Beginner’s Guide To The Internet: PT 1.5 (The Prequel)
My post in regards to Google Bookmarks has inspired me to start a whole new sub-section on the site! I am creating a new series called: A Beginner's Guide To The Internet. I am going to try to outline some of the things that people should know in regards to the current state of the internet, as well as little tips and tricks that I have found. To start off, I will get into what the Web 2.0 culture really is.
Web 2.0
Web 2.0 has become a real buzz word. There still seems to be some real confusion as to what it is. Some people equate it to using newer technologies that make web-pages seem more desktop application like. That is not at all how I interpret it. Web 2.0 is the personalization of the web.
An example. This blog page is not Web 2.0. When you visit the page, it looks the same for you as it would for the next person (with a few exceptions). This is the old standard of the web, and really it is not bad, but it did not fully embrace the full capabilities. Web 2.0 is specifically content that is tailored to you. When you visit Facebook or Hotmail, you see content that is your content. The next person will see an entirely new set of content. This contextual setup is the real definition of web 2.0, and it is spelling the end of the desktop application age.
With web 2.0 we work on data that is stored and secured on the internet, that is never downloaded. I am huge proponent of this new cloud computing revolution. When I check my email, I access the Google Mail servers and get my messages, I frequently do it from a web browser, but my smart phone can download email so that I have an offline copy as well. Downloading the message does not remove it from the cloud. It simply makes a synchronized copy, the main repository of the data is still the Google database. This is the change in the web culture; the data simply being out there... Out there in the cloud!
Cloud computing is all the rage, and we are not fully there yet. We still maintain a large amount of data on our personal computers, but a good deal of it, is stored out in the cloud where it can be universally accessed. I would hazard that the majority internet users have a free web based email account. Popular systems included Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo. These services do not require you to have any data downloaded onto your computer. You can access them through a webpage, on your phone, from a desktop client, but the data is always housed on the web. Changing the data through any client application, also must modify the data on the web. And because of this, it will also mean that if you check the data from another device it will always be synchronized. This is a perfect example of Web 2.0 and the cloud.
Going forward you can expect to see more applications move to this model. Already we are starting to see online storage solutions; Amazon's S3 being a big one. It allows you to access your data from any computer. As connection speeds begin to increase we will see that an ever larger part of our data will be stored in these online services. We aren't there yet, but we will be soon.
Coming Soon:
Picking the right browser (and by that I mean stabbing yourself in the face if you use Internet Explorer).
Tell Me Again Why I’m Not Doing This???`
Cause the penalty for failure is high!
wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
Things Have Changed.
I can't believe the current predicament. I am angry with myself. I am angry with myself, and I'm in pain because I just stabbed myself in the hand.
I can't believe I am saying this, but I am considering buying an Apple PC. Ok I said that before. I'm still in a bit of shock, but I'm considering getting an apple *sigh* laptop. Honestly what is wrong with me? I hate Apple, I hate laptops. This makes no sense.
Well I don' t hate Apple, but I hate the Apple Tax. You know, that thing where all their computers cost 33% more than they should? Now I hate laptops too... They never seem to perform as well as their desktop counterparts. Smaller cases, more heat problems... It's just a fact of life. Couple that with costing double... Death to notebooks!
So what has me in this current predicament of bowing to everything I hate? It's the current state of the computing world I would say.
Here is the state of my world:
- I need a new computer, and probably sooner rather than later... This one is weezing... Honest to goodness weezing. I can hear it right now. This all started about a year and a half ago when I went to plug in an a USB drive, and there was a spark. Since then USB has been flaky... And memory has been flaky. On a few occasions I have had to swap the positions of the two sticks of RAM because the sizes are changing... Bad sign! And this was all before the lightning strike earlier this summer. Needless to say, its time.
- Last season I went back to coaching at Mont Ste Marie. This means being away on weekend in the winter. Couple that with spending ever more time at the cottage in the summer and well, a laptop makes more and more sense. Especially from the idea of being able to edit video on weekends and holidays to show to athletes. I am wavering and feeling like a laptop may be the best bet. I'll come back to this...
- Apple... Why thee of expensive aluminum chiseled case. Well there are a few reasons. First there are only 5 things I wish to be able to do on my home computer:
- Surf the web
- Edit photos
- Edit videos
- Run Apache/MySQL/PHP (AMP sounds cooler)
- iTunes to sync my phone/listen to music
As well as those 5 things, I would like to run a 64 bit OS. What are the options for 64 bit computing? Really there are 3: Vista, OS X, various Linux flavours (Ubuuntu). Scratch linux for media editing. Next scratch Vista for being a piece of shit. Maybe I should tell a quick (and recent) Vista story:
Alanna's parents just got a new computer from Dell. It came with Vista home. Her dad unbeknownst to him was the system admin, her mom just a regular user. Her mom wanted to be able to play some games from msngames.com. These games require installing an archaic ActiveX plugin. She tried to install the plugin, but it told her that she needed to be logged in as the administrator, and popped up a dialog with her husband's login, and a blank password field. Neither of them had any idea what the password could be and were left confused. This is where I enter to save the day... Or just get furiously annoyed.
I go with my gut, and figure that the password is probably just blank. Click OK. Yep that works... We are installing! Hoorah! Vista ain't so bad... I have this licked. But wait, after the download completes, McAfee (also terrible I might add) pops up and says that this Microsoft signed ActiveX control can nay be trusted. And gives two options: Delete the foul code. Leave the foul code on the machine.
There seems to be an option missing to run the foul code. I try to find this option. It's not there. I try to disable McAfee, also not an option.
*Sigh*
Logout, log into Vista/Crap (any clever ways to combine those two words would be appreciated right now!) as the admin user. At this point, I can disable McAfee and get everything installed. But as an experiment, I decide to run the same flow... Install Active X yadda... yadda... yadda... This time McAfee gives the option to run the foul signed Microsoft Active X control. This must be an Admin Only option. Needless to say I got the simple game working, after mucking with it for about 30 minutes.
The flaw in the logic is that if you are smart and not running as the admin, you can not simply run an installer as the administrator and be done with it, because the virus scanner (that is not running as an Admin) can block that. Which requires logging out, installing the software as Admin... Re-assuring the virus scanner that it is alright, then logging back in as joe user and potentially re-installing the software (which is now trusted) under your profile.
It's bad. That is all I can say. The solution for Alanna's parents? They are now both Admins, and their machine running a very secure Vista is now less secure, because they both have full access. Crappy solution.So long story short. Let me state here and now, loud and proud. I will never own a machine with Vista. (Windows 7... uggghhh maybe).
- Well crap... After that I can barely remember any of my other reasons! That is Microsoft's ploy! Oh wait, I have it! Back to why a laptop. As you can see, I have to buy an Apple, so now its back to Apple doesn't make a desktop that suits me. Either very expensive, Mac Pro, under-powered Mac Mini, or just right iMac. Accept the iMac isn't just right. It's a glorified laptop sitting on a pedestel. It doesn't have the benefits of a real desktop, more space, better heat reduction, not forcing you to buy a laptop. So that brings me back to the MacBook Pro. The power of a iMac (pretty much), the price of the too Mac Pro, but the portability that I somehow rationalized earlier in this overly long and annoying blog post.
So there you have it. I hate laptops, I hate Apple, and I'm probably going to be buying a MacBook Pro. I'm such a hypocrit. I hate this feeling, but at this point, I must say to all you Mac fanboys who I have ragged on for all these years... You still may not have been right... But neither was I.
As an aside: I'm test driving a new layout... I'm not sure I like it.
Morestache – It’s So Tough!
Remember! Only my mustache can cure cancer! But it needs your money to do so!
Donate Through The Official Movember Website!: TylerOnEverything.com/Movember/
Movember Mupdate
It hasn't quite been a week and my bushy beast isn't as bushy as I would hope, but it is coming in! Just give it time!
Don't forget to donate: www.TylerOnEverything.com/Movember
Happy Halloween: DISASTER!
So I signed up for Movember. That prostate cancer fund raising... Mustache Rides For Dad thingy. So I have to grow a mustache! SWEEEEET!
BUT: There is catch!
They state very specifically that you have to:
Start With A Clean Shave
Gah?
Shave my beard? My safety net? NO! Well I have been talking about participating in Movember for quite a while. So I had to do it.
Sigh.
Doesn't my beard look scared?
Well now its gone! I feel so naked and alone!
Well the real Movember starts tomorrow. Hopefully I will have a healthy bushy Mustache by then! If not check back everyday for a Mupdate!
If you wanna donate, you can do so, but I'm seems kinda pointless When I don't have a wicked thick mustache yet: TylerOnEverything.com/Movemember
Magic Dog Door Spawns New Idea!
Plexidoor just anounced a new sliding dog door. It works with an RFID chip (like a ton of dogs have now), when the dog gets close the door slides open. Doesn't work for other dogs.... Hmm brilliant?
Personally I don't like the idea of a dog going in/out on their own. I personally don't like tons of mud everything, so unless the system could be disabled in the rain...
Now a better idea? Put one of those RFID chips on your key chain, you walk to your front door, it automatically unlocks, shut the door and walk away, it automatically locks. Now there is a good idea! Your door is always locked, except for you, in which case its always unlocked!
Oh Cursive is SO COOL!
It has been about one year, no not since I blogged last, although it may feel that way. It has been about one year since I saw my favourite band Cursive the one and only time I saw them. It was a great show, and with all the shows I have seen over the years it is hard for me to say that. I honestly wasn't disappointed. I figured that in honour a year later I would post a list of what I think are Tim Kasher's best songs (in order no less):
- Sierra (Cursive)
- Art Is Hard (Cursive)
- O'Rourkes 1:20 AM (The Good Life)
- A Gentleman Caller (Cursive)
- Inmates (Acoustic) (The Good Life -Version that Tim sings)
- The Great Decay (Cursive)
- The Martyr (Cursive)
- A Little More (The Good Life)
- The Radiator Hums (Cursive)
- Album Of The Year (The Good Life)
- Staying Alive (Cursive)
- Driftwood: A Fairy Tale (Cursive)
- Ceilings Crack (Cursive)
Slagging Other Companies Goods
Yesterday I went to AudioTronic on Merivale Road in Ottawa to price some receivers to see how the local price would compare to ordering from the states (I'm ordering from the states).
He was asking what speakers I would be using...
For the past few months I have been researching speakers, I have narrowed down my decision to Paradigm, PSB, Aperion, Elemental Designs, and Axiom Audio. I want to listen to at least 3 of those (preferably in house) to get a better idea of what I want. Pretty much all of the systems will be in the near Audiophile calibre and will cost somewhere in excess of $2,000.
I am actually leaning towards Paradigm, PSB, and Axiom since those 3 companies are Canadian have all been around for many years and all have a good reputation. Speakers are very personal item, and are somewhat dependent on your room, and other componentry.
I will be trying Axiom as they offer a 30 day money back guarantee, and while you have to pay for return shipping yourself, my cottage is near their office, so I would be able to return the speakers myself if I choose. Couple that with the fact that they are about half the price as the other two Canadian contenders and it seems that they will be the first ones I try.
...back to Audiotronic. I told the sales guy that I was leaning towards Axiom speakers. His reply: 'You know those are crap?'
What constructive criticism. He doesn't sell them so they obviously are terrible. I asked about auditioning some of the speakers he does sell, in my home. He basically refused, or said I may be able to take some speakers they have on the floor for an afternoon. Very apparent that he doesn't stand by his speakers which aren't 'crap'. I asked him how much the setup that I was considering from paradigm would be and he told me $4000, more than double what I was looking at from Axiom. Nothing against Paradigm, but this guy at Audiotronic really turned me off his store. Oh well... back to those who pride themselves on service.
Categories
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My Reading
- Video: Whistler Trail Riding
- Ladd Mitchell and Miles Parkhill (ex-Park) announce Tiger Tank
- Colour zap
- Lower priced Airborne Bicycles for 2012? Hells Yeah!
- Momi, I want one too!!!
- Reeder for Chrome Transforms Google Reader into a Clean Feed Reading Experience [Chrome Extensions]
- Keep Microwave-Reheated Pizza Crispy with a Sheet of Parchment Paper [Food Hacks]
- DC passes Marvel in comic sales
- 29 global banks deemed 'too big to fail'
- Photo
My Listening
Comments
- Tom Saunders on Questrade: Companies that don’t understand the internet
- Brett on Questrade: Companies that don’t understand the internet
- Mark on Questrade: Companies that don’t understand the internet
- Maggie on Questrade: Companies that don’t understand the internet
- Steve on My iPad Killer App – Video Player
- Don W on FUCK YOU KIJIJI!
- The Langer Group on The Shoetiful Disaster
- matt on The Student Loan Interest Swindle: CRA Style
- Bree on Answering The Age Old Question: Dell u2711 or Apple iMac27
- fady on Where Did My Google Chrome Bookmarks Go?