I’m taking this Java class at MATC, and the guy sitting next to me asks me if I’ve ever heard of portable apps. I said “no”, so he proceeded to show me. Basically, portable apps are applications that you can take with you and run on a seperate device. In this case, he was using a USB memory card, which almost all of the students have these days.

He browses to his USB drive, executes Firefox.exe, and it starts flawlessly. It seemed to open just as fast as the version of Firefox on his computer.Why would you need a portable app? Well, the main reason for him, is he’s a student, and Firefox saves all of his browser information and settings; such as, homepage, history, and most importantly bookmarks.

Another portable app he uses is Gaim, an instant messaging client. Now, this was even cooler than Firefox. I can live without my bookmarks, but he had Gaim setup with all of the different user accounts from various messenging clients like AOL, Yahoo, and MSN. He executes Gaim, and he immediately see who’s online, and who’s not.

Is this the future of applications? Will we someday be executing applications from our iPod or some other portable device? Now, what I think would be cool, is if these applications were cross-platform, meaning they’d run on any operating system. I want to be able to login into any type of machine, have all of my documents, mp3’s and applications setup the way I like them; and I want it to be fast, reliable, and wireless.

Portable apps are definitely coo., but their future is somewhat hazy with online applications in the near future. Online applications would, for the most part, be cross-platform, but my main concern, is will it be reliable? I’m thinking not.

I discovered WebBoggle this past weekend and I can’t stop playing it. I don’t usually play games online, except maybe a little Texas Hold’em on Yahoo, but this one is a blast. I found myself at my keyboard with two of my friends yelling out words.

WebBoggle is pretty straight forward, it allows you to play 4×4 or 5×5. The interface is very simplistic, but it doesn’t matter, because after you try a few times, you’ll be coming back for more.

For you techies out there, WEBoggle is primarily HTML and JavaScript with fewer than 100 lines of Perl, and a 90,000 word dictionary. That’s it! All you need is Internet Explorer 5 or newer, or a Mozilla-based browser like Mozilla, Firebird or Galeon. Sorry, Opera doesn’t work.

Happy Boggling!

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The bulk of my profession the last 6 1/2 years has been developing web applications. I spend the majority of my days typing, so I’ve often wondered, how long can I keep doing this?

I’m not a big fan of sitting in one place all day, which has been one of the big downfalls of programming. I’ve also run into other physcial problems such as arthritis in my fingers, wrist, forearms, and most recently my knees. I have a shitty chair, and a desk that’s too high so I straighten my legs out. This is comfortable for me, but sitting like that all day puts strain on my knees.

Another problem I’ve been having is eye strain. At my work, I stare at a 15″ PowerBook all day. I do have the PowerBook elevated, but it is hard to see at times. If I’ve been staring a screen for too long I get these annoying eye twitches.

Aside from the physical problems, I guess I just don’t see myself typing at a desk until I retire in about 35-40 years. So, why do I do it now? Well, the money is good, and there is some satisfaction in developing web applications.

For now, I still feel like I’m on the upslope of my web development career, but sometime down the road, a change is inevitable.

I really want to buy a Mac-Mini, or two, but why should I buy one now when they’re eventually coming out with the “Intel” Mac-Mini? Apple has recently released the new Intel version of the iMac and the MacBook Pro, but I don’t want either of those.

First of all, why do I want two mini’s? I want one mini for my living room to play music, videos, and eventually Apple’s DVR application in place of Tivo. The other one will be used in my office for programming and audio recording. My current Windows machine will eventually turn into a Linux server.

I’m worried if I buy a mini now, I may have problems running software in the future once all of these software companies port over their software to work on the Intel hardware. The Intel Mini isn’t supposed to come out until later this year; which to me, is asinine.

I believe the Mac-Mini sales are going to drop, along with their prices until the new one is released sometime toward the end of the year. It sounds like a nice Christmas gift to me.

I went to Borders last night and as usual I browsed through the computer section. I flipped through a couple of Ruby and Ajax books, and then I noticed a book titled, “Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks, Second Edition“. I’m amused that someone actually wrote a book on the annoyances of a Microsoft Windows XP, and is making money off of it.

It’s typical to hear Linux and Mac users complaining about Windows, but this book was actually written by Windows users. It’s refreshing to see Windows users complain, and I can only hope they start researching other options.

I was a Windows user for years, but in October 2004, I switched to Mac. I used to support Macs but grew to hate them in the 90’s due to their awful OS. I’m now doing a lot of programming, so I wanted the Linux environment, but with a better GUI. I started a new job, took a chance switching to Mac, and now don’t forsee myself going back.

I have a new PC at home running Windows 2000, which I only for gaming purposes. Once that thing dies or becomes too slow, I’m done with Microsoft for good. I have no plans on ever using Windows Vista.

I plan on getting Mac-Mini for my living room and either a G5, Powerbook, or another mini for my office. I enjoy playing games on my PC, but I’m hopeful more games will come out for the Mac soon, and I do own a PS2.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m anti-Microsoft, but rather I’m just fed up with their crappy software. I’m tired of dealling with all of the spyware and viruses that come out on a daily basis. I’m tired of the security holes. I’m tired of running Windows Update. I’m tired of overpaying for buggy software. I’m tired of Microsoft forcing businesses to update based on their schedule. Plain and simple, I’m tired of Microsoft’s bullshit.

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5657037337

One of my pastimes lately has been finding weird items on eBay, but I can’t take credit for this one. A buddy of mine stumbled upon this and IM’d it to me this morning. I knew eBay would end it immediately, so took a snap shot.

I’ve found people selling bags of rabbit poop, a kangaroo scrotum, and fossilized dino dung. The dinosaur dung is obviously a scam, but if some sucker out there is dumb enough to buy it, their loss. I suppose there might be some use for rabbit poop, but what in the hell would anyone do with kangaroo’s nut-sack?

Clear Channel has turned rock station 96.3 WMAD into new country 96.3 STAR. That company has zero integrity and can take a shit train straight to fuck off. Clear Channel has turned all of the radio stations in Madison into mainstream crap. They need to seriously grow some balls and put out a few stations with good music. I understand that they’re a business trying to make money, but they are ruining radio.

I used to listen to the syndicated morning show, Rover’s Radio, but now it’s gone so I guess I’ll be listening to 1310 WIBA for my morning news, even though it’s owned by the evil empire, Clear Channel. I emailed Rover this morning about the switch and here’s his response…

Hey Brett…

Clear Channel kept us in the dark as well - we only found out about the situation this morning. We’re looking into it to see what’s going on, and if we can get on another station there.

Hang in there!

Rover

It looks like 94.1 JJO is the only real rock station in town. I like them, but I like choices, and sometimes I want a different flavor then what they’re playing. I’m hoping JJO takes advantage of the situation and expands the type of music they play.

With all of the bad radio stations in town, it is no wonder people are out there illegaly downloading music and switching to sattelite radio. Sattelite radio companies must absolutely love Clear Channel for pushing business their way.

I’ve decided after the holidays I’m going to get a portable sattelite radio that I can use in my vehicle and at work.

The xBox 360 is one of the hottest items out on the market right now. Game enthusiasts want to buy them now, and kids want them for Christmas. I usually ignore this type of madness, but let’s just say a “person I know of” and an article I read about eBay caught my attention.

This “person I know of” has a friend that works at Target. This Target employee knew when shipments of xBox 360’s were being delivered, and at what stores. Well, this “person I know of” drove too a couple of different locations, one of them in Janesville, WI, and managed to purchase about a half a dozen of them. Of course, you know where this is going, right?

This “person I know of” immediately puts them on eBay and sells them for well over the amount they are actually worth. I believe he sold systems that typically sell for about $299 for around $400 and up. I heard the first two actually went for around $800.

I was kind of disgusted with this person at first, but if people are dumb enough to spend that much money for system that has been overheating and causing lock ups, screw’em! If you’re disgusted with people like this “person I know of” don’t be mad at him, be mad at Microsoft. There have been rumors for a while that Microsoft purposely had a shortage to create a buzz surrounding their new system.

I say shame on Microsoft! I understand they wanted to release their new system before Sony and Nintendo, but at what expense? That would be the expense of the consumer. The people that can’t wait are overpaying, and are getting systems that are overheating and locking up.

Microsft should have waited.