mashby | The personal blog of Michael Ashby

April 26, 2004

I Love iTunes

I Love iTunes If you’ve read any of my other entries regarding my opinions on the Macintosh, you know that I would like to switch from Windows to OS X, but I haven’t yet saved up the money to do so. In the meantime, I’m still plugging away in Windows XP Professional and fairly content with the “devil I know.” However, there is a program that I’ve begun using a few months ago that gives me a taste of what it is that draws me to the Macintosh. It’s elegant, easy to use, powerful and represents the best in class for this type of software. I’m of course referring to iTunes.

It’s More Than Purchasing Music

If there’s one thing that I’m consistent about, it’s the fact that if I like something, I’ll tell everyone I know (sometimes even those I don’t) about it and iTunes is no exception. Once I became familiar with the software it seemed like everyone I talked to, I had to mention the software to them. Many of my friends scoffed at trying the software because they said that they didn’t want to buy music online. My answer was simple, “Good! Then don’t.”, because that’s not what iTunes is all about.

Yes, it’s what Apple talks about, because they want you to buy music from the iTunes Online Store, but purchasing music online only represents a small percentage of what you can do with the software. So if you don’t like the idea of purchasing music online, then don’t let that stand in the way of trying iTunes. Continue Reading

April 25, 2004

He’s Back!

Robert Downey, Jr. Earlier this week, I was at a client site and something GREAT happened. Something that hasn’t happened in a long time and I welcomed it’s return. It was so unexpected and hearing it helped reaffirm that I’m making progress on my diet. So what the heck am I talking about? Someone said that I reminded them of Robert Downey Jr. 🙂
Back in college, I used to hear that comment a lot. I would meet someone and they would say, “You know who you remind me of? Robert Downey, Jr.” This was in the late 80’s when Downey’s star was on the rise and he hadn’t yet shown signs of his addiction to heroin. Looking back on it now, he was kinda like the Aston Kutcher of his day, although maybe not quite so popular but a great deal more talented. I of course took it as a compliment whenever someone compared me to him. It’s not as if I was being compared to Abe Vigoda, so what’s not to like?

April 24, 2004

An Errant Thought Regarding WiFi

WiFi logo and antenna I was sitting in Starbucks the other day typing an entry on my Alphasmart Dana Wireless. I wasn’t using the wireless aspect of the device, I was just typing away spilling my thoughts into binary, but the thought occurred to me, “I wonder if there’s WiFi around here?” As I suspected, there wasn’t any, but when I turned my attention back to typing the entry, a thought suddenly popped into my head. There was someone working on their laptop, I had a pa1m0ne Tungsten C on my hip and the Dana in my lap. Just from my vantage point, I saw 3 802.11 devices within close proximity, but without an access point, there was no way to connect to each other. That’s when I thought “What if WiFi could work like peer-to-peer?”
Technically it can. If I configure my network card into “AdHoc mode” and you can do the same and then we can connect to each other. However, as it currently stands, it’s a bit cumbersome and not something that the average person would be willing to do. Even if they were so inclined, the process is a bit of a kludge and typically not worth the trouble. Ideally, what I’d like it to act like is Bluetooth.

April 23, 2004

Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Windows!

A padlock A good friend of mine, Craig Froehle, posted to his blog today an entry regarding “What Should Be Included in an Operating System?“. In his entry he questions why certain applications are included in the OS and poses the idea that consumers should be afforded the option of purchasing an OS with fewer features for less money. It’s an interesting article, but from my perspective, I’m more concerned by the fact that certain applications are mandatory and integrated into the OS, more than the fact that I’m being charged extra for them. I don’t think having the option to purchase Windows XP without Internet Explorer (IE) would reduce the price by much, if at all, so I’m OK with the fact that it comes with XP. However I DO have a problem with the fact that IE is so tightly integrated into the OS and that I can’t remove it easily and neither will the average person given the complexity of the procedure.

Internet Explorer is not integral to the OS, yet I can’t easily remove it. Should a web browser be included with an Operating System? Yes, I think it should, however, it’s just a web browser and other than “desktop domination”, I cannot think of any valid reason why it should be integrated to the OS. Personally I don’t use Internet Explorer. I use Opera, or Firefox as my web browser because I find them better and more secure, yet I can’t remove IE (and all the security holes it enables) because it’s been integrated with the OS. Same thing with Outlook Express (OE). I’m stuck with those apps and they HAVE to be installed on my system. I don’t use either application, yet they remain firmly embedded in my install of Windows XP.

April 13, 2004

Jane Stop This Crazy Thing

George Jetson On The Dog Walk Have you ever laid awake at night unable to fall asleep because your brain is at such a high RPM and won’t “shut off”? Well, my brain has been doing that for awhile now and not just at night before I go to sleep, but ALL the time. Ideas are just popping up like popcorn kernels in a microwave and each one is as delicious as the next. I’m beginning to feel like Michael Keaton in Night Shift, where he jots down all of his crazy ideas on a tape recorder. “Wait a minute! Why don’t they just mix the mayonnaise with the tuna in the can… HOLD THE PHONE! Why don’t they just FEED the tuna fish mayonnaise!”
Most of my ideas are web based, meaning they’d involving building a web site and creating a community around it. As of this entry, I have about 7 web sites that I’d love to build and launch right this minute. Unfortunately, none of these sites have a good business plan behind them. They may be good ideas, but it’s not as if they would generate much in the way of revenue. In other words, 95% of the ideas will do nothing but cost me money. I suppose it’s one of my fatal flaws really. 😛

April 9, 2004

Fun Stuff On A Friday

Smiles Everyone! It’s Friday and all I want to do it go outside and play. Since I can’t, I thought I’d just share some fun stuff with you to help you pass the time until you too can go home and enjoy the weekend too. 😀
Beat Box Meets Harmonica [link]
This guy has found a way to combine his love of beat box with his love of the harmonica.

Strong Bad E-mails [link]
A friend of mine turned me onto this site. Specifically the e-mails that the character Strong Bad replies to. There’s a TON of content on this site in the form of Flash/Shockwave films. There’s zero advertising, so be sure to bounce around and check out the various sections such as learning more about the characters. It’s good clean fun.

iFilm [link]
Back in the day, there was AdCritic.Com, well that wellspring of great television ads available on the web is no longer what it used to be. However, iFilm does offer a wide array of videos, including the 2004 Super Bowl Ads, as well as trailers, short films and music videos. There’s a bunch more stuff and some of it gets kinda raunchy, so word to the wise.

The Rappin’ Easter Bunny [link]
It’s almost Easter and what would a major holiday be without some form of silly holiday video? 😛

Photos From Bike NY 2003 [link]
I posted the photos from Bike NY 2003 yesterday.

The Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman [link]
I’ve saved the best for last. BMW may have been the first to introduce the long form commercial with The Hire, but Jerry Seinfeld has created the funniest. In the first of two 4 minute commercials, we get a peek into what it would be like to hang out with Superman (played by Patrick Warburton, the voice of Puddy). This one is a riot and I can’t wait for the second one to come out.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! 🙂

April 7, 2004

One Dollar

One Dollar bill Last year I began what I call Nomad Computing. Looking for a way to break up my usual routine and to have some interaction with others, I found working at a nearby coffee shop that offered a free WiFi access point to be a nice change of pace. It’s said that Tolstoy wrote War and Peace in a public square and I can see why. There’s something about the energy of having other activity around you that helps to motivate and keep me focused. There have been some days where I’ve spent the entire day in a coffee shop just clicking away on my laptop. My schedule, nor my stamina can do that very often, but having a solid 10 hour chunk of time to get work done is always nice. There are people that provide you with food and beverages, so that I can focus on nothing but work and I get a TON of stuff done.

One of my favorite hang outs has been Perk Central. I stumbled upon this place after fighting to find a good HotSpot and Perk Central kind of became my little oasis. It was my home away from home if you will, or is it my office away from office? They have the best coffee in town and I now stock my Fresh-O-Lator with their beans so that I can enjoy it at home. Since I would occasionally spend long hours there, I got to know the owners fairly well. Sometimes they would offer me a taste of a new dessert they were trying, or a bite of a new soup to get my opinion. Everything I tasted tasted great and I would end up ordering it when they’d begin stocking it. All-in-all, I really like hanging out at Perk Central and I’d even go there for a quick lunch, or a morning coffee when my schedule wouldn’t allow for a long visit.

April 6, 2004

The First Ride Of The Season

Cycling on a pretty spring day I’m no different than anyone else. We’re all busy and have more to do than we have time to do it, so it was a somewhat unexpected surprise when I discovered that there was a window of opportunity to go on a bike ride. Holly had to sing in all the Masses, so I was left to my own devices for most of the morning. I had to mow the grass and a few other things that morning, but like a bright sunbeam parting the clouds, it dawned on me that if I woke up early enough, I could get in a bike ride. 🙂

Daylight savings time went into effect that morning, so I was losing an hour, but I didn’t let that stand in my way. I had worked hard on the pool and yard the day before, but I didn’t let that stand in my way either. I dragged my tired butt out of bed by 7am, pryed my eyes open and made ready. I found some cycling shorts (which were much looser) and my cycling shoes and suited up. Once in the garage, I did a once over to make sure that Juliet was ready to ride. Although I hadn’t been on her since November, she looked like a prize stallion ready to sprint if given half the chance.

April 5, 2004

I Am A Weekend Warrior

A tired marine It’s Monday morning and my eyes feel like two pee holes in the snow. My body aches in places I didn’t know existed and my hands feel like two thick hunks of pork shoulder. If left alone for five minutes I would be sound asleep – even if I were standing up. Why all the pain and suffering? Well this weekend was the second weekend in a row for working on outside projects around the house.
Last Weekend
Last weekend I did the initial mow on the yard. The grass and weeds are a little taller than usual and I like to use the bag attachment for the first cut of the season. I chickened out on mowing the hill, but by the time I was done I had 10 bags of leaves, debris and cuttings and we have a small yard. I also transplanted 8 bushes and a small tree. That was a lot of digging and by the end of the weekend, I was spent.

April 1, 2004

Tips For Happy Riding

The Rivendell Catalog - Spring/Summer '04 I haven’t had much motivation to write this week for some reason. I probably should have taken a week off like my buddy Mike Rohde does from time to time, but I didn’t know that I would go without writing for this long. 🙂
As I sipped my morning coffee and ate my breakfast, I was happily reading the new Rivendell Bicycle Works catalog, I came across an entry that I just had to share with you. I’ve talked about the Rivendell Reader before, which is still in my book the best bicycle periodical around, but the Rivendell Catalog ranks up there pretty high as well. Part catalog, part weblogish magazine, the Rivendell Catalog is a true cyclist’s catalog. There are as many stories as there are products and I read each and every one cover-to-cover. The catalog reminds me of why I got into cycling in the first place – because it is fun.
I could go on and on about how great this catalog is, but the entry I just read sums it up much better than I could. The following has been reprinted without permission and appears on page 68 of the Spring/Summer ’04 Rivendell Bicycle Works Catalog. It is entitled “Tips For Happy Riding.” It was written as one long paragraph, so I’ve kept it in it’s original format. I know it’s hard to read, but what can you do. 😛