Which is exactly what all Star Wars episodes were.

As long as these bodies are kept out of civilization, i.e. basically hermits, then I'm fine with that. If you want to participate in society, though, you have to get vaccinated. It is part of the social contract you make with the rest of humanity. It is analogous to you waving around your hands (your body) being free, as long as you don't hit someone in the face (someone else's body).

I am not sure about that name policy statement. I mean, I have this guy in my circles:
https://plus.google.com/+Whatw...
He's registered under "Jesus H. Christ", but I somehow doubt that that's his real name.

Seems pretty lively to me. Even too lively, at times. I have about a thousand people circled, and am circled by a few thousand. I do post public, but I post more private posts. People in my circles have a similar ration - maybe a bit more public than private, but very similar ratio to mine.

My experience of G+ is that it's a buzzing, lively, chaotic place with the usual fun, or thoughtful, or sometimes dramatic posts. Interestingly enough, I don't have any member of my family posting on G+

At times my experience of G+ can be a bit frenzied, but it's mostly fun. DEFINITELY not boring.

Most CAD applications are usable only with two-button mice and trackpads - although 3 button mice and trackpads are better.

(besides, I personally prefer the tackpoint (AKA "clit") to the trackpad, but I can't even hope to have such open-source laptop to have that option - that's asking too much, I guess)

I second this. If you want a top-of-the-line, high-quality laptop, you can go for a ThinkPad. In addition to getting more powerful hardware for parity of money, you get an eminently repairable laptop, which actually contributes to the more expensive build of a ThinkPad. Apple made non-repairability into a virtue to pursue.

I can't compare Linus to Jobs: Jobs was borderline sociopath. Linus is blunt but at the same time can also be perfectly nice and amiable - it really depends on whether he has to interact with assholes or nice people. Jobs made everyone suffer, asshole and nice person alike.

Well, of course it's wrong, but what I am trying to say is pick your battles.

Chrome user here - it's FUBAR'd here, too. Obnoxious grey background strip along the right side. Looks like arse.

I really feel for you, your wife and your sister in law, and of course, the children affected. But one thing I have a hard time sympathizing with, is your complaining about the alcohol-drinking policy. Basically, the easiest way to comply is not to drink alcohol. Is that really so difficult for you to do? I've completely abandoned alcohol drinking out of sensibility towards my Buddhist wife. I do consider alcohol a rather dangerous drug when consumed by people with low IQ and/or experience, but I myself never had any issue with it - I always knew my limits, outside of high-school where I learned them.

I think any non-addict adult can leave alcohol out of his/her life with absolutely no adverse effects. I am surprised you would even mention the policy as if that were a big deal. It is FAR less of an issue just leaving all alcohol drinking behind, than all the other you mentioned.

Still not enough bandwidth for Youtube or Google.

No demagogy this time - if a journal, author or any citizen feels the need, out of FEAR, to self-censor, that's a huge victory for the douchebag terrorists. The "I am Charlie" hashtags and such are nice and all, but essentially useless garbage. The only thing that can now accomplish something to make everyone more safe, is if everyone who can, posts Mohammed cartoons. The kind, to be precise, that the terrorists don't want. Straisand it to hell and back, flood the airwaves, the paper-waves, the social media and even the walls with Mohammed cartoons. Next time a shithead has the bright idea to kill some journalist or cartoonist, he/she will remember the backlash and perhaps think twice.

This. I have a Galaxy S3 and it still does WAY more than I need it to! The apps I use most are OsmAnd (unlimited offline maps), e-mail, Chrome, calendar and the camera. Oh yeah, and phone calls :D
Everything else (and there's a ton installed even on my phone) is a "nice to have" stuff that I use once in a blue moon but don't really "need". The fuck would I need to upgrade my OS, let alone my phone for?

This. We're not defending freedom of speech by resharing a silly hashtag or platitudes like "we won't be silenced". Islamists don't give a fuck about that. We must do what they don't like, so they get the message that murdering journalists won't get them respite: we must draw and write more Mohammed cartoons/comics, and reshare them.

BUT... the problem is that the great majority of people are essentially cowards, and want someone else to stand up for what is right.

I agree - but nobody asked ME about those laws!