http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/georgepporter Fri, 09 May 2008 22:37:37 GMT Reviews by georgepporter http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD1000-Digital-IXUS-70-Digital-Camera-review-842f3 For its price, this is one of the best cameras you can buy.  I had many problems with my Sony CyberShot, but this Canon works exactly as its supposed to.  It even records pretty good videos.  It easily fits in my pocket, and the LCD is big.  Most importantly, it takes high quality photos.  They're never blurry, too bright, or too dark.  For casual use, I'm quite happy with this camera. — — One negative:  I can't seem to figure out how to turn on the battery indicator. —... Fri, 09 May 2008 22:37:37 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD1000-Digital-IXUS-70-Digital-Camera-review-842f3 georgepporter 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/NewEgg-review-f2581 This is a great website for research.  You can easily sort through various technology products according to price, user rating, and other categories.  Most importantly, you can read many customer reviews as you compare different products.  The reviews are thorough, accurate, and thoughtfully enlighten you about the pro's and con's of a product.  I always find information here that I don't find at CNet. — — When it comes to shopping, I will frequently find great deals at Newegg too.  Shipping is quick, and I've never had any problems.  Newegg is the first place I go to for computer hardware. —... Fri, 09 May 2008 15:47:41 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/NewEgg-review-f2581 georgepporter 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Ubuntu-7-10-Gutsy-Gibbon-review-6ab16 As far as linux distributions go, Ubuntu is the most user friendly.  If an experienced linux user sets up an Ubuntu computer for you, I believe you will love it.  It contains fully functional internet, office, multimedia, and graphics software, and much more.  Everything is free, and easy to install.   But you must let an experienced linux user do the initial setup, because there are many pitfalls and difficulties.  Specifically, you can encounter problems with wireless, screen resolution, and media playback.  These problems can be fixed with a little bit of work, but a first time user who doesn't have the stomach for tech problems won't know what to do.  — Once the system is up and running, it is very secure, fast, lightweight, and reliable.  It is constantly being updated.  And you can even run many Windows programs through a linux program called Wine.  If you are a computer enthusiast, you should try this free operating... Thu, 08 May 2008 21:24:50 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Ubuntu-7-10-Gutsy-Gibbon-review-6ab16 georgepporter 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Symantec-Norton-Internet-Security-2007-Full-Version-for-PC-review-d2fb3 This program will slow down your computer and hog tons of system resources.  It will make itself impossible to fully uninstall.  Meanwhile, I highly doubt that it offers better protection than the competition.  I use a free antivirus program called Avast, and I have never had any problems.  I also run Spybot and AdAware to block malware/spyware etc.  I also make sure to run Windows Update frequently to make sure that my system is patched.  Combined with safe web-browsing behavior and common sense regarding email attachments, I have NEVER gotten a virus.  — Nobody needs this program, and in fact, it probably does more harm than good.  It will definitely slow down your computer and act obtrusively.  —... Thu, 08 May 2008 21:10:28 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Symantec-Norton-Internet-Security-2007-Full-Version-for-PC-review-d2fb3 georgepporter 1 http://www.viewpoints.com/OpenOffice-org-review-b22d6 This is a high quality office suite. Don't assume that Microsoft Office is better simply because it's more expensive. The two are virtually identical. For everyday use, you can use OpenOffice with no problems. There's no learning curve. You can save your files in Microsoft-compatible formats, so there is almost no problem with interoperability. — And OpenOffice is free. It is an active open-source project, meaning that the program won't add sypware or other menacing garbage to your computer. It is frequently updated with new features and security fixes. — However, when it comes to spreadsheets, I prefer Excel, not OpenOffice's variant. —... Thu, 08 May 2008 21:00:05 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/OpenOffice-org-review-b22d6 georgepporter 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/TIME-Magazine-review-7c7c4 Time is undeniably a liberal magazine. It alternates between gushing praise for Obama/Clinton in one week, and then doomsday warnings about global warming the next week. The magazine does nothing else. Meanwhile, it offers no insights or persuasive arguments in favor of the issues it supports. Instead, you will read page after page of stereotypes and pseudo-intellectual "analysis" by self-styled "experts" touting the fashionable green technology du jour. — Newsweek, on the other hand, is informative. It has a liberal bias as well, but the writers back up their viewpoints with compelling facts. Newsweek also contains much more variety. —... Thu, 08 May 2008 20:51:16 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/TIME-Magazine-review-7c7c4 georgepporter 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Lenovo-T60-Thinkpad-Laptop-review-0f949 After suffering with a Dell Inspiron for 4 years, my recent purchase of the Lenovo Thinkpad leaves me extremely satisfied. This is a high quality piece of hardware. It comes out of sleep/hibernation mode seamlessly. It never overheats or crashes (my Dell frequently did). The fan is quiet. And the Lenovo system tools and resources work quite well. — I rarely move around with the laptop, but the battery has held up nicely. Usually, I can work for 90 minutes before recharging. — The one negative thing I have to say is that the laptop looks ugly. It's not as stylish as a Mac. But who cares about style? —... Thu, 08 May 2008 20:43:33 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Lenovo-T60-Thinkpad-Laptop-review-0f949 georgepporter 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/New-York-University-review-aa193 NYU is a very good school.  It is constantly improving.  And it's located in a great city, with plenty of sources of entertainment and inspiration.  Nevertheless, it costs way to much to attend.  For most people, I believe that all of the benefits I mentioned above are not worth the high cost of tuition and housing.  You can get a good liberal arts education at many other schools, including state schools.  Aside from its prime location in Manhattan, NYU is not special.  —  I have benefited immensely from the school's career center, which is well connected with the business community in New York.  In addition, NYU offers some great study abroad opportunities. —  On the other hand, the community is very impersonal.  The level of education and student involvement is depressingly low.  It's easy to get lost in the crowd. —... Thu, 08 May 2008 20:35:41 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/New-York-University-review-aa193 georgepporter 2