Denny's Tech Shop

Windows Vista article worth reading

2006-08-02T15:37:00.000-05:00

Well, I can't believe it, but for all it's faults, I think I like Vista.

Here's a screenshot for ya....

This Image is thumbnailed.

I think you'll like this as well, it's an article in 3 parts by Paul Thurrott, entitled
'Paul Thurrott's Vista Beta 1 review'

It still runs a bit slow, but I am excited, none the less.

Thinking of upgrading my pc just for vista.

You know, I think my past self would have hated me, because I'm becoming a Microsoft fan, but there os is the best viable option at this point.

-Denny

The Ultimate Tech Consumer Guide

2006-07-26T18:08:00.000-05:00

The Ultimate Tech Consumer Guide
Twelve tips to cope with (or bypass) the hassles of buying and using tech gear.

Anne Kandra is a contributing editor for PC World. E-mail questions and comments to consumerwatch@pcworld.com.

Illustration by Marc Rosenthal
After more than five years of writing about the numerous pitfalls that plague technology consumers, one can't help but pick up some pointers. So here's my compendium of tips to help you avoid persistent tech problems and maybe even save a few bucks, too.

Protect your tech: Take steps to guard your portable devices against ill-placed lattes, thieves, and other hazards. Use common sense: If you're headed for the tennis court, for example, consider leaving the Treo behind. Register your tech gear as a hedge against warranty questions. Ask your insurance agent about coverage for computers and other home-office equipment--you might be surprised at what your homeowner's policy doesn't address. For more on protecting your devices, see "Keep Your Hands on Your Handhelds" and "When Bad Things Happen to Good PCs."

Make security seamless: While you might squirm at the thought of some software company surreptitiously reaching into your computer and implanting bits of code, do you really have the time and the patience to personally administer to every security patch, virus definition, or update that comes along? For most users, the safest way to ward off threats is to enable automatic updates. And set up regular system backups, just in case.

Pare and compare prices: Online pricing engines such as Shopzilla.com and PCWorld.com's Product Finder (which uses PriceGrabber.com's pricing engine) can help you unearth the lowest prices--but we recommend going with the best price from a company you're familiar with. We've consistently found that buying from a company you've never heard of is asking for trouble, from bait-and-switch sales tactics to counterfeit goods or even credit-card fraud. And be sure to pay with credit cards; debit cards provide less consumer protection.

Go offline: If a retailer (Best Buy for example) offers the option, consider buying your item online and picking up the product at a nearby store. That way, you'll enjoy the convenience of online shopping without the shipping charges--or the wait for delivery. If there's a problem, returns will be easier--but don't forget to ask about restocking fees.

Manage your rebates: If you're counting on a rebate, study the rules and keep careful records. Web sites such as Rebate-Tracker.com, as well as manufacturers' own sites, can help you do this.

Get a side of RAM: Remember to budget for extras such as RAM, software, memory cards, or other peripherals. Frequently the best "deals" turn out to be pretty bare-bones--and you do want to be able to store more than five or six photos in your new camera, don't you? For more advice on planning for key add-ons, see "You Want RAM With That?"

Auction with caution: Always read--and leave--feedback, and contact the buyer or seller with any questions before you close the deal. If you're the buyer, make sure the product includes everything it should, check the seller's return policy, and don't even consider paying with a wire transfer or completing the sale outside the auction site. For more auction tips, see "Use Auctions to Save Money on Tech Gear."

Protect your privacy: Does that online software outlet you patronized once really need to know your mother's maiden name? Of course not. When completing transactions online, provide only essential information (generally, your name, an e-mail address, billing address, and credit card number). Opt out of everything else, including offers to choke your in-box with spam. Consider using a secondary e-mail account--say, a free one from Hotmail or Yahoo--for online shopping and other such transactions. Use strong passwords with combinations of letters and numbers, and don't store them on a PC that others can access. For more password tips, see "Manage Passwords Safely--and Simply."

Help yourself: If there's anything more aggravating than trying to decipher cryptic error messages, it's spending time on hold waiting for a tech support rep 12 time zones away. The good news: There are lots of support resources online if you know where to look. Start by entering your error message or a brief description of the problem into a search engine. That often leads to forums where you'll find feedback from other users who've had the same or similar problems. Check the vendor's site--many have user forums and tech support chat. For more tech support tips, see "Hanging Up on Tech Support."

Read the fine print: What you don't know can hurt you, especially if it's buried deep within the legalese of an End User License Agreement. At the very least, you can boycott companies that don't make their EULAs easily available before you buy, and look for phrases such as "automatic renewal" that should raise a red flag. For more on software licenses, see "Software Licenses: Fight for Your Rights."

Do the right thing: Don't use--or let your kids use--illegal file-sharing software. Pay for the music, software, and other intellectual property you do use. Donate your old PC to a school, nonprofit, or charity--or find a recycling center that'll know what to do with it. See "A Computer Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" for more on recycling and "Charity Starts at Your Home PC" for more on donating online.

Pass it on: Help an elderly neighbor set up a new computer, teach a class on online safety at a local school, or build a Web site for a resource-strapped youth group. One of the best things you can do as a savvy tech user is to share your knowledge with family, friends, and colleagues. The more educated we all are, the more efficient, accessible, and safe the world of personal technology will become. And that can only be a good thing.

Speaking of passing things on, this is my last Consumer Watch column for PC World. I'm pursuing a new opportunity in educational publishing. Writing about consumer technology has been incredibly rewarding and occasionally frustrating--but always a lot of fun. So thanks to all of you who wrote in to share your stories, hassles, and insights. May your connections stay strong, your software secure, and your PC peaceful.

Attackers Exploit PowerPoint Flaw

2006-07-17T21:37:00.000-05:00

July 17, 2006 - About.com: Vulnerability was not fixed in Microsoft's latest round of patches. Attackers have found another hole in Microsoft's Office products. Yesterday, Symantec reported that it has discovered a targeted attack that takes advantage of an unpatched vulnerability in Microsoft's PowerPoint software....

Glad I use OpenOffice!

The article is here.

Um, Weird....?

2006-07-15T22:05:00.000-05:00

I was goofing around looking at my buddy Cody's delapetaded blog, and found this goofy test of what classic movie I represent. I didn't get what I had expected....

Here's what I got:

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

What do you think?
-Denny

[P.S. Apocalypse now? Never saw it, but it doesn't sound good.... >:)]

Windows Vista

2006-07-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

Well folks, I got a peek at Vista, on a 3.06 machine with a video card with 256mb of vram and 4 pipes. It ran well. It was pretty. *ugh* (disgust) Even thought this machine was a hearty 3.06 mhz with a kick but graphics card and 2 gigs pc 3200, it still complained about system resources. It also would not display see thru effects properly, it must have been the shaders on the card, I think.

But, it operated, and a lot better than I expected.

-Denny

E3 2006 on G4 TV!

2006-04-15T22:49:00.000-05:00

G4 is going to be airring E3, and I am salivating. I'm not a huge fan of G4, I kind of miss the old guys at Tech TV, and their style.

But If there is one thing I do like, it's their decent coverage of E3. If it is going to be anything like last year, it'll be a great show.

If your interested in E3's Expo page click here.

McAffee is a joke

2006-04-10T22:57:00.000-05:00

I'm probably not making any friends here, but I'm sick of seeing people get took by McAffee. McAffee is one of the worst anti-virus's out there, it's a anti virus with a name like norton, but doesn't have the ability to defend modern day machines. Most viruses walk right past McAffee without being threatened or even noticed. The free anti virus's on the net are far more effective, and well, they are free!

Norton isn't much better, being one of the worst cases of bloatware I have seen, but atleast if it is fully updated, it has a much better chance of defending you.

I would seriously reconsider buying an anti virus for now. Get one of the free one's listed on this page, or go to google, and just type in free anti virus.

To the makers of McAffee and Symantec Norton: I am sorry if I have offended you, but I'm not lying. I am a professional computer repairman, and I have to say, if the customer has your product and the system is acting buggy, the first thing I do is check for viruses, because they probably slipped right past your software.

Power Strip Info

2006-04-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

I just had a customer telling me about how much he likes his power strip/surge suppresor, because it protects him from lightning.

It doesn't. None of them do. Surge supprresor's are NOT designed to stop lightning, and won't.

If you have a lightning storm approaching, unplug your devices. It's your only line of defense.

So what does a surge suppressor do? It suppresses the surges your power company sometimes sends thru the power line unintentionally.

This doesn't happen much anymore, but it's still a good idea to protect your investment.

Instead of 800 to 1000 dollars lost, you lose the 15-50 bucks spent on the suppressor.

Unplugged my Blog

2006-04-07T23:10:00.000-05:00

That slow drain you heard was the life being sucked out of my already non existent blog. So I updated it, with my buddy Cassman's ideas, and some of my own. I think the new look is better. I wish this template would allow caps in the header, but everything else works with my tech feel, *i think*. Go ahead and tell me what you think...

-Denny

Windows Vista, and ranting.

2006-03-16T00:38:00.001-06:00

Vista is being released in several months, and people are in an uproar. Especially those of us not well to do. Vista is going to be such a hardware hog that you could purchase a brand new machine, and not have what it takes to run vista.

As quoted from cnet:

"You might buy a (Windows XP) system today and go buy a boxed version of Vista in November and get a (rating) number of 1," Bhavnani said. "Even though you just spent a grand on your notebook, you need to go spend $200 on your graphics card."

The new OS (operating system) released from Microsoft is going to need state of the art graphics cards, large alloted memory and ultra fast processors to run well. However, it will still run on older machines, or atleast ms seems to be hinting at that. On the good side, MS will still be printing Windows XP for some time to come.

Probably a good move, considering how many machines are not adequate for vista.

I have to say though, as much as this sounds like vista or Microsoft bashing, it's not. I used to complain about Microsoft. No more. After my attempting to get linux to operate my hardware properly, or run applications without having to program the os. I realize that unless something drastic happens to linux, it will continue to be nothing more than a toy. Something for egg heads like me to play with.

Linux will never see the light of day as a serious os. Not unless something is done to make EVERYTHING modular. Thats right, no more having to rewrite your own kernel, no more wishing my modem would work. No more purchasing linux modems that linux doesn't see. Software that installs itself like windows does. I will never use the make command again!

Linux developers, think about it, what's already the global norm? windows drivers, windows software, windows dll files running the software. What you need to do is make linux compatable with whatever i pick up, be it hardware or software.

Linux should install windows drivers, run windows apps, and run linux apps and drivers with the ease of the windows counterparts. it's doable. stop trying to make linux windows. wine is the wrong way to go.

Start thinking virtual emulation.

I apologize for my rant, and thank you

Monitors a Changin'

2006-03-14T01:12:00.000-06:00

I was updating my computer business's website, when i noticed something. When I tried to get the newest prices on crt (cathode ray tube) monitors, I couldn't because my distributor doesn't carry them.

I have been so entangled in the newest motherboards, cpu's, memory and video cards that I didn't notice the phasing out of the crt's. I was at first shocked, because just a year ago it looked as though lcd (liquid crystal display) monitors would never have the brightness, refresh rate, and color depth a crt would. You couldn't run some video or games without the display "smearing".

Smearing happened because the chemical reaction needed to change the color of the crystals was really slow, so it would be like putting your tv on slow mo. Everything slid like freshly painted oil paints on a roller coaster. Not good.

But now the delay is about 6-12ms (milliseconds), which is really fast. The brightness of the display is also greatly improved.

As for the color depth, well, crt still woops lcd's but, "but" the difference is very minor.

The only thing is, the price. My last quoted crt was 95 dollars for a 17". My new lcd prices for 17" are 240 dollars. It would be nice to offer the crt as an option to the customer who is trying to stay in budget.

Well that's all for now,
Goodbye my friends!

Windows Vista Editions Revealed Part 2

2006-02-18T20:05:00.000-06:00

As was exclusively revealed last week the Windows Vista editions are finalised.

Microsoft asked neowin to remove the information but we can now reveal that these are the final editions:

Windows Starter 2007
Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Basic N
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Business N
Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows Vista Enterprise

The news of the SKUs can be found on the beta pages of Windows Vista help.

Until Microsoft sends out a press release we're unsure of the specifics of each version but the N stands for the media player free versions of Vista which will be sold seperately in Europe.

Good Computer Help

2006-02-11T00:04:00.000-06:00

I found a community I enjoy being part of. It's now my forum for pc repair.

It's called PC Tech Bytes. A bunch of great guys I get a kick out of. And I get to do what I love, computer repair.

Here is the link: www.pctechbytes.com

-Denny

Amazing computer speeds blow away Intel, AMD

2006-01-22T13:07:00.000-06:00

The Atom Chip Corporation has completed it's tests on what is now the world's fastest personal computer. It's a complete rehaul of the old IBM compatable architecture.

Using nothing but optics for the entire system [except the dvd burner] has increased the cpu's output exponentially. Imagine your storage device, ram, motherboard, cpu, and everything else [except peripherals you add, like a dvd/cd system] being entirely optical.

This equals out to amazing speed. With their new AtomChip® Quantum® II 6.8GHz processor, this system packs quite a wallop. Not only is the cpu quite a jump in speed, but because of it's optic nature, everything else will respond many times faster.

When this computer finally hit's the market, If the pricetag doesn't scare people away, there's going to be alot of catch up for os makers and other cpu manufacturers to do.

Click here for the article.

Very excited...
-Denny

DOJ Google request unsafe!

2006-01-21T00:04:00.000-06:00

After watching a show about the request made by the DOJ to Google, [asking for a 2 week screening of searches], I came to an alarming conclusion. According to the DOJ, they do not want to infringe upon anyone's privacy.

Perhaps not, but if Google does what other search engines already have done, whether the DOJ has such intentions or not, they will then have the means to do so.

If your interested in the article, you can go here.

By taking the info given to them by Google, specifically the ip addresses, they can then find the isp's of anyone they would be interested in hunting down, and given the ip address, the isp could then be forced to release the information about said person who did said search.

It's not hard to do, I will give you a demonstration.

After you search for something, they receive your ip address, along with what you searched for.

They receive the ip address, and with whois, get information like this:

-----
Node Data
Node Net Reg IP Address Location Node Name
9 1 1 4.68.97.98 New York ge-5-0-0-54.gar1.newyork1.level3.net

Packet Data
Node High Low Avg Tot Lost
9 161 161 161 1 0

Network Data
Network id#: 1

OrgName: Level 3 Communications, Inc.
OrgID: LVLT
Address: 1025 Eldorado Blvd.
City: Broomfield
StateProv: CO
PostalCode: 80021
Country: US

NetRange: 4.0.0.0 - 4.255.255.255
CIDR: 4.0.0.0/8
NetName: LVLT-ORG-4-8
NetHandle: NET-4-0-0-0-1
Parent:
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.LEVEL3.NET
NameServer: NS2.LEVEL3.NET
Comment:
RegDate:
Updated: 2004-06-04

OrgAbuseHandle: APL8-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Abuse POC LVLT
OrgAbusePhone: +1-877-453-8353
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@level3.com

OrgTechHandle: TPL1-ARIN
OrgTechName: Tech POC LVLT
OrgTechPhone: +1-877-453-8353
OrgTechEmail: ipaddressing@level3.com

OrgTechHandle: ARINC4-ARIN
OrgTechName: ARIN Contact
OrgTechPhone: +1-800-436-8489
OrgTechEmail: arin-contact@genuity.com

ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-12-30 19:10
-----

Now they have your isp, their address, phone, etc...
All thats neccessary is to have a court order to turn over who's ip address it is, and they have you.

They really don't even need a court order if they consider you a threat to national security.

Ever watchful...
Denny

Denny's Work at Home Segment

2006-01-20T15:58:00.000-06:00

It's me, Denny. I am so sick of all the bull**** that you find on the net when it comes to work at home related websites, that I decided to talk about it. This article will NOT:

*Ask you to pay any money
*Have you fill out a bunch of surveys
*Or any other bull associated with said websites

As a matter of fact, I will NOT OFFER YOU A JOB. I will have some of the more usefull sites I have found. Hopefully you can try and find a legitimate job with them, good luck.

*Yes I am somewhat bitter about the whole situation.

Okay, some very usefull tips I have found are:

1: Get a second free e-mail account, like a hotmail account, etc...This is VERY usefull. for one, you keep your main account clear of the TON of junk mail you WILL receive because of your search for work.

And secondly, if you get sick of trying, you can just forgive and forget, or atleast forget. Dump said e-mail address if your sick of all of the bull.

2: If the website has pictures of people having fun in tropical places and/or rolling in dough, the chances are it's not legitimate, or it's buy my book now!, or it's a pyramid scheme, in which case if you can afford to wait around for 10 years you might start making money.In any case, tip 2's site is about 98% assured not to make you any money in this decade.

3: If the website asks you to pay money in any way, shape, or form, even if you can cancel at a later date, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT pay any money to this site.

(Unless your a humanitarian, in which case, buy all means. 'get it, buy! ha ha, that was funny.')

4: If the offer is too good to believe, it is! in other words, 'become a millionaire in a month, year, etc.. Means that person is hoping you will make him/her millions in said time.

'Here, You can have this coupon for free tissues.'

Ok, enough about that. This was how not to make money on the web. Here's how to make money:

1: Don't put all your efforts in one pot. I suggest a mixture, like, a half.com/ebay account, a good survey site, and some home RETURN phone call gig.

2: Hunt for anything you no longer need. It's amazing what sells and for how much on ebay/half.com.

3: You could also make your own website and swindle money from poor bloke's like me. In which case I will not like you, but hay, mission accomplished, right?

Websites I suggest:

Half.com - this site works a lot like a free online store for you. They will even make you a website for you called a store. they will set everything up, and your patrons can use a major credit card. not bad for free.Some things you need to know: If you make any serious sales (above $500 dollars) they will start to take a percentage of your sale. Under 500 dollars, they charge the patron an extra dollar for shipping. This can be a decent money making situation, provided you have something to sell. Don't expect huge sales right away, but I have heard of people doing well after several years. You can expect about 3 sales a month starting, or more if you find a way to advertise for free.Here's my site as an example: dwdenny's shop. If you already have a half.com or e-bay account, it's easy to see your shop. http://shops.half.ebay.com/YOUR LOGIN NAME that's all thats too it.

Ebay.com - ok, here you have to be carefull. For one, ebay will charge you a fee wether you sell said item or not. You also have to keep in mind that unlike half.com, your item is not posted for an infinite amount of time. as a matter of fact, i think the most time you can have on an auction is 2 weeks.So this site does not act like a store. But you can make money here, and on the dumbest stuff I have ever seen. I saw an auction bid on an original apple 2c computer box. a CARDBOARD BOX sold for over several grand if im not mistaken.Ofcourse theres no guarantee that you will produce the same results, but if someone is willing to buy a cardboard box, how much more could one make on a legitimate item?

The Survey Pro is ok. You still have to watch for sites that link off of other sites you have visited thru survey pro, these sites will probably be non legitimate or pay for info sites. Be ever watchful for the bull!

One last thing. Many of these sites, whether legitimate or NOT, will want you to create a paypal account, which is not totally painless. It's a long task to perform, in the time it takes, not only the time you spend, but the time you wait. Still, it can be usefull to have one of these. Two things to consider, one, try and use your bank account whenever possible instead of paypal, because paypal charges you (although a small amount) for every transaction.Point two, do NOT use either your paypal or your bank account unless you are 100% sure it's legit. This was a painfull lesson to learn, And a long one to rectify.

To sum it up, you have a 5% chance of making enough money to work strictly from home. I hope you become richer than your wildest dreams, but i doubt it very much.

If you have any other tips for me, or have a good (TOTALLY FREE) website to tell me about, then send me an e-mail to: denny@dennypc.com and i will consider it.

Oh yeah, and now for the legal bull. Everything on this website is my opinion, and therefore is my legal right to say/write. If you have a problem with anything i said, you can write me politely and/or bite me.

My apologies for any annoyance,
Denny

AOL security is a Joke!

2006-01-03T17:02:00.000-06:00

Hackers Run Wild and Free on AOL

By Christopher Null

Using a combination of trade tricks and clever programming, hackers have thoroughly compromised security at America Online, potentially exposing the personal information of AOL's 35 million users.

The most recent exploit, launched last week, gave a hacker full access to Merlin, AOL's latest customer database application. As a security measure, Merlin runs only on AOL's internal network, but savvy hackers have found a way to break in.

The hack involves tricking an AOL employee into accepting a file using Instant Messenger or uploading a Trojan horse to an AOL file library.

When the file is executed, the Trojan horse connects the user who launched it to an Internet relay chat server, which the hacker can use to issue commands on the targeted machine.

This allows the hacker to enter the internal AOL network and the Merlin application.

Merlin requires a user ID, two passwords and a SecurID code, all of which hackers obtain by spamming the AOL employee database with phony security updates, through online password trades, or by "social engineering" attacks over IM or the telephone.

The hacker who first used this exploit is said to be a 14-year-old boy. (He could not be reached for comment.)

Another recent exploit reportedly allowed anyone to log in to any account with a password, using a hole in AOL's Japanese Webmail portal. That flaw has since been repaired.

Yet another hole has allowed hackers to steal AOL Instant Messenger screen names, even those of AOL staff members and executives.

Most at risk are screen names that hackers covet, like Graffiti, or single-word names like Steve. Also at risk are internal AOL accounts like TOSGeneral, which is used to monitor abuse reports.
While many of these hacks utilize programming bugs, most hackers are finding it far easier and quicker to get access or information simply by calling the company on the phone.

These so-called social engineering tactics involve calling AOL customer support centers and simply asking to have a given user's password reset. Logging in with the new password gives the intruder full access to the account.

In a telephone interview, two hackers using the handles Dan and Cam0 explained that security measures (such as verifying the last four digits of a credit card number) can be bypassed by mumbling.

A third hacker, using the name hakrobatik, confirmed the mumbling method.

"I kept calling and pretending I just had jaw surgery and mumbling gibberish," hakrobatik said.

"At first I had no info except the screen name, then I called and got the first name and last name by saying, 'Could you repeat what I just said?'

Then each time that I got information I called back making the real information understandable, and everything else I just mumbled."

In the end, hakrobatik said, service reps he talked to got so frustrated having to ask him to repeat information that they'd give up and reset the password. Hakrobatik later proved he could compromise any AOL account armed only with its screen name.

Typically, hackers target reps at offshore call centers in India or Mexico,
who they claim are less savvy and have far less training than American service agents.

"You can basically get any account information from AOL by just calling and pestering," hakrobatik said.

At least one rep was susceptible to the proverbial oldest trick in the book. Cam0 said he masqueraded as "a teenage girl" to win favors from a smitten AOL employee after engaging in flirtatious chat sessions and sending phony photographs.

Some hackers also pose as internal AOL Operations Security staff to wheedle information. And hackers claim disgruntled AOL employees freely provide account information and favors to friends on the outside.

Of the latest AOL attacks, Adrian Lamo, renowned hacker and founder of disbanded watchdog site Inside-AOL, said: "It's unprecedented in the history of AOL.

AOL employee education is centered around fake online communication. There's very little effort to guard against voice scams."

Why hasn't AOL let users know about the site's rampant security problems? "Every now and then something flashy happens, but AOL keeps it quiet pretty effectively," Lamo said.

The reason, Lamo said, is that AOL rarely prosecutes hackers.

"They tend to employ technical countermeasures and otherwise ignore intruders," he said. "There's an oft-stated perception that no one has ever been busted for hacking an AOL account."

AOL did not return repeated calls requesting comment for this story.
"You see all those commercials saying AOL 8.0 is so secure," said Dan.

"If people knew how insecure their data was they probably wouldn't use it."

If you want to see this article for yourself, just click here.

-Denny

Packer woes...

2006-01-03T16:32:00.000-06:00

For those of you like me, who are Green Bay Packer fans, it's a woefull time for us.

Our head coach was just fired, and that didn't bother me. I don't think he's a bad coach, but he was no Mike Holmgren. But the thought of Breat Favre possibly quitting, tore me up inside.

I started getting into the packers seriously when Favre showed up. Before Favre was the heart attack pack, and there ability to keep from losing, or lose, just seconds before the end of the game. It was quite interesting, but I only gave them passing glances.

When 4 showed up, at first I was skeptical. He threw wild and was wild, untamed. But a powerful athlete. As his first season came to a close, I was really getting excited about the Packers.

Now looking back at what can only be described as a "roller coaster ride", I realize I'm hooked on the Packers, with Favre. I will always be a Packers fan, but without Favre, it just would not be the same, and probably wouldn't consume as much of my time as the games do now.

The thought of the Packers to me without Favre is well, unthinkable. Like cheese without wine. Like Taco Bell, serving hamburgers. Just not right.

What can I say to you, number 4? What can I say to the man I have watched for years upon years. What can I say to you, Brett Favre?

I can say that if you decide to quit the Packers, I and many Packers fans will be devestated.

The team without it's faithful and true captain, will be like a man without heart.

I hope you stay Brett Favre, but if you go, I will miss you like I would miss my closest friend.

-Dennis A Gutowski Jr.
True Blue Brett Favre and Packers Fan.

Behind the times, me?

2006-01-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

Ok. I'm old fashioned. I'm 33 years old, and so I am allowed. I was one of the last people in my family to get a cell phone. My nephew had one before i did, and he's 7. That's the way I am. When there's no public phones to be found in Wausau, (or atleast not many), you finally have to bite the bullet and do it.

That's the way it is with me and this blog. I think besides myself, about 4-7 others in the continental US, and those without said ability in 3rd world countries, I am the only one I know of without a blog.

When I finally told everyone I had this blog, I thought they would have questions like, 'what is a blog, what does it do, etc'. Instead they all said, "Yeah, had one myself for a while, here's my url:".

Huh? I thought blogging was fairly new. How can 93% of everyone I know have a blog already?

Which just affirms the fact that I am set in my ways, an old fart, behind the times.
The only thing i pay attention to is computers, which is my only true love.

What do you mean i have no life? LOL.

-Denny

Windows Beta "Avalon"

2006-01-01T12:36:00.000-06:00

Yes, MS has come out with another "new" version of Windows folks. If you were getting excited about Longhorn, sorry, that's all but not. But avalon is coming, and gamers are drooling. It's base in heavy graphics is making the pc gaming world shout with glee.

Big Business on the other hand is non too happy, but who cares?
Thats why MS makes Office, right?

I want to finish this peice up by giving you Phillip Brittan's web blog
Good info on the beutifiul new OS.

-Denny