Computer Repair Tech

Some of the differences between Windows XP and Windows 7 become very clear when working with the sound system in both operating systems. XP had an option to view all the audio input and output devices being used in the system with the audio mixer. One of the options there that is used on the campus is the XP Blue Input Line In mixer option. Suffice it to say, Windows 7 has streamlined many user interfaces and tries to use Microsoft's brand of intelligence to make decisions for the users, how Microsoft thinks users will intuit configuring their systems.

We still have Windows XP Professional systems on the majority of campus systems. There are time more often than not that the Windows Update process will sit there spinning in its grave for an interminable amount of time. I want to tell it to take a flying leap through a donut hole, but Internet Explorer just won't listen. Here's a fairly brutish method to stop the Windows Update process dead in its tracks. This isn't a very elegant method but is far less drastic than hitting the power switch.

My HP Pavilion DV2000 laptop works like a charm with Ubuntu 10.10 and its wireless connectivity had been working just fine. I turned off the hardware switch instead of disabling wireless via Network Manager. Afterwards, the Hardware switch on the laptop wouldn't change the WiFi so it was enabled. Here's what I did to get Ubuntu to re-enable the wireless interface so it's enabled in Ubuntu Gnome's Network Manager:

I'm very happy with my Motorola Droid smartphone and love the Android operating system. Open system, great hardware and lots of software choices. Only real complaint is battery life -- typically only get a single day out of the 100% charge (unless I'm rarely using it, then 50% drain.)

I've had the phone (through Verizon Wireless) since December 2009 and have seen many friends go with an Android-based phone. Here's my list of apps I have installed and that I use on a frequent basis. Of course, some I apps I use infrequently. All of these are free through the Google Marketplace unless otherwise noted.

Here’s a web page from Microsoft that describes how to get page numbering on page 4 of a document to start at 1 while previous pages have no page number at all. Look for the info under the Start numbering after the second page section (see below). The magic has to do with Sections. Microsoft changed the way sections are handled in Word 2007 from how they were handled in previous versions.

Here’s the pertinent section (no pun intended) that describes how to set up page numbering:

New version of Firefox, version 3.5, ready for download - here's the shortened URL: Mozilla Firefox download page.

This new version supports the following new features (from the Mozilla site):

Those French! Linux Magazine has posted an article they've gathered from the Linux.com web site that is about the history of the La Gendarmerie Nationale (French National Police) and its quest to streamline, simplify, and reduce costs of its Information Technology infrastructure. They've finally come up with the solution of moving over 5,000 desktops to Ubuntu Linux. Ils sont si intelligents!