|
You are using an insecure version of your web browser. Please update your browser!
Using an outdated browser makes your computer unsafe. For a safer, faster, more enjoyable user experience, please update your browser today or try a newer browser.
|
|
The Adventures of the Electric Norseman |
My fascination with my Powerbook G4 and OS X continues unabated. I have recently gone through and added some new software based on recommendations from several sources.
From my good friend Topher : Freesmug
From InformationWeek: Top 22 Mac OS x Products
And a very nice article here for all you IT folks who think the Viking has gone over to the dark side: Network World
Up until last week I had been using an older IBM X40 Ultralite laptop that used to belong to the boss. When we upgraded her to a new X60, I got her old one.
Its been great. That IBM is a very cool piece of hardware and with it loaded up with Ubuntu Linux was speedy and fun to work with.
Unfortunately, the hardware was just too old and it finally went gunnybag last week. So, in search of a replacement, I snagged another older laptop, this time a Macintosh 15" Powerbook G4. I had purchased a new Powerbook for Topher last month so this one was not being used.
Wanting to stay with Linux, we loaded up Ubuntu for the PPC but after only a couple days I had had enough. The Linux distro for this hardware was just too much work.
So, I loaded up OSX (10.4)… Now I have not really used a Mac since AppleTalk was in vogue, somewhere around OS 7.6. Imagine my surprise. OS X is just like Linux/Unix with a nice graphical overlay. I am still exploring features, but I am really amazed. It’s fast, clean and incredibly crash proof. I am starting to play with the command line and am really floored. Considering two years ago I was building enterprise Microsoft networks with nary a Mac in sight… well this is really a turn around.
Topher has put me on to some great software too and I will write more about that soon. Now, off to explore a bit more!
I love this video. It must illustrate the frustration a lot of folks encounter when presented with a new technology that is completely alien to them.
I am working on creating a page with project samples… go figure I may call it "Projects" . Anyway, I am digging through old and new stuff in an attempt to create an on-line portfolio of my work so take a look. Now where did I bury those old Visicalc spreadsheets?
Working on adding some additional pages, adding some resources, and my resume. Going to try and upload some work samples too!
Check out the new Resource Page (with sub-pages) and the About Pat section.
I let the blogging slide after the holidays, but am back at it now… I think! Going to dig in and try to post more often.
an interesting development at work, we have had several folks/departments ask for their own “offshoot” websites from the Collaborative’s. I have decided to do this using “WordPress”. This will allow folks to select a theme from the public space, and then have our own graphics folks proved the needed graphics around the established theme. Since
most folks want to update and maintain their own sites, this model should prove sustainable from the Tek side of the house. I’ll let you know how it goes.
An older article (August 2006) that I ran across today. Some of the comments are right on and worth thinking about.
On Wednesday the 29th I traveled to Palm Springs to attend the annual conference for AESA – Association of Educational Service Agencies. The weather was cool and clear with the desert looking as lovely as ever (I do have a thing for wide open spaces…)
My colleagues and I stayed at the delightful Palm Desert Marriott and in spite of the occasional tepid meal en-mass and the intensely noisy remodel of the main lobby, had a good time.
I attended many sessions and on Saturday presented on “ Open Source Alternatives: Options to Commercial Softwareâ€. The presentation was a last minute fill-in for a friend who was ill and despite the 8:00am Saturday death-slot, was nicely attended by eight or so brave souls who wanted to know more.
The hour long presentation came off well with only a minor problem with my laptop trying to go to sleep occasionally. Seems my slide clicker does not keep it awake and I have to hit the mouse-stick when the display starts to fade.
It was my first presentation constructed and delivered with only free open source software and I have attached it here as a PDF. I am also including links to some of the resources and information from the seminar on my LINKS page.
Welcome to my new website. After my delightful experience constructing the framework for my lovely wife’s own site JustJess I decided to move my own to this format. Thanks to Topher who pointed me toward the WordPress Open Source software on which this is all based!
I decided to use this as an opportunity to purge and re-construct so everything you see here is new. I will be going back to include some older and hopefully still valuable stuff once I go through and update links etc.
Please look around and feel free to leave constructive comments, suggestions or anything else that might prove interesting.
