Little posts like this normally start with sentences like, “once the nerd hobbyists plaything, but now…”. And I suppose I just did the same. But I digress.

This little postette is about taking one old PC or a really cheap new PC and not spending a cent on software. That can equate to quite a saving. To pile it all up this adds up to roughly (at CentreCom prices):

• Windows Vista Home Premium – $300.
• Windows Office 2007 standard – $600.
• Adobe Photoshop Elements – $160.
• Norton Systemworks (antivirus/antispyware) – $74.

All up that’s more than fingers and toes for software that has an operating system, an office suite, a photo editing program and an antivirus/antispyware program. On the other hand you could download and install a Linux distribution. All for nix.

The problem with all of this is in its history. People are scared of Linux because it used to be scary. No graphical user interfaces, just a text based operating system. But now the super brains have created operating systems based on Linux that are more user friendly than Windows and Apple flavours.

I recently installed the Ubuntu flavour of Linux on a Grandad’s computer. His computer was running Windows XP and had slowed down over time until it became lethargic and unreliable. When it came to reinstalling XP we didn’t have a usable serial number, something about something falling off the back of a truck/bittorrent.

Anyhoo, the install involved downloading Ubuntu from their website (or from your ISP as they sometimes have a “freezone” for downloading these sort of things and the download then doesn’t count towards your monthly allowances, nice). The software is normally in an ISO format which when burnt correctly to a CD/DVD ends up like a “bought” copy. I then restarted the computer with the disk in the CD drive and followed the on screen prompts. Username, password, pc name, done.

Once all of this is completed you’re greeted with a desktop that is in some ways better designed than windows and one that is really intuitive. It’s already loaded with office software of the Open Office variety, all MS office compatible. Also included is “The Gimp”. Scary name but not scary software. In effect it’s a Adobe Photoshop challenger.

The only problem I experienced was when I tried to play a DVD. It popped up that it needed some extra codecs to play the movie. It then, with a click of the button, installed what was needed. Extra nice.

However, if you don’t want to bother with the extra little installs, head on over to here and download the “Super” version of the latest Ubuntu package. This includes all of those pesky codecs and just about everything you’ll need for a great home PC including Skype.

Now if you’re really after an operating system that caters to those of little computer expertise then give gOS a try. This, according to themselves is, “Linux for the rest of us”.

With gOS, or in a way, “google operating system” gives you the stability and features of the Ubuntu system with a simplified interface. Big “apple-ish” buttons run along the bottom of the screen allowing you to run the fantastic Firefox browser, access gmail, google docs, google calendar, skype, open office word processor, spreadsheets, and publisher clone, as well as other bits and pieces. You can also have the google gadgets floating all over the desktop like the “water-able” pot plant, laptop battery meters, the weather and assorted clocks. All very nice and easy in a google-centric way. But the quality of these google products makes this a worthwhile choice. Especially great for the road warrior, the salesperson out on the road, or the student.

A snippet from the gOS website.

So there we go. I’ll sum up by saying this. If you’ve go a spare old/new pc that needs some software to get it running then give Ubuntu or gOS a go. Try and break the shackles set in place by Microsoft because you’ll still be able to handle those word documents that get sent to you or the funny Christmas slide show in office format. Don’t get me wrong, MS products are generally great, I’ve never really had a problem with them. Feed Bill’s coffers for all I care, but if you, like me don’t have the big bucks to splash around then download one of these fellas. Make a nerd near you proud.

One of my favourites sites gives me no information. It doesn’t tell me about sport or health or cheese or check my mail. It doesn’t do anything except act as a little drop box for whatever I want to drop there. Hence the name drop.io.

Simply genius. It even has a little FireFox plug-in that lets you drag a file from your desktop onto a little red symbol and voila. You get a unique web address that links to a page containing your file. This making no sense to you? Be patient, grasshopper.

Instead of me explaining it all to you just take a peek at the video:

Easy as pie. Useful too. Have visitors pay to access the drop via an Amazon service, have complete access control including passwords and other guest permissions. Set drop expiry conditions. Plus more. As the video says, 100mb drops for free. Genius.

Grasping a new concept can be difficult. Having it explained to you by an expert can be a double edged sword. On one hand they answer your questions but on the other hand they leave you wanting to know more. That’s why I quit while I’m ahead and realise that I’ll only understand what I’m capable of understanding.

That said, I’ve been doing some digging. Digging into the “cloud”. You see, I’ve been asked by a few people who’ve said, and I quote, “Erik, what’s up with this cloud computing bizzo?”. And I’ve been saying back, “um, dunno”. But, oh yes, I’ve been mulling over the concept and have made some realisations.

The computer as we know it is dead. And good riddance. Stupid computer thingee.

So as far as I can gather and reduce it to the smallest divisor, there are two main categories of cloud computing that everyone is going to fall into. I’ll make up a third to cover myself and put IT service providers into that basket. But firstly we’ll cover the “average punter” category. The mum, dad, grandma, budgie, and school kid category (although some of these kids are pretty smart, IT wise, these days).

The average punter may already be using some version of cloud computing. GMail or Hotmail are a simple version of cloud computing where your emails are stored away from your computer, in a server farm a long way away. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s not really cloud computing but the concept still stands. Your computer/PDA/mobile phone/toaster connects via the Internet to a server that provides you with a little web application allowing you to avoid running outlook at home. Your emails follow you around the world and allow easy access from any web enabled gadget. Your computer explodes, killing the cat, no worries. Your emails are safe.

Take this concept one step further and you have online desktop environments. We’ll focus on one example, Airset, who claim to allow you to “manage every aspect of life with cloud computing”. I’m yet to find the make me spaghetti application but I’m sure they’ll keep their word. Anyhoo, this site, once you’re logged in gives you the appearance of a desktop within your browser. You then have access to a word processor, messaging, calendars, forums, photo albums, ya da ya da. You can also store your files online (1Gb free) and allow access to family members or shady accomplices. The great thing about Airset and the other online desktop environment providers is that you can have access to “your computer” from anywhere around the world.

Lastly we’ll have a chat about another part of cloud computing. Online storage. This is the area that most interests me because, if you’re anything like me you will have had a computer die spontaneously just before you back up that thesis or dodgy photo collection (so I’ve heard). So companies like Microsoft and their Mesh, newcomers Livedrive, and US based Jungle Disk all allow you to backup your data to “the cloud” or server farms in bizarre places around the world. Some offer automatic synchronization of your files (change a file on your pc and the change appears in the remote storage), some offer free storage (Mesh is 5Gb free at this stage), and some offer expandable storage options (Jungle Disk charges per Gb). I think any of these options is far better than relying on the $100 hard drive sitting in your computer at the moment. Just make sure you have a decent Internet plan at home. Providers like iiNet have plans that don’t count the uploads (outgoing data to the remote servers) in their bundled data. Grouse.

Let’s now head on over to the second category. Businesses. They have, in the past spent mega-bucks buying servers, server software, desktops, office applications, ad infinitum. If the business expands so does their IT costs due to upgrading their server capacities, software licenses, and new high end desktops with their office software. But with the advent of cloud computing these businesses will be able to scale to meet demand. How so? Well with services like Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud or EC2 for short. What this allows the IT boffin to do is utilise “virtual” servers. Take a peek at the video and then we’ll continue our chat.

Hope that wasn’t too painful. Now, that hopefully explained how the tech boffin created a “virtual” server. His company could then utilise this as their office server. If the business grows then they can just tick another box and get a second, third server online or just get one that’s a little larger. Instead of outlaying thousands and thousands of dollars the company pays a small fee per hour. Talk about keeping control of the IT spend. If your company hits the skids then you can scale back your server capacity. No wasted servers lying around.

So the company has these fantastic “virtual” servers, what next. They can then deploy server based applications including office applications and accounting software. They can also back up to the cloud. Again Amazon provides that service for a fee. All very manageable. Beats paying for racks of hard drives and enclosing them in your office in a dedicated, climate controlled room. Did someone say save the trees?

As a result of outsourcing your servers, storage, and allowing the company to purchase low powered desktops or laptops they have just reduced their carbon footprint and can then save big time on power bills. A climate controlled server room doesn’t run on the smell of an oily rag you know. Big bickies.

So in a nutshell the big or small business, with the help of a savvy tech guy or gal, can utilise a server in the clouds and run all of their applications and storage remotely. All nice and secure. Just find a reliable provider. Amazon have been doing this for a while but there are others. The business has then reduced IT costs, carbon footprints have been slashed and the tech section can expand and contract relatively easily without producing tech waste. Good all round I reckon. One catch – make sure you have a big, fat, super-fast connection to the interweb!

Lastly we have the third group. I won’t spend too much time here but suffice to say this will be revolutionary for the IT sector. It almost creates the perfect business.

Once upon a time an IT provider would build servers, load them with software, build some desktops, load them with software, grab a load of routers, hubs, printers, blah nee blah na, and connect it all up. Hope for the best. Now they can sit at a desk and install servers that are located over the other side of the world. “Hey Bob we need another server”, “No, worries”, CLICK. Done.

The IT business for the 21st century can build and provide products without a warehouse, without cracking open a server case, without leaving their office. What a marvellous world we live in.

Like I said, the computer is dead. Long live the computer. If you have no need for high end CAD work or video editing then get yourself a cheap PC and get your head up in the clouds.

I really love technology. The way it simplifies your life and makes it more complicated at the same time. Ingenious.

I also love mobile phones. Not to talk on but to do the other things that mobiles do, like: GPS’ing, texting, photo’ing, facebook’ing, ad infinitum.

The only problem that I have is that the week after I get a new mobile, on the generic 24 month plan, I’m bored with the phone. I start reading reviews about the new Nokia N96 or the Apple iPhone or blah, blah, blah. But now I’m really interested. Google has a phone.

A mobile phone operating system to be more accurate. HTC just released the G1. But of course it’s going to take ages to get down under. So depression ensues, ya da ya da. Then along comes Mr Kogan. The entrepreneurial type with some big ideas and he decides to fast track the Google thing down under.

Pop on over to Kogan’s site and check out their Agora Google Android mobile in two flavours. They seem pretty cheap too.

For some that is. Any freebies Mr Kogan? Damn that 24 month plan!

I found this on Youtube. Scary indeed.

Just some food for thought.