Interesting Site: Free Computing Quick Reference Guides

As someone who has worked as a programmer in many different languages (C, C++, Ada, Perl, Visual Basic, Java, etc etc etc), I have always found it hard to go from one language to another quickly at times. I program for months in Ada and then get called to update a Perl script, all while teaching Basic, so my languages all kind of mingled together. I found it quite useful to have quick reference guides handy. Apparently, so did this person, who has created a site devoted to some of the languages out there:

http://www.digilife.be/quickreferences/indexe.html


From his site: Throughout the years I have collected a huge pile of documents that deal with almost every aspect of software development. The purpose of this site is to centralize this information and to make it available to everyone who may need it or shares my passion on this subject. There are still a lot of documents in my "archive" that I like to share with you all.
At the moment this site represents only a fraction of what I want to provide, so a lot of work still needs to be done. As a result, you should consider this site as a work in progress. I'll try to keep you updated on the most challenging, powerful and continuously evolving software technologies of the moment. I hope that especially Java and C++ fanatics (like myself) will find some valuable information over here.

Interesting Article: 10 Dumb Technology Ideas from 2006

Knockoff Razr Phones? Playing polo on Segway scooters? People always find interesting ways to misuse technology. Read on...

Tech News: Microsoft to take on iPod

Microsoft has decided to battle Apple yet again...this time, for the dominance of portable media. Microsoft announced information about their long-rumored iPod type device, called a "Zune".

Microsoft confirms 'iPod Killer'

Microsoft said on Friday it plans to release a new music and entertainment player and accompanying software under the "Zune" brand this year, in a belated attempt to challenge the dominance of Apple's iPod player.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/21/technology/microsoft.reut/index.htm?section=cnn_topstories

Interesting Article: Watch What You Type!

Another case of people's blogging costing them their job!!!

A woman working for a CIA contractor lost her job when she posted negative things about the US's torture policy in a blog on the CIA intranet.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072001816.html

The day of the last post, Axsmith said, after reading a newspaper report that the CIA would join the rest of the U.S. government in according Geneva Conventions rights to prisoners, she posted her views on the subject. It started, she said, something like this: "Waterboarding is Torture and Torture is Wrong."

It's amazing that this sort of thing keeps happening.

Interesting Article: Using Google to Find Malware Source Code

It is interesting how many applications find for Google. For example, someone created a search engine that allows you to find the source code for virii (viruses) and other types of malware.

Article at E-week

H.D. Moore, creator of the Metasploit hacking tool and the security researcher behind the MoBB (Month of Browser Bugs) project, has released a search engine that finds live malware samples through Google queries.

Microsoft Office Macintosh Version: ~$79 after rebate

I am giving a few workshops at Montclair on PowerPoint, and I was discussing pricing on the Microsoft Office suite (Microsoft makes a student/teacher edition available at a lower cost). It turns out that Amazon is having a sale on it, for around $79 after rebate:

Microsoft Office for the Macintosh

The PC Version of it is ~$129 on Amazon:
Microsoft Office (PC Version)

Interesting Article: Microsoft Fined More Money than I will make in my lifetime

The European Union is much tougher on Microsoft than the United States is. They just fined Microsoft $357 million dollars for not complying with a 2004 ruling, and plan on fining them more if the things they want are not taken care of soon.

It's a tough line between being a monopoly and good business, isn't it?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060712/bs_nm/microsoft_eu_dc_23

State of NJ shutdown

It's interesting that the state has shut down. Some things I find interesting:

1) They posted a list of who has to report to work on the state Web site. Interestingly enough, many of the Information Technology workers are considered "essential" now!

2) For those of you with expiring licenses, the state extended their expiration dates.

3) No, it does not affect me.

Happy Fourth!

Link: Soprano Sue

Some of you who have taken classes at PCCC in the evenings may remember "Soprano Sue". She has a great web site for all things Sopranos at:

http://www.sopranosuesightings.com

If you've seen the autographed pictures on my wall, this is the source. Her site is a must see for Sopranos fans, and notice she correctly capitalizes the word "Internet" in her blog.