Thoughts and links from the crew of the On Computers Radio Show as we wander the Web.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Linux is about to take over the low end of PCs
I think the biggest problem for the Linux PC vendors if this happens, will be keeping up with the demand. Dell and HP may come back into play, if they will do something about the prices. Case in point, Dell selling the Linux loaded PC for more than the same Windows loaded PC in the UK, and then Dell pulling the Linux offering, because it wasn't selling. I would buy the one with Windows, and wipe the drive, loading my own Linux, if I had to pay more for the Linux one up front.
Friday, December 07, 2007
UPDATED! Western Digital NAS drive blocks full access to media files
Though this is an ongoing story, I have a hard time believing a hard drive company could be so stupid as to do this to customers. We shall have to see. Other companies could follow. If that happens, this is a disaster for our freedom of use of our machines.
Jack
UPDATE; Now it appears Seagate is selling drives that are natively incompatible with Linux and Macs without a workaround being instituted. I smell a monopoly at work here and I am not happy about it.
Jack
Substantial green benefits to running Linux
Thursday, December 06, 2007
» Vista SP1 will deliver big network speed boost | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com
Forget the reports you might have read about SP1 resulting in no performance boost. That story was based on a silly artificial benchmark involving scripting of Office applications. Back here in the real world, where gigabit network connections are now commonplace, you’ll see at least one huge improvement when transferring files over network connections.
The big question is: Will this really improve Vista's network speed?
AlaskaJoe
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Kill switch' dropped from Vista
Wow, excellent response! Well done Microsoft!
--MissM
BBC Technology | 'Kill switch' dropped from Vista
AT&T to exit pay phone business in 2008 - Boston.com
I guess everyone better get a cell phone.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Video: RSS in Plain English | Common Craft - Explanations In Plain English
Video: RSS in Plain English | Common Craft - Explanations In Plain English
--MissM
WORLD'S FIRST .COM
Jack
At software giant, pain gives rise to progress
Jack
Vocalize Firefox
After some problems working with Jaws, Charles Chen went to work on his own and created Fire Vox, CLiCk, Speak, and the CLC-4-TTS library that power this idea into reality. It's pretty cool. Works well, so far at least.
Worth checking out.
Jack
Sunday, December 02, 2007
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-02-07
Links from the Gregg Zone!
1) First link of the week is a free service, to our service men, and women. This site sponsored by Xerox, and offered to help support our troops. You may select a card, enter a short message, and send it to help support troop moral during the holiday season. While you cannot select a particular individual, they will select at random a service person for you, and mail it in your name, cost nothing, but even a few seconds of pleasant distraction can be a gift. http://www.letssaythanks.com/
2) Offering number two, you know I have an interest in on line audio and video sites. I suppose it says something about the amount of free time I have, but the reality is I cannot watch T.V. anymore, due to lack of content, and over commerciality. This site is conversations with who they consider the most fascinating people of the year, we are not referring to the people you generally see on the tube, these are people who excel in their fields. The subject matter covers a very wide spectrum, I very much like this site, and intend to spend some time here. http://test.ted.com
3) I am putting this old favorite up because I have not heard it mentioned off the net in a while, although I know it is doing very well on the net. People who are old A.B. fans will recognize it immediately. For those not familiar it is an Art Bell type audio site. I was just there yesterday because they did an interview with Shirley Maclaine, and I wanted to see if they mentioned the Kucinich comment from the debates, which they did, but briefly. This link will take you directly to the interview on the archive page, http://www.unknowncountry.com , if you want to explore the site use this link to the home page. http://www.unknowncountry.com/ To navigate to show archives from the home page use the dreamland tab.
4) Last up for the week a link to an interesting article on “The Sliding Rocks of Racetrack Playa” in death valley. I have a cousin who hangs out a lot in
Vulnerability of software integrity and code signing applications to chosen-prefix collisions for MD5
It has been known for some time that MD5 checksums might be vulnerable, but according to the paper linked to above it is toast. I'm worried.
Jack