How Did We Live Before Cloud Computing?

I reformatted my laptop today. It's something I like to do from time to time. It gives me that new laptop feeling and allows me to reevaluate which applications are truly important and are worth my harddrive space.

Anyhow, usually, a reformat means reconfiguring a bunch of stuff. But, with cloud computing and synching, reformatting gets easier every time. (I don't restore much from backups. For me, the point is a clean start. I backup iTunes, my Web Receipts Folders, iPhoto and a few important documents.)

Today, I reinstalled NetNewsWire and it immediately synched itself to Newsgator and my feeds were right back in the state I like them. I enter my gmail settings in Mail.app, and my emails are all right on Google's imap server waiting for me. I synch iCal up to Google Calendar, and poof, my events are right back on my computer.

Thanks to subversion, all my source code is easily checked out to working directories. So, in a very short time indeed, I have a fresh clean laptop that has the most important stuff and none of the old debris.

It's a Wonder Steve Jobs Doesn't Throttle People

Steve Jobs: 'We don't have 3G because it would drain the battery too much.'
People: 'We don't care, we want 3G yesterday!'
Steve Jobs: 'Alright already, here's your 3G'
People: 'The battery life sucks!'

Steve Jobs: 'Applications will be web based only to ensure stability'
People: 'No! We want native apps, give us an SDK!'
Steve Jobs: 'Alright already, here's your SDK'
People: 'My apps keep crashing my phone! This thing sucks!'

Do you think Steve Jobs would ever just like to reach out and choke people and say, 'I told you so, you nit-wit!'?

Mac Users CAN Right Click!

A coworker told me today that she would never buy a mac because there is only one mouse button and she's too used to right clicking. Once I explained that she could hook up any mouse she wants and that right clicking works on macs too, she was amazed.

So, if you're avoiding macs thinking you'd lose your right mouse button, take heart. You, too, can switch.

A Bit Disappointed

I was hoping the iPhone update today would give me the ability to copy and paste. No dice. I was also hoping for multi-media SMS and for stereo blue-tooth capabilities. Again, no dice.

I do really like the update to Google Maps though. I also love being able to add web apps to my home page, and to rearrange the home page.

As to movie rentals in iTunes, feh. I can get a movie for the same price from Pay-Per-View, save it on my DVR, and then burn it to a DVD to have forever. None of that silly 24 hour nonsense. But, I MIGHT use it from time to time on my Apple TV to rent older movies. We'll have to see.

Leopard's Web Clippings

I am not a big widget user, but I just found a very practical use for Leopard's web clipping capabilities. I went to the web page that has information about snow-releated school closings in our area, and clipped the relevant part of the page to my desktop.

Now, in the morning, I can simply hit F12 on my computer, and see if the school has a delay or closure. And, at work, I can monitor the weather and see if the school is going to close early, and make any necessary arrangements. Because I work an hour south of where I live, the weather at work is often significantly milder than the weather at home. So, using the web to monitor the weather is the most practical way to stay aware of what the school is up to.

Save gas; don't make left-hand turns.

Save gas; don't make left-hand turns.

WiseBread posted an article today about how UPS saves a ton of money on gas each year by reducing the number of left turns they make during their deliveries.

Somehow, it figures. Just about every turn I have to make on my way to work each day is a left one.

The USDA Food Stamp Nutrition Connection

The federal government has been kind enough to produce a web-site that may help with my quest for truly frugal meal plans and recipes. The USDA Food Stamp Nutrition Connection. I'm going to have to spend some time on the site before I can determine how frugal, healthy and good the recipes are.

(Via Get Rich Slowly.)