I’ve been using Gmail and access my mail account using Outlook Express. During the past few years that I have been using this procedure, everything has worked very well. But since around the first of the year [this is a guess as to the exact time], my mail delivery seems to hang.

Mail starts to come into my inbox, than will stop. I get the pop-up box whether I want to wait or cancel the operation. Cancel is a no-no since when the operation starts up again, the same emails and downloaded a second or third time. I usually click on the wait button. Sometimes this will take 2 or 3 times before all the mail arrives.

But what I have noticed during the past few weeks is that this now may take 5 or 6 times clicking on the wait button before all email arrives.

So my questions is this. Is anyone else having this problem? More importantly has anyone found a solution?

Commenst welcome.

Tags: gmail, outlook express, hang, wait, cancel, pop up box, inbox, solution, problem,  

Just a quick note:

If you want to track the route of the Olympic torch on its way to China, Google is providing a link for you to use. Just check out the Google site which states:

An ongoing tradition from 766 B.C. has been to ignite the torch at the ancient site in Olympia, Greece. From March 24th until the start of August, the Torch Relay will travel across Greece, into Beijing, and then around the world through cities, oceans, and even the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest). The relay’s purpose is to spread the Olympic spirit as well as the message of peace and friendship, and also ignite the passion of the people around the world.

Comments welcome.

Google site is here.

Tags: google, maps, olympic, torch, route, map, site

In a joint effort between Google and Virgin airlines, an adventure is being planned which will be known as Virgle, for the colonization of Mars. On the Virgle website there is a section for you to apply to be part of this endeavor and to make space history at the same time. Details of the plans are available including a FAQ page that defines what the project hopes to complete by the year 2014.

On the Virgle site it states:

For thousands of years,

the human race has spread out across the Earth, scaling mountains and plying the oceans, planting crops and building highways, raising skyscrapers and atmospheric CO2 levels, and observing, with tremendous and unflagging enthusiasm, the Biblical injunction to be fruitful and multiply across our world’s every last nook, cranny and subdivision.

An invitation.

Earth has issues, and it’s time humanity got started on a Plan B. So, starting in 2014, Virgin founder Richard Branson and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will be leading hundreds of users on one of the grandest adventures in human history: Project Virgle, the first permanent human colony on Mars.

If you can successful explain why you want to live on Mars you could potentially win a seat on the space craft or most likely win a fabulous prize. Though the specifics of what the prize may be is not mentioned.

Comments welcome.
Full details can be found here.

PS Please note that this was posted on Aprol 1, 2008.

Tags: google, virgin, virgle, space, mars, mission, prize,  

Yesterdays [04-01-08] N.Y. Times had an article about how Linux was once again poised to take off. The typical rhetoric was used to describe how Linux was making in roads into ATM’s, supercomputers and a smattering of mini-Laptops which cited the Asus Eee PC and the offerings from Dell. Wal-Mart el cheapo Linux systems were mentioned and the OLPC project was thrown in as well.

Than the also useless statement that:

While the best features in the latest Windows release, Vista, require
top-notch configurations that can quickly ramp up a PC’s price, one of
the hottest segments of the industry involves inexpensive computers.

Not mentioned is that Microsoft has a version of Windows XP that is also being included on the Asus Eee PC and is still being offered by major OEM’s as an alternative to Vista. Windows XP may also be included on other low end mini-laptops. We should know about this more sometime this week. Maybe.

But the biggest tell tale sign why Linux nor Apple is going to become a major player in the OS wars anytime soon, are the stats cited by Gartner in the article. Out of 981 million computer systems worldwide, Linux has a 1.5% share with Apple at about 2.5% market share. This is the real bottom line. When these figures jump to a respectable 10% or higher, than maybe, just maybe Linux and Apple can really be considered a real alternative.

I am not anti-Linux or anti-Apple. I have used Linux and enjoyed it. I also use Linux on my Asus Eee PC and it works fine. But facts are facts. Microsoft through their cunning ways has just done a better job at promoting and manipulating the PC market. Hardware and software vendors flock to Windows because that is where the money is.

You can’t wish something into existence. The marketplace dictates the outcome.

Comments welcome.

Times article is here.

Tags: windows, microsoft, linux, apple, ny times, gartner, stats, useage

Yes it’s April 1st, also known as April Fools Day. It is a day when the commission of practical jokes and hoaxes is accepted among most people who have a sense of humor. But on this day, it is next to impossible to try to blog about stuff since most of the news articles may or may not be a hoax.

This morning I say articles being written about Microsoft finally buying Yahoo. Then one about Google buying a company that doesn’t exist. Another story said that the Chinese must approve the Microsoft-Yahoo deal along with the EU and others. I even read that Microsoft has finally convinced 86% of people that it’s new standard dubbed XXML or something similar and that these folks were forced into it.

The one bad thing about April Fools jokes is that they are dependent on the gullible in order to be successful. With this in mind, I think it is a good day to hide out and do as few posts as possible in an attempt to not embarrass myself.

On a non-April Fools joke day, I did receive one piece of good news. Microsoft was generous enough to select me once again as a MVP for the 5th year in a row. NO JOKE! REALLY!

Have a good day.

Comments welcome.

Tags: microsoft, mvp, april fools, blog, hard, write, articles

Google is currently offering in Beta [testing] their new Gmail Custom Time setting that is now permanently a part of the Gmail software. Using a new motto of ‘Be on time. Every Time’, this Gmail option allows users to predate email messages and also select a read/unread notice. On their site they state:

‘How do I use it?

Just click “Set custom
time” from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in
the proper chronological order in your recipient’s inbox. You can opt
for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

Is there a limit to how far back I can send email?

Yes.
You’ll only be able to send email back until April 1, 2004, the day we
launched Gmail. If we were to let you send an email from Gmail before
Gmail existed, well, that would be like hanging out with your parents
before you were born — crazy talk.’

This is a great opportunity to make up for past lost appointments or to confirm appointments that you may have missed in the past.

Comments welcome.

Full details on Gmail Custom Time is here.

Tags: vustom time, gmail, beta, testing, appointments, missed

Here is another in a series of Google softwares that is still in Beta [testing] stage that you might be interested in. If you are a Gmail user you can install Gmail Notifier which will allow you to view your mail without opening up a browser. According to Google they describe their software product as:

The Gmail Notifier is an application that alerts you
when you have new Gmail messages. It displays an icon in your system
tray to let you know if you have unread Gmail messages, and shows you
their subjects, senders and snippets, all without your having to open a
web browser.

The Notifier is in beta. Before you download it, we encourage you to review the system requirements and privacy information.

As with any testing software, heed the warning from Google and use with caution. Some Beta software may have undesirable effects on your system.

Comments welcome.

Google notifier here.

Tags: google, notifier, gmail, download, install, free, browser, messages

For the past few days or so, the formating tool bar on my site here has taken a vacation. When I log in to the dashboard and go to write, only the HTML code section appears. It has been way to long since I played the code game and like most of you, have become totally spoiled using text editors that do the work for you. I checked with some of the other LG blog folks and they also are missing the formating tool bar, which confirms my suspicion that it just wasn’t me.

So I received some advice from a few here concerning using a 3rd party application to post my writings. I am currently testing ScribeFire which is an add-on to Firefox. So far it works OK. Plus it publishes my dribble without any problems.

But I thought I would ask everyone what they use. What software best serves your blogging style?

Comments welcome.

Tags: blogging, software, edit, formating, publish, 3rd party, applications

Just when you thought that Google has done it all, it is introducing Gmail Paper, which currently is in beta testing. Google Gmail Paper is the latest in a new concept where you can get all of your Gmail messages printed for you and delivered to your home. On its site it claims it will even do up to 100,000 or more messages. It also states:

Is it free?

Yes. The cost of postage is offset with the help of relevant, targeted, unobtrusive advertisements, which will appear on the back of your Gmail Paper prints in red, bold, 36 pt Helvetica. No pop-ups, no flashy animations — these are physically impossible in the paper medium.

How about attachments?

All part of the deal. Photo attachments are printed on high-quality, glossy photo paper, and secured to your Gmail Paper with a paper clip. MP3 and WAV files will not be printed. We recommend maintaining copies of your non-paper Gmail in these cases.

Is there a limit?

You can make us print one, one thousand, or one hundred thousand of your emails. It’s whatever seems reasonable to you.

But what about the environment?

Not a problem. Gmail Paper is made out of 96% post-consumer organic soybean sputum, and thus, actually helps the environment. For every Gmail Paper we produce, the environment gets incrementally healthier.

I have already signed up for this free service and received my first shipment this morning from Google. I chose the 100,000 message option and received 22 boxes of printed emails. I plan to go through the messages this weekend and should be completed cataloging the messages by 04-01-08.

Comments welcome.

Gmail Paper website is here and it’s FREE!

PS If you need help with using Gmail Paper you can contact ubenhad@google.com.

Google has a new and improved Gmail available for those who use Google apps. Some of he new features as described on Google Gmail Blog are:

Since Google’s applications are “in the cloud,” we can act on feedback and release new features very rapidly. Sometimes, though, we like to listen and learn from users before launching updates to businesses, schools and organizations that use Google Apps.

Gmail’s revamped codebase was one such case, and we’re happy to mention this update is now rolling out to Google Apps users who haven’t already opted in to get the latest improvements. Employees, students and other Google Apps users will soon start seeing useful features like these:

• even faster interface
• group chat from the browser
  
• streamlined contact manager
  
• colored message labels
• improved keyboard shortcuts
  
• bookmarkable messages and searches

Seems like the folks at Google are always improving some part of their many free applications.

Comments welcome.

Full details are here.

Tags: google, gmail, improvements, google apps., blog, new, improved