Rick's Cafe: November 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Why Pay Hundreds for Microsoft Windows?

Microsoft has announced its pricing structure for Windows 7, and here's how it will stack up:...

Upgrade retail products

Windows Vista as of 1/2007	Price	Windows Vista as of 2/2008	Price	Windows 7 as of 10/2009	Price
Home Premium	$159.99	Home Premium	$129.99	Home Premium	$119.99
Business	$199.99	Business	$199.99	Professional	$199.99
Ultimate	$259.99	Ultimate	$219.99	Ultimate	$219.99

Full retail products

Windows Vista as of 1/2007	Price	Windows Vista as of 2/2008	price	Windows 7 as of 10/2009	Price
Home Premium	$239.99	Home Premium	$239.99	Home Premium	$199.99
Business	$299.99	Business	$299.99	Professional	$299.99
Ultimate	$399.99	Ultimate	$319.99	Ultimate	$319.99

If you Plan on purchasing the new Windows 7 OS, it will run you a cool $ 319.99 for the Ultimate Edition. Okay, you can probably wait a few months to buy a new PC with Windows 7 pre-installed, or even upgrade from Vista or Windows XP on your current computer - but in all reality the Microsoft licensing fee is built in to the cost of your new PC, so you're still paying one way or the other. (Incidentally, if you intend to upgrade to Windows 7 from XP, it will require a new "clean" install: you won't be able to download it and go.)

And that still leaves you with no productivity applications. Microsoft Office Home and Student will set you back around $150, while Standard, Professional, and Ultimate Editions start around $400 and range up to the $670 mark. Throw in additional software apps and it could easily end up costing more than the hardware itself.

You can't fight city hall, and you can't fight Microsoft, right? Why complain about the price, since you can't do any thing about it?

Here's a little secret. You can do something about it. There are alternatives to Microsoft (and not just Mac, either).

What would you pay for a modern, secure, and well-designed computer operating system with a complete office suite (including spreadsheet) and hundreds of professional-level applications available for download at the click of a button?

There is such a system, and it will cost you absolutely zero. The system I'm talking about is called Linux Mint.

First, a little history. In 1991, about a decade after Bill Gates was awarded a contract by IBM to develop a DOS (Disc Operating System), Linus Torvalds decided to develop a version of the mainframe operating system (UNIX) suitable for use in small computers.

Linux, as it became to be known, was from the start fundamentally different from Microsoft. It was part of a growing movement of dedicated professionals who passionately believed in free and open-source software, and who were dedicated to work together as a community to make that come about.

After more than 25 years of intensive development, Linux has graduated from a being toy for developers and programmers into a mature system suitable for use in the home desktop. Over the decades, Linux has become available in many different varieties, suitable for countless specialty applications, often of a scientific or highly technical nature.

These Linux "distributions," commonly known as "distros," serve every conceivable niche, but the ones we are concerned with are targeted to non-technical users for use on their desktops or laptops.

The most famous of these distros, Ubuntu, was the first to bring Linux to the masses, but my favorite is Linux Mint. Mint sets the standard for ease of installation, ease of use, and ease of installing new software.

Windows 7, A Review

For the past few months, we've had the opportunity to preview the "new" Microsoft Windows OS (operating system). This successor to the much maligned Windows Vista has been available for download from the Microsoft website, so we decided to give it a spin. Windows 7, as it is known, is free to use until June 2010 - after that, you have to pony up to Microsoft, or revert back to your previous OS (Vista, in our case). The download, and more information, is available here.

If you'd like to try the free version, it might be best to hurry. Microsoft reports the release candidate will be available "at least" until July 2009 - after that, who knows?

The Windows 7 installation was pretty easy, even for a computer illiterate like me. You first download what is known as an ISO image file from Microsoft. Next you have to burn the file to DVD; make sure your computer can burn DVDs and that it is capable of burning ISO images (there are several free programs that burn ISO files, if your computer is not supplied with this capability). Microsoft supplies you with a "key" to activate your Windows 7 installation, so make sure you print the key code out and store it in a safe place.

Okay, now you have your two most important ingredients: a Windows 7 installation disc and the key code to validate it. But before you pop that disc into your DVD player, you should take care of a few preliminaries.

First you should read the Windows 7 download section and verify you have the minimum RAM and hard-disc memory to successfully operate your new OS. Make sure your download corresponds to your computer's architecture, either 32 or 64 bit. Then you need to locate your current system's restore disc (or make one if it wasn't supplied with your computer); this will enable you to restore your computer in case you decide Windows 7 is not to your liking, or your installation isn't successful. In addition, it would be prudent to back up important files, such as documents and pictures, to disc for later retrieval.

The actual Windows 7 installation took about 20 minutes. Simply place the DVD you created in the player, restart your computer, and follow the onscreen prompts. Your computer will automatically start and stop a few times, and then you will see a new screen that looks like this:

It didn't take us long at all to get Windows 7 set up for our personal preferences. Anyone familiar with Windows Vista will have no problem navigating the start menu, icons, and file system. However, you should be aware that the Windows 7 Release Candidate comes with no bundled software (other than the usual Internet Explorer). The first thing I did, after finishing the installation, was download the Firefox browser, Open Office Suite, and AVG Antivirus, all of which are free. The included Windows Firewall and Windows Defender (anti-spyware) seem to be quite sufficient.

All in all, Windows 7 seems to be a solid system - what Vista should have been.

UPDATE - 7/16/09

Microsoft will continue to offer downloads of the Windows 7 Release Candidate until August 20, 2009. You can get your activation key, installation instructions, and the OS itself at the download page. Starting October 22 it will be offered in new PCs and on store shelves.
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Microsoft announces free antivirus, limited public beta (arstechnica.com)
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Sunday, November 15, 2009

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Sunday, 11/15/2009

"The Land That Time Forgot" might be an apt description of the Lost Maples State Natural Area in Texas. A holdover from the last ice age, the area is protected by surrounding mountains and has retained a colder and wetter climate than Texas desert, forest, and coastal areas. Lost Maples State Natural Area is located about 5 miles (8 km) north of Vanderpool, Texas and 71 miles (114 km) west of San Antonio. The park sits along the Sabinal River in western Bandera County and far eastern Real County.

The approach to the area is through steep passes carved through the Guadalupe Mountain Range, and enters into a high mountain plateau (elev 2100 ft).

Evidence suggests that the maples that give the park its name are relicts: remnants of a larger, more widespread population that flourished during the cooler and wetter climate of the last ice age. Today, soils and microclimate control their present distribution. Some of the flora and fauna are unique to Lost Maples.

In the heart of the Texas Hill Country, the 2,208-acre Lost Maples State Natural Area is an inspiring mixture of sheer limestone cliffs, deep canyons, dense woodlands, and numerous clear streams. Designated as a National Natural Landmark, Lost Maples State Natural Area contains the state's largest stand of bigtooth maples east of the Guadalupe Mountains. When conditions are right, the maple leaves put on a dazzling show of fall colors, attracting thousands of visitors to the park. Peak fall foliage viewing is during the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November.

Sandy and Rick decide to take advantage of the peak season (second week in November) and take a Sunday day trip to the Lost Maples reserve near Medina and Vanderpool.