I can’t believe it has been two weeks already that I’ve used Ubuntu Linux exclusively. If I had to sum up the experience in one word, that word would be “satisfying.” And my regular readers/listeners know that I can’t sum anything up in one word, so I will use this format to provide a complete synopsis of my Ubuntu thoughts.
After using this laptop for a solid week plus, I see pluses and minuses in laptop use. The Ubuntu continues to roll along perfectly. With Ubuntu, for the moment anyway, there is no need to install anti-virus or anti-spyware software because there are very few problems with Linux being hammered on like Windows. I’m running the base install of Ubuntu with no extra security software at all…definitely one reason that it is so fast compared to Windows Vista and XP. I did download and install the new Google Earth for Linux last night, and it works flawlessly in Ubuntu. I don’t use Google Earth often, but it is nice to have it and to see Google make a Linux version speaks volumes…in my opinion.
I helped setup an iPhone for the first time today. Here is a quick summary of my findings:
Pros
Cons
I haven’t ported much of my data to this computer from my Windows’ computer, but haven’t missed any of it yet either. I do have this system hooked into my home network so I can access shared folders on the Windows’ machine if I need those files. I mentioned on the show today that one of the huge reasons I like Mozilla Firefox is the availability of “extensions”. Extensions are little add-ons that allow anyone to customize and enhance their browser to do things that are important to them. One of my favorites is Google Sync.
Web or Internet forums will forever change the way you gather information on the Internet. Individuals, organizations, and large companies setup forums to provide a meeting place for people with common interests and goals. Individual computer users like you and I generate 95% of the content/information in a web forum. The rules are pretty simple; if you have a question and it hasn’t already been answered, post a question to the forum, readers see it and respond if they have the answer. Of course, if you see a question that you know the answer to, by all means jump on board and answer it!
Depending on the topic and the reputation of the forum you visit, questions can get answered in as little as five minutes but rarely go more than 24 hours without an answer.
In today’s video tip, I explain how to:
The collective knowledge of Internet users is overwhelming and invigorating. Watch the video below to see how helpful using web forums can be…and again, you may have invaluable help for someone else as well.
The majority of people I have seen this week have been dial-up Internet users. In every case the appointment lasted longer and cost more money than if they would have been on broadband. In other words, the appointment could have taken only a few minutes. Instead the appointment took so long that it cost as much as three month’s worth of broadband service.
I carry most of the tools for fixing computers on my flash drive but two of the computers were Windows 98 and several of the computers needed updates or other downloads that can only be acquired online.
I don’t do it too often, but this month I decided to hold an all Q&A (2 hours) user group meeting. It truly is amazing how many questions 30 or 40 ravenous computer users can generate. Sometimes one question leads to another, and an entire “topic” can take up a half hour. You have to be at one of the meetings to truly experience the type of knowledge and information that gets shared and explored. Some of today’s topics included:
I love a good trade show and this week is the big E3 video game conference. As I write this I am watching the live feed of Microsoft’s press conference. It is pretty amazing what the web allows you do do.
Several people have expressed their apologies that Rick and I will no longer be doing the show on the radio. Actually, we are choosing to move the show from a radio show to an online multimedia extravaganza! Radio is very limited and very limiting.
Our online program will only be limited by what we are able to do, and what we are able to do will continue to grow as we learn. In reality, we are only limited by the capabilities of the Internet. We are very excited.
I believe that I’ve written about this before, but since I ran into this phenomenom at least three times over the past week, it bares mentioning again. Many dial-up Internet users using Windows 98 or Me buy a new computer and after taking it home setting it up and jumping online with their dial-up systems find that the Internet and email are just as slow as their hold systems. I then get the question, "Why?"
I am throwing this into the newsletter this week. But I will post it here because I spent too much time writing it.
The Apple iPhone came out this Friday. We have taken the opportunity to write up the disclaimer that should appear on the device, but does not.