Multiple computers

Have I mentioned in any of my posts that backups are essential? They are. Always backup your system on a regular basis. I have posted that I have multiple computers. Another reason that having multiple computers is good, if you are me anyway, is that 1 of them should always work. Today for example I am using my Mac mini. I had been planning on testing the latest Slackware distribution this weekend. Somewhere in the process of installing a third hard drive my main tower decided that it needed some time off. It is now sitting under my bench taking a well deserved rest. I have been planning a motherboard and processor upgrade. Looks like I will have to move that up on the calender. I'm not sure if I have a motherboard issue or a power supply issue. I am leaning toward the motherboard. I have been experiencing some problems with it.

Corporate Hos

I have watched the MS/FOSS/Mac wars rage for years now. I will admit that for some time I jumped on the FOSS antiMS bandwagon. Over the years I have used various Linux distros, Windows XP and last summer purchased a Mac mini. All of these are solid operating systems and all have some bugs and flaws. The level of heat generated on forums debating this topic could solve all the worlds energy needs. There are fanboys for every operating system and each flavor there of. The arguments get ridiculous. After reading this article on Linux Today I feel compelled to put in my 2c.

I currently use Kubuntu as my main desktop, I use XP to play games and my Mac mini is waiting to become my media center. This weekend I am installing a third hard drive in my computer that will allow me to try different OSs without fear of damaging a system or file that I need. I enjoy playing with different operating systems. I like to see what they can do and how they are put together. I am glad that there is competition and choice in the OS market. I prefer to use free and open source software because I agree with the philosophy. I also like things to be easy and just work.

Kubuntu works for my day to day computing needs. I can surf the web, email, write, make spreadsheets, photo edit, compile DVDs, and watch TV. I even had World of Warcraft running great with wine. Gaming is just easier with XP. The games are written for it and it doesn't take a lot of tweaking and cussing to be playing.

I gave up using XP for day to day computing because I was tired of spyware, adware, malware, viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc, etc. Now I have a locked down box that is just used for gaming. I can also use Teamspeak and Ventrilo on XP without having to do workarounds.

I bought the Mac because I wanted to see what made Mac users so loyal and fanatical. It is a good operating system and I could do everything I need to do other than play the games I like. Yes there is a Mac version of WoW but the Mac mini just doesn't have the horsepower to run games. I would love to upgrade to a Macbook or a Mac Pro, cost is an issue for me however. I can't bring myself to spend the money that Apple charges. Not when I know I can put together a comparable system for less. Which is my biggest complaint with Apple. The hardware is all proprietary and any tweaking or modding is minimal. I tweak my hardware. The paint is worn off the screws on my case because I am inside it so often.

Pluses and minuses. It is simply a matter of what you use your computer for and what you are comfortable with. Find an OS that you like and become proficient using it. Hell if you are like me you can become proficient in a number of them. It is not a black and white argument. Use the tool that suits the job you are doing. Ranting on a forum or blog about how your OS is the best and anyone who uses X is a dipshit, fanboy, corporate shill, whatever is not going to win any converts to your cause. You are amusing in your corporate loyalty. I am sure the marketing people love the free publicity you provide. Which to me is where this all stems from. Marketing.

Advertisers work overtime convincing people that their product is the best and anybody that doesn't use it is inferior. People jump right into this nonsense. "I drive a insert make and it's the best. It's a vehicle sport. It is for going from point A to point B. It does not make your penis larger, make you smarter, stronger or more attractive. It propels you to a destination. The manufacturers and marketing people will gladly sell you a shirt, hat, jacket, whatever to advertise for them. This one truly baffles me. I am expected to pay for an item that advertises someone else's product. Yeah right, pull the other one!

New toy

I bought a new toy last week. A Kodak easyshare Z612. I have wanted a camera for some time. Working on the Photoshop presentation for blogging class and working along the river with the River Revitalization Foundation made me finally open my wallet and buy one. I am very happy that I did. I took some time and researched before making a purchase. The Z612 is a consumer reports best buy and has received a number of J.D. Power awards. That and good experience with Kodak products in the past and I was sold.
This camera takes beautiful pictures.It also has very nice features. The electronic view finder is great for outdoor photography. I have yet to see an LCD that is clearly visible in bright sunlight, Having the option of using the viewfinder in bright light is excellent. I can also shoot video with sound which is a feature I had to have. I want to get into video shooting and editing. I don't have the time and money to pursue it right now. This is a good compromise until I buy a video camera.
I have started editing some of my pictures with Gimp which is an open source equivalent to Photoshop. I will be posting images here as the mood strikes.

This is the fountain on the UWM campus.Picture taken April 10

Beautiful Irony

I have been saying all semester that I don't care to post about my life yet that is the one thing I seem to keep posting about. :)
Now that I have committed to taking 9 credits over the summer I am hunting for a new job. I would have had to leave Moraine Park in the Fall anyway. Two of the classes I need are only offered at night. I am torn about leaving. On the one hand I hate driving to West Bend 4 days a week and on the other hand I have a job where I can do school work. The money is good for a part time job. The people I work with are phenomenal. I honestly have never met a nicer group of people. They have gone out of their way to help me. It will be bittersweet to leave.
I am looking for something in retail. I have heard all the horror stories but for a college student in need of a flexible schedule I don't see any other alternatives. At worst it will be for a year until I graduate and move. I can handle almost anything for a short period. At this point I am looking at bookstores, seems a natural for an English major with a love of reading.

Light at the end..

The fall class schedule finally posted. After putting together my summer and fall class plan it looks like I will be able to graduate next spring. Hooray! I had been thinking I wouldn't be able to graduate until Dec of '08. Knowing I only have 1 more year to do is highly motivating and reinvigorating. It was getting so I thought I was going to be in college forever. At one point in my academic career that may have sounded good. Now I am looking forward to graduating and getting on with my life.
I am planning on moving back to Florida after I graduate. I absolutely hate cold! Sitting here on April 4 watching snow fly sideways outside just strengthens my conviction. WI is a great state. There are lots of things I will miss, great people, hiking, camping, some gorgeous scenery. I am not willing to tolerate the cold any more though. Put me some place where I can run around in shorts and sandals year round and I'm a happy guy.

Change to Cable

Between spring break last week and having 5 teeth extracted this week I have not made any posts in too long.
What can I share with readers this morning?
Switched from DSL to cable this week. I have been debating the pros and cons for several months. I have been a SBC/Yahoo customer for years and they have always provided me with good service. When I moved to Milwaukee I wasn't able to get the high speed package I had been using. Having had a bad experience with Charter cable I was unwilling to go down that road again so I decided to stick with DSL at a lower speed. I game online and download movies and music. The reduced bandwidth was very noticeable. My main aversion to using cable internet was having to pay for cable tv I don't watch. This was the catch that I ran into with Charter. I just wanted internet service and no tv cable, they only offered it as a package. Paying $35 a month for commercials is ridiculas so I went with SBC. The catch with DSL is paying for phone service as well. While I was living in Fond du Lac this was fine, I used my phone. After moving to Milwaukee the only calls I received on the phone were wrong numbers. Everyone calls me on my cell and I use it for all of my calling. Paying $20 a month to answer wrong numbers also seemed ridiculas so I started looking for alternatives. In looking at Time-Warner's website I found that I could subscribe to Road Runner without having to pay for cable, Hooray! So now for $5 less a month than what I was paying for DSL and an unused phone I have 3.33x the bandwidth. Life is good :)

Wiped out

Yesterday was too much. I didn't think it would be that bad but this year really hit me hard. I have been out of sorts and unfocused for the last week. Last not I spent all my time absorbed in writing Forty. Forgot to set up GED tests, which is part of my job. No one made a big deal about it but still. I just don't do things like that. Not sure why this year was so hard. Maybe because Ted's birthday reminds me that I'm getting older. It has been in my head more this year whatever the reason.

Now I find myself 2 days into a commitment to write daily too emotionally spent to write. I am glad I made the commitment though. Getting back to my creative writing has been good. Getting on a regular writing schedule is what I need to do.

Tune in tomorrow same bat time, same bat channel to see if our hero survives the crash!