Meta Stuff

For anyone reading this that has considered blogging but hasn't jumped in, here's a little information. If you're interested, Blogger is a great option. It's free, it's fairly easy to set up and very easy to update. It doesn't require special software or training. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can make a blog.

Also, I use Mozilla Firefox for surfing the Web. Most people use Internet Explorer (IE) because it's pre-loaded on all Windows machines. You have to download and install Firefox to use it but I think it's totally worth it. Companies like Google and Skype have created "extensions" that add functionality to Firefox. The Google toolbar is much more easily integrated into Firefox than IE, for example. Skype has a cool extension that highlights a phone number on a web page and will call it using your systems speaker and microphone. I also have an extension that will send a text message directly to a cell phone with one click.

My favorite part of Firefox is the extra search box where you can add a number of search engines (IMDB, Amazon, Dictionary.com, ESPN, etc.) and start your query without having to navigate to those pages first.

If you've grown accustomed to IE, the shortcut keys are a little different, but I have experienced far fewer crashes in Firefox (noticeable difference) and I can easily customize it to my way of surfing. I haven't tried IE7 yet, but I understand Microsoft basically used Firefox as the template.

Finally, if you try Firefox and like it, you should also try Thunderbird which is Mozilla's e-mail client. If you're sick of junk e-mail, they have a built-in spam filter which works well and learns as it goes. We have a modern version of Microsoft Outlook at work and it just seems bloated and lumbering compared to the Mozilla equivalents.