Home > Technobuddy > Archives > 2006 > October
October 2006
PC prices are down and headed lower
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Predictably, a lot of folks are putting off new computer purchases until Microsoft releases the successor to Windows XP - Vista.
Falling sales mean falling prices. Usually, the sweet spot for PC purchases is right after the holidays. And that may still be true in 2007. But there are already some dirt cheap prices for decent machines.
You can read about the troubles behind those falling prices here.
I did some shopping of my own recently - buying a replacment machine for my father-in-law - and wrote about it in a column. Prices were so low that I was tempted to pick up a computer for myself. But it was hard to convince my wife that we really needed an eighth computer.
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Don’t make book on it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are books in every room of my large house, including the bathrooms and kitchen. There are bookcases in most rooms. The bedroom looks like the aftermath of an explosion at a bookstore with books piled by both sides of the bed, on the night stands and piled in corners.
Some of them are books I will own forever, others are destined to become trade-ins at the used bookstore. When my wife and I travel about a fourth of one suitcase is filled with books.
On paper - no pun intended - my wife and I would be perfect candidates for one of the e-book devices. These gadgets can be loaded with electronic texts of books and try hard to be as book-like as possible in the way you use them.
If I learned to enjoy reading on one of these, some of the litter would be gone in my house and - when traveling - I could take what would amount to stacks of books along without filling a suitcase.
But - and maybe it’s my age - using these gadgets has never been satisfactory for me. I wonder if younger generations - folks who grew up reading online - will have a different attitude. (I also wonder if reading is becoming a lost art - but that’s a subject for another blog post).
There’s an interesting discussion on these readers (as well as a counter-point about the old fashioned printed book) here. A colleague passed it along in an e-mail this morning and now I’m passing it along to you.
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Making tech do double-duty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I may forget to make my weekly phone call to my mom. But I never forget to call my own voice mail when I park at the airport.
Over my long life, I’ve misplaced enough cars to start a used car lot. I am directionally challenged. So as soon as I park the car in a giant airport lot, I phone my voice mail and leave a reminder about where it’s parked. Unlike a note on some scrap of paper, the information is ready and waiting when I need to find my car.
These voice mail notes also work great for remembering meeting times or directions to an unfamiliar location.
That’s just one of the unexpected uses I’ve found for ordinary technologies. I make technology work for me in unintended ways. Some of these backdoor techniques may work for you.
Is the power back on?
At least twice a year, the power goes out for a day or so at my home. Sometimes ice storms are the culprit; other times winds are to blame. Once it was because a squirrel met an ugly death in a nearby transformer. I won’t tell the story of the time my wife forgot to pay the bill for two months running — I promised I would never mention it in print.
It’s nice to know whether the power is on or off at my house. There are times when, if I knew the power was still out, I’d stop to buy flashlight batteries or even to plan an evening in a motel. But what do you do when the house is empty and you’re at work?
I use an old-fashioned answering machine to find out. One call tells me what I need to know. Since the answering machine only works when there’s AC, I know that the power is back if it answers. If there’s no answer, I know it’s going to be a dark evening at home.
Now where does this go?
Memory often gets me in trouble, whether I’m working on a computer or trying to put parts back on a lawn mower.
Does this gizmo go on before that widget? Or should that little washer fit here? No matter what I do, when I rely on memory I get things wrong.
That’s why I use my digital camera to document each step as I disassemble a gizmo or even a gas barbecue grill. When it’s time to put the danged thing back together, I have a photo record of how things fit together.
Help from my Web page
When I’m traveling, I often need data that’s stored on my computer. Sometimes it’s a phone number that isn’t stored on my cellphone. At other times, I may need to see notes for a story I’m writing, or even a reminder about the date for a birthday or other occasion.
I keep a text file on my personal Web page with information like this. Since it’s stored on the Web, I can access the text from any spot on the globe that has Internet access.
I don’t password-protect the file — although I could. Instead, I give it a strange file name that would be almost impossible to guess. I mean, how often would you type in a Web address that ends with, say, x22myomss.html?
Most Internet accounts include some amount of Web space. So even if you aren’t interested in a conventional personal Web page, you may find this remote access system helpful.
I also use the Web space to store family pictures — that way, when I want to brag endlessly, I can show off my family without carrying a wallet thick as a brick.
Fixing DSL, electrical
I have some fairly fancy electronic testing equipment — everything from an oscilloscope to one of the few old-fashioned tube testers in Atlanta.
But one of my favorite pieces of test equipment is an old battery-powered transistor radio. It is a perfect tool for finding electrical dimmer switches that are going bad or other electrical faults.
Problems like that create interference that can knock out DSL service. Everything from the dimmer that cranks down the lights for dinner to an electrical dog fence that’s arcing enough to knock out DSL.
Even if the misbehaving electrical circuit or device doesn’t bother your DSL service, it can be a fire hazard. So locating the problem is a big deal.
To find problems like that, I simply tune the radio to a clear spot on the dial and use it like a geiger counter, walking around until the static reaches the highest volume. That sort of radio direction-finding is the quickest way to find electrical arcs.
The best uses for technology are often the unexpected and unintended ones. If you’ve found some unusual ways to put technology to work in your home, share them with me here.
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A Macintosh guy looks at Vista
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Macintosh enthusiasts seldom has much nice to say about PCs and the Windows operating system. And such was the case when Computer World asked a fan of Macs to take a look at Microsoft’s new Vista.
You can read about it here. I thought it was entertaining and mostly factual. The guy did run Vista on MacBook Pro and - because of that - didn’t have all the right drivers. But still it was a unusual and interesting take on Vista.
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Are Windows XP users doomed?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Windows Vista - the replacement for Windows XP - isn’t even available yet and there are already doubts about how well Microsoft will support Windows XP users.
There was news Tuesday that Microsoft will delay a planned update to XP until 2008 … that’s no typo folks. They aren’t talking about delaying things until 2007. That sort of delay makes a lot of people wonder if the update will be delivered at all.
You wouldn’t need to be to be very cynical if you wondered if it was all part of a plan to make it difficult to continue using XP and forcing users to move immediately to Vista. Of course, it’s hard to think evil of the gentle giant Microsoft.
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Please, no more sweaters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I don’t know what sort of holiday gifts you get but my wife seems to think I have enough gadgets and not enough sweaters and shirts.
For once - she doesn’t read this blog so I don’t hold out much hope - I’d like to get a toy or two.
There’s a new list out as far as the hot consumer electronics gift items and it’s a good thing I already own at least one in each of the top 10 listed.
Do you get geeky holiday gifts? Or give them.
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Terrorists on the Internet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s no doubt that terrorists, criminals and other bad folk use the Internet. Crazy people do too - as evidenced by the fake terror threat recently that claimed ‘dirty’ nuclear bombs might be detonated at football stadiums, including here in Atlanta.
Done right, the Internet can be fairly anonymous. And since the workings of the Internet are not very well understood by the average person, the notion of crooks and terrorists on the Net makes for frightening reading.
But what would you think if you opened the newspaper this morning and saw a story headlined: Terrorists and criminals use telephone network to plot crimes.
You’d know it was true. But it wouldn’t strike you as particularly interesting. The phone network can be a fairly anonymous place too … especially when used with stolen cellphones or with throw away calling cards.
Truth is that terrorists and crooks could carry out their ugly work without the Internet. In fact, if anything, the feds are probably grateful that they use it - there are ways to crack through anonymous networks and terrorists sometimes leave their footprints.
If you’re interested in the security of the Internet and the effectiveness of anonymous networks, this article might interest you.
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Trapped in the Web
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Web offers help from any store, any government agency, at any hour of the day or night.
Actually getting that help is another matter.
On the surface, Web-based help seems great. In the old days you had to go there, or call on the phone. Then again, in the old days you were likely to eventually reach a real person.
Today, the Web serves as a 24/7 front door for many businesses and agencies, but the odds of getting fast help have gone way down. Even if your problem is eventually solved, e-mail customer support often involves a long series of exchanges stretching over days.
Think of what a perfect gimmick this has become. A Web site lets the company or government agency brag about being accessible. There are no telephones to answer — and no employees to hire to answer those phones. Instead, when you pose a question, the typical Web site first steers you toward prepared answers to “frequently asked questions.”
In my own painful experience, these frequently asked questions are rarely useful.
So what can you do when the list doesn’t help and a Web page offers no telephone number or other obvious avenue for help?
First, before you rush to contact the company or agency, gather as much information as you can. Spend time refining your question or appeal for help. The simpler and more direct your request, the more likely it will be understood and result in help.
Also, gather all the supporting information you can before you start the help process. If you’re dealing with a company, make sure you know your account number. If the call is about an order, have the number. If you need help with a gadget, know the model number. For questions about computer-related devices or programs, know the amount of memory, type of processor and operating system used. (By the way, a terrific resource for that type computer information is a tiny free program called Belarc Advisor, available for download here.
With all needed information in hand, you are ready to make contact.
Start by using any further help available at the Web site. Sometimes it works.
If you have a choice between e-mail and live online help, try the live help. Live online help usually is done from a Web page where you and a customer service representative hold a typed “chat” conversation in real time. These conversations have the advantage of skipping a few steps compared to e-mail. E-mail can involve a long series of questions and attempts at clarification from the company or agency. With online help, you can always finish the conversation by asking for a telephone number.
The trouble with online help is that it leaves no useful record. So any promises made will be hard to prove. There are programs available that will let you capture and log what appears on your screen. Check out the free trial program here. But most people — including me — won’t go to the trouble of using a screen-capture program.
That’s why it’s a good idea to ask the online representative for a name or employee number. Also ask that they send an e-mail confirming any agreement you make.
If none of that works, it’s time to try the phone. If there’s no number on the Web page, it’s easy to find one.
My favorite source is the Hoovers Web site here. Let’s say you need a telephone number for Amazon.com. (Amazon’s Web page provides a way for telephone contact, by the way, but instead of offering a number directly, the Help menu provides a way for you to type in your number so Amazon can call you.)
Typing in “Amazon” on the Hoovers site will give you a mailing address, telephone number, fax number and even the names of key executives. All that is terrific information when you need help.
If your requests through e-mail and phone calls fail, you can write a letter to an executive. It might not be read by the executive, but the letter will likely be routed to an employee for attention.
Ironically, an old-fashioned letter — as a last resort — has advantages over newfangled methods of communications. If done correctly, a concise letter that is firm but polite stands out in this age of instant communications. It also provides a paper trail that documents your attempts to get help.
Help is still out there. It’s just hidden beneath all the high-tech glitz. The best hope for getting your problem resolved has nothing to do with computers and Web pages. Instead, old-fashioned grit and persistence is your best friend when seeking help.
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Major upgrade to Internet Explorer available
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Internet Explorer 7 is the first major update to Internet Explorer in a while.
There are a lot of new features and I’ll link to a review of the browser here
But one new feature - and it sure isn’t the one getting the most attention - will solve a lot of problems for my readers, at least judging from the e-mailed questions I get.
That feature automatically adjusts the size of a Web page you are printing so that it fits perfectly on the printed page. There have always been ways to do that but - take my word - I get several e-mails a week on the topic.
You can download the browser here if you like.
My quick take? I doubt that Firefox users will be moving back to IE anytime soon but it’s a worthwhile upgrade.
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Hi Ma Bell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While I was growing up, AT&T was the phone company. Then came deregulation which brought on the Bells and a bunch of other phone companies.
Now, with the merger of AT&T and BellSouth nearly done, AT&T is once again becoming the phone company.
Here is an interesting discussion on what all that could mean to you. It’s the top item on the page but there are several other items worth reading here too.
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Moving toward a virtual world
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Years ago there was a lot of talk, a lot of predictions, about the virtual world that computers would some day create.
The notion was that there was finally enough computer power to create worlds so realistic that people could move about in them, virtually live in them.
The most optimistic stories made it sound like a paradise where anything would be possible. The most pessimistic stories made it sound like a hell where anything would be possible.
So far it’s been neither a heaven or a hell. But there are signs that more and more people are using their computers to live in a world that only exists on the computer screen.
Reuters, the news agency, is taking it so seriously that it has assigned a reporter to cover the happenings inside the online video game Second Life.
If you read that story you’ll see that even the virtual money used by the online players has real world value. Some people make big bucks trading game money for real money. The game money is purchased by players who want to live the life of the very rich within the online world.
That sort of weird urge has spawned new businesses, especially in China, where people are paid to play games full time just to get game money that can be sold. You can read about that trend here.
Even in the online game that I play, Guild Wars, there are Web sites that sell the gold players earn. Here’s an example
All this interests me and makes me wonder - as computer simulations get more realistic - how far it will go. What do you think?
OK. I’ll get back to the real world of the newsroom now since I’m not sure that Publix will accept the gold I have earned in my Guild Wars game.
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Onions and wireless
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My wife and I have two running arguments: onions and wires.
She is too liberal with onions when cooking.
But she also gets upset with all the wires that run around the house, especially in the home office. That problem may eventually be solved with a new wireless USB technology.
You can read about the wireless USB stuff here.
There seems no help in sight on the onion front. I’ll be complaining about them to my dying day and that day may come sooner than I like since she must be Atlanta’s most aggressive onion user.
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Backing up can be hard to do
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If hard disks hung out at tattoo parlors, all of them would have a tattoo that says: Born to die.
Your hard disk is going to fail if you use it long enough. It’s a mechanical device and like Toyotas, toy trains and coffee machines it will eventually stop working.
When that happens, your only hope is to retrieve all your data using the back-up copy you made earlier. You do back up your data, right?
Well, if you’re like most people you back up infrequently at best and never at worst. That means that you are likely to lose all the digital photos, tax records, e-mails and e-mail addresses … every bit of data stored on the hard disk.
Online backup services have been around for a long time. But they’ve either been too expensive or too clunky to use. But PC World magazine is giving rave revues to a new service called Carbonite.
It is affordable at $50 for one year, or $90 for two years. And while making a complete back-up can take many hours, the program works at that task in the background while you cruise the Web and perform your usual tasks.
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Shopping on the cheap for a PC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent a couple of days shopping for a new computer last week. That shouldn’t be a big deal — after all, I’ve been buying computers on a regular basis for decades.
In fact, I bought my first computer in kit form years before there was such a thing as a personal computer. I’ve purchased both PCs and Macs since they existed.
This shopping trip was a little different. Up to now I’ve purchased fairly powerful — and expensive — computers. This time I was shopping for a dirt cheap machine for my father-in-law. I did this away from my usual turf, shopping in the San Diego area instead of in Atlanta.
I learned a lot. Today I’ll do my best to offer some hints about computer shopping on a budget.
When I finally walked out of the store I had a computer that will serve my father-in-law well, along with a nice flat-panel monitor. Yet I only spent a few bucks over $500 for both. That was satisfying, but there were lessons to be learned along the way.
Rebate madness
The retail computer business relies heavily on rebates. That’s especially true on the low end of the market. These rebates were often already factored into the price tag shown on the shelf, but in some cases they were not. So you’ll want to read the fine print when comparing prices. With rebate offers like that you’ll pay much more than the advertised price and then be required to use the rebates to make up the difference.
Rebates are a hassle and sometimes involve a complicated process designed to trip you up. I did end up using rebates and was pleased at how they were handled at that particular store — Fry’s Electronics in San Marcos, Calif. All the paperwork and rebate information was handed to me separately at the checkout counter. That meant I didn’t have to dig through the packaging, or — even worse — end up throwing them away by mistake.
Bundled up
When comparing deals, even with computers sitting side-by-side at the same store, pay attention to whether the computer is bundled with a monitor. Some are, some aren’t.
To make things even more confusing, computers that did not include a monitor in the price were invariably displayed with a monitor attached. So take a notepad and a calculator along to factor the price of the monitor in or out for price comparisons.
I ran into another problem because of these bundled packages — I’d often see a computer that I liked that came with a monitor I didn’t like. So I ended up avoiding the bundled offers and buying the PC and the monitor separately.
Deceptive shelf displays
I have no idea whether this particular store was deceptive on purpose, or by mistake. This was at another well-known chain, not Fry’s.
Here’s how it worked: I found a terrific bargain — a very powerful PC with one gigabyte of RAM. The price was amazing. Even though the computer’s specifications were terrific, it was being sold at around the same price as the lesser machines I had seen at other stores.
Under the shelf where it was displayed there were 10 or so boxed-up computers ready to load into the cart. They were the same brand but not the same machine. It would have been easy to grab one of those boxes without realizing that it was not the same computer. When I took a closer look at the specs on the box, I noticed there was less memory and a slower processor than in the display model.
When I asked the clerk for help, he told me that the store was out of that specific machine. I offered to buy the display model but he said that wasn’t possible and tried to steer me to another computer. When I asked why the store was displaying a machine that was not available for sale, he said I could find it at other stores operated by the same chain.
The lesson here: Don’t assume the boxed version is the same as the display model. And don’t fall victim to bait-and-switch tactics.
Compromises
If you are shopping for a PC with bargain-basement prices, you are going to have to make some compromises. So go into the store knowing what is important to you. In this case, I decided that I didn’t care whether the computer would run Vista — the new version of Windows that should be available in January. In this case, I was replacing a computer that was running Windows 98. So Windows XP will do my father-in-law just fine.
In his case, I wanted a PC adequate for Web-surfing and e-mail. A good — and large — monitor was important since I wanted something that would be easy on his eyes.
Your own compromises may be different. The point is that you need to decide what you must have and what you can live without when shopping on a budget.
It was an educational shopping trip for me. I got a fine computer for a third of what I usually spend. I am hoping, however, that my wife didn’t learn anything from the experience. Otherwise, she may decide that I can get by with bargain basement PCs in the future.
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The worst of high tech for 2006
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Laptop batteries that burn up in your lap; movie downloads that only work on the PC that downloaded them, and a GPS that doesn’t know how to get you there.
Cnet.com has a list of the worst tech for the first part of the year - think of it as a high tech dog show.
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Send a message to another galaxy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What would you want creatures from another planet to know about you and your world?
Yahoo is collecting photos and stories that will be beamed into outer space with the notion that alien creatures might be listening.
I’d tell them to avoid I-285 during rush hour. I’d also ask them to send us an alien left-handed pitcher for the Braves.
You can offer your own contributions here.
Step into our scanner please
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I thought I had heard of every gadget and gizmo out there. But - as usual - I’m wrong. I had no idea that a few stores, including Brooks Brothers, are using body scanners to determine size and fit for clothes.
This story predicts that tape measures will become things of the past in the fitting room.
It’s an interesting read.
The very worst of the Web
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some are downright crooks, others are stupid, and still others are merely annoying.
PC World recently ranked the 25 worst Web sites and there’s plenty to hate here. You’ll find sites that - without your permission - install programs on your computer. Then there are places like InmatesForYou.com that attempt to match you up romantically with a convict.
It’s fun reading and - since some of the sites really do obnoxious things to your computer - worth checking out.
When you are done, let me know about the sites you hate.
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Traveling with high tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My first airliner flight was on a DC-3, back in ancient times. Dinner came on a real plate, accompanied by a cloth napkin and knives and forks nicer than the ones my mom owned.
Times sure have changed.
Today, as you read this, I’ll be returning to Atlanta by airliner from San Diego. If things go as they usually do, I’ll be snacking on bad cookies and soft drinks on the way home. What I carry on an airliner has changed too. Veteran business travelers may find a few tips here. But this is mostly for those of you who travel less frequently. Let me help with your packing.
Computers
Resist the temptation to pack your laptop computer in the luggage you check. Not only can it be damaged by handling, it’s vulnerable to theft or being lost. If that happens you not only lose your laptop computer, but — as a bonus — someone will have access to all the data on your hard disk.
So carry it on board with you. Just make sure the battery is charged since you may be asked to turn the computer on as it passes through airline security.
I know people worry about damage to a computer by X-rays. But every expert agrees the computer and its hard disk will pass through safely, even with the new high-powered screening machines.
All that said, make sure you have backed up the data on the laptop’s hard disk. It’s still a sensible precaution. While X-rays won’t destroy your hard disk, hard handling can.
Traveling is dangerous when you are a fragile laptop computer. I use a foam-padded aluminum briefcase for my computer. Cloth carrying bags can swing from your shoulder right into a wall and destroy the plastic case of your computer.
Digital cameras
Don’t pack the camera in your luggage. Like your computer, it’s safe from X-rays. Keep in mind that most digital cameras are even more fragile than a laptop. So if you take it along, use a padded case.
For what it’s worth, I leave my digital camera home these days. Since my camera is a relatively bulky — and expensive — professional model, I feel better about doing that.
But for vacations, most of you will want to carry a camera along. Small digital cameras won’t present much of a packing problem and should fit easily in your carry-on bag. Just bring along an extra digital storage card or two. Consider using a computer furnished by the hotel, or even a cruise ship, to send photos back home by e-mail. That way, if you lose a digital storage card, your pictures are still safe.
GPS
Some of us, especially the navigation challenged like me, enjoy using a GPS navigation system to get around a new city.
So I carry my GPS along. But I’m lucky. My GPS weighs less than an ounce, needs no batteries, and can literally be folded up and tucked in my shirt pocket.
Before I leave on a trip, I make a mental list of the places I will go — both from the hotel and the airport. Then I use MapQuest to find the directions. I print them out and put the printed pages in my luggage. Sure, there are times when unexpected destinations come up. But an old-fashioned map usually serves me just fine.
Unexpected dangers
Keep in mind that the security situation is tougher overseas. And security rules can change rapidly if there is a scare or an ugly incident.
That means there is the remote possibility the rules for what you carry aboard an airliner could change on a moment’s notice.
It happened recently in the UK. Even cellular phones and iPods were briefly banned from flights. In a case like that you might not be able to bring your high-tech stuff home with you. Or, best case, they’d have to be packed away in your carry-on luggage. There’s not much you can do about this, but it’s sensible to know of that danger and to be prepared to ship some items home.
There’s another worry too. While you aren’t wrong to fret about possible damage to the high tech you carry along, the biggest risk is one that could have happened to me back in the DC-3 days.
That is the chance that you’ll leave something behind. I once left an expensive camera on a park bench.
Before you leave, make a list of all serial numbers of expensive devices. Frankly, it’s unlikely a lost or stolen item will be recovered. But the serial numbers will come in handy for turning in any insurance claims. Also tape your name, address and phone number to your laptop computer and any other device big enough and valuable enough to warrant the extra trouble.
Remember that camera I left on the bench? Someone found it and returned it to me. That goes to show that not everything has changed since my first DC-3 flight. There are still plenty of nice folks out there. With any luck, one of them will find the device you left behind and return it.
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To Google or not to Google
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Russ Oaks, senior system engineer here at the AJC, has contributed to this blog before. Today he takes a look at the Del.icio.us bookmark site. Feel free to ask him questions - about this posting or other computer-related topics. . He has more than 15 years experience in IT and 12 years in IT management.
As far as Internet search engines go, Google holds the bear’s share of the web search engine market.
It’s always being mentioned; at the movies, television, radio, etc. You see and hear “Google this” or “Google it” constantly. We all use Google or one of their products for one thing or another. It is a widely used tool in my industry as well - especially for problem determination and resolutions.
Recently though, I found myself becoming more and more frustrating every time I used Google for a search. Whether searching for technical issues or not, I was constantly receiving results that seemed to be more commerce-based for companies wanting me to either buy search results or sign up for a Web site dedicated to the particular technology (chocked full of pop up ads…)
I was troubleshooting, not shopping.
For the longest time, I could count on a quick resolution based on my Google search query, but after a few months of more commercial query results I suddenly remembered that there are quite a few more search engines out there. The same item that produced practically useless results on the Google site, produced excellent results via the Yahoo site.
Other good “general” search engines are MSN, Yahoo, Ask.com, and Wikipedia. If at first you can’t find what you’re searching for, try, try,… another search engine.
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Too many Vista choices
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You probably don’t know this but - for several years of my life - I was a junk mail writer. That’s a little like being an e-mail spammer (although at least, with junk mail, we paid the cost of getting it delivered).
But I still remember some of the rules of direct mail marketing. One was to avoid giving the customer too many choices. The theory was that could freeze the customer and lose the order. If a person spent too much time pondering whether to get assortment A, B, C, D, E, F or G … well, he might just give up and order nothing.
I mention all this because Windows Vista will come in a bewildering number of retail versions. Do you buy Windows Vista Ultimate for $399; Windows Vista Business for $299; Windows Vista Home Premium for $239; or Windows Vista Home Basic, which will cost $199?
Or do you switch to a Mac, or standpat with Windows XP?
I understand Microsoft’s theory here - they’ll put all those versions on a single DVD. That way, if you start off with Home Basic and decide that you are more of a Home Premium or Ultimate sort of a person, well you already have the disc. You just pay to upgrade things and unlock the new version.
But I honestly think that there will be more than a little bewilderment by consumers. And - if my old marketing lessons still apply - that’s bad news for Microsoft.
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My favorite online game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s your chance to kill me.
My favorite online game is Guild Wars. You can check the game out here. My main character - Just Axe Me - can often be found fighting head-to-head against the other 13-year-olds online. Even at my advanced age I can swing a sword or axe with the best of them, or so I think.
It really is a nifty online game (don’t ask me wife, she doesn’t agree). So far there are two installments, but a third chapter of the game, Nightfall will be out on Oct. 27.
One feature of the game that may appeal to parents is that - unlike with many of the other games of this ilk - there’s no monthly subscription fee. So - no matter how much you play - the only cost is in buying the game.
For those of us who are really hooked, there’s a couple of other Web sites that offer tips on game play. One is Guild Wars Guru and another is Guild Wiki
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A better bookmark
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Russ Oaks, senior system engineer here at the AJC, has contributed to this blog before. Today he takes a look at the Del.icio.us bookmark site. Feel free to ask him questions - about this posting or other computer-related topics. . He has more than 15 years experience in IT and 12 years in IT management.
Del.icio.us is an online bookmark site that anyone who likes to have bookmarks for their favorite sites will enjoy.
Now, instead of saving bookmarks on every different computer you use, then trying to remember where you found the page, you can have a reliable means of accessing all your bookmarks from anywhere you have Web access.
You can set del.icio.us up specifically with Firefox, by adding extensions that will help you save pages whenever you need to. It also works well with other browsers. If you are not using Firefox, you can get a del.icio.us account and simply save this as a bookmark or home page.
The best thing about del.icio.us is that many sites today have a “del.icio.us post” button right on the Web site. Simply click on this button if you already have an account and your page will be automatically saved on the del.icio.us site. The latest Firefox extension is “del.icio.us 1.1.” This version will give you everything you need to get started with your own web based bookmark collection.
The primary tools you’ll need will install automatically.
If you want to go to your main del.icio.us page, click on the black, blue, and white square button.
If you are on a page that you want to save, click on the TAG button and then click the save button. That’s it!
Login to your del.icio.us account if you haven’t already, and you can view your online bookmark.
There are many other tools and extensions that can be used with del.icio.us - just try a few and see which ones work for you.
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