Töre Çağrı Uyar » Nerd

Linux Live USB Creator

Töre — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:01:17 +0000

I found a very handful software about making live USB linux systems. Personally I create USB based linux system with virtualization softwares like VirtualBox so I can use it like I do on my own computer; I mean the storage will be full persistent and I will be able to install softwares or save my account settings. But of course this is totally another story and is not the case all the time. Lots of you probably want to try linux without changing anything in your computer. With this software you can do it with your USB thumb drive. There is also a portable version of VirtualBox on site so you can run linux directly on your Windows without restarting by using the virtualization technologies. And here it is, Linux Lice USB Creator.

Linux Live USB Creator

Windows Virtual PC

Töre — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:03:06 +0000

I just able to get my hands on Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7. Can’t say Windows XP Mode is awesome but it works and it works better then any alternative on the market. Another free tool can be used to replace Windows Virtual PC is VirtualBox but of course VirtualBox can’t give you the slick usage Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode installed. There is support for USB devices in native form so even if your device is not recognized by Windows 7 you can still use that device on Windows XP Mode. XP performance on Windows XP Mode is good, it is pretty much as fast as you can get by other virtualization software on the market. Also installed programs on Windows XP Mode appears on Windows 7 start menu so you can have a seamless integration for your old software. For newbies I recommend using Windows XP Mode as last solution because it will slow down both problematic running software and the entire system as a result of virtualization.

By the way maybe one of the most important things I observed while playing with Windows Virtual PC is it’s problems with linux. Do not try to install linux on Windows Virtual PC. I have tried installing Ubuntu, although live CD and installation worked fine i couldn’t started the installed system. I didn’t check the manuals about this (or the help files as Microsoft calls them) but what i was expecting is to at least seeing buggy working linux. On this phase you have great alternatives on market like VirtualBox which supports Windows and Linux OS as guest and host.

Update: Recently installed Windows XP on VirtualBox and when it comes to performance VirtualBox is far more better than any other alternative, again.

YouTube Music Discovery Project and Playlist Creation Tool

Töre — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:36:52 +0000

YouTube Disco is YouTube’s new toy, where you can search for a song or artist and start listening right away. Service also includes videos and it’s free.

Google as an ISP?

Töre — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:18:32 +0000

Where we have lost the line? Do not get me wrong I’m really a fun of Google’s works and services. I like their business approach and customer satisfaction policy. They are giving best free online mail service with POP3 and IMAP support. Nearly all of their services are free. But they started with a search engine. Then they added social web services. Bought every major company on their way like YouTube. Created a mobile phone product. Working on their own OS, GoogleOS. Started serving public DNS service. Trying to change e-mail system with their own way, Google Wave. Lots of products Google has created could be observed easily very successful and harmless if they are not considered with a wide angle of view. Now Google is preparing to enter ISP business. You got the big picture? Another monopoly firm that takes control of every communication technology. Their policy as now is nothing like that. They do their business and earn money from their advertisement systems and their services. But with this much control power and that much income it will be only a matter of time for them to turn Dark Side. I hope they will continue to extend their portfolio, because they are really good in this business and they give more service to customer much more cheaper. For now on IT sector no other firm is better than Google, even there is much more evil firms trying to earn money by doing nothing.

Only solution for avoiding a company to take control over electronic communication systems is simple, using and forcing open standards. On the wave started with Mozilla Firefox we have been able to come these days; where web is not restricted to one specific browser or OS and free for everyone. Support open standards like Google do and use them. Only this way companies like Google will continue to preserve their quality of service and Internet will be free as in freedom and free as in beer.