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There has been a lot of discussion about net neutrality in the past several years.  To many, these two words mean nothing.  Net neutrality has mostly been a topic of discussion for tech pundits and entrepreneurs such as Leo Laporte, John C. Dvorak or Jason Calacanis.  However, the public at large, especially faithful followers of Christ should know and care about net neutrality and what it means for future of internet communication freedom.

Net neutrality is the idea that if someone is paying for internet access, they should be able to do whatever they want with that access, and not be limited or slowed down due to the content being viewed, or the networks used to access said content.  This does not mean that an individual should not be held accountable for their actions on the internet, but, that said actions should not be restricted by their internet service provider.

Now, there should be some reasonable limits.  For example, if an internet provider detects that a user’s computer is spreading a virus or that they are sending out network-crippling amounts of spam, there should be some kind of security protocol in place.  However, this should not apply to everyday internet activities by the average person.

It is widely known that certain providers have not stuck with this kind of policy.  For example, in August of 2008, the FCC ruled that internet provider Comcast broke the law by slowing down traffic on their network for people using the file-sharing technology, Bit-Torrent.  This ruling was later overturned by a federal appeals court, stating that the FCC had no rights to rule on how an independent provider manages their network traffic.

Basically put, Comcast was slowing down, or even stopping internet traffic happening through the Bit-Torrent system.  Granted, Bit-Torrent, and other file-sharing technologies like it are often used for illegal sharing of copy-written movies, games and music.  However, Bit-Torrent is also used to help distribute legal content, such as Ubuntu and other Linux distribution, video shows and podcasts, and even some artists release their movies or music directly through file-sharing systems.  So, is it right for a provider to determine what their users should be able to do and at what speed?

Many copyright holders have ways to tell if someone has illegally downloaded and re-distributed their content, and will send providers letters of notice, which are then forwarded to the user.  A similar thing is done when someone posts a clip of a movie or song on You Tube without permission.  So why should a provider need to slow these communications down if the movie and music industries have a way of handling it?

Many internet providers would argue from the idea of network control.  Technologies like Bit-Torrent can result in a large amount of traffic on a network.  When traffic increases because of file-sharing, it can slow down the connection for everyone else, rendering the entire network slower.  So, the argument from network providers is that in order to preserve network speeds for all users, they need to slow down or manage certain types of traffic.

The worry is, if a cable company offers telephone, internet and television, there may eventually be a conflict of interest.  For example, Netflix, Hulu and other sites offer streaming of television shows and movies over the internet.  This video streaming technology takes up a lot of bandwidth and causes a lot of traffic.  It also attacks one of a cable company’s primary source of income, video service.  As of right now, there is nothing preventing a cable provider from slowing down something like video streaming service, in the name of “managing network traffic”.

There have also recently been cases where there have been disputes between content providers/creators such as Fox/News Corp. and cable and satellite TV providers over content agreements and pricing.  One recent case resulting in Fox and Hulu blocking a specific block of internet users, tied to a cable provider that Fox was having a dispute with.  Net neutrality is a 2-way street.  It says that internet providers shouldn’t slow or block traffic based upon the content, it also says that content providers and websites should not block traffic from a particular internet user or provider.

Right now, there are no laws preventing either of these things from taking place again.  This means that users are still at the mercy of content providers and internet providers in terms of control over the internet.

There are also discussions in the US Congress about the government being allowed to block certain sites from the public at their discretion.  The department of Homeland Security recently took down around 80 websites, under court order, but, without any warning to site owners due to copyright infringement.  Again, these discussions are about illegal activity.  However, when does the line go too far?

In China, any form of speech considered to be anti-government, including religious speech, can be blocked, and usually is, by the Chinese government.  This is referred to as the “Great Firewall of China”, as it blocks certain sites from public view in the name of national security.  This isn’t just between content providers and internet providers, but, now the government is involved as well.

US Senator Lieberman was once quoted as saying that the United States needed a similar power.  As mentioned earlier, there is an act in US Congress working to make that happen.

The question, again, is where is the line drawn and who is responsible for drawing it?  Should a country’s government determine what the people of said country see online?  Should an internet provider be allowed to determine how much, or how often certain traffic is allowed on their network, even to the point of conflict of interest?  Should content providers be allowed to block certain users from certain internet companies or certain regions over a contract dispute?  What if a person puts up a website about their religion and said religion goes against a country’s “policies”, what then?

These are all very important questions, and they all have to do with network neutrality.  Everyone should be concerned about this.  Right now, there have been a few minor flare-ups of conflicts that have resulted in an inconvenience for some people.  But, what will the future bring?  Who will determine when Skype can’t be used to talk to family or friends online?  Who will determine if Netflix is too big of a threat to allow users to view its content at high quality?  Who will determine the future of freedom of speech online?

Please visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation at EFF.org for more information on network neutrality and internet freedom.

I received an email advertisement from the good people at Microsoft offering me Office Home and Student 2010 for $119.99, that’s $30 off from their suggested $149.95. This offer was only good for four days.

The good news is that the license allows you to put it on 3 computers.  The bad news is that they are charging you $119.99.

If you have $119.99 just laying around, then this deal would be okay. But if you don’t want to spend that kind of money, there is another option for you: OpenOffice v3.2. Cost: free.

openoffice.org

OpenOffice does everything Office Home and Student does. Because it is open source software, OpenOffice can be freely put on every computer in your house.

The Office Home and Student comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote (a note taking software). OpenOffice comes with the Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, and Base. The first three are the similar programs of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; the last two are drawing software (like Visio) and data base software (like Access).

One of the coolest things about the software in OpenOffice is that they read the Microsoft Office files, better known as a doc, docx, xls, and ppt file extensions. You can also create a file in OpenOffice and save it as a Microsoft extension.

Who benefits from OpenOffice?

I think just about everyone can benefit from using OpenOffice, but those on tighter budgets really make out. I’m thinking of senior citizens, home schooling families, and college students.

The history of how OpenOffice came to be is a long one and I wont go into it here. However, it has been around for several years and has gained wide acceptance even to the point of local / federal / regional / national governments adopting the software.

Learn more about why it is free here. Download and at least try OpenOffice here. If you don’t like it, you can remove it from your computer – all at no cost.

At this point, I feel that it is important to re-focus the goals of Catholitech.com .  Overall, the goal is to be a guide for parents and everyday people in the world of technology.  The goal is also to provide even advanced or knowledgeable users with valuable reviews, tips and tricks that they might not already be aware of.  The final goal is to do all this with a faith-based view and understanding of morality.

Unfortunately, in many ways these goals have not been met.  I have either been too busy or too unmotivated to update the site on a regular basis, and this is going to change.

There may also be an additional goal developing for the site as well.  While I love the job that I have right now, and love helping people with technology in general, the 2.5 hour overall commute is killing myself and my family.  One of the goals of this site may eventually be a springboard to starting a business in computer education and consulting, as well as providing free and premium level online audio and video content to educate users on how to better use technology.

This way, I’d be able to pay people to contribute valuable information to the site itself, as well as gaining the ability to work from home and to allow my wife Tanya to write more freely and to get more breaks from our son Linus.  I’d also get to more directly pursue my true passion, which is helping people who don’t understand computers to better understand how things work and what can be accomplished by doing local computer consulting and education.

Finally, even though working from home is a lot of work and has heavy hours, blocks of time can be “blanked out” so that extra faith-based or family activities can be planned and attended.  This is very important to me.  I want to be there for my family and also want to be more active in my local parish.  However, I can’t do that if I am working 2nd shift and driving 1.25 hours each way to get to the job.

Given, this is an eventual goal.  It would have to start as a part-time thing and maybe by finding some ways to monetize the site itself.  I can’t just drop my current job and heath care plan.  I can’t throw caution to the wind and put the stability and safety of my family at risk.

Perhaps I will use the kickstarters.com site to try and raise money for the goal of being able to do this.  If enough people donate, I would be able to leave my current job and start working at home.  However, this wouldn’t be something cheap to do.  We are talking a full year of salary plus extra for self-paid medical/dental and business supplies and incorporation costs.  So, not sure that this would be a viable option.

Please pray for the site and its future.  Please pray for my family and me while we discern what is best for us.

Thank you everyone for your love and support!  It is greatly appreciated.

I’m joining a small, but growing, sect of computer users who are ditching their Microsoft Windows PC and using a Linux PC. Linux often conjures up bad memories of Matthew Broderick in the movie “War Games” plugging away at black monitor with green type, but that is a completely false comparison. I’m using and recommending a form of Linux called Ubuntu.

What is Ubuntu

Ubuntu Linux is an operating system, much like Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X. Ubuntu is developed by Canonical, a company with several global offices and a mailing address in London, England. They started their Linux version in 2004.

Why you would benefit from using Ubuntu

If you have an older computer, say six to 10 years, you would benefit greatly from Ubuntu because it takes less system requirements to run the operating system. When I say older computer, I’m talking about 512MB of RAM and 20 – 80GB of hard disk space. If you find your computer to be slow, then you should consider Ubuntu.

“Why would I use Ubuntu?”

Ubuntu is free. It is software that is called Open Source, which means it does not cost to own it and, more importantly, is free to change. Now you would have to be a software programmer to be able to change the code, and there are plenty of individuals with the know-how who do make suggested changes for fun. But for a person like myself, who is an average user, I have no concern about looking “under the hood” and changing the code.

On the opposite spectrum, your Microsoft Windows operating system is not free and the system is not accessible to any software programmer who wants to look at the code. In the computer software/programmer community, that is annoying.

Because of Ubuntu’s open source access, bug fixes and enhancements happen much quicker than in Windows. This is a huge benefit to the average computer user.

“What do you do with your Ubuntu computer?”

I’m often asked this question and the answer is this: everything you do with your Windows computer. There are open source alternative to all of the software programs you use on your XP, Vista, 7 and Mac OS X computer. In Ubuntu, you access the Software Center and search for the task you want to accomplish. And the amazing fact is that all, or at least most, of the software that comes with Ubuntu is open source and free.

How to get started

The best way to try Ubuntu is on a second computer, one that is just collecting dust around the house. You can order a disc or download the operating system from Ubuntu.com and then burn to your own disc. From there, you can try it out by accessing it from the disc in your CD tray, at no harm to the current set up on your computer, as if it was a computer game.

Or, you can install it alongside the current operating system, allowing you to boot the computer in Windows mode or Ubuntu mode.

The last way is to fully install Ubuntu on the computer. This will erase all files and software on the computer, never to return (note: If you want to erase the hard disc, installing Ubuntu is a great way to do it).

If you were going to give away that old computer, installing Ubuntu fully on the computer is the best way to go because you will get the full experience of using the operating system.

Give it a try and re-discover how fun computing can be!

As everyone is probably aware of, election season is reaching its peak.  There is less then a week remaining for Christians to educate themselves on what candidates that they will vote for on November 2nd.  The problem is, candidates are making it extremely difficult to make an informed decision, and one can’t judge appropriately based upon the ads on TV.

So what is someone to do?  How can one make an informed decision that is true to their beliefs and faith?

Luckily, in this age of the internet, there are resources available to Christians in order to help them make a semi-informed decision on November 2nd.  Here are some of the useful sites I have found, that put away the rhetoric and stick to the issues.  While not all the candidates have offered direct answers to some of the issues at hand, especially that of abortion, at least these sites are a step in the right direction to informing the public on where candidates stand.

Vote Smart:

VoteSmart.org is a great site to begin researching candidates in a given area.  The site allows a user to enter their zipcode and will pinpoint the races and candidates in their area.  The site also has a political courage test that it encourages candidates to take on key issues.  Unfortunately, not all candidates answer the test, but, even then, the people at VoteSmart.org do their best to find answers in what candidates imply in their campaign speeches and such.  VoteSmart.org also has a Vote Easy tool that allows a user to pick where they stand on various issues and will help to pick the candidates for the House and Senate that closest match those answers.  It might not be perfect but, it is a good guide.  It is the goal of VoteSmart.org to provide clear cut answers on where candidates stand so that the general public can make informed decisions.

Vote411:

Vote411 is a great for general election information.  A user can find their state’s regulations on voter registration, information about campaign finances and what voting districts that an individual is in.  The site also allows a user to view information on political races within their state, if applicable.  Lastly, Vote411 also provides a user with their nearest voting location, making it easier to know where and when to vote.

FactCheck:

FactCheck.org is probably one of THE most important sites a voter can utilize in educating themselves on what is true and what is false in the mudslinging ads that are seen on TV.  The people at FactCheck.org make it their business to do what most major media outlets such as CNN, Fox News, ABC and local news stations and newspapers no longer do, check the validity of what candidates are claiming in their ads.  Fact checking is a long-lost art in today’s media and FactCheck.org is picking up the slack.  The site allows a user to search for candidates in their area and reports back how accurate that ads about that candidate are.  The site lists the real facts behind the claims in the ads, working off of the cited resources that the ads claim to use to get their information.  Basically, the site takes the rhetoric and mudslinging out and researches the truths or untruths behind the claims of the ads.  EVERY voter should use this site, PERIOD.

The above sites are just a few of the resources available to voters to help them to make informed decisions.  The fact is, we the people of the United States of America need to start taking a real interest in who we are electing into office.  We need to pick good candidates who support our values and do not support things such as Abortion, Euthanasia, Ebryonic Stem Cell research, human cloning and other evils that are pervasive in today’s society.  In order to do this, we must make EVERY effort to make an educated and well-informed decision November 2nd.  If we truly want our country to be great again, we need to control who is running it and make sure that those individuals respect our values.

Watch live streaming video from catholitech at livestream.com

8Snaps, computer monitoring, wherever you are.

Most of the time I write reviews or information about apps that serve a useful and practical purpose.  However as Christians and Catholics, we know technology isn’t just a matter of business and productivity.  Nor is the internet solely for theological arguments and evangelization, although, it is the core of this ministry and many others.  However, the internet is also a fun place, where communities thrive and one of the best ways to evangelize is through the friendships built with others.

Be it on the internet or in real life, the real story is the people.  To reach people one must be willing to lower their boundaries, take off their masks and just be themselves.  Unfortunately, with everything all of us goes through on a daily basis, from work to raising the kids and even in dealing with our own spouses it is very hard to lower one’s guard.  However, there is one sure-fire way to get anyone’s guard down…

To put it bluntly, almost anyone’s true self will come out simply by making everyone in a group look foolish.  If nobody looks good, than there is no reason for a person to pretend to be someone that they aren’t.  There is no reason to show off to others if one is placed on the same level on them through foolishness and frolic.  In fact, in this humble writer’s opinion, this is something we adults could learn a lot about from our children.

Children frolic and play together without a care in the world.  They aren’t burdened by prejudices, cares or anything else society molds us into as we age and hit puberty.  No, they are full free to be themselves, and in their childhood frolic they have such fun that it touches all of us.  In their innocence, one can truly see the Lord and His light living in them.

So, what does this long tirade have to do with an iPod/iPhone/iPad app?

iProv is a free app that provides both actors and everyday people with a long list of fun games and activities.  These games are not only enriching and entertaining but, are just a ton of great fun.  They are also great to encourage quick thinking, humor and to make anyone in a group look like a fool.

Written in the same vein as Whose Line is it Anyway, iProv has instructions for short-form improv games such as A-Z, Freeze, and many many others.  Best of all, the app is free and is guaranteed to break the ice at any church activity, party or youth group meeting.

The app itself is very simplistic.  A user picks a game from the extensive list and they get instructions for acting out said game and different variations of the rules that spice things up even more.

There is also a section of tags or categories by which a user can find the specific type of game they are looking for.  There is also a favorites section for a user to mark their favorite improv games and activities for later reference.

Best of all, this app is 100% free and will help to inspire both actors and non-actors alike into some fun-filled, good, goofy and honest frolic.  So relax, let go and have a ball.  If  one really wants to experience freedom with their friends, family, coworkers and parishoners, they should search for iProv in the Apple app store.  It is well worth one’s time and imagination to do so.  Also, if anyone feels that what iProv does is good and wants to support the author in his search of new and exciting improv activities, they should visit the sourceforge site for the references in the app.

Remember, God created comedy and acting to help break down the barriers between us.  He is the author of humor.  He is humor at its very core.  So why not drop our guards and be truly at peace with ourselves, others and He who is humor itself?  Why not act like a fool from time to time?  Why not laugh without reservation or care?  This is why God designed humor, might as well partake of it, and partake of it often.  All we have to lose are our inhibitions, and gain friends and frolic.

Nobody can deny that Facebook is an important place for social interaction, information, media promotion and evangelization.  However, recently there have been many concerns about Facebook’s privacy policies and their sale of information to advertisers.  It even got to the point at which many tech insiders, including Leo Laporte of the TWIT Network and Jason Calacanis of Mahalo.com fully deleted their Facebook accounts!  Now, since then, Leo and myself have re-created our Facebook accounts.  But, how are users to manage the vast security options on Facebook, and how can users be sure that their information goes only to the people they want?

Well, one free iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad is helping users to explain, manage and lock down their Facebook profiles.  It is part of the reason for me going back to Facebook, and while the app isn’t perfect, it does make it a lot easier to manage and keep track of one’s Facebook security and privacy settings.

Privacy for Facebook is a free app available in the Apple app store and is definitely affective at helping users to adjust and understand their Facebook  privacy and security settings.  While Privacy for Facebook does not directly manage your settings through a program interface, it does take a user step-by-step through every security policy Facebook has.  From the main settings for sharing, to the obscure setting for allowing friends to “check you in” with them with Facebook’s new location services, Privacy for Facebook covers them all.

Privacy for Facebook also gives users a nice brief description page prior to directing them to the actual setting page in question on Facebook’s site.  A user can then adjust the settings on the Facebook page with full knowledge of what effect the setting change will have on their information.

Privacy for Facebook will also update users with a badge notification whenever Facebook comes out with any new security policy or adds a new feature that requires the management of private information in a new way.  This way, users are always on top of Facebook’s ever-changing privacy and security settings.

There are some minor drawbacks to the app.  First, there are times that the app references old security pages on Facebook that no longer work.  These glitches do get ironed out but, usually takes some time.  The second issue is that there is no menu to navigate which security option a user wants to adjust.  Users need to go step-by-step through every privacy setting, in the order the app has them listed, even if they only want to adjust one specific setting.  Privacy for Facebook also has some delay in moving from setting page to setting page in its integrated browser.

However, despite these minor issues, Privacy for Facebook does exactly what it should.  It educates users on what the various privacy settings on Facebook do and allows the user to manage all of those settings in a single place.  I actually like the fact that the app doesn’t manage settings for a user in a slight program-based interface.  Instead, it forces users to become aware of what the setting pages actually look like, and how they function so that, even without the app, if a user wants to later modify their settings right through Facbook’s site, they can do so with full understanding of how everything should work and look.

Every parent, student, and other Facebook user should run this app if they have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad device.  It is free and does a good job of nailing down the multitude of security settings on Facebook.  Check out their website at http://www.privacyforfacebook.com or do a search in the Apple app store for “Privacy for Facebook”

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In this episode we talk about OpenDNS, a free and simple way to block unsavory internet content from your home!

Please leave feedback at cath...@gmail.com and let us know if you want to be a contributor to the CatholiTech website.

This should now have improved audio.

When I was growing up, cable TV had about 20-30 channels including premiums.  The reason to have cable, better reception than local over-the-air channels and wider variety.  However, times have changed, and so has the programming.

Modern cable and satelight TV services carry hundreds of channels.  From a $250 NFL package, to movie channels, “adult” channels, and even music channels without video, the amount of content available is overwhelming.  The irony is, with the average cable service being in the $75-$150 range (after promos expire and without added special channels), how many of those channels does the average viewer watch?  Not only that but, how many of those channels have content that is TRULY morally acceptable for children to watch?  How many programs are even morally acceptable for adults to watch?

The fact of the matter is, most people have a favorite show or two and watch maybe 10-15 of their hundreds of channels on a regular basis.  Sure, there is the occasional check of the channel guide to see what is on, and maybe a viewer can spontaneously find a movie on a random station.  Not only that but, with DVR technologies, many people don’t even watch their favorite programs live!  They simply record them and watch the programs later.

So what is my point here?  Short of the exclusive sports packages and some specialty foreign channels, cable and satelight television services really aren’t necessary anymore.

Internet streaming sites and services, as well as purchase-per-show options are letting the people chose what content they want.  Take Netflix for instance.

Netflix has both a DVD rental system AND a streaming movie platform available on many devices.  Chances are if someone owns a video game system, computer or even a newer mid-range TV or blu-ray player, it will allow that person to get Netflix instant movies.  So, if a movie is started on the TV through a gaming system, it can be paused and then resumed on a computer or other device.  Netflix also updates their list of TV series regularly and again, has many of them in a streaming format.  For $9.95 a month, the price can’t be beat, and the USER picks what they want to watch.

There is also Hulu, which allows the streaming of content from many popular TV stations such as NBC, ABC, Fox and Comedy Central.  The service is free but, there is also a paid pro version that gives additional options and content.  Again, there is a Hulu player for many devices out there and there is access to many current episodes of sitcoms, dramas and other episodic seasonal shows.

Apple just announced a new version of its Apple TV product, which will allow for the rental of movies and TV series at a fixed price, and also does Netflix streaming.  Amazon, which already allows you to purchase season passes for shows currently in production at $.99-$2.99/episode is now planning a per-month charge model as well.  I can finally get Mythbusters without having to pay for cable to get Discovery Channel.  Again, Amazon video also works on multiple platforms.

Of course, these are just the tip of the iceberg.  Google TV is a future product that will combine internet and TV technologies to allow the streaming of movies, series and You Tube videos to many major TVs, Blu-Ray players and other devices.  Being that it is backed by Google, I can only imagine that it is going to be big!

Now, this isn’t to say that cable companies aren’t developing their own edge in this new internet market.  One cable company in the northeast US is planning PC to TV streaming to allow users to see their PC screen on their TV, and are also planning an iPad app which will allow the viewing of any of their cable channels live when on their home’s wireless network.  Other satelight and cable providers are also planning similar initiatives.

I applaud these cable/tv providers for their initiative.  These organizations are evolving to fit what the customer wants, or are at least doing the best they can to adapt.  These are going to be the cable and satelight providers to watch as the internet media explosion continues because, they will be the ones coming out with products that are worth a customer’s hard-earned money.

However, that being said, cable TV really isn’t needed, even for local channels.  All local broadcast channels now broadcast in digital, and most in uncompressed HD quality over-the-air for free.  No cable or satelight provider can give you the same clarity and quality as the direct sources themselves.

So, in today’s internet media age, there are a LOT of options.  If you are a concerned parent, a sit-com lover or, just someone sick of paying tons of money for something they aren’t fully using, there are now plenty of cheap, and even free options for entertainment out there.  These options allow the VIEWER to pick and choose what comes into their home, thus making it easier for parents to monitor what their children are watching and giving the average person the ability to watch what they want, when they want, without the burden of extra fluff.  So, unless a person NEEDS every NFL game or 24 cameras of every Nascar race, why have cable or satelight TV?