RenaisNet

For anyone who might be following the progression of the various sites on the network or of some specific site, regularly scheduled posts have been badly interfered with for the last month and unannounced updates/upgrades/revisions are behind schedule.

July 2, my DSL internet service went out. I placed a call to tech support who determined that onsite service was necessary. They gave me a confirmation number and took my phone number. As of today (July 30), no one has called. I had cable TV and cable modem installed July 11.

In the 9 days in between, I kept up a minimal posting schedule using an AT&T wireless connection running through my Nokia E62. Because it's a slow connection, I had to turn off Windows automatic updates and my laptop, which runs a flavor of Linux called Ubuntu, wasn't online at all. The first two days after getting reconnected to broadband the Windows computer was installing updates every time I turned it on.

Last week, I got caught up in Problogger's Social Media Love-in, the sort of one-time only, free opportunity that you have to take when it happens.

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were devoted to catching up online and making a car repair. Last night (Tuesday), another Windows update screwed something up completely and in the process my firewall went down completely. By the time all was said and done, I had a big spyware outbreak. After trying four different spyware tools (Search and Destroy,Adaware,Xsoft and A-squared), I turned the computer off and inserted an Ubuntu CD. The computer is now running like a champ and I'm Windows free.

Since I have a library full of Audible Audiobooks that will only work with Windows and a handful of Amazon Unbox videos that will also only work with Windows, I'm planning to purchase a cheap ($300) emachines PC from Wal-Mart sometime this month, install a TV-out video card and hook it up the to TV strictly for media streaming. That will, of course, not affect business much, except that I'll likely write a review of the process.

Anyway, scheduled posting - which largely means the Financial Roadmap series and weekly petroleum updates on Financial Options and economic indicator posts on EconoIndicators - should be on schedule in August. Stay tuned for some other housekeeping posts upcoming including a new tool to improve and expand discussion on the network and with sites outside the network.