Well, I did it...

Gave in to gadget-crave today after an attempt to install a USB card in a recalcitrant computer got under my skin. The Windows installer didn't seem to want to accept that there was a file somewhere on the 98 CD that would fulfil its needs, so I was forced to copy the relevant files from a known good machine onto the network, where they will be used as install source material when I get back to the PC with the new card in it. Given that the network can be touchy at times, I wanted to avoid such messes in future, so I went to http://www.kanguru.com and bought a 64-meg Micro Drive. Comes with a docking station for machines that don't have USB ports on the front. I'm going to have to install a front-conversion kit on Victor*. It should arrive in about a week. I'll have to install Kanguru drivers on most of the machines at the office and on my home machine, as I haven't got XP/2000/ME at home, but what the hell.

If I did itemized deductions I'd be trying to write this off as work related, as that's mostly what I need it for, but I don't, so... I'm just using it. My boss isn't here so I can't run it by her, but the chapter CEO looked interested when I told him about it, plus one of our fundraising people is probably getting a 128-meg model from Best Buy. Different manufacturer, though.

Side note: to those of y'all who are Moslem, I missed the chance yesterday. Sorry about that. Have a good Ramadan!

*Oh goodness woe is me, how ever will I survive being forced to make alterations to my beloved home computer? *sniff sniff sob*

Welcome news:

I sent an email off to my advisor at Kean University yesterday, hoping to find out some details about the degree I'm pursuing. If I'd calculated correctly I had only one class left to take next semester, but I couldn't find certain information that had worried me, so I needed to ask Dr. Abraham and make sure...

I don't have to do a thesis. There is no thesis for the Management Information Systems master's degree.

I have my required courses, including my electives within a single concentration. In this case, contrary to all my expectations, the concentration has turned out to be Computer Science. The degree requires you to take seven core courses and five electives, three of which must be in a single concentration. My electives to date have been Managerial Economics, Web Programming, Knowledge and Data Mining, and the class I'm currently in, Bio-Informatics.

I only have to take one course next semester. It will be my final elective. It can be in any MIS subject area.

This means I am free to select a course based entirely upon my schedule. No more 5 PM courses for me, thank you very much! I'm going to see what they've got at 7:50 PM, save myself some grief... meanwhile I've got to do a term paper in the Capstone course, which will not be a problem as we've been producing vital components for the term paper all along. You'll be seeing the term paper when it's done. We had to do a re-engineering of a particular business process at a particular company. I chose the hiring process at Virtucon, which some of y'all may recognise as Dr. Evil's company, so my term paper is going to argue vigorously for outsourcing employee background checks and for centralizing the forms, job requirements, etc. in a single human resources IS database. Since this is a supervillain's company, the risk analysis for the project included both 'lack of commitment from upper management' and 'database computer becomes sentient, rebels against humanity' on the list of possible risks for the project. I'm pretty sure Number Two, the obvious head of HR, would give the project his support - but let's face it, Dr. Evil has demonstrated resistance to organizational change more times than I can count...

Anyway. Just happy I don't have to do a thesis. And happy I only have one class left after I finish paying for this !&*(& semester. Yay me.