New Laptop

I Had a good experience purchasing my first full size laptop. What I was looking for was a relatively simple purchase option that was good quality and one where I didn't have to pay for a Windows license that I would never use. What I ended up with was somewhat of a pleasant surprise.



The version of Ubuntu that was used on the laptop is the LTS (Long Term Support) version and it is understandable that Pioneer used it for their computers, I was after the latest release and it was logical that I would upgrade immediately. Why wouldn't I its Free :)

The links are as follows:

Pioneer Computers

64 bit Flash

With 64 bit Flash I used Solution 4

As a note of correction Pioneer have been around for about 13 years and are quiet and established brand.

Again to you guys, thank you for the Ubuntu pre-install option.

Isn't it time to separate the bundles?

Something that people might not know, is that when you buy your computer it is bundle combination of hardware; box, monitor, keyboard and mouse, and software; Microsoft Windows(TM), Office(TM), Games etc.

This bundling gives the perception that the software component comes free with the computer when in reality it is provided under an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) agreement. This is an agreement where the supplier gets a significant discount on Microsoft(TM) software under certain conditions. Unfortunately one of those conditions is that they offer Microsoft software on the 'majority' of their computers.

According to the following link: Microsoft OEM, it is as I suspected, that Microsoft uses its strong position in the market to further bolster its market position. It is also a well known fact that Microsoft was charged for criminally abusing its position as a Monopoly.

Imagine going into the Burger King(TM) and saying "Can I have a Whopper(TM) with cheese?" and being told "Sorry we don't do burgers on their own, you need to take the fries and the drink and that will be $7.95." That doesn't happen because the prices are itemized and you know that you burger should cost $4.50, the fries $1.50 and the drink $2.50 (yes you get a better deal with the bundle but that is not the point). However this is the scenario that your faced with when you go to buy your computer, you get offered the bundle and no other options.

There are a variety of Software alternatives available out there and without much thinking I can name at least three, FreeBSD(TM), Open Solaris(TM), and Linux(TM), all of them install and run on your computer without much effort. Most come with a stack of free software that will allow you, the average computer user, to do everything that you need to do with your computer. Otherwise you might just be happy with your copy of Windows XP Professional that you paid for and don't want to upgrade to the next version of Windows yet.

Isn't it time for the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) to regulate computer retailers so that they include the individual prices in their bundles and allow for us the consumer, to reject any component of that bundle, including the software? After all it isn't acceptable with the burger, why should it be acceptable with the computer?

Microsoft Office fail

It was promised that with the release of Microsoft Office 2007 service pack 2, there would support for the 'Open Standard' ODF formats. and what have they delivered?

The support that was released was patchy and buggy, I didn't read much but it appears that the spreadsheet import didn't include formulas just numbers from the cells.

I have a friend that is studying at University, her lecturers have all switched over to the latest MS Office and send their documents in the .docx format (Microsoft's new OOXML format). My friend is unable to open her documents in her spare time at work as their computers have an old version of MS Office that isn't compatible with the new format. She is just grateful that when she gets home she can use the latest version of OpenOffice.org, which she downloaded for free of the internet, to open her Uni work.

I'm looking forward to a 'new day', when interoperability is a goal that every company aims for. While I don't trust any monopoly, I'd rather have one that adheres to and promotes open standards than one that doesn't.

Google Wave

Wow I just finished watching the 'google' wave demo, I know that this is a demo and not released yet but this seems like it has real potential in the real world. I can hear Steve Ballmer throwing chairs in his office at Microsoft again. He's quoted as saying "I'm going to #$&!~& kill Google." when one of his key mangers left, I got a feeling that Google is going to kill him, maybe by heart attack, one can really never know.

For those of you who are interested the google wave demo is located at http://wave.google.com/

Its a long demo so sit back and enjoy.

Looking at creating 3D Stereoscopic photos

When I was a child I had one of those 3D photo viewers, I was totally fascinated with it. My enthusiasm hasn't really faded there and I have always wanted to do something like that. I recently purchased a couple of identical sony cameras for a second hand store. I am in the process of setting them up to take stereo photos. I have tried some experimental photos on some still life objects ant the results are promising, I would like to take some 'real life' action type photos.