David Russell

[Post] Google Chrome

03 Sep 2008 01:48:52 -05:00

Earlier today, Google launched a new WebKit-based browser called Chrome.

I have spent a little time with Chrome this afternoon. It certainly is fast and seems to offer a very “light” user experience, as promised by the lead developers on the Chrome project. While there is much discussion swirling around Chrome today, there is much more still to come.

The most significant question is whether or not Google’s browser can take significant market share in the modern-day browser war. It is quite doubtful that Chrome can unseat the ubiquitous Internet Explorer, at least until we see something extraordinary occur. It might actually slow the growth of browsers like Firefox and Safari, but could at least increase the rate that alternative browsers as a whole chip away at Microsoft’s 72% majority share in this market

Chrome is currently available for Windows only. There are plans to release versions of the browser for OS X and Linux.

Download Google Chrome | Chrome Information Compiled at Wikipedia

[Post] Last Chance to Register for IMC

29 Aug 2008 18:14:55 -05:00

The time is winding down. If you have planned on attending the Internet Ministry Conference, register now. The last opportunity for registration is August 31. So it’s now or never!

I’m really looking forward to speaking at the conference next month. Be sure to visit the event listing for more information on the breakout sessions I’ll be leading.

I hope to see you there!

Internet Ministry Conference | My Breakout Sessions

[Post] Mozilla Ubiquity

28 Aug 2008 04:38:27 -05:00

Tomato

19 Aug 2008 13:00:23 -05:00

Recently, I published an article on DD-WRT. I have recently scoured the interwebs for alternative firmware for my Linksys WRT54G. While DD-WRT is a nice solution, I have found something superior: Tomato.

At first, I was a bit skeptical about Tomato. The official website isn’t quite the norm as “official” websites go. But it does answer all of the questions I had while researching the firmware and it gets right to the point with great screenshots, download options (including old “rotten” builds) and changelogs. The author of the site even lists alternatives to Tomato! That’s quite a different approach than DD-WRT, a project that has been criticized for turning away from its community. I don’t know much about the politics of the situation between DD-WRT and its detractors so I won’t even address that. What I do know is that I like when people recognize the fact that options exist and openly offer those options in addition to their own. Bonus points.

One key feature of Tomato is the brilliant user interface. I find the simplicity of it to be a breath of fresh air. If you’ve spent ten minutes using any router firmware, especially stock ones, you have probably experienced some pretty tacky interfaces. It’s really great to see Tomato focus on getting the features in a prominent space and getting the design out of the way. It’s tidy and attractive, but also very usable. One gripe I have is that it’s not easy to see the subnavigation of main sections, so you have to click into the main section before those options are visible. But this is a small complaint against an overall nicely done UI.

The features of Tomato are comparable to DD-WRT and many other alternative router firmware. Some of the key features include:

Ajax-enhanced UI
Real-time bandwidth monitors (SVG graphics)
Network Tools, including wireless site survey
Dynamic DNS, with sizeable options
QoS
Transmit Power Adjustment
Lots of feedback, including nifty reports on traffic shaped by QoS

So, quit using DD-WRT even though I recommended it a few days back. Get Tomato instead. :)

Tomato | FAQ

[Post] PowerBook G4

19 Aug 2008 01:04:33 -05:00

I’ve been hunting for a mobile computing solution for awhile. It’s been a casual hunt and I really haven’t jumped on anything, even though a few decent deals have passed by. I love craigslist. We use it to buy and sell just about everything. Last week, I stumbled on a PowerBook for sale. The price was about average, but I emailed the seller anyway because the machine was in great shape—it had recently been refurbished with a new screen, keyboard, trackpad, mainboard and upgraded RAM. The seller didn’t really want to come down much, so I let it go. He emailed this week with a counter-offer that made the deal good, so I checked it out and ultimately purchased it. It’s the 15-inch 1.67 Ghz G4 with 2GB of RAM. I’m not planning on doing a ton of heavy lifting with it, so it’s ideal for surfing, coding, light photo editing and some web design work.

I haven’t had a solid portable solution (other than my smartphone) for a couple of years. It’s really quite handy to be able to take my work anywhere and not be tethered to a desktop. I was a little concerned that this PowerBook may not quite have enough horsepower or features for what I’d need to do. Now that I have taken it around the digital block a few times, I think it’s going to be perfect! And hundreds of dollars cheaper than a new MacBook Pro. :)