Yup, it’s true…I’m getting a new laptop for school next year. I did some looking around online for the best deal and found a decent Dell Inspiron laptop. I tried to make sure the hardware I got would be as compatible with Linux as possible, because I’m going to try what this guy did to get an even better deal. Apparently, Dell will allow you to get a partial refund on your Windows software if you do not accept the Windows EULA. I’m going to try it. My laptop comes bundled with Windows Vista Home Premium, but I am completely uninterested in trying that OS. I just don’t like the DRM issues, Security flaws, and memory wasting in a typical Windows system. I’ll get my new laptop today, boot it up, decline the Windows license, and install Ubuntu.
I’m not sure if it will actually work or not, but it would be worth it to get an extra discount on my laptop.
On another note, I’ve been really impressed with how quickly they handled my order. When I ordered the laptop on Friday, I was told that it would ship until March 3rd. It actually shipped Sunday and is arriving today. So really good customer service so far.
Speaking of Dell and Linux, I’ve been seeing a few articles about how Dell is looking to incorporate Linux and other open-source software into their computers. They’ve been doing this for a while for desktops and laptops in their small business store. They will sell Latitude notebooks and Dimension Desktops with no OS installed. The interesting thing is that the open-source laptops are actually more expensive than Windows Vista equivalents. Its definitely an interesting option, but for open-source PCs to be as cost-effective as Windows PCs, Dell will have to make some sort of distribution deal with a software company. Novell seems to be stepping up to fill that void, providing their SUSE Linux OS and some other software along with it for Dell computers in the future. Maybe someday, I won’t have to buy a cheaper Windows PC just to install Linux over it.
Just some thoughts until I get to go home and get my new computer!
February 27th, 2007
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Scott |
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Tonight is Oscar night. It’s a great night to review the past year of movies and watch Hollywood congratulate itself on a job well done. The tone of each year’s award ceremony just seems to get more and more obnoxiously self-gratifying every year. But that doesn’t stop me from watching it. This year should be interesting, though. There seem to be fewer solid locks to win in various categories this year than in the past and many of the most important races, including Best Picture, are completely up in the air. So I am definitely looking forward to watching this evening’s show. It should be interesting.
I’ll get to my picks in a moment, but first I want to look back and list my favorite films from the past year. I didn’t see everything, so this list is far from complete, but here is my top whatever of 2006, in no particular order: (The ones with *stars* are my top 5)
*Pan’s Labyrinth*
*Children of Men*
*V for Vendetta*
*Joyeaux Noel*(Released in the States in 2006)
*The Prestige*
Little Miss Sunshine
Curse of the Golden Flower
Monster House
Casino Royale
The Good Shepherd
Idiocracy
Rocky Balboa
Lucky Number Slevin
Superman Returns
Out of the films I saw this year, Pan’s Labyrinth really stood out among the rest. It was imaginative, entertaining, intense, and emotional. Just an amazing experience in the theater. I recently rewatched The Prestige and was even more impressed with it on the second viewing than I was the first.
Anyway, as I am running out of time before I have to go to my Oscars party, here are my picks (and my personal favorites):
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker (Peter O’Toole)
Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphey (Alan Arkin)
Best Actress - Helen Mirren
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson (Abigail Breslin)
Animated Feature - Monster House
Cinematography - Pan’s Labyrinth
Editing - Babel (Children of Men)
Art Direction - Pan’s Labyrinth
Original Screenplay - Pan’s Labyrinth
Adapted Screenplay - Children of Men
Directing - The Departed
Foreign Language Film - Pan’s Labyrinth
Documentary Feature - An Inconvenient Truth
Visual Effects - Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man’s Chest
Makeup - Pan’s Labyrinth
Original Score - Pan’s Labyrinth
Costume Design - Curse of the Golden Flower
Sound Editing - Flags of Our Fathers
Sound Mixing - Flags of Our Fathers
Original Song - “Patience” - Dreamgirls
Best Picture - The Queen
Well, that’s it. Hope I get at least a couple right. Bye!
February 25th, 2007
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Scott |
Movies |
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Ok, so I’ve been really awful about this whole blogging thing. I started off really well near the end of last school year, and actually kept my blog up through part of the summer. But that didn’t last. I decided to really get started with my blog again and to give it some effort this time. So here goes.
First thing I did was to switch to Wordpress. This blog software seems a bit more customizable than my old Serendipity based blog. Although, there are definitely some things I still have to work out. Like the picture gallery thumbnails. That should work…but it doesn’t. And I don’t know why. But maybe I’ll figure it out somehow. Other neat things about the Wordpress setup is that it is easier than ever for me to actually update the blog. I can update it from my linux desktop at home, through my Flock web browser at school (or wherever), and even through the normal website interface. So no more excuses. I’ll be able to update!
Ok, so what’s the point? Well, my earlier focus on using technology in education is still a big priority for me. So I will definitely write on that. My students are still blogging in their classes, and I’m still figuring out more ways to involve web tools for them. DOPA is dead…or at least one version of it. I hear a new version of the bill has just been sent into the senate by the same guy who thinks the Internet is a “series of tubes.” So I’ll be keeping an eye on that, as well. I’d also like to write a little bit about my upcoming graduate school experience here. I’ll be pursuing an M.A. in English from Clemson University starting next fall. I’m not sure if I’ll take a thesis route, or coursework based route for the degree. I can definitely see the benefits of both. I think this blog will be very beneficial for me as kind of an online set of reading notes for my Orals list. So soon I’ll be starting to catalog some of the things on my oral examination list as I read them. I also love movies. So there will be a pretty good amount of focus on film in this blog. Oh yeah, and I recently switched all the computers in my household to Ubuntu Linux so I may write about that from time to time.
I think that’s enough for a re-opening post. So I’ll stop now. Bye!
February 17th, 2007
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Scott |
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