I just realized that many of my "friends, family, and acquaintances" are using Microsoft's IE brower because it's just too much trouble to get other browsers, or because they think other browsers "won't work as well". Not true, folks !
Do yourselves a favor and load another browser. I particularly like Opera - it's free (if you get the free version, there's a banner at the top, which is OK with me). It's available on http://www.opera.com .
The advantages of other browsers ? You'll find your pages load much faster than in IE (none of the IE overhead and feature bloat). The browser has a much more realistic progress bar that actually gives you meaningful information about what's loading (number of pictures, % finished for each part of a page, etc.), rather than IE's plain "loading" bar, which doesn't tell you anything meaningful, except that the page hasn't finished loading. =:0
Take a chance and break the MS grip on broswers.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Joost = Internet + TV
Last April (2006), I turned of the TV, permanently, I thought. Since I live in an area where you need cable even to see the local commercial channels, the TV is now only good for DVDs. I don't miss TV at all. "300 channels and nothing on" was really true. I don't even miss anything that I used to watch.
But now, I think I might change my mind about TV, if Joost lives up to the hype. (Joost site: http://www.joost.com ). Joost is TV that you download over the internet, and watch what-you-want, when-you-want-it. It's still in beta, and they've had more than 10,000 requests to sign up for beta testing (including me).
This is not just the equivalent of using the internet as a broadcast channel for the same old TV. According to the site and other materials, there will be additional content (I hope lots of access to international shows, independent shows and film, and experimental works). I also like the idea of creating your own 'channels' - I envision this as a kind of personal subscription list, so that you can pull from all of the available material, organize it and schedule for your own tastes. All of this is probably possible, because you have to load software to your PC to take part in Joost.
This is even better than using the internet to broadcast radio; it's probably the most intelligent use of TV, ever. It's probably not really TV, and shouldn't be called TV, but I think TV is the closest broadcast content/ model for this. Future posts if I get to beta !
But now, I think I might change my mind about TV, if Joost lives up to the hype. (Joost site: http://www.joost.com ). Joost is TV that you download over the internet, and watch what-you-want, when-you-want-it. It's still in beta, and they've had more than 10,000 requests to sign up for beta testing (including me).
This is not just the equivalent of using the internet as a broadcast channel for the same old TV. According to the site and other materials, there will be additional content (I hope lots of access to international shows, independent shows and film, and experimental works). I also like the idea of creating your own 'channels' - I envision this as a kind of personal subscription list, so that you can pull from all of the available material, organize it and schedule for your own tastes. All of this is probably possible, because you have to load software to your PC to take part in Joost.
This is even better than using the internet to broadcast radio; it's probably the most intelligent use of TV, ever. It's probably not really TV, and shouldn't be called TV, but I think TV is the closest broadcast content/ model for this. Future posts if I get to beta !
Don't Vote for Me !!
Microsoft has revised their list of "Our Favorites" in their "Show Us Your Wow Contest" (Blog January 15) , http://www.showusyourwow.com and the current winners are great ! My favorite is currently #2 - a view of mountains in Italy. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an identification number, so search for "montagna", if it isn't in the current favorites list. All of the current favorites are great.
I would buy that shot as a print, but you can't contact the photographers.
I would buy that shot as a print, but you can't contact the photographers.
Doomsday Clock Advances (?)
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Board of Directors has announced that is moving the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight. It is now 5 minutes to midnight (aka "the end of civilization").
The reasons ? Global failures to solve the problems posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis.Sponsors of the BAS include Stephen Hawking and other Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Read all about it in the on-line Bulletin: http://www.thebulletin.org/weekly-highlight/20070117.html
Would someone please read (and explain) the announcement to the White House ?
The reasons ? Global failures to solve the problems posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis.Sponsors of the BAS include Stephen Hawking and other Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Read all about it in the on-line Bulletin: http://www.thebulletin.org/weekly-highlight/20070117.html
Would someone please read (and explain) the announcement to the White House ?
Monday, January 15, 2007
Vote for Me !
... actually, vote for my photographs on the Microsoft "Send Us Your Wow" site/ contest (the winner gets a trip around the world).
URLs for my photos:
URLs for my photos:
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=22895
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24749
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24753
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24757
You can enter your photos at: http://www.showusyourwow.msn.com/flash.aspx?l=en-us
I know it's just a cheesy lure for Vista, but a photo contest is a photo contest. Winners announced on March 6, so pretend you're in Chicago, and vote early and often ! (As of this morning, if you click the "Viewer Favorites" option on the left, one of my photos is #3).
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
One Laptop per Child Project - Reality in 2007 ?
(Also known as the "$100 laptop project", or the "XO Computer", this is an effort that started in the MIT Media Lab to design a low-cost and sturdy computer that could be given to students in developing countries.)
The project has finally settled on a 4-pound plastic model with a 7-inch liquid crystal display, running all Open Source software, and powered by an AC adapter, a battery, or a hand-crank. The best part of the design is that it has a completely new interface that does not rely on the Windows or MAC icons. The interface is intended to be intuitive to students, not a scaled down replica of a "business computer". Full details about the project and specs are on the OLpC organization web site: http://www.laptop.org/
According to recent press releases, distribution could begin early in 2007.
According to the FAQ page ( http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Retail ), it looks like the organization is re-thinking the policy not to make the computers commercially available in developing countries. The current plan is for governments, the UN, and donors to finance the purchase and distribution of the computers to children. I've always thought that it would be a good idea to make them available at twice the production cost - the buyer gets one computer and also provides a computer for a student. Since the price is now closer to $150, I think it would be a quick and easy way to finance the project.
The project has finally settled on a 4-pound plastic model with a 7-inch liquid crystal display, running all Open Source software, and powered by an AC adapter, a battery, or a hand-crank. The best part of the design is that it has a completely new interface that does not rely on the Windows or MAC icons. The interface is intended to be intuitive to students, not a scaled down replica of a "business computer". Full details about the project and specs are on the OLpC organization web site: http://www.laptop.org/
This is a picture from the site, although it seems to be one of the prototypes, not the final version.
According to recent press releases, distribution could begin early in 2007.
According to the FAQ page ( http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Retail ), it looks like the organization is re-thinking the policy not to make the computers commercially available in developing countries. The current plan is for governments, the UN, and donors to finance the purchase and distribution of the computers to children. I've always thought that it would be a good idea to make them available at twice the production cost - the buyer gets one computer and also provides a computer for a student. Since the price is now closer to $150, I think it would be a quick and easy way to finance the project.
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