Writing the "wicked" way

I’ve been looking for the perfect word processor for the Mac for quite some time. When I first broke free of MS Word, I was loving the open-source community and I was all about OpenOffice.

Then, when I made the jump to Linux, I simply adored Abiword and wondered why I had dealt with the bloat of Word and even OpenOffice for so long. (I still use Open Office for other features, but don’t like waiting for the launch for a word processor.)

When I went to the Mac platform, I traded in my OpenOffice for a Mac-specific version of the same called NeoOffice. Frankly, I got tired of waiting so long for it to launch to jot down the idea that I was trying to wrestle, so I started looking for faster options. I looked at Mellel (which was reportedly a favorite of many writers). It came in one of my MacUpdate packages, which pleased me. I liked it ok. I used it for quite awhile. But it always seemed to be a bit lacking. Couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted.

I considered getting one of the “blackout” programs that turned the full screen into a writing surface without any distracting menus or pop-ups. I test drove a couple. WriteRoom (with the Windows version being DarkRoom) and even got the iPhone app for WriteRoom to try that one on the fly. Neither worked as I had hoped, I needed it to do a bit more than just blacken the screen for $25, so when the Mac trial ran out, I left it.

I also started looking into notes options that would launch quickly… something like the notepad gadget on Windows… but something with a bit more umph. From there, I discovered TextWrangler, TextEdit (which came with my Mac), and even played with Stickies (also came with the Mac) and a dozen or so others, all in an attempt to find a quick way to keep up with my notes.

I gave up finding the perfect tool(s) and hobbled along, busy with all the other balls I was juggling. Finding these holy grails joined the mass of items on the “I’ll get back to it” list. I find that locating the perfect tools (software) on a Mac can become a full-time hobby all by itself. There are so many options! There are dozens of options that I tried that didn’t even make it into the top contenders list.

But, recently, I found my perfect option. I have a four-pronged approach to the office suite thing – one is for quick notes on my Mac, one is for word processing and “darkening” my distractions, one is for full featured word processing (which I seldom touch these days) and one is mobile.

First, I have a quick-launching multi-note system in XPad. It offers a quick way to get the thoughts down and to make lists for specific projects, ideas and writing projects. It also offers a “slide out” list of all the mini-documents contained therein. It offers cool tools like fonts and highlighter and color options without cluttering the interface with more stuff than I need or want. XPad launches when I turn on my Mac and stays “at the ready” for me to use. And, it’s FREE!

Second, I have Bean. Bean is an oddly named, but beautifully built word processor that launches quickly and handles 90% of what I need. In addition to being there in a couple seconds (literally), it also offers bullets, formatting, highlighting and several advanced features. It even offers a “full screen” mode that blacks out the rest of my computer and helps me to concentrate on the business of writing. I changed the blue background with white text to the retro black background and electric green type of my youth. I love it. LOVE IT. And, it’s also free.

I keep a copy of NeoOffice on my machine, although I seldom launch it for anything other than the spreadsheet app. I don’t really do much with advanced features like mail-merge and the like, so I don’t need those “hefty” features because I don’t do admin work. And, I don’t want to sit and wait. I hate waiting for a program to launch. I despise it.

On the “mobile” front, I absolutely adore that feature-rich note system in Awesome Note for my iPhone. I love that it’s wherever I am, and that it’s able to sync with Google Docs — even the Google Apps version! So I can backup and restore my notes from any location. It’s richly textured and as graphically beautiful and visually appealing as it is functional. I may like bare-bones programs on my computer – clean and crisp is fine there – but on my iPhone apps, I expect beauty. I can’t explain that, but the graphics (even the icon for the app) seriously affects how often I’ll use an app. I’m iPhone shallow, I guess.

I’m a writer by trade — mostly a content and marketing writer for my clients. I write, do web work, and SEO submissions. That doesn’t take much word-processing power. It takes a little knowledge and a lot of creativity — and the ability to capture the creative sparks when they fly. I find that having to wait for my software to launch actually discourages my productivity. If it’s a quick launch, I’ll add a thought or an idea on the fly. If I know I have to sit and wait for it to launch — even for an additional 5-10 seconds — I think, “Oh, I’ll just remember this and jot it down next time I’m working on that.”

The fact is… I don’t remember and I’m not patient. I’ve quit trying to pretend that I will or that I am. I know my foibles and I now find the tools I need to work around them. Resistance is, after all, futile. It’s particularly so when fighting my own nature. These tools make my life better and my business stronger and for under five bucks, I have them ALL.

Even in this economy, that’s a GREAT deal!

While recovering from a case of the creeping-crud, I’ve spent many hours over at the apps store catching up on what’s new and cool. I’m not BEING very productive lately, so I’m researching productivity (and other) apps. (Hey, at least I’m accomplishing something!)

In particular, I was looking for:

• a better way to handle my to-do lists
• a way to maintain standard packing lists
• a quick-launching notes program
• a running diary for those “when did I do that?” queries
• a grocery shopping list-maker
• a way to do my @ lists (loosely based on GTD philosophy — VERY loosely)

I found one of the most incredible database programs to date for the iPhone. It’s called iDB Datamaster Pro (there’s a free version and a lite version, but I wanted a limitation-free option). It was developed by Evince Technologies, Inc specifically for the iPhone and is not a port or a re-write of another program.

It literally replaced half a screenful of other apps on my homepage — and we all know how precious that space is!

The layout is good and the templates (which I hope will continue to expand) handle most of what I’ve needed so far. I like the integration with the native apps which permits one-tap phone calls and web site launches from within the databases.

The best features?

1. A powerful search across ALL the databases. (Really nice!)

2. The ability to “pause” the database and return to the exact same place next time the app is launched saves taps and frustration. (Small feature, huge impact on usability.) It even has time-stamped logs for locating what was done when.

3. I particularly like the fact that I can backup the databases to my own computer in CSV format — but need to play with this a bit more to learn how to backup and restore effectively.

It’s a little more expensive than the standard .99-4.99 apps, coming in at 12.99 for the pro version, but it’s worth every penny, IMHO. I’ll review a few more of my best finds over the next few days, including writer’s tools for the iPhone and (hopefully) a decent replacement for some of the standard apps (like calendar).

In the meantime, go download the free version of this DB app and give it a try. I think you will like it as much as I do.

I try to keep on top of the iPhone apps store. It’s like an addiction… maybe an affliction. But, the very least I can do is share the cool stuff I’ve found. Right?

My favorite aspect of the iPhone is how much of the cool stuff I love, use, need and want can be put in one pocket-sized place. Of course, that’s probably why I had a dream the other night that my iPhone exploded. Don’t get all Freudian on me… I don’t know why. All I remember (from the dream) is that I was all panicky about how I’d replace it — since I don’t want the new 3G. (My 1st generation iPhone is cheaper on my data plan, has SMS messages included, and my area doesn’t have the 3G coverage — so I’d be paying more for less.)

Now, back to the cool stuff I’ve found…

Say Who – A voice dialing app that simply works. Warning: You do need to enunciate and be sure you pause between each word. Run-on commands don’t work very well. You can set it to auto-dial the number or wait for your approval. Free.

Fifteeen – a fifteen square puzzle that’s free. I know it’s not horribly high-tech, but this is one of my all time favorite games (I even have the old classic metal version around here somewhere.) Now, I can always have it with me.

Air Mouse – I can now use my wifi to control my computer from … you guessed it… my iPhone. This one is a WAY cool app. I don’t like the air mouse feature as much as the air “touch pad” feature. The touch pad is easier to handle on the iphone and is amazingly responsive.

Ah.. Moemory Lite – Beautiful graphics on this free flip-card style memory game.

Easy Relax – I like this one better than the paid Ambiance “sound machine” that I purchased a few weeks ago. I can mix my own “white noise” sounds and set them to play for a specified time. My personal rain mix has already helped to calm my monkey-mind enough to drift off to sleep. Free.

iBowl – This is a wii-style bowling game. Price is right (free), and it’s fun. I did remove this from my iPhone fairly quickly simply because I’m afraid that I’m going to fling my iPhone across the room playing it. Please see above reference to exploding iPhone dream.

iDicto – Best dictation recorder for the iPhone I’ve seen to date. Easy to use, intuitive, cool graphics. Only issue is that this free app is now marked with a banner stating “free trial” which makes me raise an eyebrow. I’m hoping that I’ve not downloaded an expiring “bait and switch” app. I hate that stuff.

If Found Please – An easy, quick way to add a “call if found” number to your iPhone wallpaper. I made mine and then immediately removed the app. The resulting wallpaper is stored in your photo gallery on the iPhone, making it uber-easy to set up and use. Free.

Contacts Fast Add – Don’t fumble around trying to quickly add the basic info on a new contact. Use this little gem to avoid the “going to the phone app, then realizing that I need to be in contacts to edit and add” conundrum. I keep this little baby on my first screen, always at the ready. Free.

i.TV – This is a feature-rich and beautifully executed app to show you what’s playing when in your area (and on what channel). I’m not much into television myself, but I like this app and found it for my father to use on his phone because it shows “airwaves” TV information as well as cable. It’s a great way for him to set his TiVo and determine which talking-heads show he most wants to watch. Free.

I “heart” Radio – Cool way to get radio talk shows on your iphone. Helps balance out my Pandora app, my iPod functionality and my podcasts. I like having options. Free.

Around Me – I use this little app more that I’d ever thought I would. It’s a great way to locate nearby businesses, hospitals, coffee shops, etc. With just a couple taps, I can call local-to-me businesses to get the information I need. It is quicker and easier than using the yellowpages app and will also give me a map and directions on how to get there. Nice. Free.

Fring – a great little all-in-one for IM and Skype (including the ability to place Skype Out calls when you are in range of a strong WiFi signal). Using the iPhone with Skype was something I was seeking before I found this. It’s nice to have. Hint: Use the + sign (hold down the zero to access it) and a 1 before adding your numbers for Skype Out, or it won’t work. Free.

Go to iTunes and look each of these up by name to learn more… or (if you have your iPhone handy), just go directly to the apps store and download them from there.

iPhone to Thunderbird Sync Client.

I’ve not tried this one myself, since I use Google Apps now, but it looks like someone found an easier way to make this happen than what I’ve seen to date.

Check out the full info page here:

Sync your Thunderbird to your iPhone.

It’s amazing how complex life can become. Writing, it seems, is more difficult every day. I love to write, but whenever I sit down to do that (especially creative writing) I find myself torn by the constant dings of this program or flashing notifications of that one.

Sure, I should be more disciplined when I write. I should ignore all that noise. I should be able to just mentally turn it off — but I can’t.

Alternatively, I should be able to physically turn off all the distractions, disable the notifications, log out of all the programs that clamor for my attention before I even begin a serious attempt at writing…

But I won’t. I don’t. It’s too much trouble. Besides, once I’m finished, I’d have to go back and try to remember everything I turned off and flip it all back on. What a hassle. So… I tell myself:

“Maybe it’s just better to wait until things are quiet to write. Now’s not really the best time… later I’ll be more focused…”

And that’s how the writing I really want to do never actually happens.

Now, I have a way to do it all — keep all my techie stuff up and working and have a clean slate to do my writing without distraction. I’ve looked at several of the “blackout” programs that take your stuff off-screen and give you a blank slate for writing.

Most of them look like one of the old computers my father built in the late 70s and early 80s. So, there’s an attractiveness for me to that black background/green text look. It reminds me of the Multi-mate program I used when I was first hired as a reporter at the newspaper in St. Mary’s County, MD.

So, it has some sentimental value and a offers me a reminiscent feel that others may not enjoy.

Today, I tripped across one that was free! And it’s multi-platform. So no matter if you are a Mac user, a Windows buff or a Linux fan — there’s a version for you. You can change some of the colors to fit your own preferences and there’s even a PDF Manual available for those who need to know everything about a program.

This writer’s tool is called JDarkRoom. Check it out for yourself.

It’s not really a word processor. It’s not going to tell you if you have spelling errors or grammatical issues. It’s basically a typewriter — a distraction-free environment for those who take writing seriously and need a place on their computer to slip into the creative “zone” for a few minutes… or a few hours.It delivers your writing in a plain text file that you can then import into a word processor for editing, spellcheck and format tasks.

Personally, I find it terribly alluring. It’s already got a place of honor on my iMac’s Doc. I love it.

I’m hard on computers. I’m always pushing the limits. I replace my hardware every 12-18 months. I have to. Heck, I wear off the letters on my keyboards every 6 months. My family laughs about it and no one ever wants my “used” keyboards.

I was sick and tired of rebuilding my system. I went to Linux to avoid the rebuild of XP that happened every 6-12 months, when the OS went from “speedy” to “getting slower” to “crawling.”

The only cure was to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the OS. This process rendered me unable to earn a living (or sleep) for 2-3 days while I tried to pull everything back. It’s not like I wanted to rebuild my machine so often. I didn’t. It made me crazy.

The Move to Linux

With Linux, it was easier. Once you got it working, it usually stayed that way. And, if there was a problem, you could reload the OS and pull your data back in pretty easily. The only problem was when I started poking around in Terminal, sometimes a “tiny” change would hose my whole system.

After spending weeks “tricking out” my Linux box and making it function flawlessly to do what I needed, I took extra time to make it pretty. I like pretty.

Form IS Function!

My father fusses that I spend too much time customizing. We share technology “finds” and argue about computers/software/hardware a lot. It’s our “thing.” For him, computers are a hobby. For me, they are also a tool to get my work done. Sometimes I confuse the “hobby” portion of my work with the “income producing” portion and this causes me headaches.

My Dad swore I’d like Linux better if I’d go with the standard look and feel – and just regen in minutes (unlike Windows) if it started acting flaky.

That would certainly take less time for a new set-up, but I liked having a witch hat for my personal files, a hard drive with a lock icon for my data backups, a globe for my Internet, etc.

I like pretty — but I also like efficient. It takes me less time to glance for a visual clue and click than to read through a list of generic folders with the contents listed in text on at the bottom. As many times a day as I clicked each one, this is a substantial time savings.

Two monitors are better than one

I always worked better with two monitors in Windows, but I had real problems getting two monitors to work with Linux. I decided to fix it by going and buying two identical monitors – so there were no conflicting driver issues.  I didn’t care how much it cost anymore, I was tired of poking at my machine. I wanted it to work.

I was lured over to the Apple display at my local Best Buy by the huge monitor on the back wall. It just happened. Honest! The monitors were so pretty and BIG. I wiggled the mouse on one machine and what popped up made my eyes go wide!

Then I got angry.

The layout on the iMac was amazingly close to what I’d spent days building on my Linux box. And, I’d never touched a Mac. Not EVER.  I left in a huff, without my two new monitors.

Sacrifice or simplification?

In recent months, I’ve tried lots of paths to simplify my life, many of which only complicated things. I didn’t need a new computer, but I did need to get a better display. I did need something that would work for all the windows I keep open. I liked the multiple desktops of Linux, but I needed more real estate on my monitor.

My father suggested that I ditch the idea of two monitors and buy a single large widescreen. He spouted off the math on how I would gain by having a 24″ widescreen instead of two of the 19” square variety. He won. I decided to buy a single large monitor.

I went back to Best Buy. I saw the iMac again. It had a 24” widescreen monitor, and the iMac had the rest of the computer built into the back of this flat screen. It was fascinating. It also had one cord. ONE. “No more rat nests of cords trailing down the back of my desk,” I thought. It had pretty lines, it was sleek. And, if it was as enchanting on my desk as the iPhone had been in my pocket… I’d be in heaven.

I looked at the Mac Pro Box. It had more cords, I could get into that box and change things… then I realized that was not a good thing.

I returned my gaze to the iMac. I wouldn’t take it apart, because there was no upgrade – other than maybe a little RAM in the future.

I was tired of having my weekends sucked away by a computer hardware or software upgrade/crash issue. If I were really planning to focus on writing and online work, a Mac would serve as well as Linux or Windows, right? Maybe better, since it wouldn’t derail me from from my main focus to go on some hardware/software tangent.

Learning about the Mac

I had done a bit of research on the OS after my first encounter. (Late at night, so no one would catch me at it. I even cruised the computer section of the Apple site. Shhhh!)

OS X is Unix based, like Linux, only with a slicker interface and it comes “ready to plug and play.” This was becoming more appealing to me by the second.

I talked to some folks that had Macs. I ignored those who had never used a PC – those who spouted the same hatred about PCs I’d blindly spouted about Macs. I did pay particular attention to those who knew a little about Linux and who had been PC aficionados before going to the Mac. I kept hearing, “It’s bulletproof.” I kept hearing, “There’s no maintenance.”

I started to want one.

I finally decided that if I was going to buy a new monitor, I’d have to rebuild my Linux box. It’s one of those things about Linux, video stuff is tricky. And, if I had to spend the time to rebuild a Linux box, I could probably use that same amount of time to learn a new OS. A Mac OS. I justified my desires.

And that’s how I ended up buying a new iMac.

Travels with Mia

I’ve always named my computers (and my cars). They have usually been male gendered. My iMac, Mia, is a little different. Still just as strong under the hood, she’s a bit more concerned about her appearance. (She likes being pretty.) There’s room on my simple desk for more than just a computer… and there’s room under my desk for my feet! I don’t get tangled up in cords every time I try to plug or unplug something.

I’ve had her almost a month now and I’ve never regretted it. Not once. My father quit speaking to me for awhile and threatened, “Don’t say ‘Mac’ at me anymore!” But, aside from that, there have been no issues.

Having a Linux box made high-end tweaks in Mia’s Terminal much easier than they would have been if I’d only had PC experience — but most users would never even need (or want) that. I find that the tech community online for the Mac OS is strong and helpful like the Linux community. There’s even some crossover.

The time machine function does automatic backups – I really like that. Mia works beautifully with my iPhone and external drives (although I did have to reformat them initially). And the biggest payoff? I’ve had more time to handle the other areas of my business and my life that needed an overhaul.

These days, it’s more about the big picture and less about spending countless hours with the gritty little details in my life. The more “grit” I eliminate, the more clearly I can see my life and my business.

Of course, Mia’s nice big screen only improves the view.

For the past week, every spare moment has been dedicated to the search for my own personal Holy Grail for my entrepreneurial business … A project management tool for the freelancer who collaborates with others.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? I’ve reviewed dozens (literally) of the options currently available. From the over 60 options I’ve seen, I’ve narrowed them down to just a few and then gone searching again over and over.

When I discovered Worketc.com, I started rethinking what I’d like this project management tool to do. I thought that maybe there was an “all-in-one” option out there that would replace all the little web-based apps I have started to use as well as the others I’m still seeking and/or evaluating.

Worketc.com has almost everything I want… close, but no cigar. I may have to settle for it, but before I’m willing to “settle” for anything, I wanted to define exactly what I want and search one more time.

In a perfect world, I’d be able to find a system that has all the tools I need to work more efficiently (from anywhere) the way I already work. I am no longer willing to change the way I work, the service I offer to facilitate the tools I use. Enough of that already!

With that in mind, I’ve created my “wish list” in two parts. One part is “Must Have” items and one part is the “it sure would be nice” list the third portion is me dreaming a bit, but still…

The program must have:

1. Simple intuitive interface
2. Tasks list that is sortable by project and by assignee
3. Email notification of assigned and completed tasks
4. Quick glance of latest activity on each project
5. File uploads area
6. Meeting notes area
7. Client login
8. Ability for clients to see progress
9. Client task list that they can check off

Would be nice:

1. Internal email
2. Contacts Management Database
3. Journal function
4. Searchable Notes area
5. Ability to create tasks via email
6. Timer (punch clock) and time sheet
7. Simple invoicing
8. Simple accounting
9. Multiple calendars (for each involved party, listing their tasks)
10. Ability to import calendars into Outlook and to subscribe in gCal

In a perfect world:

1. An offline option that syncs with the online option
2. Interactive whiteboard area for visual tools when meeting with clients
3. Ability to upgrade to self-hosted on my server
4. VOIP option built in for use with client and collaborative meetings
5. Ability to record and store whiteboard/telephone/webinar meetings in the project file area
6. Ability to host up to 20 people for a webinar
7. Ability to backup to/use from a thumbdrive
8. Skinnable and brandable
9. Logon widget for wordpress for clients to use from my website

I’ve said for some time that my business really isn’t that complex, and it isn’t. A tool like this would meet most of the needs I have in an easy-to-use, customer-friendly and portable option.

I love CashBoard for my timer, invoicing and simple accounting online. I’d like it even better if I could merge those features into an all-in-one freelance solution like this to work from anywhere. I can imagine the day when I would only need to find a computer with a browser to work from anywhere, and then could sync that data with my own freestanding version daily at my own computer as an “onsite” backup.

With that freestanding version, I could also continue working even if the Internet was down or unavailable or otherwise “wanky” and then sync the next time I connected. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Today, I’m back to the drawing board again. Now that I’ve finally reviewed enough to know what’s available and have considered more thoroughly what I need, what I want and what additional features would make it a “silver bullet” for my business… I need to try to find what will most closely meet my specs.

After the third round of shorting, I have a list of ten (some free, some paid) including (in no particular order):

• Webasyst.net
• EasyProjects.net
• 5pmWeb.com
• CentralDesktop.com
• CreativeProOffice.com
• OfficeZilla.com
• Sosius.com
• ProjectOffice.net
• OnstagePortal.com
• MyQuire.com
• WorkETC.com

But I may go back to the proverbial drawing board again. None of these offers everything I want, and many only offer a small number of the items in my “must have” list. The weekend is still young.

By the time this weekend is over, I’ll have found a workable solution — even if I can’t have all my desires filled by a single option. I’ll review again and pick the best of the lot and get my data settled in a new home. I’ll let you know what I find.

In the meantime, if anyone has a suggestion that will satisfy my list, I’d LOVE to hear from you!

Ok, I should give credit to someone for this information — and I really WOULD if only I could remember where I found it originally.

The issue: HP 1020 printers have a known problem with Ubuntu and Kubuntu. It makes me crazy. Now back when I did my first Kubuntu system, I dug in (or begged help from someone) and managed to get it installed. Now, on Ubuntu (and my third Linux system rebuild) I had managed to forget that little “note” I’d made.

I’ve been trying for TWO WEEKS to get my printer to work. Heck, I even swapped out for three older printers I had lying around. (I really need to clean out my gadgets!) And, I was still without a working printer.

Then, this weekend, as I swapped all my notes over from BasKet Notes to Tomboy Notes, I found the little unassuming note. The process is listed here, and it works like a CHARM (although you should remember to remove any previous attempts in CUPS, reboot your system and reinstall via CUPS).

$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
$ wget -O foo2zjs.tar.gz http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/foo2zjs.tar.gz
$ tar -zxvf foo2zjs.tar.gz
$ cd foo2zjs
$ sudo make uninstall
$ make
$ ./getweb 1020
$ sudo make install install-hotplug cups

Hope this helps someone else as much as it has helped me!

The new space-hungry multimedia applications coupled with consumer desire for the convenience of external “plug and play” drives have resulted in a host of new possibilities for data portability and ease of use for the remote professional.

The cost to store data is plummeting. In 2007 I saw the price of a 500 gig drive cut in half in a matter of weeks. Having the “space” to store your stuff is no longer the same issue it might have been a couple years ago.

I just picked up an external terabyte drive for under $250 and a portable drive (about the size of a deck of playing cards) that holds 250 gigs of information and cost less than $140. As an “old-time” geek, I find that incredible.

Many of the newer small portable drives don’t even require external power, so a short USB cord is all you need to carry. Simple “lipstick” flash drives with 16 gigs of storage space can be purchased without breaking the bank.

There are a number of Open Source programs that make it possible to plug in an external drive into a host computer and use the hardware (cpu, monitor, video, peripherals) to run personal programs without leaving a “footprint” behind. (For Apple fans, you can even use your iPod or your iPhone to run the software!)

What does this mean for you? You can now buy an external drive of any size that meets your needs and carry it to a client’s site rather than carrying an entire computer. You can also take it on a trip, to a library, or even to a friend’s house. You can plug it in any usb drive to open and run files, perform diagnostics, access your personal data, send emails, look up your usernames and passwords and never leave any trace of your personal information on your client’s computer. You are simply “borrowing” the hardware to view, edit and manipulate your information – the software programs and data reside on your drive.

If you are new to “portable apps” and would like a basic tour, visit http://portableapps.com/ to get an “all in one” package of applications for Windows OS and Mac OS (Linux is coming soon). My favorites from this line-up are:

• GIMP Portable – an image and graphics manipulation program (it’s the program I use, full size, in my office)
• FileZilla Portable– the best, easiest FTP client I’ve ever used
• Miranda IM Portable – IM from anywhere!
• Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition – my favorite browser in a portable platform
• Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition – take your email with you (get the version with an address book)
• MPlayer Portable – I’ve been a fan of this program since my Treo days, when it was the only program that made movies work seamlessly on my smartphone.
• VLC Media Player Portable – great portable option for multi-media entertainment (and the one I use on my Linux box)
• OpenOffice.org Portable – all the office software basics in your pocket (and compatible with the commercial “big boys”)
• 7-Zip Portable – compression/archiving program to manipulate most common file extensions.
• KeePass Password Safe Portable– I love this program on my main computer and find it handy to be able to take this secure, encrypted file with all my critical data wherever I go.

If you are a rebel and would like to pick and choose your own apps, try any of the following websites to pick and choose your programs for any use:

• http://pendriveapps.com/
• http://www.portablefreeware.com/
• http://www.usbspace.com/
• http://www.no-install.com/ (requires registration)

You may also want to use the portable option to try out new or beta software without risking your main machine’s set up. Lifehacker offers an example on safely trying the Firefox 3 beta from a flashdrive.

If you are interested in running Linux on a portable, check out http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ for more information.

To keep your data secure on these small (and infinitely easy-to-misplace) devices, install a copy of TrueCrypt, a highly-acclaimed opensource “on-the-fly” encryption program – just in case.

Now you know how to work from anywhere by borrowing a computer, rather than lugging your own, without any worry about privacy or confidentiality issues for your data or your client data. And, when you are finished working you simply pull your drive from the USB port and take it with you. Now THAT is portability!

I’ve struggled for years to find the perfect accounting solution. I saw a T-shirt the other day that capsulizes my love of math. It read: “English Major – YOU do the math.” It fits.

Can I do it? Sure. I can do lots of stupid stuff… like plucking the hairs off my legs rather than shaving them. Or like calculus for example. Been there, done that. But it’s not my favorite activity. Calculus is tied with root canals on my extensive list of things I enjoy in life — albeit these two contenders are rather LOW on that list. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should — and it doesn’t mean you want to.

At my age, I’d prefer if my math were simple and my books were even more so.

While looking around for easy invoicing options, I found a few solutions that may be of interest to others who are trying to do the same or others who are tired of required updates from Quickbooks, battling with Peachtree or trying to figure out Microsoft Small Business Accounting or the Linux baby: GnuCash.

Maybe you just want an easier way to send and track time and invoices. Or maybe you don’t want to be tied to a particular computer or geographic location. In any of these cases, you may want to check into these online invoicing options: (more…)

I was sent a great article today on the problems encountered by the development of multi-core processing chips (thanks, Pops!).

If you are interested in learning more about chips that are “smarter” and do more for you, if you are intrigued by the idea of hand-held mobile units that don’t need traditional keyboard and mouse inputs (think voice commands!) and processors that are “all in one” devices for computing, graphics and higher end functions — then you should read the article too.

It also points to the unveiling of a new set of programming niches for those script artists looking for a brave new place to call home. New York Times article on multi-core chips. 

I’ve made the switch to open-source. My blog is powered by WordPress and my business site will soon follow. My must-have programs are almost all open-source now. And just recently, my operating system went open-source as well.I’m running my business on Linux! Originally, I had a two year plan to make the conversion. First I was learning open-source packages that would work with Windows AND with Linux. I expected a slow adoption schedule, but I ended up switching several months early. For anyone who has been considering taking this leap, I’d like to offer a few words of wisdom.

If you are going from Windows to Linux you may want to save yourself a bit of time and research by considering theses options:

Go Kubunto – Select Kubuntu (Feisty Fawn distribution) as your first foray into the Linux realm.

• It’s a well-rounded Linux distribution.
• It can be downloaded onto a CD and you can boot a machine up almost as easily as with any Windows install – easier in some ways!
• It automatically detects most hardware and just simply WORKS. (Linux has come a long way, baby!)
• It looks and (in many ways) acts in a familiar way when you use the KDE desktop.

Basic Programs – Most of the programs you will need for basic office and Internet functions are available from within Kubuntu (in the Add/Remove Programs menu). So there will be very little need to even learn how to load packages manually for most users.

• OpenOffice.org programs (includes most office packages you will need… and then some!)
• Kopete – an IM service with cross-platform compatibility. It’s loaded in Kubuntu by default. It’s not fancy, but it just works. (Gaim is an option that works for both Windows and Linux)
• GIMP – (The GNU Image Manipulation Program = GIMP) a great little image manipulation program.
• GNUCash – a financial management package. I’m just now reviewing this one, but it looks quite promising.
• BasKet Note Pads – A note taking application and my “One Note Replacement” of choice… so far. (This is available ONLY in Linux, unfortunately. It is almost worth switching to Linux just to have this notes program!)
• GwenViewer – fast-loading image viewer which comes installed on the Kubuntu distribution. (Linux only)
• Scribus – an MS Publisher replacement. I’ve not worked with this one much (although I have it loaded) because I’ve changed my business model a bit and have decided to farm out my publisher and DTP work and concentrate on my core services. It does come highly recommended from the open-source community. (Available for Linux and Windows platforms)
• FileZilla – an FTP program and the best of show in my opinion. (Windows and Linux)
• KeePassX – a password wallet program (my replacement for eWallet) it’s an option for automatic download on Kubuntu’s additional programs menu. (The windows version is called KeePass)
• Firefox browser. ‘Nuff said.
• Thunderbird email – there are many other options for Linux – but I love this one. I have used it for quite some time over on the old Windows machine. I may investigate others later, but for now, there’s been enough change in my online life.

Customize – The machine can be as “vanilla” or as ornate as you care to make it.

• There are beautiful icons available for free to dress up your desktop. The PNG format is so much nicer (and more eye-popping) than the old ICO formats. Pick up freebies for fancier desktops here: http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/icons/dock/
• There are a plethora of programs to make it work the way YOU work and it’s fun “shopping” for new software and the price is so right! What could be better than free?
• There are a multitude of forums and helpful websites if you get stuck. Linux folks love to help newbies. It’s a great community.

Back up – As soon as you get your install the way you want it, back up your home files. In Linux, everything “lives” under the home folder. Just show all your “hidden” folders and grab a full backup. I managed to fit mine on a large thumbdrive. (Don’t forget to make a backup of your email profile as well — that one bit me a couple times.)By doing this, you can completely reinstall Linux, if needed, and just “drop” your home folder in from a backup and keep on working.

Why have I gone open-source? At first it was a protest. I didn’t want to adopt the next windows OS once I learned of the privacy issues and that my hardware was going to be tapped by this new OS to make sure I was legal and to monitor me. I’m legal. I’m not a thief or a rogue. I resented the idea that “big brother” would check up on me, so I decided I’d never own a Visa machine. That started the ball rolling.

Now, I’m thrilled with my decision. I love Linux. And, although there has been a bit of a learning curve, I am willing to guess that it’s more for me than it would be for most casual users. I like to poke at the OS to see what’s under the hood. Most people wouldn’t do that. Invariably, that compulsion is what gets me into trouble.

If you want to go with Linux and you don’t want to uninstall packages, reconfigure and generally harass the OS, you will probably have an almost “plug and play” operating system with Kubuntu.

And what else will you have? Free software. Access to the best minds in the business – via the forums and the Ubuntu help site. And a computer that doesn’t need to be replaced nearly as often. As long as I’ve been in business, I’ve replaced my computer every 12-18 months. (I work my machines literally to death). Now, I’m going to be building a Linux machine. Yes, building it from the motherboard up.

It may take a bit longer to build than to run down to my local computer superstore and buy one, but I expect this Linux optimized creation to last me 3-5 years. THAT is really saying something. Not having to worry about a new computer and having redundancies built-in will be a serious time, money and worry-saver for me.

If you want a solid business machine and you don’t have the overwhelming urge to play high-end graphic games, Linux may be for you too!

I’ve been looking for a Linux alternative to my current, beloved, timer program. Although I’ve not found what I’m looking for there, I have found a couple of fantastic resource lists that I’d like to share. They are lists of 100 software options for the “mission critical” stuff all remote professionals need. Lots of options here, and I’m seriously considering a couple of the web based versions to meet my needs rather than locating Linux friendly programs for everything.

I have always hesitated to have my mission critical stuff on web-based apps — but I’m beginning to embrace it. I’m using Basecamp now and I must say that I like it, I’m also poking around at Highrise, so I’m probably going to investigate othersimilar online options as well. I’m just not quite ready to turn over my timer and my accounting to an online web app. Not quite yet. I’m too much of a control freak for that — I want my data on my computer!

But if you are seeking a better way to do anything as a freelancer or as an outsourcing provider of any type — full-time or part-time — these resources may be just what you need… (more…)

If you are a remote services provider, a virtual assistant or a freelancer, you may be interested in cutting corners on software costs — so long as you keep the best, most effective tools in your “virtual” shed.

I recently joined a panel of other remote consultants and virtual assistants for a RemoteProfessionals.com teleconference on starting to work with real estate professionals. During this free “how-to” seminar, I also distributed a handout listing what I consider to be the “Essential Open-Source Products” for those in this business.

If you would like your own copy of this PDF… (more…)

Interested in a few tiny programs that really make a difference in your productivity? Want to save a few keystrokes? Would you like to avoid opening unnecessary programs to do what you need? Want to keep things light, so your computer’s performance stays high?

Check out this week’s Five Fantastic Friday Finds! (more…)

VintageToonCast - the best of the old cartoons – think Bugs Bunny and the Airplane Gremlins — here for free. So you think that today’s cartoons are violent, not calm and sweet like the ones we grew up with? Think again. A fresh look at the old classics may make you rethink your stance. Or, it may make you show them to your kids (like I did) :O) Get it direct or get it on iTunes. (more…)

I wanted to be sure I could take my calendar information with me on my iPhone. Since I’m not a Microsoft Outlook user anymore, I had to find another way to sync up my information.

Recently, the latest calendar plug-in for Thunderbird (Lightning) was released and after the upgrade, I also added this Thunderbird plugin to allow bi-directional updates to Google Calendar directly from my Lightning calendar. (more…)

There are a few things missing on this little baby…

Portrait option on playing movies and video content – when it’s in the little stand on my desk, I’d like to see Pink singing upright – even if that means I don’t get the benefit of the larger, amazing screen.

The ability to launch the little keyboard – so I can type where I like (even if the iPhone doesn’t recognize my ability to do so). Kind of like an Apple override button, assuming I know more about what I want than the phone does (can you tell this frustrates me?).

The ability to scroll in a form box on a website – so I can blog and fill out and edit forms on my iPhone. (more…)

Ok, the new hasn’t worn off. In fact, the more I work with it, the more I love it. I’m working to find the online, web-based apps that will make it my tiny palm-sized dream machine. I’ve always hesitated to rely on web-based versions of my core work programs, but I’m now seeing how nicely these web-based programs mesh with use of the iPhone.

I’m sure I’ll be mentioning what I find and offering reviews on what works well over the next days, weeks, and possibly even months. But, for now, here are a few impressions and some finds from my play-time this weekend with my new iPhone:

(more…)

I found a couple pretty sweet little applications for the iPhone this morning.

One was a shopping list for the iPhone – this list utilizes the Safari browser and was developed by Neven Mrgan (he also has a quote fetching service, Quip, which is pretty cool). How does it work? You bookmark the URL of the app: (more…)