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Alternatives for Google?0
Joe M posted in free stuff, products on July 30th, 2008

I like to try and think outside of the box.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Google.  I use it on a daily basis.

The interesting thing is, all of the search engines change their algorithm on a regular basis.  For one reason or another, they change rankings and the calculations for ranking.

Is that good or bad?

I don’t know, but I do pull up other search engines on occasion to see what sort of results I get.

One that I checked out that I like is viewzi.com.

It’s has some similarities to other engines out there, but I will be playing around with it.

The screen shot is pleasant.  I like the Web 2.0 design.

When you get results, they display as thumbnails, instead of text links.

As you hold your cursor over each window, it comes to the foreground in a magnifying effect.

I will be trying it out a little more, along with some of the other alternatives.

Just to be different.

Tricking Users With Mojave1
Joe M posted in opinion, products on July 29th, 2008

I read the following story from Slashdot:

http://hothardware.com/News/Once_Tricking_Into_Using_It_Users_Like_Vista/

There are different versions and rumblings about the test all over the internet.

Microsoft reportedly rounded up several die-hard Windows XP users.

They treated them to a demo of ‘a new’ OS code-named Mojave.

As reported, the users loved the new OS and were thrilled with it.

Afterwards, MS revealed that the new OS was not new at all, but was Windows Vista.

It was ‘an experiment’, probably aimed at taking away some of the negative press about the OS.

The rebuttal I have?

Windows Vista is pretty and has some eye candy.

The problems with Vista (and other Windows) is that when you get it home, the newness wears off.

When you try to use your USB devices and install drivers, that’s when you find out how tough it can be.

And as with any version of Windows, somewhere along the line, you inevitably are going to have to reach for your Visa card, your ATM card or your checkbook.

When you try to use it, that’s when you find the true measure of the OS.

I would not mind paying the price for one of the deluxe versions of Vista, but IMHO, it should include a full package of software.

If paying the hefty price or buying it with a new PC, I was sure that it was all-inclusive, I would be more of a subject to use it more.

Right now, with all of the activations and vague licensing agreements, that just adds to the complications in using Vista for me.  The many different versions at complex pricing don’t help.

It’s not that Vista is that bad, it’s just much less convenient and more of a hassle for me.

How about a one-time price per household license for everything?

I wish Microsoft the best in whatever Vista marketing they utilize.

For me, when I have to actually use it, that’s when I can form a full opinion.

The problem is, it’s easier for me to use something else now.

An interesting point, from what I have seen and read, it looks as though the machines that no one complains about are OEMs, with all of the driver issues and software compatibility issues resolved.

You don’t hear that many people blogging or bragging about how they built their home machine with Vista and it works that great.

Not to say that they aren’t out there, but you don’t hear about it much.

Don’t forget GOOG-4111
Joe M posted in free stuff, products on July 27th, 2008

My car broke down about 6 weeks ago.  I wish I would have remembered this on the side of the freeway!

Disappointment0
Joe M posted in Home Support on July 26th, 2008

I drug my feet upgrading to the latest Ubuntu.  I just tuned into this.

I was about 3 months late.

I upgraded to Ubuntu 8.04 on my laptop this evening.  It’s code-named Hardy Heron.

It’s been a long time coming, and I am still getting the feel of everything.

Overall, it has been a good experience.

It took me a few minutes to get VirtualBox working again.

My biggest disappointment is not with the newer version of Ubuntu, but in the fact that I discovered that the people working on Automatix have ceased their efforts.  They are pouring all their time and energy into Pioneer Linux.

Good luck to them.

I am sad, though, because I really liked Automatix.  For those who may not know, Automatix has been a set of tools and scripts to install codecs, software, utilities and items to make it easier to install upon Debian-based Linux distributions.

It really helped when it came to installing codecs and fonts.

The fact that it is missing is not going to make me stop using Ubuntu or any other Debian Distro.

My Network at Home1
Joe M posted in homelife on July 25th, 2008

I got a chance to talk to someone a few minutes today.

They hammered me with a couple of questions about my home network and how it is setup.

The questions centered the machines that I run.

I have an Asus laptop with a T7200 Core 2 Duo and 1 GB of RAM. I am running Ubuntu 8.04 on it.

I also have two old P4 1.7 desktops, one in my office and one attached to my DLP TV. I am running Ubuntu 7.10 on both of those.

I also have a T42 with Windows XP.

My main machine is the Asus laptop. I have VNC set up on the two desktops. I have burners set up on both of those, and an array of packages for file and print sharing. I have a Samsung Laser printer connected to one of them.

I run Innotek Virtualbox on my laptop with several virtual machines. On one VM, I run XP with Anti-vir, Ad-aware and Spybot. I have Lazarus and FreePascal loaded on it.

If I need to burn a CD or DVD, I use Gnomebaker or Brasero. For DVD Authoring, I use DeVeDe.

The nicest part is I remote into the desktops from the Asus, start the job, then continue working on my Asus.

I print to the Samsung, using one of the desktops as a print server, sharing the printer.

I use the machine connected to the TV to watch video podcasts, audio podcasts and listen to Pandora.  I also have a DVD burner and DeVeDe on it, as a backup, should I need another DVD burner.  I have a wireless keyboard and mouse connected to it, but I use VNC for remote control more often than not.

Overall, the whole setup is what I consider to be optimally functional for me.

There is always room for improvement, but for now it suits my needs.

My Suggestions For Individual and Professional Growth0
Joe M posted in opinion on July 24th, 2008

Lifehack.org has an article on How to Ask for a Raise.

The points are simple but strong.

Preparing yourself for such a task is not easy.

It’s a matter of the disposition and atmosphere you create for yourself and your coworkers.

I would classify this as your individual growth.

My recommendations are as follows:

1. Always pretend that someone is watching you. Act as if your boss and someone from HR are always standing behind you. (In essence, they are.)

2. Always demonstrate an aptitude beyond your current job description. If you don’t know how to do something, ask someone and take notes when you get the answer. Many times this compliments the person you are asking, and gives them a better impression of you. If you encounter someone that does not want to share information, for one reason or another, treat them with courtesy and respect and move on.

3. Always keep an active interest in others. Follow-up with others when you help them. Find out the outcome of projects and tasks for which they have asked for your help. Encourage small talk, but keep the conversation professional and the questions from a probing nature.

4. Challenge yourself to learn more on a daily basis. This could be as simple as looking up new words in a dictionary, or as complex as learning project management.

5. Formulate alternatives to real scenarios for which you do not have impact or input. Chances are, you may wind up getting a chance to share your ideas. It never hurts to have a plan ready, if you get the opportunity. Wait for the right time to share your ideas. Nothing will turn others off to your ideas if they get the impression that you are simply strongly opinionated. Be ready and liberal enough to accept disagreement, should the conversation not go like you planned.

6. Treat everyone with respect and decency. You never know when the Administrative Assistant or the Project Manager is going to get a chance to share their thoughts about your abilities and activities to someone in your ‘chain of command.’ Make sure they have a positive impression to share.

7. Stretch your skillset. Learn about topics beyond your realm. If you are in IT, read-up on Project Management. If you are in Project Management, familiarize yourself with current trends in IT.

8. Learn more about your company, and learn about your company’s competitors. Watch the market and services. Find out demographic information and projected or predicted forecasts. Knowing how your company’s stock is performing (for a publicly traded company) can also be a great indicator for the time to ask for a raise.

9. Always keep your temper in check. This goes hand-in-hand with #6. Blowing your top will not get your point across, and will do more damage than good. I have never seen someone blow-up and not be haunted by the ordeal, later, in some way.

10. Offer assistance in tasks not associated with your job description. Job Descriptions are flawed. Evaluations usually are, as well. If everyone sticks to their job description, not much gets done. If your evaluation contains the words, “goes above and beyond,” or “really cares about the company,” that will put you in a much better professional disposition.

The atmosphere in which to ask for a raise has to be right.

Following the above suggestions will not hurt you, even if your company is making cutbacks. If that is the case, following the suggestions may mean the difference between being expendable and necessary.

The main thing to remember, the gyst is to remain above reproach. Don’t give anyone an observation or an excuse to perceive you in an unprofessional light.

Color-Blind?0
Joe M posted in homelife on July 23rd, 2008

Searching for Ebooks0
Joe M posted in free stuff on July 22nd, 2008

I never get tired of looking for ebooks.

You can find a lot of information on the net, as long as you know where to look.

I stumbled across ebooksearchr.googlepages.com.

It’s still in beta, but it shows some promise.

I also came across knowfree.net.

Not too long ago, I downloaded the Ubuntu Linux Bible.  The retail price was $30 in print.

Figuring it up, it would cost more money to print the book out than to buy the hardcopy.

I have not bought the hardcopy, yet, but I plan to.

Tech Shopping Online0
Joe M posted in opinion, products on July 21st, 2008

Someone stopped me today and asked about online shopping.

Ebay is pretty good, but you really have to be on your toes and read the fine print.

I spotted a listing when the Nintendo Wii was released.  It was for a website domain name, but made deceptively to look like a listing for the Wii itself.

That’s how it goes, and why you have to be on your toes.

For my own preference, I use www.pricewatch.com.

Remember to include as many details as you can when you perform your searches.

Read up on whatever you are going to buy. Do your research.  Look closely at warranty information, model numbers, shipping charges and return policies.

If you do your homework you can get some great deals.

Some of my friends prefer cnet shopper.

Pricewatch usually takes a little longer, but usually yields better deals for me.

ClamWin Anti-Virus On-The-Go0
Joe M posted in Home Support, free stuff on July 20th, 2008

It only takes a couple weeks to pass before someone asks for my help in cleaning off the viruses and spyware from their Windows machine.

Usually, that involves going through some gyrations to get a virus scan going.

Normally, everyone has some sort of virus scanner is installed. The problem is usually that the subscription has run out, along with a little procrastination in getting it updated.

One of the necessities involved is usually utilizing some sort of portable app to assist in cleaning the viruses off.

ClamWin fits the bill perfectly. It will fit on a thumb drive.

The automated tasks are disabled with the portable version, but the manual functions are still there.

That is the part that you need, anyway.

How To Build Hover Shoes0
Joe M posted in free stuff, homelife on July 19th, 2008

My ‘Out-of-the-box’ Ideas for Bluetooth Headset Design0
Joe M posted in Musing, homelife, opinion on July 18th, 2008

The one thing that we all see every day is someone with a bluetooth headset.

It’s one of the most cliched designs in modern techonology.

Sure, you see different designs and different sizes.

BUT…

They all flash a blue light, and they all use some combo of black, silver or white.

Ever since I was small, I always have had this compulsion to be different.

Somehow, I want to change this.

Manufacturers: Listen up!

I want a different bluetooth headset design. Throw practicality out the window!

Here are some ideas:

1. A cork – Yes, it’s tasteless. Think about it, though.

2. A broken arrow, or a dart, submerged in your ear – These things could use a touch of humor!

3. A bone, sticking out of your ear – Why not go completely outside of the box and organic?

4. A ball – What if it was like a clown nose, stuffed in your ear?

5. A BORG implant – If you are going to look like a tech-doofus, why not do it right?

6. A tiny alien, upper body hanging out of your ear – As if he just ate your brain.

7. A sleek wooden design – Tastefully crafted, and a step away from the metal and plastic genre.

8. Steampunk - What about an old piece of equipment, modded to look interesting?

9. Lt. Uhura’s earpiece – If you are going to look like a dork, might as well go all the way!

10. An old fashioned handset, complete with cord, coming out of one ear – I know, I know. But think of the looks you would get?

Okay, one more general note. How about a green light, instead of blue?

I know, it’s called bluetooth. How about a different color, and more than one, flashing in different sequences?

That’s my rant for this month.

How to Cheat at Minesweeper0
Joe M posted in Musing, homelife on July 17th, 2008

Find Work or a Programmer with Rentacoder0
Joe M posted in Uncategorized on July 16th, 2008

I was looking around for some more info on Delphi and Lazarus, and I came across rentacoder.com.

The idea is, if you are a programmer, you can bid on work. If you need a programmer, you can post your specifications and allow programmers to bid on doing the work.

The whole concepts looks very intriguing. I really like the idea.

I am not sure about the specifications. From what I can tell, the site is not designed for hobbyists.

Reading over the specs, some of the items definitely look obscure for someone like me, a hobbyist.

I am going to check it out in more detail.

If you can sell items on ebay, why can’t you sell your programming skills?

I would love to see more sites like this.

Renew Your IP Address with ipconfig0
Joe M posted in Home Support, Howto on July 15th, 2008

In Windows, if you spend any time configuring your network card, your router or some other device on your network, you know it can be a pain.

If you are not using a static address, and chances are you aren’t, you will receive an address from a DHCP server on your network.  This will come either from your local router, or your ISP if you are not using a router.

The easiest way to release your IP Address and get a new one is with ipconfig.

From a command line or DOS prompt, you can type in ipconfig/release to release the current assigned address.

To re-assign an address to the network card, simply type ipconfig/renew.

FYI, most of the time, you will usually pull the same IP Address, if it is still available.

Be Aware of Scammers0
Joe M posted in Musing, opinion on July 14th, 2008

It seems that every couple of months, I get an email from someone that is fleeing their country.

We have all heard it, someone is looking for asylum or a place to sink a considerable sum of money.

While some of these have ’scam’ written all over them, the game plan of the scammers changes from day to day.

It seems that no matter what media or form of communication you use, someone finds a way to introduce the element of dishonesty and cash in.

Just for kicks, surf over to 419eater.com, and check out some of the letters.*

Some people keep up an on-going conversation, like a dangling carrot in front of some of these scammers.

I came across one in which a guy told the scammer that he had been lying, and that his real name was James Tiberius Kirk, and he ended the letter with, “Kirk out.”

The true laugh from the gut came when the scammer responded (again) and addressed the taunter as “James.”

Our hero also sends a copy of his passport and Kentucky Driver’s License to the would-be scammer, complete with a photo of the much-admired starship captain.

While some of these are entertaining, it reminds me that you always have to be on your toes.

On the serious side, there is some good information on the site. It never hurts to be aware.
*Note:  Offensive Nature Warning:  The letters may contain some material not suitable for adolescents, minors or children, or may considered offensive.  If you are under 18, get your parents permission before accessing the site and / or material.

My Script Generator Project0
Joe M posted in Howto, free stuff on July 13th, 2008

I was approached not too long ago by a friend of mine.

After talking it over with him, we decided that Lazarus would be the perfect tool to use to program a script generator for his network.

It was also a personal challenge for me, since I have only been playing around with it for a couple of months now.

I am posting my project file, the code and the final .exe file to share.

My purpose is to demonstrate how to do a simple project as this.

For the specs, we decided that for a Windows domain and network, the program would have edit boxes and check boxes. For any mapping in the script, you would use a checkbox for the generation.

To simplify things, we decided to include the domain and user name in the program, and have it automatically inserted into the script.

Here is the screen shot of the final code:

Here is an example of the output, which is dropped into c:\mapdrives.bat.

%systemroot%\system32\net use G: \\Server1\share1 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use H: \\Server1\share2 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use I: \\Server1\share3 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use J: \\Server1\share4 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use K: \\Server1\share5 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use L: \\Server1\share6 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no
%systemroot%\system32\net use M: \\Server2\share1 /user:DOMAIN\TESTUSER /persistent:no

If you want just the .exe file you can find it here.

If you want the whole Lazarus project file, you can find it here.

If you want to see the source code, you can find it here.

If you want, you can re-work some of the form for your specific purposes.  Replace the domain, server and share names.  After you do that, you will have to re-compile.

If you need Lazarus, you can find it here, this page has the latest daily snapshot.  I noticed that the snapshot I used from this page was much more stable than the version I got off of sourceforge.net.

You are free to use the program in anyway you like, but do not sell it or profit from it.

Leave comments on any questions you may have.

Improve Your Night Vision0
Joe M posted in Uncategorized on July 11th, 2008

Improve Your Night Vision – For more funny videos, click here

A Quick and Dirty on Spreadsheet Basics0
Joe M posted in Howto, free stuff on July 10th, 2008

In talking with someone today, it hit me right between the eyes.

So many people know how to get around in their word processor. They know how to save, they know how to change their fonts and print it out.

But what about spreadsheets?

More people than ever are becoming more and more computer literate, but if you have never worked on a spreadsheet, where do you begin?

First, we have to understand the concept. A spreadsheet is a dynamic grid, software driven and you can use it to automate tasks.

The format of the spreadsheet lends itself well to several tasks. For simplicity’s sake, think of it in your own terms.

(Disclaimer: Ignore the obvious geographical ironies in the following example.)

Let’s pretend we have a decent sized garden. In our ‘pretend’ Utopian garden, we grow apple trees, orange trees, banana trees, tomato plants and cucumbers.

After we harvest, we are going to use our spreadsheet.

I type these values one by one into my spread sheet.

I do my calculations, quick and dirty, and the end result looks like this:

The most important concept to grasp? Reading the grid. Read the column, across the top, and combine it with the row number. Cucumbers are labeled in A5. The number of cucumbers, I entered into B5. The label for apples, I put into A1. The number of apples, I put into B1… etc.

Each location, whether it is A1 or Z250, is called a cell.

One of the biggest advantages to using spreadsheets is using formulas. In the formulas, you use the cell number (B1, B2, B3, etc… where our numbers are) and some arithmetic operators.

If you look at A6 through A10 and B6 through B10, I added some items for calculation. Still pretending, I group my apples and bananas together, and my tomatoes and cucumbers together.

In B6, I entered =SUM(B1:B5).

That gives me my total in B6.

You can use the mouse to select your cells to include in your formula by clicking and dragging, after you type the =SUM(. For the sake of learning, just type the formula in manually.

I also took a count of the total number of different items that I have in my garden, in B7. The formula for that is =COUNT(B1:B5).

I take an average of all my items and put it into B8. The formula for that is =AVERAGE(B1:B5).

I also add my apples and bananas together. I use the formula =B1+B3 to display the value in B9.

I finish up with the number of tomatoes and cucumbers, in B10. The formula is =B4+B5.

Notice that I have not used any cells from the A column in my calculations, or formulas. The reason is, you don’t want to add any text fields together. You only want to use the numeric column B.

The neatest part:  Once you have your formulas typed in, you can update the original cells (in this case, B1-B5) and the formulas take care of the calculations.  That means you don’t have to update the calculated cells.  The spreadsheet does it for you!

Play around with copying and pasting values and formulas from one cell to another.  You can copy a row or a column, and paste it into another one.

A couple of notes:

On some spreadsheet programs, you have to set the print area before you print. That is usually a simple task, you can do with your mouse and the File and print items from the menu.

For the most part, that will give you a good idea of how to get started with formulas. There all different brands of spreadsheet software. Most of them basically work the same conceptual way.

One of the things that people spend most of their time on in working on a spreadsheet, besides formulas?

Formatting. Getting the fonts right, the weight, the size of the cells, the type of data in each cell… just for starters.

Aesthetics seems to be just as important as the data in so many cases.

Indulge yourself!

If you encounter a question in your quest to learn, drop me an email at admin@braintubes.com or leave a comment.

FractalScreenSaver for Windows0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on July 9th, 2008

On my Windows machine, I have to use it occasionally for research or for testing.

I got really bored with the Windows XP logo bouncing around.

Looking over sourceforge, I came across FractalScreenSaver.

I like to change things up and have something different.

I really like the raining glass.

It looks like this:

The images change.

There are also other options.  One is an animated fractal pattern, as well as the traditional fractal patterns.

The settings page looks like this:

Raining glass is my favorite.  The patterns are different and have a soothing effect.

A bit different from the other plain vanilla screen savers that come native on XP.

Protecting Your Home with Dan’s Guardian0
Joe M posted in free stuff, homelife on July 8th, 2008

Not too long ago, I helped a friend of mine.

I re-installed Ubuntu on his laptop.

This time, I opted for the Christian Edition. It now works like a champ.

He has kids in the house, so he wanted to protect the household from any ’stray’ surfing that may occur.

For the most part, the children will surf to benign and negligible sites.

As we all know, sometimes you can benevolently search Google for different things, ‘in good faith.’

The results sometimes yield less-than-desirable results.

You can click on a link, innocently, and wind up on a page that will prompt too many questions and shock the household.

When I installed Ubuntu CE, I activated Dan’s Guardian which comes installed by default in the distribution.

With a couple of simple configuration changes, you can enable the filters.

A snapshot of the config screen for Dan’s Guardian:

The end result is pleasant, and does a great job.

And… my favorite part?

IT’S FREE.

You can find Ubuntu Christian Edition here and Dan’s Guardian here.

Choose Your Legal Strategy Carefully0
Joe M posted in Musing on July 7th, 2008

How Not To Fake A Heart Attack – Watch more free videos

Goodbye to Bozo the Clown0
Joe M posted in art, homelife on July 5th, 2008

Larry Harmon took over as Bozo the Clown in 1956. He bought the rights and added a great deal of depth to the character.

For more than 50 years, he cultivated and nurtured the character.

Pinto Colvig, who provided the voice for Walt Disney’s Goofy, was the first Bozo the Clown, a character created by writer-producer Alan W. Livingston for a series of children’s records in 1946.

Without taking any credit away from Colvig, Harmon took over and the iconic clown became a legend.

Harmon was responsible for training several local actors providing versions of Bozo for each station.

The full article: Bozo the Clown

Harmon may not have created the clown, but he is responsible for what most of us know and recognize as Bozo the Clown.

Larry Harmon died at age 83.

Sudoku on the Web1
Joe M posted in free stuff, homelife on July 4th, 2008

Normally, I like to play BrainAge on my DS.

I can’t take it with me everywhere, though.

I stumbled across Number Logic.

You don’t have to register to play, but if you want your scores recorded, you will.

It’s good to know that it’s there, in case I find myself twiddling my thumbs without my DS.

A Walkthrough of Sugar on the OLPC0
Joe M posted in Howto on July 3rd, 2008

What Time Is It?0
Joe M posted in homelife on July 2nd, 2008

Every so often I come across a website that gets me.

I don’t mean in disgust.  I mean gets me… laughing.

Tickles your funnybone.

Check out humanclock.com.

There are two images available.

Maybe I am simple and easily amused, but I am trying to get through this without breaking out into laughter.

The two images available are digital and analog (of course).

The image will also appear in a small window if you have java scripting enabled in your browser, and update as the time changes.

With all of the high-tech, innovative ideas coming out; it all boils down to one thing:  Content.

Good job and hats off to the guys at humanclock.com.

Randomized Text with Wordle0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on July 1st, 2008

I was surfing the internet again today and stumbled across something that stimulated my ‘wows’.

The application for this may be a little obscure, but the code and algorithm for this must be quite a feat.

You type in a web address that contains an RSS or Atom feed and click submit.

Pretty cool results.

Also…

I clicked the randomize button.

Here is the result:

Check it out at wordle.net.