technology | mashby

July 28, 2004

Desktop Weblog Clients

An Apple iMac computer. I don’t know about you, but I want to make posting to my weblog as simple of a process as possible. I just want to type in my rant for the day, make sure everything is spelled correctly and slap it up on the web. If I’m not done with what I’m typing, then I need to save it for later when I have more time to finish it. Pretty basic right? If you run a weblog I bet you’re in the same boat as I am. Granted, the interface provided by MoveableType is easy to use and may be all that you need to post to your weblog, however there is the world of the “desktop client” that can make posting to your weblog faster, easier and in some cases downright fun.
What Is A “Desktop Client”
Simply put, a MovableType Client, or “desktop client” is a piece of software that you install on your local computer. Once configured, you have a desktop application that allows you to post to Movable Type, instead of posting directly from MT. The great thing is that you can always go back to your normal way of posting via your web browser. The desktop client simply gives you an alternative method of posting your entry.

So Why Use It?
MoveableType has a very easy, straightforward method of posting to your weblog through its web interface and version 3.0 of the software has made it even better, so why do you even need a desktop client. Technically, you don’t need a desktop client. Everything you need to manage your weblog can be done via your web browser, but there are some nice features that desktop clients bring to the table that are worth considering.

July 13, 2004

Going Down The Rabbit Hole

Starr Ridge Rosemary Parmesan Crackers With all the work I’ve been doing on NPUG in it’s redesign, among other projects I’m working on, I guess I’ve been having a little “redesign on the brain”. I suppose it’s much like when you’re shopping for tires. You don’t notice how many sales for tires there are in the newspaper until you begin shopping for them yourself. It’s at that point that you realize you’re inundated with them. That’s how it’s kind of been for me as of recent. I’ve been itching to redesign this weblog.
Mike Rohde has been documenting his recent redesign and it’s been a very interesting “behind-the-scenes” look at his work and the effort that it takes to bring a web site to life. Before Mike began his journey down the rabbit hole, I was following the redesign of StopDesign. I’m a huge fan of Douglas Bowman and his recent redesign has been a massive influence on where I’d like to take the direction of this weblog. So I’ve been pondering what I like about Mike and Doug’s sites as well as factoring in other sites that blow me away like Simple Bits and Asterisk. All of these sites have a lot going for them and in my opinion represent the cream of the crop in terms of weblogs as well as overall web design. It’s certainly a challenge to think that I could aspire to something even close, but in never hurts to have lofty goals. 😛

June 24, 2004

The Lure Of Outlook And The Hope For A Better Future

I’m not a big fan of Microsoft’s Outlook. I find it to be a bit bloated and slow for the most part and a bit of a kludge since it relies on Outlook Express to handle mail. This has never made sense to me and just leaves a lot of security holes open to be exploited by a malicious e-mail. The fact that by simply opening an e-mail can bring down your entire system is ludicrous. The fact that Microsoft’s position, should this ever happen to you, is that it was your fault for not staying current with security patches and bug fixes just adds insult to injury. It’s like rubbing salt in the wound. So if you want to run Outlook, it’s YOUR job to visit the Microsoft web site regularly to fix all the bugs and gaping security holes in THEIR program. Should you become infected with a virus, or cripple your system because you missed an update, well it’s your fault. And let’s be honest, you should be securing a program like Outlook as if your computer was Fort Knox because after all, this is E-MAIL. ???
I’m sorry to go off on a tear like that, but checking e-mail should be simple and easy and not plagued with all the security issues that Outlook brings to the table. If you’re not an Outlook, or Outlook Express user, then you don’t have these issues (for the most part). You can still get infected if you open an attachment, which you should never do if you don’t know who it’s from, but you’re OK if all you do is open the e-mail. I’ve been using Thunderbird for well over a year now and it’s a really good e-mail client. Prior to that I used The Bat and before that, Eudora. All of these e-mail clients are far superior to Outlook in my book, yet they all lack one element – a Personal Information Manager (PIM). At it’s that little bit of bait that makes me consider switching to Outlook. :O

May 28, 2004

Bluetooth Basics: Pairing

Bluetooth Logo I’ve been playing with Bluetooth (BT) off and on for the past year or so, but it wasn’t until I purchased the Sony Ericsson T608 BT mobile phone that I really began to use BT technology on a more regular and meaningful way. I’ve learned a little bit as I’ve explored how to do things with Bluetooth and I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned in the hopes of demystifying the technology. Once you’ve learned some of the basics, it’s really quite easy to use and in some respects, becomes almost transparent.

What IS Bluetooth?
Conceived by Ericsson, Bluetooth technology is the result of the joint achievements of nine leading companies including Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Toshiba, 3Com, Lucent and Microsoft. Ericsson labeled the technology “Bluetooth” after Harald I Bluetooth, the King of Denmark between 940 and 985 AD. They felt this name was appropriate because Kind Harald was remembered for uniting the various separate clans of Denmark and Norway. Similarly, the Bluetooth wireless technology seeks similar goals – to unite separate and various devices wirelessly. The future vision of the technology is that via Bluetooth, your computer, or handheld could “talk” to a vending machine, a toaster, or even the mundane mobile phone.

After several years of hype, Bluetooth products are finally making some headway in the US market. Adapters for your PC are as inexpensive as $30 and BT mobile phones have finally come stateside. Not quite the juggernaut that was promised, BT is gaining ground and is still a viable technology even though other standards have gained more ground, such as 802.11b

May 14, 2004

Let Them Eat Cake

Yesterday SixApart, the company behind MoveableType, released a new version of their software along with a new pricing structure. For those of us running MT, we’re going to have to seriously consider if we’re going to stick with it because for some sites, it’s going to get VERY expensive. Luckily, for those running simplified weblogs, there’s still a free version, but if you have too many weblogs, or too many authors, then you could be forced to pay a pretty penny.
I went ahead a bit the bullet and purchased the Personal Edition. It’s currently reduced 33%, plus I was credited $20 for my past contribution (although I donated $30), which brought down the price to $49.95. Funny how that math worked out isn’t it. ??? Anyway, I went ahead and installed the upgrade and applied the changes to the main weblog. I’m still sorting out a few things here and there and I’m getting ready to head on vacation, so it may be a week or so before I get around to fixing everything, so things be a bit clunky for a little while.

May 11, 2004

The Sony Ericsson T608

The Sony Ericsson T608 CDMA Bluetooth Mobile Phone I’ve had the T608 for a week now and although I haven’t explored every single possibility with this new mobile phone, I have played around with it enough to share with you my initial impressions and thoughts. The only real missing element from this review is that I haven’t tested this phone with a Bluetooth headset yet. This is probably the biggest reason to get a Bluetooth phone, so you may see this as a big oversight, but I’ll post another entry at a later date once I’ve had a chance to use one.
What’s The Story, Morning Glory?
The Sony Ericsson T608 is the first Bluetooth enabled phone that runs on a CDMA network, such as Sprint PCS and Verizon. Sony Ericsson had plans to release an entire series of phones for both networks, but unfortunately they decided to shut down their CDMA division and it looked like none of the phones would see the light of day. However Sprint PCS was smart enough to bring one of the devices to market. They began selling the T608 via their Tele-Sales department (1-866-PCS-2886) back in November – December of last year and as of this writing, they still have some in stock.

May 6, 2004

Clearing My Vision With Sprint PCS

Sprint PCS Guy I’ve been a Sprint PCS customer for many years. For the most part, my experience with them has been pretty good. I’ve heard plenty of tales from clients and friends about how bad their experience was and how they are so happy to have moved to Company X. Thanks to the Palm OS User Council, I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate the Treo 180 and the Kyocera 7135, each of which required an additional account through a carrier other than Sprint PCS. So I’ve had accounts with TMobile and Verizon Wireless, but I’ve always held on to my main squeeze, Sprint PCS. The main reason for staying was the fact that I have a 2 year contract. That contract was recently up for renewal and I lived to tell about it. 🙂
Why The Switch?
I was happy with the service that I’ve had over the years with Sprint PCS. Most of the travel that I do is to major cities, so I always have coverage. Dropped calls are common on all carriers and I don’t find Sprint’s quality to be any less than the other carriers that I’ve tried. What it did boil down to was price. Ultimately, if I could find a plan that afforded me the same services for less money, then I would consider a change to another carrier. But it was more than just saving a few bucks, the other reason I was considering a move was for the technology as well.

May 3, 2004

The Time Monster

A Dracula Clock Although writing regularly for this weblog has been a rather new thing for me, I have been writing pieces for work, or other web sites for many years. That being said, mashby.com has been some of the most consistent writing I’ve ever done in my life, which I’m quite proud of, but other the past few weeks I’ve been running into the same “monster” that I’ve run into with past writing tasks – time. Ask anyone these days and chances are they will all tell you that they could use more time in their day. Clearly most of us feel that there isn’t enough time, but for me the constraint of time is a real doozy on my writing.
There’s something about having to stop what you’re doing so that you can write. For me at least, that means that I have to slow down and relax. I have to collect my thoughts and then take the time to clearly formulate a story. I find it easier to write in the morning, before I’ve started my day and before my brain has revved up and engaged first gear. Those early morning hours, when my brain is just idling and warming up with a hot cup of coffee, is when I seem to do my best writing. When the day is in high gear and I’m going “90 to nothing”, it’s very hard to downshift and ease off the throttle long enough to write something halfway intelligent.

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.

Category / technology