Will.Not.COMPUTE

Simply Magical - Mageia 2

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:28:00 -0400

Well I’ve tried a few different Linux operating systems now, and I’ve had some time to work with Mageia’s latest release, 2.

I’m a GNOME nut, so I was extremely excited because I wanted a Linux distro that was nice and simple, and continued in the GNOME desktop. I won’t bore you, but GNOME3 is a major upgrade from GNOME2.x.

I enjoyed the changes to GNOME and that it actually blended in nicely to streamline my workflow better. The menus took some time to get adjusted to, but after diving in long enough, this actually gets easier as you use it. Everything has a learning curve, as long as its not a large one, anyone can learn it.

The included software covered 99% of what I use in my daily routine. A quick install of inkscape, Google Chrome and flash player, and I was ready to compute. If there was a piece of software you needed, Mageia has a large repository of software available to you at a simple click of the mouse.

Since this isn’t a Microsoft product, it does not include Internet Explorer as the default browser. Which is fine by me. The fact that I could get to tumblr, facebook, twitter, google and 10,000,000 other websites without a problem, was a sure sign that things are just as they were while I was in the Windows world. Everything looks the same in a web browser. No matter where you go, it’ll just work.

Not only web browsing, but also word processing. Mageia 2 comes with LibreOffice.org office suite. Which works relatively the same as 99.9% of all other word processing suites on the planet. Read more about my view on word processing software Here.

Now I’m no expert, but I enjoy taking pictures. I sometimes shoot pictures without thinking and when I look at the images on the computer I kind of wish I had squared up my shot better. Thus I needed a photo editing package.GIMP is also install automatically as well. So I could go straight to work on my images. Resize, recolor, retouch, you name it, it’ll do it. Maybe not with all the bells and whistles that Adobe’s Photoshop CS6 has, but it’ll do for my needs.

For more creative work, without the use of a camera, I like to use Inkscape. A great vector based graphic program that does remarkably well for creating any type of ‘art’ form you want.

Image from http://aquafugit.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2pnyuy

So far, everything works. Even updating the operating system is a snap. How much simpler could it be.

Using Mageia 2 with my tower and laptop showed no sign of incompatibility. Everything just worked. My Wifi was detected properly, video cards, ethernet ports, web cam, microphone and well, everything. All the usual sites I browse to on a daily basis work 100% the same as if I were on any other operating system. By far this operating system has, in my opinion, the best ‘out of the box’ experience. All of this available on one CD. Browse on over to Mageia.org and find out more! You’re going to be around on this planet longer then you think. Eventually you will learn to love your computer, what it can and will do for you in the future! ‘Til next time, have fun computing!

UPDATE: With the development of Mageia 2 underway, we will only...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:07:09 -0500

UPDATE: With the development of Mageia 2 underway, we will only be covering basic features of Mageia 1. Don’t worry, Mageia 2 is gearing up to be an amazing release!•••• We present our first Linux Distro review, Mageia 1. Stay tuned.

Exploring Excellent Free Software

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:43:00 -0500

Free is always good.. especially if you’re broke. This blog post is going out to all those starving artists, under funded graphic designers, new business entrepreneurs and the person that has decided that maybe their 10 year old computer needs replacing. I will be listing some of the best free software (in my opinion since I use these software packages on a daily basis). So lets begin.

LibreOffice.org 3.4.4
LibreOffice is a completely free Office package which rivals the proprietary Microsoft Office package. In my opinion, the computer back in the early 1980’s was used mainly as a replacement to the type writer. Its been well over 20 years since that time and honestly, the time of making money from creating software that is used to replace the typewriter has come and gone. Give it a rest. Why on earth are we still being charged for this? Thanks to the people that contribute to LibreOffice.org (including people that donate), we have a complete replacement for Microsoft’s Office.LibreOffice comes with everything you need. A word processor, a spreadsheet, presentation application, database, and countless other uses. Mainly I use LibreOffice Writer to do all my pre-blogging. To help combat against software piracy, LibreOffice is a great start. Its free, its compatible with Microsoft’s Word Document files making it even more seamless in migrating. Don’t wait, go download your copy and start working freely! http://www.libreoffice.org/download/

GIMP Image Manipulation Software 2.6.11
Drawing is a great creative talent, and what better then saving the planet by not using paper to doodle on. GIMP is a very powerful image software that allows artists, photographers and graphic designers to create images for free. This has got to be one of my favourite applications for it allows me to freely create my images, or edit them, and save them in a wide range of formats. From simple stick-men drawings to digital photographs, GIMP is ready for the job. When put up beside MS Paint theres no comparison when it comes to its ability to leave the competition behind. Download your copy and start drawing freely! http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

Inkscape Vector Graphic Software
Now for the more design creative artist, vector graphics are the way to go. Create amazing images and resize them without distortion. Vector art has become the standard when it comes to web development and advertising. Dive in, get your hands dirty. Inkscape has the power to unleash your potential! Download your copy and start designing freely! http://inkscape.org/download/?lang=en

Mozilla Firefox 9.0.1
Browsing the internet has become one of the biggest things home users do. From Facebook to Youtube, home users are doing more on the internet. With new services being provided such as Netflix, its no wonder that more people are using the internet to gain access to content. With sites like Wikipedia and Google, people are able to find everything with a few clicks. So why not use some of the best free software to do that? Mozilla’s Firefox is a secure and fast web browser that allows you do everything you normally do while browsing the internet, but with you, the user, in mind. Ultimately its your choice what browser you use, but why only use one when there are several out there for free. As they may run faster then the browser your operating system came with. Download your copy and start browsing freely! http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Mozilla Thunderbird 9.0.1
With the invention of email, we’ve lowered our dependency on regular postal service when it comes to writing to your ‘pen pals’. Sometimes getting hundreds of letters every week. What is one to do when it comes to organizing, filtering and scheduling your messages? Mozilla’s Thunderbird is a great option. It gives you the ability to have your email in one central location no matter what your current email provider is, you can have it setup in Thunderbird. Have multiple email addresses? Not a problem. Thunderbird and handle everything for you! Sort incoming email into folders, so that the next time you get an email from grandma, you’ll have all her letters sitting in a folder waiting for you to read. Or maybe just to add a bit of a personal touch with pictures and different text. Thunderbird is the postal software you’ve been waiting for. Download your copy and start sending email freely! http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/

XBMC – Bringing you digital media
XBMC is a brilliant media centre program to bring all your digital media in one place. This software is designed to allow the user to enjoy their digital content from their couch. With easy to control navigation, all digital media (online or offline) can be viewed from this one central location. The next time you want to watch some of your downloaded digital content, why not try it in a digital movie theatre. With multiple skins available, you can easily change the user interface to your tastes. This is one of the best programs for viewing content I have seen in a very long time. Go ahead, start viewing your digital media freely! http://xbmc.org/download/

Linux – Pick your flavor
Now that you’ve seen all this software that can easily be used for your everyday things, why not make the switch to a new operating system that is also free. Every software package that I have mentioned above is available for Linux. So there is no need to feel the dependency of your current operating system any longer. Linux is built for you, the human being. Each human uses their computer different then another human being. Thus Linux has multiple types of operating systems available for all walks of life on this planet. Just to list a few;

Mageia - http://www.mageia.org/

Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/

Fedora - http://fedoraproject.org/en/

Mandriva - http://www.mandriva.com/en/linux/overview/

Linux Mint - http://linuxmint.com/

Debian - http://www.debian.org/

OpenSUSE - http://www.opensuse.org/en/

Slackware - http://www.slackware.com/

PCLinuxOS - http://www.pclinuxos.com/

PuppyLinux - http://www.puppylinux.com/

ZorinOS - http://www.zorin-os.com/

All of these operating systems are different. They look and feel different. But under the hood, they are all built upon the Linux kernel. Being free, you can download and try them, without even changing your current operating system on your hard drive. Wha?? Thats right, you can drop the disc in and try Linux right from the CD/DVD. You can have a ‘test ride’ if you want. This is a great way to find out if the operating system will work flawlessly with your machine or not. Most of the time, Linux will recognize your hardware and configure it without you needing to provide any drivers. Thats a switch from other ‘proprietary’ operating system that you are use to. The time has finally come for you to explore the completely free computing world. From this angle, the world looks a whole lot sweeter! Download any of the Linux operating systems above and get started using Linux. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much fun it is to see the world from a completely free perspective.

Your machine will not live forever

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:22:00 -0500

From the smallest thing as a light bulb to your computer, we depend on these devices to work. A bulb to give us light and a computer to allow us to connect to the world of information. Simply put, when a light bulb blows, the first thing that comes to mind is, “well, time to replace it.” Rather, the first thing that should come into our minds is, “Why did it blow out?” Basically.. after turning it on and off the stress is just too much for the bulb to continue. Thus, POP! No matter what you do, its going to die. This type of scenario can also be applied to your lovely computer.

Computers, just like your car, require a certain amount of maintenance. But no matter how much work you put into your vehicles maintenance, it will one day, sooner or later, fail to work. According to senior editor at cnet.com, Matt Elliot enlightens us with his opinion that “Your computer will need to be replaced more frequently than any of the peripherals you attach to it.” “A typical PC should give you 3 to 5 years of good use before you need to look for a replacement or upgrades.”
For typical computer use such as email, internet browsing, word processing or business users, this assessment is, in my opinion, completely accurate. Like your vehicle, it will need some replacement parts. A new head gasket or a completely new transmission.
So using Elliot’s insight, if your computer was purchased prior to 2006, you’re machine has lived it’s life. The first thing you should do is immediately start backing up everything that is on your computer. If you have any important files or documents on your computer, now is the time to save them while you still can.

Next, you might as well prepare for a computer failure. Begin searching your closet for your original boxes that came with your computer. The motherboard is essentially your computer. If you have your original motherboard box pack it up along with the containing manual to your local qualified computer store technician. The manual is key in order to help the technician identify your computers hardware.Don’t get me wrong. I have owned computers that have lasted longer then 5 years, but that was only due to continuous maintenance. Cleaning out dust bunnies, scrubbing and removing build up on fans (which can be disgusting I might add) and making sure that my power supply is providing the proper voltages.
I have to express my personal feelings when it comes to computing. If you expect your computer to perform flawlessly you will have to put the work into keeping it running smoothly. If you feel that you don’t have the ability to do this, then I recommend taking your computer to your local qualified computer store technician to make sure these preventative maintenance steps are completed on your machine. Just like your vehicles require new tires, oil changes, and top up of all fluids, then you will have to treat your computer with the exact same respect. If you rely on your computer on a daily basis, then you will have to invest in your machine. If you’ve owned your machine for over a year, you may want to consider doing some upgrades. Either upgrading your memory, your CPU or a new video card. With new upgrades comes new responsibilities. When you upgrade you must make sure that your power supply is providing adequate voltage.

Temperature is another issue. If you store your vehicle in a barn or out in the elements, you will have to treat your computer or at least expect that the elements will begin to attack your car. Rust checking, break line checks and all other sorts of issues are needed before you decide to use it. If you store your computer in a very poorly ventilated area, then prepare for some maintenance. Computers work the best at lower temperatures because the components in the machine create heat. Heat + Your PC = DESASTER. Keeping air intakes and exhaust fans clear so that air flow is now obstructed is key to making sure your computer doesn’t “cook.” I understand that some of the computers back in the early years of 2000 may have cost you well over $1500. This is no longer the case. It is now 2012, and replacing PC components is a much smaller investment. Back in 2000, there weren’t as many computers per household. As more and more Canadians turn to online sources of entertainment, information, news and gaming, the decline in price for these computers drops. Replacing a motherboard/CPU/RAM (essentially your computer) can cost you as little as $300. This is quite different from when I can remember a new motherboard alone costing well over $300. Don’t take my word for it though. These pricing margins may be different depending on your global position. I can only go by what I know in my area of the great white north.

To bring this to an end, computers quickly get dated. As new hardware gets developed and new advancements in hardware capabilities, computers quickly become outdated by the latest and greatest. Back in the early 1990’s computer advancements didn’t happen as frequently as they do today. Within 2 years we’ve seen quad core, six core, and now eight core CPUs. The amount of work and effort being put into producing the next big product helps keep computer costs down. But if you hang onto your computer too long and then decide to upgrade, you may find that upgrading your machine may cost you more due to the fact that the hardware components used in your computer are no longer in demand or may not even be manufactured any longer. If you use your computer daily and rely on it more then you rely on the weather, then I suggest keeping on top with computer technology advancements. Go visit your local qualified computer store and ask “Whats new?” or better yet, “Whats coming in 6-12 months in computing?” If you get, “I don’t really know,” as an answer, then search out a different computer store. Computer gurus are always informed. They live for this stuff.

What do you mean its GONE?

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

People do more with their computers then they did 20 years ago. We largely don’t use the postal service for sending letters to people of great distances. We may send greeting cards or wedding invitations to people, but when it comes to saying, “Hi! How are things?”, we use e-mail.

People had camera’s 20 years ago too, but back then there were no memory cards that stored massive amounts of photographs, you had to make your total 24/36 shots count. Good old film days. Once you were done shooting you couldn’t check your shot, you had to wait until your entire roll of film was going to be developed. Now we can store our shots on memory cards, view them as we take them, and be able to delete any that we want. If we wanted to print them, we don’t have to send the roll to get printed, we can print our own.

But when it comes down to it, we still have one thing that hasn’t been covered. We always stored our special letters, photo negatives and prints in a special and ‘safe’ place. When it comes to e-mail, backing up email never comes into mind. Same goes for the photographs of special moments. The first week of your new born for example. If you don’t have a backup of these digital photographs you might as well be throwing those timeless photographs that you have in your album, into a shoebox on the front step of your home for the elements of nature to attack it.

I hate hearing how someones computer suffered from a hard drive crash and loose all their important photographs. Some may even have 100,000 of images over the past years (almost everyone owns a digital camera and can carry them anywhere.) Or the business accounting computer has a massive failure, and all records have been completely lost for the past 5 years. That could completely destroy a business.

The good news of this doom and gloom? Backing up your data is easy as 2 clicks. All you need is a place to store it. The easiest, and probably the most available item to use is a USB flash drive. If you have a large collection of photographs that, if printed, would fill the Federal Reserve vault, then you may want to consider an external hard drive to store your lifetime of memories on.

If you’re like me and you want to have everything backed up, (and I mean everything) having more then one external drive is a good idea. Storing them in a different location may also be a good plan. Maybe in your own vault or safe in the basement just in case of a house fire, you have your photos in a ‘safer’ location. For the ultra-paranoid, you could always use a safety deposit box and make an entire duplicate of your ‘backed up life’ then set that in a metal box down at your local bank. At least there is armed guards walking around protecting your stuff! Til next time, have fun, and explore!

Where is the line of difference?

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Where is it with users? Naming difference when put on the spot, takes a minute to click in with an answer, “Well I browse the internet, check my email, and my facebook.” Thats great.. what’s your point? Do you honestly think you can’t do that with Linux? Do you use Firefox or Google Chrome? If so, thats a good thing. because those exact programs are available for Linux as well.

A lot of people that have thae internet use the email address that they are assigned with from their internet service provider. For example.
Bell–yourname@sympatico.ca
Cogeco–yourname@cogeco.com/ca
Teksavvy–yourname@teksavvy.com

All of these email address use an email client such as Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, Outlook, or Thunderbird. Most people use the email client that comes with their computer. In WindowsXP’s case, the default email client is Outlook Express, Vista’s is Windows Mail. Windows 7 on the other hand, doesn’t come with one. You have to download and install your email client of choice, whether its a Microsoft’s or any other company. They leave it up to you to decide which one you want to use. Mozilla Thunderbird, Evolution, are both available for Linux. Mozilla Thuderbird is also available for Windows, for those that are thinking about moving to Windows 7.

“.. and my facebook.” Okay, I’m assuming you know how to browse the internet if you have a facebook account. Its a pretty clear hint. If you have a facebook account then you already have everything in Linux you need to do those tasks. You can access your wall just the same way as you did in Firefox or Google Chrome on Windows. Its just a browser, even a commodore Amiga has a web browser that can use facebook, and its over 15 years old.

Is that all? Well not really. Personally, there are reasons for Using Windows, just not the same ones as you perhaps. For example, ‘video gaming’. I love my games, and I’m currently hooked on Crysis 2. Amazing game btw. This game is not available for Linux. There are ways to get Windows games running on Linux, but at this point in time, games are designed for Windows first and foremost.

Other comments mainly from photographers are, “.. I use Photoshop.” Well you got me there. Natively, Linux does not run Photoshop. Like stated above, you can run Photoshop with WINE in Linux. But alas, this is not the point. We want native software that doesn’t require any tweaking, just drop in the CD and natively install where it should. Alternatively, if you want to use Photoshop-type software, there are native Linux programs. One popular application is called “GIMP”. Which is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. I know it doesn’t have half the power of Photoshop, but alas, this is free software, what do you really expect? To be able to keep up with the company that is getting paid a large amount of money for a piece of software? They have the resources needed to develop high quality software. Who couldn’t with that amount of funds?

The odd time people will state that they, “.. need Microsoft Office”. I have 2 questions to this statement. Did you buy your computer with Office TRIAL software installed, or did you purchase Microsoft Office? These are the only ways that you can get Microsoft Office on your PC. If you say that you got Microsoft Office from a friend that put it on your computer, congratulations, you just stole software. Do you honestly think programmers are doing this hard work just to watch you steal it? Its illegal and morally wrong. If you expect software to get better or improve in anyway, funds are required. Because developing quality software takes time. And time = money. If you need a program LIKE Microsoft Office, then there are programs available. LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org are 2 office suite packages. These are available on Windows, Mac and Linux machines. If you currently don’t have a paid version of Microsoft Office on your computer I highly recommend 2 things. Remove the illegal copy from your machine and purchase your own legal copy of Microsoft Office or you can donate towards OpenOffice.org or LibreOffice.org if you want to help fund quality software. Donating funds towards a software project that you enjoy is a great way to help development.

But ultimately the decision then turns to the ‘pros and cons’ of the operating system rather then the applications for the operating system. Don’t fool yourself, Windows isn’t perfect, and well, neither is Mac. And you guessed it, Linux isn’t any different. It ultimately comes down to the end-user and what he/she feels most comfortable with. If you find that using the Windows operating system is the only one for you, then that’s great! But then, have you used anything else instead of Windows for more then 5 minutes while you checked your email on your friends Mac or Linux machine? Learn everything. Try everything, and most of all, have fun doing it! Til next time, enjoy your computing experience!