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!
If you are responsible for a local computer network (even at home,) here’s a handy “net ticket” you can give to someone that disobeys the rules! I especially like the checkbox for “reckless cluelessness!”
Just the facts, ma’am!
Today is a real milestone. The big “5-0.” Yike! Half a century. Just thinking about it is weird. But, in many ways, I feel no different than I did at 18, or 20, or 30… etc. So, I guess 50 is OK. Beats the alternative!
It is official! Firefox 1.5 is out… go download it and use it, immediately! The Firefox Browser just keeps getting better and better! They also have a new web site:
Firefox rocks! Tabbed browsing, safety on the net and very fast!
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Dr. Bill Podcast – 12 – (11/27/05)
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The audio on this one is BAD! I had microphone pre-amp problems… I will try and get it fixed this week!
Show Notes:
Microphone problems and moving issues, hint: label your transformers to match your equipment, transformer melt down, forgive my shouting, Bill Gates attempts to call Open Source “communist”, the FBI, Sex tapes and attachments, don’t click on attachments, Microsoft is willing to lie to “dis” Linux, 71% of the web server market is Linux, Xbox 360 is out and it is crashing, doctors “pushing drugs” and “Big Pharma”, cholesterol level targets changing to suit drug companies, audio from “The Drugs I Need” cartoon, stay off drugs, Microsoft anti-spyware and the Sony DRM Rootkit, Geek Software of the Week: MP3myMP3, record anything that your computer can play and locate all audio files!
There are many excellent benefits that can be derived from natural substances like herbs and fruits. We have known for some time that cranberries can prevent urinary tract infections, now, scientists have found that cranberries can also prevent tooth decay!
Cranberries Prevent Tooth Decay
The scientists found a compound in the fruit can stop bacteria from clinging to the teeth, blocking the formation of damaging plaque deposits. Also, the cranberry compound appeared to block bacterial enzymes that play a key role in plaque formation. I think it is great that so many natural substances have the benefits to our health that they do… it seems that our Creator has many natural means to help us protect our health… naturally!
So, you like Internet Radio, Streaming Podcasts, Internet Music, etc., etc. You REALLY wish you could record it. Well, now you can! If you can hear it on your system, you can now record it as an MP3 file! Very cool! And, of course, very FREE!
Download, install, and enjoy the freedom of recording the audio on your computer! Oh, you can also use it to search for, and find, any audio file on your computer. Very nice!
I’ll admit, I’ve been on an “Anti-Microsoft” binge of late… sigh! However, I bring out good things when they do them as well. Given that the success of Windows, and it’s lack of security overall has made Spyware so big a problem… it is only fair that they (M$) would release a new, improved version of their Anti-Spyware beta release. Here’s some info on that release:
Be sure to read the comments about it as well. Interesting! This release also removes the very EVIL Sony DRM Rootkit. Nice touch!
As a Certified Natural Health Professional, I get REALLY irritated by the drug commercials on TV! They drive me nuts. They usually go something like, “You know you need our drug, you have some symptoms, we won’t tell you what they are, or what our drug will do… but take it! You’ll feel better, and so will we! After all, if you don’t bug your doctor to get him (or her) to prescribe it for you, how will we make the tons of money we make?” OK, something like that. Anyway, apparently, I am not the only one, check this out:
Cartoon: The Drugs I Need!
Listen to the “disclaimerâ€? at the end carefully! It is a hoot! This is also a serious reminder about how the “Big Pharma” companies are partnering with doctors (most, I choose to believe, without their knowing they are party to it) to foist tons of medications on an already overly medicated United States!
Why do I say, “typically?” Well, when it works, it is pretty nice… nice interface, pretty images… but as with everything else M$, it isn’t rock-solid dependable! You’ve heard of the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) on Windows systems… here are screen shots of the equivalent on the new, much hyped, Xbox 360:
After all the lead-up to the Xbox 360 release, one would think that they would have tried to make it less prone to crashing! Oh, yes! It is not a bug, it is a feature!
As the author says, “Another day, another lame attempt by Microsoft to show that Windows is better than Linux.” Of course we know, it is not! However, that doesn’t stop M$ from pulling out the stops to lie about it!
Opinion: New Linux study suggests fundamental Microsoft credibility problems
Read this article carefully. Bottom line: If M$ is willing to skew the data this much, what does it say about their belief in their own product?!? There is a reason that Netcraft says (as of today) that Linux has 70.98% of the Web server market. That is out of 74,572,794 sites that reported. Dewd! The numbers tell the story. Webmasters know who to trust. After all, you want your Web server up at ALL times!
By the way, I am (of course) running CentOS Linux on all my web servers at Dr. Bill Bailey.NET. Word.