I have four different computers that I use on different occasions (down from five just a few weeks ago when I consolidated two of them). Using a number of different computers, while satisfying from a geek’s perspective, perhaps, leads to a number of problems, namely in how to share files, bookmarks, and otherwise how to be productive when switching from computer to computer to computer.

I used to use Evernote, but with Microsoft finally putting a version of OneNote online, I’ve switched to that for remote access and the full 2010 desktop version for local access on my laptop. The only things I really miss is the ability to search tags on the web interface and the web-clipper. I can deal without being able to search tags for the increased functionality that OneNote offers, and I’ve worked around the web-clipper by using Delicious.

By adapting some “standard” GTD methods, when I come across a bookmark that I will use for more than reference and instead requires followup, I tag it on Delicious with one of three tags: next actions, someday, maybe. Delicious then has a very dandy firefox add-on which integrates bookmarks directly onto the taskbar and which acts like standard bookmarks. By placing my most used and “GTD” tags right onto the taskbar, I have all those bookmarks that require followup right at my browser-tip, so to speak. For example, I currently placed a bookmark on how to run Android on an HTC phone into my ‘maybe’ tag (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/20703/run-android-on-your-windows-mobile-phone/) so I can look at it further when I get the time. Similarly, I have some links on washing machine repair in my next_actions category because my washing machine has recently quit spinning.

This does not replace OneNote nor Evernote, but is a quick and relatively easy way for me to organise bookmarks that I need to take a further look at when I get the time at night, with the added benefit of shared bookmarks across all my various computers.

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.017 (1/60)

Aperture: f/2.0

ISO: 400

I’ve been working on extending the net-snmp agent with the perl extension for it (NetSNMP.pm) on a Windows platform. The first part of this process is to install the gnu_regex.dll. Unfortunately, I’ve had a really hard time actually

that dll to install. After spending a good portion of the night looking for it, I’ve finally found it, and have posted it here for safekeeping.

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.013 (1/80)

Aperture: f/2.0

ISO: 160

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.010 (1/100)

Aperture: f/2.8

ISO: 100

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.010 (1/100)

Aperture: f/3.2

ISO: 100

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 55mm

Effective focal length: 82mm

Exposure time: 0.008 (1/125)

Aperture: f/6.3

ISO: 100

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.008 (1/125)

Aperture: f/3.5

ISO: 100

A short time ago I looked at a photo sharing/photo storytelling service called Panraven; I like to keep on the lookout for ways to share my photos in a visually appealing manner, and not just with “here’s another flickr/picasa gallery to look at.” I do use picasaweb to store most of my galleries (I have a fondness for Picasa) and like to use a WordPress plugin named Picasna to present those galleries on my other web site (http://wwwiebe.com/). Recently I came across another photo presentation service named Cooliris and decided to check it out.

As it turns out, Cooliris interacts with picasaweb as well: it is not a photo-sharing service itself, per se, but rather uses a gallery already loaded elsewhere. I like this very much; I like to keep my photos in one spot if at all possible.

Creating the ‘gallery’ was a very straightforward task. There is a “Cooliris Express” service which does not require a registration (though, if you’d like to save your “walls,” you are able to login with either a Google or Facebook account to make it easy). To begin, simply load the page and cut and paste the location of your photo gallery (options are Facebook, Picasa, Flicker, YouTube, and MediaRSS). Of course, I use picasa, so cut and pasted the direct URL to the particular photo gallery I wanted and entered the “customize” phase.

I chose no particular customisations; all the defaults seemed to me to look really fine, so the next step was to login with a simple click (using Google or Facebook). This next part was dead-simple: there is an option, if you’re willing to provide login credentials, to automatically post a blog entry or facebook entry with the code for the wall. No coding necessary. For blogs, Blogger, Typepad, and WordPress are supported. If you trust a third party website enough with your login credentials then posting the wall is just that easy. If you’re more interested in security they provide you with the code to embed into your blog which makes it end up looking like this:

It’s that simple.

The interface to navigate the photos takes some getting used to. Visually I find it appealing. From a user’s standpoint, however, I can imagine the user would not want to mess too much trying to scan through the photos: I know I grew frustrated with it after a few moments, and found myself realising just what a thing of beauty picasna is. But if eye-candy is your thing, Cooliris could sure fit the bill.

Camera: Sony a100

Focal length: 50mm

Effective focal length: 75mm

Exposure time: 0.008 (1/125)

Aperture: f/5.0

ISO: 100