February 2007 Archives

There isn't actually a "Google Office" yet but Google now have so many different applications that put together they provide a suite of powerful tools.

This article provides links to several pages where a Google 'expert' discusses their use. 

In the post at the start of the week we mentioned Windows Vista - but Windows is not "the only game in town".

Apple Inc. have their Mac and its OSX system. While they are in many ways excellent - even superior devices - they still lock you in to their hardware and software DRM.

Linux - which has been around for quite a while - is a freely available and free alternative. Being free means there are quite a few groups working on their own versions. (Read more at Wikipedia.)

One currently very popular version is 'Ubuntu'.

Like most Linux systems it is also available on a CD/DVD that can be used to "boot" your computer. This allows you to try it out without needing to mess up your current system.

It is also relatively easy to set up your computer to "dual-boot" so that you can choose which Operating System to use when you switch on. 

Someone has created a graphic depicting the battle between Microsoft and everybody else.

Moderately interesting.

There has been a lot of publicity about Microsoft's new "operating system" - Vista.

Should you upgrade or not?

BBspot have produced a handy flowchart in PDF format to help you make the decision.
Having read that you can return to serious mode and remember that MS, Intel and the rest want you to change over and spend lots of money.

MS have already announced their NEXT version of Windows - codename, Vienna - supposedly for 2009. (see - C-Net, Wikipedia, Engadget, PC-Advisor)

For half-term I thought it might be useful to be reminded of how small and insignificant our planet - Earth - really is. This short animation at Google video that I came across recently, helps make it clear.

Original link via 'information aesthetics'

I posted on this topic back in February 2005 (must be the time of year gets me thinking this way) and there's a link to a site which displays the Solar System to scale on a single webpage - quite neat too. Somewhere else (I can't find the link right now) I've linked to 'Pale Blue Dot' as well.

For those who use databases via a website the relative merits of MySQL and PostgreSQL are quite important. Many sites offer both so deciding which to use is often a first step.

This site has a simple point-by-point comparison of the two systems. 

This week a couple of articles about databases - well this is supposed to be an ICT weblog.

Today, Access - an article in the Register discusses Access and the pros and cons of relational databases - not for the casual reader. 

Pete Goldlust is an artist who - amongst other things - carves shapes on crayons.

See his site here.