Excursions

I have been a PC guy since I was 10 years old. The first version that I used was Windows 95. I stayed the longest with Windows 98. I fell in love with Windows XP even on my PC hardware that didn’t support the OS well then.

However, what I had for this platform wasn’t love. For the small town I am from, Windows was the default platform. At home, in school and at work. Mac OS wasn’t a name anyone had heard. Linux was limited to textbooks.

I dabbled with the latter during my bachelor’s and the developer in me was instantly captivated. It wasn’t ready to replace the default OS on my desktop though. There was still some time to go before it could go mainstream. So like most folks around me, I dual-booted Windows and Linux.

However, I believe things have improved since then. There are many “flavours” of Linux today that target users beyond developers. Why not then should I give them a try again?

So I have been running Linux as my primary OS for more than a few months now. I haven’t missed my default platform yet. It may not still be ready for all the people that Microsoft targets with Windows. But it is ready to be the default platform for many tech-minded folks out there.

I am not going back to Windows anymore. I don’t have any incentive,

PS: I am trying Chrome OS Flex currently. I am pretty impressed with this flavour of an operating system. It’s light and fast. Plus it also runs Linux now. Except for the fear of Google, this platform has a lot going for it.

My daughter regularly uses the assistants at home – for timers, for reminders. To play songs that she loves. She even asks questions about things she gets curious about. She loves Alexa and talks to her as if talking to a friend. She can work with Google Assistant – it always gets the job done.

However, she doesn’t like Siri. I set a timer for her with Siri today – it didn’t take her long to move it to Echo. Well, I can’t blame her. She asked Siri how much time was remaining on her timer. Siri replied, “I am sorry, I can’t do that here.” How can you not do something so basic?

Once my daughter was done, I asked Siri to cancel the timer. Well, she repeated that she can’t do that. Sigh!

Did anyone think the drama around Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter will play out any differently? Normally, that is? Is anything that this guy does conventional?

I remember I had tried Typora once as a Markdown editor, and I was impressed even then. I got to know today that it’s available on Linux too. The feature set looks promising. I will give it a try, with Atom no longer an option.

I liked Atom on Ubuntu, it was a nice markdown editor. So, it was sad to read Github is archiving this project. Now, I need to start searching for another one.

I am tired of even the simple utility apps going for subscription model instead of right out one-time purchases. Make the app a paid app – sure make it costlier than the subscription cost. Don’t say it’s free and present “Subscribe” button first thing when your user opens the app.

I understand, as a developer subscriptions are tempting. But please, respect your users. Or else you lose them.

I want to support the developers, but am fatigued. Subscriptions are costly. Now, I subscribe for service. And I pay for app. I am doing nothing else any more.

I let my subscription to the Freedom service expire today. I intend to do the same for Pocket soon. I don’t get enough benefit from either of these services. Plus I am at the peak of subscription fatigue now. Am done with annual subscriptions, doesn’t matter how cheap they are.

A smartphone with a case is just not the same device. I have never used a device without a case ever. A slippery slab of fragile glass just doesn’t feel comfortable sitting in my hand. So, I just wrap it in a case and carry it along. It gives the device a physical and me a psychological cushion against any accidental falls. But every time I take the device out of the case for cleaning, putting it back in the case feels like a crime. It loses all its charm. Every device looks the same with a case on — the camera bump, the notch, the punch-hole fail to help.

As I hold this device in my hand again, about to commit a crime against it, I am seriously considering not going through with it. Will the worst happen? By writing about it, have I already jinxed it?

Did you know you can import data directly from a webpage with MS Excel, as table? I didn’t. Just go to Data -> Get Data From Web -> Enter URL with table and boom! I used to copy the table and paste it in when I needed to. Just like they did in.. uhmm.. stone-age, I guess? 🤯

I can never wear my watch while sleeping. I want my sleep to be comfortable – one with a watch hugging my wrist isn’t. However, I am interested in recording my sleep pattern. It was possible with fitness bands, no longer is with a smartwatch.