Published on
May 15, 2006 in
Techie.
If you are viewing the Open Source Ministry Blog at the site (and not through a feed reader), and if you are using Firefox then look for the Search box. It is currently on the left under the links (but I will probably change the design someday).
Right click on the text input (Mac users: do whatever you do to “right click”)
Select “Add a Keyword for this Search”
Name it, Keyword it, and mark it with a “b” then throw it in the bookmarks for baby and me. (having a small child messes with your mind). Seriously, if you are bright enought to read this blog then you can figure out the entry lines.
Now you have a bookmark to the search function.
I used the keyword “osm” so now if I type in “osm keyword it” on the address bar then I get this post in the search results.
If I just type in “osm” or select the “OSMinistry Search” from the bookmarks then I get nothing of use, so Mr. Goodger (if you are reading this) can you make it bring up a pop up entry box or something? Thanks.
I am continually amazed at what minutiae Google finds and indexes.
We are still suffering from problems with our Zebra p330i card printer and I am having to watch my tongue that I don’t say too much about their incompetent tech support system. The problem was that it would not print properly when the take up reel for the ribbon was half filled, but it did work when it was almost empty. I am guessing that they only tried it with a new ribbon and therefore the problem did not arise. Now it won’t even print on a new ribbon, it won’t even pay attention to cards that need magstripes written.
I mention to my boss that after the printer came back they said that it was only our imagination that it wasn’t printing properly. He said I should call the rep we bought it through, but I cannot find his card. I searched on his name and found it in an email archived several years ago. I looked up the number and found it was still active then called and left a message on his voicemail. I did recognise that I had his assistant’s information on a couple invoices.
Sorry it took so long for me to post after the skypecast. I work Saturday nights at the church and did not get home until 11pm. THen I had consistent problems with every internet connection I came in contact with.
Anyway, I received a note from John Abela that he recorded much of the May 6 skypecast and I will be posting that once he gets it to me (I just contacted him back a short while ago).
I also started a thread in the OSM forum on scheduling the next Skypecast on May 20, 2006. It will probably be 1 hour in length with the following general schedule:
15 minutes: hors d’oeuvres, small talk and everyone asking if they can be heard.
15 minutes: limited discussion of the primary topic
15 minutes: questions from the peanut gallery
15 minutes: general duscussion
∞: Just hanging around and talking
After ∞ is over I will sing and do a little dance.
I already have an idea for the next discussion (it should be a bit more formal than the previous one) and I am checking in on someone who would be good for the topic.
I registered a Skypecast for 7:30pm EST (GMT -5) on Saturday, May 6.
If you are interested in trying it out, then come join in: Christian Ministry Technology
I have no idea how this all works so this seemed to be the perfect way to try it. Perhaps we could even schedule a regular gathering online.
Just download Skype and register then stop in at the scheduled time to try it out.
I dug out my headphone/microphone set to make it useable and I will have Trillian loaded up with my instant messenger accounts active.
Look for the following
Skype: mrherald
ICQ: 170940108
AIM: bobedbrown
MSN: bobedbrown @ hot mail .com (take out the spaces)
Yahoo: osministry
I’m looking forward to trying this out.
Skype is one of those tools you can’t help but want to see thrive online. I don’t use Skype right now since I don’t really have anyone to call. The only people I ever called long distance now work in the same building I do so it is just an intercom call now.
I do, however, hear a lot of Skype calls when I listen to podcasts. Several podcasters are actually using Skype to allow the participants to talk together cheaply from around the world.
We also support Skype here at the church since several of the ministers use it to talk with missionaries and other churches without the costs that have hindered in the past.
Now Skype has created an option called SkypeCasting. This allows up to one hundred people to participate in the broadcast with a moderator controlling who can speak.
I am going to install the latest version of Skype and see if perhaps we could get a Christian tech Skypecast going.
The Subservient Programmer looks like a Microsoft creation. After all, they are truly focused on Developers, Developers, Developers!
Want some more evidence?
There is the Visual Studio poster and the Windows desktop wallpaper.
It uses WMV instead of Flash.
It only runs properly on IE (although it shows you the video link in Firefox).
Ask him to Install Linux.
Or ask about Steve Jobs.
I’m not sure that is really an iPod.
He does make a “stylized” Apple Logo.
But he does something an Apple junkie would never do to their system, smash his computer (to an iCult member, smashing a functional Mac is sacriledge). Of course since it is a beige-box they are cheap enough to have a spare on hand.
I found some other good ones. What works, and what doesn’t?
By the way, the site includes tips on creating your own Subservient ________.
How do you solve a basic problem?
Do you gather a committee, consider 30 options, call in at least 3 competing bids, analyze and over-analyze, procrastinate and hope it fixes itself; or do you just get down and put your tongue to the pavement and handle it yourself?
Go forward
Move ahead
Try to detect it
It’s not too late
To lick it
Lick it good
While the VeggieTales band “Boyz in the Sink” sang their break-outie hit Bellybutton on stage I was able to catch them backstage making use of the closest thing they have to belly buttons (Warning: Link is not suitable to the faint of heart. No Veggies were hurt in the making of this image). Do to issues of scale, Pa Grape stepped in on behalf of Khalil, but that old raisin can rap.
The characters themselves were animated quite well. It looked as though their eyes were moving some (at least Larry’s) and their mouths looked as though they were a stong plastic extended through a slot in the front of the costume. Considering how well theier lips synced to the words I assume they were computer controlled somehow. It was great.
The cast was very energetic. I have some other video of them dancing around and it amazes me that we didn’t have to call an ambulance for any of them, but they are most likely in better shape than I am. They did all sorts of flips, jumps, and wild flailings.
It was great having them, but they were very loud. Part of it may have been how our auditorium is built, but it was overwhelming at times. I saw a lot of parents taking their kids out with hands over their ears during loud songs. The dance remix at the end actually caused my daughter to want to leave for a while and I could barely hear after only listening to that part for a few minutes. Take ear plugs. I’m not sure if a child will do well with them, but as a doting parent I was a bit concerned for her hearing.
From the cleaning and maintenance perspective, the confetti and streamer cannon was quite a hit. The kids loved it and may of the streamers were taken out as souveniers by the kids, although a few did remain hanging from our ceiling.
They packed up and were out of the building very quickly, but everything had to be locked up and just about every bit of security around the building was open so I didn’t get out of there until 11:00PM. I spoke with their truck driver and some of the cast afterward and they were excited about the rest of the trip. They actually spent Monday at Disney World and then they go for the rest of the tour.
It looks like they will be finishing out the tour next Sunday in Wabash, IN (Yes, on the banks of the Wabash, far away) and then ending up back home in Nashville, TN.