Month: October 2009

Jumping Ship.. microsoft begone!

Michael ChalkLeave a commenttechnology

Well the organisation may be upgrading to windos7 and ms office ’07.. but i’m jumping ship. Migrate to “The Ribbon“? Send people “docx” files that word’03 can’t open? i say no. (Ironically Open Office can open these word 2007 files, even though microsoft office 2003 cannot.) For operating system, i’ll try Linux and apple. For an office suite, i’ll continue to learn Open Office and google docs. Open Office has a portable version i can run from the USB drive. Every time microsoft upgrades, they try to make life easier Read More …

Double-check different browsers before sending feedback!

Michael Chalk1 Commente-learning, technology

Ha ha. Serves me right for not double-checking in multiple browsers. The screencast channel is working fine on firefox / linux, also in the Opera browser on windows xp. Problem is with java in google chrome browser. Duh. Now i feel silly. On the plus side, now i’ve fixed java on my linux laptop.. that means i can make screencasts and join elluminate from that machine too. Cool. Oh, and AJ from screencast-o was very rapid in supportive response. Thanks AJ. —————————————- So i had discovered something very distressing over Read More …

windos7 ..? ick !

Michael ChalkLeave a commenttechnology

This old work laptop was due to have windos re-installed, so Fraser suggested i try the new “windos7” instead of xp. Things i do like about windos7 Windos “Explorer” (file manager) has a new keyboard shortcut for navigating up the file structure (about time); overall the “my computer” experience is greatly improved with breadcrumbs in the title bar (you can search deep inside folders you’ve just visited); the whole thing is more aesthetic.. some of the themes are almost attractive (i don’t believe it!); windos volume control finally gets some Read More …

Book reviewed!! (Digital Literacies by Lankshear & Knobel)

Michael Chalk1 Commentadult literacy, research

Finally! i’ve ploughed my way through Lankshear & Knobel’s “Digital Literacies: concepts, policies and practices.” (2008) Yes i’ve been reading it all year, but the final onslaught took me 4 days of sitting inside, during my holiday from work.. when the springtime sun was shining outside. How do i always manage to forget that academic reading can be horribly difficult!! If you’re out of practice, you need to diligently take notes on every page.. or you may as well not have read it. Anyway, it’s done now, handed over to Read More …