Ed's Tech Tips

I just configured some new notebooks for some staff that were up for computer upgrades this year. As I mentioned in a previous post I went with the Lenovo 3000 N100 models. For the price, they are hard to beat and user experience so far has been positive. I shied away from installing Vista or the new version of Office just yet. Windows XP Pro and Office 2003 still meet our needs.

When setting up a new computer there are some free Windows utilities that are nice to throw in and make computing more pleasant for the end user. They also can benefit me, the system administrator. I thought I would pass a long my recommendation of what to include on a fresh build of Windows. Of course, this softwrae should also work on an old build of Window, too.

If we were not dependent upon Microsoft Access, I would recommend OpenOffice, but we have a lot of Access databases that could not easily be reproduced in an open source format. Plus, the academic prices for licenses for Office are fairly affordable. I also do not mention anti-virus or calendar software, because the campus is standardized on McAfee and MeetingMaker.

• Drive Image XML: this one is really for my benefit, but helps everyone in the long run. Once I have everything installed and configured just the way I want it, I create an image of the computer and store it on an external hard drive, so that in the future if the computer needs Windows reinstalled or gets a new hard drive, I can simply restore the original image in minutes instead of spending hours reinstalling all of the software. It is similar to Norton Ghost, but is free.
• Primo PDF: Mac OS X has had the ability to generate PDF's of anything you can print for sometime, but it is not an option built into Windows. Primo PDF gives you that ability for free. You can generate PDF's for the screen, print, ebook or prepress. It also allows you to merge multiple PDF's into one file. 
• Foxit PDF Reader: I have written about Foxit before. It does what Adobe's free Acrobat Reader can do but so much faster. The program loads almost instantly.
  
• Irfanview: Windows built in image viewer is okay, but if you need to resize or convert numerous images, this graphics utility which has been around since Windows 95, does an excellent job. However, Picasa 2, which is part of the Google Pack may be all that you need.
• Paint.Net: GIMP is the revered open source graphics editor that works on various platforms, but Paint.net is also very good and takes full advantage of the Windows interface. There are numerous plug-ins and tutorials available. It supports unlimited undo, layers and various special effects. If you want PhotoShop but cannot afford it, check out this program.
  
• Thunderbird: The campus has standardized on this email program. It is a great alternative to Outlook Express.
  
• Google Pack: This is not only a collection of Google's own great software, such as, Google Earth, Desktop, Talk, Picasa, and Toolbar, but it also includes Acrobat Reader, Spyware Doctore, Real Player and Firefox. It provides an easy means of installing all of these applications, as well as, a too that will automatically update the applications
• Putty: We still ocassionally use Telnet and this is a great telnet utility that also supports SSH and supports saving multiple telnet session profiles which the Windows built in telnet client does not.
• WinSCP: This is a great file transfer utility that allows for easy drag and drop file management over SCP, SFTP and FTP.
• SyncToy: This one is from Microsoft.  I use to map  the My Documents folder to the user drive on the file server, but that was not such a great idea when the server was down. With the Synctoy I can schedule to synchronize the My Documents folder on the local machine with one on the server, so that the data is always available whether the server or the local machine goes down. 
• Stickies: This is an utility that comes with Mac OS X, but not Windows. It is a free electronic post-it note application that features the ability to share notes across a network or email notes. This s just on eof many variations. 3M has a version, but it is not free.
• iTunes: Staff like to listen to music while at work and iTunes is one of the best audio players available. It is great for managing podcasts and listening to streaming Internet radio. QuickTime is also included which is my preferred video player.
• 7Zip: For years people had trail version of WinZip on their computer. Windows has the capability to compress and decompress files built in, but itis still lacking in some features. 7Zip is a free utility that allows you to create self executable compressed files with password compression. 
• Skype: We have successfully used Skype as a replacement for long distance phone calls.
• Pidgin: This is a multi-protocol instant messaging  client that can replace a dozen IM clients including AOL, Yahoo, MSN, GTalk, ICQ, IRC, Groupwise and others. 

This blog is now available as a podcast that you can listen to via iTunes and I did not have to record anything and no, I did not have anyone else record it either. Well, at least no one that is human. Here is how it came about...

I came across a blog that had a "Listen" button on each of the articles and I thought that was interesting to have a audio version of each post. I had thought of doing the same myself, but it is a lot of work and time consuming. I clicked the button to see what it sounded like and I was greeted by a familiar voice. It sounded like Vicki, one of many text-to-speech voices used in Mac OS X that can read alerts and messages boxes to you. It can also read any other kind of text if you want it to. It would be a helpful feature for the sight impaired.

Upon further investigation I learned that the audio version of the blog was automatically generated by a free service called Talkr which makes it possible to listen to text only blogs on your iPod as long as you can bear to listen the computer generated voice. Which really is not bad once you get used to it. The punctuation is very good and the voice is clear.

To create a podcast version of my blog, I simply had to register as a partner with Talkr and submit the RSS feed address to my site.  After a minute or so I recieved an address to the Talkr RSS feed for the podcast version of my blog, which is:

http://www.talkr.com/app/cast_pods.app?feed_id=31086

To subscribe to it with iTunes, you open iTunes, select the Advanced menu, select Subscribe to Podcast and paste the address in the box and click Save. That's it, you've subscribed to the podcast. I'll add a button or link to the side menu later.

Although I first created web pages with graphical WYSIWYG (WYSIAWYG: What you see is almost what you get) editors, I don't anymore. It would appear to be a natural transition to go from a dekstop publishing page layout program like PageMaker to a program like NetObjects, GoLive or DreamWeaver. However, web pages are not like the printed page. Web pages are no longer just about text and images, even when they briefly were, the text size and fonts could be changed and the images turned off by the viewer. Web pages now are much more dynamic. They consist of not only text and images, but audio, video, animation, forms and server side and client side programing that can be written in a combination of various languages, such as PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, Java, ASP, and Javascript, as well as some others.

For a great resource on learning what happens behind the scenes on a web site, check out W3 Schools.  This site has been online a long time and has always been a great reference for me. It has been kept up to date with the latest technologies over the years and I highly recommend it.

Getting back to web page editors.  I have used a variety of tools, such as, a text editor, a terminal program, a CSS editor and a FTP program. Then I have at least a couple web browsers to see how the page looks. For text editors it depends what operating system I am using. On Windows I use PSPad, the best freeware text editor I know of. It has many features and I wish it was available on the Mac, where I first tried BBedit, but was not crazy about the interface. Mac users raved about it, but I guess they were never exposed to Windows HTML text editors, such as, HomeSite. Smultron, is a open source editor that I often use now. As for terminals the Mac terminal is fine, but on Windows I use Putty. In regards to FTP clients, WinSCP is my top choice for Windows. On the Mac I have used CyberDuck, Fetch and Transmit - CyberDuck is the open source free choice out of the three. I wish there was a version of WinSCP for Mac. As for CSS editors, I could use a text editor but there is no way I can remember all of the options that are available in CSS. On Windows, there is TopStyle which integrates with PSPad and there is a free Lite version. On the Mac, CSSEdit is the top choice.

My method of web design is shared by many that lean more toward the coding and programming aspect of web development rather than the design aspect. Not to say that beautiful web sites cannot be created  without Dreamweaver, they can. The guys at Panic (the developers of the Transmit FTP client), a software development company were designing web sites the same way when one day they had a revelation:

We code web sites by hand. And one day, it hit us: our web workflow was wonky. We’d have our text editor open, with Transmit open to save files to the server. We’d be previewing in Safari, running queries in Terminal, using a CSS editor, and reading references on the web. “This could be easier,” we realized. “And much cooler.”

Their epiphany resulted in a new web development program called Coda which is Text editor + Transmit + CSS editor + Terminal + Books + More. It is not an open source program, but I was so compelled by the the program I bought it (there is a trail version you can test drive) and it has proven to be well worth the money, because it is a real time saver. In one window I have all of the tools I need close at hand. On a 13 inch MacBook, the savings in screen real estate is very beneficial, but not having to switch back and forth between different applications and logging into each is a real time saver. 

While the program has been criticized for not having this feature or that option, you have to look at the sum of it's parts. It does not try to be the best text editor, CSS editor, terminal or FTP program. It tries to take the most often used features and tools and combine them into a single interface. I think they have done a good job. There is some room for improvement, but it is a good accomplishment. I still have to break some of my old habits. I still open a terminal window and a separate browser window before it dawn on me that these tools are built into Coda.  It may not be for everyone, I am sure my workflow would strike some as down right bizarre, but it works for me. I am not going to review the software here, since other sites have done a very job of doing so already, such as, Daring Fireball and MacApper.

By the way, Coda recieved a Apple Design Award for best Mac OS X User Experience. 

CUPS? It stands for Common Unix Printing System and is an open source application. From the CUPS web site:

CUPS is the software you use to print from applications like the web browser you are using to read this page. It converts the page descriptions produced by your application (put a paragraph here, draw a line there, and so forth) into something your printer can understand and then sends the information to the printer for printing.

Now, since every printer manufacturer does things differently, printing can be very complicated. CUPS does its best to hide this from you and your application so that you can concentrate on printing and less on how to print. Generally, the only time you need to know anything about your printer is when you use it for the first time, and even then CUPS can often figure things out on its own.

CUPS is distributed with many Linux distributions and has been bundled with Mac OS X since the Jaguar edition (10.2). Apple had initially attempted to create it's own printer system from scratch, but then shortly adopted CUPS. This past February Apple quietly hired the creator of CUPS and bought the code, but continues to make it available as an open source project. The announcement was just made on the CUPS web site July 11. 

Hopefully, Apple will continue to keep CUPS open. This should be good for CUPS, since it assures financial backing for the project. There was a commercial version which is no longer available, although the reference book can still be bought but they are not accepting any orders while they move from Maryland to California. It is the best system on Linux for managing printers which is done via web browser administrative interface.  It is what is used on our Linux file and print server which runs ClarkConnect.

This may be the last installment in this series, or then again I might continue it. This posting consist of just a few more observations.

First, the explanation of the photo with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and the Black MacBook. As I mentioned earlier the black MacBook picks up the oils from your hands fairly easily. I did a search online to see what suggestions other users had for cleaning their MacBooks and came across the suggestion to use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which I knew was a phenomenal cleaner for hMacBookss, scuff marks, crayon, pencil and pen marks on walls and such. I am not sure how it works exactly. The foam is impregnated with a cleaner. You wet the sponge, squeeze it out and then use it like an eraser. The foam eventually deteriorates and you have to throw it out.

There are step-by-step instructions on MacApper. I tried it and it works wonderfully. The notebook is practically restored to the original flat matte finish. The touchchpad still shows some sheen, but the outside looks like it did out of the box.

My second observation is that Windows XP performs much better on the MacBook than Vista, of course this is probably true of any computer. Vista just gobbles up the resources, you forget that you have a machine with 2 gigs or RAM and one of Intel's latest dual core processors.  XP is considerably snappier. It loads much faster and performs quicker with less RAM. Besides rearranging the menus, changing the appearance (it is prettier than XP) and prompting me for every little thing, I have yet to see why it took 5 years to develop Vista. I could not even install Java via IE. I had to use Firefox to do the job. I guess I could have eventually done it with IE screwing with the different protection levels until I lowered them enough to get the job done, but I was constantly going back and forth, being prompted and reloading the page. It was frustrating. However, although XP is faster, when you initially install it, there are numerous updates and they do not install all at one time. You have to install what is available, reboot and check updates again to only find even more updates. The service pack 2 update takes forever.

My third observation is that I hope that web designers and software developers remember that the 1440x900 wide screen format is a popular display format and that they do not design their pages or applications too tall. I have even bought some 19 inch screens that have the same pixel dimensions, so it is not just my little 13.3 inch screen that is the problem. For instance, the ribbon toolbar in Microsoft Office 2007 is rather thick or tall, taking up a lot of screen real estate. I'll admit it may be innovative and is probably a better design once I get used to it. Items are not necessarily where I expect them to be. The toolbar leaves much less work space for the document, database or spreadsheet that you are working on.

My new MacCase messenger bag finally arrived. I was carrying the macbook between computer magazines in a backpack which was not nearly as padded as the Incase sling bag I was using for the G4 PowerBook and I was not comfortable with the arrangement. I had ordered the MacCase bag when I ordered the computer, but it was on back order for a month. The bag was cheap, $19.99. The outer bag does not have any padding itself, but comes with a zipper-less, padded, custom fitted sleeve that protects the notebook in just about anything you want to carry it in. Th bag has all of the appropriate pockets, even one for a water bottle on the outside. I was disappointed that it did not have the Brightsight interior that was advertised on the MacCase web site, but that might be why MacMall was selling the bag for $19.99 instead of $39.99.  

Life with a MacBook continues. Here is part three, after about three weeks. So far, so good for the most part, because there have been a few negative issues - more about those later. First the good news or highlights:

1. The battery life is great. I think I mentioned that already, but it bears repeating especially in comparison to the G4 PowerBook. It just runs and runs on a fully charged battery.
   
   
2. Wireless reception is better than the PowerBook. I can now sit out on my deck and pickup the wifi signal. I had read that the plastic case of the MacBook is better for reception than the metal case of the PowerBook.

Next is the good/bad news. The Parallels software that allows me to run Microsoft Windows Vista within Mac OS X is pretty awesome. I can run Windows applications outside the Windows desktop and cut, paste and copy between Windows applications and Mac applications. Files can be dragged and dropped between the Mac and Windows desktops. I can hibernate Windows and reopen it and continue where I left off. All of the Mac hardware works inside Windows: USB, iSight, DVD, network shares and so forth. Windows can even have it's own network interface. The iSight did require a some work. I had to download Boot Camp and copy the iSight drivers over to Windows. 

The bad news is that Windows is still Windows and although it is inside a virtual machine it can lock up the machine to the point where it requires a hard reboot. Also, a separate antivirus program is required for Windows, fortunately Parallels bundles Kaspersky Internet Security Suite. Also, Vista takes a lot of horsepower, so you only want to run it when you need it. The CPU fan frequently kicks in when running Vista. Parallels would not be very practical without the Dual Core processors.

The most optimal setup for Windows would be to use BootCamp so that Windows has 100% utilization of the hardware. Parallels can launch Windows from a BootCamp partition, so you can have the best of both worlds. I also have the option of giving Windows up to 3/4 of the system memory, instead I keep it at 1/2 to 1/3 of the availableRAM. I can also add a different version of Windows, say 2000 or XP which have less demanding hardware requirements.

Parallels can also create an image using an existing Windows installation on another computer using the Transpoter utility across a network. My first attempt transporting Windows XP failed, but it was on a flaky machine that had issues. I'll try again on a fresh install. I can also create a Linux image. I'll try Ubuntu when I have the time. The black themed Ubuntu Studio should look retty nice on te black MacBook.

One other negative is with the glossy screen. A window with blinds open behind you can cause a glare on the screen. However, the solution is easy - shut the blinds. 

Another issue, which was more with the software than the hardware, regarded Google Desktop which had long been available for Windows was recently released for Mac. Unfortunately, it was a resource hog, consuming way more of the CPU than it should have simply to index my documents which I do not have that many of. I noticed slow behavior and the CPU meter being maxed out. This was long after the initial indexing. Disabling it did not stop it. Uninstalling it, required me going through the Google Updater instead of simply dragging the app to the Trashcan. Once I did, the CPU could rest a little.

I'm not sure what all of the hype about the iPhone says about our society, but I do not think it is good. I mean every news cast had some story about the iPhone the weeks leading up to it's debut and the people camping out in line for them. However, unlike the Xboxes and PlayStations, Apple apparently planned ahead and produced more then enough to meet demand, so that if you waited a day or two you could simply walk in and buy one. For me to camp out on a city sidewalk for a 2-5 days, it would have to be for a very good cause. Maybe a cure for cancer or AID's, world hunger, global warming or world peace, but for a telephone?! No, I do not think so. 

Matter of fact, I'm thinking of switching from AT&T, the sole service provider for the iPhone. I am more intersted in keeeping track of my kids and AT&T does not offer that service, whereas, Verizon and Sprint do. The services are called Chaperone (by Verizon) and Family Locator (by Sprint).  They depend upon GPS chips inlcuded in certain phone models that allow a parent to track the whereabouts of their children via a web browser or supported cell phone. The services cost $9.99 a month. Verizon has a additional ChildZone feature that you can add for another $10. It allows you to define a zone around your child in quarter mile increments, such as, the school grounds or mall and if your child goes outside that zone within a given time frame you are alerted. 

I am leaning toward Sprint. The Family Talk plans are the same between Sprint, Verizon and AT&T, but Sprint supports more phone models, supports up to 4 phones in the Family Locator service and better explains the features and costs of the service than Verizon does.  As for swtching I found some sites that feature better bundles than the phone companies. How they do this I'm not sure, but I imagine they also have deals with the phone hardwrae companies, such as, Motorola. For example, I can switch to Sprint via WireFly and get Motorola Razr V3m cell phones for everyone with a instant $50 rebate for each phone. The phones do much more than I need. I just want something that is durable, get s good reception and is compact. The BlueTooth, 64 MB memory card and 1.3 megapixel camera are nice extras.