I feel Like I’ve just joined the rebellion and freed myself from the Darkside of the force.

Hiddenpcmaster

This is sweet! I’m being sucked in by Linux. heeeeeeeeeeeelp……..

I have learned it’s a lot easier to make the leap from Windows to Linux on a desktop machine (or even a server) than it is a laptop. I tried installing Fedora Core 5 on an HP Pavillion ze5300 Laptop computer with varying degree’s of success. Everything ran very well except for the on board Sound and the built in wireless WiFi. After Googling for solutions to the problem, I have decided to move on to a desktop box as Laptop computers are far more likely to contain unsupported unique or proprietary hardware than desktop machines.

Ever since Microsoft introduced the “Genuine Advantage” program that installs itself on any Windows based operating system verifing that you are indeed running a legit (PAID) version of Windows XP and not a pirated copy, I feel that I have been kicked in the nuts one too many times and I feel the need to explore other operating systems to make my life less complicated. It’s not the fact that I want to run around installing pirated copies of XP on computers all over, as Every single copy I have is legit and came as an OEM with various computers purchased over time.

The fact of the matter is I am tired of running around putting out fires on Windows pc’s all over bogged down with various spyware, viruses and general malise caused by installation of software over a period of time. I’m simply tired of sitting through numerous reinstallations of a windows operating system back to a pristine condition when the pc was new otherwise known as the “clean sweep”. Microsoft has hit my wallet pretty hard over the years, but the latest round of antipiracy is rediculous.

My Mom uses her computer everyday for one thing and one thing only. Gmail, that’s it! Nothing else! no surfing the internet, no games, no audio/visual, no downloading, uploading, no wordprocessing, nodda, zip nothing else!!!! Just Gmail. Why on earth must her computer have a legit copy of an operating system which sells for $200.00 retail. Only to check Gmail? then tell me, If I plunk down the 200.00 shouldn’t I have some peace of mind knowing that I purchased an Operating system that will work without any technical intervention for the life of the computer? Is that too much to ask? Windows seems to be engineered to become bogged down over time!

I won’t even begin to mention the lost productivity at my office.

Enter Fedora - I have had enough.

I’m building a box at home to run all of my daily applications, still being able to communicate with Windows servers all over the world, still being compatible with all Microsoft has to offer. except never having to worry again!

Oh, I forgot to mention 100 % Ironclad Secure! and FREE.

Stay tuned.

If you buy or sell on eBay, you’re going to love this set of eBay feedback tools from Toolhaus.org.

It’s a fast way to look up an eBay seller’s negative dings without having to scroll through buyer feedbacks, page after page. The Toolhaus folks have added a few new fun widgets as well, including:

* “The mutual tool lets you see the feedback which two eBay users have left for each other! Or you can enter an item number to check the seller and buyer, or current high bidder!
* item-fb shows a user’s recent feedback with the item’s title, and groups feedback from Dutch Auctions into a single entry. You can even search the item titles for specific terms!”

This especially comes in handy when you’re trying to figure out a Power Seller’s negs; you’ll never waste time going through thousands of feedbacks again.

Toolhaus.org

Screw these silly little USB toys. Not many people know that over your regular telephone landline that 48 volts ( well and 35ma ) flow, completely independent from the power company. Huge banks of storage batteries backed up by generators, supplying from 23 to 80ma of power on every phone line… for you to use whenever you want! This power is needed to deliver the dial tone, however your phone never uses the full 48 volts. Why not put this power to use?

Some simple devices that take advantage of this power are a Lantern, Fan, Razor, Car Charger, Toothbrush, Clock Radio, Video Camera, Cellphone, Police scanner and even a Vibrator! (Talk about reaching out and touching someone! LOL!!!)

This is a very interesting use of an existing reliable technology, and an excellent backup solution for when the power from the electric company fails you.

Read More

The idea of an automatic garage opener is funny, because it isn’t automatic. A button needs to be pressed to tell the door to open. Then you forget to close it, and realize it when you are miles away from you house. The automatic garage door closer seems to live up to it’s name.

The “GarageButler” works in conjunction with your garage door opener, and knows when the door is open or closed. It can set it to automatically close your garage door between 3 and 60 minutes.

For safety, it also has a siren that’ll alert that the door is open and is about to close.

Installation is simple as it mounts to the wall with double-sided tape, sorry no screw guns for you.

Read more

Wouldn’t you like to be able to make a really good Excel spreadsheet?

Now your secret spreadsheet dreams can come true with this detailed yet non-scary
Excel tutorial from the University of South Dakota. All the basics plus a bit more are covered here - data, copying, dealing with formulas - and then, when you’re all done, you can take a fun little quiz to test your hard-earned knowledge. Yeah, yeah; spreadsheets really aren’t that that cool, but knowing how to make them is still a very useful skill.

Excel Tutorial [University of South Dakota]

Free, open source program iColorFolder lets you color any folder on your computer with the right-click context menu.

If you’ve considered speeding up your Windows navigation by changing icons, iColorFolder is a quick and attractive way to color code your folders for easy identification.

iColorFolder is open source software and takes up little memory.

I have some color coding to do.

Via Lifehacker