Five things to know when you switch to Linux

If you have just installed GNU/Linux on your computer, and have only ever used Windows before, here are five things you need to know to get going rapidly.

This is a great read for first-time Linux user and those who are considering installing Linux.

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1043 programming exercises

I haven't had a chance to check out the site yet. It is currently suffering from the digg effect. I will check it out as soon as they have recovered. It looks to be a good place to go to flex your programming muscles.

Update-> I have visited the site and the exercises are well laid out and understandable. The objective is clear. This is a nice add-on to a book or tutorial where you may need practice or greater detail in certain areas.

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29.8% of Windows XP users consider a move to Linux over Vista

A recent poll shows a good percentage of *tech-savvy* XP users considering a move to Linux over an upgrade to Vista. It seems Microsoft are pushing users away with more looking at using Linux than legally upgrading.

- The headline is a little misleading. The article specifies "tech-savvy" users. This is still a very good thing. Maybe Vista will be known as the operating system that ushered in the age of the mainstream Linux desktop. Ubuntu is waiting with open arms.

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Monster House is coming...

...to DVD October 24th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Now I haven't seen this movie yet. It seems like a really fun animated romp through the imagination of Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. There is only one reviewer I trust and here's what he said about this film:

"you should get it. It's the best cartoon movie there is, that's what I think." - Donavan C. from Arizona.





Photo Courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Amazon.com

Hollywood Movies and Linux

Ravi over at All About Linux has written an interesting article regarding the relationship between movie special effects and the use of Linux.

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Free Software Magazine

Just wanted to give my readers access to another great resource. Free Software Magazine provides news, reviews, and content, all about free and open source software. Click on the story link and check them out.

September 11th, In Remembrance

September 11th, 2001. I know exactly where I was and what I was doing. My wife was the Principal of an independent Christian Academy and had begun the school day. I was waiting to begin a new job the next week. I was running late to help my wife, as usual, and happened to be watching the CBS morning news show. They went to a shot of the towers and one was smoking. At the time no one knew if it was a fire or what. They started getting a call about a plane crashing into it. They speculated at first and said it was a small Cessna or something. Next, in a moment that I will never forget, they capture another plane strike the second tower. This time everyone knew it was intentional. Everyone was in shock. We watched the towers with flames and smoke. Horrible things were happening that no one could have imagined. We watched the towers fall and with them we lost some of the confidence we had as citizens. We had become invulnerable since the attack on Pearl Harbor, and no one could touch us on our own soil. We dismissed Oklahoma City and the 1st attack on the World Trade center as flukes. 5 years later, we have begun wavering in our belief that the War on Terror is necessary. Today we should pray for the survivors of 9/11, the leaders of our country, the men and women overseas putting their lives on the line, and for their families that are left behind hoping to see them again.

StarCraft+TouchScreen on Linux using WINE!!!

I'm not a big gamer, but I will always keep a special place on my desktop for StarCraft. It was my first RTS and the one I measure all others against. Playing StarCraft on Linux has been done. It's no major feat. Saying that, playing StarCraft on a touch screen in Linux is awesome! Please check out this video. I may never look at a mouse and keyboard the same way again.

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Is Ubuntu Linux for You, Too?

Just found this on digg's front page. I can't say this enough. I have found the right distribution. No one can beat Ubuntu for the average to advanced user. They even mention the wireless functions. I can't believe how easy it was to connect wirelessly to the internet.

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Best Ubuntu Guide Ever

Found this one over on digg.com. The guys over at Ubuntu have delevoped a great guide. This is great for anyone from beginner to advanced. I have one system that only runs Ubuntu. It's the only distribustion of Linux that has recognized my wireless usb drive. I'm really impressed with Ubuntu and will continue to learn about it with tools like this.

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Hack Attack: Top 10 Ubuntu apps and tweaks

I found this article on DIGG and was amazed by number 8. I used the terminal for the first time and was able to add the NTFS partition to the gnome desktop. This tip alone deserved a digg. I just switched to Ubuntu last week and I absolutely adore it. I still use Windows daily, but I look forward to Ubuntu when I get home in the evening.

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Jesus + Linux = Ubuntu Christian Edition?

"Ubuntu Christian Edition is a free, open source operating system geared towards Christians." Along with the standard Ubuntu applications, Ubuntu Christian Edition includes "Christian software" such as web filters and bible study programs. You can also find information about ICTHUX on their page. It is another great distro geared towards Christian Educators.

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Tux Magazine

Good afternoon, you have reached my blog. Today we will be espousing the love of a certain magazine that is currently free, but will soon charge their subscribers. You may be thinking to yourself, "Hey, self, this guy is about to get his mad on". You couldn't be further from the truth. I have been a subscriber of Tux Magazine for about a year and a half. They provide a wonderful magazine about the Linux desktop. It comes digitally about once a month. Tux is formatted beautifully. I can't say enough wonderful things about this mag. I just received an e-mail stating that soon they want to charge me for a years subscription. This will help with their cost. Usually this is the point where I will leave a subscription behind. Not this time, they are only charging $9.95 for a 12 issue subscription. That's awesome. I will subscribe as soon as they make the subscription service available. I do not mind supporting my brothers and sisters in the Linux community. Especially if they are asking for an amount that is so reasonable I can't turn it down. Thanks Tux, I can't wait for another fun filled year of desktop reviews, previews, and tips.

E3 or "How I learned to love the Wii."

I cannot believe another E3 has come and gone. Thousands of people lined up to see new hardware and software for the next year. All the booths filled with eager buyers waiting to catch a glimpse of the next big thing. [Insert sound of record needle being yanked across vinyl] Picture Ninentdo's booth filled. Everyone else was begging for attention. Nintendo stole the show. The new console the Nintendo Wii (pronounced Weeee) was the darling of the show. And is the system was the darling, the controller was the cherry on top. Sony has a system, the PS3, that's going to be too expensive. The Xbox 360 is already a has been after their debut last fall. The Nintendo Wii brings us a new concept in gaming. They have found a way to bring us into the game. The controller is tracked flawlessly in the game. This means we control the game completely. They didn't need a $1000 virtual reality helmet or Blue Ray compatibility. They created a stick with buttons and a speaker. When you were a kid, pretending to be Robin Hood, Luke Skywalker, or even Indiana Jones, a stick could be your best friend. It was your gun, lightsabre, bow and arrows, knife, flight stick, hammer, sword, nung-chucks. Anything your imagination could come up with. Nintendo has reinvented the wheel, at least in the sense of video gaming.

I missed you

Hello everyone. It's been almost nine months since my last post. I'm still here. Things became really hectic at work. I wrote an article last year about something I saw on a classified ad. I was reading the classifieds because I thought I would not have a job much longer. God really prevailed. I was supposed to lose my job in June of last year, but here I am, with a promotion to boot. Doesn't He know how to work things out? Hopefully you'll see articles with my usual flair attached to them. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I hope you like my new musings and have a blessed day.