Friendly Technology.........

A not so critical computer crash at an Airport.

As things go, I guess there could be a lot worse computer crashes at Vancouver International Airport.  I hope they have better systems for air traffic control. Click on the image for larger view (might take some time, especially on dial up connections):

By the way, I am in Chicago for the Rotary International World Convention. Looking forward to the meeting of  Rotary Tech groups, Rotarians on the Internet and the International Computer Users Fellowship of Rotary.

I am also blogging the convention here....

It all starts with surge protection...

As I sit here dead tired in Cowboy Coffee in Kamloops, laptop plugged directly into the outlet without surge protection, having forgotten my again newly purchased surge protection, I don't want to ever forget it again.

Remember: Stray zaps of lightning kill computers.

Let me include a motivational and soothing picture in this post:

Ahhhhhhhhhh....

Inspired by Digital Cameras...

Read a few interesting posts about how digital cameras are changing people lives:

• Architects, Doctors. Teachers - essential work tool.
  
  
• Children of Sex Trade Workers in India - unlocking their innate creativity and openess.

• Chis Pirillo - a famous nerd raving about the best digital camera he has ever owned (a Canon).

Free Online Project Management - for home or office.

I firmly believe powerful project management shouldn't just be reserved for work related projects. I know that there are tons of personal projects in my life that scream out for better organization - keeping the apt tidy, planning holidays, and looking for healthy and interesting meal choices.

Yesterday,  I was reading a the Smallbiz blog. Rob Lewis was recommending  a service called Basecamp. I had heard of Basecamp but had not tried it yet. Rob's post reminded me.

Last night, I signed up for a free (one project) Basecamp and started entering in details, planning, and ideas for one of the projects I am working on. So far, I have been really impressed. The service allows you to create to do lists, notes, and schedules. And, it works even better if more than one person is involved.

Disposable Video Cameras....

Video cameras typically sit for long stretches in cupboards and on shelves - waiting for the next trip, birthday, or retirement party.

Video cameras are also quite pricey compared to a camera and, for the amount you invest in a video camera, many might people might ask if they are really getting their money's worth.

Pure Digital is betting that people feel like they are not getting their moneys worth. The company has created the world's first disposable video camera.

I like the concept but I wonder about about the environmental impacts of this device.

Inexpensive, effective, and easily managed web sites...

I helped create the web sites for Kamlooops based companies, Tabs Christian Supplies and Strategic Partners Training.  I am quite proud of how we set up these sites using the Typepad service I use here at Friendly Technology

Neither the site for Tabs nor the site for Strategic Partners is a blog, per say. We wanted to make the sites look as much like a "traditional" web site as possible.

I used Typepad for these sites for three reasons:

1. The ability to easily update without having to know web programming.
2. The low cost of the service compared to other content management services.
3. Good search engine visibility Typepad and other blogging platforms offer.

There is some training involved in learning how to jerry rig Typepad to work for non bloggy sites. But, it is worth it. For at little as $4.95 US a month, you can have a pretty powerful, easily managed web site.

The new XXX domain name....

I have a soft spot in my heart for a certain  computer consulting company in Flagstaff Arizona  - they thought of a good idea before I did. Friendly Technology, the name of this blog, was first used online by my friends in Flagstaff. When I went looking for a domain name for this blog - I had to use friendlytechnology.net rather than friendlytechnology.com.

.com domain names remain the most desirable because they are what people will often try first. However, there are a huge number of other domain endings / suffixes. Every country in the world, for example, has its own unique domain sufffix.

The group that controls the domain name system, ICANN, is looking at whole bunch of new domain suffixes - examples: .store, .travel.

And, they have just recently approved = .xxx. This action has caused controversy. It is an attempt to create a online red light district and to prevent people from stumbling upon adult content. Of course, it will only work if a lot of adult web masters give up their .com domains and move over - and I am not sure that they will do that,

Joi Ito, an ICANN board member, has more on his blog.

The Worst Possible Ways to "do" Email!

Dripping with sarcasm, this email tip list by Bert Webb reminds us to do exactly the opposite of what it suggests.

(hat tip: Life Hacker (which is one cool web site))

The best Consumer Research Site Online...

Ebay today announced that it will purchase the consumer review web site Shopping.com.

Great stuff. However, to let you in one of my little secrets: for my money, the best consumer review site online - which puts together reviews from reputable magazines and web sites - is Consumer Search. This site is so useful to me, I even put up with the the odd pop up it pops up.