Microsoft's Skype

It is now an old news that Microsoft bought Skype. Such a big purchase usually takes time and product is almost on hold for that time. That is why I was surprised with big change new version brought.

Skype Home window is finally gone! That bastard offspring of facebook integration does not appear on startup anymore. Yes, you can show it again if you are feeling mazohistic but you might as well saw off your foot and get same level of enjoyment.

I have no idea whether this was Microsoft initiated change or not but it is definitely step in right direction.

Irving

If everything goes fine, next post you’ll see will be from Irving, Texas. My previous trip to USA landed me in Redmond WA and I felt like I was in Europe (if you disregard automatic gear changer and bad beer).

From what I hear Texas is totally different experience. Bigger cars, bigger steaks and bad beer (ok, some things are constant in USA :)). In any case, I am looking forward to spend few months immersed in land of Chuck Norris.

I just pray that my weird sense of humor won’t land me in any trouble. :)

[For future reference: It all ended up with me landing in Dallas and then driving to Virginia…]

Say No Word

I usually like guys from Microchip and their choice of micro-controllers is sole reason why I started playing with electronics. They just make everything simple and enjoyable - even when they mess things up. But we do live in idiotic times…

When you try to install their successor to venerable MPLAB first choice you have to make is to agree to most stupid condition. Let me quote: “Therefore I agree to use only the private MPLAB X IDE forum for all questions and support I need.”. I understand that they do not want to put their newborn child through too much scrutiny but do they really expect anybody to take this seriously?

If you do perform install you will be greeted with another piece of insanity: “This Nonexclusive Software License Agreement (“Agreement”) is a contract between you, your heirs, successors and assigns (“Licensee”) and Microchip Technology Incorporated”. Frankly this looks more like contract with devil than with software(hardware) company. Although I might be little bit wrong here - contract with devil usually does not apply to all one’s heirs - for devil first born is usually enough.

Well, Microchip, can I send you my first born in order to ask a question publicly or I need to send both of them?

Kindle 4

All e-book lovers rejoice, new Kindles are upon us.

My two beefs with Kindle were annoying keyboard that serves no e-book purpose whatsoever (unless you are scribbling teenager) and lack of touch screen. Both things are now fixed at surprising $99. More than a fair deal in my opinion (and that is not the cheapest version).

Will I buy it? Probably won’t. My old Kindle 2 works perfectly and, as much I hate to say it, I grew fond of it’s dents and scratches. But, as soon as I manage to kill it, I have new device to buy. :)

Word of Caution

Of course I did install Windows 8 Developer Preview. And of course I selected my primary machine as guinea pig. Installation of Windows 8 itself went into virtual disk onto my RAID mirror and it completed without any issue.

My feeling for interface is that it is too phone-like with all stupid restrictions that this brings. For example, most of dialogs cannot be traversed by using Tab key. If you are using keyboard as your primary input device that will annoy you. Interface between legacy and new applications is troublesome at best and I have feeling that Microsoft will need to do a lot of work on this one.

I also find new start menu as pointless exercise in minimalism. It might be me, but I do not see why menu of only few items deserves it’s own taskbar space. If desire is to remove “clutter” they might as well remove that whole button.

And this is all I have to say so far.

P.S. If you are wondering why there ain’t any more opinions about Windows 8, answer lies in fact that I am not using it anymore.

Although I did install it in VHD, that VHD was on RAID mirror. At first everything seemed to be working fine but after hibernation my RAID was broken and I could not boot. Quick visit to DISKPART (part of Windows 8) gave me opportunity to know that RAID is being rebuilt and, in Microsoft’s eternal wisdom, there was no way to check it’s progress. However, few hours later, sync was done and I could boot.

After next hibernate I was given same treatment once over but this time I could not make it boot (even as RAID status said healthy). My first solution was to execute BOOTSEC.EXE /FIXMBR and BOOTSEC.EXE /REBUILDBCD. I was surprised when these commands (executed from Windows 8 installation prompt) gave me my original (Windows 7) BCD and not a new Windows 8 one. I haven’t analysed it further but it seems that someone forgot to update that part of installation medium.

For better or for worse, I need to install Windows 8 again. This time I will probably sacrifice virtual machine and thus I will not check what I desire the most - Hyper-V in client OS.