Danger!

I just downloaded Firefox 3.0. I suppose I'll download the latest version of Opera, too, since that's my default browser, but I don't want to confuse Butch by making him deal with two installations at once. After I've finished installing new Firefox I'll see about fetching new Opera. There are Windows updates out, too, but I'm reluctant to get them after what happened last time. But all this new stuff is necessary because I've been finding more and more websites demanding things be done that my computer doesn't want to do. I probably need a Java update as well, and newer versions of Flash Player and Acrobat Reader from Adobe.

My digital activities would doubtlessly go more smoothly if I were one of those people who enjoyed keeping a computer up to date, but I've always considered it an annoying chore, and will invariably put things off until, for example, I suddenly can't even fetch e-mail from one of my in-boxes (Excite!, in this case) because the site's new, grander e-mail application won't load. I'm a bad consumer of technology, even when it's free.

Anyway, I wanted to post an entry before installing anything, since I never know what will happen as a result of updating applications and, if the past is any guide, I could well end up with no Internets at all for days on end. Should the very worst happen, and I die of the fantods as a result of a frustrated attempt to get Butch into a more modern state, then farewell journal world. I'll always remember you... unless I'm 404 Not Found dead, of course.

Edit: New Firefox looks pretty much like old Firefox, but new Opera has a very... industrial look. There's probably a setting which would restore the classic skin, but I'm sort of liking the silvery gray and black of it all. It's also definitely faster at loading pages than it was. I'm a bit surprised at that, as it's not been all that long since my last Opera upgrade. Anyway, no hitches and I'm still here, so I might get around to upgrading some more aps later tonight.