Are We Closer to “Data” on Star Trek?

Those of us that are serious Trekkers (“trekkies” as you may know, is a derogatory term) know Commander Data on Star Trek: TNG was the android that was so determined to be “human.” Well, while I still don’t have a household robot that will clean my house (and “Roomba” doesn’t count), the Japanese have premiered a “human-like” android:

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Japanese develop ‘female’ android

OK, this is cool… but I still want a robot that will clean the house… and it can look like a toaster for all I care. Now THAT would be cool!

Geek Software of the Week: Prevx

Being safe on the Internet can be a chore, and it shouldn’t be… however, real life is what it is! So, what we need are tools to help keep our systems safe! This week’s Geek Software is one of those tools. Unlike most of my recommendations, it isn’t free, but it is fairly cheap. There is a 15 day free trial, then you have to license it for $19.95. Check it out:

Prevx – Host Intrusion Prevention Systems

The idea is if ANY software tries to do something that you don’t know about, it will stop it and ask you if you REALLY want to do whatever it is trying to do… so, if you hit a site that tries to install junk on your system in the background… boom! You get a notice and can stop it. Sounds like it is worth the $19.95! And, if you want my recommendations on how to be safe on the web, check out this article:

How to be Safe on the Web

Geek Wives

Most fellow geeks I talk to (yes, I “are” one) are married to a “significant other” (as they called it in my college Sociology class) that have no clue AT ALL when it comes to computers, software, systems, etc.

That is not the case with yours truly. My wife, Belinda, is a geek too… OK, not an uber-geek like me, but geeky enough. She has a a degree in Computer Science and was a manager of software developers back at Ciba-Geigy Corporation. So, she finds it easy to keep up with the ol’ Computer Curmudgeon when I wax totally gear-head. But, she does have her head on straight, so she can keep me somewhat “on earth” when I have to be. So I am blessed! But, it is not that way for many…

Check this out:
Fedora XP: Getting Your Wife to Use Linux

I don’t need it, but you might (you know who you are!)