Code is Mandatory

I mentioned previously how useful Launchbar is for keyboard junkies. Another neat feature is the way it can jump to a particular pane of the System Preferences.

For example, to get to the Network Pane from whatever application I am working in, I key the following

alt-spacebar
network<enter>

and the System Preferences Application is displayed (or started if it is not currently running) with focus on the Network Preference Pane.

Want to manage a subscriptions to cartoons? Then dwlt.net - tapestry is your site. It has a bunch of RSS feeds for cartoons.

All you need is a RSS news reader. I use NetNewsWire. Then just drag the RSS Feed URL from dwlt.net | tapestry and Bob’s your uncle.

I purchased a low end G3 iBook with an AirPort card and an AirPort Extreme base station. What prompted this madness, I hear the family and other sane members of the public asking?

A number of things, I suppose, and in no particular order.

• I thought it was time to learn more about wireless, particularly as the local council intends establishing a continuous WiFi (wireless fidelity) zone along the length of Lambton Quay, the main retail street in Wellington.
• I wanted to be online without having to be seated at the desk.
• Wanted better OmniGraffle performance. A G3 500 iBook I was using, just could not hack the zooming in and out of simple diagrams.
• I need a way to manage digital photos when travelling. You can only fit so many onto a compact flash card. And I like to review and cull photos on a computer rather than on camera.
• I went cheap rather than top of the range. I don’t think I am ready to make a laptop my primary machine yet. And I did not want to pay a premium to find out.

And I am impressed. Working sans wires is fantastic. It means that I can read the news, blogs without being tied down to one place. Zooming in OmniGraffle is improved. Will have to wait till I travel to see how it handles photos.