It all makes so much sense now.
It was designed to push large amounts of freight around. This explains the cockpit off to the side, the weird notch in the front, and so much more.
I know this picture very, very well
Many hours of my childhood were spent staring at the back of a Star Wars figure package card, plotting my next acquisition and ultimate takeover of the known galaxy.
Yavin 4, 1930’s style
A Brilliant Analysis of the Battle of Hoth
My favorite scene from my favorite movie, the Battle of Hoth led to many recreations of snow speeders tangling up AT-ATs in my living room as a kid. Who’d ever have thought that it was so…well, poorly executed? The menacing Imperial walkers, the ominous snow troopers, and the cocksure ground commanders reporting their success to Lord Vader. I loved it.
But check out this analysis to see what was really wrong, and what could have been better.
Quick overview: H vs S vs E IPS monitors
If you’re looking for a new monitor and want the very best for graphic/design usage you may want to look into an IPS display. Obviously, Apples 27 inch is sweet, but unless you’re a dedicated Mac user, you may want to look else where. However, I think they are the only ones with a 27 incher with all those features under a grand at this time.
Anyway, here’s a few quick and decent articles to get you started.
Keep in mind, if you’re a gamer, you may want to stick with the standard LCD’s at this time, especially since 3D enabled ones are decently priced and will work well with your PS3 etc.
HTH
High End Desktop for a Low End price
Want to build a high end desktop computer for a low end price (around $600 or less)?
Note: I don’t include Windows 7 in the default build, as you can just download Ubuntu, Fedora, or OpenSuSE Linux etc. for free. However, I’ve included links for Windows 7 (student and normal) in the Additional options section.
I would like to suggest the following components for people that want a really nice system without breaking the bank.
I just built a new machine that could support running multiple VMware instances, encode FLAC quickly, and surf the web etc. without breaking the bank. I didn’t need or want video gaming support since I use a PS3 for that.
However, I’ll suggest a view options (including gaming cards) that will allow you to alter the basic system we’ll be discussing.
This build is based on AMD/ATI since it really does perform well and saves a good chunk of money, but the parts can be swapped very easily to make it an Intel system that won’t break the bank either.
I’ll expand on why I chose the parts and provide direct links as well. (I use Newegg, but use anyone you like)
RTFM
Geeky Greats: Free Apps For Better Geekery
I am always on the hunt for applications which either improve my workflow, provide me with a free alternative to something I would otherwise have to pay for, or generally improve my geek stature. So without further ado, here is a short list of some of the apps I have found recently:
- .htaccess Editor – This web-based tool allows you to quickly generate .htaccess files for your web site, without having to remember your way through vi or having to look up the sytnax when trying to do some basic user authentication.
- InstallPad lets you create a list of applications you often find yourself installing when setting up someone’s Windows-based PC. Any application which can be directly downloaded from the Internet can be added to InstallPad. All you have to do is run the self-contained InstallPad executable file, and it will go grab all the apps from the Internet and install them for you. It’s a pretty slick way to set up Firefox, Thunderbird, and more, all with one double click for free.
- Google Analytics Reporting Suite – A free Adobe Air-based application which runs from your desktop and allows you to quickly monitor all of your Analytics accounts through a very smooth interface, optimized to be less sucky than the clunky interface provided by Google. Requires Adobe Air, also a free app.
- MailStore Home – I have written about this free tool before, and it still blows my mind so much that it deserves to be mentioned again. MailStore allows you to back up and archive your email accounts, whether they be in Outlook, Thunderbird, or GMail (or others). This tool saved my neck when my email accounts got too big for MozBackup to handle without crashing. Now, I can use MailStore and archive stuff to keep my inboxes streamlined, then backup the archived email with my favorite paid backup tool, Carbonite.
- Tweet Deck – If you are a Twitter user, this is THE tool for keeping up with everything, posting, and more. Another free Adobe Air application, Tweet Deck runs from your desktop and has more bells and whistles than a elementary school band class.
Geeky Greats: Useful & Interesting Web Sites
The timeline of Internet Memes is an amazing journey through time, all the way back to the early days of the internet. What makes it funny and interesting is that it chronicalizes a thorough history of internet memes: those funny themes that run through the internet subculture.
ColorCombos.com is a useful site which helps you test and select color combinations for use on your web sites or digital creations. I love this type of tool, not being a person who can match colors very well.
For the desktop, I recommend carrying a copy of the awesome, free tool known as Color Cop. I’ve been using it for years, so I donated to them a while back, and if you find it useful, you should too! Color Cop is an eyedropper tool that provides much of the same functionality as the eyedropper in Photoshop, but is lightweight, versatile, and easy to use.
FormatFactory does and amazing job of converting your Windows media files from one format to another, and it does it all for free.
Do you freelance from home? Check out FreelanceSwitch, who offers a bunch of good resources for freelancers. I have found their page on Legal Resources for Freelancers to be very helpful.