Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft et al. corporations connected to the NSA's top secret PRISM program are clearly engaged in a mass violation of their customers' privacy. For shame. But it isn't just privacy we should be concerned about. The secretive nature of this program represents a blatant subversion of the free market economy - one that affects every nerd, startup entrepreneur, or business owner alike.

This economy you work so hard to earn a living in is being gamed by 'cheaters'; intent on subverting the natural flow of the market and gaining unfair advantage by working in secret with agencies of government.

When you have a 'free market' corporation; a public facing company. That has a back-door, secret working relationship with a non-free market entity; a government funded agency like the NSA - it creates a dangerous 'link' between the two.

The internet used to be cool. Not only a great resource for information, it was a place you could go to ask questions & participate in discussions with people of similar thinking from all over the planet.

Today, it's a much different place. It's still a great resource for information - and you still can engage in discussions with people worldwide - but there is a problem.

To someone who is 'new' to the internet this problem will not be immediately obvious. But to seasoned nerds who've been here for a while; who have witnessed the impact and subsequent transformation of social media - from it's infancy stage to what it has become today - will most likely have an inclination of what this problem exactly is.

It's not necessarily of 'what' but 'who'. The problem today - with the 'internet' and particularly social media: is that you don't necessarily know 'who' you are receiving information from. You don't always know who you are having a discussion with.

I just moved from my small hometown to the largest metropolis in North America!
Er, largest northernmost metropolis in North America. I checked and evidently Moscow is a bit farther north. So that means the title of largest northernmost metropolis in the world is already taken. But as far as this continent goes - Edmonton is at the top!

So already my theoretical Cinderella startup-story is not off to as 'trendy' of a beginning than it would be if I say I was setting up shop in San Francisco - or even another emerging hub like Hong Kong or Singapore. But I think nerds will agree that in most cases it doesn't matter where you geographically base your business.

What matters most is the people you will be working with. And just so happens that some of my best, most talented friends are living in Edmonton - so there's no reason I would want to startup anywhere else.

Disclaimer: I haven’t tried Windows 8 and have no intentions of doing so.

In fact, by not wasting time playing with the new Windows 8, I’m able to focus on the main reason why Windows 8 sucks. And besides, reviews are confirming what we already know: the new Metro UI, er tablet UI (lets just call it what it is: a tablet UI), is a total clusterfuck for desktop users.

But that’s not actually the biggest reason why it sucks. That’s right, you know the tablet UI they glued on top of a perfectly-fine desktop interface? Not the biggest reason why Windows 8 sucks. This is actually just a side-effect of the main reason....

The main reason why Windows 8 sucks is because of Microsoft’s blatantly obvious and monopolistic corporate agenda. And I’m not saying that as a paranoid tin-foil hat person, but as a long-time Windows user going all the way back to the days of 3.1; as a user who cares about what made Windows great to this day.

Windows 8 represents a dark new path for Microsoft. And that path is clearly to take-over the entire distribution of software and ‘apps’ for the Windows platform. Whether its a crappy mobile game or a high-end CAD product for desktop: they want to facilitate the transaction and they want their 30%.

And indeed, every app sold through the new tablet UI will earn Microsoft 30% of the total sale. A page from Apple’s book for certain.

Worse yet, Microsoft - like Apple - can choose to censor and deny software from being distributed on their new tablet UI. For example, if someone wanted to create an alternative store; perhaps some legitimate competing store that focuses exclusively on games. Microsoft can simply say no and that’s the end of the road for that developer.

Of course, you can just switch back to the traditional desktop - and you are still allowed to install programs like you would on any previous version of Windows - like purchasing & downloading them from a website or through a third-party app store like Steam. But that is today. What about Windows 9? Windows 10?

It’s only a matter of time. And the proof is in the pudding. Because if Microsoft is willing to break their own desktop product this much already - then it's not a stretch to assume they will continue to sacrifice user experience in favor of becoming supreme gatekeepers. You don’t have to be Bill Gates to figure this new tablet UI on a desktop debacle was a strategic business decision and not just some “design hunch” about combining the two paradigms.

Microsoft is playing this off as ‘being innovative’, as a grand “reimagining” of Windows.
Don’t be fooled.

If you are currently a Windows user - now has never been a better time to adopt Linux for your desktop PC. Or get a Mac. Microsoft is just following in Apple's footsteps anyway.

Google has a secret relationship with the NSA. That much is fact.

But what we don’t know is how this relationship may affect you and me: Google users. Because, well - its’ a secret.

This in and of itself is concerning. But specifically, regarding privacy policies... I got thinking... as a corporation - wouldn’t a secret relationship with a military intelligence agency make ALL your privacy policies null & void?

Sure, the Gmail privacy policy may very well be a valid corporate document that is adhered to by Google staff. However, as far as users are concerned - it’s toilet paper because even if Google adheres to this policy - the NSA probably doesn’t have too. These guys may literally be roaming the offices at Google for all we know.

So I assume, but can only speculate since the Google NSA deal is secret, that the NSA can violate Google’s privacy policies anytime, get access to whatever they want, and use that data however they want.

Here's a free eBook I made for you! With a catch... this is a gift I'm giving away as part of a survey. The survey is for a new software product I have been designing.

So to get the a free download of the book, I invite you to fill out the Mindfolder 'early adopter' survey. The book will be delivered to you by email upon completion of the form there.

Now, with that out of the way: why "The Idea Book"?

First and foremost, this is a book to read for inspiration & motivation. The things you need to make your ideas; your dream project; your vision - a reality.

Secondly, and this is my own personal method, use this book strategically - as an initial spark- to energize you when you are about to focus on the task at hand; when you are about to take-on the very challenges & obstacles along the path to achieving your goal.

For example, I reserve a set amount of time each day to focus on my dream project. You might check out my 30 minutes a day article to learn exactly how I do it (it's super simple technique that works amazingly well).

Anyway, focus is key to manifesting reality. Yet our minds are easily distracted by the issues of the day.

So I found this book an awesome way to instantaneously sharpen focus. The powerful words included are a sobering reminder of the incredible opportunity we have before us. We really can make our ideas happen.

Fill out the Mindfolder early adopter survey to get a free download of the book.

Oh, and one more thing! By completing the survey you'll also receive a 50% discount code to use for Mindfolder v1.0 (my yet to be released software product).

The recent Elder Scrolls Online announcement is quite possibly the biggest botched game unveiling ever. Instantly, fans of the legendary series voiced revolt ‘en mass on blogs and forums.

The reaction, which was galvanized with a cartoony screenshot that looks nothing like The Elder Scrolls game world, seems like a classic example of a disconnect between developers and what the market really wants.

Above: WoW..., er umm The Elder Scrolls Online

The scenario: with an impending 10 hour flight - you need to load up the iPad with entertainment.

The dilemma: you want to avoid using notoriously bloated iTunes.

Furthermore, you need an app that can play any format like DivX so you don't have to deal with converting files or compatibility issues.

On a recent trip to Japan, I faced this scenario - and was able to find the perfect solution just in time. Happily enjoyed a flight full of movies & TV shows (well, my girlfriend did - honestly I mostly just played Super Mario Bros on DS).

Anyway, I wanted to share the solution; to show how you can easily load your iPad with all the movies and TV shows you want - without needing to install big bloated iTunes on your computer.

GoodReader + CineXPlayer + AV Player HD = non iTunes movie playback solution

While Ubuntu runs on my laptop, my desktop system will remain a Windows machine for the foreseeable future.

For a while I had both systems running Ubuntu. As a long time Windows user, this was a pretty big nerd step for me. Booting up everyday for work into Linux instead of Windows took some getting used too. Of course, I still had Windows 7 within quick reach via a virtual machine. That allowed me to jump in and out of Windows when needed - particularly for the use of Adobe Creative Suite.

Yet, as I found out, given my time on the PC is spent mostly within Creative Suite there was not enough justification to deal with the performance hit when working through a VM. Though it was actually very snappy, for graphics design work you need perfection. So before long I was booting into Windows again.