Yeah, I'm lazy. F#@$ Microsoft

So, I fired up the old PC this morning, and attempted to open Google Chrome. Oh, Snap. Adobe Flash crashed. And, Lo and Behold, Vista began another forced Microsoft update. Ok, then. Another Microsoft update that royally screws up other companies software. And it just happens to be Google. The Flash plug-in still works perfectly with Firefox, and I'll bet it works great with IE, too. (Although, I never use IE, so I wouldn't know.) I immediately reinstalled Chrome, but I'll bet some people are still confused about what to do, or just too lazy/busy to do a reinstall right now. I wonder how much browsing traffic MS just drove away from Google? Chrome is supposed to have 1%+ of the total browsing market. In percentage terms, not a lot. In raw volume terms, that is millions or billions of pages per hour.

This of course leads to the next question: When are people going to get totally fed up with MS? I realize that it is only a small percentage of users that understand what is going on. Many people don't know the difference between an OS and a browser. So, they just toil on with Microsoft's crap. I'm using Vista now, because I am being forced to. I use software for work that is not available for Linux or anything but XP or Vista.

And, therein lies the problem. Microsoft has the best API's and "hooks" in the OS for programmers. Sorry open sourcers, but it is true. I use Open Office, and like it, but it looks like it is 10 years old compared to Office 2007. Does that make a difference to me? No. Does that make a difference to a typical user? Sad to say, yes. What is the one major difference between XP and Vista for 90% of users? Aero Glass. And most users (not POWER users) like Vista better then XP. Why? Aero Glass. Makes no difference to productivity, in fact it hurts productivity as the computer slows for programs that don't support it.

Windows sucks. Can we fix the problem people.

New class requirement for all school children

Now. There needs to be a law passed (disclaimer: I am NOT a fan of new laws generally. In fact, we should just go ahead and repeal about 50% of the ridiculous laws in this country. For example: It is getting to the point that I need a color chart in my car to figure out exactly what I am allowed to do with my car in a given parking spot. I saw a purple curb the other day. Purple. What the hell does that mean?) that all school children must take a class in computer virus basics. Do those fake virus scanners really fool almost everyone who sees them? I thought that everyone knew that it is pretty obvious not to click if:

A) You have never heard of the product that purports to be cleaning your computer.

B) This product is blocking Google, saying that it is an "infected page".

C) It asks for your credit card number via a popup window approximately every thirty seconds.

But clearly, these guys are sucking the life from American commerce. I know multiple intelligent, reasonably tech savvy people who have been infected by these things. These people are then perplexed by the resulting infection. Not only is work seriously slowed, but they would - if not for my kindheartedness - be paying people may dollars for a fix. Hmmm...Maybe they should stop looking to Russia as the origin of these things, and start looking at Geek Squad? lol

Ok, short post

I was just playing with an iTouch...
Quick thoughts:

1. Light, easy to carry, durable - physically a good device
2. Cool interface - the GUI works as advertised, at least in terms of functionality
3. When is Apple going to work the bugs out of a device before it is released to the public - or at least get the idiotic copyright crap worked out. i.e. I may want to watch videos on a service other than YouTube without jumping through flaming Torrent hoops.
4. Could be great in 2.0 or 3.0
   

Yes, I put ads on my blog - I donate enough to the military/oil complex.

I know, I know. Some of you out there erroneously believe that placing ads on a blog is the equivalent of selling your opinions to the almighty Google.

Not so. And even if it was, is it possible to support a better company. (Full disclosure: I DO NOT, HAVE NOT, and HAVE NO offer to work for Google - but I would like to) C'mon, their corporate mission statement on the IPO documents was "Don't be evil". Seriously. Haven't we seen too many corporations rattle on for 2 or 3 paragraphs about value to stockholders, shareholders, the community, and the CEO's dog - all of which then turns out to be BS when they raise all their employees health insurance premiums 500%, and only contibute to "charities" personally sponsored by the Executive Wives' club? Google's mission statement is both beautiful, right, and the hardest one is all of history to abide by. Even the attempt makes me admire the company. Who would you rather support - Microsoft? If so, you probably donate to the "Dick Chaney fund for the Kingship of America" Or your living in 1991.

Back to the topic at hand - I truly enjoy telling people what I think. I'm far from rich, and a blog isn't going to get me there. That said, if people find a service in one of Google's ads that serves a purpose for them - and the company finds a customer - who, exactly, is harmed by me making a few cents? If you don't want me, or Google, to make any money, then don't click the ads. But don't assume that the presence of the ads effects my content - it does not. Even us liberals (at least in America) believe in free enterprise.

I'm joining millions of idiots

Hi - you are one of six people who will read this. Millions and millions of people put their thoughts on blogs like this one, and somehow I'm stupid enough to think that I may stand out from the crowd. Oh, well. I'll give it a shot.

Here's what you can look forward to on this page:

1) I am a hopeless technology addict. PC, electronics, iWhatevers. Love it all. Even if it's total crap, I want to play with it and then tell everyone I know that it is crap. Unfortunatly for my freinds - and you, dear lonely reader - I tend to think that exceptionally complex, but functional, gadgets are the coolest thing since the invention of the iceberg. I like the easy-to-use, but what I consider easy tends to differ from the opinion of others.

2) I'm addicted to music. Unless it is country, I like at least some artists. I have an opinion about all of them. The arguements are the best. When I get inflamatory, please comment so I can tell you why you are wrong. I've done some production work in the past, so I'll be talking about gear too.

3) The vast majority of conservatives are total fools, idiots, morons, and - quite possibly - nazis. If you disagree, I will gladly consider you a conservative. Please see the first sentence of this paragraph for what that label intails.