Ok, how long has it been now? About a month and a half, right? Boy, am I sorry. However, I’m even sorrier to say it’s possibly going to be as much as another month ’till I can post again. See, I’m putting in A LOT of hours at the bakery, as we are short a manager there (even though my boss promised me that when we lost the first manager I would not be put in his place). So that doesn’t leave a lot of time for blogging, sadly. On the up side, I’ve made a lot of progress in other areas. As I mentioned in a previous post I’ve now made a nearly full move to Linux (Ubuntu Dapper Drake, to be precise). I only reboot to Windows to re-sync my iPod, and I’m nearly done with that once I get a couple of kinks with amaroK worked out. Now, let me tell you - if you’re not a hardcore gamer (a lot of games work on Linux, but not all), Linux can be a dream. I’ve got XGL and Compiz running, and it puts Vista to shame for eye candy.

I’ve got plenty of good programs in the form of open source stuff, and best? It’s all free. What do you all think about Linux? Has anyone else here tried it, and what kind of success did you have?

Ok, that’s it for now. I’ll post back ASAP. Thanks!

Microsoft launches Windows Live Writer, a new publishing tool for authoring rich blog posts on Windows Live Spaces, Wordpress, Typepad and other blogging services.

How many different languages can you say “Crap” in? I *JUST* move to Linux and Microsoft releases the best Blogging client I’ve yet come across. It supports all sorts of good stuff. Pics (either from file or URL), Maps (from the new, though somewhat cool Windows Live Map service) but to me the coolest part (apart from the interface which automatically shows what it looks like in your blog) is the fact that it AUTOMAGICLY figures out what the settings for my blog are. Yep. Just put in the blog URL (truevox.net), the username and password, and it figures it out for you! Frankly, I’m impressed. THIS is what other blogging clients need to figure out, it’s finally what a blog should be like.

Come on, Google, we need something like this!

EDIT: Though the screen cap above shows a map, I wasn’t able to upload it because Microsoft puts it into the blog as a standard pic hotmapped to their servers, and I don’t like to host pics on my servers ‘cuz I’m cheap and pay by the byte. But it DOES work (and well too!).

read more | digg story

And this time, it got enough diggs to make it to the front page! W00t! I am SO psyched about this. It might just get it the extra exposure it REALLY needs to go nova. Digg should provide plenty of eager beta testers, and honestly, the program runs great for where it is in it’s dev cycle.

Anyway, PLEASE DIGG IT!!! PLEASE! We need your support!

read more | digg story

UPDATE: There is another OFF centric story on Digg! Check it out:

Darknets are SO last century. Why not go Brightnet! Why break the law when you don’t have to. Hackers have found a way to share stuff without violating copyright.

read more | digg story

Have you ever had a REALLY pressing technical question? You know, the kind that Ask Metafilter likely would know the answer to but you NEED that answer now, not later? Then may I recomend to you a REALLY neat new Expert to User service called Qunu. Here’s how the service works (in their own words):

It’s an AMAZING service. It has singlehandedly gotten me able to use Linux (btw: I’m using Ubuntu now; posting from it THIS VERY MOMENT!!!). I’m just stunned at all the free, volentary help offered.

The service sets itself apart (in my opinion) by not having some propritary app sitting on the desktop (an app they would ether have to code for everything from Lunix to OS/2 to Windows and beyond, or write in Java). Instead they were smart enough to integrate with the Jabber network (just like our good friends Google)  so that an expert can just have their favorite Jabber friendly client open, and be ready to accept questions. COOL!

Check it out over at www.qunu.com. You won’t regret it.

Oh, and feel free to check this out and Digg it too, on Digg.com!

This is the COOLEST demonstration of how lax security is for many people. It’s a display at DEF CON that updates in real time as people check their email, or log into myspace (as you can see from the bottom of the pic) or what ever. If it’s not secured (I’d assume one way is to make sure you’re logging into an https:// secured site), then it should show up there.

Now tell me: How stupid would you feel appearing on that wall? I’m just supprised. It’s the biggest hacker convention around (or at least the most well known), these are the people who made the shirts that say “I read your email”, and STILL people log in unsecured. I’m just shocked.

If any of you out there ever go to DEF CON, and you have two computers, install Hamachi on both, leave one at home, turned on and connected to the internet, and take the other with you. You can then remote desktop into the one at home through Hamachi, and then surf securely knowing that everything going from you at DEF CON to your home is MASSIVLY encrypted.

For more information on security in general, may I suggest the ever popular podcast Security Now!

Thanks to ZDNet for the original pic, and the story.

And of course, feel free to Digg the Story