I switched from KDE to Gnome when KDE tried to make their UI look windows-like. Besides the stability I gain with Linux, I use it because of the simplicity of the UI. I have grown to like Gnome 2. When I see the screenshots of Gnome 3, it makes me want for another UI. I don't want an windows or apple clone. I need a desktop that I can use comfortably for work-related tasks. I don't want or need fluff. I'm sure I'm not alone. We don't use Gnome because it's pretty, we use it because it's comfortable and simple. I'll try it in a VM here in a few minutes, but I can almost guarantee that I'll be switching to another UI shortly. I would also like to hear from the creators of Ubuntu on this one. If Gnome 3 will become the de facto desktop, and Ubuntu sees many of their users switching to another Distro, how long will it be before they give us what we want back?

I suppose we'll have AT&T to thank when all carriers pull the chair out from under their customers and reduce the internet back to a simple BBS. We can't have images and video...we're on a bandwidth budget. It WILL be nice to eliminate advertising completely though!

Whatever happened to rsync and mysqldump??? Oh it's windows, nevermind, I don't use it. :)

I have an 11 year old daughter and the homework she shows me is absolutely ridiculous. I'm a math and computer geek, so this hits close to home. They are told not to solve the word problems, simply explain how to do it. I say, with no outcome, the work is moot. I mostly blame the parents of the children just before this generation. Allowing their children to become stupid. Then in steps the government with "no child left behind". There are cases where some children need special attention, and need to repeat the material. Let's not eliminate the bell curve to accommodate for the lowest common denominator. Just as in every aspect of life, some will succeed and some will fail. The only way to learn how to succeed is to fail occasionally. We as parents need to bust our asses to make certain that our children are prepared for the "real" world. There is not coddling out here.

I'd traceroute those IPs and find which ISP they use. Maybe you'll get lucky and find an ISP who is willing to help. Or, since you have full access, have a message pop up every minute stating "They're coming for you Barbara". I know I'd scream and run.