Fixed Vista Windows Explorer crashing problem
I was recently having a strange problem with Windows Explorer on my install of Vista. For some reason, Explorer would hang and require a restart the first time after boot after right-clicking. After some investigation, I think that the problem must have been an errant right-click entry by a program. When you install Windows programs, many of them add things to the right-click menu in Windows Explorer so that you can perform and action on that file in your newly-installed program. For example, iTunes will add the ability to “Play in iTunes” when right-clicking on an audio file. Apparently, one or more of these additions to my right-click menu must have been causing Explorer to hang. I am not sure why a restart of Explorer fixed it.
To fix this, I downloaded the free application, ShellExView from http://www.nirsoft.net. I then turned off all extensions except those provided by Microsoft (there were a ton and turning them off individually to find the culprit would have taken forever). After reboot, I right-clicked and… no crash! Now I can turn on extensions that I would find useful. It not only fixed an annoying problem for me but it also will allow me to customize and streamline my Explorer’s UI.
Health care reform
I am not going to pretend that I understand the intricacies of the health care debate. I do know that something needs to happen. When I started in “the real world” about a decade ago, it was pretty common to have health care fully covered by your employer. That now seems about impossible to find. And this is just in the span of a decade.
One thing that bothers me, though, is how fast and loose people on the right use terms like “socialism.” On one hand, we hear how a public option for health care insurance would be a huge intrusion of the government into the private sector. Yet, these same people will talk about how terrible it would be to cut Medicare, a government program. For these people who claim that Obama and Democrats are socialists, will they just come out and call for an end to other socialist programs like public schools, public roadways, flu vaccination programs, insurance on bank deposits… the list goes on. I never hear it explained why government’s intervention in some areas is okay but in other areas it is nothing short of the fall of capitalism.
I don’t think that anyone can honestly claim that the healthcare system, as is, is working well for middle class and lower class America. And, so, it looks like government will have to get involved. So this pure ideological argument from the right seems like a waste of time to me. Haven’t we already realized that a pure market approach is not going to solve this problem and the government is going to get involved? So let’s talk about the specifics of how the fix the problem instead of trying to derail the reform effort.
Windows Vista – or why I am switching back
I have a Macbook Pro computer. I have been using the Macintosh off and on for awhile. As I thought about purchasing a new laptop, I really wanted a 17-inch screen. I had two 17-inch laptops previous to my Macbook Pro but I just couldn’t afford any Mac laptop with a 17-inch screen. Right now, their 17-inch model starts at $2,499. Seriously. It is a really nice laptop and if you priced out a Windows laptop with the same exact specs, it might be a similar cost. But I just could not justify spending that much on a laptop. And, I could not get that screen size in the resolution I want.
I use a computer pretty much all day and I’ve always found a 17-inch screen at 1440 x 900 very comfortable. The laptop I have now is the same resolution (1440 x 900) with a 15-inch screen and I have noticed myself getting a lot more eye strain. So, to get ready for switching back to Windows, I have installed Windows Vista, via Boot Camp, on my Macintosh and have been running that full time for about four months.
My impression is that Mac OS X is a better operating system. I have been dealing with some of the kruft that happens when you’ve installed and uninstalled and used a Windows system for some time. It definitely feels slower than when it was freshly installed. I have run registry cleaners and that seemed to help somewhat… along with killing and not letting me enter registration information for a piece of software I use daily (Navicat). It is just more to worry about with Windows – it seems like more maintenance.
I also feel like I am rewarding Microsoft for their poor software in a way. You see, as a web developer, I spend a LOT of time debugging for Internet Explorer. On the Macintosh that meant having Parallels open with Windows XP. With my machine, I have a maximum of three gigs of RAM which goes very quickly with two OSes and a couple of Adobe apps running. Also, Microsoft Office 2008 is sooooo slow. Office 2007 is very quick on Vista. Also, not Microsoft’s fault, is that Dreamweaver on Mac OS X has some very annoying bugs that made it very difficult to use.
I am hopeful that Windows 7 will address some of the performance degradation that happens over time on earlier versions of Windows. On the whole, I am happy with Vista. I actually like the interface and I think the performance for running applications is better than Mac OS X, on the whole.
Watching the Mariners
I am not sure if I am supposed to be getting this channel or if it is a fluke, but right now I’m receiving a baseball station so I get to watch a little Mariners baseball and see one of the final games of the season. For those who don’t know, I am a Seattle Mariners and Miami Dolphins fan. I think I just wanted to be contrarian with rooting for Seattle – I didn’t want to cheer for the Red Sox since they were my brother’s favorite team. Had I realized the whole time zone thing, I may not have become a fan of a west coast team. But I’ve been following them for so long that they are my team. I liked the Dolphins mostly because of Dan Marino. The 80s Dolphins were a very exciting team to watch.
This has been a great year for Seattle. Ichiro has now racked up over 200 hits for the last 9 straight years, breaking the major league record which stood for over one hundred years. And, going from a really disappointing 100 loss season where their payroll was over $100 million in 2008, they seem to have really laid the foundation for a brighter future. They’ve assured themselves of a winning season this year which is exciting. And, of course, Griffey Jr.’s return to Seattle has had some incredible moments as well.
Beltre just hit a solo shot. This will probably be the last year I get to see him in a Mariners uniform. It is too bad he spent so much of it on the DL.
Anyway, it is time to switch gears and follow the Red Sox. Now that I am older and can actually tolerate my brother, I’ve grown to appreciate them. But I am excited for next year and I hope to see some more M’s games via MLB.tv.
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