tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25889933208003885532011-07-07T23:19:52.640-04:00(pseudo-random technology musings)SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.comBlogger131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-10329178443126291452010-09-17T00:32:00.005-04:002010-09-17T09:13:31.318-04:00

What do you do when your primary computer dies?I'm sure for many people a feeling of panic sets in. All of the files. Is there a recent backup somewhere? The dread of reinstalling all of the software and reconfiguring the settings. Oh no, what about the usernames and passwords for all of the mail accounts and website logins?If you're prepared, there is no need to panic.In fact, it's hard not to

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-74938945954079675142010-04-10T22:24:00.007-04:002010-04-12T20:08:55.387-04:00

What a week. First, the iPad is unleashed opon the waiting masses to great fanfare. Next, Apple teases us all with a glimpse under the tent flaps of iPhone OS4. Then, the blogosphere blows up with stories that Steve Jobs has gone mad, is a control freak, will lose the mobile market the same way Mac OS lost to Windows on the desktop, is supposed to screw himself, and that he kills babies. Ok, I

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-37938187973000029602010-03-10T22:50:00.002-05:002010-03-10T23:44:48.107-05:00

It's nice when technology works for you. It's even better when technology works because of you. Let me explain.A few months ago I used my GPS to find the fastest way to the veterinarian's office from a different part of town than I am normally in. The vet's office is at one end of a street that formerly joined both another street and a set of highway on and off ramps in a weird five-way

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-44388385696562637692009-11-06T19:55:00.007-05:002009-11-07T02:33:35.076-05:00

I just finished reading an article entitled "Windows 7 passes Snow Leopard, Linux" on Ars Technica. In it, the author points out that according to October stats from Net Applications, Windows 7 has achieved a 2.15% website viewing share. That's an impressive number given that Windows 7 went on sale just 9 days before the end of the month! Microsoft definitely deserves congratulations if this

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-68931223398673972922009-07-18T22:33:00.006-04:002009-11-07T01:46:06.314-05:00

This is also a sign that the computer industry, at least as we know it today, has failed its users.I expect to see signs like this for mechanical devices that suffer wear, such as our cars. But computers are fully automated, programmable, mostly solid state, and should be capable of maintaining themselves. Of course, I don't mean the computer hardware won't eventually have problems, but the OS

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-50521865627417919132009-04-24T23:28:00.004-04:002009-04-25T01:02:19.901-04:00

Wow. What a week! A lot has happened this week, much relating to some of my previous posts (and much not), and I think it would be a good time to wrap up the topics I've touched on - to give them some closure - before moving on.The screen grab, above, takes me back to the I love my Mac post, written nearly a month ago. My Mac has had 49 days of uptime (and is still going!), running as a Mac, a

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-68228111223367345582009-04-16T22:31:00.004-04:002009-04-16T23:18:42.334-04:00

It's time to order new circuit boards (pcbs) for the projects I do in my Computer Engineering Technology class. No big deal. I normally email my requirements to the sales or engineering department at my pcb facility of choice in Toronto, and they get back to me with a price.This time, no response came. The website was still there, offering the latest and greatest in pcb technology, but email and

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-68346831027674674902009-04-10T23:00:00.007-04:002009-04-11T03:04:33.242-04:00

On April 9, the Windows Blog reported on a Microsoft-commissioned whitepaper by Roger L. Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates entitled What price cool? - peculiarly named AppleTax.pdf, so we know where it's going to go. In the whitepaper, Kay makes a number of arguments about how people choosing to buy Apple products are choosing style over substance, and shows how Apple users pay outlandishly

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-46569966800327425792009-04-03T19:27:00.001-04:002009-04-11T02:32:15.436-04:00

Last week, Microsoft aired an ad entitled "Laptop Hunters" featuring 'Lauren' who is looking to buy a 17" laptop. She first looks at the 'Mac Store' but can't find a computer meeting her requirements for less than $1,000, and quickly concludes she's not 'cool enough to get a Mac'. Eventually, Lauren chooses an HP valued at $699 from Best Buy.It's an interesting advertising strategy for Microsoft,

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-27171470732131384212009-03-27T21:02:00.008-04:002009-03-28T00:54:30.438-04:00

I love my Macbook Pro. It's the early 2008, 15" (non-unibody) model, and although I wish I had the new 15" unibody, I still love mine. Let me explain.Yesterday was parent-teacher night. Since my school switched from having two sessions, an afternoon session plus an evening session, to just one session (5:30 - 8:00 p.m.) I've noticed that many fewer teachers bring their computers. I think I know

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-67542001690623939232009-03-20T23:32:00.005-04:002009-03-26T23:09:57.222-04:00

Even though it won't be released for a few months yet, iPhone OS 3.0 has already made more than a few ripples in the pond of mobile OSes. Like a tsunami in which the wave grows as it reaches the shore, these ripples are going to grow to waves big enough to swamp some of the smaller boats once OS 3.0 takes hold. Full disclosure -- I'm an iPhone user. And, while I'm excited about many of the new

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-60266390167166341432009-03-12T23:22:00.005-04:002009-03-21T01:42:09.259-04:00

Have you noticed the trend to netbooks? Yes, those small, cheap computers that sell for between $300-$500? When I was at Best Buy last weekend, there were more people huddled around the netbooks than were looking at the traditional laptops. (Or, maybe it just seemed that way, since netbooks are soooo small they're easily dwarfed by people!)What I want to know is what people are using them for,

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588993320800388553.post-68927978019800003442009-03-03T13:19:00.003-05:002009-03-03T13:48:48.695-05:00

When you show up at a store at ten to six, and the sign clearly says they're open until six, why is the door locked and guarded by a guy who is facing into the store and ignoring me and another potential customer outside?Clearly, they don't want my business. Sad. I'll take my business to a store that actually wants customers.

SNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02667252386106278869noreply@blogger.com0