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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Thursday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In computer news this week –
Thursday December 30, 2004 |
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The best and the worst of the PC
world for 2004 Best new hardware devices – the new USB Flash drives
which replace the traditional floppy disk drives. These tiny memory storage
devices plug into the USB ports which have been standard equipment on
computers for several years. They store anywhere from 128 Mb to 1 Gb, and are tremendously useful for transferring data
from one computer to another, and for doing backups. Sandisk
is a major manufacturer of these devices, and their 512 Mb Flash drive is
selling at Costco for under $ 50. Goodbye to zip drives, tape drives, and
floppy disks. Best new software program – The Firefox
Internet Browser by Mozilla – available to
all users for free at http://www.mozilla.org/
. A better browser with a new concept
of internet surfing called tabbed
windows - you can have multiple windows open and just click between them
– a much faster way of seeing and recalling information. It is also a
faster browser, and includes a popup blocker utility. Firefox
also does not use Activex – which has led to
all the security problems with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer - and thus is a more secure browser in
protecting you particularly from adware and spyware. Worst ongoing software soap opera – the ongoing constant task of having to update Microsoft
software and operating systems and Internet Explorer. Seems like each patch
promises the end to all this, but then new bugs and security holes are discovered
and it just goes on and on http://www.mtamicro.com/rb/rb090904.html.
Most dangerous threat to internet
users –
Spyware, adware, and phishing. Spyware can steal
your private financial information; Adware can drive you into popup ad Hell,
and phishing – also known as spoofing –
can trick you into giving hackers and crooks your private banking
information. All of these threats are explained in detail in the series I
just completed on The Protection You Need on the Internet Today, which is on
my KPBX web page http://www.mtamicro.com/rb/rb100704.html
. Worst give-away of US Technology – IBM’s sale of its
entire PC Sales Division to China’s Lenovo
group. Worst blunder by a mainframe
computer vendor
– IBM’s entry into the personal computer market – which
ended up eroding their mainframe and mini computer sales - http://www.mtamicro.com/rb/rb120904.html Best good news for Personal
Computer users
– the plummeting prices of computer systems – now well under $
1000 fully equipped for business and the internet http://www.mtamicro.com/rb/rb121604.html. Most interesting change of usage
related to PC’s – the PC is now thought of by an entire new generation as an
entertainment device – just like a TV or a Walkman. To today’s
kids a PC is a way to get on the internet and chat online, and to download music and videos. Just
about 20 years ago the personal computer revolutionized the way businesses
operated, by bringing affordable computing power to the masses of small
businesses. The PC revolution truly changed the world History of the Microcomputer
Revolution . Today we
see the blurring of the PC into a communication device, and we see the
internet becoming a major channel of commerce and communication. As the
old Texas Bluesman Mance Lipscomb once said:
“This is a fast paced world we live in ...” For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2004 MTA Micro Technology
Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html (509)624-7230 |
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