How to find cheap groceries online: "If you want to know whether or not buying groceries online is for you, check out this roundup of the top five online grocery destinations."
(Via Cnet.)
Friday, April 24, 2009
How to find cheap groceries online
I've not yet ordered groceries online yet but I have ordered diapers for my kid from Amazon (tip: use the subscription service from Amazon to save even more!).
'Sleep talking' PCs use 80% less power
While I'm still a skeptic when it comes to Windows being able to properly sleep and wake up based on numerous attempts to make it work reliably, I sure like the idea of this!
'Sleep talking' PCs use 80% less power: "to put computers in a doze could mean energy savings of 60 to 80 per cent, say computer scientists at UC San Diego and Microsoft Research.
"
(Via TechRadar: All latest feeds.)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
In Depth: 10 tweaks to make after reinstalling Windows
In Depth: 10 tweaks to make after reinstalling Windows: "
Reinstalling Windows can be a time-consuming job, so why not create an image of your post-reinstall setup using a drive imaging tool like Macrium Reflect Free?
It'll save you time in the long run. What do you need to do before creating the image it? Updating Windows and installing your drivers is a given, but save time by tweaking your new installation now rather than later.
Read on for ten time-saving tweaks.
1. Reinstall again
Fancy a slimline Windows installation? XP users can strip back Windows without reinstalling by using the XPlite tool ($39.95), or you could reinstall Windows again from a customised installation disc. XP users should click here for a guide to creating this disc using nLite; Vista users can click here for a guide to using vLite.
2. Update quickly
Download AutoPatcher to simplify the update process and save time with future reinstalls. It's also the best tool for quickly adding core components to your install, ranging from Microsoft technologies such as the .NET Framework tools to other essentials like Sun's Java runtimes.
3. Set up your desktop
Take the time to tweak your desktop, Start menu and Taskbar so they're set up exactly as you want them – with your chosen icons on the desktop or Quick Launch toolbar for easy access, plus the Start menu set up to provide the shortcuts you want rather than those Windows thinks you want.
4. Force Start menu to sort alphabetically
XP users are probably tearing their hair out at the inability of the All Programs menu to sort itself. After sorting it alphabetically one last time, open Registry Editor and browse to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer >MenuOrder > Start Menu.
Right-click Start Menu and choose Permissions. Click Advanced and untick 'Inherit from parent the permission entries…' Click Copy when prompted followed by OK to close the dialog.
Next, select your username from the list and untick Allow next to Full Control (leave Read ticked) and click Apply. Repeat for the Administrators group. Finally, click OK and close Registry Editor.
5. Speed up virtual memory
If you have a second internal hard drive or eSATA drive permanently attached, move the paging file to this drive to speed things up: open the System Properties Control Panel, switch to the Advanced tab and click Settings under Performance. Select the Advanced tab again and click Change under Virtual Memory. Move the swap file to the least used partition of your second drive for maximum performance gains. XP users should leave a swap file of at least 2MB on the system partition to ensure Windows can boot.
6. Move special folders
Move folders like your My Documents, Desktop or SendTo menu from their original locations to your data drive so they're always up to date, even after a reinstall. Use the Location tab of the folder's properties in Vista, or drag the folder to your data partition using the right mouse button – select Move here when prompted.
7. Quick and easy shortcuts
Add shortcuts to various context menus to speed up access to your PC: click here for CopyTo/MoveTo shortcuts, or here to add Device Manager to My Computer's context menu.
8. Set up your Favorites bar
Take the time to create shortcuts to your favourite folders in Vista by dragging the folder on to the Favorites bar; XP users can tweak the basic Places Bar that appears in many Open/Save dialogue boxes with the TweakUI PowerToy.
9. Tweak Windows more
Take the time to tweak other hidden parts of your system: Vista users should try the Ultimate Windows Tweaker; XP users the aforementioned TweakUI PowerToy or Tweak 'n' Tune.
10. Future-proof browser settings
If you're using IE, Firefox or Safari, install the free Xmarks add-on, which enables you to synchronise your bookmarks and passwords between multiple computers and - crucially in this instance - your Windows installations.
 |  |
(Via Clippings.)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
10 ways leaders can get crucial feedback
10 ways leaders can get crucial feedback: "
If you’re going to successfully lead your team members through these rocky times, you need to listen to their ideas and understand what they’re dealing with- and that requires a dedicated effort on your part. These strategies will help you keep your finger on the pulse of your IT group.
Most leaders tell me that they know what’s going on in their organizations. They don’t.
In demanding times like these, it’s particularly important for leaders to get feedback. But precisely when they need to be considering all options and opinions, they may not hear many of them.
One reason for this sorry state is that some leaders don’t really care. They’re so certain of themselves (or their talent, or skill, or brainpower, or whatever) that they truly don’t think anyone else can tell them anything new. Most won’t admit it, however, because they think you won’t understand. So they say things like,’ I’m open to any ideas or suggestions that will make us better.’ And when feedback is offered, they may even appear to appreciate it. But action speaks louder than words — and that’s how you can tell just how sincere those words were. Kind of like all those companies that proclaim, ‘Our most important asset is our people’ and then at the first sign of trouble, start layoffs so they can keep other activities in place.
Here are some field-tested ideas I’ve seen used successfully in various situations to elicit valuable information. I used the first one myself when, as a leader of a large, just-acquired company, I oversaw the layoffs of 1,300 people.
Note: This article originally appeared as an entry in our IT Leadership blog. It’s also available as a PDF download.
1: The anonymous hotline
Nowadays, hotlines can be e-mails, phones, or paper tools. However you do it, put something into place that allows people to provide candid, honest feedback or ask questions without fear of getting busted. I used a mailbox, kind of a ‘Dear John’ thing, where people could ask questions or sound off and I’d reply to them.
2: Public communication tools
If you have a newsletter, use it to keep folks aware of what’s going on and to deal with rumors, which are harmful. Publish Q & A’s, based on questions you’ve heard through other means, such as your anonymous hotline.
3: Ombudsmen
Someone in your organization should be accessible to anyone who wants to make a point, ask a question, or sound off without fear of reprisal. Employees should know that what they say will be relayed to the head honcho. In some organizations, this is the HR person; in others, it may simply be someone who is trusted and respected by all involved. Just identify someone and let that person know that you need him or her to keep you in touch with things.
4: Anonymous surveys
As long as employees have no fear of being ‘caught,’ surveys are great tools for getting your fingers on the pulse of the organization. But don’t over think them. They should be done quickly and fairly frequently. And have the guts to make the results public afterward. That shows the employee base that you’re aware of their concerns. If you can’t provide a fix, at least let them know that you care about the problem and will try to deal with it when you can.
5: Lunch with the leader
Periodically, have a lunch meeting with folks from all levels of the organization. Make it clear that there will be time at the end of it for a question-and-answer session if the group consists of more than 12 individuals. If the group is small, make a point to sit beside any quiet ones and encourage them to open up.
6: Visits to other departments, offices, or locations
The best way to open up communications is to show that you’re accessible and interested. I don’t care how often someone says they care about what’s going on in other locations. If they’re never there, they won’t hear enough.
7: Social events
Many people will tell you that there’s no such thing as a social / work event. They characterize the Holiday Party or the Summer Picnic as political affairs, and they’re probably right in many companies. But such events don’t have to be heartburn-inducing activities. If you use them as ‘skip-level’ affairs, you’ll probably enjoy yourself and learn a ton about what your team members are really feeling. Make it a point to spend time with those at least two levels below you, tell your direct reports to do the same thing, and then compare notes back in the office.
8: Contrarian perspectives
When leaders allow themselves to hear only what they want to hear, people figure it out pretty quickly and clam up. If you show that you appreciate a healthy debate, you’re more likely to get differing ideas thrown about.
9: Playfulness
One of the founding senior execs at DIRECTV was famous for throwing Nerf footballs with anyone still in their cubes after 6pm or on Saturdays. It was a kind of jock thing, but even those less-than-jock types could throw the little soft football around. Sending a few lateral passes allowed time for a bit of bonding conversation and built trust between the leader and the team.
10: MBWA
Tom Peters coined the term MBWA — ‘management by walking around’ — back in the 80s. If you’re serious about wanting to encourage honest feedback and candid comments, read his writings. The premise of MBWA is that if you expose yourself to enough people enough of the time, you’ll hear things you might not otherwise have come across.
You need to know
For many reasons, people will hold back or shelter the boss from certain information. It’s not healthy and makes it tougher to be as good as possible. People who really want to know what’s going on in their organizations do the things listed above. Those who don’t, probably don’t really want to know.
Finally: 10 Things… the newsletter!
Get the key facts on a wide range of technologies, techniques, strategies, and skills with the help of the concise need-to-know lists featured in TechRepublic’s 10 Things newsletter, delivered every Friday. Automatically sign up today.
(Via Clippings.)
In Depth: Clean up your iTunes library in 9 easy steps
In Depth: Clean up your iTunes library in 9 easy steps: "
Your digital music collection is a mess. How do we know? Because everyone's digital music collection is a mess!
There are lots of tools to help you delete duplicates, rename your files and update your artwork - but most clean-up tasks can be achieved within iTunes without much hassle.
So, in a crusade to purify our reader's iTunes libraries, we take you through 10 simple steps that will get things back on track.
1. Back up your library
In case things go wrong, back-up your iTunes library first. Go to 'File > Library > Consolidate Library' to copy all data files to your iTunes Music folder. Next, copy the folder to an external drive or another folder on your machine. By default Windows users will find iTunes Music in \Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music
2. Good riddance to bad rubbish
Now delete the music you don't want; a long job if you have to do it manually, but quick if you've been star rating your tunes. Choose 'Music' in iTunes Library section, hit CTRL SHIFT + 3 to go to List view and click the 'Rating' column twice to order your tunes from least to most liked. Select all your one and two star tunes, then hit CTRL and DELETE.
3. Remove duplicates manually
Go to 'File > Show Duplicates' then manually delete the songs you don't need. A power tip: 'Show Duplicates' matches tunes by title and artist only. Holding down SHIFT changes the command to 'Show Exact Duplicates' - and iTunes will match tracks by length too.
5. Bulk duplicate removal
If you have a large library, you may need to enlist some software to help you out. For $34.95 Dupe Eliminator scrubs Windows machines clean of duplicate tunes, while Mac users have Dupin for just $15.
6. Remove orphans
Sometimes, deleted files remain listed in your library. We love this ingenious. smart playlist tip from blogger Paul Mayne. Alternatively, use Songbird's The Exorcist plugin to do the deed if you want to download that.
7. Backup and convert to MP3
Now that your Library is free of clones and ghosts, back it up again using the method outlined above. You may, optionally, convert that back-up to MP3. The quickest way is to use Switch - a free tool available for Mac and Windows.
8. Fix metadata
Working with your new back-up, use the freeware tool Picard Tagger to fix any erroneous song titles, album info and other embedded meta data. It connects to the user-generated music database MusicBrainz, analysing tracks by length, title and 'acoustic fingerprint'. We recommend fixing one album or artist folder at a time and saving over your back-up - but only when Picard Tagger gets it right. Any songs it gets wrong or misses, you'll have to edit the ID3 tags manually when you rebuild your library.
9. Rebuild Your library
This penultimate step will fully rebuild your iTunes library - but do make sure your fixed back-up from the previous step is complete. Here's why: you'll have to shut down iTunes and delete the original old music files in your iTunes Music folder. Next, go up one folder and delete all the iTunes library files. Restart iTunes - go to 'File > Add Folder to Library' and locate your clean and tagged back-up. iTunes will import the files and rebuild your library.
10. Update your album artwork
iTunes should recognise your albums and update your cover artwork automatically. If it doesn't, select individual tracks and choose 'Advanced > Get Album Artwork'. If your selection has the wrong artwork, right click on the track and choose 'Clear Downloaded Artwork', then download again.
| |
(Via Clippings.)
A quick guide to backups using tar
A quick guide to backups using tar: "
Though tar is widely used for archiving it is rarely used for daily backups because it has no incremental capability - or at least, most people don't think it has.
In fact, the GNU version of tar has a perfectly good mechanism for creating and restoring incremental archives; it just isn't very well documented on the man page and you have to hunt around to find a proper description.
It works by storing additional metadata in a separate file called a snapshot file.
| |
(Via Clippings.)
10 ways leaders can get crucial feedback
10 ways leaders can get crucial feedback: "
If you’re going to successfully lead your team members through these rocky times, you need to listen to their ideas and understand what they’re dealing with- and that requires a dedicated effort on your part. These strategies will help you keep your finger on the pulse of your IT group.
Most leaders tell me that they know what’s going on in their organizations. They don’t.
In demanding times like these, it’s particularly important for leaders to get feedback. But precisely when they need to be considering all options and opinions, they may not hear many of them.
One reason for this sorry state is that some leaders don’t really care. They’re so certain of themselves (or their talent, or skill, or brainpower, or whatever) that they truly don’t think anyone else can tell them anything new. Most won’t admit it, however, because they think you won’t understand. So they say things like,’ I’m open to any ideas or suggestions that will make us better.’ And when feedback is offered, they may even appear to appreciate it. But action speaks louder than words — and that’s how you can tell just how sincere those words were. Kind of like all those companies that proclaim, ‘Our most important asset is our people’ and then at the first sign of trouble, start layoffs so they can keep other activities in place.
Here are some field-tested ideas I’ve seen used successfully in various situations to elicit valuable information. I used the first one myself when, as a leader of a large, just-acquired company, I oversaw the layoffs of 1,300 people.
Note: This article originally appeared as an entry in our IT Leadership blog. It’s also available as a PDF download.
1: The anonymous hotline
Nowadays, hotlines can be e-mails, phones, or paper tools. However you do it, put something into place that allows people to provide candid, honest feedback or ask questions without fear of getting busted. I used a mailbox, kind of a ‘Dear John’ thing, where people could ask questions or sound off and I’d reply to them.
2: Public communication tools
If you have a newsletter, use it to keep folks aware of what’s going on and to deal with rumors, which are harmful. Publish Q & A’s, based on questions you’ve heard through other means, such as your anonymous hotline.
3: Ombudsmen
Someone in your organization should be accessible to anyone who wants to make a point, ask a question, or sound off without fear of reprisal. Employees should know that what they say will be relayed to the head honcho. In some organizations, this is the HR person; in others, it may simply be someone who is trusted and respected by all involved. Just identify someone and let that person know that you need him or her to keep you in touch with things.
4: Anonymous surveys
As long as employees have no fear of being ‘caught,’ surveys are great tools for getting your fingers on the pulse of the organization. But don’t over think them. They should be done quickly and fairly frequently. And have the guts to make the results public afterward. That shows the employee base that you’re aware of their concerns. If you can’t provide a fix, at least let them know that you care about the problem and will try to deal with it when you can.
5: Lunch with the leader
Periodically, have a lunch meeting with folks from all levels of the organization. Make it clear that there will be time at the end of it for a question-and-answer session if the group consists of more than 12 individuals. If the group is small, make a point to sit beside any quiet ones and encourage them to open up.
6: Visits to other departments, offices, or locations
The best way to open up communications is to show that you’re accessible and interested. I don’t care how often someone says they care about what’s going on in other locations. If they’re never there, they won’t hear enough.
7: Social events
Many people will tell you that there’s no such thing as a social / work event. They characterize the Holiday Party or the Summer Picnic as political affairs, and they’re probably right in many companies. But such events don’t have to be heartburn-inducing activities. If you use them as ‘skip-level’ affairs, you’ll probably enjoy yourself and learn a ton about what your team members are really feeling. Make it a point to spend time with those at least two levels below you, tell your direct reports to do the same thing, and then compare notes back in the office.
8: Contrarian perspectives
When leaders allow themselves to hear only what they want to hear, people figure it out pretty quickly and clam up. If you show that you appreciate a healthy debate, you’re more likely to get differing ideas thrown about.
9: Playfulness
One of the founding senior execs at DIRECTV was famous for throwing Nerf footballs with anyone still in their cubes after 6pm or on Saturdays. It was a kind of jock thing, but even those less-than-jock types could throw the little soft football around. Sending a few lateral passes allowed time for a bit of bonding conversation and built trust between the leader and the team.
10: MBWA
Tom Peters coined the term MBWA — ‘management by walking around’ — back in the 80s. If you’re serious about wanting to encourage honest feedback and candid comments, read his writings. The premise of MBWA is that if you expose yourself to enough people enough of the time, you’ll hear things you might not otherwise have come across.
You need to know
For many reasons, people will hold back or shelter the boss from certain information. It’s not healthy and makes it tougher to be as good as possible. People who really want to know what’s going on in their organizations do the things listed above. Those who don’t, probably don’t really want to know.
Finally: 10 Things… the newsletter!
Get the key facts on a wide range of technologies, techniques, strategies, and skills with the help of the concise need-to-know lists featured in TechRepublic’s 10 Things newsletter, delivered every Friday. Automatically sign up today.
(Via Clippings.)
Friday, April 17, 2009
'70s Cars We'd Just As Soon Forget
And for a re-hash of a familiar subject but fun to read on a Friday nonetheless.....
"
'70s Cars We'd Just As Soon Forget: "Was there a darker time in the history of the auto industry? We run down some of the worst of the worst. Add your suggestions to our hall of shame.
(Via Wired: Top Stories.)
Opinion: What does your OS say about you?
Opinion: What does your OS say about you?: "
The Linux Foundation has finally chosen the winning entry for their 'We're Linux' video contest. And the result is some coloured squiggles with a European accent telling us how awesome freedom is.
Well yes, we all like freedom, as an abstract concept. But it's (a bit) like the abortion 'debate': are you Pro Choice or Pro Life?
Boiled down to that level, it's hard to say. I like choices but I also like life. I wouldn't like to live without any choices at all but I wouldn't like to die, either.
Isn't there a third option? Of course there is! There are millions of options - as many as there are people to express them, in fact.
Apple chooses to characterise the desktop computer debate as 'cool and stylish' vs 'dull and nerdy'.
Microsoft counters that it's actually about 'honest and down to earth' vs 'pretentious and snobby'. Now Linux wants us to believe the choice is really between freedom and… what? Enslavement?
The 'freedom' to hack the source code of your operating system to make it do whatever you want, isn't the kind of freedom I'm interested in. I want the freedom to run whichever operating system I like on whichever hardware platform I choose. And guess what? I pretty much have that already.
In trying to influence our platform choices, the operating system manufacturers have to use a pretty broad brush. If they want market share, they need to claim values that everyone wants.
So far we know that OS X is cool, Vista is down to earth and Linux embodies freedom. What does that leave for the rest? Here are some ideas:
Symbian loves its children
BeOS believes in democracy
OpenVMS is irresistible to the opposite sex
AmigaOS has great teeth
RISC OS has never been tested on animals
Windows CE helps to halt climate change
| |
(Via Clippings.)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Rise of the Netbooks
As anyone with the slightest interest in computing will tell you, the netbooks are the hottest class of PC out there right now. These are the ~$400 9 - 10" laptops with an Intel Atom processor and initially were being offered with either Linux or Windows XP Home. Now they mostly seem to be XP Home and the better ones all have 10" screens, 1 GB RAM, and 160 GB hard drives.
A client wanted one recently and they wanted wireless WAN connectivity with an Express slot so that left pretty much the Lenovo S10 as the primary model to select. I added 1 GB stick so it has a total of 1.5 GB RAM, the 160 GB 5400 rpm hard drive, and I cleansed it of the bloatware and trial software. Admittedly though, the trialware was nowhere as bad as the $500 Windows desktops, at least it not yet, as more of these machines get out there and the subsidies start poring in, we'll see how that goes...
On two different netbooks, one an Acer Aspire One (D150) and another Lenovo S10, I installed Office, Google Pack, and the other cadre of typical software for a standard Windows install. Both ran the software fine and have what I would call perfectly acceptable performance. Neither are 'fast' but they're more than capable of being lightweight, highly portable computers. They're cute, if not attractive, and highly functional, though you won't be typing 60wpm with 0 errors.
As a work/business computer, I'd be hesitant to recommending them for much more than casual e-mail/web/basic Office duty. My reasons for that are the perceived disposability of them (heck, they're less than $400, is it *really* a big deal if one gets lost?); the fact that most come with XP Home instead of Pro; and they're easy targets for thieves.
I like the netbooks a lot, one will probably end up in my house as a kick-around surfing device, at least until I decide to figure out how to load a version of Mac OS X that doesn't die with each Mac update!
A client wanted one recently and they wanted wireless WAN connectivity with an Express slot so that left pretty much the Lenovo S10 as the primary model to select. I added 1 GB stick so it has a total of 1.5 GB RAM, the 160 GB 5400 rpm hard drive, and I cleansed it of the bloatware and trial software. Admittedly though, the trialware was nowhere as bad as the $500 Windows desktops, at least it not yet, as more of these machines get out there and the subsidies start poring in, we'll see how that goes...
On two different netbooks, one an Acer Aspire One (D150) and another Lenovo S10, I installed Office, Google Pack, and the other cadre of typical software for a standard Windows install. Both ran the software fine and have what I would call perfectly acceptable performance. Neither are 'fast' but they're more than capable of being lightweight, highly portable computers. They're cute, if not attractive, and highly functional, though you won't be typing 60wpm with 0 errors.
As a work/business computer, I'd be hesitant to recommending them for much more than casual e-mail/web/basic Office duty. My reasons for that are the perceived disposability of them (heck, they're less than $400, is it *really* a big deal if one gets lost?); the fact that most come with XP Home instead of Pro; and they're easy targets for thieves.
I like the netbooks a lot, one will probably end up in my house as a kick-around surfing device, at least until I decide to figure out how to load a version of Mac OS X that doesn't die with each Mac update!
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