39: The Portable Podcast
2009-01-05
Download MP3 For Geekons Episode 39
Pop-Up: PortableApps.com Platform
- The PortableApps Platform launches PortableApps from PortableApps.com
- This basically allows you to run tons of free software straight from your USB drive.
- By running the software off of your USB drive, you can carry it (and your preferences) with you.
- There is even a portable launcher for XAMPP which can be loaded onto your USB drive, allowing you to run a full Apache, MySQL, PHP, and PERL server. (It also includes an FTP server and SSH server, but XAMPPFS just sounds silly.)
- I'm reviewing the Platform and the overall concept, because there are too many individual apps to review.
- I've installed a few of my favorite basic apps:
- 7-zip
- Notepad++
- WinDirStat
- Eraser
- PuTTY
- FileZilla
- Firefox
- OpenOffice
- VLC Media Player
- After playing around with it on a 16GB USB 2.0 flash drive, I can say that while it isn't as fast as running on an internal hard drive, it is definitely usable and is very easy to get set up. (Certain hard drive apps, like WinDirStat, actually perform pretty quick since the app is running on a separate device leaving the hard drive free for usage.)
- 4 out of 5 stars, Free, useful, and pretty cool. Unfortunately, it does not sandbox the apps, so they can impact the computer you are using (You can't run Firefox on your local machine and portable apps... weird).
Geek-Tweak: Quick Tips on USB flash drives in Windows
- Windows 2000 is able to write tons of tiny files really fast to USB drives, but for some reason XP is not.
- If you'd like XP to write tons of tiny files really fast, the second best option is to enable NTFS on your USB flash drive. (The first best thing is to get a USB Hard Drive, those Western Digital Passports seem pretty sweet.)
- In order to format your USB flash drive as NTFS, you have two options:
- Configure your drive to be "Optimized for performance"
- Right click your drive in Windows Explorer and choose Properties
- Click on the Hardware tab
- Select your device from the list and click the Properties button
- Click on the Policies tab
- Select Optimize for Performance
- close out of any properties windows by clicking OK
- Right click on the USB drive you'd like to format, and select "Format"
- Double check that you chose the correct drive! This WILL remove all data from that drive!
- Select NTFS from the format drop down and click OK!
- Convert a Fat32 formatted drive
- Start with a Fat32 formatted USB drive, or simply format the drive as Fat32 (described above)
- Make a note of the new drive letter for the USB drive
- Open up the command line and type "convert u: /fs:ntfs" (where u is the drive letter of your USB drive)
- Configure your drive to be "Optimized for performance"
- Possible pitfalls
- NTFS is a journaling file system which adds a little bit of overhead, so it may wear out your flash drive faster than FAT 32
- NTFS is readable by OS X Leopard, but not writeable.
- Older operating systems, like Windows 95/98/me won't be able to read the drive
- If it is an MP3 player not designed for NTFS, the player functionality may simply cease to work. (oops!)
- Possible benefits
- NTFS is much faster
- NTFS allows larger file sizes
- NTFS stores tiny files together in the same block, which is supposed to be good for some reason.
- While NTFS is journaling, XP appears to handle it well and does not update read access times.
- Last but not least: eject your drive safely!
- Ejecting makes sure your system isn't currently depending on a file on the flash drive
- Ejecting also finishes all write procedures to the drive
- Eject just makes you feel better
View-Source: Being Optimized for Performance, rather than Quick Removal
- When an awkward situation comes up at school or work (especially involving unbelievers) I often feel incredibly optimized for quick removal.
- I just finish my thought, and back out of the conversation physically or at least spiritually.
- Proverbs 3 (and most of Proverbs, for that matter) really drives home the point that we should be optimized for performance, not quick removal!
- Verses 5-7 give us a basic platform for staying in the conversation and performing the way we should: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil."
- When we do stay in the fight, it is silly to come up with our own reasoning, that's the same as quickly removing ourselves spiritually, and we lose any effectiveness we might have had.
- Like the USB drive, we should be storing God's word in our heart (Psalms 119:11), because knowledge of God gives us understanding of His divine power which is all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)
- Despite this, it is still difficult for us to apply God's word, which is why God has given us some quick tips on being Optimized for Performance!
- Allocate resources properly. Proverbs 3:9 tells us to Honor the Lord with our wealth, the firstfruits of our crops. (not "what we have left over that we might spare) That would be like buying a 16GB flash drive but only having access to 512MB... that's just silly, we paid for 16GB! (God has paid for so much more!)
- Accept performance tweaks! Just like Windows XP may have to mark some sectors as bad (due to the overhead of a journaling file system, or simple misuse of a flash drive), God may discipline us. Much like defragging a hard drive or repairing flash memory, this may be long and uncomfortable, but it is only because God sees that we could be performing better. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
- Protect Read-Only files. Imagine if you overwrote Read-Only system files with photos of funny cats pretending to be a monorail? The same thing would happen to our performance-driven Christian walk if we didn't maintain sound judgement and discernment. We need to actively protect the wisdom God has given us, and continue to apply those in our daily lives (Proverbs 3:21)
- Take advantage of USB 2.0 when you can! Just like a flash drive running in USB 1.0 mode despite the USB 2.0 port, we would be pretty useless if we didn't provide someone with something when they deserve it and we are capable of providing it. (Proverbs 3:27)
- Quick reminder, without verses like Proverbs 3:27, helping someone out is just helping someone out. But when we are optimizing ourselves for performance and know the scripture, we are not only helping someone out, but knowingly obeying God's desire for us!
- Shoot for factory specs, not the cheap knockoffs. Proverbs 3 closes with verses telling us not to envoy violent men, mockers, or fools. Much like like the cheap flash memory knockoffs that work most of the time, we can easily trade in our name-brand factory specifications and set the bar a little lower. Sure, there may be thousands of other products on the market that look like us but get to do "cooler" stuff that is pleasing to our worldly nature, we have a higher standard that is measured and judged by a higher judge. (Proverbs 3:31-35)