I won't be around during the holidays, so I want to quickly, and without taking much of your time, wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I really don't care whether you celebrate this or that, I believe wishing happiness to people shouldn't be such a terrible thing. So, here... take my wish for happiness if you will, and if not, well... you are allowed to not be happy, nobody will blame you for it.
Have fun!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Oh, Debian. How I love thee.
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
- Matt Groening
So, yup, it looks like Debian will rename Firefox to Iceweasel in their next release, and it looks it's a final decision. =/ I'm not sure I like the name, though.
BTW, where's the upgrade promised for December 4th?
http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/
OK, I'm being biased. It wasn't actually "promised", it was speculative.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
The RIAA lies
The RIAA, who claims to defend musicians, is now asking that composers and songwriters are paid less royalties, so that record companies can earn more.
If you needed something else to believe that they are hypocrites, there ya go.
Yup, nothing strange. I'm not surprised at all.
If you needed something else to believe that they are hypocrites, there ya go.
Record industry executives said there was nothing strange about seeking a rate change that would pay less to the people who write the music.
Yup, nothing strange. I'm not surprised at all.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Phobos
Fear and Terror. Phobos and Deimos.
That's the name of Mars's two tiny moons.
When I was around 8 years old, my grand-uncle explained this to me as he walked me back home from school.
Today, watching APOD (Astronomy Picture Of the Day) a picture of Phobos caught my attention and reminded me of uncle Jos.
When I was a child, I imagined Mars and its moons to be scary places.
Right now, I think the Earth (and some of its inhabitants) is by far a lot more scary.
That's the name of Mars's two tiny moons.
When I was around 8 years old, my grand-uncle explained this to me as he walked me back home from school.
Today, watching APOD (Astronomy Picture Of the Day) a picture of Phobos caught my attention and reminded me of uncle Jos.
When I was a child, I imagined Mars and its moons to be scary places.
Right now, I think the Earth (and some of its inhabitants) is by far a lot more scary.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Local wikis
Wikipad. A very interesting wiki-like application that I think is ideal for those of you in college that need to do papers and research. I think it's very helpful when it comes to organizing ideas. I'm linking the windoze version of it, but there are versions of it for linux and mac. Python-coded, which is really nice.
I think it's very nice and helpful if you are acquainted with the wiki way of organizing information. It might also help at work for some of you, and even at story-telling. =]
If you know of other locally-run wikis (that run on linux, hehe) let me know. =]
I think it's very nice and helpful if you are acquainted with the wiki way of organizing information. It might also help at work for some of you, and even at story-telling. =]
If you know of other locally-run wikis (that run on linux, hehe) let me know. =]
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The robe of a ghost
The ghostly tail of comet swan. I loved this picture and I want to share it with you.
A comet traveling endlessly through the universe, the ghostly rims of its gossamer gown gently sweeping the dark emptiness among a myriad of twinkling stars.
It evokes thoughts of unreachable and silent beauty.
The other day I was talking to Mauhaut about gazing at the stars. I think I've always been a star-gazer. Although living in a noisy and crowded city sometimes opaques your view of the sky, you always know the stars are there... even if the tumult doesn't let you see them, or the busy life you lead hides them away from you and keeps your gaze pinned to the monotonous ground.
Sooner or later, we raise our heads, and our eyes go to the skies looking for peace, for that overwhelming feeling of immenseness and smallness.
Thanks to all the twinkling stars that wink at me from above when my stare is pinned to the ground, because you guys make me lift my chin and hope for a piece of eternity.
♥
Oh, well. I need to clean stuff here and go home. =]
Monday, November 06, 2006
Viruses, wikipedia and geniuses
Once again, virus authors use wikipedia to spread malware. Not the first time it happens, but I think it's worth mentioning.
I also found this article today: How to think like a genius.
I don't think I'll ever get to think like a genius, but I'd appreciate getting a little upgrade
I also found this article today: How to think like a genius.
I don't think I'll ever get to think like a genius, but I'd appreciate getting a little upgrade
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Zune not compatible with Microsoft's DRM?
Microsoft's Zune Music Player Incompatible with Microsoft's own DRM Ecosystem. LOL. Microsoft never ceases to amaze me (at their craptasticness).
In more interesting and beautiful news, I want to share with you this link to gorgeous wildlife pictures. ^_^
In more interesting and beautiful news, I want to share with you this link to gorgeous wildlife pictures. ^_^
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Size matters
I've found a very interesting article about sharing big-sized files.
There are lots of sites that provide this service, unfortunately the seemingly most popular ones are quite crappy at getting the job done.
For example:
Megaupload is very disappointing, as it won't let you download unless you either pay them (so much for their claim to being "completely free") or you live in a rich country. YouSendit has moved to a paid service, requiring people to create an account to either upload or download.
Rapidshare can be a pain in the ass, SendFile is becoming a pain in the ass; and I could go on forever.
I know many people don't really care about this, because of psychological quirks that I will not discuss now (I might do so later) and I will be contented with just tagging as the "It looks like I'm sharing but I'm actually just making you covet" syndrome.
For the rest of us, here's a list of big-sized-file upload sites. ^_^
MediaFire: Allows uploading an unlimited number of files up to 2.5Gig; multiple simultaneous uploads and downloads, supports most download managers (something I personally use a lot and is very useful if you need to resume a large download). No login or signup required. Ad-supported. The Mail feature has its quirks.
GigaSize: You can sign up for a free account and upload files up to 1.5Gig in size for free, they will store it for a minimun of 90 days. If you choose to not sign up, you can upload up to 300 M large file and they will be stored for 45 days. I don't think it supports resuming of downloads or download managers though. No ads.
Other services worth mentioning:
Sharebig: Free uploading and downloading of up to 1.5 Gig. No sign-up required.
TransferBIGfiles: Reminds me of yousendit. File size must be less than 1G and it will be stored for 5 days or 20 downloads.
For Windows or MacOS users, there's also pando; an application that lets you send files up to 1 Gig to anyone with an e-mail address.
MediaMax is what streamload used to be. I have been using their service for years for personal reasons (mostly backups, personal and work-related stuff) and it also allows me to share files with others if I choose to do so. It's a paid service though. You can send files to other streamload users and receive files from them almost instantly and without any "cost" to your monthly allotted bandwidth. Their current price is US$37.95 per year, it gives you up to 1Gig of downloads, and doesn't put a limit to how much you can upload or to file-size.
Sending files between streamload users is unlimited in size.
You can download their upload/download client for free at their site, (even if you don't have an account with them) and you can upload files to any user's account too. (I know, that's a feature that screams "spaaaaam!")
4Shared: Similar to streamload but with limitations, you need to sign up for a free 1Gig account. You can upload files up to 50M in size. Rumored to give free unlimited downloads.
Do you know of any other good XXL-sized file upload/download service? Please, let me know! ^-^
I mentioned download managers ut supra and I want to make a special mention to one firefox extension that I really, really enjoy: It's DownThemAll! and it's very useful when you are downloading a large number of files (scans, picture galleries, batch of files, etc.) I used to use it a lot to download scans, otherwise my right-clicking finger would have died in spastic horror. ^_~
It's easy to configure and install (just click on the install link).
Oh, talking about firefox! Firefox 2.0 has been released today. =D It looks very, very pretty and has some very cool new features.
There are lots of sites that provide this service, unfortunately the seemingly most popular ones are quite crappy at getting the job done.
For example:
Megaupload is very disappointing, as it won't let you download unless you either pay them (so much for their claim to being "completely free") or you live in a rich country. YouSendit has moved to a paid service, requiring people to create an account to either upload or download.
Rapidshare can be a pain in the ass, SendFile is becoming a pain in the ass; and I could go on forever.
I know many people don't really care about this, because of psychological quirks that I will not discuss now (I might do so later) and I will be contented with just tagging as the "It looks like I'm sharing but I'm actually just making you covet" syndrome.
For the rest of us, here's a list of big-sized-file upload sites. ^_^
MediaFire: Allows uploading an unlimited number of files up to 2.5Gig; multiple simultaneous uploads and downloads, supports most download managers (something I personally use a lot and is very useful if you need to resume a large download). No login or signup required. Ad-supported. The Mail feature has its quirks.
GigaSize: You can sign up for a free account and upload files up to 1.5Gig in size for free, they will store it for a minimun of 90 days. If you choose to not sign up, you can upload up to 300 M large file and they will be stored for 45 days. I don't think it supports resuming of downloads or download managers though. No ads.
Other services worth mentioning:
Sharebig: Free uploading and downloading of up to 1.5 Gig. No sign-up required.
TransferBIGfiles: Reminds me of yousendit. File size must be less than 1G and it will be stored for 5 days or 20 downloads.
For Windows or MacOS users, there's also pando; an application that lets you send files up to 1 Gig to anyone with an e-mail address.
MediaMax is what streamload used to be. I have been using their service for years for personal reasons (mostly backups, personal and work-related stuff) and it also allows me to share files with others if I choose to do so. It's a paid service though. You can send files to other streamload users and receive files from them almost instantly and without any "cost" to your monthly allotted bandwidth. Their current price is US$37.95 per year, it gives you up to 1Gig of downloads, and doesn't put a limit to how much you can upload or to file-size.
Sending files between streamload users is unlimited in size.
You can download their upload/download client for free at their site, (even if you don't have an account with them) and you can upload files to any user's account too. (I know, that's a feature that screams "spaaaaam!")
4Shared: Similar to streamload but with limitations, you need to sign up for a free 1Gig account. You can upload files up to 50M in size. Rumored to give free unlimited downloads.
Do you know of any other good XXL-sized file upload/download service? Please, let me know! ^-^
I mentioned download managers ut supra and I want to make a special mention to one firefox extension that I really, really enjoy: It's DownThemAll! and it's very useful when you are downloading a large number of files (scans, picture galleries, batch of files, etc.) I used to use it a lot to download scans, otherwise my right-clicking finger would have died in spastic horror. ^_~
It's easy to configure and install (just click on the install link).
Oh, talking about firefox! Firefox 2.0 has been released today. =D It looks very, very pretty and has some very cool new features.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
In images
I've found this: 111 free photoshop plugins. =] For Mac and Windows. I think some of them work with Paint Shop Pro too, and I am still to try them out with the Gimp.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Rumors
There's a rumor about Google wanting to buy youtube. The article offers some interesting "behind the scenes" points about this "rumored" buyout.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Add-ons and interesting reads
1) Rikaichan. An extension for Firefox that draws a tooltip with translations from Japanese to English/French/German/Russian (you choose) as you roll your mouse over Japanese text.
Very useful for those of us somewhat unable to break free from the tight grip of the Japanese entertainment industry. =P
Quoting from the site:
As usual, installing extensions to firefox is very easy: you just click on the link that reads "install now" =]
An interesting article I found today at lifehacker.com is titled: "What happens to your email when you die?" It reviews this article from C|Net that elaborates about the problems relatives face when a close one dies and takes the passwords to the grave.
I have always considered this, to be honest (and I doubt it'd surprise anyone, really). Would the ones left behind be able to cancel my accounts? And how easy would that be for them?
Very useful for those of us somewhat unable to break free from the tight grip of the Japanese entertainment industry. =P
Quoting from the site:
Japanese to English/German/French/Russian dictionary. Just hover the mouse on top of a word, and a popup appears. Automatically de-inflects verbs and adjectives. Detailed kanji view.
Please go to http://rikaichan.mozdev.org/ or http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/ to download a dictionary file for this extension.
As usual, installing extensions to firefox is very easy: you just click on the link that reads "install now" =]
An interesting article I found today at lifehacker.com is titled: "What happens to your email when you die?" It reviews this article from C|Net that elaborates about the problems relatives face when a close one dies and takes the passwords to the grave.
I have always considered this, to be honest (and I doubt it'd surprise anyone, really). Would the ones left behind be able to cancel my accounts? And how easy would that be for them?
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Security update
Another MSIE (Microsoft Internet Explorer) security exploit has surfaced. It is related to javascript, and it's been found running in the wild.
Once again, and at the risk of sounding extremely repetitive, DO NOT use Internet Explorer. Use Firefox instead. Firefox is much better, when it has flaws they are rapidly patched, it's more stable, and more secure.
Opera is also a good option. (I quite like Opera. It's my second choice browser)
Once again, and at the risk of sounding extremely repetitive, DO NOT use Internet Explorer. Use Firefox instead. Firefox is much better, when it has flaws they are rapidly patched, it's more stable, and more secure.
Opera is also a good option. (I quite like Opera. It's my second choice browser)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Firefox plugins and extensions.
I've been asked this question a bunch of times before, and although I know I've written about this before, well... here it goes again in case someone missed it.
How do you check what plugins are installed in your firefox browser?
Open a new tab, and type "about:plugins" in the address bar (minus the quotation marks); hit enter and you will get a list of all plugins installed for Firefox and their status (working or not). ^_^
You don't need to be online to do this.
Do not confuse "plugins" (for example, Java plugin or flash plugin) with Extensions. Extensions are meant to extend the functionalities of your browser, giving it the ability to do something extra. Plugins are meant to let you access information coded into a third-party's format (like macromedia's flash).
A good example of an extension is the "WeatherFox" extension, which adds to your browser the ability to inform you about weather conditions in your area. ^_^ It's one of my favorite extensions. Or the del.icio.us plugin, which allows you to save bookmarks to del.icio.us at the click of a button in your toolbar. ^_^
How do you check what plugins are installed in your firefox browser?
Open a new tab, and type "about:plugins" in the address bar (minus the quotation marks); hit enter and you will get a list of all plugins installed for Firefox and their status (working or not). ^_^
You don't need to be online to do this.
Do not confuse "plugins" (for example, Java plugin or flash plugin) with Extensions. Extensions are meant to extend the functionalities of your browser, giving it the ability to do something extra. Plugins are meant to let you access information coded into a third-party's format (like macromedia's flash).
A good example of an extension is the "WeatherFox" extension, which adds to your browser the ability to inform you about weather conditions in your area. ^_^ It's one of my favorite extensions. Or the del.icio.us plugin, which allows you to save bookmarks to del.icio.us at the click of a button in your toolbar. ^_^
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Blogging about music
Mog. A Music blOG. Or at least, that is what I think they intended to go for with the name of the site.
This is some sort of not-so-popular last-fm. Their submission engine only supports three players on only 2 Operating Systems, which leaves some of us out. (I signed up anyway, 'cause I simply couldn't resist it)
They have some nice options for musicians (although I don't think it allows you to stream your own music, which is a moot point), and just like last-fm, it tries to build a social network of fellow music junkies.
I think the project would be more interesting if it didn't try to be an hybrid between last-fm and myspace.
So far, it's in beta mode. I signed up when it was launched (several months ago) and I never received my confirmation e-mail. I signed up again today with a new account and I did. I still cannot activate my first account, and several links on the site (forums, for example, where you are told to go if you require further help) do not appear to work.
Potential? Maybe. I'd definitely watch it, and I'm looking forward to a GNU/Linux plugin so that I can further test it.
This is some sort of not-so-popular last-fm. Their submission engine only supports three players on only 2 Operating Systems, which leaves some of us out. (I signed up anyway, 'cause I simply couldn't resist it)
They have some nice options for musicians (although I don't think it allows you to stream your own music, which is a moot point), and just like last-fm, it tries to build a social network of fellow music junkies.
I think the project would be more interesting if it didn't try to be an hybrid between last-fm and myspace.
So far, it's in beta mode. I signed up when it was launched (several months ago) and I never received my confirmation e-mail. I signed up again today with a new account and I did. I still cannot activate my first account, and several links on the site (forums, for example, where you are told to go if you require further help) do not appear to work.
Potential? Maybe. I'd definitely watch it, and I'm looking forward to a GNU/Linux plugin so that I can further test it.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Quickie from the workplace
Do you have a youtube account? Do you use the "recommend to friend" tool?
Read this.
=/
Oh, and windowzers, patch your OS.
Read this.
=/
Oh, and windowzers, patch your OS.
Monday, August 14, 2006
On DIY toys and computers
Lately I've been neglecting my nerdy side. But after taking a look at those DIY mp3 players I know I want to build one. =]
You probably think "why someone who already owns a 'spiffy' digital music player (the iPod nano that I rarely use) would want to waste time building one herself?" and the answer is very simple: Because what you build yourself is a lot more valuable and precious than anything you can buy. =]
"Don't you have better things to do? Like trying to become literate, for example? "
Uh... nah. This is more fun.
I often joke and/or make fun of my "redneck" origins, but the truth is I think it's been those afternoons that I've spent watching how dad and uncles and cousins worked to fix cars, what's made me love to fix stuff myself and what's made me think that no matter what it is, if another human being did it, then I can also do it.
Oh, well, but I am still delaying the upgrade of KDE on my BELOVED Debian box, 'because... I always ruin something when I upgrade KDE. >_<
I am considering building myself (in addition to the mp3 player) a second box which will run under either LFS or Gentoo. Just for the sake of it. Because I've always wanted to do Linux from scratch, or even build my own distro (which will probably be Debian-based as far as package management is concerned) (And it still needs a name, so I'm taking suggestions!)
I have some spare parts, but I'd still need a processor, a motherboard and a case. I have some small~ish HD's (10 Gig), an old crt screen, some ram, some fans, lots of wires... and I've always wanted to do this step by step blog-post "how to build your own computer" with pictures and all.
I think it'd encourage everyone to tweak around with your comps, because when you see it you will all think: "Well, if Michelle, who is stupid, ugly, lame and ignorant; can do it, then of course I can do it too!"
It always makes my eye twitch when I read anyone saying "Oh, vey, I must call the computer repair people to get my RAM upgraded... so expensive!"
I also want to mod my case...
But alas, all these things require money, which is something I do not have right now.
You probably think "why someone who already owns a 'spiffy' digital music player (the iPod nano that I rarely use) would want to waste time building one herself?" and the answer is very simple: Because what you build yourself is a lot more valuable and precious than anything you can buy. =]
"Don't you have better things to do? Like trying to become literate, for example? "
Uh... nah. This is more fun.
I often joke and/or make fun of my "redneck" origins, but the truth is I think it's been those afternoons that I've spent watching how dad and uncles and cousins worked to fix cars, what's made me love to fix stuff myself and what's made me think that no matter what it is, if another human being did it, then I can also do it.
Oh, well, but I am still delaying the upgrade of KDE on my BELOVED Debian box, 'because... I always ruin something when I upgrade KDE. >_<
I am considering building myself (in addition to the mp3 player) a second box which will run under either LFS or Gentoo. Just for the sake of it. Because I've always wanted to do Linux from scratch, or even build my own distro (which will probably be Debian-based as far as package management is concerned) (And it still needs a name, so I'm taking suggestions!)
I have some spare parts, but I'd still need a processor, a motherboard and a case. I have some small~ish HD's (10 Gig), an old crt screen, some ram, some fans, lots of wires... and I've always wanted to do this step by step blog-post "how to build your own computer" with pictures and all.
I think it'd encourage everyone to tweak around with your comps, because when you see it you will all think: "Well, if Michelle, who is stupid, ugly, lame and ignorant; can do it, then of course I can do it too!"
It always makes my eye twitch when I read anyone saying "Oh, vey, I must call the computer repair people to get my RAM upgraded... so expensive!"
I also want to mod my case...
But alas, all these things require money, which is something I do not have right now.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Do it yourself
Today I found this wonderful site: "Make", which is dedicated to DIY people. =D I am one of those, hehe. I find it very entertaining to do stuff myself, as it helps me "unplug" from daily horrors. I particularly like their blog. It has an RSS feed that you can add to your feed-reading, if you are so inclined (I did! haha!)
The article that piqued my curiosity for the site was the one about BookMooch. BookMooch is a free book trading and exchange community. Basically, you sign up, enter the books you have to offer, someone requests them, you send them and get points; then you can request books. ^_^ I think maybe this is a great idea for those of you about to go back to classes... perhaps.
I haven't signed up and tried the site myself, since I doubt anyone wants to receive or send books from abroad (from this abroad, cuter abroads are OK); but you might want to try it. ^_^
When I was a kid my parents bought me an awesome book at a book-fair. This book was about "inventing" things, or rather, DIY toys. It was great, although I could never make the most fascinating ones because the parts required to make them were very expensive.
This magazine reminds me a little of that "How to make your own electronic toys" book, only this one is for grownup kids. ^_~
The article that piqued my curiosity for the site was the one about BookMooch. BookMooch is a free book trading and exchange community. Basically, you sign up, enter the books you have to offer, someone requests them, you send them and get points; then you can request books. ^_^ I think maybe this is a great idea for those of you about to go back to classes... perhaps.
I haven't signed up and tried the site myself, since I doubt anyone wants to receive or send books from abroad (from this abroad, cuter abroads are OK); but you might want to try it. ^_^
When I was a kid my parents bought me an awesome book at a book-fair. This book was about "inventing" things, or rather, DIY toys. It was great, although I could never make the most fascinating ones because the parts required to make them were very expensive.
This magazine reminds me a little of that "How to make your own electronic toys" book, only this one is for grownup kids. ^_~
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
US people, defend your privacy! Stop surveillance!
Last Year in my country a law like this tried to be passed. Through everybody's effort, the citizens of this 3rd World hole managed to escape the nightmare that it would entail. (Note: Apparently, wikipedia thinks this is not the third world, but we all know wikipedia can't be trusted.)
Now, the US is trying to bring this nightmare onto their people. If you live in the US and you value your privacy, take action now. It might be too late tomorrow.
Spread the word. Tell everyone you know. And if you wish to place a button like the one ut supra, you can do so by pasting the following html code on your journal:
<a href="http://action.eff.org/fisa">
<img src="http://www.eff.org/images/homepage/stopbills.png"
alt="Stop the Surveillance Bills!" width="148" height="70" border="0" /></a>
The bill:
- Stacks the deck against anyone challenging illegal surveillance programs in court, sweeping legal challenges into the shadowy Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts.
- Guts long-standing statutory limits on secret surveillance by the government, threatening to make search warrants for national security wiretaps optional rather than mandatory.
- Permits even more dragnet surveillance, creating a secret approval process for electronic fishing expeditions that could sweep up the communications of millions of Americans.
Here's what the press is saying:
- Washington Post: "Mr. Specter's bill ... has been turned into a green light for domestic spying. It must not pass....This bill is not a compromise but a full-fledged capitulation on the part of the legislative branch to executive claims of power."
- Los Angeles Times: "[Specter's] compromise solution is too much of a compromise and not enough of a solution."
- New York Times: "The bill the president has agreed to accept would allow him to go on ignoring the eavesdropping law.... [The FISA court] is not the right court to make the determination [about the domestic spying program's constitutionality]."
Good luck. Fight for your rights.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Recommended Software
I've tried Picasa. [I tried the GNU/Linux version which conveniently comes in a .deb package. Heh. But this is the link for the Windows version, 'cause I know you guys don't love on my pretty Debian ;o; ] It doesn't look bad. It's quite handy for organizing and retrieving pictures. I just regret the wine [windows emulator... regardless of the Wine Is Not an Emulator acronym] interface.
I think this is a very useful application for those who have lots of pictures across different folders (or even in one folder) and wish to organize them, tag them and sort them.
Picasa had quite some fun scanning my some of my folders.
It looks good too, ignore my rambling against the wine interface.
I wonder what virtualrms will have to say about it... I think it will yell at me. =[
BTW, talking about pictures and the internet. I don't remember whether I recommended the "down-them-all!" Firefox extension before. If I didn't, I do now.
I know some of you are members of communities where people post lots of pictures or scans. This extension allows you to automate the process of downloading these pictures without actually needing to right-click-save each and everyone of them. ^_^
Similarly, the VideoDownloader extension simplifies the process of downloading videos from youtube and similar sites.
As usual, to install these extension you simply click on the install link.
I think this is a very useful application for those who have lots of pictures across different folders (or even in one folder) and wish to organize them, tag them and sort them.
Picasa had quite some fun scanning my some of my folders.
It looks good too, ignore my rambling against the wine interface.
I wonder what virtualrms will have to say about it... I think it will yell at me. =[
BTW, talking about pictures and the internet. I don't remember whether I recommended the "down-them-all!" Firefox extension before. If I didn't, I do now.
I know some of you are members of communities where people post lots of pictures or scans. This extension allows you to automate the process of downloading these pictures without actually needing to right-click-save each and everyone of them. ^_^
Similarly, the VideoDownloader extension simplifies the process of downloading videos from youtube and similar sites.
As usual, to install these extension you simply click on the install link.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Warning!
From http://arstechnica.com/ (emphasis, mine)
As usual, and at the risk of sounding repetitive. DO NOT open e-mail attachments carelessly.
These exploits apparently only run on Windows (Why am I so NOT amazed?) but it's still a safe practice to NEVER open e-mail attachments carelessly, regardless of what OS your box is running.
K?
K.
On a completely different topic, Has anyone tried Picasa? What's your opinion about it? (There is a windows version for it)
My concerns are mainly about security and reliability; but any comment about it is welcome. \^_^/ so if anyone has tried it and has some opinion, I'll highly appreciate it.
Now... off to eat something. I'm starving! ~_~
According to security software firm McAfee, the trojan known as FormSpy has been spammed as an e-mail attachment that pretends to be from a legitimate source. When the attachment is opened, it installs a Mozilla Firefox extension known as "NumberedLinks 0.9." Unlike the real NumberedLinks 0.9, which is an open-source Firefox extension that allows web navigation by unique numbers attached to web page links, this doppleganger instead silently downloads a suite of keylogger applications that spend their time looking for credit card numbers, PIN numbers, passwords, and other user data from web, ICQ, FTP, IMAP, and POP3 traffic. This information is then sent back to the spammer's web site.
Extensions aren't the only things being spoofed. According to SurfControl, a new threat has emerged in the form of an e-mail containing what purports to be a link to download the newest Google Toolbar. Upon clicking the link, the user is sent to a fake web page that looks exactly like the real Google Toolbar download site. However, the download link on this site is actually a trojan designed to turn the user's computer into part of a spam botnet
As usual, and at the risk of sounding repetitive. DO NOT open e-mail attachments carelessly.
These exploits apparently only run on Windows (Why am I so NOT amazed?) but it's still a safe practice to NEVER open e-mail attachments carelessly, regardless of what OS your box is running.
K?
K.
On a completely different topic, Has anyone tried Picasa? What's your opinion about it? (There is a windows version for it)
My concerns are mainly about security and reliability; but any comment about it is welcome. \^_^/ so if anyone has tried it and has some opinion, I'll highly appreciate it.
Now... off to eat something. I'm starving! ~_~
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Music Box
Dutch cellist Anner Bylsma is my favorite cellist (after Pau Casals.. heh.)
A friend of mine sent me this link to youtube and I want to share it with you. ^_^
I hope the link works. I think this Bach's prelude is probably one of the best known cello pieces around the world. I love his interpretation, and I highly disagree with the commenter that said it should be played faster (Noooo! No way!)
I think people have become used to Yo-yo Ma's interpretation (usually faster) of this piece. As for myself, I much prefer Bylsma's.
Anyway, regarding J.S. Bach: nowadays Bach is among the top 5 classical composers, but many years ago -believe it or not- his music had been "forgotten". It took Mendelssohn to rediscover Bach. ^_^
A few years ago I watched a DVD about Pau Casals's life. He went through so many hardships, but still he never gave up.
I find this kind of stories highly motivating. Quite often I am told to be indulgent with someone because he/she has had "a hard life"... and I often wonder if the speaker and the subject of the conversation have the remotest idea of what a hard life is like.
Anyway... let's not get there... I'm all wuv-wuv-music tonight.
Switching to a different genre, lately I've been listening to Matti Paalanen a lot. I've discovered him through last.fm and I like him very much.
Unfortunately, as with many independent ambient artists, it's hard to find stuff by him. =/
A friend of mine sent me this link to youtube and I want to share it with you. ^_^
I hope the link works. I think this Bach's prelude is probably one of the best known cello pieces around the world. I love his interpretation, and I highly disagree with the commenter that said it should be played faster (Noooo! No way!)
I think people have become used to Yo-yo Ma's interpretation (usually faster) of this piece. As for myself, I much prefer Bylsma's.
Anyway, regarding J.S. Bach: nowadays Bach is among the top 5 classical composers, but many years ago -believe it or not- his music had been "forgotten". It took Mendelssohn to rediscover Bach. ^_^
A few years ago I watched a DVD about Pau Casals's life. He went through so many hardships, but still he never gave up.
I find this kind of stories highly motivating. Quite often I am told to be indulgent with someone because he/she has had "a hard life"... and I often wonder if the speaker and the subject of the conversation have the remotest idea of what a hard life is like.
Anyway... let's not get there... I'm all wuv-wuv-music tonight.
Switching to a different genre, lately I've been listening to Matti Paalanen a lot. I've discovered him through last.fm and I like him very much.
Unfortunately, as with many independent ambient artists, it's hard to find stuff by him. =/
Monday, June 26, 2006
The Mozilla Firefox cheatsheet
I've found, via lifehacker (see links on the sidebar) this very useful piece of information: The Firefox cheatsheet. The page contains a lot of not-so-obvious tips and shortcuts for the average user that might help a lot when one is engrossed into tweaking the Firefox browser, or after some serious (or not so serious) software mishap.
The tips are windows-user oriented in some cases, although most of them are OS independent. Check it out.
I think it's a good idea to bookmark it to del.icio.us, so that you have it at hand in case of disaster. ^_^
Have fun!
Technorati tags: Firefox.
The tips are windows-user oriented in some cases, although most of them are OS independent. Check it out.
I think it's a good idea to bookmark it to del.icio.us, so that you have it at hand in case of disaster. ^_^
Have fun!
Technorati tags: Firefox.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Yahoo! Mail hit by worm.
Yahoo mail hit by worm. Yahoo mail users, please read the article.
More about it here.
Technorati tags: security
More about it here.
Technorati tags: security
Friday, June 02, 2006
Beautiful Images
Beautiful.
It's a pity the picture is a little too small for my screen resolution, otherwise I'd make a wallpaper out of it.
I love having beautiful pictures to look at when I'm working at the computer.
This one is impressive. I think the fact that it's computer-generated has impressed me the most. Although I can see some details that give away the non-natural origins of this image, I was awed when I saw it because it is so believable one would think it's a photo.
Hehe. This one would make some of us paw at the screen. hahaha!
It's a pity the picture is a little too small for my screen resolution, otherwise I'd make a wallpaper out of it.
I love having beautiful pictures to look at when I'm working at the computer.
This one is impressive. I think the fact that it's computer-generated has impressed me the most. Although I can see some details that give away the non-natural origins of this image, I was awed when I saw it because it is so believable one would think it's a photo.
Hehe. This one would make some of us paw at the screen. hahaha!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Microsoft to buy eBay?
Goodbye eBay. Goodbye Paypal. [from yahoo! news]
I wouldn't risk a cent there if this is true. I heard (actually read) the rumor a few days ago and my first thought was "Paypal, oh, no, not paypal!". The potential for disaster this could have!
And let's not even get started on the issue of monopoly.
I wouldn't risk a cent there if this is true. I heard (actually read) the rumor a few days ago and my first thought was "Paypal, oh, no, not paypal!". The potential for disaster this could have!
And let's not even get started on the issue of monopoly.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
Tor button firefox extension
Interesting! Tor button Firefox extension! If you are using Tor, you may want to check it out.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Recommended links
I think I've mentioned before that I enjoy reading on the net. I read blogs, news, random articles, smut fiction, fiction, non-fiction, wikipedia... Basically, if I have some spare time, I spend it reading.
Today I found some very interesting articles, and if you don't mind, I'd like to share them. ^_^
Major Canadian artists reject suing fans and crippling CDs. This is great! Finally, finally finally! There was another article that bore a certain relation to this one and it basically pointed out that the best anti-piracy tactic is lowering prices. Now... I know this is easier said than done, and for the most part the rich tycoons running the business will not cut down on their earnings. They will fire workers (eg: engineers, technical staff, etc.) and pay less to the artists in order to achieve this goal. This is why it is important for artists and music industry workers to unite and fight back.
It is also important for the rest of us to support actions like the one in the article I linked.
On a different topic,
A very interesting (and serious) article on the importance of fan-fiction, and why disregarding it might not be the smartest move.
I know several of you read and write fanfictioncompulsively often. And I thought I'd share this interesting article. ^_^
And... for those of you wishing to be published, here is another link concerning the book publishing industry and how books get from the author's hard drive to the bookstore shelf. I've saved it to my memories too, I think it's quite interesting and insightful (the person writing it works for a publishing company). Be sure to check the comments and the answers given to many questions. ^_^ I hope it's useful to the many talented authors in my friends list.
Last, but not least, for the kitten-obsessed among you, here's a link for you to rejoice: Kitten-Picture. ^_^ (check out the "kitten impossible" picture. XDD)
Today I found some very interesting articles, and if you don't mind, I'd like to share them. ^_^
Major Canadian artists reject suing fans and crippling CDs. This is great! Finally, finally finally! There was another article that bore a certain relation to this one and it basically pointed out that the best anti-piracy tactic is lowering prices. Now... I know this is easier said than done, and for the most part the rich tycoons running the business will not cut down on their earnings. They will fire workers (eg: engineers, technical staff, etc.) and pay less to the artists in order to achieve this goal. This is why it is important for artists and music industry workers to unite and fight back.
It is also important for the rest of us to support actions like the one in the article I linked.
On a different topic,
A very interesting (and serious) article on the importance of fan-fiction, and why disregarding it might not be the smartest move.
I know several of you read and write fanfiction
And... for those of you wishing to be published, here is another link concerning the book publishing industry and how books get from the author's hard drive to the bookstore shelf. I've saved it to my memories too, I think it's quite interesting and insightful (the person writing it works for a publishing company). Be sure to check the comments and the answers given to many questions. ^_^ I hope it's useful to the many talented authors in my friends list.
Last, but not least, for the kitten-obsessed among you, here's a link for you to rejoice: Kitten-Picture. ^_^ (check out the "kitten impossible" picture. XDD)
Friday, April 21, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Bookmarks!
I just want to (for the umpteenth time, perhaps) recommend an internet service that you might find of use:
del.icio.us
I know the name sounds like something cooking-related, but no! It's bookmarks. Social bookmarks. (that thing IE users call "favorites"... a word that should only be used to tag male slaves.)
Recently, a good friend found herself losing a bunch of her bookmarks by accident, and I was reminded of what a fine service del.icio.us provides.
del.icio.us is like... portable bookmarks. You store bookmarks in there and they are available to you from any computer.
Of course, these bookmarks are public, so don't go posting anything too private there, as others will also see it.
But for the rest of the stuff (especially if you want to check something at home that you bookmarked at the office) it's priceless.
=]
Be sure to give it a look.
If you want to check my portable bookmarks, they are here. Signing up is free and if you use firefox you can get the del.icio.us extension that adds a button to your navigation bar allowing you to tag and save stuff to your del.icio.us account with just one click. It's really simple, and as usual, if you feel like using it but have questions, don't hesitate to ask me. =]
I've chosen to share my bookmarks openly (hence why they are linked in my journal's layout) but you might choose not to. It's up to you. ^_~
del.icio.us
I know the name sounds like something cooking-related, but no! It's bookmarks. Social bookmarks. (that thing IE users call "favorites"... a word that should only be used to tag male slaves.)
Recently, a good friend found herself losing a bunch of her bookmarks by accident, and I was reminded of what a fine service del.icio.us provides.
del.icio.us is like... portable bookmarks. You store bookmarks in there and they are available to you from any computer.
Of course, these bookmarks are public, so don't go posting anything too private there, as others will also see it.
But for the rest of the stuff (especially if you want to check something at home that you bookmarked at the office) it's priceless.
=]
Be sure to give it a look.
If you want to check my portable bookmarks, they are here. Signing up is free and if you use firefox you can get the del.icio.us extension that adds a button to your navigation bar allowing you to tag and save stuff to your del.icio.us account with just one click. It's really simple, and as usual, if you feel like using it but have questions, don't hesitate to ask me. =]
I've chosen to share my bookmarks openly (hence why they are linked in my journal's layout) but you might choose not to. It's up to you. ^_~
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
iPod on GNU/Linux
A very dear friend sent me an iPod nano as a present. (His motivations will remain undisclosed. =P)
As I've mentioned quite often, my beautiful compie runs a beautiful operating system: GNU/Linux.
GNU/Linux is wonderful because it's FREE (as in freedom), which means you get to tweak things you wouldn't be able to tweak with proprietary software.
Lots of people seem to believe you cannot use your iPod with GNU/Linux. I've found this to be completely false, and for that reason I'll explain here how I've gotten my iPod to work under the OS that I love.
So, basic stats of what I'm running:
Computer Architecture: PC, intel P4 processor
iPod: iPod Nano 1Gig (smallish and cutish and black)
Operating System/s: GNU/Linux
Distro: Debian (etch) (has a bad rep, but it's not as complicated as people make it look)
Kernel: 2.6.11-2-686
Stuff that your kernel needs to have: hfs support (hfsplus) Unless you have a windows iPod, in which case you need to be able to read vfat (which all distros do). I'll explain later on.
Earlier kernels (2.4 family) will need to enable hfs.
Stuff you will need to download and install: gtkpod (I haven't been very lucky using Amarok to copy music to my iPod. Maybe that is because I am missing some step in the configuration.
Stuff you will need to read: This.
Now let's proceed.
1. Plug in your iPod to your computer using the usb cord.
2. Wait until it gets automagically mounted.
3. Let it charge until the battery icon is full.
4. Open gtkpod (go to your console of choice and type "gtkpod". -minus the quotation marks-) (yes, that's how complicated it is to run applications from console.) Go to edit ->Preferences and specify your mount point.
You will notice that two removable devices are detected. In my case, they were named sda1 and sda2.
This is because the iPod drive is partitioned. sda1 (in my example) is smaller and contains the iPod firmware. (I don't like firmware, I believe in freedom... I'll try my claws at GNUpod for this reason, but I'll do so later.) The other partition will be sda2, and that's where the iPod stores your data.
Mount the sda2 partition only. You don't need to touch the other partition.
Note: If you have root access, you could especify the mount point, but I'd rather not, since I use other usb gadgets and it could get messed up. Besides, that's why autodetection of the filesystem is there. Duh.
If this is the first time you run your ipod nano, the default filesystem is mac's hfs. If you want to be able to use it with Linux and Windows, you might want to follow the instructions in the link I provided above, and format it into vfat.
If you want to be able to use it with Linux and Mac, do no formatting and keep reading.
If you want it to use GNUpod... wait until I post again. >]
Your brand-new, pristine, virgin iPod doesn't have an iTunesDB file. You will need to create one.
In order to create one, click the last button on your right, the one that reads something like sync to iPod or just sync.
It will warn you that the world will come to an end if you do this. Ignore it. (who cares about the world, anyway?) None of that will happen, and you'll get a new and blank iTunesDB file.
Now, this is where all the fun begins.
Import your media folders from your hard drive.
All files will be checked. Uncheck those you don't want to transfer or create a new playlist (New Playlist button) and drag and drop the files you want to transfer into it.
Once you are done, click the sync button again.
Again, it will warn you that you are a horrible creature from hell that will bring the world to an end and destroy your iPod. Ignore it. Go ahead, nothing bad will happen.
Once it is done, close gtkpod.
Unmount (safely remove) the mounted partition (in this case sda2).
Unplug the iPod from your computer.
Enjoy.
If you want to append files to your iPod...
Plug it in using the usb cord, wait until the device is shown among the available devices (a few seconds wait) and mount the largest partition.
1. Open gtkpod (I already told you how to do this.)
2. Click the read database button (leftmost)
3. Once the database is loaded, drag and drop items to the playlist.
4. Sync. (the button that reads "sync" actually syncs.)
5. Once it's done, unmount the iPod partition.
6. Unplug iPod.
7. Enjoy.
You could, of course, do all this from the console using the mount and umount commands, but I'm going for the eye-candied way here because I know people like eye-candy. ^_~
Well, enjoy yourselves. I'll go have something to drink while listening to Chopin on my iPod as soon as I've clicked "publish post" and finished my cigarette.
Ahh... sexy.
As I've mentioned quite often, my beautiful compie runs a beautiful operating system: GNU/Linux.
GNU/Linux is wonderful because it's FREE (as in freedom), which means you get to tweak things you wouldn't be able to tweak with proprietary software.
Lots of people seem to believe you cannot use your iPod with GNU/Linux. I've found this to be completely false, and for that reason I'll explain here how I've gotten my iPod to work under the OS that I love.
So, basic stats of what I'm running:
Computer Architecture: PC, intel P4 processor
iPod: iPod Nano 1Gig (smallish and cutish and black)
Operating System/s: GNU/Linux
Distro: Debian (etch) (has a bad rep, but it's not as complicated as people make it look)
Kernel: 2.6.11-2-686
Stuff that your kernel needs to have: hfs support (hfsplus) Unless you have a windows iPod, in which case you need to be able to read vfat (which all distros do). I'll explain later on.
Earlier kernels (2.4 family) will need to enable hfs.
Stuff you will need to download and install: gtkpod (I haven't been very lucky using Amarok to copy music to my iPod. Maybe that is because I am missing some step in the configuration.
Stuff you will need to read: This.
Now let's proceed.
1. Plug in your iPod to your computer using the usb cord.
2. Wait until it gets automagically mounted.
3. Let it charge until the battery icon is full.
4. Open gtkpod (go to your console of choice and type "gtkpod". -minus the quotation marks-) (yes, that's how complicated it is to run applications from console.) Go to edit ->Preferences and specify your mount point.
You will notice that two removable devices are detected. In my case, they were named sda1 and sda2.
This is because the iPod drive is partitioned. sda1 (in my example) is smaller and contains the iPod firmware. (I don't like firmware, I believe in freedom... I'll try my claws at GNUpod for this reason, but I'll do so later.) The other partition will be sda2, and that's where the iPod stores your data.
Mount the sda2 partition only. You don't need to touch the other partition.
Note: If you have root access, you could especify the mount point, but I'd rather not, since I use other usb gadgets and it could get messed up. Besides, that's why autodetection of the filesystem is there. Duh.
If this is the first time you run your ipod nano, the default filesystem is mac's hfs. If you want to be able to use it with Linux and Windows, you might want to follow the instructions in the link I provided above, and format it into vfat.
If you want to be able to use it with Linux and Mac, do no formatting and keep reading.
If you want it to use GNUpod... wait until I post again. >]
Your brand-new, pristine, virgin iPod doesn't have an iTunesDB file. You will need to create one.
In order to create one, click the last button on your right, the one that reads something like sync to iPod or just sync.
It will warn you that the world will come to an end if you do this. Ignore it. (who cares about the world, anyway?) None of that will happen, and you'll get a new and blank iTunesDB file.
Now, this is where all the fun begins.
Import your media folders from your hard drive.
All files will be checked. Uncheck those you don't want to transfer or create a new playlist (New Playlist button) and drag and drop the files you want to transfer into it.
Once you are done, click the sync button again.
Again, it will warn you that you are a horrible creature from hell that will bring the world to an end and destroy your iPod. Ignore it. Go ahead, nothing bad will happen.
Once it is done, close gtkpod.
Unmount (safely remove) the mounted partition (in this case sda2).
Unplug the iPod from your computer.
Enjoy.
If you want to append files to your iPod...
Plug it in using the usb cord, wait until the device is shown among the available devices (a few seconds wait) and mount the largest partition.
1. Open gtkpod (I already told you how to do this.)
2. Click the read database button (leftmost)
3. Once the database is loaded, drag and drop items to the playlist.
4. Sync. (the button that reads "sync" actually syncs.)
5. Once it's done, unmount the iPod partition.
6. Unplug iPod.
7. Enjoy.
You could, of course, do all this from the console using the mount and umount commands, but I'm going for the eye-candied way here because I know people like eye-candy. ^_~
Well, enjoy yourselves. I'll go have something to drink while listening to Chopin on my iPod as soon as I've clicked "publish post" and finished my cigarette.
Ahh... sexy.
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