*sigh*

[andrewducker]

I'm currently using Remote Assistance to download antispyware onto Dad's machine so I can cleanse it of EVIL.

Dad _was_ safe, as he was behind NAT, but when the router gave up the ghost he just connected his machine directly to the evil nest of spammers and viruses that is the internet.

And now Ad-Aware has found 316 Critical Objects (so far).

If some of Dad's software didn't require Windows I'd make him buy a Mac.

Comments

[robhu.livejournal.com]

What software does he have that is Win32 only? Could we not find alternatives or use Virtual PC?

[andrewducker]

He uses some Excel stuff that uses VBA, and some analysis stuff that's been custom written.

He could probably run some of it uner Virtual PC - never investigated that.

[azalemeth.livejournal.com]

Most excel macros run okayish in office 2004- just require a little bit of code tweakin' from time to time - things like adding the VB equivalent of "echo 'Gods, VB sucks'.

My linksys router (poor thing will die at some point - 3k connections through it - last one lasted a month) has the option to block activex / java / etc at the router's level. Very nice, very handy ^_^.

If he needs pc stuff, why not (get him to) buy him a nice Mac Mini (http://www.apple.com/macmini/). Most PC stuff just *works* under OS X, and he could use his old peripherals quite easily. And, if needed, crank out the PC (Or just put VNC on it, and control through the _very_ legal version of Apple Remote Desktop that exists on one of my hard-drives....)

[andrewducker]

He might be ok with a PC emulator, except that he plays games that aren't on OS X.

Sadly I just can't see myself persuading him.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

Mmmm I've just bought World Of Warcraft for my Mac Mini :-D

[azalemeth.livejournal.com]

Yay!

I would get it for my computers, but I don't like the whole "Pay to Play" idea. Not one little wee bit. I'm sure the game is really bad too. And it certainly isn't addictive.....least that's what I tell myself.


....if I ever get hold of it, I won't leave the house again.....


I have actually downloaded a cracked very legal version. I haven't installed it. I am going to save it for the summer.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

Cracked very legal version? What does that mean?

I thought you couldn't play it unless you pay the monthly fee, and so can connect to their servers?

[azalemeth.livejournal.com]

You can't play on blizzard official servers - they obviously do require you to make an account, part of which is entering credit-card details. However, there are WoW servers other than blizzards ;-).

I think all the 'Crack' is, is a keygen and a list of pirate servers. I think the app does something sane, like look at "ServerList.txt" in the .app package / registry, and then find the first IP address in that. Think.


At any rate, I haven't put the disks in the machine(s) yet. GCSEs and whatnot.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... that's quite interesting... I'm quite amazed that someone has written their own server code. I wonder how good the quests / etc is on those servers.

I know they did it for UO, but that had been out for aaaaggees whereas this is quite new.