Note - from June 24th 2009, this blog has migrated from Blogger to a self-hosted version. Click here to go straight there.
I've said a few times that I have no dramatic objections to Microsoft - so long as one accepts that their software is crap relative to alternatives.
This Vista carry-on is an absolute joke. It will be the biggest disappointment since OS/2 Warp.
Personally, I have switched to Ubuntu - a Linux variant based on Debian. Whereas a native root install of Windows XP takes about an hour, Ubuntu successfully detected all my hardware and was completely installed (including repartitioning my hard disk) in less than ten minutes.
I was sure that setting up the network and internet-sharing was going to be really tough - the internet connection is done with unidirectional satellite into mmy desktop, with the upload leg undertaken via a laptop (due to conflicts between the software for the satellite dish and that for the ISPs dial-up connection manager).
Since I expected the setup to be as hard as buggery, I went into several Ubuntu forums to try annd get guidance. turns out it was a piece of piss, and the first Google search I did. fixed the dial-up sharing in five minutes.
I still have to work out how to run the Windows-only satellite software under Linux/Ubuntu, but I'm pretty sure it can be done. Also, Tradestation requires Windows... I am hoping I can use Wine (which provides a windows replicate environment within Ubuntu)... if so, our entire household will be Ubuntu before the weekend is over.
The security improvement is immediate. So much so that I will re-commence normal rants-missions next week, and the new version of RantPro the week after.
No more smart-arse French quips. No more fuming at serial hacks into my Windows machine. No more belts and braces security slowing down my machine to a crawl.
I'm going to tear this market apart this year, and you're gonna get to watch for as long as you can be bothered to pay attention.
And note to Blogger: why did you change the default language to French without fucking ASKING me? How the fuck do I change it back?
Short the S&P - this stupid liquidity-driven surge is over.
