computers and games
I upgraded to Windows 7 last week; I was quite impressed with Easy Transfer, included since (I guess) Windows Vista, and how it handled moving files and settings from XP. It failed to transfer settings for Pidgin, Thunderbird, and PuTTY, but copying setting folders manually for Thunderbird and Pidgin was not painful, and replicating the few custom settings I have for PuTTY was also not bad.
More annoying is that I can't find driver CDs for my webcam or digital camera, and my laser printer is notoriously incompatible. Naturally, I can't seem to download the drivers, although I suspect my digital camera - once I hook it up - will Just Work. Not so for the webcam or printer, though. :-(
I'm reasonably happy with Windows 7, although I'm still learning my way around the changes to the Taskbar (which appear new in 7, since my Vista box at work behaves more like XP). Keeping in tune with that, I also upgraded to Thunderbird 3 yesterday, since Enigmail was just updated to work with it. That's been similarly mostly-fine, although I continue to be annoyed with graphical mail clients that insist on behaving like their console ancestors and display everything in a single window.
On games, I have made a little progress in shifting my backlog forward. While I was unemployed I got very close to the end of Bioshock, and made it all the way through Mass Effect. Games in my queue right now are... Oblivion 360 (2006), Fable II 360 (2007), Spore PC (2008), Mirror's Edge 360 (2008), Borderlands PC (2009), and Dragon Age (PC or 360) (2009). I've been trying to catch up year by year, but Oblivion fell through the cracks. I've also been undecided on whether I should stick with the 360 copy I have, or try the PC version - the former seems to have gotten higher ratings, but I've been told the PC version is the canonical one.
I try to play each game where it is best; Mass Effect for the PC had some definite improvements over the 360 version, but I had enough problems audio and cut scene playback that the 360 version is the one I actually played through. I have both 360 and PC versions of Dragon Age: Origins thanks to work, and will probably try to play both (the PC version is probably better, but I'm definitely addicted to achievements on the 360 and I'd like to get my gamerscore higher ;-).
Early next year I'll be eligible for partial reimbursement for a new console; I'll probably get a PS3 then, at which point my potential backlog space will grow a little (Uncharted, Infamous, and Uncharted 2.
More annoying is that I can't find driver CDs for my webcam or digital camera, and my laser printer is notoriously incompatible. Naturally, I can't seem to download the drivers, although I suspect my digital camera - once I hook it up - will Just Work. Not so for the webcam or printer, though. :-(
I'm reasonably happy with Windows 7, although I'm still learning my way around the changes to the Taskbar (which appear new in 7, since my Vista box at work behaves more like XP). Keeping in tune with that, I also upgraded to Thunderbird 3 yesterday, since Enigmail was just updated to work with it. That's been similarly mostly-fine, although I continue to be annoyed with graphical mail clients that insist on behaving like their console ancestors and display everything in a single window.
On games, I have made a little progress in shifting my backlog forward. While I was unemployed I got very close to the end of Bioshock, and made it all the way through Mass Effect. Games in my queue right now are... Oblivion 360 (2006), Fable II 360 (2007), Spore PC (2008), Mirror's Edge 360 (2008), Borderlands PC (2009), and Dragon Age (PC or 360) (2009). I've been trying to catch up year by year, but Oblivion fell through the cracks. I've also been undecided on whether I should stick with the 360 copy I have, or try the PC version - the former seems to have gotten higher ratings, but I've been told the PC version is the canonical one.
I try to play each game where it is best; Mass Effect for the PC had some definite improvements over the 360 version, but I had enough problems audio and cut scene playback that the 360 version is the one I actually played through. I have both 360 and PC versions of Dragon Age: Origins thanks to work, and will probably try to play both (the PC version is probably better, but I'm definitely addicted to achievements on the 360 and I'd like to get my gamerscore higher ;-).
Early next year I'll be eligible for partial reimbursement for a new console; I'll probably get a PS3 then, at which point my potential backlog space will grow a little (Uncharted, Infamous, and Uncharted 2.