Shell Games - Windows Powershell and Bash

"Microsoft’s new PowerShell relies on .NET framework libraries and thus has access to a treasure trove of functions and objects. How does PowerShell measure up to traditional shells like Bash?"

http://linux-magazine.com/issues/2007/78/shell_games/(kategorie)/0

Institutional Social Networks

'Newspace - a social networking site for new students' which describes 'a social networking site for new students at the University, http://newstudents.newport.ac.uk.'

http://blogs.open.ac.uk/Maths/ajh59/014991.html

Cow farts collected in plastic tank for global warming study

"Experts said the slow digestive system of cows makes them a key producer of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that gets far less public attention than carbon dioxide.

In a bid to understand the impact of the wind produced by cows on global warming, scientists collected gas from their stomachs in plastic tanks attached to their backs."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2274995/Cow-farts-collected-in-plastic-tank-for-global-warming-study.html

Firefox Universal Uploader (fireuploader)

"As the name says, this firefox extension allows you to upload/download files from any website using a friendly interface. Upload files/photos/videos to Flickr, Picasa, Youtube, Box.net(1GB of free space), Facebook, Webshots, OmniDrive, SME Storage and Google Docs in this version."

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4724

Ficlets

"A ficlet is a short story that enables you to collaborate with the world.

Once you’ve written and shared your ficlet, any other user can pick up the narrative thread by adding a prequel or sequel. In this manner, you may know where the story begins, but you’ll never guess where (or even if!) it ends."

http://ficlets.com/

Red Dwarf - Arnold Rimmer Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b35O8O_5ZM

Lose Your Wikipedia Crutch: 100 Places to Go for Good Answers Online

"While Wikipedia isn’t likely to lose its status as the first place people look for quick answers anytime soon, there are loads of other sites out there that can provide you with information, some of which may even be better and more accurate. Whether you’re researching for a paper or just settling a bet with a friend, here are 100 places you can find all the answers you need quickly and easily online."

http://www.distancedegrees.com/2008/lose-your-wikipedia-crutch-100-places-to-go-for-good-answers-online/

Cut down on Linux command-line typing with these 10 handy bash aliases

"An alias is basically a shortcut for a command you place in your ~/.bashrc file. Aliases cut down on typing and can save you from having to look up a command. (If your memory is like mine, this can be a real boon!)

Aliases are set up near the bottom of the of the .bashrc file. You’ll see a commented-out section that indicates where you should put them. The format of an alias is:

Alias NICKNAME='full command here'"

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=352&tag=rbxccnbtr1

SpiderOak Online Backup

"Picture a world where all the documents, photos, songs, and/or movies on your various computers or external drives will never be lost again... Welcome to SpiderOak. We understand how frustrating the permanent loss of valuable data can be. As such, let SpiderOak revolutionize the way you manage your digital life - providing a secure, automated, and easy-to-use approach to backup, store, access, and share."



https://spideroak.com/



Review:



"First, they offer GPLv3 code that they’ve developed for use with SpiderOak, to the general public. Any company with a “giving back” attitude like that, gets a big thumbs up in my book. Second - they offer a free 2GB of storage. Similar to other services yes, but there are some that don’t have any free storage, rather a “trial period”. So if you only want to backup 2GB worth of files using SpiderOak, you’ll never have to pay. Third - they are actually cross platform. Not just Mac and Windows cross platform, but Mac, Windows and Linux (Ubuntu/Debain)."



http://www.backupreview.info/2008/07/11/review-spider-oak-online-backup/

Find is a beautiful tool

"Effective use of tools like find very often make the difference between an average programmer and one that is 10x more effective (actual multiples up for debate)."

http://eriwen.com/productivity/find-is-a-beautiful-tool/

Do Roads Pay for Themselves?

"no road pays for itself in gas taxes and fees. For example, in Houston, the 15 miles of SH 99 from I-10 to US 290 will cost $1 billion to build and maintain over its lifetime, while only generating $162 million in gas taxes. That gives a tax gap ratio of .16, which means that the real gas tax rate people would need to pay on this segment of road to completely pay for it would be $2.22 per gallon."

http://www.keeptexasmoving.com/index.php/news/Do_Roads_Pay_for_Themselves%3F

Microsoft Pledges Windows XP Support Through 2014

"In an unprecedented move, Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) has committed to providing support services for its soon to be retired Windows XP through 2014 -- a full 13 years after the operating system was originally released.

In a letter sent to customers this week, Microsoft senior VP Bill Veghte said the software maker will provide security patches "and other critical updates" for Windows XP until April, 2014.

"Our ongoing support for Windows XP is the result of our recognition that people keep their Windows-based PCs for many years," Veghte wrote. "

http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208800494

UK varsity apologises to China for honouring Dalai Lama | Meyul: in Exile

"The London Metropolitan University had awarded the degree to the Tibetan leader in May in recognition of his “outstanding achievements in promoting peace globally, as well as for his inspirational spiritual guidance and leadership”."

http://www.meyul.com/news/uk-varsity-apologises-to-china-for-honouring-dalai-lama/

Microsoft denies XP a last-minute reprieve

"June 24, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. yesterday laid to rest rumors that it might reconsider pulling Windows XP from retail shelves and from most PC makers next Monday.

In a letter to customers, Bill Veghte, the senior vice president who leads Microsoft's online and Windows business groups, reiterated that June 30 would be the deadline when Microsoft halts shipments of boxed copies to retailers and stops licensing the operating system directly to major computer manufacturers, or OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). "

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9102879

100 Useful Web Tools for Writers

"All kinds of writers, including poets, biographers, journalists, biz tech writers, bloggers and technical writers, take a unique approach to their jobs, mixing creativity with sustainability. Whether you’re a freelance writer just scraping by or someone with a solid job and more regular hours, the Internet can provide you with unending support for your practical duties like billing, scheduling appointments, and of course getting paid; as well as for your more creative pursuits, like developing a plot, finding inspiration and playing around with words. Turn to this list for 100 useful Web tools that will help you with your career, your sanity and your creativity whenever your write."


http://www.collegedegrees.com/blog/2008/06/11/100-useful-web-tools-for-writers/

Firm’s collapse ‘won’t stop tallest building’

"Cardiff's promised “New York skyline” will not be derailed by the collapse of one of its major backers, the project’s boss has pledged."

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/07/10/firm-s-collapse-won-t-stop-tallest-building-91466-21315721/

alternatively

“As far as Cardiff Bay is concerned I have believed for some time that there has been an over-provision of flats.

“What we need to see is decent family homes, not a 35-storey slab.”

For those "oops" moments: ext3undel

"The rm command can be a powerful tool for deleting data -- until you delete the wrong files or directories. Thankfully, the ext3undel utility can recover accidently removed data on ext3 filesystems. Users can recover a specific file by name, or they can restore all files marked as deleted (though the filenames won't be recovers, so they will have to look at the contents of the files to identify them)."

http://www.linux.com/feature/141074


http://freshmeat.net/projects/ext3undel/

Visuwords

"Visuwords™ online graphical dictionary — Look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Produce diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Learn how words associate.



Enter words into the search box to look them up or double-click a node to expand the tree. Click and drag the background to pan around and use the mouse wheel to zoom. Hover over nodes to see the definition and click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections."



http://www.visuwords.com/

Freaky Creatures: A Unique Edge to Online Social Communities

"Online games and social networks are each thriving Web genres. Freaky Creatures (now in beta), an interactive gaming platform (and collectible toy line) from Abandon Interactive Entertainment and Alienware, offers some of both. In a rather Spore-like touch, you can create your own creature, which serves as your avatar, choose your powers, and mingle or do battle with thousands of other players. "

http://www.appscout.com/2008/06/freaky_creatures_a_unique_edge.php

Planners back cow dung power plan

"A farmer has been granted planning permission for a generator to turn cow dung into enough energy for 130 homes."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7471295.stm

Creating your own order to sort with: leaving alphanumeric in the dust

"Existing sort orders are things like Monday Tuesday Wednesday (the right order, which is not alphabetical). But let's say you've got things you want in a certain logical but non-alphabetical order that aren't already set up in OpenOffice.org: titles of books or people, procedures done in a certain order, or your own abbreviations for the days of the week. You can create sort orders for those very easily so you can sort by them."

http://openoffice.blogs.com/openoffice/2008/06/creating-your-o.html

Google Map Maker

"Google Maps doesn't have street-level maps or information about local businesses for many countries. To make the service more useful in countries like Cyprus, Vietnam, Iceland, Pakistan and the Caribbean islands, Google launched Map Maker, a way to add or edit features, such as roads, businesses, parks, schools, and place them on a map. After submitting the information, it will be available at the Map Maker sites for other users to edit it and you could expect to see it live in Google Maps when Google decides there's enough information."

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/06/google-map-maker.html

City’s employers endorse commuting by bike

"Employers in Cardiff are recommending that their staff commute by bike to improve health and productivity and to beat the rising cost of motoring. Cycle Training Wales is a new social enterprise set up to provide exactly the services required to encourage staff to switch to two wheels."

http://www.cyclecardiff.org.uk/?p=137

New high-speed rail services ‘could spell end of UK air travel’

"NEW high-speed trains similar to those on French and Japanese networks could spell the end for domestic flights in Britain, a top Welsh transport expert has warned.

Professor Stuart Cole was speaking after it emerged that Network Rail is considering introducing “bullet-style” trains between London and Cardiff, one of five new high-speed routes designed to help Britain cope with its overburdened rail system."

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/06/24/new-high-speed-rail-services-could-spell-end-of-uk-air-travel-91466-21139275/