Spontaneous Scholar: daquell

This site hasn’t seen an update since July. It has been lying latent, undisturbed, like an ancient Sphinx waiting to be uncovered by daring scientists and treasure-hunters.

Unlike a latent Sphinx, something is coming. Something big. Bigger than was ever attempted here. And, if that is not all, something even bigger than that is coming – as big as was only imagined in the days of yore (CCC). It is nigh the door. Its hand is on the handle. It is turning the knob. But I may not blog about either. Stay tuned.

This is my first Vlog (video blog). If you ever have trouble putting RAM into a Compaq Deskpro, watch Dr. Downunder’s amazing step-by-step guide.

The best things in life aren’t free. It’s a reality that has not yet dawned on most computer users. They are either apathetic or unknowledgeable on the subject. I’ll revisit that topic in a later post.

The best things in life aren’t usually free, I should say. In other words, the best things in life are those that would not in normal circumstances be free but are for a limited period of time. The trouble is, then, to find these best things during that small window of time. I’ve compiled a small list of sites that periodically offer free software (or ways to get it) and thought I’d pass it on. From these sources, I’ve obtained a free copy of Flight Simulator X Deluxe, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Ultimate (well, I’ll get it free when it begins shipping), $100 cash, among other things. Interested yet?

1. All about Microsoft - A blog on… Microsoft. This comprehensive blog, usually updated multiple times a day, links frequently to sites where one can test–and sometimes get a release copy gratis–new software releases.
2. istartedsomething - Long Zheng posts muses and interesting information not to be found elsewhere. I don’t know where he gets his information, but it’s reliable and legitimate.
3. Slashdot - This site is incredibly liberal and biased, and it does not have the usefulness it once did, but nonetheless it still has good offerings occasionally. Scan it once a day, take what you can, and close the browser.
4. Microsoft Report - Ed Bott is a master of debunking myths and misperceptions on Windows, and he does it scientifically. He also introduced me to the Windows Feedback Program.
5. Windows Feedback Program - This site is a must-see for any non-terrorist who wants free software. I say non-terrorist, because to enroll in the WFP you really have to install a small piece of software that monitors your computer activity. If you have nothing to hide, like me, there’s no danger… and getting hundreds of dollars-worth of free software isn’t too bad, either!

That’s my list. The secret’s out. Do you have any more that should be added?

Who wouldn’t want to be a superhero? I’m talking about lightning-fast reflexes. I’m talking about laser-vision. I’m talking about running faster, jumping higher, and blasting away enemies with a superbark! Superbark? Yes, you heard correctly…

I recently watched the movie Bolt and instantly became a fan. Maybe it was John Travolta’s way of getting the dog’s teeth into his voice, or the beautifully orchestrated score that popped in and out appropriately. Whatever the case, I have officially replaced the hamster as Bolt’s #1 fan. This movie gets 5.1 stars out of 5.

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It’s interesting how life throws curveballs into the linear progression of thought. When I speculated over a year ago about Windows 8, the ultra-amazing next-gen OS from Redmond, I remember thinking, “What fantasy! This will whet appetites, but it’s not likely to come true.”

In short, I was wrong. The curveball swept around my petty thoughts of the upcoming Windows 7 and landed my dream of Windows 8 early! Allow me to break it down in all its fantasy and show the reality that will emerge in mere days.

Virtualization

Windows 8 will make heavy use of virtualizing [sic] technology. Backwards-compatibility cruft will be ported to a separate subsystem

I claimed that Windows would take a bite out of Apple’s book, emulating OS Classic with, well, emulation. In Windows 7 Professional and above, a fully licensed copy of Windows XP is included gratis, incorporating an optimized update to Virtual PC.

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A little over a year ago, I published two posts trying to predict the future of Microsoft’s battleship, Windows. I thought it might be fun to take a trip to the past and revisit those predictions, seeing which came true and which did not.

First, my muse on Windows 7, that mysterious OS of the past few years only recently revealed.

• I speculated that Windows 7 would not be completely modular; at the time, the blogosphere was rapt with comments such as, “The next consumer release will likely be a standalone OS stocked with an array of built-in and subscription-only modules.” I did not think it would be modular at all. Microsoft found a happy medium: the OS is pseudo-modular. Windows Mail and Movie Maker, among others, have been repackaged as a free downloads and IE can be deactivated. Fine-grain modularization, though, will have to wait.
• The concept of a radically different Windows was popular a year ago. Something about completely altered API’s and driver models seemed to spark blogging interest. I predicted that Microsoft couldn’t afford another big change since Vista, and it seems that happened to be right.
• My epic fail statement: Windows 7 will be an interim release. Windows 7 is anything but interim. Where Vista was pwned on a number of levels, Windows 7 shines like 1337 gamerz.
• Widget engine predicted. Widget engine received.
• IE9 predicted. IE9 not received. But, IE8 is almost there… keep working, IE team!
• Enhanced security predicted. Received on a vast number of levels. It will be interesting to see whether Windows 7 is hacked to any frightening degree. My prediction starts with an N and ends with an O.

The bottom line? My hopes for Windows 7 were too small. It was a far better cookie than I predicted. Whereas Vista was slow, the Seven OS is fast. Whereas Vista had shoddy hardware support, The OS Of The Perfect Number makes friends with all of my electronics. Vista crashed too often to mention; Seven has yet to crash even once… and this is prerelease code! Some of my predictions were correct, but I underestimated the giant awoken in Redmond.

Next up… how my thoughts on Windows 8 played out…