2400 Baud -- A walk down Memory Lane!

Those were the days!

Some of you probably are to young to remember some of the stuff that I've seen and others probably know more than what they let on.   In this article, we are going to go back in time and discuss some of this that you probably don't remember or remember vividly.   Depending on old you are, this could be a walk down memory lane or you could learn something that you never knew.   Either way, you will want to share this with your friends and maybe they can learn something too.

What is or was a BBS?

Before we had the internet, we'd have to call a BBS [Bulletin Board System] and connect to the Intranet.   It was a way to find out information or play ASCII Games.   They had their own newsgroups through a network such as FidoNet.  Anyone who is old enough to understand this will tell you this was cutting edge stuff in those days.   I used to watch Star Trek and dream of some of the stuff they'd create in the future.   Well it happened and I am really glad I saw the first data pad.

That used to be the ASCII Art for Fidonet, but it has changed it still looks really cool!

Speeds!

Before we had Cable Companies and DSL modems we had 300, 1200, 2400, 28.8, 56k baud modems.   What we have now is light years faster than what we had in those days.  That was why we used ASCII Art all the time, it was way faster and we really didn't know how to do some of the stuff with HTML then like we do now.   Although loading images and downloading programs or files was a really LONG process could take up to an hour for a 10 meg file.   You'd also have to have a dedicated line to dial out on or by chance someone would pick up the land line and kill your connection.

My Old System!

When I first began using a computer, I had a TI-994a system man was that an old system for some.   It was in competition with the Commodore 64.  Each one had their uses and could be very picky with loading programs.  Some of them you used a TAPE to load the programs onto the system.   Again you'd have to be old enough to remember those days but it was nothing like we had with Hard Drives and available space we have today.   

I did this post because I was feeling a little nostalgic and thought it was a good time to remember some of the things we did then to get to where we are now.   I do hope you learned a little bit about old technology and hope you will share it for others to learn just what it was like in the early 1990's to 2000's.   

Paul Sylvester

Google Chromebooks -- Looks can be deceiving!

Laptops don't last forever!

I know I've had this Acer Aspire 5739G for over 3 years now and it is showing quite a bit of wear and tear.   It looks like I might need to invest a new laptop to do all of what I need with it.  So I've been doing a little research and found the Acer C7 Chromebook [Affiliate Link].   It has the Chrome OS so it should be interesting to say the least. Some of the Specs of this Chrome Book is:

Screen Size	11.6 inches
Screen Resolution	1366x768
Max Screen Resolution	1366 x 768
Processor	1.10 GHz Phenom Dual-Core
RAM	2.00 GB
Hard Drive	320 GB HDD 5400 rpm
Chipset Brand	Intel
Wireless Type	802.11bgn

Small but powerful!

As you can see this isn't a really powerful notebook. I really don't think I need a powerful notebook to be able to do what I need to online.   I've been using the my Acer Tablet more and more to do just what needs to be done.   I've not really been using my notebook, well lets face it, it is going to break sooner or later and I am trying to only use it for the blogging and other such stuff like that.   Everything that I need to do is being done with my Tablet and I'm have no problems with it.   I can watch movies and shows from it when I need to and It is small enough to take just about anywhere.   The only problem I may have with it is the ability to use it a notebook.   This is where I will need an actual notebook that isn't to big or to bulky to take with me from time to time.  

Installing Another OS!

If I get this, I might just have fun and install Kubuntu on it but that is after I check out the Chrome OS and see how it is.   I've not order this Chromebook just yet because I am going to wait and see how to buy it.   I am however quite interested in the promises it says up to 4 hours of battery life.   Will it last 4 hours without a charge that is a good question.  I've read one writers experience with at least one version of the Chrome OS.  So this makes me wonder if I will have the same problem with the OS as they had with it.

Don't need everything!

I don't really need everything but it would be nice to blog and use it offline, so I might have to install Kubuntu when I and IF I get it.   I'm one of those that knows that it isn't the end of the world if you find it not working just perfectly.   I will however explore other options and notebooks if I find something that will work under 300$.   I'm currently can only spend that much money on a notebook or laptop to be able to blog with.   So I am going to look around and see.   If you know of any good notebooks that you would recommend leave a comment or contact me and let me know.   I'd love to find out which one(s) your using and why!

Paul Sylvester

Day 23: Do you believe in Destiny?

Anyone can achieve their fullest potential!

I am going to change my destiny and challenge it.   I beat this isn’t the first time you’ve heard that saying.   Do you believe you have a destiny?  Destiny is like a fickle cat, but that is not something that you have not heard before.

My Blogging Experience!

I wanted to blog for 30 days, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying!  It was after all something I wanted to do, but time and work can be a very difficult thing to do when you want to blog.  Your exhausted and sleepy, these are what makes us human.   We can’t run 24 hours non stop we need to take breaks and sleep and relax.   Most people don’t know how to relax, they just go through the day to day routines non stop.   Day in and day out, when you finally get to the point of utter exhaustion, that is when you know to take a breath and change! 

Change is always preferable!

Change can be a preferable way to get things done.   In this article, I’m going to point out a few ways to help you change.   Call these a quick tips for change.   Although you will need to adapt these to your circumstances, I don’t see any reason why these won’t help you in your long journey of change!

• Be accountable — if your can have accountability your more than likely going to change and not stay where you are!   It isn’t as if your want to stay the same.   Find someone or something to help you change!
• Change routines — even if your have a great routine, sometimes just changing one thing can make a difference in your wanting to change.   Call it a way to take small steps.   If your not going to walk like a toddler and learn from your mistakes you will not be able to change!
• Volunteer — Find something to be active in.   This is a great chance to be the change as some would call it.   You don’t have to do anything major but do work on baby steps activities!   

 These are my tips that should help you change.   If you take tiny steps you can make the changes you want to make.   I am making my own changes and and hope that you make some changes yourself.   You can do anything you want if you make the effort.   

Paul Sylvester

Four Lessons I've learned from Blogging!

iPad 2 Launch // Austin by achimh, on FlickrBoy have I learned A lot!

I've not sure how many have seen the changes the last few days on my site.  If you haven't you should really check it out and see just what I've done to better become better at blogging.   I've really done a lot in the past two weeks and that isn't including what I've done with my life.   I've found a job that requires me to work on the weekend.  Some of you are probably saying OUCH, I know my kids will have to deal with me on the week days only for the time being.  If your wondering, I've decided to try to be less intrusive on the Advertising and see how that works.   I've pretty much have nothing to loose and everything to gain if more people will sign up for the newsletter.  I don't know when I'll post more regularly next week but I'm hoping once everything settles down, this will become a more friendlier place.   I decided to leave Hostgator behind in hopes to have the site load faster and be able to change it when I want to.   My choice so far is Squarespace, it seems to have what I want and let's me do everything I've always wanted to do with very little effort.

Don't accept mediocrity!

What is mediocrity? I won't go into much detail but in simple english it is a person who accepts the average. When I first started blogging, I wanted to be extraordinary but that can sometimes be really difficult when it comes to blogging and knowing how to blog.   It really doesn't matter what you think of yourself but what others think of your first.   If you can proof yourself better than the average person then you are more likely to set an example for the ones to come.   This is my dream, that I might be able to set some examples in todays society.  It can be hard and I'm sure it will always be interesting, to some that can be easy but others it is extremely hard to be successful blogger.  I've pretty much decided that nothing is going to stop me from being EXTRAordinary, but the path to that is going to be a hard and trechous one!  I'm sure it will get better in the days to come but the road less travelled always has sharp rocks! 

Don't Sweat the Small stuff!

I used to worry about those small posts that no body really read.   It was something that was a constant reminder of what I've not done right.  I don't know about you but this can be very hard for some, me included. I've learn that the small posts are just a way of testing the waters.   Something that comes with time and experience.   I won't say that it is going to be easy but it will be interesting.  If your like me, I love to be interesting and not nothing.  Just think, you might be a the next big blogger.   I've no longer worried about my stats but I am using my comments and emails to find out how people are liking my post.  You just got to remember to not be dishonest with your readers, this will make their experience much better and yours.

Simpler is Better!

This is something that I've come to realize the last few weeks.   My blog got so bloated with stuff that I thought it was a cruise liner and not a yacht.   If your like me, sometimes you need to re-evaluate your blog and see where you can trim it down or make it faster.  I've decided on my blog to change everything and make it less intrusive with advertising, I think that is something that can help my blog grow.   It however will always take time and you can't always expect it take off immediantly.  If your really want to make some money on your blog, you might consider reader ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income [Affiliate Link].  I've just started reading this book and have found it extremely helpful with my blogging and understand how to write a better post.  

Refocusing your posts!

Don't always assume that your posts are big.  If you don't sit down and think your article out, you may loose people.   If your going to post about your blog and not think of your readers experience then you are just asking for problems down the road.   I won't tell you how to refocus but I will say this, if you want reader engagement then you must come up with your content and make it your passion.   It however just depends on you and no one else.  If your interested in learning how to become a better blogger, you might check out some of these books [Affiliate Link] to help you on your way.  

Paul Sylvester

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Tech Journalist breaks the silence -- Journalist got Pwned!!

It was another ordinary day for this tech journalist. He had just waken up from his lovely dreams and hadn't realized that he was being baited with Phish. Yes that is correct he actually gave out his password to an Phish site and didn't know it.

I have to admit that he didn't hide it, in fact he decided to post about how he got Pwned and what happened.

The Face Of A Facebook Phishing Scam
[Click Picture to see the full story]

[ad#ad2-right]As you can see the site : Facebookcom.awardspace.com is a phishing site and should never give out your information to third parties.   Some things to remember if you get an email with a link sometimes won't send you to the real link.  This can be easily done just like blogging.  You don't know where you will end up when you click an email link.   One thing to remember is if in doubt log into facebook the old fashion way and see for yourself.

You could be the next person to have your Identity taken away from you.  So what should you do to prevent this type of phishing attacks, assume any email you get from Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Any other Social Sites to be a possible phish email.   These are always going to be a problem for these sites.  The spammers want access to be able to spam your friends and family with links, or to make you look foolish.  This is the reason they do it for Money or just for laughs.

One thing to remember is having a strong password will make it that much harder for you to be phished because if you can't remember it you will be more careful.  I will keep preaching this having a good Firewall and Anti-virus will also prevent you from getting viruses from these type of phishing attacks.  It will also make it much more harder to go to sites that smell like Phish.  Remember only you can keep your identity a secret.

Internet Explorer still has a Vulnerability after Tuesday Patch!!

I just read this on several blogs and thought I'd share the details with you, it seems that Microsoft didn't know there was a problem with this Bug/Vulnerability.   Computer world has a great article and  says this:

[ad#ad2-right]"The updates Microsoft released yesterday do not address this possible vulnerability," a Microsoft spokesman said today in an e-mail reply to questions, "but I can tell you that Microsoft is investigating these new public claims of a possible vulnerability in Internet Explorer."

[Via ComputerWorld]

I can only hope that Microsoft fixes this Vulnerability soon, I would take a guess that they will try to get this out on the patch cycle if not they will push it out after.   Some things to remember with IE(Internet Explorer) is only use it with Microsoft Updates.   I also Suggest downloading FireFox and checking out my Anti-virus and Anti-Spyrware Page for ways to prevent from getting a virus.

Xbox Zune? or A Zune Phone?

Could Microsoft be planning to talk about the Zune.   Some blogs are talking about how this will be talked about in next month at CES.  According to some posts and I'll quote:

The Tech Trader Daily column earlier this week on Barron's reports that Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry predicts Microsoft will reveal a Zune phone next month at CES. Chowdry expects that much like Apple's iPhone the device will combine music player capabilities with, he says, "some motion enhancement features."

[Via 1UP]

Although this is a theory, and I can see this happening due to the fact that Microsoft has always like to tie together there products.    So what makes this even more tangible is the fact that Microsoft hinted about this in the past:

[ad#ad2-left]

Dated Dec 20, 2006

Xbox European boss Chris Lewis has admitted for the first time that Microsoft is considering games content for the recently released portable multimedia player Zune.

[via Gamasutra]

As you can see Microsoft did hint this and probably will be fact sooner or later.   Some sources are claiming they have this already in the works but it's still a rumor.   I'll let you decide for yourself.

Adobe Lays off 600 people

Adobe might also hire new workers within Europe, he said. The cuts will be formally announced on Dec. 15 when the company releases its fourth-quarter financial report.


[via Infoworld]

[ad#ad2-right]This is another technology company to lay off people, there are some talks that it would be around 600 workers on some blogs. Others are just talking about the Management shakedown, and some workers are going to be moved around. I don't know who is going to be laid off, or if there will be a tremendous amount of people who will need to start looking for a job. I do know that Adobe is looking for ways to cut cost, and I expect they are having problems just because of the Recession.  If you want to check out other jobs that have laid people off, just click this link.



[ad#ad2-left]

Adobe also announced the implementation of a restructuring program, and has taken steps to reduce its headcount by approximately 600 full-time positions globally. The restructuring will result in anticipated pre-tax charges totaling approximately $44 million to $50 million. The Company expects approximately $28 million to $30 million of the restructuring charges to be recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2008.

[Via Adobe Blog]

This the press release for Adobe and I wanted to share with you what they said. So it is confirmed they want to get rid of 600 people. Sad to hear, but that isn't the only layoffs in the industry. If I find out anything else I'll let you know!!

Did the Xbox Experience break netflix on Demand activation?

[ad#ad2-left]According to Google Trends people are trying to activate there Xbox Experience with Netflix.  This could be a problem for Netflix, I just tried and they are extremely slow in response.   I am willing to guess that later on tonight the Netflix will go down when everyone comes home from work and tries the new Xbox Experience with Netflix.   I've heard of problems with activating the Netflix on the Xbox 360, this will become 10 times as bad tonight when people want to hook up and try out this new service from Netflix.   Microsoft should of released this one day at a time for each time zone.   Some blogs talking about the problems that might come along with the update are:

• Columbia Tribune


• The Standard


• Joystiq


• Venture Beat

Although this is just a few that talks about the experience and Netflix problems there are going to be more tonight when people start to come home from work wanting this service.   I would bet over 100$ it will probably go down because to many request to sign up!! I hope they have the IT guys ready for this tonight or it will be a long night!!