war on windows

last time we spoke we talked about the computers that i have owned, Its odd to say that my next machine was another windows machine I had nothing but problems with windows 98se i bought another windows mostly as I was unaware of anything else. So an other windows machine was bought. It was a windows XP machine with a AMD 1.8 GHZ processor Rather confusingly called a 2800 (which would suggest it was a 2.8ghz processor) a 512mb ram stick and 120gb HDD. It was all fast and a bit good XP was new it had a powerful graphics card, but it just lacked it always seem to lack using computers well windows anyway.

So I bought a iBook to try Mac OS X. I used a iMac (like the G4 above) in collage and kinda liked it. It seemed well designed i looked good to use. Mac OS X was easy, intuitive it was elegant (to coin star wars) and i like the design ethic of the above Apple products. My ibook shipped in due course and arrived somehow using the ibook for everyday work just made it simpler. With PC and all the windows machines was Spyware and Virus i spent a lot of time tidying up after all the crap the net generated that i did hardly andy decent work between these seasons . So suddenly i had time to work. So a year latter i got a iMac to use illustrator and photoshop, nearly all my work is one on my (now) Macbook and iMac or in Ubuntu on my PC (even though i have a computer with vista on it)

Lets talk tech!

So as a exercise today I worked out something in relation to my life. My use and ownership of computers.

My first use of a computer was a BBC master at school a machine that was old when I was young and is now deader than dead as Acorn are no longer with us. It ran DOS of a sort and we had one lesson using the computer a week. I remember it was a dog it was slow but it did leave a lasting impression that there was something magical about computers.

Next came another machine in use at English schools where called RM Nimbus machines running the dog of windows 3.01 it was interesting to use this was the birth of the Net as we started in 1995 and the first time most of us used a IBM compatible PC. I was strange suddenly there was this whole world beyond our schools network. But technology rushed on and on so that year I got a PC myself.

It was Christmas and we bought a high powered and fast machine with enough space to store all my work. It was a Packard Bell machine with a huge 64 MB of Ram a supper fast 50mhz Processor and the largest hard-drive of 500mb, windows 3.11 was the default install, I really cant remember this much it was large and very noisy and it was pre-net connection (at home anyway).

Next came another Packard Bell this time in 1999 why it took so long to upgrade I still cant explain but as I did not buy it well you get the idea. It was a massive upgrade it sported a 500mhz processor, 256mb of Ram a huge 10GB HDD and a 64mb graphics card and was loaded with windows 98se and above all that a Net connection at last a gateway to the web.

I think thtas a good place to leave it

A geek's geek

I was sent the above poster listing the types of geek i think its very cool. With thanks to my friends regarding the above image.

No idea who made it, so i apologies now

OLPC

As i stated n a earlier post i would dearly like to have got one of these Laptops as the "get one give one campaign" would of meant that I could of bought two (around £300) and would of received one and given one to a school kid in Africa.

I cool idea and a way to give back. Sadly is service is only available in the states, Its a shame as i feel many people in Europe would jump at the chance to donate to Africa in this way.

It just feels like America gets all the good things like this why we in Europe wait and wait,

Mass effect

so i ben a week since Amazon delivered Mass Effect,

Now after 62 hours i have completed it. its odd i been waiting for this since i heard about it in the middle of 2006. Its been well worth the wait i have to say missions where varied and fights hard but not to hard, I went as full Paragon (light side) as i could to get the good ending, I will be playing full dark on the next play through. Oddly though i really used any botics (force powers) at all just on many heavy weapons shots, the shot gun once leveled to the max is devastating and charm was one of the best things to put points in to it really helped and opened up to dialogue on use and allowed interesting developments.

A sequel is of course in the works no doubt a sequel, which I will get as of course get as I did with KOTOR.

Also seth green voices the ships pilot which was a sweet moment when my brain figured it out,

Well worth it and a definitive get,

9.5 out of ten

from stripes to spots a microview of OS 10.5

What we have is Apple new OS, its an improvement on tiger in many was

Best installation experience I’ve had for a long time on a OS. I started the instal and followed the prompts. Then I went away for a few hours (itook the GF home), and when I came back, it was rebooted, and ready to work away. Excellent installer easy to fellow and use no major problem on install.

Its UI is fast and snappy no really delay on loading any thing no lag when loading applications and just loads ease.

I am unsure on the 3D dock. Nicer its is though. But the small dot saying an application is open is nigh-invisible on my screen i like the black triangle it really showed up and was easy at a glance to see what was open. Also, the stacks are very useful, its keeping my downloads of the desk top.

I set up mail to view Gmail its was easy as punch and consisted of enter Email address and password and mail sorted the rest out.

So far very happy and very useable

Ubuntu a first time experience

So in preparation for getting a Asus Eee PC (hopefully from st Nick) i decided really i need to find out about Linux as i know nothing, well about Linux anyway.

I use three OS (four if you count Mac OS 10.4.11/10.5) Mac/Vista/XP so switching to another OS is not a issues its a challenge.

So i picked up a copy of Ubuntu 7.10.

Its very different yet familiar all at the same time, its UI is modern sleek and rather uncluttered everything is tucked away in drop down menus across the top. Its so easy to set up and everything was done practically for me on start up,

its new and i am still looking how things worse but the main things that i need to work, work with very little set up Firefox, IM, and open office are all there and just work. its good just need that laptop now, oh well i just have to wait

Assassin's Creed

A short view on a long game,

So i picked up this marvel of programming. What can i say on the Ps3 its stunning the cites and landscape are beautifully rendered and the game-play once you get use to the controls is challenging at times but has lots of small side missions apart from the main quest to keep you in hours of entertainment, there of course a few problems. you have to find towers to view the area which is a tad annoying and the PS3 glitches during game-play ,

Oh well nothings perfect

A 8.5 out of ten

And the beat goes on

Everything moves on an i am no exception,

Two new things have been brought to my attention the OLPC initiative and the Asus miniBook, both have produced small light wight laptops and both will be available for general purchase some time soon in the UK if the plans of both companies go well,i like the concept of both of these and having only a passing knowledge of Linux, I thought that i may acquire one to increase my knowledge on this and see what can be done,

Its always good to have a small laptop,

LG Viewty

So its a really silly name for a phone, but it is a good phone. I am on T-mobile so i had no choice about getting the iphone it just was not an option, so after talking with the chaps in the shop, we can to the following i need a phone with an excellent camera, good clear screen and easy to use. It came down to 3 phones the LG viewty, Sony K850i and the Nokia N95, I discounted to nokia as i dislike slider phones. the Sony was cool and had excellent camera and was easy to use but it has the worst keypad i have used in years so it came down to the Viewty, it is excellent it has a large touch screen and a fantastic camera.

It has handwriting recognition but its best to use they onscreen keypad as it has a steep learning curve, though when using the Keypad the phone vibrates every so-slightly so it gives you feedback as you type which means you can, with a bit of practice touch type.

There are downsides and a major one for me it does not allow you to sync to the Macs address book, it can be lived without but it is a bugger.

Its not a Iphone killer but its sleek its smart it has nice features and is free on most contracts.

Bill Bailey not very geek related

Tonight i am of down to the Manchester Evening News Arena to see Bill Bailey,

Can't wait

So your a 21st century Geek?

What makes a Geek? and what makes a 21st century one at that?

Well as clothes makes the man the geeks gadgets make him. The images displayed are what is termed my "office" its the smallest room in the house but most likely the best place to be. A geek is defined by what he surrounds himself with, here we have an Imac (its not running OS 10.5 yet) a vista PC a PS3 and Xbox 360 and a samsung 26-inch TV,

I have what is termed Neophilia its the love of new things and well mine is technology based, so if its new i tend to want it.

This room is my home away from it my getaway.

In here at my fingertips is the world sort of, if a computer has no net connection is there a point to it. i can surf from the desk play from my desk. I needs a net connection it is its life blood, this is the place i come to relax

around me a various items that are here as keepsakes. a Skull (vampire) with sun-glass, Spawn, Green Goblin and a small cardboard model of a Mac computer circa 1984. i would panic if any of these were not there, they are my lucky charms, so to speak,

The room has to be this way its layout is set in my mind if its not right i would rearrange till its rights its sort of a Geek Obsessive-compulsive disorder,

This room isolates me from things and also allows me to expand on my own ideas and thoughts through writing drawing and talking online.

GEEK/DORK/NERD

Three very powerful words mostly used to insult people and very really used as a complement.

lets look at each word and its dictionary definition

Geek |giːk| noun informal

an unfashionable or socially inept person. • [with adj. ] a person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest : a computer geek.

Dork |dɔːk| noun informal

a dull, slow-witted, or socially inept person.

Nerd |nəːd| noun informal

a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious : one of those nerds who never asked a girl to dance. • an intelligent, single-minded expert in a particular technical discipline or profession

Well okay, there good arent they?

They all display the same thing "socially inept person" so they have no social skills. But Geek and Nerd have also smiler worded passages "expert in a particular technical discipline" so there technical.

Its bugged me for years that Geeks are portrayed as unfashionable and socially inept. I am a self confessed Geek with a high case of Neophilia but i am not locked in the basement with just my computers i have a active social life with freinds i enjoy tech but i enjoy a drink (IPA Please) and food and nights out (nor do i have a basement).

Sometimes its good to be the geek