In August of 2009 I installed Joomla at computerguru.net.
My notes from that that time was that there were plenty of holes in the documentation, and at times not well organized, a Wiki with many issues! Looking through the Joomla Resource Directory, looking for additional templates, did not find anywhere near the resources there, as in free templates, as I could find for either XOOPS or Drupal.
Since that time I have had numerous spam as a result of the install, with numerous new users joining a web site that never got beyond the install shell.
People have way too much time on their hand, and need to get a life!!!
At this point in time Drupal has become my CMS of choice. At some time in the near future there will be a Drupal based site at computerguru.net. For now I have removed the Joomla based site and replaced it with a simple "tombstone" page.
Saturday, February 13. 2010
Keeping My Mind Organized
Keeping My Mind Organized -- What a Concept!
Wondering if this will do the trick, need to check it out ...
WikkaWiki is a flexible, standards-compliant and lightweight wiki engine∞ written in PHP, which uses MySQL to store pages. Forked from WakkaWiki. Designed for speed, extensibility, and security. Released under the GPL license.
Compared to heavier wiki engines, which integrate several built-in functions, WikkaWiki's goal is to keep its core as small as possible while developing an architecture that supports easy extensibility through plugin modules.
WikkaWiki Homepage
Will take a quick look at it as a standalone app, the "Integrating Wikka with other software" page does not have any really new activity.
Another, somewhat similar application, FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map) software written in Java. The recent development has hopefully turned it into high productivity tool. We are proud that the operation and navigation of FreeMind is faster than that of MindManager because of one-click "fold / unfold" and "follow link" operations.
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Wondering if this will do the trick, need to check it out ...
WikkaWiki is a flexible, standards-compliant and lightweight wiki engine∞ written in PHP, which uses MySQL to store pages. Forked from WakkaWiki. Designed for speed, extensibility, and security. Released under the GPL license.
Compared to heavier wiki engines, which integrate several built-in functions, WikkaWiki's goal is to keep its core as small as possible while developing an architecture that supports easy extensibility through plugin modules.
WikkaWiki Homepage
Will take a quick look at it as a standalone app, the "Integrating Wikka with other software" page does not have any really new activity.
Another, somewhat similar application, FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map) software written in Java. The recent development has hopefully turned it into high productivity tool. We are proud that the operation and navigation of FreeMind is faster than that of MindManager because of one-click "fold / unfold" and "follow link" operations.
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Thursday, February 11. 2010
No New Entries Lately...
Because I've been too busy shoveling snow!!!
Been thinking about following up on the music thoughts...
... as well as political philosophy...
How does a snow storm tie into political philosophy? Stay tuned...
Been thinking about following up on the music thoughts...
... as well as political philosophy...
How does a snow storm tie into political philosophy? Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 31. 2010
Musical Exploration...
A few years ago I signed up for the online music service Rhapsody. I dumped Rhapsody, but after a few months absence from online music tried the Napster online music service when I purchased an XM Radio. Spending my whole life in technology I sometime get frustrated that I work in the field, but I don't spend enough time enjoying technology myself. The one area that I do try to indulge in as much as I can, is using modern technology like XM Radio, and Napster, in the exploration of music.
Listening to XM Radio stations like Deep Tracks, (XM 40) I am learning more and more every day about artists I enjoyed back many years ago. Listening to some of the other classic rock stations, songs that were distant memories, are revived and refreshed in my consciousness.
I have a few stacks of old vinyl albums that I am slowly but surely going through and converting to digital formats. But everyday I am rediscovering artists that I only vaguely knew from back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Napster's library of songs is pretty amazing, it has grown quite a bit over the years. What's equally amazing, is not only how many of the classic rock tunes are available, but how many are being digitally remastered. The tunes sound great on the Sync system in the car. I would have never would have believed it a few years ago if you told me that I was going to buy a car with a "Powered by Microsoft" logo inside of it.
Maybe I am the exception to the norm, but the digital age has caused me to buy more music legitimately, not less. I'm sure many of these artists have already made their millions on these tunes, but out of respect to the musicians, I legitimately download the songs from Napster, through my monthly download allowance with my subscription. In some cases I'll use Napster to download a few tracks of an artist for my own mix of select classics. In a few cases, where I want more than a few tracks, I will search for the CD's to purchase.
Feels good to actually relax and get some enjoyment from technology. This entry was not meant to be a commercial for XM Radio, or Napster, but the preface to more ramblings and rants to come, as I have been spending some time on my musical explorations lately.
Good stuff!
Listening to XM Radio stations like Deep Tracks, (XM 40) I am learning more and more every day about artists I enjoyed back many years ago. Listening to some of the other classic rock stations, songs that were distant memories, are revived and refreshed in my consciousness.
I have a few stacks of old vinyl albums that I am slowly but surely going through and converting to digital formats. But everyday I am rediscovering artists that I only vaguely knew from back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Napster's library of songs is pretty amazing, it has grown quite a bit over the years. What's equally amazing, is not only how many of the classic rock tunes are available, but how many are being digitally remastered. The tunes sound great on the Sync system in the car. I would have never would have believed it a few years ago if you told me that I was going to buy a car with a "Powered by Microsoft" logo inside of it.
Maybe I am the exception to the norm, but the digital age has caused me to buy more music legitimately, not less. I'm sure many of these artists have already made their millions on these tunes, but out of respect to the musicians, I legitimately download the songs from Napster, through my monthly download allowance with my subscription. In some cases I'll use Napster to download a few tracks of an artist for my own mix of select classics. In a few cases, where I want more than a few tracks, I will search for the CD's to purchase.
Feels good to actually relax and get some enjoyment from technology. This entry was not meant to be a commercial for XM Radio, or Napster, but the preface to more ramblings and rants to come, as I have been spending some time on my musical explorations lately.
Good stuff!
Saturday, January 30. 2010
New thought for the upcoming month...
"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."
-- Thomas Jefferson
-- Thomas Jefferson
Sunday, January 24. 2010
Hyphenated American
There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all... The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.
... Former President Theodore Roosevelt in speaking to the largely Irish Catholic Knights of Columbus at Carnegie Hall on Columbus Day 1915,
... Former President Theodore Roosevelt in speaking to the largely Irish Catholic Knights of Columbus at Carnegie Hall on Columbus Day 1915,
Friday, January 22. 2010
Maybe there's hope...
For the average person not living in Massachusetts, the victory of little-known Scott Brown, to the senate seat long held by Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy is just another passing headline. I have to admit, I was not paying much attention myself.
Political parties become complacent. Voters become complacent. Even though voters scream they want change, they often vote for incumbents. Ted Kennedy was about as incumbent as it gets, having served for 46 years until his death. Kennedy entered the Senate in a 1962 special election to fill the seat once held by his brother John. With such a track record as that, and considering that Massachusetts has nearly 3 times as many registered Democrats as it does Republicans, it was easy to fall into the mindset that who ever the Democrats run to fill Kennedy's seat should have an easy victory.
Not meaning to make this commentary about Democrats versus Republicans, but instead one of stepping back and thinking about what happened, maybe this was a time where the political party become complacent, and the voters actually engaged their brains. I do not see this as much a victory for any party or ideal, as much as I see this as a victory against apathy. Regardless of the party in power, it is refreshing to see an upset like this, especially in a state such as Massachusetts, where the party in power has had such control for so many years.
Just maybe it is a statement of the voters that says, hey, don't take us for granted. Maybe there's hope!
Political parties become complacent. Voters become complacent. Even though voters scream they want change, they often vote for incumbents. Ted Kennedy was about as incumbent as it gets, having served for 46 years until his death. Kennedy entered the Senate in a 1962 special election to fill the seat once held by his brother John. With such a track record as that, and considering that Massachusetts has nearly 3 times as many registered Democrats as it does Republicans, it was easy to fall into the mindset that who ever the Democrats run to fill Kennedy's seat should have an easy victory.
Not meaning to make this commentary about Democrats versus Republicans, but instead one of stepping back and thinking about what happened, maybe this was a time where the political party become complacent, and the voters actually engaged their brains. I do not see this as much a victory for any party or ideal, as much as I see this as a victory against apathy. Regardless of the party in power, it is refreshing to see an upset like this, especially in a state such as Massachusetts, where the party in power has had such control for so many years.
Just maybe it is a statement of the voters that says, hey, don't take us for granted. Maybe there's hope!
Tuesday, January 19. 2010
Maybe There's Hope?
I haven't had much to say on the topic of politics since I started this blog. But the purpose of this category is meant to be political philosophy in the sense of how are attitudes and issues affecting politics and not politics in the sense of hooray for my guy, and the heck with yours.
Have Americans become so complacent, or perhaps so indifferent towards politics, they no longer engage their brains before they vote? I thought so. But there are sometimes promising events.
Maybe there's hope?
The rest of the story... Perhaps tomorrow...
Have Americans become so complacent, or perhaps so indifferent towards politics, they no longer engage their brains before they vote? I thought so. But there are sometimes promising events.
Maybe there's hope?
The rest of the story... Perhaps tomorrow...
Tuesday, January 12. 2010
Really Geek Speak - Network Management Tools
One of these days I will actually get SmartTechnology.info or Computerguru.net up and running as a resource. Until that happens I will throw some things here on my blog so I do not forget about them.
The first item I was looking for was a quick tool to inventory what was on the network. Awhile back I put up a link to KomodoLabs.com (http://www.komodolabs.com/) for a product called Newt. I am using the Freeware version to do quick network scans.
The Newt Freeware version is very quick and easy to use, and gives very basic information such as Machine Name, IP Address, MAC Address, User name, CPU and RAM. The professional version is not all that expensive (about $2 per node), and will gather tons of information about the workstations on your network. Pretty cool tool.
The other item that I was looking for was a bandwidth measuring tool. I had used a product in the past, but had forgotten what it was called. Alas, I have rediscovered that product, it is Qcheck. Qcheck, is a network troubleshooting utility from Ixia, quickly checks network response time, throughput, and streaming performance. Check it out here IxChariot Qcheck Network Management tool.
Qcheck is a pretty cool free tool, and IxChariot makes some sophisticated network analysis tools as well.
One last resource I will add to my list, Paessler which has some cool tools for monitoring network traffic and bandwidth. Check out this link http://www.paessler.com/tools
To those of you out there, looking for any tools you can get to help manage a WAN, hope you enjoy using the above mentioned tools as much as I do, hope this helps you!
The first item I was looking for was a quick tool to inventory what was on the network. Awhile back I put up a link to KomodoLabs.com (http://www.komodolabs.com/) for a product called Newt. I am using the Freeware version to do quick network scans.
The Newt Freeware version is very quick and easy to use, and gives very basic information such as Machine Name, IP Address, MAC Address, User name, CPU and RAM. The professional version is not all that expensive (about $2 per node), and will gather tons of information about the workstations on your network. Pretty cool tool.
The other item that I was looking for was a bandwidth measuring tool. I had used a product in the past, but had forgotten what it was called. Alas, I have rediscovered that product, it is Qcheck. Qcheck, is a network troubleshooting utility from Ixia, quickly checks network response time, throughput, and streaming performance. Check it out here IxChariot Qcheck Network Management tool.
Qcheck is a pretty cool free tool, and IxChariot makes some sophisticated network analysis tools as well.
One last resource I will add to my list, Paessler which has some cool tools for monitoring network traffic and bandwidth. Check out this link http://www.paessler.com/tools
To those of you out there, looking for any tools you can get to help manage a WAN, hope you enjoy using the above mentioned tools as much as I do, hope this helps you!
Monday, January 4. 2010
A thought to start the year
“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”
... Benjamin Franklin
... Benjamin Franklin
Sunday, January 3. 2010
Starting the new year with a musical rant...
So after watching the Winter Classic hockey game on News Years Day, the next show on NBC starts. Not one to go out of way to watch ice skating, Brian Boitano's Skating Spectacular is coming on, but being a bit tired and dozing off in the living room, what the heck, I leave it on. The music group Chicago is playing live on a stage next to the ice, to accompany the skating.
I've enjoyed the music of Chicago over the years. As some of the members of the band speak between songs, I'm thinking, wow, this is pretty cool, these guys are still together after all these years. Chicago is one of the few major rock groups that have never broken up or even taken an extended hiatus. Dating back to 1967, four of the six surviving founding members, Lamm, Pankow, Loughnane and Parazaider are still with the band. How cool is that!
So I started thinking about some news I heard not all that log ago, that ABBA was recently named to the class of 2010 of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hmm, so I started thinking, and reading, and researching, what exactly is the point of this so called Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to their website the annual induction is to "to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll."
I agree that Chicago, also known as "The Big Thing" and "The Chicago Transit Authority" was lot different, and more orginal in the 60's and 70's. But the core of the band is still together after 40 years! Chicago, in the late 1960's through the 1970's were at the top of their game, and introduced a new breed of rock and roll. As far as the perpetuation of rock and roll, it would seem that a group that has survived over 40 years together in the music business is in a small group of bands that have helped to perpetuate rock and roll as a genre of music.
Two other groups that are my personal favorites, that I would put in the same class of Chicago, for the same reasons, would be The Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull. All three of these groups were innovative in their day, had a significant impact on the evolution of rock music, and their longevity and fan base that has spanned generations has helped to perpetuate rock and roll as a genre of music.
In recent years "Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five" and "Run-D.M.C." have been elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well. When we start electing in groups like ABBA, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Run-D.M.C. to the so called Rock Hall of Fame, but neglect the likes of Chicago, The Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull, it does make you wonder what is the motivation for the voting. Many of the criticisms I've read of the Rock Hall is that the nomination process is controlled by a few individuals who are not musicians. Not only are they not musicians, they don't seem to have an understanding of their own goals.
I've enjoyed the music of Chicago over the years. As some of the members of the band speak between songs, I'm thinking, wow, this is pretty cool, these guys are still together after all these years. Chicago is one of the few major rock groups that have never broken up or even taken an extended hiatus. Dating back to 1967, four of the six surviving founding members, Lamm, Pankow, Loughnane and Parazaider are still with the band. How cool is that!
So I started thinking about some news I heard not all that log ago, that ABBA was recently named to the class of 2010 of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hmm, so I started thinking, and reading, and researching, what exactly is the point of this so called Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to their website the annual induction is to "to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll."
I agree that Chicago, also known as "The Big Thing" and "The Chicago Transit Authority" was lot different, and more orginal in the 60's and 70's. But the core of the band is still together after 40 years! Chicago, in the late 1960's through the 1970's were at the top of their game, and introduced a new breed of rock and roll. As far as the perpetuation of rock and roll, it would seem that a group that has survived over 40 years together in the music business is in a small group of bands that have helped to perpetuate rock and roll as a genre of music.
Two other groups that are my personal favorites, that I would put in the same class of Chicago, for the same reasons, would be The Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull. All three of these groups were innovative in their day, had a significant impact on the evolution of rock music, and their longevity and fan base that has spanned generations has helped to perpetuate rock and roll as a genre of music.
In recent years "Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five" and "Run-D.M.C." have been elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well. When we start electing in groups like ABBA, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Run-D.M.C. to the so called Rock Hall of Fame, but neglect the likes of Chicago, The Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull, it does make you wonder what is the motivation for the voting. Many of the criticisms I've read of the Rock Hall is that the nomination process is controlled by a few individuals who are not musicians. Not only are they not musicians, they don't seem to have an understanding of their own goals.
Saturday, January 2. 2010
Avatar - First Thoughts
When I think of the Adventure Fantasy genre, The Lord of the Rings trilogy stands out in my mind as the true master, an epic adventure bringing new worlds to life.
Peter Jackson paid a tremendous amount of attention to detail in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, as many will say Cameron did with Avatar. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was over 200 minutes long, and while watching the movie, I never once thought about the time, I felt engaged with the characters, I felt like I was part of the journey. The eye candy of Avatar is impressive, but I never felt part of a journey, I felt more like I was watching a documentary on Pandora, and at times found myself wondering about when the movie would be over.
Weta Digital, was the specials effects lab for Lord of the Rings, as it was for Avatar. Could it be that's why the epic battle scenes did not look all that new and awe inspiring to me?
What I remember most about the characters of Avatar, was not as much who they were, but the stereotypes they represent. I clearly rememeber the use of phrases like "shock and awe" and "treehuggers" in this movie, and that is what the stands out as the prevailing theme of the plot, the evil capitalist agressors versus the sympathetic enviromentalists. The characters never became real, they remained images of the stereotypes they represent, the crazy colonel, the greedy corporate figurehead, the environmentalist scientist.
I was never a big fan of Star Wars, as it was more about the special effects, and less about the characters and the story. For the same reasons, I am not all that excited about Avatar.
Peter Jackson paid a tremendous amount of attention to detail in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, as many will say Cameron did with Avatar. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was over 200 minutes long, and while watching the movie, I never once thought about the time, I felt engaged with the characters, I felt like I was part of the journey. The eye candy of Avatar is impressive, but I never felt part of a journey, I felt more like I was watching a documentary on Pandora, and at times found myself wondering about when the movie would be over.
Weta Digital, was the specials effects lab for Lord of the Rings, as it was for Avatar. Could it be that's why the epic battle scenes did not look all that new and awe inspiring to me?
What I remember most about the characters of Avatar, was not as much who they were, but the stereotypes they represent. I clearly rememeber the use of phrases like "shock and awe" and "treehuggers" in this movie, and that is what the stands out as the prevailing theme of the plot, the evil capitalist agressors versus the sympathetic enviromentalists. The characters never became real, they remained images of the stereotypes they represent, the crazy colonel, the greedy corporate figurehead, the environmentalist scientist.
I was never a big fan of Star Wars, as it was more about the special effects, and less about the characters and the story. For the same reasons, I am not all that excited about Avatar.
Friday, January 1. 2010
Is it 2010 already?
Is it 2010 already? The year we make contact? As I was buying 2010 calendars at B&N, seemed appropriate to buy the movie 2010 as well. Had not seen it in years. Very good, often forgotten classic. Over the past few days watched "Colossus: The Forbin Project" as well. Another under rated classic from the past.
Also went to see Avatar. That, is more like an over rated "classic" from the present.
Will be making some comments on my blog on these and other things, coming soon!
Also went to see Avatar. That, is more like an over rated "classic" from the present.
Will be making some comments on my blog on these and other things, coming soon!
Wednesday, December 30. 2009
"To Do" for the Guru42 Web sites
... Really need to get the Guru42 Web sites to feed off of each other, sounds like top of the 2010 "To Do" list, get RSS feeds from blog (guru42.net) and personal portal (guru42.net) on main site, guru42.com
Thursday, November 12. 2009
Why even bother...
This has happened to me so many times!!! It makes me wonder why companies even bother to spend the time and money to set up a web site.
E-mail is the greatest tool invented. It allows me and you to communicate in a fairly quick manner, it also allows us to communicate at a time that is convenient to me and you. I answer most of my personal e-mails very late at night, or in some cases, very early in the morning, before I start my working day. My work e-mails, likewise, have some routine to them, as I start my day sorting through my thoughts and notes, sending out e-mails to follow up on loose ends.
Here is a sequence of events that illustrates something that seems to happen quite frequently.
I am responding to an e-mail from a hotel chain that I use. The link directs me a page that tells me if I use this link my room will cost "X". So I click on the link, try to book a room, and the cost comes up as "Y".
I fill out the web form on the page, and type in the exact information of the event, and ask why that happened. Here is the e-mail reply I get back...
"Due to the complexity of your request, we ask that you contact us by phone as we would be able to better assist you!"
WTF, the the complexity of your request??? I don't want to call you, that's why I was responding to your e-mail! That's why I was using your webform! It's your e-mail I am responding to! It's your website and webform I am using as you have it laid out, so why can't you give me a simple answer!
Too often I have responded to an e-mail, or filled out a web form, only to get a "please call us" reply. What is even more frustrating is when you reply back to an e-mail late at night, because you can't call during the day, and you get the "please call us back during normal working hours."
You would think that the business world would someday grasp the concept of using e-mail as a form of communications. Maybe they are just afraid of putting things in writing.
There are a few companies out there, that get it, that use e-mail, and online forums to service their customers. Then there are others who have taken the first step, by doing things like building a web site, and installing web forms, but really haven't thought the whole process through.
E-mail is the greatest tool invented. It allows me and you to communicate in a fairly quick manner, it also allows us to communicate at a time that is convenient to me and you. I answer most of my personal e-mails very late at night, or in some cases, very early in the morning, before I start my working day. My work e-mails, likewise, have some routine to them, as I start my day sorting through my thoughts and notes, sending out e-mails to follow up on loose ends.
Here is a sequence of events that illustrates something that seems to happen quite frequently.
I am responding to an e-mail from a hotel chain that I use. The link directs me a page that tells me if I use this link my room will cost "X". So I click on the link, try to book a room, and the cost comes up as "Y".
I fill out the web form on the page, and type in the exact information of the event, and ask why that happened. Here is the e-mail reply I get back...
"Due to the complexity of your request, we ask that you contact us by phone as we would be able to better assist you!"
WTF, the the complexity of your request??? I don't want to call you, that's why I was responding to your e-mail! That's why I was using your webform! It's your e-mail I am responding to! It's your website and webform I am using as you have it laid out, so why can't you give me a simple answer!
Too often I have responded to an e-mail, or filled out a web form, only to get a "please call us" reply. What is even more frustrating is when you reply back to an e-mail late at night, because you can't call during the day, and you get the "please call us back during normal working hours."
You would think that the business world would someday grasp the concept of using e-mail as a form of communications. Maybe they are just afraid of putting things in writing.
There are a few companies out there, that get it, that use e-mail, and online forums to service their customers. Then there are others who have taken the first step, by doing things like building a web site, and installing web forms, but really haven't thought the whole process through.
