Hack Attack: Back up your Google Apps data - Lifehacker
Great article on how to backup all the data on your Google apps site. Covers mail, calendar, docs, and blog.
For the remaining few (like your web site) - a good web crawler could at least make a copy of the web for safe keeping.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Stick computing only needs XP Home
Techworld.com - Vista retreats as XP sales hold up
Microsoft is selling more XP than they expected. I imagine the increase can in part be attributed to people who bought a machine with Vista on it and went out and got XP to replace it. I know of a least one person who did it.
That makes another strong point for portable or stick-based computing. With your digital life stored on a stick (or iPod, etc.) you only need Windows XP Home connected to the Internet to do your work. All the bells and whistles and curb feelers on the operating system are dross. Just weighting down performance.
I'm sure Microsoft is aware that the Internet IS the application now (hence higher prices, more price points) and sees and end-of-life for an operating system that doesn't work and play well with others.
So I would look for more of their current marketing strategy which is to create multiple price points at higher and higher prices for essentially the same functionality.
Okay back to work.
Microsoft is selling more XP than they expected. I imagine the increase can in part be attributed to people who bought a machine with Vista on it and went out and got XP to replace it. I know of a least one person who did it.
That makes another strong point for portable or stick-based computing. With your digital life stored on a stick (or iPod, etc.) you only need Windows XP Home connected to the Internet to do your work. All the bells and whistles and curb feelers on the operating system are dross. Just weighting down performance.
I'm sure Microsoft is aware that the Internet IS the application now (hence higher prices, more price points) and sees and end-of-life for an operating system that doesn't work and play well with others.
So I would look for more of their current marketing strategy which is to create multiple price points at higher and higher prices for essentially the same functionality.
Okay back to work.
CNN/YouTube debate? Yawn.
Questions, not answers, highlight YouTube debate - CNN.com
First don't get confused, this was not about Hill88 or Renetto asking questions of presidential hopefuls. Nor was it what you dream of - anyone being able to ask ANY question and it be aired on a national forum.
It was YouTube[Filtered by CNN] and the questions were what you would expect from hot-button political theater (at least the part I watched - I got bored with "more of the same"). Safe questions that are your standard fair red vs. blue "flamebait".
Wow it would have been great to see a question about investigating thoroughly 9/11 and find and hold accountable the party or parties involved. Or a thorough accounting of Iraq war spending. Or the deficit with China. Sigh.
The only other thing that seemed worrisome was constantly pointed to by Mike Gravel. Why in an age - when UPS can tell me with chilling accuracy when my made-in-China iPod is going to arrive at my doorstep - can't we make sure that all the candidates get equal time? That was odd. I also was curious as to how Edwards/Clinton/Obama ended up center stage since it would only seem fair to put them in alphabetical order.
I think the thing that convinced me I was being "sold" and not "informed" was during the debate when there was a nice 3-shot of the big fundraisers and Edwards was violently wiggling his fingers - and lo and behold Cooper calls on him next. Wow imagine that.
I'm pretty sure it probably boils down to who is going to buy the biggest ad rotation on CNN next year but it seems a shame that we can't actually try to find the most qualified, most intelligent person to hold the office and instead have to continue to play "the game."
Okay back to work.
First don't get confused, this was not about Hill88 or Renetto asking questions of presidential hopefuls. Nor was it what you dream of - anyone being able to ask ANY question and it be aired on a national forum.
It was YouTube[Filtered by CNN] and the questions were what you would expect from hot-button political theater (at least the part I watched - I got bored with "more of the same"). Safe questions that are your standard fair red vs. blue "flamebait".
Wow it would have been great to see a question about investigating thoroughly 9/11 and find and hold accountable the party or parties involved. Or a thorough accounting of Iraq war spending. Or the deficit with China. Sigh.
The only other thing that seemed worrisome was constantly pointed to by Mike Gravel. Why in an age - when UPS can tell me with chilling accuracy when my made-in-China iPod is going to arrive at my doorstep - can't we make sure that all the candidates get equal time? That was odd. I also was curious as to how Edwards/Clinton/Obama ended up center stage since it would only seem fair to put them in alphabetical order.
I think the thing that convinced me I was being "sold" and not "informed" was during the debate when there was a nice 3-shot of the big fundraisers and Edwards was violently wiggling his fingers - and lo and behold Cooper calls on him next. Wow imagine that.
I'm pretty sure it probably boils down to who is going to buy the biggest ad rotation on CNN next year but it seems a shame that we can't actually try to find the most qualified, most intelligent person to hold the office and instead have to continue to play "the game."
Okay back to work.
Monday, July 23, 2007
U3 Sticks a Dead End
Microsoft, SanDisk Venture Promises Apps On A Thumb Drive -- Windows USB -- InformationWeek
If you are deciding whether to go with a blank stick and use PortableApps.com or go with a stick with U3, go with the blank. U3 is a dead end.
If you are deciding whether to go with a blank stick and use PortableApps.com or go with a stick with U3, go with the blank. U3 is a dead end.
Ativa™ USB 2.0 Flash Drive, 8GB at Office Depot.
Ativa™ USB 2.0 Flash Drive, 8GB at Office Depot.
I picked up one of these drives on sale at OD this weekend. I had just received by Netvantage rebate so combined my out-of-pocket was about $85. I could've gotten a slightly cheaper drive online but I like the convenience of return to my local store.
The drive is lightweight barely weighing anything. It's a little long since the cap flips and stays on. But still - it's 8 gigs! It was not U3 compatible but that's okay I've been wanting to try out John T. Haller's PortableApps.com menuing system anyway. After all I'm pretty sure I'm not going to stop trying different sticks until I have a nice 16GB one.
The speed of the stick is great. Much faster than the 1,2, and 4 Sandisk I own. And I've put some pretty big things on it with no problems. Comes with a black lanyard (few do these days) and was manufactured in China. No mention on the packaging but OD website says it has a 1 year manufacturer's warranty.
I've loaded it up with almost all of the more popular apps from PortableApps.com and it seems to handle them fine. Everything runs and I have no trouble saving and reopening files.
The housing is a shiny grey plastic that looks like it is only slightly scratch-resistant. Not a big concern to me. Have no regrets on the purchase but as always - shop around.
YMMV.
I picked up one of these drives on sale at OD this weekend. I had just received by Netvantage rebate so combined my out-of-pocket was about $85. I could've gotten a slightly cheaper drive online but I like the convenience of return to my local store.
The drive is lightweight barely weighing anything. It's a little long since the cap flips and stays on. But still - it's 8 gigs! It was not U3 compatible but that's okay I've been wanting to try out John T. Haller's PortableApps.com menuing system anyway. After all I'm pretty sure I'm not going to stop trying different sticks until I have a nice 16GB one.
The speed of the stick is great. Much faster than the 1,2, and 4 Sandisk I own. And I've put some pretty big things on it with no problems. Comes with a black lanyard (few do these days) and was manufactured in China. No mention on the packaging but OD website says it has a 1 year manufacturer's warranty.
I've loaded it up with almost all of the more popular apps from PortableApps.com and it seems to handle them fine. Everything runs and I have no trouble saving and reopening files.
The housing is a shiny grey plastic that looks like it is only slightly scratch-resistant. Not a big concern to me. Have no regrets on the purchase but as always - shop around.
YMMV.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
I Believe Google
Tag me fanboy. Shake me to try to wake me. Regardless I believe Google is out to "not be evil."
I read a lot of posts about Google becoming another monolithic evil empire, etc. but I don't see anything to point to it. I don't see them trying to coerce us into a world controlled by Google. Just the opposite. I've seen Google do more in the past year to empower people than I have any other computer company. They monetize their users. They give them really useful tools. They go to bat for the user when Big Brother wants to peek.
I suspect we will be sold a lot of "look what they could do with all that info" in order to "hem" them in. But I'd be willing to bet that the real reason behind that effort is to stifle free and open communication and circumvent the natural success that comes from taking care of the customer, instead of forcing them to buy what you are selling.
There are just too many absolutely free tools available from Google that empower users for me to think that they are really "up to something."
So all the Google paranoia is lost on me.
I believe.
I read a lot of posts about Google becoming another monolithic evil empire, etc. but I don't see anything to point to it. I don't see them trying to coerce us into a world controlled by Google. Just the opposite. I've seen Google do more in the past year to empower people than I have any other computer company. They monetize their users. They give them really useful tools. They go to bat for the user when Big Brother wants to peek.
I suspect we will be sold a lot of "look what they could do with all that info" in order to "hem" them in. But I'd be willing to bet that the real reason behind that effort is to stifle free and open communication and circumvent the natural success that comes from taking care of the customer, instead of forcing them to buy what you are selling.
There are just too many absolutely free tools available from Google that empower users for me to think that they are really "up to something."
So all the Google paranoia is lost on me.
I believe.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Stick It
Hi, I'm Xack (yeah a fake internet name) and I'm the first Xackr.
Xacking is [code]hacking on a stick. But it's also about using inexpensive stick technology as your "base" for your entry into the connected world.
The entry level price for computing is still fairly high. Stick based computing is a lot lower and allows you to keep it personal even if the computer is shared.
Eventually you'll be able to learn all about it at Xackr.com.
For now I'll be blogging about anything and everything here.
Xacking is [code]hacking on a stick. But it's also about using inexpensive stick technology as your "base" for your entry into the connected world.
The entry level price for computing is still fairly high. Stick based computing is a lot lower and allows you to keep it personal even if the computer is shared.
Eventually you'll be able to learn all about it at Xackr.com.
For now I'll be blogging about anything and everything here.
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