all sort of gems... Here is a round up of their best Top 10 lists of the year!

Best Of 2007: Twenty Top 10's of 2007

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PC World's Techlog PCWorld.com Year-End Stats: IE7, Firefox, Vista, Mac

Great stats on visitors to PC World's web sites...

PC World's Techlog PCWorld.com Year-End Stats: IE7, Firefox, Vista, Mac

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Ho-ho-horrible: album sales plunge 20 percent this Christmas

Interesting article on the demise of the CD... as a side effect, it will also ring in the demise of the "album" as we know it... The masses will pick up DRM-free music but will be very selective on their purchases. So getting the latest Alice Cooper "album" will be a thing of the past -- you might just pick up one or two tracks (the ones that hit the radio or the satellite broadcast).

Ho-ho-horrible: album sales plunge 20 percent this Christmas

Disclosure: I'm a HUGE Alice Cooper fan ;-)

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AOL Pulls Plug on Netscape Web Browser- Columbian.com

Netscape is dead. It's been a long time coming. I don't think Netscape ever recovered from Microsoft's onslaught early in the browser wars. But Netscape's little cousin Firefox is kicking butt and taking names ;-). Let's all have a moment of net-silence as this early trend setter of the World Wide Web retires into darkness...



Now go get Firefox!!!

AOL Pulls Plug on Netscape Web Browser- Columbian.com

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Pope's exorcist squads will wage war on Satan | the Daily Mail

The Pope believes in the Devil :-) And wants to crush him like a worm with prayer. It seems that the youth of today are corrupted by the internet and rock music... "The night time is the right time, the night time is the right time" (Adam Sandler reference). It's comments like these that are turning people away from the church -- at least IMHO...

Pope's exorcist squads will wage war on Satan | the Daily Mail

The Vatican is particularly concerned that young people are being exposed to the influence of Satanic sects through rock music and the Internet.

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21 ways to use old coffee grounds - Green Daily

Go green in '08 :-) I've heard of using old grounds as fertilizer but there are a lot of interesting ideas here...

21 ways to use old coffee grounds - Green Daily

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Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the very best in 2008! Happy New Year Everyone!!!

This is a great time to reflect on the year that was... take some time -- go back and look at the photos you've taken this year. Look at your busy calendar and see what you've accomplished! What would you have liked to accomplish? Are these goals still within reach? Make a plan and take some action!

All the best from my family to yours!


-ZB

Analyzing the svchost processes

Useful tip on how to discover what the mysterious "svchost" processes are in your Windows System...

Analyzing the svchost processes

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Feature: Lifehacker's 2007 Guide to Free Software and Webapps

Excellent list of software (PC and Web-based)... 'tis the season for lists... :-)

Feature: Lifehacker's 2007 Guide to Free Software and Webapps

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German ship fights climate change with high-tech kite | Reuters

Gas prices are too high -- tankers are now using sails... well, kites :-) Wind Power Rocks!

German ship fights climate change with high-tech kite | Reuters

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BetaNews | Free remote PC access for iPhone and iPod Touch

This is not really limited to the iPhone / iPod Touch... basically use Orb to provide streaming content from your home, pop open a port on your fw and stream your content vis Safari. :-)

BetaNews | Free remote PC access for iPhone and iPod Touch

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The Transistor's Birthday - Forbes.com

We owe most of the evolution in terms of PCs, iPods and anything IT to the Transistor. Originally crafted to replace the tube amplifier -- the transistor has been a key instrument in the increase of processing power as well as the miniaturization of technologies.

The Transistor's Birthday - Forbes.com

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Northern Lights energy source discovered - CNN.com

The Auroras Borealis (Northern Lights) are a sight to see. It seems that scientists have finally discovered (or verified the hypothesis) that the lights are created from charged particles flowing from the sun to the earth over magnetic fields.... interesting read!

Northern Lights energy source discovered - CNN.com

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Jamie Oliver to battle Mario Batali on Iron Chef America - Slashfood

Jamie Oliver to battle Mario Batali on Iron Chef America - Slashfood

Should be a good battle :-). My bet is on Mario... I wonder what the secret ingredient would be? I would love for it to be vegemite *evil grin*. All that remains to be said is: "Allez Cuisine!"

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The Associated Press: Netherlands Adopts Open-Source Software

The adoption of OSS (Open Source Software) seems to be a growing trend in European countries and municipalities. Looks like the Netherlands is the next to take the plunge.

The Associated Press: Netherlands Adopts Open-Source Software

The numerous European towns and cities, notably Munich, Germany, and Vienna, Austria, using open-source systems remain a tiny slice of the overall software market.

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Hospital software vendor McKesson uses Linux to heal IT budgets

Linux in hospitals to save money on back-end mainframes. Sounds like a great idea... here it is in practice:

Hospital software vendor McKesson uses Linux to heal IT budgets

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The World Series of Linux: Round 1 - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

You often see Linux pitted against Windows but you rarely see Linux vs Linux. You hear a lot of "religious" distro fanatics blasting each other but you don't often get a side by side comparison. This is part 1 of X? This time looking at the Debian-based offerings...

The World Series of Linux: Round 1 - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

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Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories - A Simple and Cheap Dark-Detecting LED Circuit

Interesting weekend project -- make a night light with an LED and a Photoresistor :-) NICE!

Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories - A Simple and Cheap Dark-Detecting LED Circuit

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Official Google Mobile Blog: Picasa Redefined for your iPhone

I tested this out this morning -- Picasaweb looks amazing on the iPod Touch :-) The more I play with this thing, the more I find it amazing... I recently picked up a iHome H6 and replaced my clunky Radio Shack alarm clock. Now I wake up to my favorite music or podcast... just amazing!

Official Google Mobile Blog: Picasa Redefined for your iPhone

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Divx 6 Pro for free

Get it while it's hot... this is a limited time offer... you do need to provide an email address to get the serial number (sn).

Divx 6 Pro for free

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Apple Announces Hit Television Programming Now Available on the iTunes Store in Canada

Confirmed -- Apple has finally made TV channels available in the Canadian iTunes store. Now if they can actually get good content in there, I'd be happier. It's a start!

Apple Announces Hit Television Programming Now Available on the iTunes Store in Canada

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Hey, HP laptop owners: click here to get hijacked | The Register

If you own an HP laptop -- stop surfin' the web (or run Linux ;)). Stupid programming error in an pre-bundled HP designed DLL opens up the PC to attack... surf with caution young Jedi.

Hey, HP laptop owners: click here to get hijacked | The Register

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"w00t" crowned word of year by U.S. dictionary - Yahoo! News UK

W00T -- :-) My spell check should be OK with that now ;-)
The impact of the internet on our language is in full effect ROTFLMAO ;)

"w00t" crowned word of year by U.S. dictionary - Yahoo! News UK

Official Merriam-Webster link: W00t

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100 Bill Origami IPhone Stand: The $100 iPhone/iPod Touch Stand Made from a Piece of Paper

Origami stand for the iPhone/iPod Touch... feel free to use a 1$ bill -- unless you want to use a C-note ;-)

100 Bill Origami IPhone Stand: The $100 iPhone/iPod Touch Stand Made from a Piece of Paper

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Michael Geist - Canadian DMCA Introduction Delayed

Looks like Canada's jump into bed with the record industry has been postponed... for how long? That remains to be seen...

Michael Geist - Canadian DMCA Introduction Delayed

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Top 10 Scientific Discoveries - 50 Top 10 Lists of 2007 - TIME

Top 10 Scientific Discoveries - 50 Top 10 Lists of 2007 - TIME

Worth a skim :-)

-ZB

Download details: The 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Weighing in at 220MB --- OFFICE 2007 SP1.

Get 'em while their hot!

Download details: The 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Microsoft Office Project 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1)


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Household: Folding t-shirts fast

I first saw this method of shirt folding over a year ago... I've been using it ever since. The video can seem a bit confusing but once you've got the hang of it -- it's pretty amazing. I find my shirts are folded much "thinner" and it's great for a small suitcase. Try it -- you might like it... if nothing else, it makes for a great party trick!

Household: Folding t-shirts fast

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Canadian copyright reformer: we'll deal with consumer concerns later

The Canadian Federal Government is looking to put forward a bill that would allow the CRIA (like the RIAA) to sue fans that download music like in the litigious US and A (for all of your Borat fans).

Canadian copyright reformer: we'll deal with consumer concerns later

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What's new in Blade Runner: The Final Cut?

Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies... I'm anxious to see this remastered work finally released. There have been rumors and chatter about this for over a decade and it looks like it's finally going to happen! W00t!

What's new in Blade Runner: The Final Cut?

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The iPod Touch - OSNews.com

Great review of the iPod Touch. I *heart* my iPod Touch -- this things kicks butt! I've hacked mine to get the 3rd party applications that I feel it is missing (a notepad like app is key for me). I would give the iPod Touch a 9/10 and a 10/10 if it had some extra applications (supposedly in Feb).

The iPod Touch - OSNews.com

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» Microsoft to deliver Office 2007 SP1 early | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

Office 2007 SP1 expected tomorrow (Dec 11th, 2007). I guess this is going to be one big-ass patch Tuesday. I wonder what this SP will weigh in at? Any bets? 200MB? 300MB, 400MB?

» Microsoft to deliver Office 2007 SP1 early | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

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Stay At Home Servers

LOL -- more details on Microsoft's mock-advertisement for Windows Home Server. This time it's a children's book entitled: "Mommy, Why is there a server in the house? -- Helping your child understand the stay-at-home server". Very well done and too funny!

Stay At Home Servers

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Hell's Kitchen gets game treatment - Joystiq

Is this Gordon Ramsey's "jump the shark moment"? A video game based on his "Hell's Kitchen" quasi-reality TV show... I don't know if this one will even make it to market... maybe I'm just daft with the pallet of an old sow...

Hell's Kitchen gets game treatment - Joystiq

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Feature: The 20 Best iPod Utilities

A nice set of apps to compliment your iPod . I use a few of these to convert Video to a iPod Touch compatible format.

Feature: The 20 Best iPod Utilities

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Linux.com :: All about Linux swap space

Good article on the Linux swap partition (or file)... concept applies to Windows and Mac as well. Good for people new to PCs and want to go a bit lower than the surface.

Linux.com :: All about Linux swap space

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Linux.com :: All about Linux swap space

Good article on the Linux swap partition (or file)... concept applies to Windows and Mac as well. Good for people new to PCs and want to go a bit lower than the surface.

Linux.com :: All about Linux swap space

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Canadian songwriters propose monetizing P2P in Canada

Thinking outside the box... the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) is proposing a monthly 5$ "tax" be imposed on every ISP subscriber in Canada for the "Right to Equitable Remuneration for Music File Sharing" -- with out motive for financial gain. To me, this is a license to pirate at a cost of 60$ a year.

It's an interesting view -- though I don't know if the Canadian (or other) record associate would go for it...

Canadian songwriters propose monetizing P2P in Canada


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Mozilla expands in China, inks agreement with Baidu

Baidu is equivalent to China's Google (good if you owned both stocks this year :-)). Looks like Mozilla had inked a sweet deal to include Baidu in Firefox's search bar...

Mozilla expands in China, inks agreement with Baidu

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Microsoft Watch - Vista - What Went Wrong with Windows Vista?

A very well written article on the top 10 challenges that Vista must face. I am particularly fond of the statement similar to: from "wow" to "whoa where's my stuff" to depict the drastic change in many UI components.

Microsoft Watch - Vista - What Went Wrong with Windows Vista?

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Windows Vista Users Hit With 'Purple Screen Of Death' -- Windows Vista -- InformationWeek

Nice -- Microsoft is getting stylish with its crash screens. Welcome to the purple screen of death!

Windows Vista Users Hit With 'Purple Screen Of Death' -- Windows Vista -- InformationWeek

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Top 10 Craziest Star Wars Tattoos - The Force in the Flesh

Pure coolness :-)

Top 10 Craziest Star Wars Tattoos - The Force in the Flesh

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5min - How to Properly Use a Kitchen Knife - Video

Want to chop like a chef? Use this technique :-)

5min - How to Properly Use a Kitchen Knife - Video

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The Fastest Way to Tie a Tie - How to Tie a Tie in less than 10 Seconds - The World's Biggest Show & Tell - life, diy

I really like these cool ways of doing common things differently. Look on Youtube or Google for the "ninja t-shirt folding". :-)

The Fastest Way to Tie a Tie - How to Tie a Tie in less than 10 Seconds - The World's Biggest Show & Tell - life, diy

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SiliconValley.com - Gibson shows new guitar with self-tuning robotics technology

I saw a video of this... pretty cool... must override for the grunge sound :-)

SiliconValley.com - Gibson shows new guitar with self-tuning robotics technology

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David Seah - Compact Calendar

For those of you that like paper-based calendars -- this is a cute one. Allows you to have a full-year small wallet-type of calendar in your pocket.

David Seah - Compact Calendar

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FileForum | Ubuntu 8.04 Alpha 1

Looks like Alpha 1 of Ubuntu 8.04 is available for test... I wouldn't put it on a production box but enjoy!

FileForum | Ubuntu

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First dot com .com ever in the world. symbolics.com cmu.edu purdue.edu rice.edu ucla.edu think.com css.gov mitre.org

Ever wonder which domains were at the forefront of the Internet wave? The wait is over :-)

First dot com .com ever in the world. symbolics.com cmu.edu purdue.edu rice.edu ucla.edu think.com css.gov mitre.org

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Microsoft wireless keyboards crypto cracked | The Register

Wow - these wireless keyboard / mouse combos are all the rage... think of all the information you can capture :-)

Microsoft wireless keyboards crypto cracked | The Register

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Canada steps up criminal background checks at border - Cleveland Metro News – The Latest Breaking News, Photos and Stories from The Plain Dealer

Ouch -- this is a bit harsh. I didn't realize that the Canadian border patrol was so strict... I've always had issues getting into the US from Canada but never the inverse... To quote Jim Carey:

"The man with the rubber glove was surprisingly gentle"

Canada steps up criminal background checks at border - Cleveland Metro News – The Latest Breaking News, Photos and Stories from The Plain Dealer

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The 10 Most Irritatingly Impossible Old-School Video Games | Cracked.com

Talk about nostalgia... Check out these old-school games... the pictures themselves bring back tons of memories (not all good). Many an hour was spent button mashing at these games or trying to time the jump or "fire" just right... makes my eyes misty really... Where are my MAME ROMS?

The 10 Most Irritatingly Impossible Old-School Video Games | Cracked.com

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Microsoft Report on IE Security Draws Mozilla Rebuttal

Mozilla's reply back to Microsoft that "IE is less vulnerable than Firefox". Frankly, it's laughable that Microsoft can publish such rubbish (I like that British word). Microsoft is notorious for 'hiding' patches / fixes and sneaking them into other updates like service packs. They hide behind their opacity and point at Mozilla's transparency as though it was a flaw... As the author states:

"It's something you'd expect from maybe an undergrad," he said. "It's very disappointing to see somebody in a senior security position come out and say that because an organization is more transparent about their bugs and fixing them, they're somehow less secure."

Microsoft Report on IE Security Draws Mozilla Rebuttal

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Tis the season for pomander balls - Slashfood

For me, nothing says the holidays like electronics... uhm I mean the smell of old traditions filling the house. No not Granddad's pull my finger tradition -- silly! The smells of food! My Grandmother often makes "pomander balls" (I didn't know WHAT they were called until I read this post :-)). Basically they are oranges with whole cloves poked into them... I tell you, this magical combination will make the house smell wonderful! Give it a shot -- start a tradition of your own!

Tis the season for pomander balls - Slashfood

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dayofbirth.co.uk

Cute site that lets you find out what happened on they day of your birthday, anniversary etc... Handy if you want to make a personalized card for a spouse, relative or friend...

dayofbirth.co.uk

-ZB

Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 2: Manual Mode and More

I suggested part 1 of this "Master your DSLR Camera" series a while back... Well, here is part 2. Many of us are self-professed amateur photographers and we've never taken courses or self-studied photography. Personally, I've done both -- I've rolled my own film and have spent my fair share of time in a real (as opposed to digital) dark room. This tutorial is a good refresher and a good overview of some of the SLR basics (digital or otherwise). Worth the Read! Get a clickin'!!!

Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 2: Manual Mode and More

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Stay At Home Servers

Microsoft is putting together a humoristic advertising campaign to promote its Windows Home Server product. Incidentally, I run this server at home and it's really nice... works very well to keep backups and for VPN over SSL access! Only 1 video here at the time of writing but I suspect there will be many more...

Stay At Home Servers

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n-blue | WL Messenger 9.0 Beta build 9.0.1407.1107

Some early screenshots of Windows Live Messenger 9... some pretty cool features slated: IM spam blocker, sign in from multiple PCs, custom sounds per contact... looking fw to it. They really need spell check and tabbed IM. Getting MessengerPlus! is fine but there's no reason not to have it IN the actual product.

n-blue | WL Messenger 9.0 Beta build 9.0.1407.1107

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BetaNews | TiVo launches in Canada, but without HD

What the Fuddleduddle (reference to Trudeau) TiVo! Canadians are not second class citizens... News flash -- the Loonie is worth more than the Greenback :-)

I guess TiVo has a surplus of non-HD PVRs and wants to dump them north of the border... hmm no thanks. Bell, Rogers and I'm certain that Shaw also provide PVR capabilities so keep your silly boxes - we don't need or want them...

BetaNews | TiVo launches in Canada, but without HD

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Monday Inspiration: User Experience Of The Future | Design Showcase, Monday Inspiration | Smashing Magazine

We've all heard of the multi-touch interface of the iPhone and Microsoft Surface. Here are some more examples of really nice looking interfaces that provide amazing End User Experiences:

Monday Inspiration: User Experience Of The Future | Design Showcase, Monday Inspiration | Smashing Magazine

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Top ten terrible tech products - Crave at CNET.co.uk

Blasts from the past such as the Apple puck mouse :-) Number 10 is Vista... ouch.

I've been posting lots of negative Vista articles here lately... Vista is a good OS -- I firmly believe it is an improvement on XP from a security perspective. The problem I have is that it is very bloated and bulky. The graphical 'improvements' are really not significant - especially when you consider the hardware required to enable the Aero Glass interface...

Top ten terrible tech products - Crave at CNET.co.uk

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Windows XP outshines Vista in benchmarking test - ZDNet UK

Wow -- this is a bit of arrogance from MSFT's side -- "The world wasn't 100 percent ready for Windows Vista". So it's the World's fault that the vastly bloated OS cripples even modern hardware...

Anyhow -- bottom line on this good article is that XP SP3 is twice as fast as Vista (with or without SP1).

Windows XP outshines Vista in benchmarking test - ZDNet UK

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mediabistro.com: FishbowlNY

BAM -- you're outta here...

Seems Emeril Lagasse has parted ways with the Food Network... I guess they couldn't pay him what the toothpaste companies were paying him. I still don't get the correlation between him and toothpaste (garlic breath maybe?)...

mediabistro.com: FishbowlNY

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Google Plans Service to Store Users' Data - WSJ.com

The topic of "GDrive" or Google Drive has been around for years. A place where users can store all (yeah right) their data in the "Google Cloud" of mass storage. There have been many companies that have tried this model in the past -- many have failed but some have survived (Xdrive).

Some clever folks have even devised a way to map unused storage from your gmail account into your Windows OS so that it appears as a separate drive. I've used this method for backups of my resume etc... and it works quite well.

The pricing model (or advertising model in this case) remains to be shared with the public but you can stand assured that Google will make something that will be free (and adequate for most) and will have an up-sell component to it (ex Picassa storage). Will it be ad-driven? That remains to be seen...

Google Plans Service to Store Users' Data - WSJ.com

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Web Traffic Snarls Sites on Black Friday

Happy Cyber Monday!

It seems that many people bucked the trend of lining up at Wal-Mart at 4AM to get a deal and decided to sip their coffees and eat left-over Turkey while shopping on-line last Friday. Black Friday seemed to have been a success at some of the brick and mortar shops as well as the online stores (like Victoria Secret - I wonder if the buyers were mostly male or female - I digress)...

It seems that today -- Cyber Monday -- will be a day where MANY people will be doing some shopping online -- nearly 1/3 of the US population in fact... and MANY will do so at work! Wait, listen, can you hear productivity declining as the clicks increase at Victoria's Secret? How do you explain that picture of the woman in panties on your screen to your boss?

Web Traffic Snarls Sites on Black Friday

"National Retail Federation on Sunday predicted that Monday will show a sharp increase, with '72 million consumers planning to shop online from home or at work tomorrow, up from 60.7 million in 2006 and 59.0 million in 2005.' The NRF survey found that 31.9 percent of adults will shop on Cyber Monday, up 17.3 percent over last year."

-ZB

Desktop Linux on the rise, Linux Foundation reports

The annual desktop Linux survey doesn't officially come out until next week but this preview is very interesting... on many fronts: The number of people who took the time to respond to the survey has doubled (to 20K), the level of confidence in the Linux environment and the biggest gripe over hardware support is no longer Wi-Fi :-) it's now printers... This last point is quite a milestone!

Great read -- looking forward to the full analysis.

Desktop Linux on the rise, Linux Foundation reports

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Skype encryption stumps German police - Yahoo! News

I found this a strange article... The German police don't seem interested in deciphering certain calls... If it was the US police, they'd be raiding Skype headquarters! Maybe it's the conspiracy theorist in me but this sounds like the setup of a honeypot... Any bad-guy reading this would naturally flock to Skype to "do their business" - I suspect the German police know how to unscramble the Skype and are looking for some "quick wins".

Skype encryption stumps German police - Yahoo! News

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Black Friday deal roundup - Engadget

Geeky tech roundup! Buy soon and buy often!

Black Friday deal roundup - Engadget

-ZB

Black Friday retail coverage -- straight from my laptop to you - BloggingStocks

Happy Black Friday! ...

Here are some deals you might be interested in while you line up at various stores today to save some moulah...

Black Friday retail coverage -- straight from my laptop to you - BloggingStocks

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» Memory test - Firefox 2.0.0.9 vs Firefox 3.0 b 1 | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com

Many of us are huge fans of Firefox... One issue that has plagued us for as long as I can remember is that our precious fox likes to eat RAM. The more pages you open he more it eats (naturally) but it doesn't seem to give much back when you're done (and keep the browser open). Here's a link so some promising results for Firefox 3.0 b1:

» Memory test - Firefox 2.0.0.9 vs Firefox 3.0 b 1 | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com

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YouTube could kill internet by 2010 News - PC Advisor

Good post about our growing and seemingly insatiable appetite for bandwidth. Teens and adults alike are contributing to the YouTube generation. This is obviously good for the geeks among us -- ISPs will need to increase bandwidth and capacity to give us bigger, faster and better connections (but at what cost?).

Companies such as Level 3 Communications (LVLT) should profit (for a change) over the next few years as this trend continues to manifest itself.

YouTube could kill internet by 2010 News - PC Advisor

Disclosure: Long LVLT

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Sysinternals Suite

If you're an IT geek that runs Windows -- you know about Sysinternals (if not, shame on your -- get learnin'). The tools are now available as a "suite" -- simply a ZIP that has the lot of tools in it. Pick it up -- it's amazing how much use you'll get out of it!

Sysinternals Suite

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First look at Firefox 3.0b1: fast, stable, and full of new features

As always -- Ars Technica provides a comprehensive review -- this time of Firefox 3.0 b1. I need to load this up on my Linux box -- it sounds VERY promising... I seriously don't know why people still use IE on Windows...

First look at Firefox 3.0b1: fast, stable, and full of new features

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Canadian report finds P2P might sell more CDs, CRIA sponsors objection

Goes to show how strong the lobbyists are... The government does a survey -- the industry doesn't like the results so they pull people from around the world to try and debunk it. Face it folks -- digital media is here to stay and you've got to give a little to get a little.

Canadian report finds P2P might sell more CDs, CRIA sponsors objection

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Port 25 : Technical Analysis: Recovering Data from Windows systems by using Linux

Pick up the PDF in this article -- gives a step by step to recover data from an unresponsive Windows PC (applies to any PC really).

Port 25 : Technical Analysis: Recovering Data from Windows systems by using Linux

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Catch a Glimpse of Firefox 3's Sleek, Sexy New Digs | Compiler from Wired.com

Beta 1 of Firefox 3 was released today -- it does not have the expected face lift yet. Here is a little preview of some of the aesthetics to expect in the next release of Firefox.

Catch a Glimpse of Firefox 3's Sleek, Sexy New Digs | Compiler from Wired.com

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BetaNews | Microsoft misjudges demand for new Zunes

Ooops -- MSFT thought they would sell much more flash-based Zunes... Seems the shelves are "well" stocked if you're interested.

BetaNews | Microsoft misjudges demand for new Zunes

Disclosure: I heart my iPod Touch

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Microsoft struggling to convince about Vista - Computerworld UK - The Voice of IT Management

90% of IT pros have concerns around migrating to Vista. There is always some resistance to change but this is a bit extreme!

Microsoft struggling to convince about Vista - Computerworld UK - The Voice of IT Management

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Visual Studio 2008

To all of your Windows bit pushers -- Microsoft has just released Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5. The express editions are also available.

Visual Studio 2008

Happy coding!

-ZB

Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 1: Program Mode

So you've taken the plunge and you've dropped some serious coin for a DSLR (or maybe you have a point and shoot) and want to learn more about the theory of taking good pics. This is a really good article that explains some of the features (in this case on a Nikon but the theory is the same for all cameras) available in "Program" mode. Runs through concepts on: Flash, ISO and White Balance.

I'm looking forward to the next part in this series!

Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 1: Program Mode

Get shootin'!

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How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight

11 Good tips on how to shoot when the light source is behind your subject.

How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight

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How-To: Find files on your computer with find | Debian/Ubuntu Tips & Tricks

Finding files in *nix has often been intimidating to those afraid of the CLI (Command Line Interface). This is a user-friendly view with examples on some of the basics that will get you going in exploring his powerful command.

How-To: Find files on your computer with find | Debian/Ubuntu Tips & Tricks

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Canonical to Provide Optimized Ubuntu OS Layer for VMware Virtual Appliances | Ubuntu

This is a cool offering from Canonical (commercial sponsor of Ubuntu). JeOS is a light-weight edition of Ubuntu that would be very handy to use in a virtualized ecosystem.

Canonical to Provide Optimized Ubuntu OS Layer for VMware Virtual Appliances | Ubuntu

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Microsoft Watch - Vista - IT Pros: If Not Vista, Maybe Macintosh

I'm posting this because I think the general sentiment expressed is more important that the title. I don't think corporations will drop Windows in favor of Mac (though I think the consumer could). Interesting stats in the article... take a look

Microsoft Watch - Vista - IT Pros: If Not Vista, Maybe Macintosh

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Police Charge Man in Movie Camming Crackdown | TorrentFreak

Careful if you're sipping a Double Double (slang for 2 cream & 2 sugar in a Tim Horton's coffee) in a Canadian movie theater and recording the feature ;-) Eyes might be watching!

Police Charge Man in Movie Camming Crackdown | TorrentFreak

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Download details: Vista Shutdown GDR

I use Vista for work -- if you're like me, you ABHOR waiting for a system to shutdown. I'm OK with it being slightly slower than flipping a light switch but NOT 2 minutes! This fix might help out -- I'll be installing it later today.

Download details: Vista Shutdown

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Change the default Command Prompt directory

Great tip for all of us command line junkies -- set your default start path in CMD. Technically, you can run anything with this tip... maybe even launch a script or three ;-)

Change the default Command Prompt directory

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PC World - Vista's Biggest Problem Remains Windows XP, Survey Says

XP is known -- it's relatively solid and it doesn't require 2GB Ram, boat-loads of HDD and a really good video card to give you some eye-candy. Companies have also standardized on the OS over the years... Why mess with a good thing just to say you're running Vista? Linux and Mac OSX are not Vista's competitors in the business world... It's Windows XP!

PC World - Vista's Biggest Problem Remains Windows XP, Survey Says

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Valve hardware survey shows Vista slowly gaining ground with gamers

Profile of a Gamer's PC through Valve's stats. Valve is obviously famous for their Half Life franchise... they have TONS of devoted fans with bleeding edge gear... or do they? Check out this article that runs through some of the highlights and also links to the survey itself...

Valve hardware survey shows Vista slowly gaining ground with gamers

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The Vista Death Watch - Columns by PC Magazine

Excellent article from John C. Dvorak about what he feels went wrong with Vista and how Microsoft can repair the situation -- of course the article is branded with his cranky styled humor as always :-)

The Vista Death Watch - Columns by PC Magazine

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wireless.itworld.com - Apple's new phones lead to iTypos

Having recently purchased an iPod Touch -- I can say that I agree with this article. The iPod / iPhone keyboard is nice but I find it difficult to use -- I have small tree trunks for fingers.

wireless.itworld.com - Apple's new phones lead to iTypos

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Early Adopter Download Of The Day: VMWare Beta 2.0 Adds Vista, Gutsy Gibbon Support

VMWare rocks (the product and the stock ;)). Download, try and enjoy!

Early Adopter Download Of The Day: VMWare Beta 2.0 Adds Vista, Gutsy Gibbon Support

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How to: Configuring conditional window transparency in Compiz

How to setup transparent objects in Compiz -- You can get some pretty trippy effects with this type of configuration.

How to: Configuring conditional window transparency in Compiz

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Change the Source Viewer in IE, Firefox and Opera

Have your favorite text editor (post a comment if you have anything to recommend)? Want to use it to browse web page sources? Here's a good hack to mod your fav browser to use your fav editor :-)

Change the Source Viewer in IE, Firefox and Opera

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Boeing Laser Avenger - Humvee Hunts IEDs and Bombs in Tests - Popular Mechanics

Move over H2 -- here comes something MEANER!!! Pretty cool technology...

Boeing Laser Avenger - Humvee Hunts IEDs and Bombs in Tests - Popular Mechanics

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Slashdot | Wal-Mart's $200 Linux PC Sells Out

Wal-Mart can't keep their $200 Linux machines on the shelf. Critics are giving the machine good reviews -- both from Linux noobs and l33ts alike. Ubuntu runs well on the boxes (of course) -- but don't try Vista on them...

Slashdot | Wal-Mart's $200 Linux PC Sells Out

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Slashdot | MIT Releases the Source of MULTICS, Father of UNIX

Download a piece of computing history :-)

Slashdot | MIT Releases the Source of MULTICS, Father of UNIX

"Extraordinary news for computer scientists and the Open Source community was announced over the weekend, as the source code of the MULTICS operating system (Multiplexed Information and Computing Service), the father of UNIX and all modern OSes, has finally been opened."

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Windows 7 "top feature request list" leaked to the public

Interesting little article about some of the ideas being bounced around for the successor to Vista.

Windows 7 "top feature request list" leaked to the public

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Note to self: Always use the scientific calculator

It seems that the trusty Microsoft calculator (calc) does not respect operator precedence when in standard mode... what a pain -- do like I do -- always use the scientific mode :-). PLUS -- it's geekier!

Note to self: Always use the scientific calculator

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Today @ PC World Hacker Alleges Crack of Upcoming iPod Touch Firmware

I recently picked up an iPod Touch and I <3 it! It's an amazing product! I just wish it had more applications -- especially a Notepad-type of application. I would love to be able to make a few "Notes to self" while out and about... It looks like someone has already cracked the upcoming firmware update...

Today @ PC World Hacker Alleges Crack of Upcoming iPod Touch Firmware

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Les pirates peuvent dormir tranquilles

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is throwing up its hands at Joe User music pirates... They recognize the sheer magnitude of the issue and would rather focus their energies on the larger sites / abusers -- unlike the USA where you can get a 200K$ fine for having a few illegally obtained MP3's on your PC.

Les pirates peuvent dormir tranquilles

English Translation

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Windows Vista Team Blog : TechEd IT Forum Europe, Day 1: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

We can expect quite a few announcements this week from the TechEd IT Forum in Barcelona Spain. Looks like MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack) has been updated + a re-branding of Softgrid to "Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5".

Windows Vista Team Blog : TechEd IT Forum Europe, Day 1: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

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Chocolate pudding is easy to make - Slashfood

The fall is a great time for comfort food... Pudding is up there with stew as comfort food :-) Here's a good recipe for Chocolate pudding *yummy*

Chocolate pudding is easy to make - Slashfood

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We're only Human after all: a review of Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon: Page 1

Good overview of the new Gutsy Gibbon Ubuntu distro... I'm happily running this on my primary home PC... I've just about forgotten about Microsoft at this point...

We're only Human after all: a review of Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon

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The Associated Press: Latest Additive at Gas Pumps: Google

Google maps from your gas station? Makes sense to me -- go to the gas station to ask for directions -- why not just ask the pump :-) It's a manly excuse to get directions... "I'm not lost honey -- I'm just getting gas and looking for a place to eat".

The Associated Press: Latest Additive at Gas Pumps: Google

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BetaNews | Canada's Sympatico Admits to Net Filtering

Grrr -- ISPs can suck sometimes (they often do). It seems that dear Bell Symatico has been limiting bandwidth to P2P protocols... You might get 800++KB/s when pulling something off of download.com but if you're pulling the latest Linux distribution from bittorrent, then you might only get 30KB/s.

Another example of big brother!

BetaNews | Canada's Sympatico Admits to Net Filtering

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HP unveils Windows Home Server systems

HP uncovers their Home Server! I was on the MSFT beta for this product. It is VERY good! Easy to use and setup. I have an RTM copy and will be installing it over my current RC build that I have in production. If you don't have the stomach to setup one of these types of servers using OpenSource Software, then I would certainly recommend you pick up either an HP device or one from another OEM that has signed on with Microsoft.

HP unveils Windows Home Server systems

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Microsoft Watch - Desktop & Mobile - Android: What Are You to Google?

I don't know that I agree with Joe Wilcox on this one... It's some Google bashing for being too similar to Microsoft -- saying that Google is arrogant. I think that Google is trying to do something VERY difficult -- they are trying to sustain neck-breaking growth. How are they doing this? Well, the PC market is a few 100 million a year... the cell phone industry is a few billion a year (unit counts not dollars). Uhm, what's wrong with that?

Microsoft Watch - Desktop & Mobile - Android: What Are You to Google?

Disclosure: I own Google (GOOG) stock.
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Bink.nu | Microsoft IT numbers!

We all know that Microsoft is a big company with deep pockets... check out their IT statistics... WOW!

Bink.nu | Microsoft IT numbers!

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Ubuntu to get visual refresh with Hardy Heron

Discussions on the new look and feel for the next release of Ubuntu... I hope they keep improving on the excellent work they've done so far!

Ubuntu to get visual refresh with Hardy Heron

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BetaNews | Seagate Settles Suit Over 'Gigabyte' Definition

What's in a GB? You might be able to score some cash or maybe some backup services if you've purchased a Seagate drive in the last few years... Seagate is settling a suit over how big is a GB (decimal view or geeky view as a power of 2)

BetaNews | Seagate Settles Suit Over 'Gigabyte' Definition

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[OC]ModShop - Enable Hidden Boot Screen in Windows Vista

Enable the Vista "Aurora" boot screen instead of the stupid Windows 2000 styled Vista bootup screen.

[OC]ModShop - Enable Hidden Boot Screen in Windows Vista

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Canadian Study: Piracy Boosts CD Sales | TorrentFreak

The gist of it is that if you pull down music from the internet, you will be encouraged to buy "cool" music that other people have never heard of.

Canadian Study: Piracy Boosts CD Sales | TorrentFreak

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Make Your Linux Desktop Look Like A Mac - Mac4Lin Project Documentation | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

Cool step by step walk-through on how to turn your Linux box into a Mac -- at least appearance-wise :-)

Make Your Linux Desktop Look Like A Mac - Mac4Lin Project Documentation | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

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More gnashing of teeth after Microsoft update brings PCs to a standstill | The Register

I think this is the 3rd time that Microsoft does something like that (that we know of) -- this time, it's pretty bad. It seems they've forced down Windows Desktop Search on several machines - this tool then launches into mass-indexing-mode which obviously has an impact on the user's experience with their systems... OUCH!

More gnashing of teeth after Microsoft update brings PCs to a standstill | The Register

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Companies Add Concierges to Retain Staff: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Back in the good 'ole days before the tech bubble burst, there was a lot of good times and interesting perks. This is very reminiscent of those days but I think large companies might be doing things a bit more responsibly this time...

Companies Add Concierges to Retain Staff: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

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Architect Fantasy » Blog Archive » Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) Pragmatic Visual Presentation Critique

A very well written article about some of the shortcomings in Ubuntu 7.10... for most, this are not very noticeable but for the long-term user these make sense.

Architect Fantasy » Blog Archive » Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) Pragmatic Visual Presentation Critique

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Meet Your Future Employee

This is a fascinating article about Generation Y (born 80's to late 90's). You MUST read this if you're in IT... Really good insight into the "new way of thinking".

Meet Your Future Employee

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Wolfram 2,3 Turing Machine Research Prize: News Release

For those of you interested in Computer AI -- you might be interested in this article about the Turing machine :-)

Wolfram 2,3 Turing Machine Research Prize: News Release

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Humans not evolved for IT security - Security - www.itnews.com.au

Short article on how our brains are not setup to assess security risk... fascinating but true.

Humans not evolved for IT security - Security - www.itnews.com.au

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Rico Clusters: An Alternative to Mind Mapping - lifehack.org

I've been a long time fan of mind mapping -- "Rico Clusters" are a variation on the subject. Pretty neat stuff that will help you dump ideas on paper (real or electronic) and then process / filter the output in order to find emerging trends / ideas.

Rico Clusters: An Alternative to Mind Mapping - lifehack.org

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Official Google Blog: Free IMAP for Gmail

This was quite a talked about story today -- You'll now be able to use Thunderbird (or other email client) to access your GMail account via IMAP -- cool stuff!

Official Google Blog: Free IMAP for Gmail

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Neowin.net - Dell No Longer Supports Vista x64...and Other Rants

Poor guy's journey through Dell support... I've had a very similar and painful experience with a monitor I purchased through them last xmas. NEVER AGAIN.

Neowin.net - Dell No Longer Supports Vista x64...and Other Rants

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IPhone's Security Rivals Windows 95 (No, That's Not Good)

All apps run as root on the iPhone -- oops :-) Hacker heaven anyone? Are we back in 1990 again? Watch out!

IPhone's Security Rivals Windows 95 (No, That's Not Good)

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How to Taste Wine - wikiHow

Good step by step guide to wine tasting :-) A favorite pass time of mine...

How to Taste Wine - wikiHow

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» Mozilla banks Google bucks; Builds a portfolio | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

Mozilla (Firefox / Thuderbird etc) made 66.8M USD off of Google adds and other initiatives... wow :-) I barely get a click on this blog :-(

» Mozilla banks Google bucks; Builds a portfolio | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com:

"Mozilla gets 85 percent of its revenue from Google."

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100 Reasons You'll Be Speechless

OMG -- I laughed out loud in public when I read the title of this page. It is Microsoft marketing so I knew it wasn't a Vista-bashing-fest but that was my first reaction.... entertaining read

From Microsoft -- Vista: 100 Reasons You'll Be Speechless

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SUPERGUIDE: The Open Source Challenge. How to replace Windows completely with Ubuntu. | APC Magazine

An update to a previous article on cutting the Windows tether...

SUPERGUIDE: The Open Source Challenge. How to replace Windows completely with Ubuntu. | APC Magazine

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WARNING: device driver updates causing Vista to deactivate | APC Magazine

Really bad end user experience delivered by the Vista Activation "feature"... Change your video card, call Microsoft to allow you to keep using your legal copy of Vista :-(

WARNING: device driver updates causing Vista to deactivate | APC Magazine

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Vista versus The Gutsy Gibbon - Ubuntu 7.10 >> Mixed Signals >> Rupert Goodwins's Blog at ZDNet UK Community

Great article written by a true geek -- gives a fair assessment of his experience with many different OSes. I totally concur with what he's published... Linux goes out of its way to get out of your way -- Vista goes out of its way to impose its own will...

Vista versus The Gutsy Gibbon - Ubuntu 7.10 >> Mixed Signals >> Rupert Goodwins's Blog at ZDNet UK Community

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Microsoft finally in "full compliance" with 2004 EU antitrust ruling

Looks like MSFT might have to license some of its IP to competitors... Should be quite interesting to see how this plays out!

Microsoft finally in "full compliance" with 2004 EU antitrust ruling

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Apple - Mac OS X Leopard - Guided Tour

This video is well worth watching. It's a bit long but really showcases some of the features in the upcoming Leopard release of OS X. Looks a lot like compiz-fusion and AWN on Ubuntu :-)

Apple - Mac OS X Leopard - Guided Tour

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PC World - Vista Is Still Plagued by Incompatibilities

After 9 months -- still lots of mainstream applications are not compatible with Redmond's latest OS.

PC World - Vista Is Still Plagued by Incompatibilities

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New Microsoft software takes aims at RIM customers | Tech&Sci | Technology | Reuters.com

Microsoft readies their System Center Mobile Manager product to manage Microsoft Smartphones. Is this a gap in RIM's model?

New Microsoft software takes aims at RIM customers | Tech&Sci | Technology | Reuters.com

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BetaNews | Experimental 'Functional' Language Emerges from Microsoft Research

Interesting programing language out of Microsoft Research -- a so called F# using mathematical function-like coding to achieve multi-threaded / network-aware apps...

BetaNews | Experimental 'Functional' Language Emerges from Microsoft Research

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Would-be identity thief finds himself stumped without printer drivers

Uhm -- don't steal an ID creating system and printer then call for support when you can't get it to work... Stupid criminal -- chalk it up to another example of natural selection.

Would-be identity thief finds himself stumped without printer driver

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Canadians to pay tax on downloaded tunes

Hey Harper -- Get out of our pockets! The music business might be in trouble -- adding extra taxes ontop of the existing costs hardly seems like a wise move when you consider that bands are giving their material out in hopes of higher concert and merchandising revenue. I don't buy music anymore... don't get me wrong - I don't pirate it either. I follow a good set of podcasts that help me feed my mind with information... Sorry guys - you lost me on paying for music when Napster came on the scene and now you've alienated me from coming back.

Canadians to pay tax on downloaded tunes

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Brewery offers lifetime supply of beer in return for stolen laptop

This was too funny not to post... Makes me want to go out and steal a laptop...

Brewery offers lifetime supply of beer in return for stolen laptop

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Linux: What's New in the Other 'Buntus

Ubuntu gets all the attention but there are other " 'Buntus" out there... Lightweight, KDE-based and Education-centric

Linux: What's New in the Other 'Buntus

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BetaNews | RIAA Finally Takes Aim at Newsgroups

OH OH -- RIAA targeting USENET. Where to hide next? :-)

BetaNews | RIAA Finally Takes Aim at Newsgroups

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Hasselblad H3DII-39MS - PhotographyBLOG

Like Photography? Got an extra 44K hanging around? Maybe you should look at this 39MP camera :-)

Hasselblad H3DII-39MS - PhotographyBLOG

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Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

WOOHOOO Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon is RTM!!! I'm downloading it now :-)

Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

My HDD is purring just waiting for it!

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FolderShare.com - sync files, sync folders, transfer files, share files, web download, access files anywhere

FolderShare.com - sync files, sync folders, transfer files, share files, web download, access files anywhere:

"Keep important files at your fingertips - anywhere. All file changes are automatically synchronized between linked computers, so you are always accessing the latest documents, photos, and files."

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Excel 2007 Web Data Add-In (beta)

I'm a geek for all things Excel. I've not installed this add-in yet but it sounds a lot like the intrinsic external data importer... I suspect there is more natural goodness in this add-in.

Excel 2007 Web Data Add-In (beta)

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» What’s really broken with Windows Update - Trust | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com

The string of stealth updates to WindowsUpdate have really got people peeved. This is a good OpEd type of article that talks about the main issue -- an emerging (some would argue steady growth in) lack of trust in Microsoft and its intentions.

What’s really broken with Windows Update - Trust | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com

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Download Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Beta

I wouldn't recommend you do this on your production system but if you want to join the beta team -- totally unofficially -- then you can fake out "WindowsUpdate" to allow you to pull down the bits. Then you can hack it to take the nag watermark off your desktop :-)

Download Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Beta

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PC World - Mozilla Working on New Mobile Browser

This may work in nicely with the speculation on Google's gPhone (GOOG to 750$ anyone? ;))

PC World - Mozilla Working on New Mobile Browser

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Photojojo » 12 Fantastic Fall Photo Tips — Our Extra-Crunchy Guide to Leaf Peeping

Interesting tips for Fall photography -- heat up your DSLRs and get snappin'. Fall is the most beautiful season (IMHO).

Photojojo » 12 Fantastic Fall Photo Tips — Our Extra-Crunchy Guide to Leaf Peeping

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Screenshot Tour: A Look at Ubuntu 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon" RC1

Looks sweet -- take a peek :-)

Screenshot Tour: A Look at Ubuntu 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon" RC1

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FileForum | TortoiseCVS

A new Release Candiate for Tortoise -- the ultimate subversion (free code management tool) client for Windows.

FileForum | TortoiseCVS

Great for all of you dev folks out there :-)

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New Scientist Invention Blog: Microsoft mind reading

You've undoubtedly seen the Bill Gates Borg image on Slashdot at some point :-) This looks like the next logical step...

New Scientist Invention Blog: Microsoft mind reading

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Windows Home Server in depth: the Ars Technica review: Page 1

This is a VERY comprehensive review of the Windows Home Server product by the team at Ars Technica. I was a Beta tester for this technology and I was quite impressed by the overall polish and functionality offered in this product. There are plenty of free alternatives in the Linux space -- I know... But for the average person, this would be a great addition to any home.

Windows Home Server in depth: the Ars Technica review: Page 1

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LXer: The LXer Interview: John Hull of Dell

Good interview talking about Dell's venture into offering Ubuntu on their hardware. All indications are they they are meeting targets and looking to expand to other countries.

LXer: The LXer Interview: John Hull of Dell

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Codec Guide: K-Lite Codec Pack and other useful stuff

Codec Guide: K-Lite Codec Pack and other useful stuff

Downloading a large media file and not being able to play it is a large thorn in one's side... I always install the K-Lite Codec Pack on all my Windows-based systems... Install it and be done with un-playable media forever (well, at least until the next version comes out :-)).

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World Food Day USA

World Food Day USA

"World Food Day, October 16th, is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness, understanding and informed, year-around action to alleviate hunger."

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Encrypted Ubuntu 7.10 - Step-by-step installation tutorial with screenshots! - Softpedia

Good play by play to have a fully encrypted disk when installing Ubuntu 7.10.

Encrypted Ubuntu 7.10 - Step-by-step installation tutorial with screenshots! - Softpedia

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Figuring the size of your emergency fund | Wise Bread

We all know we should have a reserve of funds in case bad things happen with our jobs, our house, our health etc... but how much is enough? This article provides some guidance:

Figuring the size of your emergency fund | Wise Bread

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Unusual Business Ideas That Work: Profiting From Visas And Passports

LOL - Bill Gates was prevented from getting a visa to visit Nigeria :-) At least temporarily...

Unusual Business Ideas That Work: Profiting From Visas And Passports:

"When Bill Gates applied for a visa for a recent trip to Nigeria, his paperwork hit a snag. The Nigerian government required proof that the billionaire chairman of Microsoft would not stay in the country and become a drain on Nigeria's social services."

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OpenOffice 3.0 Wants to Compete with Outlook - CyberNet News

Pretty good highlights on the expected new features of OpenOffice 3.0. I'm anxious to see this update (still a ways away {Sept 2008}.

OpenOffice 3.0 Wants to Compete with Outlook - CyberNet News

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iTWire - Getting grubby: Demystifying the Linux start-up processes

Good article on the Linux boot process... good background to understand how your PC boots (not just Linux really).

iTWire - Getting grubby: Demystifying the Linux start-up processes

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UK to look for ever-elusive link between WiFi and health problems

Now this could be a scary thought... There have been rumors of cell phone links to cancer for a long time now. This might be yet another...

UK to look for ever-elusive link between WiFi and health problems

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Consumer protection org warns: resist Vista, "back to the future" with XP

Consumer protection org warns: resist Vista, "back to the future" with XP:

"In yet another blow to the reputation of Windows Vista, the Dutch Consumers' Association (Consumentenbond) has recommended that customers who purchase new PCs insist on obtaining Windows XP over Vista."

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Trademark dispute could further delay Apple iPhone in Canada

Trademark dispute could further delay Apple iPhone in Canada

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Dell: Microsoft warnings haven't hurt Linux uptake - ZDNet UK

Dell: Microsoft warnings haven't hurt Linux uptake - ZDNet UK:

"Claims made by Microsoft that Linux violates its software patent have not affected sales of Linux-based hardware, according to Michael Dell."

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openSUSE 10.3 in review: A solid Linux desktop | tuxmachines.org

As previously stated, I used to use OpenSuSE at home -- I've seen migrated over to Ubuntu (7.04 for now). I still like to keep a pulse on SuSE -- here's a review of their latest version (10.3). It seems that they are continuously improving :-)

openSUSE 10.3 in review: A solid Linux desktop | tuxmachines.org

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Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Team Blog : SharePoint End User Training Kit now available!

Sharepoint looks good but it's a bit unnatural to manage (IMHO). Microsoft has finally made a Sharepoint Learning Kit that can be used to learn to wield the beast.

Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Team Blog : SharePoint End User Training Kit now available!

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Windows Users Fume Over Another Automatic Update Glitch - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

Windows Users Fume Over Another Automatic Update Glitch - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness:

"For the second time in two weeks, Microsoft is feeling the heat from users who claim the Windows Update service has been downloading and installing updates without their knowledge."

Git 'yer doll-laden paws off of my PC Micro$oft!

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Microsoft Watch - Business Applications - Microsoft's Big Mac Sales

Wow -- this is pretty amazing... I knew there were some good synergies between MSFT and Apple in the Office productivity space but these numbers are HIGH! I wonder if the numbers will go down now that the iWork is out???

Microsoft Watch - Business Applications - Microsoft's Big Mac Sales

Here's a big number: 20 percent of Microsoft Office's U.S retail sales are the Mac version, according to NPD. Here's another: Mac users account for 10 percent of retail Windows Vista Business and Ultimate sales.

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Mother's ire puts Ballmer on defense over Vista

Funny story about a mother @ the Gartner Inc Symposium ITxpo challenging Ballmer on Vista.

Mother's ire puts Ballmer on defense over Vista

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KeePass Password Safe

This is my favorite cross-platform password database and generator program. Don't ask me for any of my passwords -- I don't know them... I use 64+ character passwords for just about everything and I don't write them under my keyboard (where else would I save my gum?). KeePass is THE king of apps -- lets you use a USB key as a physical key for your passwords, allows you to generate your passwords via keyboard and mouse actions and stores your information using strong AES and Twofish encryption.

KeePass Password Safe

Use it - love it!

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BetaNews | First Linux Patent Infringement Suit Comes from Familiar Plaintiff

*sigh* -- Microsoft is hiding behind a 3rd party to sue Linux distros for what seems to be virtual workspaces... Jeez, I recall seeing this in REALLY early HPUX boxes and early Linux distros way before I ever saw this in a Microsoft product (and it had to be enabled via an XP PowerToy).

BetaNews | First Linux Patent Infringement Suit Comes from Familiar Plaintiff

One word: "LAME" (not not the MP3 encoder ;-)).

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Ubuntu 7.10 Release Candidate | Ubuntu

We're getting closer and closer to the release of Gutsy Gibbon!! Ubuntu 7.10 is scheduled to be released on Oct 13th -- in the mean time, the Release Candidate has been pushed out the door.

Ubuntu 7.10 Release Candidate | Ubuntu

Enjoy!

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Small Business - Days of Dell Deals

uhm -- OK -- Dell sells computers and some accessories. I get it... but WTF is this?? They are now selling Vacuums, fridges and microwaves? Maybe HP (HPX) is kicking their but so they need to venture into the home appliance market???

Small Business - Days of Dell Deals

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PC World - Business Center: Microsoft Adds Event Planning to Live Services

Yawn -- I thought I'd put this here for those of you that use Microsoft's spaces or "Live" features. This is a neat idea but hardly innovative. evite.com and meetup.com have been around for nearly a decade providing the same functionality... *Yawn*.

PC World - Business Center: Microsoft Adds Event Planning to Live Services

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Sticking it to l'homme: Canadian co-op forms own ISP : Page 1

Pretty cool story about some guys in Toronto that have started their own ISP by renting out lines from a wholesaler (indirectly to Bell Canada) and reselling them on the condition that the clients share their WiFi connection. Interesting concept (until WiMax gets turned on).

Sticking it to l'homme: Canadian co-op forms own ISP


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Strong Canadian dollar means Canadians pay dearly for Xbox Live, PSN action

Strong Canadian dollar means Canadians pay dearly for Xbox Live, PSN action

It seems that Canadians are getting a "boot" (get it... a-boot) when it comes to buying online credits for gaming consoles... when will Canadians ever get to enjoy their strong dollar eh? Maybe we need to advocate for the Amero!

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New Study Says Sleep Deprivation Costing American Employees Work Productivity

I think many people in the IT field (and other fields) are trying to balance family life with an increased demand from their work life -- they are failing and / or reducing sleep cycles to increase their odds at balance. This is particularly difficult when you add the globalization trend which requires you to span your time across many time zones... The impact of these trends on productivity is interesting...

New Study Says Sleep Deprivation Costing American Employees Work Productivity

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Firefox extension: DownThemAll!

This is a GREAT Firefox extension - I use it just about every day... It adds advanced downloading capabilities to Firefox and increases download speeds.

DownThemAll!

Use it - love it!

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Toshiba Recalls AC Adapters sold with Portable DVD Players Due to Burn Hazard

Toshiba Recalls AC Adapters sold with Portable DVD Players Due to Burn Hazard

Please stop using your AC Adapter and follow instructions immediately if this affects you!

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Mozilla aims Firefox at mobile devices | Underexposed - CNET News.com

Interesting turn of events -- Firefox for Mobile :-) -- I can see some synergies with Google's forthcoming mobile OS.

Mozilla aims Firefox at mobile devices | Underexposed - CNET News.com

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Ubuntu Linux May be Preloaded on PCs - Yahoo! News

Canonical Ltd., the company that supports Ubuntu Linux, is trying to work out a deal with hardware vendors such as Dell Inc. to make Ubuntu available preinstalled on servers.

Ubuntu Linux May be Preloaded on PCs - Yahoo! News

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Tokyo 2007 Preview: Personal mobility from Toyota, i-Real concept - AutoblogGreen

This looks like a really cool new design for a wheelchair type of device. Very interesting design and engineering.

Tokyo 2007 Preview: Personal mobility from Toyota, i-Real concept - AutoblogGreen

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And The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Madonna Dumps Record Industry

Radiohead, NIN and now Madonna -- looks like the record industry will need to do some fancy footwork to maintain some semblance of a business model.

And The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Madonna Dumps Record Industry

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Download Winamp Media Player 5.5 - Download Winamp Media Player for Free

Happy 10th b-day WinAmp... I still remember the old WinAmp 2.x
They've sure come a LONG way!

Download Winamp Media Player 5.5 - Download Winamp Media Player for Free

"Winamp -- it really kicks the lamas ass!"

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Blazingly Fast Internet2 Gets 10x Boost: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Wow -- 100Gbps to the desktop :-) Now that is bandwidth!!

Blazingly Fast Internet2 Gets 10x Boost: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Disclaimer: Long LVLT

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Tufts research aims to 'read the minds' of computer users

I believe I posted about this a while back but it's so cool I thought I'd post up this article as well... Imagine a laser pointed at your head that studies what mood you're in and allows that PC to react to it. Makes me think of the ancient water torture... :-)

Tufts research aims to 'read the minds' of computer users

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Computerworld - KDE's Windows weapon: KOffice 2.0

Long live competition!

Computerworld - KDE's Windows weapon: KOffice 2.0:

"While the industry is distracted by the ongoing tussle between Microsoft and OpenOffice.org over document formats, the KDE project is quietly preparing the next generation of its own office suite, KOffice, for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X."

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VisualWget

I haven't tried this one yet but since it's based on wget (something I use quite a bit in the Linux world), I thought I would post this.

Home - VisualWget

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Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update (Fix Available)

I reported a pretty serious bug in Excel a week or so ago. It seems that MSFT has fixed the bug and will try to get it into a future 'patch Tuesday' patch or at least in Office 2007 SP1. In the spirit of Patch Tuesday (yesterday) -- go git yerself patched!

Microsoft Excel : Calculation Issue Update (Fix Available)

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Meet the Google Broadcasting Company: AdSense video units are game-changing

Next gen AdSense... logical progression. Adds on video (sounds like commercials to me :)). I've toyed with AdSense on my site here -- I don't get enough traffic to make a dime off the ads. Maybe if some of you actually clicked on the ads to support me for a change! :-P *kidding*. I don't do this for money -- at least not yet ;-).

Meet the Google Broadcasting Company: AdSense video units are game-changing

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Starting salaries surge for computer science grads

We all had a hunch this was happening -- we've been seeing decreasing enrollment in the Comp Sci field for years now... Looks like the scarcity of laborers may be driving their price up... A step in the right direction for those of us that survived the dot com bust.

Starting salaries surge for computer science grads

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The Orange Box - 5 Games. One Box.

Now THIS is a deal! Anyone who likes FPS games knows HL2 and Valve. Half Life 2 has to be one of the most beautiful and immersive games ever. The game experience is amazing. If you're like me, you found Episode 1 much too short... Well Valve has released Episode 2 :-). As usual -- you can pick it up from the Steam console OR you can go to the store and pick up "The Orange Box". This has the original HL2, EP1, EP2 as well as two other games -- all for 50$. That is a sweet sweet deal if you've never played the HL franchise!

The Orange Box - 5 Games. One Box.

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Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October 2007

4 Critical, 3 Important... Patch early and patch often :-)

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October 2007

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apache friends - xampp for windows

I've dabbled in web development on and off for years... I thought I'd toss out links to a few OSS projects that have helped me setup a rapid development ecosystem at home.

XAMPP and WAMP are very similar in what they do -- read up on them and pick the one you like the most. My experience is with WAMP but I've heard good things about XAMPP as well.

• apache friends - xampp for windows
  
• WAMP
  

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Put an Office in Your Pocket - lifehack.org

Those USB keys are often used to transfer files -- many people (including some at the office) have been using them as a portable office by installing many of their productivity applications, browsers, email etc onto the pen drives.

Put an Office in Your Pocket - lifehack.org

Here's another article on how to set yourself up in case you're interested in test driving it.

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National Post: City outraged over mint fee for one-cent campaign

The Canadian Mint must be bored... they are going after the city of Toronto for the use of an image of a 1 Cent piece.

National Post

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The Atari 2600: The Box That Launched A Million IT Careers - Hardware - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

A bit of nostalgia :-)

The Atari 2600: The Box That Launched A Million IT Careers - Hardware - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

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McDonald's Launches Free Wi-Fi in UK Restaurants

Bravo McDonald's -- let overweight people stay sitting for longer by providing them with Wi-Fi :-) *I know, I know -- it's a broad brush*. I suppose I applaud them for inching us forward towards ubiquitous Wi-Fi. Some hotels are still charging upwards of 20$ / day for access to Wi-Fi... silly.

McDonald's Launches Free Wi-Fi in UK Restaurants

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Mac OS X and Linux Fail to Compare to Vista - In terms of growth - Softpedia

A bit of a shock tactic heading to this article. It basically shows that there are some upgrades from XP to Vista happening and that Linux adoption rates have doubled this year but not enough to make a dent in the juggernaut's market share. Apple is making consistent growth but it's hard to wrestle the MSFT gorilla.

Mac OS X and Linux Fail to Compare to Vista - In terms of growth - Softpedia

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BBC NEWS | UK | Boy in court on terror charges

I'm not a fan of censorship or "Big Brother" watching over everyone... If you defend against everything, you defend nothing (you're spread too thinly). Some poor kid in the UK is in court for having a copy of the "Anarchists' cookbook". I don't condone violence or the promotion of hate material etc... but censorship is a fine line.

BBC NEWS | UK | Boy in court on terror charges

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With 'phone' project, Google has mobile ad dollars in its sights - International Herald Tribune

Good article on what has been largely speculated in the industry -- that Google is working on a phone OS. Interestingly enough - it seems that Google is not really trying to compete with the likes of the iPhone but really trying to increase its revenues in the online advertising space by extending ads to the mobile phone business. It is also increasing its rivalry with Microsoft by joining the list of phone OSes like Microsoft's Windows Mobile.

With 'phone' project, Google has mobile ad dollars in its sights - International Herald Tribune

All in all, competition is good for you and I :-)

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Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick - lifehack.org

I've always been interested in social styles and psychology (read: social engineering ).

Four Rules to Understand What Makes People Tick - lifehack.org

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Global Entertainment Phenomenon “Halo 3” Records More Than $300 Million in First-Week Sales Worldwide: Xbox 360 console sales more than doubled; nearl

I think the post title speaks for itself... Who cares about movies.... look at the sales for a Video Game!!!

Global Entertainment Phenomenon “Halo 3” Records More Than $300 Million in First-Week Sales Worldwide: Xbox 360 console sales more than doubled; nearly 3 million gamers play online

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Microsoft Watch - Vista - Vista: None for All?

Another bearish view on Vista.

Microsoft Watch - Vista - Vista: None for All?

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Linux group calls Microsoft's bluff - vnunet.com

The Gauntlet has been dropped. Microsoft has been threatening the Linux movement with law suits for years over patent infringement but never wanted to disclose what (200+) patents were being violated. This group is saying "Put up or shut up" -- reveal the issues so they can be addressed or go away with the threats... IIt will be nice to see how this plays out...

Linux group calls Microsoft's bluff - vnunet.com

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The State of DirectX 10 - Image Quality & Performance - HotHardware

Direct X 10 came out with Vista and the DX10 capable cards have been out for a while now as well... I didn't know much about the technology other than it was supposed to revolutionize the PC gaming experience. This is a fairly comprehensive article that discusses the technology from an end user benefit perspective. Worth a glance...

The State of DirectX 10 - Image Quality & Performance - HotHardware

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Microsoft updates Vista's speed, stability, again | InfoWorld | News | 2007-10-03 | By Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

Looks like Vista users will be in for more updates to updates... I hope the startup / resume / shutdown speed patching works... Starting up and shutting down takes so much time (especially when I compare it to my Ubuntu box [on the same hardware]).

Microsoft updates Vista's speed, stability, again | InfoWorld | News | 2007-10-03 | By Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

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UC Berkeley puts hundreds of academic lectures on YouTube

Ever wanted to attend Berkeley but couldn't afford it (or simply didn't want to hang out in Cali)? Well, it seems that the University and Youtube have partnered up... Go 'git yerself an edumacation will ya!

UC Berkeley puts hundreds of academic lectures on YouTube

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China's Great Firewall turns its attention to RSS feeds

How sad is it that a country wants to isolate its people from information (and control information that circulates within the country as well). No more Chinese food for me... I guess they don't 'export' that so I'm not making a difference... oh well -- I guess I'll go eat some egg rolls.

China's Great Firewall turns its attention to RSS feeds

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openSUSE News » Blog Archive » Announcing openSUSE 10.3 GM

Before jumping on the Ubuntu bandwagon, I was (and still am) a fan of SuSE (or openSuSE). This is a very beautiful and "device-friendly" Linux distribution that is well worth looking at. Version 10.3 has just been released -- nice screenshots on this page as well:

openSUSE News » Blog Archive » Announcing openSUSE 10.3 GM

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Technology Review: Improving Athletic Performance

Lots of sports related stuff this morning :-)... This is pretty cool for all of you physical performance hungry folks. Where's my pizza?

Technology Review: Improving Athletic Performance:

"Researchers at the Imperial College London have developed a sensor worn behind the ear that can measure an individual's biomechanical data, such as his or her posture and gait, during an activity. The data is then wirelessly transmitted to a computer so that the wearer's performance can be measured and assessed in real time."

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Nike Amp+

Interesting new gear out of Nike:

The Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control is a watch and a remote for the Nike+ experience. Hear instant voice feedback of your time, distance, calories and pace when you add the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and Nike+ Ready shoes. Wear the watch alone for a stylish, unique timepiece.

Nike.com

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Windows Vista SP1 beta lacks 'wow' | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

No WOW for SP1... Though I have access to the Beta, I have not yet installed the SP on my work machine -- given the time it takes to install, I might wait until a weekend...

Windows Vista SP1 beta lacks 'wow' | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

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AFP: Russia marks Sputnik anniversary

Happpy B-Day Sputnik! I'll have a shot of Vodka tonight in your honor!

AFP: Russia marks Sputnik anniversary

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Even without math, ancients engineered sophisticated machines

Who says you need an expensive degree to make brilliant things happen (in fact some would argue that not having formal education frees your mind to look outside of scholastically-imposed notions -- WOW that was deep, even for me).

Even without math, ancients engineered sophisticated machines

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National Pretzel Month - Celebrate in True Philly Style!

October is National Pretzel Month!!! Yummy -- just love those pretzels @ baseball games. I wonder if this month coincides with national mustard month? ;-)

National Pretzel Month - Celebrate in True Philly Style!

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The 70 coolest free applications in existence - Seopher.com

Not a complete list and there are TONS of these lists around (check out the lifehacker site). I've used a vast array of these apps during my career and I've seen plenty of these lists. I always find gems in the comments of these list postings... take a gander.

The 70 coolest free applications in existence - Seopher.com


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SQL TOOLBOX: 20+ Tools and Lessons About SQL

I have always wanted to expand my fairly limited knowledge of Databases by picking up one of those "Teach yourself SQL in 21 days" types of books. Time has not been my friend in this endeavor... Please leave me a comment if you do have such a book to recommend!

Here is a site that seems to have a broad range of pointers to SQL (MSFT & mySQL) tools / tips:

SQL TOOLBOX: 20+ Tools and Lessons About SQL

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Chili Pepper Cocktail Blunts Pain: Scientific American

Now this is cool -- use tobasco to remove pain -- oxymoronic or simply moronic? Interesting read :-)

Chili Pepper Cocktail Blunts Pain: Scientific American

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FileForum | Picasa for Windows

Picasa for Windows v2.7 build 37.32. If you're anything like me (not sure why you would admit to this), you have a collection of digital pictures that you've amassed during the years and would really appreciate a way to catalog, view, repair and share. Picasa is a free tool from Google that allows you to do all of this and then some. Use it - love it!

FileForum | Picasa for Windows

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The AudioFile: Understanding MP3 compression

For all of your audiophiles out there -- or even those of you who have asked "What the heck is MP3 - I know it's digital music buy why M-P-3?". This article covers psychoacoustics to Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) to Napster :-). Incidentally, much of the theory behind the MP3 stems from the 1920's and 1950's - pretty cool. A really good read.

The AudioFile: Understanding MP3 compression

Enjoy

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Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Wi-Fi Boosts, Tweaks and Apps - Lifehacker

Great compilation of cool stuff to do with your wireless network :-)

Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Wi-Fi Boosts, Tweaks and Apps - Lifehacker

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Google tools for OpenOffice

As many of you know, I've switched - no not to the Apple - but to Ubuntu GNU/Linux. OpenOffice is the defacto Office suite in the Ubuntu distribution. Google's "writertools" adds quite a bit of functionality to this great Office suite.

writertools - Google Code

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Microsoft Active Directory Topology Diagrammer

Having had to suffer through incomplete or non-existent network / AD diagrams, this tool (if it works as designed) would be a godsend!

Download details: ADTD

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Microsoft SoftGrid PM Hints at Future

A possible glimpse into the future of SoftGrid in the hallows of Microsoft. I think the article has a few mistakes -- the release of System Center Configuration Management is actually SCCM (not MSSCM or even MSCCM).

Enterprise Desktop | Randall Kennedy | InfoWorld | Microsoft SoftGrid PM Hints at Future | October 1, 2007 03:29 PM | By Randall Kennedy

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What Microsoft doesn't want you to know about Vista SP1 - Computerworld Blogs

This is a bit of FUD but thought I'd post it anyhow... Talks about how SP1 allows other suppliers (Google) to integrate / replace into Vista SP1 (and displace Microsoft's Desktop search).

What Microsoft doesn't want you to know about Vista SP1 - Computerworld Blogs

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Slashdot | Major Linux Hardware Donor Is a CNN "Hero"

James Burgett's story is very inspiring... take two mins to watch his story here. He should team up with Al Gore :-)

Source: Slashdot | Major Linux Hardware Donor Is a CNN "Hero"

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Microsoft releases VoIP-enabled phone software

Hmmm a phone powered by Microsoft software... My security spidey senses are tingling. When you dial 911, will it go to windowsupdate? I'm just reminded of Microsoft's 'trip' into networking gear that flopped miserably. Anywhoooooo

Microsoft releases VoIP-enabled phone software

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BetaNews | After Losing One Appeal, Can Vonage Catch a Break?

Vonage is in HOT water again... I've been a long and mostly happy customer of Vonage -- I really do hope they can turn this around. Their product and service is really good and saves us a lot of money (unless you bought any of their stock lately *ouch*).

BetaNews | After Losing One Appeal, Can Vonage Catch a Break?

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Sony BMG's chief anti-piracy lawyer: "Copying" music you own is "stealing"

*Shakes head* want to go to jail for ripping music to your iPod?

Sony BMG's chief anti-piracy lawyer: "Copying" music you own is "stealing"

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A second attempt at making Applesauce: Microsoft launches new Zunes

Lots of buzz around the Zune today...

A second attempt at making Applesauce: Microsoft launches new Zunes

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Zune vs. iPod specification smackdown - Engadget

For all of you that listen to all of that "digital music stuff" -- you might be interested in this good comparison from Engadget: Zune II vs iPod.

Zune vs. iPod specification smackdown - Engadget

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Sleep: Reboot Your Brain with a Caffeine Nap - Lifehacker

hmmm Brain reboot -- just what I need :-)
I think I'm going to go grab a cup of coffee and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ <-- à-la Grampa Simpson

Sleep: Reboot Your Brain with a Caffeine Nap - Lifehacker

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Foxit Software

Adobe has done a great job at promoting the PDF format -- it is cross platform and ubiquitous on the internet. The common perception (which I share) is that Adobe Reader has become a bloated sack of protoplasm (Thanks Ren and Stimpy). It has become HUGE in terms of disk space and memory usage -- not to mention a fairly large attack vector for all of you security conscious folks out there.

Enter Foxit Reader. I've been using this software for quite a while now. I can say that I've had *some* difficulty in printing on the rare occasion but all in all -- it's small and fast (I know there's a joke here somewhere). Use it -- love it.

Foxit Software

For what its worth, it has my seal of approval.

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ScienceDaily: Technology Could Enable Computers To 'Read The Minds' Of Users

I wonder what would happen if you unleashed this technology on a zombie brain??

ScienceDaily: Technology Could Enable Computers To 'Read The Minds' Of Users

I would think that the result would be Elvis-like gyrations of the cerebral cortex...

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ScienceDaily: Alzheimer's Disease Could Be A Third Form Of Diabetes

Alzheimer's is a terrible disease... (I know, I'm stating the obvious). Family members of those afflicted with Alzheimer's suffer as much it not more than the patient... This article is really interesting as it talks about Alzheimer's possibly being a "Type 3 Diabetes".

ScienceDaily: Alzheimer's Disease Could Be A Third Form Of Diabetes

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Demonoid Returns, Forced to Block Canadian Traffic By the CRIA | TorrentFreak

Heard for the RIAA? Well, Canada has the CRIA and they are equally a handful! Though I do not advocate piracy, Demonoid is (was?) a GREAT torrent tracker -- granted they make illegal material available but they also have public domain content as well. It's too bad that governments and these types of agencies don't spend more time, effort and energy on health care and education... sorry folks - this blog isn't support to be political... We *heart* Canada.

Demonoid Returns, Forced to Block Canadian Traffic By the CRIA | TorrentFreak:

"The popular BitTorrent tracker Demonoid is back online after nearly a week of downtime. The website and the tracker are hosted on the same ISP, but Canadian traffic is blocked thanks to pressure from the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)."

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Scientists Invent 30 Year Continuous Power Laptop Battery

Scientists Invent 30 Year Continuous Power Laptop Battery:

"Your next laptop could have a continuous power battery that lasts for 30 years without a single recharge thanks to work being funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The breakthrough betavoltaic power cells are constructed from semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the energy source. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years."

This seems to have lots of promise! I'm a bit skeptical but that's just my nature...

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BetaNews | Microsoft to Debut Zune 2 on Tuesday

The Zune -- Part Deux

BetaNews | Microsoft to Debut Zune 2 on Tuesday:

"Microsoft will hold a event on Tuesday in Redmond to herald the second generation of Zune music players, BetaNews has learned."

Microsoft feels that the flash-based Zune will sell better than the previous incarnation. Microsoft needs to learn how to bring sexy back like Apple has. And come on guys --what's with the expression "squirt" - I mean seriously -- that's right up there with McDonald's McWrap (say it out loud a few times and you'll get it).

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The Old New Thing : Why did the shortcut template change in Windows Vista?

Things that make you say "hmmmm"

"Since Windows 95, when you right-dragged an item and selected 'Create Shortcut', you got 'Shortcut to X'. But in Windows Vista, the name is now 'X - Shortcut'. Why is that?"

The Old New Thing : Why did the shortcut template change in Windows Vista?

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Sony Reader PRS-505 - Press Release - MobileRead Forums

Call me old fashion but I still like the warmth and some would say the romance of reading and flipping the pages of a good book. There is something to be said about being able to carry your entire library in a device like a Sony Reader...

Sony Reader PRS-505 - Press Release - MobileRead Forums:

"In its version of a literary sequel, Sony Electronics is taking the cover off a new edition of its ground-breaking Reader Digital Book this month."

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EBay's Skype Bubble Bursts

Seems eBay might have spent a little too much on Skype... Investing in internet companies is always a risk. Personally, I think Skype is amazing!

EBay's Skype Bubble Bursts

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Bill Jelen Is Giving Away His Book For Free

Stop the presses! We all know (at least you should know) that the spreadsheet is THE killer app. The king of kings is Microsoft Excel. Bill Jelen (AKA Mr. Excel) is a prolific writer on the subject and has written many tomes to help people learn not only the basics but some of the more subtle and hidden idiosyncrasies of the program throughout its many incarnations.

Bill has a history of being quite altruistic with his content (last book was emailed chapter by chapter to subscribers of his podcast). Bill's yet to be released book is now being offered (in low resolution) for FREE at his web site.

Bill Jelen Is Giving Away His Book For Free

Though this book is free -- I encourage you to buy his book(s). They are EXCELlent (sorry - had to do that). Long live the pivot table!

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Microsoft prepares to take Office online - ZDNet UK

Microsoft getting scared of Google Docs? ;-)

Microsoft prepares to take Office online - ZDNet UK

Thanks Alex :P

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YouTube - Michael J. Fox Makes Stem Cell Plea

Having grown up with McFly -- this was a bit difficult to watch... I don't want this blog to be political so I won't talk about what side of the fence I'm on about this issue but I do hope for all humanity that this type of disease is cured at some point in our lifetime.



YouTube - Michael J. Fox Makes Stem Cell Plea

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