Almost but not quite

But these next ones are.....

And so are these....

Finding pictures isn't easy

This isn't a recent picture, because our flowers aren't that far along yet this year but we're hoping. This is a collage from 2008.

A friend is shopping for a new computer to replace his old one, and some of the suggestions I offered him may be useful to others as well. For example, a lot of new computers these days come with sample or demo or trial versions of some popular software, like an office program perhaps, or an anti-virus suite, or one for handling your pictures and videos. What they aren't saying is that a lot of that stuff is either already built into Windows 7, or is freely available on the web if you do a little hunting.

For a complete free office suite, have a look at this one.

For a very good free anti-virus, try this one.

Avast 6 even in its free version has features you can't even get in some of those widely-advertised other brands, and it does a very good job too. You really should check it out.

And if you're offered a trial of PowerDVD, and you likely will be, just remember that Windows 7 has a built-in program called Windows DVD Maker, as well as Windows Media Player, and  Windows Media Center. That PowerDVD program is only of benefit to you if you purchase its Ultra version which allows you to play Blu-ray disks, and costs between $75 and $100 - and that only helps you if you already have a Blu-ray Player installed. I hasten to add that your standard DVD player such as the kind that comes with your new computer does NOT play Blu-ray disks, which require a whole other player, and there's no magical program that can convert your standard model into the Blu-ray kind, because it's all about the lasers used to code or decode the disks. Without the right ones, it's back to the shop. So try out the stuff that comes with your new machine before you spend big bucks. And remember that there's a lot of good freebies out there, if you do some searching. Some of them are even easier to use than the "standard equipment" versions, and work just as well or better.

A look with KatKam

Not the best day in the west, but better than a couple of hours ago.
 

Snowy peaks on Vancouver Island

I took this yesterday. Today I can't see that far because of the weather.
 

New Firefox 4

After you download it and install it, watch the video, and then the introduction to it because this is a vastly improved version of our favorite browser, and things are now in different locations, for easier use. This just keeps getting better. And if you haven't got yours yet, you can get it here!

The Window Washer......

Is that a cute hat or what?

And now that the window is clean, here's what's out there today. I think Spring has been canceled this year due to lack of interest. We'll be skiing until July!

Winter is closer than Spring

Winter seems to be hanging on longer than usual this year and again last night there was more fresh snow up on the hilltops.
 

Another handy 'freebie'....

If you download movies or videos, and would like a very handy and easy to use program which can convert them to many different formats, then try this one.

There is a new version recently released, and it handles even more formats than before. If you have a video file that is missing its codec, you can use this to convert it to another format, and during the conversion, it will receive a new  codec for it. You can use drag & drop to load files, and it is easy to use.

If you're downloading this, I suggest using their home website, as some of the other sites where it is hosted will download their own installer along with unwanted programs while you are getting this. 

 

About Windows 7 Service Pack 1

Something that perhaps some of us need to remember is that if we install the SP1 service pack in Windows 7, and then  we try to use the original Windows 7 installation disc to re-install Windows using the "upgrade" option, to preserve our personal files and programs, it won't work. You'll get a message saying that you already have a newer version installed, because of the SP1 being there.

If you want to refresh your Windows 7 installation anyway, then you first have to remove the SP1 update, and the easiest way to do that is to go into the Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> View installed updates (left margin of the window), and then look down the list of Windows updates for one that says the Service Pack 1 is installed. Highlight that and select "uninstall", and wait for it to be removed.


Then, after a reboot, you can put your Windows 7 installation disk into the drive and when you select the Upgrade option, which saves all your files, it will do it, and you will be able to re-install Windows 7. After finishing that, don't forget to go onto Windows Updates, and replace the 68 or 70 updates you lost during the re-installation of Windows. That doesn't have to include the SP1 service pack, which you can choose to hide when it is offered. The Service Pack is mainly of interest to developers of future programs or IT Professionals who may want some of its added features. If you are like most of us, and have been keeping your Windows up to date using the automatic update feature of Windows Updates, then your Windows 7 is already as up-to-date as it really needs to be. 

More flowers coming out

It isn't a bright day here, and the flash automatically went for the second one, creating all the bright water drops on the flower.

And now for some flowers...

It looked promising.....

It looked promising earlier, but once again it has clouded over. We haven't seen clear skies here for days. 
 

Hard to find this spring

It's not easy finding spring flowers around here this year. Things are late.
 

Lots of snow up there

There's still lots of snow up in the high country, and spring seems late this year.
 

Snowing in the hills

Sometimes, I wonder if spring is coming this year. We seem to be having more winter now than we did in January. 
 

Today's weather - not as predicted

This was supposed to be a very windy and stormy day, and it's been very nice instead.

March begins....