So, the idea is that I wanted something “like” the Ultranvnc Single Click download, only for linux. The main idea being is that if someone is looking for a bit of desktop tech support on linux, we don’t need to be giving instructions for 5 different package managers, or source compilation, or anything more than MAYBE something to cut and paste. In fact, something like this…. wget http://www.mysite.com/remote-support && sh remote-support could be easily pasted into a console window (which hopefully we can give instructions on finding), or a run command in kde for instance. Then the remote-support script should do the rest. *(By the way, the script doesn’t have to be chmod’ed to executable when we use sh to invoke it…)
Tag: tech
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How to escape from the deluge of credit card offers…..
This isn’t necessarily tech related, but modern life related I guess. I can’t count how many credit card offers we receive in the mail each month. I have visions of a few acres of forest land somewhere being tagged with our name and the subtitle… “credit card offers”. I’ve never followed up on an unsolicited card offer that I recall and as I was tearing one up recently, I noticed a little not at the bottom….
“You can choose to stop receiving “prescreened” offers of credit from us and other companies by calling toll-free 1.888.5.OPT.OUT. For more information about prescreened offers, please see the PRESCREEN & OPT-OUT NOTICES in the Terms and Conditions section of this offer.”
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New “Basics” category
I’ve added a new Computers-Basics category that will be a catchall for all sorts of “what is a” articles and hopefully very simple how-to’s (the kind of things that will have some viewers rushing for the exits, or the search boxes…) One of the things I like trying to do is explaining tech stuff in less than tech terms, or at least in an approachable way. On this site, so far, I’ve dealt with pretty technical issues and the kind of stuff that has a new user searching for an exit (probably the x in the upper right hand corner, or the back button), or maybe a translator. I hope that this series will not need extra referencing to understand. I’ll probably post to this category in spurts….
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The press covering the WMF bug
It’s always a strange mix between comedy and frustration to see the main media outlets cover a tech news item. I usually wince and brace myself when I see any tv news outlet take on a computer issue and likewise when I read newspapers and non-tech publications take on anything of the sort. It’s kind of like movies that use extremely fake computers. Sometimes I think it’s because they’re trying to simplify things for the average viewer, but I usually find that approach somewhat condescending because I don’t think grown adults should be treated like little kids. Anyway, I digress… the coverage of this WMF exploit has been, well, interesting. There was…
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USB flash drive with electronic paper display
Just saw this over at engadget. It’s a Lexar jumpdrive with “amount filled” indicator. The twist is the “amount filled” is done with electronic paper. What this means is that you can see how full the drive is without plugging it into a pc. The electronic paper doesn’t draw power to hold the display.
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10 things to do before hooking a Linux PC up to the net
An editor at tech republic gave a challange not too long ago to Linux users to step up and offer articles along the lines of the top 10 things to do before hooking a linux pc up to the internet. Click to read the first of these submissions (I don’t know if there will be more featured, but more are viewable here.)
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Mobile browsers also eat into Internet Explorer’s market share
Yesterday there were articles and blog posts comparing the next generation of the big three browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. Among the insightful comments on one of those articles, there was the observation that Firefox’s market share of (up to) 15% (more on tech oriented sites), gave webmasters a reason to abandon a one-browser design strategy. In fact, one reason I think all browsers should be standards compliant is to make web designer’s jobs simpler. What’s interesting though is the further point that Mobile web browsing in some parts of the world exceed PC web browsing and there is wide open competition there for browser market share.
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ABC news weighs in on the new browser wars
ABC News has an article weighing in on the renewed browser wars in a comparison of the upcoming release of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. Basically, they say that those with little motivation to move from Explorer will have even less after the release of 7 (the user interface will be similar to the others…tabbed browsing, etc.) He does point out that the other browsers aren’t standing still.
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200GB optical storage not enough – try 300GB
InPhase Technologies (lucent spinoff) is readying an optical storage drive that can hold 300GB per disc. It’s expected to read and write 10 times faster than current DVD drives and uses “Tapestry holographic memory technology”. The discs are expected to be a bit thicker than DVD’s and about 13cm (~5.11 inches)
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Automated phone support lines – find a human
One of many people’s pet peeves these days is the automated phone systems that have you go through several trees worth of options to find tech support. These are called Integrated Voice Response systems (IVR) and sometimes getting to a “real person” is next to impossible. (Let alone getting to a person with which there is no language barrier.) Someone has made a list of ways to get a REAL LIVE person through these call systems and it was something I thought I’d have to link to.