Windows 10?

And there's yet another OS coming to the market.

And we've got IT journalists telling us what's new, what's good, what's bad about it.

And we've got muppets commenting on the articles written by the aforementioned journalists and telling us that they've been testing that OS for months, and we should feel honoured to be able to get a new, better OS.

Yea.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Dear Microthingy and Microthingy employees,

here's the list of what I want on my computer:

1 - the ability to customize everything, like we could do with XP, because your pre-made jokes that you call "Customization" just aren't enough for me.

2 - the possibility to DEACTIVATE auto-arrange without needing to install a crack for it. No, boys, you don't know best. I need to be able to put my work files where I want them inside my folders. Alphabetical order doesn't work for me.

3 - the possibility to save my files and create an image for my computer. I know, it's in the machines up to Windows 8. It's with 8.1 that you fucked up on that (I'm not buying an external hard drive to please your bullying tendencies, but be warned that if the lack of image for the system fucks my work computer, I'll get the Voodoo dolls out).

4 - Full compatibility for my old programmes (I've been with you for a long time, don't even try to go 'bohica' on me).

In option:

- the possibility to get rid of the whole "Metro" feeling could be good. You see, I work on my computer, I don't play games or chat or whatever with it, so having all that crap in a sub-folder that I'd never activate would be pretty cool.

Since I'm currently learning to code, I could start thinking that looking at other ways to work on a computer could be a very good idea. You're not too big to fail, guys. Bloody listen to your customers, and don't try to go 'Oh, shinyyyyyyy!' on us.

Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot, Twitter!

A few days ago, I opened my Twitter Home, and instead of being greeted by a lovely photo of Vincent van Gogh's Long Grass with Butterflies, I got blinding white.

Instinctively, I asked a search engine what was going on, and I discovered that Twitter has decided that everybody should have white backgrounds (and some people suppose that's to pave the way for full-page ads).

First, I *am* a creature of habit, and once I've customized something I don't change it often - if at all.

Then, I've been working for years on computers, and back when Microthingy allowed us (with no additional encoding fuss!!!) to customize all the colours on our screens, I'd tested all colours and hues. Though I positively hate that colour, I must say that the best, most soothing choice if you're going to spend hours reading stuff on a screen is pastel pink.

White? Best and quickest way to kill your eyes and get headaches.

So since Twitter started smoking the lawn, each time I want to check my timeline, I hop by "Settings" first, and I (fucking momentarily) bring back my background image... because I like it, and because I don't think the Twitter guys would finance my glasses.

It's bloody annoying to have to change something that I want on my account, but as long as I can do it, I will.

If the collective bunch of arrogant plonkers decide to fully take the option away, I'll log off for good.

I've already seen a few sheeple say, 'But it's free, and they can do what they want with their site.'.

Yea.... And this growling Empress of Mars says that she likes customization more than anything, and Twitter stock may be disappointing to some, but the whole thingy is quite valuable to even more people. They're not providing us with timelines for free; we're having fun, and they're making money.

Big companies have fallen before, because they thought they knew what their audience wanted, and when people complained, they didn't listen.

Guys! You need to pay attention and not think someone died and made you kings.

I would miss Twitter, but I love my eyes a lot more.

A Blackbird Called Speedy

For once, there shall be no growl in this post.

It's all about one of the birds that I know.

The sparrows are too shy. The pigeons are barmy. The magpies ignore me. The crows are too busy trying to evict the magpies from their nests. Most of the blackbirds are wary of the bipeds.

Then... there's Speedy; he's an intrepid blackbird who's not afraid (he's not even too afraid of the cats, and I've had to protect him a few times).

We've called him Speedy, because he's quite fast when he hops on the ground, looking for insects and worms.

If he doesn't end up on the menu of a cat, I hope to befriend him. He's already coming very close to me - even when I'm mowing the lawn because he's understood that the mowed grass turns into a smorgasbord for a rich variety of things he can eat. He's either nutty or very brave, but I've found him two meters away from the running lawnmower, looking at me with insects and worms in his bill.

If he doesn't share DNA with Tokyoite crows, I'll try to take a picture of him.

[Update on the photo front: he's not shy, but the sun is hell with my digital camera, and I'll have to catch him in the shade, and veeeeeeeeeeeery close to me.
I hope to be able to update this post with a portrait of Speedy...]