Brain Enema of a Savage Mind

WordPress App on the iPod Touch.

I’ve only ever once used the official wordpress app on my iPod touch, and this post makes it twice. I really do want to like this app but I can’t help but feel there are some things lacking about it.

One thing I pick up on right away is the fact it doesn’t list all the tags I’ve used in the past, allowing me to select ones I want from a list. It makes it a touch inconvenient having to remember the different tags that I use as I don’t want to always keep adding new ones, or having to go bag and fix the tags later.
The other problems I have with it are things that are lacking in the writing of a post. Seemingly I can’t use the more tag or split something in to multiple pages. Also missing is an easy way to add links, and especially to shorten them. These are small things, but things that really should be part of a mobile app.

I know the app is a work in progress and it’s not as if WordPress has massive developer resources that they can throw at the problem. Still I’ve seen some well thought out and feature-filled apps released by just a couple of developers so I don’t think it’s much to as to see a WordPress app with a little more usability.

I’ve got some high hopes for version 2.6. Hopefully I’ll be blown away.

Taking Control of Your Online Identity

Recently on Lifehacker and a couple of other sites that I read regularly they have been talking about your online identity.  Who you are when someone types your name in to a search engine.  I’m sure you’ve tried it, most people have done what has been referred to as “vanity Googling”.  While vanity, or some level of curiosity may be the motivating factor behind people searching their own name online, it actually is something everyone should try.  Why?  Simple, so that you can be aware of how you are being presented should someone search your name.  That someone could be a potential employer, client, date, or any number of other people you’ve come in contact with.  If you don’t know what the search engines reveal about you, you could be in for a nasty surprise.

To be prepared for writing this I went ahead and Googled myself.  It had been awhile and I was curious as to what I might find.  Under “Alex Schwartz” it took until page 22 to reach a reference that was actually to me and that was a link to Dan’s florn.net podcast.  Under Alexander Schwartz the first reference I hit was after a few pages, and that was a link to my Amazon profile and wish lists.  Nothing terribly damning there other than learning which X-Box games I long to play, and what books I want to get next.  Trust me, it’s not that interesting, take a look if you don’t believe me.  Googling me doesn’t reveal much of anything about me(yahoo and Bing both turn up next to nothing while searching my name). In some ways it’s a good thing because I don’t have to worry about people finding out things about me that could be damaging.  I’ve been pretty good about avoiding putting anything online that could be taken the wrong way.  By the same token sometimes not finding anything speaks volumes.  Are people going to wonder if I’m secretive?  Not very interesting?  Haven’t done anything with my life?  A luddite (well, okay, checking my Amazon wish list, or the fact that I run my own domain, disprove that theory in a hurry)?  Not even real?  It leaves a lot of room for people to speculate and just plain wonder.  Paranoid?  Maybe a touch, but let’s face it, online life has been, in many ways, merging with our real world lives.  People have lost a shot at a dream job simply due to a dumb comment, or inopportune picture posted to the web.  Just like at a face to face meeting, you want the first impression of your online identity to be a positive one. Continue reading…

Home backup strategy

Sure, I’d love to have a nice tape backup system where I could rotate tapes on a regular basis, keeping a set safely offsite somewhere – but for my home life it’s unrealistic in terms of both time and money.  Still, that doesn’t mean I can’t take some reasonable precautions to make sure that my data will be safe.  I use a multi-tiered home strategy that took just a little bit of time and effort to get up and running, but after that mostly attends to itself.

Continue reading…

Asus 1005ha-pu17 Netbook Review

I’ve been looking at Netbook’s for awhile now, since before they became one of the must buy holiday items.  In fact I’ve been keeping up with them since they were more of a novelty item with only one or two choice out in the marketplace.  Since then the little sub-powered laptops have exploded with dozens of competing models at any given moment, and more coming out all the time.  When asked which of the current models I’d like my choice was the Asus 1005ha-pu17 (in blue).  It’s the newer edition that comes with the 250GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter edition.

Continue reading…

Pigeons, the New Broadband

I thought my internet connection gets slow at time, but who knew the people in South Africa had it so bad.  Apparently it is quicker to transmit your data via a homing pigeon rather than over your internet connection.  I had moments back when I was dealing with Verizon DSL when I thought my broadband connection couldn’t possibly be any slower without being disconnected.  Apparently if I lived in Johannesburg I’d be better off sending my data files via a homing pigeon than I would using my computer and broadband connection.

Including downloading, the transfer took two hours, six minutes and 57 seconds — the time it took for only four percent of the data to be transferred using a Telkom line.

That’s a pretty sad state of affairs.  Though I still don’t think it will keep me from complaining about the lackluster internet in the US – especially when I compare it to many other countries who once upon a time we were on par (or ahead of) technologically speaking.  We’ve been back sliding for awhile now and I’m not sure what it will take to catch up.  However I will remain thankful I don’t have to resort to pigeons.