Another Blow to ‘Net Nuetrality’

(AKA Hey! Thanks, Verizon!)

Landmark Ruling worth knowing about.. (and once again, who gets screwed? The little guy.)

Tech news:

* ‘Net neutrality’ ruling could be costly for consumers, advocates say

“An appeals court throws out the FCC’s ‘net neutrality’ rules on Internet traffic. The ruling could raise Internet service fees and stifle innovation, some say.” Read more..

Other ‘news’: I finally decided to do something about my long term  interest in radio-controlled (“R/C”) airplanes. I’ve always been interested in flying, and one of the things I loved about computers – early on – was that various ‘flight simulators’ (games, really) allowed me to ‘fly’ fighter jets (iF-16, Jane’s, falcon 4.0), and ‘dogfight’ Zeros over the Pacific (Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator).

For years, I watched fellas fly these RC planes, and always thought it looked pretty.. well, fun.

So I did some research, and decided that the best plane for me to learn to fly RC would be a Hobbyzone Champ; a ‘RTF’ plane (ready-to-fly). Everything you need, in one box. So .. I got one. (They run about $100.) It proved a good choice.

I am pleased to say that, after about an hour’s piloting time, I can actually keep it in the air longer than I spend walking over to where it’s crashed (I did prove the Rule: a beginner’s first flight lasts somewhere between 4, and 6, seconds…) and can take off and land (but have yet to successfully do a ‘touch and go’). It is fun; and it’s challenging.

Here’s a video someone made about their first experience with a Champ. And I don’t at all believe it was his first flight ever, as I still cannot fly that well!

These aircraft are made from styrofoam, and are very, very light (my Champ is a little over an ounce) and reasonably resilient. When I was a kid.. models that could fly were either balsa wood and tissue paper (aka ‘beyond fragile’) or plastic and gas-powered (anyone remember the plane-on-a-string ‘go ’rounds’?).. things have come a long way!

Are there any R/C pilots out there in my audience? If so, any tips for me?

Today’s quote: “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~ Ashley Smith

Hey folks, let’s be excellent today.

Copyright 2007-2014 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

A Tech’s First Impression of Windows 7 RC

Like many people, I downloaded the Windows 7 “Release Candidate”, and I have been running it for a few days now. I will now describe to you, Dear Reader, my initial impressions of Microsoft’s newest operating system, as I did for Windows 7 beta. (drum roll please)

(For those of you who would like to get a copy, please see, Click here to download Windows 7. For those of you who would like to read my earlier statements on Windows 7 first, please see, A Tech’s First Impression of Windows 7, Part 1. Also, please read this warning Windows 7 RC gets its first bug, and it’s a doozy before you install)

Let’s get started: I opted to install the 32-bit version. I installed a “clean install”, though I could have “upgraded” an existing Vista or Windows 7 install (I recommend ‘clean install’ as a General Rule Of Thumb).

Microsoft is calling Windows 7 a whole new OS, and is expecting it to replace Vista.. in the same way that Vista is replacing Windows XP. I can tell you that it is not a whole new operating system. I can also tell you that it does not give us the new file system (WinFS) that was originally promised as one of the “three pillars of Vista”.

The install itself: My “clean” install on a freshly formatted volume took just 27 minutes, and involved three automated reboots. I then transferred in my settings tweaks and customizations, all my installed programs (except for my antivirus) and games, files and photos, etc., from the Win 7 beta in 20 minutes using Windows Easy Transfer.
It would have taken less time had I migrated the User Profile via my network, but I used a USB storage drive instead.

No device driver issues: I installed Windows 7 on a recent-vintage machine (it shipped with Vista Home Premium) and I had to install zero, zip, nada, device drivers — and this is a beta! Every device worked out of the gate. Microsoft claims Windows 7 is the most ‘backwards compatible’ OS yet and I believe them. A beta.. and no device driver installs??? Amazing.

In case you’re not following along.. From inserting the CD, to a fully tweaked, loaded, and ready-to-go state in 47 minutes.. without the use of 3rd-party programs, tools or special cables.

That is simply… OUTSTANDING! (Yes, I’m shouting.)

In my earlier series, (see link above) I wrote “My experience matched that of other reviewers: it was by far the fastest, smoothest, easiest Windows installation I’ve ever had. That this is a beta release makes this fact all the more remarkable.”
The RC beat it handily .

Folks, I cannot count the number of Windows Installs, re-Installs, and User State Migrations I’ve done — I am a Support & Repair Tech, after all — but this last was something I had previously only dreamed of.

I’m going to stop here but I will add this statement — I will delay buying my next computer until they come with Windows 7 on them; and I advise you to do the same if you can. (Can you tell I’m impressed?)

More Windows 7 RC “impressions” to come..

Today’s free link(s): see second paragraph, and – if you’re thinking of installing Windows 7 and your machine is a little bit older (say, 2 or more years) please see Download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor – Can You Handle The Ride!

Today’s free download: see second paragraph.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

Share this post :

Click here to download Windows 7

Okay, now that I have my copy…

If you want to get yourself a copy of the Release Candidate (final beta) of the new Windows 7 operating system, click here.

There is no limit this time, and this link will be good for a while, so you don’t need to rush or panic. (Be aware, also, that your install will expire June 1st next year, and you will not be able to ‘license’ this release.)

Tip: I suggest you read the page.. particularly the system requirements. Also, if you’re thinking of installing Windows 7 and your machine is a little bit older (say, 2 or more years) please see Download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor – Can You Handle The Ride!