New Things We Like
Just thought I'd make a list of recent things I've tried out that I really like:
VIrtualbox - I'm running VIrtualbox OSE on my Linux desktop. This is great, as I get to fire up other virtual machines on my desktop with very little trouble. At the moment I can run either the Windows 7 release candidate or Solaris as a window on my desktop. So I think it's time finally to get rid of dual-boot on my desktop,and just run Linux on the desktop with the ability to run WIndows 7 in a window for those few times I really need Windows (this is partly for dealing with client issues, and partly because I've not yet weaned myself from Quickbooks). It's sort of RAM hungry, of course, and I think it's time to apply more memory to this cranky old desktop system, or perhaps to upgrade the motherboard to something vaguely modern.
Windows 7 - Well, it's not so much that I like it as that I find it much more tolerable than Vista. Its not that Iv'e given it an extensive workout, but it's a lot slimmer than Vista (it's LOTS faster in the virtual machine on my desktop than Vista is running natively).
Acer Aspire One A0751h - I bought this little netbook because my laptop was getting crankier and crankier after almost 4 years of use (I was getting tired of bending the screen just so to get it to boot) and I wanted something lighter and with more battery capacity. I bought one with the 6-cell Lithium Ion battery. This particular model is either a really big netbook or a really small laptop. I'm struck by how similar it is to my old IBM Thinkpad 360, but with a processor and memory capable of running a modern OS. With the 6-cell battery, a gig of RAM, a 160-gig disk, an 11.6" screen and wireless, it really meets just about all of my portable laptop needs, and it will run between 5 and 8 hours on a charge (depending on which OS I'm running and whether the 802.11 card is running or not). I can finally get through a day at a conference without searching for a power strip.
This machine is a little odd in configuration, largely because of some of the odd restrictions put on it by the Microsoft/Intel cabal. It's a netbook with a larger-than-10" screen. So Micorosoft won't let them put XP on it unless they slow the processor down to 1.2 gig. This is nuts. So -- I have the nice bigger screen, and a REAL size keyboard, but I need to have a slower processor. Also, Intel apparently charges more for their processors if they're hooked up to a bigger screen (which makes sense because - um - well - because they can, that's why) So I end up with a slightly crippled netbook because of market manipulation. I can have a faster CPU OR I can have a bigger screen, but I can't have both unless I run Vista. Cripes. Anyway, I really like it despite that. The CPU seems fast enough for most of what I want to do with this system, and having a full-size actual keyboard makes up for a lot as far as I'm concerned. Besides, it's red, and really cute.
