Just a note to announce my homecoming . . . to Linux. Almost 2 weeks into my Windows (Vista) (re)trial, I installed Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) and it’s good to be back. Windows Explorer (the desktop manager, not the browser) had begun crashing a couple times a day, and the only recovery was a reboot. Since Microsoft won’t allow free upgrade to Windows7, I’m just glad to have an alternative that works well . . . make that REALLY well.
I remember watching Mike and Cliff play together even before we moved next door to him: Mike, green-eyed with hair bleached whitey-blond in the summer sun; Cliff, dark coffee complexion and laughing brown eyes~they looked like negatives of each other. I remember Mike, Jeff, Cliff, Daquita, Anthony and probably Missy attempting to dig a tunnel from the sidewalk to our apple tree. Oh, and throwing those damned apples. When did they grow apart? I don’t remember, exactly: I think it was when Cliff’s parents divorced and he moved away. Maybe it was a natural divergence in interests, though. Or was it race? I don’t know. Hadn’t really thought much about it, I guess. Life gets busy and it’s easy to just compartmentalize memories and move on. I’d run into Cliff’s mom now and then, and, of course, see his dad as we handled outdoor chores. We kept loose tabs on how the kids were doing, Cliff, and Anthony, and Daquita. Beautiful kids. Great potential, these kids of ours. We had seen Anthony and ‘Quita in recent years, but haven’t seen Cliff for what~10? 15? years.
And then last week we read that Clifford Cummings, Jr. had been stabbed during a home invasion and had died at the hospital. Cliff, of the laughing brown eyes and wiry frame. Cliff, who ran a recording studio now. Cliff, veteran of the Gulf War. Cliff, Mike’s childhood friend. Gone just like that.
Mike came home for the funeral, to say goodbye. When I went up to her, Antoinette just said “Don’t make me cry!” and we hugged. What could be said, after all, between us? What do you say to a mom who lost a 38 year old son to an act of such elemental violence?
I just wish we’d stayed in better touch over the years, that’s all.
I just wish I’d known Cliff as an adult.
I just wish knives and guns weren’t the goddamn go-to responses in arguments.
We had a great weekend with Mike, Jen and the kids, with a visit to the Allen County Museum, swimming at the motel, hanging out and playing board games and Wii. Caleb is a great big brother, skilled at Wii, patient with Owen and with ol’ Grandma, and a wonderful reader. Owen is bright and funny, incredibly imaginative, loves his brother and his Grandpa Choochoo, and is energetic and companionable. We had a blast!
Here are a few pictures of Caleb & Owen in the motel pool. Their swimming styles are different, but equally enthusiastic: Caleb is cautious, but is becoming much more comfortable in the water, and Owen knows no fear. They would’ve stayed there all day if mom and dad had let them.
We cannot WAIT to have all three grandsons together this summer when Jeff, Anna Marie and Sebastian come to town–their very different personalities just seem to blend and complement each other! I’m starting to count the days…
Caleb and Owen at the Pool from Pa on Vimeo.
First off, I didn’t waste the entire weekend. We did have a nice outing Saturday to Wendell August Forge (Berlin, OH) and Lehman’s Hardware (Kidron, OH).
On to the wasted time . . . Following the iPad experience, I began to wonder what I’d been missing on the PC side, since I started using Linux exclusively a couple years ago. So I restored Windows (Vista 
) to my laptop. The larger hard drive I installed a couple months ago leaves plenty of room for Windows and Linux to coexist, after all. That took the better part of a day in all, and I did experience the frustration with my computer becoming overwhelmed by the early background work that Windows does — installing voluminous updates, creating restore points, scanning for viruses and spyware, and issuing those annoying (“are you sure you want me to proceed”-like) warnings.
Anyway . . . that’s behind me and Windows is running relatively smoothly. I can do most of what I could do in Linux with only minor sacrifice of speed and flexibility. Plus I can do the few things that I couldn’t – iTunes, Google SketchUp, Netflix streaming, and Kindle reader. This is not to say that there were not close cousins to each available in Linux.
Now for what I learned:
First, the security suite offered by Time Warner (CA Security Suite) is a pain. The firewall was overly restrictive and conflicted with Windows built in firewall. It prevented me from logging into my own sites because it wouldn’t allow cookies from the scripts used on the sites. The anti-spam and anti-spyware components added two more levels of background activities (downloading updates and scanning files) on top of that needed for the anti-virus component. I uninstalled the CA firewall and turned on the Windows firewall. Since my email systems already do anti-spam, I uninstalled the CA anti-spam. I also uninstalled the CA anti-spyware, which I think I can do without by being careful about what sites I visit, what I download, and how frequently I purge cookies — plus Window is still warning my about every software install. The computer seems much happier without these items.
Next, I noticed that my satellite TV receiver showed up on my network. I’d connected it to the network as an alternative to connecting the phone line — the latter was less convenient now that we’re using Vonage. Anyway the receiver showed up as a “Directv MediaShare Renderer”, and that piqued my interest. After some investigating, I found that Windows Media Player could interface with the receiver to share photos, music and video to the TV over my home network. Photos and music worked right off. Video, on the other hand was more trouble, because it required an MPEG2 encoded file and most of my fires were AVI or MOV or WMV. Conversion was going to take forever. THEN I found a program called “TVersity Media Server” that organizes content and transcodes the videos on the fly. The program has a free and a PRO ($40) version. The free version handles all my media files and YouTube. The PRO version can handle Hulu, RSS media feeds, and more. Also, it appears the same MediaShare is available on ATT Uverse DVRs. And it sounds like with the DVRs you can also watch recordings remotely on the PC. FLASH: TVersity appears to work with the WII also.
OK, to summarize . . . I spent a day an a half to learn that (1) I can make my PC run Windows almost as well as it ran Linux and (2) I can look at media files on my TV instead of my always-handy laptop. Damn that really does does sound like a waste of time! I apologize for wasting your time telling you about it. That’s all . . . until next time.
Well, our iPad has been returned to the mother ship. We took it back to the Apple Store today. The return was precipitated by the touch screen malfunction, but the real reason is that it’s just too expensive and too large for something that is the functional equivalent of an iPod touch or iPhone. If it were a viable laptop (even netbook) equivalent, I would have been happy, but it was deficient compared to either. As a portable media player for music, video and photos, it was superb. That, however, was not my goal. It was a fun test drive and an expensive test drive — given the 10% restocking charge and the $25 I spent on software through the App Store.
Hmmm. Today the iPad developed a twitch. While typing, I’d get extra letters (like key bounce on a mechanical keyboard). Then I’d get spurious inputs while not touching the keyboard (like a poltergeist was taking control). I contacted Apple, and they had me do a hard reset (problem persisted) then a restore of the OS, firmware and factory software. The problem still persists. I turned off the network, in case it might have been a malicious intrusion. Still a problem. So, I contacted Apple again, and I have an appointment for tomorrow to exchange the unit for a new one.
Well, that brings me to a decision — exchange it, or return it (with possible restocking charge associated with the latter).
Honestly, I am quite impressed with parts of the iPad and disappointed with others. Unfortunately, I find the things I do most with a computer in the disappointment column. Entertainment applications appear to be well done; productivity applications are less impressive — though, I’ve not purchased the word processing or spreadsheet from Apple. I find having one app for downloading a file while browsing the web, another for ftp transfers and yet another to mount a shared drive on my network a bit tedious. Add to that that the transferred files can be captive to the application that they were downloaded in, and it’s even more frustrating. Printing requires a separate app and not all applications can access printing. Typing will always be a compromise unless I add a $70 optional keyboard.
I think odds are better than even for a return. Slick as the iPad may be, I do more (of what I want to do with a computer) with less hassle on my Linux laptop. Dang, Apple. You can do better.
So far on the iPad:
Safari web browsing (without flash support).
Photo storage and display — excellent for browsing and slideshows.
PDF files read well.
iBook very cool. Also available is free Kindle reader.
Skype works for voice calls (no camera).
iTunes works, of course.
Tutorial video from apple.com stalled frequently? YouTube OK.
Netflix streaming works.
No file browser nor printing interface.
Mail app configs easily for Gmail.
Games — tried only a couple. Could be good. Arcade graphics & sound.
Pandora works.
Maps cool for directions — driving and transit (no transit for Akron).
Location service detects gps location when turned on.
No multitasking, so no music while you surf or work, or play. CORRECTION: iTunes can play in background. Pandora can’t.
Touch typing possible, but not as fast yet as regular-size keyboard. Requires swaps between letter and number/symbol layouts while typing. Optional wireless keyboard is $70.
Easter was a lot of fun this year. Weather was wonderful, and everyone arrived safely. Caleb and Owen lit up the house . . . at quarter ’til seven each morning, which Jenn says is their routine. On Saturday, we had a video chat with Jeff, Anna-Marie and Sebastian. We wish they could have been here in person, but it was great to see Sebastian, Caleb and Owen greeting and entertaining each other on screen (we’re counting down ’til we’re all together this summer). That evening, after Ma had spent the day preparing food for Sunday, we went to a Hibachi restaurant for dinner. The boys (especially Owen) were a little leery at first, but the chef’s clowning put them at ease. They seem to enjoy their meal, even though it was a little later than usual, and they indicated they’d be willing to go back there. On Easter morning, they were so excited to search for hidden eggs and their baskets. They even sneaked an early peek to make sure the Easter Bunny had visited; we think it was just before wake up, but it could have been earlier. Now the house is quiet, and we’re observing a day of rest and recovery and warm memories.
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