Life - stored in computers

Computers are fantastic for data storage, but there's so much more than can do. I've long followed the work of Gordon Bell, a 72-year-old Microsoft engineer who is gathering all the elements of his life into a digital storage system. His project, My Life Bits, is sponsored by Microsoft. Bell's biggest challenge is to come up with a meaningful use for such a powerful collection of life's flotsam.

You can read a fresh account of this project by Alec Wilkinson in the 5/28/07 New Yorker. More to the point, it might get you thinking about what you'd like to log as the memorable events of your own life. From the compulsive diaries of Samuel Pepys, the attention and introspection of such records is surely a noble effort, but I fear, one that I'd be incapable of stopping once started.

Another Microsoft researcher, Eric Horvitz, has intriguing ideas about creating a computer that could think like us. His Lifebrowser project uses a computer to do so much more than we've ever thought of. When computers are still, he feels they could be put to use to understand our minds, catalog and organize our memories, and " help you be a better you."

My personal commitment is on a much smaller scale. Using a Palm LifeDrive I'm able to capture more than 4 GB of data - all contacts, calendars, photos, books, business files in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, accounting, wi-fi, email, web pages and more more more. I'm listening to MP3 recordings of a conference I attended last month, simultaneously taking notes and researching web sites of the speakers.

It's a fantastic adventure to stretch technology and my mind til they converge in a smarter place. We live in a marvelous age.

"Release Your Writing"

Good news for writers interested in publishing a book. I am completing my manuscript for Release Your Writing: Options in Self-Publishing and will have the book available for the Cultural Center Book Fair in October. Learn more at ReleaseYourWriting.com

Another nice award

After winning a non-fiction award for Computer Ease in 2006 at the Illinois Women's Press Association, I'm doubly pleased to have won 3rd place for Best Essay this year. It is for my contribution to The World Is a Kitchen, published by Lonely Planet's Travelers' Tales.

http://worldisakitchen.typepad.com/the_world_is_a_kitchen/2007/05/twiak_contribut.html

What is Web 2.0?

A client just asked for help understanding Web 2.0 on the Q & A forum at www.cclarity.com/questions.html.
Since space is limited there, here's the concept:

Web 2.0 is a new wave beyond static web pages delivering info on your screen. The 2.0 implies a new generation, just as software that moves from version 1 to 2.

What's different is that information can be readily shared, accessed from anywhere, and massive storage space is free. It includes simple, and even free, tools and applications, like Picasa for photo management. The broader concept is: "web-based software services" that encourage users to become more involved with information.

Web 2.0 start-ups received $844 million in venture capital during 2006, double the prior year, according to VentureOne.

Web 2.0 is moving into "mashups," merging ideas such as adding Google Maps to Craig's List. If someone searches for an apartment on Nob Hill, they can click the map to view the actual neighborhood and street.

Web 2.0 uses new technology that goes far beyond HTML, like AJAX, RSS and XML.

It remains to be seen if this is a new way for the me-me-me generation to waste time, or whether companies can make it work for communication and interactive meetings, giving people a base station to launch their life online.

TIP: When you see a word you're unfamiliar with, look it up at dictionary.com.
When you're mystified by acronyms, use acronymfinder.com.

Could Google become the "New Coke?"

Google got to the top of the ephemeral search heap by focusing on gathering more information than anyone else, using search algorithms to produce query results and creating a design that gave users more white space than jut about any other web site. Not revolutionary, but effective and efficient.

Now, Google is beginning to stray. Like New Coke, they're tampering with a core product and losing the fizz. Or McDonald's, with a winning formula for burgers, now saying: "You want salad? We've got salad." "Steak, chicken, ice cream? Come on in." So it loses its uniqueness, differentiation and becomes a confusing choice, whether we're talking media or meat.

I'm sure you've noticed the web, or now Web 2.0 (see next article), is merging media, like TV, radio, newspapers, with video, music, and info-bits from random sources. Google is now testing its famous search function doctored up to add all that plus timelines, photo galleries,

Saying the old model of searching is, well, old, Google is launching the first major change ever for the multi-billion dollar search company. The new "Universal Search" model looks like the mega-storm of junk you can find elsewhere: Images, video clips, news from elsewhere, book content, maps and, of course, web sites, which is what people are looking for when they search Google.

So deep is the promised change, users will have to learn to navigate a new Google homepage and wander past ads for other Google products. Or maybe not - Maybe Google will no longer be a web user's first stop when they're hungry for information and short on time. Hmmm, isn't that the same problem McDonald's has?

If used well for serious research, Google is like magic. But, they're "fiddling with the magic," says ZDNet's digital blogger, Donna Bogatin.

While waiting for New Google, remember Clusty.com offers clustered results down the left rail of the screen, sub-dividing search results into categories. No need to waste time elsewhere, sorting through the fast-food menu that used to be Google.

Business 2.0 mag flunks Backup 101

Business 2.0 is a glossy business & technology magazine owned by Time, Inc. While putting together their next issue, for June, the magazine’s editorial system crashed, wiping out all the work and the backup server failed to back up.


In the New York Times, Business 2.0 editor Josh Quittner is quoted as saying: "The night of the crash, our tech guy was here until 4 o’clock in the morning, but the patient died.” Until then, the magazine had never had to rely on its backup server, he said, so no one had noticed that its programming was either obsolete or dysfunctional, or both.

The June issue will still be published. What saved the day? They had emailed all article content to their attoryneys, and had the email attachments, because the mail server didn't crash. Maybe next time they'll also back up their email.

My New York marathon

I'm not a runner, and definitely not athletic, so my version of a New York marathon is this:

"Thirty hours in New York without crossing a street"

As those who know me can attest, I'm always thinking about the perils of multi-tasking and how to be efficient, focus and get things done.

The American Society of Journalists and Authors (asja.org) had their annual writing conference this past weekend and I wanted to attend scads of sessions and workshops. Limited time didn't stop me. Although I have pressing deadlines and commitments, I though about how I could make it work - take the time to escape to New York and focus on writing.

So I took American Airlines first flight Saturday morning, and took a taxi from LaGuardia upon landing. Twenty minutes later, I was immediately immersed in the conference at the Grand Hyatt. I attended lectures, targeted my goals to match the time available, and did some networking. Walked 50 feet from the hotel into Grand Central Station to give credence to the metaphor of life being "like Grand Central Station." Sure, it's a busy place, but the architecture, eclectic mix of people, and the exotic food court won me over.

Sunday as the conference wrapped up, it was back to the airport and home. It was 30 hours round trip, mission accomplished, a weekend getaway, a productive conference, and an opportunity to focus.

The very successful "Getting Things Done" by David Allen has lots of good advice on productivity and focus, if you have time to read it... while you're jogging. Allen actually admits its okay to have nothing on your mind now and then.

Helen Gallagher
author: Computer Ease

Today Dell reverts back to Windows XP. Users win!

This post comes from Infopackets.com

Dell Offers Windows XP to Home Users
by Bill Lindner

Dell has announced that it will begin offering Windows XP on some of their consumer systems due to significant customer demand. The company said many customers have been asking for XP as part of the Dell IdeaStorm project, which asks customers to help the company come up with product ideas.

"We heard you loud and clear on bringing the Windows XP option back to our Dell consumer PC offerings," Dell said on its Ideas in Action page. Users vote on various suggestions. Bringing Windows XP back received over 10,000 votes. Interestingly, adding Linux received over 123,000 votes.

Starting immediately, Dell will be adding Windows XP Home and Windows Professional as options on four Inspiron laptop models and two Dimension desktop models. Last month Dell added Windows XP as an option for small business customers but not for home users.

Analysts say Dell's move is not a good sign for Windows Vista. "[The fact] that there is remaining demand from some segment of [the] consumer market points to the inability of Vista to resonate with consumers," IDC analyst Richard Shim said.

Shim said there was an initial bump in Vista sales right after its launch, but that some of that may have been from consumers who waited to purchase a PC until it was available. Sales in the later part of the first quarter were less strong and that the overall response to Vista will become clearer throughout the year.

Visit Bill's Links and More for more great tips, just like this one!

Windows vs. Vista announcement

I've just learned that Microsoft will stop selling Windows XP by January 1, 2008.
So store inventories of Windows XP computers will be phased out over the next six months, even sooner for Dell.

The dilemma:

If you want or need to replace your computer - you can:

1. buy it before year end as a defensive strategy to be sure get Windows XP and live with a new computer running an obsolete operating system, or
2. do nothing until you have no choice and get a new computer running Vista.

Microsoft will not support Windows XP, even on a machine still under warranty after April 14, 2009.

As of April 4, 2007, Dell announced they are only offering Windows XP on Dimension and Inspiron computers until this summer.

"Dell recognizes the needs of small business customers and understands that more time is needed to transition to a new operating system.The plan is to continue offering Windows XP on select Dimension and Inspiron systems until later this summer.

Dell does not have plans to launch Windows XP for home users as the preference and demand is for the “latest and greatest” technology which includes Windows Vista."

source http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2007/04/04/10397.aspx

Many think this Microsoft strategy is an alarmist effort to sell more of its Vista operating system. Why are sales low? Expensive hardware requirements, incompatibility surprises, and user contentment with Windows XP.

French art exhibit in New Orleans

I just returned from a fabulous trip to New Orleans. Despite what we hear about the city in the news, tourism is vibrant, loads of events are planned all through the year. Here's a link to a very special exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Femme, Femme, Femme, published in San Antonio Express-News

Taking Multitasking to Task

Another report in the news urges us to focus, focus, focus. While I couldn't read the article in one sitting, and my mind wandered to three other ideas, I did read it. The Chicago Tribune story, by Steve Lohr quotes David Meyer, a cognitive scientist and director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan: "Multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes. Disruptions and interruptions are a bad deal from the standpoint of our ability to process information."

Sorry - got interrupted.

As I was saying, I have noticed that multi-tasking and the constant effort to recover from interruption is fatiguing and results in getting less done.

Add up all the starting and stopping and you'll see why you're worn out and not sure what you should do next. If you ask yourself "What was I working on?" you suffer from task overload too.

My office phone line has been broken almost all week. It has nasty interference noises, sometimes rings like a fire alarm, sometimes like a dying bird. So until it is repaired, I have turned the ringer off and just check for voicemail every hour.

When you have a lot to get done, try turning off the phone and closing your email program for a few hours. I predict your productivity will soar.

Will Social Networking please peak soon?

With the wealth of powerful knowledge and information available worldwide on the web, doesn't this seem a bit pathetic? Source: hitwise.com

Hitwise US - Top 20 Websites - February, 2007

Rank	Website	Market Share
1.	www.myspace.com	5.93%
2.	www.google.com	4.47%
3.	www.yahoo.com	4.16%
4.	mail.yahoo.com	4.1%
5.	mail.myspace.com	3.86%
6.	www.hotmail.com	1.98%
7.	www.msn.com	1.81%
8.	www.ebay.com	1.55%
9.	search.yahoo.com	1.42%
10.	search.msn.com	0.81%
11.	www.facebook.com	0.76%
12.	www.youtube.com	0.61%
13.	images.google.com	0.53%
14.	blog.myspace.com	0.44%
15.	www.wikipedia.org	0.39%
16.	music.myspace.com	0.38%
17.	www.aol.com	0.33%
18.	my.yahoo.com	0.33%
19.	address.yahoo.com	0.31%
20.	www.ebaymotors.com	0.29%

Source - Hitwise - February, 2007 - based on market share of visits.

Are your programs compatible with Vista?

Microsoft has issued a list of programs certified or approved to run on Vista.

You can read the full list here.
Clients: Note that only Act Premium is listed, not all versions of Act.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933305

Skip to the Loo

LifeHacker.com is one of my favorite tech sites. They scope out the most ingenious, creative, web tools, gadgets, and productivity tools. Here's a clever one.

SeaMonkey: Part 2 - It's a winner

As a follow-up to my post on January 26, 2007, SeaMonkey, from Mozilla, makers of Firefox, is a worthy contender for your web browsing and email management.

I mentioned my search for a replacement for the Netscape browser. It's a good product, but v. 7.2 has been crashing in many multi-media and ad-filled web sites, such as CNN. And v. 8.3 is dandy but Netscape abandoned the integrated email feature after v. 7.2.

Netscape, invented at the University of Illinois, used to be the dominant browser in the PC marketplace, until Microsoft embedded IE on every computer sold. Even the US Justice Dept. couldn't manage to unravel that theft of market share. Netscape remained relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

I started looking for a replacement because I also need Netscape's Composer feature to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and never figured out a way to include integrated email.

So I downloaded SeaMonkey and recommend you do the same. While Firefox is a dandy browser, SeaMonkey's integration of browsing and a terrific email program is a real asset. The download is quick. You can get it here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/.

It completely configured itself - importing bookmarks, address book, email settings and took about ten minutes. If you're not sure you love it, don't make it your "default" browser, and you can always go back to old habits. But SeaMonkey, which is a Firefox product, is finally one program for all web needs. I recommend it. To prove how closely these products are based on Netscape, SeaMonkey looks EXACTLY like Netscape 7.2, except for the logo.

What's in your "Office?"

If you are upgrading to Office 2007, be sure to take a good look at what programs are in your current Office suite.
Every new version seems to flip around a few key products, beyond the basic Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Here's a run-down on what's in each version: (unique components in Bold)

Home & student version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote

Standard version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

Small Business version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Accounting Express

Professional version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Access, Accounting Express

Ultimate version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Access, InfoPath, Groove, Accounting Express


If you have a prior version, such as 2000 or 2003 with other tools you want, that aren't included in your version of Office 2007, be sure to load the new version in a separate folder and do not remove the prior version.

In the shadow of Vista: Office 2007

Now that the Microsoft Vista's over-hyped launch has appropriately fizzled, CNET.com looked at the companion Office 2007 and has the following report, admired for its brevity:

"The good: Previously hard-to-find features now easier to explore; Word embraces basic desktop publishing tools; Excel formulas are easier to reference; PowerPoint presentations are more attractive; Outlook improves task and time management; improved integration throughout the applications; smaller application and file sizes; new file formats are easier to salvage if corrupted; document security is more straightforward.

The bad: Drastic design changes demand a steep learning curve if you're upgrading; new interface isn't always intuitive; contextual tabs and style galleries can be distracting; users of Office 2000 through 2003 must install converters to open Office 2007 files; no easy way to save work to the Web."

If you are using Office 2000 or 2003, and happy with it, there's no need to chase after this new version. But if you're in the market for an update from Office 97, or want to purchase individual components, focus on the 'good' as shown above, and conquer the bad by learning about the new features. Absent a way to save work to the web, you might also want a good web editing program. Let me know if you need help along the way.

When a blogger types in China...

Last week, I made a presentation to a writer's group about blogs: their immediacy, their impact, and the pleasures of a space on the web where writers like me can post brief essays about any topics of interest at any time.

I doubt there were any skeptics in the audience after my presentation, based on all the positive feedback I've received. If there were, today's Chicago Tribune rather proves my point about the efficacy of blogs.

On Page One in the Sunday Tribune there's an article by Evan Osnos, a Tribune foreign correspondent :

"Chinese blogger's crusade has Starbucks feeling heat"

The blogger, Rui Chenggang, a television anchorman, believes Starbucks should withdraw it's shop from the 600-year-old majestic palace complex in the Forbidden City as a sign of cultural respect.

As a result of the blogger's campaign, palace authorities are weighing the issue, and thousands of Internet users are visitings Rui's blog. China has 20 million bloggers and 137 million web users, according to the article, which states: "With few other ways to protest within China, consumers see the web as a raucous town square."

News of this blogger's efforts have spread to CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo.com News, Technorati - the blog search engine, and probably Starbucks headquarters too.

I'm unable to link to Chenggang''s blog for you, because it's written in Chinese. Our insular American web browsers generally can't display Chinese characters, but you can find out more by looking up his name at technorati.com or google.com.

Vista Lust?

Okay, Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, launches at midnight tomorrow. Isn't that a lot of hoopla for an operating system? Sit tight if you can fight the desire for Vista. Your computer would need more memory, a bigger hard drive, a faster processer, new graphics card, and a DVD drive just to load it. Plus, many peripherals such as printers, backup systems and digital cameras won't work on Vista without udpated software.

If you don't believe me, here's the viewpoint from The Chicago Tribune's Jim Coates today. He's everyone's favorite print columnist and he says:

"... and many experts are telling their clients (correctly, I think) to stick with Windows XP until their next machine. This is because much of Vista focuses on ease of use and beautiful displays one can get by without for a while."

SeaMonkey

Our loyalty to Netscape as the most secure browser, with best features, is likely coming to an end.

I'm currently evaluating SeaMonkey from Mozilla as an alternative.


Many clients report Netscape crashes when opening web pages that are created with advanced graphics, flash screens end embedded video.

Netscape v. 8.3 is stable, but many of us are holding on to v. 7.2 because it is the last version to include email. Newer versions are browser only, exactly like IE and Firefox.

But Netscape was always fantastic. It was relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

Then there was the outstanding ability to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. I used this feature every week. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and couldn't seem to figure out a way to include email.

SeaMonkey, from the original makers of Netscape looks like a good replacement. You can download the product here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/
or wait til I have a chance to conclude a 30-day test of the program. Write to me at Helen@cclarity.com if you have questions or opinions about SeaMonkey.