Payton Place

All platforms: Free and open source virtualization software VirtualBox gets a “major upgrade” to version 2.1 which is now available for download.

Besides a gaggle of fixes, the changelog details new features:

• Support for hardware virtualization (VT-x and AMD-V) on Mac OS X hosts
• Support for 64-bit guests on 32-bit host operating systems (experimental; see user manual, chapter 1.6, 64-bit guests, page 16)
• Added support for Intel Nehalem virtualization enhancements (EPT and VPID; see user manual, chapter 1.2, Software vs. hardware virtualization (VT-x and AMD-V), page 10))
• Experimental 3D acceleration via OpenGL (see user manual, chapter 4.8, Hardware 3D acceleration (OpenGL), page 66)
• Experimental LsiLogic and BusLogic SCSI controllers (see user manual, chapter 5.1, Hard disk controllers: IDE, SATA (AHCI), SCSI, page 70)
• Full VMDK/VHD support including snapshots (see user manual, chapter 5.2, Disk image files (VDI, VMDK, VHD), page 72)
• New NAT engine with significantly better performance, reliability and ICMP echo (ping) support (bugs #1046, #2438, #2223, #1247)
• New Host Interface Networking implementations for Windows and Linux hosts with easier setup (replaces TUN/TAP on Linux and manual bridging on Windows)

We’ve already shown you how to run Windows apps seamlessly inside Linux with VirtualBox; what OS combinations are you using it with? VirtualBox is a free download for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

A recent article at TechRepublic reports Dell web site qualifications of a PCs running Windows Vista. It appears a new branding category is emerging as a method to sell legacy hardware for use with Vista.

Dell’s interpretation of “Windows Vista Capable” definition adds the following description for such hardware:

“… the ability to boot the operating system, without running applications or games.”

Isn’t this ludicrous? Sure you can boot the operating system but can’t do anything once you get there! This is a stretch of the official classifications published by Microsoft, Vista Capable and Vista Premium Ready.

The official Microsoft Windows Vista classifications are as follows:

A Vista Capable or equivalent PC needs to have at minimum an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB RAM and a DirectX 9 class graphics card. A computer that meets these requirements will be capable of running all editions of Windows Vista although some of the special features and high end graphics options may require additional or more advanced hardware.

A Vista Premium Ready PC will take advantage of Vista’s “high-end” features but will need at least a 1.0 GHz processor, 1 GB main memory, and an Aero-compatible graphics card with at least 128 MB graphics memory and supporting the new Windows Display Driver Model.

If you wish to check the capability of your current machine to run Vista, Microsoft has a Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor available at their website to see which mode you can run without upgrading!

~SP

I’ve been experimenting with dynamic desktop content my company machine. Considering the fact I’m one of those “clean desktop” kind of guys, I wish for just a few strategically placed objects on my desktop that perform key applications that define the use of my machine in a global sense.

The only rub is that since I want just a few objects visible, standard icon sizes just don’t cut it. So I’ve been building web pages to use as desktop wallpaper instead of a more traditional static image. One of my concepts is to leverage a new “One Look” initiative we’re using at Bose Professional Systems to unify the look and feel of online and printed materials on a global basis. A scaled version is available by clicking on this icon:

In this desktop the world image in the center spins (animated GIF) and is more of a placeholder than anything. I’m working on the “real” spinning world in my spare time (multi-layer Photoshop image) and will implement it when it’s finished . . .

Maintaining a totally clean desktop is impossible unless you make the conscious decision to properly file every piece of new information as it arrives. This takes so much time that as a compromise I’ll allow stuff to exist on the desktop during the work day and will clean it up at the end of day much in the same way I clean the counter space in my office.

If you choose to experiment with your own desktop arrangements, keep in mind that certain settings and switches within Windows are adjustable for spacing and size. For instance, if you wish to control the unseen desktop grid that is available for alignment of icons, here is a little tip I found at Geeky Ramblings:

Sometimes there just isn?t enough room for the all the text underneath those icons. Or, you maybe you are having some kind of overlapping problem. You can fix this by adjusting the space between your icons.

There is an invisible grid on your desktop the computer uses to place icons and associated text in to. This grid sort of looks like a checker board. You can adjust the size of the boxes. Here?s how:

Right click on any empty spot on your desktop. Click Properties, and then click the appearance tab. Next click the advanced button and you should find yourself in the ?Advanced Appearances? window. Click on the pull-down window under ?Item? and select ?Icon spacing (horizontal). Note there is also an ?icon spacing) vertical too. Click on the size arrows to adjust icon size. Do the same with Vertical. You will need to work at this some until you get the size/spacing you want. Click ok.

Note: You will need to uncheck and recheck the ?Align to grid? option before your icons will move into place. Here?s how:

Right click on any empty spot on your desktop. From the menu select ?Arrange icons by? and click on ?Align to grid? to uncheck it and then click to option again to recheck it. Once you do that your icons will move to your new grid settings.

I’ll be sure to post info on any other interesting desktop schemes that come to mind!

~SP