Windows XP SP 3 is the winner because of it's ease of use, wide adoption, and most desktop applications are made to run on Windows. Avoid Windows Vista, it's still a nightmare.
Desktop PC Alternative
Xandros is the winner because of it's compatibility with Windows applications, and out of the box support for common video codecs including Windows Media. The omission of Mac OS here IS intentional.
Servers
CentOS is the winner because of it's low cost, and ease of use. CentOS avoids all the downfalls of RedHat, and other linux distributions. UNIX derivations are and will continue to run the "Internet", and aren't too bad for SOHO LAN use either.
Mobile
Windows Mobile 6.1, because of it's support of a large variety of applications and hands down for it's support of ActiveSync & Microsoft Exchange protocols. Instant synchronization of calendar, email, and tasks with multiple devices including the PC make it the winner. Close seconds include the Palm WebOS, iPhone O/S, and BlackBerry O/S both because of their user friendliness. However both are costly. Symbian, & Android, intentionally omitted.
Embedded
Toss up between Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded, and Linux. Most of the time users aren't even aware of what embedded OS is on their in-dash navigation system, portable GPS, MP3 player, Thin Client, Picture Frame, Refrigerator, whatever the case may be. Embedded operating systems are usually taylor made for the hardware and more stable then their desktop counterparts. It's purely the manufacturers preference and opinion of which OS performs well and saves the most money.
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( 3 / 293 )I recently traded my HTC Touch for an HTC Snap. The HTC Touch has too many steps to get to simple tasks like sending a text message, not to mention it was bulky and awkward.
The HTC snap is likable and user friendly. It has a wonderful thin profile and full qwerty keyboard that is easy to use similar to BlackBerry devices. It comes with Windows 6.1 and is a "snap" to operate. The user interface makes navigation quick and painless.
Integrated Microsoft Voice Command is just plain too cool and is a feature that the sister "Ozone" product for Verizon doesn't have. Voice Command is very Star Trek, like talking to the ship's computer. You can say stuff like call John Doe on Mobile, and it's reads back the name and completes the call. It's also handy to check the battery level and signal strength and have it read back to you.
The only missing feature is WIFI. I get the feeling Sprint requested that WIFI be removed since the GSM and CDMA cousins of the HTC Snap include WIFI. I'm guessing this is because of abuse of the WMWIFIROUTER program to use Windows Mobile phones as Wifi Routers that teather onto the cellular network. This I think is a big mistake because users can use WIFI networks as an alternative to the cellular network and in the long run, having WIFI ability probably lowers overall data usage on the cellular network.
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( 3 / 271 )A recent doctor's visit got my gears turning. It was an initial appointment with a new general physician. We discussed and did a rundown over all my physical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, osteoarthritis, and of course being overweight.
In discussing my hobbies, and what I do, that fact I had a career in computers, and still have a hobby of building websites with a dash of programming and tinkering here and there. The doctor seemed to think I was a bit of an Internet/computer addict. Although, he didn't use those exact words. I thought that was a bit presumptuous - it was like a collection of symptoms... overweight male, uses a computer ... must be an addict.
I did my research. The American Psychological Association does not recognize computer overuse, or "internet addiction" as an illness. The term "internet addition" was hot in the late 1990's with Television Stories on the subject. However the A.P.A. attributes overuse of the Internet with other compulsions - basically saying that Internet Addiction is not a distinct compulsion of it's own.
In fact, yeah, I've thought about it. The Internet has contributed to my overall knowledge and personal enrichment, more than it has aided me in avoiding society. I am who I am regardless of the existence of the Internet. I've used the Internet more for the obtainment of knowledge, then for any other use. Heck, I even finished up my Bachelor's Degree using an accredited online program.
The reason I say "avoidance of society" is that I had an extensive psychoanalysis that revealed I have a Schizoid Personality. Something that sounds pretty scary but, it's not. It's basically someone who is intelligent, prefers to be alone and work alone, avoids relationships, and has intense creativity and creative problem solving skills. Remember Lt. Reginald Barclay from Star Trek: NG ("Hollow Pursuits"), and Also ST: Voyager? He's the classic Schizoid Personality, almost textbook from the DSM-IV.
So I threw that out there to the Doctor, listen I'm a Schizoid Personality Type. and he says... well that can change. Hah, typical of the other 99% of the world that is "hung up" on humans as social animals. Personalities don't change on their own. Why is it YOU expect ME to be like YOU?
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( 3 / 246 )A recent CBS news story caught my attention. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/ ... 4783.shtml - Pediatricians Tackle Bullying.
CBS cited an interesting study that "found 60 percent of bullies in grades 6 through 9 had at least one criminal conviction by age 24."
I think that fact that the schoolyard bully ends up a criminal in Adult life, isn't a surprise, after all it's well established that bullies themselves are usually the victims of abuse at home.
Getting to the root and solving the whole bully-bullied issue at an early age would probably stand to benefit both types of children as Adults, and spare the criminal justice system more statistics. After all the bullied children can really and truly suffer a lifetime of emotional (and is some instances physical) damage.
I can remember back in High School, a bully taking me and some friends on in the lunchroom asking us the give up a table. The principal was quick to act - and stunned me by his reaction. More or less he blamed us (the bullied ones) for the problem and said, sit someplace else.
Bullying it appears is still as big a problem today and school administrators (and resource officers where available) need to closely monitor and address the problem. I understand that administrators are overwhelmed by the task of monitoring so many children but, still this is not an excuse.
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( 3 / 267 )Never fear my blog did not disappear. Monday Morning (midnightish - 3am) I was doing some maintenance of the server hosting my blog and www2.nathansmith.com, All my sites are either hosted by Google Sites, or my leased Linux server at the CN building in Edmonton, Canada. The latter I've had for years for my various projects requiring database connectivity and Perl or PHP code.
My projects are more or less a hobby and not a business since it's about a break even on hosting charges versus revenue (aka no income).
Anyways, I did some massive cleanup, and I cleaned a little bit too much up, and choked Apache (the web server process), and had to correct the bits and pieces it was looking for the start up. I also dropped a block of 8 IP addresses, that I was being billed for. (Monetary consolidation there).
All is well and should be running slightly more efficiently now. Anywho, If you notice anything broken let me know.
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