Dakota Today

**Some useful and interesting software and an "edu" ultimate deal

In a previous post, I noted that Microsoft Vista is so huge and ungainly without significant improvements ...apparently...because The South Dakota Moderate dumped his PC in favor of a Mac after tangling with Mr. Gate's latest OS. In the other direction of huge and ungainly are the very, very small programs written in assembler language that do a lot.

The GUN is a very small text editor and viewer which dramatically contrasts with more than a few Microsoft programs. It isn't loaded with features, but does a lot considering its size. This would be a good simple text editor for USB flash drives. Check it if for no other reason than to see what a very small program can do.
New Window LINK to THE GUN Homepage and Download site

"GUN" is an acronym of some sort that has "Notepad" in the title, but I can't find the reference now. There are more programs and information at the homepage NWLINK to "High Velocity" software

Another program that just has an odd name, but works despite the name is "THE EGG" which is actually an "Easy Gallery Generator" for webpages with photos. Not huge and pretty basic, but it does work, but read the help information and keep your image size a bit smaller unless you want your readers to have to scroll to find the "Next" and "Previous" buttons.
NWLINK to "Ian's Homepage (with EGG info)

And while I am dinking around with odd software, you might as well take a look at "Space Jock's Software".
NWLINK to Space Jock Software

Take a look at YBOOK, YREAD, and YWRITE you might find them interesting and useful.

BUT, if you are a college student taking even an hour or two of course work but have a valid "edu" e-mail address, you may be interested in the "Ultimate Deal" from Microsoft. Apparently $670 worth of software for something like $67. Almost enough to make you wish you were back in college...well maybe not. Time may have run out on this deal or it may be soon over, so if you qualify and are even remotely interested, better check this deal right away.

NWLINK to Student Ultimate Software Deal for MS Office

And, how about Hillary and Obama and Bill in South Dakota? One would never suspect that they were in South Dakota by listening to their speechs which have strong links to South Dakota which I would guess all of them would soon forget about if they actually got into ..or were..in the White House.

**Stay tuned for more usual fare. I just haven't had the stomach for listening to much of the obvious pandering-- Doug Wiken

**Jumping off the Microsoft Vista Sinking Ship ..floating off on a MAC

The South Dakota Moderate blogger has had enought of Mr. Gates Microsoft Vista operating system.
SD Moderate gives up on MS Vista

He gave up and bought an Apple Mac.

I have yet to read one good comment of consequence about MS Windows Vista operating system.
It sounds as if it is a system bloated with options nobody needs and that the OS demands system resources beyond the performance of the OS.

I think most of us want a system that can be installed and then keeps running and that allows all e-mail and web browsers to run without problems and can run programs like Irfanview, Quickbooks, text editors, etc. Nothing exotic. Regular OS updates that require powerful new computers or expensive upgrades to function worse than old OS versions are simply revenue generators that show contempt for computer users.

It is time for massive shifts by governments to LINUX and Opensource Office etc. The demands that college students and state employees use Microsoft products add a tremendous amount of expense for students, parents, and taxpayers.

Software developers can do us all a favor by refusing to produce products that require MS Vista. Microsoft also needs to be far less greedy on pricing its office software. Years ago, a functioning up-to-date computer cost 10 times as much as the MS software. Now, the software may cost twice as much as the computer.

**Stay tuned even if you are reading a blog that is edited with a $25 used school surplus computer with Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird-- Doug Wiken