Vista? If not now, when?

I've received a lot of questions about Vista. "Should I upgrade now or later?" is the primary question. In reviewing the question, I suggest leaving out the "now or later" part—at least for the immediate future. The primary question is whether you should upgrade. For me, the current answer is no, but that's subject to change.

The primary case against upgrading turns on several points:

• The system I have works just fine the way it is.
• Vista, although probably compatible with all of my hardware, isn't compatible with some of my software.
• No matter how well any system has been tested, there will always be problems that don't become apparent until the product is in the hands of consumers.
• Right now I just don't have time.

Let me examine those points individually

The system I have works just fine the way it is.

This is the weakest of all possible reasons. When cited as a reason for avoiding change, "we've always done it this way" infuriates me, so it's odd that I've listed this first. I've always enjoyed change and the challenges change brings, so the only way this can be a viable reason for me is for it to be related to other reasons. That is, in fact, the case: I know that some applications I need don't currently work quite right with Vista. Until those problems are worked out, I prefer to continue using an older operating system that works.

Vista isn't compatible with some of my software.

The computer I use is about a year old and all of the components should work fine with Vista. Software is another story. I've heard distressing accounts of problems with Logitech device drivers under Vista (I have a Logitech mouse) and Apple recommends waiting for the next version of Itunes before upgrading to Vista. Apple has released a "Repair Tool for Vista 1.0" that make it possible for a Vista-based computer to play music you've purchased from the Itunes Music Store, but Vista's "safe remove" for devices isn't safe for Ipods. And there are various other problems. Before you upgrade, check with the publishers of every application you consider critical to be certain that it will work under Vista.

Not all the problems have yet been identified.

I've run beta versions of applications and operating systems in the past, but I don't currently have the time, space, or hardware to run Vista on a non-production machine.

Right now I just don't have time.

All of the previous reasons for not upgrading pale when set beside this one. Right now I just don't have time to troubleshoot problems; I'm in the midst of several time-critical projects that cannot be delayed while I try to figure out how some new feature works, why some old feature isn't working, or how to deal with an entirely new interface that is far different from Windows XP.

When?

If I were buying a new computer today, I would specify Vista. There's no question about that. If I wait until I buy a new computer, though, I won't see Vista for at least a couple of years.

I suspect that I'll be able to resist the pull, to fight off my curiosity, for at least 3 months. Probably 6 months tops. At that time, I'll upgrade my existing system to Vista. And by then, most of the problems revealed by the early adopters will have been identified and corrected.

If you want my advice, that's what I'd suggest for most of us. Give it a few months.

Fix your Ipod's battery

Several months ago, I mentioned that I had replaced the battery in my 3rd generation Ipod. Until a recent trip to New York City, I hadn't used the Ipod for extended play. When I bought the $40 replacement battery from IpodJuice.com, the existing battery gave me about 30 minutes of play time. The replacement runs for nearly 5 hours at full volume. I think this was a well-spent $40.

	Ipodjuice says that each battery they ship is tested and then packaged in anti-static bubble-wrap to ensure that it arrives in ready-to-install condition. The batteries also offer more power than the batteries that came with the Ipod. The company says that most people replace their own batteries by following the instructions provided, but if you'd prefer to have them do it, there are several options ranging from $20 to $70. The cost depends on whether you have your own shipping box or want Ipodjuice to provide it and on how fast you want the job done. • CLICK THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW.
	I did my own replacement and, as you can see, the instructions are highly detailed. They're also written in plain English, well illustrated, and correct. The batteries themselves range in price from $25 to $40 and you can choose from at least two power capacities on most Ipod models. On some, you have 3 choices. If you have an Ipod that's running down, you're out of luck because the company has apparently gone out of business. (Link removed 23 Oct 2013.)

Paul Harvey would call this a "potpourri"

TechByter Worldwide has been a podcast since May of 2006. What I thought was a step down was really a step up because the program now has listeners worldwide, not just in Ohio and the 6 states that surround Ohio. That rates a "WOW" in my book. And Apple's Itunes has recognized the trend. Podcasts are available when YOU want them to be, not when somebody schedules them. If you listen, it's because you're interested and not because it's what's on the air at the time. I didn't understand that until mid 2006 when WTVN canceled Joe Bradley's Sunday morning program.

According to Apple, "Many of America's public broadcasters have embraced podcasting, and the response from our users has been tremendous. Whether you're a fan of This American Life, Marketplace, On The Media, or Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!, you can get your favorite show on your schedule. Check out eight of the stand-outs below, or search the iTunes Store for names like NPR, PBS, PRI, or your local affiliate. Public broadcasting via podcast means quality with a new level of convenience."

Convenience. That's the word. I enjoyed listening to NPR's Bob Edwards in the morning on the way to work, but NPR decided not to renew Bob's contract and he ended up on XM Radio. The program is far too involved to audition while I'm working, but I have a MyFi XM radio that allows me to record Bob's morning program and play it back during the afternoon when I'm in the gym. I record TechByter Worldwide on Sunday mornings because that's when Technology Corner was on the air, but you might be listening on Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon, or during the middle of the week. You decide.

That's pretty cool. As the listener, you get to decide when to listen. Or whether to listen. If you find the program boring, you can turn it off and listen to something else. Because there are no commercials, you decide when (or whether) to support the program. If you're listening now, it's because you decided to listen. Podcasting changes the equation in your favor.

We see the same thing with photographs, video, and other audio sources. If you like something, it's easy to forward it to your friends who may also enjoy it.

When I create the podcast, I export an mp3 file that's as small as I can make it because some listeners are still limited to a slow dial-up service. Audio, video, and photo files can be reduced in size and that's the point Gary Freeland made in asking that I take a look at ways that we can shrink files that we send each other.

Gary's words: "With the proliferation of digital audio and digital video files, perhaps you could address the subject of compressing these files so they can be sent via email or IM messages. Many email servers limit file sizes which can be sent while many today's digital cameras and music sources use high resolution for their sound and pictures.

"Just an idea with the fast growth digital visual and audio. I receive files regularly which are huge, and if they had been converted to a smaller file size the upload and download would be significantly faster. This is even more noticeable with those still limited to dial-up connections. Maybe you could review some applications or software programs which could help with this problem."

Yeah, I could do that.

You may have a high-speed Internet connection, but not everybody else does. And even those who do might be a bit annoyed if you send them 10 or 15 photos, each of which is 5MB. If you're just sharing pictures for people to look at on the screen, you don't need to send anything larger than about 800 pixels on the image's long side.

Take this small image of me, for example. The picture at the left is 200px wide and 249px tall. It's large enough for you to see and the image itself is just 13KB compared to the larger version you'll see if you click the small image. The larger version is full quality, 1045x1299, and nearly 1MB. Other versions are the same size but medium quality and 230KB or lower quality and 54K. You can change the size of the image and its quality to achieve the best compromise. Now how did this happen? You might be wondering what caused the abrasion above the eye and the scratches on the side. I've been trying to float several explanations for this: Attacked by terrorists in Upper Arlington. Beaten by muggers in Worthington. Attacked by Girl Scouts armed with cookies in Bexley. Frisked by overly aggressive TSA agents at JFK. None of those seems to be developing any traction, though, so I guess I have to tell the truth: I fell out of bed.

Shrinking files

Shrinking photos is easy, but it's important to remember to save the smaller version with a different file name or in a different directory. Writing over the original image with a lower-quality copy eliminates any opportunity to use the full-quality version. Also, when you're working with a JPG image from your camera, the first thing you should do is save a copy of the file in your editing program's "native format". The native format will be "lossless" and that's important as you open the file, apply changes and save the file. If you do that to a JPG image, the image will be degraded every time you open it, tinker with it, and save it again.

Some programs make sharing photos easier than others, but all make it possible.

The free Picasa 2 from Google, for example, lets you create a collage, screen saver, or movie from a selection of images. It allows you to create a CD you can send to friends. It also has an automated process that exports images appropriately sized for e-mail and offers the ability to upload images to the free Hello photo sharing service.

Corel's Paint Shop Pro XI has an entire "print and share" section that makes the process as easy as clicking a selection from a menu. Paint Shop Pro is the application that's preferred by many people who create photographic scrap books.

If you want more control, you can use a free program such as Irfan View or a not free Adobe Photoshop Elements or an even more not free version of Adobe Photoshop CS2. Another application that does a good job of organizing photos, creating slide shows, and re-sizing images for other uses is Cerious Software's Thumbs Plus, which includes a neat macro capability.

That takes care of photos. Next week I'll talk about your options with audio files.

Nerdly News

Memory prices: Great for consumers, but there's a downside

The SanDisk Corporation is laying off 10% of its work force and cutting the salaries of executive because memory chip prices are down sharply. Down by how much? Last week, Micron Technology announced that prices for memory chips used in consumer electronics would drop 30% to 40% this quarter. SanDisk and Micron are direct competitors. They both manufacture memory chips for media players, digital cameras, and the like.

SanDisk says prices are down about 50% over the last two months because of excess supply and seasonally weak demand. About 250 jobs will be cut, executive pay will drop 10% to 20%, and salaries for other workers will be frozen.

How big will Vista be?

Microsoft has bet its future on an operating system that it's not sure anyone really wants. The launch was decidedly a lower key event than certain other launches. Sales have been lower than expected, at least by Wall Street, and Microsoft has launched a major campaign to lower expectations.

Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer said this week that Wall Street analysts are too optimistic about sales of Vista. The analysts had called for strong growth in Vista sales, but Balmer says that customers will be in no hurry to upgrade existing machines. Vista is incompatible with some existing hardware and software. In addition to that, it needs more memory to run efficiently.

Microsoft's business strategy, according to Balmer, is patience and persistence. History tells us that this works for Microsoft. The company's first server software (1989) was not well received, but Microsoft has built a large following in server applications. The same is true for Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

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