Not much which is new around here, but I did get the other notebook or laptop, whatever they are called these days, working with legitimate software. Microsoft has figured a way to stop that so-called cracked software from working. So, the OS, if not activated within 30 days after installation, will disable several features and keep notifying you that you have fraudulent software installed. Actually, I like that feature. Something needs to be done about pirated software. I am tired of paying for other people stealing from software developers.

I lent one of my laptops to a friend. When I got it back this past August, it had a Professional version of Windows 7, which had already reached the deactivation period. Not understanding what was going on, I tried to connect it to the home network. It would not connect. I took the laptop into a repair place and requested the hard drive to be formatted, since I had recovery discs. It is impossible, according to all the forums I read, to format a HD running Windows 7 without having an external HD. I was not about to go buy an HD just so I could run a format programme. The recovery discs I had would not work, so the repair place put a copy of Windows 7 on for me. You gussed it – not activated and no key to activate it. And he put 32bit Windows and my laptop is 64bit.

So, I bought Windows 7 Home Premium version from Microsoft to download. The dowload, a 64bit version, would not install because a 32bit version was already installed and the download wanted the key code for the previous version.  So, I had to request a disc from Microsoft. Then back to a different store with the disc and explain what I needed done. I got the laptop back the same day with my Windows loaded and activated.

In the Phillipines, the attitude is that pirated software is a fact of life. Don’t like it; too bad.  I attempted to explain that pirating, or stealing, software causes other people, who buy legitimate software, to pay more for it. No one seemed to care about that. When I tried to explain it from the perspective of a developer and make them as the developer and how, when their programme was stolen, they lost money. That didn”t seem to make sense, either. Maybe I just do not explain things well or there is a communication problem.

Since, according to the National Statistics Office, the Philippines is between 92 and 98 % Catholic, I tried the approach of Thou shall not steal. I guess there is a lot of “Relative Theology” here. By that, I mean, if it is a “fact of life” (see above) or “Everyone does it”, the Commands, statutes, and doctrines of the Roman Church are void. Of course, too, that 92 to 98% Catholic is sort of a guesstimate, since the NSO gets information from baptismal records of parishes, birth certificates (yes, in the Philippines the religion of the mother and father is recorded on birth certificates and on Marriage Licenses), and marriage certificates.  (If you are not Catholic, you are Protestant and that includes everyone who is not Catholic. There is a move afoot to do a better way of counting and classifying a person’s religious affiliation, including Jews, Moslems and different Protestant denominations.)

Perhaps I am just too worried about other people and their attitudes. I must admit, though, I was surprised at the attitude of people I had thought to be Christians. I think, however, the attitude is pretty much the same everywhere. That still does not make pirating software the right thing to do.

Well, another noisy day in the Bakakeng Norte Barangay. There seems to be lots of building construction going on lately. I should have noticed that when I moved here; there are buildings which are unfinished. But, that is nothing new all over Baguio. Much building is started and then is left unfinished. No one can really tell if the building will be completed or has been abandoned for one reason or another. Weather, of course, has a big impact on construction. And, Baguio gets more than a fair share of rain.

I need a haircut badly, but I am still having problems with the ups and downs of the blood pressure. Today it is down and I haven’t taken the med’s yet. I cannot be left on my own any more because these pressure swings come and go and I already took a tumble recently. All in all, though, I have good health – DEO GRATIAS!

Enough of me and the problems of the world. I have other things to do – like watch an old Sherlock Holmes movie or read about Cardinal Neumann.  Until next time, may you and I be blessed abundantly.