Whassup?

Two New Windows Meta file Bugs Found

PC World reports that two new Meta file bugs have been found in MS Windows, just a week after the patching of previous critical WMF issues.

So much to talk about - so little time

My daughter reports that her Palm TX is awesome. It's everything but a cell phone and a digital camera. She has those on other appliances. She can access the internet via WIFI and get her POP e-mail. She can sync her office computer and download her LOTUS and MS OFFice files. She can attach a headset and wireless keyboard via Bluetooth. She can download and play MP3 music and MPEG4 videos. She can attach a GPS device to get driving maps and directions. Except for the screen size, who needs a laptop anymore?

C|NET Review of the Palm TX

WIFI Wonders

My daughter and I am also amazed at the capabilities of their home wireless network. All capable of being on the internet at the same time via BellSouth DSL are: two desktops, a laptop, the Palm TX, a Sony Play Station 2, a MS XBOX, and a Sony Play Station Portable! Ain't technology grand?

My youngest grandson who owns the PSP wants a PSP headset for his upcoming birthday so he can talk to his buddy across the street with whom he plays games via the WIFI connection to the internet while they are each in their own houses. Awesome.

Being a history buff, I used to think that I was born too late. Now that I'm a sixty-five year old techno buff, I know that I was born too soon to see the unimaginable stuff that is headed our way.

Life is slowly getting back to post-holidays normal for this semi-retired old man. Yesterday I went to work at 10:30a and got home at 1:30p. Ate lunch and took a nap. Couldn't be sweeter. Hope you've got a good retirement plan in place. 401K? Roth IRA? Rich uncle? Let us know what your plan is.

Microsoft is offering a bunch of new software and services called Live. which are worth checking out. They are all in beta, so you'll have to sign up or log in as a beta tester using your .NET passport (same as your Hotmail logon). If you're not already a beta user click on the "Beta users sign in here" link in the upper right-hand corner of the site and sign up. If you don't already have a .NET passport just go to Hotmail and sign up.

Here's an exerpt from the Live site:

What is Windows Live ^TM
Your online world gets better when everything works simply and effortlessly together. That's the basic idea behind Windows Live. So the things you care about - your friends, the latest information, your e-mails, powerful search, your PC files, everything – comes together in one place. This is a brand new Internet experience designed to put you in control. And this is just the beginning – you'll see many more new services in the coming months.

There's over a dozen of 'em to try. I've already tried a couple and they're pretty good. Try 'em out and let us know what you think. I'll try them all and post reviews here when and if I can. This blog stuff is pretty new to me so I don't know if it'll last or if I'll last... hehe.

Link: Windows Live

Speaking of "this blog stuff", so far it has been a chore. Maybe I'll learn some tricks and shortcuts but it's been very time consuming. Then again, time is what I have plenty of (short term).

Happy New Day,
Ron

The holidays have made me lazy (it doesn't take much). So here's one from yesterday - Dec 29.

A friend told me that he saw on Microsoft's website that Internet Explorer 7 Beta is now available for download and asked me if he should download it. This beta is only available to MSDN members (Microsoft Developers Network).

Quotes from the page:
"Internet Explorer 7: Now in beta testing for developers"
"If you are a Web or software developer and want to test Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1, you can access it via your MSDN subscription, or if you don’t have an MSDN subscription you can join MSDN now."

Developers have test machines or development systems on which to test this unsafe stuff. When beta2 (public) ships it will have been deemed safe for home users (sorta). Even then it's questionable whether we should install software that is still in it's beta stage. It's better to wait until the RTM version has been around for about six or so months before installing it on your box. Let someone else discover the bugs. IE6 has been working fine for me. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Most home users think they have no irreplaceable data on thier computers. What about those Christmas or birthday or anniversary pictures? Or how about your financial records in Money or QuickBooks? Then there's the downloaded software you've paid for but have no installation disk. In the event of a system crash you may have to pay for it again.

So, unless you have a test machine or an invincible backup and recovery plan, it's always better to stay away from beta software.