Icon-Only Permanent Tabs in Firefox

I recently came across this lifehacker link from a friend in Google Reader (Thanks, Bill). This is one of the most useful alternations I have made to Firefox in some time. Like the lifehacker poster, I always have gmail open. And I pretty much always have facebook and google reader open. This is usually three tabs of wasted space for items that simply run in the background. While I don’t have a netbook, I can appreciate the reduced space and clean design. This combination of add-ons; makes Firefox look so much better because I frequently have many tabs open. The only problem with this approach is that when Firefox releases its next update, if all four of the add-ons aren’t compatible, then the end result may not look the same as it currently does.

Damn it! Google!

I love most google applications. I don’t know what I would without Gmail. Google maps is so handy. Google has also become my preferred choice for News Aggeration and RSS syndication. I have even started to like Google Docs, despite the fact that I think they are pointless compared to Microsoft Word and Open Office. (Full disclosure: I’ve never used Open Office – I love Word prior to the 2007 mess).

However, I’m giving the big F-U to Google News today. Not because they are an inferior product. But rather because they are too damn good at getting to know what I like. Under my entertainment news section was an article stub about the results of last night’s Top Chef finale. I’m a ridiculous Top Chef fan. I’ve only missed one season (Season 2) – because at the time I did not have cable. So, good job to google for thinking I’d want to see that information.

Jeers to google for not knowing that I DVR’ed the episode and had not got a chance to watch that yet – thus making the headline an episode ruiner. (And seriously Hosea! WTF?!! Now I really have to watch that fucking episode. You can’t make out with contestant and be treated as a serious contestant!).

I really shouldn’t complain that much. The alternative, from Google’s perspective, is to create a new technology that will link up my DVR viewing habits with my news reading habits and sync all of the information that I might want to have s0 that there is no risk of spoiling surprises and an ever erroding sphere of personal privacy.

From Facebook…

I generally enjoy random internet fun things like this (is that even a phrase?), but for whatever reason I decided it was better to have on my blog, rather than on Facebook. I decided to use my legal name for more interesting results.

Q: Type in “[your name] needs” in the Google search.
A: “Nicholas is a special needs child who is in dire need of a family to take care of him”

Q: Type in “[your name] looks like” in Google search.
A: “Nick looks like a cookie jar!”

Q: Type in “[your name] says” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas Says Nation Looks to Him for a Safe and Independent Future” (I cheated a bit on this one. Sixth hit, rather than first)

Q: Type in “[your name] wants” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas wants to keep to the traditional autocracy left to him by his forefathers”

Q:Type in “[your name] does” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas Does His Magic”

Q: Type in “[your name] hates” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas hates the conditions at the boarding school.” (again cheating. I didn’t want to be like this.)

Q: Type in “[your name] likes ” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas Likes Hot Cocoa”

Q: Type in “[your name] eats ” in Google search.
A: “Nicholas eats cookies”

Q: Type in “[your name] was arrested for” in Google Search.
A: “Nick was arrested for climbing on top of the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile”

Q: Type in “[your name] loves” in Google Search.
A: “Nicholas Loves Suitcases”

Offline Gmail, Where are you?

Google announced yesterday that they have begun rolling out an offline setup for Gmail. See the official post here: New in Labs: Offline Gmail.

The whole idea is sweet – no longer will I have to decide which client works best with Gmail for the rare instances when I don’t have an internet connection. (see posts of me trying to decide between Thunderbird and Mail). Instead, I can just stick with Gmail, and work offline.

However, after reading about this today and getting rather excited about it – it seems like my gmail account has yet to have this feature turned on. When I got to the Labs tab, there’s no “Enable Offline Gmail” feature. I figure it’s coming soon. After all, the precise wording of yesterday’s announcement was “begun rolling out” not “is now available.”

Still, I’d like to play with it now, while I can figure out if I like it or not, before I need it and things get wrecked. I’m like a little kid. I want my toys now.

New Thoughts, Constant Blogging

This is primarily a geek post. So for those of you who don’t care about techno-mubo-jumbo; surf away. Perhaps you’re interested in puppies?

First, I love the new format that is behind WordPress’s back engine. Most of the redesign makes finding thins much, much easier – which makes it easier to work with and easier to do things. In general, the upgrade is a conscientious attempt to make their already good, open-source project better. As a long time WordPress user, I applaud their efforts. Now if only they’d make a WYSIWYG editor for the WordPress.com websites.

Second, I’m struggling to find an email setup that I like for my home email use. Since my Wiscmail account went away in December, I only have two active email accounts (aside from my other one for junk) – my work and my personal email address. After being skeptical of online only email, I have come to love gmail. I love the custom settings, labels, and searching. Searching makes things so much easier.

Anyway. That’s not the problem. For various reasons, I always POPed to my wiscmail account and since moving to OS X, I had been using Thunderbird. Before Lightening was developed, I used iCal to synch with my Google Calendar. Now that I’m no longer POPing – I’ve been contemplating whether or not I even need an email client. My reasons for doing so before were related to controlling/customizing/organizing something that was not easily organized online (Wiscmail was by far an inferior animal to Outlook/Thunderbird). I configured Thunderbird to IMAP to Gmail and it works well. I haven’t quite figured out how to get the labels to work, yet. (I’ll get to it).

I’ve also been seriously contemplating getting an iphone. Which complicates things. The iphone only uses mail. So if I’m going to get an iphone – wouldn’t it make sense to switch to Mail? We use Outlook at work, I’d use Thunderbird at home, and then Mail on the road. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The other option is to just use gmail.

On Star Trek

For those of you who are not aware, I have been stuck in Sheboygan for the last couple of weeks for winter break. Luckily, I was smart and brought my gamecube along, meaning a lot of videogame playing – in addition to the large amount of movie and tv watching, and occasionally some reading.

Lately, I started watching some Star Trek The Next Generation episodes, and in trying to reconcile my memory with my library of VHS tape recorded episodes (that I inherited from my uncle. And I’m only missing one!) I stumbled on to Wil Wheaton’s blog and his commentary of TNG episodes that he’s been doing for TV Squad. Wil’s review are really sweet and have made me not only a reader of his blog, but also want to buy his book.

In the spirit of his reviews, I have thought of at least some comments of my own on the episodes that I have watched this break.

• Why is bad news always carried on a secure channel? Is Picard specially trained in the breaking of bad news?
• Why are there never any other starships around to answer to distress calls? I mean seriously, isn’t this StarFLEET. A Fleet usually implies more than one ship.
• When Data invariably stumbles onto the answer to the episodes mystery, why are there at least three more scenes confirming the fact that Data is figuring things out?

I’ll certainly be adding more as I continue to re-re-re-watch the series. But like my first political science professor said, “You should realize from my intricate knowledge of Star Trek, that in order to make fun of it, I myself am a Trekkie”. (I’m not making this up.)