Don’t be Google: A battle-cry for Net Neutrality

By now you should have heard about the closed-door talks that Google isn’t having with Verizon that absolutely wouldn’t destroy Net Neutrality as we’ve known it (and Google has argued for it) for the last several years. Here’s the rundown: The New York Times published an article that Google and Verizon were nearing an agreement… Continue reading Don’t be Google: A battle-cry for Net Neutrality

OpenOffice.org no longer the FREE alternative to Microsoft Office

it’s finally happened. months after Oracle’s acquisition of  Sun Microsystems — developers of the free Java platform, among other things — the formerly free alternative to Microsoft’s Office suite is now the cheap alternative to Microsoft’s Office suite. anyone who knew about the acquisition wouldn’t be too surprised by this, however it’s still sad to see.   OpenOffice was… Continue reading OpenOffice.org no longer the FREE alternative to Microsoft Office

Microsoft wants to remember it for you wholesale

An intelligent personalized agent (e.g., guardian angel) monitors and evaluates a user’s environment to assist in decision-making processes on behalf of the user. The guardian angel can… take automated action on behalf of the user for various purposes (e.g., to compensate for memory loss, to remind a user to take medicine, to assist in social… Continue reading Microsoft wants to remember it for you wholesale

In-Place Windows 7 RC downgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium

a few months ago, i posted a link to a hack that revealed how to do an in-place “upgrade” (although it’s really a downgrade) from Windows 7 RC-1 to a lesser version of Windows 7.  as the nag alerts saying i need to backup my stuff and reinstall have started cropping up, i decided to… Continue reading In-Place Windows 7 RC downgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium

Hack to In-Place “Downgrade” from Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional to Less Premium Editions

stumbled across this “duh” of a hack to allow up/downgrading (depending on your perspective) of a more premium version of windows 7 to a less premium version.  why would you do this? if you were running a beta or rc version of windows 7 you can “upgrade” to a retail edition without wiping the system.… Continue reading Hack to In-Place “Downgrade” from Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional to Less Premium Editions

how am i going to tell my kids there’s no christmas this year?

gather ’round the fire, kiddies, it’s story time.  i’ve been hanging on to this one for a good long while, but it’s time for this rant to come out and rear it’s ugly head.  mostly, it’s a tale in which we laugh at people who have not been born with an overabundance of intelligence, but… Continue reading how am i going to tell my kids there’s no christmas this year?

how windows 7 will sell more by being free

windows 7 ships on october 26.  when that day comes, you’ll start to see (if you haven’t already) a lot of reviews.  i’m guessing most of them will be very positive. here’s the thing: windows 7 is a very good operating system.  it’s generations better than previous versions of windows and will definitely give OSX a run for… Continue reading how windows 7 will sell more by being free