Software for a new Windows computer

A family member has purchased a new laptop. Unfortunately, most new Windows machines require someone to set it up. This involves removing all the junk and installing some best-of-breed free software. Time to review my list:

• The PC Decrapifier. I'll try this for the first time.
• Foxit PDF reader. Just say no to Adobe Reader.
• Anti-virus & anti-spyware... This changes all the time, but thankfully Tech Support Alert keeps an updated list of the best free software. I'll probably go with the AOL Active Virus Shield (AOL not required) for AV since it is a trimmed-down version of the best AV engine there is, Kaspersky (which I pay to use and am pushing my work to adopt).
• Picasa. the best photo management app for the personal photo collection of the average user. Seriously, that's including non-free photo organizer software you have to pay for.
• Firefox as the default web browser and I'll make sure the IE is 7.
• This time I'll also install something to let me take remote control for future tech support. Probably LogMeIn, although TeamViewer looks good too.

Robotman! goes car shoping

How to Buy a Used Car

If you walk onto a car lot without knowing specifically what you want, there’s a good chance that a salesman will talk you into buying something that’s not what you really need. This is how most Saturns are sold.

A better Richard Dawkins interview

Brian Lehrer interviews Richard Dawkins and takes calls.

This only brushes on the topics covered in depth in The book (highly recommended), but still well done. A lot of the typical arguments are brought up like you can't disprove God, intelligent design, evolution as God's tool, big bang theory is a faith, morality, etc.

Much more intelligent than that other interview.

Dawkins does get one thing wrong, however, there are laws in the US prohibiting atheists from holding public office in Arkansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and, of course, Texas.

The Bill of Rights of the Texas Constitution (Article I, Section 4) allows people to be excluded from holding office on religious grounds. An official may be "excluded from holding office" if she/he does not "acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being."

Bill O'Reilly "Interviews" Richard Dawkins

I put the word "Interview" in quotes because typical Bill, it's mostly him preaching.

Hitler was a lot of things, including one of the most evil figures history, but he was not an atheist. (The wikipedia link is intended only as an introduction). Anyway, the interview stayed more even-tempered than I thought it would.

Gun Control: You're Both Wrong

Gun-Policy Advocates On Both Sides of Issue Push Dubious Figures

Prof. Lott wrote in an email that he counted less-severe incidents to get enough data for statistically significant results. He justifies his exclusion of gang murders because gun usage by chronic criminals "would not be directly affected by the passage of right-to-carry laws."

Another horrible tragedy and sadly another change for people to exploit it to push their issues. It was _____ fault!

From: A Reluctant Note on the Virginia Tech Shooting

All I know is that I hope that the next time something this terrible happens, there is some time and space set aside for hard, quiet reflection and mourning, and less attention paid to the shouters of every stripe.

New blog: Casey Serin TimelineGuy

I've started a new blog: Casey Serin TimelineGuy. All I do is copy & paste any comment TimelineGuy posts on Casey's blog.

• Who is Casey Serin? The wikipedia entry on him is a good start.
• Who is TimelineGuy? A funny commenter on Casey's blog who pretends to be Casey and posts a fictional story that is similar to Casey's and uses his mannerisms.

In other words, TimelineGuy jokes and Casey is the joke.

Computer Geek Boldly Goes

Charles Simonyi is a programmer's programmer, a true Übergeek among mere poseurs like myself. And now, the man who brought us workplace favorites like Excel has bought his way into space.

Excelsior!

And for the record, I think allowing people to pay huge sums of money to be astronauts is a fantastic way to help support and promote space exploration. I wish NASA would embrace this.

Even at $20 million a ticket, the Russian Space Agency is fully booked until 2009

But thanks for trying

The Daylight Saving change: no savings, no point

The US government's plan to boost energy savings by moving Daylight Saving Time forward by three weeks was apparently a waste of time and effort, as the technological foibles Americans experienced failed to give way to any measurable energy savings.

I read estimates that put the cost of making the change between $500 million and $1 billion in the US. I guess we're at least looking busy when it comes to saving the environment.

Dancing With Wolves

Wolves 2007

My lovely wife bought me a photo shoot with some wolves from the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre by Golden, B.C. Most of the pictures were taken with our new Nikon D40. We've entered the DSLR game.

The big one is Wiley, 110lbs, and the other is Aspen.