A few weeks ago I shared the news that I had lost everything on my hard drive (making me the poster boy for those who don’t do backups like they should). I’m still a bit sick about all the pictures I’ve lost (although I have recovered all those I lost that I had posted here on the site), but my biggest concern, moving forward, was how to replace the programs I lost.

Fortunately, for nearly every program out there, an open source equivalent exists. Many, if not most, of them are very robust and every bit as usable as their commercial counterparts.

Web Page Design — Amaya

Amaya is an open source editor from W3Schools.com

Amaya is a Web editor, i.e. a tool used to create and update documents directly on the Web. Browsing features are seamlessly integrated with the editing and remote access features in a uniform environment. This follows the original vision of the Web as a space for collaboration and not just a one-way publishing medium.

Productivity Tools — Open Office

A complete suite of tools that compete well with the products that cost serious money. Here’s what you get:

• Writer — A very full featured Word Processor/Desktop Publisher.
• Calc — I’m a numbers geek. Can’t help it. Calc is a spreadsheet program that does everything I need it to do.
• Impress — This is a program for creating multimedia presentations. It’s not one I use a lot, but it’s nice to have it in the tool bag if I need it.
• Draw — It’s a drawing program. I need to use it a bit more before I can say anything about it.
• Base — A database program. Again, I haven’t given this a good test drive.

Suite!

Graphics — Gimp

An open source graphic manipulation tool. The learning curve is just a little bit steeper than I would like, but I’m learning. I’ve been using PaintShop Pro for years, and this is going to take a while to get used to, but I do like it so far.

On a side note, the www.gimp.org site appears to be down right now, but I’m sure it’s only temporary.

I’ve also tried Inkscape, but didn’t like it very well.

Well, that’s how things stand today. Do you use any open source programs? What are your thoughts? Any suggestions?

I know it’s awfully early in the morning, but I’ve been up for two hours and I’m on my second cup of coffee, so I shouldn’t strain anything trying to do some math. If you’re going to play along at home, please stretch first. I don’t want you hurting yourself, and numbers can do that to you.

The tax on cigarettes goes up $1.00 today in Florida. That’s on top of the increase in the Federal tax that has been in place since April.

The first increase prompted me to go from my regular brand to the generic brand that, I believe, is manufactured from the sweepings around the “good” cigarette machines and grass clippings. As of today those cheap cigarettes will cost just over $4/pack, over half of that in various taxes (which tells you just how cheap those generics are).

I’ve told you in the past that I’m a bit of a numbers geek. I spend about half of my work day immersed in an excel spread sheet. And I like it. That’s the background. This morning I ran the numbers on my habit.

At the end of a week, July 7th, I will have saved $28, almost enough for a family run through McDonalds.

When we get to the end of July I will have saved $124, about the equivalent of an extra day of work without the drive, conference calls, and complaining.

Lets move out a little further. School starts around here on August 24th. I can have an extra $220 in my pocket. Who wouldn’t like that? Of course, with what it takes to equip three for school, my pocket will still be empty.

My birthday falls on Thanksgiving day this year. If I put all of the money that I save away (an if that isn’t going to happen) I could have $596. That’s a lot of turkey and cranberry sauce.

By Christmas eve, just in time to do my shopping, I could have $708 to take on my frantic dash through the empty-shelved stores that are going to close in just a few minutes. Either that, or I could buy a whole lot of presents at the nearest gas-n-shop.

Finally, in a year from now (making the probably inaccurate assumption that prices won’t go up any further) I could save, are you ready for this, $1460!

Dude, I’m getting a Dell.

I hope that all of you enjoyed a great Memorial Day Weekend and that you managed to find time to remember those who paid the ultimate price to secure our freedoms.

This weekend marks the traditional start of summer. Schools here have just eight more days, the four this week and the first four next. I thought we just finished buying new backpacks and shoes, crayons and paper and glue.

People will be going on vacation (a theory I’ve read about, but haven’t actually experienced in quite a number of years). Some of you will be heading to the attractions area of central Florida. A Note to my blogging friends: If you are heading anywhere near the Florida House of Mouse or Greater Orlampa (The Tampa-Orlando corridor), please let me know. There are so many of you I would love to meet.

Have a great week everyone. Check back often. Tell your friends. Leave your comments.

If you can…

To learn more about the 100 Post Marathon read here and especially here.

100 Post Marthon #44

Want to engage in a little taxing reading this evening? How bout this list — Tax List

The TAX LIST is still growing. So far, we have the following 177 Taxes that are in common use (some are a little bit quirky, but Google them and see- they really do exist and are in common use) and as more than one FReeper has observed, it would make a great display for a Tea Party Banner. A list of taxes (still in progress) paid by American citizens who are Employed, Small Business Owners and Self Employed.

If you ever thought about dropping something in the tip jar, today would be a great day.

UPDATE: Some have helped already, and I can’t say thank you enough. If you can help, it would be greatly appreciated. There is a tip jar button in the right sidebar.

Sucks.

Even when the move is less than a mile.

I’ll be talking about twitter and more on bRight @ Night. The show airs at 11:00 Eastern. Visit the show page and get ready to call in: 718-664-9725

Leave your comments in the post. The most recent news will be at the top, but below this.

First Calls from ABC: Kentucky for McCain, Vermont for Obama.

There is plenty of discussion about Governor Sarah Palin’s visit to Florida yesterday, but let me point you to this post by Mac Ranger who was in attendance.

After that depressing bit of news how about the Season 7 I would like to see. Thoughts?

Cross-posted at Blogs.4Bauer.com

You are all well aware by now that John McCain has picked Alaska governor Sarah Palin to run as his running mate. When the buzz was strong about this early this morning I had a conversation about this pick with a conservative co-worker. We came to two conclusions. One: She is perhaps unique in her ability to exite and appeal to the Republican base (as well or better than Sen. McCain) and draw in moderates and disaffected Hillary supporters. Two: There is a real possibility that some feminist heads will explode like a Cog being hit by Wedding Cake over the dilema of having a pro-life woman running for Vice President.

More later.

Before I could even get a short night sleep Gustav has gone from tropical storm to hurricane.

AT 500 AM EDT…0900Z…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 17.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 71.9 WEST OR ABOUT 100 MILES…
160 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF PORT AU PRINCE HAITI AND ABOUT 300 MILES
…480 KM…SOUTHEAST OF GUANTANAMO CUBA.

GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR…AND
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A TURN TOWARD THE
WEST-NORTHWEST AND A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED FORECAST ON
WEDNESDAY. ON THIS TRACK THIS HURRICANE SHOULD MOVE OVER
SOUTHWESTERN HAITI LATER TODAY AND NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF CUBA ON
WEDNESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 85 MPH…140
KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. THE HURRICANE COULD BECOME A CATEGORY
TWO HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL IN HAITI LATER TODAY.