Puppy Linux 6.0 review

.

Puppy Linux was started 10 years ago by an Australian Electrical Engineer who believed that an operating system does not need to be as complicated as the mainly used Windows. He started with an inherently secure linux base and removed everything that was not applicable for home use. The result was a very fast small system that has no updates or virus checkers. It is designed for personal use and installs in a few minutes with the inbuilt ability for dual booting with Windows. I have personally used it as my main operating system for several years, always booting in under 20 Seconds and never slowing down. The only application that automatically updates is the Browser with the built in E-mail client. Puppy linux is a live CD that can be installed on a Flash drive or a Hard drive.

Windows 10 free - Sort of

.

Windows 10 is going to be a free update for all computers running XP to Win 8.1. What is not being stipulated is how Microsoft is to Monetize this. The most likely outcome will be a yearly subscription. When a computer is updated the original license will be cancelled so there is no turning back. Older programs may not work on the new system so care needs to be taken before updating. The release is scheduled for the middle of 2015.

Chromecasting

.

The Chromecast dongle finally received Google approval for use in New Zealand in December 2014 and is available in most electronic stores for about $60. This tiny device turns a legacy TV into a smart TV. Simply plug it into the HDMI port and put the flying lead into a USB port for use as a power source. Initial setup is that the wireless network is identified and password given. This is a one time requirement. A Smartphone, Tablet, Chromebook or PC can be used as a remote control for the device which allows the internet streaming of Web pages, TV shows, Movies and Youtubes. It is also possible to mirror the Remote devices screen to the TV screen. At the moment only 'Quickflix' ($13 per month) is available for NZ but 'Netflix' is coming in March. This allows instant viewing of the latest TV series and movies over a broadband connection. Phones and tablets have many applications that are designed purely for Chromecast .

A Linux Distribution from New Zealand

.

With almost every country in the world offering a flavour of Linux, New Zealand is no exception with 'Linux Lite 2.2'. This Operating System is based on 'Long term support' Ubuntu with it's own spin of  'XFCE' desktop. Running Ubuntu applications there is no shortage of free programs. The live bootable CD comes with Firefox, Libreoffice and VLC media player preinstalled. As usual with Linux systems Virus checking is not required and System slowdown does not happen.

Windows 10

.

Windows 10 will be released in mid 2015. There will be no version 9. As the competition for the consumer devices (Phones, Tablets, TV's etc) has been won by Android and Apple, Microsoft is turning to the business sector for future sales. This means the old start menu has to be returned which will require less training. A partial Tile system is still there but the Charm Menu is completely removed. It appears Microsoft is looking to a yearly subscription with incremental updates instead of full upgrades. This could be why it is called Windows 10 (or 1.0) to signify a new way of  operating. Software applications will be bought from the Online Store.

Libreoffice

.

Click on to enlarge

Libreoffice is a full Office suite of applications that is free that caters for all word processing, spreadsheets, drawing, presentation and database requirements. Installation is fully automatic but use the 'STILL' version as this is the stable option. Also install the 'HELP' file. As this is free the need for continual change of format and menu layout is not needed in order to sell the next model, so ease of use is the main advantage to using this application. Compatibility with other office software is now very good. Current stable version is 4.2.6.

Desktop computers

.

The modern Desktop PC has become small enough to fit in a hand by removing the need for cd drives, fan cooling and using solid state disk drives. The power supply is usually an external unit similar to the Laptop. Normally bought over the Internet the memory and hard drive are purchased as separate units. The operating system of your choice is then added. A full usable system will cost around $500 NZ so they are not cheap but will be reliable as the intended market is for businesses.