Thursday, August 26, 2010

Digital Frame





I received a digital frame as a gift a couple of months ago.

What a nifty piece of technology it is, and it is simple enough for a totally technology illiterate person to operate.

I am thinking it would make a good gift for a couple of older members of our family who have absolutely nothing to do with any modern technology at all - not even a cell phone.

After it is set up, all it requires from then on is turning it on, and changing the USB flashdrive to view different sets of photos.

I am always getting asked for photographs from these family members, but for the last ten years or so, they are all digital and are on the computer.

We can easily share them with other family members through the computer, but those without one are missing out.

And it is such a pain to go through the photos and have them printed through a lab.

Printing them ourselves is not an option with the high ink costs - not to mention trying to set the color profiles just right (I am really picky about that).

Sending flash drives through the mail with new pictures on them is much easier - and probably cheaper too.

Christmas gifts this year will be easy - now we will just have to watch the sales to get the best deals!
















Thursday, August 19, 2010

Edit the CSS Code





I finally found the code for the date box on the new template.

I do not have a load of experience with CSS, most of it has been a learn as you go thing.

I have to give credit to the author who designed this template.

The code was organized so perfectly - it wasn't put together with pieces here and there which would have made it almost impossible to find.

I can remember the first time I dealt with this kind of code.

I was just copying and posting whatever the tech said I had to do to make it work.

And they told me at the time it didn't matter where it went just a long as it was between the header and the footer.

Man, looking back now, that code page was a disaster - but it worked.

I really appreciated the way the author had this one composed.

It's one of those behind the scenes things that we never think of - even with computer code.

But we certainly know when it doesn't work.

Just a big thanks to the author - you did a great job!
















Monday, August 16, 2010

New Blog Design





It took quite a bit of time online searching for a new template for this blog.

I didn't want anything too fancy but not too plain either.

Being a "tech" blog, I figured simple lines worked best, and after narrowing it down to a few choices, this one had the features that I liked the best.

I liked the split sidebars on the right after the solid ones above it.

It also featured some bars across the bottom, but I removed them through the layout page for the blog.

I may put them back with different gadgets in them as time goes along.

I had to the scour the CSS code to fix the title - it was doing some serious overlapping, and I certainly wasn't going to have that.

There is one big thing that bothers me now.

The "day" and "date" box before each post title isn't looking good at all.

I have gone down the CSS code, and found the size for the date, but I cannot find it for the "day".

I don't like the way it splits it up like it does.

Of course, I am not too familiar with CSS - I know just enough to feel comfortable fiddling with it - as long as I write everything down so I can fix it if necessary.

All in all, I like the choice for now, and will eventually fix that date issue.

But I am not opposed to changing the template again should something I like better come along.
















Saturday, August 14, 2010

Printers





A very sore subject with me lately.

I had an old Canon workhorse that was designed when windows 98 was around.

It didn't work with Windows XP, but some smart cookie made up a program that allowed it to, and I was able to happily continue using it for many years.

I purchased another canon printer about 4 years ago - it lasted about two.

I have since gone through two epsons and am on my third one.

I purchased it brand new on sale for around fifty dollars.

I needed ink refills - and wouldn't you know - they cost more than the &*$#@(* printer itself.

And I can only use the brand name ones.

I found this out after wasting money on non-brand name ones that were supposed to work.

The companies have designed a chip in each refill - and the printer reads this chip and it will only work if it is the brand name cartridge.

What a racket these printer companies are running.

I bought some refills, but that printer only gets used very occasionally.

I have purchsed a canon laser printer for my business needs, and that thing is great.

No color - but oh yeah, I got the epson with the golden cartridges for that.
















Monday, August 2, 2010

Browsers





All PC's come installed with Microsoft Internet Explorer as a browser for using the internet.

The first computer I had came installed with it and Netscape and AOL - America On Line.

Since dial up was the only option of the day, I signed up with AOL - it was already installed and ready to go - no having to try to figure it all out.

It was great - I had no idea was a browser was - AOL was the way I signed on and browsed the internet - too simple.

My next computer didn't have AOL installed, but the installation CDs were everywhere at the time - they came in the mail quite regular too.

Still didn't need a browser - AOL provided what I needed and used.

Then DSL came to town.

I was so excited - couldn't wait for that high speed internet.

It was touted how it was always online - even when I didn't use AOL so sign online.

How was that possible?

Discovery of the Microsoft Internet Explorer was made.

I used it - but I didn't like it - crashed way too much for me.

Then I discovered Firefox after reading about it in a forum.

More secure, less buggy, and totally customizable.

After reading several more recommendations online, I decided to give it a try.

All I could say was "WOW".

It has been the browser of choice for all the computers that have ever entered our house and my families homes too.

The link is above if you haven't yet discovered it - it really is as good as it sounds!