thisfix.com

Setting up multiple monitors with multiple computers

thisfix — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:36:55 +0000

I have had many different computer setups in the past and each time I reconfigure, I find out something new.
This time, I had a simple problem to solve : How do I setup a Mac Mini, PC laptop, and a dual boot Linux/Windows desktop with 3 monitors, 1 keyboard, and 1 mouse?
My Mac Mini has only 1 video out, the laptop has dual, and the desktop has quad. Each monitor has dual inputs (VGA and DVI). I initially thought a KVM switch would solve this dilemma but after a little digging, I figured $300 for a dual monitor KVM was more than I’d like to spend. It was also suggested to use a single monitor KVM and simply not use the video. At roughly $75 for a single monitor KVM, I thought I could do better.
Naturally, I asked my friendly IT folk at work and they suggested I try one of their USB switches just for my wireless keyboard and mouse while using the monitors’ dual inputs and switches to change monitor feeds.
I found a USB switch for $15 and it works like a charm!

P.S. – the only drawback is that I can’t use DVI out on all three for my desktop.

WordPress to Twitter take II

thisfix — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:26:14 +0000

After a few failed attempts using twitterupdater, I am testing Twitter Tools. Here goes…

WordPress on Mobile Safari

thisfix — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:41:16 +0000

I have added yet another plugin to my wordpress installation called WPTouch and it works like a charm. If you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone, visit thisfix.com/blog and it loads a different theme that is optimized for the Mobile Safari browser.

wordpress to twitter

thisfix — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:08:23 +0000

I just added Twitter Updater plugin to this blog and this is the first post with it. It is supposed to update my twitter feed each time I post to this blog … here goes.

UPDATE 9:37PM – the above link is an older version, so I found twitterupdater.com. I have updated and … here goes.

UPDATE 01/12 10:22PM – again twitterupdater failed. I moved on to Twitter Tools. I updated the plugin and here goes…

ads on wordpress

thisfix — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:13:56 +0000

I just added google adsense to this blog. I had it on my blogger site but just figured out how to do this with wordpress using http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/adsense-manager/

Its a great little plugin that is easy to install with simple instructions.

Hello world!

thisfix — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:11:36 +0000

First post from wordpress after the migration. Quick and painless .

adventures of a mac mini user

thisfix — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:30:00 +0000

I recently purchased a mac mini with the sole pupose of developing in xCode and possibly creating an iPhone app or two. Being a Windows user since the Macintosh Plus, I have been quite amazed at the user interface of OSX, ease of application installations, and quick startup and shutdown times.

The shift was long in coming for me but when I found a refurbished Mac Mini for sale at the apple store, there weren’t enough excuses _not_ to pick one up. For someone like me with spare PCs and spare PC parts lying all around my house, the footprint made a huge influence on my purchasing decision.

I am open to suggestions from all my Mac using friends and collueges on what widgets/applications to use and will try to post my findings here.

AS3 Event Calender

thisfix — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:15:00 +0000

inspired by Tom King from mobilemind.net, i have created a google calender for some of the major Flash/Flex/Air events mostly for my own use.

politics in media

thisfix — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:38:00 +0000

saw this today on the new york times site and thought i would blog on it:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/blogtalk-debates-and-elections/
i have not yet decided who i am going to vote for in the primary elections but debates often give me a sense of the candidates character as well as their stance on some issues. it would be nice to decide for myself instead of a studio limiting the information i receive.
-just a rant at the current democracy/corpratocracy i find in the united states today.

interesting read

thisfix — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:56:00 +0000

i was given the book: confessions of an economic hitman by john perkins, to read some time ago by a family member and it sat on my shelf without much thought until my wife picked it up and gave it a go. we discussed some of the issues this book brings to light and some of the feelings associated with them. i found myself questioning my own views of the united states’ foreign policies and the sometimes seemingly altruistic motives yet other times just plain wrong. so consequently i am now giving this book more attention in order to shed some light in my own mind on those motives and begin the process of forming an educated opinion on them.
of course, i also don’t want my wife to know more about these things than i do, i at least have to be able to discuss the book with her right?
i am just a few chapters in and will post what i find when i am finished.