Diskeeper 10: The same, but better
A fragmented disk is both normal and problematic. As files are deleted or changed and replaced by new or modified files, the drive becomes fragmented. This is normal . Opening fragmented files is slower than opening files that are located in contiguous blocks. That is problematic. I've been using Diskeeper instead of the Windows defragmenter for the past several years. That isn't likely to change anytime soon.
Diskeeper turned 10 earlier this year and Executive Software change its name to the Diskeeper Corporation. If you're still depending on Microsoft's built-in defragmenter, it's time to consider the alternatives.
The Windows application, even the latest version, doesn't work very well. I regularly receive questions from listeners about why the defragmentation process takes so long and why it keeps starting over. The short answer is that Microsoft didn't do a very good job of creating a disk defragmenter.
Microsoft's defragmenter is careful to watch for changes to the files on the hard drive and the result, if one could read the Microsoft defragmenter's mind, would be something like this:
- I gotta keep an eye on programs that might change the file structure.
- I just found a file that's fragmented.
- I'll move the first fragment of the file just found so that I can combine it with the other parts of this file.
- HEY! Something changed on the disk. I'd better start over.
- (Go back to the first step.)
The Microsoft defragmenter will complete the task. Maybe. Eventually. Days later.
Diskeeper was designed from the beginning by people who understand multi-user operating systems. When it starts defragmenting a disk drive, it's able to keep track of the files it's moving. The result is a faster process.
And with version 10, it's much faster. I was skeptical. When I reviewed an earlier version, I wrote "This is a solid utility application that does exactly what it's supposed to do and does it almost painlessly. The 'Set it and Forget It' option allows you to schedule defragmentation when you want it to happen."
The same is true today, except that you have even more control. You can specify the priority Diskeeper has. Higher priority give the application more processor cycles and slows other applications while lower priority gives Diskeeper fewer processor cycles and allows other applications to run faster. Multi-user operating systems understand priorities.
The disk drive is by far the slowest of the three main computer components -- CPU, memory and disk. If the drive isn't defragmented, even a fast CPU will seem slow.
Overall: Diskeeper 10 improves an application that was already best of breed.
If you care about performance, Diskeeper is a utility your computer needs. Even if you don't care about performance, Diskeeper is a good idea because it keeps pieces of files from being splattered all over the disk drive. The price is certainly right at $30 for the home edition. Other versions for home and small businesses sell for up to $100. Those who need to run Diskeeper on a server should expect to pay about $1000. For more information, see the Diskeeper site.
More security problems for Microsoft (and Apple)
This month's Windows update includes measures to patch a Windows Media Player vulnerability. If your computer isn't set for automatic updates and you haven't yet bothered to get the update, "sorry about your luck." And if you own a Mac, don't smirk. Your machine is vulnerable, too.
Two exploits circulating and one of those could be propagated as a large-scale attack. The attack will work pm Windows 98, Me, 2000, NT, XP, and 2003 Server systems. The flaw could be used to silently install spyware and adware, but the exploit one talkative creep is working on could become a mass-mailed, self-propagating worm.
If you haven't updated your system, now is the time to do it.
And speaking of security problems Apple OS X users have reason to be a bit nervous these days. The more near-sighted Apple users said that OS X was immune to attacks and didn't want to hear otherwise.
If you use Apple's Ichat, beware.
Security firms such as McAfee, Sophos, and Symantec say "OSX/Leap.a" (McAfee's name for it) spreads via the Ichat instant messaging service. The exploit arrives as a TGZ (Tar GZip) file. The compressed file is a Unix shell program that uses Tiger's Spotlight Spotlight search tool to find other applications and then attack them.
This is a Trojan, not a worm. It can't propagate on its own and requires that the user make the mistake of running the application. The file is claimed to be screen shots of Leopard, the forthcoming Mac OS X 10.5.
Mac users who are careless and who believe that their systems are immune to the kinds of attacks that afflict other operating systems will be surprised when their machines are attacked. As Macs gain in popularity, the creeps who write malware will begin to see them as machines of interest.
Don't be surprised.
In the future, all memory will be solid state
Or will it? Solid state (flash) memory has advantages: It's resistant to shock and it's faster than even the fastest hard drive. But it has one gigantic disadvantage: Cost. I recently bought a 100GB hard drive for $40 (after rebates) while an equivalent amount of flash memory would cost at least $2000. Companies such as Micron continue the push for flash memory, but companies such as Seagate keep raising the bar by making smaller drives with greater capacities.
Before the end of this year, Seagate will begin shipping 12GB hard drives that have a 1-inch form factor. Yes, 1-inch. Not 5.25-inch. Not 3.5-inch. Not 2.5-inch. 1.0000-inch. These are drives that will easily fit into even small devices.
Seagate has been selling 1-inch drives for a while, but the new drives will be about 20% smaller while providing 50% more storage capacity and using 30% less power -- an important consideration for battery-powered devices. 12GB of flash memory would cost at least $500 and you can be sure that Seagate's tiny drives won't cost anywhere near that amount.
Vibration and motion damage are problems that hard drive manufacturers need to solve and Seagate will incorporate an optional "drop sensor" that will provide increased reliability. Apple is already using drives with this technology for its high-end notebook computers.
Seagate foresees an increasing demand for portable digital music and video that will require more storage space. Current technology still points to hard drives as being the best solution.
Research organizations say that the number of portable multimedia players will double between 2005 and the end of the decade. Seagate sees this as driving demand for storage in phones, PDAs, and the like to provide portable, on-demand video.
Nerdly News
Will somebody please invent a functional browser!?
 I've said from time to time that Firefox is my default browser, and so it is. I like the extensions, many of which are still exclusive to Firefox. I like the tabbed browsing, which is now available in other browsers such as Opera and even Internet Explorer 7, now available in beta. I don't like the crashes.
At the right is a screen shot of firefox when I tried to open a site.
Firefox routinely consumes all machine resources when I click on a PDF link at the office. The only solution is to kill the Firefox process and view the site with Internet Explorer.
As much as I admire Opera's goals and attitude, the browser remains incompatible with far too many sites.
Flock, which is based on Mozilla is still in pre-beta.
Netscape is bloated and installs applications I don't want.
That leaves Internet Explorer. Version 7 is clearly an improvement over version 6. It offers tabbed browsing. I've seen only one crash so far, and that was immediately after I installed it -- before I restarted the system. I expect that IE will continue to be the browser with the largest target painted on its back.
But it might turn out to be the only usable browser.
Office 2007 approaches
We've talked about the next version of Microsoft's office suite. The look and feel of the next version will be substantially different. Microsoft will need a powerful marketing campaign to convince users to hand over relatively large amounts of money for the new version, particularly when many users already feel that the applications do more than they need to do.
Instead of calling the applications Office 12, which has been the name used during the development cycle, the applications will be called Office 2007. They're expected to ship late this year.
There are 7 combinations, including a basic package that's aimed at OEMs. The basic package included just Word, Excel, and Outlook. That combination will not be available to anyone except OEMs.
Other options:
- The Home and Student Office version (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote) will cost $149.
- The Office Standard version (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Powerpoint) will be priced at $399 or $239 for those who upgrade.
- The Office Small Business version (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, Publisher, and Outlook with Business Contact Manager) will sell for $449 or upgrade licenses for $279.
- The Office Professional suite adds Access and will retail at $499 or $329 for upgrades.
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