I discovered Brad Templeton’s website several years ago. I was researching copyright and found his 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained to be the easiest to understand yet most useful explanation of copyright as it applies to the internet. His Brief Intro To Copyright goes a step further to give you just about everything you need to know regarding this often misunderstood topic.

But that isn’t all there is to Brad. He’s a pioneer in the online world, having founded ClariNet as well as being involved with a myriad of other online companies such as Topica, and BitTorrent. He is Chairman of the Board of the EFF, too, and if you’re not a member there, you should join. And donate if you can.

I won’t enumerate all of Brad Templeton’s online involvements; the guy is active all over the cyber world. Just head on over to his Blog and read through his Ideas. He’s a fascinating man and reading what’s on his mind will expand your mind. From the everyday stuff, like passwords to the more sublime, like his future stuff category.

How much do I enjoy this blog? It just took me over an hour to write this little review because I kept getting lost in the blog. Oh, and I couldn’t pull myself away from his Burning Man phone booth pictures, either. Seriously, just go read. And enjoy.

All I want to do is get my laptop computer up and running. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

The FedEX tracking tool said my package wth the new hard drive would be here today by 4:30. But 4:30 came and went and still no package.

So I called FedEx and discovered that my package is still on the ramp in Pittsburgh because they had the wrong zip code. I asked what zip she had and it turns out it’s the right zip code. They just don’t know anything about West Virginia.

This is just taking so long. I should have made a bigger list of things I need and bought them all at once. Now I’ll hve to do this again when I’m ready for another computer memory upgrade. Of course, I prefer to use cruicial for my memory so maybe FedEx won’t be an issue.

I can tell you with all honesty that if I don’t have my hard drive by 3:30 tomorrow, I’m going to scream so loud I won’t need a phone to talk to the people at the Pittsburgh FedEx stations!

I’ve repaired more computers than I can remember. I do prefer the hardware end to the software or OS side of repair. There’s just something about holding a screwdirver in my hand that makes me happy.

I’ve just never repaired a notebok computer.

My hard drive is in the final stages of death. It wasn’t hard to figure out with messages like “HD failure” and “Back up your data now” flashing on my screen. The clickclick noise was another giveaway.

Last night I ordered my hard drive. I’ll be tracking it and watching for its delivery because sometimes FedEx can’t find my house. The house isn’t hidden away or on a country road somewhere but new drivers do have problems finding me sometimes. We’ve never replaced the house marker that we removed when we remodeled the house. I’m pretty sure that FedEx or UPS deliveries are only a minor issue; an emergency situation has the potential to be life-threatening.

Okay, maybe I need to nudge my husband about this.

Stay tuned for a review on the new hard drive when it gets here.

I was ready for the internet long before I touched my first computer in the early 80s. By then I was a mother and didn’t have much time (or money) to learn about this amazing box called a Commodore 64. I just set it up and used it. And the rest is history.

But the early days laid the foundation. The first nudge to my curiosity came from my cousin’s first husband. I was around 11 years old and was spending the weekend with them. I sat down to watch TV and my cousin mentioned, quite casually, that her husband had built the TV.

WHAT?

My 11 year old mind could not comprehend this. A TV is not something you build, it’s something you buy. Was my cousin married to a genius?

Over the years my thinking became more sophisticated. I babysat for a family that had an almost grandfather clock in the dining room; the husband had been working on building it for about a year. I dated a guy who loved electronics and he allowed me to help him build little projects from the kits at Radio Shack.

All of this laid a nice foundation for my love of computers and especially my passion for all things hardware. It’s been an interesing journey and I think I’ll be taking a next step soon. And of course, I’ll be blogging it when the time comes.

I am! That’s why I wait patiently for Julie to update her Utterly Geek blog each day. But this isn’t just a geek blog with a lot of geek talk. It’s one of the best places I’ve found to discover all the stuff I really need/want. (Isn’t need and want the same when it comes to tech stuff?)

For example, I have kids. My kids want to decorate their rooms but I insist on having some say in it. (Don’t ever let them talk you into black carpeting!) Oh, but the walls are a different story. Julie introduced me to the neatest home decorating product for kids I’ve ever seen. How cool is that stuff?

I have no idea how Julie finds this stuff but I really have to have the coolest little desk light I’ve ever seen. And I have to have a powersquid for each of our computers. I didn’t even know there was such an animal until I read Utterly Geek! Seriously, if you want to know about all the coolest, most unique tech toys and gizmos, make this blog a daily read!

I have to wonder about newspapers today. Are they able to make money today, given the popularity of the internet? I’ve been getting my news online for years. Now I’m even scanning want ads online. Can Newspapers even charge for classified ads now?

I was looking through a few want ad sites and couldn’t believe the great results I got, and so close to my home, too. Whether I was searching for “baby stroller,” HP printer or Powell Furniture, I got several results for each search term.

Last year I even sold a treadmill online and got more for it than even my husband expected. I just can’t help wondering about newspapers, though. How much longer before they’re not needed?

I feel kind of bad that I haven’t had a newspaper subscription for the past 4 years. At least my fingers don’t get all inky from my keyboard, though.

I still remember the first time I realized that I could use different fonts on my documents. I’d been working on an old 386 and was barely able to create a simple document without freezing the machine. That’s when I broke down and bought a brand new Windows 95 Pentium computer from Gateway2000. Yeah, they had the 2000 after their name then.

One of the first things I did with that new computer, after I’d gotten it online through dial-up, was search for fonts. I’d been reading about fonts and graphics in my various computer magazines and couldn’t wait to go hunting. I became obsessed and it seems that obsession is still alive and well.

I’ve been poking around UrbanFonts, thrilled at all the selections. I love to Download Free Fonts and this place makes it so easy. The site loads quickly (not all font sites do) and the fonts are organized logically.

My only complaint about this site is that there is so much to see that I forget that I have laundry to fold or supper to put on the stove. In other words, I can’t leave this place. I want evey font I see there, especially the ones I’ve never seen anywhere else.

Anyone who does design, for the web or for print, will want to bookmark UrbanFonts. Just don’t leave the water boiling on the stove when you hit this place. Trust me on that one.

How often do you experience problems with your computer that prompts you to look at the processes running? I know I do that at least once a week. There’s always a reason for me to wonder what the heck is going on with my machine.

But then I look at the processes and I’m even more confused. It used to be so easy to figure out what belonged in the task manager and what didn’t. Systray: good. Explorer: good. Everything else, optional. Now, there’s so many processes running and with names that are not at all descriptive that I don’t know what to keep and what to disable.

That’s when I turn to ProcessList. All you have to do is type in the process that’s unfamilar to you to find out what it is and why it’s there. You’ll see recommended actions, other files in the same directory and more.

ProcessList is a valuable tool for troubleshooting and cleaning up sluggish computers. Bookmark this one, gang. It can be a lifesaver.

I’m always looking for worthwhile blogs to add to my feed reader. I like a variety of blogs since I have so many different interests.

I know there are many tech blogs out there and sometimes it’s hard to pick just the couple best ones. I have my core blogs I read but when I find an interesting one like the Tap Blog I have to make a special note of it.

Be sure to check this one out. Interesting stuff, a nice clean look and an easy writing style. Sometimes just doing it right is enough.

I haven’t really applied for any jobs since finding myself unemployed almost a year ago. I’ve looked into a few opportunities but haven’t yet sent in my resume. My primary concern is how to stand out in a crowd, especially when I’m possibly older than the others in that crowd.

Perhaps the solution is Audio Resume, an interesting and affordable way to stand out from all the other applicants. Simply provide a toll free number with your standard resume so that prospective employers can hear your answers to five interview questions.

Since my previous job revolved around answering the phone and providing tech support and customer care, an audio resume would be ideal for any job that interests me.

I’ve also been involved in the hiring process at my former job so I do know that an Audio Resume would have caught my eye and intrigued my bosses. Taking the initiative to add this kind of stand-out feature shows creativity and desire. This is a small investment with the potential for huge returns.