Posts from — January 2009

Compiz Fusion provides some of the best computer eye candy I’ve ever seen!

With features like this, its amazing to me that Linux hasn’t taken over the desktop.  Well, OK, I admit – no its NOT really amazing to me…  What IS amazing though is that Microsoft doesn’t have these kind of features in their OS.  Windows 7 is at a buzz level, and whats the big notion in window managment there?  Essentially a reworked (multi-step) tile capability.  WTF?

At least Windows XP had a Power Toy called Virutal Desktop Manager that was available directly from Microsoft, but Vista only has half-baked utility called Desktops that won’t run many popular programs and turns off Vista features like Aero.  Again I say, Microsoft, WTF?  And you wonder why people don’t upgrade to your latest OS’s…  Yes, security is more important than eyecandy, but people BUY eyecandy.  UAC is not cool.  Window bling, fling and sling ARE cool.  Add some to Windows 7, would ya?

I’m sure some would say that a lot of this stuff is needless bloat, and that all of this bling isn’t necessary and simply provides more stuff to go wrong.  Well, I suppose that could be true, but if that is the case, then Aero is the same thing.  We spend SO much time at our computers these days that they should be FUN to work with, as well as easy to use and intuitive.  The features provided by Compiz Fusion allow multiple methods of doing things, all of which are useful and interesting, and never boring.  That’s the key, IMO.  Provide multiple ways of doing things so that it seems more natural to a greater audience.  It also allows them to mix it up now and again, as they get bored with doing things certain ways.

Ah well, the truth of the matter is that no matter how well you do something, if it ends up being used by a lot of people, SOMEONE is going to call you an idiot.  Just like I’m doing to Microsoft. 

Anyway, to see a bunch of videos all about what’s new in Windows 7, take a peek at the great video below from Chris Pirillo, one-time aka Lockergnome.

Playlist URL, for those that want it: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B8347888698A06C8

Day 3 of his Presidency and Mr. Change is already playing party lines.

As his prior predicessors did, President Obama has now meddled with the policy on US Government funding being given to groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad.

Reagan pioneered the restriction on funds in 1984.  Clinton rescinded the rule in January of 1993 and Bush reinstated it January of 2001.  This is like party-based policy ping-pong.

While it follows party lines, I’m particularly amazed that Obama would do something so quickly that will actually HURT our economy.  There is a dire need for more dollars to be spent here in America rather than abroad.  The LAST thing we should be doing in a time of economic downturn is send more dollars overseas – especially for something as divisive as abortion services.  Our recession won’t be fixed by taking money from everyone’s pocket and sending it overseas.  And, if the pockets are already picked clean, do we really care about this so much that we are willing to go into debt for it?  Apparently Mr. Obama does.  To me, that’s messed up.  Lets saddle OUR children with debt far into the future so that other people can kill their children!

Now, I’m sure some yahoo out there is going to bring up the war in Iraq as the ultimate “sending dollars overseas” example and blame it on the last administration.  While I could debate back and forth the percentages of dollars spent on the war that come back to the US, I’ll shortcut the process and just say “Well, thank you Captain Obvious.”   Remember Obama’s campaign though?  CHANGE.  Change from partisanship, change from politics, etc.

Apparently, he didn’t mean now.

Honestly though, while I can’t really fault Obama for acting in line with his party (I mean, did you really think he was going to be any different!??), I’m quite appalled at how each President has made this an issue their very first month in office.   That’s sad.

Some people (including Biden) have said that Obama would reunite a divided America – I don’t think he is going to get far in that hope acting like this.

I’m testing out MS Word 2007 as a Blog Editor.

I previously had used Adobe Contribute, but that was horrible. Maybe Word will be better. My feeling though is that it will create a ton of stylistic crapware in each post.

Here’s hoping not.

Sweeeeeet.

But, does anyone else remember that Hamas is the one that declared the cease-fire over?

If I hear anything more about “pressure mounting on Israel to halt the offensive,” I’m really going to scream!  How long would you tolerate non-action from our President if Mexico started randomly bombing San Diego, El Paso or Tuscon?

Hamas is like that short annoying guy in High School who talked smack all day long and then acted surprised when someone twice his size kicked his loud-mouth ass.

I mostly feel sorry for the poor civilians in Gaza.   BUT, on the other hand, that’s kinda what you get when you vote for assholes who fire mortars from your child’s preschool.

Its true that many of them are squeezed on both sides and you can’t put it beyond Hamas to bully people into supporting them. I suppose its sort of akin to Democrats and Republicans each having their own set of armed thugs and there being very little to stop them from getting up close and personal with you on the way to the polling station.  Amazing.

Iranians Hate Obama ... Already.

What’s equally amazing is that the World loved us for approximately a month and a half before everything started being Obama’s fault.  The poor guy isn’t even in office yet, and already things are his fault.

There really is no pleasing these bastards. But, damn, that was fast…

And, expected.

This is probably not what someone had in mind for whatever change they were making at Facebook.   Unless of course it was malicious, in which case it probably WAS what they had in mind.

Either way…  OUCH.

Facebook is looking a bit pale today.