| » Link to Us! |
Want to put our button on your site? Not a problem. Please use this button.
 |
| » Site Poll |
| What is the best comic book adaptation so far?
|
|
|
Digital’s Been Bought, Sold, and Has A New Home Network To Play With. |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 12:18 PM - by Digital Dave
|
It’s been a little while since I have shot my mouth off here but the last 90 days have literary been a blur.
Over the last 90 days I have been without a job (for about 12 hours), been re-hired, had the start-up I work for bought, helped negotiate the terms of the employee acceptance of the buyout, been effectively terminated (technically) then re-hired (again) into the company who bought us, been re-assigned within the new company to a new department, and then have spent… oh lord… like 100 hours in meetings within my new department and of course meetings galore with my “new” company ranging from inventory to network re-structuring, lab reconfigurations, etc…
To say I have been busy is an understatement. This has been one of the most trying times I have ever had in my I.T. career. I simply had no clue as to what it took to complete a “buyout” of a start-up… NONE! The Due-Diligence alone would drive good, church going, people to drink. I have never seen so much paperwork in my life. There was one night in June where my boss (the CEO of the company at the time) called me at home at around 11:30 pm and had me come back into the office to sign MORE paperwork which had to be complete by 6:00 am East Coast time. It was insane! I still can’t believe we pulled it off as a company. What a three days that was!
With all that said, I have to say financially I did just fine. I was employee number 11 at the company when it was financed so I just kept thinking about that as I was trudging back into work at 11:30 PM at night. I can’t state (nor would I) what the financial end of the deal ended up being for me but as I said…I did just fine which in this day and age of “Start-Ups” says a lot about the people I worked with. Trust me folks this was a team effort to pull this off. Amazing… I have never been through anything like it but man, did I learn a TON since I was the head of my department I was involved at one of the highest levels during the negotiations (not “super high” but high-enough).
So I am with a new company now and have been moved, full time, into Engineering. I am still the site “I.T.” guy but that’s only for about 6 more months then I will officially hand that off to the company’s internal I.T. department and they will take over the main network and I will handle the “old companies” what they call “contaminated” network (basically our old machines which we need to support our existing clients).
So, after all that was wrapped up earlier this month (yea, it took that long to get everything sorted out) I decided I wanted to bring up a home system/network with everything I needed to maintain my mail, files, and remote access to those files (via VPN of course) but I wanted to do it on one machine utilizing my FAVORITE OS, Windows 2008... [Read More]
|
2 Replies | 460 Views
|
|
Digital's iPhone Experience... Two Weeks Later |
|
Jul 26, 2008 - 3:31 PM - by Digital Dave
|
It's been a long time since I have looked at a piece of technology in the way I am looking at Apple's latest endeavor, the iPhone 3G.
You all know me... I am a Microsoft zellot and nothing is going to change my mind about that. I love Windows 2008 SP1 Standard as my desktop, I love Exchange (if you have experienced Lotus Notes you know what I am talking about), I think Vista is decent and getting better and better all the time, and overall I am pleased with Microsoft and what it is trying to accomplish.
That said, I am not above looking at other technologies to help make my life easier and looking at other companies technologies is a must for any tech geek who one day looks around and goes "why the hell do I have all these chargers?"
So, as soon as the iPhone 3G was announced my curiosity got the best of me. Since I was in the market for something which would reduce the number of items around my belt (two cell phones and a blackberry) the iPhone was intriguing to me since it would allow me to simplify my life merging a lot into one device.
Now I am not your typical iPhone user. I do not stand in line thinking Steve J. is the second coming. I do not think Apple is any better than Microsoft. I do not think I need to plunk down $9.99 for a movie I can watch on a 4 in screen. I do however want my music, email, data, and access to the web via a REAL browser at my finger tips and I wanted a fast network behind it.
Well… 4 out of 5 ain’t bad for a 1.0 release.
After getting my iPhone I was extremely impressed. The AT&T network, at least for me, is a huge improvement over the T-Mobile network I was using. I also loved the fact that I was now able to access data (web, exchange, GMAIL, etc…) at the touch of a button all of it via a very nice touch screen. I really appreciated the layout, the ease of use and how quickly I was able to pretty much master the entire phone in about 30 minutes. Honestly, my other phone… well, I couldn’t even tell you how many times I said “now where in the hell did I see that?” For me, the iPhone 3G has really made my life easier. I can now drive to work without dropping a call whereas on my old Blackberry on the T-Mobile network I would drop a call just about daily.
After getting my iPhone configured and setup the way I wanted it the convenience of having just one phone and data platform really set in. I have access to just about everything I could need when I am out and about, plus the addition of a true VPN client/access has made being away from my laptop much less worrisome for me since I am the IT guy most of the time. I also love the display menu when I am making a call allowing me to simply touch the screen to put people on speaker phone, mute, or even add a third caller if necessary which is terrific for phone challenged people like myself.
Now the iPhone does have its problems... [Read More]
|
|
6 Replies | 1,180 Views
|
|
Review: Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 |
|
Aug 27, 2008 - 3:05 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Microsoft's IE8 now includes better tab management, services such as Web Slices and Accelerators, and the new 'porn mode.'
Those who expect Internet Explorer 8 to be a warmed-over version of IE7 or a me-too response to Firefox 3 will be surprised by the just-released Beta 2 of IE8. It offers a well-thought-out set of features that makes Web browsing faster and more intuitive, including more intelligent tabs, a much improved Address Bar, and new tools designed to deliver information from other Web pages and services.
The beta has other new features as well, including those that improve privacy and security, and what some people have called "porn mode." The beta is still rough in some places, but for anyone interested in seeing the next big browser release, it's stable, useful and well worth the download.
Full review over on computerworld.com
|
|
0 Replies | 32 Views
|
|
Microsoft reveals IE8 Beta 2 |
|
Aug 27, 2008 - 3:02 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Adds smart bar and boosts search detail; final ship date not yet set
With several days to spare before its self-imposed deadline, Microsoft Corp. today launched the second beta version of its upcoming Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) browser but would not commit to a ship date for the final version.
In early June, then-Chairman Bill Gates promised that Microsoft would post IE8 Beta 2 before the end of August.
Today's preview includes several new features introduced since March's Beta 1 debut, but only two of them haven't been openly discussed already, said James Pratt, a senior product manager in the IE development team.
Full article over on computerworld.com
|
|
0 Replies | 23 Views
|
|
Paint.NET 3.36 |
|
Aug 27, 2008 - 7:18 AM - by Digital Dave
|
Updated for those who need it.
Originally intended as a free replacement for the MS Paint software that comes with Windows, it has grown into a powerful yet simple tool for photo and image editing. The programming language used to create Paint.NET is C#, with a small amount of C++ for installation and shell-integration related functionality.
Download from betanews.com
|
|
0 Replies | 44 Views
|
|
25 Must-Have Thumb Drive Apps for Geeks |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 9:27 PM - by Digital Dave
|
The "Unknown Devices" one really caught my eye.
With traveling and use of many different computers, many geeks (and geek girls) often find a need to have a uniform set of tools handy wherever we may be. I've put together a list of 25 invaluable portable apps that can be installed on an Ipod or Thumb Drive. These are really cool!
Full article over on crazeegeekchick.com
|
|
0 Replies | 97 Views
|
|
The Truth Behind Vista vs. XP |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 9:21 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Hmmm... pretty straight forward.
Windows XP runs faster than Vista on the same hardware—not true. Mostly this has to do with drivers. For hardware that has Vista drivers, it tends to run similarly on both Operating Systems.
The RAM (random access memory) issue: Yes this is a limitation of 32-bit OS's. It has to do with how the 32-bit OS address memory. Yes if you buy a 1GB Graphics Card your total memory capacity will be reduced by 1GB, so that if you have 4GB of RAM, only about 2.75GB–3GB will end up showing up with a 1GB graphics card (other factors like CPU cache size sound card RAM, etc. count against the total as well). This is because all hardware RAM takes up an allocation of addressed memory.
Full article over on extremetech.com
|
|
0 Replies | 73 Views
|
|
Memory and Performance: The Bottom Line |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 9:14 PM - by Digital Dave
|
More is better.
Memory. An integral part of every computer, the bank of system RAM (random access memory) is the place, outside the CPU's own cache, where data gets stored for the short-term as it gets sent to the main processor by programs and returned after calculation.
This article sets out to try to answer all kinds of memory questions herein. Using nearly identical motherboards to test both DDR2 and DDR3, we ran all kinds of performance tests, subjective and repeatable, synthetic and real-world. We played and benchmarked games, crunched huge amounts of data, and ran Windows with tons of stuff open.
Full article over on extremetech.com
|
|
0 Replies | 59 Views
|
|
Add More Functions To Office 2007 By Installing Add-Ins |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 9:09 PM - by Digital Dave
|
I had not idea...
Sometimes in your daily work routine you might need some extra features from the Microsoft Office Suite. One way to get extra functionality is through Office Add-Ins. Sometimes these are bundled with Office but not included with the initial installation. These are easily accessed and installed. Here I will show how to install an add-in with Excel.
How to do it over on howtogeek.com
|
|
0 Replies | 51 Views
|
|
Windows Live Hotmail Wave 3: What’s New |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 9:06 PM - by Digital Dave
|
New stuff is on the way.
Thanks to some great work by tophtucker and then BV2312, we managed to catch the new Windows Live Hotmail promotion site as soon as it popped up today. What we love about this site is that it has gone public with some of the changes for Windows Live Hotmail that are coming up in the Wave 3 beta. Here's the summary:
(read more)
Full article over on liveside.net
|
|
0 Replies | 44 Views
|
|
Windows XP - Microsoft "nagware" About To Get Worse |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 2:55 PM - by Digital Dave
|
If you are using XP and got it... lets say... on the cheap... you are about to get hammered to pay up.
Microsoft is stepping up its war on software pirates by rolling out new Windows Genuine notification software for what it is calling its most pirated version of Windows: Windows XP Professional.
The new WGA notifications, which Microsoft will deliver via Windows Update, will behave like the WGA notifications introduced with Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 back in December 2007. Specifically, users whose XP copies are deemed “non-Genuine” will see their screen backgrounds default to black and notice a translucent notice, warning them that their Windows might be counterfeit.
Blogs.ZDNET.com
|
|
1 Reply | 88 Views
|
|
Chart Advisor - Excel 2007 Add-In |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 6:49 AM - by Digital Dave
|
I know some of you Excel folks will really appreciate this.
Chart Advisor is a prototype that provides an alternate approach for creating charts in Excel 2007. This add-in uses an advanced rules engine to scan your data and, based on predefined rules, displays charts according to score. Top scoring charts are available for you to preview, tweak, and insert into your Excel worksheet.
Download from Office Labs.
|
|
0 Replies | 54 Views
|
|
September 9 - Apple "D" Day? |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 6:41 AM - by Digital Dave
|
Man, I hope so.
Kevin Rose is teasing Apple fans again. Just a day after blogging about an Apple Event for new iPod nanos, a less expensive iPod touch, and iTunes 8, he has now set a date. Apple Gazette points to an appearance by Rose on This Week in Tech, in which he says that "this is all going to happen September 9th." Of course, September is the traditional month for an iPod refresh, so it could just be an obvious guess. Whether Rose is also guessing about the "stick" nano, it appears the new design is increasingly likely. MacRumors recently posted images of cases from obscure Chinese web sites, a bizarre and yet often accurate confirmation of new products. However, the prediction of iTunes 8 is another matter.
Full article over on arstechnica.com
|
|
0 Replies | 65 Views
|
|
Google has a suggestion on your search |
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 6:38 AM - by Digital Dave
|
Firefox or Google Bar users have seen this for a while but those who do not use either of those are about to get their first look.
Google expects to graduate a feature from its labs to its main search page in the next week to help users execute faster and more specific searches. The feature, called Google Suggest, automatically recommends options for the rest of your search term as you type based on the most popular searches.
Full article over on news.cnet.com
|
|
0 Replies | 60 Views
|
|
ZoneAlarm Security Suite 8.0.015.000 |
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:09 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Updated for the masses.
ZoneAlarm Security Suite is the easy-to-use, comprehensive security solution that is based on the world's best firewall to keep out hackers, viruses, worms, and other threats. It combines the most popular firewall with antivirus, Web site filtering, privacy protection, instant messaging security and more to provide the best overall protection of any PC security suite.
Download from Majorgeeks.com
|
|
0 Replies | 82 Views
|
|
RyanVM's Windows XP Post-SP3 Update Pack 1.0.0 |
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:07 PM - by Digital Dave
|
I love the packs Ryan puts together. Always a good download.
Directly integrate all post-SP3 hotfixes, plus a few other updates.
This pack is designed to bring a Windows XP CD with SP3 integrated fully up to date with all of the latest hotfixes released by Microsoft since SP2's release. It accomplishes this task via direct integration, where files on the CD are directly overwritten by the updated files.
Download from Majorgeeks.com
|
|
0 Replies | 106 Views
|
|
Security expert: DNS attacks are happening |
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 5:20 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Patch for crying out loud! Patch!
A fatal flaw with the DNS (Domain Name System) is being exploited in Internet attacks and more attacks are likely, the security researcher who discovered the flaw said on Thursday.
"I do think we are going to see attacks. I think we have been seeing attacks already going on in the field," said Dan Kaminsky, director of penetration testing for IOActive, who warned the industry about the DNS vulnerability nearly five months ago. "We're doing everything we can to mitigate and reduce its incidence."
CNET.com Post
|
|
0 Replies | 78 Views
|
|
CCleaner Slim (No Toolbar) 2.11.636 |
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 4:50 PM - by Digital Dave
|
I always have this baby installed.
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!
Dowload from Major Geeks.com
|
|
0 Replies | 75 Views
|
|
Google Street View Still At The Center of Controversy |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 9:20 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Google Street view at the center of it all.
Google has once again managed to stir up debate about the existence of privacy in our highly connected culture as it argues that the "No Trespassing" sign in your front yard is just for show.
Back in April, a Pittsburgh couple sued Google for driving up a private road, taking pictures of their house, then posting them for the world to see with Google Maps' Street View feature. At the time, Google argued that pictures and other details of the house were already on the Internet due to its previous sale listing. The company was also quick to point out that the couple compounded the attention drawn to the photos it took by filing a lawsuit instead of using Google's tools for requesting a removal of the images.
Full article over on arstechnica.com
|
|
0 Replies | 76 Views
|
|
Vista Annoyances Resolved |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 5:54 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Terrific article for all Vista users.
So what makes this Vista article any different? The title provides a clue: it's as much about providing practical working solutions to resolve some of the commonly-quoted Vista annoyances as anything else. That in itself should give all Vista users a reason to read it. However it doesn't matter whether you use Vista or not, because this article does something that most of the others don't: it takes an objective and up-to-date look at the current state of Vista, with a range of facts, clear examples and informed opinions aimed squarely at debunking a lot of the myths and FUD we've been gagging on for the past year. So for those of you still considering whether to make the switch from XP, for those of you who want to abandon Vista and go back to XP, for those of you who used Vista a while ago and who are wondering whether it's worth using again now - this article puts things in perspective with the latest facts.
Full article over on tweakguides.com
|
|
0 Replies | 118 Views
|
|
CurrPorts 1.48 (manage open TCP/IP and UDP ports) |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 5:45 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Nice piece of free software.
CurrPorts displays the list of all currently opened TCP/IP and UDP ports on your local computer. For each port in the list, information about the process that opened the port is also displayed, including the process name, full path of the process, version information of the process (product name, file description, and so on), the time that the process was created, and the user that created it.
Download from majorgeeks.com
|
|
0 Replies | 65 Views
|
|
Shareholders Disgusted With Yahoo! Board |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 5:11 PM - by Digital Dave
|
You would hope someone... anyone... at that company would just get the ship rowing in the right direction.
Did Yahoo! hide how angry its shareholders are at the company?
After revealing late Tuesday that it had grossly downplayed the number of shareholder votes that opposed the re-election of Chief Executive Jerry Yang and other members to the board, Yahoo! (nasdaq: YHOO - news - people ) has some serious explaining to do.
Indeed, the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Web portal revealed that more than 33% of the shares voted withheld support for Yang's re-election to the board, compared with 14.6% at the end of the company's annual meeting last Friday. And nearly 40% of the votes opposed the re-election of Yahoo! board chairman Roy Bostock, compared with 20% last week.
Full article over on forbes.com
|
|
0 Replies | 73 Views
|
|
Google's World Domination In Jeopardy From Russia No Less. |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 5:05 PM - by Digital Dave
|
Hmmm... a Google like search engine in Russia has not only Russians paying attention but Europe and some other countries as well. Should Google be worried? Hell yes they should.
The Russian mathematician was 24 years old when he first saw a personal computer, one of only a dozen in the whole Soviet Union. That was in 1984.
A little over two decades later, Arkady Volozh is the chief executive and one of the founders of Yandex, Russia’s most popular internet search engine, a company now valued at £2.5 billion. Widely described as Russia’s answer to Google, Yandex was launched only eight years ago but is now visited by 8m people a day. More impressive still, Yandex and Volozh are credited with humbling Google, by denting its global domination.
Full article over on business.timesonline.co.uk
|
|
0 Replies | 65 Views
|
|
Microsoft Details SharePoint-SQL 2008 Integration |
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:09 AM - by Digital Dave
|
Yeeeeaaaaa.... I think I'll read a little bit more before I actually attempt this.
Microsoft really wants SharePoint users to upgrade to SQL Server 2008, which was released to manufacturing on August 6. Yesterday, the company's SharePoint hosting and development blog pointed out that IT admins don't have to wait for the documentation to do so.
IT administrators typically look for Microsoft's "supportability statement" document before performing system upgrades. The document for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 is currently available, and it includes information about upgrading to SQL Server 2008 that was published on July 31.
redmondmag.com
|
|
0 Replies | 90 Views
|
|
|
