I've replaced my Viewsonic Ultrabrite A90f+ that I've had for around a year but suddenly has started brightening some screens but not others to where the text became very difficult to read. The monitor still works, but it is pathetic that it had a problem this soon. The past monitors that I have owned lasted much longer before having a problem.
While the LCD72V is 17" compared to the A90f+'s 19", the screen size is still sufficient for me. Normally I would at least match the screen size of my old monitor, but hey, I won the LCD72V. It's a bonus that it uses less power and uses up less space than the A90f+ did.
The text is clear now - no issues there. Pictures still look good. I have not tried any gaming with it yet.
Installation took a bit longer in Windows than it did in Linux. Linux just needed a change to my X config file, while in Windows I removed the A90f+ before plugging in the LCD72V. What is annoying about the LCD72V is that it will complain if the resolution is not set at the "optimal recommended" resolution. A popup will appear - it goes away with the press of a button on the monitor, but will come up each time you go into Windows until you change the resolution to at least match what the LCD72V recommends. I changed it, no big deal, considering that I am rarely in Windows anyway.
Despite those little quirks, I've found the LCD72V to be a good monitor so far.
May 30, 2005
Macintosh Powerbook and OS X Tiger First Thoughts
I've had my 15" Powerbook for under a week right now. Here are my first thoughts about it.
External: The Powerbook looks very slick, I like the metal casing. It's certainly lighter than one would expect. I'm a bit mixed on the placement of the USB ports - one on the left side and one on the right side. My Sony camcorder comes with a docking station that plugs into both Firewire and USB, so I am pretty much stuck to using one side there without having wires going all over the place. I have not tried unplugging the USB side to see if the camcorder will still do everything I want it to do (I'll be using it as a webcam in applications outside of iChat), but it is something I will have to try. The Powerbook uses a touchpad for the mouse along with just the one button. Most of my time has been spent in a Windows and Linux world - two buttons has made things easier. I understand Apple's reasoning for just one button, but it actually makes things more difficult for me. I'm going to look into getting a regular mouse - not only to have two buttons, but because I don't care for touchpads - I much prefer the eraser nubs, or whatever you want to call them.
OS X and applications - As I've stated, most of my experience is in Windows (used mostly at work) and Linux (used at home), so there is a learning curve at getting used to OS X. Some of the nuances for me - Zoom: I want my windows to fill the screen, not just grow a little bit - there is not much of a difference between a zoomed and unzoomed window, making it near worthless. The "X" button on a window: If I close all windows of a program, I want that program to quit and leave memory. I do not want to select the program from the title bar and select quit - that's more work than necessary. I do not want to press control and do a button click for a contextual menu, especially if I am using a touchpad to navigate - this is more difficult and time consuming than the right click of a mouse. Printers: I cannot get my Samsung ML-1430 laser printer to work - Apple does not acknowledge Samsung as a printer brand, the Gimp-Print drivers I saw for other Samsungs did not work, and the last Mac driver on Samsung's site states that it is for OS 10.3, not the 10.4 that I am on. Camcorder: Just plugged it in and it worked perfectly.
Safari - Tried it, but I love Firefox too much.
Screensavers: Oooooh pretty!
iChat - Worked just fine with my AIM account, including using my camcorder as a webcam. I would've liked for them to include more IM protocols, though.
I still have a lot to try out, including iMovie and iDVD, the big reasons why I went with the Powerbook. I'll review those, along with further thoughts on OS X as I play with it, in the future.
External: The Powerbook looks very slick, I like the metal casing. It's certainly lighter than one would expect. I'm a bit mixed on the placement of the USB ports - one on the left side and one on the right side. My Sony camcorder comes with a docking station that plugs into both Firewire and USB, so I am pretty much stuck to using one side there without having wires going all over the place. I have not tried unplugging the USB side to see if the camcorder will still do everything I want it to do (I'll be using it as a webcam in applications outside of iChat), but it is something I will have to try. The Powerbook uses a touchpad for the mouse along with just the one button. Most of my time has been spent in a Windows and Linux world - two buttons has made things easier. I understand Apple's reasoning for just one button, but it actually makes things more difficult for me. I'm going to look into getting a regular mouse - not only to have two buttons, but because I don't care for touchpads - I much prefer the eraser nubs, or whatever you want to call them.
OS X and applications - As I've stated, most of my experience is in Windows (used mostly at work) and Linux (used at home), so there is a learning curve at getting used to OS X. Some of the nuances for me - Zoom: I want my windows to fill the screen, not just grow a little bit - there is not much of a difference between a zoomed and unzoomed window, making it near worthless. The "X" button on a window: If I close all windows of a program, I want that program to quit and leave memory. I do not want to select the program from the title bar and select quit - that's more work than necessary. I do not want to press control and do a button click for a contextual menu, especially if I am using a touchpad to navigate - this is more difficult and time consuming than the right click of a mouse. Printers: I cannot get my Samsung ML-1430 laser printer to work - Apple does not acknowledge Samsung as a printer brand, the Gimp-Print drivers I saw for other Samsungs did not work, and the last Mac driver on Samsung's site states that it is for OS 10.3, not the 10.4 that I am on. Camcorder: Just plugged it in and it worked perfectly.
Safari - Tried it, but I love Firefox too much.
Screensavers: Oooooh pretty!
iChat - Worked just fine with my AIM account, including using my camcorder as a webcam. I would've liked for them to include more IM protocols, though.
I still have a lot to try out, including iMovie and iDVD, the big reasons why I went with the Powerbook. I'll review those, along with further thoughts on OS X as I play with it, in the future.
May 27, 2005
Looks like the Legend of Huma did well enough
Now it sounds like they will have a comic book version of the Dragonlance Chronicles. Hopefully it will be easier to find than Huma was.
May 23, 2005
One small business' year with Linux
It's good to see that for the most part a small business can function on Linux alone. Just get the Access killer and start marketing like crazy!
May 22, 2005
May 19, 2005
Dragonlance: Dark Chronicles
It looks like Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman will be writing Dark Chronicles, which takes place during the Dragonlance Chronicles, complete with all the characters we have come to know and love. :)
Story
Story
May 18, 2005
X-Men 3 info!
Kelsey Grammer will play Beast; Angel and Kitty Pryde to be announced soon. Vinnie Jones plays Juggernaut. They are looking at a Memorial Day 2006 release. They aren't giving story details.
Story source
HOWEVER, they do say Famke Janssen will be in this movie. Who, you say? Look at their IMDB entry and all will be made clear...and give away a teensy bit of the story. :)
I only hope the movie doesn't slow down or suffer by having to introduce Beast, Angel, and Kitty.
Story source
HOWEVER, they do say Famke Janssen will be in this movie. Who, you say? Look at their IMDB entry and all will be made clear...and give away a teensy bit of the story. :)
I only hope the movie doesn't slow down or suffer by having to introduce Beast, Angel, and Kitty.
May 17, 2005
Getting a Powerbook
I've ordered a Powerbook and will be receiving it sometime next week. There are a number of reasons for this - I want a good program for editing digital video from my camcorder and creating DVDs from it, to replace my old Windows 98 laptop which is way too slow, possibly use it for the future release of Macromedia Studio, and to gain skills in using OS X (my skills are in Windows and Linux) which could make me more marketable should the need arise to change jobs.
I'll be adding posts on my experiences as I play around with it.
I'll be adding posts on my experiences as I play around with it.
May 15, 2005
Some reviews from my trip to Atlanta
I had a 4 day stay in Atlanta - the Downtown section for the CDC's 3rd annual Public Health Information Network conference. I went to last year's conference and the trip overall was better this year.
This year I went with a non-stop flight on Delta (last year was a one stop flight with United). I wasn't sure how starved I would be when I got to Atlanta, but Delta's "snack pack" that they give on flights was sufficient to last me until I got to the hotel. Both my to and return trips were on time; I was actually pleasantly surprised at how soon we got into the air when heading to Atlanta - lifted off right at the departure time as opposed to the usual pulling out of the dock at departure time (and that usually ends up being a few minutes afterwards). Despite all of that, I didn't seem to enjoy my flights with Delta as much as I seem to enjoy the other flights I had; but then I was a bit more stressed than usual for this trip.
I don't care for the Atlanta airport. It's too big and too chaotic. Thankfully checking in for my return flight was better than last year - it didn't take as long to check in and it wasn't an hours long process to get through security. No having to run to catch my plane, either!
I stayed at the Hyatt Regency. The staff was professional and courteous; more than I tend to remember for other hotels I have stayed at. I did not like the fact that the pool did not open until the last night of my stay; by then I did not feel like doing much of anything. For whatever reason the shower would just not come on and work the morning I left, depsite having worked the previous mornings, so I had to do with a bath, which was not as satisfying, especially considering how small most tubs are. At least my rate was reduced a little bit as a result of that. It was also nice being closer to the Peachtree Center mall - it made lunch and dinner much easier, despite just about everything in downtown Atlanta worth doing closes up by 5 or 6 pm.
I'm definitely glad to be back home. I may be going to Las Vegas next month, but that is still up in the air.
This year I went with a non-stop flight on Delta (last year was a one stop flight with United). I wasn't sure how starved I would be when I got to Atlanta, but Delta's "snack pack" that they give on flights was sufficient to last me until I got to the hotel. Both my to and return trips were on time; I was actually pleasantly surprised at how soon we got into the air when heading to Atlanta - lifted off right at the departure time as opposed to the usual pulling out of the dock at departure time (and that usually ends up being a few minutes afterwards). Despite all of that, I didn't seem to enjoy my flights with Delta as much as I seem to enjoy the other flights I had; but then I was a bit more stressed than usual for this trip.
I don't care for the Atlanta airport. It's too big and too chaotic. Thankfully checking in for my return flight was better than last year - it didn't take as long to check in and it wasn't an hours long process to get through security. No having to run to catch my plane, either!
I stayed at the Hyatt Regency. The staff was professional and courteous; more than I tend to remember for other hotels I have stayed at. I did not like the fact that the pool did not open until the last night of my stay; by then I did not feel like doing much of anything. For whatever reason the shower would just not come on and work the morning I left, depsite having worked the previous mornings, so I had to do with a bath, which was not as satisfying, especially considering how small most tubs are. At least my rate was reduced a little bit as a result of that. It was also nice being closer to the Peachtree Center mall - it made lunch and dinner much easier, despite just about everything in downtown Atlanta worth doing closes up by 5 or 6 pm.
I'm definitely glad to be back home. I may be going to Las Vegas next month, but that is still up in the air.
May 7, 2005
Making fire with a soda can and chocolate bar
Yes, you too can make a fire using a soda can and chocolate bar (along with the wrapper).
May 5, 2005
It was my birthday two days ago...
But no spankings for me. Now it looks like being spanked daily by the opposite sex helps beat stress and depression. Maybe I should get those spankings, just for the sake of my mental health, of course.
May 2, 2005
Interesting meditation study results
These results in a meditation study suggest that meditation lowers the death rate. I was particularly surprised by the lower rates of cancer.
May 1, 2005
It would probably be cheaper...
To go through your local historical reenactment group for Medieval crafts instead of this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)