Category Archives: Technology

Google’s Phone Plans

Posted on 11/9/2007 by Ben

It strikes me that the problem with Google’s open phone plans is that the carriers all still suck and are the opposite of open. Google should just buy one of the carriers and run it in a reasonable manner. If … Continue reading →

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Wanted: Unsupported Linux Devices

Posted on 10/23/2007 by Ben

Greg Kroah-Hartman’s Linux Driver Project is an effort to connect a group of more than 300 volunteer Linux driver developers with hardware companies that need drivers written. Their problem: they can’t find enough unsupported devices to keep them busy. I’m … Continue reading →

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Ubuntu 7.10 Released

Posted on 10/18/2007 by Ben

The latest version of Ubuntu, 7.10, has hit the streets. This is the first version that I haven’t tried any of pre-releases for so I can’t wait to give it a spin. The new feature run-down is here.

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Jottit

Posted on 9/22/2007 by Ben

Jottit is Aaron Swartz‘s new easy web page creator site. It feels a bit like Infogami but with fewer features. I made a page about health.

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Jeremy Allison on OOXML

Posted on 9/15/2007 by Ben

Jeremy Allison of Samba fame has some interesting comments and historical perspectives on the standards process for Microsoft’s XML Office format.

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Mass Adopts OOXML

Posted on 8/2/2007 by Ben

The Massachusetts Information Technology Department received 460 public comments on its recent policy document which adopted Microsoft’s OOXML format as an acceptable format for state documents. The comments appear to be almost unanimously anti-OOXML, but yesterday the ITD announced that … Continue reading →

Posted in Free Software, Politics | Leave a comment

New Backpack

Posted on 7/26/2007 by Ben

37signals have released a new version of Backpack and it’s pretty spiffy. Search is awesome and the increased draggability is nice. However, they seem to have screwed up the one feature that I’ve been waiting two years for: moving things … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers and Internet, GTD, Productivity | Leave a comment

Comments on Mass. IT Policy Due Tomorrow

Posted on 7/19/2007 by Ben

The Massachusetts Information Technology Division recently announced its intention to add Microsoft’s OfficeOpen XML specification to its list of approved open formats. The ITD created a firestorm in 2005 when it announced that the state would standardize on ODF as … Continue reading →

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Connector and Slingshot Open-sourced and Free

Posted on 7/16/2007 by Ben

Joyent’s Connector web-based groupware has been open sourced. You now have a few options for open source, web-based calendar and email. I’m sure Chandler Server will be nice when it’s finished, which should be any year now, and Novell has … Continue reading →

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Net Radio Rates

Posted on 7/13/2007 by Ben

Tim Quirk details how the new Internet radio royalty rates will cripple Rhapsody’s radio stations. The rates take effect in two days and it seems that the only thing you can do about it is contact your representatives and try … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers and Internet, Copyfight, Rhapsody | Leave a comment

Ditherati

Posted on 6/28/2007 by Ben

Ditherati is back from its long, long slumber.

Posted in Computers and Internet, Humor | Leave a comment

Internet Radio Day of Silence

Posted on 6/26/2007 by Ben

Today is the Internet Radio Day of Silence. Web broadcasters are offline to protest increased royalty rates that take effect July 15th and will drive most of them out of business.

Posted in Computers and Internet, Music | Leave a comment

Laptops Are Crippling Us

Posted on 6/11/2007 by Ben

A nice piece on laptop ergonomics. I used my laptop on a stand with an external keyboard for a long time before I went back to desktops.

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SixApart to Open Source Blog Platform

Posted on 6/5/2007 by Ben

SixApart is finally open sourcing Movable Type. Feels about three years too late.

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Jessamyn Installs Ubuntu

Posted on 5/9/2007 by Ben

Jessamyn West installed Ubuntu on some library computers and made this cute video of it.

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