Secure from what? Just switch to "offline mode" when you dont want to send or receive any radio waves....

Oh...Wow, that is soooo cool!!! I have 2 kids, and they're still pretty small. At any rate, I really like Linux. I have however chosen to go the OSX route...and I have an Intel Mac, but am not willing to muck it up by installing Windows. I love having access to a unix terminal and just today am feeling quite proud of myself as I remembered how to ssh, ftp and run around on the shell where my web page is stored, even changed permissions and edited my home page via emacs...hee.
It's been a while. I have played around quite a bit with kubuntu...I'm not really
fond of the gnome desktop. Hubby has an absolutely gorgeous desktop...but
he has actually considered switching over to Debian. He mentioned that casually the other day.

I must say hubby does get cranky over the Mac...he'll sit down at it and sorta growl, "Isn't there a web browser on this thing?" Then I'll be like, "Gee, don't you recognize that huge firefox icon right there?"

I think RPM hell is pretty much what got me into the Macs...I had gotten really fed-up with windows and tried Red-Hat (it was Red Hat at the time) and the kids
were both under 4 so I just didn't have the time to sit and deal with it. So I bought a Mac and while I find some of it irritating to this day...I really haven't looked back.

I just got the N800 about a week ago and have been spending quite a chunk of time playing with that. Did I mention I LOVE LOVE LOVE it?

I also have the ipod, but after watching some movies on the N800 I'm quite spoiled and I love the bigger screen. I'm not 18 anymore.

Sounds like my next project will be replacing the hard drive in my MacBook Pro, it is making the most horrible noise. Thanks so much for the message. Glad to know I'm not alone.

No kiddin'?! Well, I am 43 and still full of energy for the right stuff!

Now your OSX statement makes me feel like engaging in a really long rant about free software and what I believe is its fundamental importance not only to our freedom, but to producing in vastly superior software. Should I really impose that on this forum?

Let's just say that choosing OSX you are getting but a pale corporate designed attempt to keep up sagging sales by using (an otherwise excellent) FreeBSD kernel. Is that better than Windows? You bet it is, I would take OSX over w2k/wxp anytime. But is that anything near the IT-nirvana Debian GNU/Linux is? Not in my experience. OSX is shackled in a heavy GUI which, while pretty, is designed with marketing in mind, not IT-lovers. Worse, OSX is shackled with the hyper-proprietary and hyper-monopolistic Apple culture which is the antithesis of what free software is about (you install Debian/Ubuntu/gNewSense the first time and you have got 19000+ applications to choose from at your fingertips for free, and in complete freedom).

Mac hardware is good, if overpriced. I hope you use it to its full potential by getting rid of OSX and installing GNU (or BSD) on it. You will never regret it if you do. In fact, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE it also

Drop me an email (vineyardsaker at gee maile dotte come) if you want to discuss this off-forum, ok?

Kind regards,

VS

i've seen the 770 last year and was facinated with the idea of an internet tablet. it wasnt till the n800 caught my attention again at compusa. i picked one up few days ago and i love it. no more turning on my laptop and booting up in the living room. i can turn on my n800 and boom, i am online - i can check my email, chat gaim, and surf the internet. life couldnt be anymore easier.

I use my n800 at work with my cell phone to surf the internet and do personal stuff. I don't like to use the company network for personal surfing.

It is amazing how easy surfing the internet is on this device. I can visit any site without a problem. The web browsers on cell phones really stink, although they have come a long way.

I think I have an RSS addiction problem and the N800 is like my crack dealer its always there when I need it

jschon, openvpn will secure all your internet activity. it's a medium level networking knowledge setup, but it does work like a charm and will do what you want.