November 6th, 2009

February 2013 - The date when Firefox could pass Internet Explorer

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 10:27 am

Categories: Thoughts, Trends

Tags: Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Web Browsers, Internet, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Mark this date in your diaries and on your calendars: February 2013. It’s my best guess date based on the data I have for when Firefox’s global market share will surpass that of Internet Explorer.

The other day I was asked an interesting question - when will Firefox’s market share pass that of Internet Explorer. Initially I shrugged off the question and answered it with a dismissive “dunno.” The question did, however, set me thinking.

Earlier today I took a trip over the the Net Applications site for a totally unrelated job, and pulled up the chart showing market share for the different browsers for the past two years. Then something struck me - the market share growth of Firefox and the decline of IE is almost linear.

Note: The data that I look at most often is Net Applications. This company draws browser and OS data based on 160 million visitors per month visiting client websites, whic means that the data is drawn from a variety of websites. I think that this is more representative than data drawn from a single website, or a group of websites on a similar subject.

Interesting.

I downloaded the data and plugged it all into Excel so I could take a closer look. I added a trendline Read the rest of this entry »

October 30th, 2009

Friday Challenge: What can your OS do that mine can't?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:07 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Operating System, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

OK, time for a new feature, one that I’m calling “Friday Challenge.” Today’s challenge: What can your OS do that mine can’t?

A piece I published earlier has generated a lot of feedback from readers. But the problem that I’m feeling with much of the feedback is that it’s really little more than “my OS is better than your OS … na na nana na!” So, here’s my challenge to you. Give me an example of what your OS (Windows/Mac/Linux) can do (and it has to be a useful, end user feature) that can’t be achieved on another OS.

Rulz: Running specific apps designed for a particular OS doesn’t count, but feel free to throw in opening certain file formats. Points will be awarded! Point will also be awarded/deducted if someone points out that something that someone else has said can’t be done can actually be done. Extra points if that action is doable using free software! Also, this is all in good fun, so keep it civil, OK!

Go!

October 28th, 2009

Scary tech!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 10:11 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Tech, Halloween, Internet, E-mail Providers, Cloud Computing, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Halloween is nearly upon us again, the time for ghosts and ghouls and … well, OK, trick-or-treaters and candy. Still, it’s once again time for me to hold a flashlight under face and give you a “scary tech” story.

Are you sitting comfortably? Good. Then I’ll begin …

Over the past twelve months we’ve seen a lot of tech developments. CPUs and GPUs are faster and cheaper, hard drives are bigger and faster, tech gets smaller and does more, operating systems change. But underlining all this is something really, really scary …

All this technology is great … until … it stops working!

Yes, the point at which tech becomes really scary is when it stops working!

Just this morning, I experienced Read the rest of this entry »

October 12th, 2009

Technology is great, it's us that's flawed!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:39 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Cell Phone, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

We live in an era of amazing, fantastic technology. Yet we don’t appreciate it.

Right now I’m sitting on front of a little box that’s not connected to anything via wires, yet I can communicate with people all around the globe while watching a film in high definition, finding out what’s new in the “world of events” and being challenged by friends to beat their score at a selection of free online games. Next to me is a cellphone, and while its primary function (talking to people) might be a technological throwback, it too is an amazing bit of kit. I’m surrounded by a vast array of other “shiny” bits of kit, all of which do something that only a few years ago couldn’t have been dreamt of as possible.

However, as soon as any of this kit lets me down, even if it’s in a small way, for only a few seconds, it’s “Teh Suck” or an “EPIC FAIL.”

Wow, how quickly the world owes me something!

But it’s not just me. All this marvelous, wondrous, magical technology seems to have an uncanny Read the rest of this entry »

October 9th, 2009

The EULA ... your views

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 7:05 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: EULA, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

The other day I called for an end of the EULA madness - the pages of meaningless legal gobbledygook that end users are expected to read, and agree to, when installing new software.

Here’s a random selection of your views on the EULA, as per messages sent to the Hardware 2.0 mailbag.

“I’m expected to understand the EULA … ? … !!!”

“Why is there almost always a EULA for software drivers for hardware that I’ve bought?”

“I’ve owned my copy of XP for years now … each time I reinstall I’m asked to agree to the EULA or send the software back for a refund … next I’m saying ‘no’!”

“Reading a EULA feels more like a stick-up to me rather than a contract between a buyer and seller …”

“EULAs summed up in one phrase - ‘you lose, sucker!’”

“If it weren’t for EULAs, software might actually have to do what the maker says it does …”

“Rule of thumb - the longer the EULA, the worse the software!”

“EULA SUCK!!!!!”

Thanks for your feedback!

September 30th, 2009

UPDATED: Why is Mozilla getting involved in the IE/Chrome Frame debate?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 4:12 pm

Categories: Software, Thoughts

Tags: Google Inc., Web Browser, Google Chrome, Mozilla Corp., Web Browsers, Internet, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Mozilla vice president Mike Shaver has criticized Google’s Chrome Frame, claiming it renders many of Internet Explorer’s features “less effective”. I have one question: Why is Mozilla getting caught up in the whole IE/Chrome Frame debate?

On his blog, Shaver is highly critical of Google Chrome Frame.

“Users who wish to render sites with Chrome can already use Chrome, of course, and should … Running Chrome Frame within IE makes many of the browser application’s features non-functional, or less effective. These include private browsing mode or their other security controls, features like accelerators or add-ons that operate on the content area, or even accessibility support.”

There’s only one reason that I can come up with as to why Mozilla are so anti Chrome Frame - because Read the rest of this entry »

September 2nd, 2009

Google Chrome ... one year on!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:59 am

Categories: Software, Thoughts

Tags: Google Inc., Web Browser, Google Chrome, Current Market Share, Web Browsers, Internet, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

A year ago I downloaded and installed the first public beta of Google’s Chrome browser and I instantly fell in love with the speed, reliability, ease of use and simplicity of the browser. A year on and I still pretty much feel the same …

In just a day Chrome’s market share had jumped to between 1.5% and 3.0% depending on which yardstick you used, but it quickly declined. Over the past year Chrome hasn’t really caught the attention of the masses. Current market share hovers at between 2.8% and 3.5% (again, depending on the yardstick used) and growth is now slow.

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But despite not gatting as much attention as IE, Firefox or Safari, I think that Chrome is a super browser. Sure, it’s a pretty basic browser, and doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that other bowsers have (Firefox especially), but it’s a rock-solid, reliable way of browsing the web. I Read the rest of this entry »

September 2nd, 2009

Gmail FAIL - What it says about Google and email in general

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:09 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Google Inc., Google Gmail, Downtime, Outage, E-mail Providers, Manufacturing, E-mail, Cloud Computing, Internet, Online Communications

Following a two-hour outage yesterday, Google has now managed to get its Gmail service up and running. This outage follows two other well-publicized outages in February and May of this year. What do these outages say about Google, and email in general?

Well, the most apparent conclusion that can be drawn in that Google is not infallible. The company is like every other and is prone to failures. And let’s remember that Gmail is primarily a free service, so we as users get what we pay for. This outage has, ironically, been put down to changes to the request routers that direct queries to the service’s web servers, changes that were meant to improve service. I doubt that if we all paid Google for the pleasure of using Gmail that you could eliminate Read the rest of this entry »

August 31st, 2009

Dissecting the FSF's "Windows 7 Sins"

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 8:12 am

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Free Software Foundation, Microsoft Corp., Computer, Digital Restrictions Management, Licensing Agreement User, Lock-in, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software

Several Hardware 2.0 regulars have dropped me an email wondering what my take is on the Free Software Foundations “Windows 7 Sins” campaign.

The purpose of the campaign is to show how “proprietary software in general and Microsoft Windows in particular hurt all computer users” and how the new OS commits the seven cardinal sins of “invading privacy, poisoning education, locking users in, abusing standards, leveraging monopolistic behavior, enforcing Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), and threatening user security.”

But how valid are each of the seven “sins” outlined by the FSF, and how many are specific to Microsoft and Windows, and how many apply to commercial or proprietary software in general? Let’s take a look at each sin in turn:

1. Poisoning education: Today, most children whose education involves computers are being taught to use one company’s product: Microsoft’s. Microsoft spends large sums on lobbyists and marketing to corrupt educational departments. An education using the power of computers should be a means to freedom and empowerment, not an avenue for one corporation to instill its monopoly.

A few years ago I might have agreed with the FSF on this one, but I don’t think that it’s valid any more. Increasingly schools are moving away from Microsoft operating systems and software. Unfortunately for the FSF, the move is towards Apple.

Taking a wider look at the issue, Microsoft isn’t the only company offering students deep discounts on software packages in order to “encourage” them to become familiar with the software.

Verdict: No sin here …

Next –>

August 11th, 2009

Remote control overload

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:09 pm

Categories: Thoughts

Tags: Remote Control, DVR, Consumer Electronics, Strategic Planning, DVD, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Strategy, Management, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

From where I’m sitting I can see at least seven remote controls. Maybe it’s just me, and maybe it’s the lateness of the hour, but this seems like an insane number to me.

So, what are they? Well, there’s one for the TV, two DVD players (one upscaler, one that can record), VCR (yep, still have one), PVR, and surround sound system. There’s also a tiny one for the HDMI splitter I have fitted. Oh, and I also have an Logitech Harmony One that duplicates most of the functions of the others. Oh, hang on, I’ve just spotted another one, for my iRobot Roomba.

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But it gets worse. I’ve piped the TV, DVD, PVR and VCR around the house, and figured out a way to get the IR signal to the relevant device. That means that I’ve got duplicate remotes for several devices in a number of rooms. I hate to think how many remote controls that is in all, and how many batteries this represents. I’m also ignoring several other remote controls that have nothing to do with AV devices. I also hate to think how many perfectly functional remote controls have had to be trashed.

There’s a push for standardization among chargers for devices such as cellphones, and that’s a good thing, but I’m convinced that we need some form of standardization when it comes to remote control devices. Devices such as The Logitech Harmony One are nice, but they’re far from perfect for a number of reasons. Things get particularly annoying when some features of the original remote control aren’t available on the replacement. Incomplete or inconsistent support is sometimes worse than no support at all.

Feels to me like something needs to be done …

Am I the only one buried in remote controls?