I really want to go into a big whiny tirade, but I won’t. I just got an awesome new PC with XP on it (while I could still get it) and the stupid registration code doesn’t work, thanks to the mess that is Microsoft as they’re phasing out XP. Unfortunately, I have to wait until Monday morning to get a working code, because even the emergency code tech support had didn’t work. The computer works great at the moment, but it won’t activate Windows, and I’m just hoping it’ll keep working until Monday. I know this could get into a big dramatic whiny post about how much Microsoft sucks, how much I hate Vista, and why I didn’t get a Mac. Whine. Whine. Blah. Blah. 
But it’ll all be fixed Monday morning, and then I’ll have a very awesome PC. It’s way faster (like way totally) than my old one, and a comparable Mac would have been much more costly (to say nothing about all my Windows only software). In the mean time, if you don’t hear from me for a while, you’ll know why. Oddly enough, my mom just got an almost identical PC also with XP on it and it worked awesome. Go figure. 
In other news, I’ve gotten most the sketches done for the five remaining new pages of the chapter two revision. I don’t think I’ll be able to work on anything until next week, and the next comic may be late. We’ll have to see what happens. I’m really happy with how this new style is turning out, and can’t wait until I finish all this revision stuff and can get into chapter five.
Ha, we did the same thing. I got my wife an XP laptop for her birthday before they phased out the OS. Didn’t have the problem activating Windows though. Good luck with that!
Btw, I’m curious… I sort of expected the chapter end to bring Gil face to face with that monster thing. How are you planning to bring Gil back to Mad Mallidon and the rocket-boarding if he’s about to get back in touch with Brin and Binder? Not asking for spoilers or anything, just a little assurance that it’s still all mapped out on your end.
I wish I could afford a laptop with XP on it. Where did you get it, out of curiosity? The hardest thing is transferring everything over to the new machine.
Also don’t worry. Without giving spoilers, as soon as we’re done with the prologue we’ll get back to Gilrec and Mad and the engagement ball. Soon after we’ll find out about the monster and the dreaded speech too. And Koda and Frak. And more about Bentley
Brin and Binder kind of have their own thing going on at the moment. That way I can cut between the two storylines to give some variety and stuff. Yes, lot’s of things going on as soon as I finish the revision and get the book put together. Got to rush that.
Dell has (or maybe had – not sure) 2 laptops with XP pre-installed: One a lower-end cheapo, and the other a high-end luxury model. We went with the cheapo. So far we’re pretty happy with it. So much so that my wife keeps reminding me that it’s hers.
I’m looking forward to the rest of your story. Good luck with the book!
I got a refurbished notebook with XP pre-installed from TigerDirect.com. It’s probably not suitable for the kinds of image editing and 3d modeling that you do, but it was cheap!
Of course, I then turned around and put Fedora 9 on it. ^.^
My next machine will probably be a Mac, but what OS I put on it is anyone’s guess!
I hadn’t thought of TigerDirect. Haven’t got anything from them in ages. Are you happy with it? I was thinking of eventually getting a cheap laptop so I can take my work with me. My current laptop has a dead battery and therefore isn’t so mobile. It also takes like five minutes to boot up (it’s like five years old-an eternity for computer art). I’d love to get a Mac but they’re a bit too pricey and my Adobe software is all Windows only so I’d have to get a copy of Windows anyway (lame to have a Mac and still need Windows
) and Windows is like freaky expensive too. So it’s just much cheaper to get a little Windows system to begin with. I mostly want it for doing my script writing, but I’d also like to do some art on it.
I wouldn’t mind trying out Linux (I actually did take a class on Unix), but none of my pro software runs on it, that I’m aware.
Of course, I can’t actually afford a new laptop yet (not even a cheapy) so it’s just browser shopping