Lightbody Live: Computers and Internet

No more anti-virus software

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:01:23 GMT

The last time my anti-virus software detected a virus, was about 8 years ago.

For this reason, I've decided to stop using one and see how I get on.

the mobile future

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:05:01 GMT

The American media think that mobile internet/software is the future. America has only recently caught up with the rest of the world in terms of handset technology, texting, picture messaging etc, and in many ways is still behind. They've seen huge growth recently, and they think it will continue at that pace - so do Google.

But I'm not so sure. I have a fabby phone, with a full internet browser and all sorts of stuff built in, but there's only so much time that i want to spend clutching my tiny screen - basically, i only use it for internet or applications when i'm desperate. A proper computer is usually close at hand and much more pleasant to use. An iPhone, for me, is too restricted, and too big. A phone for me needs to be invisible when stuffed in a front trouser pocket. I just don't see how much further it can go.

Apple OSX 'Leopard' vs Windows Vista

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:11:23 GMT

Interesting Article on Engadget here:-

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/27/leopard-vs-vista-feature-chart-showdown/

The $129 Service Pack

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 10:28:33 GMT

Interesting review of the latest update of OSX compared to Windows Vista and the previous update to OSX.

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/macosx_leopard.asp

IE7 v Firefox

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 10:47:31 GMT

A few months ago, despite repeated attempts, I couldn't get Java to work with Firefox, so I gave up and uninstalled it. I only used IE7 on my desktop machine for the past couple of months.

Last week I re-installed FireFox, persevered, and managed to fix the Java problem.

Why? Because IE7 is slow and clunky and doesn't handle RSS feeds as well as FireFox does. In fact nothing handles RSS feeds as well as Firefox does! Having RSS feeds as cascading bookmark folders just makes sense to me. I have about 15 or so feeds that I like to check each day, and in Firefox i can do it in seconds. The other killer for IE7 is the ker-click sound it makes when its loading a page. Except if its a page with multiple parts, it ker-clicks lots of times, as the page slowly draws itself into life.

I'll try the next version of IE, but for now, FireFox still wins.

iPod 1. Zen Nil.

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:59:00 GMT

ARGH!

Just spent 2 hours trying to put podcasts on my Zen MP4 player and have failed due to the very deeply poor quality of the software for the player (it crashes on both my XP laptop and Vista desktop). Amazing how an otherwise excellent product can be completely let down by its supporting software. You really could use my experiences over the past 2 hours as an advert for iTunes + iPod. I just wanted to have podcasts with me to listen to in the car, doesnt seem unreasonable in 2007, nearly 2008.

I'm not blaming Microsoft for this, I'm blaming Creative. The fact that it crashes on 2 completely different computers, and that other people are having the same problem, simply means they didn't do their job properly.

However, if you're just wanting to take your music collection about with you, windows media player + Zen are fine...

10 things that suck about the new iPhone

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:17:09 GMT

I'm mostly posting this link to wind-up certain friends of mine.

http://www.smashsworld.com/2007/06/10-things-that-absolutely-suck-about.php

Why Microsoft currnetly can't win.

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 10:57:07 GMT

I bought a new Creative ZEN MP3 player recently. Its superb, and in most aspects superior to the equivalent iPod - various reviews testify to this.

I came home, plugged it into my Windows Vista PC, and it simply synchronised with the Windows Media Player software that comes with Windows... no hassles at all and as easy or easier than using an iTunes and iPod combo.

But here's the snag. Here's the bit that will trip your average punter up. It came with a CD full of already obsolete software, written by Creative, which really isnt very good - AND ISNT NECESSARY! THe instructions demanded that I insert the CD before doing anything BUT THERE IS NO NEED! The same thing happens when you buy a new digital camera. There is NO NEED to insert the CD, just plug the thing in! But the instructions demand that you do, and it comes with a CD, so thats what people do.

The end result is that their PC ends up with piles of software on it, from all sorts of sources, and eventually has so much that either the user or the PCitself can no longer cope.

This, more than anything, is why Microsoft's attempts to make things simple are always thwarted. (the second biggest culprit is PC manufacturers filling the PCs with crap before they get to the user).

New gadget someone should develop

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:55:56 GMT

I have a laptop and a desktop PC connected to the same wireless router. This must be a setup that zillions of people have.

What I want is the router to have an internet cache inside it so that when i download a file on one PC, its in the cache already if i download it t the other PC. I've used Microsoft's ISA package on a server before, and it does this, so something similar but inside my router please!

If someone already does such a thing, please let me know!

Operating Sytems & Browsers of my website visitors

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 07:50:40 GMT

My website has been online for over 10 years, and received 1000s of visitors each day.

When Firefox came out, I observed the % of users rapidly increase to 10%.... and then stay there. It hasn't budged for a year now. Interesting...

Also interesting is that the operating system share of visitors has INCREASED - its now at 93% in Microsoft's favour. Macintosh is at 4.2%.

DO NOT install Windows Vista Beta 2!!

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 01:18:09 GMT

ARGH!

I created a new partition for Windows Vista Beta 2 on my new laptop, keeping it completely seprate from the work XP partitions... and after it rebooted during a trouble-free installation, I was left with... a dead PC! No operating systems will boot whatsoever.

OK so its a beta. These things happen with software that isn't finished yet, and I knew what I was doing and the risks. Its just that, in making the beta publically available to download, MS was expressing a certain confidence in the product, which to me just isnt there. Its meant to be out in 6 months which means it needs to be completely finished in just a few months, and yet on my new laptop it doesnt work at all.

Oh dear oh dear...

Today's the day! Microsoft - be worried!!

Tue, 06 Jun 2006 19:42:13 GMT

Google adds web-based spreadsheet to Microsoft woes

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1791318,00.html?gusrc=rss

2 weeks of iTunes

Sat, 15 Apr 2006 17:37:31 GMT

In summary - ARGH!!! Not impressed. This does not make me want to rush out and buy a Mac. It teases you and tempts you, you start feeling confident then *BOOM* it trips you up and leaves you in the mud. Multiple times.

My experience:-

4 hour learning curve on first day. Learn to like iTunes. Learn smart playlists and the way the library works and the way it can help me organise my MP3 files, if I let it, and understand what its doing.
So I convert about 30 albums to the new AAC format that iTunes likes. Apparently it sounds better and takes up less room and is"the future".
Then I decide to use my smart playlist to record an MP3 CD (very very common these days, most stereos can play them including my car). I stupidly assumed that this would convert my AAC files for me. There's no legal issues here. No DRM (Digital Rights Management) - its all from my CDs that I've ripped. But no! All it smugly says is it can't do that for me. Great!! So what the **** is the option for then?!
I find a workaround on Google from someone with the same problem (http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20031221152135219) and I give it a shot - it manages 10 songs and then comes across an old file that I actually DO have in MP3 format... what does it do? Ignore it? Log an error message for later? Ask me what to do? No. It just says it cant convert it to MP3 because its already MP3 and it gives up.
If you google for iTunes and MP3 CD you'll find many people with this (and other) issues.

Google Earth - Not Just a Toy

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:10:59 GMT

Google Earth, the most mind-blowing, revolutionary piece of software i've seen for years, is already helping in other ways:-

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/insideit/story/0,,1752292,00.html

This is just the beginning I'm sure.

An iTunes convert

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 22:09:24 GMT

Every time I tried out iTunes I ended up hating it so much that I uninstalled it. It always tried to do things I didn't want it to do, or tried to convert my music to a format I didnt want... basically it seemed to simplify things so much that they got difficult. But I've been getting into Podcasts recently and I thought I'd see how iTunes Handled...

And I like it! In fact its VERY good! The way it uses the Music Store to browse for Podcasts works very well. I've even started ripping some more of my CDs (I'd stopped after doing a couple of dozen) so that I can use it to play my Music.

I still have some concerns about the iTunes folder it's created inside my 'My Music' folder... I might try to change that...