Unhackable Netbooks...

I recently saw a headline on Digg that read "Unhackable Netbooks Given to Students" and it immediately peaked my interest. In my role at my school district I am constantly tinkering with the idea of student laptops and how I would implement them so I eagerly snap up ideas from people that have already implemented ubiquitous computing. The linked article from Australia focused primarily on the security measures the government agency responsible for the program had dreamed up in order to remain in control of the equipment (fixed asset BIOS, Windows 7 applocker, etc.).

However, the discussion within the article's comments seemed to hit upon another level: several commentators felt that the program was the result of corporate sponsorship which actually reduced a child's capacity for learning instead of increasing it. How? By forcing students to utilize a Microsoft operating system (Windows 7), Microsoft productivity suite (Office), and Adobe creativity suite (CS4). These commentators felt that the students should have the option to utilize Open Office to complete assignments and they should not be forced to run Windows operating systems on machines that become their personal property after several years.

I tend to agree. I have seriously considered distributing Linux-based netbooks to students in my district, perhaps even giving them the choice to run Windows OS if they so choose - an event that has only been hampered by the lack of two things: Funding and Lack of Readiness (particularly teacher readiness to teach with laptops - a fault that primarily falls to me). I went so far as to purchase a 7" ASUS eeePC just to "try it out". Maybe it's time to bite off this project and get it going...

Google SideWiki

I saw a couple of articles (here and here) in my RSS feed tonight about a new Google project called Google Sidewiki.

The project looks to be along the lines of other web annotation services like Diigo and Trailfire but is incorporated into the Google Toolbar. Perhaps that is the problem...I personally despise all these toolbar browser add-ons. It doesn't matter if it's Google, Yahoo, or heaven forbid Hotbar toolbars - they all take up precious screen real estate without enhancing the web surfing experience. Maybe I'm just thinking of the toolbars of the 1990s that caused your Windows machine to slow to a snail's pace. No matter, Google you can keep your sidewiki, I'll stick to Diigo.

Hasta la vista, Vista!

I am saying goodbye to an operating system that probably never should have been: Windows Vista. I was an early adopter running the release candidate and beta versions before moving to the full version after it was released. Then, in a moment of exasperation, I wiped my machine and moved to Windows XP x64. I did not go back to Vista until after the release of Service Pack 1 and still fought with Exchange 2003 management snap-ins even then. Back in August, I inserted a Windows 7 disk into my desktop at work and have thoroughly enjoyed the results. So much in fact I wiped out my Toshiba Portege M750 a few weeks later in favor of the new flavor of Windows.


What do I like best? I love being able to pin certain programs to the task bar. Pinning the Remote Desktop application is just pure awesomeness. You can save the login credentials (not a new feature) but then right-click on the pinned application and you get a list of the last 10 computers to which you have connected. I use that feature daily!

I also love the fact that the recent documents menu is gone. It has been moved to the individual applications, so if you goto notepad and hover on it, a list of recently opened TXT files will appear in a menu. It works for the Office products as well which is very handy for opening commonly accessed Excel spreadsheets. I don't know about you, but I hate a cluttered desktop - this feature allows me to get rid of every desktop icon except the recycle bin (the one thing I let stay on the desktop).

I like Windows 7 so much I actually signed up to host a Windows 7 Launch Party at my house - and I was chosen for one (I'm not sure that everyone that applied wasn't chosen, but I don't care I'm getting a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate). So my wife and I sat down and she came up with a great theme for the party, which is the title of my post: Hasta la vista, Vista! So come October 24, my house will be the scene of the ultimate nerd party; sorry the guest list is full :D

BTW - I got the Exchange 2003 management snap-ins installed on my Windows 7 desktop :)

Call me a Cisco Fan Boy

Yes, call me a Cisco fan boy.

I admit it, but every once in a while I get intrigued by other organizations' choices for VoIP, Wireless LANs, switching/routing, etc.

Today I had the opportunity to visit a neighboring school district and I noticed that they were deploying Extreme wireless access points. My first thought when I see something other than Cisco is that the equipment is either a) cheaper or b) sold to the IT department based upon some misleading information about functionality (e.g. Aruba Wireless representatives told me that Cisco could not centrally control access points) or c) really does something Cisco doesn't (e.g. Xirrus wireless has an interesting wireless array available). I admit it - I am not that familiar with Extreme products, so I started checking them out tonight and had a realization: they are not cheaper than Cisco! I am not sure where that leaves Extreme, but with a 0% failure rate over a 6 year period on our network switches (we have 50+ switches deployed) and wireless LAN (we have ~30 access points), I'm not likely to start looking for a replacement for Cisco anytime soon.

I noticed that they chose 3Com for a VoIP system. Again, not a system I am entirely familiar with, but ever since a vendor tried to sell me a NEC VoIP phone system that relied on a card system (just like any old phone system from the 1970's) I have been a little skittish about VoIP anyways. Cisco makes VoIP almost too easy. The data switches act as your phone cards and the call manager handles all the call routing. No need for any additional equipment (except I do use routers to act as the voice gateway - but they also provide a secondary call manager in case something happens to the main one).

So yes, I am a certified Cisco fan boy....it's because their products work and the work well - and I find them flexible enough to handle an ever changing network architecture. Something my fast growing school district has to be ready to do.