Windows 8

Well Win8 is on the scene now, and in the fine tradition of Windows ME and Vista it is horrible. If you actually use your computer as a computer and not a toy, stay far away from it.

I downloaded the RC about a year ago and installed it on an extra hard drive and then ran it on hardware that was approved for the upgrade. Install was fast and easy and it took no time to get up and running. That was the last pleasant experience I have had. The new home screen (first of many tablet/phone inspired bits) is fine for getting around but if you are a mouse baby and not using a touchscreen the big blocky "icons" are just annoying. I ran it for about a week and reformatted the drive and moved back to 7.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and we are upgrading our edit capabilities at work to full HD and needed a new computer to do it. The one we selected came loaded with Windows8 and the manufacturer had no provision for a "down" grade to 7. We would be using Premiere Pro CS6 which is supposedly written with Win8 in mind. Navigation in a work environment is a nightmare, performance with a 32gb RAM i7 machine with a GTX650 1gb video card was horrible. Just to shut down is now a multiple step process.

Making it impossible to boot to the Desktop is an insane feature. Removing the "Start" button makes program navigation tedious at best. I just can't find a thing to say good about it and the things I hated were to numerous to mention. Obviously MS is done with serious computer users and has now designed a Tablet OS that is designed for casual button pushers that surf the web and play Angry Birds. We kept and struggled with it at the office for a week and then burned down the HD and installed Windows7. All is better now.

The worst part is I do computer repair on the side and I have 0 interest in learning this crappy OS so it is going to limit what machines I can work on going forward.

Well there you have what I feel about Win8, if my software ran on Linux I'd jump ship in a heart beat. I guess I kept WinXP until 7 came out and will now keep 7 as long as I can, but if Win9 is based on this crappy OS I have no clue where business and power users can go from here. Not Apple that's for sure :-)

BC

The Gimble Functions!!

Well I still have balance and weight issues to address, but it functions! I am no engineer but I made a functioning gimble!

More Tools Created

I have been reading alot about Stedi Cam knock offs online, cheap easy made ones. Well tonight I found an old pair of roller skates at the Good Will for $5 and added about $10 worth of PVC and hardware and have the first prototype done. I see some issues and a Mk2 may not be far behind, but here are a couple of pics. The gimble idea I think will be very cool after I get a few of the bugs worked out.

The camera mounting will be on a rod that passes through the bearing and down to a lower weight. I think the PVC attach point to the ring is too weak and that will have to be modified.

Stay tuned.

Tool Box Upgrade

Well I saved my pennies after I returned from Virginia in November and finally joined the DSLR ranks. I got a great deal on a Nikon D5100 at Sam's club. I have played around a little with it tonight and will be posting some of my first stuff later in the weekend. It won't get me away from film completely, at least not yet, but now I can practice more without breaking the bank buying film. I am very happy with it so far and the fact I can actually use all my old Nikkor and other F Mount lenses is awesome.