Technology

The Information Migration, From PCs to Pockets

A recent report from research firm IDC states that shipments of mobile devices (tablets and smaller) will overtake PC shipments within 18 months. While many are speculating the end of the PC era, I see a more important shift in the making. As mobile devices come to dominate, the small form-factor of screen and input will alter how information is presented and manipulated.

Repairing a Mac Magsafe Power Cord (the Magnetic End)

I just finished repairing the magnetic end of my magsafe power adapter. My wife has been using it on her mac for a while and, well...let's just say the magnetic feature was used, a lot!

The power cord began separating soon after she adopted it (having broken her original in the same manner). I have a spare, so I didn't take quick action. Though I did watch it closely to see how the problem evolved. If it began smoking or seemed to risk a fire, I would have cut off her mac access until I could repair it.

Moving Beyond Personal Computing

Here are some notes and thoughts concerning computer technology and life satisfaction (which is really suffering right now).

http://ozzie.net/docs/dawn-of-a-new-day/

concerning the past 25 years of personal computing, Ozzie says,

A New Water Cycle

This summer, I read a fascinating book call "The Humanure Handbook; a guide to composting human manure"

For two decades now I have imagined waste water recycling systems for domestic use.

We are planning to build a green home in a semi-arrid desert space, with a solarium and (hopefully) attached green house(s). Water conservation is very important!

This book details how human sewage can be composted to provide safe, balanced, and fertile soil fit for gardening. This promotes a direct, synergistic relationship between you, your food, and your immediate environment!

Woops, I Hid Several Posts From You

One of my friends just pointed out that he couldn't see my most recent blog post, about becoming a writer. So I looked over my site and realized that I had posted quite a few posts with tags that caused the pages to hide from anonymous users. I had forgotten about a "security feature" that I set for these tags. That is changed now.

If you look over the following tags, you will likely see a few posts that you missed in that past few years.

Finally, I Have Finished My Vegan Mouse Trap Project

My vegan mousetrap (live trap) project is now live! I have finished adding the images to the document that I started last fall. With the completion of this project page, I have also published the video that I made last fall, showing the capture of a mouse in my trap!

Day-dreaming About the End of Technical Support

 My current employment is all about technical support. I'm the go-to-guy for any computer problems. Mysteriously, this includes anything with electrons or photons.

I've worked in the technical support field most of my life. One of my talents is comprehending machines and systems, which is quickly recognized by others in trouble with objects and processes. Sadly, I'm not omniscient, nor omnipotent (even if some problems magically fix themselves when I'm around). There are days when my talent becomes a curse.

The Inevitable Outcome of Socialized Parenting...Er, "Education"

First off, I was home schooled, K through 12. It was a wonderful experience, but not the topic of this post. Being raised outside of the public school system, I often see it with "new eyes" and not a little suspicion. The idea that a central authority could trump my parents bothers me. It all comes down what I call unalienable responsibility. Much like unalienable rights, there are some responsibilities that cannot be subsumed by society, government, or other third parties.

Do You Belong In Your Zip Code?

The New York Times recently published a web service showing the movie rental habits, by zip code, of 12 major cities over the past year. The data comes from Netflicks movie rentals for 100 movies. I initially visited the site just to see how they presented the information (very well) and it really made me think. This is a great example of how data is only what you make of it. And, that no matter how unbiased you try to be, just collecting and presenting data induces inacuracy or bias.

Little Fingers, Big Problems; Kids and Computers

Each of my children relates to computers differently. While age plays a part, most of the differences are psychological. Some of my children are puzzlers, thinkers, explorers. Others are quickly frustrated and want others to make tech work for them. But all of them love keyboards, mice, and mischief.