TheSwirl.org » software & web tools http://www.theswirl.org A journal for Jim Muller. Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:12:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Flu, Awards, Halloween Parties & Grape Jelly http://www.theswirl.org/2008/10/26/flu-awards-halloween-parties-grape-jelly/ http://www.theswirl.org/2008/10/26/flu-awards-halloween-parties-grape-jelly/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:03:23 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/?p=1055 Last week I came down with the flu.  It began on Wed afternoon and the chills crested on Wednesday night.  I wore a long sleeve T-shirt and fleece sweat shirt to bed with a comforter and 0 degree sleeping bag as blankets to get warm.  During the night my fever broke and I couldn’t shed blankets [...]]]> Last week I came down with the flu.  It began on Wed afternoon and the chills crested on Wednesday night.  I wore a long sleeve T-shirt and fleece sweat shirt to bed with a comforter and 0 degree sleeping bag as blankets to get warm.  During the night my fever broke and I couldn’t shed blankets and clothing fast enough.  Since then I have had a lousy racking cough that is problematic during rest time.

Friday night K & Eric went shopping for a new jacket and some clothes for Eric as he is growing out of his clothes from last year.  Saturday was a rainy day and Eric’s last soccer game of the year was cancelled with no re-schedule date.  Saturday afternoon Billie Jo stopped by for clothing and items to put in the USC thrift store she is setting up.  She is currently maintaining a 3.72GPA, President of the Student Association, working full time and scheduled to graduate in May.  Who would have thunk it?

Saturday night we went to the Barneveld Horsemen’s Association banquet for year end award winners.  Eric won a Reserve Champion Leadline and his buddy Trevor won the Championship.  Eric was pretty pumped about the banquet all day leading up to it. Below Trevor and Eric display the Breyer Model Horse, the ribbons and a plaque they got for their award.

Sunday afternoon the school hosted a Halloween Carnival and Jennifer took Eric, the werewolf, to the festivities.

Kathryn worked on the grapes we had picked and made 10 jars of grape jelly.

For dinner we made our own pizza and watched a little TV – ready to crash.

I worked most of the day on re-staging my computer with Windows Vista, which you can judge by this post, was finally successful.  I just can’t get drivers for my Microtek ScanMaker 4900 scanner that work with Vista.  Darn.

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2008/10/26/flu-awards-halloween-parties-grape-jelly/feed/ 0 Growth of Digital Photo Storage http://www.theswirl.org/2007/08/10/growth-of-digital-photo-storage/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/08/10/growth-of-digital-photo-storage/#comments Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:21:44 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/08/10/growth-of-digital-photo-storage/ This probably only interests me, but I recently saw the folder sizes of my digital pictures and was struck by the growth in the size over time. I got my 1st digital camera at the end of 2001 and the number of photos taken each year is growing and growing. I know there are [...]]]> This probably only interests me, but I recently saw the folder sizes of my digital pictures and was struck by the growth in the size over time. I got my 1st digital camera at the end of 2001 and the number of photos taken each year is growing and growing. I know there are times I snap a picture (or pictures) because I want to have something to add to the blog. I am struck by the fact that 2007 is a little more than 1/2 over and I have 2.3mb in digital pictures already. It must be all the weddings and loon pictures!

growth-of-digital-photos.jpg

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/08/10/growth-of-digital-photo-storage/feed/ 1 Getting Latitude / Longitude from Google Maps http://www.theswirl.org/2007/06/11/getting-latitude-longitude-from-google-maps/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/06/11/getting-latitude-longitude-from-google-maps/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:56:05 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/06/11/getting-latitude-longitude-from-google-maps/ You’ll first  look up an address , but this trick only works if the address is centered (it’s centered by default). So, moving the map around will not make this work. When the address you want to find latitude and longitude for is dead center, copy and paste this code into your browser bar:

javascript:void(prompt(”,gApplication.getMap().getCenter()));

Conversely, if you [...]]]> You’ll first  look up an address , but this trick only works if the address is centered (it’s centered by default). So, moving the map around will not make this work. When the address you want to find latitude and longitude for is dead center, copy and paste this code into your browser bar:

javascript:void(prompt(”,gApplication.getMap().getCenter()));

Conversely, if you have a lat, long combination you can plug that into Google Maps to show a location:

43.27069053158456, -75.28080940246582

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/06/11/getting-latitude-longitude-from-google-maps/feed/ 0 Test Your Connection Speeds http://www.theswirl.org/2007/05/16/test-your-connection-speeds/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/05/16/test-your-connection-speeds/#comments Wed, 16 May 2007 11:10:24 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/05/16/test-your-connection-speeds/ A URL link to test your upload and download [...]]]> A URL link to test your upload and download connection speeds.

http://www.internetfrog.com/mypc/speedtest/
]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/05/16/test-your-connection-speeds/feed/ 0 Free and Open Source Software http://www.theswirl.org/2007/04/09/free-and-open-source-software/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/04/09/free-and-open-source-software/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:20:50 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/04/09/free-and-open-source-software/ I thought I would pass along this link to Mohawke’s Best of the Best Free and Open Source Software Collection.  There is an impressive list of over 274 Open Source programs listed by name, title, description, and license.  It is worth a review, I am sure you will find something [...]]]> I thought I would pass along this link to Mohawke’s Best of the Best Free and Open Source Software Collection.  There is an impressive list of over 274 Open Source programs listed by name, title, description, and license.  It is worth a review, I am sure you will find something to download.

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/04/09/free-and-open-source-software/feed/ 0 Computer System Upgrade Night (Weekend) http://www.theswirl.org/2007/03/09/computer-system-upgrade-night/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/03/09/computer-system-upgrade-night/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2007 01:36:39 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/03/09/computer-system-upgrade-night/ I have a bunch of computer activities on going tonight. I bought a new Western Digital USB drive as my Lacie Drive I use for an off-site backup went on the fritz. I got a 150gb that I am currently copying all my music, digital photos, maps, and personal files onto. I started with [...]]]> I have a bunch of computer activities on going tonight. I bought a new Western Digital USB drive as my Lacie Drive I use for an off-site backup went on the fritz. I got a 150gb that I am currently copying all my music, digital photos, maps, and personal files onto. I started with my 70gb of music that is not backed up elsewhere. It took 2+ hours to copy those file; I expect the rest to be copied overnight.
After years of using free firewalls (ZoneAlarm), free anti-virus (Grisoft AVG), free ad-aware and spybot software I bought Norton 360 internet security suite. It allows installation on 3 computers, which is perfect for me. The 1st installation was relatively painless as was the 2nd.  I haven’t found any nasty viruses or malware yet.  Maybe the old freeware was doing just fine.
Kathryn’s computer is being upgraded from Windows 2000 to XP so I can run Norton 360 on it.

I upgraded my version of WordPress, which runs this blog, to version 2.1.2.  It was easy and painless.

I have used Eudora for email since 1995, starting out on Macintosh and then over on PCs.  After reading the news of Eudora mail to be merged with Mozilla Thunderbird I purchased the last commercial release of Eudora thinking it would tide me over until the merge was complete and we would transition to Thunderbird.  I was further motivated by Eudora’s statement that by the end of March existing licenses were going to be down graded to Eudora lite.   In the past purchasing one licensed copy of Eudora permitted me to perform multiple installations; 3 PCs and 1 Mac.  The latest licensing arrangement allows multiple installations, the additional ones just don’t work (or tell you why).  I could access email via web mail I thought my Norton 360 was causing problems, until I used Thunderbird on one of the computers.

The latest version of Thunderbird looks a lot like Eudora, imports all Eudora settings and works like a dream.

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/03/09/computer-system-upgrade-night/feed/ 0 Great Free Software http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/16/great-free-software/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/16/great-free-software/#comments Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:54:23 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/16/great-free-software/ I have been taking advantage of two great sources of free software:

The OpenCD Project and Software for Starving Students.  There is overlap in the tools offered, but you can’t beat the price and the functionality is remarkable.  In both cases it helps to be on a broadband connection.  I downloaded the CD image (ISO), burned a [...]]]> I have been taking advantage of two great sources of free software:

The OpenCD Project and Software for Starving Students.  There is overlap in the tools offered, but you can’t beat the price and the functionality is remarkable.  In both cases it helps to be on a broadband connection.  I downloaded the CD image (ISO), burned a CD using the free IMGBURN program and installed from the CD.  Check them out!

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/16/great-free-software/feed/ 0 Changes to the appearance of TheSwirl http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/12/changes-to-the-appearance-of-theswirl/ http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/12/changes-to-the-appearance-of-theswirl/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:32:02 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/12/changes-to-the-appearance-of-theswirl/ I recently upgraded WordPress, the software used to maintain TheSwirl, to the latest version.  I also decided to undergo a change in the theme of the blog, making it look more “Swirlish”.  Previously I was using the default theme which was nice, but looked like all the other generic blogs.  Let me know what [...]]]> I recently upgraded WordPress, the software used to maintain TheSwirl, to the latest version.  I also decided to undergo a change in the theme of the blog, making it look more “Swirlish”.  Previously I was using the default theme which was nice, but looked like all the other generic blogs.  Let me know what you think.

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/12/changes-to-the-appearance-of-theswirl/feed/ 0 My Favorite Applications http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/31/my-favorite-applications/ http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/31/my-favorite-applications/#comments Mon, 01 Jan 2007 03:12:16 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2007/01/01/my-favorite-applications/ Pandora – I have a lot of online music and listen constantly. Over the past year I have been listening to new music via Pandora, a music discovery service that utilizes the music genome project to recommend artists, bands and styles of music similar to an known artist. They’ve made the service more [...]]]> Pandora – I have a lot of online music and listen constantly. Over the past year I have been listening to new music via Pandora, a music discovery service that utilizes the music genome project to recommend artists, bands and styles of music similar to an known artist. They’ve made the service more Web 2.0′ish. Now you can find shared stations within the Pandora community, see who is listening to what, and search for songs, stations and listener profiles by keyword.

SyncBack – a Freeware backup synchronization program that I use to backup our computers to a network drive as well as backup onto an FTP site.

Google Docs & Spreadsheets – Lately I have been roaming among multiple computers and I have been using Google Docs to draft documentation.

Bloglines is my favorite website for keeping track of blog posts. It’s an application that lives on the web. I like that since I can switch computers and still stay up to date on recently updated blog. I really like the improvements that let me see real time updates.

Dinosaur World – Eric is really into dinosaurs and BBC has one of the best set of educational games. The 3D virtual world offers exploration of three separate worlds discovering dinosaurs and plant life along the way.

]]> http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/31/my-favorite-applications/feed/ 0 WebOS Review http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/26/webos-review/ http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/26/webos-review/#comments Tue, 26 Dec 2006 17:18:53 +0000 mullerj http://www.theswirl.org/2006/12/26/webos-review/ As I have been flitting among computers more lately I have been using Google web applications, primarily for documents and calendar functions.  This post has a practical review of ten fully functional virtual operating systems (WebOs) that can run within a browser.  While I have some inertia due to my previous use of Google, I plan [...]]]> As I have been flitting among computers more lately I have been using Google web applications, primarily for documents and calendar functions.  This post has a practical review of ten fully functional virtual operating systems (WebOs) that can run within a browser.  While I have some inertia due to my previous use of Google, I plan to check out the recommendations: YouOS, Goowy and DesktopTwo

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