Comments for Atomic Spatula http://atomicspatula.com Greg Nichols Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:20:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 Comment on Powerless by greg http://atomicspatula.com/2010/02/27/powerless/comment-page-1#comment-6647 greg Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:20:52 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=464#comment-6647 Sure. Sure.

]]> Comment on Powerless by Michael Corcoran http://atomicspatula.com/2010/02/27/powerless/comment-page-1#comment-6646 Michael Corcoran Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:22:49 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=464#comment-6646 Hey there. We are doign a story about the power outages for the Boston Globe. Are you availabel for an interview? (617-929-3100) Hey there. We are doign a story about the power outages for the Boston Globe. Are you availabel for an interview?

(617-929-3100)

]]> Comment on My Mac Mini is Dying by greg http://atomicspatula.com/2009/08/07/my-mac-mini-is-dying/comment-page-1#comment-4875 greg Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:03:26 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=302#comment-4875 We decided to sprint for a new one. $600 via Amazon. The decision boiled down to: 1) we like OSX for family use 2) A Windows switch would have ended up costing us more in labor and software (lock-in) that the money we'd save on generic hardware. 3) We hope the new one is faster and quieter than the old one. 4) I have enough hobbies as it is. We decided to sprint for a new one. $600 via Amazon. The decision boiled down to:
1) we like OSX for family use
2) A Windows switch would have ended up costing us more in labor and software (lock-in) that the money we’d save on generic hardware.
3) We hope the new one is faster and quieter than the old one.
4) I have enough hobbies as it is.

]]> Comment on My Mac Mini is Dying by greg http://atomicspatula.com/2009/08/07/my-mac-mini-is-dying/comment-page-1#comment-4825 greg Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:35:28 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=302#comment-4825 That's an interesting idea. I just spent a little while reading up on this. I guess running the hackintosh seems a bit too much like a hobby to me, and given what I do for work, a bit redundant. I'm not sure the $200-$300 saved over a Mini would be worth the tweeking time spent running OSX on generic hardware. That’s an interesting idea. I just spent a little while reading up on this. I guess running the hackintosh seems a bit too much like a hobby to me, and given what I do for work, a bit redundant.

I’m not sure the $200-$300 saved over a Mini would be worth the tweeking time spent running OSX on generic hardware.

]]> Comment on My Mac Mini is Dying by Dan http://atomicspatula.com/2009/08/07/my-mac-mini-is-dying/comment-page-1#comment-4786 Dan Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:43:56 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=302#comment-4786 Apple just doesn't seem interested in making the kind of machine you're looking for. They design nice hardware, but the negative side of that is that they don't really intend for anyone to modify or customize their hardware at all. Not to mention the high price tags. It sounds like the best option would be to just get a small PC and install OSX on it. Supposedly it's fairly easy to get OSX running on PC hardware now, and you could get a small-form case that would be pretty small, but much more serviceable and upgradeable than your mac mini. Apple just doesn’t seem interested in making the kind of machine you’re looking for. They design nice hardware, but the negative side of that is that they don’t really intend for anyone to modify or customize their hardware at all. Not to mention the high price tags.

It sounds like the best option would be to just get a small PC and install OSX on it. Supposedly it’s fairly easy to get OSX running on PC hardware now, and you could get a small-form case that would be pretty small, but much more serviceable and upgradeable than your mac mini.

]]> Comment on The Watchful Eye of Martin the Lizard by Cassie http://atomicspatula.com/2009/05/14/the-watchful-eye-of-martin-the-lizard/comment-page-1#comment-3900 Cassie Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:23:01 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=255#comment-3900 that lizard is amazing. that lizard is amazing.

]]> Comment on Identity On-line by Dan http://atomicspatula.com/2009/04/24/identity-on-line/comment-page-1#comment-2432 Dan Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:27:56 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=228#comment-2432 The most famous Dan Nichols on the internet is a Jewish Rock Musician. Tim Nichols is a country music guy -- not nearly as cool. As for the WoW networking, I haven't really benefited personally, but I've heard of people who have. I've definitely made some good friends, but I guess that can happen in any game or online community, not just WoW. The most famous Dan Nichols on the internet is a Jewish Rock Musician. Tim Nichols is a country music guy — not nearly as cool.

As for the WoW networking, I haven’t really benefited personally, but I’ve heard of people who have. I’ve definitely made some good friends, but I guess that can happen in any game or online community, not just WoW.

]]> Comment on Identity On-line by greg http://atomicspatula.com/2009/04/24/identity-on-line/comment-page-1#comment-2416 greg Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:20:35 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=228#comment-2416 One issue I've been thinking about is the cross-over between your social on-line identity, and your professional one. I think there's a big advantage to this cross over both directions, and you want to maximize that by picking one identity. Role-playing can be fun. It seems to me that these roles are at best, transient - the whole idea is to avoid impact and liability of your real reputation. While that's part of the appeal of World of Warcraft, I get the impression that serious players aren't really into that so much. I'd be interested to hear if contacts you make in World of Warcraft have ever been of use to you outside the game. The biggest problem with real names is what you've pointed out - lack of uniqueness. If you search for "Greg Nichols", you're going to find a diamond merchant, a guy who likes his Porche 928, a motorcycle racer, and a guy with pictures of his chinchilla before you ever find me. Even "Atomic Spatula" isn't unique, and shows up on Amazon and You Tube. So, I don't think uniqueness is possible, and getting search placement is not worth the effort. One issue I’ve been thinking about is the cross-over between your social on-line identity, and your professional one. I think there’s a big advantage to this cross over both directions, and you want to maximize that by picking one identity.

Role-playing can be fun. It seems to me that these roles are at best, transient – the whole idea is to avoid impact and liability of your real reputation.

While that’s part of the appeal of World of Warcraft, I get the impression that serious players aren’t really into that so much. I’d be interested to hear if contacts you make in World of Warcraft have ever been of use to you outside the game.

The biggest problem with real names is what you’ve pointed out – lack of uniqueness. If you search for “Greg Nichols”, you’re going to find a diamond merchant, a guy who likes his Porche 928, a motorcycle racer, and a guy with pictures of his chinchilla before you ever find me. Even “Atomic Spatula” isn’t unique, and shows up on Amazon and You Tube. So, I don’t think uniqueness is possible, and getting search placement is not worth the effort.

]]> Comment on Identity On-line by Dan http://atomicspatula.com/2009/04/24/identity-on-line/comment-page-1#comment-2403 Dan Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:42:55 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=228#comment-2403 Whenever possible I like to use my real name (this is one of the very few things I like about facebook). But that doesn't work for all online services, and it can be difficult if you have a relatively common name. I started looking for a better AIM username a little while ago (My old one dates back to middle school and seems stupid now), but every possible AIM screenname is already taken, so I just got an ICQ number. It's simple and it works -- Hi, I'm 412739126! World of Warcraft was kind of a weird situation. Everyone I played with in WoW had at least a few different characters, so it was necessary to have some kind of handle for a player that they'd answer to regardless of what character they were currently using. Some people had nicknames or used their primary character names, but most of the people I played with a lot would just introduce themselves by their real first names, especially in voice chat. It's a complicated topic. I guess it's easier to decide what names NOT to use than to find a really good one. Whenever possible I like to use my real name (this is one of the very few things I like about facebook). But that doesn’t work for all online services, and it can be difficult if you have a relatively common name. I started looking for a better AIM username a little while ago (My old one dates back to middle school and seems stupid now), but every possible AIM screenname is already taken, so I just got an ICQ number. It’s simple and it works — Hi, I’m 412739126!

World of Warcraft was kind of a weird situation. Everyone I played with in WoW had at least a few different characters, so it was necessary to have some kind of handle for a player that they’d answer to regardless of what character they were currently using. Some people had nicknames or used their primary character names, but most of the people I played with a lot would just introduce themselves by their real first names, especially in voice chat.

It’s a complicated topic. I guess it’s easier to decide what names NOT to use than to find a really good one.

]]> Comment on A New Look by Tim http://atomicspatula.com/2009/04/10/a-new-look/comment-page-1#comment-1905 Tim Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:38:12 +0000 http://atomicspatula.com/?p=166#comment-1905 Classy! It's definitely easier to read than the previous red-on-black theme. Classy! It’s definitely easier to read than the previous red-on-black theme.

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