2007 February

Chris has discovered that sometimes, the next version of the OS we prefer (Windows in his case), may not always be better than the version we are using now. Not because it offers less than its predecessor. Rather the younger of the two simply needs to work the wrinkles out before going to market. More […]

Last week I reviewed “The Probability of God” by Stephen D. Unwin, and mentioned that he isolated six parameters to use to compute a series of better estimates of his probability starting from the usual “I don’t know, and therefore the probability is 0.5.”
There is a problem with his approach, which he acknowledges. The problem […]

Here’s a cost-effective, feature-rich alternative to on-premises IP PBXs and traditional phone systems addressing the needs of SMBs.
SMBs have been limited in choice to inflexible, expensive traditional phone systems or residential-grade VoIP solutions with limited functionality and flexibility, and less than business-grade performance.
Now there’s a cost-effective, feature-rich alternative to on-premises IP PBXs and traditional analog […]

It’s been so long since I have even looked at a swap file for Windows, I hope I am not too rusty here. But regardless, here is the question recently sent into the old JustAskMatt queue.
Tony writes:
I’m looking for ways to boost performance on my desktop. Does it make sense to create a […]

It took some looking, but as it turns out, the issue that broke gnome-obex-send ability to send files to a mobile Bluetooth phone (such as my Cingular 8125) has a very simple fix. So, for those of you on Edgy looking to send files back and forth between your phone and PC, let’s get started.
First, […]

Okay, so I though I was crazy. Like as in “insane” or “defective.”
I have been using ThinkPad computers for some time now, and pretty much every time I type my name the crazy things BEEP! back at me with a loud system beep sound. Now, if it did that every time I typed an obscenity, […]

This free podcast covers customizing your environment and tips to effectively manage your BlackBerry Enterprise Server architecture.
This podcast provides a high level overview on how to effectively manage your BlackBerry Enterprise Server architecture. Key topics include:

Help in documenting the components

Customize your environment

Figure out what maintenance should be performed and when

Examples on how to document

Monthly, semi-monthly, […]

Remember my piece not too long back about phishing and the websites that enable it? Well as luck would have it, the webmaster of funhumour.net commented on the article to alert me that he was now aware of exploit on his site. Good to hear, unfortunately I wish it had happened sooner.
Think about it. How […]

Friday night, I got call from one of my PC clients with a problem with his his machine. Without any warning (when is there ever a warning), his PC lost all audio. The usual checks (speaker cables, volume/mute controls, etc.) produced no easy fix. Next, I used Copilot to remote into his PC for a […]

Here are 8 strategies for managing and improving new or existing .NET applications.
The .NET Framework delivers a compelling platform for building robust distributed applications. However, over two-thirds of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of these applications is incurred once the applications are deployed in production. Forward-thinking strategies and planning throughout the application lifecycle can […]

Well, I guess this is an issue that will not be rectified anytime soon. Sure, we all can apply patches until the cows come home. However, the fact remains that both Firefox and Internet Explorer are coming under fire. Not for a lack of trying to protect the users, rather because of the popularity of […]

Dag-Oyvind Paulsen has created a useful service for people who receive Office 2007 Word documents (.docx) and PowerPoint files (.pptx). His service allows you to upload the docx/pptx file to his Web server, where the system he has put together will convert the Office 2007 files to classic Office 2003/XP/2000/97/etc. style files (of the .doc […]

Windows Vista has been compared to a cake that has not risen all the way yet. A great beginning for Windows improvement, but it still has a few things that need to be worked out before it’s ready to be “eaten.”
I believe this is why we still see many consumers who would rather buy their […]

TechRepublic writes:
Join Us for a Complimentary Live Webcast Fri., Feb. 23rd!
Learn how IP-enabled bar code scanners, Point-of-Sales (POS) systems, and Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) devices are impacting performance across distributed retail networks.
Pre-register here to join us on Friday, Feb. 23rd for this live TechRepublic Webcast, sponsored by CITTIO.
WEBCAST: Retail Trends: Best Practices for Monitoring the […]

Small Times magazine is the leading source of business news and information about small tech, including nanotechnology, MEMS and microsystems.
Small Times is a bimonthly business publication focused on the applications, advancements and investment opportunities in small tech.
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I have wondered when something like this would come home to roost on the Google front. After all, anything with the kind of red carpet access given to it as we see with the Google Desktop is just asking for trouble.
Sure enough, the likely to happen has, well, happened. And even with Google patching the […]

Whenever we wish for something, we should be careful. Our wishes just might be granted. Several times in this series I have stated that one of my goals is to encourage readers to break down the boxes between disciplines and realize that the lessons of statistics, probability, and decision theory apply to everyday life.
The […]

In the previous installment of this article, you learned how to use Parental Controls to set Web and time restrictions. Now we’ll look at how you can use this tool to prevent users from playing games and using certain programs.
Games
Chances are you will not want your users playing games during business hours. Parental Controls lets […]

I must admit, even I understand where the powers that manage Ubuntu are coming from with their decision to exclude the default activation of proprietary video drivers, but have they considered the cost of such a decision?
Joe Blow user is going to look at what is going to work and what is not, with the […]

Because I simply cannot wait any longer for Ubuntu to “get it,” I am beginning work with a pre-selected developer to create Advanced Display Options for Ubuntu Dapper and Edgy. The features will include:

Easy to use GUI

.
Show the Driver, Manufacturer on “Display Information” tab.

Show the monitor configurations on “Monitor” tab.

Show the display adapter configurations in […]