The emerging market for budget netbook computers is seen as a big opportunity for Linux, which appeals to hardware manufacturers because of its lower licensing costs and better flexibility than Windows. It can also be tailored to work well with unusual form factors and limited specs. Although Linux seems like a perfect fit for these products, consumers have been slow to warm up to the platform and may not yet be ready to leave the world of Windows behind. (more)

 
 

A new Texas law requires every computer repair technician to obtain a private investigator's license, according to a lawsuit filed in Austin. Violators can face a $4,000 fine and one year in jail, as well as a $10,000 civil penalty.

Unlicensed computer shops will have to close down until they obtain a private investigator's license.

A private investigator's license can be obtained by acquiring a criminal justice degree or by getting a three-year apprenticeship under a licensed private investigator.

According to the Institute for Justice, an Austin-based non-profit law firm, the new law also impacts consumers. Consumers who knowingly take computers to an unlicensed company for repair can face the same penalties. (link)

 
 

Those of you who have multiple hard drives in your computer, can rest assured that RAID configurations can also be recovered. If a single hard drive on the RAID configuration fails, the RAID setup will absorb the blow and there won’t be a loss of data. On the other hand, if the entire RAID configuration crashes, it will crash big time. Whenever this happens, you’ll need to send it off and have technicians restore both the RAID hardware and software.

Anytime your hard drive happens to crash or malfunction, data recovery is there to help you get back your files. Whether they are personally files or very important files that are need for business - you can put your trust in data recovery and know that you’ll get everything the back the way it was.
Rapid RAID recovery

 
 

Recently I saw an ad for Panasonic Toughbook notebook computers. I think it's a bad idea to "label" laptops as "tough". It gives the user a false sense of safety thinking they can treat their laptops badly with the expectation no negative effect can happen. Manufacturer's can claim how "tough" their laptops are all they want. But in the end some naive traveller thinks they can check their notebook at the airport and expect it to work after being tossed about in the cargo hold. Good luck with that.