Tomdroid with Ubuntu One syncing goodness

I am loving keeping my Tomboy notes syncing between computers via Ubuntu One, and I just couldn't wait any longer for my Droid to have the same syncing working.  

The Tomdroid developers have been working on this, but they haven't released the updates.  So, I pulled down the source, and built the package.  I am making it available for any other brave souls that want to try it.Read more

Why I switched from an IPhone to a Droid

This week the Motorola Droid launched.  I made the switch from an AT&T IPhone to the Droid on Verizon.  Like when I switched from Windows to Linux on my desktop, I go into this change fully knowing that I am giving up some things in the process.  But here's why I'm doing it anyway:    Read more

Installed Jolicloud, and WOW!

This weekend, I installed Jolicloud on Leslee's netbook.  Jolicloud is currently in private alpha.  I put in for a key quite a long time ago.  A few months ago, I finally got accepted.  But....I've been really busy with the wedding and honeymoon, so it just sat there.  Now I regret it.  Wow, Jolicloud is phenominal.Read more

Why do companies prefer proprietary products to GPL products?

I do understand why companies often prefer BSD and Apache products to the GPL.  But what I don't understand is why companies prefer proprietary over GPL.  Let me emphasize, I'm talking about a product that is not related directly to core business secrets such as content management or a database.  Read more

Creating a Database-backed Logging Target using AirDB

I've been using AirDB lately for one of my projects.  It's a nice, lightweight  Active Record implementation in ActionScript for use in Adobe Air applications.  I wanted to create a LogTarget for logging with the standard Flex logging framework (mx.logging) that was backed by a database.  Read more

My top Flex tips for beginners

I've been developing Flex applications for over two years.  I've learned quite a bit through hard learned lessons.  This blog post is an attempt to sum up some of the best tips I've learned over that time. Read more

The "Technology Complaint Curve" is a straight line

I've been using Linux for six years, and I've seen the Linux desktop mature in amazing leaps and bounds.  It's maturing so fast, that in any given month, I often see maturation for core parts of the overall product. 

For some perspective, when I first started using Linux, you had to manually run a command to mount your CD.  You had to run another command to unmount the CD when you were finished with it, and a third to eject it.  In that order, exactly, or it would fail.  Often you had to reboot just to get the disk out of the tray. Read more

Microsoft openness initiative proves they still don't get it

I welcome efforts by companies such as Microsoft and Sun to embrace openness.  Sun gets it.  They've released Java under the GPL license.  That's a significant contribution to my software freedom, and I will always appreciate Sun for doing so.  As a result, I know I can involve myself in Java as deeply as I need, and never fear my software freedoms can be taken. Read more

Ubuntu Linux on an HP DV9627CL

I was in the market for a laptop, and if I am anything, it's a frugal gadget geek.  I'm always buying gadgets, but I'm cheap about it.  Buy.com had a deal on refurbished HP DV9627CL laptops for $700.  While that's not cheap, it's a pretty loaded laptop, with a 17 inch widescreen, dual core 64bit processor, 2 GB memory, 200 GB HDD, and so on.  This thing isn't super portable, but it's well equipped for a developer like me. Read more

Asus Eee - Accessing Windows and Linux Desktops Remotely

The Asus Eee is good for many needs, but sometimes it's nice to have access to a full desktop machine from the convenience of your Eee.  Luckily, like most Linux desktops, Eee packs thousands of hidden utilities, including some that let you connect remotely to other computers.

Accessing a Windows desktop

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