Computer Tips -Tech Info

Tag: review

  • Drupal 7 and E-Commerce

    Drupal 7 has become the flagship version of the content management platform. Last year I was setting up a couple of webstores with Drupal 6 and e-commerce modules (addons) for it collectively called ubercart. Ubercart was somewhat complex but things worked. For the rough edges there were other modules to smooth the edges.

    Recently I’ve been working with an install of Drupal 7 and building an e-commerce site. Ubercart is available in a testing state for Drupal 7, but many of the developers have left in favor of a module called Commerce. Which also is in a testing state. What follows is a BRIEF summary of my trials and tribulations in building an ecommerce site with Drupal 7.

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  • Kindle 3 3G first Impressions

    This will be the first of several posts looking in detail at the Kindle 3. Amazon has got at least one thing VERY right. Simplicity. The packaging is simple, you open the box and the kindle has directions for plugging it in to charge on the display. Then you are directed to slide the switch. When it comes up it’s already registered to the amazon.com account you purchased with and it hooks up to whispernet. At this time you can configure wireless if you like (with the 3g you have whispernet even if the wifi is not available or not configured.)

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  • Ubuntu Edgy Eft 6.10 out…

    The newest Ubuntu (K/X/Edu as well) is out, Edgy Eft 6.10 is finalized and will be supported for 18 months. (Longer support/users seeking stable proven base should stick with Dapper Drake…) One of the biggest changes I can see from reports is the init process replacement. It sounds like they’ve yielded some good bootup improvements and I’m looking forward to downloading and trying it out. I found it interesting to see that the plan for the 7.04 release of Ubuntu is to include native support for Autopackage which is another approach to making “just any” old program trivial to install on any linux variant.

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  • Internet Explorer 7 final release – AND first vulnerability…

    Looks as though IE 7 release is imminent and will be in automatic updates on November 1st. Here’s one persons take on the user interface “improvements”. Now, there are many improvements in core functionality, but I’m annoyed by the user interface changes. I have spent quite a while with people getting use to the way the interface for windows programs have been for the last 10 years, now I feel like many of them will take another 5-8 years to get used to a NEW way to expect programs to be laid out….

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  • Zoom H4 recorder becoming reality?

    I’ve got to say, I’ve almost wondered if the Zoom H4 was true vaporware the last few days. it’s supposed to be received by various vendors (around October 1st-3rd) and I still haven’t seen ONE first hand review. I’ve seen one music site that has 7 people that have rated it on a scale of 1-10, but no written review – for all I know they could have said “Man that looks cool I bet it will be a 9…” There are several posts from a podcasting expo Friday that mention it though this says it’s the “ONLY field recorder worth getting”. The other is basically a “fluff” article with no real substance other than that the device was demo’ed.

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  • More audio recording musings…. Samson Zoom H4 Handy Recorder

    So, I mentioned a few weeks back that I was really starting to look again at audio equipment. I have a planned project that I would really like to capture high quality direct to digital audio for and the old tascam portastudio cassette based system from years ago just won’t suit get what I hope for. (And setting up a stereo mic pattern and the tascam as a mixer and a laptop isn’t really something I WANT to have to go through – field recorder is the goal and it would suit a few other purposes as well.) I wouldn’t mind having multitrack capabilities and for all purposes I’ve looked at the Boss BR-600 the last few weeks and thought I had found a suitable device…. 8 tracks, built in condenser mics to make it easy to setup and capture on the spot. And compactflash based (I was hoping for something nice and quiet like a flash/memory card based recorder.) But, there are some things about the Boss that have discouraged me….

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  • Firefox 1.5.0.5 out and be cautious with extensions…

    Well, let’s start with the extensions first. Like ANY software, you should be cautious installing something from an untrusted source. If you think an extension looks neat and cool – look for reviews and third party information before installing it. That much said…. never install an extension that comes attached as an unexpected email…. Apparently, just that has been happening a password stealing trojan has been showing up as an email attachment that appears to be a firefox extension. OK – quick review – what’s the weakest link in computer security (grab mirror and look….) Now… Mozilla has also released some security updates for Firefox….

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  • Product Reviews

    From time to time I’ve done product reviews on this site and I’m getting ready to do a first impression review on something else. I’d like to take a step back though and give you my thoughts on product reviews in general and their value (or lack thereoff…) I usually take product reviews in a magazine with a grain of salt for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is who pays their advertising bills, maybe the editorial board of a publication is fond of a certain product for financial reasons…. also, they usually get the sample for free, so there’s a disconnect in the VALUE assessment of a product…

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  • WMF vulnerability not an accident? Was it an intentional backdoor?

    I’m not quite sure if I’m willing to attribute to design, what I could attribute to a mistake… but, slashdot has pointed out that Steve Gibson in his latest Security Now! podcast (link is to transcript), is suggesting that it appears as though the WMF vulnerability of recent weeks appears (to him) to have been INTENTIONALLY included as a means of a remote backdoor.

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  • Kubuntu Review and Ubuntu Review

    There’s a good review up of both Kubuntu and Ubuntu over at Desktoplinux.com. The writer doesn’t seem to find either a perfect fit. Ubuntu is Gnome based, Kubuntu is KDE based. The versions reviewed are 5.10

    Ultimately the writer suggests Suse Linux 10.0 or Xandros as a desktop workstation, Mepislite or SimplyMepis for a new user and OpenSuse for a server-based linux OS.

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