tewha.net

I decided to take Microsoft up on their offer of a free toaster. A few screens in to the installer, I see this:

Cool! So I get to click some of these options, right? I click Use recommended settings:

That’s odd, I muse. That option must be incompatible with the others for some reason. So I turn it off and try the next option, Install definition updates only¹.

At this point, I turn off the option and try the third option, Ask me later. I know what’s going to happen, I just can’t quite believe it. Nobody’s this stupid, right? Wrong.

And there you have it. When Microsoft first chipped the Windows logo in to cave walls, they must have chipped a check box under it.

I feel almost guilty pointing out Microsoft’s stupidities. It’s a bit like kicking a puppy. A puppy that when you stop kicking it will pee on your carpet, round the corners of your furniture with its teeth, bite your friends and dry hump your leg, but still a puppy.

1. Who writes these option names, anyway? Terribly complicated! [↩]

Microsoft offers a variety of exciting offers through “Windows Genuine Advantage Offers.”

I’m leaning towards the toaster.

A month or two ago, a Grolier Canada representative called me trying to get me to agree to take some books from them. I told them flat out no, not interested… don’t call me again.

So today they sent me a letter thanking me for accepting the books and invoicing me for $9.07.

I think tomorrow I’ll report them for fraud, but tonight I sent them an email thanking them for the gift and reminding them that I refused to let them send it to me, and am not responsible for the invoiced amount.

What complete and utter predatory, bottom-feeding scum. This company evidently survives by this particular postal scam: victimizing new parents for profit.

Update: They backed down immediately, asking me to donate the books to a local school. That I can live with.

I think spammers may be getting more clever¹. For the first time in a year, I got two pieces of spam this morning. I’ve had one more since. If this continues, I’m going to have to turn on more options than just Akimset.

Or maybe spammers just really like posts that mention Indiana Jones.

1. This is clever in the clever monkeys sense. But not more intelligent, obviously. [↩]

A conversation with a friend over Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

me: Harrison Ford may look old, but he still looks the part.
him: Makeup is good. *nod* And yeah, he does look the part. Spielberg and Lucas have gotten… uh… well, they’ve lost the sense of fun that led to the creation of their early movies. I expect them to try to DELIVER A MESSAGE with this one.
me: ARGH!
him: Hmm?
me: You just totally wrecked my day because you’re absolutely right.
him: Doh! Sorry.