It’s been eleven years since I started developing professional software. My first experience with turning code into cash came in 1996 when I wrote and sold a shareware application named HotBar. HotBar was a time saving utility for Windows that allowed the user to launch their favorite applications from a bar that hid itself along the top or sides of the screen. The Mac OS X Dock and Window’s Quick Launch have long since replaced the need for HotBar, but back in the day strangers were very willing to mail me $15 to make the nag screen on my software go away.

I was fifteen years old and the Internet was my oyster. Continue Reading »

Geoffrey Knox with Dell was kind enough to take the time and respond to my previous entries discussing the concerns that customers such as I have had with Dell’s pre-installation of My Way Search Assistant. Below is the conversation exchange that he and I recently shared. Continue Reading »

The response that I received from last year’s article discussing Dell’s pre-installed spyware has been overwhelming. I’ve received hundreds of emails and blog comments thanks in large part to the concerned readers at Digg. Thanks for helping me spread the news about how Dell has been treating their customers. Continue Reading »