Note: This actually is turning out to be considerably longer than I anticipated. I will be dividing this article into a five part series. Here’s how they’ll be organized: Part 1 – Looking back to the early days of my computing life… (Background information) Part 2 – Readjusting to the MacOS Interface (Navigating the UI, noting differences with Windows as well as previous iterations of MacOS) Part 3 – Software on the Mac (A look at apps bundled with the system, as well as what else i...

This one is for you, the extreme liberals of JoeUser who have spent the past year and a half I've regularly blogged here screaming, stomping and gnashing teeth over the pure evil that is George Bush and the vile conspiracies of the Right. You have helped me further define my political views, my stances on issues and my attitude towards our government and the world at large. Thanks to you, I intend to re-register as an Independent. That's a change AWAY from Democrat. I grew up in a Uni...

In Baltimore, MD you can evidently find some of the nations dumbest store clerks AND law enforcement officials. See Link The short summary, man buys car radio at best buy, has it installed, later finds out it doesn't work with his car returns to Best Buy for a replacement. He is told the installation fee is waived because they put the wrong stereo in. He goes home satisfied over the resolution. Later he receives a call from Best Buy demanding payment for the installation, which he wa...

Anyone who has played video games for any amount of time has that one instant, that one experience in a game that overshadows all others and becomes part of the driving reason they continue to play. Be it unlocking that secret level, reaching the end of a compelling story line, or finally beating that impossible boss using nothing more than a rubber band and some small rocks, most of us have experienced these moments of extreme triumph and they remind us why we love to play. These are t...

Abel Tasman Natl. Park In 13 days I'll be 23. I have a college degree, no debt, no wife (or girlfriend), no kids, nothing tieing me down. I'm at a point in life where I can pick up and go somewhere else if the mood takes me. I just have to find a new job wherever I go, a minor detail in the grand scheme of things really. So with all of that in mind, I figured why not try living outside the United States for a few...

We've all seen it, someone posts a blog on some topic that really gets people going. It either rouses some passionate response, or some insult, or sometimes it's simple disagreement. This is actually what makes JU so much fun at times, getting feedback (both positive and negative) on what you write. Why then, are there people who post about something, and then get mad over/delete any comments with which they don't agree? You post something to a publicly accessable site, you leave commen...

I'm nearing the end of the main body of Sci Fi work of Isaac Asimov. I've now consumed the Foundation Series (7 books), The Empire Triology (3 books I had to track down used since they're out of print), The Robot Triology, several of the robot shortstory books, and Robots & Empire (the book to tie Robots, Empire and Foundation together). Not to mention a few of the not quite integrated works (though hinted at in his later Foundation books); Nemesis, The Gods Themselves and End of Eternety. ...

This article is in partial response to Ravenblack’s “Decline of Game Forums IMHO” (https://www.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=71017 4/3/05). There is no question in my mind that I’m a gamer, specifically a PC gamer. I’ve played pretty much every major title released in the past 8 or so years (how long I’ve held some form of job and been able to buy games). With the growth of the Internet, that means I’ve also visited my fair share of online forums and communities devoted to games. I’ve see...

And now, a humor article to hopefully lighten the mood around here somewhat. What do you do when you find yourself in New Zealand, home of Bungee Jumping (according to them at least)?  Why, you find something very very tall to throw yourself off of of course!  And that's just what my friend Liz and I did when we were in New Zealand back in June of 2004.  The end of our trip had us in Queenstown, site of the first commercial Bungee Jump (once again, according to New Zealand), th...

And now, a humor article to hopefully lighten the mood around here somewhat. What do you do when you find yourself in New Zealand, home of Bungee Jumping (according to them at least)?  Why, you find something very very tall to throw yourself off of of course!  And that's just what my friend Liz and I did when we were in New Zealand back in June of 2004.  The end of our trip had us in Queenstown, site of the first commercial Bungee Jump (once again, according to New Zealand), th...

As I sit here writing this, I have a Visio drawing up where I'm recreating a process flow that I'm using to draw up specs for a web application I'm going to be building, I'm checking e-mail, I have a number of pieces of paper on my desk in front of me where I'm doodling out ideas on how to solve a dozen different problems I'll have to overcome when I start building the application, I'm chatting over NetMeeting with a coworker on the other side of our work area... oh, and I'm browsing through ...

I am on a quest for the ultimate bowl, spoon, knife, whatever table item you could ever need.  Finding the perfect size, weight and balance can make all the difference to anyone trying to eat while pursuing any of the finer male activities: Watching Sports on TV, or any seriously violent action flick Playing Video Games (console or computer) Feigning interest in whatever your guests are saying I'm always on the lookout for food containers and transport devices (fork, spoon...

I am on a quest for the ultimate bowl, spoon, knife, whatever table item you could ever need.  Finding the perfect size, weight and balance can make all the difference to anyone trying to eat while pursuing any of the finer male activities: Watching Sports on TV, or any seriously violent action flick Playing Video Games (console or computer) Feigning interest in whatever your guests are saying I'm always on the lookout for food containers and transport devices (fork, spoon...

This is an edited/photoshopped strip I found on a friend's LiveJournal. It's an incredibly sad image for someone like me who grew up with Calvin & Hobbes. Calvin, despite his disposition (which my parents say matched mine pretty well), was the greatest example of the unlimited potential of a child. He visited far off worlds, different places in time... he had the best stuffed animal/friend in the whole wide world. He was six and he was having a good time. Sure he was a handful to hi...

Everyone has their favorite web site for their favorite games.  For me, WorldOfWar.Net and Thottbot.Com are the first sites I run to for World of Warcraft information.  Neverwinter Vault over at IGN was where I always went for Neverwinter Nights stuff.  Apolyton used to be my favorite place for Turn Based Strategies.  All of them have their plusses and minuses, each has it's great features and not so great features.  What I have to wonder though is if there is a ma...