Microsoft has dropped their support of Windows 98 this month. It is hard to believe that some people are still running this outdated OS. Nevertheless, for some nonprofit organizations and small offices, upgrading XP or, in the near future Vista, this can be quite expensive simply because they have more than one computer to upgrade. Also, after upgrading your system, you might find that it needs more memory or faster CPU, as well. Personally, I never rely on tech support from corporations such as Microsoft, as I always try to solve the problems independently. We all know that Windows 98 is not that stable. So, here is what I did: so as not to get technical with you, I am just going to tell a story of how once you purchase the PC, and everything seems to be operating just fine with no problem, then after some time has passed the PC gets slower, and crashes became more frequent. Does it mean that something changed even if we didn't install new programs or deleted some important files? Yes, it does change every time you run your programs. New files have been created, some files have been dumped in the TEMP folder, and some files have been rewritten back to your hard drive after you have closed the program. If you have the Internet connection, then some stuff can be dumped to your PC from even legitimate websites. The list of what can be changed after even one session can be quite extensive. So, instead of keeping track of what has been changed, why don't we just lock the computer somehow and avoid all these problems in the future? >>>

To many people, listening to their favorite music as they go about business is a necessity. To others, it is simply a diversion as they go about the boring day-to-day chores we have in life. For some, it is a sensual experience and a form of creative self-expression, whether as an active participant or merely an avid listener.
I myself don’t just enjoy music; I live and breathe for music. I am a musician/songwriter and when I am not writing music or playing music somehow life is not the same for me. This is how I express my emotions, share thoughts, and converse with the world around me. Many times I get lost in the height of a passionate compositional piece, only to find the time has passed by so quickly that I have forgotten all of the things on my mind that have been bothering me. >>>

Boy, I really detest how some people do websites. Bands are some of the worst. Seems like any band that wants to look "professional" feels they must create a website using pop-ups and flash. Why? Cuz that's what the Majors do?
I tried to go to a friend's website today to find his email address. He's in a band. "Click here if you have a pop-up stopper." Now is that a stupid way to start a website or what? So I clicked... dreading the outcome... For the next minute the minute flash loaded... A MINUTE! Meanwhile, I was enjoying some wonderful music by Angelo Branduardi, a wonderful Italian world folk musician. Then "BLLAAAAARRRR." The frickin flash program was trying to play music that was causing problems with the music I was enjoying... All I wanted was an email address, not a headache! >>>

Michael Waisvisz is a rather unusual, and innovative man, who has taken electronic music in a whole new direction. He felt electronic music was too constructed and had no musical soul so he decided to try a new way of using short wave sounds to make music. With the use of a circuit boards from transistor radios interconnected with wires, he would touch the circuit board with his fingers resulting in a mild shock, which in turn produced a new and different kind of musical sound. Through touch, Waisvisz created new and unusual short wave sounds that would eventually become known as sound music. Touched electronics, as he likes to call it, had a rougher edge to it than other high-tech music of the 50's and 60's. Sometime later, he started using the print board of a damaged electronic organ to produce even more innovative electronic sounds. His fingers and hands literally become the conductors through which the music flows. All this was achieved by Waisvisz with no knowledge of circuitry whatsoever. Like a traditional instrument, by intuitively touching the electronics, one could learn to play this new type of instrument without any schematic knowledge of circuitry. >>>

A new and innovative computer interface called an Audiopad, was unveiled in Barcelona, Spain recently at the Sonar festival. An Audiopad is a computer interface for controlling pre-programmed tracks that can be used for both improvisation and composition of music. This is a unique tool which will be highly appreciated in the future by performers. It can be used on stage because it is very easy to handle. Not only is it fun to play, but it is also fun to watch which will make it a favorite tool among musicians and their audience. Audiopad is the brainchild of two PhD's from MIT, James Patten and Benjamin Recht. Audiopad is based on Pattens' Sensetable whereby the controls are projected onto the table with radio sensors. Patten is already well known for his exhibits and performances in the USA and throughout Europe. His partner, Benjamin Recht, is not only a performer, but an author of a body of works on subjects in acoustics and sound engineering. Both Patten and Recht have high hopes for their latest invention and are hoping to have it mainstreamed into the music industry in the future.