Owner: The tech and other cents URL:www.thetechandcents.com Join Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:27:41 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: It is a blog with opinions and reviews on almost anything Site statistics:Click here
Commercial Ubuntu 2008-02-15 00:01:00 Hi allI just read a post by Bruce Byfield, where he raises an interesting question: after the fact that Canonical will try and offer commercial software from a specific repository, would anyone use it? And if not, could it alienate other users of Ubuntu
from using the distribution at all?He continues to argue for a whole 2-pages-long article for something that I don't even think exist. His main point is that this idea of commercial repositories has been tried out before and it didn't work. Why try now? After all, it's just a matter of time until something else will replace our current software:A download service might find a temporary niche in offering software for which no free equivalent exists. For instance, despite recent improvements in apps like Kooka and Tesseract, someone who regul Read more:Commercial
Web hosting search 2008-02-14 23:11:00 OK, so now probably everyone knows that I'm looking for a hosting. I am talking about this for a long time already. So, while browsing the space I come over to interesting site - web hosting choice, which allow you to find a host service using your own search parameters.So for example, I want a host with a decent amount of space (at least 1 G), decent amount of month transfer (at least 1000 G) and low price (say, for the sake of the argument, not higher than $10 a month). I entered those parameters into a search box on the main page, and viola! I got a list of host providers that answer those search parameters.I'm going to dig a bit more in this, as I've already have found a problem: HostGator, which is first-ranked and featured provider on main site, seems to provide installation of Wordp
Links for 2008-02-09 [Digg] 2008-02-10 00:00:00
zRaven in Linux review
Instructions to run zRaven blog editor in Linux and a simple review.
Read more:Digg
zRaven in Linux review 2008-02-09 12:00:00 Dear allI've been contacted by the Zoundry, developers of Zoundry Writer and got notified that they've got zRaven into beta, so I might try it and run in Linux
. Here's the quote:Please note that Zoundry Blog Writer has finally be deprecated and replaced with a new version called Raven.We're really striving to make it the best product we can, so we'd love it if anyone interested could give it a try and give us some feedback. Raven just went into public Beta testing this week.We haven't tried getting Raven to work under Linux, so obviously your mileage may vary. However, I do think we have done a much better job with the UI this time around. :) Let us know what you think.This is very cool to be contacted by them, so here we go. I've decided to play around with a new release. But I have to g Read more:review
Links for 2008-02-07 [Digg] 2008-02-08 00:00:00
Virtualization in Linux: A Review of Four Software Choices
Virtualization is the technique of running a "guest" operating system inside an already-running OS; for example, Windows inside Linux, or visa-versa. This article compares four virtualization products available for Ubuntu Linux: the free, open source Qemu; the closed-but-free versions of VirtualBox and VMware-Server, and the commercial Parallels.
Read more:Digg
Totally Free Wordpress Hosting 2008-02-05 09:54:00 For anyone who tries to be a blogger or create some sort of information resource, the most important issue is always with high quality of the blog or site. It relates both to design and content. It takes awhile until the design makes you happy, and it can also take few iterations until you're happy with the posts.You create the post, and proofreading it, and post as draft, and reading it again. Then you fix few things, post it online. And then you find that you're not so happy with some phrases, and you change them and post again...it takes awhile until you're totally happy. All these back and forth iterations are not always convenient - you may have a bad connection. Or you have a hosting with limited bandwidth. Or you're not sure, or anything else. Or, maybe, you'd like to see how it wou Read more:Wordpress
, Hosting
EEE PC is hottiest and sexiest than ever 2008-02-04 03:26:00 The issue of an EEE PC has been already written over many many times. I wrote a comparison of the laptop to an Amazon's Kindle. There also was a news post about schools being purchasing those laptops and then Ars Technica published their own review and reinforced my opinion.Now, I think the laptop has riched even the business niche. I hear that a lot of people who need a laptop on the road to read and respond to emails, to have a Skype calls and browse the web are very keen to test and use this device. After all, its price at ~$400, and weight ~1kg, are very attractive points. Added to that the fact, that this is a fully functional laptop with a decent hardware specifications, make a really attractive deal.I just read an article by James Maguire at Datamation. I like the following saying b
Open Sourced Microsoft 2008-02-03 01:34:00 I've noticed lately, that I've been commenting Brian Proffitt's posts a lot. Well, I do so because I think he's a great journalist and makes valid points in technology, as a contrast to many others who seem to be completely ignorant on the issues they write about.This time Brian is trying to explain the Open Source strategy Microsoft
has. Here's the main quote I think:... if you use open source technology and contribute to it for others to use, you potentially could help make your competitors stronger. And if your failed marketing campaign just happens to send more business to our opponent... in this situation, that might not be a clear loss, because it could also change a government's perception of Redmond being unfair.....I will admit that this may be a reach. But I also think, with Micr
Copycat and cheating in journalism 2008-01-28 07:49:00 Dear reader,It happens that I read similar articles sometimes. It happens in any field - when you do your research, you encounter similar materials, and similar information. But, at least in my own experience, almost all of sources I find are genuinely original, with each and one of then trying to get to its own point.But not today I guess, not always. Random reading got me to these 2 articles: A free guide to Free Software supporters and Are you a Slasher, Basher, Butcher or Pusher? These are 2 great examples of seemingly respectful sites that in a very insulting way try to explain who are the people behind open source projects. And that's an addition to a fact that both of them seem to be posted by the same author but in different versions - one for a nicely talking business people and t Read more:journalism
The most useless 5-items list for Digg and Ubuntu users 2008-01-27 15:00:00 Well, here we go. 5 items list that is completely useless
:1. It is for Diggusers
(first and foremost)2. It is also for Ubuntu
users (I like Ubuntu)3. It has absolutely no content here (like most of these lists)4. It has 5 items in it.5. Who do I have to read other people useless lists?
The Working Platform - Computer In Appliance (TM) 2008-01-27 13:58:00 I just read another nice post by Brian Profitt from Linux Today about the the idea of an appliance-like computer. And I have the possible candidate to answer Brian's question.I recently understood that most of my "computer"-related work is either already done or can be moved to be totally online. Once the process is complete, it allows the following (or combination of them):I'm totally online. I never loose my data because I have it online all the time. The only moment when its not there is that split of a second I loose my wireless connection and my data not uploaded yet. I can do my work (or entertainment) anywhere, anytime.I'm totally "dead" without internet connection. My powerful computer has no use for me. I can't access anything. I can't do anything. I'm so addicted to being online, Read more:Platform
, Computer
, Appliance
Computer for gradma and world domination 2008-01-27 08:07:00 This entry was inspired by an old entry in Linux, and its a revisited from previously written article of mine.There are topics that have been "refurbished" at least once per few weeks, which are the use of small computers as appliances and usage of computers by senior citizens . The major points of those are twofold (although highly interconnected). Those points are being:Whether my {favorite non-technical member of the family} can easily use computer?Is Linux ready for desktop?Please allow me to explain, why those 2 are interconnected.Well, the first one is well understood. In last 15 or so years, computers transformed from geaky toy to a "in any home" appliance. We do many of day to day tasks with it: We send and read our mail. We read, see and listen to a news. We listen to a music/radi Read more:Computer
, domination
Pushing Gentoo forward 2008-01-23 01:53:00 Hi allBeing part of a Gentoo community (and I am after all an ex-User Representative. The "ex" part in it is because the project is debunk and no longer exists), it hurts me to see my favorite Linux distribution getting to the point of no return. Like, the Tipping Point in reverse: after this point nothing can be done to stop its destruction.I'm not pessimistic person in general. I'm just an outside (and a little inside) observer, who wishes all the best but can't really affect anything. I just read Brian Proffit's support call for Daniel Robbins' offer to step as the leader of Gentoo's legal affairs again. I am gladly joining the call, because I think Gentoo is in position where it needs leadership.Gentoo was founded by Daniel, who left it in 2005 for personal reasons. This act may be see Read more:Pushing
Smoke on the water 2008-01-23 00:11:00 Well, I have to post this. It is the best music video I've seen in a while.
Read more:Smoke
, water
Google drop 2008-01-22 07:00:00 It was not expected.For the last ~3 months I was undergoing interviews with Google
to fill a position there. After the first 2 I got a very positive feedback, and went to another 2.But yesterday I got a call that they've decided not to continue with me anymore.This sucks.
MacBook Air: not impressed 2008-01-16 01:26:00 Well, now everyone already knows about the Mac Book Air. I've seen the pictures, and to tell you to truth - I'm not impressed.Yes, its thin. Probably light. But it looks breakable. It's expensive. It has slow hard drive.And design? I'm not sure yet I like it either.So, we'll have to wait and see. I thought I could get a new laptop and waited until January. Now I think I lost some time.
Read more:MacBook
A dream that slowly comes true 2008-01-16 01:15:00 No, I'm not speaking about becoming insanely rich. That would take a while longer.I'm talking about my dream of a small and light computer, that I can take with me everywhere and one that could connect to resources I need (read, Internet) from anywhere in the world. And that's all of course thanks to the EeePC 701 and other similar devices. I wrote a piece on it a couple of months ago, but the subject is still hot and is becoming hotter every day.I just read nice post in NY Times, which describes in funnny humor the way that Asus went. The author says that Asus "didn't get the memo" about how our laptops should be huge, inefficient, expensive and bloated with versions of Windows - and software that vendors like to load on laptops so very much. It should be slow, and its startup time should Read more:comes
Fashion Shots 2008-01-13 13:03:00 Last Friday I was walking down the center of the city I live in, and suddenly I was approached by a girl. She said she's from one of the 3 main national newspapers, and that she would like to take a photo of me for the fashion article they are making. That's nice, isn't it? Me for the fashion photos....She wrote the brand names of everything I wore that day (including my hand bag). I'll wait for photos now :-)
Read more:Fashion
Hidden Cost of Enterprise Computing 2008-01-09 05:24:00 I'm really fascinated sometimes how many people talk about Linux. This definitely includes your truly - we often talk with our emotions and with some sort of will to make to a headlines. It is not bad to be passionate about something, but it leads sometimes to overvaluing the issue on hand. I make such an error myself at times.Take for example the article I just read. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes from Datamation (IT Management publication) wrote an essay, in which he discusses the hidden costs of using Linux operating system. What he does though, is mixing quite a few things in one bag, and not the good way. He mixes the problems that home users might have and implementing them to enterprise users, which is wrong. There's quite different approach in enterprise IT departments to computing and inf Read more:Hidden
, Computing
Most Hated Company 2008-01-08 15:15:00 I just read a post by Mike Elgan, in which he argues that Asus is the most hated company in the computer business right now. And all this just because they made it first to market very cheap laptop with Linux on it (that being Asus eee701 PC).So here's the breakdown of reasons why it is most hated (mmm, right ):1. Apple, Dell and HP hate Asus. That's because they've out a subnotebook earlier than an expected (and, in my opinion, while really possible, still highly speculative) Apple subnotebook, which supposedly will be announced on MacWorld in a week, and will probably cost much more than $400.2. Microsoft hates Asus. That's because there's no version of Microsoft Windows is installed in Asus laptop. It's a Xandros Linux (with some Asus' tweaks). And its light and great!3. Intel is very
Is OLPC team crossing the lines? 2008-01-06 07:24:00 And if they would've, what would those lines be?Hello dear reader. I've just been reading an article on News.com, which explains in some detail the exit of Intel from an OLPC alliance. It happened after some few years of disagreements and heat between the teams; and after they seemingly made up and OLPC started developing an Intel-based model (which I would love to see). What's going on then? Why road is not all that slick and easy for the project, which took the pledge to help all the poor kids in the world (sort of)?It seems that while everyone agrees with the goal, many disagree on the way that goal is to be achieved. Here comes the question I asked at the beginning:The OLPC project is made to help educating children, and they are doing so by letting children laptop computers. Choosing
Back from Italy 2008-03-11 10:09:00 Hi allI had a great time in Tuscany last week!! The trip was a present for my significant birthday date last Thursday.It is also great to come home :-)I have posted few photos from the trip, you're welcome to take a look here
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Google Calendar offline 2008-03-13 11:59:00 I've just stumbled into this: I've tried to add something into my calendar, but got this:Google
is down ????????Of course not, but it's fun anyways :-)
Read more:Calendar
, Google Calendar
Back to the net 2008-03-25 06:49:00 Hi allI've been away for a long while and it feels now like a long vacation. I've done few nice things in a meanwhile, the major 2 being visit to Italy (Tuscany) and starting a new job.So Italy - I had a great time visiting one of the most beautiful places in the world. We've been in Tuscany, where one of the best wine in the world is produced, and saw medieval cities built very long time ago. We also saw Renaissance structures, but most of all - we liked how the new integrates with the old, and how countryside is full of buildings built within last 5-10 years but look like they stood forever on those green hills.And now I started a new job - I'm in intergration position in Comverse, working as subcontructor. My job would be packaging the company's products and integrating them into a comp
My new computer 2008-04-13 06:10:00 Hello folks!It's been a bit more than 2 years since I have Serenity - an AMD Athlon machine. And it's time to grow further. So I've made my research, and I got planned a machine that will serve me for my modest needs for another 2-3 years.As prices plummeted seriously lately, and since dollar is not what is used to be, I can get pretty decent machine for a buck. I don't play games, my main needs are VM running (even couple of machines at the same time), Photoshop/Gimp rendering (for pics like these). Here's my configuration of choice that I'm thinking to have:CPU: Intel Q9300Motherboard: I'd like to have an Abit IP35 Pro, but its availability seems limited in my locale. So I'd be happy for other suggestions.Memory: Mushkin or Corsair, 4Gb, CL4Graphics: any NVidia 256Mb PCIe will do
Linux on the desktop now! 2008-04-21 03:32:00 Hello allI just read an article, where Novell's CEO says that Linux
will not be on the consumer desktop in at least for another 3 years. And that made me think.We, users of Linux and open source software, would be happy to see everyone using Linux. We use it every day ourselves. And we're happy with it. Dell is installing Ubuntu Linux on various models, and people are buying them, preferring this to installing it by themselves. IBM, Sun and other vendors provide Linux systems just as they do Windows-based ones. Isn't this a nice trend that shows readiness of an operating system and its acceptance by vendors?With this trend, how can it be that Linux on the desktop will take another 3-4 years? And what does it mean exactly? Linux desktop share currently stands about 3-4% of total desktop ins
Oh Gentoo, what had become of thee? 2008-04-23 08:25:00 Dear friendsYesterday was an important day for me. I stumbled into a very important issue, albeit small, which made me to come to the following decision: I am leaving Gentoo as a desktop platform.It does not come as an easy decision. I've been using Gentoo and quasi-actively participating in the community for about 5 years. I have it installed currently on 3 out of 4 computers I have (the last one being mac mini, which I keep with Mac OS X). So why would I take this decision?It all began with a one simple thing. You may have read my previous posts on various WINE installations, and I use some Windows applications with WINE. But recently Internet Explorer stopped working. I've tried to reinstall it (and it is easy in Gentoo, just as in any other Linux distribution with decent package manage
Links for 2008-04-23 [Digg] 2008-04-24 00:00:00
Oh Gentoo, what had become of thee?
I've had enough. I'm removing Gentoo from my desktop.
Read more:Digg
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