Windows XP SP3: More than a simple Service Pack
It's here! No more false alarms. No more pre-beta/release candidate/pre-release nonsense. Microsoft has finally released the finished version of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to manufacturing, which means that we can finally write about it in earnest.
Of course, we’ve been doing just that (writing about SP3 in earnest) for nearly six months now. In fact, we've spent so much time speculating and pontificating -- about its impact, how it would affect
The truth is that enterprise IT is fascinated with SP3. Here we have what can most generously be described as a mundane collection of bug fixes and minor enhancements (the traditional definition of a Windows Service Pack) essentially captivating the very audience that was supposed to have already moved on to Vista. I can only imagine the frustration inside
Well, the answer to that question is (thankfully) right now. You can grab SP3 from MSDN today, and public availability is expected in a week or so. As for what to expect from SP3, the laundry list remains unchanged from the myriad pre-releases: Network Access Protection (NAP); Black Hole Router detection; Wireless Access Protection (WAP) 2 support; new cryptographic APIs; and so on. (See my March 20 guide to the Windows XP SP3 and Vista SP1 service packs.)
One of the more controversial SP3 features -- a minor (roughly 10 percent) performance boost over XP SP2 -- seems to have survived the RTM process. My informal testing on a Core 2 Duo notebook (T7200, 2GB of RAM, 7,200-rpm hard drive) showed a little better than a 9 percent improvement when I updated the system from SP2 to SP3. Again, nothing earth shattering, but still a lot more compelling than the ghastly performance loss (roughly two times, hardware for hardware) of moving to
Note: All testing was conducted using Office 2003 and the Office Bench test script, which is part of the DMS Clarity Studio solution from Devil Mountain Software.
Chances are if you're reading this you've already experimented with the pre-release builds of XP SP3. In a way, SP3 has come to symbolize the fight to preserve Windows XP availability. What would the Save XP campaign be without the promise of a potential longevity booster just around the corner?
The bottom line: Windows XP isn't dead yet. And as IT continues to voice its opinion, both through campaigns like Save XP and Web traffic to articles such as this one, Microsoft is finally beginning to take notice. It's about time.
Apple Boot Camp Updates Windows XP, Vista
Apple Inc has released Boot Camp version 2.1.1 which fixes bugs and improves compatibility and is primarily released to support the upcoming Windows XP Service Pack 3.
The company said the update was released in three variants to support Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit.
Apple Boot Camp allows Intel-chipped Macs to run Microsoft Windows. The software is integrated into the Leopard operating system, the latest Mac OS, and is available as a free download.
Apple, it’s a highly recommended update, especially if Boot Camp users are planning to download Windows XP Service Pack 3 that's likely to be made available for download next week.
News of Boot Camp's update follows the recent announcement that Parallels Desktop for Mac has sold its millionth copy. Parallels 3.0 also enable Apple owners to run Windows on a Mac with the advantage of swift switching between the two.
Meanwhile, VMware has released an update to its Mac-based Fusion virtualization application, with full support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions. The Fusion 1.1.2 update also includes a number of bug fixes as well as improved support for the Mac Book Air, solving a few significant issues Fusion had with the Air's virtual disc and its Super drive.
Do you Love or Hate Vista
I'm asking because, well, analysts are asking. They're wondering why Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) operating-systems division produced just $4.03 billion in first-quarter revenue, $300 million less than the consensus estimate, according to The New York Times. Gartner researchers might say it's because businesses have been slow to adopt
Word of the Day: Cacoepy
Pronunciation: [kæk-'o-ê-pee or 'kæk-o-e-pee]
Definition: Incorrect pronunciation.
Usage: Occasionally, we need words we have long since abandoned or that have abandoned us. We may be facing a period in our history now when we need to retrieve "cacoepy" from our lexical attic. "Cacoepy" is not to be confused with cacology "bad choice of words." The antonym of "cacoepy" is orthoepy "the correct pronunciation of words." "Cacoepistic" is the adjective form of today's word and a person who often mispronounces words is a "cacoepist."
Suggested Usage: We think that such a ten-dollar word (the legendary "fifty-cent word" adjusted for inflation) as today's ought to be reserved for those who consistently get it wrong. "The Cacoepist-In-Chief mispronounced word after word, even making up a few, leading one newspaper to ask 'Hain't English his Native Lingo?'"
Etymology: The first part of today's word comes from the Greek kakos "bad." The PIE root is kakka- "to defecate." Words like "poppycock" and "cacophony" have their origins in the same root. The second half, -epy, is from Greek: epos "song, word." Its PIE root is wekw-, which also turns up in "vocal," "voice," "invoke" and "vote."
Google Still The World’s No. 1 Brand
According to Millward Brown, that is, which puts Google at number one in its top 100 global brand list for the second time in a row? Millward Brown actually puts a price tag on a brand - an exercise in futility if you ask me - and claims that Google, the brand, is worth $86bn - 30% increase over last year's number.
The next four spots are held by General Electric, valued at $71.4bn, Microsoft at $70.89m, Coca-Cola at $58.2m and China Mobile at $57.2m. If this list sounds slightly strange to you, have in mind that Millward Brown takes into account the financial performance of the company; so it's not only the name that matters.
It's no wonder, then, that Google is doing so well - its financial performance has been fantastic, and the brand is everywhere. From my subjective point of view which is currently looking at a full inbox with 20% of news being Google-related, I'd say that Millward Brown is right on this one.
One name that has done exceedingly well on both fronts, though, is Apple, which skyrocketed into the seventh place with a huge 123% increase in brand value, which is now worth $55.2m. One more year of Steve Jobs' magic, and a good update to the iPhone, and they might be sitting in the second place next year.
Problem with Latest Gmail Version
Google has always being industry leader by innovation. Gmail is one such innovation done by them few years back. Since then Gmail has evolved through different versions. But there has never been any problem what exists in latest version.
Since the new version of Gmail, I was having issues when downloading attachments. The Gmail tab would go blank. The only way to get back to Gmail was to close the tab and open Gmail again. Reloading was not helping.
Solution:
My problem was because of the add-on “Tab Mix Plus”
- Open Tab Mix Plus options
- Links tab
- Click on “edit” in regard to “Prevent blank tabs when downloading files”
- Remove from the list the lines /disp=attd&view=att/ and /view=att&disp=attd/
Bike Made of Jute
Shift From Xp to Vista or Mac: Part 1
Many of us are bored seeing the looks of Windows XP (although
Note: These transformation packs could change the files in Windows, so read the instruction carefully before testing it.
1. Vista Transformation Pack: This is one of the most popular transformation packs; this converts the looks of XP to
2. Mac OSX Leopard Transformation Pack: I have already written about this pack. This pack turns your Windows to Mac OSX.
3. Ultimate Linux Transformation Pack for XP: This pack turns your XP into Linux. This pack has different custom styles to have different looks, Ubuntu, KDE etc.
100 films on mobile phone by 201
A Trip to Gokarna Mahabaleshwar!
Gokarna is a well developed tourist spot due to the fame of the temple and the attached OM beach.
The beach is named so as it forms the shape of OM, the most sacred word in Hindu religion. With number of resorts and lodges present one can face no problems of accommodation and fooding.
I left for Gokarna on my bike. It was around a 280 kms drive from Belgaum but the highway is safe and not crowded except the part after Haliyal from where you can face fierce truck traffic because of the manganese mining. Otherwise the whole route is safe and with no bad roads. The same highway links Bangalore and Hubli to Gokarna. There are plenty of highway restaurants where one can freshen up, have food and take rest.
It was a 6 hours drive to Gokarna from Belgaum. I reached at around 4 in the evening. Out of the number of hotels present, the Hotel Gokarna International which was just at the entrance well suited my needs and pocket. For one day I was charged around 350 bucks for a single room.
After a short halt at the hotel for getting freshen up I left for the temple which was just a kilometer away. I reached their quiet early. The temple visiting time starts at around 5 in the evening. The priests well greeted me as I was one of their customers. The rituals performed are costly. I spent around 500 rupees to do the abhishek of the Shiv ling which was not even visible. It is said that it regains its structure after every 28 years and the last time it was seen was in 1983 when the place was visited by many. Anyways the whole temple had a very pious atmosphere and one can feel the presence of god there so I never repented on spending money to feel the closeness with god.
After performing the rituals and hearing the fables and stories attached with the formation of the temple, which claim that the ling present was actually give to Ravana, the demon god by lord Shiva himself and how lord Ganesha bluffed him while he was carrying the holy "atma ling" to his palace in Lanka, I left for the Om beach which is just next to the temple. A very calm and serine environment where you can see a lot of tourists from outside India dressed like lord Shiva trying to meditate with a Rudraksh Maala in their hands.
I stayed there till late evening and then I left for my hotel. There is a big market surrounding the temple where you can get many remembrances which will keep you updated with your experience of this wonderful place.
On the whole I feel that all the pain I took in reaching the holy Mahabaleshwar was worth taking. The best part in my visit was the glances I had of the foreign tourists dressed as Shiva and holding Shiva's destructive weapon "Trishul" in their hand. They did seem to be freaked out but probably that is the ways one can become a real devotee, by acquiring the simplest characters of the god you are in love with.
Dad Always get that Wrong
A father was very anxious to marry off his daughter so he wanted tried impress her first date. "Do you like to screw?" he asks.
"Huh?!" replied the surprised young man.
"My daughter, she loves to screw and she's very good at it. You and she should go screw." carefully explained the father.
Now very interested, the boy replied, "Yes, sir!" Minutes later the girl came down the stairs, kissed her father goodbye and the couple left.
After only a few minutes she reappeared, furious, dress torn, hair a mess and screamed, "Dammit, Daddy, get it right, it's the TWIST!"
Fractal Art
TurtleFasinating Creature
Turtles are fascinating creatures of the sea that resemble tortoises and are excellent swimmers. Their soft bodies are protected with a heard shell and they have highly developed flippers that help them swim in strong ocean currents. Turtles are known to be one of the oldest reptile groups inhabiting the earth, with the earliest turtles dating back almost 215 million years. There are around 300 species alive in the present day world and many of them are included in the endangered species list. Today, many people prefer to keep turtles as exotic pets and rigorous conservation programs are going on around the world to protect this fascinating creature. Check out some really interesting facts on turtles given below.
Interesting and Amazing Information on Turtles
- It has been more than 200 million years since turtles have inhabited this earth. They were the first ones to have evolved much before different species of crocodiles, mammals, birds, snakes and even lizards!
- The very first turtles had teeth and unlike the turtles of today, could not pull in their heads. Apart from this, the turtles we see today are very much the same as the earliest ones.
- Many species of turtles can live upto a 100 years, including the American Box Turtle. In an amazing documentation of an adult Indian Ocean Giant Tortoise, it was captured when it was around 50 years old and survived a staggering 152 more years in captivity!
- You can find turtles on almost all continents except
- Turtles come in a huge variety of sizes. The smallest one is the 4 inch Bog turtle and the largest one is the 1500 pound Leatherback turtle.
- The domed top part of the shell of a turtle is known as carapace and the underlying soft part is called plastron.
- The shell of a turtle itself is made up of almost 60 different bones, which are connected all together, making it hard and strong. The bony area of the shell is covered with plates known as scutes that are derived from the skin and offer strength and protection.
- Turtles are known to possess excellent eyesight and a keen sense of smell. Hearing and sense of touch are both good and in fact, the shell also contains nerve endings!
- Certain species of aquatic turtles can absorb oxygen through skin pores on the neck, which allows them to remain underwater for long durations. They also tend to hibernate under water due to this feature.
Nice Year plotted to tie up
Make GMail Prettier With This Kick Ass Skin
GMail is an essential tool for many web surfers, but its look is aging quick especially with Yahoo’s latest AJAXY offering. Why not spiff up your favorite email app with a really cool skin? All you need to do is in Firefox load the Stylish extension and visit the themes Userstyle page and click load.
Gmail’s anti-spam technology, its thread messages, and its general simplicity has made it quite simply the best webmail service around. But I think we can all agree - Google’s design team is either incredibly lazy or extremely concerned with making sure old people, and people still using Netscape can check their email. To be frank - it’s ugly and looks very outdated. Here is a Gmail design that I deem appropriate for a service of such quality. I am calling this project Gmail redesigned.
I am in the process of working on this style almost daily, so it’s highly recommended you update it often if you want to keep up with the latest features and improvements. Or wait until I make an announcement saying that all the major features are now working correctly. Gmail has over 1500 different styles and a very complicated structure. This style will take some time to finish.
In the future this style can be used by other designers who wish to develop custom themes for Gmail. This style can be very useful as all CSS values are carefully commented.
