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French police force save millions by using Ubuntu

This might be one of the largest government agencies making a whole sale change to Ubuntu and leaving Microsoft behind. Ubuntu Linux is a free open source operating system that can very capably replace a Microsoft Windows operating system. This article describes how France’s national police force will change all 90,000 of their computers to Ubuntu by 2015, and they… Read More »French police force save millions by using Ubuntu

How to fill out a PDF form with your computer

I fielded a call from a client today who wanted to know how to transfer a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) form he received via email to Microsoft Word so he could fill it out using his computer, save it, then email it back. My short answer was that he couldn’t do it.

Technically, it can be done through a series of computer hocus-pocus, Jedi mind tricks, a great deal of knowledge about the Windows clipboard, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word and a lot of time. Knowing that this client didn’t have these tools at his disposal, I elected to tell him that it couldn’t be done.

Adobe Acrobat forms (PDF files) are not easy to edit or annotate because the purpose of a PDF is to preserve the formatting and integrity of the original document. Some PDF form designers can make their forms fillable using our computers, if they choose to do so. For example, many government sites like the IRS have forms that can be downloaded and printed or filled out right from our computers. Again, these forms are designed this way and not all PDF forms can be filled in via computer.

It bothered me all day that I still didn’t know of a better solution for this common question; how to fill in a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) form on the computer. I did some research tonight and found that our new favorite PDF reader (Foxit Reader) has this capability built-in (see illustration). However, the free version will let you fill it in, but if you save, print, or email the filled in form, it will have some verbiage along with it stating that the feature is a pay feature. If you pay Foxit $40, you can use the feature and not have the trial verbage printed on your form. If you need to fill out a lot of PDF forms, this looks to be a great solution.

I write and talk about Web 2.0 all the time and lo-and-behold there is a

Blogs and Blogging – October 2007

Definition



The word blog derived from web + log. Blogs became well known during the 2004 election process, but have been around since at least 1999. They started out as simple online diaries comprised of primarily text entries sorted by date…newest to oldest. Gradually, they morphed into full fledge web sites containing images and video along with the written information.


What is the purpose of a blog?

Secret language of the shadow government

Today's post is for everyone who listens to the radio show via direct feed from Genesis Communications Network. I received this information from a trusted source who received it in a forwarded email chain letter.

It appears that the real government uses a special language to communicate on the Internet. You will find this secret language all over the web. Only now that we have Google and Internet searches can we discover how frequently these messages are sent.

Whenever the Luminati or the Masons have sent messages and those messages have been received a special confirmation is posted. You will even find this confirmation text in the body of some older printed material in the days before the Internet.

Future Windows Prediction

By now it is no secret that I have a unique super power. I can see the future of technology. Too many cell phone radio waves to my brain have caused me to have premonitions about the future of technology.

Two days ago, I was carried away in vision and I saw the future of Microsoft.

Microsoft knows they shot themselves in the foot with Vista. They knew before it was released that they would have to create a demand for it since it was replacing a superior product.

Now even the government is looking into getting away from Microsoft products. Linux seems to be the most popular option. This is where the prediction comes in.

Wow! Is Microsoft worried or what?

Is it me, or is Microsoft pummeling the TV, Radio, and of course the online advertising arenas? Almost anywhere I look, Windows Vista ads poke me in the eyes. Could it be because of the nearly 150+ customer visits I have made since Vista came out, only two of them were using Vista? Could it be because users are perfectly content with Windows XP and don't see (rightly) the need to upgrade to Vista? Could it be that the once bullet proof Microsoft name has tarnished with this release and the web has changed the rules about desktop computing? Could it be because Microsoft's sales figures are sorely lacking compared to the release of XP and 98? Could it be that so many business and government entities have 'outlawed' Vista in their space? Could it be the incompatible software and hardware numbers that are racking up?

Have you ever heard of these things called books?

I took a quick trip to Portland last weekend. While I was there I went into a few used book stores and bought some books to read on the long drive back. I was riding with my wife and Mother-in-law, both of which enjoy driving as much as I don't.

Conversation was interesting but they got tired of me pretty quickly. They would sit for hours trying not to talk in fear that if they started a conversation, I might try to get involved. I was glad I bought so many books.

I put my headphones and switched it to my Artist list and listened to all 17 Dave Matthews CDs randomly while I read from my books.

Will old media kill itself off?

Viacom is suing YouTube (Google) for $1 billion for copyright violations. People (not YouTube) have posted clips (not entire shows unless the shows were under 10  minutes) on YouTube without Viacom's permission.

As a result, many YouTube visitors were turned onto Viacom regular programing as well as many other programs like, The Office, 24, Desperate Housewives, The Family Guy, Ali G, and Lost.

While some of these people would have started watching these programs without the help of the Internet, most people use the Internet to get caught up on episodes that aired before they started watching.

NORAD tracks Santa on web

Every news outlet in the world gets a phone call from the Federal Government at around 3am two days before Christmas. Someone with a deep whispery voice demands that that news service must run the NORAD tracking Santa story or their program will be moved from its valuable time slot to Saturday afternoons on AM radio – we decided to run the story anyway.

NORAD's official Santa Tracking website.