As I moved things around, wondering if I should get a search and rescue dog to find the missing secretary, I realized some thing about myself.

I'm a purist

While organizing some trash, I noticed a computer for work and in another room 2 playstations, a Super Nintendo and every game imaginable. There's a CD-Rom in my computer and also a CD player for my music. A toothbrush for cleaning the toilet and another for my teeth. A car for driving, and a riding mower for the grass. Topas for 3D work and Photoshop for imaging.

Amazingly, I believe in using the tool made for the job if I can. I learned my lesson as a child, prying frozen hamburger patties apart with what was my mother's favorite knife. She still has most of it today, the knife that is.

I'm a purist

I never mix the food on my plate into one glorious mess, this makes avoiding eating nasty veggies very difficult. I like my food separated and eat each selection as I choose. Fervently I preach to all who will listen, "Get a web browser for your browsing, and get an email program for your email."

Starting from the OS (operating system), I generally don't want every possible feature that can be thought of as part of the OS. More than the casual user I'm in this for speed -- all graphics work is intensive, and possibly none more than 3D. Perhaps that's why I've loved Topas' being a DOS program. For overhead -- or the lack thereof -- DOS is light years ahead of any Windows products.

I think often about the future of computing, and the current trends scare me. I find it distressing that the old Atari word processor, "Paper Clip", which fulfilled more than 90% of my current word processing needs, was faster than any Windows version of Word yet made. We now have horrendously fast 64 bit processors coming out in everyday computers, but the bloatware starting from the operating systems on up, makes them seem on par with the 48k RAM 8 bit machines I purchased in the early 80's.

I desire an operating system that doesn't do so many cute things, but has been streamlined and trimmed to it's truely necessary parts. I can then include what I may need or want as an "add on."

When you go shopping for a car, you look for one that meets your needs. Not everyone needs a car that brews a pot of coffee on the way to work. I want a fast car, and a fast computer; one with a strong engine, good cooling system, sufficient leg room, nice sound system, and solid construction. I don't need to have a conversation with it, or to have it handle my mail, filter what I can and can't see, or try to tell me where I want to go today.

I'd like to do the driving.

Yes, this voice still cries in the wilderness.

I'm a purist

I think I'll have Shepherd's Pie for dinner.