Windows
Your Netbook – Windows, Linux, or Other
Nov 25th
There is a mountain of different operating systems available now. More than ever before in history. The main players are Microsoft Windows, Debian based operating systems, Red Hat’s OSs, Unixs, BSDs, and upcoming Google Chrome OS. What OS do you use? What OS is better? How does Windows compete with free?
While some netbooks are coming with Windows 7, and previous Windows Vista, some were and still are coming with Windows XP. The lower powered MIDs are coming with Windows XP, which is becoming outdated, but I prefer to the more recent versions of Windows. What is better than Windows, Linux!
Will the market accept another netbook with a non-Microsoft operating system? That’s the question some are asking in the wake of the release of the code behind Google’s Chrome OS, which is known as the open-source Chromium OS.[Source]
It gets complicated sometimes. I have a Sony Vaio P and Linux is not great on it. The Poulsbo GMA 500 graphics drivers are not good at all. Even Itel’s Moblin Linux is not great at all. Ultimately I will be sticking with Windows XP on this particular machine. My opinion is that Windows XP will last until 2014, and by then Linux should be fine on the machine!
Microsoft Windows – New OS Why? People Don’t Update Either Way
Nov 22nd
The problem with Internet security nowadays is largely in part because people do not know how to update their computers. I fix computers as a side job, and you’d be surprised that many people have told me they don’t click the Microsoft gold shield in their system tray because there is a virus going around. What absolute ignorance. The Gold shield will update your computer to protect you as much as possible with critical updates. I am continuously flabbergasted with genuine stupidity. The default setting in all MS Windows products should be to automatically install updates, because the general public simply does not understand the importance of keeping their software shiny new.
Every time you see the gold shield in the bottom right hand corner of your computer, it is your obligation to click it and process the updates. As a Windows user, if you have a virus, a Trojan, or anything in between you are contributing to the massive problems that plague the Internet nowadays. Spam, phishing and lots of other things are predominantly broadcast from exploited machines.
Recent exploits in old versions of Internet Explorer have resurfaced this very issue of security.
“Symantec has conducted further tests and confirmed that it affects Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7,” the company wrote on its Web site Saturday. “We expect that a fully-functional reliable exploit will be available in the near future.”[Source]
People have relatively new installations of Windows Vista and they are using Internet Explorer 6 and 7. Why? There is Internet Explorer 8? “Ohhh, I don’t like the new version”, they say. But the new version is more secure, and more up to date. Get used to change; accept change for the better. It is necessary.
There is another major problem. PC manufacturers like to sell antivirus software packages. They preinstall them on machines, and give 60 free trials, and then expect people to pay the subscription fees to keep them active. This is absurd. Who in their right mind will pay those fees? By far the vast majority of people do not pay those fees and are using high vulnerable, non up to date software. This is a shame because AVG, and other companies, offer free anti virus that is continuously updated! Yes, I said continuously updated. New updates are issued all the time for free; do you understand free does not cost money?
If you are using a Windows computer update your antivirus right now. Do the world a favor and remove that botnet from your computer. Stop sending out mass spam emails right now. Run S right now. Install it from www.spybot.com. Install the apps, update them, then reboot your computer in safe mode. Hold f8 when your booting and select safe mode! Run AVG, then Spybot, then AVG, and Spybot again. Clean your machine now!
Now this will take some time to clean your virus infested Windows machine thoroughly. Maybe a day or two. Maybe you will have to reinstall the entire OS alltogether. Either do this now, or download Ubuntu and never think about antivirus again.
Windows 7 – Thoughts and Considerations
Oct 20th
Frankly Windows is pretty. I like Windows, the only things that really annoys me is viruses. Because of the thousands of viruses and attacks that can be performed, antivirus software is an absolute requirement of a Windows powered computer. Antivirus software takes a lot of power, because it is constantly scanning incoming files, and making sure files on the system are clean. Also antispyware software is a requirement. This software will make sure that files are not changing on the system, especially critical system files that should never change. These two applications are constantly running in the background and draining resources. These two types of applications are required because there are some 25,000 viruses for Windows based machines.
Windows 7
On the other hand Linux is getting better and better. There are only a handful of viruses, and typical website attacks are non functional most of the time. In other words Linux based machines are relatively immune to the vast majority of Windows attacks. This makes antivirus software not necessary. This also makes use of anti spyware software a moot consideration. If you like the look of Windows you can make Linux look comparable. Overall the only reason to use WIndows is for graphics card compatibility for gaming. Also for iTunes! But there are even alternative for iTunes on Linux. I will try and use Windows 7. I purchased a Vaio P; it came with Vista and if Sony offers me a free upgrade I will definitely install it over XP. Ive heard that it is less bloated that Vista, and it will be clearly more functional than XP. I think it will be interesting, and I look forward to trying to get my hands on it. Don’t get me wrong I still think you can do much more in a Linux PC. MythTV, and the way VirtualBox works are much better than comparable functionality on a straight Windows PC. Plus there is Compiz 
The 3D desktop effects of Windows, even the aftermarket apps like Deskspaces, are not comparable to the degree of seamless integration achieved on Linux.
Official XP Downgrade Script for Vaio P – Direct from Sony
Sep 19th
Here is the official Windows XP downgrade script direct from Sony. It is impossible to find this just by googling. Frankly I’m not quite sure how I came across this but its on the sony vaio support website, and it works just fine installing all the software that is typically installed individually. It installs all drivers and most applications that come with the default Vista installation. I especially like the battery saver app that limits the charge of the battery. ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/VAIO/XPDOWNGRADE/SETUP_P.EXE
Ubuntu – Mac Tiger – Windows XP – and MythTV on the Same Desktop
Jun 3rd
I have integrated Ubuntu Jaunty, Mac Tiger, Windows XP, and a MythTV PVR into my desktop environment using the default compiz in the Ubuntu repositories. Ubuntu is the host operating system, Mac Tiger is a VNC connection on the local network maximized to fullscreen, Windows XP is running in VirtualBox, and MythTV is capturing HD 720P via FireWire from my SA4250HD Optimum cablebox.
The cube also looks nice with these multiple screen, and with a powerful video card you can actually see MythtTV while on the cube. Open /usr/bin/mythtvfrontend and remove the line at the top that prevents it from opening multiple instances. Now you can open a MythTV frontend on each of the cubes viewports. You can actually watch different videos on each side of the cube.
Compiz Screen 4 Desktops – Ubuntu, Mac, Windows, MythTV
Linux the Future – Yippe I Will Eventually Have a Job
Nov 15th
With the economy uncertain and Microsoft Vista failing to gain overwhelming acceptance, many IT departments are considering a migration to Linux. Reference
I don’t know when it will be, but its coming quick. The simple reason that companies need to pay for Windows products will lead to abandonment. Why pay for products when you can get the same work done for free. Linux is clearly the solution, and with rapidly developing systems such as Ubuntu, there is no reason in the near future to continue to pay the large license requirements of Microsoft products. Ubuntu has faster security updates than Windows, and is substantially at less risk to infection and spyware. Right now Linux implementation seems to be a no brainer, but corporation are stubborn and are hanging on to the tail of a dying elephant. Windows products are paid for by corporations because there is an underlying notion that paying for a product gets better support; but this metholodoly is quickly failing. Open source products have the benifit of millions of eyes to fix bugs, and make improvements. Open source will produce superior products by all means, and all that is needed is a little more time for the status quo of Open Source products to reach the stability and reliability requirements of enterprise applications. For servers Apache is the status quo; open source. For desktops Microsoft still reigns because the software requirements are much more daugnting. With projects broken down substantially, such as Gnome, and KDE desktop environments the development of independently stable applications is inevitable.