Category: Technology

In the past I haven’t been the sort to rush out and get a new OS on Day 1. I mean really, if your computer is working, then why not wait a few weeks and let other bleeding edgers discover any lingering bugs for you? But the reviews for Apple’s new OS v.10.4, also known as Tiger, have been roundly positive and with my new Pbook barely two weeks old, I just had to have the latest and greatest, right?!

So far so cool. As system upgrades often do, Tiger incorporates a number of useful shareware items I’ve grown used to. The weather widget won’t replace WeatherPop for me, but Spotlight seems certain to mean the end of LaunchBar. I’m also not sure if the RSS feeds in Safari will replace my Newsreader NetNewsWire, but again, we’ll see.

I haven’t played with Automater much yet, seems to be friendly only with Apple apps that know what to do with it. But I’m looking forward to smart folders in Mail and Address Book.

Bottom line, if you’re a Mac user, get your Tiger. If you’re not a Mac user, then I’m very sorry for you.

Since relocating and rebuilding casey.com and this blog, I have been enjoying the benefits of two new features; Google Ads and MT-Blacklist.

In the six weeks since I joined Google’s Adsense program and added the Google Ads that appear in the top banner of this blog and the search block that appears on the main page, I have earned $15. It’s not exactly a start to the kid’s college fund, but it’s thirty-five cents a day. I’m the sort that will stop and pick up a lucky penny if I come across it, so seven nickels a day is not too shabby. I don’t maintain this site to generate income, but I’ll take it if it comes my way. Besides, it’s kind of fun to see what kind of ads Google matches up with my varied postings.

The other big improvement was installing Jay Allen’s Movable Type Plug-in module for blocking comment and trackback spam, MT-Blacklist. Since re-launching this blog, MT-Blacklist has blocked 1,042 comment spams and removed numerous unwelcome trackback pings from appearing here. To all of the online low-lifes who wish to muddy my blog with their unwelcome pitches, I’m glad to say ‘piss off’. The only ads here will be the ones I invite.

So tonight I took the $15 that I have earned from Google, and donated it to Jay Allen. It’s not enough, but it’s something. Thank you Jay, your work is much appreciated.

For a long time I have preferred using Yahoo! Maps over MapQuest. It just seemed to me that Yahoo’s offering provided more features and often found locations that MapQuest could not. But move over boys, there’s a new kid on the block.

Google has launched a beta version of a new service called Google Maps. My early review is that it leaves the others in it’s dust. As with Google’s other resources, the interface is much cleaner than both Yahoo and Mapquest, not cluttered with advertisements. Some may appreciate the direct links for finding things such as ATMs or WiFi hotspots on Yahoo and Mapquest, but Google Maps takes a more Google’ish approach. Looking for something in particular? Type it into the ‘Local Search’ box and see what you get.

I used a well-known address in an experiment to compare results among these three services; 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, better known as The White House (find each map yourself here: <a href=”http://us.rd.yahoo.com/maps//maps/extmap/%2A-http://maps.yahoo.com//maps_result?csz=Washington%2C+DC+20502-0001&state=…“>Yahoo, Mapquest, and Google). Of the three, only Google accurately places it’s marker for this address (maybe I’m nitpicking, Yahoo’s star lands on the entrance gate, but Mapquest lands on the wrong street, providing a back yard view of the White House from the Ellipse).

There are still a few things to be sorted out. Don’t look for a ‘bar’ near the White House, unless it’s a Bar Association you’re after. Maybe a ‘pub’? That will get you to Pueblo Memorial Airport in Colorado, no matter what your starting point. Try ‘tavern’ for better luck. And for Mac users, Google admits it’s not quite working yet in Apple’s Safari browser (my default), but that they’re working on it.

Yesterday Google Map’s directions helped us navigation our way to a high-school in Faquier County, about 45 miles away, without few hitches. The printed map didn’t highlight the route like the on-screen one, and the directions came on page 2, requiring a run back into the house from the driveway to grab them. Minor bumps. All in all, I’m eager to see how Google Maps develops. It’s off to a promising start.

So the Mac blogs are abuzz about a new application for Mac bloggers called MarsEdit. I was intrigued enough to download it and give its trial run a spin, and so this is my first test post using it. I’ll update, edit and otherwise mess with this posting to see how well MarsEdit works with my MT based blogs, and I’ll report my findings to you here. Is it good enough to buy? Stay tuned…

So, that post went up, but I didn’t see the opportunity to put it in a category. These later edits are being done via MT as usual. But I’ll press on and save reading any manuals for later 🙂

Aha… so when I click the ‘Refresh’ button on MarsEdit, it grabbed the 10 most recent posts to my blog, along with their categories. So this edit, is again being done in MarsEdit rather than MT. The research continues…

UPDATE: How cool is that? A comment from the programmer! Thanks for the help Brent. So here’s another test… if I edit an existing post using MarsEdit, will the comments survive the update? Here we go to find out… yup, they sure do. Good to know 🙂

UPDATE: OK, so when my demo period ended, MarsEdit passed the ultimate software test. I just missed it too much not to buy it, so I did. Great stuff Brent, keep it up!

Lately, my technology has been failing me. It’s like a fatal flu season has swept through much of the tech around me. It started with a simple boom box, nothing special, radio/tape/cd. But suddenly, the CD player stopped working. What’s up with that?

The next to go was my Palm Pilot. This is my second Palm to die an early death, and so I’m not particularly eager to throw any more money these ways. But as I consider alternatives, I need to sort through so many options.

I’ve always found it to be stupid that I need to look up someone’s phone number, when the place I really need their number is ON MY PHONE! But I’m not sure I’ve found the phone I want yet either.

Being a Mac guy, it would be cool if my new gadget worked with iSync. I’m currently with Verizon Wireless, and so if I didn’t have to switch away from them, that would be a plus, although now that I can take my number with me, that may be less of an issue.

I dunno. If I can find a way to converge my cell phone and my pda into a single, Mac-friendly device, I guess that’s what I’m looking for. Any suggestions anyone?