Category Archives: Technology

My new black MacBook…

Leave a reply

…is so cool!  My new employer (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) offered me the option of having either a PC or a Mac when I started my new job.  I got a 13″ black Macbook (with external display, keyboard & mouse for docked work).  I’ve gotta say that I am really pleased with this computer.  I was concerned about the glossy screen, since I’ve been using the MacBook Pro with the matte screen, but it doesn’t glare at all.  The biggest surprise to me is the keyboard.  I like it much better than the MacBook Pro.  The keys have a small gap between them, much more than the Pro.  It also has a better feel, I think.  I also like the latchless lid and all the ports on one side.  A fast, sleek machine.  With Parallels, it’s even a PC, too!

Love my new iMac…

Leave a reply

Well, my old home desktop died (yes, I actually did have a reasonably current backup, thanks to a Maxtor one-touch!) and I decided to continue my Mac transformation and get an iMac for the home desktop.  I’ve gotta say, I really like this puppy…I got the 17″ 2Ghz model.  Fast, elegant, and does exactly what I need…I have a Win2K virtual machine running under Parallels for my handful of Wintel-specific things, and that takes care of the outliers.  Copied the files from the Maxtor over to the iMac from the old PC backup to have the files, reformatted the Maxtor, and have it connected to the iMac.  Just about to finish the first backup, including the old machine archives.

VT support all over…

Leave a reply

So, the only good thing to come out of the VT tragedy is the outpouring of support, especially in the university community. I’m a chapter advisor for UNC-CH’s Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity (Rho chapter) and last night at the brotherhood initiation ceremony, the brotherhood had prepared a banner of support, and was getting everyone to sign, to send to the Zeta Beta chapter at VT.

On a completely different front, there is a viral effort afoot to get VT memorials throughout the virtual world SecondLife. I had arranged a guest lecture for my Systems Analysis class today, and he showed, while talking about technology and futures, the VT memorial on the UNC-Chapel Hill island in SecondLife.

Cell phone karmic convergence

Leave a reply

So, back on Feb. 21, I lost my cell phone at scouts.  I was pretty hacked with myself, but hey, I’ve flushed a pager, so what’s dropping a phone in the woods.  I went to the cell phone store, bought a new one, and went on about my business.  So, today, Mar. 27, we were cleaning out the scout hut and sorting gear.  Apparently I did not drop it in the woods, it was in the hut, and was actually still powered on (albeit very low battery).  What makes this really funny is that today, my younger son forgot to take his phone out of his pants pocket before mom threw them into the washer.  Killed that phone, and I was heading to the store to buy him a new one tomorrow.  So, manna from heaven.  I will get this one reprogrammed for him, as it’s a nicer phone anyway.

WooHoo!

Net@Edu/Statenets

Leave a reply

Have been attending a conference this week in Tempe, AZ.  This is the Educause-affiliated Net@Edu and Statenets meeting, two articulated meetings focusing on research & education networking and the role of state networks in meeting the needs of their constituencies.  Lots of good stuff and many valuable “hallway conversations.”  Tempe is a great place to have a conference.  The weather has been great this week, highs in the 70’s to low 80’s and nighttime temps about 50.  Great weather for running each morning, and with the cold snap at home, a great week to be here.  Took a couple of hours one afternoon and drove out into the edge of the Tonto National Forest.  Rumor had it that there were trout in the tailwater of Saguaro Lake on the Salt River; pretty place, but there were no trout to be found.

Wiki ku, not wiki fu

Leave a reply

I continue to be a wiki “pusher” both on the job and in the flyfishing virtual community.  So, here’s a little haiku I wrote to encourage my colleagues to “embrace the wiki”!  Thought I should preserve this for posterity 😉

Wiki slowly traps

Ideas from learned users

Accretes like black hole

Den computing…

Leave a reply

So, I’m sitting here this evening streaming smoothjazz.com from my Mac Mini while typing this post across the room from the LCD TV, using a bluetooth keyboard & mouse. All in all, a very effective “den computer”. The Macs today have a great “across the room” interface with Frontrow and the remote control that ships with all new Macs. This is a part of the convergence of computing and entertainment that’s been building over the last few years. Windows Media Center, Max OSX & Frontrow…choose your favorite, but it’s a good way to be able to get ‘net-based music, LAN-based content (via iTunes for the Mac), etc. Also, a decent DVD player.

However, it’s still all way too complex and too many moving parts. As a geek, I think it’s cool, but I realize that this is a paradigm that still needs UI work before it becomes pervasive. Why are cell phones pervasive? Because they work, whatever your language or technical skillset…computing is not there. Getting closer, but not there. The digital media center of 2007 is tantalizingly close, but no cigar 😉

Wiki wiki web…

Leave a reply

So, I’ve been wanting to put up an instance of Mediawiki so I set one up for the FF@ listserve community. We’ll see how this is taken up by the group. I was pleased at how easy it was to set up Mediawiki under my ISP; uncompress the code, copy to a directory, set up the MySQL database, run the install script (plug in database info) and poof, there it is…I’d used PMWiki before, and that’s pretty easy, but Mediawiki has more features & flexibility…

Check out the Flyfish list Wiki.

January has hit the ground running…

Leave a reply

From the pause of the holidays, to full speed ahead! Things are really getting in gear at work and at home. It’s time for a new semester, which is always fun. I’ve always enjoyed the sense of a new beginning, both as a student and as an instructor. I’ve got another small group (15 students) for my systems analysis class, which is a nice number. Enough for good group dynamics but small enough to really engage everyone. It’s a busy time at my “day job” at MCNC as well, as we are in the throws of a strategic planning process, as well as getting ready to enter budget planning season.

On the home front, Scouts are busy (heading to Washington, DC on a trip tomorrow), though I’m stepping down as scoutmaster after 6 years to hand the mantle to one of my compatriots. After being a scoutmaster and a cubmaster for several years before that, I’m ready to step back from the “front-man” role. My youngest son, Jeff, is working on his Eagle project, restoring parts of an old cabin at Moorefields Plantation near Hillsborough, NC. Hope to finish by early February.

High School band is still moving on (I’m president of the band boosters) but as Jeff is not in the winter club ensembles, my personal involvement is not as great as in marching season.

Nothing of great substance here; just wanted to post a few fresh bits…

CYA!