Here’s where it gets really frustrating. I was wrapping things up when I noticed an error message come up from his panel, and it said something like, “disk space low.” Well, I checked it out, and low and behold… the partitions were totally fricked up! Instead of giving me the option during install to do a clean format, it just installed it into one of the old partitions. I don’t even remember it letting me see a list of partitions during install! God, I have gotten so spoiled on Linux. Luckily though, I learned how to fix the problem without redoing the installation.

Afterwards, I noticed another error message that told me the system wasn’t protected with anti-virus software. I kind of giggled at the thought. “Anti-virus software,” …really? Such things are not even thought of in the Linux world. They’re unnecessary. Well, I went looking for a good, and free AV app, and I found one called ‘Avast.’ I installed it, and scanned the computer just to try it out. Much to my surprise, the thing already had 2 infected files! I hadn’t had this Windows box online for 3 hours, and it was already infected! I just have to say, there is no way in hell I would store any important data on such a volatile thing as a PC running the Windows OS. I wouldn’t even host my web sites and backup files with a company that runs Windows servers. I’m Apache, all the way!

That concludes my rant for the day, and remember… friends don’t let friends run Windows!

In other news, I have had someone approach me to purchase my old domain name, ‘SpiritfX.com.’ It’s been a long time since I’ve used SpiritfX, so I think I am inclined to let it go. I do have a slight sentimental attachment to it, but it’s nothing I can’t get over if the price is right. Besides, that old domain name has a lot of bad karma for me surrounding it.

Also on the web front, I just finished a paid (yes, with actual money) web design job. It was a pretty simple site, but I think it came out well. Check it out if you’re so inclined… Charles M. Hall Alumni Association.

And on a sad note, yet another one of my close family members has been delivered a diagnosis of cancer, and a particularly nasty form of cancer at that. It’s such a dreaded disease. I’ve watched several friends over the years waste away with it. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Hopefully, this fate doesn’t await my realities… hopefully.

If you would like to pitch in to help find a cure for cancer, I am doing the Relay for Life. Any donations are greatly appreciated!

With the recent release of Precise LTS, I have found that the game has changed a little. Ubuntu has come up with something called the H.U.D. (Heads Up Display). I have yet to try it out, but supposedly it incorporates a translucent, terminal-like, search box that is capable of searching apps, app. menus, browser bookmarks/history, and the WAN. I think as soon as I get my next full backup done I’m going to give Precise a whirl.

Hope it doesn’t suck.

The United States of America has the highest prison population of all the industrialized nations, bar none. Most of the prisons are at or exceeding their capacity. You would think that in such a dire situation there would be an outcry to study and determine exactly why there seem to be so many more criminals in this country, and then maybe figure out a way to remove the conditions that are responsible for creating such depraved individuals. No, that’s not how we roll here in the good old USA. If there are more thugs, rapists, and drug dealers… then the obvious answer is to build bigger and better prisons. Is this honestly the best answer to the problem that we can come up with? That’s sort of like letting the trash pile up in your home, and then when the flies get to numerous to handle… you go and invest is a box of fly-swatters.

When human beings have access to the necessities of life, they seldom engage in such violent and destructive activities. Only when people are under the stress of poverty and lack do they become violent, and only then does that violence breed fear and violence in others.

Maybe instead of locking some more people up (because that has worked so well), we should perhaps take out the trash. I think we will find that if we do so, the flies will take care of themselves.