BrianHawkinsTech

Windows 7 has several troubleshooting tools built-in as well as online.  These troubleshooting tools cover things from display settings, network/security, maintenance, and more.  Here is how you can check out all these tools in one place:

1. Go to Start Menu and type troubleshooting in the Search box.
2. Click the View All link on the left side of the window.

Now you should see both the installed and online troubleshooting tools available to you!

 

As I recently noted, the newest version of Ubuntu (10.04) was just released.  Whether you are interested in checking it out or have already installed and are a little lost; there is help!  The Ubuntu Manual Team has released a free getting started guide.  This guide will step you through installation, initial setup, and working with the Ubuntu desktop.  It will even help you get started working with photos, videos, music, and web browsing.  The manual is released under an open source license and is free for you to download, read, modify and share.  I would definitely recommend checking out this manual here! 

It looks like MakeUseOf has also published a free Ubuntu manual.  You can get it here. 

With Windows 7, Microsoft has really made some changes to the control panel structure.  If you are like me and have difficulty finding certain settings, this trick may help.  This little "hack" allows you to pull all the control panel settings into one window!  It is very simple to do. 

1. Right Click your Windows 7 Desktop and create a new folder.
2. Rename the folder to (without the quotes) "GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}."
3. The folder should change it's icon once you click to open it. 

Version 10.04 of Ubuntu is nearing the horizon!  Besides this version being an LTS (long term support) edition, there are many new features to get excited about.  Here are just a few of the new features from the Ubuntu website:

Improved support for nVidia proprietary graphics drivers

• Three different NVIDIA proprietary drivers are currently available: nvidia-current (190.53), nvidia-173, and nvidia-96. Thanks to a new alternatives system, it is now possible to install all three of these packages at the same time (although it is only possible to have one configured for use at a time).

Social from the Start

• We now feature built-in integration with Twitter, identi.ca, Facebook, and other social networks with the MeMenu in the panel, which is built upon the Gwibber project, which has a completely new, more reliable backend built on top of desktopcouch. Gwibber now also supports a multi-column view for monitoring multiple feeds simultaneously.

New boot experience

• Multiple changes to look, feel and speed of the boot experience have been included in the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS beta.

New Themes

• The desktop has been beautified with the addition of two brand new themes, Ambiance and Radiance. New wallpaper and icons are also included.

Ubuntu One Music Store

• Millions of songs are available for purchase from your Ubuntu desktop, integrated with the Rhythmbox Music Player and using Ubuntu One cloud storage for backup and easy sync. Watch http://one.ubuntu.com/blog for the public beta launch.

You can read about the rest of the changes for the upcoming release here.