PC World - 18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn't)

Good article showing all sorts of useful (subjective) features that exist (or have existed for a while) in other OSes (Mac OS, Linux, PC-BSD, etc) that don't exist natively in Windows. Wow -- that's a fragmented sentence...

PC World - 18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn't)

-ZB

The 20 saltiest foods in America exposed - Diet and nutrition - MSNBC.com

This is scary stuff... salt certainly makes food taste better and often accentuates their natural flavors but it can and does wreak havoc on your body (kidneys especially). Check out this list of the most salted food in America!

The 20 saltiest foods in America exposed - Diet and nutrition - MSNBC.com

-ZB

Crapware: Superior Alternatives to Crappy Windows Software

A good list of alternative apps to the common characters... I'm using most of them :-)
Pearls of wisdom can also be found in the user comments (along with the usual noise).

Crapware: Superior Alternatives to Crappy Windows Software

-ZB

The Mac in business: it's easier than you think | InfoWorld | News | 2008-04-21 | By Galen Gruman

Another story about Macs gaining market share in the "non-creative" enterprise (ie not web / graphic designer companies).

The Mac in business: it's easier than you think

-ZB

The Great Ubuntu-Girlfriend Experiment « Content Consumer

Many Geeks have done the "Girlfriend experiment" with Linux. I know I have... many end with a similar result -- "Please put windows back on my system". Not for any MAJOR issue -- on many occasions it's just a matter of comfort. This is a very well put together article with explicit tests (and results) from a "girlfriend test" using the new Hardy Heron (Ubuntu 8.04).

The article itself is great but what amazed me more was the amount of feedback the author received (189 at the time of this posting) and the level of detail of said feedback.

Worth a look!

The Great Ubuntu-Girlfriend Experiment « Content Consumer

-ZB

Five important security apps for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows: Page 1

If you are reading my blog, chances are you know your way around a personal computer (whether a Windows, Linux or Mac). Here's a great review of some key applications you should have on your respective platform.

Some of these are open source and / or may have ports on the Windows side so don't limit yourself to reading your "OS du jour"...

Five important security apps for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows

-ZB

The Heron has landed: Ubuntu 8.04 officially released

It's hhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeee


Ubuntu 8.04 - Hardy Heron -- has flapped its wings and landed on servers around the world. I upgraded my main system yesterday. The update went flawlessly over the network. The system is as responsive (if not a bit more responsive actually but it's too early to tell). I did experience a bit of a VERY annoying hiccup. When I use the number pad (in a spreadsheet for example) -- the second I press a number key, I get logged out of the system... This is NOT good. I'll be looking on the forums for an answer for this one!

Apart from that one incident, I'm very pleased with the new OS.

Update: The fix for the annoying number pad issue I was having is to disable the "mouse control in keypad" under "Mouse Tabs" in the "Keyboard Prefs" -- happy Zombie, happy

The Heron has landed: Ubuntu 8.04 officially released

-ZB

Vous Pensez – The geekiest pants… ever?

I wonder if ThinkGeek will pick this up at some point? Gives you a good reason to touch your private areas ;)

Vous Pensez – The geekiest pants… ever?

-ZB

Linux examined: Ubuntu Hardy Heron

A decent article describing the virtues of Ubuntu as a Desktop for noobs :-)

Linux examined: Ubuntu Hardy Heron

-ZB

Fat, fatter, fattest: Microsoft’s kings of bloat | InfoWorld

This is a must read by all IT professionals. There has always been a sense that Microsoft was getting more and more "bloaty" with each release and that upgrading your hardware to run the latest release of Windows or Office was a necessity in order to achieve the same or better level of performance. This study compared each generation of Windows / Office vs the state of the art PC at the time and compared the performance and footprint. Conclusion -- Microsoft is getting fatter and fatter and essentially annihilating any speed bumps achieved from better hardware (RAM, CPU, BUS etc). Worth a read!

Fat, fatter, fattest: Microsoft’s kings of bloat

-ZB

Sternlab.:BodyTechnologyInterfaces

OK, uhm so, uhm... this is some strange stuff... It's like gloves or a hat (toque) that fits your body part and your electronics... just take a look -- odd.

Sternlab.:BodyTechnologyInterfaces

-ZB

The Ten Most Beautiful Computers

Not surprisingly, Apple has 2 of the 10 spots :-) I don't see a Cray anywhere though... oh well :-) I feel old looking at this article. I've personally used quite a few of these computers...

The Ten Most Beautiful Computers

-ZB

Microsoft Exec: UAC Designed To 'Annoy Users' - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

Nothing like purposely pissing off your client base... Talk about arrogance! I agree with the spirit of what they are trying to do with UAC but I must admit, it IS annoying :-).

Microsoft Exec: UAC Designed To 'Annoy Users'

-ZB

Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction -- Block 165 (3): 306 -- Am J Psychiatry

We all joke about being addicted to the net... it seems the American Journal of Psychiatry is looking at including this addiction as a very real disorder. I'll need my daily dose of prozac to get off the PC :-)

Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction -- Block 165 (3): 306 -- Am J Psychiatry

-ZB

The Fastest Ways to Kill a Virtual Team | Geekpreneur

I've been working in or managing virtual teams for many years. It is a HUGE challenge. I'm a fairly social person and it has always been difficult working with people you rarely or NEVER see. You don't have the benefit of breaking bread with your team and sharing non-work related stories over lunch. It is much harder to bond with your team when you only get 30 min or 1hr increments of time with them a week and that time is primarily focused on the task at hand. Here are some things not to do when working in a geographically disparate team...

The Fastest Ways to Kill a Virtual Team | Geekpreneur

-ZB

Add new functions to Canon’s Digital Cameras

OK -- Let me start by saying that I've not tried this... though it seems simple enough to back out of the change. There is an alternate firmware for many Canon digital cameras that allow for extra features like faster shutter speeds, longer exposures and RAW support etc... Might be good for those of you that want to squeeze more juice out of your digital cams :-)!

Add new functions to Canon’s Digital Cameras

-ZB

Open Source Decade: 10 years after the Free Software Summit: Page 1

This is a great interview article with many pioneers of the Open Source movement. No, Stallman isn't there - for those of you that like his panache... Interesting views on what's working, what's not and where people think the movement is going.

Open Source Decade: 10 years after the Free Software Summit

-ZB

Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Software Easter Eggs

In the spirit of Easter -- Top 10 Software Easter Eggs! Now these won't get you fat...

Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Software Easter Eggs

-ZB

Feature: Jailbreak Any iPhone or iPod Touch in 45 Seconds

My iPod Touch is still on 1.1.3 but I'll probably upgrade to 1.1.4 at some point in the near future. I'll be trying this method:

Feature: Jailbreak Any iPhone or iPod Touch in 45 Seconds

-ZB

Finished Installing Windows Vista SP1 ? Now Remove All The Junk Files

As everyone knows -- Vista SP1 is out -- when you installed it, you do however have the option of uninstalling the behemoth of a service pack. If you are committed (or should be for using Vista) to staying with the SP1, then save yourself some disk space and run the Vista Service Pack 1 Cleaner (creatively called vsp1cln <-- run it from the command line).

Finished Installing Windows Vista SP1 ? Now Remove All The Junk Files

-ZB