The HOULDEN Report

From here on,My weekly report will be located on this page every week.I will also be trying to import all past reports to this page (hopefully i can get it done and looking nice).Every New report will be done on fridays and published before saturday morning.It will be a review of the week in retrospect.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T H E * H O U L D E N*R E P O R T
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday 1-13 2012
Well,it seems there were winners,Some that went "eh",and some major disasters at CES 2012.I will only go briefly into this because of not being able to be there,for one and two going by general consensus why the products were flawed.As for the ULTRA-BOOK,It was said to have confused the customers (the posting on the main page tells it all).However,I must say that if something so confusing manages to get so much Buzz,must be a good thing.As i read on,I was left scratching my head on it,I began to figure that the trends of the general computing public are drifting towards portability.

You look at the iPhone,it was apple's first foray into the cell phone market.It literally changed the way we look at the cell phone as a viable internet product.So much to the point that it adversively altered the way we use the cell phone services.

The iPod.
Changed the way we listened to our favorite music.We learned of MP3s, POD-CASTS,and then Video (just the way MTV did in the late 80s with the first video ever aired "Video killed the Radio Star" by the buggles)..
The iMac (or if it were 1991 The Mac or Power Mac) changed the designs we had for the usual portable computer (so did it's operating system Dubbed "The Macintosh Operating system" that was originally OS7.1 and evolved "key word" into OS10 Panther or Leopard).It also added Clear cases,Out of the box type thinking designs,and flexibility.But i will tell you somethings a bit HERE about that OS7,It was OS6 that was on a model of apple computer that didn't sell well,some several years before the Mac.That Model was Called the Apple Lisa.Even a couple years before THAT one,there was the Apple II and the Apple IIe (e meaning extended).I own a couple of Apple IIe computers and they are a blast.I will write about the Apple computer history on the classic computer page,later on..

There is a trend towards portability that's even changing the way we compute our data.In 1995 and 98 we all had to install our operating systems (a set of instructions designed to graphically create what is called a GUI .. Pronounced "Geewie"... standing for a GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE) that gave us our desktops,folders,and so on.Today the same set of instructions are improved so much that all is needed is a thumb-drive with the operating system on it,to install it.Today we also have Solid State Hard drives.They are all RAM chips clustered together (such as a thumb-drive) in a hard drive case.No More cylindrical hard drives to warp or pit. and with SATA connectors instead of IDE or the old SCSI connectors.

The times have changed and so did the way we compute our data.ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley Hughes indicated in his article that the one dismal failure he made note of (and i agree completely with his view)That the Samsung future proof upgrade-able TV set was a poorly designed set.I agree with Mr.Hughes' view that no customer should ever have to by a 2 to 3 thousand dollar TV set,only to buy upgraded hardware a year later.This folks,May be a sign of technology still in the very making,It too is also a sadly wasted period of time,and even more wasted money for the consumer who buys the TV set only to have to buy more upgraded hardware for it to function.
It is quite common for all manufacturers involved in CES to only bring in their PROTOTYPES just for a little bit of "show and tell".As i read on,i was thinking to myself,"what were they thinking? nobody in their right mind,regardless of how rich they are,is ever going to buy a TV like that one."  The idea for any TV manufacturer is to make a device thats upgradable automatically so the customer doesn't have to break the bank.What is the use in buying a TV that you have to Add things to it,just to keep it up to date when one TV should be able to do it all,Automatically.Why waste so much money on a product that needs to be upgraded when all it really needs to be Updated? I think for any Manufacturer to make any type of  television like what they presented at CES is ludicrous. I hope they do fix that issue well before it even reaches the market.

Now,before i go on with my next topic, I would like to "PLUG" Paul Thurrott's Windows Super-site ( http://www.winsupersite.com/ ) For anything dealing with windows or microsoft related news and updates,Paul Thurrott has it all.He definitely tries hard to get the latest news out there as fast as he could get it. I receive his newsletters daily,I pick up on his twitter,and i have even watched his interviews on "TWiT TV" with  Leo Laporte. So i would suggest you go to Paul's site and just read and send him a smile and a thank you for all the work he does.As with all the Bigger and more important names in the tech world. Many of whom I have the utmost respect and admiration for.These Names are even Bigger then mine (and i have been in computers since 1986),That goes way back.Paul is a certified tech for microsoft so he knows his craft real well.I will say that Paul's view,the start menu for windows 8 should be more streamlined.I did see a desktop picture of it and i will add that it does seem to be a bit much.
I am also pretty sure that it will be fixed soon enough.

Earlier this week,I did have the distinct pleasure of watching a "extremely rare" video of one of only a few seminars with Linus Torvalds (creator of the Linux kernel) or Linux OS.He preferred to have his "Speech" held in "Q and A" form (which literally blew me away).Linux is the 3rd operating system there is out there (aside from Apple OS and Windows,and I think i had just covered all 3 in this report),I totally amazed on how Mr.Torvalds carried himself.He began by saying that he hates talking.That he got more out of a Q and A session then just speaking engagements.He even began mentioning that Linux primarily was a operating system written as a hobby and wasn't his primary source of income.He further explained that the GNU and open source community was highly responsible for what Linux has become today as a "free" and totally industrious operating system. Millions of code writers around the glob wrote for linux and the linux kernel (which still has me at the "AWE" factor in many respects).In the begining,1991 Torvalds wrote the first (what i would call the Hybrid of the UNIX operating system) linux kernel and then logged online and posted all who were interested to assist him in making it work,and then passed the code around the globe.That's what pushed the open source community into full swing.Till this day,All open source software and Linux distributions are totally free.

In closing,I would like to thank all of the sources directly for their superb writing,I wish to thank ZDNet and their writing staff,Leo Laporte,Paul Thurrott,for allowing this old timer to be kept "Up To Snuff with all this Stuff",and i certainly hope Didn't take away from all of their work (in whole or in part),That basically This is based upon my notes That I took,My experiences with all three operating systems and If I have left out anything,Please dutifully let me know. In this report,It is not my aim to harm any entity but to provide the best information possible without damage, liability,or defamatory caused by anything mentioned thereof.
please go to the microsoft superdite ( http://www.winsupersite.com/ ),the Introduction to Linux site ( http://www.lugod.org/presentations/intro2linux/page14.html ), and lastly the TWiT  live tv page ( http://live.twit.tv/ ) for more information. Also i would love to mention that it takes donations to keep operating.. even though twit live is free, the donations do help.

Wow,I can't believe I covered all of that ground.Whew I can finally breath!For Now we will have to close this edition of the HOULDEN report,we'd like to thank all of our memberships (and readerships alike) for without all of you,this site would be just another blogger blowing off steam.

On Wednesday evening,I will write a bit about my experiances with computers,software,gadgets,and TALES OF YORE..... till then...... this is IT for the HOULDEN REPORT
------------------------------------------- STOP----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T H E   H O U L D E N   R E P O R T
Friday 1-20-2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me see if i have this correct SOPA and PIPA (sounding like Salt and Pepper) is The american governments idea to restrict other countries from using sites like wikipedia or google,simply because They figure other countries use those sites to gain personal information and to protect digital rights?This makes me angry because if the US Government was so hard pressed to Arrest other countries from pirating (like they said),they would have fixed sites like this one where all content would automatically be copyrighted.Instead of stopping piracy,The acts would merely limit or infringe on our own 1st and 3rd amendments.This in turn can limit our choices in what we watch,listen to,or write about.I also think all of this piracy garbage should have been looked at in the early 90s (long before the advent of the MP3 player).
     SOPA and PIPA also restricts IP addresses.Something of which i am against.This could (if passed) bottleneck the internet down to only a few "choice elite" users.People will see this coming and avoid/boycott the internet entirely,causing ISPs (internet service providers) to either drop their rates,or pull out of the internet entirely.It can also have an adverse effect on businesses which prey on the online customer,so this too trickles down to internet commerce.It would also Hurt many Online Colleges and students trying for better education to get a better paying job to support their families and the economy.
    All of this just to guard and protect Digital rights of copyrighted material on the net?Sounds to me that if they did pass this,it would definitively harm the economy which in turn pays for the copyrighted material that supports the artist..I can say without a doubt that this piece of legislation,only serves the government and not the american public. Besides,If it passes and sites like Wikipedia get effected,then it is restricting other countries from gaining free information,period! Which in turn is a slap in the face towards countries who exchange imports and exports with the U.S. (bad government makes for bad laws in turn makes for a very bad economy).
    It is a shame that a "Sham" piece of legislation can really mess up a week.Another point I should make is that if that piece of legislation passed,Microsoft as well as all other computer manufacturers will also feel the effects when the worst case scenario would happen.It is when the general public stops using the internet for anything,and the computer usage goes way down,the need for computer programs will no longer be in demand and that computers will be unnecessary.There goes Billions of Jobs! And companies will fold in the U.S. because then the supply in demand won't exist.Sure we can argue that the rest of technology we'd still need.May i remind you that before 1946,TV was just a idea.Before then everyone had Radio and the only picture you saw was in your mind.I guess we would have to be reminded of those days when what costs a nickle,actually was a nickle.Lights were a luxury.I guess the U.S. Government wants us to all go back to those times (when FDR was president).They wish to dictate what the public can and cannot read,listen to,watch,enjoy,eat,drink,Think,and wear.
   What ever happened to pure common sense government? Place too many regulations on internet commerce and you will have more unemployment then this last recession ever did.We are inadvertently seeing our liberties being ripped from us.It's like They think we Cannot think,do,or speak for ourselves.I would say it was the people who voted this administration into office,we can surely impeach the president (and his administration),Boycott all goods like the internet (use the old fashioned library),TV sets or go strait digital free air TV,Use our smart phones as cell phones and ditch the companies carrying the internet through the phone lines,etc. Not saying we would,I am saying we can.Thats our power.Our power is the OFF switch.less time online and more time with family.We have that power to turn off and turn on to LIFE.We can tune out the rest of the country and focus on our own personal lives.And the government won't have anything to really govern.
   That is my own opinion on that lousy no good piece of "Government Riff-Raff" that has been occupying the entire week.Every piece of news i received from Monday on all news sites,tech sites,twitter,Facebook,yahoo news,msn news,google even had a Blackout patch on the google name, Wikipedia,and so on.The Government should have better things to do then police the sites of the internet,like catch porn operators,catch pedophiles, hackers,and terrorists. This is the HOULDEN REPORT for 1-21-2012
-----------------------------------------------END--------------------------------------------------------
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
 T H E   H O U L D E N  R E P O R T      1-28-12
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wish to apologize for the late report,I have been working on the Facebook Page and group.Trying to get the word out but its been a slow process.A small following.We do get some folks who like to look at the product but will not join nor become a part of what we do.Either They are too chicken to write and help someone else or have a vendetta against me (which is totally childish to begin with).Today,I will only report on some of the "Small" Stuff (Thoughts and whatnot) That may or may not be entirely on topic.


First thought is that I feel that even though I began this blog with helping folks in mind,there had been little or no involvement or inter-action with this blog.Nobody is becoming members or giving input so others can learn tips and whatnot.I am finding more people are simply interested in their games in facebook,chats,or hooking up,then they are about learning ways to compute better,or to learn about their computer so they don't have to "Take it to get worked on".There is a certain responsibility towards owning a computer.You bought it,now its up to you to learn how to take care of that machine.I know many folks are not made of money (i am one of them,i wished i had bu-coup bucks so i can go to CES and buy all the latest gadgets,but i don't).Part of ownership of a computer is about 40% reading. I have kept all the books i had to get during my PC ownership. You don't buy a car without an owners Manual and shops manual (to save more cash).You don't buy a house without getting some "How to" books on maintaining your investment.So Why "Skimp" on your computer?These are the same folks who say "It's just a computer"... well i say the "House is only a house and a car is just a car".Whats the difference? Fact: If you take as much care of your computer as you do your house or car,then you will be saving roughly 2 to 3 hundred dollars a year maintaining your PC (Personal Computer) by doing that work yourself.It would seem to me to be the one wisest decision yet.


In 1997 (even though it may be redundant),I ran a "computer and general thrift fixit" booth at a local Flea Market.Out of 400 booths,there were (and i counted them) 10 booths having to sell computers,repair computers,Display Operating systems,Gaming and one did Graphics signs! the rest were your typical "Salvation Army rejects".those dealt with clothes,Appliances,Music,etc. and there were about 15 Novelty Times booths (those booths i liked visiting).I got familiar with the 10 computer booths and knew the owners by name.Well i spotted a DIGITAL computer i liked.It had the operating system of the day,Windows 95 and a friend said it was a really cool operating system.So i shoveled out my 200 or so dollars for the unit.There were no Books at the time of sale,But i did have experience with computers (My old IBM XT 8080 with Geos aka Geoworks OS) and (moms IBM ... a computer i still have.... with win 3.1) that i figured i wouldn't need one.I was soo wrong. In fact,I couldn't have been more wrong about that then anyone else.I was completely wrong.Windows 95 had a different File manager then win 3.1 and i made a mistake on deleting a system file and not a file i created.I made two mistakes.1 I did not get a manual and 2,i did not get a copy of the operating system CD.So,I went to looking where I worked (a place called the COMPUTER BONE YARD) and found an old "windows 95" for dummies,and a windows boot floppy and CD for about 60.00.Once i got home with my "Treasures in hand",i sat at my pc with a sigh of relief.BOOK,CD,Boot Floppy in hand,I began the journey into "Repair-land" . 30 minutes after i began,i had fixed the system file and then began majorly computing with the confidence in knowing that if i messed up again,i had the disk and book to assist in the fix.


I didn't get into registry tweaks until 2001 with XP.I was a skeptic.However there was One Book a friend gave to me with a CD By Mark Manasi called "PC UPGRADE AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE" 4TH EDITION.I was like WOW i got the HOLY GRAIL of Tech manuals... And with Videos too... well as i am writing this report,That same book is sitting at my side.I swear by it.That book and my dummies book gave me the insight on the basic functions of a computer.The I/O of the thing..told me a BIOS stood for Basic Input/output system.. that DOS was Data Operating System...i can go on and on about it.With My Analytically inclined way of thinking,i concluded that basically what a computer was,was simply a metal secretary.Think about it.When computers began,they were in offices,on the desks and in DOS ran and stored FILES.You wrote the DATA into a FILE and told the computer to SAVE the file,then the computer SAVES the FILE on floppy or the MEDIA of the day,and then its done.The only thing a computer didn't do was make your coffee or take out the trash.


So,till this day i still don't understand why folks are simply not interested in learning their computer and participating in the advancement of knowledge with the machine that keeps everyone in contact.Do they take that for granted too much????
anyway that's all for the HOULDEN report for 1-28-2012
_________________________________END____________________________________________


T H E   H O U L D E N  R E P O R T    for 2-25-2012

I know its been awhile since I last reported.So far I have been very busy.A group from a previous chat service (one of which I no longer either associate with nor sponsor), decided to harass my groups,remove them,and disrupt its members,simply because I chose to disassociate myself from them when i wasn't asked if i would like new members.What Occurred was when they did this hideous act,its jacked the membership up past the 250 member limit and the Group chat would not open.As with any group or chat service (Ae, Paltalk,Msn,Yahoo,etc... ) every group room has its morning crowd.So,when i finally logged into MY group,there was no chat,I looked at membership.. 235 (from the original 80 i had).I was in total shock.Myself,and my administrators (Namely Robert and Rocky) got together and decided to create a administrative group room.That is where all administrators got together and discussed what had happened.After 30 minutes,we concluded that by lessening the membership down to below its limit of 250 members,we then can bring the group room back.Thats how Facebook Rolls (even though I don't like the limitation,I still have to deal with the limitations).So,within the course of that particular day,My lady Angela,Robert,myself were reeling with this sudden change and discussing how upset that i was that they didn't so much as ask me if i wanted this "HELP" or not.I still can't believe they didn't respect me enough to even ask me,a common point of showing respect,as before doing.I didn't tell them how to run their chat service (nor retaliated).Back to the story.When the Chat group in question came back in,took ownership,and thrusted me out,meanwhile the administrators and i were in the administration group discussing this.So i created a new group room altogether and decided not to let them win.Both I and My admins and the group's members Fought to keep the group together and going.I did not abandon them nor did they abandon me.We all stuck together.And I showed the group that I am a true Leader who works with the groups admins and the groups members.For this is the true way a chat works.The same goes for another tech blogger and friend,Chris Parillo and his chatters.Like me,he has his family involved as well.

I wish to thank every member of THE JOKERS WILD (WINNERS) GROUP for joining,For standing by me,supporting me in all my endevours (the tech corner blog),the MIKE HOULDEN tech site on Facebook,as well as THE JOKERS WILD.I try to do the same for its members as they do for me.The tech support,the laughs,and the understanding they give me,i give to them in return.All of you are as endearing to me as I can possibly make it.The group is now at 92 members (and still growing).

Later this week i will be doing a special HOULDEN REPORT on how the Apple Macintosh computer users are no long immune to virus and malware attacks,and that all operating system formats (Windows,Mac OS,Linux) are now prone to Virus attacks,Malware,Spam,Phishing,Dos (pinging),and general security breaches.I found (and will be reading) a white paper written by one of Tech Republics editors regarding that security issue.This will be one report that will be making all technicians take notice.I have the white paper downloaded and ready for my reading.My Dad used to say that "A lock is only there to keep an honest man honest" Meaning if you are dishonest,then the lock doesn't exist.In the tech world,it says that if you are a Black Hacker,then all security can be breached or broken,no matter how intense the security and that bitlocker doesn't stand a chance,Apple OS will not survive the attacks,and linux users beware,there is a possibility that they will come for linux real soon.

so,with that having been said,I would like to close the report for now.I would also like to add that you can subscribe to this blog at: http://mikehoulden.blogspot.com and you can view the Houlden report at: http://mikehoulden.blogspot.com/p/houlden-report.html . remember,By subscribing,You get more technical support and updates then you would in Facebook.It doesn't matter if you are a windows user,An Apple OSX user,or a Linux User. Subscribing is Free....

Till Next time,See you in the Monitor Screens...  Mike..
___________________________________ E N D ___________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________________________
                                            The HOULDEN Report 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Houlden Report for July 10,2012
Well there is so much to cover.I will attempt to break it down so it isn't lengthy and boring.
For the longest time (2008 on) I have been using Linux and windows in a dual boot fashion mainly because windows became so boring and redundant that most of my work just looked Bland.Linux Gave me a Choice.
After reading what Microsoft was doing to the Linux community by blocking out any dual boot situations with windows 8 and windows 9,it was plain to see that my usage of windows was going to be near an end.Technically,it isn't fair for windows to push out the "DUAL BOOT" option on Linux simply because Microsoft wants to be the "Sole King of the mountain" or the Main operating system for any PC.This is not being competitive,it is being rude in assuming that they have the better operating system.And this will force many open source writers to write a dual boot option for windows.


It is safe to say that Windows wasn't the first operating system.Apple Had DOS for their Apple ][ computers back in 1977 which was a text based OS and allowed home computing on the floppies.Apple's DOS was UNIX based ( linux was a cousin to UNIX). Mac OS didn't come out till 1992 and had a graphical user interface (GUI ... pronounced "gewie").The Idea Apple had was to do the whole computer experience,from computer,operating system,and Eco-systems all for the enjoyment of the User.Microsoft stole the idea and made the user experience Less desirable (win 2.0 and win 3.0).
Microsoft did create an operating system for the IBM called "OS/2". "OS/2" was a HPFS (High Performance File System based on the text based PC-DOS for the PS/1 (PS meaning Personal computing System 1 model) up to the 1987 model  PS/3 (which was defunct).By then,The OS/2 Makers (Microsoft) decided to part company with IBM (Because IBM was more focused on Machines then software),and took (what was to be OS/3,a successor to OS/2), With them. OS/3 later became what we know as NTFS with NT 3.0 and NT 4.0 workstation,Windows 2000 professional ,XP,Vista,and windows 7 .  The only REAL differences you really see in windows is the GUI and some of the functions.Other then that,it's the same old worn out file system.Aside from Improving the stack handler,it's pretty much the same old business.


At one time,Microsoft shelved a whole new file system called WinFS.And  then they release OS versions like Windows ME and Vista in haste? gimme a break.For years,Microsoft was wanting to push Mac OS and Linux away from working with Windows in an anti-competitive fashion.This Next "Foray" only proves it.You give the user a lack of a choice,and it forces the user to either reluctantly go for windows OS or it pushes them to use linux or even better Mac OS X.


Still,The big Three (as i call them),likes to entice users in saying that "We really need this OS in order to work the computer" I say its bull.Linux is open source and when you receieve a disc of it,you don't just own the license to use it,you fully own the whole operating system,to do with it what you want to.The only thing you don't own is the kernel (core of the operating system.. that's owned and copyrighted by Linus Torvalds).


So,I will say that I will keep My windows 7 and Linux dual booted while they have moved on with win8 and win9... let microsoft play "King of the hill" while the customers get treated like cows going into the slaughter.I am going to keep what works for me.And I will obtain it any way i can.


This ends my HOULDEN report for july 10th,2012
see you in the monitors.....
_________________________________________________________________________________  
                                                       END
_________________________________________________________________________________