Moved!

I've migrated the blog here. Its still in beta testing stage (can't get flash and java to work) so for the moment I'll post in both places.

Chinese Cookware Antenna

It looks rediculous but apparently it works. Especially so because instead of Apple's Airport wireless card i'm using a D-Link USB Wifi antenna on my Dual-G5 desktop since it offers more flexibility in finding the wireless sweetspot.

The entire link is here.

The Unknown Cabbie

BBC interviewed a supposed computer expert for a news programme. As it turned out the "expert" was a cabbie who looked completely horrified when he realised he was confused for someone else. Yet, his replies to the questions thrown at him was absolutely sublime, combining his thoughts on the issue as well as the terror that has to be going on in his mind.

The interview

Karen Bowerman: Guy Kewney is editor of the technology website Newswireless.


Face of horror


KB: Hello, good morning to you.

Taxi driver: Good morning.

KB: Were you surprised by this verdict today.

Taxi driver: I am very surprised to see... this verdict to come on me because I was not expecting that. When I came they told me somehting else and I am coming. So a big surprise anyway.

KB: A big surprise, yeah, yes.

Taxi driver: Exactly.

KB: With regards to the costs involved do you think now more people will be downloading online?

Taxi driver: Actually If you can walk everywhere yoy are going to see a lot of people downloading the internet and the website and everything they want. But I think eh It is much better for development and eh to inform people what they want and to get the easy way and so faster if they are looking for.

KB: It does really seem the way the music industry's progressing now that people want to go onto the website and download music.

Taxi driver: Exactly you can go everywhere on the cyber cafe and you can take, you can go easy. It is going to be an easy way for everyone to get something to the internet

KB: Thank you. Thanks very much indeed.

Read the entire report at The Mail's website.

Also, watch the video of the interview here.

Gloating

See the full article

"...while the changes in Vista should reduce the risk for most users, the security features mean upgrading won't be easy, Jaquith cautioned. "Vista will dramatically improve the security for Windows users, but they have some execution and usability challenges," [analyst Andrew Jaquith of Yankee Group] said. "It is clear as day that Vista is going to really annoy users."

As if Windoze isn't irritating enough. Since Windoze can run on a Mac, why bother to go out and buy a Pee-See when you can kill 2 birds with one stone and buy a Mac. See the extra premium price-wise as getting 2 computers for the price of 1.15, with the looks to boot. What's more, the new version of the Mac OSX "Leopard" will allow for virtualization within the OS itself — you would not have to reboot to launch Windoze. And unlike Microsoft's VirtualPC offering, the new virtualization technology will run with little or no slowdown in the processing speed, thanks to similar hardware and Intel's built-in virtualization support that they claim will make the virtual environment run 150% faster.

A lot of geek-speak? Nevermind. Read on.

'The annoyance would come from such features as User Account Control, which is to be enabled by default and lets users run Windows with fewer privileges. The intent is to thwart malicious software from gaining a foothold on Windows PCs. "Although the new security system shows promise, it is far too chatty and annoying," Jaquith wrote.

As a result, Yankee Group recommends business users who don't want to be on the bleeding edge to steer clear of Vista until 2008 and continue to use Windows XP with Service Pack 2 until then. "As a hedging strategy, enterprises upgrading their hardware should also take a look Apple's dual boot Intel Macintoshes," Jaquith wrote."

As an example of how fast virtualization technology can run on a Mac, the video here shows Windoze XP booting up using Parallels Workstation for Mac OSX virtualization software within Mac OS 10.4 "Tiger" in 10 seconds flat. Beat that on your beige box!