Linux getting Steam?

Although fairly old news, Linux seems to be catching on in the larger gaming market, especially where digital copies of games are concerned. Linux for Steam has been launched a few days ago by Valve, who has successfully released hundreds of games on their digital distribution platform for several years. This version of Steam will run on Ubuntu 12.04, and features only a few games which includes Team Fortress 2, Serious Sam and several other titles. The platform is only available to a few hundred beta testers but Valve stated that they will slowly grow the user base as further testing continues.

This move from Valve is a good step towards gaming integration between Linux and the commercial Windows and Mac systems that dominate the paying market. Open Source has come a long way since its beginnings decades ago, and Linux is still a prime example of stability and security in a malware and hacker-filled world, making availability of games a plus point for more consumers to consider switching to the free operating system.

Long has Windows emulation and game-hacking been the only way to get many of the commercially released games and even other applications to work. Although this will not be the first time PC and Mac games comes to Linux, it is a starting point for a much larger scale of digital distribution and Linux gaming integration. We await silently, hoping that this move will promote the Open Source community and give Linux a larger view around the world.

Windows RT Moving Away from Freedom of Choice

Microsoft is starting to seem like it might be slowly edging to an unwanted platform with RT. For those wondering, Windows RT (formerly known as Windows on ARM) will be a version of the Windows 8 operating system for ARM devices such as tablets. The RT acronym does not officially stand for anything. 
Recently announced, applications that will run on RT has to be 'certified' by Microsoft to be added to the list of programs on their store. This means that similar to other platforms such as Apple's Mac, not all programs will effectively run on Windows RT if it hasn't been checked by MS to adhere to certain standards. 

Now, although this is good in practice, the one thing that made the PC as a computer original was its compatibility and changeability. With a PC computer you always have the choice of using computers like you want, customizing it completely. Sure, there were multiple compatibility problems with various systems, and there's no dodging away from that. But although not as open-formed as Linux, Windows gave you options by not limiting your choices. 

Windows 8 won't have this system yet, so its still free game, but the direction that Microsoft is moving might be a troubling one for those who enjoyed the freedom that a PC offered with Windows' open system. I personally also enjoyed the large choice I had with Windows and PC's so far, leaving me slowly losing even more faith in Microsoft's new business model.

More Copyright Drama starring Apple, HTC and Samsung

As I speculated in my previous article, copyright infringment wars continue on, and this time Apple is allegedly in the crosshairs of both Samsung and HTC following the release of their newest edition of mobile smartphone, the iPhone 5. 

In 2009, the LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard, or how its more widely known, 4G LTE, has brought about numerous patents containing the various designs of wireless communication used for mobile phones to the table, but it has never seen the light in Apple's device until the recent release of their new iPhone.  This has prompted Samsung to imply that they would be suing Apple for patents they hold in conjunction with the LTE standard. Although originally one would think this is simply Samsung throwing a tantrum for their previous loss, they actually might have some lean in this matter. 

Samsung has run an LTE network for quite some time, and they might have some pull if they were to pursue charges of patent infringment.
Similarly, HTC also indicated a possible law suit against the importing of iPhone on the grounds of patent violations, especially since an ITC judge, Judge Thomas Pender stated that they would have to overwhelmed with evidence to have any ruling against the patent infringement claim by HTC, which bodes well for the mobile device company.

Apple seems to have stepped onto a landmine here, and although they have the finacial backing for another lawsuit, their chances of winning might be slim as it stands now. We'll have to see what more horrors await Apple if the suit comes to life.

Hardware Copyright Battles

Since 2011, the heated battle between Samsung and Apple has run wild, creating stirs in the internet community and the world. Apple sued Samsung for various copyright infringements including Samsung's Galaxy Tab and their Galaxy phones. In response to this attack on their validity, Samsung counter-sued them with similar claims of copyright infringments with Apple's Iphone and technologies. 

So, the last month the court drama came to a climax with final arguments and evidence being presented by both parties. Then, a few days ago the final verdict was given by the jury and Samsung was slammed with a 1 billion dollar damage payment for infringing on a lot of Samsung's best-seller mobile devices. This is surely a hard hit for Samsung, not only against their pockets, but also their reputation. 

The whole debacle has thrown copyright infringements back into the spotlight. Recently, and less in the news, was the Oracle vs Google infringement case. Oracle sued Google for allegedly infringing on Java patents with their Android operating system. 

For years, technology has been fragmented more than it is today in the sense of advancements, that made it a lot harder to infringe on existing patents. But in the past few decades, technology, and specifically computer technology has grown to include many standards. And the more standard something is, the closer it gets to being the same as another guy's own design. 

A few older cases comes to mind, such as Apple's claim against Psystar in 2008 for their 'hackintosh' systems that came loaded with Apple's OS.

It is the opinion of many a internet-blogger that Apple will be going after Google next, for various infringement they have committed against Apple's devices. Google has been going strong with innovation, but perhaps they are running out of ideas? More and more things they release are starting to feel like copies of other people's work. Such as their Android system's similarities to Java and other related mobile operating systems (such as Apple's own mobile OS, iOS). Apple has always been intent on their patents, and have been hunting copycats for years.

If there's one thing we have learned from this court drama between Samsung and Apple, its that you can only get away with blatent technology theft for so long. Don't get me wrong, I use a Samsung phone myself, which is like a small, less fancy iPhone. But in the end it is so close to Apple's phones that I agree with the verdict of the court on this matter. In my opinion, we might see more copyright lawsuits come up after this case, as it has set a precident for copyright infringement.

Microsoft RT and why you can't say 'metro' anymore

The line between Netbooks, Notebooks and Tablets are slowly merging into one gigantic pool of confusion. Recently, with the release of Windows 8, Microsoft also announced a version of their software that would run on ARM devices, which in essence will be in between a tablet and a laptop. But what is Windows RT as it is called, and what makes it different?

Windows RT is simply abbreviated letters for Runtime, which is the name of the engine that runs the "Metro" apps. Unlike the regular version of Windows 8, RT will be sold directly to manufacturers and will be preloaded on RT devices. Those will often have a detachable keyboard, but also a touch screen so that it functions both as a laptop and a tablet. It will only run apps downloaded from the Windows Store, similar to a tablet or smartphone.
RT Tablets will supposedly have longer battery life, faster gesture support, NFC(Near Field Communication) and better graphics than other tablets, according to an article on Cnet.

This effectively creates a new level of computing device that falls somewhere between the currently popular tablets, and the more powerful notebooks or laptops. Netbooks have all but died in the market with the tablet revolution currently in effect.

Dell, Lenovo and Samsung will be developing Windows RT computers, and Asus has already announced a RT tablet in the works.
One version of the Microsoft Surface, their own tablet, will also run Windows RT.

Windows RT will not include Windows Media Player, but have a RT version of the new office.

With all the hype in tablets, Microsoft is really putting out to fit the market, and in my humble opinion, they are not doing a bad job. They have been aiming high since Windows 8's announcement and so far they have not dissappointed where the big picture is concerned. We will have to wait and see if the Windows RT tablets are feasible in a market where Apple and Samsung already flies high.

While we are on the subject of Microsoft, they have recently changed the official naming of the 'metro'-style appearance of Windows 8 to simply calling it Windows 8. The reason for this is that they are stepping lightly around using the name after German retailer Metro AG supposedly implied that they were unhappy with Microsoft using the name. According to MS, the name was more of a code name that they would slowly change away from when the OS was finally released, but personally I think the name will stay with us forever. The dreaded Metro, so user-friendly that people like me will dislike it because it is too automatic for my taste.

Microsoft is busy this year, and many are waiting for the release of Windows 8 in October when RT, Windows Phone 8 and the Surface will make their appearances. We'll see how it all pans out in the end.

Curiosity has landed

Having been flying towards Mars at a steady pace for 36 weeks, NASA's Hi-tech, unmanned, planet-driving, automated explorer 'rover', dubbed Curiosity, landed this past Sunday on the red planet, and have already sent back images for the whole world to see.

The rover is as large as a car, and was carefully lowered using pinpoint calculations via a sky-crane and various complicated manoeuvres. Powered by nuclear power, and sporting dozens of different instruments, it is the largest rover to be used by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and its main purpose is to determine of Mars ever sustained or could sustain life.

It has landed in the Gale crater, which is believed to contain sediments of millions of years, and could provide valuable insight to the history of the planet.
The Curiosity has already sent back several images from its landing point, but in the coming few days or weeks the mast will be deployed which contains a high-resolution colour camera.

Some internet sources speculate that after this the next logical step would be to put a man or woman on the red planet. Whether this sci-fi thinking will become reality remains to be seen, but the whole operation is a credit to humanity and computers.

Microsoft goes tablet

The Microsoft Surface

Microsoft has been busy this week. From announcing their expansion into the mobile market with the Surface, to the new Windows Phone 8, they have certainly pulled the spotlight on themselves this month.  When you think of Microsoft, you always think of their software, and the widely successful XBOX consoles. But, this week that changed.

Microsoft's business model has always been mostly software. Save for the gaming console expansion, they had concentrated all their money and work into their big software titles such as Windows, their games, and various other offerings such as Windows Phone.
With the announcement of the Microsoft Surface, one has to wonder what they are up to. It seems a bit out of their field of expertise, considering that most of their hardware offerings are made by third-party partners, such as the Windows Phones. But then again, they are good at surprising us.

The Surface is basically a standard tablet. It will run Windows 8, which with its 'metro' style tile system could be the ideal operating system in the case of mobile computing. Unlike many of its rivals, the Surface will come with a detachable touch-pad keyboard. This allows you to stand it up similar to a laptop or netbook computer. Various rumours are floating around the net, including things like Wi-Fi only connection options, a price tag that will range from $700 to $1000, and full integration with Live, which is of course the same way Windows 8 will work.

MS has been known to go extravagant on many things, and I'm sure this will be no exception. Include with the Surface the soon to be released Windows 8 (which we will assumedly see in the Northern Hemisphere fall) and the new Windows 8 phones that are coming out sometime next year, Microsoft is stacking their cards up on the new mobile venture.

We will have to wait and see what their future will hold.

Desktop Experience

My Setup at the moment

Today, while browsing various sites and also checking an e-mail, I've come across a few different setups that various users have for their desktop workstations. This ranged from a simple screen, keyboard, mouse and chassis setup, to a much larger dual screen, printer and 2.1 sound system.

Personalizing and enhancing your workstation can help make you feel more at home while sitting at your desk, and enjoy your music, games, work, browsing or other activities so much more. A few things that can help out in this regard : 

An extra screen is always a nice touch. New computers quite often comes with mulitple screen ports. Digital outs, VGA outs and these days HDMI is commonplace, and extending your Windows Desktop to two screens gives you so much more space. You can place commonly used applications on the one screen, such as your IM messenger, your music program of choice, and even widgets for weather, or time, or any other desktop interactions you like to have handy. The extended screen makes your computer feel much bigger and spacious, and you feel better running things in full screen knowing that you still have visibility of your instant messenger.

Speaking of desktop apps, with the new Widget system of Windows Vista and 7, and with a multitude of desktop-based applications available on the internet, its always an enhancing experience to broaden the use of your desktop, especially when you use multiple screens to display. From showing a picture from photobucket to giving highlights of feeds you frequent, there is always useful and entertaining widgets and desktop apps on the internet.

Further things to consider:

- Although small speakers are sufficient for most things, you can get a 2.1 speaker set these days for relatively cheap. Listening to music or playing games with just an added subwoofer and better quality speakers can make a huge difference on how your computer sounds.

- USB hubs, (externally powered ones are recommended) is a very useful tool to have handy when you use various usb devices. Especially these days with smart phones and mobile devices becoming integrated with computers. USB hubs give you easier access to the ports as well, and when powered will provide sufficient power to give you the best experience when syncing mobile devices. 

- Spaciousness is an important part of the desktop experience. When you sit and work on a cramped table, with no space to move your hands or even the mouse, it becomes a chore to do work on your computer. Having a spacious table with ample room for all your computer peripherals will make you feel so much more professional and satisfied when you work on your desktop. 

Many other things can be attributed to the experience of enjoying your computer, but those are personal preference, such as color of the chassis, mouse size, keyboard style, and extra devices such as a tablet for drawing, or a headphone-microphone set for gaming. 

I hope you gain some insight after reading this, and improve your desktop experience.

Guide : How to Fix a Corrupt Windows File System

Many Windows systems become corrupt for a variety of reasons, and this leaves you between a rock and hard place in which you want to throw the computer away. But, luckily, there are many ways to work around and fix problems that can occur. This guide can fix a variety of errors and problems with Windows, which can include but is not limited to :
- Error Dialog Boxes
- Startup Failures
- BSoD's, (Blue Screen of Deaths)
- Windows Applications not functioning properly

CheckDisk

CheckDisk comes with Windows as standard, and is the default utility to scan and fix file system and harddrive errors. Although not full proof, it has proven to be a very resourceful and useful tool. This is usually a good place to start when trying to fix corrupt Windows files, as it could be the cause of the corruption, and fixing it is the priority to prevent further problems. 

To run CheckDisk, you need to open a Command Prompt. 

In Windows XP : Click on Start->Run. Then, type in the box, cmd.exe. The Command Prompt will open.

In Windows Vista/7 : Click on Start, and then type cmd in the search box. Then, on the found file, cmd.exe, Right-click, and choose Run as Admin. 

After you have opened the Command Prompt, you can run CheckDisk. Do so, by typing in chkdsk /r. The /r option tells CheckDisk to automatically attempt to repair corrupt sectors on the drive. (You can use /f as well, which also repairs file automatically) Usually, when running the utility directly will result in an error, as shown to the right.

Simply type Y when it prompts to scan at restart, and then restart your computer. A scan will then start before entering Windows after a reboot. 

When the system was checked and errors fixed, then you can move on to the next steps in fixing corrupt files.

System File Checker

The System File Checker is designed to check files installed on your drive, and compare them to what they are supposed to be. Any file that is not the same is then re-copied from the Installation CD (which you will require to use this utility). This fixes many corrupt file problems, and is highly recommended to solve errors and non-functioning or malfunctioning Windows applications.

To run System File Checker, you need to open a Command Prompt again. Same as above.

In Windows XP : Click on Start->Run. Then, type in the box, cmd.exe. The Command Prompt will open.

In Windows Vista/7 : Click on Start, and then type cmd in the search box. Then, on the found file, cmd.exe, Right-click, and choose Run as Admin. 

Insert your Windows Installation Disc. This must be the same version as the one installed, or it might not work. Then, in the Command Prompt box, type 

sfc /scannow. This will initiate and run the utility. This may take a while, so be patient. 

If no errors are found using the System File Checker, or if it doesn't solve the problem, there is another way to fix corrupt files. 

Repair Install

A repair install basically reinstalls Windows, overwriting files on the drive, but only reinstalling Windows core operating system files and drivers. This method keeps documents, applications, profiles and most of the other settings intact. 

For instructions on how to perform a Repair Install on Windows XP, check the guide How to do a Repair Install on Windows XP

I will have a link up for how to perform a Repair Install on Windows Vista or 7 soon. 

If none of these 3 base options work, there is a good chance that your system is corrupted pretty badly, which is usually caused by malware and virusses. If this is the case, the last resort is to format the drive, and reinstall a clean installation of Windows onto it. This is usualy undesirable, as it deletes all user files and documents, but if the system is too unstable to fix normally, it is the most effective way to deal with it.

I will post up a guide on how to do a clean install at a later date, and link it here. 

Any questions or comments can be posted here if you need help with corrupt system files.

The Sad Truth of Piracy

Software today is like apples were in three hundred years ago; so easy to steal. Although so many copyright laws and regulations exist, it is and will always be a problem that is hard to get past. Any software is copyable, because of how computers work. Until there is a way to fight this, users can simply copy software to their friend's computer, and share it without paying for it.

To combat this, software and game developers added safety features like unique cd keys, hardware snapshots and ultimately online activation. Companies like Blizzard use an online interface which allows you to copy their games, but not play it without a online-stored and registered key.
Despite all this, hackers still manage to bypass most of it, and release software and games for free on the internet to download with the quickly escalating download speeds.

Today I read about Virgin Media's ISP blocking ThePirateBay on their network. This marks the first real act against the legal loop-hole torrent website. This is a start to combat piracy of software (and other media of course), but does little to stop direct-download sites, peer-to-peer networks and friend sharing. People grab onto the illegal joy ride of not paying for the software that is so painstakingly created by developers and released at a fair price.

Now, I have to confess, at some points I am disappointed in how high some software packages and games are priced, and this does not inspire confidence in buying a product. When you browse the online software stores and cringe at the high prices they request for the simplest things, one can understand why some people fall back to illegal download sites.

But, even with the shockingly high increase in game and software product prices, there is always legal and very promising options in the free market online. OpenOffice has shown us that office is not the only way to go. Microsoft has been a culprit of expensive software, with the latest releases of Vista and Windows 7. Windows 8 will not go unnoticed. But if you feel forking out a bunch of money for Office after paying so much for Windows is too much, then go for the other options. This way you are supporting the Opensource community, and not damaging the integrity of the commercial developers by stealing their software.

To be frank, I can't say I've never pirated anything. But, recently I've come to realize how much effort is put into designing and programming a software program or game, and paying them what they are owed is not a bad thing to do in the long run.

I leave you with a quote said by free software developer Miguel de Icaza :
"Every piece of software written today is likely going to infringe on someone else's patent."


Reference : Virgin Media Becomes First ISP to block ThePirateBay

The Virus Factor

Malware, a virus and other annoying pieces of code like spyware or worms are a death to many people when working on computers. Since the beginning of computers there has been a birth of hackers and "crackers" that program and design a virus for various purposes. To effectively deal with this, there's a few things you should know about the nasty things.

A virus in itself is a self-replicating program that causes harm to a system. This usually include infecting files on a target computer with the purpose of damaging the computer, or compromising the system to enable a hacker easier access.
Malware has more specific uses such as damaging specific files to render a system inoperable. A virus or malware usually writes itself into multiple locations, and into the registry to make it harder to remove.

There is of course other types of malware and unwanted programs. Spyware is installed usually with the sole purpose of retrieving information from the infected machine such as applications that are being run, or keystrokes (to record passwords or banking details), etc. These are especially damaging to a person if their money is stolen through the use of spyware.
There is also trojans which activate on being run, or worms, which specialize in spreading through networks.

All these software leave a computer in tatters and can be very annoying to get rid of.

Preventing these are the best way to handle this. This can be achieved by having up to date and effective Anti-virus and Anti-malware applications installed on your computer.

Usually the only thing you'd need in my opinion is Microsoft Security Essentials. Designed and updated by Microsoft, this is the best anti-virus I have come across. It's small, light and very effective at preventing and removing virus threats from a computer. MSE even prevents most malware from getting a foothold on your pc, and I've recovered computers that were extremely unstable by using MSE to clean it up.
If you feel you need more protection, there is various anti-malware and spyware programs out there, of which many are free. On my old XP machine I used to use Spybot Search and Destroy. It was very strict in registry writes, and you have the choice to allow anything written to registry. This is kind of annoying after a while, and it isn't light on resources.

If your computer gets infected, and an anti-virus cannot remove it for you, then the best way to get rid of it is consulting with malware experts. Found on the internet everywhere, they will use programs such as HighjackThis (which you run on your computer to generate a log for them), to find and help you remove these hard to destroy malware that you may find on your computer. I can suggest the Security and Malware-removal section over at TechSupportForum if you need any help with this.

If you have any questions about malware and virusses feel free to post a comment, and I'll get back to you.

Guide : How to do a Repair Install on Windows XP

Windows XP has its faults, and sometimes software, device drivers or any other outside interference can cause corruption in the files systems of Windows, rendering it unusable or unstable. To fix this, there are many methods, but one final fix is to do a repair install.

A Windows Repair Install reinstalls Windows over the installation already present on your computer, but does not delete user data, preferences or other information that is not system based. It simply replaces all system files, and thus fixes many corruption errors. This is a safe way to fix a broken OS without actually having to start all over again user-data-wise.

Now, on to the how to :

Step 1

Check that your Windows XP CD is the same version as the one you have installed. You cannot repair install a XP Home installation using a XP Pro disc. 

Place the disc in your drive, and make sure in the CMOS settings that you boot from the CD-/DVD-ROM first. 

After POST and bootup, you will see a message, "Press any key to boot from CD". Then, as suggested, press any key, and Windows Setup will load.

Step 2

After Setup loads system files necessary for the installation, you will end up on the start screen. From here, choose to set up Windows by pressing Enter. After this, you should press F8 to agree to the Terms and Conditions.

Note : This make take some time depending on the system, and files that setup requires for your computer.

Step 3

Setup will scan your computer for existing Windows installations. Then, it will list any installations found. If you want to install a fresh copy of Windows (deleting the previous installation), you press ESC. But, we want to do a repair install, so we will select the appropriate OS found on the system and type "R".

Note : If there are no installations shown here, or if the option for repair isn't available, it means that the Win XP version in your CD drive isn't the same as the one that is installed. You cannot perform a repair install if this is the case.

Step 4

From this point onwards, the installation will continue like a normal install, except for the setting up of user settings screens later on. They are skipped because the info is already on the previous installation. You will need to retype your CD-Key. After everything has finished, your desktop will load like normal, and the Repair Install has been completed.

Note : Whether this has fixed your problem or not will still have to be tested. If a problem persists, additional troubleshooting will be required.

If there's any questions about the repair install on Windows XP, please do not hesitate to post them in the comments and I'll give you an answer.

WHILE "BLOG=ACTIVE" DO "READ"

Computers are ever evolving in our constant changing world, and sometimes we struggle to stay up to date with the new things that you can find. But, as with anything that changes, new IT advancements bring problems. You know what I'm talking about. Hangs, freezes, BSODs, malware, error messages, pop-up boxes, read-errors, and many other annoying and frustrating events that leave us with our hands in our hair.

But, like mechanics, doctors and accountants, there are people that can help you fix your trusty silicon brain and its counterparts. IT Technicians are everywhere, and are just as knowledgeable about the innards of a PC as a doctor is of a patient. All it takes is skill, talent, and a little bit of luck, and any problem can be sorted.

I'm starting this blog as a source of info on fixing, maintaining and upgrading of pcs, laptops and other forms and shapes of computers that is currently on the market. You may find my ramblings on difficult fixes, step-by-step guides on how to fix many things, news about new items that is on the horizon of computer hardware, or just random posts about PCs and how they make our lives harder and easier at the same time.

I will leave you with a quote from Robert Orben;
"To err is human, to blame it on a computer is even more so."