Element Computers has unveiled their own version of Linux called ION which has a mechanism for running Windows apps at full speed. It is pre-installed on all of their laptops and desktops and the only way to get ION is to buy one of their computers. It also allows copy and paste between Linux and Windows apps (more complicated than you might think) and takes some other steps to integrate the two. Seems pretty neat for organizations that want to start the transition but can’t leave behind any of their Windows apps. It’d be better to have native Linux versions of course, but that’s not going to be happening anytime soon (sorry if that bursts any bubbles).
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So, about that newish Metallica album
I was a metal guy in high school. A hessian, a hesher, a load, a metalhead, whatever. Metallica wasn’t my favorite band, but they were pretty much always my second favorite. They were the band that everyone into any sort of guitar-music remotely aggressive in nature was into. I’m pretty much preaching to the choir here, because if you listened to Metallica back then (late 80’s, early 90’s) you know what I’m talking about and if you didn’t you probably won’t ever know.
Metallica has basically sucked for the past few albums. The black album (titled simply Metallica, the one after …And Justice for All) was the end of anything listenable from them. I don’t know what happened, but I was pretty much personally offended when it did happen. They turned into an everyday crappy rock band. Their latest album, St. Anger, was supposed to be a bit of a return to the ‘old’ Metallica… harder and rawer. I applauded the effort but didn’t really feel the need to check it out. Then I read an article about the production of the album in Sound on Sound magazine and it sounded like they went through and interesting process to create it. That intrigued me enough to give it a listen. On first listen… It’s definitely harder and rawer than their past several crap albums… but there’s still something completely missing from it. It just doesn’t have that thing in it that was what Metallica was all about. Listening to Master of Puppets again tonight completely confirmed it. They used to have something really going on… and they lost it somewhere along the way. I’m going to give the St. Anger songs some more listens, but I’m not real optimistic about it growing on me.
A ship called SpaceShipOne built by Aviation Pioneer Burt Rutan has successfully flown to an altitude of about 100 km, leaving the Earth’s atmosphere. This is the first such launch as 25 companies vie for the $10M X-Prize. Commercial voyages into space are almost definitely going to become a semi-regular thing within my lifetime.
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THe EFF’s Doctorow on Why DRM is BAD
I’m of the opinion that the major music labels are some of the dumbest and greediest companies on the planet, and DRM is the only thing they’re going to ‘trust’ for the time-being, but in the long-run, DRM is clearly bad for me, and Cory Doctorow explains why it’s all-around bad for every person and company involved. It’s a good read if you think about this stuff at all.
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Sneak Preview of new Submodern Album
Art and I are still working hard (well, most of the time) on getting our album done. To appease the roaring hunger you all have for some new music, we’ve put up a few songs on our site. Go check them out and help us name them! We’ve been too busy working on the music to come up with names.
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History of Barbie
A friend sent a link to a history of the Barbie doll. Barbie was the first ‘adult’ doll widely sold in the US. Previously, all dolls had been in the ‘baby’ format. The social and cultural impact the Barbie doll has had on the United States is quite significant and it’s fun to find out where that all originated. It’s fun to know that the first Barbie doll was based on a “gold-digging character from a ‘racy’ comic strip”.
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Your Computer may be Killing You
Some researchers have found that certain chemicals generally used in the manufacture of computers and monitors may be slowly killing you. The chemicals are used to make the products more flame-retardent and are known to be toxic, but it was previously thought that they were not released into the air. Researchers are also studying possible links between the chemicals and autism. Momma, don’t let your baby grow up to be a geek!
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Multi-Room Digital Music System
Sonos has announced a new set of devices that work together over ethernet to provide digital music to any room in your house (well, every room with the player device) all controllable from a nifty looking LCD remote control. In addition to the controller, you buy the player device that has a built in 50W amp and discrete RCA outputs. You put a player in every room you want music and the controller can control them all at once. They all access the digital music stored on your Macs and PCs on your network. Nifty. Kinda expensive, though.
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Wifi in XP really is problematic?
I’ve had a couple of people mention to me that they have problems with their wireless connectivity in Windows XP, but I assumed it was just a fluke. Well, apparently not. Lots of other people have experienced the same problem, but of course Microsoft denies all fault. Anyway, the second page of that article mentions a work-around that seems to generally restore wireless when it isn’t working. From the looks of it, restarting the computer would also work, but would take lots longer.
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Bring on the Biodiesel!
It looks like there may be a biodiesel boom if things go well. I’m so amazed with the concept of biodiesel. Who would have thought that you could power an automobile from something derived from plants? I guess the people who wrote Back to the Future III knew, but that was just science fiction, haha.
Anyway, more diesel cars are being offered in the 2004 sales year than any year for quite a long time, and standard diesel producers may start using biodiesel as an additive to help reduce emissions. Biodiesel can be mixed with standard diesel in any ratio and it still works. Amazing!