That explains so much!
That “Footprints in the Sand” Poem You See Everywhere Finally Makes Sense
Category: random
I Guess I Don’t Need a Computer Anymore
I have had my new cellphone for about a month now. I’m still trying to figure a lot of it out: I’ve lost count of the times I’ve texted something unintelligible thanks to autotype; I’ve hung up on/accidentally dialed numerous times; and, I still haven’t quite figured out how to use the GPS think on there.
Despite the growing pains that come with a new high technology device I’m learning quite a bit. I’ve even noted that just about everything I need a computer for I can also do on the phone. I looked at my start menu and the programs I used most and then compared them to the applications I can get (and already have) on my smartphone. It’s pretty much one for one here.
First, I should that the internet has made a lot of this possible. So many of the things we used to need computers for can now be done through the internet: word processing, presentation making, spreadsheets, email, etc. We used to need separate pieces of software for all of this and now all you need is a web browser. On the smartphone all you need is 3G and a data plan…
Web Browsing: I use either Firefox or Chrome on the PC. You can find Firefox for smart phone here and chances are the browser that came with your android phone is based on Chrome.
Word Processing: I use LibreOffice, an open source alternative to Microsoft’s Office. I have QuickOffice and GoogleDocs on the phone. Both work fine, Google Docs is better only because it syncs with my Google account. These are work for spreadsheets and slide presentations.
File Storage: The hard drive serves this purpose admirably… My smartphone came with 8 gigabytes of memory but why fill that up with files when I can use Dropbox on everything and keep it all in one place, on-line? Dropbox is great. Regardless of where I am if I need access to a file, image, video, etc. I make sure it is in my dropbox file and I have it.
Blogging: I don’t use any software for blogging; I do everything in-browser with WordPress. I now also use it on my phone to blog when I feel the need to do that right now!
Chat: Pidgin is my universal IM client. It’s open source and it supports every chat I can think of: IRC; G Chat; Yahoo; AIM; MSN; and a bunch more I’ve never heard of or used. On the smartphone I use eBuddy for chatting and AndChat for IRC.
Social Media: Facebook and Twitter dominate the social media environment so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that both of them have numerous official and unofficial apps for smartphones. They’re probably already installed on your smartphone.
Image manipulation: I don’t know how to use Photoshop or GIMP. The most I’ve ever was Microsoft’s built image modifier (it removes red eye, rotates, crops, etc.) or Paint. I have Paint.NET just in case… Smartphones now come with pretty good digital cameras, I think the one on mine is 8 or 10 megapixels, if you’re not looking for an SLR, this is all you’re ever going to need from a digital camera. The generic camera app on my phone works great for things like red eye and such. For fancier things I just use vignette.
Music: This is the big one for a lot of people. Weirdly, I don’t use my phone for music (though there are plenty of apps just for that). I have an old Ipod Mini that works great and it never got used either. Rarely, I’ll want to listen to podcasts and for that I find that Google Listen works fine.
It’s getting to the point where if I didn’t need a computer for fancy, hi-tech vidja games I wouldn’t even own one. Also the battery on this phone sucks at holding a charge…
If you’ve got a smartphone what apps do you use all the time, and/or replace things you used to only do on your computer?
PS – If you’re looking for a good way to manage all your apps, I use appbrain. It manages all my apps as well as monitors them for updates, etc.
How I Saved Over $100 on Car Repairs
My truck has been busted up forever. About four years ago one of the tires blew out and took a mudflap with it. Three years ago someone inserted a screwdriver into the driver’s side keyhole and busted it as well as co-workers at a crappy retail job breaking the handle to my tailgate. The truck was still drivable, after replacing the tire with the spare, but I’d just been ignoring all the others problems… Entering the car through the passenger side, lifting objects into the bed, etc.
I wasn’t dealing with the car because it was still operable and fixing everything was going to cost money. I was quoted $125-to 150 to replace the lock on the driver’s side, $100 for a new tailgate from a junkyard more if I wanted someone to replace it for me and/or paint the junkyard find. $80 or so for a new tire (yes, the blown out tire has been in the wheel well for four years; I am a terrible person.) D and I have talked about selling the truck recently, in order to pay down some of my debt, and I couldn’t sell it in its current condition so something had to be done.
While I was despairing over the cost of repairs D took action. She called up a number of junkyards and located a tumbler for the car door ($25). With the help of the internet I was able to breakdown the side paneling on the door and install the new tumbler myself. Money saved? $100-125. I also broke down the tailgate as well, and was able to remove the handle. $5 got me some epoxy and that was used to reseal the plastic handle. Sadly, it didn’t work… I was able to use the item codes on the handle though to locate a replacement on the internet that cost (with shipping) only $17. Savings? $75.
Next weekend I’ll be vacuuming the interior and washing the exterior and next month I’ll be using my discretionary funds to pick up some new tires. So, by the end of May the truck is going to be looking great and ready to be sold. Except I’ll have put all this time and effort into the thing and not want to =P
The Build a Civilization Kit
Global Village Construction Set in 2 Minutes from Open Source Ecology
As regular readers of DiMortuiSunt (now False(B)logic) -Ed) probably already know I’m a big fan of DIY. I grew up living an average suburban lifestyle: separated from the people, processes, land, and animals that make my life possible. As I’ve grown up I’ve recognized this glaring absence in my life. D and I have been trying, slowly, to become more involved. We belong to a Co-op; we garden and compost; we are learning to make our own food products; we are pickling and canning. I grew up being a consumer and I want to make sure as an adult I am a maker.
I’m not the only person who feels this way. There is an entire movement among my generation of people who are trying to get back to a more sustainable and authentic lifestyle (by authentic I mean one in which the person is making something, working with their hands, and creating tangible items). Some people are taking it farther than others. Everything they are doing, is amazing. Some of them I’m sure will change the world, like the man in the video above.
The idea of a DIY Civilization kit seems ridiculous on its face. The task of knowing how to and being able to create all the things necessary for the comforts of a modern lifestyle are just too complicated for a single person or small group of people to know. Despite that though the Open Source Ecology Project is an attempt to put all the plans, instructions, know-how, etc onto a single DVD that will allow the owner the ability to build and operate advanced technologies to jumpstart an economy and even a civilization.