Tools to Calculate Your Projector’s Throw Distance
Mounting a projector is a task that most IT professionals will only perform a few times throughout their careers and home theatre enthusiasts will tackle once, maybe twice. But properly mounting your projector at the right distance from the canvas is crucial for getting the most out of your projector.
Luckily there are tools available online that take the guesswork out of calculating the optimal throw distance for your projector. Da-Lite, manufacturer of high-quality projection screens has one such throw distance calculator available on their website.
Dell ControlPoint vs. Sleep and Standby Modes
Today I was tasked with preparing two new Dell Latitude E6500 laptops for deployment with two administrative employees. Between software installs both laptops went into Sleep Mode. One laptop would not return from sleep mode at all, or at least the display didn't. The other laptop returned from Sleep Mode, but the wireless network connection never came back.
The problemeturned out to be the Dell ControlPoint software which came installed on the laptops. Though ControlPoint has one or two neat features, I decided to uninstall it from the machines anyway. After all of the ControlPoint applications were removed both laptops returned from Sleep and Standby modes without any issues.
Hopefully this helps somebody! If anyone finds a specific setting within ControlPoint that can be changed to solve the problem please feel free to post it!
7 System Building Tips
I've built hundreds of PC's in my day. That includes dozens of one-off systems that I've configured and assembled for my own use as well as for friends, family, and customers. It also includes batches of new systems that I build during the summer at my full-time job. Below are just a couple of tips that I've picked up along the way that make the system-building process as painless as possible.
1. Plan Ahead
Many retailers provide reviews, which are invaluable when choosing hardware.
Building a desktop computer isn't rocket science, but it's not work you could assign to a team of chimps, either (with all due respect to the intelligent and majestic chimpanzee, of course). Planning ahead ahead before you go full-force into system building will pay off later by saving you time, money, and frustration.
Research your components. Read blogs, forums and industry sites like Tom's Hardware to find out more about your hardware and whether or not your components will "play nice together." Google is your friend at this stage of the game. Verify that each component has drivers available for the OS you intend to install before you make a purchase. Make sure your power supply provides enough power to support the rest of your hardware. Make sure your motherboard provides the correct ports for any other hardware and adapters you intend to install.
I also recommend reading user reviews for each component on sites like New Egg, Amazon, or MWave. Users tend to write a review when they have a really good or a really bad experience with a product, so they can be a wealth of information and have saved me from countless bad purchasing decisions. Bottom line: Plan, plan, plan!
2. Plan Some More
Once your components arrive gather everything you need and plan the order in which you will install them. Have a trash can handy to immediately discard packaging so it isn't taking up space in your work area. This is the order in which I generally proceed (though your preferences may vary).
- Open and clear the case. Manufacturers will generally pack any extras inside the case, including wires and a bag of hardware. Sit all these items to the side, and position all cables (power supply cables, front panel header wiring, etc). so they are hanging over the outside of the case. You should have a clear view of the chassis where the motherboard will be installed.
- Prepare your case to accept the motherboard by installing the brass risers in the appropriate configuration. Replace the metal panel in the back of the case with the one that matches the built-in components on your motherboard.
- Install the motherboard.
- Connect front panel header wires. This includes the power button, reset button, LED lights, and front USB and audio ports. It is easier to deal with these small wires now than trying to fat-finger them around a bunch of other components later.
- Install memory.
- Install CPU and CPU fan.
- Install drives.
- Install PCI/PCI-X/AGP adapters (video, audio, etc.)
- Connect all power cables.
- Cable Management (see below).
- Plug-in and test. If you need to make adjustments, your case is still open and components are easily-accessible.
- Close the case.
3. Pick a Quality Case
This is how your case should look prior to installing the motherboard.
A good case doesn't necessarily contain 10 fans and light up like the aurora borealis when you hit the power button. Ventilation is incredibly important, but from a system builder's perspective so is ease of assembly. Make sure your case provides plenty of working room. It's not hard to damage a motherboard and other components when you have to angle them awkwardly to get them into the case.
The following outlines the "no-frills" criteria that I have for cases. These are just choices that I have found to be ideal and they may not fit your situation.
- Front USB and audio ports. (If you don't get it now, its not so simple to add later)
- Front ports should be located high on the case. When placed on the floor, devices plugged into USB ports low on the case will get kicked and possibly destroyed.
- No hinged doors unless you have a very good reason for having them. Plastic doors will break quickly.
- No ventilation shafts. Feel free to disagree but I remain unconvinced that plastic ventilation shafts above the CPU do anything other than take up space and slow you down.
- Simple drive access. There are many ways that manufacturers can accomplish this (rails , lock-in drive trays), but if I have to unscrew and remove an additional piece of metal to get to my drives and swap them, I'll look for another case. You should be able to swap drives without disconnecting other wires or hardware.
Note: You can solve a lot of overheating and ventilation problems in your case by cleaning out your fans, adding new fans, or simply moving your tower to a location where it can breath.
4. Use a Magnetic, Manual Phillips Screwdriver
The Magnetic Phillips Head Screwdriver: One tool to rule them all...
In most scenarios a Phillips head screwdriver is the only tool you will need to build a system. I say magnetic because you will drop screws and they will find their way to the most inconvenient crevice in your new case that they can! Don't worry about the magnetism affecting your hardware. It's simply not strong enough to harm your hardware, and I don't know any other system builders who don't use one.
I say use a good, old-fashioned manual screwdriver instead of an electronic screwdriver or drill because most electronic devices are simply too bulky to use effortlessly inside a computer case. Besides: if you're not careful you risk stripping out or severely over-tightening your screws, both of which will make adjustments a pain in the future.
Note: You may also need a flat-head screwdriver for installing and adjusting certain types of CPU fans.
5. Take Anti-Static Measurements
Whether you ground yourself with an anti-static bracelet or an intricate alligator-clip and wire system, make sure you are properly grounded to avoid shocking your new components with static electricity. Damage caused by static is difficult to diagnose but very simply to avoid.
6. Don't Force Anything
Yoda Cat says, "force components you will not!"
If screw doesn't seem to fit or if a component doesn't seem to snap into location easily, do not force it. Step back from the situation and analyze it for a moment. There are usually at least two different sized screws used when assembling a computer, and you may be using the wrong one. If your memory doesn't seem to snap in, it may be backward or you may be trying to install DDR 1 memory into a DDR 2 slot. If an IDE cable doesn't want to push into a port with ease, try flipping it in the other direction.
Though occasionally you may encounter a screw hole bored slightly too narrow you should always think twice about forcing it through. You could strip out the hole or the screw, making removal of the hardware difficult later.
Forcing components and connection wires can easily damage pins and leads and ruin expensive hardware. Think about the situation before you manhandle components or use other tools to force a solid connection.
7. Practice Good Wire Management
Practicing wire management prevents mistakes and make maintenance tasks simpler.
In my opinion there are no hard and fast rules as to how you should effectively manage the cabling inside a computer case. When building systems I inevitably find that I have several twisty-ties left over from the component's packaging, and I save them for tying up and organizing wires. Most cases will provide holes along the edges where a tie can easily be inserted to wrap up and tighten wires. Make sure that all wires and cables can reach from their origin to their destination, but keep the slack far away from CPU and case fans. It's best to handle this before you put the case back together, otherwise you will waste your time later reopening the case to make adjustments.
Note: Though the plastic fan blades in a PC probably won't damage wires if they strike them, stray wires can cause fans to stop working and thus overheat and possible damage your CPU.
Summary
With a little bit of planning and some common sense it is easy to configure and build a stable desktop computer. Plan ahead of time so you know you are buying reliable components that work well together and support the operating system that you intend to run. Keep organized from start to finish: lay out all of the components and tools you will need, keep your work area clean by throwing out packaging and other garbage as it accumulates, and manage the wires and connections inside your tower by tying them off as you build. Use the right tools for the job, avoid static discharge, and don't force connections. Using this simple advice you can fully assemble a stable desktop PC within 25 minutes of receiving the components.
Questions or comments about this article? Or better yet, do you have your own system building tips to share? Leave a comment below! We'd love to hear from you.
Going 64-Bit, Revisited
In my last post I expressed my frustration with HP's lack of 32-bit OS support on a laptop purchased by one of my clients. I received some constructive criticism on that post that I think deserves special attention.
ArunHorne Expands my Vocabulary: "Luddism!"
A user name ArunHorne on Dzone made the following comment:
If you are arguing that manufacturers should not have switched to 64-bit operating systems this is Luddism to the extreme. If you really need to use a 32-bit OS you could always try something like VMWare to run legacy software.
My post wasn't intended as a rant against 64-bit technology. Obviously my style of writing needs some adjustment because I didn't get the point across that I was trying to make. I did try to make it clear that I was talking specifically about the lack of 64-bit support for software and devices used in niche markets such as that of my customer, a hearing specialist.
I'm all for moving ahead with 64-bit architecture, and I don't think I made a case against it in my article. I simply live in a reality where I (and my customers) cannot embrace the 64-bit revolution. My complaint was that HP has locked us in to using a 64-bit operating system on a laptop that should have no problem supporting a 32-bit OS.
JP Says: We Got Exactly What We Paid For
A reader named JP made the following comment:
So, the technology should not evolve because there are some legacy applications out there? If the laptop had windows vista 64 bit as advertised (and they DO advertise it), it is a well known fact that you won’t have 16 bit support. Its not like there aren’t any laptops with xp or vista 32 bit. So, if someone made an ignorant choice, now is the manufacturer’s fault?
Btw most of these issues can easily be solved using vmware, virtualbox or something like it. If the laptop’s cpu has VT support, a vm will be a lot faster than a 4 or 5 year-old computer.
Should Legacy Applications Hold Back Technology?
Certainly not. However on behalf of my clients and as the person who supports them I have to ask: how is this our choice? Again my complaint was never with changing technology, it was with the fact that HP was locking us in to a 64-bit operating system when many industries have yet to adopt it.
The Customer Knowingly Bought 64-Bit
JP makes a good point: the OS that an OEM system runs is advertised in it's description and so we can't plead false advertising regarding the purchase.
Had the client asked me to select a laptop for them this system would have been red-flagged and there never would have been an issue. Unfortunately I can't stop anyone from making a bad purchase if they don't ask for my advice ahead of time; I can only help remedy the situation after the fact.
Again, HP said they would not support the laptop if we installed a 32-bit OS (which the hardware supports). Why should installing an operating system 100% compatible with the hardware I'm installing it on to void my warranty? Fans of Linux and other open source operating systems should be very scared of this line of thinking.
Another point to be made is that 64-bit versus 32-bit means nothing to the average consumer unless they have memories of the video game console wars where we all just assumed that "more bits is better." Even if my client had read "Vista Home Basic 64-Bit Edition" they wouldn't have had a clue what it meant.
Virtualization as a Solution
JP as well as other users posed virtualization as a solution to this issue. It was noted that I could easily use VMWare, VirtualBox or VirtualPC to run a 32-bit OS on top of the 64-bit operating system. Taking only the technology involved into consideration this is certainly one possible solution, however there are other factors involved.
The first kink in this plan is that my clients are not technically inclined individuals and don't have full or even part-time IT support. I come around about once a month to help with IT issues, so adding the (what we might consider minimal) complexity of virtualization software and a second operating system on top of a technology they already find a little confusing isn't a viable option for either one of us.
The second issue is that, from my understanding of Microsoft's EULA, they'd have to pay for a second Windows license to run the OS under the virtual machine. I'm against this simply on the principle that I don't think someone should have to pay for a second operating system just to make their computer work the way that it needs to.
Third and possibly most important issue is that I'm not sure how well any virtualization technology will support their hardware. I have a fair amount of experience with VirtualBox and VirtualPC but not VMWare. Though both programs seem to support serial and some USB communications, I required flawless USB support as well as Bluetooth, which I'm not sure that either one supports. I know someone will feel free to correct me if that's not the case.
Gene: You Made a Bad Purchase, Deal With It!
Gene writes,
Sounds like he just bought a laptop that wasn’t suited to the task. Would you have blamed HP if the user’s software was all Linux-based? The first step in buying hardware is making sure it will support the software you need it for.
I completely agree with Gene. It was a poorly thought-out purchase and we shouldn't hold it against HP that my customer bought a laptop incapable of doing what we wanted it to do. In the future I'll encourage (or insist) my clients include me in all computer purchasing decisions so we avoid this type of complication.
KL Says: Your Story Sucks!
A reader named KL says,
Sorry, but this is a terrible story for the title. I thought it was going to be an analysis of the state of 64 bit systems, etc, etc. But it’s a story about someone purchasing (most likely accidentally) a 64-bit computer, and you (the author) are saying it’s the manufacturers fault? This article has little relevance to 64-bit architecture.
It’s like saying a man went in to buy a Diet Coke, but instead walked out with a regular Coke. Is Coke jumping the gun and adding sugar unnecessarily?
The Problem is, it's My Story KL!
All I have to say is this: who writes this blog? Me, and not you? Because if this were my blog I'd tell you that I wrote exactly what I advertised in the title and description. Remember the description? The one that said "If you intend to run niche software or devices, think twice before switching to a 64-bit operating system?" Remember how I then wrote about switching to a 64-bit OS to run niche industry software and devices? Remember how I then wrote about how that failed? Yeah, I don't remember that either. Just kidding KL. I kid because I care.
All ball-bustery aside, there isn't much I can do about the fact that KL wanted to read about something else, other than point him in a different direction.
Diet Coke Analogy
Ignoring the distinct possibility that KL is a Coke employee hired to keyword stuff their brand into other people's websites, the analogy still doesn't make sense to me. I'm not buying a can of Coke. I'm buying an expensive piece of hardware that is, technically speaking, is completely capable of running the software and devices that I need it to run. Yet the manufacturer is telling me that I cannot. Elaborating on KL's analogy, it's more like Mack Truck telling Coke that the warranty on their 18-wheelers are void because they hauled Diet Coke, when they clearly marked the truck with regular Coke branding.
I admit this analogy makes even less sense. But I entertained myself for at least three minutes while thinking of it, so I consider it a great success.
Bubak: Did You Even Try to Make This Work?
Finally, a reader named Bubak writes:
Did you actually __tryed__ installing those apps? 32 bit emulation is very good and it may work fine.
Also upgrade to Windows 7 may be cheep solution.
I tried knowing that I was going to fail. It is absolutely correct to say that the 64-bit editions of both Windows XP and Vista have impeccable 32-bit software support. I've been running 64-bit operating systems exclusively both at home and at the office for about two years now without a single software issue. Drivers, however, are a different story entirely.
Without exception you cannot install a 32-bit driver on a 64-bit version of Windows, and so you are at the mercy of your hardware manufacturers (or a clever, reverse-engineering third party) to release a 64-bit driver. Windows 7 has some features that will solve backwards compatibility issues with software designed for older versions of Windows, but I don't think it has any solutions that bridge the gap between architectures.
Other Affected Industries
Though the client I was discussing works in the hearing aide sales and testing industry, his is not the only industry that will have problems upgrading to a 64-bit operating system. I also work a full-time job as an IT Specialist at a vocational school, and I've run into similar issues there with hardware and software in the following industries: dentistry (drivers for computerized and network-enabled imaging and X-Ray machines), machining (drivers for routers, rapid prototyping devices, and laser engravers), electrical engineering (PLC interface drivers), and all facets of the automotive industry (drivers for vehicle diagnostic links).
Summary
Obviously my complaint that OEM's and hardware manufacturers are moving at a much faster pace than industry was missed by most of my readers and taken as an attack on progression toward the future of 64-bit computing. I'd love for that to happen, but I have to live in a reality where that might not occur for another three to four years.
In hindsight it was probably a mistake to post this piece on Dzone, where the audience is highly technical and naturally wanted to solve the problem by throwing more technology at it.
Thanks to all of my readers who left positive feedback and suggestions on how to overcome my 64-bit dillema.
To those who left comments treating me and my client like idiots, I admit I don't know everything, and compared to some of you I might know much at all. But I do know that if I approached my clients with the same "Big Man Behind the Keyboard Syndrome" with which some folks communicate, I wouldn't have clients very long at all!
Going 64-Bit: A Cautionary Tale
Recently a customer of mine who makes a living testing patient's hearing and troubleshooting issues with their hearing aides bought a new laptop to take out on call. The laptop he bought was an HP Pavilion TV5, a powerful system with a very reasonable price. Last night I stopped at his office to configure his diagnostic software and devices on the new laptop, and ran into a major issue that was anything but surprising.
The Pavilion TV5 comes with Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition preinstalled. Niche industries such as my client's are often years behind in operating system and platform support, and 64-bit architecture is no exception. None of my client's hardware or software were supported by his new system. So what's a geek to do?
HP will not provide or support a 32-bit operating system for this laptop. Microsoft will not allow us to exchange the operating system for the 32-bit equivalent. Best Buy will exchange the laptop but the only replacements they offer running Vista 32-bit are, for lack of a better word, crap.
Did manufacturers jump the gun with the switch to 64-bit?
Update: Apparently this post caused some controversy both here on my blog as well as on my submission over on DZone. In an effort to keep the discussion going, I replied to some reader comments in a separate entry, called Going 64-Bit, Revisited.
Using a Canon MultiPass F50 on Windows Vista
The bad news is Canon no longer supports the Canon MultiPass F50 (and I assume it's brethren in the MultiPass product line) and has no intentions of making MultiPass drivers for any version of Windows Vista or for the 64-bit version of Windows XP.
The good news is you can still make the printing feature of this multifunction device work with newer versions of Windows by using a simple work-around.
Step 1: Put the MultiPass F50 into "Printer Mode"
The MultiPass has a hidden feature which allows it to run in a printer-only mode which emulates the same feature-set as a Canon InkJet S630 printer. Don't give me credit for the discovery: I picked this up from a user named GregD on Internet.com's WinDriver's forum.
To put your MultiPass in Printer Mode, push the following buttons in the order they are listed: Menu / Scan / Copy / Set / Set. The LED display should now say "Printer Mode". If you later want to scan or fax, I simply reboot the printer (if there is a better way, hopefully someone leave a comment about it). Be sure to do this before you connect the printer to your computer, or Vista will try and fail to install it as a MultiPass.
Step 2 : Connect the printer to your PC
As I mentioned, Canon doesn't have a MultiPass driver for Vista or for Windows XP 64-bit Edition. But by using the above key combination your printer will emulate a Canon InkJet S630. If you connect the printer via USB Vista should automatically detect it as an InkJet S630. If your MultiPass is connected via parallel, you may have to manually add the printer. Be sure to select the Canon InkJet S630 driver when you do!
9 Reasons to Switch from Windows to Linux, Revisited
After stumbling upon this article listing 9 Reasons to Switch from Windows to Linux, I felt more than a little compelled to respond critically to some of it's claims. That response became a bit long-winded to post as a comment, and so I decided to post a full rebuttle here on my blog.
Comparing Modern Linux to Old Windows
Although I agree with some of the claims in the original article, it seems as though it was written from the perspective of someone who switched to Linux in 1998 and never looked back.
The article was comparing fresh apples to rotten oranges. If one's goal is to compare Windows and Linux and list the ways in which one outperforms the other, it's only fair that we compare the versions with the closest release dates. In other words, it's unfair to compare the feature set of Windows 98 (released in June of 1998) to that of Ubuntu 9.04, code named Jaunty Jackalope (released in April of 2009).
1. Your Computer is Getting Slower!
First off: my computer isn't getting slower. I've run Windows XP on dozens of systems for years without a reinstall or even a reboot for months at a time, and unless I installed new software the performance never really changed.
I've worked on the sort of computer the author is referring to (I affectionately call them "thrashers"), and it seem to me that the tendancy for a computer to get slower over time has more to do with junk hardware and irresponsible usage patterns than about the operating system.
Think about this logically for just a second: people who use Linux tend to be highly technical individuals who might understand that there could be repercussions to downloading dozens of pieces of software from unknown sources on the Internet. If they use their heads, the sort of behavior that leads to a slow PC never happens. In addition Linux comes with a large collection of programs and utilities which negates some of that need to constantly download and install programs from the Internet. Why not list that as one of your reasons to switch?
Admittedly file system fragmentation is still a problem on Windows that can degrade your performance over time, regardless of how responsibly you use your computer. You should defregment on Windows occassionally to keep things zippy, but Linux's Ext2, Ext3, and all-new Ext4 filesystems aren't completely immune to fragmentation, and fragmentation on a modern Windows system using NTFS isn't the crippling disease it was on FAT and FAT32-based Windows 98 systems, either.
2. You are fed up with viruses and spyware and you heard Linux does not have any!
Windows is a victim of it's own popularity. If you were a hacker looking to cause damage to the greatest number of computers or a spyware developer looking to profit off the largest number of possible infections, would you target Windows or Linux? After taking into account the fact that Windows has an 87.9% share of the desktop operating system market, versus a 1.02% share for Linux. It's a fact that there are fewer viruses written for Linux than Windows, but to say there are no Linux viruses is a fallacy.
This begs the questions: is Linux more secure than Windows? Or is the disparity between the amount of malware on Windows versus Linux simply a function of security through obscurity? This debate has raged for years and lack the energy to rehash it, so read this comprehensive discussion on Windows and Linux Securiyty at The Register instead (spoiler: Windows loses).
In Microsoft's defense, some of the most sever virus outbreaks have been 100% preventable. The Conficker virus spread through unpatched systems (computers that aren't installing their OS updates). Microsoft released a patch to the bad code months before a virus was found lose in the wild that exploited it. In my opinion this is even more anecdotal evidence of the disparity in usage patterns between Windows users versus Linux users. Would users automatically become more responsible and install patches if they switched to Linux? Probably not.
3. Your old printer or scanner don't work with the latest version of Windows!
A few weeks ago I attended a CPLUG meeting where for the first time I was able to participate in face-to-face discussions with real Linux power users. In one of my conversations, I told a CPLUG member that I simply didn't have much use for Linux because I can do everything I need to do very effectively in Windows. His response that was that I could install Linux on an old 486 and turn it into a router and firewall for my home network. My response was that that would be a waste of my time, since I can already by a powerful home router for $50.00 that consume a heck of a lot less electricity than a full desktop system.
Linux has fantastic support for old hardware, and if supporting your printer from the 1980's is a priority but supporting your modern Windows software is not, then by all means, look up your device on the official Linux Hardware Compatibility site and go to town, my friend.
In my experience the Linux community has been so focused on support of legacy device compatibility that they neglect the fact that some of the most common off-the-shelf components don't function on Linux out of the box.
Be warned: when your hardware doesn't work out of the box with Linux, making the "tweaks" neccessary to get it fixed aren't as trivial as they often are on Windows. Malfunctioning video drivers sometimes require you to drop to the shell and manually edit configuration files like x11.conf, whereas in Windows you could use Safe Mode to install the right driver or change your display settings in a low resolution mode which should work on any video hardware. Oh, and take a look at the steps neccessary to make one of the popular WPC54G wireless adapters work on Ubuntu Linux. Real user friendly, huh?
It's true that Windows Vista doesn't have very good legacy hardware support, but it's out-of-box support for modern hardware is impeccable. There are two simple solutions to the legacy hardware dillema. The first is to upgrade to modern hardware, and at the cost of most home printing and scanning (and other) devices you'd be doing yourself a disservice to disregard this as an option. The second option is to simply skip Vista. Unless you have a specific reason to upgrade from Windows XP, don't. Microsoft has pledge support for Windows XP through April of 2014. No one is forcing your hand to switch operating systems any time soon, despite what the original article might lead you to believe.
If you do decide to upgrade to Vista (or Windows 7 for that matter), download Microsoft's Vista Upgrade Advisor. This free utility will check your system, analyze your hardware and software, and tell you what needs upgraded before your computer can run Windows Vista.
4. You have a computer without Windows and don't want to buy Windows
Despite the annoying grammar and the fact that the author actually had the audacity to link the words "buy Windows" to an Amazon Affiliate link, this is a good point. If you built a computer yourself or inherited a computer and not an operating system, you may find yourself in this position. I can't argue against Linux as a valid option in this scenario. However if you are buying a new PC and are considering buying it without Windows in order to save money, think twice. Many manufacturers won't sell you a computer without Windows, or at the very least won't sell it to you any cheaper.
5. You want to run a Linux application
As the author mentioned himself, some of the best software available on Linux is already available for Windows, so switching operating systems probably isn't neccesary. Much of the software I use on a daily basis is open source, and a lot of it was originally built for Linux. Some examples are PHP, Apache, NetBeans IDE, MySQL, Firefox, Gimp, FileZilla, Subversion, and VirtualBox.
Speaking of VirtualBox, even if a Linux application you want to use doesn't have a Windows-compatible version, you don't have to give up Windows in order to install Linux and run your program. Provided your computer has the neccessary power, you can install Linux in a virtual environment and run your program from there.
6. You want to (re)use an old computer.
In my opinion this is where Linux truly shines. You can install a bare-bones Linux distribution like Damn Small Linux or powerful but non-graphical distribution such as Ubuntu Server on old hardware and use it for a variety of purposes. I have personally used an old Pentium 3 workstation to host Counter-Strike: Source network game server, and used similar hardware equipped with the SAMBA package to emulate a Microsoft Active Directory domain. Other ideas are lightweight print servers, files servers, and LAMP-based web servers.
7. You had problems with Windows activation.
Admittedly Windows Genuine Advantage got off to a bad start, and like most copy protection schemes, only affected the people who legitimately paid for their software. However we're now three years out from WGA's release, and most of the compatibility issues and reports of "false positives" of pirated software have been resolved. Unless you are philosophically opposed to paying for software, Windows Genuine Advantage doesn't seem like a logical reason to completely switch your operating system.
8. You do not like the new Vista interface of Windows.
Once again, no one is forcing anyone to switch right now. Unless you buy a new computer preloaded with Windows Vista this isn't even an issue. What I've found after switching many users from Windows XP to Vista is that users convert over kicking and screaming, but within a few weeks come to appreciate many of the interface changes in Vista.
If fear of change is the issue with switching to Windows Vista, how is switching to a completely different operating system going to help anyone? Most of my customers would freak if they didn't see the "Blue E" on their desktops that has become synonymous with the Internet.
9. You are curious about Linux.
Once again, there is no reason for a full conversion from Windows to Linux. Thanks to virtualization technology, operating systems can coexist on the same system. By installing and exploring Linux within a virtual environment, you can decide for yourself wether or not it is worth a permanant switch without making any life or work-altering decisions on your physical system.
It should be noted that I'm no Linux expert, but I do have years of experience with Linux as both a casual user and as an LAMP-platform web developer. I've been using Microsoft Windows since Windows for Workgroups, I co-administer a 350-workstation Windows network, and I am a Microsoft Certified Windows Vista Technology Specialist (I'm not quite finished with the full MCITP curriculum).
Responsibly Disposing of Computer Equipment
It's a sad fact of life that, as an unrepentant geek, it's not always possible for me to balance my love of technology with my desire to keep the natural world as healthy as possible. Most of our electronic devices have become cheaper to replace than to repair; and many devices that can be repaired on a budget, such as desktop computers, will still have a limited useful lifespan.
Most electronics contain components that are at best non biodegradable and at worst toxic for our environment. What's a geek to do? Some states in the U.S. have laws against dropping garbage electronics (called e-waste) in landfills; as for those that aren't yet enforcing e-waste recycling at the state level I'll say this: just because you can dump your electronics doesn't mean you should. But I'm not here to lecture anyone on environmental responsibility. For those of you that want to do right by your planet, I wrote this article to suggest ways to recycle, reduce, or reuse your computer equipment and other electronics.
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