Win7 Starter Review: Eye Candy

The most obvious drawback to Win7 Starter has to be the inability to change the theme. It's one of the first things I do on a fresh install.

After a few days stuck with the same wallpaper, sound scheme and window appearance, I've come to the conclusion it's not so bad. The 2 worst things about it really is it's a bit to bright and too loud. I'm used to very dark active window bars and taskbars. And I'm used to disabling windows sounds.

For the savings over Home Premium, these are things I can live without. I've lived without Aero for nearly a decade anyway.

Required iPod Knowledge

Itunes is fat and bloated. It should be part of The Biggest Loser and shed at least half its weight. Unfortunately for iPod users, it's a must have.

Install only what you need and follow this guide.

Extract three files from the iTunesSetup file, AppleApplicationSupport.msi, QuickTime.msi and iTunes.msi, and save them in a local folder. Open a command prompt window, navigate to that folder, and run the following commands:

* AppleApplicationSupport.msi /passive
* Quicktime.msi /passive
* iTunes.msi /passive

That's all you need for your Ipod Classic (Video), Nano, Shuffle and/or Mini.

Windows 7 Starter Review--Ep. 1

I just installed Win7 Starter on my MSI Wind. Why Starter and not Home Premium considering all the limitations?

1. Aero Glass, meaning you can only use the “Windows Basic” or other opaque themes. It also means you do not get Taskbar Previews or Aero Peek.
2. Personalization features for changing desktop backgrounds, window colors, or sound schemes.
3. The ability to switch between users without having to log off.
4. Multi-monitor support.
5. DVD playback.
6. Windows Media Center for watching recorded TV or other media.
7 Remote Media Streaming for streaming your music, videos, and recorded TV from your home computer.
8. Domain support for business customers.
9. XP Mode for those that want the ability to run older Windows XP programs on Windows 7.

1 & 2 are just eye candy which I could live without to save Php3000.

No one else uses my laptop so 3 doesn't matter. And if anyone had to borrow it, I'd just save and log off. No big deal.

4 also does not matter since I'm using a laptop.

I'm sure I'll be playing DVDs only on my DVD player. The only movies I'll be watching on a PC are downloaded from torrents and are played with MPC. If I do have to play a DVD on my PC I'm pretty sure MPC or VLC will be able to handle it. (I'll confirm this later.)

Next is the lack of Windows Media Center. Again I use MPC to watch my media and recorded TV is not one of them. Just torrents of TV series.

Remote media streaming is another feature I'm not interested in. And so is domain support.

Lastly Win XP mode might be useful for old apps. But I doubt if I'll ever use an app that so old, it's not supported by Win7.

The biggest disadvantages for previous Windows Starter versions were hardware restrictions and a 3-application limit. I'm sure the 3-app limit has been lifted by MS and no hardware restrictions are listed in the Windows Team blog or the Win7 Starter page.

So far so good. The installation went without a hitch, much like the Win7 RC which I used for about 2 months.

Stand by for Episode 2.

Up Dharma Down - The World Is Our Playground - Lyrics

you are my sunshine
and my occassional rain
we become divine
after every pain
so please, won't you
sit this through
because everyday
will find reasons to stay
if words are too few
to keep horizons in view
will you go
or stay and grow
standing on the edge
between crazy and sense
remember what i said
nothing has to end

Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time - Ep. 2

IGN's list just turned turned into a joke. The Xbox360 is higher on the list than the PS1 and N64? Give me one Xbox360 game that can compare to the impact and status of Mario64, Zelda - Ocarina of Time, GT1 & 2, MGS, FF7.

There are great games on the 360 but so far none of them is legendary. The only legendary thing about the 360 so far is the RROD--the first time a console had such massive failure rates.

Microsoft is leading the industry only now on its second Xbox. Sony stole the show from Nintendo and Sega on their first try. While the PS2 delivered the death blow to Sega's hardware business, it was the Ps1 who incapacitated it.

While I love the DC, Sonic Adventure and Shenmue, they should not be ahead of the N64.

My prediction for the top 5, if IGN still has any sense in them will be. (I just realized there are no handhelds in the list.)
5. Genesis
4. SNES
3. Atari 2600
2. PS2
1. NES

Up Dharma Down Album Art

Here are Fragmented and Bipolar

Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time

IGN is currently counting down their list of top 25 consoles of all time. I'll list my own top 5.

5, Atari 2600 - There were consoles that were first. But this was the first to make it big. Some of its games are still played on mobile phones today: Pacman, Pong, Breakout.

4. PS1 - This is the first console for company that had little to no videogame influence. And they made it big--enough to have 3rd generation of this console.

3. PS2 - Market domination, longevity and a long, long list of great games make this my favorite console of all time.

2. Gameboy - This console started the handheld market. And it ran it for what seemed like an eternity.

1. NES - I wouldn't be gaming today if not for the NES. A lot of games wouldn't be here today if not for the NES. A lot of NES games are still fun to play even today.

- Note -
Why no SNES or Genesis? Just one reason--they didn't dominate the market during their time because of each other.