Silverlight…makes my Monday bright :P

                                                                            “Microsoft Silverlight is a free web-browser plug-in that enables interactive media experiences, rich business applications and immersive mobile apps. Silverlight works on all major OS's plus all major browsers, including Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, and yes, Internet Explorer.” I started by finding out a little more about Microsoft Silverlight, because I didn’t know much about it.

            I found very helpful the Silverlight home page because it gives you the precise Installation Instructions and also the opportunity to install it directly from their page. The installation process has 5 easy steps:

1. Verify your system requirements (in order to make sure if you are running a Silverlight-compatible Windows operating system and browser);

2. Download Silverlight (start the installation for both Windows Internet Explorer users and for Mozilla Firefox users);

3. Install Silverlight (complete the installation pracess);

4. Verify (verify the Silverlight installation by using it).

            The System Requirements page provided me information about the Silverlight compatible Operative Systems (which are Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 etc.) and Browsers (which are Internet Explorer 9, 8, 7, 6, Firefox, Safari and Chrome), but also the minimal requirement for installing Silverlight (for Windows for example browsers must be in 32-bit mode, must have 1.6-gigahertz or higher processor with 512-MB of RAM).

            After reading all the useful information about Microsoft Silverlight I have watched the three videos on how to uninstall Silverlight on the three different compatible Operative Systems. I believe that the processes of uninstalling Silverlight on Windows XP and on Windows Vista are very similar. Basically you have to follow the same steps: before starting the uninstall process you should close any running web browsers on your machine, then you have to click “Start” and after that “Control Panel”.

After following these steps the two uninstall processes get a little bit different. Uninstalling Silverlight on Windows XP follows these steps: in the “Control Panel” double click on “Add and Remove Programs” and then in the list of programs to be removed you have to scroll down until you find “Microsoft Silverlight”, click on it and then click on “remove”.   

When opening the “Control Panel Home” on Windows Vista you have to click on “Uninstall a program” and than in the list of programs you have to find “Microsoft Silverlight”. After finding the program you want to remove, you have to click the “uninstall” button at the top of the window, give your permission to uninstall that program and after that you are finished uninstalling “Microsoft Silverlight”.

Uninstalling Silverlight on Mac is a complete different process, only the first step being the same as for the other two Operative Systems (before starting the uninstall process you should close any running web browser on your machine).  Once your browsers are closed navigate to the hard drive on which you installed the plug-in. Next you have to go into the “Library” and “Internet plug-ins”. After you find the Microsoft Silverlight you have to click on this file and drag it into your “Trash”. When you click “Empty Trash”, your Silverlight uninstalling process will be complete.

You might think that this post is a little too long, but I hope one will find it useful when needs to uninstall Silverlight on his computer!

See you next Monday J

Second Monday…Penguins today :D 

Today´s topic is: Linux. As I said last time, I will use the video materials on any topic I´ll get to comment upon, because I consider it to be a more useful way of learning and also practicing my English.

The video I saw, called ´´Introduction to Linux´´, really allowed me to access the new world of this operative system. I just love the way in which the man from the video explains the Linux concept or any other concept, such as ´´operative system´´. Everybody at least heard about this concept, but I think that not many of us know what an ´´operative system´´ really is. Now I know that a ´´operative system´´ is: a software layer that is between your hardware and the software that you actually use to get something productive.

 The next important piece of information I received from this video is that: in the Linux world the software that you are running is many times not the same type of software that you are running in the Windows world that we are all used to. ( for example the Desktop application like Microsoft office, Photoshop etc.) Created in 1994, Linux looks different then Windows and has nothing to do with Unix.

I was amazed to find out that Linus Torvals created this wonderful operative system and made it a complete open source. In this way he allowed every computer scientist to start ´´playing´´ with it and therefore appeared so many Linux versions, called ´´distributions´´. (for example Red Hat Linux, Google android etc.) This is the reason why with Linux is much more important that you understand what you want your computer do to before you install your operative system, then it is with Microsoft.  

I use Windows operative system and I consider it to be the most common one. I am really pleased with this operative system but I know that it is not a very secure one, because it can be hacked, you can easily pick up viruses. From this video I found out that Linux has a better version than any other Windows version. It is called ´´Trustix Secure Linux´´ and focuses on security and stability. 

Actually, I was already using Linux, or at least a Linux “distribution” and I didn’t even know that I was using it. I have absolutely fallen in love with my new mobile phone, which uses a Google android system. I think it’s just unbelievable how smart a phone can be and how many things you can do with it. (Controlling your phone from your computer, Wireless App Installation, Flash, Removable storage and battery etc.)

I’m really happy that I discovered this fascinating world of “Linux wonders” and I’m looking forward for my next class! :)

First class

   This class was something new for me. I found it interesting in so many ways and I really enjoyed it.
   First of all, I would like to start by saing that I have never had a blog. This is why, I believe that I have learned something right from the beginning of the class. It gave me the feeling that, in some way, this is a personal and dynamic class. I think it is a great ideea to give the students the oportunity to express themselves.
   Secondly, I found those three given links useful to enriching my informational knowledge. I have heard about Oulock before, but I have never used it. However, I believe that this program is more suitable for business management toals rather then for personal use. I could motivate this by the fact that I am happy with the old and wellknown yahoo account. Despite this, I would like to say thay I enjoyed more the first link, in which I consider you can get much more information about the subject. In my opinion, it is way more productive to see a video of a specific sofware then to ride about it. Videos show you the exact display of the program, with all its toals and commands. In that way, you understand better what is the program for and which is the use of each button from the bar (the ribbon). I used the secound link only for extra information about Outlock 2010, because I found the first link very useful.
   Thirdly, I absolutely love I was given the possibility to choose my topics for todays class. I could not find a more productive way to have a class then this one. I think is really a great ideea to let the students choose the topics that they are interested in and comment upon it. I chose the following three topics from the medium level: " A Story To Remember", " A Healthy Lifestyle" and " New York Travel". The tests after those videos were useful in practicing my listening skills. I am sure that everybody can find interesting topics on that link. And in this way you can combine the two parts: the useful one( practising english) and the pleasure part( finding interesting things about anything that interests you).
   I can not wait for my second class:)