Topic: COMPUTER - on April 2, 2008 at 11:39:00 AM CEST
Installation of Windows XP on an ASUS Eee PC
The Asus Eee PC (in the US anyway) comes with a very simplified Xandora Linux interface that provides some very basic functionality, like web browsing, email, messaging, and word processing. For some people that's all the Eee PC will ever need to do, but for others, a full blown install of a "heavier" OS will be required (or maybe just wanted). Because of the Eee's limited hardware specs, Windows XP comes to mind, but even a default install of Windows XP with all of the patches can be 2GB or above. On some Eee PC's (the 2GB models) this isn't an option, and even on the 4GB models, said XP install would require more than 50% of the available space (3.8GB formatted).
So what is a person to do? This guide will show you how to rip the non-essentials out of the Windows XP installation CD, create a new CD with just the minimums, and allows for a fully patched Windows XP SP2 install with a final installation size of under 540MB - and that includes all ASUS drivers for the Eee. Following this entire guide may take a while, but if you follow every step, it will be worth it in the end. I own a 4G Asus Eee PC with 2GB of RAM. I have installed Windows XP Pro SP2 on my Eee, all the while documenting the entire process here for you as a "how to" guide. My final install comes in at only 537MB, and takes around 17 seconds to start up from power button press to desktop.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on March 24, 2008 at 10:02:00 AM CET
Top 10 Software Easter Eggs
Sure we like our chocolate bunny ears, but around these parts the best easter eggs aren't painted pink and stuffed with jelly beans—they're the undocumented and unexpected fun features hidden deep inside various software apps. While new software Easter eggs don't come around often, there's still a basket full of classics we love. After the jump, get roundup of our favorite software Easter eggs.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on March 24, 2008 at 9:57:00 AM CET
Die verblüffende Kunst der Bit-Minimalisten
Sie schaffen die kleinsten Kunstwerke der Welt - zumindest, was den Speicherplatz angeht. Die Computerkünstler der Demoszene schöpfen aus wenigen Bytes Atemberaubendes. An diesem Wochenende wurden die Besten der Szene in Bingen gekürt.
Es ist Ostern, es ist wieder Breakpoint: die größte Party der Demoszene. Das sind jene Computerkünstler, die mit viel Wissen und wenigen Bytes kleine Videoclips programmieren, um sie dann auf Partys wie der Breakpoint den anderen "Scenern" vorzustellen (mehr...). In 64 Kilobyte große Dateien packen die Helden der Szene Filme, die wie Profi-Musikvideos aussehen. Wie das wirklich funktioniert, verstehen vermutlich nur andere Scener.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on March 23, 2008 at 1:17:00 PM CET
Sony Charges $50 Extra to Sell You Laptop with No Crapware
Sony and crapware have a special relationship, so much so that it takes over two minutes for its laptops to boot into Windows (compare that with 30 seconds for a MacBook). The company has even issued press statements explaining its reasoning: “The programs are carefully selected and provide benefits to many consumers, up to 30% of whom act on the offers.”
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Topic: COMPUTER - on March 18, 2008 at 2:36:00 PM CET
Windows Vista Toilet Paper
Ah, the Japanese... They are so fond of the upcoming Windows Vista Service Pack 1 that they printed toilet paper rolls about it, highlighting it's features.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on March 17, 2008 at 2:04:00 PM CET
Starjournalist wirft MacBook aus Versehen weg
Steven Levy ist ein Veteran des Technik-Journalismus: Der 57-Jährige hat 1984 eines der ersten Bücher über Hacker veröffentlicht, hat für alle großen US-Magazine vom "New Yorker" bis "Wired" geschrieben. Heute testet er beim Nachrichtenmagazin "Newsweek" Technik-Spielzeug. Sein Testgerät von Apples MacBook Air – das beinahe dünnste Notebook der Welt hat er mit dem Papiermüll weggeworfen.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on February 28, 2008 at 9:52:00 AM CET
Teenage Bot Herder Admits to Infecting Military Computers
Hacking for money again? Well not really in this case, more like script kiddying for money - modifying an ‘off the shelf’ malware/bot package to evade detection and then cashing in on spamware affiliate fees.
I guess they could have made much with a 400,000 bot network - by renting it out for DDoS attacks to online extortionists. Although legally that’s even more risky.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on February 27, 2008 at 10:07:00 AM CET
Building a Green PC
Ars Technica has put together a green DIY system building guide. The idea is to build a PC offering decent energy efficiency as well as solid performance. The 'Green Gaming Box' draws about 125W at full load (not including a monitor); the minimalist 'Extreme Green Box' uses a mini-ITX case and a VIA CPU-motherboard combo for about 30W at typical load. If you want to mix and match components, or modify your current system so that it uses less energy, there are plenty of options for swapping out individual components.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on February 20, 2008 at 5:30:00 PM CET
Airport security
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Topic: COMPUTER - on February 20, 2008 at 11:58:00 AM CET
DVD Jon aims to smash digital Tower of Babel
doubleTwist, the firm founded by scourge of DRM manufacturers Jon Lech Johansen (AKA DVD Jon) last March, has released software designed to allow users to share digital media files - including copy protected content - across devices.
doubleTwist desktop allows users to "share and sync digital media without worrying about codecs and bitrates". The Windows utility will allow users to play a video made on a Nokia smartphone on an iPod or Sony PSP, for example. The software is available as a free download from doubletwist.com. The firm also released a developers kit designed to spur adoption of the technology.
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Topic: COMPUTER - on February 8, 2008 at 5:13:00 PM CET
Antivirus Inventor Says Security Pros Are Wasting Time
Computer Forensics Show 2008 -- Peter Tippett thinks it's time for security professionals to wake up and stop wasting their energy.
In a presentation here yesterday, Tippett -- who is vice president of risk intelligence for Verizon Business, chief scientist at ICSA Labs, and the inventor of the program that became Norton AntiVirus -- said that about one third of today's security practices are based on outmoded or outdated concepts that don't apply to today's computing environments.
"A large part of what we [security pros] do for our companies is based on a sort of flat-earth thinking," Tippett said. "We need to start looking at the earth as round."
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Topic: COMPUTER - on January 17, 2008 at 12:44:00 PM CET
Beyond the Mac World, an Apple like prodigy for a purpose
Home décor is one activity that outrightly interests an individual. In the good old days, you would travel miles to get to the downtown décor store, of late, trends have reverted, and the home décor stores are coming to you. En route, we have churned out ways to give that personal impetus to our living space, creating things at our own level. Companies have their share in uplifting the statute.
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