A Good Morning Indeed -- Except for Norton 360

Where to start? Where to start? Okay. I'm using my dad's laptop for tonight. Now, that's a start. And, I did not think I would get the time to write here again. But, I'm thankful that I found myself tapping on the keyboard and revealing something this morning-night. It's 1:08 AM! At first I thought that I would get stuck with Plurk, or if I reach my daily 30-Plurks allowance, probably just go ahead with Twitter. But, am I glad to find myself writing on my blog instead.

Wait, gosh, I forgot that I left my Mac on sleep, and I am supposed to watch a 20-minute video interview of Q TV (in Canada, I assume) with Ryan Reynolds. Well, I've watched that with Alanis and Sarah McLachlan. Oh, must love Canadians. They flow with amazing song-writing talents like the ones I previously mentioned. They define art in music.

You might also ask why I watched Ryan Reynold's. But, actually, I haven't really watched it yet. Well, I would like to ask myself why too. But, it's because I was just wondering if the interview had anything related to his past failed relationship with Alanis Morissette, one of the coolest song writers I have ever known. I haven't watched, haven't had enough time to do so.

I have been very busy today, working with Shane (my group mate for the Capstone project I'm taking on), teaching him to do stuff he "normally" does not do, and doing my own stuff as well. It's kinda hard to oversee someone else's performance, but it is kinda rewarding and it's a whole lot easier when you have the time to actually do it, despite having your own task. Plus, the physical presence really counts. The interaction allows the free trade of thought, and generates more learning and good group dynamics. Technically speaking, however, we weren't, as of that moment, the ideal-sized group. We were just two. And, we worked in the condo unit I was staying in. It was good working there because there was a study table. I just did not like the lighting. It was kinda making us dizzy and all, as we stared the whole afternoon at our computers.

In one of my previous posts (an entry created yesterday), I talked about how big corporations can take advantage of the ordinary individual. I also connected how knowledge, and the lack of it, can make one powerful or powerless in the sense of the right to choose what is so-so, good, better, and best for one's self. Also, in terms of goodness, there is also this medieval concept of metaphysics about "good" -- that an act is judged to be good if it is of the greatest good, and if it is the good of the majority, if not all. But, this kind of "good" is not the case with these corporations. The "good" that they are focusing on are their own, neglecting the good of others, and unequally distributing the rightful good.

Let us take Norton 360 for example. I just hate how full of crap it is that there exists such "service" schemes as the likes of a Norton antivirus paid subscription. My dad bought a P3600 worth (or even more expensive) Norton 360 antivirus DVD, with a paid subscription. WOW. We paid for a "powerful" antivirus software, as they claim it to be, and have it expire for after a few short years? Just plain WOW again at that. It's like buying a brand new house, and having to pay for the key to it at a short time frame. In short, they really are taking advantage of the ignorance of the regular individual.

My dad is not a techie person. He only uses the internet for personal productivity tools such as the Microsoft Office, email, and a few others. Add to the list is the need for antivirus. What used to be a computer whose sole purpose should be for personal productivity now had an added responsibility of "protecting the user from viruses" and such piece of crap. Early on, I'd rather buy my dad a Macintosh computer to dump altogether these nonsense software called antivirus. And, especially to those big companies who won't give us any "service" unless we pay them, and only for a short time will they "serve" you. It's no use buying their DVD installer because it's useless anyway if you don't subscribe to them. AS IF they're a necessity. AS IF we could not live without them.

Yes, we do have a choice to not buy them at all. But, do we all know that? My dad does not even have an idea what his options are, and this plot of these large antivirus corporations offering "strong computer protection", with all the other unnecessary crap features, all for a price really "sells" to the kind of market that fear for their computers, even when no real serious threat exists. There is just an illusion that if you pay for something, the service is indeed better, and you get exactly what you pay for. Nah-uh.

Up to now, my dad feels scared to use his computer, plug in flash disks to transport important files, and use the internet all because his Norton 360 subscription has expired. What's so epic-ly funny is that the software is so wonderfully designed to not ever forget that my dad's subscription has expired, and NEEDS TO BE RENEWED RIGHT AWAY. All with those wonderful display of the price range, and all the other wonderful useless features. All value-added ones. Crap.

Right now, I think what I should to help my dad trust in his computer again, and start his daily activities is to explain to him that dependence to a paid antivirus subscription is not necessary. There are free antivirus software available in the internet, and those are enough to protect a computer. The best way to avoid viruses is a smart use of computers. Prevention is always better than cure. Knowledge equips one well enough for prevention of unnecessary dilemmas like computer viruses. Ultimately, it would also be best to suggest to my dad to try a Mac instead next time around. I'm sure that once he gets used to it, he'll never turn back. He does not know what he's missing... yet. At least not yet. I'm gonna make sure that I'll sell the idea of a Mac to him well. That is, if it would come to a point that I'll need to convince him about that.

I am going to finish installing an AVG Free version to my dad's computer so he can happily use his computer again (a childish la-la-la melody to that). I bet it's done downloading now. Better press Next, Next, and Next 'til it finishes installing. Ciao! ;)

Note: Here is the link to my previous blog about how corporations are practicing control over individuals: http://thedaywriter.blogspot.com/2011/02/realizing-supersize-me.html

PS

I'm not furious about these things. I'm just frustrated and feeling critical about them. We all probably know, even in the unconscious we feel it, that we are being taken advantage of. These things are just popping out in the open, like when a potion of invisibility loses its effectiveness, and slowly reveals the image of its drinker.

Oh, don't think that I have missed out on bashing you, Microsoft! Hahaha! I still love you for the wonderful programming but exclusive platform, though! Still, Mac rocks. But, let's see what happens this next 10 years. I wonder who'll dominate the market next, if there will ever be a change, or if there will be new players. :)

I forgot to share too about my plan to go to AdHoc. I eventually decided not to go. I had to view my resume and prepare it soon for my internship this summer. I also have a good feeling that we will be able to finish our Capstone Project. God, thank You! You really are great! I feel strengthened and full of hope. I am also glad that things are starting to work out fine with me and my group. I am confident that we, well I, will graduate on time this coming September/October/next term! Oh, and, AdHoc, Imma see you this September! Parteeeey!!! >;)

There are still other stuff that I realized today. It includes some frustrations, learning from those failures, and enlightenment from those realizations about myself and others. What's so good is that in the end I find myself smiling. I'll also always remember how Alanis said that it's about what you do to your anger that makes anger colorful (see video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bEwNR_gbag&feature=autofb). Yes, we can be mad, frustrated, or pissed off at someone. But, it is what we do with our anger that defines if it is good or bad. It is the lack of action about anger that creates plain bitterness and frustrations. So, be mad, but do something good about it!

I won't get to read through this work anymore since I'm feeling SOOO sleepy now. Maybe next time I will. See 'ya! ;)

So there ya have it. Yer daily dose of rant, from Dukefool. ;)

My Missing Mornings

Days are as important as its mornings. Without it, they're just half of what they're meant to be. There is a lot to miss. This has always been my situation. If not for school, morning wouldn't be in my dictionary. As I ponder, I realize that I'm missing a lot of my days. There are a lot of things in my mind that I want to do yet I always lack the time to do them. It now makes sense why I always lose a lot on the going-ons. I want my mornings back. I still have, hopefully, more than half a life ahead.

Oh, I awoke late today
It's almost time for lunch
I've missed again sun's early ray
It's too late for a munch

With lots of things I have in mind
I feel empty inside
Deep inside, I have turned blind
The blow of wind I ride

I feel like I missed something out
But couldn't tell at all
I go on with the day's bout
Where I hear an unknown call

But then as I lay down at night
It hurts as I remember
I missed a day's half, alright
Yet then they are all over

Now I lay, inside I wish
For a new start for tomorrow
I'm now asleep yet soul's awake
I'll bid bye to this sorrow

Today, no, since yesterday, I start to vindicate my mornings. I'll have them all back with more intensity. See you soon, my missing mornings, for I shall find you.

The Advent of the Day

I've written a little something last night as I was about to sleep. I just couldn't stop savouring the taste and feel of the coming morning and the beauty of the night. It's as follows:

I miss the old, the morning shade
Where all is painted blue
It's almost like an age ago
That I've seen such scene, such view

So now in bed I make a wish
Hope it would come true
That this day on I'll start the day
Feeling all brand new

I've come to think of it, it's been quite some time since I've last seen the dawn where all is cold, blue, dark, yet what's exciting about it is that you expect the sun to show after quite a little while. Those times that I am able to behold the break of the day are a rarity. The reason is because I rarely ever wake up early in the morning... Even my morning classes are in jeopardy because I have a destructive habit of waking up late. I've never really given it much thought, I realize today.

The thought of the morning soothes me as I wrote this thought in my mind. It's late already -- you'll feel the chill. But somehow I feel sunlight already even though it's still less than 5 hours away from appearing. It just made me really yearn for the advent of the day when the sunlight hasn't yet lit the ground up. It's a cooling, rejuvinating experience, I ponder. Now, it makes me want to experience it more day by day.

I want sunlight in its first glance and rays. I want the morning where the dew are still untouched by light. I want the clouds that show a beautiful shade of blue. I like the streets colored all grey-blue. I want the coolness of the morning touching my soul and not just my skin. I want change. I want newness. I want this everyday.

Maybe it would be difficult for me to learn how to appreciate mornings the conventional way. But this spectacular encounter happening in my soul, I believe, would suffice for that need. It would all be easier now since I seem to have found a new purpose and understanding of the morning. It's an experience.

As I woke up today, I've never felt any better as if I didn't lack the sleep that I always did before. I somehow was able to capture a taste of the morning although it was less than perfect. This is a new day. This is a new start.