bitbol

I am finally back home with my own internet connection, and some time to spare. It took a while for me to sift through the last few days worth of RSS feed items. Here's what I found:

• Errors in Microsoft's "standard" could prove to be potentially dangerous, depending on it's implementation. Some of the formulas contained in it are incorrect. Microsoft shouldn't even be trying to make this a standard.
• Rudy Giuliani took a strong stance against medical marijuana saying that it is all a move to legalize it entirely. I am personally annoyed at the fact that he is denying all benefits of using marijuana for medicinal purposes because it may become closer to being legal. If it were legal, it wouldn't need to be sold on the street, and thus be safer than it is now.
• Michael Moore is demanding an apology from Wolf Blitzer. Blitzer criticized Moore and Fahrenheit 9/11 three years ago, even though Moore turned out to be right. Moore infers that he will only do live interviews because they will edit out his argument if they have time to do so.
• Want your liquids back from security? Simply take it from the bin.
• Dell offers Linux computers now, but there is a hidden mark-up. Only Windows computers are offered a $225 upgrade for free. To match that with a Linux Dell, you would need to pay the extra money. I can guess that later Dell will say "we tried, but they didn't sell well."
• Canadian airport security is wising up by allowing context to the use of "forbidden words." By this I mean that saying "my gun jammed" will not call the police, but saying "I have a gun" will. Basically, they're adding a touch of common sense to airport security.

My sister is having a lot of trouble with the Geek Squad. When my parents bought the laptop last year, the extra warranty was added for the accidental damage coverage. All I can say is that if a device is under manufacturer's warranty and Geek Squad, do not send it to the Geek Squad.

Labels: America, Computer, Dell, Giuliani, Michael Moore, Microsoft, News, Politics

Round-up, today environmentally:

• Five things that are worse than global warming. Basic gist: we're taking faster than nature provides. Trees are removed faster than they grow, we pollute more than time will decompose, etc. I would not consider myself to be a tree hugger, but it is sick how little people seem to care about the environment.
• An environmental group says that computers running all night cost businesses $1.7 billion. But the real gem is in the last paragraph: people just don't care. My computer runs all the time because it causes too much trouble to have to reboot it (read: time). Until the computer can intelligently determine when I am going to use it and power on/off accordingly, nothing is going to change.

New York is behind me now. I have a college campus tour Monday, then I am on my way home. I just learned today that my sister is taking my laptop on a trip in the coming week. Her computer is caught in the infinite loop of repairs, and seeing as I have another computer I can use, it is only suiting that I loan her this one. The real trouble is how I will be able to work, I always use this computer, it has all my files.

Labels: Computer, Money, News

News galore:

• AT&T is trying to set the record straight by refunding customers who were forced to buy accessories with their iPhone. The bad press was getting to them.
• Windows is losing developers quickly. In the last year, the number of developers has fallen 12%, which is something you notice.
• Firefighters are attacking Giuliani for his failures during 9/11. Among items on the list is false air quality assurances and the poor handling of those who risked their lives to save others. There is also the fact that h placed (or left) the emergency command in a building that had been previously attacked. I root for the firefighters.
• James Madison once said: "[I]f the President be connected, in any suspicious manner, with any person, and there be grounds [to] believe he will shelter him, the House of Representatives can impeach him; they can remove him if found guilty." We have a word for you Bush, it's "impeachment."
• Oh, and McCain is failing off the the tail. His campaign only raised $2M. That's bleak compared to Obama's $32M.

I made a second trip to the Apple Store today to make up for all of the things that I forgot to pay attention to. It was mostly the little things like the camera, where things like the power button was, and so on. It turns out that the speakers that I was looking at don't work- I think I just realized the problem: The Harman Kardon Soundsticks have a special volume adjustment that I totally forgot about.

Labels: America, Collections, Computer, Giuliani, McCain, News, Politics, President '08

...Fifth Avenue that is. First off, I didn't take any pictures because I didn't have a camera. Overall, I must say that I was very impressed (even at the building). I looked at everything that I could.

Considering how it was making such a big headline in the news, I played with one of the iPhones as they had them out on display. The interface is very slick, but I could easily imagine being caught in all the layers of menus. The "home" button helps with that though. The only drawback is fat-fingering. It is hard to be precise, but Apple did well with larger buttons.

The big reason that I was even there was to look and touch the Macbooks. I will be honest when I say that I am in love. It is slim, and very light- about half the weight of my current laptop. I think that most of things that I am worried about are primarily how well I will adapt to a new operating system. I have used Windows machines for as long as I can remember, so I have no idea how smooth it will be. I totally forgot to pay any attention to the camera, but that is very minor. Thinking back, there is a bit that I overlooked.

I also looked at the displays, as I plan to get one when I go to college if I am entirely impressed with the computer. An extra display would be nice for managing space, as well as to be used as a larger area for watching movies, something that I know is very common in college. From what I saw online, I was split between the 20" and the 23". I needed to get a feel for the actual size (20" is good). The 30" is simply enormous.

I may go back again later this week so that I can cover all of the areas that I now realize that I missed. I tried testing some speakers, but found that some other jackass was playing with another set, making it impossible to judge the Harman Kardon Soundsticks. In many ways, I am going to miss New York; I don't want to leave.

Labels: Apple, Computer, Life

I was reading an article about how Leopard looks like Vista. People in the comments got all riled up about the article, attacking each OS. But the real question is: who cares?

Does it really matter who came up with a feature first? If there is something new and revolutionary, the other would be foolish not to add the same feature. Firefox made tabs great, does that mean that nobody else can use them? No. The question at hand is not how did what first, but who does it best?

I don't care if little minutia details are copied from the other operating systems. The only thing that matters is how well each handles it and whether or not that makes a difference. Sure, Linux had "spaces" first, but Macs have other features too and as a whole, it works better than anything else.

Others may be bound to their own expectations. For some people, Windows works better. My sister refuses to use anything apart from Windows, but her criteria for a good computer is different than mine. She values different pieces more or less than I.

Labels: Apple, Computer, Microsoft

The most prominent idea at this years WWDC was Leopard. Steve Jobs listed ten new features in Leopard (plus hundreds more unsaid). Of course, that is not to say that everything was serious. The opening feature Johns Hodgman, PC, as Steve Jobs announcing his retirement and closure of Apple due to the tremendous "success" of Vista and the Zune.

He mentioned improvements made to Finder, and iChat; how Leopard is 100% 64-bit. He briefly covered Parallels and Windows apps. He announced "spaces" which received a smaller applause as it has been touted on Apple's site for ages. He also mentioned the dashboard and Timemachine, which makes it much easier to manage backups (works together with Finder).

He finishes the main presentation with more Vista jokes about versions and pricing (all $129). But thinking of Windows, Safari is coming to PCs. I'll have to try it out. At the very least, its speed is touted to be much better than Firefox.

While I was quickly looking for information on Apple, I discovered that they just redesigned their site. Things are somewhat easier to navigate (in my opinion). The most noticeable difference is in the store, where items are more spread out and are more visually appealing.

Now I'm just waiting for Leopard to come out. If I am going to get a Mac sometime soon, I would prefer waiting until the newest operating system is out. Why buy a new machine if the OS will be out of date soon? Hopefully the wait won't be too long because I'm not sure how long I can wait.

Labels: Apple, Computer

Since the school year is closing in, there is no homework, thus more free time. I must honestly say that I have spent much of my time browsing through Apple's product line. I've become obsessed with Apple.

It started this morning when I was thinking about a presentation a classmate had done. She brought in her Macbook to play music in the background. I was also trying to think of things to do on my upcoming trip to New York City. The only thing that I have come up with yet is: the Apple Store in SoHo. I got online to browse, and I lost track of time.

I have been looking primarily at the Macbook, as that is most likely what I would end up buying. I must say that I have learned quite a bit about Apple computers today. I found out that Macbooks have remotes, which I assume would control all the media options (music, video). And, Macbooks have a battery life of about six hours, or about five and a half more than my current laptop.

That was all I came for, but why not keep looking. I gandered at the Airport Extreme, which would come in handy if I were to ever get a second computer. The Airport Extreme would make printer/file sharing much easier to manage.

In line with the New York trip mentioned above, I will likely see my brother sometime during that trip, and I am planning to ask him to bring his Macbook Pro with him so that I can play with it. I have to get a feel for Apples before I will buy one. Also, he would be able to answer any questions that I have about them on the spot.

But if I were to buy anything, I would likely do so through my sister as she could get an educational discount, which would save over a hundred dollars. But thinking of such, my local Best Buy carries one iMac display model- that's it- no laptops.

Labels: Apple, Computer, Life, Rambling

Digg, a community comprised of tech savvy individuals, has recently gone nuts for monitors. It started with Al Gore's triple head Mac setup in TIME magazine. Then again today, where there was a blog post on more awesome Mac setups.

All this got me to thinking about myself. Since I have little intention of working on any type of online work, only to have it disrupted by school, I am holding off on any new computer. But when I do, here's what's going to happen:

Apple: This will likely be the first computer I will be getting, and it won't happen until next summer when I get it on my way to college. It will be a Macbook (possibly Pro). I will need it for the portability, as well as music.

I was just talking to one of my friends today, and she said that "once you go Mac, you don't go back." Apart from windows users not understanding the OSX interface, I have never heard anything bad about Apple computers.

PC: This one has room to sway. Right now I am planning a second computer to be a Linux computer, with Dell hardware, but this can change if I fall in love with the Macs, where I might just beef up the displays. Going on the Linux plan, it will be at least a dual head system, and each of the monitors would be a 22-inch widescreen. If it were to end up being a Mac, it would be like Nate Whitehill's, where the laptop would power the monitor:


Everything could change with time. I'm looking at trying to have two computers while in college. Right now, I am trying to find a way to add a second monitor to the family desktop that I use now, but it might obstruct the TV right next to it; there is a delicate balance. I also need to find drivers for the monitor, which is hard because it is somewhat dated.

Labels: Apple, Computer, Linux, Rambling

I left my computer on this afternoon. Firefox was open with a few tabs. No other programs were open, but my computer became so sluggish that no videos would play right. I opened the task manager to see what was going on.

I sorted the processes by memory usage and found Firefox was the culprit. I have since restarted the program, so it is now only using about a quarter of the memory that it was. I find this to be a big weakness of Firefox. I have known of the issue though reading online, but now I see the problem. I can only imagine if I were to leave it open all night.

Labels: Computer, FireFox, Rambling

With the Macbook and Macbook Pro duo, Apple has taken 10 percent of laptop sales in March. I just have to wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that people like myself not wanting anything to do with Vista- that they are getting a larger share.

The next laptop I plan on getting is going to be a Macbook. I have no problem ditching the years of learning the ins and outs of the Windows operating system. Apples look nice and come with a bundle of usable software (not craplets), which is worth the time it would to take get used to a new operating system. I'll have to see if I can play with my brother's Macbook sometime this summer.

Labels: Apple, Computer, News

In New York, one school has learned the costly lesson that throwing technology at kids does not work. In an effort to help the students, everyone was given a laptop to use during the school year. It is easy to guess what those computers were used for.

The computers were not only expensive to buy, but also the maintain and repair. Many students used them to look at porn, share info during tests, or just about anything else. The school was also barely capable of handling the network traffic from all of the computers.

In the slashdot discussion, the point was brought up that politician who start these initiatives have their efforts in the wrong spot. We should be wasting money on technology for kids, but spending it on competent teachers. Or, at the very least, get rid of the unions that destroy the school system.

Labels: America, Computer, News, School, Technology

There is currently unconfirmed reports that Dell will load Ubuntu on some of their computers. I would like to see Dell offer Ubuntu on principle, to show that they are willing to break away from Windows boxes, but I would prefer a different distro. Offering Ubuntu is a great step forward. Computer companies are starting to five users a choice in their computer. No longer is it a requirement to feed the devil in order to buy a computer.

Labels: Computer, Dell, Linux

After a considerable amount of time in online sales, Dell is looking to get into retail locations. The change in direction comes as Michael Dell believes that the demand for laptops warrants a retail location. People prefer the ability to touch the computers with laptops, and online sales do not offer that.

One of the key points that I saw brought up in the slashdot discussion is that Dell computers are the most hideous boxes ever created. The cases are nothing that anyone would leave visible. HP seems to have gotten the laptop design down, now Dell just needs to learn from them. (Neither company is any good at designing desktops.)

Labels: Computer, Dell, News

Quite a while back, I posted a little discovery about Dell's pricing, and how some things cost extra when bundled. Just today, I was pricing a possible computer to get for my birthday and I noticed that the price has been adjusted (from $360):


That sounds like it is good, but the price of the monitor itself was also lowered by just as much (from $330):


The price drop is likely due to the fact that there is a new model, but I still don't understand why they have consistently marked-up this monitor in bundles.

Labels: Computer, Dell, Rambling

Over the course of the last year, Apple's computer sales are up 88%. This fits nicely with the fact that Apple was top on the list of most trusted brands. According to my mom, the money I made from the jump in stock price is more than enough to buy a new computer, which I intend to do for my birthday.

I see this as no big surprise. People trust Apple, and don't trust Microsoft. People who were already on the line, are now switching because of the disaster that is Vista. I am one of the borderline people. I didn't mind Microsoft until all of the restrictions that come with Vista. Now I am a Apple/Linux person.

Labels: Apple, Computer, News

Dell is bringing back Windows XP by demand from consumers. Perhaps they are just now seeing that Vista is not selling and people would rather have a compatible system (XP) than a pretty, unusable system (Vista). I tried looking for the XP options, but haven't seen them on Dell' site yet.

Because of all of the issues with Vista, I personally refuse to even touch it. I have looked at display models in Best Buy, and there is nothing new (to me anyhow). The only changes are cosmetic, and most of the changes only make things more complicated than they need to be. Besides, there is too much dictation of what can and cannot be done with the computer. I prefer being able to use my own computer, and that is why I have drifted to Linux.

Labels: Computer, Dell, Microsoft, News

My birthday is coming up (in about a little over a month) and I am already planning what I want to get. In the past, my parents have always tried to get me things that I don't care for that much. This year, I am going to push for a computer, which is no surprise to them as I have been trying to put one together. I will likely do a I'll-pay-for-half sort of deal with my parents so that I can get it.

I have what I want in mind already. I thought of putting it together myself, but finding (and knowing) parts that work together is a bit much for me. Instead, I am going to buy it from Dell because they are far cheaper, and they have what I want.

I am looking for a computer that has a 64-bit processor, preferably from AMD, and at least 1GB of RAM. Hard drives are not an issue for me, so most any size will do. Dell by default, offers a decent sound card, which I will team up with some new speakers. Then, I am going crazy on the monitor:

The monitor is about 35% larger in screen area than the one that my family uses, and is a 22" wide-screen. I made the image at right to show about how the two compare. This monitor will last me, and then when I go to college, I might get another depending on how things fare with this one.

Since the money will be burnt on Vista, by no option, I might install it to use for a while, just to review it. More likely, I will jump right in and install Fedora Core 6, which I have already tried on the LiveCDs. Before I buy, I am going to run all of this by my brother, who works with computers running FC5 to make sure that the computer I will be buying will be Linux-capable. I just need to hold out a little bit longer.

Labels: Computer, Fedora Core, Life, Linux, Rambling

OpenOffice is the free alternative to Microsoft Office, a is something schools should consider. The author points out that with MS Office, schools pay out between $50 and $100 for the software. Even if the software isn't quite as robust as MS Office, the fact that it is free will help you forget about it. Still, for all intensive purposes, OpenOffice is sufficient for the job.

Even still, purchasing Microsoft Windows for school computers is a significant waste. School can save a considerable amount of money by switching to Linux. Before I get all fanboyish about Linux, I must say that I don't necessarily object to Windows being used, but that school's should not have to pay for the software they use. It is pathetic that schools should waste so much money on software.

Take my school for instance. There are about ~150 computers in the labs alone, not counting the ones that teachers get to use in the classrooms. On top of that, there is one lab where the computers are near-new with dual-monitors and extra software. On each of those computers is AutoCADD software that the teacher claims to be $5000 per computer. None of that even includes buying the operating system. If the software companies would donate to the school, they could invest in computers that will last longer and require less maintenance. But that would make sense.

Labels: Computer, Kids, Linux, Microsoft, School, Technology

The Gumball coverage that I had planned is stopping here. I had a lot of enthusiasm when I started this, and made an abrupt change to the blog in order to do so, but I realized that I didn't genuinely want to do that.

After I went crazy with the Gumball coverage, I noticed that there was a significant drop to the visitors to this site, which may be chance, but I think it is because this wasn't the reason people came. People came for when I did technology and news, and that is where I am returning. Here are some links if you want to finish watching the series on you own: 2005, 2006.

Now back to tech: a guy makes a public rant about new computers and how they are filled to the brim with "craplets." My sister probably doesn't fully appreciate how much shit was on her computer when she got it because I spent about two hours removing the extra software.

Labels: Computer, Gumball 3000, Rambling

Many hardware manufacturers have been disappointed in the lack of sales spurred by Vista. Companies across the board are saying that there was no "Vista effect" and that Vista did nothing to spur the sales of new hardware. In fact, the helping hand is coming the other way.

The hardware is the only thing selling Vista. The growth in sales of Vista over XP is entirely based on the growth of the computer market in general. The only reason that Vista is even selling now is the fact that it is bundled with new computers. That also means that if people buy a computer only to reformat it for Linux, the computer itself tallied one more for Microsoft.

Note: this was reported first on March 30th, so this is not April Fools day trickery.

Labels: Computer, Microsoft, News