I live in a nice house in a densely populated area. It’s Holiday time and I invest much money and months of artistic effort into decorating my house for the Holidays.

Likewise, my neighbor Joe Altruist does the same with his house.

But unlike Joe, I have unilaterally declared that *any* viewing of my beautiful holiday house should incur a fee to offset my expenses and acknowledge what I feel is my highly creative and artistic work. I’ve decided to profit from my creation.

My neighbor Joe doesn’t charge a fee…he actually invested more time into his holiday decor than me but he never intended to charge others to view his remarkable creation.

I don’t have much control over who views my house, because I live on a public street- and anyone can drive by and take a picture if they so choose. I’ve asked the police to prevent such blatant thievery, but they are usually too busy with other matters.

I like my neighbor Bobby Sue – she is an upstanding citizen and always drops money in my mailbox when she drives by my house. (She also drives by Joe’s prettier house but doesn’t pay him (he’s such a sucker)).

Unfortunately I often notice many other people looking at my house and taking pictures- and they don’t pay me. I hear they share their unauthorized pictures with others. They are utterly depraved thieves and I intend to prosecute them for stealing the light radiation emitted from my house!

I feel raped and abused.

For some reason there currently appears to be no obvious direct link or menu that quickly leads to one’s own certificate information online at ascp.org (e.g., your valid dates, certification number).

As of 2010-2011, here’s how I get to the right page:

1. Login to your ASCP account at ascp.org

2. Manually paste the following link into your browser:

https://www.ascp.org/services/Certificate.aspx

The Peavey T-60 guitar was a remarkable bargain in 1978 when it first arrived in music stores. Peavey was noted for creating good amplifiers- but they had no track record with producing musical instruments.

Around 1977 the company began experimenting with mass production and recently developed robotic machinery.

In 1978, the T-60 guitar  became a latter-day guitar analog of the Ford Model-T:  An assembly-line, affordable, high quality, and excellent-performing machine. But it was a very heavy slab of ash (with a fast and thin maple neck), and not especially pretty.

The T-60. and its bass companion (T-40) were quickly adopted by a few Peavey-endorsed artists ( e.g., Carl Perkins, Ross Valory of Journey). I have a vague but accurate recollection that the T-60 was adopted preferentially by country musicians due to its ability to mimic a bright telocaster sound using the phase switch. Combined with dual humbuckers the T-60 allowed a huge range of tonality- from deep crunchy Les Paul to bright Telocaster.

Unfortunately the T series didn’t experience long-term use by popular musicians, and Peavey would eventually expand their guitar model choices with svelte, higher-end axes.

Nevertheless, the T-60 was a commercial success with the common man as it was an affordable solid guitar with unique tonal qualities suitable for a variety of musical tastes. Many critics judged  the T-60 to be a sonically superior (and cheaper) alternative to the Strato/ Telocaster, but the rough-hewn and heavy T-60 would never attain Fender cache. It was discontinued in the mid 1980′s after a few minor cosmetic  iterations.

I bought a first-generation T-60 in 1979 for about 230.00 US dollars. After thirty years of consistent playing, the guitar has largely remained invulnerable to my abuse.  The nickel frets have understandably worn, but everything else remains seemingly oblivious to age.

And it’s now going for about 400-500 on ebay.

If the computer is more than 10 years old forget upgrading- the relative cost is much too high vs purchasing a new low-end PC or netbook for ~$400.00.

I have a functioning computer purchased in 1999- it was a mid-priced HP model  (6470z,  $1600.00). This PC included a 400 MHZ Pentium II processor and a then- capable graphics card (ATI Rage Pro 8MB). The graphics card was one of the first ATI cards to support adequate DVD playback  (most people had no idea what a DVD was in 1999). In early 1999, “USB” was also a new technology. This HP computer included two first- generation  USB 1.0 ports.  It included only a plain CD-ROM reader (no CD-writer, no DVD). The installed operating system was Win98 which was quick and functional for its time.

Today, the 400MHZ processor remains ok for chores like word processing but is noticeably under-powered for advanced web surfing (e.g., flash video).  Win98 is now a dead dinosaur- too much new software will not run on it.

Even more damning…

This PC has was purchased with  a “generous” 96MB RAM (with a max capacity of 256). Even if I installed 256, one could not run Vista, and an XP install would react sluggishly at best.

But a bare bones (yet modern) Linux OS like Damn Small Linux or Puppy Linux will run adequately with 96 MB of RAM.

Resurrection…

After some debate, I opted to uninstall Win98, reformat the hard drive, and install Puppy Linux. And now it boots and runs modern software and hardware quickly- but web surfing remains a minor pain due to low RAM and processor speed. I hesitate to spend  more money on additional RAM because the machine is so old and the ancient 12GB hard drive could die at any moment rendering this PC utterly worthless.

FUN

On the plus side, this PC is a rugged heavyweight and has 4 open PCI slots for additional  hardware.  Many new PC’s save costs by eliminating upgrade slots.  I took advantage of the old PC’s space and installed some newer hardware into available PC slots (the hardware was leftover from crappy  and dead PC’s purchased in 2004).

1. WIFI PCI card- see last picture, 2nd card from bottom with antenna (WIFI was not available at time of purchase in 1999?)
2. USB 2.0 and firewire PCI card- see last picture, third card from bottom. (PC purchased with slower USB 1.0 ports)
3. Internal 8X DVD writer (note that DVD writers were uber-expensive in 1999). See first pic with replacement black DVD drive.

Results: All the hardware worked beautifully (without fiddling) under Puppy Linux. Very likely Win98 would not handle this hardware so transparently and would require a long online search for compatible updated drivers (if they even exist).

Installing Modern Software:

In addition, I installed the latest VLC media player to see how this computer ran a DIVX video from a networked computer  (see screenshot).  Would not have been so easy in 1999 as DIVX did not exist and Windows 98 video playing performance was less than stellar.

Linux is not Windows- and most Windows software does not run well under Linux. But the Wine project has come a long way in making that obstacle disappear. For example, Office 2000 applications run under Linux with few issues- see pic 3 where Excel and Word 2000 are running under Puppy Linux. Of course many native Linux applications are as advanced as their Windows counterparts (e.g., OpenOffice.org).

Addendum: The monitor in the pics is a 5-year old (2004) 23- inch HP LCD. Puppy Linux is extremely user-friendly- but it’s Achilles heel is a general lack of updated software (why?- Puppy Linux uses a unique software packaging system).  Java programs are an exception.

Jajuk
Flexible interface- offers a variety of views of your music collection. Neat. But it will hiccup playing external media under Linux. Even so, Jajuk remains my favorite.

Atunes
Simpler interface than Jajuk and seems to work without issues.

Jukes
Primitive interface which pauses when resized under Linux. Has a more commercial bent. No drag and drop capability. Otherwise, works fine.

09/2008

Comments:

JShot is a Java app (multiplatform)  and has many features- program is currently functional but quirky under Linux: doesn’t appear to save settings when starting program using included sh script.

*GScrot currently does not appear to support rectangular selection of an arbitrary screen region- but you can choose window “sub-components.”

GScrot includes plugins which can apply a variety of effects to captured images (e.g., sepia). Such  features are not included in this comparison as most are considered superfluous to a capture program.

Unfortunately most popular Linux GUI file managers do not include a branch view display feature- and few file manager developers seem to be aware of (or discuss) this flexible approach to viewing groups of files. I wouldn’t be shocked if such a feature might be a programming challenge today-  modern hard drives can theoretically hold over 1 million files; displaying that many files in a single file manager panel would require some efficient code, I’d think. Currently, Nautilus hesitates several seconds before displaying a directory with 1800 files on my old P4 laptop (which currently holds about 250K files).

Two Linux file managers may include a branch view feature, but are old projects and dormant as of 2008. Yet they were mature projects before development ceased, and they do appear to function adequately, if imperfectly, on Ubuntu Hardy.

1. X Northern Captain- Not an XTREE clone, but does implement branch view. Struggles / crashes displaying thousands of files in a single panel.

2. UnixTree- apparently a faithful XTREE clone but I’m not even sure if it has a branch view feature. I think it lacks that feature.

Other:

3. Necromancer’s DOS Navigator- this is a fork of the old DOS Navigator file manager. A Linux port exists- but it seems buggy compared to the Win32 and DOS versions. It does possess a functional “Directory Branch” command (under PANEL menu)- but it seems to get stuck reading large branches.

4. It should be noted that Total Commander, a famous and highly capable Windows file manager, successfully implements a branch view display feature and runs great under Linux using Wine. TC is fully functional shareware- and you are expected to pay for it if you continue using it.

The days of running an entire operating system in 16 MB are long gone. Remember running Win95 in 16MB of RAM?

Well that’s ancient history- but it does demonstrate how much code bloat has occurred during the past 15 years. Surely, today’s operating systems are more complex and powerful behemoths compared with Win95. But frankly using a word processor under Win95 in 1996 wasn’t very different than running a word processor under Ubuntu Linux in 2008.

I love using Ubuntu Linux- but many useful applications (e.g., gnome-panel) can be huge memory suckers. They can either leak memory over time- or they just use significant memory for seemingly restricted and simple tasks.

Gnome-do, a new and popular quicksilver-clone/ program launcher routinely uses 50MB of memory on my box with NO plug-ins. No leaks- just consistent, voracious memory use. It’s a “Mono” app- which allows for rapid application development at the expense of higher memory requirements. The defense of mono apps is: “Do you want a memory heavy app- or no app at all?”

True, I guess. But what an unfortunate compromise.

Gnome-do and gnome-panel together use 100MB of my 1GB of memory. Hell, I could run 5 instances of Win95 each with their own running copies of Word, Excel, etc.. in that memory. WTF happened?

Well, memory is cheap today, they say– just throw more RAM at the problem. Well, I guess I’ll have to plop down yet another 60 bucks for a gig stick so my Ubuntu laptop can run as briskly as my old Win95 box.

Gnome desktop distros are nice- but don’t confuse a Gnome desktop with the Linux kernel. The latter is rock-solid stable- but the former is too often a memory hogging, memory leaking mess.

I’ll suggest that a Linux desktop system is nearly immune to the malware and crapware that preferentially infect Windows PC’s used by super-newbies. And over time, a simple, no-cost desktop Linux installation will likely require less follow-up support than a comparable Windows system. But the choice of Linux carries its own support issues: desktop Linux distros still lag behind Windows in the area of newbie-easy system recovery. And if you have dollars to blow, a Mac OS box remains a support- smart alternative for Dad.

—-

Not all senior citizens match the criteria of PC super-newbie; many are well trained in computer use. But my parents belong to a generation of individuals who retired before the surge in Windows and Internet popularity. While Dad has had an Internet connection for 5+ years, he’s had no desire to tweak the (in)efficiency of his Windows XP installation:”Son, it takes 10 minutes to start my computer- so I brew a cup of coffee while I wait.” As long as Dad’s email program (Outlook Express) works and he can browse a few favorite sites using IE, he is content. No desire to update, tweak, or revise. And on the surface, that’s just fine.

Unfortunately, his XP system has been the victim of spyware and viruses on numerous occasions, and it would be no surprise if that computer had also been enlisted as a soldier in a spambot network. I do know he has needed an army of support people to periodically remove malware from his computer. I do not live close to him, and so I’ve been searching for a secure, stable system that he can’t easily compromise and requires a bare minimum of support.

Some Comparisons:

1. Installation and Post-Install Configuration of Operating System.

XP/Vista would appear to have a big advantage here because nearly all computers come with Windows pre-installed and pre-configured for included hardware such as graphics cards and sound. In theory, Dad can fire up his new PC on his own and go browsing with minimal training. Yipee! No support needed!

Unfortunately that same Windows PC often arrives with useless and resource-hogging vendor software (e.g., memory resident trial software and confusing desktop links to other crap). So I’ll posit that many default vendor installations actually fare quite poorly “post-installation” from a usability perspective. Not really Windows’ fault- but a common reality nonetheless. Invariably, outside help is requested by Dad to remove a host of confusing pop-up messages that appear at login (“your AV trial is over.. your AV is out of date… Your Blah is blah blah”).

Linux installation has a very different set of setup issues: most significantly, setup requires a competent Linux user on-site to perform installation. The great challenge is finding an on-site assistant (family/friend) reasonably well-versed in Linux. But glitch-free installations of Linux on many desktop systems are now a reality, and I would feel confident enlisting the on-site help of a Windows-competent family member/friend if I had to “phone in” instructions remotely.

Summary: Assist now with a Linux install, or assist later (and potentially later again) with Windows fix-ups. As a support person, I much prefer the higher “single support visit” probability of Linux.

2. Configuration of new peripherals (printers, monitors, scanners, etc.):

When purchased separately from the PC, peripherals often require manual installation of device drivers. Windows and Linux distros may or may not ship with the appropriate drivers. Windows has an edge here, as most peripherals ship with Windows-only drivers on a CD that are designed to control all features of the peripheral. However, a true PC newbie will likely ask for assistance with the installation of the device driver. And so the Windows “advantage” is not so clear for this set of users, as outside assistance is often required for such “simple” tasks. Linux drivers for a given peripheral may not exist (esp. scanners), although availability has become much better over time. Linux drivers may also be restricted in capability (such generic drivers can control primary peripheral functions but lack the ability to access certain custom peripherals features). Optimally, choice of peripheral model should be matched to availability of good Linux drivers. Gramps will therefore likely need assistance with both choice and configuration of peripherals for Linux. On the plus side of support, most Linux drivers are already available on an installed system or available through the package management system- no need to locate a CD or search manufacturer websites.

3) Software availability and installation

One of Linux’s well known deficiencies is a dearth of business-grade desktop software (no Photoshop, Excel, etc). Of course, Dad will never need such software. Open source offerings are more than capable of handling the needs of the casual desktop user. This hasn’t always been true- but Gnome and KDE software have now reached a very high level of sophistication and usability.

Ease of installation of 3rd party software: Linux wins big here because Microsoft does not maintain a repository of 3rd party software packages. Instead, Dad must:

1. Locate software on the Internet using a web browser
2. Download the program to a folder
3. Install it using the software’s custom installer (assuming it is not zipped, which creates even more usability hassles).

For a newbie, steps 1 and 2 often require a remarkable degree of hand-holding. With a desktop Linux distro such as Ubuntu, a huge repository of supported 3rd party software is available in one spot- and is accessed through a dedicated package maintenance program such as Synaptic. Much less hand holding is required because the support steps of locating and installing software are invariable and remarkably transparent to the user.

4) Support Network

Support is a critical area where a newbie is distinguished from other users. Whole industries exist to make Windows painless for newbies. And finding a family member or friend fluent in the quirks of Windows is likely not difficult. I have implied here that post-installation support for Linux will rarely be needed, but until Linux becomes more common on the desktop, it certainly helps to have a friend nearby who understands Linux and that’s likely not a reality due to the rarity of desktop Linux.

5) Easy Disaster Recovery

Windows wins big with System Restore.

Not uncommonly, newbies will bork their system so that it fails to boot properly, or a program fails to operate as expected. In addition, they may inadvertently delete documents or other user files which they desire to recover. OS’s such as Vista and Linux go to great lengths to prevent critical disasters by placing clear barriers between the user and critical system files. But poorly coded software, power resets, and other factors can still conspire to cause problems.

Anyone who helps a newbie with OS installation should insist on including automated backup software. Although backup/partition imaging software is available for Linux and Windows it is typically newbie unfriendly.

Windows XP/Vista get big points over Linux for the integrated System Restore feature. It’s often the quickest and easiest method of returning a borked machine or program to a previously functioning state- and it’s easy to guide a newbie through the process. Desktop Linux distros desperately need something similar. In addition undelete utilities exist for Windows- but such software is nearly non-existent and likely incompatible with newer Linux file systems.

6) Think outside the Box…Buy Dad a Mac…if you can afford it.

If not- go Linux.

Managing documentation digitally must be planned carefully to ensure security and facilitate retrieval (many of us fail to do that with our digital photos and email). You will have to consider options for backing up files to external, secure sources. You will also need to consider how to classify documents for ease of retrieval.

Unfortunately most dedicated document management software is designed for a restricted market: businesses. As such, it is completely unsuitable (and unobtainable) for home users. And it’s not the type of software a family could easily use to manage bank statements, medical records, and receipts. Unfortunately, much consumer-oriented document management software is not robust enough to engender confidence.

What many fail to appreciate is that many photo managers function quite well as document managers. Remember that a scanned document is just an image (TIFF format) or a PDF- and several image managers are tuned to handling these formats. I have a 9 month history of using IMatch image manager as a PDF document manager for an important legal case in which I am a plaintiff. I am extremely satisfied with the power, flexibility, and stability of IMatch in classifying and retrieving scanned PDF documents. Best of all, it’s inexpensive ($65.00 USD).

The key to IMatch’s power is its category paradigm.

The usual (and inefficient) approach to classifying documents or images is to create a folder structure that reflects a classification scheme.

Such an approach is tedious and quickly becomes onerous when attempting to revise it. Retrieval relies on being able to remember in what folder a document was placed. Furthermore, if you want to assign a document to more than one folder (e.g., subject and date) one would have to make copies of the file and place them in multiple folders. Some of us attempt to get around this by naming files with both a date and subject component- and then searching for files by name. But again, this approach becomes impractical when you need to assign a file to many categories.

Rather than worrying about what folders your files are placed in you simply create categories within IMatch and assign your files to them. After performing this step you can drag and drop copy/move and rename categories without losing document assignments. You’ll also have extremely sophisticated options at your fingertips for finding files.

Some dedicated consumer image and document management programs also implement “category” approaches to classification but ultimately fail due to simplistic design and weak database engines- they do not represent reliable long term solutions. IMatch is widely recognized as possessing one of the most powerful, yet intuitive, category paradigms available to consumers- regardless of price.

Limitations encountered:

• IMatch is not designed to perform OCR, text extraction, or text searching within documents. Nor does it have specific functionality to archive and manage email. I use Acrobat for OCR (most scanner software can generate OCR’d PDF as well). For PDF text searching I use the free version of X1 Desktop Search which can index, search, and highlight text in OCR’d PDF documents.
• IMatch cannot generate thumbnails of protected PDF’s. It’s my understanding that IMatch currently relies on Adobe/Windows functions to generate PDF thumbnails. Other image software, like Thumbsplus use built in functions to generate thumbs of protected PDF’s. Not a major limitation in my opinion, but examining thumbs can be useful when searching for docs.
• IMatch is currently unable to edit/save XMP metadata for PDF’s. Not unusual as most programs I’ve tried also lack this functionality (exception: Acrobat). But there is an XMP spec for PDF and I hope the developer will consider adding this functionality in future releases.

© 2007 Richard Green. All rights reserved.