BR's
Web Workshop This website is the online retirement workshop for
Instructional Technology Research & Black's Rapid Transit Racing
| BR's
Web Workshop This website is the online retirement workshop for Instructional Technology Research & Black's Rapid Transit Racing |
|---|
| What's
happening in the workshop... Updated: 2/28/09 February has been a busy month around the workshop. We've been working on a new  web site for the Van Buren Rotary Club.
It's actually done with Google's free Blogspot and lightly tweaked
templates. Nothing special except for the banner at the top of the
page. That artwork was donated by the Williams-Crawford Agency in
Fort Smith thanks to Van Buren's President-Elect. The Van Buren Rotary
Club was formed in 1920 and has a proud tradition of community service
for 89 years. Learn more about Rotary at its recently revised, award
winning website, www.Rotary.org. For more information about Rotary International service programs and membership, see: http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/Pages/ridefault.aspxFAST LAPS... Can iPods and MP3 players help teachers reinforce classroom lectures/discussions and improve student notes? It's a small study found on Ars Technica but it appears that podcasts can actually help students improve their test scores. There's even an iTunes U to put the podcasts online. Dani McKinney at SUNY did the study. For more information see: Study: class podcasts can lead to better grades. SimplyMEPIS 8.0 is now officially available. According to ZDNet:  MEPIS
announced their SimplyMEPIS 8.0 release over the weekend [2/22/09].
That wasn't much of a surprise, as it is based on Debian Linux, and
they had been in "waiting for lenny" mode for a while. The new
SimplyMEPIS release was well worth the wait. In addition to the Debian
base, it includes a lot of the latest packages, such as Firefox 3.0.6,
OpenOffice 3.0, KDE 3.5.10 and more. Warren Woodford
always produces a quality distribution that's relatively easy for
beginners to install and learn. SimplyMEPIS 8.0 is listed in 6th
position and climbing the charts by DistroWatch.com! For more information online see: SimplyMEPIS 8.0 Released, and SimplyMEPIS Home Page.Secure Firefox! Windows Secrets and many other sources acknowledge that  Firefox is more secure than MS Internet Explorer. If you want to
reduce the possibility that you or one of your traveling employees will
bring malicious software back to your network, check out "Secure Firefox With Seven Key Add-Ons." by Paul Rubins. The Enterprise Networking
article includes both explanations and links to the Mozilla add-ons
that will help you keep the bad guys away from your home or work site
network. The "Federal government could save billions..." according to a recent study discussed in a PCWorld article. According to the article: Over three years, the potential savings would be US$3.7 billion for
using open-source software; $13.3 billion for using virtualization
technologies; and $6.6 billion from cloud computing or
software-as-a-service, the study said. Of
course, similar savings could be found in state and local government
budgets as well. Some of us have been talking about the potential
savings of open source software (OSS) for years. Maybe with the
increased interest in cutting back on existing IT budgets, the time has
come to take a second look at open source software. The MeriTalk
presentation, "The DIY Federal IT Bailout: Finding Funds" is available in PDF format.The reason Ubuntu and Kubuntu keep getting better - frequent updates! The folks at Ubuntu are already planning for the October release of "Karmic Koala," the name given to Ubuntu version 9.10. Alpha versions of Ubuntu 9.4 "Jaunty Jackalope" are being tested for Jaunty's April release. The current versions, Ubuntu 8.10 and Kubuntu 8.10, released in October 2008 are both available by CD or by downloading an .iso file that can be burned to a CD. Updates to the currently supported versions are supplied incrementally when the proposed updates have been tested and deemed ready for release. There's no "Black Tuesday," once-a-month update schedule. Users are notified on their desktop screen to check for updates and a single mouse click will take you directly to the updates. It's really that fast and a very effective way of keeping your OS and software applications up-to-date. The new Ubuntu and Kubuntu versions supplied on a six-months schedule are not mandatory. In fact, many users of the Ubuntu family of Linux distributions upgrade each April or each October, a year between new versions. Others opt for the "Long Term Support" (LTS) distributions which have even longer support schedules - desktop versions are supported for 3 years and server versions for 5 years. Since the list of small security and program updates gets longer over time, the older OS versions may be repackaged with all the accumulated updates. This means that users who need to install (or reinstall) an older version can do so without having to immediately download a large number of updates in order to have a current edition. Last year's 8.04 Kubuntu and Ubuntu versions have recently been re-released with all the updates to that point included: Kubuntu 8.04.2 Released Over
200 updates have been included in the updated installation media. Fewer
updates will need to be downloaded immediately after installation. The
new media release recognizes that Kubuntu release (8.10) with its
cutting edge KDE 4 desktop may not yet be appropriate for everyone. Ubuntu 8.04.2 LTS Released Over 200 updates have been integrated, and updated installation media has been provided. Again, this media release reduces the time necessary to load or reload the LTS version. BR's Bottom Line: With any of the Ubuntu family of Linux releases, it's very easy for anyone to keep their computer supplied with up-to-date software. Best of all, it can be done at no charge. The software and updates are free. Only your time is involved. That's a real bargain these days when family and organization budgets are already stretched. Back to top This is my own personal online workshop used primarily as a means for testing ideas, dissemination of infrequent random thoughts and, behind the curtain, occasional storage of a variety of web-linked graphics, photos and other working materials. Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed on these pages are my own. No government agency or corporation has ever paid me to have a favorable opinion of any discussion topic, although I have been compensated from time to time for giving advice or my best recommendations. I certainly won't recommend anything I wouldn't use myself. Like some of my old homework assignments while still teaching, I am not responsible if anything on this web site melts your computer or gives your puppy-dog indigestion. This is work in progress but you're welcome to use it at your own risk. Feedback: If you have any suggestions or comments or just want to blow off steam, send an email to: br.black@cox.net. Unless you're sure you're already on my "white list," please use the word "webworkshop" somewhere in the subject line to help your message navigate through the various spam and scam filters at my end of the wire. Back to Top |
Webworkshop Archives:
BR's Current Project Car: 1996 Saturn SC2... Why I really enjoyed my Saturn SC2 project car page and related links. Added more links to resources and pictures. Best sports car roads in Arkansas... Updated: 11/11/08 Autumn on Mount Magazine. Why Katy and I enjoy scenic Arkansas. Getting the most out of every gallon of gas or diesel... Updated: 11/14/08 - How you drive can help you save money and reduce the demand for expensive fuel. New MSNBC video with Ron DeLong, inventor of the ScanGauge. Memories of Germany's Nurburgring... Production cars are faster, the track is safer but I still have my memories of the first day I got to drive on Nurburgring. Compare the old and the new. Resources & Links: Learn about open source software at Osalt.com The mission of Osalt.com is to provide easy access to information about high quality open source alternatives to well-known commercial products. Hundreds of open source products are listed in categories. Best free software list is now on Windows Secrets... If you need a free firewall or a free antivirus program for your new computer, or looking for a MS Windows application to handle almost any particular task, start your research using this link. The new free software list on Windows Secrets includes the reasons for the software being so highly rated and links to obtain the software. Note: Our former listing of favorite security software for students and teachers has been retired. Gizmo's Windows Secrets lists cover more topics and is more frequently updated. If you're loading applications for a Windows computer, try the two Windows Starter Kits below or one of the Open Disc Project DVD's below. Security Starter Kit If you are about to connect a Windows PC to the Internet you'll need to protect it. CNET and Download.com maintains essential and free security programs to protect your computer and your sanity. Windows Starter Kit Have a new Windows PC? Need software? Check out CNET's Download.com site for reviews and links to the best Windows apps for your PC. OpenDisc Project The new OpenDisc and OpenEducationDisc version 08.10a DVD images are available for download. The updated version contains the new OpenOffice 3.0. The DVD format provides more room for an expanded resource that allows you to share free or open source software found in the OpenDisc project. The download is free and you can burn the image file onto your own DVD and make copies for your friends or students in the case of the OpenEducationDisc. How to: Choose a Linux Distro Published: 12/12/07 If you have the urge to abandon Windows and seek enlightenment (and better functionality and security) in Linux, check out this two-part article from LinuxInsider. There have some vendor changes since December of last year, but the basic advice is still sound. Part 1: Kicking the Tires Part 2: Favorite Flavors Things to keep in mind about a switch from Windows to Ubuntu 
What is Network Neutrality?  Check the speed of your Internet connection.  One of the easiest Linux distributions to install and use. Keep your desktop clean and simple with Ubuntu.  Configure your desktop with the best of KDE (K Desktop Environment) and the award winning Ubuntu operating system. |