I installed Windows 7 Beta 1 last night.  Before I tell you all about it, let me explain a few things for those of you who are not familiar with the term Beta.

Microsoft, like many others, puts its products through several phases during its release cycle before they can be called “ready” to be released.

The first phase of a product’s release cycle is called the Alpha phase.  This is the phase in which new features are being added to the product.  For instance, if Microsoft decided to put a print button on the Windows Calculator to enable users the ability to print out your calculations, that feature could added during the Alpha phase.  Sometimes, Microsoft will release an Alpha to give their customers some insight of what will be in available in the new product or product version.  Alpha releases are generally devoid of many features and are bug ridden.

The next phase is called the Beta phase.  For a product to qualify for beta phase, all major features must be complete.  This is not to say that they all work.  Beta phases are means in which a company gets the masses to test their software.  Many times private betas precede public betas.  Betas vary in quality, and usually their are multiple betas, aptly named beta 1, beta 2, etc.

Once the betas are at a point where the bugs are fixed or otherwise mitigated, the product graduates to the Release Candidate or RC phase.  The release candidate phase is the phase in which the company thinks it has a version of the product that can be promoted to the final phase.  All the features promised, are complete and generally bug-free.  The only thing that keeps a release candidate from moving to the next phase is the presence of “show stopper” bugs – or bugs so impactful, either by size or importance, that the product cannot possibly be released with it.  Show stopper bugs will be fixed and a new release candidate will be published.  Like betas, they are named in order RC-1, RC-2, etc.

The final phase of the release cycle is called Released to Manufacturing or RTM.  When a product has been RTM’d it is considered released.  Any new bugs will be fixed in minor subsequent releases called hot fixes, or patches.

Microsoft promoted its new version of their operating system, Windows 7, to Beta 1 on Friday, January 9th.

I am what people refer to as an early adopter.  I like to get products when they are very new and test them out.  I have been an early adopter of Windows for about 10 years.

When the Vista operating system was made public in beta form, I installed it and tested it out.  Much like I did last night.  In the case of Vista, I was unable to do many things.  Internet Explorer 7 was problematic, there were many applications I had that would not install, and many that did install, did not work correctly.  It was such a miserable beta, that I uninstalled it after a few days.  Then Vista’s beta 2 was released.  Most of the problems from beta 1 were resolved.  The second beta was stable enough that I installed it on my main machine and used it as my dedicated operating system, until Vista went into release candidacy.

Alternatively, installing Windows 7 was painless.  You only have to click on a few next buttons to get through to completion.  You could probably make it through the installation while asleep at the keyboard, as long as you were leaning on the enter key.  I give the installation an A+.

Despite having a somewhat older machine, Windows 7 successfully found all of the drivers needed for my hardware.  I did not have to chase down websites for various manufacturers trying to get the latest driver updates to ensure compatibility.  Instead, my experience was very pleasant.

When it came time to install software on my newly adorned machine, I found only a few hiccups.  I normally use a program called Daemon Tools which allows you to use CD/DVD ROM image files like they were actual disks in the drive, but it would not install.  Instead, I used a different program called Virtual Clone Drive.  So far, I like the replacement program better, and it installed without error.  The only other trouble I found was with my Cisco VPN application.  However, it turned out that I wasn’t installing the latest version.  Once I acquired the correct version, it installed and worked just fine.

I worked from home today.  I did my normal job, using Microsoft Office products, Visual Studio, and several other programs on Windows 7.  I did so without hitch, delay, or incident.  At no time did I have to revert to using a pre-Windows 7 machine to get something done.  The transition from Vista to Windows 7 was seamless and delightful.

I will post again on Windows 7 exploring its new features, but for now know that it is very stable and usable.

And there you have it.

Joe.

Addendum

I was reminded that I haven’t posted the link to download Windows 7 Beta. 

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx

Everyone that attended the Strategic Architect Forum (SAF) this year, received a free copy of MindManager 8 from MindJet.  This is my new favorite piece of software.

To explain MindManager, it would probably be helpful to first explain mind maps.  Mind maps are diagrams that represent thoughts or ideas surrounding a central topic.  They are commonly used to record in brainstorming sessions.  They are built by starting with a shape in the middle of the writing surface.  This could be a circle, square or line.  A word or words is written with the shape that declares the central topic.  From then every idea that stems from the topic is recorded in a shape that is connected to the topic.  Ideas can also stem from other ideas.  These child ideas are represented in shapes that connect to the idea it stemmed from.  This is more difficult to express in words than by a picture, so let me provide an example.

Notice that in the center of the map, lies the topic of the map (In this case the topic is entitled “New Course Design”), and how each subtopic is connected to it by a line.  This is a great way to loosely organize your ideas.

The example above is a mind map that I found on the web.  I didn’t create it and can only speculate what it is for by reading it.  But to show the power of MindManager, I decided to recreate the map above.

I have found MindManager to be a quick and easy way to take meeting notes, layout complex ideas, and even plan my son’s 6th Birthday party.  MindManager auto places each node and reshuffles as you add more.  You have the ability to manually move them or force them into different layouts that it provides, but I find the default auto layout to be the best.

Another extremely useful feature of MindManager is its very rich web 2.0 UI.  To be clear, there is a rich client for Windows or Mac, and there is a web interface.  However, the web interface is dependent on my favorite feature -> Mindjet Connect.  Mindjet Connect is the S+S (Software plus Services) feature of MindManager, so you can save your map files in the cloud.  If S+S  or Cloud computing means nothing to you, no worries…in this case it just means that you don’t save your MindManager files on your computer, they get saved on Mindjet’s servers so you can access them from any machine.  Much like Gmail - you don’t save your emails on your computer, they are saved on Google’s servers.

In the case of Mindjet Connect, you can invite others (non-MindManager users) to your virtual workspace and allow them to interact and contribute to your map files.  This is a really nice feature if you are interested in using mind mapping as a collaboration tool.

This is a very geeky post, I know, but for those of you who take lots of notes and have tons of Word docs littering up your hard drive… you should check this out.  And since I mentioned Word, I should probably mention its extensive integration with Microsoft Office products.  You can link in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, Access, and OneNote.  You can export to them as well.  Exports…well there’s another interesting topic.

You can export to many things…PDF, many image formats, MPX, and Office documents including a limited export to Outlook.  You can also export to one or more web pages, and to a PDF that has a “Mindjet Player” built in that allows the consumer to collapse and expand the notes on the map.

There are a ton of features that I am leaving out, so let’s just say… try it.  There is a free trial that you can get from their site.

Note: You don’t have to be a computer geek like me to like this software.

And there you have it.

Joe

Addendum

In light of Michael Deutch’s comment, I thought I’d link to an eight part blog series he did on MindManager 8:

Post 1:  What’s Great in MindManager 8: Introducing the Mindjet Player

Post 2:  Tackling Tough Tasks: MindManager 8’s Top Task Management Enhancements

Post 3:  Context Matters: Edit Office Files Within MindManager Maps

Post 4:  Browsing Within Your MindManager Maps

Post 5:  Serving Up Web Services

Post 6:  Visualize Your Data with the New Database Linker

Post 7:  3 Ways Search with MindManager 8 Just Got Better

Post 8: Get Connected and Share Your Maps

And there it is again…

Joe.

This past Wednesday, I attended a general bike maintenance class at REI.  This is a free class and I would recommend it to any beginning rider.

To kick off the class, we covered changing a tire.  The instructor, Cat, demonstrated on a road bike tire, but assured us that the principles she was going to show us applied to several different types of tires including mountain bike and hybrid tires.  Though stressing that a better practice is to bring a spare, she proceeded to show us how to patch a hole in a tube.  This exercise was thorough and complete.  Here are some of the tips she shared with us:

• Identify where the hole in the damaged tube is, even if you are going to replace it, so that you locate the area on the tire for inspection.
• Ensure that the tube has a little air in it before trying to install it.  This will keep the tube from twisting and make it easier to manage.  A tube that is installed with a twist, once inflated, can rupture or have other problems.
• If possible, refit the bike tire using only your hands, as using tire levers to perform this task risks damage to the tube.
• Before fully inflating the tire, inspect the entire tire to insure that the tube will not get pinched between the tire and the rim.  This could either cause the tire to lose its bead, or the tube to get a pinch flat.
• Fill tire to proper pressure.  When on a trail, there are two basic ways of inflating your tire.  A hand pump or a CO2 cartridge.  It is tempting to put “just enough” pressure with a hand pump.  Be sure not to under inflate the tire.  Most tires have minimum and maximum tire pressures listed on the side wall.  Make sure you achieve a tire pressure that falls within that range.  A lot of tires max out at 120psi and CO2 cartridges dump about that pressure into the tire when fully engaged.  Be cognizant of this and check your pressure before you ride. 

Next we covered derailleurs.  A quick definition of derailleurs.  Most bicycles have multiple “gears” and the mechanism that changes these gears is the derailleur system.  The derailleur system consists of a front and rear derailleur.  Both consisting of a chain and several sprockets.  The front derailleur has a guide called a cage that is used to move the chain between sprockets derailing it.  The rear derailleur has what’s called a jockey pulley to control the derailing of the chain between the rear sprockets.  Both the front and rear derailleurs have adjustment screws that control the high and low gear limit stops.  The limit stop is the distance that the cage or jockey pulley allow the chain to go horizontally along the sprocket grouping.  A maladjusted limit stop can either allow to chain to go too far, causing it to fall off of the sprocket group, or not far enough, causing it to not shift into the highest (or lowest) gear.  When adjusting derailleurs, you should also consider the amount of tension the cables have.  Too loose or taught cables can also affect the shifting of gears.

I am by no means an expert in this area, so I will not attempt to explain how to adjust derailleurs.  In fact, some REI store locations offer a Derailleur Adjustment class.  In Atlanta, the Perimeter location is the only one that offers it ($30 for members/$50 for non-members).

Finally we covered basic maintenance.  How to care for your chain and other components.  Here are some of the talking points:

• All Allen Bolts on bicycles are metric.  It is very easy to mistakenly use a standard Allen Wrench on them, thus stripping them.  Only use metric Allen Wrenches.
• Keeping the components that have moving parts properly cleaned will extend the life of the component.
• Use a degreaser to clean the chain.  She recommended  Finish Line Speed Degreaser.  Ensure that you do not ride the bike after degreasing without first lubing the chain.
• Allow the degreaser to completely dry before applying lube to the chain.  She recommended Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant.
• When lubricating the bicycle, find all parts where metal touches metal and add lubricant to that area.  A single drop of lubricant is usually enough.
• Do not forget to add lubricant to the cables where they meet the housing.  These cables are called Bowden Cables and the plastic sheathed housing is lined with metal where it contacts the cable.  Be sure to place the cable on the smallest sprocket when applying the lubricant as the smallest sprocket causes the least amount of resistance on the cable, thus putting it in the most exposed position.  Then change the gears to the largest sprocket (progressing to the easiest gear for the rear derailleur and the hardest gear for the front derailleur).  This will increase the tension of the cable causing it to get pulled through the housing dragging the newly applied lubricant with it.

One quick note that was covered in the class was to be cognizant of chain wear.  The chain is the quickest thing to wear out on a bike and is often overlooked until it breaks.   She recommended the Park CC-2 Chain Checker though REI doesn’t carry it.

And there you have it.

Joe.

since I learned I have arthritis in my knees and would, therefore, be unable to run to keep in shape, I took up swimming.  Every weekday morning, before working out I swim laps in the gym’s pool.  It is great exercise and I enjoy it thoroughly.  One of the things I miss about running, however, is the ability to listen to audiobooks while I run. 

A coworker, David, and I were having a conversation about this when I suggested that someone should make an underwater case for iPods.  Weeks later, David came across an advertisement for that very thing and forwarded it on to me.

I jumped on the chance to purchase this product from H20 Audio.  I purchased the case and headset to fit the Generation 3 iPod Nano.

  The case fits very well and is the best part of this two piece configuration.  It is easy operate.  The controls fit directly over the Nano’s and work flawlessly.  It water tight seal does not make opening and closing the case overly difficult.

The headset, which is a separate purchase for, I suspect, several reasons.  One is that they have several different cases, but only one model of headset.  The other, and I think the actual reason, is that the though the case needs little improvement, the headset could stand a few.  One the headset isn’t comfortable.  The plastic that holds the ear buds presses too much on the side of the head.  It isn’t so uncomfortable as to deter usage, but could be improved.  That is the easy improvement.  The difficult improvement is the design.  I thought the most challenging aspect of the product is to get the sound to your ear when submerged, until I used it.  That’s when I realized the biggest obstacle the designers face is not submerged audio, but the frequent shifting between submerged and non-submerged audio.  Water tends to fill your ears when underwater (go figure).  The audio quality of these ear buds is great underwater and satisfactory when out, but they do not deal with the transition well.  Maybe they could figure out a way to keep the water from getting in the ear.  Or better yet, since they sound better when submerged, maybe they could figure out how to hold the water in your ear.  Either way would be an improvement.

All in all, I really like the product an don’t regret the purchase, though it is very pricey.  It is completely suitable to listen to music while swimming laps, though the constant shifting in audio quality (under vs. out of water) makes listening to an audiobook too challenging.  With that said, if you are just hanging out in the pool and not trying to swim laps with this thing, run out and get one right now… don’t even finish this blog post!

And there you have it.

Joe.

To continue with my reviews of the various bookmark saving services lets cover a few more services.

Furl

Furl allows its users to have a public and private portrayal of their bookmarks.  The “Public View” is not only aggregated with all of the other public views into a single “headliner” style feed, but is also accessible via a simple URL www.furl.net/members/membername.  One interesting functionality that Furl provides is its auto-mimic of TinyURL.com.

Google Bookmarks

I am not sure if Google is abandoning this service, but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.  Not because the service is lacking, but because the service provides easy ways to export and “delete all” bookmarks, but no apparent way to import them.  I found it quite interesting.  With the installation of the Google Toolbar, using this service is easy, but without it, the service is pretty bare.

Link A Go Go

My initial impression of this service is that the UI is cluttered and busy making it difficult to navigate.  Despite the uncleanly interface, it has good features.  Importing bookmarks from delicious or any major browser is simple and efficient.  A unique feature of the this service is its “Site-see” functionality.  linkaGoGo provides a gallery that preview each bookmark with the ability to navigate them via Next and Previous links.  This service needs a little work but has promise.

Ma.gnolia

Magnolia, among the sites that I am reviewing, may have the cleanest UI.  When adding a new bookmark, Magnolia makes it very clear what your existing Tags are via Cloud and List representations.  You can also rate your favorites from no-rating to 5 stars.  In addition to contact support, Magnolia offers groups that you have join or just review their list of bookmarks.  Everything about this service has a Del.icio.us “feel” to it including its dot-notation name.  It is a fantastic service and  could be considered the graphic lovers alternative.