The Most Powerful Tool on the Web

Almost anybody that uses a computer regularly knows about Wikipedia. For those of you that don't, read on. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia. It is free and, along with English, is written in a multitude of languages, including German, Spanish, and French. The entries in Wikipedia are written collaboratively by volunteers, allowing virtually anyone with an internet connection and keyboard to add and/or edit entries.

Although it may sound like a haven for internet trolls, it really isn't that easy for trolls to ruin entries. Usually, within seconds of the vandalism, the entry is edited and fixed by any one of the millions of legitimate users. In many cases, administrators will restrict the offender's account, removing their ability to edit or add entries, and, in more severe cases, the offender's IP address may be banned. Also, articles may get locked, thus preventing anyone from further editing the article. Normally, this occurs with very controversial topics (abortion is a good example).

In the end, Wikipedia isn't the best source for a research paper, but it's a great way to find information quickly on over a million topics. (On a side note, Wikipedia is a good tool to use for finding sources to use in a research paper. For example, search your topic and then view the links at the bottom of page (they're in the See Also section) and the sources for the respective page.)

In short, Wikipedia is an online democracy of information. That is what I consider the most powerful tool on the web.


Wikipedia is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. In addition to Wikipedia, they have founded many other notable projects. For a complete list of all the Wikimedia Foundation's projects, check out this page. Other popular projects include Wiktionary, an online free dictionary, and Wikiquote, a library of quotes, both of which are also written collaboratively by volunteers.

Information is powerful. Use it wisely.


"Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice."
-Anton Chekhov

[Photos: dcjohn, lui lui]

Quote for the Day

"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go."
-William Faulkner

The Joy of Summer

[Photos: jessi, pmorgan, endbradely]

Audio/Video Suggestions, Travel Help, and some Apple news

Personal Audio/Video

• If you've ever wanted to view videos privately, while still in a public place, the Myvu Personal Media Viewer is meant for you.

• The Phillips DCP750 is very versatile portable DVD player. Not only does it play DVDs, but it plays video from Ipods, too. The screen exceeds modest, boasting a 7 inch, 180 degree swiveling screen. Also, it's extremly portable at a mere 2.4 pounds. Other nice features include the SD video card slot and the two headphone jacks. The cost is 150$ for the 7 inch version or, for an additional $50, totaling $200, you'll have yourself an 8.5 inch screen.

• Looking for a nice pair of headphones? Tired of loud noises interrupting you audio experience? Want some headphones that aren't too bulky? Then, the Harmon Kardon EP 730 Noise Isolating Earphones are for you. To me, they look like audiophile heaven for a modest $200. I say modest in the sense that "you get what you pay for" (the $200 being for sheer quality).

Travel

• If you're looking for a quality street navigator to put in your car, look no further. Garmin has a large array of solutions, one of which will surly fit your needs.

• BargainTravel.com seems to be a useful site for satisfying airfare, car rental, and hotel needs, all while visiting one website.

• Wikipedia never fails to amaze me. The variety of useul Wiki sites that have been produced is outstanding. Their "Free Worldwide Travel Guide" is exactly that, outstanding. I searched a variety of locations and couldn't have been more pleased. WikiTravel has a wealth of information on all of the popular vacation destinations (and more).

Apple News

• Apple announced an upgrade to their Macbook Pro line of laptops. For both the 15 inch and 17 inch, the upgrades involve the processor, graphics, and memory. For the 15 inch only, the upgrade includes a newer, environment friendly LED-backlit display, which helps the laptop achieve an extra hour of battery time. More on this exciting news here.

[Photos: Mayr, janusz l]

Western Digital in the 750GB HD market

Western Digital now joins the ranks of Seagate and Hitachi in the 750GB hard drive market. Western Digital claims superiority because of a trio of technologies they implemented to boost performance and reliability.

Get the whole story here.

Ron Paul for President 2008

If the presidential election were held today, I would vote for Ron Paul. He is a conservative in favor of limited government. He doesn't like taxes, the Iraq War, or too much foreign involvement. He believes in people's privacy and personal liberty. Most of all, he believes in freedom. " Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) is the leading advocate for freedom in our nation's capital."

Watch this video of him from Bill Maher's show.
Check out his schedule here.
He even has a Myspace page.

In the name of freedom, vote Ron Paul '08!

[Photo: ronpaul2008]

Quote for the Day

"A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world."
-John Locke

Proud owner of a white Macbook

Because of graduation, I am now the proud owner of a white Macbook. It is the basic (lowest) version, but, awesome, nonetheless. This should be a fun adventure over the next week or two trying to figure this out. So far, the hardest thing is getting used to not having the ability to right click on things. I never realized how convenient that is. Honestly, that is my only complaint about Macs so far (the non-existent ability of right clicking).

The full stats on it are:
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
1GB (two 512 SO-DIMMs) of DDR2 SDRAM (supports up to 2GB)
80GB 5400-rpm hard drive
13.3-inch (diagonal) TFT widescreen display (1280 x 800 pixels)
Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Built-in iSight video camera
Front Row and Apple Remote
Slot-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

Other less important specs:
One FireWire 400 port
Two USB 2.o ports
Optical digital audio input/audio line in
Optical digital audio output/headphone out
Built in stereo speakers
Mini-DVI port for DVI, VGA, composite, and S-Video
Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet
Built-in AirPort Extreme
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
Preinstalled Mac OS X and other bundled software (iLife)

More information:
12.78 by 8.92 by 1.08 inches
5.2 pounds
Meets ENERGY STAR requirements

If anyone has any tips useful for beginners or any information I should know regarding Macbooks, feel free to leave me a comment. As to which I like better (Mac versus PC), I have an answer. And, that answer is, they both have their advantages and disadvantages. Depending on what you want out of your computer (like what you will use it for) will make all of the difference. I'll give my opinion on that at a later date, along with some pictures of the new beauty. (Macs really do look nice though. I will say that!)

The Digital Rights Managment Battle

The battle over digital rights becomes more exciting as each day passes. Personally, I try and keep a close eye on the whole ordeal. This is very hard to do because it is so large and complex. The battle is all over the country; it is in many states rather than confined to any one specific state. The RIAA is trying to hang on to their overbearing, intrusive copyright monopoly on music, which they should not be profiting from in the first place. Supposedly, the RIAA is protecting artists and the music industry as a whole, but, in reality, they are just out to make a few dollars. Hopefully, artists and consumers alike will prevail in the end. Here are two articles that I feel are important regarding this topic from within this past month:

Harvard Professor Charles Nesson takes a stance against the RIAA.

Professor Johan Pouwelse agrees to testify against the RIAA in court.

Both of these men are very experienced in their respective fields. They, along with millions of other people, are against the RIAA. I think it is saying something when experts like this are against the RIAA. Additionally, many artists have voiced their opinion as being against the RIAA, too. A recent example of this is with the band Nine Inch Nails (a little background on this here).

All I have to say on this is:

Down with the RIAA!

Technology Roundup Number Two

Check out these 15 tips for Firefox. Honestly, one of the most useful articles I have stumbled upon in a long time. A must read for Firefox users.

Great news from Apple. They upgraded the specs on their Macbook laptops and are going to upgrade the specs of the Macbook Pro, too. The catch? Their prices aren't changing. More technology for less money! Check out the full story here.

For predictions on how all the major technology companies will fare in 2007, read this article. Here is an excerpt from the article:

This will probably be the most interesting dynamic because, in the second half, if they can finish Leopard, Apple is expected to have the strongest line they have fielded in decades. But so are most of the PC vendors and HP, in particular, is chasing Apple (and using a lot of ex-Apple employees to do it).

MOG is a new, fast growing web 2.0 website that aims at creating a community focused on bringing people with similar musical interests together. Users can create profiles, recommend music to others, watch MOG TV, and much more. Notable users include Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie, and Jon Fratelli, of The Fratellis.

Look at this cool concept redesign for the YouTube Player.