http://www.aneclecticmind.com Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and serious amateur photographer. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:30:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/02/10/how-not-to-provide-instructions-to-your-web-developer/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/02/10/how-not-to-provide-instructions-to-your-web-developer/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:57:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7566 Hint: Embedding images in a Microsoft Word file is never a good idea. This should explain why I don't like doing websites for friends. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/02/10/how-not-to-provide-instructions-to-your-web-developer/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/14/the-ebook-revolution/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/14/the-ebook-revolution/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:06:13 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7512 I summarize how I see the growth of ebook publishing -- and what it means to me. I've been writing traditional print books since 1990 -- that's just over 30 years. In that thirty years, I've seen massive growth and changes in the publishing industry. But none of the changes I've witnessed were as dramatic as those I've seen in the past four years. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/14/the-ebook-revolution/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/01/shoppers-do-your-homework/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/01/shoppers-do-your-homework/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:35:58 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/01/shoppers-do-your-homework/ Slick product packaging and marketing ≠ best products A few lessons to be learned here for folks who want to get the most for their money and not be conned by marketeers. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/01/shoppers-do-your-homework/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/windows-in-my-mac/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/windows-in-my-mac/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:24:36 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/windows-in-my-mac/ Just a few quick comments about a recent Windows installation. On my Mac. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/windows-in-my-mac/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/10/13/lesson-learned-dont-update-an-ios-device-on-the-day-the-update-is-released/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/10/13/lesson-learned-dont-update-an-ios-device-on-the-day-the-update-is-released/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:00:21 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/10/13/lesson-learned-dont-update-an-ios-device-on-the-day-the-update-is-released/ I learned it the hard way -- and won't forget. With millions of iPhones and iPads out in the world and a rabid user base that's willing to wait overnight in long lines for new devices, it's not a good idea to update iOS on the first day of its release. Wait a day or two -- it'll all go more smoothly. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/10/13/lesson-learned-dont-update-an-ios-device-on-the-day-the-update-is-released/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/07/06/seriously-adobe-wtf/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/07/06/seriously-adobe-wtf/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:12:24 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/07/06/seriously-adobe-wtf/ A brief rant about how Adobe software took over my applications folder. Like an extremely annoying houseguest. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/07/06/seriously-adobe-wtf/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/29/a-new-computer/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/29/a-new-computer/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:48:15 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/29/a-new-computer/ The end of a rough month brings a nice reward. Why I waited too long to buy a new computer and a bit more about the computer I bought. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/29/a-new-computer/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/07/juggling-internet-bandwidth/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/07/juggling-internet-bandwidth/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:15:58 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/07/juggling-internet-bandwidth/ Working with bandwidth limitations. How I'm dealing with four computers, two mobile devices, and Internet bandwidth limitations. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/06/07/juggling-internet-bandwidth/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/05/just-say-no-to-flash/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/05/just-say-no-to-flash/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 14:00:45 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/05/just-say-no-to-flash/ Are you as frustrated as I am about Web sites relying on Flash? I need to share a little rant here. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/05/just-say-no-to-flash/feed/ 14 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/04/when-computers-reduce-your-productivity/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/04/when-computers-reduce-your-productivity/#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 14:25:47 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/04/when-computers-reduce-your-productivity/ How many times has something like this happened to you? By now, most of us who participate in social networking -- Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, etc. -- know firsthand how social networking can absolutely destroy productivity. The rest of us with Internet connections can see how having an email client or Web browser open at our desks can seriously reduce productivity. But have you ever stopped to consider how the computer applications we actually use to get our work done hurt our productivity? For an example of this, I can draw upon something that happened to me last week. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/05/04/when-computers-reduce-your-productivity/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/27/banking-by-phone-app/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/27/banking-by-phone-app/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:00:20 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/27/banking-by-phone-app/ Almost full-service banking by smart phone. A quick summary of my experiences with Bank of America and their iPhone app. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/27/banking-by-phone-app/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/22/outraged-about-apple-tracking-your-every-move-read-this/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/22/outraged-about-apple-tracking-your-every-move-read-this/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:55:33 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/22/outraged-about-apple-tracking-your-every-move-read-this/ Once again, mainstream media, fed by tech journalists who should know better, get half the facts wrong and blow the other half out of proportion. Don't be misled by the media. Do your homework. Get the facts. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/22/outraged-about-apple-tracking-your-every-move-read-this/feed/ 3 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/19/iphoneipad-killing-stand-alone-gps/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/19/iphoneipad-killing-stand-alone-gps/#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:18:26 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/19/iphoneipad-killing-stand-alone-gps/ I think so. A few thoughts on how GPS technology in the iPhone and iPad might be bringing about the demise of the handheld GPS. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/19/iphoneipad-killing-stand-alone-gps/feed/ 2 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/18/whats-more-interesting-your-companion-or-your-smartphone/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/18/whats-more-interesting-your-companion-or-your-smartphone/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:48:10 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/18/whats-more-interesting-your-companion-or-your-smartphone/ A New York Times article summarizes my thoughts on smartphone [over]use. "Add one more achievement to the digital revolution: It has made it fashionable to be rude." Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/18/whats-more-interesting-your-companion-or-your-smartphone/feed/ 2 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/06/microsoft-customer-service-user-frustration/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/06/microsoft-customer-service-user-frustration/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:59:54 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/06/microsoft-customer-service-user-frustration/ How I cranked up my blood pressure this morning. Yet another tale of frustration when dealing with Microsoft customer "service." Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/04/06/microsoft-customer-service-user-frustration/feed/ 2