Blog

🕑Feb 04, 2005 🖋John Locke 💬0

Open-Source Mesh Networks

In this chapter of the book, I wrote about Mesh Networking as being the cutting edge of wide area networks. At that writing, there were a couple of proprietary mesh networking systems in place, one consisting of wireless lamp-posts in the UK.

🕑Feb 01, 2005 🖋John Locke 💬0

What's broken in Windows?

As a computer consultant helping small businesses, one of the first things I do is install Firefox on the Windows computers. While there are still a handful of sites that only work with Internet Explorer, universally I find new users like the Fox...

🕑Jan 30, 2005 🖋John Locke 💬0

Linux much less vulnerable on Internet

A couple of interesting stories here. First of all, it takes about 4 minutes for an unpatched Windows machine connected to the Internet without a firewall to be compromised.

🕑Jan 25, 2005 🖋John Locke 💬3

A laptop, coffee, and disaster recovery

Last week, my laptop died a sudden, spectacular death by drowning as a full cup of coffee poured into its keyboard. It emitted a pop sound, and the screen and all power shut off.

What would be your reaction? Mine was to immediately unplug the power cord and remove the battery. Then I took it over to the sink and poured out the coffee. Remembering tales of people flushing keyboards with water, I ran some fresh water over the keys and then set to work. I removed the keyboard, the palm rest, a few of the inner cards, and let it sit without power for several hours. Apparently not long enough.

🕑Jan 15, 2005 🖋John Locke 💬0

Linux will command a much greater share of the Desktop Market

A Linux Journal article by Tom Adelstein argues that studies that show 6% of desktops to be run on Linux in the next three years doesn't take into account all the viruses, worms, and vulnerabilities of Windows. He predicts more like 25% market penetration in this space.