Facebook vs Google Plus

Social media is nice because it allows you to expand your horizons. You can use it to keep you updated on people and happenings. Facebook relationship status indicator probably has the most page reloads of all. I just don't like it when Facebook starts spamming all your contacts in the hopes to generate more ad revenue. Sure Leonard Chapman is a friend, but do I want all of his friends and my friends to know we are friends? I thought Facebook had given up this evil practice, but I guess not. Google doesn't seem to be that evil. When you log in to plus.google.com for the first time it recommends to you 10 people. It then gives you a list of celebrities / technology people and gives you the option of following them. If you do follow someone, all yours and their friends aren't emailed like Facebook likes to do. That is why I have been asking my friends to post on google+ instead of facebook.com It does seem to be working as of today -- I have 84 friends on Google+ and 89 friends on Facebook. And who knows if you join plus.google.com today you might be the guy who makes me very happy. Having more google+ friends then facebook friends. And who knows I might even reward you with gifts. Have a great day, I know I will. Thanks for following me on g+

Google+ is growing at 20% per month.

I was supprised to see something I posted on Google+ get quite a response today. So I decided to see what Google+'s growth rate is at and will it get over the 12% of online people in order to gain the network effect. One month ago Mark Zuckerberg had 1/2 million followers on Google+ and now he has 20% more. This 20% per month growth rate is what I have been experiencing also. I have just over 50 followers now and at a 20% per month growth rate I should have over 100 followers by February 2012. If network effect takes over it might be sooner. Who knew our trailer for sale would get that kind of response or maybe $30,000 is too cheap for a lot and a house.

Hangout+

Another disruptive technology from Google got released today. In Google Plus there is this Hangout feature which enables you to meet others just like you do at church. Now, besides video conferencing you have the option of sharing your desktop. This will be a huge blow to webinar platforms. I will try to use it tomorrow for my peace computer session at the Hythe Community Centre. Helping others has never been this must fun.

Security - Viruses vs Facebook Connect

What is worse? Viruses that have key loggers built-in or Facebook that tracks people's interest and monetizes that information. It seems that doing evil is fine as long as you can't get sued. Virus writers do it by being anonymous and Facebook does it by tracking your habits and selling them to the highest bidder. Virus removal software has been around for a while; and now we have something stops Facebook from abusing cookies. The extension is called On-Demand Cookie Cleaner - and it stops websites from tracking your identity. Maybe having your password stole is worst then being manipulated, but is it really? Both gave out info you really didn't want to give out. Go ahead and install the extension, your future self will thank me.

Open Source versus Libre Linux

Mike and Richard have a great talk posted here. Programmers enjoy manipulating software just as cooks enjoy changing the recipes. In my life I have seen the birth the Android which allows people to modify code, not only the birth, but the growth, There now are more cell phones running Android software then Apple, Nokia/Microsoft or RIM. Hopefully I can get back to the ideals of Libre Linux (GPL) and not buy hardware that uses binary blobs. I want to thank the people who are good rather than mention the bad. Thanks Google and Canonical! I know a lot of people can't tell the difference between Skype or Gtalk, but one is Libre and one tries to lock you in. I would like to quote Richard Staleman here:

Bill Gates's idea of charity is to get school students hooked on Windows, so that he can make more money. That's not charity, I think

Open Source now available in Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada

I am heading to GP today and I would like to offer my services as a pickup boy to anyone who wants to buy a tablet. This isn't the first time that Open Source software has been offered pre-installed on a computer, but this is the first time that it is now the best of the best in computer user experience. It's closest revel is Apple's tablet-the ipad. The Xoom is better because it supports flash and is not a beholder to Apple's software app limitations. Offer expires on the passover (April 18, 2011)
Thanks for being Noah's descendant!
King Arthur

Mission Accomplished: SCO Loses, Groklaw Closes | ZDNet

Mission Accomplished: SCO Loses, Groklaw Closes | ZDNet I like this statement from PJ "Android has won. No matter what tricks Microsoft may pull going forward, the world knows now that when there was free choice in the marketplace, people chose Android, which runs on Linux, over Microsoft’s phone" I sure noticed this yesterday at the Taylor hockey tournament. Both Andrew and Michael showed me their new Android based phone. Freedom is such a powerful tool.

How to catch an Elk?

Normally I post helps, but this time I would like help. I am trying to figure out how I can watch the Elk that are in my hay shed every other night. I am not sure if I should use wxcam or motion software to notify me when there is movement in the hay shed. I snapped a screen shot of the wxcam program and as you can see the menu allows for this service. Has anyone managed to get it to work? The motion software installs easily also, but my network routes through 2 dd-wrt routers. There is one in the hay shed and one in the house and for some reason it doesn't want notify me in the house when there is movement in the hay shed. Has anyone done this before, what software did you use? My camera is a $200 eeepc laptop.

We entered Mexico with our nails a little shorter.

We had stashed an extra 5 suite cases filled with clothes for the Orphanage or a least that is what we thought Foundation For His Ministry‎ had given us to be delivered to San Vincente. After getting pulled over and the Mexican border officers dog had a good sniff I was sure that is what we were given to take across the boarder. Even with the talking and sniffing it only took us 5 minutes to get into Mexico.

Pulling back onto the highway the signs flashed before us and we knew we were headed the wrong way. With our gas gauge light on we thought we better turn back. After a couple of 3 lane traffic circles we found a Pemex gas station. The mid-size 2003 holds almost 500 peso, but we got to put it onto the MasterCard so everything was ok. This country accepts America dollars just as readily as the peso. My bank cards don't work at the Bankomex so it is a good thing Pemex accepts MasterCard

Heading South on Highway 1 we ran into 2 $2.25 toll booths and a $2.50 one, then a lady that wanted a donation for ambulance services which we gave a dollar. 280 km later we unloaded our 5 50lb suite cases and our community service was done. 2 street boys want me to give them a dollar so I took out a 5 dollar Canadian and they didn't like it as much as the 1 America dollar. Only 1 week ago the Canadian dollar was better than the America, but not according to these kids. They got scolded by a older Mexican woman for standing in the way of me being able to close my car door.

We were told to make sure we filled up in Encinada because it's 300 km of no services, but I did notices few trucks with barrels of gas on the back. I imaged it would be more than just $40 for a fill-up. As you can see by the pictures it is quite picturess and you can go pretty much whatever speed your willing to risk on the comers. Whatever the sign said you can usually double it. Most roads say 80km/h but I find 130km/h a reasonable speed, maybe it is because I have been travelling in the US and there most highways are 80 mph. There were 4 guard stops the first day before we spent the night at Desert Inn in Guerrero Negro. The sign said $85 /night, but we negotiated it down to $58 which I put on the MasterCard and it came out to be 700 peso.  Too bad I can't use my Canadian debt cards down here, not even to withdrawn from an ATM.   

2011 - Technology Update

My technology life is getting to be strange. People are starting to ask me to install jabber, Ubuntu, Open Office onto their computers.  That is what I have been recommending for quite a few years now.  I know there are still people trying to follow Apple, but more and more people are starting to see that Steve Jobs is all about control.  Their latest is not letting VLC player onto iTunes. Microsoft was never so blatant about keeping competition out of their software market.
A lot of this posturing will become mute when Chrome and Firefox 4 come out and people start uploading webm files.  With Google backing this video formate and Microsoft/Apple only controlling 40% of the Browser Market, this to me is a fight that Google has already won.  Gone will be the days when people use files that certain companies control via threats of lawsuits etc. The next hurdle to overcome is Facebook's walled garden approach, it is a lot like Apple's usage rules.  These (TOS) rules are quite draconian in nature, but most of us don't bother complaining or closing our accounts.  Maybe my niece (Kerry Cundal) with her new found fame can make the world a better place in this area. For more info see my next Buzz.  Who says I can't use marketing manipulation also?  All the best to you in 2011!