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M$ Virtual PC, XP Mode

Well, I’ve used VMWare’s virtualization with Windows 7 hosting Ubuntu (and had earlier used it in Ubuntu with VMs for another version of Ubuntu, Windows XP, Windows 98, PCBSD and several other Linux distros). Did NOT like the way the newest VMWare VMs worked with Win7. At all.

I have Linux Mint installed in a Virtualbox VM hosted by Win7. Works great. Love it–and the way Virtualbox integrates well and does full screen nicely.

I have tried to like M$’s Windows 7 XP Mode running under M$ Virtual PC. Really, I have tried to like it–and there are some things to like. Full integration with ALL the hardware on the host machine, right “out of the box” with no need for additions or extensions. OK, that’s nice. But XP Mode will NOT run full screen and still allow access to the Win7 host (and that’s just plain stupid–requires three CLICKs to get back to a Win7 app running behind the fullscreen mode WinXP or over to another VM running in Virtualbox–dumb, really dumb, M$); customizing the GUI is either a PITA or not enabled. IOW, it’s a subset of WinXP running in “crippled mode” for those times when one simply cannot get an essential older app to run in compatibility mode, or when one wants a basic interface to serve as a visual aid in phone support or some such.

But WinXP mode using M$’s Virtual PC is nothing near as complete as a real WinXP running as a guest under VMWare’s offerings or under Virtualbox (and yes, I did try that as well, hosted in Ubuntu, though at the time I could only install a 32-bit version using Virtualbox). Still, I suppose it does have a limited usefulness, although it’s certainly not reason enough for most folks to spend the extra money to upgrade to Win7 Pro (or Ultimate). Win7 Home Premium is certainly Good Enough for those folks who simply MUST use Windows–and I suppose I fall into that category now that I’ve become enamored with Windows Media Center in its now mature iteration in Win7. (Still, I’m very glad to be able to do most things in Linux Mint, hosted in a VM in Win7 :-))

Speaking of different versions of Win7, what features do Pro and Ultimate have that’re so appealing that one might upgrade to one of those versions (for more $$ of course) instead of Home Premium? “…let me ‘splain. No, there’s too much. Let me sum up.”

Windows 7 Pro has only three features not found in Windows 7 Home Premium:

  1. XP Mode
  2. Domain support
  3. Backup to a networked drive

XP Mode? You already have my take.

Most folks on a home network do NOT need support for joining a domain. Businesses? Quite likely (which it is why it’s called Windows 7 Professional), but not necessarily in the cases of many small businesses.

The last was my reason for “going pro” when I purchased my upgrade. Well, that and the fact that I could purchase it for the same price as Home Premium, but that’s another story. Most folks won’t even need the ability to do backups to a networked drive built into the OS. Windows 7–all versions, IIRC–has a very capable backup program that can do backups–even disk mirroring–to various media. The Pro version just adds native ability to back up to networked drives. If a home user wants to do that, more than likely their best bet is to purchase an NAS (Network Attached Storage) device which will more than likely have networked backup ability built into the device.

Geeks preferring to build their own NAS might appreciate the native ability in Win7 Pro to do networked backups.

As for Win7 Ultimate, all it adds to the Pro version is Bitlocker encryption (and freebie solutions to do everything Bitlocker does and more abound) and support for an additional 35 languages. Most folks will need neither of those. Heck, I won’t even use Spanish any more, because of the Mexican government’s active support for outlaw invasion and subversion of the US. Yep. I’m boycotting a language because of misbehavior by the Mexican kleptocratic kakistocracy. *heh*

N.B. I do like the “java” background (pic above) that’s been around since at least Win2K. When I want to rest my eyes a bit, I can just let ’em “defocus” while looking at the background and my icons and mouse pointer appear to “float” on top of a background that seems to be about 2′ behind them. Nice optical illusion. 🙂

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For My 2010 “To-Do” List

Spruce beer: I’d like to locate the spruce elements needed for the following recipe, then make the thing.

Take four ounces of hops, let them boil half an hour in one gallon of water, strain the hop water then add sixteen gallons of warm water, two gallons of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce, dissolved in one quart of water, put it in a clean cask, then shake it well together, add half a pint of emptins*, then let it stand and work one week, if very warm weather less time will do, when it is drawn off to bottle, add one spoonful of molasses to every bottle.

*emptins: “a mixture of hops and the dregs of beer or cider casks”–that I can come up with…

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Watch Your Kids, But for Heaven’s Sake, Don’t Stop Them…

Typical output of some over-paid government weenie with too much time on his hands:

Don’t you dare say, “Only on the Left Coast,” cos it could happen in your town just as easily.

h.t., Dave Barry

(And yeh, I know raccoon droppings have the rap of potentially being laced with rabies or Baylisascaris procyonis–a roundworm that burrows into brains, but really: kids that’re dumb enough to eat feces probably already have are worse problems… Heck, they’d likely grow up to vote for a libtard. “Yum, gimme some more o’ that, Mr. Congresscritter! I just loves that shit!” Worse: they probably already do vote for libtards via the “any vote fraud is good enough for us” program run by the Dhimmicraps.)

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Congresscritters’ Motto?

Just a passing thought, demonstrating that even on this Fourth Day of Christmas, I cannot entirely abandon cogitations on the passing scene…

I believe I have discovered (with apologies to Mary Brown for the redactions) THE motto that could have been the inspiration for the political careers of most of our “belovéd” *spit* congresscritters:

“Better a champion turd-tosser than a forty-second-rate turnip-carver.”

Yep, I do believe the realization of that truth may have inspired more congressional careers than any other revelation, for our “belovéd” *spit* congresscritters are all striving to become champion turd-tossers and shit-shovelers and have almost all achieved amazing heights in their pursuits of this goal, lading prodigious amounts of fecal matter on citizens’ heads…

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On Not Getting the Point

Lunchtime amusements.

I told my Wonder Woman, “You don’t deserve me.”

“I know,” she replied, “but I’m working on it.”

“Oh? You’re working on becoming mean, nasty, ugly and cruel?” I asked (with redundant expository included here for emPHAsis).

*WW-glow*

*heh*

Not getting the point, Lady? Deliberately eh? As I said… 😉

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“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Which of the following definitions of “voluntary” applies to Harry Reid’s use of the term in the video below?

voluntary
3 entries found.
1voluntary (adjective)
2voluntary (noun)
voluntary muscle (noun)

Main Entry: 1vol·un·tary
Pronunciation: \?vä-l?n-?ter-?\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French voluntarie, from Latin voluntarius, from voluntas will, from velle to will, wish — more at will
Date: 14th century

1 : proceeding from the will or from one’s own choice or consent
2 : unconstrained by interference : self-determining
3 : done by design or intention : intentional [voluntary manslaughter]
4 : of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will [voluntary; voluntary behavior]
5 : having power of free choice
6 : provided or supported by voluntary action [a voluntary organization]
7 : acting or done of one’s own free will without valuable consideration or legal obligation

— vol·un·tar·i·ly adverb

— vol·un·tar·i·ness noun

synonyms voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one’s own will. voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion . intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved . deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one’s act and its consequences . willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another .1

[audio:http://www.thirdworldcounty.us/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/thatword-f.mp3]

Exactly. None of those definitions in any way, shape, fashion or form reflects the system of income taxation that Harry Reid describes as “voluntary”. The system of income taxation that Harry Reid, Bag of Pus, NV, describes as “voluntary” has exactly NO correspondence to any meaning of the word. None. Zip. Zilch. A big zero with the rim kicked off.

I wonder if he’d testify that paying income tax is voluntary if he were subpoenaed to do so in a tax court. *heh* (For all the good it’d do. Past IRS commissioners have also called our system of income taxation voluntary, but that hasn’t stopped the IRS from forcibly seizing property and placing citizens in durance vile for opting out. Fumduck liars. )

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Christmas Presents: Ah! Somebody Knows Me Well

Perhaps too well. *heh* In the mail today, addressed to me: FM 21-76, Department of the Army Field Manual: Survival.

Though it was addressed to me, I didn’t order it. I can only assume it to be a gift from someone who knows me well. Now, who could that be…

Whoever it is/was, thanks! 🙂 (Was Lovely Daughter)

(Of course, apropos of the Senate vote to enslave generations of Americans, the first thing my eye fell on when I opened the books was… a focus on escaping capture by the enemy. Of course.)

  • Size up the situation
  • Undue haste makes waste
  • Remember where you are
  • Vanquish fear and panic
  • Improvise
  • Value living
  • Act like the natives
  • Learn basic skills

Hmm, looks like a rubric for post-Obama Americans seeking to escape the enemy and survive as free Americans…

Micro-mini-update: Because of weather/road conditions, Lovely Daughter (why did I typo that as “Lobely Daughter”? :-))and SiL-to-Be did not spend Xmas Eve with us as planned. So, last night was our “make up Xmas Eve”. Re-read Random Yak’s “Lest We Forget”, shared Xmas Chili, Xmas music, etc., and then went on the Xmas Plunder from the Kids Down South. SiL-to-Be demonstrated his awareness of relationship between Sil-to-Be and FiL-to-Be with a wise gift: a Bodum French press coffee maker. Wise beyond your years, Grasshopper.

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A White Christmas

Merry Second Day of Christmas, folks!

Yesterday was our first “White Christmas” since moving to America’s Third World County some years ago (we’re well into our second decade here), and old timers tell me such things haven’t been all that common for some time, now.

White Januarys? Yes, that’s a common occurrence. White Christmases, notsomuch.

4″ of snow descended the evening of the 24th and morning of the 25th. As this is America’s Third World County, getting up the hill and out of our lil neighborhood here in town was… not quite possible earlier this a.m. Sheet ice from packed snow resulting from folks leaving very early in the a.m., a little sun, some more cold, etc. No scraping, sanding or salting, of course. The only scraped and sanded areas of town are: the two highways going through town (State responsibility) and the area leading out of the AM/PM clinic that also houses the ambulance service (paid for by the ambulance service, of course). I bought a 40# bag of road salt, after leaving by the only other route out of the neighborhood, and salted the short hill and intersection leading out (and in) on the most direct route to our street. The kids are coming in (and leaving in the a.m. for either work or other activities), and I wanted them at least to have better traction. That others may benefit is incidental. 😉

Only one dog, now, to see to in inclement weather. The 13-year-old “youngster” (a Lab/Shepherd mix) passed away some months ago, so only one “outdoor” dog–the old guy, a 17(?)-year-old medium sized Heinz 57. For the first time since he’s been with us–about 14 years, now–he’s slept inside every night since cold weather hit. *heh* In fact, he seems to want to stay inside most of the time, now. Can’t blame him. Need to find his harness and take him for some walks, though.