Microsoft’s Office Open XML(OOXML) gets ISO Approval

I read at the Information Technology of a newspaper that OOXML got an ISO Standard. What the F***!!

The ‘open’ format was developed ONLY by Microsoft themselves, huh? According to the article that
Microsoft submitted the source-code to ECMA (European Computer Manufacturer’s Association) under the Open Specification Promise (OSP).Hmmm… Sounds like Microsoft is planning to ’open’ up their formats. 
Open Source advocates are somewhat divided over the ISO Standard accreditation.

Some say that it is just a way Microsoft uses to expand it’s ’control’ over the market. Microsoft said
they are just offering a ’choice’ for people to use. I agree with Microsoft’s argument. :)

Imagine having ODF ONLY as the format that you could save your files. And your application (let’s
just say MS Word with a plugin installed to save in .odt) has a problem reading and/or writing on the format. That would be a GREAT problem for others, right? Other Open Source
advocates welcomed Microsoft’s decision. For me Microsoft must ALSO support ODF. This would help boost the format alongside with OOXML. For other Open Source advocates who disagree with Microsoft, I must say you must first try before you complain. In that way you could know if Microsoft is really sincere or planning something to kill the competition.

Web Standards

Web Standards. If  you are a geek it might appeal to you. Web Standards is important to everyone of us because we all use different platforms and/or browsers. Web Standards is the reference encoding(or I would rather say encoding). Sadly, only a few software and/or website developers understands it’s importance. Worse, they might not know about it! Check out most of the local (in the Philippines) banking websites/services, majority of them don’t comply to the standards! They recommend people to use Internet Explorer in order for them to fully maximize their online services, however some people use a different OS or web browser (I use Opera in my notebook I recommend using Opera). Also, some web browsers don’t comply to the standards either. Sheesh. I thought Firefox
users would have no problems reading my articles here on my blog. :) But, I was wrong. A friend told me that my article seemed to be corrupt when he is visiting my blog, I asked him, “What is your browser”, and he replied, “Mozilla Firefox”. Well, it is true that Firefox has an error rendering it. Check out the screenshot I am providing.

Vista Transformation Pack icon set problems?

I want to share with you a couple of blunders I experienced just yesterday. I updated my Windows XP notebook to the latest patch that came from Microsoft. After Installing the updates, Windows Update asked me to restart my PC, I chose to Restart my PC later because I was chatting via YM that time. After chatting, I restarted the PC. After logging on, I was surprised, why was my Vista-like icons (I installed Vista Transformation Pack to be able to change the look. Before installing it, you need to patch UXTheme.dll to be able to install these skins, icons set etc. Running the UXTheme.dll patcher after patching, would unpatch it)  changed back to the Luna icon set? Hmmm…. I tried repairing the installation of the Vista Transformation pack but to no avail. I also tried repairing the icon cache but still there are no changes. What I did was uninstall the Vista Transformation Pack and restart. I also unpatched UXTheme.dll and restart. After restarting, I patched again
UXTheme.dll and restarted. I installed again Vista Transformation Pack and restarted.
After that I loaded again my theme, and my Vista-like icons were backed again! Coolness!!

Slow PC? I could help you

If you have a slow PC, first thing that must in your mind is: too much applications running in the background. Do this: Restart your PC. If the problem still persists, try running CheckDisk and select all of the options available. How do you to that? This is the steps:

-Go to My Computer

-Right-click your HardDisk, then select properties.

-Select the Tools tab

-Select Check Now

-Select all check boxes available

-Select Start

The computer will ask you to restart. Restart your PC. After restarting, you will notice a blue screen, which tells you that CheckDisk will start. DO NOT press any key during this process; this will abort and continue to your login.

The CheckDisk process might take a few minutes. If your computer is still running slow after CheckDisk, try Defragmenting your Hard Drive. To do it:

-Go to Control Panel

-Select Administrative Tools

- Select Computer Management

-Select Disk Defragmenter

-Select your Hard Drive

-Click Defragment

The Process may take make minutes or so. If your computer is still running slow, maybe startup programs/services are numerous. Startup programs are programs that are configured to run at login. To disable some of the startup programs, I recommend visiting ehow.com or Googling it.

If all of the above processes could not help, try scanning your PC for Viruses or Spyware. I recommend McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for scanning. :)

Article Updates… et. al.

Thank you readers for feeding information via the comments section. I would like to note someone from Germany for providing information about the iPhone and  WM-powered phones.  Right now,  I can’t post some topics/articles that regard the latest tech events because of my laptop’s power supply in kaputt mode.   *Sigh*

31 days ’till Christmas, I just wish that my mom & dad has the enough funds to buy a HP Compaq nx6320 notebook as replacement for my kaputt-mode generic laptop OR kuya(big brother) Lowie could fix that damned powersupply. If my laptop gets fixed or replaced, I also wish that ninong(godfather) would give me installers (e.g. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars ; Solaris ; Ubuntu Linux ; Windows Vista Business) OR he  could send some of his Canadian dollars for me to upgrade it to 4 GB.

Well, that will be for now. I’m signing out.

Apple iPhone vs. Windows Mobile-powered phones

What’s better, an Apple iPhone or a Windows Mobile powered PDA? Well before we could jump to conclusion, we should check them via these qualifications:

-Combatibility to different computer platforms

-Multimedia

-Trendiness and stylishness

-Price

-Connectivity

-Software Flexibility (e.g. Installing software/games)

-Network Compatibility

-Data storage

Point one – compatibility to different computer platforms

The Apple iPhone could be accessed by any computer platform provided that you have necessary software to control/manage the device. It is detected as a flash drive on any platform. On Windows, iTunes controls the device, of course there are alternative software available on the internet that offers more/less functionalities. On Mac OS X, iTunes also control/manage the device. Maybe there are some alternatives also. However, on Linux, you must get other software such as gtkpod (maybe) to control/manange the device.

Windows Mobile-powered phones connectivity to computer platforms may depend on the manufacturer. I think Windows Mobile can be only accessed by Windows OS.

WINNER: Apple iPhone. It’s inter-compatibility may be one of it’s good features

Point two – Multimedia

The Apple iPhone has a built-in iPod which supports the popular media formats. The Music could be synched from your computer to the device. Photos and Videos are also synched. Same goes for your contacts. It has a loudspeaker also. It’s 2 Megapixel camera is enough for you to capture photos and videos with ease.

A Windows Mobile-powered phones supports some media formats and it is also a good video player. Depending on the brand, these devices may come or not with a camera and/or loudspeaker. Some brands that offer Windows Mobile-powered phones are offering a better camera quality than Apple iPhone 2MP camera.

WINNER: Tie. The phones support the popular media formats and it’s good cameras could make dispose your digicam.

Point three – Trendiness and Stylishness

Apple iPhone maybe the trendiest smartphone in the market today. It’s looks may even make some people drool over it (like me ). It is very stylish for the average style-concious people. I read somewhere that a man liked it’s looks and would not like to use it, for it not to get a scratch!

Windows Mobile-powered phones may or may not be stylish. The HTC Touch and LG’s newest smartphone(I forgot the model) can be stylish as the iPhone.

WINNER: Tie. Both the phones can be stylish as the other.

Point four – Price

The Apple iPhone is around 20K here in the Philippines or US$399. I still do not know what is the price of the iPhone in Europe since the price is not yet announced.

Depending on the brand a Windows Mobile-powered phone could be cheaper or more expensive than the iPhone

WINNER: Windows Mobile-powered phones. Although some are more expensive, some brands offfer their devices at a cheaper price than the iPhone

Point five – Connectivity

The Apple iPhone only have Bluetooth and WiFi (802.11b/g). Also, the lack Bluetooth device pairing maybe a deal braker. It is not compatible with enterprise-level secure networks and services (e.g. Blackberry, Windows Exchange Server). It is connected to a computer via USB.

Depending on the brand a Windows Mobile-powered phones may offer a wide range of connectivity options. Some have WiFi, Bluetooth (with pairing), and Infrared. It can be compatible with Blackberry provided that you have a software extention or software in your device. Connected to the computer via USB.

WINNER: Windows Mobile-powered phones. Their wide range of connectivity options is an edge over the iPhone

Point six – software flexibility

The Apple iPhone is a closed-platform (i.e. Software installation is not allowed) device. Applications are only available via the Safari Web Browser.

Software and/or games can be installed on the Windows Mobile-powered phones.

WINNER: Windows Mobile-powered phones.

Point seven – network compatibility

The Apple iPhone is only compatible on all GSM networks, provided that you unlocked it. Yes, it does not support 3G.

A Windows Mobile-powered phone could be compatible to 3G networks and does not need cracking for it to be compatible to all networks.

WINNER: Windows Mobile-powered phones.

Point eight – Data storage

The Apple iPhone has an 8 GB storage. It cannot be expanded

A Windows Mobile-powered phone’s capacity data storage may depend on the manufacturer. Generally, the data storage could be expanded on major brands.

WINNER: Tie.

OVERALL WINNER: WINDOWS MOBILE-POWERED PHONES [4-6 (iPhone-Windows Mobile)]

A Software showdown

Windows. Mac OS X. Linux. Solaris. For geeks (like me) these have something in common — they are operating systems and for those who are just laymen, either Windows and/or Mac OS X is familiar to you. First, Windows and Mac OS X are catergorized as Proprietary Software. Whilst Linux and Solaris is categorized as Open Source Software. Microsoft Office. OpenOffice.org. StarOffice. IBM Lotus. These are Office Productivity Software. OpenOffice.org and StarOffice are Open Source Softwares. Whilst, MS Office and IBM Lotus are Proprietary Softwares. If you are talking about the latest beta (btw, Beta is a prerelease software Alpha is also a prerelease software), Lotus Symphony, Lotus Symphony maybe considered an Open Source Software because it is now based on the source code of OpenOffice.org. The classification of software depends on the EULA’s (EULA stands for End-User License Agreement) content. According to Wikipedia.org Open source software is computer software which source code is available under a license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open source definition. This permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form. It is often developed in a public, collaborative manner. Open Source software is the most prominent example of open source development and often compared to user generated content. According also to Wikipedia.org Proprietary software (also called non-free software or closed-source software) is software with restrictions on using, copying and modifying as enforced by the proprietor. Restrictions on use, modification and copying are sought by either legal or technical means and sometimes both. Technical means include releasing machine-readable binaries to users and withholding the human-readable source code. Legal means can involve software licensing, copyright, and patent law.

So what software shall I use, you ask? It depends to YOU and to the software itself. How do you use the software? Do you prefer a simplified interface or a complex interface? Does the company/group offer good support for the software? Do the software you use run on the OS? Do you have enough cash for you to buy the software, if applicable. Before you choose an open source software, I suggest that you do any/all of the following

(1)Try them at a computer

(2)Ask users of the aplication/s

(3) Consult the internet

(4)Google it.

Some Open Source software may have a poor UI and runs best on command line. For me Ubuntu Linux, has a poor interface, I had a hard time using it’s UI, I only had better time using the command-line. Depending on the Linux distribution, Linux may or may not offer a good UI. Some distributions would still be able to run on a Pentium II Processor (If you happen to still have one! ). Solaris is a powerful software for software developers. It’s steep hardware requrements might be a deal braker for some people. My laptop does no even pass it’s requirements. Some of the deal-brakers in using Open Source Software are:

-Some Open Source Software does not support 100% of the games and hardware that supports Windows.

-UI is poor and first time users can’t use it because it is complex

-There is no UI

With regards to games, some Open Source Software could run games that are Windows-only by installing virtualization software. How do you that? Well, you simply need a Windows installer (either a physical copy or .ISO file). First, configure the virtual PC (Setting the RAM, Virual Hard Disk Capacity) then insert the installer disk or mount .ISO file and allow the virtual machine to ‘boot’ into the installer. It is like installing Windows in your Hard Disk. The advantage of this is you do not have to reboot your PC just to play your fave game.

Windows on the other hand have disadvantages also, depending on the version. Windows XP Professional has these disadvantages:

-It’s out-of-the box configuration is not secure enough (You need to tweak it).

-Tweaking and configuring it may require minutes or hours.

Personally, I do not recommend XP Home to users. Why? Because the configuration of XP Home is not secure (i.e. Viruses exploit the configurations to harm the data.). This will be the end for this article. I will discuss more about software in my incoming articles