Web Data and Statistics
History of the Web ---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Web
Software Updates and Reviews ---
http://www.versiontracker.com/windows/
Software Reviews ---
http://www.gotoreviews.com/
Retail Software Comparisons ---
www.softwareadvice.com/retail
The new link should go to:
http://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/
Search for Free Patents ---
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/
Webmaster Resources (includes tutorials on making and
maintaining a Web site) ---
http://www.boogiejack.com/index.html
Internet FAQ Archives ---
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/
Oxford Internet
Institute ---
http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/
Research materials and college degrees are available.
Amazing New Facts About the Internet
I watched the history of computing in the 1990s on the History Channel on
July 21, 2008 ---
http://www.history.com/
Some facts mentioned concerning today in 2008 amazed me. I did not dig
out independent verification of these facts.
- The amount of "information" on Internet servers now doubles every 12
hours.
Jensen Comment
For example we might soon have more barrels of information about oil on
the Internet than barrels of oil underground. With stored information
doubling every 12 hours this makes Google's ranking of "hits" in
information searches all-powerful in guiding us to what we learn. I sure
hope Google lives up to its motto: "Do no evil!" But even if
it does no evil intentionally, any ranking of gazillions of documents
provides different learning than other rankings of the same gazillions
of documents. And the rankings of documents on a topic in English are
bound to vary from rankings of documents on the same topics in Chinese,
Japanese, German, Russian, French, etc.
- There are over one billion users of the Internet worldwide. Although
70% of the people in the United States now use the Internet, the U.S.
usage only ranks third among nations of the world at the present time.
- Google will not disclose the number of Internet servers currently in
use for Google searches, but techies estimate that it's moving close to
500,000 high capacity servers. I don't know if this includes the amazing
YouTube servers owned by Google, but I doubt it. I can't imagine the
number of servers needed to serve up over a billion videos on YouTube.
It takes about one gigabyte of storage just to store ten minutes of
video compressed into a mpg format. The storage needed to serve up over
a billion YouTube videos boggles my mind ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/HelpersVideos.htm
- Japanese robotic toys became popular in the 1990s and often sold
between $35 and $100 per toy. What amazed me is that they sold over 80
million of just one type of robot about the size of a teddy bear and
just as fluffy. This particular toy had a built in dictionary of over
100 English words and gave the impression that it was learning English
over time as a child spoke to the robotic toy. Our National Intelligence
Agency, however, was so stupid that taking this toy into their DC
building was banned for employees because the NIA thought the toy robot
might overhear secrets. I suppose one could be customized to record
conversations, so maybe the NIA was not so stupid, although as of late
the Agency has not demonstrated that in knows enough to worry about.
Bob Jensen's threads on how to find Internet statistics are at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Bookbob4.htm
(Just scroll down a short bit)
We hear a lot about carbon footprints polluting the earth. We also
have Internet servers polluting the earth.
Egads! I'm a big time polluter at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/
I take solace in the following quotation:
It is a salutary discipline to
consider the vast number of books that are written, the fair hopes with
which their authors see them published, and the fate which awaits them. What
chance is there that any book will make its way among the multitude? And the
successful books are but the successes of a season. Heaven knows what pains
the author has been at, what bitter experiences he has endured and what
heartache suffered, to give some chance reader a few hours' relaxation or to
while away the tedium of a journey. And if I may judge from the reviews,
many of these books are well and carefully written; much thought has gone to
their composition; to some even has been given the anxious labor of a
lifetime. The moral I draw is that the writer should seek his reward in the
pleasure of his work and in release from the burden of his thought; and,
indifferent to aught else, care nothing for praise or censure, failure or
success.
W. Somerset Maugham,
The Moon and Sixpence, 1919 ---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moon_and_Sixpence
Skype vs. Vonage ---
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/skype-vonage3.htm
In April the blog search engine Technorati reported that it was tracking
70 million blogs, with 120,000 new ones arriving every day ---
http://technorati.com/weblog/2007/04/328.html
Technorati ---
http://technorati.com/
Search for Blogs (Weblogs) ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Searchh.htm#Blogs
In July 2006, the YouTube revealed that more than 100 million videos
were being watched every day on YouTube, and 2.5 billion videos were
watched in June 2006. 50,000 videos were being added per day in May 2006,
and this increased to 65,000 by July ---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube
Search for Blogs (Weblogs) ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ListServRoles.htm
TechNewsWorld ---
http://www.technewsworld.com/
Potential Roles of ListServs and Blogs
Getting More Than We Give ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ListServRoles.htm
Index
(Scroll down to view categories and bookmarks)
|
Starting Up Your Computer |
Gadgets | Audio, Video, Web Cameras, Speech Recognition, Telephony, and Multimedia
|
Streaming Media | Audio on the WWW
(RealAudio) | Citation Guide | MP3 Encoding and Decoding | DVD
Technology and Burning (Older-Style versus HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray) | Audio Chat Lines
| Miscellaneous Audio on
the WWW | Audio Examples | History of Multimedia | Speech Recognition, Speech to Text
Translation | Speech
Translation, Text to Speech audio | Video
on the WWW (RealVideo) | Web
and Video Cameras | Video and
Telephone Images | Miscellaneous Audio, Video, Web Cameras, etc. | Document
Imaging | Web
Data and Statistics | Wireless Technologies, PDAs, and Telephones |
Ubiquitous Computing | Computing
History | Hardware Alternatives --- http://www.pcworld.com/
/ Firewalls
and Routers /
Skype vs. Vonage ---
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/skype-vonage3.htm
Sending Large/Huge
Files (Free) | Total Backup and Recovery |
Archiving
and Long-term storage (including Glide Effortless) |
Hard Drive Recovery and/or Clean Sweep |
Remote Control Computing |
Download PC Videos to Giant Screen TV Sets |
| Authoring for Courseware |
Create Your Own Wiki | Computer Firms
(Hardware and Software) | Computer Training (hardware and software) | Miscellaneous Technology
Section | Simulation | Network Communications
and Telephony | News and Commentaries on Computing Technologies | Security | Shareware | Visualization
Centers |
|
Electronic Literature |
| Freeware
and Shareware | Free Alternatives to/for MS
Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) |
|
History of the Personal Computer |
|
Internet,
Web, Web Shockwave, Java, JavaScript, DHTML, XML, HTML, MUD, MOO, and VRML |
Evaluation of Web Sites | Associations |
Citations and Style Guides | Cookies
| Creating
Course Materials (Including HTML Tricks) | Getting Started in Web Publishing and HTML |
Glossaries | Helpers (Counters, Free Server Space, Gifs, Animated Gifs, etc.) |
Clip Art and Animated Gifs |
History of the Internet | Intranets | JavaScript and Java | Registering a URL | Security | Training | VRML | Miscellaneous Web and Web 2 | WWW Publishing, XML,
DHTML, HTML |
|
Create Your Own Wiki |
| Searching the Web: Search Engines
| Searching/Indexing
Email |
|
Top
Technology in Education Research Centers |
|
Photo Storage/Sharing on the Web |
|
Keeping Kids Safe Online |
| Information Systems | Databases and Networking
of Databases | XML and RDF |
| E-Commerce |
Bob Jensen's threads on e-Business
and e-Commerce --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ecommerce.htm
Taxonomy
Warehouse website --- www.taxonomywarehouse.com
Find Cell Phone Numbers
How to Protect Your Cell Phone Number
Cell Phone Search Engines
TiVo (pronounced TeeVo)= digital video recorder (DVR) mostly used
to capture television shows for replay later on according to an annual fee
that downloads television schedules making it easier to choose what and when
to record. History of this device and its controversies are summarized at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TiVo
“Tapping Your TiVo's Hidden Talents,” by Katherine Boehret, The Wall
Street Journal, March 5, 2008, Page D8 ---
Click Here
Question
How can you best publish books, including multimedia and user interactive books,
on the Web?
Note that interactive books may have quizzes and examinations where answers are
sent back for grading.My Answers ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/000aaa/thetools.htm
Bob Jensen's Archives of New Bookmarks ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Bookurl.htm
Bob Jensen's Tidbits Blog ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/TidbitsDirectory.htm
Bob Jensen's Updates on Fraud ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/FraudUpdates.htm
Links to Documents on Fraud ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Fraud.htm
Bob Jensen's search helpers are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/searchh.htm
Bob Jensen's Bookmarks ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob.htm
Bob Jensen's links to free electronic literature, including free online
textbooks ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ElectronicLiterature.htm
Bob Jensen's links to free online video, music, and other audio ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Music.htm
Bob Jensen's documents on accounting theory are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/theory.htm
Bob Jensen's links to free course materials from major universities ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/000aaa/updateee.htm#OKI
Bob Jensen's links to online education and training alternatives around the
world ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/Crossborder.htm
Bob Jensen's links to electronic business, including computing and networking
security, are at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ecommerce.htm
Bob Jensen's links to education technology and controversies ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/000aaa/0000start.htm
Rockefeller University: Information Technology (tutorials) ---
http://it.rockefeller.edu/index.php?page=support.desktop
"For CES and Beyond, a Glossary on Geek-Speak Finding Your Way Around
Tech Talk When Browsing,"
by Katherine Boehret, The Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2008;
Page D4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119984258431276605.html
This week at the Consumer Electronics Show in
Las Vegas, the majority of attendees are doing their darndest to speak
the geek language. "Geek," though just a letter away from "Greek," can
be just as confusing to those who aren't fluent speakers. Below, find a
guide to terms and definitions used in some key technology categories.
It will help you speak geek with the best of them, whether at CES or
browsing products in your neighborhood electronics store.
Digital Cameras
Megapixels: This term describes
the highest resolution photo a camera can take. Often mistaken as the
most important factor in a digital camera, a high megapixel count --
such as 10MP or more -- isn't necessary for the average user unless he
or she plans on heavily editing or enlarging photos. Most new digicams
offer between five and eight megapixels, which is usually more than
enough.
Optical or Digital Zoom: Optical
zoom, determined by the physical movement of a lens, matters much more
than digital zoom, which digitally alters an image using the camera's
internal computer. Camera companies still try to confuse potential
buyers by listing a camera's total zoom, or the optical and digital
zooms multiplied together. Ignore total zoom numbers and instead focus
on optical, which now averages around 5x for many new cameras.
Image Stabilization: When
generously sized LCD viewing screens started replacing optical
viewfinders, they also forced users to hold their cameras at arm's
length, making for plenty of blurry photographs. To remedy this, camera
manufacturers have added image stabilization, tools once found only in
high-end SLR models. Optical (also called "mechanical") and digital
image stabilization correct for unsteady hands and moving subjects,
respectively. Cameras with both types advertise dual image
stabilization, which corrects for both situations and costs more.
Mobile Devices
HSDPA and EVDO: HSDPA, or High
Speed Downlink Packet Access, is the name for AT&T's 3G, or third
generation, mobile network that operates at roughly the speed of a
slower DSL in a home. HSDPA is available in most major metropolitan
areas and is seen as the competitor to Verizon and Sprint's EVDO
(Evolution Data Only) networks, though the popular iPhone runs on AT&T's
network using Wi-Fi and EDGE technology rather than HSDPA.
Multi-Touch Technology: Most
popularly found on Apple's iPhone and iPod touch, multi-touch is
starting to show up in other products, such as in Microsoft's Surface, a
coffee-table-like computer. Rather than just responding to on-screen
touches, this technology enables moving, resizing and zooming pictures
and Web pages using one or more fingers simultaneously. Look for many
more devices -- mobile and otherwise -- to incorporate multi-touch in
the future.
GPS: Global Positioning Systems
are most often found in cars -- either built-in or on portable devices
from companies like Garmin and TomTom. These gadgets use satellite
technology to determine geographic location, and high-end models even
display Web content like news and weather along with directions. GPS
integration in mobile devices can be used to plot routes in cars, can
help users find nearby businesses while on the go and can link friends
by showing one where the other is located and what they're doing.
Digital Music
DRM: Digital rights management is
a set of standards that protect the intellectual property rights of
online content like music and videos, preventing it from being illegally
distributed across the Web. In the past year, Vivendi's Universal Music
Group, Apple and (most recently) Sony BMG said they will start selling
DRM-free versions of songs, often for a higher price. In Apple's iTunes
store, these files are called "iTunes Plus" and aren't restricted like
other iTunes content.
MP3: MP3 files are open, without
any DRM restrictions. Files that you rip (copy) from your own CDs are
usually converted into MP3s, though iTunes users can automatically rip
tracks into that program's special format, called AAC. MP3 files can be
uploaded to social-networking sites for sharing with friends and online
communities.
AAC and WMA: These file types are
protected by rights that tie them to specific players. Generally, AAC
files make up the majority of tracks sold on Apple's iTunes store and
play only on Apple's iPods; WMA files are Microsoft's version of
proprietary files.
Wi-Fi
The popularity of Wireless
Fidelity, or Wi-Fi, brings this technology to more and more portable
devices like the iPod Touch and Microsoft Zune and gives companies good
reason to incorporate Wi-Fi receivers in new computers -- laptops and
desktops alike. While available in many flavors, different letters like
b, g, a and n stand behind Wi-Fi's more technical name, 802.11, to help
discern one version from another according to characteristics like speed
and compatibility. The latest version, "n," offers the greatest range
and speed, and "n" devices are usually compatible with earlier versions.
Televisions
HDTV: High-definition television
has now become the standard, capable of displaying vastly better
pictures, provided the source is also HD. Today's more popular flat
panel HD televisions are LCDs, or liquid crystal displays, though
plasmas still hold their own. Recording HD content can't be done with a
regular digital video recorder; instead, a special HD recorder is
required to capture this higher quality content.
480p vs. 1080i vs. 720p vs.
1080p: These numbers refer to the resolution, or sharpness, of a digital
display, while "p" stands for progressive and "i" stands for interlaced.
A resolution of 480p, known as EDTV or Enhanced Definition TV, is found
most often in low-end plasmas or LCD screens. A TV with a resolution of
1080p is currently considered the Holy Grail, and costs the most. But
1080p pictures usually can't be distinguished from less expensive 1080i
or 720p pictures by average viewers at the typical distances from which
most folks watch TV.
Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: Blu-ray and
HD DVD are incompatible high-definition disc formats that continue to
fight a seemingly endless battle to replace the DVD. The Blu-ray camp is
led by Sony and the HD DVD camp is led by Toshiba. The two formats
aren't so different, technically speaking, but their very existence is
confusing to consumers. The recent decision made by Time Warner's Warner
Bros. to use Blu-ray gives Sony's side a boost, and now Viacom's
Paramount is rumored to be switching to Blu-ray from HD DVD. Dual-format
players from Samsung and LG offer some solace.
Bob Jensen's Technology Glossary is at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/245gloss.htm
Leading Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, and Anti-Spam
Alternatives
I trust Consumer Reports rankings more than virtually all other ranking
sources mainly because Consumer Reports accepts no advertising or has
other links to the vendors of products rated in Consumer Reports' labs
The Consumer Reports
home page is at
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm
Webmaster Resources (includes tutorials on making and maintaining a Web site)
---
http://www.boogiejack.com/index.html
How to remove unwanted startup programs (video) ---
http://www.screencast.com/t/PmdPXgTKSn
"7 Steps to Get Your New Computer Running Right," by Rob Pegoraro,
The Washington Post, December 20, 2007 ---
Click Here
Step 1
Your first order of business has
to be securing the machine from online attack.
The Internet abounds with crooks looking to
hijack your computer with some virus, worm or
Trojan horse program.
Protecting a Windows machine involves activating
any security software bundled with the PC so it
can download updates to spot new viruses. You
may need to register an e-mail address with the
security vendor. No matter how annoying this is,
get it done first.
You can always switch to a better security
program after the first month or two at no cost
because most new PCs come with three months of
free security updates.
Apple's Mac OS X has seen
only a handful of malware attacks, none
successful, so you don't need to buy a
security-software suite. (Really. Download the
free ClamXav program --
http://clamxav.com--
if you want, but so far it has only helped stop
Mac users from forwarding Windows viruses by
mistake.)
But Macs do arrive with an important line of
defense left open: firewall software to block
online worms. To activate it, click the "System
Preferences" icon in the dock at the bottom of
the screen, click its "Security" icon, click the
"Firewall" heading and then click the button
next to "Set access for specific services and
applications."
Step 2
The next step is to download any
available security updates. In Windows Vista,
click on the "Start" menu, click "Control Panel"
and then click the "Check for updates" link. On
a Mac, go to the Apple-icon menu in the top left
corner and select "Software Update." Leave the
computer alone until it installs these patches.
Step 3
But wait, there's more! On
a Mac or a PC, the Adobe Flash software that
displays those nifty animated elements on many
Web sites most likely needs updates. Go to
Adobe's site for the latest version:
http://adobe.com/flashplayer.
Windows users will also
need to hit
http://java.com
and
http://apple.com/quicktime
for updates to the Java
and QuickTime software many Web sites employ.
Step 4
After you've added all these
updates, you can get rid of some unnecessary
programs. Most Windows machines arrive loaded
with junk programs that mostly waste space.
Open "Control Panel" again, then click the
"Uninstall a program" link to boot these
unwanted items. The 60-day trial copy of
Microsoft Office on most new PCs should be among
them -- it's cheaper to add Office by buying the
"Home and Student Edition." Also consider
evicting copies of AOL and, if you're a Dell or
Toshiba user, the third-rate Yahoo Music
Jukebox.
Macs ship with far less junk, but their trial
copies of Microsoft Office and Apple's iWork '08
can also be tossed once they expire or you've
bought one or the other. To dump Office, open
the Office 2004 folder inside the Applications
folder and double-click "Remove Office." To do
the same with iWork, drag its folder from the
Applications folder to the Trash.
Step 5
You can then make some selective upgrades. The
free Mozilla Firefox browser (
http://mozilla.com)
works better than Internet
Explorer in Windows; on a Mac, it's a useful
backup to Apple's Safari. Apple's iTunes
(
http://apple.com/itunes),
in turn, beats Microsoft's
Windows Media Player. And either Mozilla
Thunderbird or Microsoft's Windows Live Mail
(
http://live.com/wlmail/overview)
provides better e-mail
tools than Vista's Windows Mail.
Step 6
As you're moving over your old
files and settings with Vista's Windows Easy
Transfer or a Mac's Migration Assistant, you
shouldn't rush to reinstall old programs. Some
may not work with the new machine's operating
system; others may seem redundant next to
software already on the machine. But first, see
if you actually miss these applications.
Never reinstall one type of software from the
original CDs -- the "drivers" that let the
computer talk to add-ons like printers. Download
the latest versions from the vendor's Web site
instead.
Step 7
If you're not sick of computer
setup, picking up some inexpensive hardware can
spare you vast amounts of trouble down the road.
For a laptop or a desktop, a hard drive or flash
drive that plugs into the computer will greatly
ease backing up your files. And if you own a
desktop machine, plugging into an
uninterruptible power supply will stop you from
losing work whenever the lights flicker.
Question for Walt Mossberg
Q: I want to switch to a Mac, but my life is on Microsoft Outlook, which is
only available on Windows. Is there a simple way to convert all of this data to
programs on the Mac?
From The Wall Street Journal, January t0, 2008, Page B2 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119992737740579599.html
A: There is a $10 program that performs this task.
It's called O2M (Outlook to Mac) and is from a company called Little
Machines. It can be downloaded at littlemachines.com, where you also
will find details about the Mac programs with which it works. This is a
Windows program, which transfers your Outlook data into files you copy
to your Mac. You then manually import these files into your Mac
programs.
According to the company, the program exports
Outlook email, email attachments, contacts and calendar appointments and
allows you to import this data into Apple's built-in email, address book
and calendar programs, as well as into Microsoft Entourage, and other
third-party programs.
See
http://www.littlemachines.com/
"Finding Free Antivirus Software, Walter S. Mossberg, The Wall
Street Journal, August 3, 2006; Page B4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/mossberg_mailbox.html
Q: My computer is a virus-infected mess. I
sometimes have to close over 20 pop-ups just to access the PC. Taking your
advice, I tried to download the "free" AVG Anti-Virus, but there is nothing
free about it. They ask for your credit-card info. What am I missing?
A: The company that makes AVG,
Grisoft, offers both paid and free versions of the product. The free version
must be downloaded from a separate Web site,
free.grisoft.com.
Most of the first few results in a Google search for "AVG" or "AVG
anti-virus" point to this free version. Also, the free version is
prominently featured at
Download.com, the big
site for downloading software that is owned by CNET.
Q: Is there a significant difference between the
Palm Treo 700p and the 700w phones -- or is it just preference of software?
Do they have the same ease of use?
A. The 700p uses the Palm
operating system and the 700w uses the Windows Mobile operating system. The
hardware is essentially the same, except for one big difference -- the
700p's screen has a significantly higher resolution than the 700w's. There
are also some different buttons on the keyboard.
But asking if two devices differ in
"just preference of software" is like asking if living in a similar home in
North Dakota or Florida differs "just" in terms of your preference in
weather. The software is every bit as important as the hardware, and makes a
huge difference in how the two Treos work.
I have reviewed both devices, and I
find that the Windows Mobile software on the 700w is considerably inferior
to the Palm operating system software on the 700p. Too many common actions
in the Windows version take more steps than the same actions on the Palm OS
version, and often require navigating menus. You are likely to use the
stylus more often in the Windows version as well.
And, even though the software on the
Windows version was made by Microsoft, it is actually worse at handling
Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF email attachments than the built-in software
for that purpose on the Palm OS version.
For my review of the 700p, see:
ptech.wsj.com/archive/solution-20060607.html. For my review of the 700w,
see:
ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20060105.html.
Q: Last week, you advised readers never to trust
any email from a financial institution because online criminals have gotten
so good at faking such emails. Does that include emails from institutions
where you have accounts, such as receipts for transactions at brokerages?
A: Yes and no. If you get an
unexpected email from a bank, or brokerage, or payment service like PayPal,
where you do have an account, I'd still advise ignoring it and never
clicking on any link it contains. This is even true if the email suggests
some problem with your account or advises that you need to log onto a web
site to "verify" your account information. Such emails are very often just
attempts to steal your passwords and account numbers. To double-check on
such an email, phone the bank or brokerage, or manually call up its Web
site.
However, if you have just bought or
sold a stock, or performed an online banking action, and you get an email
confirming the transaction, it could well be legitimate -- provided it
contains enough detail of a type criminals might find hard to replicate, and
it arrives very quickly after the transaction was completed. I still
wouldn't click on any links in such an email, however. Remember, most
financial institutions don't have to ask you to supply account information
they already have.
It's really too bad that people have
to look on such emails with such suspicion. Email could be a great tool for
communications between banks and their customers. But, despite some strides,
the technology and financial industries have so far failed to find a way to
make email truly trustworthy and secure. And law-enforcement agencies have
failed to stop the thefts of money and identities. So far, the crooks are
winning in this arena. So you have to be extra careful.
Also check on SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition 3.2.1028 ---
http://www.superantispyware.com/
Is a visited Web site authentic and safe?
CallingID 1.5.0.70
http://www.callingid.com/Default.aspx
August 7, 2006 reply from Edward Gardner
[gardner@CASESABATINI.COM]
I want to add nod32, which is a low-overhead
antivirus product which has won numerous awards for detecting 100% of
viruses thrown at it. I have it at home and I'm real impressed.
www.nod32.com
Ed Gardner, CPA
Bob Jensen's threads on computer and networking security are at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ecommerce/000start.htm
Question
If your hard drive fails for whatever reason and your tech helpers throw up
their hands, where is the business firm of last resort for recovering hard
drives?
Answer
On January 26, 2005 ABC News ran a neat feature on DataSavers
At DriveSavers Data Recovery, loss is only
temporary - and we prove that again and again to business, government,
academic and individual customers all over the world. With the highest
success rate in the industry, for 20 years we've made possible what other
companies say is impossible.We rescue lost data from hard drives and other
media that have experienced everything from common drive failure,
corruption, viruses, or accidental deletion, to damage from power surges,
flood, smoke or fire.
DataSavers ---
http://www.drivesavers.com/
20 Things They Don't Want You to Know
We reveal some of what vendors are keeping mum,
such as: You never have to pay full price, extended warranties rarely pay
for themselves, and the big sites do have customer service numbers.
Eric Dahl, "20 Things They Don't Want You to Know," PC World, August
25, 2005 ---
http://pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,122094,00.asp
Webmaster Resources (includes tutorials on making and maintaining a Web site)
---
http://www.boogiejack.com/index.html
Technology Helpers from Smart Stops on the Web, Journal of
Accountancy, June 2006 ---
http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/jun2006/news_web.htm
TECHNOLOGY SITES
Open a New Window
www.annoyances.org
CPAs looking for Microsoft Windows troubleshooting advice can get
articles, discussion forums and links to detailed guidance here. Users
can find out the difference between various Windows versions, see a road
map of their operating systems, learn how to customize their PCs and
improve their performance and reduce e-clutter. Take a break from the
high-tech talk with the Humor section to read “The Night Before
Startup.”Get a Checkup
www.pcpitstop.com
If your computer acts like it has gremlins in it, sign up for a free
account at this Web site and get to the heart of the matter. Run privacy
and virus scans and download software to optimize your PC’s performance.
Visitors can find out the five user behaviors on which spyware companies
prey and get a monthly newsletter with PC performance tips.
IT FYI
www.techletters.com
CPAs looking to maximize their computer’s performance can subscribe to
one of four free e-newsletters at this home page.
www.officeletter.com: The Office Letter is devoted to the
Microsoft Office suite. It offers tricks, tools and techniques for
Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word.
www.boyce.us/newsletter: Jim Boyce Software Tips and Tricks
concentrates on Windows and Office applications with helpful hints on
such subjects as how to back up or move Outlook Express from one
computer to another.
www.karenware.com:
Karen’s Power Tools newsletter offers plain-language
explanations for technical questions, such as what to do when
backup-disk data go bad and a discussion on error-detection strategies.
www.mikeslist.com/current.htm: Mike’s List, subtitled “The
Silly Con Valley Report,” takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to technology
with news on Apple and iPods and the “Lists o’ the Week,” which include
Mike’s picks for gadgets to get, including a combination computer mouse
and phone, or “gotta forget” ones, such as a laptop bag made of
simulated human skin.
One Step Beyond
http://malektips.com
Find free help, hints and tips here on digital cameras and photo
processing, audio players, printers and scanners. Learn how to remove
adware and spyware from your computer, sign your e-mails and recover
deleted messages. Go to the index of links for start-up business
resources, such as how to accept credit card payments online, and get
graphics to spice up your desktop publishing. Sign up for free e-mail
notices for the latest PC tips on applications from Adobe Reader to
WinZip.
I really like the Digital Duo that appears weekly once again on PBS.
I found that you can bring up prior shows on your computer by going to
http://www.pcworld.com/digitalduo/index/0,00.asp
Digital Duo Video
The Differences Between DVRs DVR, TiVo, huh?
The Duo clear up the recorder confusion with a history lesson.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,124109/article.html
Dan Tynan
Finding Online Video Search tools are just catching up
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,122859/article.html
Free Video, Movie and Music Links ---
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/music.htm
You may find, as I did, the current show you are watching on your local
PBS station, may actually be one of the older shows. On October 17,
2005 the following links appeared at the above site (note the link to "All
Episodes):
-
For example, the AECM listserv recently had a thread on HDTV. The
Digital Duo provides some great advice at
http://www.pcworld.com/digitalduo/video/0,segid,48,00.asp
From the Scout Report on April 28, 2006
- Free Download Manager (Entire Websites) ---
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/
While there may in fact be no such thing as a free
lunch, a certain well- known economist (and regular readers of the Scout
Report) might be pleasantly surprised to learn that there is such a thing as
a quality free download manager available for their consideration. This
application allows users to retrieve files and entire websites up to 600
percent faster, and can be integrated seamless with Opera, Mozilla, and
other popular web browsers. The application also includes a feature that
allows users to view the progress of their downloads and also determine the
total traffic usage. This version is compatible with all computers running
Windows 95 and newer.
Shrook 2.5 ---
http://www.utsire.com/shrook/
If you are looking for a handy way to keep on top
of the news and other such timely events, Shrook 2.5 will be a most welcome
find. With Shrook, visitors can download any number of podcasts, and also
receive instant notifications about new RSS items. Other features include
the ability to “scrapbook” items for later and the ability to also use an
integrated channel guide. This version is compatible with all computers
running Mac OS X 10.3.9 or 10.4.
Technology sites from Smart Stops on the Web, Journal of Accountancy,
June 2005 ---
http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/jun2005/news_web.htm
|
Check Out Check 21
www.aicpa.org/financialliteracy
The AICPA Financial Literacy
Resource Center has added a section to its Web
site about the Check Clearing for the 21st
Century Act (Check 21). The Web site discusses
the act’s implications for auditors and
businesses, and provides links to the Federal
Reserve Board’s “Check Clearing for the 21st
Century Act” Web page and implementation
information, two frequently-asked-questions
sections and a consumer guide.
A Site With Byte
www.freebyte.com
CPAs and IT managers will want
to bookmark this Smart Stop loaded with links to
free accounting, antispam and backup software,
currency and document converters, mortgage
calculators, computing and financial glossaries
and Web browsers. There are online dictionaries
in English as well as French, German, Italian
and Spanish. There’s also free clipart, fonts
and photos that CPAs can use for marketing
brochures, and everyone can take a break in the
Jokes and Humor and Free Games sections.
Figure for Free
www.calculator.com
Sure, you already have mortgage,
percentage, scientific and standard
e-calculators. This site offers calculators for
car leases, fractions, graphing, and home equity
and general loans, plus converters for currency,
international time, temperature and units of
measure. There’s also a link to the
tax-preparation-service calculator site
www.internet-taxprep.com with tools CPAs can use
to calculate investments, mortgage refinancing
and Roth IRA returns for clients. Other
resources include current and archived tax news,
a 2005 tax guide and information about a free
online tax-filing program.
Tech Talk
www.itmweb.com
CITPs and other information
technology professionals can find resources here
on IT capital spending, department budgets and
salary ranges. Download the demo software, read
book reviews or subscribe to the free monthly IT
e-zine and newsletter. Technology Articles has
tips on making your e-mails sound more
professional and improving your project team
management skills, while the Job Listing Centers
invite employers to post open positions. IT
White Paper Spotlight offers documents on
subjects from artificial intelligence to
knowledge management.
Painless Projects
www.ittoolkit.com
Looking for more efficient ways
to manage IT procedures and roll out new
technology? Then register for a free membership
at this e-stop to access information on managing
IT operations and receive a monthly e-mail
reporting on the latest task management
resources. Members can download planning
checklists, mission and scope statement
templates and white papers on IT process
improvements. |
|
Bob Jensen's threads on accounting software are at
http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob1.htm#AccountingSoftware
After I retire I intend to shift to a Mac largely because of the
enormous protections it has against viruses, spyware, etc. relative to
infection-prone Windows operating systems. However, in recommending
this for everybody, there are some special considerations.
Walt Mossberg provides some help in this regard.
Especially note his last paragraph!!!
From The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2005; Page B4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112795300004055314,00.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace
Q:
I am considering switching to a Mac. However, I have hundreds, if not
thousands, of dollars of software for my PC. Are the new G5 Macs capable
of running PC software?
A:
When you contemplate a switch to the Mac, you have to separate the
concept of your data, or files, from the concept of the programs, or
software, you currently use to display, edit or play that data on your
Windows PC. The Macintosh, out of the box and unmodified, won't run your
current Windows programs. But it will almost certainly handle all of
your data using different software or programs designed for the
Macintosh. And most of that Macintosh software is free.
For instance, if you have photos on your
Windows PC in the common "JPG" format, which almost all digital cameras
produce, you may be viewing them in the "My Pictures" folder in Windows,
or by using a program like Adobe Photoshop Album. This folder and this
program don't work on the Mac. But, if you copy those pictures to a new
Mac, you can view and edit them in iPhoto, an excellent -- and free --
photo program that comes on every Mac, and which I regard as better than
the Windows photo programs in its category.
The Mac doesn't run the Windows version of
Microsoft Office. But all of your Office documents can be viewed and
edited, and new ones created, if you buy the Mac version of Microsoft
Office. Even if you don't, the Mac can read and edit Microsoft Word
files out of the box. It can also open and create PDF files without
downloading or purchasing any software from Adobe.
In fact, for all of the types of files commonly
used by mainstream Windows users, the Mac is able to handle them through
its own programs that are generally better than their Windows
counterparts. And most of these programs, except for Microsoft Office
for the Mac, are free on every new Mac.
Still, if you insist on running Windows
programs on a Mac, because you strongly prefer them, or there isn't a
Mac equivalent, you can modify a Mac to do so. You do this by buying and
installing a $250 program made by Microsoft called Virtual PC for the
Mac. It creates a virtual Windows PC inside your Mac that runs alongside
the Mac operating system.
However, I don't recommend relying heavily
on Virtual PC for daily use, because it is slower than a regular Windows
PC, even on a very fast Mac; and it can also open you up to Windows
viruses and spyware that normally have no effect on a Mac.
Walt Mossberg's answer to transferring PC
files to a Mac computer, The Wall Street Journal, December 22,
2005; Page B4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/mossberg_mailbox.html
|
Q:
I know the Macintosh can handle most common types of files
used on Windows computers. But my question is more basic: if I
switch to a Mac from Windows, how do I physically transfer my
files?
A:
If you buy your new Mac at an Apple store, Apple will do
this job, or part of it, free. According to the Apple Web site,
you can just bring the two computers to the store, and a
"Genius" -- Apple's name for a tech support person in its stores
-- will move all the files in any folder you choose on your
Windows machine onto your new Mac. Presumably, this would
include the My Documents folder, which contains most of the data
files on most Windows PCs. The "Genius" will also do this for
$50 for people who bought their Macs elsewhere. There is some
fine print to this deal. For details, see:
www.apple.com/switch/howto/genius.html. |
Jensen Comment
Maybe you should just keep your old PC computers for your PC files.
Mac is a a safer computer for Web surfing since it is highly spyware and
virus resistant, but when you want to work in Excel or some other MS Office
product, turn to your old PC.
If you switch to a Mac, a must book is
Mac OS X: The Missing Manual by David Pogue
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0596000820/002-3743809-1628824?v=glance
This book explains how to translate what you
liked to do in Windows into how to do the same things on a Mac. Watch for
any updated versions by David Pogue. He's a great tech analyst.
Question
Can you really run Windows XP on a Mac that runs on an Intel processor?
"Apparent Proof of XP on Intel Mac," Wired News, March 15, 2006
---
http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/
Apparent Proof of XP on Intel Mac Mac on Intel has
provided a link to a video that appears to show the full procedure for
installing, booting and using Windows XP on an Intel Mac by narf2006.
The contest sponsors are still testing the procedure now.
You can see the video here or here. It's fairly
convincing stuff. The only possible way I can think to fake this would
be if they got into the iMac's internals and connected its screen to an
outside computer. I haven't messed with a current-generation iMac, but
it was certainly possible back when it came in colors. If real, this is
a pretty astounding accomplishment, given that Microsoft won't be
supporting EFI for years.
This comes on the same day that two readers of
MacWindows reported about their experiences with Q, the cocoa-based port
of QEMU, on their Intel Macs. Apparently, Win XP SP1 and 98 run pretty
darn well. Yes, you read that right.
Bringing Data Back From the Dead
But there are less-expensive alternatives, including some of the
consumer software and services we tested. In some cases, the results
surprised us. Norton SystemWorks (
http://www.symantec.com ), for example, attempts to repair
hard drives while they are failing. But Norton writes to the damaged
drive, which can actually worsen the problem and can make future data
recovery efforts more time consuming and costly. Disk Doctor, an
application built into SystemWorks, reported that it had repaired many
clusters on one of our test drives, but when it was done the drive would
no longer boot.
David Greenberg, "Bringing Data Back From the Dead," The Washington
Post, June 4, 2006 ---
Click Here
Clean Sweep of Your Hard Drive
How do I delete my deleted files on a computer so that they can't be
recovered by anyone else?
"How to Wipe a Hard Drive Clean ," by Walter S. Mossberg,
The Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2006; Page B4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/mossberg_mailbox.html
Q:
The community where I live has a one-month period (April this
year) where you can dispose of your old computers. I have
several old PCs around the house, but want to clean out the hard
drives. Can you recommend a good program that can clean
sensitive data off a hard drive?
A: There are a number of such "file
wiper" programs, which permanently delete files so that they
can't be recovered. Some are free, but the one I recommend is
called Window Washer and costs $30 from Webroot Software Inc. It
can be purchased at
Webroot.com and elsewhere. The
program, which also performs other tasks, has a file-wiping
function called "bleaching." It can be used multiple times.
What email system is best for you?
"Searching for the Best Web Mail," by Walter Mossberg, The Wall Street
Journal, September 29, 2005; Page B4 ---
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112795300004055314,00.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace
Q:
In comparing Google's Gmail with Yahoo's new Web mail, you failed to
mention one of Gmail's best features -- fast, accurate searching of even
very large numbers of messages. Can Yahoo match that? And doesn't this
search capability make email folders unnecessary? You have written that
built-in desktop search systems in the Windows and Mac operating systems
will make folders obsolete.
A:
For space reasons, I didn't get into the search features of either Gmail
or the beta version of the new Yahoo Mail, which I was reviewing. Since
both companies are strong in search, it's no surprise that both have
good email search features. You are correct that the search in Gmail is
quite good.
However, just as it does in other areas, I
believe Yahoo's latest email search system beats Google's. A new Yahoo
Mail search feature, now gradually rolling out to users of the current
Yahoo Mail service, not only searches the text of emails, but also
searches within email attachments. In addition, this new search system,
which will eventually make it into the test version of Yahoo's new mail
service, can pluck out just the photos from your email, or just the
attachments, and display them in search results -- something Gmail's
search system can't do.
As for the folder issue, I am all for the idea
that better search will eventually obviate the need for people to
laboriously create folders and perfect file names in the computer's
operating system, a task that is a challenge for many mainstream,
nontechnical users.
But folders in email programs are different, in
my mind. They are easy to create, without any knowledge of the file
system, and provide a useful visual metaphor for organizing lots of
email. I prefer folders in email programs to Google's alternative, which
isn't search, but instead a system of labels. This was one of several
reasons I cited for why I prefer Yahoo's new version of its mail service
to Gmail.
Continued in article
A Few Questions and Answers from
Walt Mossberg
"Spreadsheets and Firefox;
Managing Network Contacts, by Walter Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal,
September 30, 2004; Page B5 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109649487646631729,00.html?mod=technology%5Ffeatured%5Fstories%5Fhs
Q:
If I switch from Windows to the Macintosh, will all my Windows programs
still run on the Mac? Can I use all my files, like Excel spreadsheets and
photos and music?
A: Apple's Macintosh computers
use their own operating system, not Microsoft's Windows, and therefore they
aren't designed to run Windows programs. So, if you switch to a Mac, you
shouldn't count on using your current Windows programs, such as Outlook, or
Windows Media Player. There are Mac versions of some popular Windows
programs, like Microsoft Office, and equivalents for other programs. You
shouldn't buy a Mac unless you are prepared to leave your Windows software
behind and use new Mac software.
However, there is an exception. If
you must use an irreplaceable Windows program or two occasionally, you can
run them on the Mac, provided you buy special software from Microsoft called
Virtual PC, which emulates a Windows computer on a Mac. Essentially, it
fools Windows programs into believing a Mac is a Windows PC. But Virtual PC
is slow, and is vulnerable to Windows viruses and spyware, so I don't
recommend it for heavy use.
Files are a different story. All your
Windows MP3 music files, JPG picture files, text files, Adobe PDF files, and
other common file types can be used right out the box on a Mac. And, if you
buy Microsoft Office for the Mac, all of your Excel, Word and PowerPoint
files can be instantly opened and edited on the Mac.
Q: I've switched to the
Firefox Web browser, but have found that some Web pages that formerly opened
fine in Internet Explorer, especially financial pages, don't work right in
Firefox. What can I do?
A: Firefox is a better, more
secure browser, and it supports all major Web-site design standards. But,
unfortunately, some Web sites, particularly financial Web sites, have been
designed to use nonstandard features of Internet Explorer. For these sites,
I suggest you revert temporarily to IE, even if you use Firefox for
everything else.
Q: I am faced with the
daunting task of building and utilizing my personal network of contacts,
which means calling leads and maintaining an extensive to-do list, reminders
and notes. Do you know of an application that would manage this process?
A: You want a contact manager,
rather than a simpler address book and calendar program like Outlook or
Lotus Organizer. The difference is that contact managers are designed to let
you manage and record all your interactions with each person, or group of
people -- including notes, e-mails, appointments and more. These programs
are popular among salespeople and others.
The best-known personal contact
manager is ACT, by Best Software, at www.act.com
Another prominent contact manager is GoldMine, by FrontRange Solutions, at www.goldmine.com.
Question
How can hidden data be removed from WORD doc files?
Answer from Richard Campbell
Here is the link to a free Microsoft utility:
http://tinyurl.com/2qaax
Richard J. Campbell
mailto:campbell@rio.edu
Personal technology reviews by Walter Mossberg --- http://ptech.wsj.com/
How Computer Things Work (including buying guides) --- http://computer.howstuffworks.com/
Question
How can I clean up my hard drives and/or defragment those drives in Windows
XP?
Answer
Go to [Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools] and then choose the
file you want to execute?
Windows
Defraggled
Disk Fragmentation More Dangerous Than You Might Think --- http://storage.ziffdavis.com/article2/0,3973,1108850,00.asp
I used to think that disk fragmentation problems were like smallpox—wiped
off the face of the earth by newer and more intelligent operating systems. But
it turns out that with Windows XP, your problems multiply even faster than
with 98 or 2000. If you're wondering why boot times are so slow or files take
so long to load, a fragmented disk might be the problem. Find out whether
you're suffering from fragmentation woes and what to do about it!
Manage Downloads (including a
utility for pausing and resuming downloads).
Fresh Download 5.3 http://www.freshdevices.com/freshdown.html
The annual Codie Awards are
announced in December of each year --- http://www.siia.net/
These are coveted awards for new hardware and software development. Like
the Academy Awards, there are many categories and nominees. The Codies
are awarded in a ceremony much like the Academy Award ceremony. The
Codie Award Ceremony is generally replayed on PBS television on the Computer
Chronicles show --- http://www.computerchronicles.org/index.asp
Software at huge educator
discounts www.edu-software.com
or call us 800-679-7007
Center for Women and Information Technology http://www.umbc.edu/cwit/
Each of My Desktop
Computers Was a Mess Until I Tracked Into Disk Clean Up and Defrag!
Thank you "Technology Q&A" in the Journal of Accountancy,
January 2003, Page 97 --- http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/jan2003/tech_qa.htm
I have two computers on my desk at Trinity University. Neither the old
computer using Windows NT nor the new computer using Windows XP has the same
obvious reminders to run Disk Clean Up and Defrag like I used to get using
Windows 95/98 machines. Thanks to the Technology Q&A in the Journal
of Accountancy, I will now run these again and again.
September 4, 2002 message from Richard Campbell
[campbell@RIO.EDU]
Richard has remained a ToolBook loyalist while many of us former ToolBook
enthusiasts gave up on Assymetrix/Click2Learn
This site may be
bigger than Bob Jensen's. Has all sorts of links on multimedia.
http://www.inet.com.br/~mhavila/link/
Richard Campbell
Internet Archive: Moving Images Archive (Multimedia) --- http://www.archive.org/movies/movies.php
Many great video downloads.
Note that you can locate and download 427 Computer Chronicles (my favorite)
television shows classified by topic --- http://www.archive.org/movies/movieslisting-browse.php?collection=computerchronicles
A citation guide for Internet
sources --- http://www.h-net.org/about/citation/
Note the links under the words “
East
Tennessee
State
University
.”
|
Prelinger
Archives |
1,914
movie files
|
| Over
1,200 "ephemeral" (advertising, educational,
industrial, and amateur) films made from 1927 through the
present |
| |
Computer
Chronicles
|
427
episodes
|
| The
complete archive of this PBS award-winning series about
technology. |
|
SIGGRAPH
Electronic Theatre |
119 anims
|
| The
best of computer animation from Siggraph 2001. |
|
Net
Café
|
118
episodes
|
| This
TV program features interviews with the Internet's most
influential players and covers the growing Web culture and
lifestyle! |
|
World
at War |
10 movies
|
|