Month: June 2009

“Our goal for this study was to gather users’ general impressions of the Google and Bing search engines, including overall functionality, presentation of content, and overall fit with user expectations and needs. We also wanted to see how much attention users paid to advertising space on the two sites.”

(from the report)

“Most users preferred the Bing visual design and thought that it was slightly better in terms of organization and refinement options.”

Overall reasons for preferring Google

• Familiarity

• Enhancements in Bing not enough to convert

• Already using other Google apps

Nerds tend to be more rational and logical, than emotional; the general populace tends to be more spontanious and seek gratification before considering potential consequences and outcomes.

As stated on page 37, nerds prefer to focus on expertise and can prefer to be (in general) non-confrontational to social engagement.

When we do attempt to engage, where most flirt to show interest (as described on page 106): “…debate is something nerds to in order to meet other nerds they can hit on…”

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Historical figures who were probable nerds are proposed, and Nugent used some fictional characters to explain the evolution of “manliness” and its descriptive components.

When he compared “nerds” to “jocks” and referenced Skolnick and Urkel, I waited for Doc Savage (whom I consider to be a nerd and jock) to be mentioned. I was dissappointed…

He explains how the term “sissy” evolved, which should have been obvious, but I never thought about it.

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While expounding on nerdy characterizations on television he mentions the television show “Freaks and Geeks”, which I have never seen. I waited for a mention of “Square Pegs”, which I have seen and thought would be a similar comparison to his descriptions, but it was not. It left me wondering if he was aware of the show, or felt it did not apply…

(This book was written before The Big Bang Theory was on CBS.)

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His interpretation of ethnicities pleasantly surprised me. I had never taken into consideration that some traits are due to culture. There is a probable reason those of Jewish decent seemed to read at an early age (page 80), and why nerd culture appreciates Japanese techno-art (page 82).

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“American Nerd: The Story of My People” is available as an ebook.

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I strongly suggest you buy the book:

Add it to your collection because it’s a good read.

If you are a nerd, and/or know or love a nerd.

Maybe you will learn something about yourself and your peers…maybe others will learn about you…maybe there will be more understanding.

Buy the book, highlight the parts you feel appropriate, and (assuming the recipient can read) give the book to someone who doesn’t understand you, and you wish they did…or at least would try to understand you.

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I miss my slide rule…

Super OS – formerly called Super Ubuntu – is a modified version of Ubuntu 9.04.

Besides being Ubuntu, it also includes:

Java

Ubuntu Tweak

Startup Manager

Better Internet experience with MSN, Opera, Firefox, Google Gears

Portable application available right out of the box – so to speak

Multimedia support – VLC, DVD-playback, MP3 and other codecs – improved

App Runner is included too.

System beep has been disabled

It has its own repository in addition to the official Ubuntu repository

Uses the commonly used KDE and QT libraries for easier deployment of software.

Has a live USB creator – cd2usb – To create a Live USB, just use usb-creator (already included on Super OS itself), or cd2usb (windows program: already included on the DVD)

Latest Version: 9.04

Live DVD and Install DVD (x86 – 32 bits)

ISO MD5 hash: 1aee96a429446c6d1b6337b52d249b33

ISO size: about 990 MB

1. Install the Super OS repository
2. Check for updates (type sudo apt-get update on the terminal)
3. Install the package super-os (using synaptic or the command line: sudo apt-get install super-os )
4. Done!

If you need help: FAQ

Download available at:

Hacktolive

I am running Super OS also now, since a week, and I must say, that I really like it! Before switching to Ubuntu/gnome finally, I was using Opensuse 11.0 with kde 3.5 which I also tweaked out, so I had support for almost anything.

But on recommendation of a good friend of mine (wirelesspacket), I finally made the switch. In fact, I had to, since kde 3.5 is not included anymore in any new distro, and they will drop

support for it in a while. And I had worked with ubuntu before, so I knew what I could expect.

However, this Super OS was a good choice for me since a lot of packages were pre installed.

some of those packages were:

– skype

– amsn (msn clone)

– pidgin (multi IM)

and all stuff that is mentioned in Gandalfdjh’s post.

Rythmbox allowed me to add online radio stations, and they worked straight away. On my dad’s regular ubuntu box it does not work, so this gives an example of the extra features in Super OS.

Also VLC player is very good and supports almost every media file.

For myself, I encountered a few problems, like skype. PulseAudio still does not work right on every pc. but with a little workaround I removed pulse audio, AFTER I switched everything in the sound settings to ALSA only, and disabled system sounds. After a little sudo apt-get remove pulseaudio and a reboot, I had no issues anymore with skype.

For Twitter, I installed Gwibber, which has support twitter,identica, jaiku,rss etc. very good client.

All in all the migration from opensuse kde to ubuntu gnome was not that hard. after some tweaks in themes and wallpapers and other stuff, I ended up, having this desktop, with compiz fusion support, screenlets etc.

Please check out the screen shot of Mike’s: Screen 1

Both Mike-Linux-NL and myself hope that you find Super OS an operating system that will meet your needs. We recommend that you try it!