… the rest of the story.

Apache was the software that ran on my first web server many years ago. This afternoon I laughed out loud when I read this short article / interview with Brian Behlendorf, who back in 1993 was one of the lead architects for Apache. I always thought the name "Apache" was derived from the native American tribe of the same name. NOT! Read on … quoted directly from Information Week.

The Apache server isn’t named in honor of Geronimo’s tribe, even though a headdress feather adorns the Apache Software Foundation’s Web site. The half-dozen or so volunteer developers in the original project sent in so many revisions, Behlendorf says, the group called it "a patchy Web server."

Given I work for a major corporation which is a Microsoft shop, perhaps it is somewhat understandable why I have been remiss in not reviewing and posting about OpenOffice.Org. It’s time to rectify that situation, and thus this posting contains links to product descriptions, reviews, software (free), eBooks and eLearning.

• Software: OpenOffice.Org is a software office suite with similar functionality to Microsoft Office. Unlike MS Office, OpenOffice.Org is available for free download. With the release of version 2, the quality, functionality and Microsoft compatibility have increased dramatically:
  • OpenSource.Org Modules:
    • Base – database software
    • Calc – spreadsheet software
    • Draw – 2D and 3D drawing software
    • Impress – presentation software
    • Math – mathematical equations software
    • Writer – word processing software
  • Wikipedia Overview of the OpenOffice.Org software
  • PC Pro Review of OpenOffice.Org V2.0

Sun Computers is a driving force behind this initiative, and Google may even be in play (i.e. Sun and Google signed a cooperation agreement last Summer).  Given this relationship and the move forward with version 2, OpenSource.Org now represents a good alternative to Microsoft (free is good!). Just as importantly, you will still be able to open / work with the latest Microsoft files created by your peers.

• eBooks and Documentation: Nice manuals exist to help you learn and handle your support needs. All the manuals linked here are free and in downloadable pdf:
  • Basic User Guide
  • Module Specific: User Guides | How To Guides

• Screencasts / Tutorials: Some nice eLearning modules exist to help you learn the various modules of OpenOffice.Org. There is no charge for using these learning modules:
  • Digital Distribution Screencasts
  • LearnOpenOffice.Org Tutorials
  • Plan B Screencasts

Finally, I will add these tutorials to my Google Co-Op Screencast Search Engine.

Okay … it's Saturday morning … I intend do a 12 mile run around Medicine Lake, but I keep hoping it will get warmer (it's -2 F with a chill factor down around -20 F).  Thus, I might as well kill some time on my computer. Here are some of my favorite, but very fun, waste of time sites!

1. A long, long time ago … in a grocery store far away … Grocery Store Wars!

• Meet Cuke Skywalker, Princess Lettuce, and Darth Tater!

2. However, maybe you need something educational?

 

Since the printing press was invented in China back in the year 1041, it is hard to say whether the publishing industry has been open to any innovations.  Recently, while listening to Minnesota Public Radio, I learned about Vidlets.

How many of you scan the NY Times Book Review advertisements each Sunday? I thought not; neither do I. Well, the company that created Vidlets convinced Little Brown and Company to risk the cost of one newspaper advertisement on a vidlet. Quite simply, vidlets are flash animations that promote a book.  If a vidlet catches on, viewing, and hopefully sales can skyrocket.

Yiddish With Dick and Jane is one such example. Little Brown and Company emailed their mailing list the link to the Flash animation, and wow!  Anyone over 40 learned how to read with the advenstures of Dick, Jane, Spot and Puff. The rest is history, with sales jumping close to 400% with the release of this Vidlet.  Just shows you the power of the pen, or in this case, the Vidlet.  Enjoy:

• Yiddish With Dick and Jane

Another Vidlet, but was created as a story … not an advertisement

• Craziest, or Scrabble is a Religion

 

3.  Finally, some political humor

I tend to shy away from politics in this blog … however this movie short is funny, and in good taste. If the comedy is not mean and nasty, presidents deserved to be spoofed. Hopefully it will remind them that they are normal citizens like the rest of us. Thus, I bring you, Barney Fife / Don Knotts as "Dubya"!

• Dubya – The Movie

 

Ever wanted to learn how to animate Mulan? or Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too?!

The opportunity is now! Carnegie Mellon University and Disney jointly support Panda3D.  By visiting their web site, you can download the software, instructional webinars (two files … 700 MB each), and manuals.

What’s preventing you? It’s free!

• Panda3D

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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You, my readers, have pushed my eContent blog into the big time. For us bloggers, the holy grail is to break into the top 100,000 blogs in the world. While the number may seem large, you need to realize:

• Technorati tracks 55,000,000 blogs (see graphic)
• eContent Technorati ranking (87,310)

I don’t know how long I’ll stay ranked this high, but for a blog focused on engineering knowledge management, and not Brittany Spears, not bad. Thank you!