Both of Us .org

The world's best and safest web browser, Firefox, releases a buffed up new version today.

The Firefox team is trying to set a Guinness Book world record for the most people to download software in a single day. You can help them set this record by clicking the Download Day badge.

Update: The promoters of Download Day claim that over 8 million people downloaded their software on one day.

Labels: computers

Cancer has not stopped me from being a geek. Last weekend I ordered a new computer from my favorite online store NewEgg.com.

Two days after after my surgery, I went back to work on Thursday (Valentines Day) and my new machine arrived to my delight.

Asus released a new product before the 2007 holidays called the
ASUS Eee PC 4G – Galaxy Black Intel processor 7" Wide VGA Integrated Graphics Eee PC. This machine is a baby baby laptop. Good things were written about it online in tech circles, but it had not quite peeked my interest. Then I saw one in person and had to have one.

It is perfect, well almost perfect. I have not gotten used to the keyboard yet. It is significantly smaller than an ordinary keyboard. The whole machine is the size of a paperback book and super lightweight. It has wi-fi for browsing the web from almost anywhere. It runs Linux which makes it really fast and nimble (although you can install Windows XP if you want to).

It is my new favorite toy. I wrote and edited this post on this machine. Click the image of it to see the full information on this wonderful little machine.

Labels: computers

We have two computers at home. One occupies our office/screening room, and the other graces the guest bedroom. The office computer runs Windows XP, the operating system familiar to most people. The computer in guest bedroom however runs on Ubuntu.

"What is Ubuntu?" you might ask. Ubuntu is an operating system based on the Linux kernel and is free and open source software. This means that this computer operating system and the software on it is not owned by anyone and is free, both free as in beer (monetarily free) and free as in speech (free of copyrights and patents).

The guests that have stayed with us have used Ubuntu with no problems. It has free office software on it OpenOffice and the web browser Firefox. Most Windows programs that you can think of have free and open source alternatives that are included in Ubuntu.

If you are thinking of ditching Windows, you can give Ubuntu a try by downloading or ordering a free copy of the software. You can run it off your CD drive to take it for a test drive and it will not harm your Windows installation. The new version comes out in two weeks, but why wait?

Labels: computers

If we do not defend our rights, we will lose them.

Have you heard about network neutrality?

If you use the internet, you should know what is happening in the US Congress right now. The long and the short of it is that corporations want to change the basic principles of the internet to give preference to big business interests.

Watch this video to learn more.

Labels: computers, politics