Google Chrome - a Blazing fast browser

I've been a die-hard Internet Explorer user for years.   While I used to be a Netscape fan, and loved to hate Microsoft I was won over to the dark side years ago when I had to write comercial web applications and IE is simply the dominant browser in the business world.  Every few years I try a different browser like Safari, or Firefox, but I've never found them a compelling improvement in my oppinion.

Today is a new day.

I discovered "Google Chrome" via Slashdot which was commenting on the novelty of its introduction in cartoon format (http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/).

Reading this cartoon I was impressed with the technical discussions hidden in the cute format.

So I downloaded chrome from here: http://www.google.com/chrome (Beta, Windows only right now).   My first experience is impressive.  It downloaded, installed, and RAN in under 30 seconds. Wow.  And its snappy.  Well it seemed fast but its hard to tell.

So I threw at it a problematic web page which I use frequently.

http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-functions/

Try this in IE, I'd love to know your experience.  On My system it takes about 30 seconds to several minutes to load.  And after loaded, its almost unusable.  Page downs can hang IE for several seconds, and clicking on links in the TOC can take 5-10 seconds or more to jump to the right place.  Its not an exceedingly complex document, its big but not like a comercial web site with gigabytes of flash.  Its just HTML on a long page but brings IE to its knees.

Try Firefox.  I gave up after 5 minutes and it hadnt completely loaded and rendered.

Try Chrome.  3 seconds I had the page up, and every user interaction is instant.   There is no delay at all paging, scrolling or clicking jump links.  I'd  have fallen off my chair if it didnt have arms.  Wow.  Have to say I'm vastly impressed.  

There's a lot of other interesting things about this browser and I am anxious to try them, but for performance alone, its incredible.   I've never "recommended" a browser before but now I have to say ... you've got to try it.  I'll probably have to keep IE around forever for the same reason I switched to it, that its still the dominant browser for business, and as long as I'm working on web applications they have to be tested in IE first.   But for day to day browsing ... Chrome is compelling.  I'll definately keep it around for a while.  Hopefully it goes past "beta".

New Music - Jack-A-Roe

Jack-A-Row (with and without Vocals)Old "traditional" tune. A slow easy ballad about a a salior and his sweetheart.Sad start, happy ending. With and without vocals.Clean rythm guitar, lead, human & robot drums and midi bass.

http://docs.calldei.com/MusicMyStuff

Speaking at XML Confrence (Balisage)

My presentation about xmlsh (http://www.xmlsh.org/) has been accepted at Balisage 2008.

http://www.balisage.net/Program.html#w1100l

Loose Lucy now with Vocals

I added a vocal track to the Rock'n "Loose Lucy" ... experimenting with "Bill Shatner" style singing :)

http://docs.calldei.com/MusicMyStuff

scroll to the bottom ... this direct link might or might not work

http://docs.calldei.com/MusicMyStuff/files.xml?action=download&file=LooseLucyVocals.mp3

Sony Alpha DSLR A300

My Sony Cybershot camera finally died so I needed a new camera. I love those tiny ones like the cybershot you can slip in your pocket etc but no matter how much $ you pay the results are sub-par. If your outside in bright sun the pix look good, but low light or even medium light they are awful and lets not even TRY to get an action shot or a flash > 5 feet away.

So this time I got a DSLR. I'll probably also end up getting a pocket camera, but I was tired of pictures coming out awful even when I was at home and had everyone "pose". Research and some real window-shopping at Circuit City I settled on the Sony Alpha series A300. I'm quite happy with it.

Beyond the obvious features of a Digital SLR (DSLR) I wanted "simple" features. Buttons without too many settings and a good "auto" mode so that anyone could use it without thinking and atleast get decent photos. And of course I wanted manual overrides, but without having to go to "Full Manual" where I have to adjust every setting. This model comes out on top in my price range with all this and a lot more.

The Auto mode is excellent, and produced good shots in almost all setting (except the worse where there was a bright backlight ... )

Manual overrides are great, you don't have to go to full manual mode, you can very simply add a "Expose Compensation" (+/- range) in seconds or change the focus or exposure spot with one finger very quickly.

The "Live View" is awesome. I didn't realize this before researching but most DSLR's don't have the same feature as cheep consumer snapshot digital cameras, that is a full LCD view with 100% of the features. The A300 does. Not only that but the LCD can tilt up or down for high or low shots.

And fast, did I say FAST ... Point, click , shoot, repeat ... instant with no lag. This really works as both an exceptional point-n-shoot camera as well as a very decent SLR.

Here's 2 of my favorite shots from my first day shooting.





And a great (intentionally dark) sunset.

New music - Loose Lucy

A little late to blog this, but the reviews are in !
A new recording. "Loose Lucy", I think this is really snapy and crisp, definately one of my better recordings.

http://docs.calldei.com/MusicMyStuff (scroll down to "Loose Lucy")

http://docs.calldei.com/MusicMyStuff/files.xml?action=download&file=LooseLucy.mp3

19,000 scientists sign petition against global warming propaganda

Finally serious educated people standing up against the global propaganda engine.

http://www.oism.org/pproject/



An extremely good report available on a link at the left ("Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide")