When Progress Hinders Us

Introduction

When life gets busy, I tend to cut back on my useful and useless projects. I have about four 50% finished things lying around and it bugs me that I cannot do any of them, but that doesn't mean that I don't have time to think and subsequently write. Between my absorption in university and the IT world, lies this part of me that reflects on the machine that is technological progress. It is easy to get wrapped up in and think little of its consequences past your own personal enjoyment you hope to get from it. This blog post is a rant and reflection on "progress."

7 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 8

Even though the cheap upgrade period for Windows 8 is past, there are still many good reasons to consider Windows 8. Being a Windows 8 user myself, I do not really understand the gripes I have heard from other users. I've heard many, but I just don't see them. I will agree that Modern/Metro UI is different, but using it for awhile has made it second nature to me. Also, Start8 by Stardock Software is worthwhile checking out if you are unsure of Modern UI.

My chief reason for upgrading was a blown Solid State Drive. It was a good excuse, and lets be honest here, that should be reason number one to upgrade.

Note: This list is not a ranking of best to worst reasons.

Centralized and Easy way to Install/Update Programs

Do you use lots of freeware (you should)? Do you have lots of computers? Are you a professional IT worker? If any of them are yes, then you need Ninite. Ninite is an installer that collects your favorite programs that you check off on a large list and every time you use it, it will batch install or update your programs. The website creates a small .exe that you can put on a USB stick which you just run and leave it unattended. Easy!

Go to: http://www.ninite.com

Everytime I refresh my computer or work on a new one, I just run this app and reinstall all of my favorite programs. For IT pros, you can buy a version for network deployment and complete unattended installation.

Take it for a spin, use freeware, this is a miracle program!

DIY Hard Drive Dock

Hard drive docks allow you to plug in internal hard drives to your computer without opening up your computer and installing it on internal SATA. These cannot always be justified, however, due to price and a lack of regular usage (until a catastrophe hits, that is). The solution to the problem is twofold. Maybe it isn't even a problem, but you can still get a two-for-one deal with my method!

Difficulty: Easy
Price: $20-$80 (depends on the price of your external)
Materials: A Seagate FreeAgent Go portable hard drive (or any portable of your choice)
Tools Required: jewelers screwdrivers

Repair → Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse

Recently I acquired a Microsoft Wireless Arc Touch mouse for free from work. Unfortunately, it was broken and my friend had no idea why. I thought, why not take it home and see if I can get a free $60 mouse out of the deal? 

Well, I searched around online for some time and found out that the secret and nifty power switch in the Arc often broke (you turn on the mouse by bending the body from flat to curved so you can use it, very cool). I guess that design is not yet well thought out, but the mouse is a very cool idea. 

Check out the design and usage here: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/arc-touch-tutorial/

Anyways, one guy from this thread said he fixed it by cutting the line to the power switch and tying the wires together. The Arc would be constantly on, but its battery life is beautiful and you can just take out the batteries when not in use!

Note: There is another fix mentioned by Joshua in the comments. It did not work for my mouse, but it worth checking. If you don't know how to take the mouse apart, follow my instructions for that at least. The rubber sheath will be held by 2-4 screws. Find them and pull back the rubber sheath to expose the underside.

He never said what to do exactly, so I made this how to:

Time Required: 10-30 minutes

Tools Required: jeweler screwdriver set, wire strippers, side cutters, needle nose pliers, drill, 1/16" drill bit

Tip: Solder Iron Cleanliness

The Soldering iron is a tool that needs to be in every geeks arsenal, whether you work with cars, build computers, or like to tinker with digital and analogue circuitry. While this tip won't give you the skills you need to solder well, it will give you the ability to solder BETTER than you already do. If you clean your iron, great! If not, read on...

My Portable Work Bench Version 0.9

Some time ago I realized that if I wanted to do projects at university without wrecking the tables in my apartment  I would have to find a method of not incurring fees on my damage deposit. Well, the simple answer is to lay down newspaper, but that didn't cut it for me. I'm going to be mobile for a few more years yet and I want to work with my hands, not just my mind while I am at school.

When I was working on my computer tech. degree, I accumulated a lot of tools, so proper transport was at issue. Here is what I came up with!

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $40 (tools not included)

The Reverse Geo-Cache Puzzlebox

If you have not heard of these, a reverse geo-cache puzzlebox is exactly what it sounds like. In normal geo-caching  you use a GPS locator to find a treasure hidden somewhere between where you are and wherever it is! In reverse geo-caching, you already have the treasure, but the problem is that it is still locked! You must travel to the right GPS coordinate in order for the box to unlock. There are many ways in which you can accomplish making one of these boxes and I will outline one of the more basic and useful ways.

Difficulty: Medium-Hard

Cost: between $100-$200