I, Curtis

The ink thing didn’t go so smoothly at first. For some reason, I couldn’t get Windows Live Writer to write the correct path to the MovableType asset that it created. I had to login to the MT administration page for the first time in several days to correct the problem. I believe there was a configuration problem in WLW for the blog account itself, but I have fixed that problem now . I’m back to doing FTP upload for my images, since I prefer that method locally anyway. Its amazing the number of things WLW will do for me without me having to think about them. That whole image resizing thing is easier now that it will do it for me from files and then post the files to the correct folder on the server. Only thing I am not too happy about is the way it names stuff. The previous blog has a file called cb4a7aaeea24_1298C\Ink258377682672.png stored in it. Very obnoxious, but in most cases it gives me folder names that are manageable and make sense.

Didn’t mean to tangent about the wonders of Windows Live Writer, back to Ink Blogging. I have no clue how I’m going to use it, but it now works correctly and I am a little excited about having it ready.

 

Anyone got any ideas on what I should do with this ability? How would you use an ink blog?

I have been playing with Windows Live Writer, the "Ink Blog" plugin for Tablet PC and my Addesso CyberTablet. I have been unable to use my tablet effectively in Windows XP because Windows XP "Professional" lacks the ability to understand a pen input device natively, but Vista Business on the other hand, knows how to handle it well. I think this is the first time I have truely felt like Vista did anything better than XP. All hope isn’t lost, Vista does have some good traits. My only complaint is that there are way too many layers of software at work to make this work. Windows Vista for driver control, the Adesso driver for input recognition, "InkBlog" for capturing the ink, and WLW for making the InkBlog data useful.

Since posting my complaint about the bad placement of the WLW publish dialog I have received two responses through the blog’s comment functionality.

The first from a Windows Live Writer developer, handled the complaint as a request for functionality, this would be very correct handling. Moving the dialog, or at the least not making it completely lock the window would be a good solution. Thank you Brandon for taking time to respond to my concerns about the product. I plan to keep up with the preview releases of the application to watch it grow. I feel that WLW is a very strong application and is quite unique in its category.

 

The second reply, from J. Cheng, suggests that I simply open multiple windows of the same application. I don’t know if you have noticed this or not Mr. Cheng, but thats what I am trying to avoid. Not everyone has unlimited CPU power and memory, and those of us who do have unlimited CPU and RAM are usually limited on the amount of space we can spare in our task bar, and moving to a wider aspect ratio is not an option. I would prefer to waste less resources and be able to chain-blog without the redundant overhead.

 

With the way I have been working lately, I might suggest that it may be feasible for now to run an instance of WLW on each machine I am working at, but unfortunately I work a lot with server operating systems, which WLW will not install on.

 

I like the application a lot, but it is still young, and there are still a lot of problems with it. I will not give up on it, it makes blogging way too easy .

The LG Chocolate II (VX-8550) arrived this morning at 11:26. Took me a while to get it activated after it went through its 4 hour charging cycle. I had to call Verizon and deal with a human because VZW was being a bunch of bitches about my plan and not letting it activate normally because they wanted to have a chance to talk me into a new plan to go with my phone. I’m sitting on my $25 per month plan and my ass isn’t moving from it until I need to. I don’t need a fancy-ass plan because I don’t really go away from home that much, and when I am at home I use my digital phone service instead of my cell phone. Once activated, the phone was connected to VZW and programmed in under a minute. As soon as that process was finished it was a very simple process to connect to "Get It Now" to download my contacts (which had been uploaded using the same process on the old phone).

This phone is very similar in design to my MP3 player (a SanDisk Sansa E250). It is just a little bigger. I believe I will be able to use my phone as an MP3 player as well without a problem. The VX-8300 was supposed to do that function too, but its form was too much like a phone, it just didn’t feel normal to listen to MP3s on it. I’m hoping to combine two devices here for "on-the-go" stuff, although, my Sansa will still be my "at-home" personal audio device.  It will be nice to take the Chocolate in my car and plug it in to the receiver and have whatever music I want with me that way instead of relying on burned CDs (which don’t really work in the winter or summer, or night or morning).

I have spent the last little while working on getting pictures of my contacts into my phone.

This Friday, June 27, 2008, will be a sad day for geeks everywhere. Bill Gates is retiring from Microsoft. In many aspects no one will know the difference, but as Steve Ballmer has been quoted in many articles, it just won’t be the same. Three people have been selected to replace Bill Gates in his critical functions. I used to be such a Bill Gates fan when I was younger, even reading many books about the beginnings of Microsoft. It is an odd thing to think of Microsoft without equating it to Bill Gates. It is something that has always been, but is just days away from being no more.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/142636

Since Jared decided to comment on the material of the holster, I decided to go ahead and post information about the holster itself. It is a very simple holster and it is fairly universal between LG phones (it is shown here holding an older model LG phone). It is made of leather on all parts that come into contact with the phone, with an ABS plastic clip to attach to me.

Dear developers of Windows Live Writer… with keeping the Microsoft tradition of multi-tasking, I humbly request that you move the publishing indicator to the tray, and get it out of my way, so that I can chain post in peace. Better yet MS, go ahead and make WLW tabbed, just because you can’t steal the idea directly from another product doesn’t mean it isn’t good.

 
WLW Publishing box – Its big, it locks the parent window and it’s useless

 

After wrestling with choices for a new cell phone before my new 2 year timer begins, I finally made a choice. I have selected the LG VX8550, also known as the Chocolate. I ordered it in black. I got a different type  of belt clip for this one. Instead of my usual dorky rigid plastic clip, I’m going with a more open holster that will allow me to access my phone quicker. Ordered the data cable with the phone, but I don’t think it will be of any more use to me than the one for the VX8300 was.

I was very excited by the LG Voyager at first, but for what I do, it really isn’t practical.  I’m not exactly a cell phone geek, but for some reason I am excited about the Chocolate, it might be that attraction to shiny black things that I have… but this one isn’t leather. Anyway, Ill post more info once the phone arrives next week.