Wiki tools, Working Sundays, Syriana, Misc.
Busy. Not so much with work, but lots to think about. Paralysis through 'over choice' is one of my personal challenges. Too many things I want to do. But, have had some simple successes during my recent time off. One of these was chasing up on some software that I'd heard about for doing wiki like editing. I'd found VoodooPad for the Mac. Very subversive. Like my favourite mindmap software, a good reason to just use the Mac for stuff - but my favourite mindmapping software wasn't available on Macs. It was my main reason for not converting to using a Mac. So pulled in two different directions.
Then Freemind, an open source product, actually became fast and usable on a mac, and PC, and linux too I believe. And I found a product called WikidPad for the PC. So, now can do similar things on both platforms - tho' VoodooPad is v. cool and much nicer than WikidPad.
Then I found that someone had written some html/javascript called TiddlyWiki - and have been playing a bit with that. Haven't quite sussed it out, but it appears to be one of the cleverest tools I've seen. I mean, it isn't a program. You copy an html file, launch it in your favourite browser, and you're away: Firefox recommended as the browser for this one.
If anyone has any suggestions for simple and nice tools for doing simple hypertext I'd be interested in hearing about them...but I think these tools (VoodooPad, WikidPad, TiddlyWiki, and [sorta] Freemind) are a pretty good set.
While I'm looking at 'tools' - there is a thing called Yojimbo from BareBoneSoftware - yeah, another mac thing. Looks good. Really, I just want to be able to pull bits of info together _simply_ and _quickly_, and maybe package it for communicating ideas/info to others.
Was on leave for a week and a bit after Easter. Now back to work as well. Starting off with testing an upgrade this morning. Thank god for broadband and an employer who allows 'work from home' - actually quite depends on it, really. Not much chance of me making a site visit for 'puters and storage located outside of the ACT...
Thanks to iki_maska for helping me chop down an irksome tree. And for giving me a few hints on how to mark up this lj stuff - I'll try to put that in place for the next time. Had a chat to a gardening contact who does oddjobs etc, or regular maintenance if you want, and got some good advice on things I can do with the garden which they can help me implement for (hopefully) not to much $$$. And it mostly matches up with what has been suggested by a few others (like the discussions with iki & iki's partner while we were chopping down/cutting up the tree), which is reassuring. Low maint, low water, hopefully a bit cooling and creating of a pleasant ambience. May even be ready in time for spring if I get a move on.
Have had a couple of unsuccessful attempts to arrange a lesson for my hammered dulcimer, but think me and the teacher have finally found a good timeslot. On Saturday. I realised that while I had Sunday afternoons mostly free, I liked keeping it that way for doing unstructured things. And so that the erratically organised family lunches that happen on Sundays don't get interfered with, and don't interfere with other things that should be regular. Like learning to play a musical instrument. And since a lot of my out of hours work falls on a Sunday morning at the moment, I'm often keen on not being 'structured' by the afternoon. 1.5 hrs solidly working off a checklist of tests does that to me sometimes.
Have to work again next Sunday morning: longer, and start at (notionally) 5am, not 7am. Yuck. Still, could be worse. Hoping to organise another OTE lunch or coffee, so if any of my normal victims (ahem) players read this, suggestions as to appropriate times would be useful. Send to gmail, or comment here.
Just finished reading Avenger, by Frederick Forsyth, and was reminded of where Rendition came from. I liked the book, but gee my perception of the world has changed since 2003 when the book was written and now. And the world has too. Saw the film 'Syriana' too. Less over the top than 'Lord of War'. After all that I think something a bit light and fluffy...
Had a call asking about coffee, and realise that the day is getting on. Things to do.
Then Freemind, an open source product, actually became fast and usable on a mac, and PC, and linux too I believe. And I found a product called WikidPad for the PC. So, now can do similar things on both platforms - tho' VoodooPad is v. cool and much nicer than WikidPad.
Then I found that someone had written some html/javascript called TiddlyWiki - and have been playing a bit with that. Haven't quite sussed it out, but it appears to be one of the cleverest tools I've seen. I mean, it isn't a program. You copy an html file, launch it in your favourite browser, and you're away: Firefox recommended as the browser for this one.
If anyone has any suggestions for simple and nice tools for doing simple hypertext I'd be interested in hearing about them...but I think these tools (VoodooPad, WikidPad, TiddlyWiki, and [sorta] Freemind) are a pretty good set.
While I'm looking at 'tools' - there is a thing called Yojimbo from BareBoneSoftware - yeah, another mac thing. Looks good. Really, I just want to be able to pull bits of info together _simply_ and _quickly_, and maybe package it for communicating ideas/info to others.
Was on leave for a week and a bit after Easter. Now back to work as well. Starting off with testing an upgrade this morning. Thank god for broadband and an employer who allows 'work from home' - actually quite depends on it, really. Not much chance of me making a site visit for 'puters and storage located outside of the ACT...
Thanks to iki_maska for helping me chop down an irksome tree. And for giving me a few hints on how to mark up this lj stuff - I'll try to put that in place for the next time. Had a chat to a gardening contact who does oddjobs etc, or regular maintenance if you want, and got some good advice on things I can do with the garden which they can help me implement for (hopefully) not to much $$$. And it mostly matches up with what has been suggested by a few others (like the discussions with iki & iki's partner while we were chopping down/cutting up the tree), which is reassuring. Low maint, low water, hopefully a bit cooling and creating of a pleasant ambience. May even be ready in time for spring if I get a move on.
Have had a couple of unsuccessful attempts to arrange a lesson for my hammered dulcimer, but think me and the teacher have finally found a good timeslot. On Saturday. I realised that while I had Sunday afternoons mostly free, I liked keeping it that way for doing unstructured things. And so that the erratically organised family lunches that happen on Sundays don't get interfered with, and don't interfere with other things that should be regular. Like learning to play a musical instrument. And since a lot of my out of hours work falls on a Sunday morning at the moment, I'm often keen on not being 'structured' by the afternoon. 1.5 hrs solidly working off a checklist of tests does that to me sometimes.
Have to work again next Sunday morning: longer, and start at (notionally) 5am, not 7am. Yuck. Still, could be worse. Hoping to organise another OTE lunch or coffee, so if any of my normal victims (ahem) players read this, suggestions as to appropriate times would be useful. Send to gmail, or comment here.
Just finished reading Avenger, by Frederick Forsyth, and was reminded of where Rendition came from. I liked the book, but gee my perception of the world has changed since 2003 when the book was written and now. And the world has too. Saw the film 'Syriana' too. Less over the top than 'Lord of War'. After all that I think something a bit light and fluffy...
Had a call asking about coffee, and realise that the day is getting on. Things to do.