Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Getting the Rubber on The Road

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OK everyone who has slight epiphanys during the day yet doesn't have enough time to post them in your blog, there is something out there for you. Of course this will only work with our handy-dandy Firefox web browse but who cares because we all know that IE has its problems and pluses. However, the extension you are looking for is called ScribeFire. A simple Google search should bring you right to the sight so you can be up and running in no time. So far it works really well, is extremely easy to use (set up as well) and saves the lazy from needing to log in. Check it out and keep those educational blogs ever active!



Ubuntu operational: 10+ days

Music: Arctic Monkeys: Favorite Worst Nightmare.






Friday, April 20, 2007

Feisty Fawn

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OK all...after making time to sit down and actually play around with the distro I must admit it is one of the best I have used in the past 6 months (Fedora, Sabayon, Gentoo, Arch) and am pleased how easy it was to set everything up. As of recent I tweaked the Latitude D620's Quadro card to work with 6.10 and was impressed with the beryl graphical interface. Some of the items may be to "kitchy" but you can simply turn those off.
Hardware / Install:
After waiting over 10 hours to download the iso (server's bombarded), get it burned, and go through the mind numbing install process everything was right there (I did not try the windows migration system that was built into the install process). The system told me that I would need a special driver for my graphics card and installed it shortly after (BIG difference from 6.10 with the Quadro NVS cards). It detected my Proxim Gold Card and the rest of the hardware on the laptop. Often times this is the biggest set-back with linux however, the Ubuntu programmers have made it as simple as checking a box which if we all remember is 100 times easier then fighting with specific drivers in Windows.
The Desktop:
There are some noticeable different screens from previous versions of Ubuntu (Example: log on screen) which bring a more fashionable sense to the overall OS. This will most likely appeal to the average and even intermediate to advance users: Come on we all like eye candy. Beryl, Open Office 2.2, Gnome 2.18.1, Tracker, Tomboy, and Banshee round out a wonderful list of items that are at every one's free fingertips (Synaptics).
My Verdict:
Linux will never be Windows folks and that is a great thing! All the developers that have worked long and hard on this distro have done a phenomenal job. The whole system runs flawlessly and has no overall need to be Windows or a Windows killer. I urge the educators out there to give this distro a try. Dual boot, like I do and see what you have been missing while trapped in the windows world. Almost all of our apps are going off site and through the net (Blackboard, Edline, Gradequick, Email) so you should have no reason to give Ubuntu a try. Moreover, tell all your friends about how you have something that is truly great and free!

(Ubuntu)Days without Breaking: 1

Friday, April 13, 2007

The Power of the "P"

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One man can only stand a conversation for so long. When the receiving end (me) is barraged by the other end. This would, of course be OK if the one end in speculation had anything to say or could change the very tone of their voice but they can't. They simply talk at you like they know who you are but they can't seem to remember your name. Moreover, they only know that you are who you are due to what is front of you. This must trickle down into their kids and eventually their kids. Perhaps and probably the root of education's problem lies in the parent and not solely in the student. Or maybe it is some exotic mind meld that we have zero control over. Anyway here are some top upcoming software that is on my list of awesomeness:

Ubuntu 7.04: Released early next week this should really be a Microsoft burner due to its enhanced graphics, driver base, and an already sweet gnome 2.18. The moment it hits the ground I will be downloading it and reinstalling over my recent install of 6.10, and a full review will ensue.

AntiVir: We all know www.free-av.com and the amazing product that they have. However, all of us geeks that upgraded to vista have had to stick with a some sub par anti-virus selections. However, on the 19th we will be back to safety with the Vista release of AntiVir classic.

Who knows where this blog will run in the future. Hopefully there will be ample software / hardware review for all the Technology folks who work in Education. We all know it is a different animal then Government or Business thus giving us the ability and knowledge to tackle it each day. We just need some place to vent our anger and strategies to the real world and hopefully this is what the blog will morph into.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Ferrenzy

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Working within the realm of technology in private education can surely be the downfall of ones psyche. Working with people who have sometimes no idea what a problem is and attempting to get their brains to encompass the concept can sometimes be a full time job beyond networking. With this in mind how can we, who currently assist the non profit education world succeed in a new face of learning for the sometimes undignified youth of America? Should we completely force everyone into a new teaching world or should we simply revert back to how we were taught? Is there a happy medium and how is one person expected to reach this ideal with the limited resources in the education world?

--This of course is a rhetorical question with no definitive answer. These questions allow us as "techno - gurus" to vent and allow us to get through the day...even though sometimes those days turn into 7 day weeks.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Menacing Wednesdays

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We all like to sleep through the night with a wonderful rain storm. However, It Managers fear that perhaps their systems got caught up in it, the backups don't post and everything spirals into a foreseeable death for the manager who had a ruff Tuesday. Because this all happens to the best of us, especially living in rural Virginia, refrain from emailing your users that their email isn't working. Doing this because you know it is funny does not mean that everyone does. Oh, and if you use windows server....you have it too easy as it is, so don't complain. All it takes is a breath of fresh air and your index finger and poof.

Days with a dickey hip: 3
Days with Ubuntu: 6

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Blogging about blogging

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Yep 10 miles run, 3 days on ubuntu and now sitting in a room listening to Will Richardson talk about blogging. Shit I am in trouble.

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