After much debate. I have decided to finally reinstall Windows XP. Hopefully it will eliminate some of the problems with accessing certain resources online. Failing this, the only people I could blame is my local ISP for blocking ports that need not be blocked.
Another thing I am going to attempt is to see how much I can not use Microsoft or Windows-Only products. Therefore, I am going to attempt to only use OpenOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, etc. Some software I not found equilivants of… including Macromedia MX Suite, Rhino 3D, Publisher.
This is one of the steps towards freedom from Windows, I am making. Eventually, I leave it and migrate into Linux. Once, I found suitable, easy to use, and mature software products that will allow me to get what I want done without having to look back over my shoulder at Windows.
There was a time (move than ten years ago) when I was free from Microsoft and Windows. Back then I used IBM OS/2 Warp 3.0. My applications were basically IBM Works. And I had very little need to even use the Virtual Windows 3.1 Emulator built into OS/2. I long for those good old days. I had having been forced because of the lack of applications and support for the OS/2 platform. I wished developers at the time were more serious about it. OS/2 was impressive, the things I could do with it, I never been able to achieve since. Although it should be possible with any operating system today. Using REXX to integrate command threads to accomplish different tasks with interprocesss communication, is something nearly impossible without hardcoding in other operating systems.
Furthermore, if a DLL existed on your system, and it had a documented function list it provided, it was so very easily to make that DLL into command extensions to the REXX language.
Anyway back to dreaming of Mainframe power in your palm… 🙂
– DW