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computer tips My Site updates special publishing tech culture

Making Spaghetti in my small apartment with modern tools

I set table first. I put broken in thirds thin spaghetti in water with salt put the magnetic induction cooktop at 220 F timed to turn off in 9 minutes. Then put it in Another pan over the stove with the lid on it. I put rolls from a can on a cookie sheet sprayed with canola oil in the gas oven at 400 degrees fareignheight. set my timer on my smart phone for 10 minutes. Then started the sauce with  vegetable spaghetti sauce and soy veggie crumbles at 220 F timed to automatically turn off 5 minutes then checked it cooked another 5 minutes. Turned off oven I got a bag salad, but added blue berries and strawberries on top. For my friend, salad I made for her was just berries. She came and left, my parents came, and she came back. I started putting it on the table.

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Going Green video

How to get by without a car.

June 1 2012 I got rid of my car and I have not wanted it back. Primarily by using the web instead of driving as well as biking and walking.

preview of the ebook
Republished from Aug 9 2012
(
In Brainerd)
So I was going to take 60 days to see whether I could get by without a car before insurance would go up. Yes, I can get by without a car. Yes, I can get by without rides from friends and family (I have had a few from family and one family friend, but they weren’t necessary). Yes, I like not having a car. I will continue to walk, bike, take bus, or car pool.
So how else besides walking and biking do I get around or could get around?
I use email, phone.
Video conferencing( Skype, Yahoo Messenger, or Face Time ), screen sharing, text messaging and facebook and other social media.
Online Meetings with GoToMeeting
Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit
Jefferson Lines
Brainerd & Crow Wing County Regional Airport BRD
Paul Bunyan Trail
Grab a Cab (started since original article written
Brainerd Area Taxi
Executive express (took over lakes express fleet)
Reichert Bus Service

Categories
computer tips energy efficiency Going Green

Paperless video Earth day 2017


Make Earth Day Every day we are here everyday.
I show several ways how I reduce paper.
screen shots from Apple Notes, Calendar, Reminders, and Contacts. http://apple.com
Additional screen shots from Neat software. http://neatco.com
web screen shots
Nate’s Computer Services http://www.natesservices.com
Godaddy bookkeeping https://godaddy.com
CTC http://www.ctctelcom.com
Medicare http://www.medicare.gov
MidMinnesota Credit Union https://mmfcu.org
http://www.optoutprescreen.com/
http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/
http://www.dmachoice.org/
Minnesota http://www.revenue.state.mn.us

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computer tips

New photo site

Steffenson photo has a new photo site under active development

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energy efficiency Going Green special publishing tech culture

Technology I like

Here is my annual list of technology I like.
5. magnetic cook top with automatic off. I am currently using the Nuwave oven 2 with this technology cooks fast, energy efficient and less mess.
4. 3M Command strips & accessories. Although I’ve had some issues with some tearing when taking off walls, These can be very useful tools for chord management, picture mounting, mounting solid state drives (SSD), and tool organizing such as keeping my broom off the floor. They avoid holes in the wall too.
3. Internal flash storage (or SSD) in devices with network connectivity. All smart phones and tablets have this(although sometimes removable).  Now we need to make sure we have  in our desktop and laptop computers (if you aren’t going to substitute them completely with a tablet or smart phone).  Also network connectivity helps eliminate the need to pull a card out and get rid of the need for optical drives.
2. Cloud technology. Most people have already taken this up at least a portion. Why waste money on DVDs, CDs, hard drives, flash drives, extra data centers/servers, and unnecessary traveling when we have cloud technologies.

  1. Renewable energy, energy efficient, and other green technology.  flashlightThis includes cleaning tools such as a rubber blower (such as Rocket Blaster) and cleaning wipes that can make your electronics last longer. Solar keyboards (and solar power in general). Led lighting and redirecting natural sun light with fiber optics or high efficient windows. LED bicycle lights powered by DYNO wheel as well as bicycle accessories such as quick mtx pack or a trailer that allow me to avoid using automobiles.
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computer learning computer tips special publishing

Physically Cleaning out your computer



How to Physically Cleaning your computer hardware and other electronics. Tools used include a screwdriver, rubber camera blower, electronic cleaning wipes, and microfiber cloth. Remember to power off and unplug and use precautions. DO NOT open power supply.
Be careful with batterie
Although it seems loud on the video, try to be gentle with the keyboard if banging it to get out dust.
Smart Phones and Tablets would be cleaned similar to how the monitor is cleaned, plus making sure charging and other ports and buttons are free from dust and residue.
Cleaning the vents of a computer (or similar electronics) and keeping them clear is important for airflow and reducing heat. If a computer is opened up the bottom of the computer and fans (case and cpu) typically is where dust builds up. More dust will build up if the computer or electronic is in a bad location such as the floor.
Our older post about cleaning computer / monitor
our older post about dust

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Going Green Special Promotion special publishing

Datacommuting book Special event

Sunset on BNSF railway in Brainerd MN

you’re invited Special event 4-22-2015 On this Earth Day I share a sneak peak at my book I’m in the progress of writing
See Preview
June 2017 –

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computer learning computer tips

Do computers make mistakes?

Computers are sometimes used to eliminate human error. The biggest example is calculations. Whether you see it in a calculator user interface or not, calculation is a core function of a computer.  If the formulas are input correctly, the computer will get it right. Some other things do have the possibility of mistakes.
How can computers make mistakes?

  1. When someone inputs something incorrectly.  This can be done by either the programmer or end user. Example: someone posting a fake story on social media. Example 2: making a typo or inputing a number wrong or in the wrong order.
  2. When a computer’s hardware is failing or using hardware beyond it’s compacity. This can happen over time, or very quickly if the hardware is not taken care of.  Example: dust getting built up. Example 2: battery failing.
  3. When programs or hardware are incompatible with other programs or hardware.
  4. Similar to compatibility and bad programming/input: malware can cause errors and mistakes.
  5. Artificial intelligence: Computers have been programmed very well to play a game of chess, but other artificial intelligence are not quite as well developed such as voice recognition, facial recognition, and optical character recognition even though significant improvements are being made.  Some of the trouble with voice and optical character recognition is there are many variables (much more than a game of chess) that can make it difficult. For example with optical character recognition: how high a quality scan is taken by the scanner or camera and how high quality the paper is(not wrinkled) how well the actual type is printed.
Categories
computer learning

How often are you using computers without knowing it

parked cars

Computers come in many different shapes, sizes, and uses
If you drive, the car you use most likely has a computer to help with fuel efficiency. The stoplight is controlled by a computer. Your driver’s license is in a database on a server. State Id and voter registration is in databases as well. And this isn’t even mentioning smart cars or the smart phone that you have.
Most people recognize that smart phones, smart TVs, and tablets are a form of a computer. Even if your cell phone isn’t featured or a “smart phone” a computer is still used to determine which tower your phone should use, route, and track your phone call. Computerized switches, routers, and tracking of course are used with land line phones as well.
Go shopping? chances are every purchase you make is stored on a computer. Even if you pay cash. It for sure is if you pay by credit card, or use a rewards card. It is stored for a variety of reasons from accounting, to inventory and marketing. Of course modern point of sale systems are a form of networked computer.
Use electricity? Instant meter reading and electrical efficiency depends on computers.
Watch a movie? Most likely it was edited with a microcomputer. Before computers were used to edit movies it would take a room full of editors to edit a featured motion picture. With a computer it can be done with as little as one editor.
Listen to the radio? watch TV? even if you hear someone live on the air, the programming is computerized. At times a single person may control several radio stations. Some small TV and radio stations are fully programmed for the entire night with only people on call.
Have a bank account? I seen on TV many years ago the last bank in the United States to not use computers. Chances are you don’t bank there.
Read the newspaper the old fashioned paper kind? It was edited on a computer.
Use the mail? Yes some mail is still sorted by hand, but it is assisted by computers with optical character recognition and bar codes.
This list could keep going, so I will stop here.

Categories
computer tips energy efficiency Going Green

Some new computer hardware I have been using

solar keyboard

solar keyboard
solar keyboard

1. Solar Keyboard from Logitech.

  • I have been using the Windows version of the solar Logitech keyboard. I kept using wired keyboards because I didn’t like changing batteries.  This solves that problem, and removes some cable clutter.
  • I now also have the mac version for my Macintosh.

 
2. Wireless touchpad from Logitech

  • It is rechargeable by USB cable, and otherwise wireless and uses the same wireless adapter as my keyboard.
  • Removes cable clutter.  A little bit less hard on my wrist and gets rid of the laser.
  • There is both a Mac version and a Windows version with multitouch (it has basic functions in Linux and basic functions if you used the Windows for mac or vice versa).

3. Solid State Drive

  • A solid state drive can increase the speed of computer
    SATA Solid State Drive
    SATA Solid State Drive

    dramatically.
  • I have installed SSDs on 3 my computers and a customer’s computer.
  • It also increases energy efficiency and reduces heat
  • They come from multiple manufacturers. Typically from companies that make memory and flash drives.
  • I had to clean up unneeded program files and duplicate files before installing.
  • I used disc duplication /imaging software that came with one of the drives.
  • Also, I was able to mount it to the desktop computers since it came with an adapter mount even though they were both made for laptops.
  • For my Macintosh computers I used Time Machine (Apple Macintosh’s automatic local backup program to external drive) to do the restore to the new drive.
  • A 480 GB drive is the same as a 512 GB drive. (the 512 GB drive uses a different definition of GB)

 
 

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