A couple of days ago, I was getting frustrated with my keyboard at work. I had bought a Logitech keyboard and mouse combination that worked well for me about 2 years ago. Now, the keys were beginning to stick and causing me havoc when typing in passwords. So, off to OfficeDepot I went in search for a new keyboard.
I fully admit I am a Logitech bigot. I prefer their products over Microsoft. I figure I feel Microsoft has their hands in too many pies, if you ask me. Sort of like Oracle having WAY too much power after acquisitions of SUN, BEA, and etc. Now, they can make demands like, we won't support anything but our software on our hardware. Bottom line - ridiculous.
Anyway, while looking at the various keyboards, I noticed that Logitech had created a solar powered wireless keyboard. The slogan for the new keyboard - no more cords and batteries. I have to admit, nothing like trying to work on something and have the batteries drain and you do not have the right ones within immediate access. So, I picked it up, then looked for a mouse. Having thought about that situation, I figured the mouse I had was still good and since the previous keyboard and mouse used the universal USB receiver, then the mouse should connect to it and still be usable.
My co-worker, another techy, geeky type, was mildly interested, but began to dismiss it. His commentary was "I bet you have to wait for it to charge up before you can use it." I popped the box opened and showed him what the keyboard looked like. At the top of the keyboard, two solar panels, then lots of additional keys to use for short-cuts to access email, other windows, and programs. I plugged in the USB receiver and voila! The keyboard started working.
I did note to my co-worker that the company claimed that the keyboard would still work even after being in the dark for 4 days. We will have to try that, but really did not have time. LOL
Since that time, my co-worker picks up the keyboard box and keeps looking it over. I just smile and say, "Hey, I am doing my part to be more green. Not sure how in the world they are going to create a solar powered mouse, but I bet it will probably just be a touch-pad."
This weekend, I will be going back to clear more stuff out of my storage unit. After that, I am going to look at my father's Ubuntu (Linux) server he set up. He was going on about how he cannot get X-Windows started and not get access to the internet. I think he is missing some stuff with the installation, so I will probably reinstall the software and see what happens. Also, I have brought my old Toshiba system to back up, "crater", and rebuild. I have some ideas on what I want to do with that. Mainly I want to document the process, so that when I do this again, I have the correct links and information to make it all work.
Last night, while waiting to pay for a CD case to hold some software/game CDs, I noticed that Duracell has an instant USB charger. I thought about that for a bit and picked one up. When I got my iPhone, I had purchased a charger that came with a battery that you attach where you would normally attach the iPod data connector. I have LOTS of iPod/iPhone data connectors lying about and I seem to have misplaced all of the batteries for the charger. So, I figured I would give this a shot and see how it works out for me.
When I start getting this "techy/geeky" behavior going for me, it helps to relieve the paranoia I get with work. As I read in one of John le Carre's forwards describing how he became a writer, I find myself bored at work. Not the listless type of bored, but bored with the same routine and trying to sort out something new and different to shake things up a bit. Production issues and the corresponding drama does not interest me. Learning something new and gaining a real understanding of the inter-workings and how to break it sends me into an excited frenzy. The reason for that - I understand the entire process and I know what makes it tick and how to keep it going.
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