Mac On Stuff: How to run Windows XP under Ubuntu Dapper

So far I am linking the Linux setup of Ubuntu discussed in my previous entry, but haven't figured out if the GMail chat or some variation will work. So I thought I'd try to run WinXP within Linux (got the dual boot working, but wanted to see other alternatives).

I am going to try using wine, but if that fails I will be attempting to follow the steps below...


Mac On Stuff: How to run Windows XP under Ubuntu Dapper

Linux Ubuntu Dual Boot with XP

I decided to finally take the plunge into installing a Linux OS on my home PC. After reading a very good review from Ferdy Christant, on his success and how it seemed to be a pretty painless process, I decided to give it go. After a minor issue during the install ( batteries died on wireless mouse and I thought my system was completely unresponsive for 15 minutes and then decided to leave it for morning and left for work...), all went well and I been playing around with getting a few customizations done.

Don't quite have the room to do the same dual boot on my lap top, but depending on how much I use it here, I may be persuaded to continue.

Audio encoder freeware

I was searching around for a basic audio encoder that would easily reduce the file size of my mp3 to better fit on my player.

The software below is a very simple one to use to get the job done.

dBpowerAmp, "dBpowerAmp"

I found it original from this site:
topfreeware.net

Tango Desktop Project - Tango Desktop Project

Being somewhat artistically challenged when designing certain portions of my development work I thought that this looked like another good resource for content guidelines.


Tango Desktop Project - Tango Desktop Project

nsftools - Lotus Notes and Domino Tips

One of the techniques I've been using to pass around location documents was to have the document created beforehand and feed the content from a store in form document that is emailed. In Julian's article below, this may be a much more simple process (or at least one that will allow quicker customizations in the future without having to store so many new copies) . I'll have to post a more detailed review of this if/when I use it....

nsftools - Lotus Notes and Domino Tips: "Append a Button to a Rich Text Field"

Downloads

Downloads

A site for some interesting Notes Applications source code.

Windows XP - Troubleshoot/fix shutdown, restart and startup problems

Being just a little bit of a computer geek, I am sometimes called upon to help diagnose (and fix) some pc problems. While surfing around for some answers I found the following site that looks promising to give some quick and concise description on how to correct certain items.

Windows XP - Troubleshoot/fix shutdown, restart and startup problems: "Windows XP : How to Troubleshoot and Fix Shutdown, Restart (Reboot), and Startup Problems"

ZeroLogik: Debunking the Debunking of Mac's Self-Created Hype

So, I was just chatting/ emailing Joan about her new MacBook and happened across the following discussion about the PC vs. Mac commercials. (OK, the closest thing I've ever owned even remotely related to a Mac was my first pc Apple IIc, and aside from some very occasional testing for work, I haven't used a Mac since the square boxes I had back in college....long ago when they were still only called Macintosh).

I am by far no expert to lend an opinion on the hardware, but I do like the style of the commercials, which makes this article linked below interesting to read.

ZeroLogik: Debunking the Debunking of Mac's Self-Created Hype

Why I like Firefox...

I was having a conversation last week about several websites and the topic came up about browsers. I started to explain why I enjoyed Firefox and listed off a few add-ons I liked and then came to realize that there were many I missed. So I thought I'd write a post to list out those add-ons I use regularly and some that I thought would be cool to use if I ever got more into it. But that is part of the Firefox experience there are those add-ons that are so natural that they are just there.

So here's list of add-ons in no particular order (whatever I happen to notice or recall first):
(update 04/06/07 adding links...)

• Forecast Fox - turn on the looping radar , large size very cool (by default its static and small)
• Adblock (Plus) - turn off all those annoying banners
  
• Fasterfox - to me its just just a cool icon in the tray, I haven't really noticed much with the broadband hook up, but still would recommend trying it
• Session Manager - the native version of Firefox has supposedly its gotten better in the recently release, but I still use the add on - I like the restore an accidentally closed tab.
  
• Unplug - get the attachment, embedded object, picture, PDF, ...off the page
• All in One Sidebar - with all those add-ons it helps to keep them organized
• Cool-Iris - preview a page in hover call out...latest update to use graphic to hover over very helpful
  
• Smiley Xtra ( ok I like adding smiley every now and then...there are some really fun ones out there )
• Mapthis - highlight any text address ( haven't tried places like albany airport, disney world, eiffle tower, grand canyon, but think that they might...on any website, right click and chose map this and in another window appears a google map of the area
• Dictionary Tool tip - double click word for meaning
• Temporary Inbox - get rid of spam by using temporary addresses
  

For a few that I tried but don't use that often here are my honorable mentions:

• Speak it - read any text in the browser
• View Source Chart - tech gadget for developers
• Measure it - another developer tool to get the pixel size
  
• Tab Mix plus
• Image Zoom & Mouse Zoom - one of these worked well on desktop but not with touch pad of laptop so I don't use it as often

Things that I think are Firefox alone that are nice:

• Tabbed browsing (Yes, IE7 has it now, but it was in Lotus first then Firefox...Opera somewhere in there...and then IE). I like the way you add new tabs by clicking around (almost anywhere depending on how you set it up in your preferences...this does not appear to have same flexibility in IE)
• the search bar add ons to use different sites: google, wikipedia, webster, even shopping, many others to add in
  
• skins, skins, skins....fusion alternative is my current favorite
  

Good Tips & Advice from the Sys Admin Newsletter February 2007 - LotusUserGroup.org

From the SYS ADMIN TIPS NEWSLETTER PRESENTED BY LOTUSUSERGROUP.ORG...

Podcast about the problems with DST:
http://www.idonotes.com/IdoNotes/IdoNotes.nsf/dx/02122007124126PMCMIPTG.htm
(I need to listen to this one yet...) While I don't expect to have to directly handle any issues from it, I'll need to be informed as to how other's are dealing with it.

Past Articles here.

CANDID TALK ABOUT LOTUS CONNECTIONS

As IBM has been running this software internally for some time, IBM
has brought all the hype about Web 2.0 capabilities and the future of
combining enterprise employee information, together in this new
software release. Lotus Connections, according to marketing
statements, is social software that creates a dynamic network of
employees, partners and customers to help execute decisions quicker.
Not to be confused with Lotus Quickr, of course.

Here is what I take away from my podcast with Alan Lepofsky while at
Lotusphere 2007
() and all the information I have read. The idea is not
revolutionary for the consumer market space, but hard to implement for
the enterprise space. Forgetting hardware or installation needs, read
as I type about the implementation and acceptance of each of the
areas.

Profiles: A keen area where people can actually enter information, not
only professionally, but personally. It becomes an online living
resume of sorts, allowing people to reach the right person that has
skills in certain areas. While some of this can be drawn from HR
systems, most of the information will be missing or in paper form,
like certifications. It will be up to the individual, unmonitored, to
enter information about themselves into the profiles. Getting the
people to fill it out correctly will be the effort. While people
spill life stories onto MySpace and other personal networking sites,
work smarts seem to fall under Knowledge Capital.

Communities: Now this caught my eye. Bringing together people based
on area of interest from within the enterprise. Interaction is based
on email, Sametime, Dogears and even Activities. This is the move
that companies have been trying to make for years with such things as
Portal and discussion databases. Implement awareness with Activities
and the social bookmarking (that I talk about in a moment) and you
have an amazing opportunity. Having said some glowing comment, I
found only one negative at this point. I know people are overwhelmed
with information at this time and are over subscribed with RSS feeds
and websites to visit. The tendency here is to join every community
that you have interest in. Information overload in the extreme.

Blogs: There is not much here to say. Blogs are everywhere and it
pushed those that don't blog yet to start. I think that getting good
information and a schedule for posting is just as important as saying
you have a blog. A good side is that this can be an internal only
blog that is not publicly visible, a huge selling point for
executives.

Dogear: Ever wanted others to see your links and have to mail them?
This lets you start sharing important links with others that can then
learn from the items you read. Dogears are folded into Communities to
have sharing based strictly on a defined topic. This also allows you
to share only what you think others will wish to see and not every
bookmark you may have. I would like to see this as a Google Marker
type popup for ease of entering.

Activities: A dashboard to track a project or task that needs to be
completed. Wrapped inside are chats, emails, webpage links and loose
documents. Templates can be made for specific types of activity
areas. I haven't played with this as much as I would like so I am
hesitant to make any overall comments. Outside of the tests I did, it
shows great promise for collaboration.

So, there is the small overview. Look for expanded coverage of my
thoughts in my blog at http://www.IdoNotes.com.


VIRTUAL USER GROUP MEETING PRESENTATION AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

If you missed our Virtual User Group Meeting on January 10th, don't
fret. You can still download Rob Wunderlich's presentation on
mobilizing your Notes. The download is free for members

Here's the outline of the presentation. You can download it here.


Introduction
* Demo: Get your Notes mail to your handheld
* How do you enable the mobile workforce?
Mail / calendar / contacts
Browser access from mobile devices for key applications, not
as easy as it sounds
Syncing 'custom' applications
* The Market
* Demos
* Keeping the CIO happy
* Rolling out the project
* How do you 'future-proof' your organization's mobile initiatives
* Where to go from here
* Resources for you check out
* LUG moderated topic forum