Skype: littweb
I am my own system and network manager, as well as providing support for my family and a few friends. This page keeps track of some of the areas where I have learned stuff that I'm liable to forget over time. Might prove handy for others as well.
Phones and Cameras
I’ve been an amateur photographer all my life, getting my first camera as a young teenager (it was a nice Fujica half-frame 35mm rangefinder camera). Over time I graduated to a Pentax Spotmatic-II with a wide assortment of lenses. I found, though, as an adult with children, that what I needed most was portability and the ability to easily share pictures with family members all over the world. …
Ubuntu on USB for MacBook Pro
My son wanted to be able to run another OS (Windows or Linux) on his MacBook in order to be able to run a particular game, so I spent a bit of time figuring out how to get it all going. Linux is not for the faint of heart, still, unless you dive completely in (i.e. install it as your primary OS), and on the Mac it’s a bit trickier. …
Microsoft Office 2008 - JUST SAY NO!
Microsoft Office 2008 - an example of why M$ will lose the war even as it wins battles today.
I've been a Microsoft user on the Mac since I returned to that platform early this millennium. For compatibility with my Windows brothers and sisters I thought that real Word, Powerpoint, and Excel were the way to go. …
Weebly
I recently discovered a pretty cool free web development and hosting site called weebly. Unlike many of the free web hosting sites around (and there are many, from Google on down), weebly does not litter your site with ads, just a minor link to itself in the footer of every page, and their page editor is first-rate. …
Interactive GPS Maps
I've started using GPSVisualizer to generate interactive Google maps instead of static maps using Google Earth. Here is an example.
It's still a little complicated to do, so here are the steps:- …
Tool Updates: Sandvox, GPS, iPhoto, iMovie
Well, since we came back from Italy I had a chance to put all of the tools I've been using to good use, and I'm happy to report that things have improved since I last wrote.
First, Sandvox, my web development tool (you're soaking in it), is now in version 1.6.2 which is more stable, faster, and has more features than before. …
Sandvox tips
Sometimes you want to use content on your site that's not written in Sandvox, for example a PDF file or externally-generated HTM file. In this case you want to have Sandvox take care of uploading it to the site for you even though it's not doing the editing. …
Mobile phone stuff
I have a very basic mobile phone, the LG-VX5300. It does have the capabilities I need for now (though one day I may spring for an Android), including downloadable ringtones and bluetooth. Getting ringtones is a problem, though, first because I have weird (I prefer to call it "eclectic") taste in music, so can't find tones, and second because they charge so much for them, often requiring a subscription. …
Garmin GPS on a Mac
I recently got myself a Garmin GPSMap 76CSx handheld GPS unit. It has mapping capability, and has the features needed to be usable on a bike: relatively light and small, good battery life, and reasonably weatherproof.
Sadly, the folks at Garmin have not yet felt it necessary to support Mac users with their software. …
