"The Problem's Plain To See, Too Much Technology..."

It's not often that I feel the need to quote the worst Styx song ever written in Mr. Roboto, but tonight I feel that way. I should be putting the final touches on billysheahan.com v8 tonight and getting ready to throw the switch to make it live, but I'm not. It seems like every computer I touch today, and I've touched a lot of them, has decided to completely steal my time.

I was assisting Morgan this afternoon maneuver through a maze of software installers so she could view and work on various documents and applications that are required for her school. But it seems like there is so much copy protection and hoops to jump through that the legitimate users are faced with a ridiculous challenge just to open a simple document. It's like when you buy something in a store and the molded plastic container it comes in requires tools to open it. You can't actually open it with your bare hands. INSANE! That is one of my biggest pet peeves. Stop treating us all like criminals.

I'm glad the movie industry is struggling with piracy. There is so much security tape on DVDs these days, that they've actually exceeded CDs in wrapper-removal-frustration. It's like, we have your money already, so good luck opening what you rightfully own! They've pushed me too far. Even though I have the money to buy DVDs, they've made me do anything I can to avoid touching a retail copy of a movie. It's the only way I feel I can fight back. With my wallet.

But let me get back to my day. Morgan and I gave it our best shot and we'll enlist a few others to help us figure it out tomorrow, but it became clear that we, two college educated, seriously computer savvy individuals, were not going to get this software to work today. It was software designed to prevent people from looking at a pdf document who hadn't paid for it. Basically a text document with pictures. But even though Morgan has paid and has all the passwords, we couldn't get in. Do we wonder why going around copy protection is such an accepted thing? I sure don't. Stop making us work so hard to be honest!

So I came home and sat down to tackle my website. But I'm afraid my computer tackled me... and it hasn't let go for eight hours. I can't really explain exactly what is happening, but normally well behaved applications are crashing. My network has turned into a UN speech without translators - nothing is communicating! It's like there is some giant technology ghost fighting with me. This never happens to me! It's not a virus. Macs are happily nearly immune to those. No this is just one of those days where it's just going to be a battle until my head hits the pillow.

I love Macs. I love how Apple has created a very user friendly way to interact with technology. I am a complete Mac evangelist. But tonight, their new program Aperture is giving me fits. It's so close to being a great program... so close. I'm using about six different programs to create this new website and I wish is was about half of that number. That's one of the reasons it's taking so long. No one program does everything exactly how I want it to be done. Aperture is trying, but it's not quite there yet. Adobe is making an announcement this week about a new programs they're creating that is supposed to be their answer to Aperture, but we'll see. I am tired of waiting for the definitive photographer's tool.

So I surrender... I give... Uncle... It's not going to be up tonight. I'm so disappointed. I wish I didn't have to sleep. Grrrrrrrrrr.