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We Recommend
Give Firefox a try, I bet you'll like it!
If you are using Internet Explorer, you probably noticed the large banner at the top of the page. (If you're not using IE, you won't see the banner - but don't worry, your not missing out on anything. You've already discovered how wonderful surfing the web can be once you switch to a non-IE based browser.) I would like to take this time to suggest giving Firefox a try. Maybe you tried Firefox in its pre 1.0 days and weren't happy with it. A lot has changed from Firefox's early versions, and it is quicker and more stable than ever. If you have never used firefox before, then their is a whole new world of web browsing for you to explore.In fact, every person I have had try Firefox has loved it, from my boss to my parents (and in-laws-to-be) and to the 25 users at my office that I just migrated to Firefox yesterday because one of our software vendors decided to stop supporting/requiring IE because of its erratic support of web standards because it kept breaking their product. Every single user loved Firefox after only a few minutes of loving it (and this is a userbase that is incredibly resistant to change). They especially loved the productivity gain they got from Firefox's tabbed browsing.
Firefox can be whatever type of browser you want it to be. If you want a lean and fast browser, just the basic Firefox install will fit you fine. You still get some of the fastest/best rendering around, pop-up blocking, and a resistance to spyware and viruses that Internet Explorer could only wish to offer. But, if Firefox's basic features aren't enough, you can always add extensions and build the browser of your dreams. Want to block ads on the web. Try Adblock. Want to easily add items to you Del.icio.us bookmarks. There is an extension for that too. There is even an extension that will let you use IE to load any page that will not load in Firefox, inside of Firefox! (Though, I recommend also emailing and asking the site to support Firefox. If enough users request it, then most sites will change to accommodate their userbase and you will be able to kiss IE good bye.) If you are a web developer, then give the Web Developer Toolbar a try. All in all there are well over 1,000 different extensions to choose from. (A word of warning, the more extensions you add the larger Firefox's memory footprint will become and you may experience reduced performance from the browser - you can always easily remove extensions though, if the loss of proformance is unacceptable to you, so feel free to experiment.)
So give Firefox a try for just one week, and I bet that you will be changing your default browser.
Firefox's Official Home Page
A Library of Firefox Extensions and Themes
Technorati Tags: web browsers Firefox Internet Explorer
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ShadowsXtatix 1 Gb Freephone FM Mp3 headphones
This is an update to Xtatix previous Freephone model that bumps up its storage to 1 Gb and adds an FM tuner. This is a great product for joggers or the gym going set that do not want to have to carry an mp3 player and a set of headphones during their workout (also it eliminates the need to have wires dangling all over the place... but you probably figured that out already). The guys at Engadget gave the Freephone FM's predecessor a tryout a while back and they loved it, especially while jogging.Xtatix XFMF-1GSIL Freefone 1GB Silver MP3 Player with FM Tuner
[via Engadget]
Technorati Tags: gadgets mp3 player music portable audio headphones
The Geek Syndrome: mild autism prevalent among the tech set?
I came across a very interesting post on Digg this morning . It dealt with Asperger's Syndrome and its apparent prevalence among the tech set.
Asperger's is a mental disorder in the same family as autism. In fact, it is closely so closely related to autism that until very recently, Asperger's Syndrome did not even have its own diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Instead, sharing the diagnostic criteria with autism only appearing in a foot note as a diagnosis for a person with all the criteria for autism except any cognitive disability (other than developmental problems with social skills). People with Asperger's are otherwise intelligent (often times having above average IQs) capable persons who suffer from problems with social skills and have a tendency toward very narrowly defined (and more often than not, highly technical) interests that border on obsession.
The computer industry (especially the programming end) is coincidently well suited to people with Asperger's Syndrome since many jobs require little social contact and often embrace eccentricity (which Asperger's may appear to be). The industry is the focus of several studies that aim to determine if this draw is the cause of the boom in autism and Asperger's diagnoses among children of the tech set. Scientists hypothesize that because the computer industry is a haven for people with Asperger's and also attracts people with a preference toward systematic professions (who have a high chance of carrying a genetic predisposition towards autism), people are meeting like minded individuals and having children. Which is resulting in the current boom in the number of diagnosed cases of autism and Asperger's among the children of Silicon Valley.
Wired also has a great article on the subject as well as a simple screening test to see if you may have some of the traits of Asperger's Syndrome. The test asks you a series of questions and then gives you a score. The average score of a "normal" person is around 16, people who score 32 and above have a possibility of having Asperger's, though diagnosis by a professional is required to actually tell if you have Asperger's Syndrome.
Tech Fields A Haven For Some [via Digg]
The Geek Syndrome
Take The AQ Test [via Digg]
Technorati Tags: geek medicine psycology autism Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's is a mental disorder in the same family as autism. In fact, it is closely so closely related to autism that until very recently, Asperger's Syndrome did not even have its own diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Instead, sharing the diagnostic criteria with autism only appearing in a foot note as a diagnosis for a person with all the criteria for autism except any cognitive disability (other than developmental problems with social skills). People with Asperger's are otherwise intelligent (often times having above average IQs) capable persons who suffer from problems with social skills and have a tendency toward very narrowly defined (and more often than not, highly technical) interests that border on obsession.
The computer industry (especially the programming end) is coincidently well suited to people with Asperger's Syndrome since many jobs require little social contact and often embrace eccentricity (which Asperger's may appear to be). The industry is the focus of several studies that aim to determine if this draw is the cause of the boom in autism and Asperger's diagnoses among children of the tech set. Scientists hypothesize that because the computer industry is a haven for people with Asperger's and also attracts people with a preference toward systematic professions (who have a high chance of carrying a genetic predisposition towards autism), people are meeting like minded individuals and having children. Which is resulting in the current boom in the number of diagnosed cases of autism and Asperger's among the children of Silicon Valley.
Wired also has a great article on the subject as well as a simple screening test to see if you may have some of the traits of Asperger's Syndrome. The test asks you a series of questions and then gives you a score. The average score of a "normal" person is around 16, people who score 32 and above have a possibility of having Asperger's, though diagnosis by a professional is required to actually tell if you have Asperger's Syndrome.
Tech Fields A Haven For Some [via Digg]
The Geek Syndrome
Take The AQ Test [via Digg]
Technorati Tags: geek medicine psycology autism Asperger's Syndrome
Alternative fuels compared
Popular Mechanics (one of my favorite magazines since I was a little kid) has a great article comparing the different alternative fuels available. I don't know if its the hippie in me wanting to do something good for the environment, the fact that filling my car with gas causes a sharp pain in my wallet, or a combination of both, but I have a large interest in alternative fuels. The article seems extremely fair and balanced, looking at the pros and cons of each fuel type and comparing them both to each other and to gasoline. Biodiesel (my personal favorite and current dream DIY project) came out ahead in the short term outlook with fuel-cells looking like the best hope for the future. Read the article for the nitty gritty, it's an interesting read.
How far can you drive on a bushel of corn? [via Digg]
Technorati Tags: cars alternative fuel ethanol biodiesel fuel cells
How far can you drive on a bushel of corn? [via Digg]
Technorati Tags: cars alternative fuel ethanol biodiesel fuel cells
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