Welcome

This blog is the essence of what used to be a website. Please click here to find out more about Subtlety.

If you wish to contact me, please do not hesitate to send an E-mail message to: tboneland@gmail.com

I would like to hear your comments, questions, shared interests, and thoughts regarding the content found on this site.

Run to Remember

Run to Remember is an organization that supports hospice care. Through running, donations are made and all the proceeds go to the National Hospice Foundation.

I take great pleasure in running to remember my loved ones. Please click on the image below to visit my Run to Remember page.

Fatherhood

Fatherhood, to me, embraces the essence of the following quote:
"All that is not given is lost."

The following links will take you on my ongoing journey as a father, from the beginning of creating two girls, to their own creations as people themselves.

  • My Life As A Father

  • Fireworks

  • Shooting Stars

  • The Little Man

  • The Chinese Emperor

  • Movement of a Walking Man

    • Family

    At present, I would like to dedicate this section to my grandfather, Jack, and my grandparents, Helen and Dave.

    My grandpa Jack has lived a full life, travelled to many places, and has experienced many things along the way. Probably one of the most profound and influential experiences he has had is the time he spent in Europe during World War II.

    The link below will depict some bittersweet moments through his eyes.

  • World War II Vestiges


    • Helen passed away 12 years ago and Dave 11 years ago. I never cease to think about them, and I will carry their memories in my heart as long as I live.

    I remember my grandmother's potato salad, unlike anything one could taste in the world. As for my grandfather, he meticulously kept an organized garage and spent most of his time down there repairing anything and everything for himself and his neighbors.

    Clicking on the link below will take you back to their respective funerals, and the eulogies that I had written for them.

  • Remember

    • Hands Across The World

    Two people meet on the Net. He is from Los Angeles and lives in Paris while she is from Tasmania. He is thirtysomething and she is seventysomething. They create a website together, based on common interests and cultural diversity.

    What is the result? Click on the link below to find out.

  • Hands Across The World

    • Linux

    Linux has become a solid operating system on both personal and enterprise levels. What was further developed by Linus Torvalds in 1991 has turned into a flourishing system that has evolved over time, adding open-source variety to the dominating Windows industry. To find out about the history of Linux, please click here.

    What Linux is: A stable, fun, and free operating system that is invulnerable to viruses and spyware that plagues Windows systems. Click here to see a screenshot of a Linux desktop.

    What Linux requires: An open mind and patience. Unlike Windows, the industry standard, Linux is computer specific which means that you might have to try different distributions to see which one best suits your hardware configuration.

    Linux can be installed either on the same hard drive as Windows, after partitioning, or on a different hard drive, if you have a second one installed. A bootloader is installed on the Master Boot Record which allows you to choose the operating system you wish to use, either Windows or Linux, for example. (Screenshot)

    You may wonder if there are any native Linux software programs equivalent to typical Windows applications. In fact, Linux thrives on open-source software that is generally well-maintained, updated, supported, and free. Click here and here for concise lists of Linux software equivalents.

    Most Linux distributions offer various kinds of ISO (CD image) files:
    • LiveCD including option to Install
    • LiveCD without option to Install
    • Install CD
    It is highly recommended to download and burn a LiveCD (click here to learn how to burn an ISO file), if the distribution offers one, because the beauty of a LiveCD is that it is an entire Linux operating system that can be tested to see if your hardware configuration (keyboard, mouse, Internet connection, sound, and video) is compatible with the distribution before installing it. By setting your BIOS to boot from the CD, the distribution loads itself into available virtual memory (RAM) and then runs entirely off the CD itself. All of the software programs can be run from the CD, such as Firefox, OpenOffice Writer, XmmS, and Gaim.

    There are several different package management systems that distributions use, however, Debian and RPM are the most popular at the moment. Debian is the most efficient in terms of installing packages due to its ease in managing dependencies. RPM, in contrast, is similar to an Install.exe or Setup.exe in Windows. If you click on the .rpm, you may be surprised to see that the package is unable to be installed because of missing dependencies. You would then either have to manually search for and install them or forget about it entirely.

    To make it easier to install applications and their dependencies, Debian based and more recent RPM based distributions use package management programs, such as Synaptic (Screenshot), which is equivalent to the "Add-Remove Programs" manager that Windows uses. More often than not, if a package manager is used, there is a file, or "sources.list" (Screenshot), that is used by the distribution to download and update its system and programs. The file is distribution specific, yet sources, or download sites, can be manually added to allow more programs to be installed and updated.

    Now that the excitement is building you may wish to try to test a LiveCD and eventually install a distribution that suits your computer. DistroWatch features an excellent, comprehensive guide to Linux distributions. In addition, Wikipedia offers a list of distributions here and a comparison of distributions here.

    The following distributions below are considered to be popular and highly maintained.

    Debian Based Distributions:

  • Kanotix

  • Mepis

  • Knoppix

  • Kubuntu

  • Ubuntu


    • RPM Based Distributions:

  • PCLinuxOS

  • Yoper

  • Suse


    • USB Flash Drive Distributions (All Under 128 MB):

  • Damn Small Linux

  • Feather Linux


    • To search for RPM based packages and software, you can use the following sites:

  • RPM Find

  • DAG RPM Package Listing


    • For Open Source software in general, go to SourceForge.net.

    New Linux users can use the PDF guide found below to help them through all the basics. The guide covers the following topics:
    1. Hard drives, partitions, and file systems
    2. Creating shortcuts to your hard drives and partitions on Linux
    3. Installing audio and video codecs
    4. Basic Konsole commands
    5. Debian apt-get and dpkg commands for installing software
    6. Keyboard shortcuts
    7. Creating desktop shortcuts
    8. Installing Programs

  • Linux User Guide to the Basics


    • For a complete PDF guide containing a thorough list of Konsole commands, as well as detailed explanations regarding directories, daemons, services, and files, please click here.

    Below you will find a link to a page that describes various How-tos regarding converting audio files into various formats, backing up DVDs for personal use, editing video files, ripping audio CDs for personal use, and downloading your image files onto your hard drive from your USB digital camera.

  • Linux How-tos


    • Many technical and basic Linux questions can be answered by simply using the forum that supports your distribution. Moreover, do not hesitate to use your favorite search engine to find a solution or a quick fix to a problem. There are plenty of Linux users out there who have answered a lot of common and complicated questions.

    Linux is a marvelous system that is flexible and stable. If you have an open mind and are tired of the industry's standard, give it a try. You may very well find yourself enjoying the cute penguin.

    Multiplatform Freeware Programs

    Below you will find some outstanding freeware programs that run on Windows, Linux, and even MAC OS X, and are 100% free, well-maintained, updated frequently, and never expire. Try them for yourself and you may very well be pleasantly surprised!

    Office Programs

  • OpenOffice Suite - Equivalent to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher, Including An Integrated PDF Writer

  • NVU - Equivalent to FrontPage

  • The GIMP - Equivalent to Photoshop

  • Album Shaper - Create and Share Your Photo Albums

  • Inkscape - Equivalent to Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw, and Xara X

  • Picasa - Instantly Find, Edit, and Share All The Pictures on Your PC

  • Mobysaurus: Free thesaurus for Windows

  • Free PDF to Word Document Converter


    • Internet

  • Opera - Web Browser

  • Firefox - Web Browser

  • Thunderbird - E-mail Client Like Outlook Express

  • Synching Thunder - Synchronizing Thunderbird Folders on Different Computers

  • GAIM - Multichat Instant Messaging Client

  • Skype - Voice and Video Communication

  • Festoon - Skype Plug-in That Allows Multiple Video Conferencing

  • XAMPP - An Easy To Install Apache Distribution Containing MySQL, PHP, and Perl

  • LogMeIn - Free Access and Control of your PCs from Anywhere

  • HTTrack - Website Copier and Offline Browser

  • Internet Video Converter: Convert YouTube Flash Videos to other Video Format (Transcoder and Video to Flash Conversion Tools)


    • Tools

  • 7-Zip - Equivalent to WinRAR

  • VMWARE Player - Run Any Virtual Machine On A Windows or Linux PC

  • VMWARE Server - Allow Virtualization On A Windows or Linux PC, By Creating Multiple Virtual Machines On A Physical Server

  • TightVNC - See The Desktop of A Remote Machine and Control It With Your Local Mouse and Keyboard

  • VLC - Multimedia Player

  • VCDGEAR - Extract MPEG Streams From CD Images, Convert VCD Files To MPEG

  • Audacity - Easy-To-Use Audio Editor, Recorder, and Converter (.OGG, .WAV, .MP3 Formats)

  • Wink - Tutorial and Presentation Creation Software

  • TrueCrypt - Free open-source disk encryption software


    • Games / Education

  • Celestia - Astronomy Space Simulation

  • Super Tux - Super Mario Brothers Game

  • Stella - Atari 2600 VCS Emulator

  • Stella - Atari 2600 VCS Emulator ROMs (Games)

  • Blob Wars

  • BurgerSpace - BurgerTime Clone

  • Chromium

  • GLTron

  • Tux Paint - Drawing Program For Young Children

  • LBreakout2 - Breakout Clone

  • Wolfenstein Enemy Territory: Online Multiplayer Game

  • Google Earth - A 3D Interface To The Planet

  • Space Cowboy: Online Multiplayer Game


    • Windows Security and Applications

  • AVG Free Edition Antivirus Program

  • Zone Alarm Firewall

  • Disk Cleaner

  • Spybot Search and Destroy

  • GData Free Trojan Removal Tool (Can be updated)

  • ZipGenius - Equivalent to WinRAR

  • CDBurnerXP Pro - CD / DVD Burning Program

  • Eclipse Crossword - Create Your Own Crosswords

  • Cerberus FTP Server

  • FileZilla - FTP Client

  • Free Download Manager

  • Post It Notes - Sticky Notes For Your Desktop

  • Daemon Tools - Virtual CD/DVD-ROM Emulator

  • WinAmp - Multimedia Player

  • NetStat Live - Network Connection Monitor

  • Linux Ext2/3 Installable File System For Windows

  • Raw Write - Floppy Disk Image Writer

  • NetStumbler - Tool That Allows You To Detect Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs)

  • Paint.net - Equivalent to Photoshop

  • MoveOnBoot - Move, Copy or Delete Files Before Windows Can Lock Or Alter The Files

  • DivX Codec

  • XviD Codec

  • Real Alternative – An Alternative To RealPlayer

  • QuickTime Alternative – An Alternative To QuickTime

  • ZD Soft Screen Recorder - Records Screen Activities to Video File

  • Dr DivX - Convert a Variety of Video Formats - For Example, MP4 to DivX

  • TurnOff Master – Program Windows to Shutdown, Reboot, or Hibernate

  • PrimoPDF – Free PDF Writer / Creator

  • Miranda Instant Messenger – Multiclient IM: Supports ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, AIM

  • VSO Image Resizer – Manager Your Digital Photos in Batches or Individually

  • PortableApps – Use Your USB Flash Drive or USB Hard Drive to Store Portable Applications and Data without Leaving any Personal Data Behind

  • Pop Peeper – E-mail notifier that alerts you when you have new email

  • WordWeb – English Thesaurus and Dictionary

  • Mediacoder - Universal Audio/Video Batch Transcoder

  • ObjectDock - Mac OS X dock clone

    • Windows: Keeping It Secure and Healthy

    Microsoft surprisingly ships their operating systems with a vast number of vulnerabilities already built into their operating systems. Protection is a key issue in using any Windows version. I have seen hard drives get hacked, having their folders get deleted and leaving users behind in dispair. There are amateurs and professionals out there who scan ports, trying to find a weakness either on your PC or through your ISP's network. Therefore, security and prevention are vital issues if you use Windows.

    Below you will find a link to tips and measures in order to help enhance your online experience, while maximizing the protection of your PC.

  • Security and Privacy


    • Keeping Windows healthy and happy does not have to be a time-consuming experience. By following some easy steps and maintaining good user habits, the operating system can be run smoothly and properly.

    First, make sure you have a good Antivirus Program, Firewall, Spyware Remover, and Disk Cleaner. If you do not have those applications, they can all be found above in the Multiplatform Freeware section under Windows Security and Applications.

    Second, Windows should be updated at least once a week, either manually or automatically. Security patches and system updates are a key to keeping the system running correctly.

    Next, a virus and spyware scan should be carried out once a week. Those programs should be updated every day, since new threats arise all the time. Keep in mind that in order to increase security, users should never open any E-mail messages and/or attachments from people they are unfamiliar with. In addition, if you use an E-mail client, such as Outlook or Thunderbird, deleting the message and sending it to the trash folder may not be enough to keep a virus script from launching. Make sure you empty the trash folder before closing the client. Moreover, no matter which browser you use, cleaning out your Java Cache before shutting down is always a good idea. There are many trojans that can hide in java script files. If you use Java from Sun Microsystems, you can easily delete the files using the Java Control Panel found in the Windows Control Panel. (Screenshot)

    After that, your hard drive should be defragmented once a week as well (Found in Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Defragmenter). Windows uses your hard drive to access files and, in doing so, creates "holes". Defragmenting it keeps the drive running smoothly and more efficiently, speeding up the time it takes to launch applications and access data.

    Finally, use a good Disk Cleaner to clean out Windows before turning your computer off. Temporary files are stored by your Internet Browser, Windows, and other applications. Most are harmless, but they often accumulate over time and can use up a surprising amount of hard drive space. Using a Disk Cleaner removes those files and protects your privacy as well.

    Word Fun



    Word of the Day








    Quotation of the Day








    Hangman






    Provided by The Free Dictionary

    Serenity Web Ring


    Serenity site is owned by Terry.

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