Sarah81

Mmm ... META tags - some of my favorite HTML right there.Excellent job on the tutorial. But I have one question: do search engines still do much with META KEYWORD tags?

I think that most calls people take on cell phones while driving can wait. that's why we have voice mail and caller ID. If it's *that* important, we should find a safe place to get off the road. Where I'm at, at least, there are parking lots ALL over the place, not to mention really wide shoulders on the highways. There's no reason why people in my city can't get off the road while they're on the phone.And I'm pretty sure that my state (Texas) legislature passed a bill that will make it illegal for us to chat on our phones unless we're using hands-free headsets. If I'm remembering correctly (the legislature meets once every two years here for two weeks or so and passes hundreds of bills, so it's very difficult to keep up with everything they're doing), it goes into effect in January 2006.Which is good, IMO. Hands-free sets aren't that expensive anymore. Some phones even have built-in speakerphones, so you don't have to buy any additional accessories. There's really no good reason NOT to concentrate on the road.

I've always really liked Microsoft's office products. I'm a huge fan of 2003, mainly because it's the latest version that I have (been using it for a year or so now) and it's only given me problems once. (I blame the old computer that I was using for said problems, as the exact same install works on all the systems I've used since.)It's easy to use ... no learning curve when I go to the public PC labs here on my campus (they all include Office suites) ... and, for me at least, a legal full-license copy was dirt cheap. But, if I had to pay full retail price for the suite, I would probably just go with Word and find some other, cheaper programs for spreadsheets and such.And I never, EVER use PowerPoint, so it's not important to me. (I hate that program. I hate computerized slide shows in general, but Power Point must be blamed because it has turned an entire generation of boring people into boring people who can easily share waaay too many details about things nobody cares about. Stupid Power Point for encouraging vacation photos and twenty-slide presentations about toilet paper.)

I kept inheriting old HP computers from family and friends who upgraded or whatever. I still hate HP desktops. BOTH of them gave me video card problems, which I couldn't fix because it seemed that, at least on the Pavilion 8086, there really wasn't a way to get the card out of the motherboard. (Not that I'm a computer genius or anything - that's just what it looked like. Regardless, it looked far more complicated than I was willing to accept.)I don't know anything about HP notebooks ... but I'm running a Compaq notebook, which is *sort of* like having an HP. (They're incessantly tied together, at least when you try to check out their Web sites or order replacement parts and such.)I really like this notebook. Other than it having a lower grade processor (AMD Sempron instead of K6), it seems like they put pretty decent hardware into it. It's running Altec Lansing speakers (nice because the thing's usually on my desk and not on my lap, so i can actually hear audio) ... came with tons of software that I'll never use (don't really play DVDs too much, but it's nice to have around) ... and apparently their customer support has won tons of awards lately, which is reassuring.Ah, and it only weighs a few pounds - less than 8, I'm pretty sure - so when I DO have it out, it can sit on my lap without cutting off circulation to my legs. (That's saying a lot - I'm 5'6 and weigh 125 pounds - pretty small in other words.) All in all, it was better than paying Dell an arm, leg and several toes in shipping charges.

Personally, I'm still waiting for them to become more affordable. Okay, they're not really expensive right now, but I'm in the middle of college and sort of need to spend money on books and stuff.As much as I dislike Apple in general, I'm finding that they're actually really great for digital music. I *love* iTunes, so I don't see why having an iPod (which will naturally work very well with said software) could be an inherently bad thing.As for not wanting one 'cuz everyone else is using them ... anticonformity just for anticonformity's sake is a weird form of conformity. You might find other brands cheaper, but if they're of lower quality you might want to think about going with the best that you can afford - even if it IS an Apple product.

I took an unhealthy interest in hacking when I was a teenager. I had a chat with LordDredd once (very elite guy) who told me to learn programming languages.Well, that's the best place to start. the problem is that i started getting into it and quickly learned that i don't have the aptitude for it. (If I can't even figure out C++, there is NO way that I'm ever going to do anything COOL with a computer.)I'm yet another person who admires the skill and talent but can't do it ... and will gladly encourage other people to learn as much as possible about it because, hey, knowledge is power *grins* Me, though, I'll watch. So ... if you can make a go of it, use your newfound powers for good and don't give hackers a really bad name like the idiots who keep doing destructive and retarded stuff.

I'll tell you who: the bright guy who figured out that when those easily-breakable things break, most users will order replacements directly through Dell. Which means that they can charge all sorts of money for parts and labor if the machine's out of warranty. I bet Dell gave him a bonus for his ingenuity. *dry smile*

Hmm. I've been using XP a few years now on several different machines ... haven't had too many problems (other than it getting VERY slow when you load it up with tons of junk).My last problem with it was when I had Netscape 8.0 installed a couple of weeks ago. I hate that browser now. The problems ranged from not being able to click on links (had to close the browser and restart) to it randomly freezing/dying/shutting down, even when I wasn't touching the computer/keyboard/mouse at all. (So no way did I accidentally hit a close command or anything like that.)Once i dumped that pile of junk, things started working a lot better. GET FIREFOX! Seriously. It's the best browser I've used in years.Oh yeah. i'm running XP Home Edition, but I also have XP Pro. (It's amazing what five bucks can get you when you're a full-time student.)

Any time I need parts, I check isellsurplus.com - they're insanely cheap and usually carry just about everything. However: if you don't find the part that you need on their site, you can put out feelers for it through one of their Web forms. And if that doesn't work out for you, you can always check eBay. I've found pretty good deals there in the past.

I found about fifteen gajillion pieces of my Web content. Wow. you'd think that with all that paid writing i'd be able to afford a car or something *grins*

I'm not the world's biggest gamer (most recent console in my apt. is an SNES, actually), but of my four sibs, three are really, really into it. My sister is swearing by the new Nintendo system for certain titles (like Zelda). My youngest brother is see-sawing between "Ah, I like the first XBox just fine," and "Wow, I wonder what the new one will do?" The oldest brother is a die-hard PS2 fan, just as he was addicted to PS/PSOne. He's convinced that PS3 will be the best gaming system ever. So ... if a bunch of people IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD can't agree on which is the best ... that's saying something. Each of the systems obviously has some sort of advantage ... but we usually end up slowly acquiring all three of the new systems sometime after they come out (usually months and months later).

Actually, I tend to become mildly annoyed (to say the least) when I only get one result for my searches. Especially if the result actually has nothing to do with what I'm trying to find.But that's been my problem for years - and now people have turned that frustration into a game of sorts? Interesting. A weird fad that will probably die out in a few months if you ask me, but interesting nonetheless.

Well ... if you can find practical (or even just fun) uses for all that storage space, then I don't guess it's too much. If you aren't knocking over little old ladies and stealing their purses for money to buy more hard drives, then cool. *grins*But, my personal preference is to just do one or two medium-sized hard drives and use flash storage or CD-Rs for the rest of my data. I'm lazy and don't have a whole lot of money to spend on computer stuff...and because I move around at least twice a year (college student), 100 percent portability is vital to me.Hence, the laptop with 30 gigs of HD space and the 128 MB flash drive, plus the tons and tons of CD-Rs.Not to mention the online storage solutions.

Unfortunately, many people seem to think that I think that Pat Robertson and others of his ilk speak for me. Naaah. I have my own voice, guys, thanks. The "good" Christians (i.e. the people who aren't running around trying to "skewer" everyone as you so succinctly put it) ... are low-key, low-profile people, it seems. They (we?) ... aren't actively sniffing out the spotlight. And even if we were ... we wouldn't get it, because we aren't sensationalizing anything. As for the Catholic church's former stranglehold: it was very easy for them to do, seeing as their priests and other such people were really the only ones who could read well, if at all. When education is lacking, it's no problem to enslave the masses by telling them whatever you want them to believe - and you don't need to justify it 'cause, hey, they're never going to know any better. Which is why I believe in self-education. By this I mean that I think we should all consider *everything* we encounter before we follow it or put any faith in it. We were born to be curious: why should that change as we get older? *grins*

Actually, a lot of the merchandise - from electronics to home/bath/kitchen to books to everything else - on eBay is brand new. You have to actually *read* each item's description before you place a bid, but I've found brand-new stuff for cheap (like my kitchen knives). If I check out the seller's feedback and read his or her product description closely (and familiarize myself with his/her return policies), I can get brand-new, still-in-original-packaging items for a fraction of the retail price. This includes iPods. The thing is that a lot of the power sellers are actually people in charge of physical, "real" storefronts, so they put some of their inventory online to attract a much, much, MUCH larger customer base. It seems to work well if they're still doing it after all these years

I love the Ad Block extension - it works great and I can customize it at my whim.I'm also using "Stumble," which is just an addon that lets you surf random sites. You can set your personal preferences first, so that you only see sites relating to subjects that you select. You can also rate the sites and write reviews about them if you *really* feel motivated. I've found quite a few oddball sites this way (including meankitty.com which every cat lover should visit right now).

Oh ... man. I had an HP Pavilion 8086 (I inherited it from a friend). When this summer started, the power supply died on me. I would like to let everyone know this:<I>just because you do your research and know good and well that the replacement power supply is compatible with your motherboard and system in general does not guarantee that it will actually fit into your case.</I>It seems that there is only ONE replacement model for this power supply. It cost me almost forty bucks, but it was worth it because it kept my PC going until I could afford to get a new one.So I ordered the right part on eBay, and it showed up. I looked at it carefully to be sure that it was the right thing. It had all the right connectors ... right power rating and all that fun stuff. Should have worked ... except that the screw holes didn't line up at all, so I couldn't anchor the sucker in the case."Okay," I thought. (I also said a few not-G-rated words, but that's another story). "I'll just slide the stupid thing into my case and not worry about the screws or whatever."So I couldn't put the case covers back on. For the rest of the summer the computer sat there, half-naked, while I did my work.It wasn't so bad, really. If I'd been motivated and willing to invest a little money, I could have bought a kit/guide/rail/etc. to help adapt screw holes and such. But I didn't want to invest more money in this old computer when I was about to get a new one.Besides which, one of my younger brothers inherited the thing and he's not complaining about the cover being off, so everybody wins.The morale of the story: expect stuff to go wrong, especially when the only replacement part you can get is from a third-party manufacturer.

Okay. So a friend of mine convinced me that I really ought to buy an external USB keyboard for my notebook. Because he knows that I tend to wear out keyboards in less than a year. And because he knows that I wasn't quite happy with the layout of the laptop's integrated keyboard. (It's ... well, it's just not as comfortable for me as the external boards I've been using my whole life.)I found a Belkin ergonomic keyboard for less than $35 at buy.com - a great site that only took a few days to get my order to my door. I'd definitely recommend them for that as well as the fact that they added plenty of extra packaging around the keyboard (which was already in its own box) so that it wouldn't get crunched between their warehouse and my door.Anyway ... I love this thing for a bunch of reasons. If you use a notebook computer and it's usually at a desk, you should think about getting one of these. They're *much* cheaper than replacing or repairing the notebook's keyboard. Unless you opted for all that extra service coverage. But if you did, this is still a great board to use when you're at your desk because it's more comfortable.-USB plug-and-play. It was ready to go in less than two minutes.(Side note: I can still use the laptop's integrated keyboard even with this one plugged in. It's sort of odd thinking about having two keyboards for one computer system, but I'm a weird person so it isn't overly surprising.)-Two USB ports on the back of the keyboard. The notebook has two ports total. I have a printer, flash drive, and video game controller. I also have this keyboard now. I'm actually gaining a port through this thing. I might actually get a USB mouse in the future and plug it into the keyboard.-Ergonomic design. I'ved used this "split" design on and off for years. It's comfier on the hands and wrists because the keys are laid out for a more natural position. I also have a nice wrist rest if i want to use it. Another advantage is that the space bar is split as well so I can hit it with either thumb. (Unfortunately, I've always hit it with my right thumb no matter what I'm typing, so that's actually sort of a moot point.)-Inexpensive.-it's black, which is my preferred color for computer stuff.-It came with a lifetime guarantee.Oh yeah, and it's Belkin. I've always had pretty good luck with these products, so I was more than happy to try this out. I don't expect this thing to last for twenty years or anything ridiculous like that, but I once had a Belkin stationary mouse that lasted longer than the computer. Heh.I'm loving it so far. I'm more comfortable than I've been since I bought the notebook - and I'm back up to my usual typing speed again.

Cool nick story!mine's pretty boring. My first name is Sarah and I was born in 1981. *shrugs* it was unique enough a few years ago for a lot of sites that required registration, but now apparently a bunch of other 81-born Sarahs (or 81-year-old Sarahs) are catching on. Oh, well.Let's see ... oh yeah - and people often ask me if I'm 81 years old. Sometimes I tell them I am, especially if I get the feeling that it's a guy who's about to start hitting on me. And sometimes he hits on me because he thinks I'm 81. Which is another, very creepy story best saved for later, I think.

I think that anything you do that *could* lead to you looking bad later (keylogging for example) should be considered very carefully before you actually take any action. It could get you into trouble, as other people have already stated. But it also makes you look bad ... while it might not matter what this particular non-paying customer thinks ... you still have a professional reputation. So ... if I were you, I would look into legal action. Yes, he has copies of the files in his system, but computers keep records of last modified, date created, etc. You might have something going there. If nothing else, you might be able to find proof that you actually sent the guy these files. Also: did he tell you in person that he wasn't going to cough up the money, or did he send you an e-mail? If the latter, I would definitely hang on to it.Anyway ... think of how you'll look to other clients present and future if you start keylogging or forcing attacks on this guy's system. You never really know who is in touch with whom ... or how quickly word-of-mouth can spread ... until it's already come to bite you in the back cheeks.

I don't see any motivation for most rappers to care about the bigger issues and problems. I mean, okay ... Eminem has had his say about things like the war, the Bush administration, etc ... so in my opinion, he's doing something more than just trying to sell records. The same goes for any other artist in any other forum (writer, painter, whatever), who makes some sort of statement that wasn't created just because they knew it would sell. However: we buy into it every day. Look at how record sales skyrocketed when the Michael Jackson stuff started again? Yeah - even people who really didn't like the guy OR his music were checking it out. Sad but true. The same goes for beefs that rappers have with each other. Even if those beefs are leigtimate (i.e. not created just to stir up controversy and make us more willing to dish up cash for the records and other merchandise) ... well, they're going to play up those beefs as much as they can because it gets them onto the front page of The Source. It's stupid, really, but as long as so many fans are buying into it, few rappers are going to have any motivation to do anything *truly* productive with their forums. And it'll just get worse. Now ... I'll shut up before I go on a really long tangent about how rap used to be about something besides cars, women and hedonism in general. *sighs*

I just hope nobody turns it into some sort of stupid anti-gaming tangent. Happens all the time, at least here in the States. *sighs*

That's messed up. I mean ... I become so engrossed in what I love to do (writing, computers) sometimes that I wonder where the last eight hours went ... but I'm still conscious enough to pay attention to things like my growling stomach, overfilled bladder, etc.I find it odd though that this guy didn't have a whole necessity-driven setup around his computer so that he would have immediate access to snacks, drinks, etc. I mean, I know LOTS of people, myself included, who "set up camp" by the computer when we know that we're going to start doing something that could absorb us for more than half an hour.

uhhh ... first, show up and do what you're supposed to do (i.e. don't get caught playing FreeCell). Second: do it well. And don't be afraid to ask for help or guidance if you don't know what you're doing. Most bosses would rather have you ask for info before you start than spend the rest of the week having you - or a whole team of people - repair or fix stuff that you messed up because you didn't want to ask for help in the first place. Third: if you really love your job, you'll have plenty of motivation to do it more often than not. And as for the stupid backbiting and backstabbing that happens in some companies? Don't instigate it. It isn't worth your time ... you'll just bring yourself down to the level of people who think that it's a great way to cut someone off on their way to promotions ... and it won't be cool, basically. But yeah - just enjoy it, you know? In many cases, bosses want to keep people who love or at least like their jobs. Those people are usually more productive and are happier (and take less sick days). Don't worry about trying to keep it so much as trying to enjoy it. That's why you went into your field, right?

Yeah. The extent of the damage is so amazing ... I'm over here in Central Texas, so I haven't seen any fallout from it or anything, but just watching news clips and photos on the front pages of our papers here ... wow.The people there are most definitely in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that they can restore necessities like power and take care of all the people who don't have homes anymore ... or who just can't get to them for a while.