Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The Wayback Machine

482 billion web pages saved over time
The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library. Its purposes include offering permanent access for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities, and the general public to historical collections that exist in digital format.

Founded in 1996 and located in San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes: texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections, and provides specialized services for adaptive reading and information access for the blind and other persons with disabilities.
From:
http://archive.org/web/web.php

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

iBook Author

My desire to author my own IT manual has consumed me for the last month.
This has NOT come into being as yet!!
As with many tech ideas, I only know enough to make huge mistakes!!
So I want to create this manual on an iPad and edit it with my macbook and my iPad.
Wish me luck!!

iBooks Author
By Apple
Essentials

Open the Mac App Store to buy and download apps.
Description

Now anyone can create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books, and more for iPad and Mac. Start with one of the Apple-designed templates that feature a wide variety of page layouts. Add your own text and images with drag-and-drop ease. Use Multi-Touch widgets to include interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote presentations, 3D objects, and more. Preview your book on your iPad or Mac at any time. Then submit your finished work to the iBooks Store in a few simple steps. And before you know it, you’re a published author.

Apple-designed templates
• Give your book a great beginning with templates that include a choice of page designs with matching fonts, colors, and textures
• Quickly customize your book with text and images, create new layouts, and even save a custom template
• Easily add a cover, video introduction, table of contents, copyright page, dedication, and foreword

Beautiful text and layouts
• Use a variety of text styles including custom fonts to give your book a rich yet consistent look
• Add text, shapes, charts, tables, and media anywhere on the page
• Import a chapter written in Pages or Microsoft Word and apply a great-looking layout from your current template
• Add sophisticated mathematical expressions with native equation editing using both LaTeX and MathML notation
• Add any word to the glossary with a single click and easily include photos, images, charts, tables, and shapes next to any definition
• Automatically create a portrait view of your landscape book, which allows iPad readers to focus on the text

Multi-Touch widgets
• Choose from a variety of widgets that add Multi-Touch interactivity to your book
• Add a photo gallery, chapter review, movie, audio file, Keynote presentation, scrolling sidebar, dynamic pop-over, interactive image with callouts, 3D object, or custom HTML anywhere in your book
• Many widgets include placeholders for titles and captions and are automatically numbered so you can reference them in your main text
• Add accessibility descriptions to any widget so that it can be used by sight-impaired readers easily with VoiceOver

Export for iBooks Store or iTunes U
• Preview your book in iBooks on iPad and on Mac to see how it looks and works
• Submit your book to the iBooks Store for sale or free download in a few simple steps
• Export your book in iBooks format to share on iTunes U or to give to others
• Export your book as a PDF file

Requirements
• OS X 10.9 or later  (my macbook fulfills THIS requirement-but my iPad does not)
• 2GB of RAM
• 1.2GB of available disk space
• Keynote 6.0 or later (required for importing presentations created in Keynote 6.0+)
• Pages 5.0 or later (required for importing documents created in Pages 5.0+)
• iBooks for iOS 3.0 or later (required for previewing on iPad)
• iBooks for Mac 1.0 or later (required for previewing on Mac)
• iTunes Producer 2.9 or later (required for book publishing)
• Network Connection (required for book publishing)

What's New in Version 2.2

• Import ePub files
• Import Adobe InDesign IDML files
• Create customized books with new Blank templates
• New hyperlink options: link to a location in another book

Other references:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6085561
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201478

The Internet of Things

Well, with the Internet of Things taking off there are people on the cutting edge of developing very small embeddable computers.


 Read about it here!!
From: http://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardZero

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Don't We All need ARMs?

ARM - an acronym for: Advanced RISC Machines

The processor originated in England in 1984. At its inception ARM stood for Acorn RISC Machine. The first ARM reliant systems include the Acorn: BBC Micro, Masters, and the Archimedes. During this early period they were used mostly for British educational systems, and therefore, were not widely available or known outside England. However in 1987 the ARM became the first commercial RISC processor.

In 1990, the research section of Acorn separated from the parent company and formed: ARM Ltd. (Advanced RISC Machines Limited).  Other historical notables are that the Macintosh Apple ][GS was run by an ARM processor, as was the ill-fated Newton portable note-taking device. (Not ill-fated because of the processor but because of the market timing).

    RISC is an acronym standing for "Reduced Instruction Set Computer", contrasted with a CISC machine (Complex Instruction Set Computer).
    RISC claims of simplicity in comparison to CISC:
        Fixed 32-bit instruction size instead of variable
        Large register bank of GPR 32-bit registers
        Easier to prototype and put together
    RISC Organization:
        Hard-wired instruction decode logic instead of microcoded ROMs to decode
        Pipelined execution
        Possible single cycle execution
    RISC Advantages
        Smaller die sizes
        Shorter time to develop
        Possible higher performance than CISC
        High clock rate with single cycle
    RISC Disadvantages
        Generally less code density than CISC
        Cannot execute x86 code, at least not without some sort of conversion and performance drawback


So, what make the ARM architecture so special?
The sales pitch goes something like this, "The ARM architecture has the best MIPS to Watts ratio as well as best MIPS to $ ratio in the industry; the smallest CPU die size; all the necessary computing capability coupled with low power consumption of which a highly flexible and customizable set of processors are available with options to choose from, all at a low cost."

ARM makers have been able to apply an instruction set called Thumb, which takes 32-bit instructions and compresses them down to 16-bits. This tactic enables programs to be coded much more densely than standard RISC instruction sets, not to mention cutting some portions of the hardware down in size.

Processors enabled to take advantage of Thumb also allow 32-bit instructions to run on the same processor. In fact, 16-bit and 32-bit instructions can be mixed together and the hardware will be able to decode and decompress at the same time without a performance hit, thus maintaining powerful computing capabilities.

FROM:  https://www.cs.umd.edu/~meesh/cmsc411/website/proj01/arm/home.html



Thursday, October 9, 2014

ISATAP



ISATAP is the Intra-Site Automatic Tunnel Addressing Protocol which supports automatic deployment of IPv6 in IPv4 sites.

ISATAP specifies the operation of IPv6 and the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery (ND) protocol over a specific link layer (that being IPv4 used as a link layer for IPv6) and is therefore an "IPv6-over-foo" specification.

ISATAP is essentially just a Non-Broadcast Multiple Access (NBMA) variant of 6over4 [RFC2529]. As of March 2008, ISATAP has been re-published as an informational-category RFC [RFC5214] which obsoletes the previous experimental-category version [RFC4214]. A development history of RFC4214 is on the ISATAP Issue Tracker Page As of April 2008, ISATAP is implemented in the Linux operating system kernel, beginning with linux-2.6.25. ISATAP is also implemented in other widely-deployed systems including Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8), cisco IOS, 6WIND 6WINDGate, and FreeBSD/KAME. An ISATAP client application for both Linux and Android systems is now available here.

 ISATAP hosts use IPv6 StateLess Address Auto Configuration (SLAAC) by sending a unicast Router Solicitation (RS) message to an ISATAP router which then returns a unicast Router Advertisement (RA) message. This stateless operation is sufficient for many client-initiated IPv6 applications but does not support true native IPv6 operation. A new system called Asymmetric Extended Route Optimization (AERO) has therefore been developed based on the ISATAP NBMA model. Like ISATAP, AERO is an "ipv6-over-foo" document and specifies the operation of IPv6 and IPv6 ND over AERO links. Unlike ISATAP, AERO is stateful and requires the use of the IPv6 neighbor cache on AERO interfaces. AERO nodes also use the DHCPv6 Prefix Delegation service to obtain native IPv6 prefixes. The benefits of the AERO approach include 1) use of fully-native IPv6 addresses, 2) persistent IPv6 addresses and/or prefixes that never change, 3) mobilitiy support, 4) router-to-router tunneling, 5) mobile routers, 6) path MTU robustness, and many others.

Source:  http://www.isatap.org/

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Office Online with Chromebook

As the name implies, Office Online is Microsoft’s suite of Office apps available online. Like how Google Docs connects to Google Drive, Office Online connects to Microsoft’s own cloud storage service, OneDrive. OneDrive is available to anyone who has a Microsoft Live account, and comes with 7 GB for free. This is less than Google’s 15 GB, but is still enough for basic files.
Office Online home page
Office Online home page
Office Online comes with many of Microsoft’s Office programs:
  • Word
  • Powerpoint
  • Excel
  • OneNote
  • Outlook.com is integrated with the service, also
It also comes with a calendar and address book for your personal use. The Office Online apps look like the current edition of Microsoft Office, with the tile look for the toolbar and tabs for different topics. Compared to the original Office suite, this version is very slimmed down, missing tools that you may be used to in the regular Office programs. However, people who pay for Office 365 will see many more features in Office Online, and it will be even closer to the downloadable version.
FROM:
 http://www.muktware.com/2014/04/google-docs-vs-office-online-best-office-chromebooks/26062

"One Windows"

With Threshold, my sources say, there could be three primary SKUs: A "modern" consumer SKU; a traditional/PC SKU; and a traditional enterprise SKU.  (SKU actually stands for stock-keeping unit, for those wondering.)

The modern (i.e., Metro-Style/Windows Store) consumer SKU would be focused on WinRT apps. (WinRT, in this case, refers to the API set at the heart of Windows, not the current Windows RT operating system that runs on ARM.) It may end up targeting ARM- and Intel-based devices both. It would be updated frequently by Microsoft through the Windows Store.
This SKU supposedly wouldn't be optimized to run Win32 apps. However, my contact said there's the possibility that on some PC-like form factors, there may be a "desktop" that is more easily navigable for keyboard/mouse users.
This modern SKU would be the SKU for Windows Phones, ARM-based Windows tablets/PCs, phablets and other kinds of tablets. Some PCs also may run this SKU, providing Microsoft with a more head-to-head competitor to Chromebooks, as these machines would be more secure and locked down (thanks to the way Microsoft built the WinRT/Windows Store model).
The modern SKU is what has previously been rumored as a forthcoming Microsoft hybrid Windows Phone OS/Windows RT operating system.

A more traditional consumer SKU would be aimed at the current PC market. This SKU would include a desktop and be customized so that mouse/keyboard users will be able to continue to have some semblance of productivity and familiarity with Windows. This SKU also would be updated regularly and often through the Windows Store.
There also will likely be some kind of traditional Enterprise SKU, according to my contacts, that would include all the usual business bells and whistles, like support for Win32 apps via a Desktop environment, support for group policy, device management and more. This SKU would be aimed primarily at traditional PCs, tablets and other devices and also allow users to run "Modern"/Windows Store apps.

The Enterprise SKU might end up being for volume licensees only. This might be a SKU that doesn't update frequently/constantly through the Windows Store. Instead, it might be subject to IT policies/approvals, making enterprise users who don't want silent, automatic updates a lot happier. Microsoft Windows chief Terry Myerson hinted at something like this during his recent Credit Suisse tech conference appearance.
There will likely be some additional device-specific Windows "Threshold" SKUs for embedded devices and usages, such as point-of-sale terminals, kiosks, etc., given that the Embedded team is now part of Myerson's organization.  But these SKUs won't be offered directly to consumers or business users directly.
Microsoft is attempting to straddle a fence here and continue to advance Windows as a "modern" mobile platform, while not disenfranchising their huge existing base. The big takeaway here is there may be more concessions coming to folks who felt like Windows 8 went too far in turning Windows into a touch-first, tablet-centric operating system. To me, this is a welcome furthering of the changes that began more conservatively last year with the re-emergence of the Start button and allowance of boot to desktop by default.

Update: Here are a couple of related tidbits, courtesy of sources of Windows SuperSite's Paul Thurrott. Thurrott said he's hearing the revised Desktop will allow users to run multiple Metro appson the Desktop. That'd mean windows comes back to Windows. Plus, he's hearing the Start Menu might return, too, supplementing the currently Start-Menuless Start Button -- another plus for those struggling with the current Windows 8.x navigation scheme.
FROM:
http://www.zdnet.com

"Threshold"

It turns out the Microsoft codename for that wave of deliverables is "Threshold."
A couple of my contacts have confirmed that Microsoft Executive Vice President Terry Myerson recently mentioned the Threshold codename in an internal email about plans for his unified operating-system engineering group.
If all goes according to early plans, Threshold will include updates to all three OS platforms (Xbox One, Windows and Windows Phone) that will advance them in a way to share even more common elements.
(The codename Threshold, for those wondering, derives from the planet around which the first halo ring orbited in the original Halo game launched back in 2001. Threshold joins "Cortana," Microsoft's answer to Siri, as yet another codename with its origins in the Xbox franchise.)
From what I've heard, Threshold doesn't refer to a single Windows OS -- not even the expected, converged hybrid comprised of the Windows Phone OS and Windows RT. Instead, the codename refers to the wave of operating systems across Windows-based phones, devices and gaming consoles.
The Xbox One OS, Windows 8.x OS and Windows Phone 8 OS already share a common Windows NT core. As we've heard before, Microsoft is working to deliver a single app store across its myriad Windows platforms. Company officials also are laboring to make the developer toolset for all three of these platforms more similar.

But Threshold will add another level of commonality across Microsoft's various Windows-based platforms, sources said. With the Threshold wave, Microsoft plans to support the same core set of "high value activities" across platforms. These high-value activities include expression/documents (Office, and the coming "Remix" digital storytelling app, I'd think); decision making/task completion (Bing, I'd assume); IT management (Intune and Workplace Join, perhaps?) and "serious fun."
CEO Steve Ballmer mentioned this concept of high-value activities at back in July when he announced Microsoft's cross-company reorg to make the company more focused around its new "One Microsoft" mission.
Before Microsoft gets to Threshold, the company is on track to deliver an update to Windows 8.1 (known as Windows 8.1 Update 1) around the same time that it delivers Windows Phone "Blue" (Windows Phone 8.1). That's supposedly happening in the spring 2014/Q2 2014 timeframe, from what my sources have said.
I've asked Microsoft officials if they'd confirm any of this information about Threshold. No word back so far.
Update: A Microsoft spokesperson said the company had no comment on "rumors and speculation."
FROM:
http://www.zdnet.com

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Responsive VS Dynamic Web Design

You have just decided on creating a mobile version of your website. Then comes the decision about the most convenient way of its implementation.
There are three to choose from:
mobile URL,
responsive design and
dynamic webpage.
You'll select one, which allows your users to reach target pages and perform actions with minimum efforts. The choice depends on general website structure, types of content and your audience.

A separate mobile URL is the oldest of the three. - If you require major differences between desktop and mobile versions of the website (for example, completely different content), a mobile URL is a good choice; - Your mobile website must be ranked by search engines the same as the desktop one; - If there is only a mobile version of the website, make sure that desktop users are enabled to open it; - There mustn't be chaos in redirects - mobile devices must open the mobile version, while desktops must open the full one; - When there is no corresponding mobile webpage, your mobile visitors mustn't be redirected to another, irrelevant page (for example, main page), where they cannot find the needed information or perform the needed action. Either mobile visitors should be redirected to the relevant desktop page, or there may be no redirect at all; and sending visitors to irrelevant pages perhaps would be the worst decision; - It is also widely recommended to redirect tablet users to the full desktop version of the website.

The other two types of mobile websites share the same single URL for both desktop and mobile.

Responsive design The server identifies the mobile device and its screen resolution, and the content is correspondingly scaled and presented; it can be viewed with any screen resolution, be it a mobile device or a desktop. It has no odd redirects to slow down the loading speed. The lower screen resolution is, the simpler navigation gets. Responsive design is not the best solution for heavy content, such as video - it can slow down the website.

Dynamic webpage The server identifies the mobile device and its screen resolution, and the types of shown content depends on the device. Dynamic webpage is good at delivering heavier content, and it's more difficult in implementation. Here is often used HTTP-header Vary, which prevents the mistake of displaying a desktop page on a mobile device, and vice versa; it also allows Googlebot to find mobile-optimized content faster. If you need to deliver only a part of the desktop content, dynamic webpage is what you need.

See more at: http://mobidev.biz/blog/mobile_website_mobile_url,_responsive,_or_dynamic.html

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Access Information

Possible Access Information Welcome to my IT & MS Access Database resource Website. In the following pages you will find a collection of information that I have developed, while other answers were found by doing research and using newsgroups. All content is free for use by all, all I asks is that you acknowledge the original author when using their code by including a commented line indicating the source of the code wherever you use it. Also, if you would like to see a post/article about a specific subject that has yet to be covered, please use the Contact page to send me your request. I will do my best to address any requests I receive. Please keep in mind that this site is for educational purposes and is not a support medium. I cannot answer individual questions. If you have specific questions, you would be best to post the in the appropriate forum. http://www.devhut.net/

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Leap Software Developer Program

The 3D motion control company Leap motion has launched its Software Developer Program today and has sent out a letter to developers informing them that they can sign up. The letter also indicates that Leap is now sending out test units to developers who have requested access to the program.
The Leap Software Developer Program is the perfect way for the company to build a stable of apps that use it before it launches to consumers. “The potential is here to bring this revolution into people’s everyday lives,” says Leap in the letter. “We believe this potential can best be reached by working with developers as passionate about the Leap as we are.”

The program includes a Developer Portal and admittance is free. In addition to access to the portal, developers will get:
  • a download of the Leap SDK
  • access to the Leap API and documentation
  • a collaborative question and answer forum
  • tools to help drive future development
“In addition,” says Leap, “our Developer Relations team will focus on supporting the Leap developer community, working to continually expand our sample code, libraries, forums, support channels and documentation.”
The developers will not all get test devices right away, says Leap:
A limited number of early members will also receive a fully functional developer beta Leap device. With over 40,000 submissions, we won’t have enough units to offer everyone. But every applicant will be offered full membership in the program over the next few months.
Criteria for receiving early developer units include the clarity of the idea submitted and a track record of developing software. We also want to ensure development for a range of options across games, productivity, education, design and more to be featured in our dedicated Leap app store alongside the customer launch early next year. While we’re excited about all the future uses for Leap, we want to make sure that customers have a great selection of life-changing apps for their new Leap device.
The notifications to developers will continue to be sent out and more will be admitted to the program over the next few months. Leap says that everyone who wants in will eventually be admitted.
Back in July, Leap Motion scored ex-Apple exec and General Partner at Highland Capital (a Leap investor) Andy Miller as its COO. The Leap Motion device can be pre-ordered on its site and developers can apply here.

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/10/29/leap-motion-launches-software-developer-program-and-starts-sending-test-units-of-its-3d-controller/

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

"Plug and Pray" :^)

This amusing sarcastic name for Plug and Play has become all too commonly heard these days. It refers to the large number of problems associated with getting Plug and Play to work on many systems. It's odd to consider--wasn't the whole point of Plug and Play to make it easier to configure systems? It is, but unfortunately PnP falls short of its lofty goal in many cases.
When you use PnP, you are essentially turning over control of system configuration to the PC. The problem is a common one in computers: the computer isn't as smart as the human, or more specifically, the computer isn't as "resourceful" (no pun intended. :^) ). Computers are not nearly as good as humans at realizing things like this: "Well, if I put the modem at that value and the printer there, I will have a conflict. But I can fix that by changing the assignment for the sound card, moving the modem over here, and putting the printer there". The system can take care of the simple situations, but can become confused by more complicated ones. The use of multiple "legacy" ISA devices can exacerbate this. Generally, the more complex your setup, the more likely you will need to manual "tweak" whatever PnP comes up with by default.
The biggest problems with Plug and Play revolve around its apparent "stubbornness". At times, the BIOS and operating system seem determined to put a device at a location where you do not want it. For example, you may have a modem that you want at COM3 and IRQ5, but the BIOS may decide to put it at COM4 and IRQ3, conflicting with the COM2 serial port. This can get quite aggravating to deal with. Also, some people just prefer the feeling of being "in control" that they lose when PnP is used. (I must admit to being one of these people, oftentimes.)
The problems with PnP are less common now than they were in the first year that it was announced. As with any new technology--especially one that is as complex as PnP and that involves so many parts of the system--it takes time to iron the bugs out. Most systems today work quite well with PnP. In most cases problems with PnP are due to incorrect system configuration, manual overrides of PnP devices through the Windows 95 Device Manager, or incorrect BIOS settings.

From:http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/res/pnpPray-c.html
 

Friday, December 4, 2009

Herman Hollerith



Herman Hollerith looks out over the invention that brought data processing to the world. Sixty-two million cards were placed in the readers of these machines and then dropped into the sorting box (right) when the appropriate lid opened. (Image courtesy of The Computer History Museum, www.computerhistory.org)
from: http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=Hollerith+machine&i=44307,00.asp

World's First Hard Drive!!



Just Gotta Love Technology!!!!
IBM unveiled the 305 RAMAC on September 13th, 1956. The computer was nothing but a revolution since it could store up to 4.4MB of data (5 million characters) – an enormous amount of data back then. The data was stored on fifty 24 inch magnetical disks. More than 1000 systems were built and the production ended in 1961. IBM leased the computers for $3,200 per month.

from: http://gadgets.fosfor.se/history-of-data-storage/

Friday, October 16, 2009

Love Buffie

Quote from Buffie:
Does this mean I will never own an Apple product or own a Linux computer? Had you asked me that 6 months ago Iwould have said, "Duh, of course not." But even the hardest of heads can be changed. I now own a computer with Ubuntu and I own 2 iPhones. Will I own an Apple PC?  If donated, I would LOL. Why do I say this? Because my mom was right when she said, "money doesn't grow on trees."  In the future, I may actually buy an Apple PC, but for now I stay with Windows.

The next thing that was asked was, "Do you think there is room for both Windows and Linx?" Absolutely! There are too many nerds in the world to let Linux die. Linux really is a nerd's delight. With the fully customizable atmosphere and the ability to have complete control of your OS, who wouldn't love it? Plus with the user actually dictating what changes need to be made instead of a team of "professionals," Linux holds something Windows will never have: 100% customer backing. The only negative thing I have ever read about Linux, is from users who are less than computer savy.

This brings me to my final point. Windows will be a huge player in the OS world due to ease of use. Not everyone is computer savy and able to do "nerd code". Plus they have things like the automotive industry in their back pocket. Yes even your car runs Windows. But will they always be top dog? That I cannot answer but I suspect if Windows 7 bombs like Vista did, I am putting my money on no. Already Apple is taking a bite out of Windows' profit with mildly funny commercials attacking the PC, playing on the way people have with Vista. Apple is opening the eyes of Microsoft victims to a new horizon. Only time will tell if the Apple will fall from the tree, but I have a feeling the Windows will be shut before long.
Great stuff Buffie!!!  Keep it coming!!!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Intel CPU's


i7-920, i7-965, and i7-975


Intel doesn’t need to launch a pair of new CPUs today. Its thousand dollar Core i7-965 Extreme is already the fastest chip out there by a comfortable margin. Its five hundred-something dollar Core i7-940 slides into second place without an issue. And the company’s entry-level Core i7, the 920, is reasonably priced to the point where it fits into our $1,300 System Builder Marathon parts list (and of course, it also helps that the 2.66 GHz chip approaches 4 GHz with some regularity).

Nevertheless, the company is taking advantage of Computex to launch a pair of fresh Core i7s—the 975 Extreme and the 950. Given their names, you’d think that these newcomers would fall into place on either side of the i7-965. But that’s not the plan at all. Instead, Intel says the i7-975 Extreme will replace the 965 at its exorbitant $1,000 price point and the i7-950 will replace the 940 at $562.


For the time being, 940s will probably float around in the channel at reduced prices. But with i7-920s still the overclocking darlings for less than $300, even a discounted i7-940 would still cost more than we’d be otherwise willing to pay for it.

Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i7-975,2318.html