http://blog.alastria.com Saving money so I can waste it later Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:09:08 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en On Aug. 24, I called a 2nd time to Acer’s inept customer service line, and got nowhere.  I called a 3rd time on Aug. 27.  For the first 5 mins of the conversation, support rep thought I had the wrong first name on the account.  Finally, after convincing the Indian ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/09/03/acer-monitor-update/ I don’t think of myself as a complainer.  But I’m also not one to write about how wonderful everything is … the flowers in bloom, the sun shinging, etc.  So I apologize in advance if it seems I’m constantly shaking my fists at international corporations.About a month ago, I woke ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/08/23/acer-makes-my-complaint-streak-continue/ I am now fully underway in the rewrite of 7stacks v1.5. This new 7stacks, unlike v1.2, eschews Windows controls of any kind. Now, for reasons of both speed and appearance, I will be drawing everything myself. The primary tool I’m using to do this is something I’ve used a ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/07/27/the-windows-api-makers-have-lost-their-minds-part-17/ Time Warner Cable for the past few months, has been testing the idea of bandwidth caps.  In it, you're allotted a certain amount of data per month, then get charged overage for every GB over the cap that you go.  If that sounds like cell phone companies and their "minutes" ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/04/08/to-time-warner-cable-re-you-suck/ When I use XP, I simply cannot use it on a day-to-day basis without ObjectDock.  I use it primarily for both my main apps, and for quick access to certain folders.  It's handy to be able to just fling my mouse over to the side of the screen, and have ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/01/13/why-doesnt-windows-7-have-docklets/ Story time, kids...  For Christmas, I got a new laptop.  I had needed one badly, and I managed to get a deal on Black Friday that was too good to pass up.  I mention this because, on the laptop was ..  Windows Vista.  Something which heretofore, I had never personally ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/01/13/my-initial-windows-7-thoughts/ Like many others out there, I decided to try the newly released "unofficial" beta version of Windows 7 build 7000.  Based on what I've seen, I will be purchasing once it comes out. Overall, I'm very impressed with the quality and completeness.   But where the rubber really meets the road ... http://blog.alastria.com/2009/01/03/windows-7/ It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my father, Jim, has passed away.  He was 71 years old.  He died of a sudden heart attack yesterday afternoon at 4:15pm.  I'm absolutely stunned, because he had no history of heart problems, and was fine just the day before. Needless ... http://blog.alastria.com/2008/08/12/so-long-dad/ It sure is hard to find icons that can be used in software.  You know, in menus, toolbars, tabs, etc.  No one hardly talks about it in programming, because most software designers (this one included) are not artists.  I would make the icons myself, but I couldn't draw a decent-looking ... http://blog.alastria.com/2008/07/08/my-kingdom-for-an-icon/ I have not been able to post here in a week, and I apologize for that.  But after 3½ long years of having the same ol' Athlon 64 3400 system, I have finally moved into the modern age.  I am now writing this on a brand new quad-core Q6600 overclocked ... http://blog.alastria.com/2008/05/29/finally-a-new-pc/