Brain Dump of Useful Stuff for Technology - From a Techie

Feast on This

Keeping up with technology is tough...

Here's a few of the websites that I keep an eye on to keep up to date:

• http://digg.com/view/technology

• http://lxer.com

• http://tech.originalsignal.com/

• http://www.eweek.com/category2/0,2662,1237917,00.asp

• http://www.fsf.org/

• http://www.wired.com/

• http://www.mixx.com/categories/tech

• http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/tutorial_sites.php

• http://www.pixel2life.com/
  

Websites for help with GNU/Linux (biased towards Ubuntu).

Some people say GNU/Linux doesn't have any support resources. I say Baloney.

• http://ubuntuforums.org/

• http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Gutsy

• http://linuxforums.org

• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=linux+newbie+site%3Adigg.com&btnG=Google+Search

  The above link will produce many pages of more links and is the equivalent of doing this search on google.com:

  linux newbie site:digg.com

• http://www.thelinuxvault.net/wiki/Main_Page

• http://tweako.com/section/ubuntu

• http://www.linuxjournal.com/

Open Source Software Sites.

Most people don't know it but there's a world of free and useful software out there. Free software is great because it doesn't restrict the user to maximize profits.

• http://sourceforge.net/softwaremap/
  

• http://mashable.com/2007/09/23/open-source/ (list of 480 Open Source Software Titles)

• http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/

• http://opensource.sys-con.com/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software

• http://www.osalt.com/

• http://www.linuxappfinder.com/ (find the Linux equivalent of many popular software titles)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_software_packages
• http://www.damicon.com/resources/opensoftware.html
  

Key Concepts for Making Technology Work for YOU...

Here's a few thoughts on how I make technology work for me

• Throw out that $400 Office Suite and Use Gmail Documents or OpenOffice.org or IBM Lotus Symphony instead - GMail Documents not only stores your work online where you can get it from any Internet connected computer, you can also work with your documents in to many different popular formats (similar to OpenOffice.org). For example, you can upload/read/edit/save/export files in the formats: .doc, .xls, .ppt, .odt, .pdf, etc. (the list goes on) OR you could also download the Free OpenOffice.org or IBM Lotus Symphony software (Windows/Linux/MAC(MAC version for OpenOffice.org is NeoOffice) and read/write/export(pdf, same format, open format) all of the above mentioned formats plus do much more with your documents.
• When it comes to getting new software, Think "Free" (as in Open Source Software that's Free, NOT as in making Pirated Copies of Software!) - If you need some new software for whatever reason(the choices are vast), look for Open Source software. For example, go here or here or here to find an Open Source program that fits your needs.There are literally thousands of titles of open source software available for your use, and all for free. If you find an application you particularly like, consider "Getting Involved" with the project, you can donate your time and/or money, usually by visiting the project home site (e.g., http://www.ubuntu.com/community/participate). Unfortunately lots of Windows think it's OK to share proprietary applications (e.g., Hey I'll make you a copy of this....), this makes people instant Pirates of the Software - AVOID BEING A PIRATE by simply using Open Source software!
  
• Help Yourself and Others like You, use and promote GNU/Linux and Open Source software - The more people that use, the better the software will become! GNU/Linux and Open Source need people like you to USE IT to help MAKE IT EVEN BETTER; you should share your suggestions, and problems with the authors to further refine the software. Let's face it, computer technology is entwined with humanity today - the most elemental software should be free like arithmetic or astronomy(think Isaac Newton or Galileo Galilei - software is an infrastructure of our society like sidewalks and roads - we can't let big companies gobble up the software and make it proprietary because that RESTRICTS the software and prevents US the users from receiving the full benefit of the software (checkout this article for more info). It's amazing to me to hear that some people actually pay for Antivirus software for Windows, whereas if they would use GNU/Linux instead they could be more secure.
• Don't Attach Yourself to Any ONE Computer - When you put all your GOODIES in one basket, you're taking a BIG risk. Now is the time to get that external hard drive and backup all your data to it. You can also put copies of certain keepsake data (the kind without your SSN on it) online in various places so you will have a redundant backup copy.
• Continuously Learn More About Computing Technology - Nothing Irks me more(except maybe GREEDY Monopolistic Companies) than people that want to use computers and don't take the time to learn something about using computers. People who drive cars, learn more about how to drive cars (well mostly), why shouldn't people who use computers be willing to learn how to use computers (the right way)?