-->
You are viewing page 5 of 18.

Back to the Present

By Dennis E. Powell | Oct 12, 2022 at 10:29 PM

The train ride was from whatever station is near Hamilton to Boston and back. I was in eastern Massachusetts for a horse show, but was taking a day off to do some work, namely visit the new digs of Miguel deIcaza and Nat Friedman, two of the brighter stars in the Linux firmament, and to interview them.

They were great to talk with, and the steampunk décor at their new company, Ximian, was bracing. I’d probably remember it pretty clearly even if that were the only thing that day which was out of the ordinary. But it wasn’t.

Fraud Wasn't Even the Worst Part

By Timothy R. Butler | Oct 05, 2022 at 9:45 PM

By now most of us know the unpleasant drill. The credit card company calls or texts you and says there appears to be an unauthorized purchase. Somehow, that happened (near as I can tell, merely coincidentally) on three different accounts for me within a week in July. One has turned into a continuing pain months later: Apple Card. Some of this is a fault of the card, but the greater fault lies in a weak bit of design in Apple’s platforms I otherwise love.

Making It "Better"

By Dennis E. Powell | Sep 28, 2022 at 4:43 PM
My friends tend to be people with whom a lively conversation might begin with this question: “How many perfectly useful things have you destroyed in an attempt to make them into something else?”

The State of Television Around Here

By Dennis E. Powell | Sep 14, 2022 at 9:45 AM

It was expensive as mute buttons go. That seems clear to me, but anyone else might need a little explanation. For the last number of years I have had in my bedroom what was the cheapest little flat-screen television that WalMart had to offer in about 2015, so it wasn’t much good seven years ago and today no one would purchase even a telephone with its low video specifications and lack of inputs.

How to Go on Vacation Without Going

By Timothy R. Butler | Sep 07, 2022 at 11:11 PM

Everyone loves to show off some photos of their latest trip or family party. So, here I’ll share some to start off this week’s column. Never mind if you would rather not see my family’s party or my vacation — these aren’t those anyway. I’ve been under-the-weather and keeping my distance from folks. Here’s another secret though: they aren’t anybody’s.

This One Was a Real Celebration

By Dennis E. Powell | May 04, 2022 at 2:37 PM

It started before the pandemic, but the pandemic let it take root and become the norm. We don’t often have funerals any more, at least not religious services in which we mourn the departed and beg God to welcome our dead friend or relative into the splendor of eternal Heavenly life. Instead, the obituary now frequently ends with “A celebration of life will take place at a later date.”

It's Time for Smart Homeowners

By Dennis E. Powell | Apr 27, 2022 at 10:40 PM

Science fiction literature is full of situations where electronic devices become self aware and begin making their own decisions. Some of us, I suppose, have come to think that it’s ultimately inevitable.

Linux, Signal, Proton, and Security

By Dennis E. Powell | Apr 20, 2022 at 10:00 PM

Just now, as is the case each morning, I opened a terminal window on my computer’s desktop and typed a command: “apt update”. The window filled with characters as each of several online “repositories” was checked. Soon I was given a list of the software packages, including the operating system itself, that had security updates and bug fixes available. There being some, I then typed “apt upgrade” and a minute or two later those fixes had been downloaded and installed.

Shining a Light into the Mysteries of 2022 Apple Products

By D. Griffin Jones | Dec 23, 2021 at 1:18 PM

New OFB contributor D. Griffin Jones peers into 2022 and offers a roundup of everything Apple is expected to release in the upcoming year.

The Missed Third Act of the Apple Touch Bar

By Timothy R. Butler | Oct 29, 2021 at 9:38 PM

I’m a bit of a contrarian on a lot of things, but usually I understand the opposing majority. With the critics of the Apple Touch Bar, though, I am stumped. While the new 14” and 16” MacBook Pros portend an exciting new era for Apple users, I mourn the little keyboard touch screen it comes at the cost of. It didn’t need to die.

You are viewing page 5 of 18.