the dull bulb

A clip from Arrested Development...

2009-05-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm preparing for finals so the dull bulb gets a back seat. But that doesn't mean we can't be enjoying funny videos. Enjoy this clip from an episode of Arrested Development. If you haven't watched this show, I suggest you do, its hilarious.

Convert Docs in the Cloud

2009-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Need to convert your .pdf files to .doc files or visa versa? Well CometDocs will convert basically any document to any file type online. The service is super easy to use. Just go to the site, upload your document, select a document type as your target, and put in your e-mail address (use your junk e-mail account just in case). You will recieve an e-mail with a link to the download of your document. Easy shmeesy - Pam Beasley...

Busy Busy

2009-04-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts the last couple days... I have been very busy with school. I am also working on giving the dull bulb a new look. I should be back soon with more great stuff.

Time for a new haircut.

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you like some variety in your wallpaper selections. It was refreshing when Vista came out because it came with a handful of new wallpapers. Windows 7 is on the verge of being released and it will have a LOT of new wallpapers for your enjoyment.

The good news is you don't have to wait until then. You can enjoy the Windows 7 wallpapers now. Here is a small preview of what's out there:

I used Photovisi to make this collage... Booya.

Download them all here.
Download them individually here.

BumpTop -

2009-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Computer desktops are a common theme here at the dull bulb. I like finding programs that make desktops more flexible, convenient, and easy to use. For example, in the past I have featured dock applications, virtual desktops, desktop grids and many others. The purpose is maximizing the utility of your computer's desktop.

Recently I found a program that does more for desktop organization than I have seen in a LONG time. Its called BumpTop. Basically, it turns your rigid, unflexible computer desktop into a more flexible desktop that can be used more like your physical desk. Allow this video to demonstrate:

As you can see, its a beautiful concept. In fact, the idea is so wonderful, we will be seeing this concept take hold in future operating systems. Think about how the iPhone has revolutionized user interfaces. Apply the easy-touch interface of an iPhone/Touch to a GUI (graphics user interface) like BumpTop and you have a pretty awesome computer that has the flexibility of a desk and the utility, productivity, and power of a computer. Want an example? Check this out:

Visit the site. Download it Here.

Photosynth - Its like you were there...

2009-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

A while back, Microsoft came out with something new and very cool. Its part of the "Live" project (a group of applications that sync together to allow people the ability to integrate various things like e-mail, chat, photos, blogs, etc.). The new web application is called Photosynth. Its a pretty neat idea.

What does it do?

Photosynth gathers photos of significant places and events and stitches them together to form a very large picture. It uses the photos to stitch together a larger 3D image to make you feel like you were there. Here is a video intro.

Right now, the full version can only be used on a PC. The Mac version is somewhat limited but its still pretty cool. Here is a little Mac demo of Obama's Inaguration.

How about using Photosynth to solve crimes... Microsoft found a good place to advertise their new application: CSI

And if you really want to learn about what Photosynth can do, watch this small lecture:

Horrible Argument

2009-04-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

I have to make a practice oral argument today. I'm nervous. But at least I'm not this guy:

the dull bulb's Daily Pick

2009-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I want to introduce the new feature on the blog - the dull bulb's Daily Pick. Everyday I will post a new song on the right side of the blog for your listening enjoyment.

Make your own Spy Camera

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my IS professors during my undergrad had an interesting experience with a pen thief. He kept a cup full of nice pens on his desk. He noticed that his pen collection was diminishing on a daily basis and grew suspicious that someone was in his office while he was not there. To investigate the situation, he placed a small, well disguised web camera in between books on his book shelf before leaving for the day and used a program to capture video whenever the camera detected motion.

That is a spy camera - it also doubles as a laser capable of melting your face...
Oh, it also launches missiles at Russia - only Russia though.

The following morning he reviewed the video from the previous night. He found out that the only person coming into his office was the janitor and that the same janitor was indeed his pen thief. He decided to keep monitoring the situation and quickly became aware that this janitor was doing "a lot more" in his office than stealing his pens.

Like playing with his desktop basketball set...

The moral of the story? Spy on people that come into your office using a small, undetectable web camera so you can catch them red handed.

Here are some instructions on How to build a Spy Camera.

Unless you are James Bond. Q will likely hook you up with a much better gadget than you could make yourself.

Photo Collage maker

2009-04-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Time to make some photo collages! I searched the web for fast and easy collage makers so that I could make desktop wallpapers on the go. The following collage maker is one of the best that I found for fast and simple collages!

Photovisi is a fast and easy-to-use collage maker. It really is simple. You don't even need an account.

First, click the Start button
Choose your collage template
Upload your photos - you can select multiple photos to upload by holding control (command) as you select your photos
Wait a second while your photos upload
Preview your collage - at this point you can delete, crop, or replace the photos in the collage
Click the "Preview Ok" button to proceed
Photovisi will offer you three different resolution sizes of your collage for download. Simply select the one that fits your purpose. For example, if you want to use the collage as your desktop background, download the size that most closely matches your computer resolution.

You're done! Simple, clean, fast, FUN! Enjoy making collages on Photovisi.

Throw Out Your Workout DVD's... Workout With Free Video Podcasts!

2009-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Stop paying money for workout DVD's and hop on the Free Fitness Podcast wagon. I stumbled across an article that provides information on how to get free fitness podcasts from iTunes.

Its not at all difficult to find the podcasts:

Go to iTunes Store
Select "Power Search" on the right hand side of the page
Fill out the search parameters as shown in the picture below. Your results should look similar to mine.
Now just find a workout that you like and go for it. Here is a link to one that I like - although I have never used it...

Get Motivated

2009-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Enjoy some of my favorite motivational posters from around the web.

I took this one with my phone. Its funny.

Holy Bonus: How to remove iTunes DRM from Movies

2009-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever purchased a movie from iTunes and been frustrated by the fact that you can't burn it to a DVD? Even worse for iTunes, have you never purchased a movie from iTunes knowing that you can't burn it to a DVD?

Lucky for us, there is a method of stripping the DRM (digital rights management - the yucky stuff that prevents you from straight up burning an iTunes movie to a DVD) from an iTunes movie file. I found an article at Wired that explains the process. Wired is a Tech news, review, and How-To site. The How-To portions functions like a Wiki where people can post How-To articles to the site in a manner similar to Wikipedia.

Here is a link to the article.

Pod to PC

2009-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you a story about me and the iPod: Between 2003 and 2005 I was out of the country and was unable to remain abreast with technological changes. After arriving home, I remember driving with my older brother somewhere and listening to some music (my brother used to really love music - now he just likes it). He kept changing songs using some small, magical, music playing device. I asked, "what is that?" pointing to the device. He replied with a little surprise: "an iPod..." I then asked the question that would change my life forever: "What's an iPod?"

Thing is, iPod's came out in 2001 but were so expensive until 2003 that I never heard about them up to the point of my leaving the country. I was in Brazil and if iPod's were unattainable in the U.S., they were most certainly unattainable in Brazil.

This Newsweek demonstrates that iPod's really became
uber-popular in 2004 - check out the date of the issue

The point of the story is that when I first became introduced with the iPod, I thought it was sweet because that would mean my friends could give me all the music on their iPod by simply attaching it to my computer and uploading all the files. Alas, Apple (and record labels of course) were fully aware that people would want to share music in such a way and therefore made it completely impossible to use iTunes to take music off an iPod and put it back on a computer.

Although I may have wanted to use this method to share music in the past, today I wish that I could just use my iPod as a means of backing up my iTunes library. I own an 80gb iPod Classic. They only sell 160gb classics at present. I want to be able ot use my iPod to listen to music AND backup my music in the even that my computer hard drive were to fail. Unfortunately, because people (like me) would use a iPod to Computer function to share music, Apple refuses to allow the functionality.

Despite the fact that iTunes does not allow you to transfer music from iPod to PC, MANY MANY applications exist that will enable you to just that. Today's post is one such application.

Pod to PC: The following information comes directly from Pod to PC's About page and explains very well the benefits of using Pod to PC.

Applications and Features:

	Easily copy any music or video files from any iPod onto your computer.
	The full version of Pod to PC is 100% free. There are no transfer limitations.
	Recover your music in iTunes after your computer crashes by transferring the music on your iPod or iPhone back to your computer.
	Preview music and movies on any iPod before transferring it into your iTunes library.
	Use the Automatic Transfer button to instantly select, then transfer all songs on an iPod that are not already in your iTunes Music Library.
	Easily copy a whole or partial playlist from any iPod into iTunes.
	Prevent duplicate transfers: Tracks already in iTunes are indicated with a blue check.
	All track info gets transferred including the track play count, rating (out of 5 stars), album and more.
	Quickly find the tracks your looking for with the Pod to PC search bar and filter options.
	Automatic upgrades notifications, keeps users up to date with the latest iPod and iTunes versions.

Still Tasty - do your food a favor...

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

In my house we constantly have a problem using up our broccoli before it goes bad. We buy broccoli, fully intending to enjoy its goodness, then forget about it and it goes bad. It would be nice to know what kind of life the broccoli has so that we can plan accordingly. Or maybe even get some tips on how to preserve its life.

Still Tasty is the answer to our food preservation problems. It has a plethora of information.

"Forgive me El Guapo . . . but could it be that you are angry at something else and are looking to take it out on [your food]?"

Anyway, Still Tasty will hook you up with some pretty important information about broccoli (and a bunch of other stuff). See:

Oh! So that's how you freeze fresh, raw broccoli! Freaking Awesome.

Use Google Preview - All the Cool Kids are doing it.

2009-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you use Firefox you are already a cool kid. If you have the Google Preview extension - you are an even cooler kid. Google Preview is a really simple Firefox add-on that simply provides you with a preview of a webpage when you google any particular topic. I'll show you:

You see the little pictures next to the sites? Awesome! So how do you add the extension (add-on)? Easy:

Go here
Click the "Add to Firefox" button
A little pop-up box (drop down box whatever it does) will show up and prompt you to install the extension
Click Install
Restart the browser and you are in business

Enjoy the Google Preview and I will show you some other cool extension in the future.

Lala - The Dark Horse of Online Music Streaming

2009-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Everybody Knows - John Legend

This post is about music so why not listen to some while you read? And why not make it John Legend - Awesome. I am constantly exploring online music services. I dig music. I dig music that is free. I dig sites that deliver free music in a unique way. I have previously mentioned sites like Pandora, PureVolume, SadSteve, B-Sides, iTunes, Soundunwound, Soundflavor, and others, which are all good to listen to music and learn about new music. Recently I found the darkhorse of online music services...

Lala is an online music service that allows listeners to choose songs they like, create a queue (a playlist of sorts) and listen to music that they choose and love. In that regard, Lala is not a very unique service. In fact, if that is all that the site does, I wouldn't be posting about it. A better way to describe Lala is as an online music repository. What does this mean? Two things really:

Lala is a place where you can purchase and accumalate music to which you have a right to listen to as if it were your own. Purchase? Yeah, purchase. Songs cost $.10 and you get the right to listen to the purchased track as much as you want, whenever you want. You do not get to download it to your own computer unless you pay the usual, iTunes standard $.99. So what is so special about that? Basically, you buy music online AND you get to store the music online AND download it to your computer. A lot of people buy music from the iTunes store. I would argue that this method allows you to back up your entire music collection for FREE. Further, this method allows you to access your files online, anytime. I think thats pretty fantastic.
Lala is a place where you can store music that you ALREADY OWN and accumulate music that you purchase. Thats right! You can upload your entire music library to Lala for free - have access to it from anywhere in the world with internet access. That is a unique concept that makes Lala worth trying out.

How does it work: When you set up an online account, the site gives you 50 free music credits. These are credits that you can use to go out and "purchase" any song. I use the term purchase loosely in this context because there are two types of purchase of a song on Lala: a strictly online purchase and an online purchase that allows you to download and keep the file. So you can accumulate music in two ways, strictly online (less expensive) or online and on your computer (normal cost of music).

Music Mover: Lala has its own software that searches your computer for music and uploads it to Lala. Basically, the site matches your music with online music and then automatically gives you the right to those songs which you already own. Honestly, this is what makes Lala one of the most amazing onlines services on the web becuase of the possibilities. Think about it:

Do you have a large music collection on your home computer but don't want it to take up all the space on your laptop? Or is your laptop a work laptop? Or do you just want to access your music from a public computer or from someone else's computer. Lala makes it so you can access your music library without storing it on your computer at all! Better yet - you can do this from anywhere with access to the internet.
Own an iPhone or iPod touch but hate that you can't fit your whole collection on it? Get the Lala app and connect to your music on the interweb. This App is forthcoming but check out the amazingness of the concept.

Music Mover in action - you know, just doin' its thang

My music collection post Music Mover upload - after it did its thang.

More About Music Mover: Music Mover is a small program you download. To use it, you simply specify the source location of your music library and begin the upload process to Lala. Music Mover will go through a rather time consuming process of uploading all your music (unless it is unrecognizable) to Lala. Depending on the size of your music library, this process can take a long time or a short time. I have around 6000 songs and it is taking hours and hours and hours. Right now I have access to around half of my music and it took the program about 3 hours to accomplish. In my opinion, that is a small price to pay for having access to your music anywhere, anytime!

More About the Site: The site's interface is clean, straightforward, and very easy to use. Searching for music is very simple. Once your library is uploaded, your view of your music is similar to what iTunes used to look like when it wasn't so album art-based. The music player streams music with ease and maintains a position on the top of your screen while you browse their site.

That is the Lala homepage for my account

This is what the Queue looks like - You can also make playlists - even on iTunes then upload them.

Lala has a very simple "share" app allowing you to share any song on your own site, facebook, or whatever. Here is another great tune.

Gravity - John Mayer

Things I think will improve the site: the site will benefit from a better interface for music collections. Right now, its a little old looking and difficult to use when there are a lot of songs in the library. Also, I think a pop-out music player would be awesome. Right now, you can't navigate away from that page (which isn't so bad) and that makes it difficult to see what you are listening to or change a track while looking at a different site.

A BONUS: If you want to check out Lala without going through the uploading process, just leave a comment on this post and I will hook you up with access to my collection. Obviously, I will only give access to people I know and trust...

Slickdeals.net - More Like Sick Deals.net

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

"In today's troubled economy..." I hate it when the news says stuff like that. But in today's troubled economy who couldn't use great savings on consumer items? That's what I thought. When it comes to good deals people are like drooling dogs with dollar signs in their eyes.

Or just dogs made out of money begging for more money...

Sam, my friend and source of many cool and fantastic sites, told me about two "deal" sites: Slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com.

that's Sam, he is a hardcore thug

The great thing about both sites is that they have REAL coupons and deals for REAL companies linking to those company's websites. For example, I saved $70 on a printer using a coupon from fatwallet. My wife purchased a $100 swimsuit for $13 AND paid no shipping. There are all kinds of deals and they are all through companies that you are familiar with: BestBuy, HP, Walmart, Landsend, etc.

The best of the two is Slickdeals because it is laid out a bit better than fatwallet. But who am I kidding, they are both great. So why are you still reading this - go check out the deals and come back and tell me what you think.

Boxhead - ZOMBIES!

2009-03-27T06:00:00.001-07:00

I love this flash game. All you do is kill zombies using a vast array of weaponry from a pistol to a railgun. The game is Boxhead - there are a bunch of versions out there (just Google it or play it below). Anyway, its kind of fun to do if you have a minute to kill (pardon the pun) or need a break from the grind.

Go play the game here - I'm tired of it loading up everytime I load my blog... So annoying.

Depression Cooking

2009-03-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

We humans love to eat. Eating is a necessity and pleasure that most of us associate with fun, emotion, and social gatherings (whether it be families gathering nightly for dinner or friends gathering over lunch). When I spent two years in a foreign country, I learned a lot about the people in that country from the food they eat and the way they eat it. Its amazing what food can tell you about a culture, even a specific time period.

Think about that wonderful Ball Park Frank

Depression Cooking: I want to introduce you all to Clara. She is 93 year-old lady making YouTube cooking videos using recipes from the depression. She provides instructions on how to make super cheap and filling foods. While she cooks she tells personal stories from the depression. I really love her recipes, thoughts, and stories. I have included a video below that I really like (it's 7:46 minutes long).

Honestly, I want to try some of these meals. It seems to me that if I eat what they ate during the depression, I will get a glimpse at what my ancestors experienced during that period and maybe learn a little about them from the food. Anyway, watch her videos and give her meals a try. That lentil soup actually looks pretty darn good!

Boost that Wi-Fi - Windsurfer

2009-03-25T06:00:00.001-07:00

So your Wi-Fi coverage sucks in your house... Sounds like a little parabolic boost is just what the Wi-Fi doctor ordered. A parabola is that thing you studied in geometry and algebra and totally forgot about because you thought it was inapplicable to real life - well now you know it is applicable. The Windsurfer is the superhero of Wi-Fi connectivity.

The way it works is you call the Windsurfer when your Wi-Fi connectivity sucks and he descends from the heavens on his surfboard made of pure wind. He then overcomes the evil Wi-Fi Weak Signal Guy (the supervillian) and raises the Windsurfer flag of triumph.

THE WINDSURFER
Just make sure you hide all your valuables and children from him -
He will most certainly steal and sell off your stuff to buy weed and your children will be frightened,
or worse, idealize his lifestyle and "move to a van down by the river."
I would also lock your doors real tight so he can't get in when your aren't there... Stupid hippies.

The way it really works is you go download a little template cutout (grade school style) from the internet, print it, paste it on a manilla folder, glue some tin foil on the back, assemble the parabola, and attach it to your attenna. The final product: a goofy looking Wi-Fi router that boosts your signal and makes you feel better about life.

This is a quick rundown of the process - for more detailed info and instructions see the other video:

Here is another video by the same dude (he references it in the above video) that provides a little more detail on the concept and creation of the parabolic booster.

Benchmarking - figuring out why your computer sucks...

2009-03-24T06:00:00.001-07:00

Benchmarking is the process of testing your computer's speed at executing certain tasks, then comparing the results of the test with results of other computers similar to yours. Whats the point? The point is figuring out where your computer is deficient and how it can be improved.

For example, lets say you notice that when you are editing a photo, your system goes at a snail's pace. Besides knowing what the obvious answer to your problem is, you can also run a benchmark. This process will identify specifically what the problem is by showing you what is making your computer slow. In this case, its most likely RAM, but in other cases, it could be your graphics card, a virus, your HDD, or some other problem that is causing you some distress. Today I want to briefly touch on benchmarking your PC or Mac (I will leave the more detailed "touch" to the dudes in the video below and only if you are REALLY interested in the process) and provide you with some simple options to benchmark your machine.

For Mac: Xbench. I will start with a benchmarker for Macs. Xbench is a staightforward application that tests the following: CPU (one core), Thread (multi-core), Memory, Quartz (graphics), OpenGL (graphics), User Interface, and the HDD. It scores each individual category then averages the scores to give you an overall result. You can then submit the test and compare your results with other computers, either of the same type or other models.

Just Xbench doin' its thang.

The test I just did scored around a 70 which compares well against other machines of the same type.

If you want to see the picture better, click on it. My computer is red. On that test
my computer scored a 71 and compares pretty well against other machines of the same type.

Looking through my results, I noticed the weakest scores came from my graphics card. Really the only area where my computer was deficient was in graphics. If I had the desire and the money, I might consider improving my graphics card to get better performance out of my computer (especially if I played a lot of computer games... which I don't). This is ESPECIALLY applicable to desktop computers that are more readily upgraded than laptops.

For PC: the concept is the same as for Mac. I could do the same process for the PC but I think you get it. For FREE benchmark software, consult Roy Longbottom... the apparent expert in the area of free PC benchmark software (I just typed "free benchmark PC" into Google and it came up with Roy Longbottom and he provides an exhaustive list of free software for benchmarking PC's - thanks Roy - Great surnamea).

The following video provides more detailed insight into what benchmarking is and how it can be used to your benefit (Warning: there are some major nerds in this video, proceed with caution - oh yeah, its like 20 minutes long too, but its informative):

Yes kids, those are REAL LIFE nerds!

Go on a Picnik... Edit your photos

2009-03-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the brief hiatus. Spring break wasn't actually much of a break. Anyway,I am back with fresh posts!

I really like web-based photo editors. They are not the most sophisticated photo editing applications but they are easy to use, fast, and do small jobs quite well. They are good for adding quick effects, fixing small blemishes, and a host of other small - but important - tasks. Today's site is Picnik.

wrong kind of picnic - but that would be fun too.

Picnik may be the most polished of the web-based photo editors out there. The site looks and feels very clean (very few ads) and navigating is straight forward. Here are some of the things you can do with Picnik:

Edit Photos: use Picnik to auto-fix, rotate, crop, resize, sharpen, reduce red-eye, and change the exposure and colors of your pictures. These are the basic photo editing tools that pretty much all photo editors do. Picnik completes these tasks with relative ease as long as your internet connection is quick.
Add effects: When you edit photos, there is a seperate tab that says "Create." This tools is for adding effects to a photo to make it more interesting. The most notable of the effects is the filter tool which creates a customized look for your photo based upon various preset filters. Other effects include: font, stickers, touch up, frames. Picnik will also allow you to create your own filters (although, you need to have some programming expertise to do so).
Save and Share: you can save up to 5 photos at a time and share your photos automatically to Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites and to blogs as well.
Create Collages: Picnik allows you to create collages of your favorite pictures, a feature missing from a lot of photo editors. Its fun to do and easy to share the collages you create.
Scrapbook Collages: similar to the general collages, you can also make scrapbook-like fancy collages.

My Opinion: In general, I think Picnik is a great site that has a lot of good FREE freatures. The site does have a premium service that is not free but you get a lot out of the free stuff. If you really want to pay for a premium service, you probably should just buy a good photo editing program. But as for what you get for free, I like what Picnik has to offer. The only other downside is the lack of storage space provided on the site itself (Photobucket, for example, offers a lot of free space to users). To circumvent this obstacle, simply share your photos to a Facebook album (or even photo sites like Flickr) and store them there.

Anyway, thats Picnik! Go try it!

Re-Run, Shmee-Run

2009-03-12T06:00:00.002-07:00

Don't you hate it when you sit down to watch a new episode of the Office and its a freaking re-run? Well, if its the Office, its usually not that bad because its funny even 3 and 4 times over. But its disappointing...

What's a "rerun?"

So here is a way to check and make sure that your favorite show is giving you something new this week: RerunCheck. All you do is run a search for your favorite show and it responds very simply: yes or no and the show time. Check it out.

Now if only they would make it a Firefox add-on or desktop widget!

DivX Player - Video Player

2009-03-10T06:00:00.001-07:00

Some of you have, no doubt, come in contact with a little error when you try to play a video file that says that your video player requires an additional plugin (codec) to play that file. DivX is that plugin.

DivX. The theme this week is video players. DivX is another free application (not open source) that pretty much plays every video format. (There is also a paid version which goes beyond playback and will actually convert video files.) DivX is very similar to VLC player so mostly everything I say about DivX is true of VLC. Some of you have, no doubt, come in contact with a little error when you try to play a video file that says that your video player requires an additional plugin (codec) to play that file. DivX is that plugin.

Coincidentally, DivX has updated its main package very recently and now is at its 7th version. So be comforted in knowing that the video player has gone through plenty of versions and is very stable. In additional to it being a video player itself, DivX also allows other video players to play files that couldn't play them before. Specifically, DivX enables Windows Media Player and Quicktime to play .avi files and other files similar to it, including DivX's own file format: .divx.

The benefits of DivX player:

It's a truly all-in-one player. It plays almost every movie file out there (but, it doesn't play EVERY file like VLC does)
The player is stylish. When you play a movie with DivX, it dims the rest of your screen to give you the "lights off" effect. It has a pretty sleek interface and just feels like a really professional application.
If you use a PC, DivX is even better. The player feels a lot better than Windows Media Player and its a lot lighter on the system - takes less time to load and shut down, uses less resources

In general, DivX is just a solid video player that I would suggest to anyone that routinely watches .avi and .mpeg4 specifically. However, I stand by my earlier comment that VLC Player is the best video player. DivX is a good alternative though.

Mac/PC Download here.

VLC Player - I can't believe I haven't mentioned it before

2009-03-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

I really can't. VLC Player is a video player that basically plays every video file out there... Quite literally. It plays files from normal mpeg 4 and AVI files to VOB files (files ripped from DVD's). It is a cross platform application - available on Mac, PC, and Linux. If you are wondering what all this means: its a program that plays movie files on your computer - not DVD's, but other files that you would normally open with Windows Media Player or Quicktime.

Best of ALL: its open source and free. Amazing.

To tell you a bit about the applications popularity, the site claimes (and even boastfully displays) that it is downloaded 2.5 times per second. In total, it has been downloaded a total of 45.5 million times.

Why I use it:

Its FREE
Its Open Source
It plays EVERY video file I have ever come in contact with
It is lightweight and easy to use. This means that it opens quickly and does not use as many system resources (RAM and Battery Life) as other media players.
It goes fullscreen on my TV when my laptop is connected.
It has a cone as its icon

The cone thing may not seem to matter, but did you see what the little devil could do?

PC download here. Mac download here. Linux download here. If links are broken here.

Anyway, I love it and I hope you will love it. Its not a flashy program but who cares right - I mean use what is best, not what seems best.

Deadspin Sports Blog

2009-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Deadspin I like ESPN as much as the next guy, but sometimes I like some sports news with a twist. I stumbled on Deadspin Sports Blog somewhere in my attempt to learn more about the recent Alex Rodriguez scandal (and everyone is jumping on that news cash wagon). Anyway, Deadspin is sports news with a twist. They add a lot of humor and cynicism to the news they report. The news is all legitimate (so its not like the Onion) but it is a more cynical look at what is happening.

A good example of Deadspin's take on sport's news is a post from today: You Win, Terrorists: Minnesota Cracks Down On Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Another favorite from today is: Even Alaska Wants Nothing to Do with T.O. These news stories are the same as what you hear all the time in the mainstream sports news. The twists make otherwise routine news a little more interesting and something to chuckle at - while learning the news.

Go check out Deadspin and maybe even add it to one of your regulars.

Why aren't you using a dock?

2009-03-05T06:00:00.001-08:00

Yeah... Why aren't you? Unless you are a Mac user, you are probably not using a "dock" because... well... you don't have one. A dock is a very simple efficiency tool that allows you to access programs, files, and folders directly from the desktop without cluttering your space with icons. A dock is built into Mac operating systems but not Windows operating systems (actually, Dell ships computers with a dock installed - but you may not have a Dell). There are quite a few options for docks, but I will just highlight two: RocketDock and ObjectDock.

RocketDock: This program is my personal favorite. The makers of RocketDock made the program completely free. You can download it here. Watch my video tutorial below to get a feel for how the program works and ways you can use it to be more efficient.

**Note** I am new at the whole video tutorial thing. They will get better as I practice more. The benefit is that I can do posts faster by just demonstrating sometimes than going through all the steps. So, be patient with me and I hope you enjoy the videos.

ObjectDock: This program is free, but only for the basic package. ObjectDock was developed by StarDock - a company that I have featured before. The program runs really smooth and has a slightly different look than RocketDock. For more info, go here. Download here. I didn't make a video tutorial becuase I have already gone through the general features of ObjectDock in another post.

Holy Bonus! It's: Windows 7 design for XP

2009-03-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Microsoft is coming out with Windows 7 sometime by the end of this year. It will basically be a much much better Vista (it will be more than that but I like to say stuff like that). Anyway, some people - me - are still using Windows XP (I use XP, Vista, and Windows 7 - but XP nonetheless). After using XP for what feels like thousands of years, I have gotten tired of the same old blue, silver, or green theme. Some really smart person out there decided they had enough of it too and made a new theme for Windows XP that looks almost exactly like Windows 7. Amazing!

Take a look:

I took that picture... No I didn't. But someone saw my desktop and asked
where I took that picture and I was so tempted to make something up.
I would have said: "I took it while on a trek from Alaska to Peru, which I did alone and on foot,
drinking from rivers and streams, and eating only bear meat that I hunted with a handmade bow and arrow.
I also made the camera out of grass and bear eyes."

That is just the basic desktop look. The theme literally changes everything from desktop icons to the startup screen to the way windows looks. Check it out XP users and see if you fall in love with your XP all over again.

Download Seven Remix.

Sorry Everyone

2009-03-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

I'm a little busy today - I will be back on it soon. Hang tight and enjoy this video:

Pretty sweet guitar playing.

Max To

2009-03-03T06:00:00.001-08:00

Max To: I am an anti-maxite - also a maxiphobe. These are the names given to a person that hates maximizing windows and/or is afraid of doing it. That's not true; but if it were true, it would most certainly apply to me. I just don't like it when a single window is taking up my whole screen. I much prefer having access to my desktop while I work on something. The problem is that I don't get to take advantage of the "maximize" button on a window because if I use it... my window will MAXIMIZE and I HATE THAT.

If I had a lot of money and the might of the 1950's US Military
at my disposal, I would most certainly blow up window maximizing with an atomic cannon.

The PC Solution: Max To. Max To is a brilliant little program that divides up your desktop space into however many sections you want. It works like a grid. When you have a program that you want to maximize in only one section of the desktop, you simply double click the window bar (that bar across the top) and that window snaps to the grid. Now you can maximize windows without maximizing them. Thats great!

Setup is quite easy. Just download the file and install it. Once installed and running, it bring up a space manager that will allow you to customize your grid.
If you have a really big screen, try setting up 2 main spaces. If your screen is smaller, try setting up 1 big space and 2 smaller spaces next to it. Either way, try it out and see if it is something that will help you use your space better.
Download here

Holy Bonus! It's: TwoUp

2009-03-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

TwoUp
Mac Solution: TwoUp. The mac solution is a handy-dandy application called TwoUp. The program is slightly more limited than MaxTo for PC but it is still a little gem for those that hate it when one window dominates the entire screen. Here is a screen shot followed by info from their site:

In Short TwoUp allows you to quickly position a window to fill exactly half the screen (splitscreen) via the status menu bar or configurable shortcuts (hotkeys). Similar to "tiled windows" functionality available on other operating systems.

Using TwoUp TwoUp consists of four actions which can be performed on the frontmost application window:

Left (move and resize window to fill the left half of the screen)
Right (move and resize window to fill the right half of the screen)
Up (move and resize window to fill the top half of the screen)
Down (move and resize window to fill the bottom half of the screen)

These actions can be triggered via the TwoUp menu in the Mac menu bar or via system wide shortcuts. The default shortcuts can be triggered by holding the Control+Option+Command keys while pressing an Arrow key to indicate the direction you wish the window to go. The shortcut keys can be customized in the TwoUp Preferences.

Check out TwoUp, Download Here.

Be Funky

2009-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Be Funky. Express yourself. Be Funky is a fun and simple way to edit photos creatively. Simply, set up an account, upload photos, and then edit them according to your tastes. I tried it out:

Sorry ladies, he is spoken for

The site doesn't do as much as Photobucket but it does do fun "artsy" stuff to your photos. I don't like how the pictures save with a border. If you don't want the border, just crop it out using some other photo editing program... kinda lame that you have to do that extra step but at least the pictures are fun. Have fun!

Virtual Notebooks: Evernote

2009-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today's virtual notebook is Evernote. This is the last virtual notebook I will cover so you can sleep well knowing that we will be on to a new subject soon. (I like to keep some posts grouped by subject so that you can compare them a little more easily.) To use Evernote, you will need an account. You don't have to download the program if you want to just use it online. However, downloading the program and using it online is the best way to get the most out of what Evernote has to offer.

Basic Concept: Evernote merges the "live" concept of document creation with the "native" concept. That means that Evernote is installed on your hard drive and can be used offline. When online, the program syncs with your online account and uploads anything you have created while offline. You can create and edit notebooks both online and offline and the changes are carried over between the two as you work. Why is this a good thing? Well the major disadvantage of Google Notebook is only being able to use it online. OneNote works offline and can be used online but not without a great deal of trouble. Evernote allows you to work offline and online in a way that is both easy and efficient. So lets walk through the basics. Here is a screen shot of the installed program:

The organization is the same as any virtual notebook program (Notebook > Section > Page) except you don't create sections, you create "tags". Notebooks are seen on the far left, notes are displayed in the middle window, and the specific page is displayed on the main display.

You will notice that there are not sections to divide the notes. However, you can add tags to notes and organize your note according to the tag. The concept is actually very workeable. To me, the reading panes make it look like an e-mail mailbox (Outlook, Mail, Etc.).

Here is the web version of the same note:

The web notebook looks like Google Notebook but more polished. You can create notebooks by selecting "edit" (located under the notebook dropdown on the left pane) and selecting "new notebook." New notes are created by selecting "new" on the menu bar. Everything else is pretty straight forward.

Features:

Sync: syncing is performed automatically at a regular interval. You can, however, sync the the notebooks manually using the sync button. Syncing literally uploads and downloads any changes made between the web-based and desktop-based portions of the program.
Take notes while browsing: similar to Google Notebook, you can take notes while browsing by adding the Evernote add-on to your browser. It shows up as an icon on your browser. By clicking it, a small window appears that will allow you to type notes into any of your notebooks.
Web-page Capture: One of the image above shoes a wikipedia article on a famous tort case. I wanted the information from the page so I used Evernote to copy the entire page. I did this by pressing Ctrl+a, right clicking on the highlighted text, and selecting "Add to Evernote." This brought up the note window with a small picture of the information I just clipped. This allows you to save almost anything you find on the web. You can also clip pictures by right clicking on the picture and selcting the "Add to Evernote" option.
iSight (Mac): if you want to keep a record of reciepts or other documents that are hard copy, you can use Mac's iSight (web cam) to take a picture of that document. The picture is then placed in your notebook and is even searcheable - Evernote will process the text so that you can search it later.
Searches: Evernote allows you to search documents for specific words (OneNotes does this as well). This comes in handy when trying to sort through notebooks that may contain a lot of information or even large documents you clipped from the web. Here is what the results look like:

Why I like it: I like that Evernote is free and easy to use. I love the way that it has married the concepts of online and desktop notetaking. Evernote is probably the best free option on the market for virtual notetaking. All you have to do is play with it for about 20 minutes and you will be hooked. I suggest just trying it out and using it to take notes at work, school, or at home.

Why I don't: The text editing is very basic. It really detracts from the overall experience when you can't make outlined lists and edit text in as rich a format as OneNote. However, to me, this is not a good enough reason to not use the program - so get out there and try it.

In fact, try all the notetaking programs I have mentioned. They will truly help you stay organized in whatever capacity you take notes for. Just think of the stuff that you want to remember, and use one of the programs I have mentioned to do it. If you like it - all the better!

Virtual Notebooks: Google Notebook

2009-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we discussed OneNote, a very good program for native use (you have to install it on your hard drive). Today we are going to talk about Google Notebook, a very good Web-based program that requires access to the internet but no installation.

Basic Concept: Take a look at the home page:

On the left, you will see a list of the notebooks. Create new notebooks by clicking on "Create a new notebook" link. You can then name your notebook. If you need to rename it later, just click on the title where it shows up above the notebook's contents. You can also you use the "tools" dropdown menu. When you click on a notebook, it opens it and displays its contents. The open notebook displayed is "Cool Sites."
Sections are displayed as blue bar headings. Sections are created by simply clicking the blank space inside a notebook and selecting the "add Section" link. That will place a blue bar dividing your notebook and prompting you to name it. The sections in the picture above are Software, Blogs, and Tech News. These different sections can be made to show and hide their contents. The open section is Blogs and it is displaying its only note.
Notes are created under each section by selecting "Add Note" from the toolbar or by clicking in the blank space of a section and simply typing. You can type notes and edit the text using the very basic text editing options. The picture below shows the basic toolbar for text editing. You can change the font, bold, italics, underline, color, bullets, numbering, spacing, hyperlinks, undo, redo, and remove formatting. You will also notice the "New Note" button.

Features:

Get access to your notes from anywhere: Notebooks are saved online and you can access them anywhere where you have internet access. Simple, straight-forward, easy.
Take Notes while browsing: Many browsers (especially Firefox) allow for a Google Notebook Add-on which enables you to take notes while browsing. Lets say that I am looking up information on the Fourth Amendment and the Exclusionary rule. If I find a site or information that I like, I can click on bottom right corner of my browser and type notes as I am reading. I can also create a hyperlink in my notes for future reference. If I find a quote I like, I can highlight it, right click and select "Note This" and it will go into my notes. Here is an examplel:
Easy Sharing and Collaboration: You can click the "Share" link and collaborators to the notebook. Say you are in class and want to take notes collectively with a study group - or perhaps you are working on a project at work and need to collaborate with coworkers. Either way, Google Notebook makes sharing easy to accomplish.

Why I like it and Why I don't: Google Notebook is not a whole lot different than Mircrosoft's OneNote on a basic level. However, if you were to use OneNote for a while then switch to Google Notebook, you will likely find that Google Notebook is a little different conceptually and may even feel like it is harder to use. If you were to switch from using Google Notebook to OneNote, you would find that OneNote offers a lot more in the way of features and functionality. Google uses the same structure (notebook > Section > Page), it does it differently and perhaps a little less cleanly. This is mostly because Google Notebook is a purely a web-based application while OneNote is installed on your operating system. Applications on the web take away fundamentals like the functionality of a right click. However, Google Notebook may be exactly what you are looking for in a notebook application, especially if you are always online.

Google Notebooks is perfect for simple note taking. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles that OneNote has and it certainly does not have the rich text editing. That may be a problem for users that are looking to take extensive, quality notes for school or work. OneNote is the more effective option for the virtual notebook "power user". However, if you are just looking to take notes at school, research, work on the web, websites you like, make simple shopping lists, to-do lists, or whatever - Google Notebook is a great option and its FREE.

Tomorrow I will discuss Evernote. It combines the two approaches we have discussed, allowing you to install the software AND use it online... and its free.

Virtual Notebooks - OneNote

2009-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

We already covered free and live web-based office applications. Now lets talk about another novel concept: live notebooks. Virtual notebooks enable you to make notes in a highly customizable way. You can use notebooks to make your own notes for school, shopping lists, in a meeting, or literally whatever you want. You can paste in documents from outside sources, share the notebooks on the web, and a host of other things. Personally, I use virtual notebook software for notetaking and productivity at school. I am likely to continue to use one as long as I can in work, at home, wherever. We will cover 3 of these notebooks over the next 3 days.

OneNote: First, this program costs money. I don't usually talk about programs that cost money but OneNote is a pretty good one and most people have it and don't know a thing about it. So I will cover the basics of what you can do with it. I suggest simply experimenting with it to learn the most. While I am mentioning OneNote first, I don't necessarily think its the best at everything - over the next two days I will be explaining two other free programs that are pretty awesome.

Basic Concept: To understand the basic concept of how OneNote works just think of any normal, physical notebook. You buy a binder or notebook at the store, divide it into sections (school subject, work projects, home tasks, or whatever), put paper in each section, and even hole punch other papers and place them in. OneNote has the same basic structure. Take a look:

click for larger image

Okay, first look at the left side of the screenshot. You will notice that there are two tabs representing the two notebooks I have open. I am in the "2d Semester" notebook.
Now look along the top, below the tool bar. You will notice 4 different tabs. Those are basically the dividers in the notebook, seperating it according to subject.
Now look to the right hand side of the screen. Those are the pages in the notebook. The beauty here is that each page can be as long or as short as you want and can even include subpages. The tabs that look longer are main pages while the tabs that look shorter are subpages.

That is the basic concpet of the OneNote notebook. You can do all kinds of things on each page: make shapes, type text on literally any portion of the notebook, and insert pictures, pdf's, word docs, presnetations, etc.

OneNote Printer: If you have OneNote installed on your computer, you may have noticed that when you go to print a word document, for example, that a printer shows up called the OneNote printer. The OneNote printer prints documents into OneNote, as if you had scanned the document and pasted the picture into your notebook. Take a look:

Notice that I have pasted a teacher's PowerPoint presentation into my notes. The benefit of this is that you can maintain the look of a document and edit over the top of it at will. You cannot, however, edit the document once you have "printed" it to OneNote. You can also insert documents as text only, which will allow you to edit the text later but basically strips it out of the original format into a somewhat unmanageable one. Either way, being able to print documents directly into a virtual notebook comes in handy.

Extra Features: OneNote allows you to make Notebooks public. Bascially this means that you can share your Notebook and work on it "live" with another person at anytime. When you set up a new notebook, you will be prompted with the question of whether or not to make it a shareable notebook. Even if you select no, you can still share the notebook later by clicking "Share" on the menu bar. This will allow you and a co-worker, friend, whatever to edit the notebook together and OneNote will sync changes live so that you don't undue the work of another. Its pretty great.

Why I like it: I love the structure and interface of OneNote. It is certainly a polished application. Microsoft has combined the power of Word with the concept of a notebook in such a way that you feel like you can literally use it for whatever you want. If you have a scanner, you could even organize your personal records with OneNote and make the document password protected. Its very powerful, the text editing is quite rich, and the interface is sleek. These features are most certainly OneNote's bread and butter.

mmm, bread and butter

Why I don't: It costs money and there are very strong alternatives. You can get a lot of the features you like about OneNote in programs like Google Notebooks and Evernote (coming tomorrow and the next day). OneNote lacks in its ability to sync notebooks quickly and easily to the internet as well as share the notebooks with others. While the sharing feature in OneNote is pretty cool, its not as intuitive as it could be and indeed should be. In the coming days, I will be featuring two other applications that do a lot of things much better than OneNote. What OneNote does extremely well with its interface and rich text editing, it lacks in other areas that may be more important to the end user... That's YOU!

It's Google Docs Yo!

2009-02-24T06:00:00.001-08:00

Have you ever typed a document on your computer then had to transfer it with a USB device or by e-mail to print it on another machine? Have you ever been somewhere without your computer and needed access to a presentation or document that you created? Have you ever just wanted a more convenient way to make, share, and preserve documents and spreadsheets? Meet Google Docs

What is Google Docs? Basically, its a web application that makes documents, spreadsheets, and presentations without the fuss of annoying things like: using money, opening 3 different applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), attaching and e-mailing documents to yourself, etc. Google Docs is a convenient way to create, edit, collaborate, and share files. The interface is very simple, the features are simple, so I will keep this post simple. Here are the basics:

First: Get an account. You may already have one if you have a gmail account. If not, click on the Google Docs link above, follow the steps to either creating a new Google account OR using an existing e-mail account (hotmail, yahoo, whatever).

Docs Home: This is the front page. From here you control all that Google Docs has to offer.

dull bulb: "Click to enlarge image"
you: "Oh really, like I didn't know that?"
dull bulb: "Fine, I won't say it anymore"

New: When you need to create a new anything, you click on the "New" dropdown box. This includes the creation of new folders to organize your crap. Put school documents in school folders, presentations in presentation folders, work in work, you get the picture. Or you can just keep it all in one (but that's unorganized, inefficient, and yucky - do you what you want though...)Upload Files: Do you have a file that you want to work on using Google Docs? Just use the upload feature. You can also e-mail files directly into your Google Docs Home by e-mailing them the the address it gives you at the bottom. I kept mine off to keep the freaks away.

Share: Stop! Collaborate and listen, Ice is back with a brand new edition... I'll stop. You can use Google Docs to quickly e-mail documents to other people, yourself and to invite other people to work on a document with you. When the other person edits the document, it will sync with the file in your Home folder and you will have successfully Vanilla Ice'd the document.

My Two Cents: I obviously like Google Docs. However, like any well-meaning, up-and-coming web application, it has some work to do. Either way, you can see why these kinds of FREE and LIVE web applications the the thing of the future. They help make you more efficient, productive, and happy! I know that saving 80 bucks makes me happy.

Free Office Apps

2009-02-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Free and live office applications are the wave of the future. You pay (either directly or indirectly) for office applications like Microsoft Office and Apple iWork. These are great applications and they definitely are used by the majority of users. But, they aren't free and they aren't yet live. Free and live office applications are the wave of the future - so what does that mean?

Free Office Applications: I will only be talking about free office applications from here on out. They are free because they are typically open source and because the organizations that developed them make them free. Star Office and Open Office are great examples of such applications. They are free and contain many of the same applications that Office and iWork contain. These applications provide very good free alternatives to software packages that cost around $80. However, they aren't live either. So let's get to what a live office application is.

Live Office Applications: Live means online. Thats the clearest definition. An online office application is one that uses web applications to create files (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc). That means that you can write a paper, for example, using your web browser and an online application. You can then save your document on your hard drive or online. Saving the document online will enables access to that file from anywhere where the internet is available (which is almost everywhere). These live web applications are available for free through sites like Google Docs. That is where these two concepts come together.

In the next 2 posts I will introduce 2 ways to make office files (documents, presentations, and spreadsheets) for free and online. Sorry this was a blah blah blah post. I probably could have just stopped writing after the first paragraph and just put blah blah blah and no one would have been able to tell the difference because they would have stopped reading by then.

IMDB and IMDB... for music

2009-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

IMDb - Internet Movie Database. If you want to know about movies, you go to the Internet Movie Database. Its a massive collection of pretty much every movie ever made. You have probably stumbled across it anytime you have googled a specific movie or even star. You can get plot summaries, cast listings (even click on specific stars and get all their career information), ratings (even specific information about exactly what is in movies), reviews, and a host of other information. I love to look at the top 250 movies and get ideas of movies to see or re-see. Well that's all fine and good...

BUT, WHERE IS THE OTHER IMDb (Internet MUSIC Database)? While various resources exist which definitely resemble an online music database, the most straightforward answer is that there really isn't one yet. Arguably, it seems only logical that there should be a database of information about music, bands, songs, or whatever. Compared against movies however, music is a much more complex animal. Think about how many groups and artists there are. Think about how many labels exist for each of them. Think about the vast complexity of information - from concerts to album releases to band members - that exists in the world of music. Truly, compiling a database for music is an extremely daunting task - especially in terms of what IMDB offers.

So what are some of the resources that can help in the quest for information about music:

Google: obviously - this isn't the most all-in-one solution for information. Using it to get information about Music is more time consuming and daunting a task than other options on the list.
iTunes (Amazon)- want information about music - go to where its sold! iTunes is one of the most vast compilations of music for sale on the web. Not only dones iTunes bring you information about artists and songs, it brings you information about artists and songs that are alike, thereby giving you a means to conceptualize what kind of music you are looking at and find more music that fits your taste. See Genius Sidebar. As for Amazon, same concept, just a little more difficult to use - in my opinion.
SoundUnwound - this is Amazon and IMDB's early attempt at making a music database. Its in the beta stage of its development but to me, it seems to be a pretty darn good start. You can search any person, group, or band and it shoots back a list of results for what you might be looking for. I searched the band U2. There were thousands of matches for the band, but I knew from looking that the first option was the band summary. The site then provides the following: profile, discography, members, and "like U2... well check out..." Go check out a band or person you want and see how you like it. The benefit of using SoundUnwound to iTunes is that you get information about each individual in the band and you can use that to find what other band or music that person has influenced. I have a feeling I will be talking about this again in the future.
Soundflavor - if you've heard it, they probably have it - Soundflavor compiles music by genre, decade, lyrics, songs, and artists so that you make music and video playlists. Postable on Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, blogs, and other websites, Soundflavor's more than a share-site, it's a place to discover. Search over the extended musical listings and discover new artists and sounds. Did I mention that some free music tracks are downloadable? With 30,000 songs and climbing, Soundflavor is definitely a resourceful guide to music! I will likely be re-visiting this site as well.
Pandora - are you looking for music similar to music that you like? Why not just listen to some music on Pandora for awhile, pay attention to what you hear, and take note of what you hear?
Any other ideas? Let me know!

So there you have it, IMDb and IMDb for Music! Search, Learn, Discover, Enjoy!

Fences

2009-02-20T06:00:00.001-08:00

Today's post continues the "desktop organization" theme (please read the bonus post as well). Let me start by saying that I hate desktop clutter - especially desktop icons. I realize, however, that they can be a necessary evil and if you were to look at my desktop, you would see that I use it quite often to save and temporarily store files. If we have to use the desktop to store files and shortcuts I think we better keep them organized. We DON'T want to look like this:

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

Fences, by Stardock, is the free program that is going to help us use our desktops more efficiently. It is only for PC users. Fences does 3 useful things:

Groups Like-Items: Fences builds small "yards" (thats what I call them) for desktop items - areas where you can place similar icons by whatever preference. After placing an item in the yard, the file snaps to that space and is "fenced" in. You can create as many areas as you want for whatever purpose you want and organize them how you want!
Hides and Unhides ALL desktop items: Fences lets you, by the click of your mouse, hide the entire desktop so you don't have to see all the stuff you keep on it. When you need something, you just click anywhere in the desktop space to bring the items back.
Customization: Fences lets you customize colors, sizes, shapes, etc. of the areas that you place your icons. It actually makes your desktop more compartmentalized, clean, and easy to use.

I don't have a lot of icons, but you can see that the areas are blue...

It's like placing clothes in all the right drawers - you put them there, the bedroom looks organized, you can customize the size and shape to fit your "room," and the clothes are hidden from view until you need them.

Overall, I really like Fences. Even though I hate the notion of cluttering up the desktop or overusing it, I know that a lot of people (sometimes myself to a very limited degree) do this and get buried by icons.

Right now the program is a free beta. I wonder if in the near future they are going to make a fully stable version and charge for it. Knowing Stardock, its likely. So download Fences now and take advantage of its features!

Holy Bonus! It's: Start Killer

2009-02-20T05:59:00.000-08:00

Do you hate your Start menu icon? Well, I don't really have anything against mine personally, but Start Killer does - it hates ALL start menu icons. It reminds me of my good friend Star Killer:

If Start Killer could destroy Start menus with the
Force Push/Sith Lightning Zap or a lightsaber it would definitely be cool.

It doesn't. But it does do this:

Holy crap, the start menu is gone! And it used that dialogue box thingy to do it ...
definitely not as cool as Star Killer

Well, I just thought this little desktop tweak was kind of cool. It allows you to "kill" the start menu icon, thereby removing it from your start menu. The utility of this? It gives you more room on the taskbar for windows (and for killing stormtroopers - no, not as cool as Star Killer)... That's about all I can think of. You might consider using it together with Stardock's ObjectDock or RocketDock so that you have a Mac-like dock on the bottom of your screen and a minimized window bar on the top or sides without a start menu... I don't know, its just a cool tweak so use it if you want. I added it as a bonus because its not the MOST useful thing in the world and its definitely not as cool as Star Killer:

That's REALLY how he carries his lightsaber. I know... He's AWESOME!

Oh, did I mention the dude pulled a Star Destroyer OUT OF THE SKY!!?
Can Start Killer do that?

I'm not a nerd so stop thinking it!

Virtual Desktops

2009-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you need more desktop space? Well, I certainly do. Check out my desktop:
It may look strange but what you are seeing is my entire desktop. It consists of 9 spaces. The basic idea is that by dividing up your desktop into multiple "virtual" desktops, you can maximize desktop organizations, efficiency, and use. Looking at my desktop you will notice that, starting in the top left and moving right, I have open Firefox, iTunes, VMware Fusion, Finder, iCal, iPhoto, a blank space, iMail, and VLC Player. What I have done is seperated out my desktop over virtual space so that its size is effectually 9 times larger than it would be without the Spaces. This is what it would look like if you had 6 "phyiscal" desktops:

That's ridiculous... nice command center!

Lets say I had a bunch of applications open on a single space. How would that look?

Thats just an example I found on Google Images- Notice how buried each window is?

It would obviously be a messy looking desktop and require you to switch between windows, minimize and maximize applications, and all sorts of painstaking things. Using a virtual desktop is like having an organized desk. It lets you put things in its proper space to be used when needed. Obviously, if all the things you used on your desk were stacked on top of each other, it would be pretty difficult to be efficient and use your desk space well. Anyway, I am able to virtaulize my computer desktop through a Mac Application called Spaces (click link for more info on that gem). But what about PC's?

FOR PC USERS: There are a host of virtual desktop managers out there. Many cost money, some are free. I have gone out and found 3 that I think are easy to use, work well, and - of course - are FREE. The apps I found are below. All you have to do is download the files and install the programs. They will require some up front configuration but that should be simple enough to figure out.

I have installed all three and found VirtuawWin to be the best. It can virtualize up to nine spaces and it looks pretty good. Double Desktop is a very simple dual desktop manager. I chose it because its really lightweight and very easy to use. Lastly, I included Vista Virtual Desktop Manager because it is lightweight, does a little more than Double Desktop, but will not let you virtualize quite as many desktops as VirtuaWin. I won't go into a tutorials for each but if you have any problems getting your virtual desktop set up, let me know and I will be happy to help. Lastly, I will be honest, these are harder to use than what comes with the Mac - but they do their job and thats what matters!

Note: if you start using a virtual desktop manager, I suggest starting with 2-4 spaces and then increasing as you may find need. I started with 4, went to 6, and now I use 9. It requires some getting used to, but once you do, you will find that you are much more organized and efficient! Enjoy!

Holy Bonus! It's: SpaceSuit

2009-02-19T05:59:00.000-08:00

Bonus: SpaceSuit is basically an add-on to OS X's Spaces. It allows you to customize EACH space with its own wallpaper. Its really very simple and kind of fun because now each space can look different. It also allows you to title each space so you could call one space "Work" and the other "Movies" and another "E-Mail" or whatever. Kind of a nifty add-on to an already nifty application. Too bad Spaces doesn't just come with that capability... oh well.

Useful Guy Stuff

2009-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Assuming that more than 3 people are reading my blog - I want to tell everyone about a great new health/fitness/style blog: Useful Guy Stuff. The site is pretty straight forward... just read the title again. The great thing about it is that it gives straight forward advice to guys (and girls alike) about staying fit, being healthy, and staying on top of style. Girls will benefit because they can get their guys in shape and looking gooooood:

But really, I dig the blog. I dig it. Check it out, learn from it, start doing some of the stuff it talks about and you will likely start looking like this:

Overnight. (That's me - I am a living testimonial).

Wallpaper Juggler

2009-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Mac OS X comes with a handy little feature: you can change your wallpaper at a fixed interval between any wallpaper you want. I found a little application (Wallpaper Juggler) that allows you to do that on a PC as well. The application is free and it allows you to specify a location where you are storing images that you would like to cycle through your wallpapers. It requires Microsoft .net framework 3.5. Download Microsoft .net framework 3.5 here. Download Wallpaper Juggler here.

First you need to install the .net framework. Just double click the .exe file once your download finishes, accept the user agreement, and it will proceed to install your goods. The install requires the internet so make sure you have a good connection and it will all go much faster. It took like 5-10 minutes to do the install. You will have to reboot after the install finishes - no surprise there.

Installing Juggler is just as easy. Open the zipped folder you downloaded, drag and drop the Juggler icon in that folder to your desktop (this effectually unzips the file). Now, double click the Juggler.exe file (the one you just dropped on your desktop). Just go through the setup and you are good to go.

The best way to change between pictures is to create a folder and place the pictures you want to be your desktop background in it. Using the Juggler preferences menu, reference that folder by adding it using the "add" button. Now, set the interval you want for changes and pronto - you now have a cycling desktop wallpaper. Yay!

By the way, Windows 7 does this natively - so when that comes out in December 09, you will be able to change your wallpaper without any extra setup. Double Yay!

For more help with setup, go here.

Microsoft Live / Hotmail POP3

2009-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Some Good News: I just found out that Microsoft liberated Hotmail and its Live accounts to 3rd party applications. Now people in the US that have Hotmail or Live accounts can attach said accounts to applications like Mail (Mac) and Thunderbird (PC and Mac) which formerly were restricted access. This is tremendously overdue news... but welcome nevertheless. Finally, I can use Mail to manage all my e-mail inboxes. My mailboxe in Mail now looks like this:

That's a beautiful thing. You can see that I can check all of my e-mail accounts using only one application. This can also be accomplished using the free mail application Thunderbird. I'll post something soon about how to use Thunderbird to manage your mail. For those of you with multiple accounts, this will really help you save time and energy. (You can use Outlook for all this stuff too...)

The following information will help you in setting up your mailbox (especially the incoming and outgouing server information):
POP server: pop3.live.com (Port 995) incoming server
POP SSL required? Yes
User name: Your Windows Live ID, for example yourname@hotmail.com or @live.com
Password: The password you usually use to sign in to Hotmail or Windows Live
SMTP server: smtp.live.com (Port 25) outgoing server
Authentication required? Yes (this matches your POP username and password)
TLS/SSL required? Yes

Viral Videos

2009-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

You all know about and have seen viral videos even if you don't know the term. Wikipedia, that massive wealth of human knowledge, instructs us that: "A viral video is a video clip that gains widespread popularity through the process of Internet sharing, typically through email or Instant messaging, blogs and other media sharing websites." Viral videos are typically ultra popular and attract large audiences to sites like YouTube and Funny or Die. For example, the ever-popular Star Wars kid and Yuma Yuma kid, videos that sparked MILLIONS of views and thousands of response videos:

Corporations attempt to make viral videos either subtly advertising their products as in this BMW viral. Sometimes, however, they simply attempt to make a video that will grab a viewers attention then plaster their name on it for some positive association. Like this one:

Anyway, if you like viral videos and want to stay on top of them, Viral Video Chart will help you with that. The site tracks the videos by explosions in popularity and even provides you with a graph. What service! Enjoy!

iTunes: using iTunes to manage my music

2009-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today is probably my last post for a little while about music. Today is all about music management. Music management is important because it leads to better organization. The better your music is organized, the easier it is to navigate your music and enjoy it. So that seems pretty simple to understand, lets learn some simple ways we can manage our music. Basically, this post is a crash course on using iTunes. It contains information and small tutorials that I think are good for new and old users alike. A lot of people have been using iTunes for years and years and don't know some of the simple wonders it can do!

First things first
You need to be letting iTunes manage your music for you. This sounds strange. It won't actually manage your music beyond organizing it into folders for you. YOU will be doing the management BUT you will be doing it through iTunes which is the easiest way I know to organize and manage your tunes. To turn this feature on:

go to Preferences (or Settings)
go to the Advanced Tab
Make sure that the "Keep iTunes folder organized" box is checked
Make sure that the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library" box is checked.

The iTunes Music folder
Now that its managing your music, let me explain something. iTunes will now copy any music you add to your iTunes Library to the iTunes Music folder where it will be managed. So if you buy something from iTunes, that music will be put directly into your iTunes folder. If you rip a CD using iTunes, that CD will also be placed directly in your iTunes folder - you don't have to worry about those. IF, however, you have music that you got from a backup device or from a friend or whatever, that music will be COPIED to the iTunes music folder, meaning two copies will exist once you add it to your music library: the one in your iTunes Music folder and the original. The BEST way to add music that is in a format like this is: simply grab and drag the folders where the music is and drop it in the iTunes window. You will see iTunes process it and then it will show up on your screen.

At this point, you no longer need the original to play the music in iTunes because it is IN iTunes. So, unless that folder is on a backup device, you can delete it becuase you have a copy of it in your iTunes folder and you will be managing it through iTunes. All the music you have will now be stored SOLEY in your iTunes Music Library. It can be easily retrieved from that location, so don't worry, iTunes didn't steal it from you.

Managing your music
The next thing to explain is that ANY changes you make to your music in iTunes (i.e. track name, number, genre, etc) will be made TO THE FILE ITSELF. This means that your album art will be saved as well. Now, lets talk about editing a song, songs, or album information.

First, information can be edited on any level: song-by-song, songs-by songs, album-by-album, albums-by-albums, etc.
You can click on one or many songs or albums and press Command+i (Mac) or Control+i (PC).
You can also right click and select Get Info. Either way, this brings up the song's information.
You can edit this information by exploring any of the tabs.
The most common change I make is highlighting multiple songs or albums, editing the info, and changing the genre of that music so it is all Rock, for example.
Another common change you might need to make is to distinguish an audiobook from music. To do this, press command (control) + i on the should-be book, select the "option" tab, and change the "Type" to "audiobook."

A CAVEAT (warning): Do not change information for multiple tracks unless you want all those tracks to share that same information. For example, NEVER change the track title of multiple tracks or all the files will be titled the same. Items you might want to change on a general level: genre, type, rating, album name, etc.

Album Art

The last thing I want to talk about is Album Art. If you have music in you iTunes library that doesn't have album art (i.e. the album in "album view" shows up as a question mark) then you are missing out on one of the best aesthetic feautures of iTunes. To remedy this:

first try right clicking the album and selecting "Get Album Artwork." Thats the easy and obvious way.
If the artwork doesn't show up, its becuase the album is titled in some way that iTunes is not able to recognize. Album art works based on album titles. You should try going to the iTunes store to find that album and see what it is called in iTunes.
Change the name of the album by clicking on it or all the songs in it and pressing command (control) + i. Then change the album title. That should do the trick (make sure you right click and select "Get Album Artwork" again).
If not, then the last method is a sure fire way. Simply google the album,
go to images,
find an image that matches the album,
save it to your desktop,
highlight all the music that should have that image,
then drag and drop the image into the bottom left corner window that says "Drop Image Here" or something like that.

That will attach the image to all the files you selected. You can do this with music that you know doesn't have artwork on iTunes and you can put in whatever picture you want. That's me next to Robin Thicke:

Well, thats it for today. I know it was a lot of reading but I hope you are now an expert on the basic iTunes music managment techniques!

iTunes: Using the Genius Sidebar

2009-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Holy cow another post about music stuff. Today we are talking about the Genius Sidebar. Named after these nerds:

Its okay to be a nerd though. Genius Sidebar is pretty awesome - I'll just let that cat out of the bag right now. However, it does have its limitations. We will address all of this as we talk about how you use it and how you benefit from it. (By the way, I am making the assumption that everyone has and uses an updated version of iTunes... its like water - you need it to live.)

Using it: Well its pretty basic really. Start by making sure that its turned on:

If its not already prompting you to turn it on (it would be doing this on the right side of your iTunes window - it shows up as a sidebar)
then you need to go to iTunes preferences (or settings) and under the "General" tab,
click the box next to "Genius."
Boom baby - its on!

Next, let it do its "thang." It will go through all of your music and get a feel for what you like. Don't worry, there is nothing creepy about this (its not like iTunes is the Government). After it knows you and your music, it will be able to do a few amazingly simple and awesome things for you:

Tell you what you want: Genius can now recommend songs and albums to you that you probably like based on what you already have. Generally, it just tells you what it recommends. Specifically, you can click on a song and it will tell you, based on that song, what you might like. This is beneficial to you because now you can discover new music or just remember music that you like but don't have. This is beneficial to iTunes because you are likely to use it to buy the music - the link is right there for you to click and buy it. Darn clever Apple... If you don't have money, you could always use Sad Steve.
Make cool playlists: So lets say you are listening to a great song and you wish that there was some way you could hear other songs like it without having to go through your whole library to find the tunes. Just have genius do it for you. Seriously, 99 times out of 100 (I don't guarantee this number, but thats how I feel) it will hook you up with tunes that you really wanted to listen to. This is how: click on the song that you like, then click the genius icon (its in the bottom right hand corner of your iTunes window). Presto! There is your Genius playlist, intelligently playing the songs that you love.
Do you have a new iPod? (New as in pretty darn new - latest generation new). Well, it should be able to use Genius too. I've only done this on a new iPod Nano. You can click on a song using the center button (as if you were making an on-the-go playlist, and it will give you the option to create a Genius playlist - JUST LIKE iTunes DOES FOR YOU!!) I imagine its even easier with a iTouch or an iPhone. Holy Cow!

So what are some disadvantages? Well, I wish that I could save some of the Genius playlists I have listened to. There may be a way to do this but I haven't figured it out. Things with iTunes are usually blatantly easy to figure out and I haven't yet which leads me to believe that it is impossible. You can export a song list to a text document and do something called "Copy to Play Order" but what the heck does that mean anyway. The other thing is that I wish it was more like Pandora and gave you the option to add variety to the playlists that you are listening to. I mean, what if I want more than one genre. Honestly, I would think that these features are forthcoming in the future versions of iTunes. So make sure you keep updating when that pesky updater pops up. Anyway, hope you enjoy using Genius!

I Like B-Sides... and I Do, or Do I?

2009-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Do you like Pandora? Do you use iTunes? Well good, I have something that meshes the two together pretty well: i like b-sides (they don't capitalize it). Basically, it uses a web-application to scan your iTunes library and then tell you track that you will probably like but that you don't have. Okay, most of you know this but what's a b-side? A b-side is just the less important side of an album - think records. Typically, artists put their best stuff on the A-side and the B-side is left to the less popular stuff. Now, however, artists sometimes refer to B-sides as being music that never even found its way to an album. Anyway, hopefully that sheds some light for those that didn't understand the somewhat esoteric name (well, not that esoteric).

Before I go much further, I'm sure all of you are like: "but doesn't iTunes, like, have the Genius Sidebar?" and I'm like: "well, yeah..." and you're like "soooo, why don't we just, like, use it?" and I'm like, "well duuuuuh, if I am, like, posting about it, there is probably, like, a reason." And then you're like "ahkay!" and I'm like "like, totally ahkay!"

So, like, now that that is covered, lets talk about how to use it, what it does, and how to benefit from it.

HOW TO USE IT: all you do is go to your iTunes music folder (in your music folder) and find a document called: "iTunes Music Library.xml." Right click that file, select "send to" then "compressed zipped folder." Then, select browse on the b-side website, upload the zipped file and POOF!, you are in business (its pretty much the same for Mac, except you just right click, select "compress" and POOF! you are in bussiness, too. The site has instructions, I just told you too so that I get more reading time out of you. It will output a list on the left that looks like this - these are my suggested tracks:
Okay, so far - not better than Genius Sidebar... Well, ultimately, I don't think it is better than Genius sidebar, but it does do THIS:
Those are the "cool" tracks in your library that you might be ignoring because you forgot you had them or something. So thats kinda cool... I mean, its not like you can do that in iTunes, right? WRONG, all you have to do is sort your music by least-to-most played (either by number of times played or by date last played, or whatever). The only thing this does is compare your possibly ignored music with a list of "cool" tracks that they have so that they only tell you stuff that is "cool." I assert, however, that if the music is IN your iTunes library, its probably cool (to you). If it isn't cool, sorting your music in iTunes like I just told you will at least tell you what you need to delete. Am I right or am I right or am I right, right, right, right?

BING!

I will tell you all about Genius Sidebar in my next post, by the way. Either way, I say that its worth a try. Give it a shot, see if you like what it tells you. If not, leave it alone. If it does, then use it to find music. The only other problem with it is that it links you to Amazon.com to buy music... Amazon.com. So that troubling. But either way, you could just search the new album or artist you want in iTunes. Not rocket science. So i don't really like "I like b-sides" but I think its worth a shot.

Ars Technica

2009-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today, let's talk about an interesting news site: ArsTechnica. In the past, I have posted on Slashdot, News For Nerds. The type of news on Arstechnica is similar in many ways to the type of news on Slashdot (in that its for nerds) but Ars has a professional writing staff and a different philosophy to approaching the news. Where Slashdot is an open news forum, Ars is more polished, professional, and structured. The writers focus on the technology sector and anything that concerns it.

So why am I telling you about this site? Honestly, I just think its a cool site. It is where I get around 65% (don't ask how I came up with that number) of technology news. So what use is this to you? I don't know - that's a personal question.

That's one of the pictures that came up when I googled "I don't know." I say it was worth it.

Anyway, the point is, if you want Tech news - Go to ArsTechnica. They cover categories like: Apple, Business, Gaming, Gadgets, Hardware, Microsoft, Open Source, Science, Tech Policy, and more. If you care about any of those things, you will like ArsTechnica.

The writers at Ars usually take an interesting stance on things. A lot of times I find that they focus on hot issues and try to give views that are both realistic and similar to those of the tech sector. Here are some stories I found interesting or funny:

Nintendo Kills Duck Hunt for iPhone, Dog Laughs
Six editions of Windows 7: better than Vista, still too many
Apple Nabs 10% Market Share
General Science News

Anyway, thanks for reading and have fun reading!

Track Your Stats

2009-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yo Bloggers! This one is for you. I wanted to go through some of the ways you can track the stats on your blog. Its kinda cool to be able to see who is visiting your blog (by IP address), how many people are seeing it, and where they come from before they checked out your blog. I will focus on 2 different stat counters over the next two days: StatCounter and GoogleAnalytics.

StatCounter: my personal favorite is the site simply called: StatCounter. It is a really easy site to use and it gives you pretty sweet information. All you need to do is setup an account with them using an e-mail address (preferably your junk mail address - if you don't have an e-mail for purely junk mail purposes, I suggest creating one). Just go through the simple steps to setup your account. You will then be prompted to put a little script on your blog. Just go to your blog's "layout" page, add a gadget, add "html" script, paste what StatCounter provides and you are set. The last thing to remember is to create a "blocking cookie" which will make it so that whenever you check out your site it won't count you. This is important so you don't get blown up numbers. Here are some examples that I took from my account at StatCounter:

Look at those numbers! whew - I should be making money off this thing.

Clicking on the "visitor paths" link on the left side of the screen brings up this window:

This information is good because it gives you a visitor-by-visitor breakdown of who is seeing your site, where they are from (IP addresses can be used to find the general physical location of that person's computer) and where they came from.

A cool thing is that you can even see the types of internet browsers people are using when they look at your site. You will notice, of course, that mostly Firefox is used!

Well, there you go, that's StatCounter. I will be back tomorrow with a post on Google Analytics. Until then...

Photobucket

2009-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Many people are into using sites like Flickr and Shutterfly to share pictures on the web. Those are great sites. Maybe someday I will talk about them more specifically. Today, however, I want to focus on a site that is similar as far as uploading photos go, but awesome-er: Photobucket.

Awesome like the Star Wars rockband (I bet someone used Photobucket to make this picture):

Photobucket lets you upload pictures, store them on their servers, make slide shows, make virtual scrapbooks, and edit pictures. The uploading, storing, and slide show creation are all pretty run-of-the-mill. I like the fact that you can upload multiple pictures at a time, too. Really though, the best features Photobucket has to offer are the photo-editing and the digital scrapbooking.

Photo-Editing: Perhaps the best example of how you can use photo-editing to customize pictures is the logo for the dull bulb. I used Photobucket to change the look, colors, add text, etc. Basically, once you upload a picture to the site, you can click the "edit" button and begin making your pictures awesome-er. Its really easy to use. Just go try it. Setup a photobucket account, upload pictures, and edit one. Get busy making awesome edited photos.

LOOK WHAT I MADE:
1.

2.

Digital Scrapbooking: This part of the review is from the guest writer Baby G. She says:

"Photobucket has a new feature called Scrapblog. It is basically a really easy way to do digital scrapbooking and it is FREE! The first thing you do is choose a template that you like. There are about 144 to choose from. Each template has anywhere from 1-9 pages. The cool thing is that once you choose a template you can personalize it by deleting, adding, or moving everything you see.

"Let’s start with pictures. You simply click on pictures that you have already uploaded to your Photobucket account and you can add things like frames or borders. There aren’t rigid spaces where you have to put your pictures. You can put them anywhere, at any angel, and at any size you like. Next let’s talk about text. You have the same liberties with the text as you do with pictures. There are lots of fonts to choose from. Next, they have things called stickers. The first time I used Scrapbook I thought I could only use the stickers that went with the template I chose, but that is not correct. When you click stickers there is a button at the top called “Get Stickers.” Once you click that, it takes you to all of the stickers they have for every template. The stickers are the cute little things that are always so expensive when scrapbooking like; borders, cute phrases, pictures, and basically all the decorations you could possibly use to scrapbook.

"If you have made a Scrapblog you want to publish you just click “Order Prints.” You can have a book (soft or hard bound) mailed to you or delivered at Target. I have found Scrapblog to be very useful for my blog as well. You can save one of your scrapbook pages as a .jpeg and use it for a collage of pictures on a post or as a very personalized header."

So there you have it- Photobucket.

Wimp.com

2009-02-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Watching videos on the internet is one of my favorite past times. I find them diverting, a good opportunity to laugh, learn, and even get cultured. Obviously sites like YouTube and Hulu rule the world of video hosting. The site that I am highlighting today is a wimp when compared to YouTube and Hulu... But where would we be without little wimps that try and take over the world. Like:

and

Wimp is a really great site. Why am I even telling you about this site given the media giants that were mentioned above? Well, if you don't like doing the work of finding good videos but you enjoy watching them, this is the site for you. Its simple and straight forward. The maker of the site simply watches a lot of videos on the internet (I imagine), finds the best ones (what he/she thinks are interesting, funny, awesome, etc), and puts them on the site. The site looks really amateur and indeed it is. But what's wrong with that? The fact of the matter is that the site hosts really good videos - daily (typically around 15). Its like the cream of the crop for any given day.

A few caveats (warnings): First, the site can be slow. The admin is probably hosting his own server and it must be slow. Like I said, its amateur. But that shouldn't stop you from watching the videos. The site is REALLY simple:

Don't let that scare you away from it. Second, sometimes there is an inappropriate video on there - 99% of the time, however, it is void of anything crude or otherwise possibly offensive. Finally, you will probably get hooked. If you like videos like I do, you will notice that after watching a few of Wimp's videos, you will be watching them everyday. Enjoy! Thanks Wimp, whoever you are, for all the great videos!

THANKS TO SAM FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THIS SITE (that's Sam below, look closely at his shirt):

Windows 7 beta

2009-01-31T06:15:00.000-08:00

I am posting an amendment to my recent Windows 7 informational post. Rumor has it that Microsoft is planning to offer a FREE upgrade to Windows 7 to all Windows Vista owners that buy it AFTER July 1, 2009. Honestly, I thought the free beta was too good to be true, but apparently Microsoft is really gearing up to have this thing ready by December 2009 and for free to Vista users.

The only versions of Vista that will be upgradable for free are Vista Business, Vista Home Premium, and Vista Ultimate. Obviously, there will be a host of other qualifications to actually be eligible to get the free upgrade. Either way, its a good deal. Microsoft is really gearing this towards the end consumer and businesses while also working with OEM's (original equipment manufactures - which means exactly what the name says). My opinion is that this is all part of Microsoft's strategy to boost its public image and do something right at a time when its market share is slipping and people are seriously beginning to doubt that anyone smart works at Microsoft (that was a joke - although I have been wondering that recently). If you want to try out Windows 7 better get on it. The Beta testing period is ended on February 10... so I suggest still trying.

From 1/27/09 - Want to play around with Microsoft's new attempt at an innovative operating system? Windows 7 is available for free download as a beta version. Beta means that the operating system is not currently completely ready for the market. In fact, Microsoft will not even be ready to release Windows 7 by the end of 2009. The planned release is sometime in the first quarter of 2010. Why is it called Windows 7? That is probably just a code name. Microsoft will likely release it under a different name. It code-named Windows 7 because it is the 7th version of the Windows operating system... creative huh?

So, if you want to see what Windows 7 is all about, at least in its early, unpolished stages, Microsoft will let you download it for free (as .iso disk image). They will provide you with a serial and everything. The download is only available until February 10, 2009. So make sure that you take advantage of the download before then if you want to try it out.

Downloading Windows 7.
Click the download link to go to the download page at Microsoft.com. That page has some of the technical information that your system will require to run the OS. If you are currently running Vista or Mac OS X Leopard then your computer should have no problem with Windows 7. Just scroll down, select the operating system type that you want to download (you should probably choose the 32-bit version - unless you know that you should choose the 64-bit version). The download is fairly fast if you have a good connection but, either way, grab a coke and wait a bit. I will give you some install ideas based on either an Apple or Microsoft platform.

Install Options for Windows Users
Virtualized: if you have VMware Workstation or another virtualization product, you should be able to install Windows 7 as a virtual machine. Just follow the typical procedure for adding a virtual machine. If you need help with this, comment and I can provide further instructions.

Dual Boot: You can install Windows 7 in addition to your current OS if you are willing to format your drive and partition. If you already have it partitioned, just format the none-OS partition and install Windows 7 there. For more on dual booting, just run a google search for help.

Install Options for Mac
Boot Camp: under this option, you simply need to launch the Boot Camp application under Utilities. Partition the HDD providing around 20-30 gb for the OS. You need to burn the .iso to a disk using the disk utility in the utilities folder. Put the disk in, open boot camp, select start installation process, and OS X will shut down and load the setup files. Just follow the instructions from that point.
Virtualized: It's very simple really. Just click on the "new" virtual machine option and install it as Vista. Use the .iso file to install (so you don't have to have a DVD) and make sure that you unselect "easy install." Besides that, you should be in business.

Short of the above two options, I would just choose not to mess with Windows 7 in Mac. It runs flawlessly in Fusion and I imagine (although I have not tried) it runs flawlessly in Boot Camp as well. If you don't have Fusion or Parallels, just go the Boot Camp route and it should work out just great for you.

Below I have included a screenshot of the copy I installed on Fusion. It works really well. You will notice that it looks a lot like Windows Vista. Its basically a glorified version of Vista - lighter weight, easier to use, etc. 7 also touts the new, albeit scaled down version of Superbar.

Sad Steve

2009-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

That ugly dude to the left is Steve... Sad Steve. He represents today's featured music site: www.sadsteve.com. (Special thanks to Sam for this site!) Sad Steve is another online music site. It is not like Pandora or PureVolume at all. Its not a radio site and its not an artist bio site (although the site does do featurettes on some bands). So what is it? Well, its a site where you can look up specific artists and songs and listen to them. So why would you use Sad Steve instead of Pandora or PureVolume? The answer lies in HOW Sad Steve works. Sad Steve indexes (just think of a library index) music on the internet. The index is large although not exhaustive. So what this means is that you can use Sad Steve to hear a song or artist that you want to listen to. Specifically. For example, on Pandora you search an artist and it brings back a song, specific to what you wanted or not, and plays it. Sad Steve allows you to play only the song you want. Obviously, comparing Pandora to Sad Steve is like comparing really tasty grapes "and really bad eggs" (respectively).

Either way, Sad Steve has its benefits.

You will notice that when you search for a song in Sad Steve and play it, a pop-up window appears. That window has a simple little media playing script that begins playing your song.
You will notice a list of links below said script: Download, E-mail to Friends, Lyrics, Album Art, Share on Facebook. Hmmm, those sound useful. Let's discuss them, last to first.
The Share on Facebook link, simply places a link of that song on your Facebook profile. I did this on my profile if you know me and want to see it in action.
The Album Art link is not useful.
The Lyrics Link shows the lyrics... kinda cool.
The E-mail link does what the facebook link does except through your e-mail address... that's kinda cool too.
The Download link downloads the song...

What? Downloads the song? Is that legal?

On that question, Sad Steve's "What?" page - basically its Q & A about page - states:
Q 3. Is this legal? Will I get in trouble for downloading?
A. Yes, the site is legal. Sad Steve works by indexing mp3 files from all around the Internet. So, for example, if the website for John's California Surf Club hosts a Beach Boys song, that file is indexed and made available to the you, the user.

No, you won't get in trouble for downloading. Sad Steve's traffic monitoring tools do not log users' IP addresses, physical addresses, e-mail adddress, or any of that garbage. In fact, there is no record anywhere in our system of what files are downloaded, how many times, or by who. So whether you download zero, ten, or a thousand songs, nobody knows.

HUH?

The verdict: apparently yes and no... It is legal for them to index music on the internet. The strange things is that the site says its legal, then goes on to tell you how there is no way to monitor who uses it (i.e. who downloads from it). So... It legal for them to index the music, "yada yada yada" you can download to. My opinion: its legal to listen to the music. About the other stuff i don't know.

Check out Sad Steve and see if you like. Download some music if you like.

Pandora - Online Radio

2009-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am guessing that many of you readers out there have heard about Pandora. I hope that you have. Its not that new to me either - my friend told me about the site a long time ago. Either way, maybe you could use a refresher.

Pandora is the music Genome project - it's like, mapping the genes of like, music, and stuff. Less hippy, Pandora is a free online dynamic radio service that matches music you choose to listen to with other music that you like or are bound to like based on your tastes. How does it work? The service has a large database of music that has been classified according to artist, genre, sound, and other features that allows their servers to combine favorable music lists. It bases its information on information from thousands of users that provide a simple thumbs up or thumbs down on each song on a station.

The site is SUPER easy to use. It has a really clean look (not a ton of ads, simple design, good flow, etc). As I said, its free to listen and you don't need to setup an account. However, setting up an account is easy (requires simple information like e-mail, password, DOB, Zip) and once you set up an account you will be able to save "stations" that you made and continue to listen to them later. Basically, the site is brilliant!

This morning, in honor of today's post, I started a new station. I searched the band "Audioslave" and it pulled up a great song by the band. The next song was Pearl Jam, then Nirvana, Incubus, Audioslave (again), Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bush, Foo Fighters, and on and on. Holy cow! Good Listening!! WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS SITE?! I would be bathing in coins, Ducktails style.

A good thing, by the way, is that you can advance to the next track on the station if you don't like a song. You should remember to rate the music that you hear (thumbs up or down) so that the server gets smarter and smarter and you get better and better music. THE BIG BONUS: you get to learn about music that maybe you didn't know you like but that you do! That's huge for all you stagnant music listeners out there! DYNAMIC RADIO is just what the doctor ordered. The only bad thing that I can think of is that it won't let you go back to previous songs. I kinda hate that. But oh well, small price to pay for brilliancy!

PureVolume

2009-01-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

Are you are Rock/Punk/Alternative fan? Want to find new bands? PureVolume is a site devoted to the discovery of new music. Here is what their "about" page says:

PureVolume is a website for the discovery and promotion of new music and emerging artists. Each artist has a profile that typically contains basic info, updates, photos, shows and music for streaming. Artists have the option of making each of their songs available for free download. Listeners and fans can also create profiles to interact with artists and each other, as well as track and share music they like.

I have used the site to find all kinds of bands that I currently enjoy. As stated above, the artists will commonly make their music available for free download. So you get to preview and keep some of the music that you find. The site is really for rock/punk/alternative fans so keep that in mind if you check it out. Don't expect to find Beyonce on there. Here is a link to a band that I just found using PureVolume: Dizzy Balloon.

The site has a polished design, good tunes, free music, and lots of music to listen to, so check it out!

LifeHacker

2009-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

We should be starting our Internet Browswer review series today, however, I need a little more time to refine my thoughts. In the mean time, I wanted to tell you about a site that I just recently found called LifeHacker.com. According to the site's "about" page, LifeHacker is "an award-winning, daily blog that features tips, shortcuts, and downloads that help you get things done smarter and more efficiently. Lifehacker launched in January 2005, and now ranks as one of the top-linked blogs on the internet according to Technorati. In 2006 Wired Magazine named Lifehacker Best Blog in their annual Rave Awards ceremony. Lifehacker's also been mentioned in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine as well as other mainstream press outlets."

Sound cool? Well it is. To find out why YOU think its cool, its probably best to just go there and check it out. The site provides a lot of practical, hands-on solutions to all kinds of problems and situations. They provide free downloads of applications that are fun and easy to use. They review other applications and provide brief tutorials on how to use them. Basically, I think the site is cool because its basically the kind of site I would make if I had the expertise, editorial staff, programming staff, and time that the makers of LifeHacker have.

So LifeHacker covers subjects that are typically computer related (e.g. Apple and Microsoft software, reviewing productivity software, even how to setup your own home server) but they also cover practical everyday life subjects like health, food, and entertainment. Here are 3 recent posts that I found very useful:

Five "Healthy Snacks" That Aren't
Download 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Free and Legally
Cold Remedies

Anyway, check out LifeHacker and come back and comment about what you thought.

Woot.com and E-Cost.com

2009-01-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Woot: Woot.com is a discount site that uses the "buy now and save now" approach to selling its products. They sell products that are new and refurbished at well below market price. They must be able to get old stock from other sellers at very low prices and sell them at a margin. Either way, they sell inexpensive stuff. I have seen products from iPods to Vacuums to electronic helicopters to HDTV's. They sell anything they can get their hands on. The catch is that the products are only available during the day they are offered. They do not have an online catalog. However, some products, if they don't sell out, will find their way back to the site after sufficient time has passed. Anyway, check out woot.com.

E-Cost: It was through Woot that I found e-cost.com (Woot lists great deals on the internet on the top right corner of their page). This site sells all kinds of electronics at very good bargains. I purchased an external hard drive from e-cost at a steal of a deal. The site usually has really good deals, but the best thing it has to offer is the "Bargain Countdown." If you go to the site and look at the top right hand corner area, usually on the menu bar somewhere, you will see a link to their bargain countdown. This is where they basically try to pressure you into purchasing something by telling you the bargain is counting down. Honestly, they typically continue to countdown the product until its out. But either way, they offer the products at amazing prices. Go to the site and see for yourself!

Up Next: A week-long mini-series on Web Browsers - Reviews, Add-ons, Tutorials, and more!

Turn The Lights Back On!

2009-01-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Good news! The dull bulb is back in business (not that I ever made money from this foolhearty enterprise). After much soul searching I have determined to bring the dull bulb back into full swing (well, there was no soul searching, I just miss it and my wife told me that she misses it and that's enough to get me going again).

I'm not sure if it shows but I put a lot of time and energy into the blog. I try to put into it things that I enjoy learning about and that I find useful and/or entertaining. I realized (with the help of my wife) that many of the topics I covered in my previous regime were a little to "out there." What I want to try to do with my posts now is to keep everything SUPER practical. I am going to review websites and software that you can use. Additionally, I plan on providing some brief tutorials to provide you with hands on experiences if you so choose.

**Some things to notice after my most recent hiatus: check out the "What is the dull bulb" link for more info on what the blog is all about; check out the "about the author" link for information (updated) on me and my computer interests; look through some of my old posts that you will find categorized along the right side of the webpage (I organized them by topic); aren't the new colors pretty?; notice the "Shout Out" section on the right side of the page - you can contact me using that little diddy and give me your thoughts on the blog and give me ideas for future posts,

Extinguish the Lights

2008-09-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

The dull bulb is extinguishing its lights. Things have been a little hectic since starting law school. I don't have the time I used to have. While I may not have time to write, I still have time to check out cool stuff and stay interested in technology. I hope that I will continue to do so. Maybe some day when I feel I am the king of the world of law (which I have a one in a million chance of feeling) I will bring back the dull bulb. For now, its so long and good night.

Rampenfest

2008-08-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to invite everyone to watch this video. Its called Rampenfest. It is about 30 minutes long and I embedded it from this website: http://www.rampenfest.com. If you have time today, watch it and write a comment on this post about what you think it's all about. If you have seen it and know the scoop, don't ruin it for everyone. I will post more about it more tomorrow. I think its interesting so this should be fun. Enjoy Rampenfest!

XP PowerToys

2008-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Good to be back. Today's topic is a bit antiquated, however, still applicable by many of us who have decided that Vista is not the OS for us and stuck it out with XP. I say antiquated because today deals with something that is solely applicable to XP and has been around since the XP's conception.

Microsoft developed a few applications meant to improve the user experience of XP called Power Toys (click the link for the download page). Power Toys consists of roughly 14 applications that are meant to "beef up" XP. There are applications that enable improved color manipulation for the design- or photo-inclined. There are applications that improve the ability to tweak the user interface. The most interesting application to me is the virtual desktop manager that allows you to create up to four virtual desktops and manage them using the task bar. It is not nearly as intuitive as Mac Spaces or even a handful of the products on the market that you can download. I am telling you about it because it is pretty interesting that Microsoft even made a group of applications for XP including a desktop manager. Power Toys has some pretty interesting applications. Go ahead and check it out.

As far as Vista Power Toys, no word. I don't think they will be doing anything. As is customary, Microsoft is following their classic good-then-bad cycle in OS production. They come out with a good OS, improve it, make it great, replace it with a terrible one, forget it, come out with another good one, improve it, make it great... etc. So I think most of Microsoft's efforts are focused on Windows 7. For info on that, click here.

StarOffice Part 2

2008-07-31T06:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I wrote about Star Office by Sun Microsystems. Today, I wanted to tell you about why StarOffice, OpenOffice and other open source software is so important for you.

Takeaways

Here is the thing with Star Office and other applications like it: People have an inherent fear of trying new things when it requires changing from an old, common thing and especially when related to computers. Remember changing from Windows 95 to Windows XP? I do. It was different. Why would you ever stop using Microsoft Office since you know it so well? Why would you want to learn some new application? First off, I am not telling you to change. If you like what you are using, by all means, keep using it. However, the time will come when you purchase a new computer. Whether that computer is a Mac or PC (we won't consider alternatives) you will be faced with the decision: to buy, or not to buy, Microsoft Office - because its not free with the computer. You will look at the hefty price tag, take a deep breath and think, "I need it anyway, here goes." I am telling you that there is an alternative out there that does not cost you a penny. It delivers the same (and more) applications to you without the rediculous price tag. Is it really important that you consider an alternative? YES! Microsoft charges their rediculously high price because they can. Not because supply is low or the programs are soooo special. BECAUSE THEY CAN. It feels like terrorism and we don't negotiate with terrorists (not really but if I say that, all my American readers will be frightened into action).

So what happens when substitutes in a dominated market are actually utilized (i.e. when you say, I won't buy Microsoft's product because I won't pay so much for something I can get for free)? Well, a few things. If enough people switch (especially corporations - why wouldn't they, I mean its free) you will see a paradigm change in the market. Microsoft will develop even better products to differentiate theirs from the competition. The competition will do the same. So you get a better product. The prices will come down. When I say come down, I mean DOwn. How do you compete with a price that is free? Well, you make your product sweet and cheap. Simple free market economics. Can this work? Well, it sure might if enough people start to recognize the value of the proposition and if OSS developers can continue to make great products. The biggest problem is people fear changing from something they're comfortable with. By being open to change in this regard, we can shift the market into a new frontier - one that is less expensive. I tell you what, besides OpenOffice and StarOffice, there is something else in the market that might even REVOLUTIONIZE the way we look at office applications and can certainly cause headaches for Microsoft: Google. I will talk about how... tomorrow.

So, take the StarOffice or OpenOffice challenge. Download the applications and use them instead of your Microsoft Office apps. See what you think. If after a month you feel like you aren't missing anything by using the free stuff over the expensive stuff, then you have proven that the world doesn't need Microsoft Office (at least at its current price). Here is a link to Google Pack where you get it free. And here is another link to OpenOffice.org.

Star Office by Sun Microsystems Part 1

2008-07-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have already reviewed OpenOffice, an office application package that is both open source and free. I really like the package because it works just like Microsoft Office, but you don't have to sell your first born to use it. Today I want to review a very similar product that is developed primarily under Sun Microsystems called Star Office. It is critical to note that StarOffice costs money while OpenOffice does not. However, StarOffice is not nearly as expensive as Microsoft Office and in a free market economy, it is critical that we have some alternatives. It is even more critical to note that if you don't want to pay for StarOffice, you can still get it for free from Google in their Google Pack. The drawback there is that you won't be able to get it for Linux or Mac OS X, just Windows. So, is StarOffice free? Only through Google. Otherwise you pay Sun to use it.

So you can get the most out of my review I have structured my comments accordingly: Introduction, The Package, Ease-of-Use, Features, Compatibility with Microsoft formats, and Takeaways.

Introduction

Star Office was originially developed by StarDivision but was purchased by Sun in 1999. OpenOffice (the free one) was actually based upon the source code of Star Office which was released in 2000. StarOffice, in turn, are based upon newer versions of OpenOffice. You can see that open source development was an important method through which Sun developed a product they now sell and profit from. This is a great example of how an open source business model can be a part of corporate strategy and help turn a profit while also developing software that is made by the users of the product. For more information on open source as a business model, click here. Recently, Google has incorporated StarOffice as part of its Google Pack, a software package for Windows containing essential programs like a virus scanner, photo editor, office application package, etc.

The Package

So what does StarOffice include in its array of applications? The interesting thing is that it contains more than the typical package of Microsoft Office. Here is a list of its contents and the file extensions they support:

Star Writer - word processor - .sdw, .sxw, .odt, .ott .doc

Star Calc - spreadsheet - .sdc, .sxc, .ods, .ots, .xls

StarImpress - presentation program - .sdd, .sxi, .odp, .otp, .ppt

StarDraw - drawing tool - .sda, .sxd, .odg, .otg

StarBase - database - .sdb, .odb

StarMath - formula generator - .smf, .sxm, .odf

Ease-of-Use

The focus of this section is really to determine how easy or hard it is to interact with StarOffice. I will try to answer questions like: Are the programs easy to use? Is the interface appealing? StarOffice has the look and feel of Microsoft Office 2003. Is it bad that it doesn't look like Office 2007? No. Office 2007 is merely a glorified, xml-ized version of 2003. StarOffice looks like 2003 and has more programs in the package and better features. Each program is intuitive and as easy to use as any office application you have used previously. The applications are not buggy so the flow of use is good.

Features

There are a host of features that I won't bother with because they are so common to Office Applications. For example, StarOffice (and OpenOffice) does EVERYTHING you would expect from your office applications. Everything. Macros, formulas, graphs, etc. Here are some additional features that make the software package appealing:

Format Changes: StarOffice allows you to save documents in .pdf format. This is extremely useful for anyone that needs to send a document that can't be modified by the next user. .pdf is also a very simple file type that many companies and individuals prefer to work with. Not only that, but you can save your files in formats beyond just .doc or .xls. Most importantly, the software does not limit you to one file format.

Package: The package you get with StarOffice is as complete as any other office apllication package and contains other useful software for editing formulas and a drawing tool.

Lastly, It's free: This is an important concept. You don't pay anything for a professiona

Compatibility- with .doc, .docs, .xls, .xlsx, etc.

You might wonder why I think this section is necessary. If you switch to OpenOffice or StarOffice, your colleuges at work, your friends, family, and everyone else in the world may not. This means that you will undoubtedly need to read the documents they create using your office application and it needs to be compatible. To this important information, there is good news and bad news.

Good News! StarOffice and OpenOffice are completely compatible with anything Microsoft has done pre-2007. That means anything without the -x on the end can be opened no problem and is completely compatible (although you might find a problem withthemes of PowerPoint files but not the data).

Bad News. Right now, OpenOffice and StarOffice don't support the .xml based files of Office 2007. There are converters out there that can help you figure it all out. The funny thing about the bad news here is that Microsoft Office 2003 won't open 2007 documents either unless you download and install the compatibility patch. A lot of people don't do this... so what's the diffferce. Anyway, a reason Microsoft created this file format was to dissuade people from using open office applications. So, if you want to use StarOffice and you want to open .-x extension files, just download the converter and everything will be fine.

Come back tomorrow to read the takeaways from this important application package. It was too long of a post to all hit today. So to learn how this can affect you and the software community favorably, come back and read tomorrow's post.

Virtual Desktop Managers

2008-07-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel your desktop is too cluttered? I feel this way all the time and I was happy to learn about 2 old and new applications that virtualize desktops in XP or Vista. First off, what is a virtual desktop? It isn't the same as OS virtualiztion which you can read about here. It simply means that instead of the one, standard desktop, you can switch between multiple "fake" desktops. For example, if you are looking at your web browser and buried beneath it is Word and iTunes and you want to be able to access these windows individually you can set them up on their own virtual desktop. Then, you can switch between the desktops when you need to use each program. It is a clever little way of staying organized and maintaining efficiency. The programs cost some RAM but its worth the expense if you have OCD about your desktop use (like me). So what are the FREE programs?

Codeplex: from Codeplex comes a straightforward (beta) application that virtualizes in both XP and Vista. In Vista, it maintains the live thumbs (you know how when you put the cursor over a tab on the task bar in Vista you get a Live view of what is going on in that window - this capitalizes on that concept - just make sure to have at least 2gb of memory). Mind you, this is a beta version and so will have a few hiccups.

XP Power Toy: This one comes directly from our friends at Microsoft. It is ONLY compatible with XP as the company has not decided to fiddle with Vista (maybe they are afraid they will break it). It works really well and allows you to virtualize up to 4 desktops. It is somewhat easy to configure and I haven't had any problems using it - its just been fun.

What about the ones that cost money?

Otaku Software - (for Vista/XP) never used it but it got good reviews

StarDock DeskSpaces - (for Vista) This one doesn't actually virtualize desktops but it does give you nifty backgrounds for your computer, allow you to switch backgrounds, and even have a video as a background. Kind of interesting... not worth the money.

Days Off

2008-07-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am taking a couple days off this week. Next post will be Thursday July 24. Thanks for stopping by.

The Onion

2008-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all already know about this one. I have heard of the Onion News Network from a lot of people but I never checked it out. It just didn't seem like it would be interesting. Well, I was wrong. I stumbled across it a while ago and I have to say that it is amazingly funny. Holy Cow. Here is an example of a "report" they did on the World of Warcraft (if you don't know about World of Warcraft, it is basically a time sucking online quest game that is all about "leveling up" your World of Warcraft character through the eternities - because the game never ends. People spend hours and HOURS and HOURS playing this game as it is literally its own world. So, watch the video knowing that some of the people that play this game take it so seriously that they never stop playing and will some day likely turn into one of their elven characters):

'Warcraft' Sequel Lets Gamers Play A Character Playing 'Warcraft'

This next video is also funny. No intro necessary:

Tiny Dog Has Been Barking Nonstop For 6 Years

Rediculous. That one made me laugh for a while. In general, The Onion uses sarcasm to make fun of various current events or anything they think is stupid. Warning: the site does use bad language on occasion so be cautious with that. The site can also be insensitive but as long as you take everything as a joke, it is really funny. I am sure many of you already know about the Onion so this is just a reminder or for those that haven't an invitation to check it out.

Open Source OS's Bonus: Live CD

2008-07-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the bonus section of the Open Source Operating System mini-series. The bonus topic for today is all about Live CD's or LiveUSB. I created this section to give everyone some information on how they can try these open source operating systems without formatting or having virtualization software. The key to doing this is the "live" concept that Linux uses extensively. So here we go:

Live CD's are versions of an operating system that don't require a full install to run. They allow you to boot the operating system from the live disk and use the features of the OS almost as if you had installed it. For those of you that feel inclined to try out one of the operating systems I have highlighted or maybe another one you have heard about, it is easy with Live CD's. I found a list of the operating systems - with download links - that have Live CD's so you can play with them: click here. To create a Live CD, you need only download the ISO (disk image) and use an ISO burning software (Nero or ImgBurn) to put it on the disk. Thats it. You just run the disk on startup or there are even version that let you run the disk over your native OS and you are set. It seems to me that Ubuntu has the most popular version of a Live CD out there so check it out.

Live USB = A live USB or thumb drive would allow you to do the same thing as a Live CD with one fundamental difference. Rather than having a live image to boot from, you can actually install the full operating system on the USB thumb drive. This means that you can insert your thumb drive into the USB port, change your BIOS settings to "boot from USB drive" and then actually boot the computer from your thumb. This is actually a tool that a lot of hackers (the bad kind) use to get access to a hard drive without accessing the native operating system. That is the illegal application of this concept. The legal application is that you can boot to an operating system, get the internet, do whatever else you need to from ANY computer (that allows you to boot from USB). It also provides you a way of experimenting with various Linux OS's without all the cost of buying an extra hard drive or formatting your existing one. Here is a Google search with links to various tutorials and other such useful information (that way I don't have to do all the leg work of explaining it).

Open Source OS's Part 3: OpenSuse

2008-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 2 of the Open Source Operating System mini-series. Today's focus is OpenSuse, a sponsored OS by Novell.

Introduction

The OpenSuse website says this about the project: "The openSUSE project is a worldwide community program sponsored by Novell that promotes the use of Linux everywhere. The program provides free and easy access to openSUSE. Here you can find and join a community of users and developers, who all have the same goal in mind — to create and distribute the world's most usable Linux. openSUSE also provides the base for Novell's award-winning SUSE Linux Enterprise products." The fact that Novell is behind the development of this software is interesting because it adds an element of more professionalism to the applications. It doesn't really make it better than other distro as big companies are behind other distros but Novell has done a great job with their Suse project. The OS is based on GNOME which is the GUI that a lot of Linux distros are based upon.

Features

Desktop: The look and feel of the OpenSuse desktop is similar to Ubuntu and XP. An interesting feature that OpenSuse has that Ubuntu does not is a virtual desktop - basically that means that you can seperate your open windows onto different windows and even go through them in a unique way. It also has a lot more desktop effects than other open source OS's like when you grab a window to move it, it kind of of sways with the way you move the cursor. The start menu is really intuitive on OpenSuse: it tabs between documents, applications, and network places to make searching fast, easy, and clean. (see last screen shot - the blue one)

Audio: OpenSuse uses Banshee audio player which I like a lot. It is actually pretty similar to the iTunes format. It also seperates into 3 different windows for artists, albums and songs so that you can sort your music really easily. Playback is typical. Banshee links to online stores so that users can purchase music and play them like on iTunes and other popular audio players. (see center shot for a look at the layout)

Visual: The graphics and video playback are what you would want and expect out of an OS. The graphics are slightly better than Ubuntu but only because the OS includes desktop effects that are pretty fun to play with. A reader pointed out on the Ubuntu post, however, that modifications can be made to the OS's to create better visual effects in Ubuntu (which is true of many Linux distros). Check out his page for an idea of how the GUI's can be modified to have a better look and feel. This is a great demonstration of how users can get MORE out of Linux based OS's because the code is not fenced in and closed off from third party modification. Linux is based on the ability of users to develop ways to customize their user experience and get more out of their machines. The problem is the technical know-how that is required to get these results.

Support Forum: OpenSuse has one of the larger support forums for users out of the Linux distros. This is a plus for users that want a free OS but also need some support and help learning how to use it. I will also note that Ubuntu has a large support forum as it is truly the Linux operating system (in my opinion) that has done most to actually make a system that is user friendly and aimed at ordinary, non-IT savy people.

E-Mail: OpenSuse uses Evolution (like Ubuntu) which interfaces with some e-mail accounts (Google in particular). This is like having Outlook on an XP. Evolution is even easier to use in my opinion.

Takeaway

Well, OpenSuse is probably the best Open Source OS out there with a large corporate sponsor. I think it is the most intuitive, the most in line with what consumers want, has the best features, is the sleekest, easiest to customize desktop OS that is free. Be warned, there is a costly one that is even better but it costs something like $80. A lot of companies buy the liscense becasue it is a stable, virus-free environment for their desktop users - and they get professional support from Novell, the company that backs the development of the OS. In the next post, I am going to tell you how you can play with these Linux distributions without having to format your computer or virtualize the OS through the use of Live CD's and Live USB's.

Open Source OS's Part 2: Ubuntu

2008-07-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 2 of Open Source Operating Systems. If you missed Part 1, click here. Today we will focus on Ubuntu. I really like Ubuntu. It was the first Linux distro that I used and I really think it is intuitive and very similar to Windows XP. This is how I will break down each exploration of the operating systems featured in the mini-series: Basic Introduction (background, history) and then Basic Features (userability and how it compares to Windows). The breakdown will be pretty simple but hopefully give you enough of an introduction to understand how you could benefit from it.

Introduction

Ubuntu says this about themselves: "Ubuntu is a community developed, Linux-based operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications you need - a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging and much more." It was made by a develpoment team (and a community of open developers) for developers and for the use of an everyday Joe like me. So the intimidation factor is really a non-issue when you consider that this product was made for a wide spectrum of users, you included. Ubuntu is an operating system much like Windows actually. It has many of the same characteristics. Using VMware Fusion (click here for info on that little gem of technology) I installed Ubuntu on my computer. I don't use it primarily as I have no need to. The OS, however, is definitely usable as a sole operating system. In fact, I would wager that it could substitute for any mainstream OS.

Features

Accessories: Ubuntu has all the basic accessories you would expect from an operating system like a calculator (advanced one even), desktop sticky notes, dictionary, text editor, bluetooth, wireless technology software interface, screenshot taker, disk analyzer, and anything else you could need. If the basic package does not come with a specific accessory that you need or want, you can get it very easily on the internet. All those things are really limited use and luxury items but Ubuntu has them. It doesn't do anything better necessarily than Windows in this arena although it does have a sticky note applicataion that is pretty cool.

Install: Easy shmeezy... Using a virtualization software, simply load up the ISO and go for it. If you are formatting and installing Ubuntu, boot from CD and follow the instructions. Its pretty step-by-step but if you need assistance, contact me.

Internet: you can use whatever open source web browser you want with Ubuntu. My preference is Firefox (on all platforms really) and it works beautifully with Ubuntu. The internet experience is basically the same as on Windows although some websites interact differently with Firefox than with Internet Explorer. (I took a screenshot of Firefox for y'all - see right)

Instant Messenger: Ubuntu comes standard with an instant messenger that interfaces with a variety of different e-mail accounts, Gmail most importantly.

E-Mail: the application interfaces with Google and some other e-mail services but does not work with Exchange accounts. I also loaded up Thunderbird (which I will feature in later posts) and found it to run delightfully.

Office Applications: Ubuntu comes with Open Office. Learn more about it here.

Audio: Ubuntu comes with an application called Rythmbox Music Player. Playback is great. I like the way it organizes the music. It has a window for artist, album, and songs. It also has access to music stores similar to iTunes. The OS also comes with a CD burner, CD ripper, and sound recorder. You can see the player to the right with a little chess going on in the back.

Visual: The graphics and general user interface are great. You can see in the scren shots I have taken and appear throughout this post that it has a pretty cool look. Of all Linux-based operating systems, I have found Ubuntu to be the most basic but easiest to use. In this arena, think of Ubuntu as XP. It is really quite similar. Video playback with Ubuntu is great. There is an aplication called Movie Player that plays DVD, AVI, MPEG4, etc. It also comes with a graphics editor and photo manager that both are easy to use and pretty cool actually.

Games: the OS comes with basic puzzle and arcade games (more than XP and a better variety too) but you cannot play games that you purchase from the store as they are not made (typically) for Linux-based OS's.

Takeaways

Basically, Ubuntu is a great OS for anyone looking to surf the web, listen/download music, watch movies, and produce any kind of office document (spreadsheet, document, presentation, database). It does all the basic things you would expect from an OS and with style. If you think about it, it is pretty amazing to get those applications without costing you a penny. Truthfully, I think Ubuntu has done a huge thing for the Open Source community by really making OSS OS's usable by the everyday person. Other distros are doing similar things which is execellent. The OSS movement really needs OS's like Ubuntu because they standardize and drop the level of skill required to use them. So check it out. The live CD is really good.

Open Source Operating Systems Mini-Series: Part 1

2008-07-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Introduction: What is Open Source and Linux

This mini-series is dedicated to Linux-based operating systems. That lovable little penguin to the left is the symbol of Linux. I am a relative neophyte to the Linux arena and as such, these posts will focus on the capability these operating systems have to substitute for popular, mainstream operating systems (i.e. Windows and OS X). If I were on top of the Linux game, I could probably give you a more in depth look at each of these OS's. I can, however, offer the perspective of someone who knows a little about them and can use them enough to be able to get along without Windows or OS X. Most importantly, the operating systems I will highlight in the mini-series are a FREE substitute for otherwise costly software. Linux-based operating systems are not always free. In fact, the Open Source Software model is a viable business concept. The idea behind the mini-series is to introduce you to Linux and then highlight characteristics of a few different distributions of Linux-based operating systems. This first part will be solely introduction, upcoming posts will then focus on the desktop version of Ubuntu, OpenSuse, and Live CD's or thumbs. Prepare yourself for a look into Open Source Software (OSS) and Linux.

Some Definitions:

Open Source: any application that has open source code. Source code is the "stuff" applications are made out of. If you want an example of source code that is really basic, simply right click anywhere that isn't a link or a picture on my site here and select "view page source" from the drop down menu. What you see is a bunch of gibberish that is actually what makes this website. Operating systems have a source code rooted in an entirely different language, but you get the point. When source code is open, it means it is viewable and, therefore, modifiable. There is an official open source definition that regulates the use of the term that you can find here (for example I can't just go around saying stuff is open source when it fails to meet the definition - this is a serious legal issue). I read it and found it rather interesting. Lastly, open source does not mean free. A product can be open source and yet be owned and sold by a company that distributes it.

Linux: Basically, Linux is what operating systems that use the Linux kernel are called. See "Kernel" below for a description of a kernel. The kernel was originally designed by Linus Torvalds in 1991 which is where the name originates. The kernel is used in a variety of "Linux" operating systems including, but not limited to: Red Hat, Suse, Mandrive, Ubuntu, etc. When a person says "I use Linux" they could be refering to a variety of distributions of Linux-based operating systems (see definition below).

Kernel: a Kernel is the basic building block of an operating system (see diagram on right). Its basic function is to manage system resources. So think of the operating system in layers. There is the resource layer, the kernel layer, and the application layer. The kernel is the facilitator.

Linux Distribution: a Linux Distribution (or distro) is a deliverable operating system based upon the Linux kernel. Deliverable does not mean finished, rather that the operating system is delivered to "mid-users" and/or "end-users". A "mid-user" or developer is a person that will download or otherwise obtain a copy of the operating system and further develop the code of that OS while the end-user is the individual that will actually use the system to perform the tasks it was designed to carry out. It is important to note that end-users in the case of a Linux distribution are very often developers as well. Linux distributions never really stop being developed. For example, servers (the things that run large application and handle large loads of users and data) are often based upon open source products like FreeBSD, Solaris, and Linux. Such products are developed and sold by a company (end-user) with an open source code that allows the company to modify and customize its performance (development).

Business Implication of the Open Source Model

It is important to note how the Open Source Software model has affected the business element of software development. First, what is the traditional software development model? Basically, think Microsoft, Apple, and any company that produces a product that you can't change. They sell a product that is meant to be used by a range of consumers. When I think traditional model, I think: closed source code, powerful applications, customer service, lots of money, sometimes monopoly. This does not mean that they can't produce customizable products, but it does mean that you can't see their kernel. They don't want you to see it because it is their trade secret. Like a the secret recipe to Coke. Coke will NEVER give out their recipe because it is what makes them unique and special. This also doesn't mean that companies that follow an Open Source model can't be unique and special.

How does Open Source as a business model differ? We have established that the software isn't always free. In many cases, businesses own the software and make money off it. How does it work if the source code is open? Well, a company basically licenses their product to other companies or individuals to use and they leave the source code open to them. Why is this better than just getting the same product free and open? Well, two reasons really: 1) the product is ready for customization or is customized to meet the needs of the purchasing company upon delivery (or going live, or whatever); 2) these companies provide customer service akin to what you would expect from any other, non-open source company. Now, obviously many companies can still customize their products to meet the specific needs of their customer without following the open source model. The real difference is that a company offering an open source code really is allowing the customer to do what they want with the product outside of whatever they are willing to customize themselves. This model has been adopted on a large scale by companies like IBM, Sun Microsystems, Novell, etc. Even Microsoft, over the years, has opened itself up to the notion of developer communities and even opened up bits and pieces of their highly secretive Windows kernel. As a side note, ALL of the Chinese, Brazilian, and many other governments use ONLY open source software.

What Does All This Mean to You?

The thing about Linux in general is it is intimidating to use. The Linux community is full of computer geeks that love to fiddle around with the source code of all the applications they use so that they get exactly what they want. Most people aren't insane computer geeks like that so the notion of using a product they use is rather uninteresting. I completely understand this sentiment as it is one that I struggle with too. However, it is really important to know that a lot of the time, developers that make these products have the end-user (like you) in mind. They are actually trying to design a product that you can use because they either want to sell it to you (as a more cost effective substitute than say Windows or OS X) or they believe that everyone should be able to obtain products like operating systems legally and free of charge. The products we will focus on in this mini-series are like this. They are operating systems that are free, easy-to-use, and, best of all, require little Linux know-how to operate.

Takeaways:

Please don't feel intimidated if these ideas are new to you or if Linux geeks have frightened you before. What we are about to explore is really interesting and easy to understand on a basic level. I hope that you feel at least a little inclined to play around with open source operating systems as a result of this mini-series. If not, I hope that you understand it a little better and even understand that it is a viable business model.

Woot.com

2008-07-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

I like good deals on technology. Don't you? Sometimes the best deal is available through sites that sell refurbished products. Today we will feature just such a site: Woot.com.

I found out about Woot from my brother-in-law, Jason. He likes to check it out for good deals and stuff and he got me hooked. Woot is not like other discount sites like buy.com or newegg.com because it only features one product a day. The deal on those products, however, is very good. For instance, the day I wrote this post, the featured product was a Dyson DC Slim All-Floor Vacuum selling for 259.99. I took a screenshot of it (on the right). Not a bad price for the product. I will be honest, I have never actually purchased anything from Woot so I can not say much about the quality, speed of service, or anything like that. However, I can say they feature a lot of cool stuff. I check out the site daily and I think its fun to see the great deals on different products (they range from vacuums to iPods to hard drives).

The Woot people claim they are not making a profit which was probably a joke. I think they somehow get there hands on refurbished products and are able to sell them at a great price. If anyone reading this knows more about how they get their products or about their service, let me know. I would be willing to buy a product from them that I felt was a great deal. Anyway, check out the site and tell me what you think.

Windows Blinds by Stardock

2008-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I really like little things that make my XP or Vista desktop a little more sleek, efficient, and fun. Anytime I hear about an application or package of applications like that, I try it out to see what I think. Any application I try needs to be free, or at least have a free version because I don't have money to throw away, but mostly because I love freeware and open source. Anyway, I have already talked about Objectdock by Stardock and now I want to talk about another application by Stardock called Windows Blinds.

Windows Blinds is pretty sweet. Its especially cool if you still use XP but want a different look for your OS. It pretty much allows you to change the whole appearance of your windows. You can select from the themes that Stardock has already created and if you buy the software, you can even create your own themes. The application lets you change the transparency of the windows (like in Vista) to give it a glassy look (check out the screenshots I took). You can also change fonts and some other basic things. For more features like animation, colors, etc. you have to purchase the software. One skin in particular is a Mac-like theme, except you can make it more transparant. The application is really easy to use and once you change your desktop stlye (in XP) to one of their styles, you won't want to change back. Honestly though, the free version is not nearly as cool as I hoped it would be. They are definitely trying to make a buck off their software. For other free ideas on theme customization, check out this site.

YamiPod

2008-07-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever needed (or wanted) to pull the files off your iPod and stick them on your computer? I have an interesting story to that effect. I was out of the country for two years and when I got back, I had no idea what an iPod was. I was in the car with my brother when I saw him using one. I asked, "what the heck is that thing?" He kindly (to his credit - I have great brothers) responded "an iPod." I asked, "what's an iPod?" After his explananation I knew that I was destined to obtain one and use it to its fullest potential. I did.

I got a 30 gb black video iPod which I affectionately deemed my "Gold Baby." In fact, when you plugged in my iPod, it was literally titled, Gold Baby. Anyway, I decided when I first got my iPod that I would try and take some of the files off by simply dragging and releasing (you know, I was experimenting). Well, to my dismay, I lost all my data as a result of my naivety. So, I discovered that day that you can't pull music off an iPod and to just not try. I was naive and wrong again. Indeed you can pull your music off, you just need a special way to get around the defenses Apple has in place. A solution: YamiPod.

YamiPod is a very simple application that simply allows you to manage your music and copy files from the iPod to the computer without any hiccup. Coincidentally, I began using YamiPod only 2 months prior to my loss of the once great Gold Baby, that was callously stolen by a drug addict (I assume the thief was a drug addict because I found a lighter and only drug addict have lighters right?). Anyway, darn good thing I backed up my iPod otherwise I might be even more sad about it. Think about all the value that is on those things. Let's figure it out: So let's say you have the iPod Classic 80gb itself which is worth around $250. You have 40gb of music and around 30 movies on it. Here we go:

40gb of music is roughly 10,000 songs at $.99 per song = $9,900
30 movies at an average $8 dollars (assuming you bought it from iTunes, even if you didn't the time needed to convert a file is worth at least $8) = $240
Total Value = $10,390

Valuable? I think so. Important to have backed up? YES! You might be asking, but I get all my music from my own computer where I have the files backed up anyway. Okay, that's all fine and good but don't you ever get music from another computer? Didn't know you could? You can hook your iPod to 5 computers max.

Use YamiPod. It has a pretty simple interface, its pretty easy to set up. Just follow the directions and you will be set. There are other iPod to computer applications in the world but this one is free and versatile as it works on Mac, PC, and Linux. Its pretty sweet. My props to the developer.

You need to download either via torrent or the binary. If you need some help, let me know.

Mac or PC Part 4: Quality and Conclusion

2008-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 4 of the Mac or PC mini-series. We have covered the price, operating system performance, and perks of the operating systems. Its been a bit exhausting up to this point but I hope that the information helps you make a choice. If not that, I hope that you at least know more now about Vista and Leopard, PC and Mac than you did before. Today's focus is to talk about quality a bit and finally conclude the mini-series. Here we go:

Is quality an issue? The question of quality is really related to consumer perception and actual performance. It boils down to a question of the manufacturing inputs involved for both companies. There is a huge difference between Apple and Microsoft on this front. Apple controls every aspect of their supply chain. They find hardware suppliers (sometimes do it themselves), they manage the logistics, they control the distribution channel. Microsoft, on the other hand, is involved solely in selling licenses. They sell the right to distribute their OS to an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Dell, HP, Sony, etc. They don't necessarily care about the supply chain to the extent that Apple does. They don't sell the computers that contain their OS. They sell the OS. How does this relate to quality? Apple can control the quality of their OS, the processor, the memory, the hard drive, the blah, the blah , the blah. Microsoft can control the quality of the OS, the vendor, the... that's it.

I think the most obvious implication of this fundamental difference is that Apple can control more aspects of the system their OS is delivered on than can Microsoft. You can ONLY buy Mac from Apple or licensed dealers and either way Apple produces it, no one else. You can buy a PC from any licensed distributor: in other words, Vista can be found on a wide spectrum of systems ranging from real crap to superb. So, when purchasing a PC, you MUST be aware of who you are buying the system from AND what system you are purchasing. Boiled down, a consumer of PC and Mac asks his or herself the following basic questions for each:

PC = what do I want? who am I getting it from? what system? what hardware? will it work?
Mac = what do I want? what system?

The purchasing decision for a Mac buyer is fundamentally easier than it is for a PC buyer. The question of quality, therefore, is more straightforward for Mac buyers than PC buyers (i.e. Mac buyers know what they are getting, PC buyers know what they are getting after more research and evaluation of each manufacturer and system).

Is one really better than the other? If we are just talking about the operating systems, both are very good. Both Vista and Leopard are wonderful accomplishments. To find out which one you prefer most, use them. Play with both of them and do the things you normally do on a computer. You will find out a lot more that way than you will reading my post. I hope that through this little exploration, you have learned new things about both systems and I hope that you will go out and use both. Honestly, I use both operating systems and I really like both of them.

So that's it for this mini-series. Its been fun! Lastly, remember that quality depends on the manufacturer. So if you do decide to buy a PC, investigate the manufacturer AND the specific model you are purchasing. Do a google search for problems with specific models and you will find out if they are having HDD problems, incompatability issues, or whatever.

Mac or PC Part 3b: Operating System - Perks

2008-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 3b of the Mac or PC mini-series. Today's topic is all about the perks of Leopard. I will also conclude Part 3 with my take on the situation. So here we go with some of the perks of Leopard.

Spaces: This is a terrific feature that outdoes the window flip features of Vista. In a very simple way, spaces allows you to switch between multiple desktops so that you can keep your work area clean and organized. Think of it as having a large desk that allows you to place papers, a computer, food, your cell phone, etc. all in their own area. Its the same with Spaces. You simply assign a program to a space and it will open only in that space. For pictures and screenshots click here.

Time Machine: This is probably one of the coolest features on Leopard. This is the way Mac backs itself up. You need an external drive of some sort that has been Mac formatted. You set up your Mac to back itself up every specified interval of time. It does one major backup, then, from that point on, makes a backup of only the changes to documents and files. That way, you gets quick backups whenever you want. I would back mine up every hour or so if I was always connected to an external. But wait! That isn't even the best part. The best part is when you need to go back and look for a document or whatever. So lets say you accidentally deleted a file that you were working on for work. The boss really needs the file today and you have no idea where it went. Well, you know that you made the document last Friday so you go into the Time Machine (a wide open space appears on the screen filled with windows going back as far as the eye can see) and go back in time to Friday. When I say you go back in time I mean it. A window opens up that allows you to scroll through your system backups. Each system backup looks exactly like the system looks normally so it is extremely easy to use. Check out the screenshot from the Apple website. In Time Machine you can even preview deleted documents.

HotSpots: HotSpots are a cool little feature that allow you to perform simple tasks by running the cursor to the corners of the desktop. For example, lets say you have a few windows open on the desktop and need to move them all so you can look at a file on the desktop. Easy. Simply set up your hotspot so that by running the cursor to one of your corners will move all the windows on the desktop. Even better, assume that you want to select a window that is buried under a bunch of other windows. Set up hotspots to spread out your windows. Below, the left picture shows the windows buried, the right picture shows them spread out:

Beyond that, Hot Corners allows you to select between difference spaces, bring down the dashboard, start the screen saver, and sleep the display.

iPhoto: iPhoto is not a totally unique feature, although it is noteworthy. The reason I include it here is because it comes with Leopard as a part of the package whereas with Vista, to get an application as good as this one, you would need to purchase one or use Picasa. The reason I love iPhoto so much is that it makes photo managements extremely easy. Importing and organizing pictures can be a truly daunting task without a photo management app like this one. You can also edit your photos using this application (although not to the extent that a program like Photoshop allows).

iSite Camera: The camera that comes built in to all Macs is awesome. For such a simple device, it is truly awesome. Have you ever been video chatting with a friend and your camera is really laggy and sucky. Well, that might be a bandwidth problem but it could also be a camera problem. The iSite camera on the Mac makes the chatting experience more smooth and the image more clear. You can even have fun with your images like the picture you see to the left.

Boot Camp: I will talk about BootCamp which I have used extensively and point you to information about the far superior (and costly) VMware Fusion, which I use far more extensively. BootCamp comes free on all Leopard distributions. It allows you to actively partition your hard drive to add a Windows partition. I say "actively" because you can do this at your leisure - partition the drive or unpartition the drive without formatting. You can install any version of Windows and it works like a charm. You can then switch between the operating systems when you boot. You can even default boot to Windows if you want. It is important to note that I use virtualization more as it is more convenient, however, BootCamp works better with Vista as it allows you to run the Aero GUI. Anyway... BootCamp is really great and it points to how unthreatened Apple feels by Microsoft. In fact, how they embrace the differences between them and capitalize off them. Amazing.

GarageBand: Last but not least, every musicians power toy, GarageBand. This also comes standard with Leopard (as do all of the highlighted perks) and is equally cool. This application allows you to edit and mix your own music. I don't do this. I am sure there are superior applications out there that you can buy but this one is free. I do use this for its ability to make ringtones for my phone, which I just bluetooth over to my phone... No purchasing, no e-mailing the file, exactly the song and part I want, awesome. So thats cool. Beyond that, I have tried mixing some random stuff I found online and I found the application easy to use.

My Take on the Whole Situation: I have found that the biggest difference between what Microsoft is doing with Vista and what Mac is doing with Leopard is all a matter of user experience. Vista seems to focus on appearance while Leopard seems to focus on the applications that users want. If you look at the two posts on the various perks, the main difference is one is all applications the other is all interface stuff. So, why is this important. Microsoft sits on a high horse. There are thousands of people that program applications that are compatible with it. I imagine they figure they can focus on other things besides deliverable applications because those thousands of applications fill the gap - for free! The problem with this view is that it ignores a few critical facts: 1) people don't like to go out and get a bunch of applications or they simply don't know how, 2) all those other apps may not run as smoothly with the OS as could other apps that are native - i.e. made by Microsoft - in fact, you will notice that a lot of problems with Windows on all platforms are the "other" applications that bug it up, and 3) native software development can lead to innovations that simply are not occuring at Microsoft. Apple, however, is trying to deliver as innovative a product as they possibly can. They don't have 3rd party programmers to rely on, they don't have the luxury of a high horse. Rather, they are fighting for a market share. This conflict is producing results for Apple and it will continue to do so as long as they maintain the mentality of innovation=market share.

So, what are the takeaways? Both Vista and Leopard offer unique features that are good for different people. Which perks do you prefer? Which ones will make your experience with your computer better? Figuring this out for yourself will help you make a selection between the two. My take of everything might be a little slanted but I hope I have demonstrated why.

Mac or PC Part 3a: Operating System - Perks

2008-07-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the third installment of the Mac or PC mini-series: Operating System - Perks. I call this section "perks" because it is really an explanation of the features of each operating system that are unique to it. I don't want to talk about the things that each operating system does that the other does just as well like mail applications or iTunes. You will notice, however, that I will focus on certain things that, although both can do, one does better. I want to explore the perks of each operating system as extensively as possible so we will do Vista today and Leopard tomorrow. So let's get started.

Aero: this is the sleek new GUI (graphics user interface) that is a part of the new PC user experience. I briefly mentioned this new feature in my last post but it is certainly of note here. Really, Aero by itself is too broad. Lets narrow it down by the features of the new GUI:

Glass: This is what makes the whole environment look glossy and transparent. You can even customize the colors of your windows to give it the look and feel you prefer the most. The transparency of the windows can be increased so that the windows are practically see-through. Look at the picture to the right and notice that the borders surrounding each of the windwos are practically transparant. This gives Vista a very sophisticated look.
High dpi: Vista comes with greaters dpi (dots per inch) power. Basically, the resolution is better using Vista than in any previous version of Windows.
Live Thumbnails: This is nifty little feature that allows you to see what a minimized window is simply by putting the cursor over the top of it. It expands an image of the window so you can figure out if that is the one you really wanted to open. See the picture on the Right.
Windows Flip and Flip 3-D: Windows Flip by itself is not a new or unique feature. The 3-D version is though. Flip allows you to select between windows on your desktop by pressing alt+tab. A selecter opens up that allows you to tab through to find the window you want. Flip 3-D does the same thing, only it actually arranges the windows in a 3-D fashion and allows you to pick one. I like this feature and it definitely adds to the user experience of Vista.

I have to be fair here. While these features are really nice, they make Vista an extremely heavy operating system. The idea behind Vista, according to Microsoft, was to make it easier to focus on content rather than the environment. Well, I guess I'm not sure if they accomplished that by focusing on the environment and loading it down with features. A lot of Vista users, myself included, agree that Vista is too heavy for its own good. Which is actually why, in the windows family, I prefer the XP diet. Vista users would be interested in the ReadyBoost feature (see below) that offsets this rather significant disadvantage.

Office Apps: I personally feel that Microsoft Office 2007 is the most innovative package of office applications available. The "ribbon" idea is extremely easy to use. The buttons on the ribbon make it very easy to get what you want in a document, spreadsheet, or database. I will admit that it does require the user to learn the nuances, however, once learned, Office 2007 is a powerful office suite. I really like it. To make a direct comparison with Office 2008 for Mac, the PC version is much more powerful. I am not sure if this is because Microsoft does not want to make an "as-awesome" version of Office for Mac or if Mac users don't think that the PC style is "as-awesome" as the Mac style. Basically, I hate that Office Mac uses a toolbox which is far inferior to the ribbon on Office PC. Either way, because I personally dislike Office 2008 for Mac I virtualize Office 2007 for PC on my Mac. I included two screenshots so you can see the ribbon in 2007 and the toolbox in 2008.

ReadyBoost: This feature compensates for some of the heavier aspects of Vista, specifically those memory taxing aspects of Vista. ReadyBoost is probably one of the coolest features I have seen on a PC in a long time. Basically, it allows you to use a thumb drive as memory. It works by sending any overflow from the system memory to a cache on the thumb drive. When you initially plug in a thumb drive into your computer, Vista will recognize it and ask you what you want to do with it (i.e. open it, play the music on it, play a video, etc.). You will also be asked if you want the drive as your ReadyBoost drive. If it doesn't ask you that, go to My Computer, right click and select properties, click the ready boost tab and set up the drive that way. You can allot up to half of the drives capacity (i.e. 2 gb for a 4 gb stick, 4 for an 8, etc) up to 4gb total. I just happen to have tried it on both the 2 gb and 4gb setting (I have a 4gb and 8gb stick) and the 4gb was almost superfluous. Using 1gb of system memory I ran an operation that took around 15 seconds (eons - it felt like). Adding ReadyBoost with 2gb extra memory, the same operating took 2.5 seconds. Using 4gb of memory it took around 2 seconds. So it works and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There is a claimed disadvantage to this feature pointing to the fact that flash memory can only carry out a finite number of "writes" and that eventually your drive will be worn out. This is true, but it will take around 10 years for most drives.

That does it for Vista, stay tuned tomorrow for the post on Leopard.

Weekend Break: Happy 4th

2008-07-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

I love the seasonal Google logos! To all my regular viewers out there: I am taking a break for the weekend as it is an important holiday and I've lost the use of my right pointer finger. I have 10 stitches on the tip of my finger from a nasty accident I had with a window. Posts will return Monday! Have a Happy 4th!

Mac or PC Part 2: The Operating Systems - Requirments

2008-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 2 of the Mac or PC mini-series. Today's topic for discussion is the differences between the operating systems utilized by the Mac and PC respectively. As we all know, PC's are based on the Windows operating systems while Mac is based upon the OS X operating systems. Popular versions of Windows include 95, 98, 2000, XP, and most currently Vista. Recent popular versions of the Mac OS include Tiger and Leopard. Today's discussion will focus mainly on the performance characteristics of each of the operating system’s most current platforms, Vista and Leopard. We will focus on the requirements of each OS and talk a bit about performance: Here are the minimum requirements for each system:

Windows Vista:
* 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
* 1 GB of system memory
* 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
* Support for DirectX 9 graphics with:
o WDDM Driver
o 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)
o Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware
o 32 bits per pixel

Leopard:
* Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor
* 512MB of memory
* DVD drive for installation
* 9GB of available disk space
* Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.
* Some features require Apple's .Mac service; fees apply.

Now, let's compare and contrast the two OS's in a factual manner. I will try to keep my opinions out (although a couple might seep out). The factors we will focus on here are processors, memory, appearance, and battery usage for laptop owners:

Processors: As you can tell, the processor requirements are basically the same. Mac still uses the PowerPC processor although it only manufactures its new computers using Intel chips. Really, both need to be run on dual core chips. You won't be able to run Mac on an Intel chip designed before a certain date that aren't core based (which is only really applicable if you want to run Leopard on a PC). Additionally, PC supports AMD processors while Mac does not. AMD are supposively better at running games and stuff. As far as processors are concerned, no huge differences unless you really want to play games on an AMD.

Memory usage: There are significant differences between the machines on this front. I have run Vista on 1gb of memory and I have to say, it sucked. Personally, I think Vista is a bogged down version of XP (oops, an opinion). That is to say, they added some features pinnacled by the Aero GUI (said gooey, Graphics User Interface) that gives Vista that sleek, smooth look. The only drawback is that it consumes a lot of memory (unless your machine has a video card with autonomous memory - which is to say, it does not share memory with the machine. Most computers don't come with video cards like that). Try this, if you run Vista and are using the desktop sidebar, it should come with a system performance monitor (if it isn’t there, click the little plus sign on top of the sidebar and select CPU performance or whatever). It looks like a speedometer. Now, with all applications closed, look at the monitor. It will tell you how much memory your system is using just sitting there. Right now, mine says 40% of 1gb... with nothing running (besides the sidebar). Mac, on the other hand, is another story. To give you an idea, I am currently using 1 gb (of 2) with the following open: 6 pages of Firefox, a sticky note program, a 4gb download, Word, Powerpoint, iChat, Microsoft Messenger, Divx Player, iMail, iCal, and iTunes (playing the Killers). I am only using half of what I have. So, hopefully that illustrates the differences of system usage for you.

Appearance: Vista is a very sleek looking OS. The lines are much smoother than XP (which was huge for XP when it came out because its lines were really smooth too). The Aero graphics enhancement feature is really quite neat. I have turned Aero on and off to see the difference and it’s big. Leopard is also a very sleek looking OS. Its GUI is a bit different in terms of memory taxation (discussed above). Leopard doesn't need a super-duper video card which excludes it from being able to play a lot of the new computer games because it does not typically use acceleration and such, but then again, PC's don't usually come standard with graphics acceleration. This can be a pretty serious disadvantage to the gaming inclined. However, if you don't really play computer games (because you hate them or play PS3, Xbox360, or Wii) then who cares if the computer plays games. A lot of people do, however, watch movies on their computer and both Vista and Leopard playback movies in similar quality. The LCD screens on both are relative equivalents although PC's can really vary in quality as manufacturers differ.

Battery: For Laptop users: The battery usage between the two OS's vary substantially. Vista is quite draining on a battery. It can drain a battery about 50% faster than XP. A typical computer running windows Vista gets about 1-2 hours of charge on average. I went ahead and tested this by running Vista on my machine and asking some family and friends that use Vista to see what kind of charge they were getting. Most computers reported about 1.5 hours of charge. So what of the Mac? Leopard is FAR LESS DRAINING on the battery. If I am running typical programs like a web browser, word processor, or what have you, I get around 5 hours of charge. If I watch a movie that number drops to 4 hours. This is true of all MacBooks, however, I cannot personally vouch for the Pro. So, I asked some guy and some other guy (on separate occasions) that I found in the hall at school and they reported 4 hours per charge. The pro has better hardware so no big stretch of the imagination there.

My Take: Now I will let my opinions flow forth. As far as system performance is related to the operating systems run by Mac and PC respectively, I would conclude that the Mac outperforms the PC. There is really only one area where PC is typically better than the average Mac and that is in the video cards they use on average. However, I must say that this difference is trivial considering there aren’t many computer gamers left in the world and why would you really need all that video power without any use for it? Waste of money really. Memory and Battery usage are two areas where Leopard really outperforms Vista.

I won’t say much more than that. Please feel free to comment on what has been written. I would love to respond to any concerns or questions you have about today’s subject.

Mac or PC 4 Part Mini Series: Part 1: Price:

2008-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Mac or PC mini-series. My purpose with this series is to educate, not indoctrinate. The purpose is to discover which machine you prefer. I don't want you to care about what I think, necessarily. I hope to present the facts for each and help you figure it out for yourself. We are going to explore the differences and similarities between a Mac and PC broken down into the following 4 factors: Price, the Operating System, Perks, and Quality. I have broken them down like this to model the decision-making process for a computer. I have had to take a few liberties, however, in generalizing the many hundreds of models a consumer can choose from. I have chosen the standard for each in both desktop and laptop computers, as one or the other is bound to meet your computing needs. Remember the specific models we are currently considering as we will be referring to them through the rest of the series. Let's begin with the laptop.

Laptop Comparison: First, why would you need a laptop? I hope that question has an obvious answer to you. To determine whether you need a laptop or not, consider the mobility and computing power you need in a computer. Do you use a computer in more than one place or mostly in one place? Remember, our focus for this first part is Price. We will ONLY consider price at this time. We will extend the discussion into the other factors through the coming parts. I got on both dell.com and mac.com and built my own laptop on each. This is what I found, click on the links to see the specs:

Dell XPS Laptop = $1099.00
Mac Macbook = $1099.00

It is important to recognize 2 differences between the above two models. The Mac has less hard drive space by 40gb but has a slightly better processor than the Dell. The Dell has more memory than the Mac, but the Mac needs less RAM than the Dell. I found these differences to be trivial and the machines to be relative equivalents.

Desktop Comparison: Let's now consider the question of price in the terms of a typical iMac and a Dell Desktop with equivalent design and specs. The two computers are the basic iMac and the XPS Dell all-in-one. Again, I got on both dell.com and mac.com and built my own computer on each. I built them to be as close to the same as I possibly could. Here are links to the two computers and their prices:

Dell XPS all-in-one = $ 1,299.00
Mac iMac = $ 1,299.00

What? The same price?!? I thought PC was cheaper? As you can see, I got the two computers as close as possible to being the same. The most important thing I couldn't control for was the video card in each system. I am sure the Dell is slightly better than the Mac, however, they are fairly close equivalents. Had I not upgraded the RAM on the Mac, it would have been $100 less than the Dell. The Mac doesn't need 2gb of RAM like the Dell needs it.

Conclusion: from today's discussion, focused solely on price, we can conclude that Mac and PC are equivalents. This is very important as we move through the rest of this mini-series because it helps frame the rest of the discussion. Concluding that both are RELATIVE price equivalents, we have determined that both can be considered equally in terms of what you can afford. It is important to note at this time that you can buy a very powerful computer (both Mac and PC) that is not all-in-one and that is much less expensive than the models considered. Click the following links to see those models: Mac Mini or Dell XPS. In this case, the Dell is better than the Mac in terms of hard drive space (150 to 250 gb) and video card but the Mac mini is much MUCH smaller than the Dell. The price of both, Mac Mini= $850.00 and Dell= $900.00

Newegg.com

2008-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Need computer hardware? The best place for it is newegg.com. I have purchased a handful of products from newegg over the years. Back in the day when I used to build desktop computers, I purchased a lot of things from newegg.com. I have rarely been able to find better deals elsewhere. The company is based out of Industry, California. Here is an exerpt from their "about us" page:

"Newegg.com opened for business in 2001 and achieved $1.5 billion in annual sales in its first 6 years of operation. Inc. Magazine recently distinguished Newegg in its list of America’s 500 Fastest-Growing Private Companies. We are one of four companies in the list’s 25-year history to qualify on growth merits while also recording $1+ billion in annual sales."

It is a very legitimate, fast-growing company. I have NEVER had a problem with the site, shipping, or any of the products I purchased. The site is very easy to use. It always provides a lot of options for any type of hardware. So, let's do a little shop and compare. Let's say I am in the market for memory. That is a real common need amongst computer owners (especially if you own Vista). Let's say I own an HP Pavilion dv6700t series and want to really upgrade to 4gb of RAM. This computer needs PC2-5300 RAM. I also type in 4gb so that I narrow my options to what I really want. I know that the computer has only two slots (as is common with most laptops) and so I need 2x2gb cards. So, I enter in that info and search (right click the link and open it in a new tab so that you can follow along with me). The least expensive products are around $70. That seems pretty good, but lets check with Bestbuy.com to compare. Here are my results from Bestbuy.com. The cheapest option there is $349.99. Hmmm, a bit of a difference. Okay, so lets just do a search on Google and see what product results we find there. Here are the results. The cheapest, that's not found on ebay, is around $75 and from newegg.com and buy.com.

There you have it, newegg offers a great deal on hardware that anyone can get behind. So get behind it. Check it out and search for things that you may need or want for your computer.

DVD to iPod Supplement: DVD Decrypter

2008-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I told y'all about Videora in my last post. This post is a supplement to inform you of the DVD decrypting software that you can use to get the VOB image from you DVD. I would also like to inform you of a free image burner that will burn your DVD image back to a disc. The best thing about these two applications and the ones I told you about last time, is that they are FREE and they are good quality. No spyware, no viruses. Videora has ads, but that's it.
<<>>

First, DVD Decryter: Yeah, that's its name. Pretty straight forward eh? The application itself is really simple. It is not, however, the most user-friendly piece of software out there. That is not to say that you can't figure it out. The best way to use it is in cooperation with Videora. In fact, Videora give you instructions on how to use it best. Make sure that you go through these instructions rather than just trying it on your own. Download DVD Decrypter.

Second, ImgBurn: Yeah, that's its name too. Also straight forward. This is free software that burns the images you pulled off your back onto a writeable DVD. In other words, this is the second phase of the copying a disc process that allows you to burn the VOB image. It is not difficult to use. In fact, it will make itself an option when you insert a blank DVD into your computer. You can also open the program and do it all that way. Experiment with it. It won't be hard for you to figure out. Download DVD Image Burner

That's really all I'm going to say about this particular subject for now. I don't think that these applications need tutorials besides the one proved by Videora. Pleae, if you have questions on how to use any of the software or sites I post here, please feel free to comment, e-mail or contact me using the contact feature on the side.

Ipod Converters

2008-06-27T06:00:00.002-07:00

Do you have a video iPod (i.e. classic, touch, nano)? Ever wondered how to put videos on it without having to buy them from iTunes? What you need is a DVD to iPod converter. This software will enable you to turn your DVD's into a compatible format for your iPod (i.e. mpeg4). You see, the problem with the whole iTunes - iPod idea is that it is bad for consumers. I say bad for consumers because the whole idea is designed to limit your use of the iPod to only things bought on iTunes. Fortunately, iTunes allows you to import CD's to your music library, but not DVD's. The reason for that might be because it would make iTunes a much more complex application, however, it is extemely convenient for Apple as they please producers by putting limits on what can be done with their movies AND Apple makes a grip off it. (Note: this is very similar to the reason that the company uses DRM soooo extensively - to please music producers [a critical supplier] and to make a grip of money [from critical consumers]).

First thing to know is: don't EVER pay for a converter. There are countless ways to do it for free. Here are a couple of really good converters that will do everything you want without much hassle. Each has its own benefits. I use Videora and Handbrake primarily and so I will highlight only these apps (click on the links to go to their site). I'm sure that there are other very useful applications and won't you please tell me about them (only if they are free, I won't pay for one, ever)!

Videora - I should begin by saying that DVD to iPod conversion is a two-phase process. First, a DVD must be decrypted, then the decrypted file must be formatted propererly (re-encrypted if you will) to mpeg4. Videora ONLY accomplishes the latter of those two phases. It will format relatively any file already on your hard drive (i.e. VOB, AVI, Divx, etc) but will not decrypt DVD's. For that, you must use a simple decrypter that the application will point you to. The reason I still use this application given this limitation, is because it is by far the most user friendly DVD to iPod application I have encountered (10 out of 10 easy). It is simple to set up a conversion that will convert a TV quality video. The whole process is step-by-step and quite easy to walkthrough. In total, the process takes about 1 1/2 hours per DVD (both phases considered).

Handbrake - This application is probably the most hassle-free to use as it does both phases of the process: DVD decryption and formatting to mpeg4. I have found the quality to be equivalent to Videora. As far as user-friendliness, I give it a 6 out of 10. Its easy to use but it does use a lot of "jargon" that I only learned through trial and error. In total, the process takes around 1 to 1 1/2 hours to complete a conversion. I have had more errors using this software than Videora. I think it is becuase the program does the entire process which means more can go wrong in a single conversion.

The skinny: If you are new to the whole DVD to iPod thing, I would use Videora. It has step-by-step instructions for both DVD decryption and conversion to mpeg4. You would only need to follow those instructions once, then its clear sailing as you will be more comfortable with the process. Handbrake is better for a more seasoned warrior as it uses some technical jargon that I find inconvenient. You can "circumrent" (watch Arrested Development to know what thats funny) these problem by trial and error, however.

Remember that you can convert any DVD you own so have fun with it and good luck. Questions or concerns, post a comment on this post and I will respond.

mp3 Fiesta: Follow Up

2008-06-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, I did a post on mp3 Fiesta, a music download site that is extremely inexpensive, but legal. I have used it a little and would like to review it and address some issues I had with it. I am not going over an old idea because I am out of ideas, just as a follow up... don't worry, my ideas are endless.

Browsing/searching: searching for albums and bands is really quite simple. Just a matter of normal browsing and/or searching. They had everything I was looking for and I think you would be hard pressed to think of a band that they don't have. They, no doubt, have more selection than iTunes, however, they don't have albums with the bonus features that iTunes offers. Sometimes the search feature won't return a band that you typed in. Don't depend solely on this feature as the browse artist link, although more complex, is much more comprehensive (in fact, I typed "led zepplin" into the search field and it didn't return what I wanted. I was worried so I looked under browse artist and I found that they have 43 albums. The problem as you may well have noticed is that I misspelled zeppelin. The search engine does not compensate for such human errors).

No DRM: there is absolutely no digital rights management. That means you can pretty much use the files anywhere you want. You can put them in iTunes, on your iPod, Zune (heaven forbid), or whatever, burn it to a disk, put it on a thumb and share it with friends, you name it, you can do it.

Payment: this was one of the issues I found. I found it to be quite simple, besides a little trick part. You can "load" your account with money from any credit card or bank card (Visa and Mastercard only). In the first step, you give your name, address, phone number, and card type. No card number yet. Then you click "confirm payment" and it goes to another secure page where you input your other information (i.e. card, security code, etc). The issue I had with this process was that 3 out of the 5 times I tried, the site didn't connect me with the confirmation page where I input the card number. Weird. The site may have been having problems because it did work two of the other times. The only other issue here is that you cannot determine the amount you load besides the 5 given options ($19.90, $29.90, $39.90, $49.90, and $99.90).

Downloading: after finding what you want, the download link is simple and you simply confirm you want to download a song and it goes to your download page (part of your account). The cool thing here is that the downloads are available for 48 hours after point of purchase. You can also share your downloads with trusted friends and family from this point as the files can be downloaded as many times as you want within 48 hours. THE PROBLEM: the download process is painstaking. Rediculously painstaking. You have to right click (no left clicking, or else) and select "save target as" and individually save each file to a specific spot on your hard drive. Annoying... aggravatingly so.

All in all, the site is great. The price makes the downloading hassle worth it. I got around 5 albums for 10 bucks. Thats great! I give the site an 8 out of 10, points off for some of the hassle and confusing/restricting payment process.

Virtualization Bonus: Virtualizing Disk Drives

2008-06-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, today's subject (bonus subject mind you) is potentially a little confusing. But, here we go anyway.

The past 3 days we have talked about virtualization. We focused on vitualizing operating systems. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go back and read the posts from the last few days. Today's subject is also virtualization, however, not in the context of virtualizing whole operating systems but in the context of virtualizing a simple CD/DVD drive. So lets start with a few definitions and then get into the practical application of the glorious concept.

Virtual Drive: a virtual drive is a psuedo-drive that appears to be a CD/DVD drive on your computer. For example, when you have a virtual drive going (we will talk about how later) it appears as another disk drive in "My Computer" or Finder or whatever. The important and obvious thing here is that the drive is not real. There is no where else to put an actual CD or DVD but your existing, physical drive. Virtual drives deal with disk images, not actual disks. So what is a disk image?

Disk Image: simply, an image of a disk... wow, what a definition. Really, a disk image is like a copy of a disk (be it CD,DVD, hard disk, whatever) that is placed on your hard drive in the format of an image (i.e. ISO). Think of it as an archive (place where information is stored) of some disk.

ISO: a specific file format of a disk image. For example, all files on a computer have a specific file format. Microsoft uses .doc or .docx for Word documents, .exe for executable files (files that do something like install or run a program), etc. So, ISO (.iso) is the file format of a disk image.

Mount: a verb (to mount) related to the loading of a disk image onto a virtual drive. (used in a sentence: "I mounted the image using Daemon Tools")

Daemon Tools: a specific program (FREE) that creates virtual drives on your computer (only compatible with Windows - Mac does not need this as it is already integrated into the OS). Click here to download.

Okay, so how does this all jive together and help us out. Well, sometimes you can obtain certain programs in the form of an image. You can't just double click these images and run the program or install the software or watch the movie or whatever. You need something that will "mount" the image onto a drive. You could just burn the image to a disk (using Nero or something, although that uses an actual disk which is a waste) or you could simply use a virtual drive. Daemon Tools (previously defined) is a disk virtualization software that creates up to 4 number of virtual drives and allows you to mount disk images and run them. Just last week I downloaded a free, open source operating system. I downloaded it as a disk image and I installed it as a disk image, I didn't have to even burn it. It saved me time and effort. I love it.

Left: see the number of CD/DVD drives I have. Only one of those is an actual physical drive.

Right: You can see the same disk drives window, and also the Daemon tools on the tool tray.

Daemon Tools is free software for Windows only. I like it more than any other one so try it out. Any virtualization software like VMware also uses virtual drives but does not require supplemental software.

I will have more in the future that will hopefully help you see the practical application of virtual drives.

Virtualization Part 3: VMware Fusion

2008-06-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Part 3 of our Virtualization mini-series. Today's feature is VMware Fusion. If you didn't read Part 1: Basics of Virtualization or Part 2: VMware Workstation, you can follow those links to the posts. This post will wrap up our discussion of virtualization and I hope that it wasn't a total bust. I hope it was interesting for y'all to read.

VMware Fusion is basically the same thing as VMware Workstation only made specially for Mac. Wait Windows users, before you stop reading, this is important for you to know because this is how you can run both Mac and Windows OS's without even a hiccup (when you buy a Mac). Fusion allows you to run any OS (Vista, XP, Linux, even Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, whatever!) just like Workstation. In Part 2, I explained how the virtualization software works on the surface. Basically, it sets up fake hard drives in normal file folders and uses those folders to install the OS. Fusion is the same as Workstation in that regard. Pretty much, although there are many differences, the two software suites are basically the same. The big difference (as far as I can tell) is a single feature: Unity Mode.

Unity Mode allows you to run an operating system (I will be using XP for my examples - its way better than Vista) as if the operating system wasn't actually running (just so you know, my computer is a Macbook with a 2.4GHz Intel 2 Duo and 4 GB of DDR2 RAM). So what does that mean? Well, basically it hides the actual Fusion window and makes it appear as if the OS weren't running. You can, however, load any Windows program as if it was part of the Mac. So, if you were considering getting a Mac (because they are sweet), but were afraid that you wouldn't be able to run those Windows programs you love so much, don't worry about it. You can run them without problem. Here, take a look at some of these screen shots from my own computer:

You can see here, XP running inside Mac. Look at the top title bar and notice that it says VMware Fusion.

This is Fusion running XP which is running Firefox

The Unity icon that switches to Unity mode (from this point on, the shots will be in Unity mode)

This is Unity Mode with the Windows Task Bar. You can see that the desktop is my Mac desktop and the Task Bar is XP's.

This one is Unity Mode without the task bar. You can open programs using the Fusion bar on top, selecting applications, etc. All the programs on that list are from XP.

Unity Mode running My Computer. Notice the bottom icon that says, shared folder on .host(z). That is the network connection between my virtual XP and my Mac.

Lastly, Mac Spaces demonstrating XP in fullscreen mode running its own, autonomous space from the rest of my Mac computer.

Whew, thats that. Well I hope you have enjoyed this mini-series on Virtualization. My hope is that you learned something and have a desire to either experiment or learn more about it. Make comments if you have questions and I will answer them. Thanks for reading!