What is Learnkey?
Which cabling jacket fire rating type is inexpensive but creates smoke and noxious fumes when burned? Polyvinyl chloride.
Which cabling type is shown? EIA/TIA 568B.
Which type of unshielded twisted pair cabling is best to use for horizontal runs? Solid core.
Which tool is used to attach an RJ-45 connector to a cable? Crimping tool.
What is described as a small, self-contained device used for replacements in an equipment rack? Patch panel.
Google and IBM are bonding in a serious way
PC era fading, cloud computing rising -- watch out, Microsoft?
May 2, 2008 (Computerworld) LOS ANGELES -- While Microsoft Corp. chases Yahoo Inc., Eric Schmidt, Google Inc.'s CEO and chairman, is seeking a stronger relationship with IBM, something IBM Chairman and CEO Sam Palmisano appears very interested in.
Schmidt, who spoke at the IBM's PartnerWorld conference here, later shared the stage at the Nokia Theater with Palmisano to discuss cloud computing, globalization and other issues.
The two CEOs bantered like old golf buddies, praising each other's organizations and rarely giving moderator Pankaj Ghemawat, a professor of global strategy at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, a chance to ask questions.
Google and IBM collaborated last year on a compute cloud-type system -- a platform for delivering scalable IT capabilities as a service -- and then turned it over for universities to use. It was a pilot project, but it was clear from today that the two firms will be doing more.
Google wants enterprise customers for its applications, which are delivered as services via compute clouds. What it needs to help make that happen is IBM.
In response to a question about IBM from this reporter after his talk, Schmidt said IBM is one of the "key planks of the strategy" for reaching enterprise customers. "Customers like to buy from strong sales forces that provide real quality service, and IBM is the best at that," he said.
For his part, Palmisano offered a Google-like view of the universe when told his business-partner audience that the "PC is receding in influence" and is being replaced by network infrastructures.
To that point, IBM this week said it will offer an iTunes-like application delivery model for small and midsize businesses. Its Blue Business Platform will deliver complete and integrated software from either IBM or participating independent software vendors.
The company's "Global Application Marketplace" will include applications and services delivered via an online catalog directly to a user's server, as well as Web 2.0-like peer ratings of the products. IBM officials said they see it as a direct challenge to Microsoft in that market.
And there may be other, less tangible benefits to Google-IBM cooperation.
Frank Gens, an analyst at market research firm IDC, said the two companies likely want to pool engineering talent on developing a cloud computing platform, as well as putting both their brands behind it. And combining Google's "cool" with IBM's enterprise credibility could boost acceptance of the cloud business platform.
Today, IBM is developing Blue Cloud, a system that will enable enterprises to build cloud-type system as a means to deliver services via a cloud internally or to external users. It's due to release details of the system in the next month or two.
Palmisano said he believes that he and Schmidt share a common view of the future, which includes commitment to standards and open architectures.
IBM and Google are similar in many respects, said Schmidt, with "engineering-oriented cultures" and support for collaboration.
Palmisano said maintaining a strong research and development effort is critical for IBM, otherwise his "scientists would leave -- they would go to Google."
IBM and Google are bonding in a business way. The chairmen of these computer/internet corporations where playing golf together and were praising each others businesses. Google and IBM might want to do similar things Microsoft tried to do will Yahoo. Microsoft wanted to combine with yahoo to create and bigger more powerful corporation and share certain ideas and applications. If Google and IBM team up it may be powerful enough to match Microsoft it not surpass it. This may be a big victory and may establish some sort of monopoly, which may be a bad thing for consumers. It means for what ever the two they can set whatever prices they feel.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Software News
What is a Lab?
Which was the first topology type to be used in practical networks? Mesh.
Within a ring topology, data travels in a clockwise direction only. True.
In which network topology is data sent first to a central device and then distributed to the systems that need the data? Ring.
What does the acronym MAC represent? Medium Access Control.
What information can be viewed when a network card is set to promiscuous mode? Only information from machines with the same MAC address as its own.
Microsoft's Office streaming price too high to compete with Google Apps, some partners say
Pricing through ASPs may be four times or more what Google charges for its applications
April 30, 2008 (Computerworld) As Microsoft Corp. moves toward allowing application service providers to stream Office to their customers, the software vendor still seems to fear hurting itself more than being hurt by Google Inc.
At its Hosting Summit 2008 earlier this month in Bellevue, Wash., Microsoft officials quietly told application service providers (ASP) that they would soon be able to sell subscriptions to Office and then deliver the desktop applications to users via the Internet.
End users would access Office through application streaming, an up-and-coming technology that lets companies store applications on servers and then use the Internet or their own local networks to send the code to PCs. Corporate customers that have purchased maintenance and update contracts under Microsoft's Software Assurance program can already stream Office to internal employees. But this is the first time that Microsoft is extending the capability to ASPs, which have long campaigned for the right to do streaming.
Nevertheless, some hosting providers are unhappy about the price that Microsoft has set for streaming Office, saying it's too high to win over customers that are considering or already using less-expensive online office suites, such as Google Apps.
In addition to a free, unsupported version of Google Apps, Google offers its software in an enterprise version that includes technical support and costs $50 per end user annually. Google is still trying to build up its suite's credibility with corporate users. But early indications from ASPs are that streaming Office 2007 will cost four to six times what Google charges for its applications.
For instance, one Microsoft reseller is charging ASPs $10.20 per month for a streaming client license of Office Standard 2007, according to a price sheet seen by Computerworld. A license for Office Professional Plus 2007 costs $13.23 per user on a monthly basis through the reseller.
"I don't believe that this will attract a large number of customers currently using Google Apps," said Gagan Prakash, senior executive director of engineering at GroupSpark Inc., a Burlington, Mass.-based company that delivers hosted versions of Microsoft products through other service providers. Why does Prakash think that? Because, he said, hosting providers will need to mark up the price between 50% and 150% in order to make a profit, thereby resulting in a monthly retail price of $15 to $25 per user for Office Standard.
"In order to compete with Google, Microsoft should have a lower-end offering that is very, very competitive on pricing," Prakash said. "This [price] isn't nearly aggressive enough."
Others say the cost of the streaming option may also be too high to tempt companies that currently run on-premises versions of Office.
A full-priced retail copy of Office — the kind that is bought by individuals and by some small and midsize businesses — costs about $300. Amortized over three years, that's roughly $8.50 per month.
But even many small companies buy reseller copies of Office, which can be half the price or less, said Paul DeGroot, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft in Kirkland, Wash. Others simply wait four or five years, or even longer, to upgrade Office.
"If you're the kind of person still using Office 2000, then paying even $10 a month is not a particularly good prospect, financially," DeGroot said.
Through a spokeswoman, Microsoft declined to comment for this story.
But sources said that Microsoft has told ASPs that the prices may change and that more options, including a license that charges service providers by the number of server CPUs used to stream Office, should emerge over time. The latter license would enable ASPs to charge customers a price based on their usage of Office — an approach that could give companies whose employees are sporadic or light Office users a lower entry-level cost than the flat-fee subscription price would.
Many software venders feel Microsoft’s office streaming prices are too high. These venders don’t want to sell too expensive products to their customers because they fear that if prices are too high demand will decline. I have never used Microsoft Office Streaming, but I have seen the prices for the regular Microsoft Office and it is quite expensive. I do need that software for college though, so either way I should be buying Microsoft Office.
Which was the first topology type to be used in practical networks? Mesh.
Within a ring topology, data travels in a clockwise direction only. True.
In which network topology is data sent first to a central device and then distributed to the systems that need the data? Ring.
What does the acronym MAC represent? Medium Access Control.
What information can be viewed when a network card is set to promiscuous mode? Only information from machines with the same MAC address as its own.
Microsoft's Office streaming price too high to compete with Google Apps, some partners say
Pricing through ASPs may be four times or more what Google charges for its applications
April 30, 2008 (Computerworld) As Microsoft Corp. moves toward allowing application service providers to stream Office to their customers, the software vendor still seems to fear hurting itself more than being hurt by Google Inc.
At its Hosting Summit 2008 earlier this month in Bellevue, Wash., Microsoft officials quietly told application service providers (ASP) that they would soon be able to sell subscriptions to Office and then deliver the desktop applications to users via the Internet.
End users would access Office through application streaming, an up-and-coming technology that lets companies store applications on servers and then use the Internet or their own local networks to send the code to PCs. Corporate customers that have purchased maintenance and update contracts under Microsoft's Software Assurance program can already stream Office to internal employees. But this is the first time that Microsoft is extending the capability to ASPs, which have long campaigned for the right to do streaming.
Nevertheless, some hosting providers are unhappy about the price that Microsoft has set for streaming Office, saying it's too high to win over customers that are considering or already using less-expensive online office suites, such as Google Apps.
In addition to a free, unsupported version of Google Apps, Google offers its software in an enterprise version that includes technical support and costs $50 per end user annually. Google is still trying to build up its suite's credibility with corporate users. But early indications from ASPs are that streaming Office 2007 will cost four to six times what Google charges for its applications.
For instance, one Microsoft reseller is charging ASPs $10.20 per month for a streaming client license of Office Standard 2007, according to a price sheet seen by Computerworld. A license for Office Professional Plus 2007 costs $13.23 per user on a monthly basis through the reseller.
"I don't believe that this will attract a large number of customers currently using Google Apps," said Gagan Prakash, senior executive director of engineering at GroupSpark Inc., a Burlington, Mass.-based company that delivers hosted versions of Microsoft products through other service providers. Why does Prakash think that? Because, he said, hosting providers will need to mark up the price between 50% and 150% in order to make a profit, thereby resulting in a monthly retail price of $15 to $25 per user for Office Standard.
"In order to compete with Google, Microsoft should have a lower-end offering that is very, very competitive on pricing," Prakash said. "This [price] isn't nearly aggressive enough."
Others say the cost of the streaming option may also be too high to tempt companies that currently run on-premises versions of Office.
A full-priced retail copy of Office — the kind that is bought by individuals and by some small and midsize businesses — costs about $300. Amortized over three years, that's roughly $8.50 per month.
But even many small companies buy reseller copies of Office, which can be half the price or less, said Paul DeGroot, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft in Kirkland, Wash. Others simply wait four or five years, or even longer, to upgrade Office.
"If you're the kind of person still using Office 2000, then paying even $10 a month is not a particularly good prospect, financially," DeGroot said.
Through a spokeswoman, Microsoft declined to comment for this story.
But sources said that Microsoft has told ASPs that the prices may change and that more options, including a license that charges service providers by the number of server CPUs used to stream Office, should emerge over time. The latter license would enable ASPs to charge customers a price based on their usage of Office — an approach that could give companies whose employees are sporadic or light Office users a lower entry-level cost than the flat-fee subscription price would.
Many software venders feel Microsoft’s office streaming prices are too high. These venders don’t want to sell too expensive products to their customers because they fear that if prices are too high demand will decline. I have never used Microsoft Office Streaming, but I have seen the prices for the regular Microsoft Office and it is quite expensive. I do need that software for college though, so either way I should be buying Microsoft Office.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Software News
What is IPv6?
Which cabling jacket fire rating type is inexpensive but creates smoke and noxious fumes when burned? Polyvinyl chloride.
Which cabling type is shown? EIA/TIA 568B.
Which type of unshielded twisted pair cabling is best to use for horizontal runs? Solid core
Which tool is used to attach an RJ-45 connector to a cable? Crimping tool
What is described as a small, self-contained device used for replacements in an equipment rack? Patch panel.
First look: Adobe Media Player for the Mac
A cross-platform media delivery option for users who want to watch videos online and, in some cases, download them
April 9, 2008 (MacWorld) Leveraging Adobe Interactive Runtime (AIR), Adobe Media Player is a cross-platform-compatible media delivery option for users who want to watch videos online and, in some cases, download them. Here's a look at what to expect.
Installing Adobe Media Player (AMP) is a painless affair, if you've ever run an AIR application. Adobe Systems Inc. relies on its own installation technology to manage AMP's installation, which requires you to give it permission to load up. Once that's done, you'll be looking at the main AMP interface, which is a stylish black. The application resides in your Applications folder along with everything else.
Like all AIR applications, AMP leverages Adobe's Flash technology in order to work. The software also supports Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology and can restrict you to just watching videos as opposed to downloading them and viewing them offline -- the content provider has control over that, and a legend of icons lets you know what you can do with the content you're viewing.
That means -- at least in the case of content whose provider wants it so -- that you're able (for the first time, I should add) to download video outside the browser in the Flash format. Adobe said the content can scale from 480i up to 1080p, so HDTV fans will be able to get their fill of high-definition material.
So far, Adobe has signed up major broadcasters and content publishers to provide video material for AMP users. CBS has jumped into the fray with its CSI shows and a bevy of archive material, for example. And MTV Networks is offering The Hills. PBS has some good stuff available for viewing, along with Universal Music Group and others. Adobe said that more content is coming soon from Comedy Central, Spike and other broadcasters in the coming months.
You can mark content that's of specific interest for you. I found some anime that I wanted to watch, along with archives of classic Twilight Zone episodes, so I marked them both. Favorites appear when you first fire up AMP.
While the emphasis here is on free content, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, as the saying goes. Adobe is working with content owners and publishers to generate advertising opportunities and targeted marketing campaigns based around AMP. The software itself measures content usage, and Adobe provides options such as "protected" streaming, DRM and advertising protection (to keep users from arbitrarily blocking ads).
And for what it's worth, AMP also lets you keep track of "personal videos" you've created yourself. If you have video content on your own machine you'd like to manage using AMP, that option is open to you.
My experience with a pre-release version of AMP was that it works, although the actual quality of video, even after manipulating the software's options, left a little to be desired. You can either watch a small streaming view or scale it upward to fill the window or even your entire screen.
The software offers intuitive navigation that lets you explore to find the content you want. Its archive of video from the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) event, for example, offered detailed synopses of each segment as well as an overview of what the event was about. It was pretty simple to understand how to find what I wanted to watch.
You can "drill down" by recently added content, view by network or click on genre buttons to help explore particular types of video you'd like to watch. The catalog window also lets you search using words or phrases.
All told, AMP is an interesting way for Adobe to leverage Flash video away from its "traditional" place on Web pages. The technology works reasonably well on the Mac. For now, there's a relative paucity of compelling content, and nothing unique to AIR to make it a "must have" product. If Adobe is able to convince content providers that this is the way to share their material with the public, then AMP could be an important player in the burgeoning digital video delivery market. And the fact that it's cross-platform compatible is a boon for Mac users, who won't be left out of the mix.
Adobe Media Player is a new application for Mac. It is easy to install and allows users to listen to music and download music. It also has a nice black style. There are restrictions such as the Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology which can control what one watches and what one can download. But users can watch their videos offline. Networks such as CBS, MTV, and PBS have joined AMP to allow users to download their shows. AMP seems like a great program for Mac users but unfortunately for me I am not a Mac user so I will not be able to use Adobe Media Player.
Which cabling jacket fire rating type is inexpensive but creates smoke and noxious fumes when burned? Polyvinyl chloride.
Which cabling type is shown? EIA/TIA 568B.
Which type of unshielded twisted pair cabling is best to use for horizontal runs? Solid core
Which tool is used to attach an RJ-45 connector to a cable? Crimping tool
What is described as a small, self-contained device used for replacements in an equipment rack? Patch panel.
First look: Adobe Media Player for the Mac
A cross-platform media delivery option for users who want to watch videos online and, in some cases, download them
April 9, 2008 (MacWorld) Leveraging Adobe Interactive Runtime (AIR), Adobe Media Player is a cross-platform-compatible media delivery option for users who want to watch videos online and, in some cases, download them. Here's a look at what to expect.
Installing Adobe Media Player (AMP) is a painless affair, if you've ever run an AIR application. Adobe Systems Inc. relies on its own installation technology to manage AMP's installation, which requires you to give it permission to load up. Once that's done, you'll be looking at the main AMP interface, which is a stylish black. The application resides in your Applications folder along with everything else.
Like all AIR applications, AMP leverages Adobe's Flash technology in order to work. The software also supports Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology and can restrict you to just watching videos as opposed to downloading them and viewing them offline -- the content provider has control over that, and a legend of icons lets you know what you can do with the content you're viewing.
That means -- at least in the case of content whose provider wants it so -- that you're able (for the first time, I should add) to download video outside the browser in the Flash format. Adobe said the content can scale from 480i up to 1080p, so HDTV fans will be able to get their fill of high-definition material.
So far, Adobe has signed up major broadcasters and content publishers to provide video material for AMP users. CBS has jumped into the fray with its CSI shows and a bevy of archive material, for example. And MTV Networks is offering The Hills. PBS has some good stuff available for viewing, along with Universal Music Group and others. Adobe said that more content is coming soon from Comedy Central, Spike and other broadcasters in the coming months.
You can mark content that's of specific interest for you. I found some anime that I wanted to watch, along with archives of classic Twilight Zone episodes, so I marked them both. Favorites appear when you first fire up AMP.
While the emphasis here is on free content, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, as the saying goes. Adobe is working with content owners and publishers to generate advertising opportunities and targeted marketing campaigns based around AMP. The software itself measures content usage, and Adobe provides options such as "protected" streaming, DRM and advertising protection (to keep users from arbitrarily blocking ads).
And for what it's worth, AMP also lets you keep track of "personal videos" you've created yourself. If you have video content on your own machine you'd like to manage using AMP, that option is open to you.
My experience with a pre-release version of AMP was that it works, although the actual quality of video, even after manipulating the software's options, left a little to be desired. You can either watch a small streaming view or scale it upward to fill the window or even your entire screen.
The software offers intuitive navigation that lets you explore to find the content you want. Its archive of video from the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) event, for example, offered detailed synopses of each segment as well as an overview of what the event was about. It was pretty simple to understand how to find what I wanted to watch.
You can "drill down" by recently added content, view by network or click on genre buttons to help explore particular types of video you'd like to watch. The catalog window also lets you search using words or phrases.
All told, AMP is an interesting way for Adobe to leverage Flash video away from its "traditional" place on Web pages. The technology works reasonably well on the Mac. For now, there's a relative paucity of compelling content, and nothing unique to AIR to make it a "must have" product. If Adobe is able to convince content providers that this is the way to share their material with the public, then AMP could be an important player in the burgeoning digital video delivery market. And the fact that it's cross-platform compatible is a boon for Mac users, who won't be left out of the mix.
Adobe Media Player is a new application for Mac. It is easy to install and allows users to listen to music and download music. It also has a nice black style. There are restrictions such as the Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology which can control what one watches and what one can download. But users can watch their videos offline. Networks such as CBS, MTV, and PBS have joined AMP to allow users to download their shows. AMP seems like a great program for Mac users but unfortunately for me I am not a Mac user so I will not be able to use Adobe Media Player.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Software News
What is IPv6?
What must an operating system do to allow it to interconnect with another type of operating system? Make itself look like the operating system it wants to share with.
Which NDS value is similar to a Windows domain? 2
Which protocol must a Windows machine run to allow it to use Client Services for NetWare? IPX/SPX
Which product comes only on Windows Server and allows the creation of one login that enables multiple Windows machines to access a NetWare server? Gateway Services for NetWare
What is now a part of NetWare servers that eliminated the client concept? Native File Access
Adobe Photoshop Express puts image editing online
This online editor can't compare with its offline namesakes, but it might be a blogger's best friend
April 4, 2008 (Computerworld) Adobe last week released the beta version of Photoshop Express, an online, Flash-based image editing tool. Therein lies the problem -- although it bears the same name as the well-known and venerable image editor, Photoshop Express isn't Photoshop at all.
In fact, it isn't even Photoshop Elements, the paired-down version of Photoshop that is given out free with many digital cameras. Because this application is based in Flash, it doesn't allow for right-click or keyboard shortcuts and has much less functionality than a typical desktop application.
However, if you are looking for a way to do minor adjustments to your online photos or if you'd like an online photo album with a good amount of editing functionality, you should definitely check out Photoshop Express.
Convenience is where this application really shines. Instead of having to download a photo, edit it in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, and then upload it again, you can just use a Web-based Flash inline editor. I can see this application being a blogger's best friend, since it really speeds up the process of editing an online photo and allows collaborative editing as well.
Its simplicity may also provide a way for children to get their feet wet in the image editing world. (Incidentally, Adobe says that it is officially available only in the U.S., but I had no trouble evaluating it from France.)
The application requires a broadband Internet connection and a browser with the Flash 9 plug-in -- all fairly standard fare these days. Once you create a log-in and Web site (which will be accessible through an URL such as http://yournamehere.photoshop.com), and confirm your e-mail address, you are on your way.
The obvious first step is to upload photos to your site, which is currently capped at 2GB of storage. (Considering that many rival sites offer either more or unlimited storage, one would hope that this figure will go up in the future.) The service is currently free; my expectation is that a free version may eventually have an advertising component to it and possibly a higher-capacity/better feature version that will come at a fee.
The upload process works as it should, including the ability to add multiple files at a time, and the photos load relatively quickly (although not, of course, with the instant response of a computer-based editor).
The real usefulness of Photoshop Express is its ability to edit images that have already been uploaded. Users can access their photo galleries from Facebook, Google's Picasa (which can include Blogger/Blogspot photos) and Photobucket (but not other popular sites such as Flickr and Kodak Gallery).
The tool palette, which runs along the left side of the window, is extremely sparse compared to Photoshop and Photoshop Elements -- the closest desktop application to compare it to is Google's Picasa -- but offers much more than any other online tool. Basic functionality includes cropping, rotating, autocorrecting, changing exposure, red-eye removal, a touch-up tool and a saturation tool. There are also some tuning and effects filters that many users will have fun with.
Because most users are still used to editing images from computer-based products, the fact that things take a bit longer online may be an issue. For example, rotating an image in Photoshop Express would be almost instantaneous in one test and take 20 seconds in another with the same image. Browsing big directories also takes a bit of time. It took a few minutes for all of the 376 images in my Photobucket account to be rendered in thumbnails, for example.
Still, with all of its limitations, Adobe Photoshop Express is a promising product, even in its early beta form. The online blogging and social media sites have created a demand for photo-editing software that Adobe has been smart enough to identify and fill. With any luck, future versions of the software will be able to perform more functions and operate at speeds closer to traditional image editors.
Adobe Photoshop express seems like a great photo editing tool for internet use. It’s not as good as the regular Photoshop but it good for quick use. Photoshop Express can be used on websites such as Photobucket, Google’s Picasa, Blogger, and Facebook, but not Fickr (which is a website that I use). Though Photoshop Express has many limitations it is good for young users and inexperienced users.
What must an operating system do to allow it to interconnect with another type of operating system? Make itself look like the operating system it wants to share with.
Which NDS value is similar to a Windows domain? 2
Which protocol must a Windows machine run to allow it to use Client Services for NetWare? IPX/SPX
Which product comes only on Windows Server and allows the creation of one login that enables multiple Windows machines to access a NetWare server? Gateway Services for NetWare
What is now a part of NetWare servers that eliminated the client concept? Native File Access
Adobe Photoshop Express puts image editing online
This online editor can't compare with its offline namesakes, but it might be a blogger's best friend
April 4, 2008 (Computerworld) Adobe last week released the beta version of Photoshop Express, an online, Flash-based image editing tool. Therein lies the problem -- although it bears the same name as the well-known and venerable image editor, Photoshop Express isn't Photoshop at all.
In fact, it isn't even Photoshop Elements, the paired-down version of Photoshop that is given out free with many digital cameras. Because this application is based in Flash, it doesn't allow for right-click or keyboard shortcuts and has much less functionality than a typical desktop application.
However, if you are looking for a way to do minor adjustments to your online photos or if you'd like an online photo album with a good amount of editing functionality, you should definitely check out Photoshop Express.
Convenience is where this application really shines. Instead of having to download a photo, edit it in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, and then upload it again, you can just use a Web-based Flash inline editor. I can see this application being a blogger's best friend, since it really speeds up the process of editing an online photo and allows collaborative editing as well.
Its simplicity may also provide a way for children to get their feet wet in the image editing world. (Incidentally, Adobe says that it is officially available only in the U.S., but I had no trouble evaluating it from France.)
The application requires a broadband Internet connection and a browser with the Flash 9 plug-in -- all fairly standard fare these days. Once you create a log-in and Web site (which will be accessible through an URL such as http://yournamehere.photoshop.com), and confirm your e-mail address, you are on your way.
The obvious first step is to upload photos to your site, which is currently capped at 2GB of storage. (Considering that many rival sites offer either more or unlimited storage, one would hope that this figure will go up in the future.) The service is currently free; my expectation is that a free version may eventually have an advertising component to it and possibly a higher-capacity/better feature version that will come at a fee.
The upload process works as it should, including the ability to add multiple files at a time, and the photos load relatively quickly (although not, of course, with the instant response of a computer-based editor).
The real usefulness of Photoshop Express is its ability to edit images that have already been uploaded. Users can access their photo galleries from Facebook, Google's Picasa (which can include Blogger/Blogspot photos) and Photobucket (but not other popular sites such as Flickr and Kodak Gallery).
The tool palette, which runs along the left side of the window, is extremely sparse compared to Photoshop and Photoshop Elements -- the closest desktop application to compare it to is Google's Picasa -- but offers much more than any other online tool. Basic functionality includes cropping, rotating, autocorrecting, changing exposure, red-eye removal, a touch-up tool and a saturation tool. There are also some tuning and effects filters that many users will have fun with.
Because most users are still used to editing images from computer-based products, the fact that things take a bit longer online may be an issue. For example, rotating an image in Photoshop Express would be almost instantaneous in one test and take 20 seconds in another with the same image. Browsing big directories also takes a bit of time. It took a few minutes for all of the 376 images in my Photobucket account to be rendered in thumbnails, for example.
Still, with all of its limitations, Adobe Photoshop Express is a promising product, even in its early beta form. The online blogging and social media sites have created a demand for photo-editing software that Adobe has been smart enough to identify and fill. With any luck, future versions of the software will be able to perform more functions and operate at speeds closer to traditional image editors.
Adobe Photoshop express seems like a great photo editing tool for internet use. It’s not as good as the regular Photoshop but it good for quick use. Photoshop Express can be used on websites such as Photobucket, Google’s Picasa, Blogger, and Facebook, but not Fickr (which is a website that I use). Though Photoshop Express has many limitations it is good for young users and inexperienced users.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Software News
What is Troubleshooting?
What is the maximum cable length for a horizontal run according to EIA/TIA standards? 90 meters
A loopback connector may be connected to the far side of a TDR when the other end of the cabling is not accessible. True.
A network protocol is part of the software in an operating system that helps which layers of the OSI model run? Layers 3 through 7
Which section represents the layers of the OSI model important to understanding protocols? 3
Broadcasting and going through a server are two ways to accomplish name resolution. True.
Researcher finds new flaw in QuickTime for Windows
Petkov locates another one, but so far no known exploits
April 28, 2008 (IDG News Service) A security think tank says it has found a vulnerability in Apple's QuickTime multimedia player that can be exploited remotely to compromise Windows Vista PCs upgraded to Service Pack 1, as well as XP SP2.
From the scant details published on the GNUCitizen's blog, the exploit involves a maliciously crafted media file. When a user opens the file, which can be hosted on a Web site, the vulnerability in QuickTime allows the hacker to take complete control of the machine, according to Petko D. Petkov, known to the hacking community as "pdp."
Petkov doesn't think users are in danger of being attacked as of yet.
"I highly doubt that anyone knows how to exploit this vulnerability," Petkov said. "I haven't shared the details with anyone, and the actual vulnerability is different enough to be rather challenging for even some of the most gifted hackers out there."
In a video with a thumping techno beat, Petkov shows a QuickTime file sitting on the desktop of a PC running XP SP2. If a user opens the malicious file, Petkov then has control of the PC, demonstrated by the way the applications Paint, Calculator and Notepad are seen launching, apparently without further user intervention. The demonstration is repeated on a PC running Windows Vista inside a virtual machine.
Attacking vulnerabilities in applications is becoming increasingly favored by hackers, as finding problems in operating systems becomes increasingly harder, said Alan Paller, director of research for the SANS Institute, last week at the Infosec conference in London.
Petkov said Monday that he has notified Apple of the problem.
The company did not respond to a request for comment.
QuickTime has proved to be one of the more porous applications. Apple, which doesn't have a regular patching schedule like Microsoft, patched the application for at least the sixth time earlier this month, fixing 11 vulnerabilities.
A researcher has found that Apple QuickTime is hacker prone. This is what happens: “When a user opens the file, which can be hosted on a Web site, the vulnerability in QuickTime allows the hacker to take complete control of the machine, according to Petko D. Petkov, known to the hacking community as "pdp." This can make many users open to having the PC or Mac hack able, though sources have said that users are safe as of now because it is very complicated for even gifted hackers to figure out how to exploit the file. The researcher says he has not given out any information on how to exploit the file. Many users use QuickTime; I also have used QuickTime many times before and I would be devastated if my laptop was hack.
What is the maximum cable length for a horizontal run according to EIA/TIA standards? 90 meters
A loopback connector may be connected to the far side of a TDR when the other end of the cabling is not accessible. True.
A network protocol is part of the software in an operating system that helps which layers of the OSI model run? Layers 3 through 7
Which section represents the layers of the OSI model important to understanding protocols? 3
Broadcasting and going through a server are two ways to accomplish name resolution. True.
Researcher finds new flaw in QuickTime for Windows
Petkov locates another one, but so far no known exploits
April 28, 2008 (IDG News Service) A security think tank says it has found a vulnerability in Apple's QuickTime multimedia player that can be exploited remotely to compromise Windows Vista PCs upgraded to Service Pack 1, as well as XP SP2.
From the scant details published on the GNUCitizen's blog, the exploit involves a maliciously crafted media file. When a user opens the file, which can be hosted on a Web site, the vulnerability in QuickTime allows the hacker to take complete control of the machine, according to Petko D. Petkov, known to the hacking community as "pdp."
Petkov doesn't think users are in danger of being attacked as of yet.
"I highly doubt that anyone knows how to exploit this vulnerability," Petkov said. "I haven't shared the details with anyone, and the actual vulnerability is different enough to be rather challenging for even some of the most gifted hackers out there."
In a video with a thumping techno beat, Petkov shows a QuickTime file sitting on the desktop of a PC running XP SP2. If a user opens the malicious file, Petkov then has control of the PC, demonstrated by the way the applications Paint, Calculator and Notepad are seen launching, apparently without further user intervention. The demonstration is repeated on a PC running Windows Vista inside a virtual machine.
Attacking vulnerabilities in applications is becoming increasingly favored by hackers, as finding problems in operating systems becomes increasingly harder, said Alan Paller, director of research for the SANS Institute, last week at the Infosec conference in London.
Petkov said Monday that he has notified Apple of the problem.
The company did not respond to a request for comment.
QuickTime has proved to be one of the more porous applications. Apple, which doesn't have a regular patching schedule like Microsoft, patched the application for at least the sixth time earlier this month, fixing 11 vulnerabilities.
A researcher has found that Apple QuickTime is hacker prone. This is what happens: “When a user opens the file, which can be hosted on a Web site, the vulnerability in QuickTime allows the hacker to take complete control of the machine, according to Petko D. Petkov, known to the hacking community as "pdp." This can make many users open to having the PC or Mac hack able, though sources have said that users are safe as of now because it is very complicated for even gifted hackers to figure out how to exploit the file. The researcher says he has not given out any information on how to exploit the file. Many users use QuickTime; I also have used QuickTime many times before and I would be devastated if my laptop was hack.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Software News
What is Diaster recovery?
Which cabling jacket fire rating type is inexpensive but creates smoke and noxious fumes when burned? Polyvinyl chloride.
Which cabling type is shown? EIA/TIA 568B.
Which type of unshielded twisted pair cabling is best to use for horizontal runs? Solid core.
Which tool is used to attach an RJ-45 connector to a cable? Crimping tool.
What is described as a small, self-contained device used for replacements in an equipment rack? Patch panel.
Apple, VMware update Mac software for XP SP3
Revs of Boot Camp and Fusion to account for Microsoft's newest old OS
April 25, 2008 (Computerworld) Apple and VMware yesterday updated software designed to let Mac owners run Microsoft's Windows, amending it to accommodate the newest version of Windows XP.
Apple released Boot Camp 2.1.1, the program included with its Leopard operating system that allows Intel-based Macs to run Windows in a separate disk partition. The company posted three downloads — one each for Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit — to its Web site.
A typically terse note accompanying the update said only that it "addresses issues and improves compatibility." Apple made clear, however, that Boot Camp 2.1.1 is necessary to run Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a Mac. SP3, a collection of patches and enhancements was completed Monday, and will be offered to users starting next Tuesday, April 29, via Windows Update.
Also on Thursday, VMware updated its Fusion virtualization software to Version 1.1.2, adding support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions when they're run as virtual machines (VM), and fixing bugs when Fusion is used on the MacBook Air, Apple's newest notebook.
Fusion 1.1.2 also adds support for Time Machine, Leopard's built-in backup and restore program, and patches half a dozen other bugs. To back up VMs with Time Machine, Mac owners must be running Mac OS 10.5.2.
The update is free for registered users and can be downloaded from the VMware site.
Apple is letting its Leopard users run Microsoft windows (version XP) on their new systems. This is something that I believe I have seen before. I know I’ve used Microsoft’s office on a Mac system earlier this year. I was not as complicated as I though once I became use to it. There were though some features that I did not like and couldn’t understand. Also VMware “VMware updated its Fusion virtualization software to Version 1.1.2, adding support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions when they're run as virtual machines (VM), and fixing bugs when Fusion is used on the MacBook Air, Apple's newest notebook.” These updates can be found on the VMware site for registered users.
Which cabling jacket fire rating type is inexpensive but creates smoke and noxious fumes when burned? Polyvinyl chloride.
Which cabling type is shown? EIA/TIA 568B.
Which type of unshielded twisted pair cabling is best to use for horizontal runs? Solid core.
Which tool is used to attach an RJ-45 connector to a cable? Crimping tool.
What is described as a small, self-contained device used for replacements in an equipment rack? Patch panel.
Apple, VMware update Mac software for XP SP3
Revs of Boot Camp and Fusion to account for Microsoft's newest old OS
April 25, 2008 (Computerworld) Apple and VMware yesterday updated software designed to let Mac owners run Microsoft's Windows, amending it to accommodate the newest version of Windows XP.
Apple released Boot Camp 2.1.1, the program included with its Leopard operating system that allows Intel-based Macs to run Windows in a separate disk partition. The company posted three downloads — one each for Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit — to its Web site.
A typically terse note accompanying the update said only that it "addresses issues and improves compatibility." Apple made clear, however, that Boot Camp 2.1.1 is necessary to run Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a Mac. SP3, a collection of patches and enhancements was completed Monday, and will be offered to users starting next Tuesday, April 29, via Windows Update.
Also on Thursday, VMware updated its Fusion virtualization software to Version 1.1.2, adding support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions when they're run as virtual machines (VM), and fixing bugs when Fusion is used on the MacBook Air, Apple's newest notebook.
Fusion 1.1.2 also adds support for Time Machine, Leopard's built-in backup and restore program, and patches half a dozen other bugs. To back up VMs with Time Machine, Mac owners must be running Mac OS 10.5.2.
The update is free for registered users and can be downloaded from the VMware site.
Apple is letting its Leopard users run Microsoft windows (version XP) on their new systems. This is something that I believe I have seen before. I know I’ve used Microsoft’s office on a Mac system earlier this year. I was not as complicated as I though once I became use to it. There were though some features that I did not like and couldn’t understand. Also VMware “VMware updated its Fusion virtualization software to Version 1.1.2, adding support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions when they're run as virtual machines (VM), and fixing bugs when Fusion is used on the MacBook Air, Apple's newest notebook.” These updates can be found on the VMware site for registered users.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Software News
What is Wireless Networking?
Which computer is the DNS server and has the most control? 1
Which option is used to view IP addresses that point to specific computers within a domain? Reverse Lookup Zones
From which tab in the DNS Properties window can DNS root servers and their IP addresses be viewed? Root Hints
Which command is used from the command prompt to view the DNS cache? ipconfig /displaydns
Sun looks to open-source the rest of Java
Sun Microsystems Inc. is stepping up efforts to boost Java usage in Linux shops by working to remove some final encumbrances in the open-source Java platform.
By freeing these up, Java can be fully open source and thus be packaged more easily with Linux distributions. In conjunction with this activity, Sun is talking with Linux distributors -- including OpenSuse, Ubuntu and Fedora -- to have them offer an updated version of OpenJDK, which constitutes the open-source Java platform. Sun plans to offer the updated OpenJDK soon and clear the last few encumbrances later.
"We're hoping to see some movement [with the] Linux distributions in the very near future, hopefully by JavaOne," said Rich Sands, group manager for developer marketing at Sun, in an interview on Tuesday. The JavaOne conference will be held in San Francisco in two weeks.
OpenJDK is based on Java Platform, Standard Edition 6. The open-sourcing process began in November 2006. But a few components, including some encryption libraries, graphics libraries, the sound engine and some SNMP management code, still could not be offered under the GNU General Public License. These components accounted for 4% of the platform.
"We've been engaging with the open-source community for Java to finish off the OpenJDK project, and the specific thing that we've been working on with them is clearing the last bits that we didn't have the rights" to distribute, Sands said.
"Over the past year, we have pretty much removed most of those encumbrances," Sands said. Work still needs to be done to offer the Java sound engine and SNMP code via open source; that effort is expected to be completed this year. Developers, though, may be able to proceed without a component like the sound engine, Sands said.
The few remaining encumbrances on Java have prevented Linux distributors from offering a fully open-source version of Java, said Sands. "All those Linux distributions, they haven't had a full-blown implementation in them," he said.
Once Java is 100% open source, it can be shipped as part of Linux, Sands said. Ubuntu has distributed Java as separately available commercial software, he noted. But once Java is fully open source, it can be offered as part of the free Ubuntu distribution and other Linux variants, Sands said.
"We're trying to get Java into places it's never been before," Sands said. Linux developers, absent of an open-source Java, have been building applications with languages like C, C++ and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), he said.
With its Linux push for Java, Sun seeks to expand the footprint of Java usage worldwide, which could yield opportunities to sell support, services and systems to these new users.
OpenJDK features a runtime component as well as compilers and tools to build Java programs. "What we can do is create Java programs and then run them on Linux," said Sands.
Having Java on Linux helps Sun, said analyst Michael Cote of RedMonk. "I think it's in Sun's interest to have Java spread as widely as possible," he said. Linux developers have wanted Java, but "I don't really know to which magnitude."
Sun's bread-and-butter operating system has been Solaris, but the Linux push shows the company's determination to spread Java to Solaris' open-source rival. Meanwhile, Sun also has sought to make Solaris more palatable to Linux users through Project Indiana, which is intended to provide binaries for the OpenSolaris open-source implementation of Solaris, similar to how Linux is packaged.
Sun is looking to expand java to the Linux operating systems. This may be good for Linux users who also need to use java for whatever purposes. I do not use Linux and I believe java is used for video or flash. If java is used for Flash or videos, then I have probably used it for various websites or have seen it before. This may have happened for video sites such as YouTube or site that use flash like the architectural sites I often go to for inspiration. If the change for Sun is a success, they may gain a lot of new users from Linux.
Which computer is the DNS server and has the most control? 1
Which option is used to view IP addresses that point to specific computers within a domain? Reverse Lookup Zones
From which tab in the DNS Properties window can DNS root servers and their IP addresses be viewed? Root Hints
Which command is used from the command prompt to view the DNS cache? ipconfig /displaydns
Sun looks to open-source the rest of Java
Sun Microsystems Inc. is stepping up efforts to boost Java usage in Linux shops by working to remove some final encumbrances in the open-source Java platform.
By freeing these up, Java can be fully open source and thus be packaged more easily with Linux distributions. In conjunction with this activity, Sun is talking with Linux distributors -- including OpenSuse, Ubuntu and Fedora -- to have them offer an updated version of OpenJDK, which constitutes the open-source Java platform. Sun plans to offer the updated OpenJDK soon and clear the last few encumbrances later.
"We're hoping to see some movement [with the] Linux distributions in the very near future, hopefully by JavaOne," said Rich Sands, group manager for developer marketing at Sun, in an interview on Tuesday. The JavaOne conference will be held in San Francisco in two weeks.
OpenJDK is based on Java Platform, Standard Edition 6. The open-sourcing process began in November 2006. But a few components, including some encryption libraries, graphics libraries, the sound engine and some SNMP management code, still could not be offered under the GNU General Public License. These components accounted for 4% of the platform.
"We've been engaging with the open-source community for Java to finish off the OpenJDK project, and the specific thing that we've been working on with them is clearing the last bits that we didn't have the rights" to distribute, Sands said.
"Over the past year, we have pretty much removed most of those encumbrances," Sands said. Work still needs to be done to offer the Java sound engine and SNMP code via open source; that effort is expected to be completed this year. Developers, though, may be able to proceed without a component like the sound engine, Sands said.
The few remaining encumbrances on Java have prevented Linux distributors from offering a fully open-source version of Java, said Sands. "All those Linux distributions, they haven't had a full-blown implementation in them," he said.
Once Java is 100% open source, it can be shipped as part of Linux, Sands said. Ubuntu has distributed Java as separately available commercial software, he noted. But once Java is fully open source, it can be offered as part of the free Ubuntu distribution and other Linux variants, Sands said.
"We're trying to get Java into places it's never been before," Sands said. Linux developers, absent of an open-source Java, have been building applications with languages like C, C++ and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), he said.
With its Linux push for Java, Sun seeks to expand the footprint of Java usage worldwide, which could yield opportunities to sell support, services and systems to these new users.
OpenJDK features a runtime component as well as compilers and tools to build Java programs. "What we can do is create Java programs and then run them on Linux," said Sands.
Having Java on Linux helps Sun, said analyst Michael Cote of RedMonk. "I think it's in Sun's interest to have Java spread as widely as possible," he said. Linux developers have wanted Java, but "I don't really know to which magnitude."
Sun's bread-and-butter operating system has been Solaris, but the Linux push shows the company's determination to spread Java to Solaris' open-source rival. Meanwhile, Sun also has sought to make Solaris more palatable to Linux users through Project Indiana, which is intended to provide binaries for the OpenSolaris open-source implementation of Solaris, similar to how Linux is packaged.
Sun is looking to expand java to the Linux operating systems. This may be good for Linux users who also need to use java for whatever purposes. I do not use Linux and I believe java is used for video or flash. If java is used for Flash or videos, then I have probably used it for various websites or have seen it before. This may have happened for video sites such as YouTube or site that use flash like the architectural sites I often go to for inspiration. If the change for Sun is a success, they may gain a lot of new users from Linux.
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