Search results for 'app:weblogs' matching tag 'My Opinion'

Pssssttt..

mikehall — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

There is a Quick launch toolbar on Windows 8 but keep it quiet in case MS take it out as they did the hack to dump the Metro-o-o-o interface. Between this and Vi-Start or Start-X, Windows 8 might approach being a desktop OS after all.

Vi-Start and Start-X both need more development, but even now they give functions which MS is feeling too spiteful to include. That and Quick Launch gets you access to applications and basic functions way better than jumping through the desktop/Metro-o-o-o interface.

I still find it hard to believe that the company which brought affordable computing to the people via millions of desktop machines can honestly defend the Metro desktop. It is a hybrid phone/gaming console operating system and Microsoft are well aware of this.

The only hope comes from remarks by a Softie that some of the features are ‘previews’ and may change slightly. I think that some need more than ‘slightly’, but it will do until we get ‘slightly’ more in SP1..

Trust me, I would be way more upset were it not for Windows 7. I am glad that the choice having to be made is NOT Vista or Windows 8. Despite initial misgivings about the reduced Windows 7 Start menu functionality, it has a lot more than Windows 8.

……………………………………………………..

My step-daughter uses her Blackberry phone for her work and she also has a Blackberry Playbook which is used for video calls. I asked her if she could see herself using the Playbook or similar for all of her work, and her answer was a ‘no’. She told me that some of her friends in University were using tablets and Playbooks to take notes, but it seemed to be quite an intense way to do it.

I would imagine that something small would be great for note taking, but one would have to be very adept at typing using one hand on an onscreen keyboard, almost in the same class as a stenographer.

Presently, there is a rush to buy tablets, but what happens when people get tired of keeping up with the latest colours and gimmicks? It stands to sense that tablets etc are on the ‘must have’ lists, but I suspect that these people already have a laptop or desktop computer at home. They are not using tablets in place of laptops and desktops. They are using them alongside the older platforms.

I also don’t subscribe to the notion that computer users need the same OS on all devices.What they need is an operating system which makes best use of the machine being used. For small portables, a swipey full screen is easy to operate with one hand holding while the other moves stuff around. A laptop or desktop is a much more relaxed environment where you can sit back, easily multi-task, still be aware of what is happening around, chill out..

So, what is ‘trending’ today?

mikehall — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The ‘dock’

Yes, that nasty popup thing that gets in the way of everything. Even if you set it to ‘autohide’ it still pops up like a crazed gopher each time that you go near to it..

http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/five-free-docks-to-enhance-your-windows-7-desktop/6355080

So how is this atrocity of coding better than an XP fully customizable Start Menu? There was a time when computer users were asking ‘how do I get rid of this thing?’

Maybe, when facing a operating system which has no Start Menu, it will not seem so bad after all.

Maybe if Microsoft had made it easier or even less of a secret that the old XP Start Menu and the Quick launch toolbar were easy to customize and use, there wouldn’t be people telling us how antiquated it all was.

The IDE port..

I read in a motherboard test yesterday that the inclusion of an IDE port was antiquated. I have already discussed just how useful an IDE port and CD/DVD drive can be. Antiquated? I don’t think so.

TigerDirect advertise the Gigabyte GA880GM D2H board with a picture of an earlier revision type which has an IDE port. Unfortunately, if you mail order the board, the latest revision doesn’t have one. Comments mirror my sentiments. WTH !!!

While nobody who values reliability will ever miss the old 3.5” floppy drives, IDE drives have worked well for years. So what if the standard is old. Car tire design is old too but it is still the best way to get a car moving around without either shaking it to pieces or bouncing uncontrollably.

On screen keyboards..

These used to be a way to operate a computer if the big plastic thing in front of you gave up the ghost. Not anymore.

Tablets have on screen keyboards which are the only way to interact with the unit. Tablets have to be small because the users thumbs have limited reach. Yes, the thumbs which have become so useful at tapping out cryptic messages on cellphone keyboards. If you can do it on a cellphone, Tablet typing must seem like a vacation..

But wait.. Why not turn your iPad/Tablet into a laptop?

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards/keyboard/devices/fold-up-keyboard-ipad

This has to be a joke surely. Tell me that nobody is going to buy one of these in place of a nice large screen and the power of today’s laptops.

Has the world of IT gone completely crazy? Are we really all going to be working 24/7 on ‘concept style’ executive toys? Amazingly, Logitech are out of stock of these things.

Hey, don’t blame me. I didn’t buy them all. I would struggle to see and use a keyboard that small, and I certainly wouldn’t be able to see what was on the screen.

The majority of computer keyboards are still not ‘spill proof’. Laptops are not even slightly spill proof. Wireless connections are still not really safe and are anything but reliable generally. The LCD panel still has a fraction of the life of a CRT screen and SSD drives are every bit as reliable as a 3.5 floppy disk. There are plenty of things to do in the world of IT which would improve usability and productivity without having turn to the insane.

Have a great day..

Why a Rat Rod makes a lousy ambulance..

mikehall — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT

I booted into Windows 8 again this morning, and then sat and looked at the Metro UI. The more I looked at it, the more I thought that it would be better without the apps. I like the way some of them show info, but the only time that I ever see a background is the period after the initial boot and before I start all of my stuff up.

When sitting at a desk hour after hour and with a screen size which makes everything readable with space to spare, it stands to sense that the ‘free’ space around the edges lends itself to toolbars, gadgets and other stuff. The dual screens that I was using until one decided to go west gave me even more free space.

This is the big benefit of the desktop. It doesn’t matter how long it has been around. That isn’t a factor. It is the way in which screen real estate can be used. I can do all that I want inside applications and online forums and still instantly see :

the date, time and easy access to a calendar	anything being held temporarily.
incoming email alerts	who is logged into the network
two folders on the desktop which hold less used links and utilities	the internal temperature of the case, CPU, HDDs, video card, external drive
instant double click access to twenty four other applications and links that I use often,	how much bandwidth is being used
weather warnings	the state of the AV protection
the current state of the data backup	what is open behind whatever I have on top
instant access one click access to twenty six assorted applications and utilities

Try achieving all of that from the Metro UI while still being able to see all of an inbox or a document being worked upon..

Forcing the Metro UI on a desktop user as the only option is like forcing a Rat Rod on a paramedic crew. The only similarity between an ambulance and a Rat Rod is that they both have engines, transmission and wheels.

Have you ever heard anybody suggest that ambulances are old hat and that maybe the roof should be chopped and the ride height reduced to within a couple of inches of the road surface? An ambulance has to be ready for whatever comes along. A Rat Rod is for fast, furious FUN..

I just don’t buy the ‘it’s old fashioned’ argument and neither do the majority of Windows power users. Being dumped into the Windows 8 desktop is like being told to be productive in a workshop that has no machinery or tools. It is an empty space where only the potential to be productive is apparent. If you want tools, you have to walk outside to get them, and put them back outside when you have finished with them.

I prefer a workshop where everything is laid out for ease of use.. just my opinion..

Words do no justice..

mikehall — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

.. well not printable words suitable for a public place anyway.. If you are a bit upset at the prospect of having no proper desktop, take some solace in the newly designed METRO styled Windows logo.

Tada!!

Nice eh.. some people are drooling over this. Note that it may not be the finished version. As you can see, there is room for tweaking the overall design, and it is still not too late..

I have got news for you. This logo and all of the previous logos (and sounds) have had considerable thought and talent put into their creation. Hey, quit with the sniggering. It is true.

Take a look here.. It will bring back some happy memories for many of you, happy memories of the day you learned how to mute system sounds..

The best anti-virus..

mikehall — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

.. is the one that can be installed and forgotten about thereafter. For home users, Microsoft Security Essentials is best and this is why..

Of all anti-virus programs that I have tried, it is the least invasive. It can be like this because it works in conjunction with the Windows firewall and doesn’t have to infiltrate every last corner in Windows. When it needs attention, the system tray icon takes on an orange colour. When it needs dire attention, it takes on a red colour.

It doesn’t get any easier. Two elements which require little or no supervision have to be better for people who just power up and expect to get on with important things like sending email, playing solitaire or whatever floats the boat. I have it running on two other computers on the home network and also in XP Mode. It updates behind the scenes and gets a roll-up every Patch Tuesday.

So why do I not use it on my Windows 7 production machine? Well, truth is that I get an NFR from ESET for their Smart Security version 4 which works well and doesn’t slow the system to a crawl. Also, unlike other users on the home network, I am not phased by something complex. If I didn’t get the NFR, I would be using MSE too.

Why only MSE or ESET? I have tried the others. Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t care what reviews say. If I have a bad time with something, its gone, and I don’t care if I lose some unique feature which may have been useful. I may be a long time computer tech, but I want my system to run with the minimum of intervention too. I have better things to do with my time..

CES..

mikehall — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

I read somewhere that CES may not exist come 2015. Microsoft are making their last performance right now. Apple isn’t there. Others will follow.

There is always a lot of hype for these shows, but does anybody care other than your local friendly technophobe down the hall?

Will the news, weather and re-runs of Mash look any better in 3D than they do now? If everything on TV becomes 3D, instead of chilling out on the couch, half watching some thing, we will feel like we are sitting in the middle of downtown at rush hour. Is that what most of us want?

What’s the difference between a photo taken at 1.3MP and a photo taken at 14.3MP? We now have a crappy, badly composed photo in HD. Was it really worth the $$$$$ or bragging rights? You tell me.

Will I get totally immersed playing Fable 4 with MS Kinect, or will I be put off by remarks from my grand-daughter like “What’s Poppa doing? He looks silly”?

Wake me up when you have teleportation or food replicators worked out. Both would be useful and have universal appeal. The former would save queuing at airports, jetlag etc and the latter would finally stamp out bland and indifferent home cooking.

An article on touchscreens..

mikehall — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

It brings up some interesting points:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223361/The_hidden_dangers_of_touchscreens?taxonomyId=15&pageNumber=1

I wouldn’t say that they were ‘hidden’ dangers though. maybe some just not completely obvious.

What is obvious is that with a reach of around 60cms, my dual screens are 20cms out of reach. They have to be back as far as they are to save me having to put stress on my neck as I glance from one to the other. I set text at 120% to save eyestrain. If they were touch screens, I would have to push in the keyboard tray and slide the chair forward. Why would I want to do that when I have two perfectly capable input devices nicely placed , bridging the gap?

I will not be paying out for touch screens unless my standard LCDs break and nothing else is available, and for the reasons above, I will not be using the touch facility anyway.

While I was messing with the laptop and a variety of lap desks and cooling bases, I noticed that when the machine was on my lap, the weight of the lid had a tendency to start a turning motion, the pivot point being the hinges. With both hands on the wrist rest, you would never notice anything untoward. Even if a hand is removed to use a mouse, the mouse adds no extra pressure to the screen hinges. Touching the screen changes the game, and one hand has to hold down the base.

I know one or two people who have touch screen machines, laptop and integrated desktop, but they are not used as touch screens. I don’t think that they know what to do with them, how to set them up, or ostensibly have any interest in the function.

Phones, tablets and e-readers are different. They have to be used up close and personal, in front of the area where a keyboard and mouse would be. One is left with no choice but to swipe, wipe and tap.

In the end, users will adopt an input method which works best for the machine in use. Touch will be a part..

Caring for a notebook/netbook..

mikehall — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

OK, so Santa gave you a new notebook or netbook for Christmas. Cute, eh.. It will not be cute for long if you don’t care for it properly.

Cleaning the outside case and the keyboard area.

Either buy a kit form your local computer store, or put together a kit of your own. You will require:

Isopropyl Alcohol
Distilled water. NEVER tap water
A lint free cloth
Compressed air

The Isopropyl Alcohol should be 1:1 with distilled water. Make the mixture up in a spray bottle which can be bought from hardware/dollar stores quite cheaply.

Always apply it to the cloth, NEVER straight onto any computer part, not even the outside case. You must be disciplined about this. Don’t scrub marks or dirt off. A light touch applied multiple times is a better approach.

When using compressed air, be careful not to blow key tops off. Some are easier to replace than others, and you may end up having to replace the entire keyboard.

Do NOT spray the cleaning solution into any aperture, not the fan outlets, ports etc. Use compressed air but don’t blast the insides. Gently always..

Using the computer

Always use it on a hard flat surface. It may be lap sized, but it should never be used directly on your lap, and not just because the underside can leave you with quite serious burns. It is important to keep the vents on the underside clear of all obstructions if you don’t want the computer to overheat and take out internal components. Surfaces to avoid:

Laps
Cushions
Carpet
Bed linin
Couches
Car seats

There are devices ranging between $20 and $110 available in stores, all of which will elevate the computer from any surface. Not all of them are suitable for lap use. Some are just cooling bases. Others have fans and speakers integrated into the design, and some of these are as heavy as a laptop. They are not going to be comfortable if too heavy or specifically designed only to keep a laptop cool.

The cheaper devices are in fact the best for use on laps, mainly because they are made from cheap material, are not heavy and are just very basic..

This one is good.. http://store.lapgear.com/techno/mobile

The grey panels hold the rubber feet of the computer well without any tendency to slide, and the wrist pad at the front keeps a little distance between you and the keyboard.

There is another design, but you may not see it in stores.. http://store.lapgear.com/techno/traveler

This one has no wrist pad or the grey panels, but there are flip up stops which prevent the laptop from sliding off too easily. The really great aspect of these two items is that you will not feel like you have two laptops on your lap.

The downside is that, if like me, you have a larger than normal stomach and don’t have long legs, the whole show will not sit on your lap as securely as it might. The pad furthest away may sit uneasily on the edge of your knees.

Time to find a table or desk? This is one reason for me using a desktop computer. If I have to sit at a desk, I may as well have something which is easy to use and see..

DC ports.. where the power goes in..

It doesn’t take too many tugs on the power cable to break the power port. Power outlets are never where you need them most, and trailing cables always manage to get caught on something. You most probably have found out already. So why not run your computer without mains power for a while? Charge it when it needs to be charged, overnight is good, maybe while you are out doing grocery shopping or other errands.

The whole point of a mobile computer is that you don’t have to be tied to a power outlet or desk. It will also give the battery some exercise. The worst is that replacing the power port is not cheap unless you can find the exact replacement and know how to get into the case without breaking more stuff. If you can’t do it yourself, you are looking at a $125 repair fee or more. Now do you see why it is a good idea to run without the power cable?

OK.. you have the basics according to Mike.. Happy computing..

Tech trends in 2012?

mikehall — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

I am using this article as the basis..

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223066/Tech_Trends_You_ll_See_in_2012?taxonomyId=158&pageNumber=1

1.. Dual-Core Processors Become the Norm in Smartphones

This is great news, Nothing better than a high power phone. Quad core? Way to go. Do these smartphones come with flip out magnifiers such that people with less than 20-20 vision can see what is on screen? No? Bring on 16 core. It will all mean diddley squat to me. I don’t have 20-20 vision.

2. Optical-Disc Drives Disappear From New Laptops

The end of burning recovery disks? Wow. So everybody has to get an external hard drive in order to save the recovery image? Let’s hope that the external drives are no larger than a smartphone and are Bluetooth compatible.

3. Data-Only and Reduced-Voice Cell Phone Plans Proliferate

Oh great. So I will get penalized because I can’t use a tiny keyboard and have to speak to people on the other end? Thanks for nothing..

4. Facebook Accounts Become Necessary to Do More Stuff on the Web

People who guard their privacy are going to love this one.

5. NFC Facilitates Mobile Payments, Peer-to-Peer Networking

Yes, you will be able to buy popcorn in your multi-screen cinema just by tapping your phone on the head of the cashier. If you get overcharged, just use a heavier phone next time..

6. Processing Enters the Cloud

Wait till you get the charge for this in your email. The pizza base was the cheap part. Working out the best combination of toppings for greatest value and taste experience? Prepare to do some washing up in exchange. And if the cloud drops it's load, perchance? Daisy, Daisy, give me your answ—er dooo-ooo. Hey, does anybody remember what a 404 error is?

7. HTML 5 Takes the Stage

This is good until you get to the part about not needing apps. Apps are the basis of everything, Windows 8 included. The apps could have cost you mega$$$$$, and HTML5 is going to make them redundant? Ouch..

8. IPv6 Starts Rolling Out

Great news for the corporate world. It will get IPv6, and you, the home user, will be stuck with IPv4, and after all of the slagging off as t how crappy IPv4 is and how much better we will all be for getting IPv6. Do you feel better already? I’ll bet you do..

9. Consumers Borrow More Books, Movies, and Music

Yes, folks, for just three easy payments of $13.39, you can borrow a book or movie, not for one day, not for two days, no folks, you can have it for three whole days, and all it will cost you is …… go to Item 6 for the answer.. lolololol..

My guess is that you thought library fines were out of this world. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet..

10. Fewer (but Better) Tablets Arrive

Nobody can compete with the iPad. If the iPad OS was in Klingon, i-buyers would still have one. I-buyers don’t care if the iPad can do much or not. Ownership of an iPad says more about them than all the paid apps in the world. The iSecret is to make a few really trendy apps and sell them at Chanel prices.

All of the other manufacturers are trying to cram two quart usability into a shot glass, and Microsoft are willing to gamble their entire desktop OS business on tablets which probably won’t sell as well as expected after the initial rush. Could 2012 see the ousting of Microsoft’s Dear Leader because of this? Nope, but 2013 maybe an unlucky number for some..

The epilogue..

How much will all of the above cost in real terms? There is never any mention of cost, but somebody has to pay.

Download caps, bandwidth throttling and excess charges will kill some of the above. Outages will kill some of the above. Having to join Facebook, thereby casting your entire life into the air for resale, ridicule, and personality crucifixion will kill some of the above. Government spying and intervention will kill some of the above.

Maybe it will be good that the above has built-in self destruction because there will be no other escape from it. Quality time with your kids, on an adventure vacation , or having a triple bypass done will not be good excuses.

See you in 2012.. have a great day..

How will we control the computers of tomorrow?

mikehall — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

I took the title from here.. http://www.ghacks.net/2011/12/20/how-will-we-control-the-computers-of-tomorrow/

To be honest, I am getting a little tired of being told how I should interact or will have t interact with MY computer. It would appear that others are too.

Why didn’t cars of the future travel on a cushion of air? Well, directional control is an issue..

Why didn’t cars become personal flying machines like you see in Space movies? Because you would need traffic lights as high as CN Tower, and human beings do not all want to in the same direction at the same as time (as per Starlings)..

In the 50’s and 60’s, they played with the idea of gas turbine engines in cars. Imagine sitting on a 747 or A380 engine nacelle at the traffic lights. You wouldn’t need rear view mirrors because there would be NOTHING behind you..

Magnetic levitation has issues too.. It requires tracks. Going to look real nice in your driveway..

Space age car design in the 50’s and 60’s lead to other problems. Two of them were 1. a turning circle of 210 feet caused by enclosed front wheels and 2. the possibility of impaling pedestrians on any or all of the pointy bits.

So, what did we actually end up driving? For all of the above ‘brilliant, seemed like a good idea at the time’ ideas of what we might use for transport in the year 2000, what we got was something that worked. The venerable Toyota Corolla

A message to all computer manufacturers and software developers..

Sometimes, the older ways work better. That is why some of the old ways have lasted so long. They are not really old ways. They are the ONLY ways which work for the maximum amount of people liable to use them. Before we get foisted with a lot of futuristic computer related junk, remember what happened to all of the above futuristic stuff.