The Gateway Drugs

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Tom Long

launchy_screenshot Friday I told you about the core programs I recommend in Supreme Software.  Among that list were three utilities that whisk you off to your desired program, folder, file, or website as effortlessly and quickly as the wiki-wiki at the Honolulu airport shuttles you between terminals.

I had heard a lot about Launchy, but had never given it a try until yesterday.  Now, I’m kicking myself pretty much like I did when I first moved from a canoe to a power boat.  What was I waiting for?  Anyway, I’m here now and offering to take you with me.

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Supreme Software

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Tom Long

j0432632 When I was a wee lad I was very impressed by my Papaw’s tool bench.  Above it was a pegboard with painted outlines representing the proper place to return each tool.  I believe it was he who taught me that there was a proper tool for every job.  While ingenuity could work around not having the right tool, the best solution is the right tool for the job at hand.  Things have changed a bit (pun intended) since then.

Now our tools tend to be downloaded over the internet instead of purchased in a hardware store.  Our tool bench is the hard drive on our computer.  My pride and joy is my very organized folder system with a place for everything and everything in its place.  This file system is the same on my thumbdrive as it is on my laptop as it is on my netbook as it is on my desktop as it is on my external drives.  But that topic is for another day.  Today, I want to focus on what I believe to be the right tools for each job.

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TiVo Hangs On

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Tom Long

tivo_screenshot I go to do my morning check of TiVo’s picks of TV shows I might want to record and everything has changed.  They have a list of the shows my machine is going to record and a list of shows my machine recently recorded.  Will this company ever stop impressing me?  I’m so glad I have a lifetime subscription to their service, because frankly I love it.  I have always enjoyed booking my recordings from the internet, but now I can manage my queue and plan my evening’s viewing from the internet as well.

TiVo this is for you:  XXOO

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I Got the Fever

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Tom Long

John Travolta Back in the 1980’s I had a motorcycle wreck. After 27 surgeries my left leg was saved, but my knee was virtually fused. I had less than 5 degrees of flexion. Two years ago my knee was replaced. I still lack the soft tissue for full flexion, but 41 beats 5 degrees.

Here is the funny part. I have had quite a bit of trouble learning to walk. You spend a few decades twisting your body around to drag along a peg leg and it is hard to move properly. Improvement started to come by exercising on the Nordic Track ski machine. It built up muscles long in disuse. Continue reading →

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Thumbdrives for Dummies

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Tom Long

geek-menuYesterday, I provided a tool for using Install Pad with a custom app list to achieve thumbdrive dominion.  Easy enough for you, right?  But what about your less-than-a-total-geek friend or relative?  What they need is a lot easier installation process.  Let me help you help them.

What you’re going to do is put some files on their thumbdrive and then let them pick every little application their heart desires for automatic installation in their portable apps folder, okay?

  1. Right-click on this auto_thumbdrive.zip link and download it using ‘Save link (or target) as’.
  2. Unzip the contents to a blank thumbdrive.
  3. Run MakeMyThumbdrive.exe.  It will install geek.menu and Install Pad and provide the choice of several other portable applications to be installed.
  4. When done, just delete ‘MakeMyThumbdrive.exe”’ and your non-geek/normal associate will have a power-packed thumbdrive – and owe you big time.
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