Windows 7 XP Mode vs VMWare

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

So I’ve been investigating Windows 7 recently because one of the new branches in Mauritius might get windows 7 machine’s but all the courses will still need to run, so obviously there will be some issues with software… XP Mode to the rescue?

Investigating the use of XPMode I came across the Forum:

http://www.sevenforums.com/virtualization/8505-windows-xp-compatability-mode-vs-vmware.html#post8487184860

Below is my response on the matter.

z3r010: People have very much missed the whole point of “XP compatability mode” if they are comparing this with stand alone software such as VBOX and VMWARE.

TBH from what i’m reading around here, I think almost everbody has missed the point lol

Hi guys, I don’t think anyone missed the point… actually quite spot on.

“XP mode” on Windows 7 is nothing other than standalone software (Virtual PC in this case) that you need to download and install, which comes with a copy of Windows XP and even a text file containing the serial…,. It’s also only available in some editions, and Virtualization has to be available on your hardware…you need to check using this Hardware Assisted Virtualisation detection tool just to see if it will work (why would they make it a more mainful and difficult route than VMWare server or Sun’s Virtuabox?)

Windows 7 XP Mode

Quoting the Windows 7 “XP mode” Features webpage:

Windows XP Mode also requires virtualization software such as Windows Virtual PC. Both are available free on the Microsoft website. To download Windows XP Mode or learn about its system requirements, visit the Windows Virtual PC website.

At the University where I’ve implemented Virtual machines (server side but also client side to facilitate teaching some courses) Virtual PC 2007 just did not suffice.

Problems with Virtual PC 2007:

It doesn’t run Linux virtual machines well, which Windows7 students will need to run.

Uses a Proprietary file format, so tough to move around if you moved to another OS (even just temporarily)

Not sure why Microsoft calls it “XP mode” -

When they should rather call it: “running a complete installation of Windows XP as a virtual machine to accommodate your older software because developers coded really badly so the software can’t be ported” – mode

Possible Solution:

Maybe www.Codeweavers.com – who brought out products like Crossover for Mac (which installs a very small virtual Windows environment bottle) should bring out a Crossover for Windows 7.

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxlinux/bottles/

BENEFITS of a setup like that includes:

Basically from their page, to give the general idea.

CrossOver allows you to maintain multiple bottles in one CrossOver installation. This is like having several different Windows machines operating together on your computer.

This is useful anytime you want to install multiple applications yet prevent them from interacting or damaging one another.

For example: Typically the Internet Explorer 6.0 installer upgrades any existing Internet Explorer 5.0 installation. Using bottles it is possible to install Internet Explorer 6.0 into a new, empty bottle, while leaving an existing install of Internet Explorer 5.0 intact and untouched, thus letting web developers run both simultaneously.

I’m disappointed in Windows 7’s “new” “XP mode”, because I believed they would follow this Wine route, instead of just a VM install which will require its own AntiVirus (as Windows does) etc etc etc .

IDE/HBasic32 not found AtomPro BASICMicro

You will probably get this error: IDE/HBasic32 not found AtomPro BASICMicr when trying to run BASICMicro and a updated Windows XP machine:

http://basicmicro.com/ which is software used within robotics to create amazing robots like this one.

After finding NO helpful information online and definitely not from http://www.spambutcher.com/parts/basicatom.html

I would generally describe my experience with the BasicAtom as positive. After some minor problems getting the development environment setup – things generally worked as documented.

(Thanks alot for nothing – and just telling us you fiddled around… around with WHAT? come on. seriously. don’t tempt us, if you spend the effort to blog about it, please tell people what you actually did?.)

I figured it out and here’s the solution:
Rename the folder:
BasicATOM-Pro IDE
to
C:\Program Files\BasicMicro\BasicATOM-ProIDE

As below:
C:\Program Files\BasicMicro\BasicATOM-ProIDE

Then it all works.
This is because either BasicATOM or Windows itself doesn’t deal well with spaces when trying to run this software.

We also put C:\Program Files\BasicMicro\BasicATOM-ProIDE;
into path environment

TwitBlogger

I’ve recently became a massive fan of Twitter.

You can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/LouisinLondon

I also found a nice tool to put your Twitter updates on your blog which is really useful:

http://projects.chrisamico.com/twitblog/

My Twitter Feed

OK.

I have been on a Two month Adventure filled holiday to New Zealand, Australia and Thailand and have had the time of my life.

I’ve tried to keep posting a few Twitter updates and below is the history for the past few days.

If you would like to follow my adventures follow me at www.twitter.com/LouisinLondon

LouisinLondon: Retweeting: @LisaHartwell Fantastic story about harnessing Twitter + your own charming personality to grow a business http://bit.ly/3SJl

LouisinLondon: Remarkably, Internet access is readily available in Thailand although there isn’t even a proper drainage system where I visited today. Weird

LouisinLondon: Only 7 Days left until I’m back in London. Hooray, and a feeling of loss… of freedom. For now at least. 3 Niches, 2 business plans ready.

LouisinLondon: Sorry for not responding to some new Followers, I will check you out when I’m away from these gorgeous beaches and cocktail bars. Until then

LouisinLondon: Flying to Bangkok for last night in Thailand until returning to the cold and snowed over London. Freaky London weather! I want another trip.

LouisinLondon: @fromtheold Sorry to hear about the Hi-Jacking in South Africa. Safety is the main reason I decided to rather start travelling the world.

fromtheold: @LouisinLondon How do you do that?

LouisinLondon: Bought 4 different “Evolution” T-Shirts today in Bangkok, From a chicken ending up on the Grill, to the Top Evolutionized human kicking ass!

LouisinLondon: I met a couple this weekend who moved to Turkey (where they get 20% interest on their money), “retired” at 42, and now travel the World.

LouisinLondon: @fromtheold I’m still working on being able to live mobile (to the degree I would prefer) using the internet as the main income stream…

LouisinLondon: I would like to live/work from:
South Africa (Feb,March)
Australia (April, May,)
London (June->Aug)
Barcelona (Sept,Oct)
Thailand (Nov->Jan)

LouisinLondon: London Heathrow has opened again for Long Haul flights so I can return from Thailand… :-/ Would not have minded stretching it a few days.

LouisinLondon: Sunny , gorgeous and cold today in London as theres snow everywhere. Big contrast to the beach in Thailand yesterday. Good start to 2009.

LouisinLondon: Welcome to @ChrisDJMoyles who have recently found out about Twitter. Amazing DJ on capitol FM in London.

LouisinLondon: Hi Tweeple.
Feels good to have access to all my IT systems again although the Beaches of Thailand was better… Wwwork to do. Money to …

iphone video tutorials

Ok,  so I haven”t been updating any of my sites recently… my excuse is a good one though.

I’ve been traveling a bit:

http://tinyurl.com/myNZTrip for one.

I have been playing around with my iPhone though and I cannot image traveling without it anymore.

The site www.iPhoneTutorialVideos.com will have all the nitty gritty things that I’ve learned along the way.

Off to the Beach!

Why I got a iphone

After a few weeks of weighing up the options for a few new mobile phones I finally decided on the iPhone.

Currently I am delighted because I didn’t even need to use my laptop for the whole weekend, and still had access to everything I needed online.

Will put up everything that I discover.

Some Adult Halloween Costumes?

Some of you might know that in a previous lifetime…Well, actually only a few years ago, I was a clown, magician, juggler, Stilt-walker, fire-breather and a few more things.

All of this was nice, mainly because it paid for my education, and put me in contact with VERY interesting people.

So, trying to make use of the “knowledge” I gained throughout my experiences, I’ve started answering some questions on Yahoo Answers, and I will also be setting up a few websites, starting with one about Halloween costumes.

I’ve spent a few weeks creating a site called www.Halloweens-Costumes.com which is mainly about:

• Adult Halloween Costumes
• Sexy Halloween Costumes
• Kids Halloween Costumes
• Toddler Halloween Costumes and
• Dog Halloween Costumes

Here’s a Quick Screenshot of it: www.Halloweens-costumes.com

SA President Jacob Zuma for Dummies

Getting a bit sidetracked from my usual IT and New Media Post and sometimes off-topic Halloween Costume or Trick Photography posts I bring you:

Jacob Zuma : a.k.a Gedleyehlekisa

Quoting Jacob Zuma: “In one sense it means one who laughs with you, whilst endangering you. Literally” Then after licking his dry lips, “but I’m not Dangerous at all”

With shock, many South African’s watched BBC news tonight to see President Thabo Mbeki resign , just one day after receiving a threatening call to step down from the ANC Party , allegedly for “interfering” with Jacob Zuma’s corruption case.

For the rest of the world though, many people we’re wondering, well, who is this Jacob Zuma guy?

Quick answer: The president of the ANC, with a bad reputation, and a dirty record as any one can get… What did Obama say, you can put lipstick on a …

Last week I blogged about how there was chaos in the ANC government when a political Cartoonist Zapiro, depicted Jacob Zuma getting Ready to Rape the justice system:

Well, This Blog is about New Media and IT, so to explain what or who Jacob Zuma is, it might make more sence referring to some New Media Video’s about him:

A compilation of the Zapiro cartoons about Jacob Zuma:

Bring me my machine gun song:

“Umshini wami, also known as Awuleth’ Umshini Wami (English, Bring me my machine gun), was a popular Zulu language “struggle song” used formerly by members of the Umkhonto we Sizwe militant branch of the African National Congress during the apartheid era in South Africa’s history. Most recently, the song is identified with the persona of Jacob Zuma, a former MK member and Deputy President of the ANC who later became the President of the party, and is often sung at rallies which involve him and his supporters, including the current composition of the Youth League.”

Criminal charges? What Criminal Charges?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma
Criminal Charges:

Corruption:
In 2004, Zuma became a key figure mentioned in the Schabir Shaik trial. Schabir Shaik, a Durban businessman and his financial advisor, was questioned over bribery in the course of the purchase of Valour class frigates for the South African Navy, a proposed waterfront development in Durban, and lavish spending on Zuma’s residence in Nkandla. On 2 June 2005, Shaik was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison, with Judge Hilary Squires describing the relationship between Zuma and Shaik as “mutually beneficial symbiosis”. The media mis-reported this as “A generally corrupt relationship”, although this description does not appear in the court transcripts.

Rape:
In November 2005, an investigation began into charges that he had raped the 31 year old daughter of a deceased struggle comrade at his home in Forest Town, Johannesburg

“Quoting Jacob Zuma: If you walk away from an arounsed Woman, it is akin to Rape”

He was acquitted of rape but ridiculed for testifying in court that after having consensual sex with his HIV-positive accuser, he believed taking a shower after sex was sufficient protection against infection. He was head of the National AIDS Council at the time.

Money Laundering:
On 28 December 2007, the Scorpions served Zuma an indictment to stand trial in the High Court on various counts of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and fraud. Zuma appeared in court on 4 August 2008. The charges were believed to be linked to the $5bn arms procurement deal by the South African government in 1999.

What do educated people think of Jacob Zuma?

Even Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu concedes Zuma is a “likeable” person, but adds that he has a track record that would “shame” the country were he to become president.

Interview with some news personalities and Zuma’s Radio 702 press release, showing the massive difference in oppinnion about Zuma between those with access to information, and those with only access to Propaganda.

South Africa’s most known YouTube poster : VJ Khayav (http://www.youtube.com/user/khayav)

“perhaps if there were more white people in the ANC, Jacob Zuma would not have been elected”

“White People are TERRIFIED of Jacob Zuma, to be fair Large sections of the Black middle class [ Pause], I might get into trouble for saying that…but it is the right thing”

3 Part BBC Panorama video “NO more Mandela’s”

What the multitude of illiterate population of South Africa thinks of JZ

“Jacob Zuma’s supporters are singing to loudly to hear his critics”

Is it “Jacob Zuma for Dummies” or “Dummies for Jacobb Zuma”?

And Lastly for those who do not know about Affirmative action in South Africa:

Racist anti-White policies of the South African ANC govt:

Sources:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma

Australia Foreign correspondent: http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2006/s1755381.htm

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080920162402.e0dv2evj.php

Youtube (you’re friend)

Trick Photography for Halloween

I found this cool post about Trick Photography that you can use this year for your kids or friends in their Halloween Costumes

I also realised it is only 40 odd days until Halloween so its time to start looking for something Geeky but trendy enough…

Haven’t really been ably to find any other ideas for trick Photography online … so will probably buy the book that the blog post suggests.

Any Idea?
Please put the links in the comments.

Internet Life report shows massive changes

BT has just release a new Report on Internet usage and trends called 21st Century Life Index.

A major report commissioned by BT reveals how communications have changed over the past ten years and illuminates what consumers expect from the next generation of technology

Time Spent Online 2008

It goes on to explain how reliable Broadband access has changed the face of shopping in the UK, how we are entertained and organize our lives.

In particular the survey, which was carried out by BT in conjunction with Ipsos MORI, highlights the significance of broadband’s arrival in the UK and confirms that fast, reliable internet connections have changed the lives of many of us forever.

Indeed, according to the report’s findings, Britain has become a nation of online shoppers. Half of us are regular online shoppers (compared with just two per cent a decade ago), a quarter of internet users in the UK have bought or sold items on auction sites like eBay, and a third have used online product or service reviews.

Other findings show that 44 per cent of internet users now feel it is easier to influence the media and politicians thanks to the internet while talk of a credit crunch is encouraging more and more of us to start using online price comparison tools in a bid to save money.

It also shows that in 1998 , out of the test group, 81% of people haven’t bought ANYTHING from the internet, where the 2008 percentage is only 22%.

You can get the whole report from BT’s website.