Dell knows what its customers want. It knows that while most of its consumer and business customers are happy to run Windows Vista on their new desktops, notebooks and workstations, others are not. So, despite Microsoft’s announced phase-out of Windows XP, with the sale of most new licenses ending after June 30, 2008, Dell has […]
The inventor of TeX doesn’t believe in designing code for reuse. The man known for his incredible compilation of algorithms, “The Art of Computer Programming,” isn’t a fan of multicore development. Donald Knuth is a computer scientist’s computer scientist. Nothing compares to the TAOCP, the first three volumes of which occupy a place of pride […]
Microsoft officially released Windows XP Service Pack 3 to manufacturing, and according to the company, it’s going to available on the Web on Tuesday, April 29. It’s been about four years since Windows XP SP2 came out. What does the new version have? According to a Microsoft white paper, “Overview of Windows XP Service Pack […]
Microsoft has long insisted that it would stop selling new retail and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) licenses of Windows XP after June 30, 2008. Sure, some consumers and business customers said that they’d like to be able to keep buying new PCs running Windows XP. Yes, Galen Gruman and the folks at InfoWorld began a […]
It’s sure nice of the former governor of the Delta State in Nigeria to write me offering to bring me all this profit. Yet somehow, I doubt that it’s really Chief James Ibori writing to one of our info@ email accounts. Subject: LETTER OF INTENT! Goodday , I am looking for your cooperation in building […]
Shelton, Conn., April 22, 2008 — Systems Management News has applied for business publication membership in BPA Worldwide. The magazine is published by BZ Media LLC (Huntington, N.Y.). BPA Worldwide will track circulation for Systems Management News based on business/distribution, demographics and geographic coverage. The magazine will have 12 months to complete its initial circulation […]
Here I am at STPCon, the Software Test & Performance Conference, and we’re shooting great video with a $140 video camera. I purchased the Flip Ultra video camera in January, after I asked a friend of mine – a professional videographer – what I should buy. I’m not good at video, not by any standard, […]
Two of my computing devices have built-in card readers, and that’s great. My Fujitsu LifeBook T4010 tablet computer has a built-in SD Card reader, which is handy when I’m using my Canon S2 IS digital camera. My big 30″ Dell monitor not only has a very handy USB hub, but also has an multi-port card […]
There are many wonderful children’s books written to help young people deal with terrible things in their lives. Books help kids cope with the loss of a loved one, such a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend. Books help children understand cancer and strokes. Books helps kids relate to the handicapped, or to the loss of a […]
Bet you thought that Europeans were savvy, sophisticated and civilized. Well, going by a recent decision by the European Commission, they’re not. As reported by BBC News, Mobile phone calls will be allowed on planes flying in European airspace under new European Commission rules. The decision means that mobiles could be used once a plane […]
The old wartime expression was, “Loose lips sink ships.” Should a modern-day equivalent be, “Loose lips sink networks?” InfoSecurity Europe today issued a press release that says, A survey by Infosecurity Europe of 576 office workers have found that women far more likely to give away their passwords to total strangers than their male counterparts, […]
Today is the official launch of Systems Management News, the newest print-and-online publication from BZ Media. How can you help us celebrate? I so glad you asked! • Download the premiere 4/15/2008 issue as a PDF. • Visit and explore our great Web site, SysManNews.com. • Subscribe to the twice-monthly newpaper; it’s free to qualified […]
Today’s treat from the post office box: a seven-wheel Encrypta cryptex, courtesy of SanDisk. SanDisk is showing encrypted USB keys at Interop, and wanted to meet with me to see them. If I get a chance, I’ll swing by. As I wrote a couple of months ago in “Keep an eye on those flash drives […]
I always chuckle when rereading the “Top Secret Leopard Features Unleashed!” post from Roughly Drafted. I even have it bookmarked. Written in August 2006 — a year before Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard came out — it details some of the great features that should be included with the forthcoming version. About 1/3 of the […]
The Russian word, Tsar, is loosely translated as “Emperor,” but comes from the old Latin word Caesar. Sometimes, Tsar is spelled Tzar. More rarely, it’s Czar. In the United States, arguably the most famous tsars are from Russia. Tsar Peter the Great. Tsar Nicholas II. Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Tsaritsa Catherine the Great. Few Americans, […]
They did it! Kudos to Dave, Mara, Dan, Alex, Michelle, Jeff, Catherine, Brenner, Michele and the entire Systems Management News gang: The debut April 15, 2008, issue of the newspaper shipped to the printer on Monday. Ya-hoo! We’ve got launch! And that’s not all. Yesterday, we sent out the first issue of Systems Management Week, […]
I was chatting with my colleague Ted Bahr about Time Machine, the backup software included with Mac OS X 10.5.2 “Leopard.” Ted is a multi-platform guy. He uses an iMac at home, but in the office, he has an ancient Dell laptop running Windows XP. Although he likes the Mac, he’s far from passionate about […]
There aren’t hanging chads, but there’s something fishy about the just-completed standards vote for OOXML. Microsoft, creator of the Office Open XML file formats, pulled out all the stops in order to win OOXML’s approval as an ISO/IEC standard. It succeeded. However, the bitter struggle leaves behind a bad taste. The question is, did Microsoft […]
BZ Media’s columnist-about-town, I.B. Phoolen, is back with two stories. The first is in SD Times, and the second is in Software Test & Performance Magazine. Read I.B.’s blog for the story links and descriptions. Z Trek Copyright (c) Alan Zeichick
Quark recommends that modern Mac users run the latest version of QuarkXPress 7.x with Intel-based Macs using Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard.” However, it’s my experience that you can run Quark 6.52 on those machines with very few problems.Yes, some features don’t work correctly. However, most do work right. This is good news if you’re […]
Here’s a collection of tips for using Time Machine, the backup software built into Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard.” These are random tips, which answer questions that I had, or which people asked me. I found the answers from by trial-and-error, searching Apple’s limited documentation, or finding other stuff on the Internet. 1. When you […]
I had the honor of returning as a judge for this year’s Eclipse Community Awards, presented last week at EclipseCon. (I also judged the awards in 2006 and 2007). This is one of my favorite awards to judge, although it’s not easy to determine the winners. The quality of the Eclipse-based tools and technologies gets […]
In early December, we launched a social network for former employees of Miller Freeman. That is, everyone who had worked at Miller Freeman Publications or Miller Freeman Inc. (including companies that merged into it, like Gralla) up through Miller Freeman’s absorption into CMP in mid-1999. Like the universe after the Big Bang, growth was astronomical […]
It’s been a challenge, thinking of the best way to eulogize Arthur C. Clarke. It is doubly difficult because I’ve never met him, and because so many other sources have done such a tremendous job that there’s little to add. (One that you might not have seen is from the International Telecommunications Union.) Instead, I’ll […]
We stumbled across Spiegel im Spiegel a few days ago… we were listening to KDFC, our local classical music station, when this beautiful, repetitive, hypnotic piano-and-violin piece came on. We were entranced. It was like listening to the Pachelbel Canon for the first time, only even more relaxing. That’s where KDFC’s “What Was That Piece” […]
When I was a young kid, an avid science-fiction reader and budding scientist, my superheroes were Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan. I revered their craft and their biographies — all three were genuine scientists as well as brilliant writers. My initial academic goal, of becoming an astronomer, was largely due to my […]
Every quarter, the Eclipse Foundation has a Member Meeting. This quarter’s meeting took place at EclipseCon on Monday, from 1:30-6:00 pm. The most eagerly anticipated presentation of the member meeting is the report from the Foundation’s director, Mike Milinkovich. As usual, Mike didn’t disappoint. Mike (pictured in photo from anniejay) highlighted the continued growth of […]
Sometimes a press release is too cute not to share, especially when it comes with an adorable photo. This just in: Here’s an idea for last-minute Easter related coverage. For parents searching for an alternative to the traditional Easter basket, Saitek suggests its version of the Easter basket which includes the colorful Notebook Optical Mouse. […]
Think Services — the publishing company that puts out Dr. Dobb’s Journal — is taking the magazine to the next level. Last year, DDJ extended into Second Life. Now, it’s becoming a video game. With this new initiative, DDJ is continuing its tight marketing relationship with Microsoft. The game is being done in conjunction with […]
Our customer service department shares the comments that they receive from readers. I could appreciate one particular note which asked us to cancel a subscription to Software Test & Performance. Normally we don’t like cancellations, but you can’t fault this guy’s motivation. The subscriber wrote: I am fed up with the testing job, so don’t […]