Technology News

Other than a little wind and rain, the current threat of a hurricane has passed on by with little disruption to Delaware residents. Storm season is far from over, use the recent event to assess where you are in your technology disaster plan. Most folks think about insurance policies in the sense that they protect against the loss of physical property, such as your computer system. Have you thought about how to protect your most precious technology property, your data? All those files you have working on, documents, photos, graphics, you really can not afford to lose them. In our last...

With the hurricane season upon us, now is a good time to look at your technology disaster plan. Do you even have a technology disaster plan? This is the first article in a series on making your technology storm ready. Dealing with loss of power One of the first things to happen during most storms is the electricity goes out. If you are working on something during a power failure, your work may be lost. The investment in a good uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can prevent critical loss of data. The UPS typically will provide constant power to equipment during power fluctuations and for a...

As our children head back to school, technology in the classroom is one of many of the topics that parents will be discussing with teachers and administrators in the months ahead. Many agencies such as the Delaware Center For Educational Technology gather information and compile statistics on the number and use of computers in the classroom. The 2010 Technology Survey Results show a ratio of 2.6 students for every computer. The numbers alone do not necessarily tell the full story. Some would say that in a perfect scenario there would be a ratio of one student for every computer. There is an...

With cell phones for personal communication, and Twitter and Facebook for social networking, there would seem to be no reason for an ancient form of communications like CB Radio to still be alive and well. According to Erik Vamos, President of Eastern Shore Jeep Association (ESJA), "The most efficient way to communicate to a group of people while out on the trail is using a CB radio. If somebody gets stuck, breaks a part, is lost, or just wants to decide on a route to take the CB is used to pass along the information. Some off-road parks in the nation require a CB radio installed in...

In part three of this series on cell phone use we take a look at driving law changes regarding cell phone use. The recent death of celebrity surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan comes at a time when cell phone bans are making news. Dr. Ryan was killed in a one car accident when his Jeep Wrangler veered off Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Police are looking into whether text messaging played a role in the accident. A new Delaware law will prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving. Delaware will join with California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon,...

In part one of this series we discussed the tremendous growth in cell phone use in the past decade, and the many benefits of families with children using cell phones. Not everything about cell phone use is positive. Teachers and administrators tell a much different story, citing negative aspects of cell phones. One topic that has received much media attention is sexting, the distribution of sexually suggestive images through text. Pew Internet Research finds only 4% of teen cell phone owners reported that they have sent these types of messages of themselves, and 15% said they have received...

While mobile communications has given us great power, it has also caused our society great concern. With recent changes in school district's policies, and new cell phone usage laws for drivers starting soon, cell phones have been the topic of conversation by many Delaware residents in recent weeks. In part one of this series, we will discuss the current trends in cell phone use. In part two we will discuss cell phones in schools, and in part three we will discuss new laws regarding using hand held cell phones while driving. As far as school age kids and cell phones, the phone carriers...

There are many areas where telecommunications, and computers have parallels in their development. For instance, one of the first forms of using technology for social networking was with a phenomenon throughout the 1970's and early 1980's k...

An upcoming workshop sponsored by the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce focuses on the paperless office. If you really want to cut down on paper, the key is to start thinking information flow not a paper trail. Information is all those...

An upcoming workshop sponsored by the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce focuses on the paperless office. If you really want to cut down on paper, the key is to start thinking information flow not a paper trail. Information is all those scraps of paper you have reminding you to do things, all those note cards, file folders full of paper, telling you all about your customers and products. Are you old enough to remember when the office manager was the person who made sure you had enough of paper for the typewriter, and file folders to file the completed paperwork? In many cases are you now...

The recently released Apple Magic Trackpad is similar to the trackpad found on the current MacBook and MacBook Pro laptop models. Eighty percent larger than its MacBook cousins it connects via Bluetooth and runs on two AA batteries. For $69 the Tr...

The recently released Apple Magic Trackpad is similar to the trackpad found on the current MacBook and MacBook Pro laptop models. Eighty percent larger than its MacBook cousins it connects via Bluetooth and runs on two AA batteries. For $69 the Trackpad provides an alternative to the Magic Mouse that ships with Apple's desktop computers. According to the Apple web site it supports a full set of gestures, giving you a whole new way to control and interact with what’s on your screen. The origin of this technology can be traced to Apple’s acquisition of a small company called...

In an August 2010 press release, Wilmington, Delaware was one of a small handful of cities that according to Sprint, would be receiving 4G service. Wow, 4G is now available, so what exactly does that mean? 4G is simply an abbreviation f...

In an August 2010 press release, Wilmington, Delaware was one of a small handful of cities that according to Sprint, would be receiving 4G service. Wow, 4G is now available, so what exactly does that mean? 4G is simply an abbreviation for Fourth Generation, it is a term used to describe the next complete evolution in wireless communications. While the 4G network is a complete overhaul, or better yet, a complete replacement of the existing wireless communications systems, the measure of the system that will be used to compare it to older systems will be in the bandwidth, the amount of data...

As a small business owner or network systems administrator in your research of a new technology process or procedure you may come across a set of tools at your disposal known as Best Practices. What are Best Practices? Best practices in...

As a small business owner or network systems administrator in your research of a new technology process or procedure you may come across a set of tools at your disposal known as Best Practices. What are Best Practices? Best practices in technology are methods and techniques for implementing processes and procedures that have been proven effective through the experiences of others. In some cases a manufacturer or vendor may establish best practices for implementation of their product or service. Third party vendors or consultants may provide guidelines for the installation and maintenance of...

On a recent vacation day, I started looking for some old computer software I had stored away, and the day turned into a house cleaning day. Threw out a bunch of home mixed cassette tapes, old VHS tapes of recorded shows.  Even went through a box of floppy disks, found some pictures from an old digital camera that copied the pictures directly to floppy.  

Magnetic tape is a made of a thin magnetizable coating on plastic. It was the basis for many forms of audio, video and computer data storage. One of the biggest downsides to tape, other than finding a device that can read it, is over the years magnetic tape can suffer from deterioration much quicker than the modern tools that replace it.  Tape is being replaced by a variety of tools that have much greater capacity and efficiency.

I started thinking about all that tape we don't use any more, the music tapes, videos, and floppy disks. I copied the photos from the floppies to a hard drive, and will back them up as well to other media.  As far as the cassette tapes and the videos,  the one of a kind personal stuff I saved, perhaps someday finding the time to transfer them to some other media, but the ones of popular albums and movies, hardly seem worth the effort to convert to digital.  I can buy the DVD's of the old TV shows, download those old tapes from Napster. I guess this is all progress?

Also makes me ponder, as I do the majority of my compositions in the computer version of notepad first, and then transfer them to an application, how I no longer use the physical version of a notepad.  As someone who loves to study the history and origins of technology, and society, I think about all the historic documents, the scraps of paper that have such historic significance.  Letters from presidents to their wives sent from war zones, letters between political allies and adversaries, are now a thing of days gone by.  Kind of sad, we won't have these scraps of paper anymore to look at in our museums.  

There is so much history, not only in the words, but in the handwriting as well.  Somehow the transcripts of a text message just doesn't feel the same.

Long before Twitter and Facebook, we had the CB!

There are many areas where telecommunications, and computers have parallels in their development.  For instance, one of the first forms of using technology for social networking was with a phenomenon throughout the 1970s and early 1980s known as CB radio.

CB radio, formally known as Citizens' Band radio, is a system of short distance radio communications between individuals.  The Citizens' Band radio service began in 1945 in the United States as one of several personal radio services regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.

While some folks may say the CB radio became less popular due to development of mobile phones, the CB radio was not used for personal one to one communications, as much as it was used as the information sharing and social networking tool at the time. 

Truck drivers and motorists used CB radio to locate gas stations during the fuel shortages and rationing of the early 1970's, and to share information on police speed trap.  Movies, television, and songs established CB radio as a cultural phenomenon during the 1970's.

Similar to chat rooms that came later, the CB allowed people to have conversations in a more or less anonymous manner.  Originally, CB required a license and the use of a call sign, but most people ignored this requirement and used made up nicknames known as handles. In fact CompuServe CB Simulator was the first online chat service in the 1980's and it based on CB radio so people would understand the concept.

The invention of the hashtag in Twitter allows people to follow conversations on common topics, and in a more or less anonymous manner jump in and comment on these conversations using made up nicknames. Sounds familiar.

A reoccurring theme in my Smart Technology web site is integrating many old school ideas with modern technology.  Last weekend, after resisting the Twitter phenomenon for as long as I have, I cautiously jumped on the Twitter bandwagon.

For weeks now, as I make my morning commute to work, I have been thinking, Twitter is the new CB radio.  Tonight I did an internet search on CB radio and Twitter. Seems that I am not the only person who remembers CB radio, and see the comparisons to Twitter.

There were numerous reasons why CB radio became less popular. Of course, with any technology, there is always something new and better that comes along. But during the peak of the fad, as I was there in the midst of it, the noise factor was not always due to the technology, but so many people acting like idiots drowning out the conversations of folks just trying to engage in social networking.  Will history repeat itself?

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.  -- George Santayana

Long before Twitter and Facebook, we had the CB!

There are many areas where telecommunications, and computers have parallels in their development.  For instance, one of the first forms of using technology for social networking was with a phenomenon throughout the 1970s and early 1980s known as CB radio.

CB radio, formally known as Citizens' Band radio, is a system of short distance radio communications between individuals.  The Citizens' Band radio service began in 1945 in the United States as one of several personal radio services regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.

While some folks may say the CB radio became less popular due to development of mobile phones, the CB radio was not used for personal one to one communications, as much as it was used as the information sharing and social networking tool at the time. 

Truck drivers and motorists used CB radio to locate gas stations during the fuel shortages and rationing of the early 1970's, and to share information on police speed trap.  Movies, television, and songs established CB radio as a cultural phenomenon during the 1970's.

Similar to chat rooms that came later, the CB allowed people to have conversations in a more or less anonymous manner.  Originally, CB required a license and the use of a call sign, but most people ignored this requirement and used made up nicknames known as handles. In fact CompuServe CB Simulator was the first online chat service in the 1980's and it based on CB radio so people would understand the concept.

The invention of the hashtag in Twitter allows people to follow conversations on common topics, and in a more or less anonymous manner jump in and comment on these conversations using made up nicknames. Sounds familiar.

A reoccurring theme in my Smart Technology web site is integrating many old school ideas with modern technology.  Last weekend, after resisting the Twitter phenomenon for as long as I have, I cautiously jumped on the Twitter bandwagon.

For weeks now, as I make my morning commute to work, I have been thinking, Twitter Is the new CB radio.  Tonight I did an internet search on CB radio and Twitter. Seems that I am not the only person who remembers CB radio, and see the comparisons to Twitter.

There were numerous reasons why CB radio became less popular. Of course, with any technology, there is always something new and better that comes along. But during the peak of the fad, as I was there in the midst of it, the noise factor was not always due to the technology, but so many people acting like idiots drowning out the conversations of folks just trying to engage in social networking.  Will history repeat itself?

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.  -- George Santayana

So the question was asked of me, why is this blog not using WordPress blog script.  From a web development point of view that is a logical question.  I have standardized for now on using Drupal as the software of choice for my websites being built as content management systems.  This topic will be discussed in more detail at the SmartTechnology web site. 

If Drupal is chosen because it is the upcoming leader of content management systems, and has a well developed community, did I apply that same methodology to using Serendipity, the script being used here, as my blog software. The answer to that, is yes.  WordPress is well known, and well built, and has a good community, so why Serendipity?  As far as functionality WordPress is just a bit more than a blog, but not quite a full blown content management system.  Serendipity stacks up well as a basic bogging tool, and is one of the quickest to set up, and easiest to get up and running scripts I have ever used.  Literally within minutes I can set up a blog using Serendipity.  While the theme selection may not be quite as vast as WordPress, if the goal is simply a blog, there are plenty of nice themes to find, and with little tweaking of the style sheets, as I have here, you can match the blog to the color scheme of your others sites, or to match you liking.

I do give some thought from time to time about converting this blog to WordPress, just so from a development point of view I can say I work in WordPress, but for now that is not enough reason to change.  And quite frankly, this blog is a good example of something else other than WordPress, and for a average webmaster just looking to install something to have a blog, and learn a little bit about PHP and Style Sheets, I find it a very nice script for that.

Hope this helps to clarify that question.  If you want more information on Serendipity, check out the link to sy9 at the bottom of this page.

Happy Computing!