a gthing science project

Posted by Sam at June 30th, 2006

Many of us use legitimate copies of Windows yet fail Microsoft’s latest authenticity check software. This results in a stupid little icon in the task bar telling us every five minutes that our copies of Windows are illegal and to call the cops and turn ourselves in or risk becoming Bill Gates’ towel boy.
I, for example, always delete the default windows installation when I get a new computer. I don’t like dealing with all the crap that comes on Dell or HP machines. I like a nice clean Windows install without 50 billion icons trying to get me to sign up for AOL and who knows what else.

So I throw in an unattended install CD and come back half an hour later to a nice, clean system. The unattended install uses some key (who knows?) but the fact is I OWN a Windows license - because it came on my computer in the first place.

Many people have come to me asking how to get rid of WGA (especially people with whom I used my unattended install CD with). So for those of you stuck with retarded WGA notifications, here are some ways to get rid of it. When it first popped up on my computer I booted into safe mode and went nuts until it went away, but there are better ways of going about this.

1. To demonstrate their own stupidity, Microsoft has released a knowledge base article on removing WGA. Even
though this is require spyware software, they will let you uninstall it. Even if you’re not interested in this, go look at the article, then ask yourself “Who the hell is running the show over there?” This is not an easy option as it takes a rocket scientist to figure out. If you go this route, check out this ZDNet article clearing up some of the confusion found in Microshaft’s poorly slapped together article.

2. Demonoid.com points to a patch program that came out shortly after the WGA update. This will patch your computer to not have this crazy rootkit-like software.

3. The other option, if you have not yet received the WGA update, is to TURN OFF auto updates NOW. You can then install updates from autopatcher.com, picking and choosing which ones you want. This works just like Microshaft’s update software except without the hassle and with more control over what is getting onto your computer.

As an end note, I would also like to point out that Microsoft is currently being sued for this WGA software they have released.

One more thing - just because you got rid of it doesn’t mean this is over. There are some rumors thats Microsoft will be shutting off Windows PC’s that fail to have WGA installed sometime this fall. I kinda doubt this is the case since they’re being sued now, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Take comfort in the fact that you’ll probably get 30 days notification before you’re shut down (if it ever happens).

Posted by Sam at June 30th, 2006

So the other day Cingular calls me. I had just helped my little brother sign up for a phone with them using my own account as financial responsibility because he did not have enough credit established to start an account. The lady on the other end called my brother, but then asked for me.

She began asking me questions to confirm my account. It was an unusual amount too, like not just name and social - it’ was name, social, address, phone number, etc. She even asked me what my birthday was so she could send me a “birthday text message” which is stupid.

Once she established that I was indeed who I said I was, she asked me about 3 questions about how good my service and phone were. I told her the service was crappy and she went into an explanation about how they’re expanding their network, yada yada.

First of all, I don’t care. I didn’t call to complain about the service. Yea, it’s crappy, but it’s not so crappy that I would even consider taking time out of my day to call and tell them so. What would they do about it anyway? I didn’t want an explanation of how their service is going to get better, she asked the question, after all.

The entire time I was wondering, “What is the point of this stupid conversation?”

And then it came.

“Okay, sir, thank you for your time today, I’m just going to go ahead and get your on our 7’s plan. It’s really great so I’ll just go ahead and add that service to your account.”

Of course, I was caught by suprise; “What? What is that?”

“Oh it just means your nights start at 7PM now instead of 9. You will gain 2,000 extra minutes a month - which you will see on your bill. It’s really great.”

I cut her off - “What? Why would I want that? Doesn’t that cost money?”

“Well it’s 2,000 extra minutes. It’s only 20 cents a day and you get 2,000 extra minutes.”

I told her I didn’t want it. She insisted on signing me up anyway for a few free months to see how I liked it. I told her no again and she tried to convince me one more time before giving up and ending the call.

What a piece of crap thing for a company to do. It reminds me of AOLs cancelations department that is well known for manipulating the hell out of people. Cingular was just calling to let me know they were adding service to my plan and wouldn’t have even mentioned the fact that they cost money had I not stopped them and asked. I wonder how many people fall for this?

I related the story to a coworker who said Cingular did the exact same thing to him when he signed up for a plan with them.

The rep said she had looked at me account and found that this plan would really be “great” for me based on my usage history. She obviously didn’t look close enough because she didn’t seem to see the fact that I never used all my minutes, and that they were rolled over into a big clump of available minutes on my account. Why would I pay for more minutes when I don’t use the ones I have?

Cingular, you’re retarded. I suggest that you forcibly insert an extendable baton into your nether-regions. Good day.

Posted by Sam at June 29th, 2006

That’s right, friends.  We are having a CD Release show tomorrow at the Velour (135 N. University Ave. Provo) at 8pm.  Free CDs for everyone who comes. $5 entry.  See you there.

Posted by Sam at June 28th, 2006

We filmed this interview last night at work. The guy leading the interview is my boss. This is kinda what my interview was like.

Posted by Sam at June 26th, 2006

So I’m pretty much a Frisbee pro now. I went with Cameron to play frisbee golf (us pros call it “disc golf”) last week and I found myself a frisbee while searching through some crazy bushes. It had the name Amanda Crawford on it and a phone number.

I’m pretty sure it is a sign from above that Amanda Crawford is my future wife. Unfortunately the number was disconnected, so Amanda might be dead. Actually, for all I know she’s 12 years old, and that just wouldn’t work out. Maybe someday she’ll google her name and this story will come up, and then she will know where her frisbee ended up.

But for now, her frisbee has become my frisbee. That’s what she gets for losing her phone number.

Posted by Sam at June 22nd, 2006

Rise Against has a new video out called “Ready to Fall.” It is a political video about cruelty to animals and such. Rise Against is a big supporter of PETA and all that animal rights stuff, so they included many clips in their video of animals being tortured in various ways. These are clips probably taken from PETA “recruiting” videos that shock people into joining up with their movement.

I like Rise Against, and I like Animals. I am against animal torture. However, I do believe PETA is extreme in their approach and beliefs. But that is for another post.

So anyway, I found the video on Youtube and left this comment attached to it:

Did you see all the animals they tortured to make this video? Bands like this who kill animals for shock value make me sick.

You would have to be incredibly dense to not pick up on the fact that this was a pro animal-rights video. You’d also have to be incredibly dense to not figure out I was be facetious. The viewers of Youtube, however, will never cease to amaze you. Here is a reply I got from xVEGANJUSTICEx:

The footage of animal and earth torture you see in the video all comes from past filming of people/companies that destroy this world and its creatures and are doing so this very second. The band just compiled footage to put out a video that stands against this and is meant to wake people up. The band would not condone harming animals and they are all vegetarian.

Then someone replied to that comment asking if the person was vegan, as if his name was not enough to tip him off on the fact.

If you want to watch to video our see the comments, click here.

Posted by Sam at June 19th, 2006

Horay! Craigslist just opened a page just for the Provo area!

Posted by Sam at June 19th, 2006

Steve and I made it into the finalist running for our video “One Trillion Gizmos” in the Gizmodo Idol contest. To view the other finalists, go check out the post over at Gizmodo. If you like our video, give us a vote!

One Trillion Gizmos.

/Shameless Self Promotion

Posted by Sam at June 18th, 2006

Steve and I entered the Gizmodo challenge to try to win some new earbuds. Here is our entry.

Posted by Sam at June 17th, 2006

I am really annoyed with cereal companies. Post, Kellogs, and General Mills you aught to be ashamed of yourselves.

When I was a youngster, you would buy a box of cereal and the prize would be inside. Now, you rarely, if ever, get a prize inside the box. You always have to send away for it. Sending away for something is about 100 times less exciting than getting something right in the box. I don’t care what it is - a baseball card, a figurine, a decoder ring, whatever - if I get sugary kids cereal than I want a dang prize!

When i was a kid the prizes were cool. I remember getting lego sets, cool GI Joe-like toys, puzzles, and all sorts of stuff. The closest thing to a decent prize they have now is cutting a mask out of the back of the box. Needless to say, this is lame. Would it really cost them that much to just throw a two cent plastic figure in every box? It would make me a happy boy.