Technews EVERY MONDAY• 4 April 2011 D5

he life of a computer

T Building relationships
By Jaye C. Bautista
enthusiast is not com-
plete without engag-
ing in social media.

How do techies chill? Or geeks

just wanna have fun (Part 2)
he lights are on,
“There’s no place like home.”
With over 20 million
Filipinos going online
through social media
every day, sharing and learning is
never ending via Twitter, Facebook,
StumbleUpon, and more. Whatever
our reasons are for signing up to

T
but no one's home."
(Light Crew)
"If force doesn't
work, you're not us-
ing enough" {Mark
Leslie}
"Done is best" {Eric Weston}
"An actor without techies is a
naked person standing in the dark
trying to emote. A techie without
actors is a person with marketable
skills." {Mark Leslie}
"And on the first day the lord
said. . . . . .LX1, GO! and there was
light." {Dan Mills}
"It's kind of fun to do the
impossible."{Walter Elias Disney}
If you are a hardcore computer
nerd staring at this file through
your favorite text editor, you are
probably hunting for something.
Let me guess, are you trying to
find build instructions? Yes! Well
it's not here. Why not?
Because all the build instruc-
tions are now in Apache's cool
web-site. Here is where you'll
find everything related to Xerces
builds.
http://xerces.apache.org/xerc-
es-c/build.html
Just remember, don't jump
into the builds without reading the
build instructions COMPLETELY.
It will save you lot of sleepless
nights.
So now, get out of your editor,
use your browser and get going.
These are famous jargon from,
notable “geeks” or techies. We’re
picking up from our last ditty
which delved on what techies do
to chill or have fun. Well, it seems
like techies are always tinker-
ing with computers but hey, they
actually manage to mix work and
play! First of all, geeks or techies
do have a sense of humor and
truly enjoy a good laugh. Take
a load of this; “There’s no place
like 127.0.0.1″.Didn’t get it? That’s
geek humor. Just so that you
know, it’s a play on the familiar,
A possible solution to music piracy
From the outside, the world of
bits and bytes might seem very
dry indeed. But if you have spent
any time in a digital office or
even better, just like the guys at
Dreamlords Digital, a full service
software development and gaming
company that released the Philip-
pines' 1st true 3-D Filipino iPhone
game, “Zombie Fields as their
initial public offering, you would
know that it’s fertile ground for
jokes.
Computer errors and mishaps
are the banana peels of the geek
world. Geeks so to speak, find
ways to poke fun at machines too
and the slip-ups they cause in our
lives. In fact, having a developed
sense of humor is a prime requi-
site for surviving the stresses of a
digital workplace. Fortunately, if
you look around there’s lot to poke
fun and laugh at. Remember, even
a company like Google laughs at
itself.
Techies love surfing, tweaking
and enjoy a good laugh. They go to
sites like www.cracked.com. Real
life is funny and this site mirrors
it. It’s a collection of humorous
anecdotes and first-person ac-
counts of support personnel when
non-geeks bring their computers
in. As they say, the guy whom you
dial for help hears all the crazy
stories and we can all have a laugh
as a result. This site is a must
visit for any guy who fancies a
laugh, period. It just so happens
that they have an entire section
devoted to ribbing the guy who’s
high on hi-tech.
Being a geek and loving video
games seem synonymous too,
however, some geeks use video
games as a way to replace a non-
existent social life. They get their
"human contact" fix by chatting
with their guild mates in Ever-
quest, or those lame n00bs on
Xbox Live, and don't feel the need
to go out and meet real people.
these different channels, we need to
remember that building relationship
is the cornerstone of social media.
We’ve invested time, money, and
effort going online to connect to dif-
ferent people and find interesting
things that will enrich our knowl-
edge. But how do we exactly distin-
guish ourselves from the vast ma-
jority of online users who think that
social networking is “just for fun”
(though of course it’s fun too)? Allow
me to list down some of my learning
throughout the years.
Know your purpose. In a typi-
cal situation, there are two schools
of thought regarding accepting re-
quests: (1) build a limited, small but you take the initiative to get to know mal, include them in your list too, as
strong community of colleagues, people, to use important websites long as you have an idea of who they
friends, and relatives or (2) accept and apps or to join events in order to are. Besides, the purpose of social
everyone who puts effort in add- widen your horizon. networking is to reconnect with the
ing you up to create a fan base and Update regularly. Aside from often-invisible people, right?
a huge network for sharing. Which completing your profile, set a few Participate and contribute. The
one is your intention? Complete your minutes of every day (or every other Internet is made to build communi-
profile. You’d be surprised at how day) to update your accounts and ties and relationships. Participate in
many profiles today have never been blogs. People won’t get interested if forums, discussions, and tweetups.
completed. People want to know you they don’t see any updates from you Read interesting articles and share
inasmuch as you want to connect at all. Signing up is not the end of it them to the people connected to you.
and get to know other people. It’s not – just like working – you don’t stop Share more than just what you’re
enough to just tick all the boxes (I’m after being hired. But please, do not doing or where you are going. Con-
a Sagittarius, in a relationship, etc.), over update, because people might tributing to the community is a great
because the more important meat get irritated at you. Everything in ex- way to spread the knowledge and to
of the profile is the ‘About Me’ sec- cess is bad. earn followers too. You’d be amazed
tion. Put some effort and thought on Add everyone you know. Most at how fast word-of-mouth can do,
interesting facts you would like other sites these days have the capability especially online.
users to remember you. of scanning through your address Social networking has a reputa-
Don’t just sit on there. At times book and processing your current tion as a time waster, and I believe
we feel so much relaxed or lazy; we friends to get possible connections. most of us will agree. However, when
tend to just wait for people to add us It’s not important whether the site we put a purpose and we give an ef-
up, for bloggers to leave comments is suggesting a friend from elemen- fort to maximize the potentials of so-
or for strangers to message us. Op- tary or a long distant colleague – add cial media, there’s a huge possibility
portunities and relationships won’t them up no matter how distant their that it can help us realize what it can
pour over you without you putting relationships are with you. Even if do for us in exchange. (Glenn Rich-
any effort in the first place. I suggest the degree of closeness is just mini- mond Ong)
2011 GE digital camera
line bolstered with launch
of new DV1 1080p Full HD
Video Camera with
Built-in USB
eneral Imaging (GIC),

Music piracy has been an is-
sue for so long and has been the
source of frustration for most
performing artists. It’s as simple
as few clicks, a few minutes of
download and before you know
it, you’ve got a copyrighted mu-
sic file on your computer… abso-
lutely free.
Millions of people around the
globe are into piracy, and they
have several reasons for doing it.
For instance, why do you need to
purchase an entire CD when you
only want a single song out of it?
Why is there a need to pay hun-
dreds of pesos when the whole
album is already available on-
line? And why do you even have
to leave the comfort of your home
to purchase a collection, when
you can get it with an internet
connection (which you actually
often use anyway)? Whether it’s
downloading from whatever site
or ripping it off from a friend’s
purchased CD, it is still piracy.
We do all these because we
find it inconvenient and costly
to go out in order to buy an en-
tire CD collection, even if the lo-
cal music store is one tumbling
away from our house. Hello, all
we want to listen to is Justin Bie-
ber’s “Baby” and nothing else.
through both OPM and foreign
songs, and enable us to pur-
chase them using our very own
Peso currency. I’m not saying it
should be iTunes or Zune, right,
but as long as there’s no other
company that can be at par to
both of these stabilized brands,
then better show us why it is
worth using. Again, the point is
to have a useful application for
purchasing of songs locally.
In connection to this, local
artists should also be ready to
support the move of having per-
song or per-album purchases
online. If there’s an application,
there should also be content
ready; else, it will be useless.
I can just imagine how our lo-
cal music industry would shine
again if this becomes a reality.
You see, downloading music
illegally prevents the artist who
created the music from making
a profit from their work. By pi-
racy, we are stealing music that
betrays the songwriters who
have put in long hours of com-
mitment and dedication to cre-
ate a masterpiece.
For composers and singers
who consider music as their
bread and butter, let us help
them live right by not making
G
the exclusive world-
wide licensee of GE
Digital Cameras, is
expanding its offerings
with the all new GE
DV1, the first GE-branded handheld,
HD digital video camera. The color-
ful, pocket-sized and waterproof GE
DV1 features a convenient, built-in
flip out USB plug for instantly con-
necting and uploading HD videos
and photos to share. With full HD
1080p movie recording capabilities latest, convenient features they’ve cessories or cords.
combined with a highly durable come to expect from GE digital HD recording and viewing – The
exterior, the DV1 is not only water- cameras .” DV1 records in high-definition 1080p
proof to 16 feet, but shockproof and Rugged and durable design – quality video with the touch of a but-
dustproof which makes this video The DV1 is part of GE’s active se- ton. The built-in HDMI jack offers
camera perfect for consumers to ries with a camera body designed full HD output and easy connection
take anywhere. for simple one-hand operation. Its to HD-compatible TVs.
Paul Meyhoefer, vice president waterproof up to 16 feet, shockproof Advanced camera features – Op-
of marketing and product planning, up to five feet, and also dust proof, tical Image Stabilization compen-
GIC, said: “With the rapid growth another added benefit for those on sates for unwanted camera move-
of social media, we understand the the go. ment when capturing video, while
importance of documenting and USB connection – A built-in USB Face Detection technology optimiz-
sharing life’s moments in video on- arm flips out, making it simple to es and provides the best possible
line and at home with friends and upload and share photos and 1080p shots of those in the videos and pho-
family. The DV1 helps accomplish videos on any computer instantly, tos. Other video and photo modes
that, while giving consumers all the without complicated software, ac- give you the perfect shots.
Q&A: Avoiding Glare on the Go
My eyes ache badly if an appointment with your eye doc- In addition to giving a bright,

Why care to purchase the whole
“My World 2.0” album?
At present, there is no vi-
able way to get legal music in
the Philippines online. By that,
I mean digital copy of the song
and not the whole CD that needs
to be shipped at home. Yes there
is an existing iTunes Philippines
and Zune Marketplace Center,
but do they offer music and vid-
eos with a localized content and
price for us Filipinos? No.
We lack and need an applica-
tion that will allow us to browse
piracy our career. Instead, let’s
push to shift to the alternatives
to music piracy, which are (1)
purchase actual albums from
local stores or (2) purchase on-
line, even just the foreign songs
(while we wait for a localized ap-
plication).
If there will be a way to pur-
chase songs digitally or online,
would you still support piracy?
I hope not anymore. I want to
hear from you. Tweet me @
GlennOng. (Glenn Richmond
Ong)
Q.
I read for more than
a moment in sunlight,
and or under fluores-
cent lights and flat
computer screens.
Because of this, I use incandescent
bulbs and cathode-ray tube moni-
tors, but I now want to buy a smart-
phone and a tablet computer. Will
these screens also make my eyes to
hurt?
A.Staring at any type of computer
screen for a certain amount of time
can cause eyestrain for many people.
First, just to get your medical bases
covered, you may want to schedule
tor for an examination, as well as for
professional ergonomic advice on
how to deal with eye fatigue when
using electronic displays.
Most smartphones and tablet
computers these days use thin, flat
LCD touchscreens. It is possible to
find antiglare film to stick over the
screen to help cut down on some of
the glare, but your results may vary.
The antiglare screen film, which
usually sells for $10 to $25, can be
found in office supply stores. It ad-
heres to the device either by static
cling or with a mild adhesive, de-
pending on the product.
glossy screen a more subdued
matte finish, screen film also cuts
down on smudges, fingerprints, and
other smears on the device’s sur-
face. When shopping for antiglare
film, however, make sure you get
one designed for use with a touch-
screen device because you still need
to be able to operate the gadget by
touch. Before you invest in expen-
sive hardware, you may first want
to buy a piece of antiglare film and
test it out on the store model of your
prospective phone or tablet to make
sure it suits the needs of your eyes.
(NYT)