Adobe Air Applications

Adobe may just be taking over Internet Applications with its amazing quality. See website below. They describe so many excellent programs that you can place on your computer. They all look promising.

http://mashable.com/2008/06/06/adobe-air-applications/

Graduation 2008

Graduation at my college proved a success as usual, at least for the graduates. However, after graduation, many of the graduates and faculty (basically me) had their photographs loaded to MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, or some other place. Within hours, I was able to locate pictures of former students or friends and place them in my pile. I even had time to email the pictures to others.

Why am I writing about such a technological advance that is nothing new to be reported on any blog?

Because it still amazes me.

It isn't instant gratification.

It is instant, relational connection that I love.

--Moon

Art and Second Life

Great Discussion of future technology in Second Life and beyond....

HillaryClinton.Com

I used to be a fan of the Clintons. They are politicians, but I enjoyed my college tax breaks from the Clinton presidency in a time when I needed a break. But, I do not owe that money or feel obligated to support Hillary particularly when she is behind in the delegates and behind in the popular vote.

Why, then, is she asking people to back her political campaign once again by going to, yes, her website? When I can barely fill up my tank with gas, would I truly spend my hard-earned money on a candidate who has no method of reaching a Presidential nomination regardless of how much other supporters spend to continue her race to nothingness.

Or, is she asking for money for other reasons?

1. To pay off the debt she loaned her campaign?
2. To leverage herself as a possible VP nominee?
3. To remain in the limelight?
4. To run again in four years in case McCain beats Obama?

Or, is she doing it for ethical reasons?
1. To share the democratic voice with every state in order to help the democratic nominee beat McCain in the November primary?

I don't know for sure, but I have seen her politics in action over the years. I have watched her husband lie on national television. I do not see any legitimacy in supporting my funds at HillaryClinton.com when Barack Obama or even McCain have a better opportunity to serve this country well.

Obama, expect some money from me as soon as my next paycheck arrives and as soon as you can focus on the issue of competing against the Republican party candidate in the November primary.

As the title of The Editors band goes, "An End has a Start!"

CM

Another Win for Linux!

KDE (Linux) Reaches 52 million Brazillian Kids

This is amazing news! I cannot even imagine these numbers happening in the United States. I suspect that 52 million children will have a different exposure to a Linux operating system and perhaps a more useful, literate computer experience because maybe the children will ultimately be exposed to multiple operating systems. Way to Go, Brazil!

Moon

Text Messaging

I don't know how many times I forget my phone and need to send a text message. If you are always at a computer like me and cannot afford the price of sending a text message, there are alternatives. I simply go to the U.S. Cellular website and send messages to people I know use that service.

Other alternatives are listed at Mashable Social Networking News.

--Moon

Another Vista Complaint

I am sure everyone is tired of hearing Vista complaints. Nevertheless, they need to be documented, so here is my brief complaint.

1. According to Microsoft's website and their software, my computer was considered Vista Capable because it contained the following requirements as quoted from Microsoft:

• 1 GHZ Processor
• 1 GB of System Memory
• Direct X 9 Graphics
• 128 MB Graphics (minimum)
• 40 GB Harddrive

There are other requirements listed, but my Gateway computer qualified for the upgrade from Windows XP to Vista.

2. I bought Vista Premium Upgrade (because I love technology and am not simply a sucker). After loading the software and a virus protector, my Gateway ran slowly. In fact, it crawled as I returned my thoughts to running Windows 95 in the year of 1995.

3. So, I returned my computer to Windows XP and placed it in the front room for my children and bought a new computer, a Dell, because we are computer addicts in our family.

4. Next, I couldn't decide what to do with the Vista Upgrade. Did I just waste X amount of dollars on a operating system that causes my processor fan to spin continually? Beyond using the DVD for a nice coffee coaster, I decided to load it on my wife's laptop (also Vista Capable) because we were having major trouble with security due to the children using the machine for games and, obviously, viruses, malware, and other security issues.

5. Vista worked well on my wife's Dell laptop. We were mostly happy. The children had their own computer in the kitchen to download viruses, and my wife could have a machine that works effectively for school.

6. Then, one nice afternoon, Vista on my wife's computer states that it will no longer work and that we needed to contact Microsoft, even though we purchased the product legally at Target.

7. I was a bit angered that I had to call Microsoft, but I did it anyway. They asked me about my computer, wondered if I were using it on multiple machines, and, I assume, recorded my conversation and placed me on some blacklist of pirate computer consumers. After the phone call, they believed my story that I installed it on one computer that ran slowly and then deleted it completely from that computer and re-installed it on a brand new computer. Then, they gave me a number to enter to make my wife's computer to work.

There is my complaint. I was frustrated then and am still frustrated now. I certainly understand their issue of protecting their software for software piracy, but the grumpy lady on the other end did not make me feel welcomed into the Microsoft world, but why should such a large corporate empire really care about its consumer and place these silly "Windows Vista Capable" stickers on their computer even though they demonstrate a false representation of the product?

That is yet another Vista complaint!

Kudos to XP. Kudos to Linux. Kudos to VISTA only if you are running a computer that is TWICE the SPECS I listed above.

--Moon