Dr. Bill | The Computer Curmudgeon
Join Dr. Bill as he examines the wild and wacky world of the web, computers, and all things geeky! Hot Tech Tips, Tech News, and Geek Culture are examined… with plenty of good humor as well!
You wanted to see it, you were curious… and now… viola! Here it is! And, a nifty article in ARS Technica details the changes we must now get used to. Sigh.
First look at Windows 7’s User Interface
So, there you go!
Not to be outdone, Adobe has released Flash 10 on the heals of Microsoft’s new version of Silverlight!
Adobe launches ‘Astro,’ Flash Player 10
“Today, Adobe has launched Flash Player 10 after nearly six months in public beta, the day after Microsoft released Silverlight 2, Flash’s most high-profile competitor. Adobe’s Flash release has been timed more to accompany Creative Suite 4 — also officially available today — than to follow Silverlight. As John Dowdell of Adobe says, Flash is already ‘the world’s runtime.’ Flash Player 10 offers native 3D object support, and rich text layout support with features especially designed for bi-directional and right-to-left written languages. There is also support for Adobe’s Pixel Bender custom filter technology, which was previously a fixture of Adobe After Effects. With Pixel Bender, custom effects can be parameterized to animate at runtime.”
Yep… it exists. Got a Mac? Need to view Silverlight content? Check out the link below:
Silverlight Plug-in for the Macintosh (OS/X)
“Microsoft Silverlight (formerly WPF/E) is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs) for the Web. It is intended for developers and designers interested in learning more about how to build experiences with Microsoft Silverlight.”
Released today… and, completely awesome! Take that, Evil Empire!
The site has been overwhelmed by the demand… so, if you have to keep trying, hang in there! It really IS worth it!
It’s almost here… and you will get it (the upgrade) auto-magically. (I’m not sure if that is good, or not!)
Final Silverlight 2.0 to ship tomorrow
“In a teleconference today, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Scott Guthrie told the press that the company’s 2.0 version of Silverlight will be ready to ship tomorrow, October 14. Windows users who have already downloaded and deployed Silverlight 1.0, or any of the betas of Silverlight 1.1/2.0, could very well wake up tomorrow to find their platforms have been automatically upgraded, as the platform is capable of silently upgrading itself using the WSUS service. Brian Goldfarb, who directs the Developer Platform Group, also added that a number of Silverlight-related projects will be launched for the open source community. Most interestingly, a community technology preview is being released of a development environment that will bridge Silverlight 2.0 with the Eclipse environment. This CTP will include an IDE that enables XAML editing and C# authoring within Eclipse.”
This week we have a better interface for the start menu in Vista! As you know, Vista is a dog with fleas, and sticks! But, other than that, if you are stuck with it, there is hope for the ugly, stupid start menu! A guy has written a better start menu than Microsoft (sad, isn’t it?!) Anyway, check it out!
“Vista Start Menu is the convenient alternative to the plain Start menu you find in Windows XP and Windows Vista. The program uses your cognitive abilities (visual memory, reflexes,etc.); however, while it is easily understandable for beginners, it is also highly efficient for experienced users. Go ahead and try replacing your Start menu right now! It is safe because Vista Start Menu does not change your system settings, thus making it easy to install, as well as simple to remove. Each detail in Vista Start Menu is well thought-out and the program will allow you to accomplish all your tasks with ease and comfort. Vista Start Menu was designed specifically to make it possible for users to quickly access any information simply by using the keyboard or the mouse. Enable the unique feature called “one-click launch” and customize your menu the way you like it by getting the PRO version.”
Check out the demo for more information:
That’s what some scientists are saying may be in the offing! Turning Carbon Dioxide into fuels! Now, THAT would rock!
Turning carbon dioxide into fuel
CNN – “Carbon Sciences believe they have made a breakthrough with their technology, which they say can transform CO2 back into basic fuel building blocks efficiently. Their biocatalytic process converts CO2 into basic hydrocarbons – C1 (methane) C2 (ethane) and C3 (propane) — which can then be utilized to make higher-grade fuels like gasoline and jet fuel. ‘We are very excited by what we’ve seen in the lab. We’ve had some promising results,’ Derek McLeish, President and CEO of the Santa Barbara-based company, told CNN. By employing biocatalysis — using natural catalysts to perform chemical reactions — Carbon Sciences hope to bypass the problem of inefficient energy ratios which can render many CO2 recycling projects pointless.”
OK, I am all for NOT using babies for stem cell research… fer sure! But, NOW they are saying that men’s testicles are a possible source for stem cells. Ah… no! I am NOT contributing!
Stem cells from testicles an option to embryos
“Cells taken from men’s testicles seem as versatile as the stem cells derived from embryos, researchers reported Wednesday in what may be yet another new approach in a burgeoning scientific field. The new type of stem cells could be useful for growing personalized replacement tissues, according to a study in Thursday’s issue of the journal Nature. But because of their source, their highest promise would apply to only half the world’s population: men. Embryonic stem cells can give rise to virtually any tissue in the body and scientists believe they may offer treatments for diseases like Parkinson’s and diabetes and for spinal cord injuries. The testicular cells avoid the ethical dilemma of embryonic stem cells, which are harvested in a process that destroys the embryos. For that reason, some people, including President Bush, oppose their use for ethical or religious reasons. ‘The advantage these cells have in comparison to embryonic stem cells is that there is no ethical problem with these cells and that they are natural,’ said study lead author Thomas Skutella, a professor at the Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine in Tuebingen, Germany. Using testicular cells isn’t the only promising method that avoids embryos; there have been impressive experiments in reprogramming ordinary body cells into stem cells by slipping certain genes into them. The new findings and the reprogrammed cells — which still have technical hurdles — ‘take some pressure off the stem cell issue,’ said White House science adviser Jack Marburger.”
Okaaay! Ouch.
Need to convert one video format to another for free? Check out FormatFactory!
FormatFactory is a multifunctional media converter.
Provides functions below:
All to MP4/3GP/MPG/AVI/WMV/FLV/SWF.
All to MP3//WMA/MMF/AMR/OGG/M4A/WAV.
All to JPG/BMP/PNG/TIF/ICO/….
Rip DVD to video file.
MP4 files support iPod/iPhone/PSP/BlackBerry format.
Source files support RMVB.
FormatFactory’s Feature:
1) support converting all popular video,audio,picture formats to others.
2) Repair damaged video and audio file.
3) Reducing Multimedia file size.
4) Support iphone,ipod multimedia file formats.
5) Picture converting supports Zoom,Rotate/Flip,tags.
6) DVD Ripper.
7) Supports 30 languages
OS requirements: All 32 windows OS
Cool! Ubuntu for the EEE mini-laptop! Check it out!
“Sporting a brand new interface, dozens of fixes, enhanced hardware support, and brand new support for the latest Eee models, Ubuntu Eee is better than ever. Check out the big improvements in Ubuntu Eee 8.04.1 and how they will make your mobile computing more productive than ever! Your Eee PC is not your typical laptop, so why should you use a typical laptop interface? The all-new Netbook Remix interface allows fast access to all your favorite programs all from one place. Never again will you have to hunt through menus to find what you need. Ubuntu Eee includes the latest greatest version of Firefox 3, designed to provide a faster, more secure web browsing experience to date. If you need more, a large collection of add-ons to fulfill about any need are freely available to download. Now OpenOffice, a free office software suite is included in Ubuntu Eee by default. Featuring compatibility with all major office software, you can get all your work done from just about anywhere you can work on your Eee. Improvements have been made across the board in supporting the Eee 701 series. Ubuntu Eee 8.04.1 now supports the 2G, 900, 901, 1000, and 1000H models, ensuring you’ll be supported no matter what Eee you choose.”