VMware retrieval since Blackhawk has flaked

I'm posting the Virtual machine stuff in a different spot online.

There are two files inside this destination (the Virtual Player and an
"appliance"). You'll need BOTH to make this work.

http://choir.maconmacguy.com/mercer/

These are posted primarily for the Stetson class, since we couldn't access
them over the network. You can also download and install them on your
machine (windows only) to see what this is all about.

Various "virtual appliances" are available at
http://www.vmware.com/appliances/
Many are free.
You download the "player" and the "appliance", and you can try different
operating systems for free on your machine.

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

"Invalid Attempt to read...." error in myITlab

If you get an error when trying to download Capstones in myITlab (something to the effect of "Invalid attempt to read when no data is present"):

1. DON'T PANIC!
2. My best non-technical explanation is that Internet Explorer is being difficult "again"
3. DON'T use the Back button. Click on the Course Content button and drill down again.
4. When the "warning" bar at the top pops up, DO allow the file to download. What will probably happen is that you'll be taken back to the main screen yet again.
5. Try to get the file again. Most of the time it works this time.
6. If it doesn't: quit out of IE and then start it back up again.
7. If THAT doesn't work, restart your machine.

Just for fun.....

1)
Scientists from the University of Washington took thousands of tourists
vacation photos posted on Flickr to create fly-though, 3D models of some of
the most photographed sites in the world. Using advanced photo analysis and
modelling techniques, models have been created of the Colosseum, the Trevi
fountain and the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. Rome's most famous landmarks
were generated in less than 24 hours from 150,000 photos, while 250,000
images were scanned to make 3D models of Venice. The Croatian city was
recreated from just 4,600 images. Tiny 3D pyramids indicate the location of
where the photographer took the original image. Researchers now want to use
the technology to turn still images into photo-realistic 3D tours. Check
out some of the images at YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JimanthaJ#play/all

http://grail.cs.washington.edu/projects/rome/rome/

2)
I mentioned Open Source software the other day. There is an easy way to get
tons of it, from the Open Source CD project.

Article at
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/opensource/?p=931&tag=nl.e011

The site is at
http://www.theopendisc.com/

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

NEW SPAM!

As much spam as I get, I rarely see anything really new. This, however, is
something I haven't seen before.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Notice of Underreported Income
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:39:16 -0300
From: "Internal Revenue Service" <no-reply@irs.gov>
To: XXXXXXXX

Taxpayer ID: tom-00000174073547US
Tax Type: INCOME TAX
Issue: Unreported/Underreported Income (Fraud Application)
Please review your tax statement on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website
(click on the link below):
review tax statement for taxpayer id: tom-00000174073547US
Internal Revenue Service

The kicker is that the link takes you to
http://www.irs.gov.hyu11dn.me/fraud_application/directory/statement.php...........

Point 1:
This is why I covered URLs in class. Notice the domain - it ends in .me,
which is strictly used for PERSONAL domains (as in "me". Get it?). But if
you didn't KNOW about domains, you might be tricked into clicking it, thing
that it really did come from the IRS - hey, it says irs.gov, right?

Point 2:
How did I know where the domain would take me? At the bottom of your web
browser is a status bar (if it's hidden, show it!). I just put the cursor
over the link and looked at the status bar, which shows me what URL the
link would send me to.

Be careful out there!

This digital life: Textbook rental, Stolen Laptops, IE Accelerators

Once you've gotten through the Powerpoint stuff, here's some handy info to
consider:

1) Clark Howard (a consumer guy with a radio show) ran a story on textbook
rentals. The comments below the story provide some good info from people
who have actually done it.

http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/07/28/16302/#framesize_190

2) What do you do if your laptop is stolen? Here's a link to an article
describing an open source solution. (as in the software is free!)

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=1543&tag=nl.e064

3) If you use Internet Explorer 8, there are a lot of "Accelerators" you
can add (they are kind of like the Firefox Plugins). Here are a couple of
article about them:

"Go Fast on the Web...."
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=1534

"10 IE Accerlators worth checking out"
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1026&tag=nl.e064

Have a weekend!

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

Windows: a history in packaging

Since I took you on a quick tour of operating systems, I thought this might
be interesting.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=1358&tag=nl.e064
An article looking at Windows packaging and how it has changed over the
years.

http://content.techrepublic.com.com/2346-10877_11-322618.html
is a photo gallery of all that packaging. Which is your preferred way to
receive software?

IF YOU HAVE NOT PURCHASED YOUR myITLAB CODE YET.....

Send an email to the Mercer account (tom.rule). Let me know why.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.........

myITlab access codes in bookstore

I was informed today that the booktore has the myITlab codes in stock.

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

"Invalid Info" when opening Capstones

> I have been trying to open up capstone 2 and for some reason it says
there
> is invalid information.

Something in myITlab &/or Internet Explorer has changed since last year.

I had instructed you to RIGHT-click on the link and save it. THis is
apparently not working the majority of the time.

Try this:
LEFT-click on it. IE should ask you is you want to Open or Save it - I
strongly suggest SAVING it to your flash/thumb drive.

If you perchance selected OPEN - do a "Save As...." the first thing to your
drive. Trust me - it'll save you some headaches later.

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

Carrier Pigeon vs. the internet

Pigeon Transfers Data Faster than South Africa's Telkom

By Peroshni Govender -- A South African information technology company on
Wednesday proved it was faster for them to transmit data with a carrier
pigeon than to send it using Telkom, the country's leading internet service
provider.

The full story at
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20090909/wr_nm/us_safrica_pigeon_2

Makes you GLAD you're in the USA, doesn't it?

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

Britain's 2nd oldest computer brought back to life

A bit o' computing history:






This will make you appreciate your "bulky" laptop!

Imagine working at a machine with 900 vacuum tubes, and you could only get info into the thing using a paper tape......and your "printouts" were also on paper tape (no CRT!)......oh, and a human was faster at calculating (but humans get tired).

They've brought this computer out of mothballs and are trying to get it working again.

Click here for the story......and here for the BBC video!

Tips entry changed

I just added a new tip to the "Advice list" entry regarding Capstone PPT 3. You might want to swing over and take a look.

Capstone Grading

I know - it says your score is a ZERO when you submit it. That's because I
have to grade it by hand - don't panic!

After I grade your capstone I'll put a note in with the grade - which you
can view by clicking on the score.

Don't forget these are graded on a FOUR point scale.

==============================================
Tom Rule
The MaconMacGuy
Computer help, training, Websites, Processes
http://www.MaconMacGuy.com

Web Hosting under $4 a month
http://www.MidGaHosting.com
==============================================

50 things being killed by the Internet

In the "something to think about" catregory:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6133903/50-things-that-are-being-killed-by-the-internet.html

There are a few of these I've never heard of - and some that I agree with.
Others, I'm unsure. What's YOUR take?