My first computer was a Commodore Vic 20 which preceded the popular Commodore 64. It was a Christmas gift to me in 1982. I loved that machine because you could learn to program and play games. It was an 8-bit system, and it used a cassette tape drive and cartridges like a video game. It was also at a great price point of under $300 at the time. Furthermore, it really did a great job of getting technology to the people. Thanks to my mom and dad for gifting it to me and making me a happy boy.
People have started using their state birds as Rebel Alliance–inspired symbols (from Star Wars) to say, “this is where I am, and I’m not okay with what’s happening.” This is the Mockingbird from Tennessee.
America is a cold place where ICE does things that freeze the soul. Nostalgia can be a dual-edged sword, but I long for days when there was warmth and sanity. There is so much going on that leaves a tear to the eye and a clenching of the heart. Life is hard, and the struggle is indeed real. It seems like Winter is everywhere and people are stuck out in the cold. Too many lives have perished in it. I wonder if the future is going to be frigid like the present. Friends safety comes from being out in from the cold. May no one else lose their lives and may they be safe. It’s cold, and I wonder when it will be warm again.
Minneapolis and Minnesota did not ask for the crap it’s going through. The violence and murders have to stop. I hope for peace and safety for the people there.
We had a winter weather weekend with a wintery mix of precipitation and freezing temps. Today has started below freezing. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the week goes. Stay warm everyone.
I wanted to share with you the operating system and apps that powers Nerd Corner. I use them on my desktop and laptop computers. They are vital to me in my creative endeavors. I use them daily to make connections with my family, friends and this blogging community. Check them out and give them a spin.
I love Linux and my official operating system is Zorin OS, which is in its 18th version. It powers both my desktop and laptop. This open source software looks and feels like Microsoft Windows, and many use it because of that reason. You don’t have to put up with all the bloat and ads of Windows 10/11. It comes with loads of productivity and entertainment software already installed and has a library of thousands of apps I can download to make it my own.
Mozilla Firefox is my long-time favorite browser because it is open source, secure and offers enough features that don’t get in the way of getting stuff done. I use Firefox for browsing the web, posting blogs, watching YouTube videos, e-commerce, and connecting to others on social media among other fun things. There is also a mobile app that I use daily.
Thunderbird is my go-to email app. You can send and receive email from various places like Gmail, Yahoo and the like. It is highly customizable so you can make it work for you. It also comes with a built-in calendar you can sync to your online calendar. Not only that, but it’s also secure.
In disclosure, I have made a very small donation to the organizations that maintain and distribute these programs. If you use them, it makes sense to support them in whatever way you can. Each of them are also non-profit and community supported, which is something I feel good about.
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