Communities A-brewin’

So I was researching online looking for a really cool PowerPoint template for my upcoming Flickr class, when I came across something cool…..Slideshare. Similar to youtube except it is specifically for presentation hosting/sharing. Visitors can upload, download, share, and even comment on presentations. I love the fact that there are more and more of these social network communities sprouting up all over the web. It just blows me away. Earlier today I was catching up with a knitter’s blog I occasionally read and realized the author and her husband have started their own community based on knitting. I love it!! I wish I had more time to sit around and play with all these cool finds though. Believe it or not, I have actually been spending less time on the internet since I have moved out to the burbs. Excercise has piqued my interest once again. Last night I attended my first Yoga class. I loved it. Anyway… I just wanted to share my new finds. Maybe they will come in handy for yourself or someone you know.

The following is NOT my presentation. It was found on Slideshare. Obviously.

iGoogle Themes

The other day Google added a new feature to iGoogle (Google Personalized Homepage). They now allow users to add a theme. The cool thing about their new themes are the fact that they dynamically change to match whatever time of day it is in your zip code. For example, my co-worker/former boss showed me her iGoogle page with her new Beach theme. She said when she set it up the sun was somewhere else on the page but as the day progressed, the sun moved. I am using the Teahouse theme right now and have to watch and see what happens with this theme. I know the sun will set, but do the characters change or do other things? Hmmm….time will tell.

Not sure I like the “i” before Google though. Kind of annoying how everyone thinks they have to throw it in front of their product name to make it “cool”. Just my opinion

Woo Woo! New Template

Bear with me as I mess around with a new template. A nice simple design.

Also, please ignore the dates on the different pages. I do not like that they are showing up but am too tired to try and figure out where to go in my files to fix it. I especially do not like the date under the “About” page. Umm…where did 1969 come from?

PC or Mac…How about Both in One?

As a (sort of) techie, I find it important to to be versatile. Jeff and I both use a PC at work and a Mac at home. We are not limited to just our Macs at home though. We also have a PC Jeff built so he can use certain CAD software which is only available on a PC. I also choose to use the PC occasionally when doing specific tasks. So we are open to both. Which is why we grew excited at the idea of having both in one platform, especially with Vista having just been released. Currently, we have older Macs (without the Intel chips) but are seriously considering upgrading in the near future to streamline. Near = anytime in the next two years. Ha!

This leads me to ask though; why would one get a PC when one can get the best of both worlds in a Mac?

Microsoft demoes Vista… on an iMac

Running Vista on a Mac

*Update*
On to Office 2007 – Clippy has been killed. May the annoying little guy rest in peace.

Web 2.0

Great way to explain web 2.0.

Compatibility Issues

A couple people have told me that there are some issues with my new design based on which browser they are viewing my site in (typical). Apparently the Frecs and Specs font color is brown until clicked on or hovered over, etc. Thus far, I have determined my blog looks best if viewed in Firefox and Safari (depending on which version you have) and most all Linux broswers. If you are using Explorer, it looks like the site is extra lame (in some cases). Sorry about that. Apparently there is a well known issue with this theme and IE. Whatever. I seem to always have browser issues and I doubt this issue will end anytime soon with standards still being ironed out, etc.

Please bear with me as I try to fix some of these issues. In the meantime, please feel free to comment below and fill me in on any other issues I may not be aware of at this point.

If it looks bad to most, I may switch themes……again:( Despite the fact that I like this one. It views fine in both my versions of Safari (Version 2.0.4) AND Firefox (Version 1.5.0.9).

*Update* After using this site to test my site in different browsers, I can see the Frecs and Specs font color is brown in a lot of browsers. * Guess I’ll try to fix the color when I have a moment. Perhaps when the clock does not display midnight, as it does now.

Tinkering Under the Hood

Once again I am experimenting with my blog. I just felt like mixing things up a bit.

I feel like one of those men who works on his car every weekend even though there is nothing wrong with it.

Boy do I need to start knitting again:)

Mambo

I know I don’t get very many techies to my blog, but if by chance someone ends up here that happens to know a little something about Mambo (the open source CMS)….I could use some help. For the library I work, I researched intranet options and decided to go with Mambo. It is installed and I am now testing things out. I am in search of a good scheduling mambot or module. I can’t seem to find any. If anyone can direct me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

If I don’t find one, I guess I’ll have to figure something else out.

Slideshow is Back

Well, I put the slideshow back up under the Photo Gallery tab. I like it a lot better now as it shows more of my pics and allows you the option of how fast you want to view them, etc. Only thing I don’t like is how you can’t view the titles of the pics. However, if you click on the main pic you will then see the caption.

Rather than using SlideshowPro as I had been, I decided to go with the free and easy to embed Flickr Slideshow. I found it gives me what I want without the hassle. Even better is the fact that once you get to the end of the slideshow, you are prompted as to whether you would like to see more of my pics or repeat the ones you just saw. If you say “yes, more please,” it streams more in to you immediately. How cool is that?

Enjoy!

I tried doing some other stuff to my blog over the weekend, but with no success. I think I need to upgrade my version of WordPress but that would require more time (and patience) than I have right now.

Umm….yeah.

Okay, so I haven’t felt much like writing lately. Especially since I had a work night from hell. All I’m going to say after tonight is….please, please, please consider upgrading your computer or OS if you have one or all of the following by chance:
A) Windows 98
B) Floppy drive (which is useless for your excessively large Excel files)
C) Low Memory (which I’m surprised opens those Excel spreadsheets)
C) CD-ROM drive (no burner)
D) USB ports (but no driver installed)
E) You do not have an ethernet port nor do you have a dongle for the card (so we can NOT connect to the network at this point in time…plus those might be hard to come by considering how OLD your computer is)
F) You DO NOT have Windows Special Edition 2 like you said you had, which makes the USB driver we so kindly downloaded and burned onto a disk for you and then installed for you….completely useless (which was WAY above the call of duty), which means you may not be able to get those files off your archaic computer because the drivers listed only went back to Special Edition 2 not 1. whatever you have. Also, after you first ejected the CD-ROM, that horrendous noise coming from the drive (before we put the disk in) was your computer screaming “I’m dying!!! Let me go already!!!” Lastly, it is NOT my fault you lost your only backup copy (4 years worth) on one of our lab computers. YOUR CD-RW failed you. It happens. Technology sometimes fails us. Blame the technology. Blame yourself. But DO NOT blame me. Always make multiple copies of something THAT important to you.

Seriously. Let this patron’s scenario be a lesson. Upgrade to the 21st century already so you are not upset and frustrated after you lose your one and only backup file and cannot get the last copies OFF your ridiculously old and useless computer. Plus, it makes librarians and tech staff happy that you understand the library’s limitations and liability.

Anyway…moving on. Barely. Perhaps an aspirin or many will do.

*Shifting gears*

I’m pretty excited about tommorrow evening. A whole new season of Grey’s Anatomy begins!!! I LOVE that show which explains why I felt the urge to capitalize all four letters of the word “love.” I just watched the sneak peak of the season premiere here. I can’t wait to begin my addiction all over again. McDreamy take me away………..since Calgon won’t anytime soon. Or ever, since we do not have a bathtub

McDreamy will do though.