a while back sky posted the helpful comment about how one of the java updates was reinstalling java with add ons so in the list of programs java was installed twice and was taking up more room than it needed. i deleted the smaller java program and the bigger one (with updates) has been working just fine!

a week or so later i checked through my list of programs to see whether other programs were doing that too... and i found that there were two firefox programs installed. a smaller one and a bigger one (presumably with updates). i uninstalled the smaller one and managed to delete firefox. sigh.

i'll reinstall it soon because I HATE internet explorer. sometimes it simply eats my posts. it says 'all the required fields are not filled in please hit the "back" button'. when i hit the 'back' button it takes me back to the posting box but it is EMPTY and my post is nowhere to be seen. navigating forwards and backwards... post is GONE.

to repeat: i hate internet explorer. sigh.