Windows Vista Revisited

So, a while back I mentioned that the dual boot configuration on my laptop was one of the signs of a war waging between Windows (Vista) and alternatives (currently Suse with KDE 3.5). Back then I wasn't impressed with a number of things, mainly:

• Suse: not all my hardware works straight away. An nvidia driver that didn't support my graphics card (too new) was automagically installed and caused by screen to wipe out as soon as X started. The touchpad doesn't work when I'm docked, with another mouse attached. The display problem was solved in the next update to Suse.
  
• Windows: Switching the dock on when windows is on (forgetting to plug it in) crashes windows to oblivion (blue screen of death). Linux happily keeps on running, telling me the adapter is now plugged in, activating my mouse and periferals.
• Suse: multiple screens and linux still don't play nicely together.
• Windows: Some multi display settings are now arcane to set; half of the options were grayed out in one place, but not in another.
• Windows: After upgrading my RAM it told me I needed to buy a licence for windows, as my hardware had changed. (I have a removable cdrom drive and docking station. Aparently this presents windows with too many hardware configurations and it decides to deactivate itself as a result).
• Windows: Whilst trying to copy a lab audio CD (no protected content); I'm sorry dave, I can't do that. Linux happily rips the cd to disk and asks me how many copies I want to burn. This is Vista's DRM at work.

The lost two points are basically a show-stopper for me. I do NOT have time to call Microsoft every time I undock my laptop and take out the CD-rom drive, or whatever triggered the deactivation. Nor am I amused by my computer telling me that I can do something, but doesn't want to. I actually like a lot of the features in KDE more than I do the features in Windows. I actually need more linux tools than I need windows tools. In short: Windows lost. I still have the dual-boot. It now runs XP for when I need to do a very few things for work (the license is also provided to me by my work). I'm thinking of moving that into a virtual environment and ditching the whole dual-boot.

There's a very in-depth story about why Vista DRM and related 'features' suck here: A cost analysis of Windows Vista content protection.

A Quick note on Cell press RSS feeds

The Cell RSS feeds recently went AWOL. There's no longer a link to them from the new journal pages, but if the URL of the journal homepage is changed from http://etcetcetc/home to http://etcetcetc/rss a page giving a link to the RSS feed is shown. Whether the RSS feeds will work remains to be seen; currently some feeds appear to be even older than old (now removed) feeds.

The Kodak EDAS 290 and WinXP

Just posting this as somehow I couldn't find the info anywhere else and kodak has deleted all support information:
The kodak EDAS290 imaging machine we use at the lab (with Kodak 1D software) was recently migrated to a new computer running Windows XP. Windows could see the camera, the camera works, but the software insists the camera is nowhere to be found. The problem and solution are as follows: the driver that windows XP automatically uses for the camera isn't supported by the 1D software. The driver files are located in the program files directory under 'common files' and then somewhere under 'kodak'. Telling windows to use the driver can be done by selecting 'update driver' under properties of the kodak camera (under 'imaging devices' in the hardware manager) and choosing 'I will select the driver to install' (or, look for driver and specify the location, fiddle around a bit under the directory mentioned above to find the exact location). Two drivers show up on our system: the one that has a name slightly different from the current name is the correct one (I think it has the word 'zoom' in the title). Installing the correct driver should cause a direct detection of the camera, and restores functionality of the software.

The short update

My thoughts on:

• US customs (entry) - I AM NOT A MEDICAL STUDENT!, other than that people are polite and efficient. Less questions asked than when leaving europe, just more often (4x, iso once).
• The US - Can I have an extra extra small please?
• US customs (exit) - So... where do I leave? Wait, I already left?
• That car commercial - It needs to look like a parking meter because otherwise people won't find it - it's supposed to look like one, you idiots! And why does the car you're selling look just like any other car?
• How to waste the next couple of minutes:
• Number watch, especially everything that gives you cancer, according to epidemiologists.
• The fines levied for the nipplegate incident were recently overturned. But fear not, not all black bar measures have been abolished: The BPA - Toe Jam (Music Vid).
  

Now why doesn't IKEA sell...

... tables like this interactive coffee table? Yours for only $2000 here (or, if you like soldering, the kit costs $400 here, excluding furniture).

A quick note to Phorm

Regarding your recent criticism of the FIPR (here), I would just like to add the following:

• Regardless of what the agenda of the FIPR is, they do have a point that the Home Office advice does not prove the legality of the system. Evasiveness in answering to legality concerns is doing more damage than the FIPR can ever do on its own.
  
• The fact that an organisation is legit, does not imply that all its activities are legal. The question whether something should be legal, is a separate question which is for the law makers to decide on.
  
• The way in which internet users are better served is not determined by you, the ISPs, or any commercial party. This is determined by the users themselves. These users have a right to be informed about matters that concern decisions in this regard. Independent foundations such as FIPR serve a crucial role to provide balanced information on such matters and, even more so, on the consequences of such matters. Furthermore, relevant information is currently not being provided in an adequate manner by you (and BT for that matter), supporting the need for an organisation that does not have a commercial goal driving their agenda.
• The FIPR does not wish to block technological process, it wishes to block technological process that has negative consequences or that has not sufficiently been tested. In the natural sciences and especially in the medical sciences there are many ethics and safety commissions that safeguard against implementation of technological processes that may be harmful or potentially unsafe. Though these consequences are often physical damage, damage to social values and structures, including privacy, are arguably of equal severity. In this regard the FIPR is not abusing its influence, it's merely doing what it should be doing.
  
• I have taken notice of your arguments for using your services and even without the FIPR's standpoint I am not convinced of why such services are desirable for me. I do find that many of my concerns are not addressed in your information, making it impossible to reach a valid informed choice about the service based on your information. In this regard the FIPR is doing just that which you claim it is standing in the way of doing: allowing me to reach a valid and informed choice.
  

Hoax of the week: Pope Goestheveezl

The old hoaxes/urban legends that were going around before the wide-spread use of e-mails occasionally resurface. This is one such example, which I quite like as it doesn't attempt to spread itself via fear, nor does it try to conn people out of their money. Hence a positive 'Hoax of the week' this time round. This version is a published one, to be found in the Armchair Anarchist's Handbook.

Pope Goestheveezl was the shortest reigning pope in the history of the Church, reigning for two hours and six minutes on 1 April 1866. The white smoke had hardly faded into the blue of the Vatican skies before it dawned on the assembled multitudes in St. Peter's Square that his name had hilarious possibilities. The crowds fell about, helpless with laughter, singing:

Half a pound of tuppenny rice
Half a pound of treacle
That's the way the chimney smokes
Pope Goestheveezl

More Microsoft annoyances...

Other than the fact that I can't install most of the crap programmes that came with Vista (like Windows Media Centre, which is mixes up my CDs, has the wrong resolution, refuses to play most of my files and is just too cumbersome to work with. Or Windows Movie Maker, which I've never used, even on XP) and it still lacks sensible programmes (like a good stand-alone document viewer, I mean, if you're going to shove XPS down my throat at least include the (downloadable) stand-alone viewer instead of an Internet Explorer add-in. On that matter, how hard can it be to include a decent web-browser that has even a hint of standards compatibility?) my newest annoyance is that windows update is pushing the spam filter update for Outlook 2007 at my system. Okay I do have Office 2007 (Enterprise, via the Uni) installed, but I expressly told it NOT to install Outlook. Which it didn't, so no complaints there. So why do I need more system bloating updates for a (memory hugging, system slowing) mail client that I didn't install? There's even a separate update for Windows Mail - which I would by the way want to get rid of. Does Microsoft really expect me to have two mail clients, that I both use? Why would I want to do that?

Linux 2, Microsoft 1 --- Time to catch up Microsoft, decision time is approaching fast!

Sins updated

The Vatican has announced that it is labelling more activities as deadly sins. (BBC coverage here). My personal favourite is, of course, 'genetic manipulation', as most biological research these days involves genetic manipulation of lab strains of bacteria (my field being no exception). An increasing amount of medicines is produced in GM bacterial strains, and the current path taken towards the so-called bio-fuels (whole different rant altogether) will rely on GM bacteria to achieve any viable efficiency whatsoever. Now that polluting is also a sin, this means that a prime attempt at solving this problem is cut off, because it would involve committing another sin. I do have to add, though, that the definition of what genetic manipulation is according to the Vatican differs: some sources specify humans, others don't. If pollution is a sin, eating meat may be more sinful than sticking to a vegetarian diet. Being able to own and use technology is a double offence: first of all you're too rich (also a new sin*) and second of all you're too polluting. Of course, I claim no coherency in this story whatsoever. To make this rant coherent, I would (and maybe even could) write a book. Nonetheless, if we add all these items up, the Vatican's ideal would be a situation where we go back to (more or less) medieval times, or what I'm trying to say: in the most strict interpretation this would directly warrant large changes in everybody's daily life. This ties in perfectly with the Vatican's disappointment in the fact that people do not go to confession often enough any more - there's the option of confessing your sins more often, or not sinning and going to medieval times, in either which case the power of the church will start to be restored to its former glory. Though I would nearly see that as the final hidden agenda. I wonder how many sins such a (hidden) desire would carry...
Of course, there's always a third option: people will leave the (already rapidly shrinking) church altogether and join a protestant church, or go their own way.
Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition!

*I wonder when the Vatican is going to hand out money, it seems they have plenty of cash to spare...

My faith in Microsoft is quashed, again.

So, I have a new laptop! (the old one decided to become a constipated hairdryer, I've taken it to bits and I now know just how poorly it was manufactured. This means that it is extremely unlikely that I will ever buy or recommend and Acer system, as only positive thing about the quality of the system is that it's still better than the quality of Acer support).
Windows vista home basic came pre-installed, and, out of curiosity I acquired a copy of a vista ultimate update cd bundled with office 2007 via my university. I'm also used to running linux on my machines, and the server I use at the university (which I also maintain) runs unix, so it's always going to be a battle between OSes on my machine. Windows had just scored major points (as it always does) for handling multiple monitors better than the competition, and lenovo (laptop manufacturer) had won points for integrating their (useful!) apps nicely with Vista, indirectly adding point to the windows score. Windows had lost point for not having a customisable install and taking 40Gb of diskspace, whilst linux took less than 6 whilst still having all the functionality that I need.
Then I changed my memory (from 2Gb to 4Gb), which windows 32 bit can't fully recognise, but the tools that really need it are linux-only anyway, so that's why there's double boot). No problems. Two weeks later this script plays out:

[Me]: Takes out the removable optical drive (It's an ultrabay drive, I can change it for a harddisk or extra battery (not that I have them), replugs it, and docks laptop to the docking station.
[Vista]: *DING* Windows has detected a hardware change and needs to be reactivated.
[Me]: WT*? Okay, I'll play along, "Activate Windows!" *clickety*...
[Vista]: ...*DING* This product key is already in use. You need another key to activate windows!
[Me]: WT*^2?
[Vista]: Click here to buy a new one!
[Me]: WT*^3!!!
[Vista]: Call the automated phone system to activate windows...
[Me]: Hmmm, maybe they have a 'press 9' for a real person if registration fails.
[Skype]: This is an invalid number. (The toll free number)
[Me]: WT*?, tries non-toll free number
[Product activation]: (Long story with lots of numbers as input)
[Me]: Plays along, hits next after entering whole lot of numbers.
[Vista]: Registration succesfull, have a nice day!
[Me]: WT*^27.5

So, is this going to happen each time that I take out the cd-rom drive or dock my laptop? You get 3 days to reactivate before windows locks you out, and I have the fealing that this method will only works once. Linux is really scoring points here on the basis that it is far more reliable and less prone to lock me out of my own system, and hasn't been throwing updates at me every day for two weeks now (It does when it needs to and clearly tells me why (unlike microsoft), though). According to microsoft, I only need to reactivate if I change my motherboard (in some cases) or my memory and harddisk at the same time. Neither of these occured, why did I need to reactivate?

MS source: Windows Vista Activation Hardware Change see the bit about "What hardware changes may require re-activation". I don't have time for this stuff, I'm supposed to be working as a PhD student...

Hoax of the week: RCAM / Joseph Chikelue Obi

Well, anyone can call themselves professor, "Eminent Black British Human Rights Crusader" and "Undisputed Doyen of Medical Politics", set up a dodgy organisation, ask for loads of cash and sue the hell out of anyone who openly critises them. Of course, after being banned from practising medicine after, amongst other things, failing to administer blood-thinners to an emergency patient suffering a heart attack, setting up your own society of alternative medicine is the way to go. When said organisation then shows up on a site called the quackometer (obvious function), of course you threaten to sue the ISP, which then takes the site down.
The above is true, it's no hoax (plenty of other blog entries and an overview here at the register), but in my personal opinion the RCAM deserve an entry as "Hoax of the week".