Did you know that Wikipedia has a lead article every day … as well as links to breaking news? Consider making it your home page! It’s amazing what you might learn. Oh, yes … today’s lead … Truthiness!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Linux … Success then Failure
I mentioned in this blog that I thought it was time to discover whether Linux was ready for prime time. Thus, this reasonably computer literate nerd decided to install Ubuntu Linux on an old laptop. Here is my saga:
Wednesday, October 10th
- Yippee … my free Ubuntu Linux CD Rom has arrived
- Reboot computer off Ubuntu CD
- Answer five easy questions during install (keyboard, time zone, etc)
- Software starts to copy / configure … take Spot the wonderdog for a walk
- Return home … Ubuntu is installed!
- Hook up ethernet cable … Wow! (I’m on the network)
- Play around with system … make first attempt to install wireless card
- No success with wireless card … must be tired … go to bed
Thursday, October 11th
- Come home from work … start work on configuring wireless card
- Google Query: Linux, Ubuntu, Wireless, Network, Install
- Hmmm … lots of people have lots of problems with wireless cards
- Learn all about ndiswrapper
- Try to use lazy man’s way out (i.e. free trial download from Linuxant)
- Get frustrated … give up on old DLinkSys card
- Purchase new "compatible" Netgear wireless card via Amazon
Leave town … run WhistleStop Marathon in Ashland, Wisconsin
Monday, October, 16th
- New Netgear WG511 wireless card arrives
- Repeat wireless installation attempts with ndiswrapper and other tools
- Hardware profile at least knows that I have a PCMIA card installed
- Much frustration … perhaps card is not so compatible
- Google reveals many other people have similar problems
- Give up … my time is not worth this aggravation.
- I will reinstall Windows XP (ouch!)
Thus, in my assessment, Linux is not ready for the faint of heart. I chose Ubuntu because it was supposed to install a nice clean desktop interface right out of the box. In fact, if I only had wanted to use my computer hard wired to the network, Ubuntu worked perfectly and was a very easy install. Wireless (and I never got to the WEP problems many people experienced) is a totally different matter.
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Update later in the day:
Thanks to all the Linux folks who have contacted me. I’ll try a few of the suggestions.
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Update on October 17th (next day):
In the comments area for this post, an issue was raised over how the media often serves up misinformation with respect to LINUX. Interestingly enough, the Wall Street Journal has a very large article in today’s paper written by Lee Gomes titled: How Far Behind is Linux. As the WSJ will not leave the article in the clear for more than a few days, here are pdf copies
Metamaterials and Pletxtronics
Albeit two unrelated topics, but also two new podcasts from Design News. I’ve added both podcasts to my engineering podcast search engine, and my engineering learning wiki (blogs and podcast page).
As a fyi adding links to my custom Google Co-Op search engines is dirt easy because I use Google Marker. If you’re still curious, you may watch a screencast I created on creating custom search engines. Link to my screencast page.
Enterprise 2.0 Anyone? Why Bother?
Jennifer Okimoto from IBM Global Business Services has some good answers to that question. Thus, if you’ve been looking for some good logic to convince your management team why they should invest in these virtual collaboration tools, take a look at Jennifer’s presentation. It’s short and to the point.
Finally, it’s intriguing how I met Jennifer, and that story also endorses the power of social networks and Web 2.0 tools. Jennifer and I met in a virtual sense via this blog. Due to a common interest in social software, and education in China, we’ve gotten to know each other better. Check out Jennifer’s personal blog. One of my favorite posts is on the subject of iPhones and Microwave Warnings. You’ll also find quite a few personal book reviews in the left hand column.
Social Networks for Your Dog
While eating lunch today, and reading Technology Review from MIT, I read an article I amost didn’t believe … "Dog Tags for Virtual Sniffing". Believe it or not, dogs wearing a tag from Snif Labs, exchange ID codes when they meet. Their owners can then download the data and learn information about the dogs, and the owner! You may even view a Snif Animated Demo.
Rover … meet Spot (my dog)!
