Moving time! I finally found an apartment I like. It took a while, but the searching and calling paid off.

The move is going to take a while, as I've got tons of stuff to organize during the moving process. I got most of the shopping done, but I still need several items. Some of those items are big items.

I've got a chair and a table on the way from out of state, but I intend to cancel the order for the table set. I ordered it from a furniture store, at what seemed like a good price. Shortly after, I found something similar, and apparently of equal quality, at Kmart, of all places. I never really regarded Kmart highly, but my last visit made it clear that they have made some serious changes for the better. I found a few table sets which were cheaper, and of equal or similar quality. I wouldn't buy their chairs over the one I ordered, but I was impressed nonetheless. I think I'll be doing more shopping at Kmart from now on. It doesn't hurt that there was a very beautiful young woman there. She appeared to be a manager. I may have to ask her for help, and introduce myself the next time I'm there.

During the past week or so, I've learned a bit more about Java, but progress is slow. I will probably go without internet access (aside from my phone's data plan) for a while. I'd like to focus on reading, programming, and designing and developing the next version of my site. That may seem a bit premature, considering the fact that I haven't filled this version out yet. But part of the reason I haven't filled it out yet is because it doesn't serve the purpose I want it to, as well as it should. The next version should.

I'm still eager to find people who also wish to learn about Java programming as a group. If you think you'd like that, please contact me soon. Please also understand that it could be around a couple months before the project really gets moving.

People I know frequently ask me which antivirus software I use. Less frequently, I'm asked about spyware control, firewalls, and various other types of programs. So I'll share a few of my favorites here. Sometime soon, I'll make some video tutorials (with sound this time) and a page dedicated to my favorite freeware. Believe it or not, some freeware out there is better than the majority of commercial applications.

Antivirus

I used to recommend AVG due to ease of use and efficacy. However, AVG has fallen behind in the efficacy department. My first recommendation is Avast. Unfortunately, Avast's interface is a little less straight-forward than most antivirus software. However, it's one of the most effective, even compared to commercial software. The only other free antivirus software I'd recommend anywhere near as strongly as Avast is Avira. I've only used Avira very briefly on a laptop that saw very little use. I have lots of experience with Avast, so my recommendation is based on a combination of research and personal experience. Download Avast Home Edition here.

Antispyware

My new favorite is Malwarebytes. I still wouldn't overlook Lavasoft's Adaware, but Malwarebytes has gained immense popularity and great reviews. I can't say I've used it a whole lot yet, but so far it has proven itself effective. Download Malwarebytes here.

Firewall

Yes, XP(post-SP2) and Vista (I assume 7 too) come with a built-in firewall. No, not everyone is satisfied with it. Some people cite Microsoft's security track record, others (like me) prefer to have a more comprehensive firewall which allows greater control over outgoing connections and more extensive configuration. There's only one free software firewall that I recommend: Comodo Firewall. I don't know how good the included antivirus feature is, so I choose to disable it in favor of Avast. But the firewall has my confidence. Did I mention it's one of the first free firewalls to be offered in both 32bit and 64bit versions. In fact, I think it's the first. It's definitely the first that I found worthy of my interest. Download Comodo Personal Firewall here.

I'm about to do a little more Java self-teaching. In preparation for learning, I've been seeking to quell my hunger. I'm eating mashed potatoes, and washing them down with coffee. I wasn't quite prepared for the level of enjoyment I'd experience.

The coffee is instant. The potatoes are doctored up with lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, seasoning salt, and Organic Smart Balance (vegan butter substitute). This stuff is good.

I've uploaded my first youtube video. This is part of a project I've been planning on for quite some time. The video is a tutorial in the form of a demonstration of how to install and configure Firefox in Windows. This video obviously aims to help those with very limited knowledge of computers.

The video is best watched in HQ (High Quality), as the steps are explained in text form, rather than audio. I plan to use audio in the near future, at which time I'll probably remake the video. Anyway, here it is.

With a little practice, I expect to be providing much better videos in the near future.

As the title implies, the latest language I'm learning is Java. There are a lot of mixed opinions of Java, for good reasons. I used to hate Java because I hated the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) when I was primarily a Windows user. Java applications tended to behave sluggishly, and some didn't appear to have an obvious method of execution. Yeah, I was one of the many "Where's the .exe?" Windows "power" users. I'd say I'm ashamed to have called myself a power user without even having an understanding of how Java applications worked in Windows, but it was a learning process, as it was for anyone other than those who created the language.

But Java has come a long way. I can't personally speak for its performance in Windows at this point, but I can tell you what I've learned through reading. Java has been in constant development, and has had many improvements over the years. It's a cross-platform language, so I can write a program once and know that it will work on Windows, Linux, BSD, or any other OS that supports Java. There may be some exceptions to that, regarding specific functionality, but I don't need to go there. I don't know exactly where that is anyway.

My previous blog entry already indicated that I'm primarily a Linux user now, so I'm sure you can guess which OS I'm using for coding in Java as well as HTML. Again, I'm finding myself increasingly fond of Linux, the more I use Ubuntu. (Distro bashers are encouraged to hold their tongues.) I find myself self-moderating right now. I'm tempted to relate becoming acquainted with Linux with the development and growth of feelings for a girlfriend, but I think that might be a tad too nerdy. I wouldn't want to insult any easily offended ladies (as if that's an optional trait) out there either, of course.

Anyway, enough of the geeky affection. I've got several ideas for blog entries of a more traditional theme. More along the lines of the controversial, violently, and simply heart-felt opinions I shared in days of old.

If anyone out there is interested in sharing the Java learning experience, you're welcome to send me an email with questions you might have about it, and I'll get back to you about how we can work on learning the language together. I might even organize and run a sort of programming newbies educational group. If that sounds interesting to you, don't hesitate to contact me. I'm not likely to let the idea fizzle if I know there are future participants awaiting.

It's been a while. I've found myself completely uninterested in blogging most of the time, and the few times my interest was sparked, it didn't last long. What did hold my interest, was gaming. Big surprise there, eh?

I was a WoW addict. Yes, World of Warcraft. It wasn't so much the game that enthralled me. No, not the exploration of new instances and raids. Not the building of my character. Not the gearing up. Not the ridiculously repetitive raiding of the same fucking instances which were awesome at first but got old as hell after about the 3rd run. Fuck me, I hated that shit. I wouldn't let myself acknowledge it at first, because that would force me to consider the possibility of leaving the awesome group of people I'd grown to love. Yes, that is what made WoW so ultimately addicting. The friends.

But the guild I was a member of (and an Officer, eventually) was broken apart by some ridiculous drama. Oh well. I had already been considering a departure from WoW anyway. I'll miss quite a few of my former guildies.

Enough of that. On to the present. What am I doing right now? I'm enjoying Ubuntu 9.04 as I write this blog entry in Bluefish, with a transparency effect applied to the window so I'm able to watch "The Haunting in Connecticut" in VLC media player behind the code. That's what I've got on the primary monitor. On the side monitor, I've got Sirc running in a terminal window, a general terminal window next to it, Pidgin for instant messaging, and VLC's controls below. Linux ftw.

Here's a screenshot, since the description alone isn't exactly effective. Please excuse the pixelization for privacy.

Pretty cool eh? It's a geek thing, I guess. I love it.

Well, I feel as though I've cheated any potential reader(s), as I have to admit I've been distracted by several things during this entry. Bluefish configuration, IRC conversation, the movie, HTML research, neck cramps, and miscellaneous thoughts... Focus is not with me tonight. But my enthusiasm is coming back. I've got plenty more things to write about, but I'd rather not drag this entry out any further. Maybe leaving some fuel for tomorrow will motivate me to let my fingers fly for the ol' blog again.

I'm starting off small. Just working on a few pages for now. I may decide to keep it simple. I may decide to expand. But chances are, I'll be keeping it simple. I've got a few other projects going on, which are fairly time-demanding.