Day: June 9, 2005

Mac on Intel?

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I lot of folks are very excited about Apple announcing that they plan on moving to an Intel processor. Well, let’s put that into perspective! They also said that they are still a HARDWARE company! They have no plans to sell OS/X without a system. Don’t get the idea that you will be able to run OS/X on your beige box! However, what it will give Apple are much faster processors! Motorola has had a very hard time trying to play “gHz keep up” with Intel. Now, Apple can have MUCH faster boxes… and they still plan to sell those boxes. How long will it take until someone runs Windows on a Mac box? Not long… in fact, there was some talk of a “dual boot” environment. We’ll see. I don’t know that Apple would benefit from such a configuration. Now, how long will it take for an enterprising hacker to run OS/X on a “home built” Intel box? Not long! Then what? Well, Apple’s market share SHOULD go up… though it will be with them kicking and screaming! I don’t think they “get” true MASS marketing!

Geek Software EXTRA- Skype

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How often do you think about your telephone? Me too, not much. Telephones have become fairly ubiquitous. In fact, in technical (geek) circles the phone system is referred to as POTS (“Plain Old Telephone System”.) I kid you not! The new “buzz” in telephony is VoIP, or “Voice
over Internet Protocol”… Vonage is one company that is doing this in a big way… they are connecting people to the POTS system with an Internet (broadband) connection. But, WHAT IF you didn’t connect to POTS at all? What if you just created an ALL IP based phone system? And what if it was FREE? Imagine calling someone and talking to them over your computer and Internet connection, for as long as you wanted, anywhere in the world… for FREE! That is what Skype is. My Geek Software EXTRA this week is Skype. You simply download the software (they have a client for Windows, Mac and Linux), install it, and then talk over your computer (it is best to get a headset with headphones and “boom” microphone for about $40.00) to any other Skype user for free! Plus, you can conference call to multiple Skype users for free as well!

Let’s say that you travel overseas and want to talk to someone back in the States… now you can, as long as you want, for free! So how does Skype make any money? Well, if you DO want to connect to, and call, a POTS user (normal phone line telephone number,) then THAT will cost you. But as long as you are talking Skype to Skype… then it is free! So, don’t call your friend, Skype them!

https://www.skype.com

My Skype ID is: drbillbailey

Podcasting & iPodder (now called “Juice”)

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What is Podcasting? Well, think of it as having “radio shows” that are really MP3 files that you have an application automatically (in the background) download to your computer. You can then listen to them on your computer, or put them on your iPod (or other MP3 player) thus the term “Pod”casting. This has become a HOT new phenomenon that is taking off BIG time! For instance, the old Screensavers crew from TechTV now has a podcast called “This Week in Tech” (TWiT.com) that is downloaded every week by over 80,000 listeners! (I am one.) I also listen to Chris Pirillo’s show (another geek news update/talk show,) and the SciFi Podcast “Slice of ScFi” to keep up on news for SciFi fans. So, how do you automatically download podcasts, and how do you subscribe to podcasts? Using this week’s Geek Software of the Week! And, of course, it is free! Here you go!

Juice Podcatcher Software

They have free (Open Source) versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux! Very nice! I am pondering becoming a podcaster myself. Stay tuned!

Welcome to my Blog!

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I have been sending e-mails to a group of folks for quite some time with my thoughts on computer software, life, the universe… and everything. So now, it is time to actually break into the world of Blogging. Or is that: “Join the Blogosphere?” Ah well, whatever floats your boat! I trust you will find my ramblings interesting, entertaining, and maybe even a little unsettling! Otherwise, why bother, right?!

So, OK, I should tell you something about myself… in a nutshell, here is an official description taken off one of my other websites (HealingPathways.org):

Dr. Bill Bailey is a Certified Natural Health Professional, and a Doctor of Naturopathy. He has a Ph.D. in Theology, and is a Board Certified Traditional Naturopath, certified by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB). He is also a Master Herbalist, and a Professional Member of the American Association of Nutritional Consultants, and of the Coalition for Natural Health.

So I like to study natural health, herbs and such. And then, there is the blurb from the Faith & Victory Christian University Site (fvcu.org):

Dr. Bill Bailey, BA, MA, Ph.D., MH, ND
Academic Dean
Dr. Bailey is a graduate of Life Christian University, with a Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. in Theology. He has been an ordained minister since 1977. Dr. Bailey has served as pastor of several churches, served as an itinerant Bible teacher with a radio broadcast called “The Spirit of Faith Broadcast”, and was founder and President of the North Carolina Fellowship of Word Ministers. He is also a Certified Natural Health Professional, holds a Doctor of Naturopathy degree, and is a Board Certified Traditional Naturopath, certified by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB.) He is also a Master Herbalist, and a Professional Member of the American Association of Nutritional Consultants. He was a charter member (chartered in 1979) of the International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM.)

So, I am a teacher of the Word of God, and I will have things to say about the spiritual horizons of our fair country! Then, there’s the description field from my personal Home Page (www.drbillbailey.net/baileyb):

Dr. Bailey is known among his friends as a strange but fairly interesting individual; his site is presented for your enjoyment, and to boost his already fairly large ego!

That may say more than anything else! Then, there’s the intro on my main web page (www.drbillbailey.net):

Bill Bailey, Ph.D., professionally, is Webmaster for Guilford County Information Services. His background in art, photography and computer technology combine to make him a strong advocate of the new media revolution… which we know as “the Web!”

Dr. Bill is also a promoter of Open Source software, which supports an Open Web!

From this you will see that many of my thoughts will involve the state of computing, the web, and technology in today’s world. (By the way, ANYTHING I say should not be construed as the feelings, thoughts or position of my employer! I am speaking ONLY for myself here!)

So, my words and thoughts will be here, when you need a grin, drop on by… “set a spell” as Jed Clampett might say, and you might just have some fun!