YetAnotherPersonalHomepage

I love the original IBM Type-M buckling-spring keyboard. No other keyboard gives the same tactile feedback. My co-workers are audibly aware of my preference. I’ve managed to save several PS/2 keyboards but eventually they wear out. Looking for replacements, I found:

• PC Keyboard, nee Unicomp, sells keyboards based on the buckling spring design that IBM/Lexmark used to make. I’m intrigued by their ‘Linux 101′ unit with the Control and CapsLock mapped correctly. $100 direct.
• The Tactile Pro Keyboard from Matias, a usb keyboard for Mac or PC, is highly regarded. $100 direct but Smalldog has them for $80.
• The Avant Prime, similar to the Northgate Omni, can be had for $149 from Lueck Data Systems.

While I’m waiting for my replacement PDA, I thought I would inventory the software I use. Here is my choice of Palm software in all its 1990’s retro glory: * DateBook5 from Pimlico Software, the best day planner for Palm. * SuperNames, a nifty address book. * Memoplus, feature rich memo editor. * Launch ‘Em and Syncalc. * Plucker a free ebook and offline reader tool. * Fitaly2, an on-screen keyboard. * The STRIP password manager from Zetetic. * BeamBox (seems to have no home page) for beaming any file. * X-Master, a very good hack manager. * LispMe a Scheme interpreter. Why? Because it’s cool. * Quartus a Forth compiler. Why? Because it’s cool. * Vexed, a freeware puzzle game. * Frobnitz a freeware Z-Code interpreter and a few Scott Adams game files. * iRogue, a port of Rogue. I wish there were a port of NetHack…

I’ve managed to destroy another PDA. This is my fourth Palm Pilot and my third IIIxe. The first was a Palm III, destroyed by a leaking battery (and my attempt to clean it). The second was a IIIxe, which went into a continuous hard reset and was replaced under warranty. The third was another IIIxe, dropped. This IIIxe died on its own, slowly, resetting itself or locking up more and more frequently, with no explanation and no visible injury until finally I could not trust it. Taking it apart and blowing out the dust didn’t help and I declared it dead.

I was a somewhat early adopter, liked what I found and saw no reason to change. My needs seem simple: * date planner * address book * notebook or memo pad * compatible with Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. * replaceable batteries

but that doesn’t match the marketing of gadgets. I don’t need color, sound, MP3s, a camera, bluetooth or an expansion card. I don’t want to work on Excel or Word documents or PDFs or web surf. Even rechargeable batteries are unnecessary; unless I’m near an outlet of the appropriate voltage they’re useless. Palm, now PalmOne, has forgotten why the early adopters bought into the original Pilot. What is needed is a pocket-size equivalent to the old Dayrunner.

It took me more than an hour of searching to find a replacement. One, just one, vendor had a single unit of remaining new old stock. It happens to be a Handspring Visor. It’s faster and has an expansion slot. Not that it matters. If I like it, and I’m pretty sure I will, I’ll troll ebay for a few more just so I can have a replacement when I break this one.

Happy holidays, seasons greetings, celebrate the winter solstice, the happy new year, kwanzaa, pungenday aftermath 66 (whoever you are, you closet Discordian… fnord) or whatever. Or nothing. Or make up your own. I’ll be spending time with family.

This weekend was our annual holiday cookie bake. This year was much easier than last. The kitchen in this apartment is larger, the counter tops are longer and there is enough room that we could work in assembly line fashion.

This year’s recipes are: * Pfefferneusse * Molasses spice * Chocolate-Ginger biscotti * Orange Almond shortbread * fudge balls

The first four are from cookbooks but the last, which everyone thinks are hard to make but are too easy to believe, is adapted from the back of a can of sweetened condensed milk: * 3 cups chocolate morsels * 1 can sweetened, condensed milk * 1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a heavy pot combine morsels and milk. Stir over low heat until combined. Mix in vanilla. Remove from heat and chill. Once cold form fudge into balls and roll in choice of topping. We chose to use the following toppings: * sweetened shredded coconut * powdered sugar * a mixture of two tablespoons cocoa and one tablespoon cinnamon

Easy!