Saturday, February 3, 2007
In running Apple Software Update for Windows today to install a security fix, I discovered that it will let a limited user account download an update and then fail with an error message indicating that the installation could not be installed. Instead, I think it should first check if admin privileges are available before downloading any update that requires such privileges—if it can't be installed, why penalize the limited user by needlessly stealing cpu time and network resources for the download? I am guessing there's something in the Windows API that enables a program to check for that. If there is, I'm sure it's on the checklist of things to do, but I mention this only because I am tired of hearing generalizations which claim that everything or nearly everything Apple does is well-designed. Usual oatmeal breakfast. Lunch at So Restaurant with Patrick: So fish (not spicy), one order of steamed rice, shrimp dumplings noodle soup. Took photos of Patrick at Ocean Beach. Grocery shopping at Safeway. I napped while Patrick worked on his music. Dinner at home with Patrick: pork roast, corn off the cob, bread and butter. Patrick stayed home while I joined Tony Q at a party at Steven's place in North Beach. I had been to Steven's once before. (See January 29, 2005.) The party was a lot of fun. It had a Spanish theme and people were asked to wear brown. Upon arrival, you received a name tag with a Spanish first name (mine was Juan-Carlo) and a football (soccer) sticker. A lot of people attended—I did not get to meet everyone. Some were close friends (Drew, Danny, Quyen, Tony Q). Some I was acquainted with but did not know were coming (Ray S and bucy). Others I had met before elsewhere but did not know well, such as Chris C. I met Kris B this evening as well as Henry. Downstairs, one of Kylie's concerts—then later Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! (2001)—played on the projection screen. I met many men at this party who had met their current boyfriend online. There still seems to be a strong stigma associated with that, as though meeting someone through meatspace is somehow more legitimate. It is what you make it, I believe, no matter the medium. I snacked on taquitos and tangerines and drank Dole fruit juice mixed with 7-Up. I had accidentally forgotten my wallet at home, but it fortunately posed no problems aside from not having anything on which to write notes and urls. Parking in North Beach was a huge pain just like last time. After spending 20 minutes looking unsuccessfully for street parking, we parked in a small lot—$20 for the night—and they asked us what time we planned to leave and put us in a row with 3 other cars in after us—non-valet, so we would be stuck in an emergency or if the other cars failed to leave when they said. Fortunately, the parking all turned out well when Tony Q and I decided to leave around midnight. I offered Kris a ride to his home in the Tenderloin (or Lower Nob Hill, as he says), and enroute he wanted to join his current love interest at the club night called Drunk & Horny at Underground SF, so I dropped Tony off at home first (he was really tired) and planned to go to D&H with Kris only remembering on the way that I couldn't get in because I had forgotten my wallet at home. I dropped him off and said goodbye and saw Adrian emerging from the bar. South Bay schoolteacher Eric was there as well. I offered Adrian a ride to wherever he was going, so he got in and said (paraphrasing), "I need to find the closest pizza place." We chatted a few seconds while I drove up the street about 60 yards and dropped him off—there was an open pizza joint about 5 or 6 doors west of Drunk & Horny, and we laughed at that. It was a long but fun evening. Steven throws really enjoyable parties.