Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Build It: A Sub-$250 Desktop PC - Solutions by PC Magazine

This is an easy way to build a new PC. I think just about anyone can build this computer. They don't tell you how to install Ubuntu (the newest version is Ubuntu 8.04.1 LTS) all you need to do is insert the CD into the drive and turn on the computer, the Live OS starts for you, then there is an icon on the desktop that says: Install, you just click that and it does the rest for you.

I noticed that Hardy Heron (the newest version) has some nice feathers like you have the choice to run it in demo mode, install it as the only OS on the computer, or as a dual boot OS, or as a program in Windows. (I didn't have much luck running Hardy Heron as a Windows program.)

I tried Hardy Heron in a laptop I'm working on (in demo mode) and everything worked LAN, Wireless, sound etc.. I also had a USB stick plugged in and it let me copy files just like in Windows, with a Copy & Paste. It was very easy, so this CD can be used to recover files from a Windows computer that doesn't work right as long as the hard drive works.

It is getting better every version.

AlaskaJoe

NY victim uses remote logon to nab theft suspect - Yahoo! News

A good use for remote access technology, find the guy that stole your laptop....

Sunday, September 28, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 09-28-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 09-28-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Please remember if your coming to the Wiping Off Ceremony for Jack in Ft Worth on Saturday, October 25th. Please click here for the official invitation as well as RSVP information. Please RSVP to jayna@oncomputers.info by October 1st.
The hosts will be staying at the Residence Inn, Ft. Worth Alliance airport for the weekend.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting green as usual, but there is a little geek stuff to sneak in here also. Just to prove how fast an easy it may be to get us into a more reasonable energy position nationally. What has to happen is to make it easier for people to help with the switch. How about printing up solar cells with an ink jet printer? I ran across a story on this company some place following my usual pattern of link jumping, some how I wound up at this story from popular mechanics. http://www.popularmechanics.com This is going to require a couple more links to cover the subject, first their main page, complete with a video from the discovery channel, where I originally started link hopping. http://www.konarka.com/ Now just to enforce that investment angle I have been talking about one more link on the way to number 2 for the week. http://earth2tech.com
2) Next up another of those cool cars I would like to take a drive, or dive in. For the movie buffs this is from the bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me”. Seems forty years after the movie fake was cruising around with the fishes, the guys over at Rinspeed decided they needed to take an ordinary Lotus Elise (there is an oxymoron for you, no Lotus is ordinary) and create the sQuba. A sports car that doubles as a submarine, and it is an electric vehicle, how is that for ultra cool. Link has a video, story and a few pictures. The car was unveiled at the Geneva Motor show back in March. http://jalopnik.com
3) Now for the weird link of the week, yea I know that makes some of you a little queasy this is not to bad, but defiantly weird. The head line got me from the start, “The Great Swallower”, now that just had to be clicked on. Seems the Great Swallower is a fish; yes that is its real name. It hales from the Grand Cayman Islands, and evidently really lives up to his name. Seems this one out did himself the 7.5 inch fish swallowed another fish that was 34 inches long, I mean that is between 5 and 6 times as big as he is, it killed him, but he pulled it off. http://www.underwatertimes.com
4) Okay I know I am not supposed to touch anything political, not even with a ten foot poll. Any way I just could not resist this one something to be said for the entertainment of coincidence, I will be good, stay quiet and not comment at all, check it out it is just interesting, and I liked it. http://www.dailymail.co.uk
5) The geek link as usual is a little over my pay grade, but seemed timely as it is dated yesterday afternoon, so I thought I would take a chance and put it up. Maybe everyone has not already heard about it, it scared me a bit when I read it, so my alternative motive is to have some one make me feel safe. Tell me I am well protected behind something, cause this is the kind of thing that would nail me. http://arstechnica.com

Sunday, September 21, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 09-21-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 09-21-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting off with my usual green link, this week I will point out something with a much broader scope than my normal new product. I heard a story on the news this morning, well more like a 15 sec. sound byte. He mentioned “green degrees” as in college degrees. Of course this tickled my Google juices, led to several links one of which I put up here. I am going to predict that this will be the new dot com. If you are looking for a field to invest in, a career for a young person’s study, or an area to move your own work career into, this I believe will be the way to go. Governments will be pouring monies and resources into this area; the political interest has only begun. All fields from environmental accounting, (how best to use incentives, grants, tax breaks etc.), to environmental zoning, (how to best allocate land uses in cities and states). The new niche fields of study and employment opening up in the next ten years; will be staggering. http://www.kcbd.com
2) The next link here is my cool video site, crossed with my cool DYI site for the week. The first video should catch your eye, “How to Double Your Gas Mileage” now if I was a commuter this is one I would have to check into. There are a lot of others of interest here. I know I will be spending a little more time at this site in the next few days. http://www.kipkay.com/
3) Now for my scary technology link of the month. Just when you thought your privacy could not get anymore invaded than it has been in the last ten years. Seems they can now see through walls, even from those drone planes in Iraq. It appears this may be the new top-secret technology Woodward was talking about in those interviews about the surge last week. This link is just to a story link in Slate Magazine, if you want to check into it further you will have to do your own googling. http://www.slate.com
4) I just had to bring this up, I am sure everyone has already heard about it, but just in case here is a link to an article in Times Online a story about Google’s new idea about off shore data bases. I just wanted an excuse to comment, why does it need to be off shore; there are other large water bodies with-in our borders, how about the great lakes. Seems to me they just want to circumvent taxes, and regulation. Just a thought, but are we not right now suffering from some lack of regulation in the economy. What about terrorism, my God what a target. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/
5) Last up the geek link, this is a link to Google’s Official Blog Site, a blog by Chad Hurly CEO and co-founder of YouTube, about the future of online video. A very interesting read. http://googleblog.blogspot.com

Sunday, September 14, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 09-14-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 09-14-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Green link for the week, this is one you may like especially if it works out for you. I saw this advertised on T.V. went to the site to see what was up. If you every thought you might like to switch over to solar for your electricity. This may be for you the link is to the main page, the menu in red to the right, and at the bottom titled “government incentives”, that is where the meat is. Several states have enough incentives to pay for the entire system, others have some substantial discounts. They say their installers will file for the incentives, and have they will have them approved in advance of the installation. Anyway it looks good to me, but then you know how the internet is. http://www.power-savetv.com
2) Next up; I seem to have a lot of car stuff these days here is one more to add to the list. Peugeot concept cars. These are a little over the top for my taste, but who knows where things are headed. The slide show is mainly just artist type shots of the design, there is not much detail. Reminded me of watching one of those women fashion shows, it may be interesting on the runway, but I hope not to see many on the street. Anyway you be the judge. http://www.telegraph.co.uk
3) Here is a link to the top ten physics videos at wired magazine, I thought most of them were pretty neat, the one from mythbusters I have seen, and the last one, well lets just say I am not into rap, but interesting if you turn off the sound and read the captions. http://blog.wired.com
4) Okay this is not a gadget, toy, or geek link, but it sure is an interesting read. An article from Discovery Magazine on how laughter may outlive humans, and even numbers, I must admit I have not yet learned who it is laughing at the end. Us or the chimps. It is based on the Copernican Principal dealing with the longevity of things, like humans. It is just one of those interesting reads, not to long, but makes you think about, you know stuff. http://discovermagazine.com
5) Finally something geeky, say happy fiftieth birthday to the Microchip, a nice little video here, along with a pretty good article on Jack Kilby the inventor working at Texas Instruments. Probably the single most world changing invention of all time. Another interesting read. I was surprised at my lack of appreciation for this event in our history. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk

Sunday, September 07, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 09-07-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 09-07-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

How to remove Antivirus 2009 (Uninstall Instructions)

"When Antivirus 2009 is installed, a Internet Explorer browser helper object is also installed that displays fake messages when using Internet Explorer."

This is a very nasty SPYWARE, this website tells you how to remove it from your computer.

This also works on AntiVirusXP and AntiVirus 2008 also Doctor AntiVirus (They are all in the same family.)

I would like to thank Ron N. a Podcast listener for this link and info on how to remove it.

AlaskaJoe

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) As usual a start with the green car link. This time one put out by Ford, it goes on sale this November, gets 65 mpg, but we can’t buy one. Seems we are always getting the short end of the stick these days. This is a very nice five passenger job called the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic. If you want to move to Europe you can have one, but not for the U.S. Story here, check it out maybe next year http://www.businessweek.com/
2) The gadget link for the week, the top five gadgets that could get you arrested. I don’t think I will have any trouble with them, just not my cup of tea, well maybe the pocket laser, just for the cool toy appeal. Anyway you might find something here to tickle your fancy. http://www.wired.com
3) While I am on the subject of cool gadgets, check out this, robots are really getting interesting these days. These have to be the best robot videos I have seen in a long time. Prototypes for the Army of course, but they are totally amazing. http://www.dialaphone.co.uk
4) Now for something I found that qualifies as the just plain interesting site for this week. Seems that for thousands of years no one has noticed this phenomenon, it appears all grazing animals from cattle, to deer all face north and south while grazing. The think it is related to the magnetic earth fields. Article from BBC here http://news.bbc.co.uk
5) Last up my geek link for the week, seems the old remote control, that often misplaced, extension of my right arm, may soon be a thing of the past. The new replacement being a small camera, interacting with a small processor to locate my hand then process visual information translating my waves, and gestures into command prompts to control the T.V. Article from the Telegraph Magazine in the U.K. linked here, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
6) A late add-on here I usually put up five, but I almost forgot this one, and it is time sensitive. The idea that we will live or die by our technology may reach an ultimate climax this Wednesday. Reminiscent of that decision about the first atomic bomb, and not knowing for sure if the chain reaction would stop, or destroy the planet. Seems we are at it again with the Large Hadron Collider Atlas Detector. The will flip the switch on Wednesday some scientist think it could destroy the planet in 1/20th of a second then, the moon, sun, all planets and on to the entire cosmos at the speed of light. Read it here before it is too late. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Sunday, August 31, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-31-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-31-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

If you would like to see some of the pictures from when Sue & I drove up to Denali National Park, I have some posted here. The drive from Cantwell to Paxton Alaska MAP This scenic, 133 mile/214 km route connects the Richardson Highway with Denali National Park and Preserve. The highway begins at Paxson Junction (mile 177/km 285 on the Richardson Highway) and ends at Cantwell Junction where it merges with the Parks Highway. It is only 28 miles from this point to the Denali National Park. This highway is closed in winter from October to mid-May. About 100 miles are gravel road.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting off with the green links this week I am going to skirt the issue of avoiding political involvement by putting up two links one for each side and asking you to please get involved in understanding the positions they represent. These sites have the parties energy plans spelled out with their goals and objectives, read them to help you decide where your support should be. I truly believe we are at a major turning point in our history; we need to do something to change direction, because we cannot sustain the path we are on. Please take the time to educate yourselves so you can participate in saving ourselves from the inevitable. First link to John McCain’s Lexington Project http://www.johnmccain.com/ Second link to Baraack Obama’s New Energy for America’s plan http://my.barackobama.com/
2) Next up something a little geeky Joe and I ran into this earlier today google-goofing the subject of RFID hacking start off with an article in Wired http://www.wired.com now where to get the stuff and a little more on using it at Think Geek http://www.thinkgeek.com
3) Staying in Meek Mode for another link I think you will like this a lot. This is a link to the video presentations at the O’Reilly Emerging Technology Conference earlier this year; they emphasize the new technologies that seem to have the greatest chance to take off in the future. Some very interesting stuff here. http://en.oreilly.com
4) Now a little of that over my pay grade material, but most likely of interest to anyone involved in the computer world. It has been around for a while, so it may not be new to you, but if it is you might want to check it out. Called The Risk Digest, it is a “Forum On Risks To The Public In Computers And Related Systems”, with a searchable listing of over 2,000 issues dating from 1985 to the present. http://catless.ncl.ac.uk
5) Last something from the land of weird, actually very weird. Seems there is a woman in Indonesia who has wires growing from inside of her body, it has been going on for seventeen years, and doctors are clueless. http://thewhyfile.blogspot.com It made me think about Morgellons Disease if you have not heard about it here is a link to a news story on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com

Sunday, August 24, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-24-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-24-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) For the green links for this week, due to a site sent to me by Joe are going to revisit the run your car on water topic. First the link Joe sent me for a product he saw advertised on T.V. in Alaska. http://www.hydro4000.com/ This is a device that separates the hydrogen and oxygen in water to form Browns Gas or HHO. I have found mixed reviews on the efficiency going to take a wait and see approach for a while. Now for a couple more sites on the subject, this is using water only; it is a water fuel cell watch the YouTube video here, http://www.youtube.com, now a site dedicated to research on the water fuel cell, complete with a link to the court transcript charging him with fraud. However there is a lot of technical data on how the system could work. Here is a link to as many YouTube videos on the subject as you might want http://www.youtube.com

2) As long as I am on the subject of water and cars, I want one of these.
http://www.watercar.com

3) Okay that is pretty cool alright, but what about poor Joe in Alaska the water is frozen for more than half of the year, how about a snow vehicle built by Lotus. Now you are talking it is even a green machine running on bio-diesel. I would like one of these also, but it would have to have one heck of a heater. http://blog.wired.com

4) Now for a little something deeper, along time back there was a guest on Art Bell who believed humans were hard wired to believe in God. He said this was a necessary evolution that came with our power of reason. When we watched someone die it was necessary to create something to ease our mind as to what happens next, according to him we would go nuts or something, at least if I remember his premise correctly. Well it seems there is a new branch of science dealing with our mind connection to religion, it is called neurotheology. Here is a link to a BBC movie dealing with it; the video is in six parts thanks to YouTube’s new way of doing things.
http://www.youtube.com

5) This next one is just for Keith, our up coming guest. I want him to install one of these in my place as soon as he finishes with Tony’s. I know it would take me months to get it right, but I still want one. Can the remote, and voice activate your house, just like Star Trek, I ask and receive. “Computer reduce lighting by 40% and raise temperature by four degrees.” http://www.engadget.com

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Dell's Eee-killer to ship with Ubuntu preinstalled

"Dell's much-anticipated subnotebook product, which could be available to consumers by the end of the week, will be offered with Ubuntu 8.04 preinstalled."
The specifications also show that the device includes an 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, up to 1GB of RAM, and an 8.9" screen with support for a resolution of 1024x600.
Sounds like a nice laptop, Maybe I need a new one :)
Thanks Buzz for this URL!

AlaskaJoe

Sunday, August 17, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-17-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-17-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Well as usual a green link to kick things off, this is an example of what we can expect in the next few years. As solar energy becomes more attractive to industry, more research into new technology will also create improvements to the existing ones. Here is a perfect example for solar panels. http://news.bbc.co.uk

2) If you thought all U.F.O.’s are from off planet think again, seems the British military has some and are in development to turn them into some sort of weapon. This link has a story and an interesting video showing their prototype in action, mainly for surveillance at least for now, but who knows where it will go in the future. http://www.thought-criminal.org

3) Now for a little on something we touched on last week, the subject of digital drugs, that is a slang term for binaural beats, or using that part of the brain that sorts out sound, the way we determine the direction a sound is coming from. The binaural beat tricks the brain into a certain frequency alpha, beta delta, etcetera. This first link is the article that got me interested, http://www.usatoday.com this link is to an article in U.S. Today by, oh no Kim Komando, sorry but that was the first thing I saw. The second link is to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/ a very interesting read on the subject. The third link is to a site where you can try them for free, so don’t buy anything until you check them out to see if there is something there for you http://www.i-dose.us/

4) My geek link for the week, an article titled “What Will Linux Look Like in 2012” this is from Information Weekly August 14, I am sorry this is one of those I thought might interest you, but most of it slid right past my lack of geekness. http://www.informationweek.com

5) To top things of for the week here is a link to an article that I have to hope is not real; if it is then I fear Google has gone way over the edge. An addition to Google Maps that can actually look into your house, by into I mean inside your home. Sounds a little fishy to me, I have not had time to look into it further. Check it out sounds scary to me. http://www.bbspot.com

Monday, August 11, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-10-08

This is a re-post of the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-10-08. The first file posted was corrupt. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 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.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-10-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-10-08. 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.