DRAM latency explained

Lots of you will already know all about this subject. But for the rest of us (and I include myself here) this is a relatively short and coherent explanation of memory latency and how it affects our systems.

I recently got a lesson in memory timing when I had to adjust it to get a system I had upgraded by adding memory to in order to produce a stable and high-performing system. The default timing settings were not stable, whereas overclocking the bus slightly yielded a very fast and stable system.

So, for those of you who are like me and a bit murky on memory issues, I give you this short report/tutorial at The Inquirer.

Jack

Microsoft becoming 'software police,' say users

I have to side with Microsoft on this one. Even so, it sets a precedent that scares the whee out of me. Read it and decide for yourself.

Jack

Survey says: only DRM-free music is worth paying for

Accoding to the synopsis of this survey in Ars Technica, the general public is turning against DRM. If that's true, perhaps there is hope that the will of the American Consumer will be felt again. It seems to have gone silent of late, but the sleeping giant may yet well awake.

Read on. And there is a link here to the entire survey report.

Jack

Consumer Reports on 'State of the Net': It's a jungle out there

It's not like we didn't know this. But it appears to be a case of the reality growing to meet the perception, rather than the other way around.

I get a LOT of questions from folks who want me to set them or their parents up with a computer and Internet access in such a way to allay all their fears. So far, I have demurred in most cases. I don't want to be responsible for whether or not someone sleeps peacefully at night. But I am devising a solution, which involves using a Linux or Mac OS X machine and some fairly restrictive browser settings. Yes, I know that is not a guarantee of security and that nothing really is, but it should help. Especially if combined with some common sense rules of conduct.

More on this later.

Jack

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-05-07

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-05-07. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific thats 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

The Gregg Zone!

1) To start things off this week, I thought I would explain why I am not going to be doing the show live for a while. For those who do not know, I live in Las Vegas, I have been here for over ten years now. When I lived in Southern California, I was a big fan of horseracing. Well to make a long story short I have decided to start playing the track again. Some of us will try anything not to have to get a regular job.

When I was up there in Alaska with Joe, I started developing a new method of playing based on an encounter at the Gold Coast race book. I followed it on the internet playing on paper only, having no place to bet. Over a five-week period, at two different tracks, the play showed a decent profit. So, I thought I would give it a shot, but they race on Sunday, usually during show time.

I will be taping the show segment for a while, and occasionally come back live when possible. I will also post as part of my blog here an occasional update to let anyone who might be interested know how I am doing.

2) For my first link, I found what has to be the most extensive site for video on the Airbus A380 must be fifty videos here on the plane for anyone interested in what it is like inside, and out. http://www.ask.com/

3) Well you know I have a thing for green cars, I’m not sure I would fit into this one, but at 330 miles to a gallon of gas, I might be willing to try. http://gizmodo.com/

4) I have been curious about Nicola Tesla for as long as I can remember the other night I was cruising around reading about him when I stumbled on this page, There are enough stories and links here to keep a Tesla fan busy for a year or two, http://www.tfcbooks.com

5) I am fascinated, at all the change’s the internet is making in our society; and how it will change everything we know, and do in the future. A case in point the way we handle our government. I decided in the beginning when I started this blog to avoid religion and politics, I am going to stretch that just a little here. Can you imagine a future election without YouTube or something very much like it? The potential for change in my mind is staggering. I have seen more of the minor candidates for the 2008 election already than I have seen in all the previous elections combine. For my link here if you have not already seen this give it a look, the power of the internet is on display here, http://www.unity08.com/

Eight Financial Reasons Why You Should Use Mac OS

Wow! This is a "rah, rah, gooo Mac" article. I'm not sure how accurate the claims for savings are, but I do know the author is barking up the right tree. Windows has gotten too expensive and that is pushing folks to look for alternatives like never before. Not just the Mac, but all sorts of things from Linux and thin clients to Macs to multi-user machines.

So, this is interesting and the general thrust of the article is clearly right. It's just the numbers that might vary, a lot.

Jack

NEC and Hitachi team to water-cool hard drives

It seems that everyone knows about my on-again, off-again love affair with water cooling. I've played with it a bit and admired what it has done for various systems my friends have built. And I got no less than five emails pointing me to this post at Ars Technica.

Water cooling components other than the CPU, video adapter and motherboard chipset may be a bit far out, as in overkill, but it still is interesting, though I have to wonder where we're going to stuff all the separate, discrete radiators. Especially with the trend to smaller form factors. But that's a problem for another day.

Jack

64-bit PCs: Drivers wanted

Here's a pretty good article at CNet's News.com about 64 bit drivers. It's not just about Vista, either. The Mac OS X comes in for some comment, as well.

It's interesting to note that while they find some deficiencies in video drivers. those I know who are running 64 bit Vista at home or at work are really happy with the performance. The only qualification I have to make on this is that the peripherals and internal equipment they chose was guaranteed to be at least nominally compatible with Vista. Those who try running it without a bit of planning and thought are the ones doing a great majority of the complaining. That does not mean their complaints are without merit, just that they are somewhat out of proportion.

I have to admit I know nothing of 64 bit doings on the Mac. Linux, however, is quite another story.

I've had a little experience with Linux on the IA-64 platform. That's the Intel Itanium, for those of you who have not kept up with it. (Don't worry about that. Itanium is about as close to a niche platform as any of us are likely to encounter.)

I've got an AMD powered 64 bit Linux machine running here, now. I just wiped the 32 bit and put on 64 bit Ubuntu after a hard drive failure deprived me of my 15,000 rpm hard drive that was serving as a swap file. Basically, 64 bit Linux is indistinguishable from 32 bit, except that some apps have not been re-compiled for 64 bit, so the repository of applications is somewhat smaller.

Generally, I would say Linux is best situated in this regard, followed by OS X and then Vista. Still, Vista is not in such bad shape. Were I going to put up a Vista machine, I would be carefully choosing my components and I should think I could get along just fine once the machine is basically equipped. Software compatibilities are going away at a phenomonal rate and as far as I know, every application I would run is already well and truly ported to 64 bit versions of Vista.

Jack

Let's Meet a Romanian eBay Scammer...

...Hello Ghiuri Simionescu

Here's a fascinating look at the scamming and phishing underworld from Broadband Reports. Be warned, there is some foul language, and only some of it has been ****'d out.

Courts Turn Against Abusive Clickwrap Contracts

Ever read a EULA, shrinkwrap or clickthrough license and wondered to yourself or aloud "how can they get away with this?". Well, it is increasingly seeming as if "they" can no longer. A very great number of these licenses have been invalidated or at least reeled in somewhat by recent court decisions. And more will follow soon, should this trend in the courts continue.

It's about damn time, if you ask me. I'm also sure many of you feel the same way. This article in Wired News tells some of what is happening to advance consumer rights against these licenses. There is still a long, long ways to go, so it isn't time to start rejoicing, yet. But the light shines at the end of the tunnel. Let's hope it's not an oncoming train.

Jack

Make a video about gmail!

Long story short....
On BoingBoing they pointed to a link [Best Robot movies] on chime.tv that combines a page of videos and plays them all at one time. This morning, while listening to net@nite, I saw a link to a video dramatizing a gmail traveling across the globe. Very amusing video, with 41 responses. I thought another excellent use for chime.tv!! And it worked! Most of the videos are really short, and some made me LOL, some made me go awwww, they have everything. Enjoy! I was hoping someONE that reads this will make a response (hint, hint)!


Gmail original video

Chime.tv link to original and all responses.

--MissM
I hope the links work for y'all... It was a little tricky, I believe its frames. If you post a response, please post the link here, I'd love to see it! There were 3 more responses while I was futzing around with this post. :)

Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2007-27

Firefox, Thunderbird and SeaMonkey have had a couple of major flaws fixed. The new version for FireFerret is 2.0.0.6 and it is available now.

Automatic update notification is delivering it to users, but if you don't have that turned on, you need to upgrade now. Exploit code for one of the flaws is now confirmed to be on some compromised web sites. As far as I know; all extensions work with the new version, except the Java console, which will be fixed very soon.

Jack

Printers pose serious health risks: study

More bad news and it's not even Monday. Sorry about that.

This is a short article in The Sydney Morning Herald about some Queensland University research. It seems we need to be concerned that the office, and particularly the area around the printer, are well ventilated, lest we injure ourselves further.

Jack

Loading Unsigned Drivers in Vista

We've always known it was possible and in several cases I've forced drivers on Windows 2000 Professional and XP Home and Professional. Now there is at least one tool to automate the process, albeit within some limitations, and expand the number of drivers with which one can work.

This essay explains it all clearly; both the possibilities and the risks.

Jack

Logitech keyboard rides the Wave

Here's a nice article in The Register about Logitech's newest ergo keyboard. It has excellent pictures to go with the text.

First there was the Microsoft Natural. Lots of folks loved it. I couldn't stand it and so have stuck with "standard" shaped keyboards. Yes, there were other ergo keyboards but because sales were so slow, the cost of such solutions stayed out of my reach. Or at least higher than I could justify.

Now, it seems that Logitech has taken pity on me. This new keyboard looks good and is affordable. I'm going to get one as soon as they arrive in my neighborhood.

Jack

10 automakers to jointly develop OS

The headline says it all. I can't help but wonder if BSODs are part of the motivation. :)

10 automakers to jointly develop OS : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri)

[Thanks RawFeed]
--MissM

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 07-29-07 (We had a lot of connection problems today)

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 07-29-07. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific thats 1PM to 4PM Eastern. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Meet the XO

The XO is the One Laptop Per Child device. I find it fascinating, both as an engineering excercise and as a way to bring information technology to the developing world. I think this is the most detailed review of the device and it's attendant software yet. It's also the easiest to read.

Be sure to follow the links to see Sugar, the software interface developed for the XO.

Jack

Links from the Gregg Zone!

1) Well to start things off this week, how about saving the world? This is something I ran across that I think is the greatest concept I have seen in a long time. Skyscraper farming, this is something you need to check out, a thirty-story farm in the middle of the city, creating food and clean water for 50,000 people. With 150 of these scattered around the city you could feed the entire city of New York. Use the ground floor for a store and a local shipping center. Think of the advantages; reduced transportation cost, totally organic (no need for pest control), no toxic run off into the water systems, returns farm land for parks or other needs, grow crops for ethanol, grow year round, no weather related crop loss, self-sustaining through methane heating and lighting, converts urban blight neighborhoods to productive areas, reduced need for immigration, provides local jobs in the inner city, ranchers and dairy farmers could grow feed on site, might help save conflicts over water most of our water is used for irrigation these recycle their own water, in other countries reduce conflicts over land, water and resources, my god the list is endless. http://www.verticalfarm.com/

2) Let’s continue with the save the world concept. How about running your car on water? This has always been a dream for the green thinking people of the world; well it may be coming true check out this Fox news video story, it blew my mind completely. www.youtube.com

3) This link is similar but this time lets help you save yourself. If you are at all worried about what is in your food you might want to read this one, it is about how the food industry tricks us using loopholes in the labeling laws to feed us what ever they want. I am a label reader, and this really woke me up, I will be reading a lot closer from now on. www.newstarget.com

4) Now for a couple of more edgy ones, not sure what to think about this one, if it is faked it is a good job, I will leave it up to you. http://www.liveleak.com/

5) This last link was sent to me by Jack, but sure to bring back some memories for Joe and me, and sure to spark a reminiscent conversation of our earlier adventures. I’m looking forward to playing in the archives here. Thanks again Jack. http://www.imakethings.com