Daily Archives: July 1, 2008

dPS: How to Photograph Fireworks Displays

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| 1 Comment

Excellent article from the digital Photography School blog about how to photograph fireworks displays:

Fireworks

(photo via hupaishi)

Do you want to know how to photograph fireworks? With 4th July just days away I thought I’d refresh this article in which I give 10 Fireworks Photography tips to help you get started.

Fireworks Displays are something that evoke a lot of emotion in people as they are not only beautiful and spectacular to watch but they also are often used to celebrate momentous occasions.

I’ve had many emails from readers asking how to photograph fireworks displays, quite a few of whom have expressed concern that they might just be too hard to really photograph. My response is always the same – ‘give it a go – you might be surprised at what you end up with’.

My reason for this advice is that back when I bought my first ever SLR (a film one) one of the first things I photographed was fireworks and I was amazed by how easy it was and how spectacular the results were. I think it’s even easier with a digital camera as you can get immediate feedback as to whether the shots you’ve taken are good or not and then make adjustments.

Of course it’s not just a matter of going out finding a fireworks display – there are, as usual, things you can do to improve your results. With 4 July just around the corner I thought I’d share a few fireworks digital photography tips:

(continue reading at digital Photography School Blog)

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Hard Link vs. Symbolic Link

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| 1 Comment

In reference to the last article I posted about NTFS Junction Points, here’s some more related information:

Hard link – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In computing, a hard link is a reference, or pointer, to physical data on a storage volume. On most file systems, all named files are hard links. The name associated with the file is simply a label that refers the operating system to the actual data. As such, more than one name can be associated with the same data. Though called by different names, any changes made will affect the actual data, regardless of how the file is called at a later time. Hard links can only refer to data that exists on the same file system.On Unix-like systems, hard links can be created with the link() system call, or the ln utility.On Microsoft Windows, hard links can be created only on NTFS volumes, either with fsutil hardlink or mklink. Also, the Cygwin set of utilities has a Unix-like ln command.The process of unlinking disassociates a name from the data
on the volume without destroying the associated data. The data is still accessible as long as at least one link that points to it still exists. When the last link is removed, the space is considered free. A process ambiguously called undeleting allows the recreation of links to data that is no longer associated with a name. However, this process is not available on all systems and is often not reliable.

NTFS symbolic link – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An NTFS symbolic link (symlink) is a file-system object in the NTFS filesystem that points to another file system object. The object being pointed to is called the target. Symbolic links
should be transparent to users; the links appear as normal files or directories, and can be acted upon by the user or application in exactly the same manner. Symbolic links are designed to aid in migration and application compatibility with POSIX operating systems.Unlike an NTFS junction point, a symbolic link can also point to a file or remote SMB network path. Additionally, the NTFS symbolic link implementation provides full support for cross-filesystem links. However, the functionality enabling cross-host symbolic links requires that the remote system also support them, which effectively limits their support to Windows Vista and later Windows operating systems.

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NTFS junction point – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| 2 Comments

NTFS junction point – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

An NTFS junction point (JP) is a feature of the NTFS file system version 3.0 or later. It is a type of NTFS reparse point. Junction Points can be used in a similar way to symbolic links — allowing the creation of a link to a folder that is, for most intents and purposes, the same as the folder itself. This has many benefits over a Windows shell shortcut (.lnk) file, such as allowing access  to files within the folder via Windows Explorer, the Command Prompt, etc. Junction points can only link to directories, and moreover, local directories only; junction points to remote shares are unsupported.[1] For linking to files, possible alternatives to junction points (aside from shortcuts) include hard links (which have the restriction that the file must belong to the same logical volume), and symbolic links (which are only included in Windows Vista and newer, but do work over network shares). The Windows 2000 and XP Resource Kits include a program called linkd to create junction points; a more powerful one named Junction was distributed by Sysinternals‘ Mark Russinovich.[1]

While I’m still limited to using NTFS Junction Points (versus Symbolic Links, available in Windows Vista), I do really like the idea of having C:\Users\ link to C:\Documents and Settings\ (who the hell came up with that naming convention anyway?) – similar to how C:\Documents and Settings\ is a symbolic link to C:\Users\ in Windows Vista.

Luckily, there is a utility for just that purpose, available here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ntfslinkext/

(more info, including earlier code and screenshots here: http://elsdoerfer.name/=ntfslink)

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Run Windows Apps from your Existing Windows Partition in Linux « Mohammad Azimi

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| Leave a comment

Found this article from a linkback to my post “Feature: Seamlessly Run Linux Apps on Your Windows Desktop“…

I saw a post this morning showing you can run Windows applications from a virtual Windows install on your Linux Desktop. Although this may seem like it’s not that big of a deal, anyone who virtualizes another OS such as Windows from within VMware knows it can
sometimes be a hassle to switch between your Linux desktop and the Windows one since you only have access to application windows within each OS and your Guest OS is limited to running within the VMware window. The advantage of integrating the guest OS into your existing desktop allows you to easily switch between different applications and use applications side by side regardless of what OS they are on. As you can see in the pic above (click to enlarge), this method gives you access to the StartMenu from your Linux desktop as well as placing guest OS applications in the Gnome panel. The original website provided a method that needed some modification to work for me. Additionally, the following guide will show you how to safely set this up on an existing Windows partition.

(more via: Run Windows Apps from your Existing Windows Partition in Linux « Mohammad Azimi)

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Download Squad: Windows Steady State Bulletproofs Your System

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| 2 Comments

This is well worth the read and download if you’re in IT or tend to your family’s computer(s) on occasion. (Probably more useful in the latter scenario, anyway.)

win-steady-state1

So you’re thinking, “Hey, I want to be totally irresponsible with my computer and load it up with crapware!” Really, isn’t everyone getting tired of having to be so stinking responsible on the Internet all the time? We certainly are. We’re ready for system protection that isn’t afraid of our reckless browsing, indiscriminate downloading, and general apathy towards good computer usage habits.

…Which is why we love Windows Steady State. It creates a cache file in which your operating system operates, meaning any harmful changes can be undone by simply emptying the cache. After downloading it’s a snap to install – just a few obligatory clicks and the usual EULA mumbo-jubmo and you’re set.

Our first test was pretty a pretty low-intensity workout. We surfed, bookmarked, set up a POP account and downloaded a few messages, and cluttered up the desktop with a dozen or so hilariously named folders. After issuing the old Windows – U – R we waited anxiously for the system to reboot.

There it was, just as it had been before – no trace of any of our activity. The desktop was still tidy, no favorites or emails were anywhere to be seen. So far so good, but let’s try some real abuse!Do your worst! Fire up Internet Explorer and go on a malicious web-surfing bender. Download rogue applications! Install 16 browser toolbars! Download obviously fake songs with Limwire! When you’re spent, reboot and check the results. To the dismay of Trojans everywhere, not a shred of your misdeeds will remain.

(more via Windows Steady State Bulletproofs Your System)

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Our PDX Network

Posted on July 1, 2008 by willwm| 2 Comments

I’m always a fan of Portland related things on the interwebs. Here’s a site I found today called “Our PDX Network” which looks like it’s worth a read, or at least a blog post. ;-)

Yes, it’s another local Portland, Oregon group blog.

Why?

After all, can’t people subscribe to the local blogs they want to, creating their own personal patchwork quilt of voices? Can’t they network on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn – or in person at events run by the very cool Legion of Tech folks, for example? Aren’t there already enough local PDX group blogs out there?

Nope, there aren’t. Or maybe we’re just egotistical enough to think there’s room enough for our blog – alongside efforts by local print media like the Portland Mercury or Willamette Week, nestled up next to Portland is Awesome and Portland Food and Drink and Bike Portland and Silicon Florist and Blue Oregon and, yes – the Metroblogging Portlands of the world.

See, we read everyone else’s stuff. And we think you should, too. That’s why we’ll be talking about all of the other excellent local sites out there – telling you what you’ve missed, shooing you over to read their inside scoops instead of trying to regurgitate them ourselves. Talking up the activity on networks like Twitter, on events like Lunch 2.0.

But we’ll also be offering up our own unvarnished view of life in Portland – warts and all. We’ll be asking you for your opinion, your insights, and pointers to those sources you can’t live without (you can share them with us via our new Mag.nolia group, for starters.) Or we’ll be recounting conversations we might have had with you in person at the neighborhood farmer’s market, or at that evening meeting.

And since we come from a variety of backgrounds and don’t all share the same interests, we can promise you a slice of life you may not always see in your RSS reader or in your neighborhood.

In a nutshell? We’ll be interesting. Informative. Provocative. Collaborative. And, most importantly, interested in creating conversation. With you. (Yes, you.)

And if we’re not? Interesting and/or informative, or…

We’ll settle for pointing you over to something else that better meets your sensibilities…!

(via http://ourpdx.net/about/)

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