I used to go to software flea markets and buy abandonware

And sometimes I would require an internet connection to use the software.

An internet connection that no longer existed because the only links existed in the "After Cloud" and was only available to "internet mediums".

Which since "internet mediums" don't exist means I bought a cheap "box of rocks".

Adobe had best hope that Gimp and Gimp2 never become replacements or that people will not decide to get by with MSpaint.

And if I used Adobe, I would be on a scramble for a replacement,just in case.

Back before Data Base systems became ubiquitous

I once wrote "Not interested, dead" in the call back book.

That came back to bite me of course.

Well, yes, go get an astroid. . .

And hollow it out, put enough engines on it and . . . super slow star trek.

Led any good rooks lately?

And now I will go hide.

Having owned 9s and 44s

For personal defense neither is perfect.

The 9 (a S&W 59) was somewhat underpowered and would lead one to use up ammo for a positive takedown.

This is fine for the police but I, personally, do not want to injure or kill a bystander (the police have insurance and attorneys).

The 44 (a S&W 659) had only 6 shots but would stop a Mack truck; over penetration and inaccuracy were other downsides; again, bystanders.

I currently have a pair of 1911 single stacks; 18 shots overall and the caliber still has the number 4 in it.

After firing a 44 magnum, a 45 feels a bit like the old 22 caliber target pistol I had as a kid*.

Best choice for defense seems to be, not being in a place where crap happens and not pissing the crazies off (being thought of as one of said crazies helps a lot too).

*'Murica.

Huh,

I just checked both computers and somehow I forgot to turn the plugin back on the last time they found a security hole.

(or maybe the time before last, I am pretty lazy about crap I never use nor miss.)

Well, how about the forgotten bond?

Which would be Barry Nelson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Nelson

The first ever James (Jimmy) Bond and not even on the list.

Gahh!

That reminds me, I forgot to post on Google + last month.

(I saw a study that showed the average Gplus user posts about 3 minutes of content per month and have been working my ass off trying to beat that; and this, gentlemen and ladies, is why I like Google +.)

Oh

I guess you could store a couple of SD cards (or would that then be STD cards?) instead.

"We are going to need a bigger shark. . ."

But Bountyquest seems to have died so finding and pointing out prior art(1) (as in smoky cave paintings from prehistory) is only an exercise for outraged people.

About three years from now this is going to be a non issue.

Microsoft has this really dandy device(2) that responds to gestures; they (unlike others) don't seem to have a problem with open source hacks. Rumor has it that the device will eventually be refined to the point where it will be able to read lips (hello HAL) and I can see where this will eventually lead to a nice predictive speech enabler (3)

Software patents are always fighting that end run, as just finding a permanent cure for some disease does really affect profit on any higher priced pharmaceutical that just treats the symptom.

There does, by the way, seem to be a lot of Open Source stuff out there that is doing about the same thing.

(1) Prior art, this was done for dogs once using a typewriter keyboard (no joke).

(2) Kinect

(3) Google "ducking pizza ship" for another opinion.

Ouch

I have this image in my head of a PC that won't boot up unless the ink is fresh.

Smile for the chimera.

Then it rains, the image runs and I realize that no one could possibly be that stu. . .

Well, never mind.

I use this one for a coaster

An American Carol.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190617/

Has coffee stains; I will get my $5 worth out of it.

Having used

Wordstar, Wordperfect, Word, Staroffice and Open office I must say it is a matter of absolute hate falling off to minor annoyances; I would guess that it is just what you can actually stand out of a word processor* that makes it your favorite.

I might as well try LibreOffice next.

*Wordstar and early Wordperfect; know those ctr cokebottle shift combos yet?

Word; kerning? who in the hell kerns a space?

Staroffice; No, dammit, that is the persons name you autocorrecting POS.

(I just haven't used Oo enough to find the pointy bits.)

Auggg, Google changes something. . . Fire bad!!!

Pitchforks and torches people, pitchforks and torches.

But they do make the best printers.

Damn, I will have to start overpaying for ink again.

This is why I no longer sell nukes on ebay.

Right, hit it with a hammer.

I was wondering about that. . .

R. A. Heinlein always had three computers navigating his space ships in his sf stories.

Maybe three is not enough; maybe we need another that will continually ask the others if they are feeling OK? are they depressed? what exactly are you doing with that packet from Skynet?

Probably get told "Well, Clippy, I am presently flying us into the side of a hill so you will shut up!"

Ocean Gate.

Really good quality manufacturer bought out by (I forget, and don't want to be sued) piece of crap people that have had a slight tendency to break often.

I kind of saw that coming.

The attacks on the Android Market will continue. . .

Or until moral improves.

Which ever comes first.

Go.For.It!

What I always say.

Jump! Jump!

or

There is only one chance in six that the chamber is loaded; risk it.

My gosh! The Anti-Beer Goggle has appeared!

The end is nigh upon us!

(trying to use up the worlds supply of ! )

OK, is there a market for a small latex protector for a USB device?

Because we seem to have created one.

Gentlemen, we have just received authorization to put Skynet online.

Now which button do I push again?

It was bigger in the movie.

Playing "Born to be wild" on a boom box so as to be noticed.

Probably just get you run over by a cager.

(When I wanted to be noticed I just leaned the bike the wrong way; other drivers avoid you when they see you do that.)

I don't visit this type site.

Too afraid I'll download malware.

Screen looks a bit as if. . .

I took five or six random colored (coloured) paintballs; loaded them into my wristrockett slingshot and fired them at an albino mime.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I will try to explain my objection.

Phorm.

Putting an ad into your webpage.

Now doing it if you are using ssl.

Now maybe over in the UK your ISP is too nice to do that but I live in the USA and these people are not as nice as BT et al.

Thinking. . .

You know, not having a credit card or doing online banking (yes, I am a Luddite); I should not care.

But.

How long before some (less than nice) internet provider uses this to do deep packet inspections on the HTTPS sh*t that we had to go through hell to convince some of our cheap customers to purchase?

Real world here, there do not seem to be any honest people on the trunk side of the internet*.

*Yeah, like heavy breathing though a mask will help.

Bringing your own weapon to work.

I have always had my laptop:

About now; it functions as a test case for company webpages (will they work in Linux?)

To download any executable file (since the company machine won't do that any more*)

To hit those dodgy sites (the ones that mouse trap the hell out of you and insist that you really could use a new virus scanner**)

To learn something new, it is Linux after all and it does change a bit more often than UNIX did.

To find and fix network problems (which may be blamed on me unless I can really get creative in a hurry.)

To keep all of those files (like how to remove a tree stump, with a bang) that should not be on the company machine.

Now, I do like Windows and have been programming in it for too damn long. I just sometimes want to turn slightly to the right and see something that probably doesn't have a virus.

As of now.

*isn't paranoia grand, the fellow who does the network security does not want my machine compromised by say, the new flash player. I would complain except I seem to be the one who does network security.

**Oddly enough, not even porn; a porn site knows better than to mug the customer***.

***If you have to, pull the damn plug, trash the computer with a sledge hammer and burn the remains in a 55 gallon drum (just don't breath the fumes.)

Brings back memories*

Of walking along the racks checking what vacuum tubes (valves) weren't glowing.

Back when we all had electrical heat, one 12v filament at a time.

*Also one really bad pun.

RE:costing us tons of money to be seen trashed

Keep it above the atmosphere and below the Van Allen belt(s*)

At one time (I would imagine) we could go to the Moon.

*One big radiation belt or two? I am thinking one with a _knock out your pansy ass sensors_ region in the middle, but that might have changed.

Tell them

That your real name is Dick Cheney and to go F*ck themselves.

(Because it works over here in the USA!)

intercal

I will hang on till that compiles, thanks.

Competition is good.

So, American Telephone and Telegraph looks around and sees that no-one else is offering an unlimited service plan and decides they can screw their customers.

Some of us re-invent the wheel; AT&T re-invents the Pony Express and takes an already execrable reputation to a _very bad place_.