Posts

After a long couple of years on Drupal, I finally moved everything over to squarespace. No more headaches with security holes, expired plug-ins, constant backups, server crashes, SQL bugs, etc.  For $27 bucks a month, I now have a platform and hosting that is scalable. Nice deal. Now I can focus on content and forget about the maintenance of using a CMS. 

I've been working on creating a new website for thinkmac.net since mid January. I have so many ideas, but was never sure what I wanted the site to become. I investigated several CMS (content management systems), and whittled it down to Drupal or Joomla!.  I made my choice. Joomla!. It had a nice interface on the back end for posting and administering, and looked easier than Drupal 4.7. I could find several theme packages for Joomla!, which especially sparked my interest. The plug-ins looked pretty cool too. 

I joined the Rocket Themes template club. For $50, you get 3 months access to their templates made specifically for Joomla!. Then, I simply needed to customize them however I wanted.  I played around with it and had to learn some new skills. Fireworks 8, CSS, and how to install a CMS.

It didn't take me long to figure out this was going to take awhile. I am not a 'read the manual first' type of guy. I prefer to get in and play around, and look for every way possible to implement what I want done, without doing it myself. I know it doesn't make sense.. but that's how I tend to operate.

Then I enlisted some help from some outsourcing clubs. I paid a bit over $100 to have someone customize a couple things. It was at a point where it was cheaper for me to pay someone, instead of killing any more time doing it.  Well, that didn't work out so well..... not that he didn't do a good job, but I just didn't like the final results. So, I had to go back to the drawing board and start playing around with it myself, to tweak it just so.. 

Well... it was coming to the point where I had the site looking pretty good... but I noticed one thing. It took for freaking ever to load. I didn't know Joomla! was such a server hog...... and Dreamhost.com servers weren't helping it much either.  There were other problems with Joomla! that I didn't care for... to make it SEO you had to do all kinds of hacks and such, etc. I checked out the beta version about to be released, and it didn't impress me. I'd had it with Joomla!, so off to Drupal.org I went. Compare performance here at this very cool comparison.

I was pleased to see that Drupal 5 was released, with a much easier to understand interface.  So, here I am working with Drupal, and I love it. It's so robust & configurable, the biggest challenge is adding and configuring all of the features I want thinkmac.net to have.

It will feature the latest technologies (including the much requested Tag Clouds). One thing that I am having some trouble with is working on one feature. I need to be more task oriented, instead of working on 10 things at a time.. I need to focus on one.

I also left dreamhost, and went to a Virtual Private Server, and that has added a whole additional level of complexity. Now I have to know how to manage a server and administer domains, linux, etc. In over my head... yea  a bit. But man, this is an incredible learning opportunity.

If you have features you would like to see.. be sure to let me know.  I am hoping to launch the new site in about a week.  I am also looking for a few people to help review software, products, do tutorials, etc.  If you are SERIOUSLY interested, please drop me an email: tips@thinkmac.net

Here is a quick peek at the new site...

sneak peak #2

Sneak Peak #1

UPDATE:  The show is posted.  Listen to it here.

Tonight I was lucky enough to be selected for an interview on "The Mac Attack" podcast. We talked about software, my first macs, a couple tips, and more. Hopefully the edit will make me sound like I know what I am talking about... but if not, oh well..
We had a couple technical difficulties during the interview... makes you wonder how these live shows even get done.

I'll post a note about it when he adds the show to his feed.

It's always great fun to get to talk to someone that loves the Mac too. If I hadn't had to leave to watch Survivor Fiji... we might still be going at it.

I really like this VOX blog. It's very cool. However, for posting, it only partially works with my browser of choice - Safari.  I have to go over to Firefox to create this post. 

I am using a combination of browsers currently,and wish I could take all of the features and create the Ultimate Browser. If you haven't tried a browser other than Safari - or Internet Explorer 5 (there are some of you out there...), try out FLOCK, Camino, and the ubiquitous FireFox.

Windows, Mac, Linux - What's your preference and why?
Submitted by ramblingsbymark.

Mac OS X. The main reason I prefer it is because it IS better than the others. When I first used it, it seemed very strange the way things are done. However, after I understood how things worked, I became passionate about it. If something wasn't good, do you think there would be so many loyal mac fans? If there is one thing Mac users are known for,  it's our  zealotry (is that even a word?)..  Is Mac OS X  perfect? No... if it was, there would not be an update every 18 months.  However, it gets better and better..   Windows is good - without internet connectivity. There are just too many exploits, and you need to be a security wizard to use it. Linux is getting better, but it still is too intimidating for most, even with the strides of unbuntu.

I've had Apple Care on my iBook G4 since I bought it in March 2004.  This is the first time I have had to use it for any problems relating to my iBook.  My power cord started acting funny with an alternating amber/green light, and I am questioning the charging job it has been doing on the battery.

I called Apple Care this morning, and after some basic troubleshooting, the Apple care associate said she would ship me out a new 45w Power Adapter.  I was quite pleased to hear this, especially since it was covered under Apple Care.  Now, had the barrel been broken, or cord torn.. they probably wouldn't replace it.  I didn't ask, but I did do some online searching, and came up with this Apple Tech document.
Troubleshooting Apple Power Cords

I have been using my local blockbuster for about 12 years.  Additionally, we have been a subscriber to the online service too.  However, we had a video rented and kept it 35 days.  I would always forget to pick it up and drop it off for whatever reason.  I wasn't worried since it was the 'No Late Fees' policy, but I did know I would be subject to the restocking fee, which is under $2. 

I go into blockbuster, pick up X-Men3 and go to the counter. I inform the girl that I just dropped off an overdue movie and she goes and grabs it.  Well, she's like, 'You own this movie'... and I tell her just to credit it back. Tha'ts what has happened a few times, when I take a movie back late... they charge my card for it, and then credit it back once the movie is returned, and charge the restocking fee.

She says the policy is that if you keep it over 30 days.. you are keeping it. After arguing back and forth and about 14 customers move to the OTHER line... she says I can talk to the store manager on Monday.   They could not show me in writing the policy, and simply said.. we've been doing it for a year, you should know.  My bad.. i'm not omnipotent, maybe they didn't get the memo. To me.. No late fees means NO LATE FEES.  The most ludacris thing is that they want me to pay $25 for it.  

Additionally, I said I would deal with it on Monday, and I wanted to go ahead and get X-men 3.  The counter girl says "Not until you pay that bill... I can't rent to you."  On top of that, I can't even have the movie back that I just returned.
The girl at the counter said there was no way that the store manager would take it back... and the best I could hope for is the fact that she might reduce the cost and sell it to me as a previously viewed movie. Yea right.

It's a huge scam, so be careful, if you keep it 31 days... you own it.
No wonder New Jersey has filed a class action lawsuit against them.  iTunes just won another customer.. as did Net Flix.  And Blockbuster wonders why they are losing business.

UPDATE:  Ok, I called my local Blockbuster, spoke with the store manager, Lisa.  She was already up to speed on the situation and was expecting my call ( I didn't even give her my name when I called). After I said about 4 sentences, she said, "If your position is that you are not going to pay this, then I will take it off, just this time".  I was pleased.. but I continued to tell her my concerns. I appreciate that she is fixing my problem, but what about the others that don't have a clue about the over 30 days policy, like I was up until Friday. At the least, I told her that ALL employees should know where to find the fine print and show it to a customer. I'm going to ask next time I go to pick up a movie.  For now, I am not canceling, since they took care of my problem, but you should beware of this policy, you may not be as fortunate as I am.
 

My son is so creative and funny.  We were coming up with ideas for a halloween costume this year, and he said he could be 'Mac Sparrow', a play on 'Jack Sparrow' from Pirates of the Carribean.   

The last two years, my son has been an iPod for Halloween.  I spent tons of time & cash designing and putting this together. We retired this costume last year, after he was in the local paper.  

ipodCool

This year we aren't doing anything elaborate. It's only a few days before halloween, and it looks like we are going to go home made or store bought. It will be the first time in several years he hasn't had the best costume around.  I'm beginnging to think his friends don't want to trick or treat with him... nobody even looks at their outfits.

ipodBack20gb

You can tell the costume is now a bit dated. He was only a 20GB iPod.

MTD

I have been lucky enough to be featured in iTunes in the Top Technology podcast page. In fact, they have me 'Featured' on the 'Tech News' page right on the front. Now this is very very cool.. except for one thing. My podcast isn't Tech News. It would probably fit in better under Software-how-to.

 I am afraid to change anything or let iTunes know, since I don't want to lose my spot!

I've been prominently listed there for several months now. It sure is nice to get the exposure, however, I have to admit that  have see my subscription rate plateau.  One of these days something will prompt a flurry of new subscribers, but for now I feel like I am not going to be getting many new subscribers.

The Mac is a niche market, and I am doing pretty good with it. I reliably update the podcast almost every day, and I think this is helping me keep the subscribers that I do have.  In the big scheme of things, with 40,000+ podcasts out there, my 2500 daily subscribers is pretty good. 

Since the middle of the year, I have had almost 400,000 unique IP addresses pull down the show, and that is pretty amazing.