Topics Covered:

• {play 6:45}Feature: Windows XP is dead. We present you with free alternatives.
  • A little history of how old Windows XP actually is.
    • Windows XP was released in 2001.
    • Facebook didn't come out for another 3 years.
    • The very first iPhone wasn't even announced until 6 years after Windows XP was released.
    • Google was a privately held company at the time with just 400 employees.
    • US Robotics was excited to unveil its new V.92 dialup modem.
  • Viewer Question: My mom uses Windows XP. What Linux distro would work well for her as a replacement?
  • How to pronounce "Linux".
  • Upgrading a Windows XP machine to Windows 7 or Windows 8, even if possible, doesn't make sense economically.
  • A quick look at six Linux distributions that could potentially replace Widnows XP on your old computer.
    • Q4OS from q4os.org - the young distro which looks a lot like Windows XP. It doesn't come with much software out of the box, and it's to young to suggest to a novice user, but it's promising.
    • Point Linux from pointlinux.org - Robbie's current preference. It's a bit more toward the experienced Linux user and is a bit "old school" in its concepts. It's fast, includes a reasonable suite of free software, and runs great.
    • Xubuntu from xubuntu.org - A very sleek, fast and lightweight version of Ubuntu which features a more familiar interface and runs well on older hardware. If some of the "heavier" distros we looked at don't run well on your hardware, Xubuntu will likely be the one that runs great and gives your old system new life.
    • Ubuntu from ubuntu.com - A commercially-backed, popular release with a much different interface. It may not run well on older hardware, but it is worth trying if you like the bleeding edge, future-minded features. Ubuntu may require a more robust computer since it is fairly heavy-weight (more along the lines of Windows 7 as far as its system requirements)—but it's still free.
    • Linux Mint from linuxmint.com - A refined, visually appealing distro with a unique, but easy to understand user interface. Linux Mint includes a robust suite of free software out of the box. The interface is different, but like Q4OS, Point Linux, Xubuntu and Zorin OS, the paradigm of how to interact with your computer is the same as Windows XP, so the learning curve will be quite low.
    • Zorin OS from zorin-os.com - A very familiar interface for Windows users, Zorin OS bridges the gap between Windows and Linux by working the way you would expect your operating system to work. However, Zorin OS also includes the bells and whistles of a modern Linux distro, such as visual effects and fast operation. Zorin OS also includes a very good suite of free software, including Office.
  • Linux is generally lightweight, but some of the more modern distros (think: Ubuntu, Zorin OS) will require better hardware than the lighter distros (think: Xubuntu, Point Linux). Try the one you like most from our demonstration, and if you have trouble with performance, try your next choice. It's free!
  • Important Note: Like installing any operating system, installing Linux on your old computer will erase your hard drive. Please backup all your personal files to a reliable backup medium (not a USB flash drive, okay?) before you install Linux.
• {play 38:54}Top Stories from the Category5.TV Newsroom
  • Thanks to the whole Windows XP thing, some organizations are ditching Windows altogether and making the switch to Linux.
  • A security exploit gives “low skill” hackers direct, security clearance access to over 7600 power plants around the world.
  • When we hear that a bug has caused Mazda to recall 42,000 vehicles, we typically think they're talking about a computer problem—but this time it's not a computer bug... but an arachnid!
  • Microsoft’s XBox Live service was owned by a 5 year old.
• {play 47:04}Roku
  • Learn the difference between the various Roku models, and even buy your own via cat5.tv/roku.
  • A quick look at the Roku 2 device which Robbie chose for the headphone jack and ability to connect it to older TV sets.
  • Taking a look at the Roku Channel Store.
  • Finding hidden private channels to add to your Roku channel lineup via a Google search or directly from streamfree.tv.
  • A quick look at Netflix on Roku.
  • Taking a look at Category5 Technology TV's Roku channel (version 1.0.3).
  • Robbie loves Roku.
  • Buy your Roku device through cat5.tv/roku.
• {play 59:24}Welcome to our newly registered viewers.