GreenCology: November 2008

28 November 2008

Gizmine

If anyone is reading out there, anyone at all with money or who really enjoys reading my junky blog, please oh please visit this website, and buy me something.

Now. before christmas...

19 November 2008

Google Chrome - Download a new browser

Hey all, Im a self confessed unashamed Chrome user! I can feel the heat from the flamers now, but its worth acknowledging the good side of a new browser from my favourite company.

I used to be an IE devout user, never had time for anything else, then I got onto Avant, which still used IE, but had its own shell, had tabs before IE did, plus a bunch of other features. All of which i found to be in Firefox, and after long deliberation(its not easy making the work choice to switch), i moved to Firefox, thus enjoying all the benefits of every kind of imaginable plugin, theme, add-in, script, ubiquity etc that was going.

Well, then i saw the leak about Chrome, i downloaded the cartoon like everyone else, was so impressed i even printed it, in color! And stapled it, and showed it to friends, who didn't understand a word. So when the launch finally happened, i think i was about the fourth person to download and install at some ungodly early hour from some unidentified source that had managed to grab a version. Awesome, first cut and I loved it.

Simple, no clutter, fast(noticeably so), and after setting the option to show links on the toolbar, i was in almost engaged to it. I promptly set it as my default browser, told FireFox and IE to stop hassling me to about being the default browser and lived happily ever after.

Almost....

Then the cracks started to appear, first people started finding privacy issues with the terms and conditions, then there was an old Safari security bug that wasn't patched in Chrome, then people started moaning about no plugins, no this, and no that...

But i persevered, i had a few problems with sites that didn't render properly, graphs and stuff, also popups, Chrome blocking things which was good, but some sites used those and you couldn't continue with what you were doing.

I did miss the google toolbar, and I'm still amazed it wasn't in the first cut, why the rush and miss that out? Then i found some ways to get around that, javascript shortcuts/links, i managed to get the Send to Blogger, and a few others working, as well as Instapaper etc. I'm happy as.

Now, my latest problem, as you can see from a previous post, is the browserist elitism of some companies that block my poor little browser. I used to laugh at the people that complained about sites that said 'Best viewed with IE' etc, but that was because they used Netscape and FireFox etc, now they don't complain when its Chrome that's being blocked.

But being fair to online companies, it is hard to support multiple browsers, and it has to be weighed up with the costs vs the benefits. For instance a car manufacturer has to make their car compliant with many countries manufacturers rules, but there is big money there. How far do you go. To the credit of the company mentioned as blocking Chrome, they will be supporting it shortly, and I guess they are in beta and still testing, easier to get the basics working then expand the supported browsers.

So i will continue on my quest to keep using the one simple uncluttered, fast, stable browser. When your on a good thing, stick to it, until something better comes along.

Feel free to comment on your thoughts about the browser as a tool, not whats best and whats not, but more of a holy point of view, "does it get my job done", and "what makes you switch"?

End of thought, browser off!

StickySorter

This is an interesting project by a pair of not very busy MS programmers who in their spare time whipped up this little app.

Im interested firstly in the stickynote aspect, and secondly im new to affinity diagramming, whcih also tickles my fancy.

Ill download this later and give it a test drive.

� The Process Approach to Writing a Procedure – Creating a Draft

Ive just been tasked with creating the Change Management policy and procedures, so some background research and planning is in order, this site came up, charge as it does, there is still a lot of good information freely available here.

Note to self: Come back often

Axence Software - Network Monitoring, Network Mapping & Application Monitoring- Free NetTools

Im always interested in these network apps, and because they always do the same things, theres not much to differentiate, and so it comes back to GUI, this one looks pretty simple and impressive.

Now, where did my network go?

18 November 2008

Spring Partners - Wont let me in!

Spring Partners

I was liking the look of this site, the concept was interesting, it looked neat, i had an idea how i might use it for a trial, then i clicked sign up, and bang!

Its all over, crucified for using Chrome, unsupported browser...

Now I realise its a beta, and Chrome has a small user base, and they dont want to support everything, but hey, Chrome uses the Safari rendering engine, so its gonna be close, and if not, then its user beware, go change browser, and away you go.

To just say you dont have access is as bad as the old days when sites said that you had to be using IE, well this is the same.

End of thought, bugger off..

14 November 2008

15 Useful Project Management Tools | Developer's Toolbox | Smashing Magazine

Interesting list, its always good to see a summary of apps like this. It just happens to be timely, as i start to manage a few projects currently, i think, what should i run this in, and of course free is a good option.

13 November 2008

Waseda Talker Robot Tries to Speak Like Humans, Sounds Like A Cow - Gizmodo Australia

Oh dear, they want to build this thing into a mobile phone? I can just imagine having this pair of lips on my ear... !! talk about tickle..

11 November 2008

Write Or Die : Dr Wicked's Writing Lab

Write or Die, thats the precept, its true... especially the electric shock mode...

What if The Matrix Ran on Windows? - Gizmodo Australia

Take the red pill Neo, its running on Windows!!!

No good can come of this....

10 November 2008

The 20 Best iPod Utilities - Lifehacker Australia

While im on the iPod, heres some more cool iPodUtilities.

SharePod - Download

AWESOME!!!!! SharePod is awesome... finally a lightweight iPod manager.

Finally, iTunes should be dissasembled, put into a box and thrown out on the tip, its an example of extremely bad software GUI design and should have beenm scrapped years ago, shame on you Apple.

Now, for people who like a simple clean interface and functional at a glance, rather than searching and using trial and error.

Go the SharePod

04 November 2008

Hacking Open Elmo Live - Lifehacker Australia

Yep, this is funny, and cool, but strangely disturbing, and not only to the kinders, the guys doing the strip search are enjoying it all too much!

GROCERYchoice - Home

This really has come a long way, i remember seeing the early versions, where you really didnt get much info, maybe a confirmation that Coles was good etc.. But I guess times change and you need to keep checking as they keep changing their prices...

Maybe you could get a weekly alert so you know where to shop each week. Printing a shopping list with the cheapest brands etc. Maybe you could order online all your packaged, canned and bottled goods? Leaving you to only collect your fresh vegies, fruit and meat.

Virtual Webcam Girlfriend Is Entrancing, If a Little Perverted - Gizmodo Australia

Worth a look, interesting that you need the little cube, makes hacking harder unless you printed a cube and stuck it together.