Wednesday Morning Ramblings

Am trying out the Windows version of ecto. The Mac version supports rich text editing...I've either turned it off on the Windows version or it's not supported. It's a neat application...am looking for something I can use to write more. I hate using MS Word, but want something a step up from microemacs.

I finally figured out a metaphor for dripldu...I am going to refrain from repeating it in public to save what little credibility I have for the moment the site is actually running. However, it picked up my spirits just a bit. Why, indeed, I think dripldu (yes, it's a goofy name, get over it) might make a buck or too.

I was disappointed in the Apple announcements today...I mean, great that they have intro'd the first Intel Macs, but I don't want an iMac (won't fit anywhere in my office). And I'm not sure about the new powerbook...was hoping for a new Mini actually. I don't want to buy the current Mac Mini...why go with the year before last's model? Part of the problem is that our current Mac G4 is working just fine, albeit slow compared to pretty much anything recent. It's from 2000 and other than the speed issue performs fine as a server. I have taken to ripping cds on my laptop, I get 18x from a firewire connected CD/DVD player, compared to 4x on the Mac.

I decided to bite the bullet and run the Thinkpad maintenance routine I avoid religiously. I always fear something bizarre will happen in the midst of an update and I'll end up with a titanium black lump. I went to the Lenovo site to figure out what I needed to load and discovered a new all-in-one application which managed to download all of the updates and install them across multiple reboots. No crashes. The only confusing thing was bouncing back and forth from ibm.com to lenovo.com.

Kind of odd seeing essentially the IBM.com design being used to tout Lenovo's involvement with the Olympic Games. Gosh, if I'd just stuck it out for five years and transferred to PCD, I might be still doing the Olympics.

One thing I was still looking for after the updates was any evidence that I could use a Bluetooth headset with my laptop (for Skype or whatever else). We picked up very slick Jabra Bluetooth Headsets at J&;R at the end of the year (Amazon) but I have yet to use mine and was hoping to use it with Skype so that I stop tripping on the cord from my USB headset.

You were warned with the title that this was ramblings, right?

Anyway, I've been using my Thinkpad almost exclusively, with the Mac relegated to serving MP3s, archiving video from the Tivo, and logs from my web sites. One frustration is the quality of Itunes on the PC. I'm not sure if it's a driver thing, Quicktime, or something else but there's a loud static noise generated when I play anything with iTunes, independent of the volume either in iTunes or on the PC. Same track played via Windows Media Player (using Samba to connect to the Mac) plays cleanly, no static. Doesn't matter whether I play through speakers or through the previously tripped upon USB headset, static. Could be Quicktime 7 I suppose.

I've kept up two of my resolutions for the year: cutting back on soda (not quitting entirely, it's my only source of caffeine) and working out regularly. Last year I restarted working out with a trainer three times a week. Starting last week I have added in working out on the "off" days, mostly doing some cardio work with some weights. Also last year, I completely cut out drinking diet soda. I went from drinking 4-5 20oz bottles a day of diet soda to 2-3 bottles of regular soda. Unfortunately 1 bottle of regular soda is usually 250 calories.

Anyway, for this year I'm trying to cut back to at most one bottle of soda a day, none at all if possible. If you ever saw my cube or office at 55 Broad Street, you'll appreciate what a change this is (for those of you who didn't, there was typically a copier paper box for cans or bottles which was filled on a near daily basis).