Shame On Microsoft’s Fakie High Priority Windows Update Install For Internet Exploder 8
I believe the headline pretty much says it all, but I’ll expand on the issue to make it crystal clear. First, lets understand what we’re talking about here. Microsoft offers a simple service in Windows called Windows Update which determines what recently released patches your computer is missing from the bazillion or so security holes Windows has and installs them. Microsoft breaks these up into three primary groups: Optional Hardware, Optional Software, and High Priority (they really break it up even more, but I won’t go into those details here). High Priority updates are important and critical to the safe and hacker-free operation of your computer (you could al

[UPDATED] Trackpad Magic for Windows
Ok, I’m not much of a Windows guy, but I am a gamer. That alone generally requires that I have a Windows system somewhere. For me that’s Windows Vista Ultimate in Apple’s Boot Camp beta for Mac OS X. While its been good with games like Half-Life 2 it won’t run GameTap. Feh! Anyway, if you love Apple portables, there’s a function you’re missing in Windows: turn off the trackpad when you plug in a mouse. Sure, there are trackpad/trackstick duos which offers the ability to turn off either or both, but it requires going into a control panel. Well, pal Chris has whipped up a gizmo for Window

I Skipped October For Tax Purposes
Nah! I’m just kidding. I skipped October because I was (and remain) ridiculously busy. I’m a hive of activity and that makes me happy. I do, however, miss writing. I love to write and I love to be read. I can just see you people out there loading up Mobodojo to see what pearls of vaguely insane conceptualization I’ve managed to dig up this time. I admit I don’t write about gadgets much any more, but its not because I have stopped loving them, its just that things shift and move and migrate. We lost a car and we gained a car. My daughter is in a better place and my wife is going through some more trials. I’ve been working hard and learning more. I don&

So, This Is An Article About Public Speaking
I’m a big fan of the TWIT podcasts. I love Leo Laporte and Andy Inhatko and that grouchy John C. Dvorak. They’re such hoots and I really enjoy listening to TWIT and MacBreak Weekly and all of the people who are on those programs. Those are panel programs and I learn about a lot of new subjects and the happenings in the general tech and Mac specific spaces week in and week out. I also listen to FLOSS Weekly, a program dedicated to exploring free and libre open source software. Even if you don’t care about the open source movement, you’ll want to check out Randal Schwartz’ and Jono Bacon’s interview

Its Time For Tape To Die
There are days when all I can see are blood covered daggers sticking out of oozing backup tapes, strewn about a field littered with corpses of Symantec’s heinous Backup Exec non-application. I often wonder if there can be a new class of software called Frustrationware or Failureware. SBE is a horrible blight on human kind, and I don’t care of Symantec reads this. In fact, I relish the idea that they read this piece and decide that they are going to abandon their lofty and impossible goal of making SBE work is simply unattainable and cast it into the sea, thanking me along the way with a $10,000,000.00 grant along the way. Of course, I have a vivid imaginat