January 14, 2015Closing Up Shack
No tear in my eye: Radio Shack, where I purchased my first computer over 30 years ago, is apparently going to seek bankruptcy protection. As my son so aptly put it just a few days ago, “Why is Radio Shack necessary?” Short answer: It isn’t.
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It (Used to) Just Works
Decades ago, Apple Computer made computers you wanted. I lusted after my Macintosh SE 30.I couldn’t wait to get my next Mac Pro upgrade. It’s all sexy hardware, and that’s what Apple does well, but the software also counts for something. January 13, 2015The Beginning of the End of Windows 7
Windows 7 was done when it was released. Sure, Microsoft provides updates, service packs, and patches — whatever you want to call them. This past Monday (1/12/15) marked the last day for “mainstream” service updates for the operating system, a first sign that Windows 7 is quietly being shown the door.
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January 12, 2015Insert or Overtype?The word processor wars are over. I’m not talking about the battles between WordStar, WordPerfect, and Microsoft Word. I’m talking before then, back in the days in a huge battle was fought over an issue that’s no longer an issue: the old insert/overstrike debate.
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January 10, 2015We’re Number Two!
Google is the big dog when it comes to search engines, and it’s still number one. Number two Yahoo is gaining traction, but as you can see by the chart above, they still have a long way to go.
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January 9, 2015Fix the Secure Desktop UACThe UAC, or User Account Control, has been with PC users since Windows Vista. It was one of the reasons people hated Vista.
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January 7, 2015Dear Windows, Why Did You Randomly Restart?For me, few things beat getting a new computer. I enjoy setting up and configuring, making new adjustments, and getting it all just so. Occasionally, however, I forget to change one setting. Specifically, it’s the setting that seems to cause a perfectly good, brand new computer to randomly restart itself. That’s annoying.
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January 6, 2015Hello, Internet Tax!
The Net Neutrality debate is heating up this month, where bureaucrats and lawmakers (what a combination!) are meeting to settle what’s what and where whatever stops or starts. It will be a mess, but one thing most likely to come out of it is government control. That means taxes where no taxes existed before.
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January 5, 2015Going Rogue with Cellular ServiceYou’ve heard the terms “unlocked phone.” Sometimes they’re called “loose.” Basically, it’s a phone without service or anyway tied into any specific provider. People who buy these phones pay a lot for them — full price, up to $700. So are they insane or do they just know something the rest of the world hasn’t yet discovered. January 4, 2015It’s CES Time
Back when I was a kid, COMDEX was the big show. Today it’s the Consumer Electronics Show, CES, held at the same venues in Las Vegas as the old COMDEX. So what’s coming up? Lots of fun toys!
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