Teaching CS in Dallas

Windows 7 is "sweet" - Wireless

So I upgraded my HP Pavilion Slimeline to WIndows Ultimate (64x).  Bought a wireless USB port from a guy off Ebay.

Stuck it in, didn't need drivers, just needed the Wireless key.

SWEET!

What's in My Ameribag

 

KeePass -- one of my new favorite programs

http://keepass.info/

Has two versions, I've been running 1.6 for a while, and switched to version 2.09 -- I am not sure I like version 2.9 having some auto type problems, but I'm going to give it a few days.

Things I like about it

• can put the database and run it on my phone.
• can put it on my sharepoint server
• can run it on a thumb drive
• can keep up with the upteen million passwords and I don't have to.  Will also make me more secure.

Current Outstanding TAC Tickets

This is cool. I don't think my list has ever been this small, I can manage it!

Pong Game from Alfred Thompson

 

via blogs.msdn.com

This looks like a really cool idea.

And the code all works!

Windows 7

Loving it.  I think it's really Vista Service Pack 3 or 4, and it's a shame we have to send Microsoft money to make Vista work.

It's as good as Windows XP.  More on that later.....

Anyway, I have a MSDN high school membership thanks to Alfred Thompson (@alfredtwo).  I downloaded Windows Professional a couple of weeks ago and installed it on my "test machine".  That machine has Office 2010, and a bit of other exotic software I'm playing with.

I got a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate with my WIndows 7 Launch Party kit (yes, I was a host).  I installed 4 gig of memory on the gym pc ($80.00), and put Windows 7 on it.  I think that's my oldest desktop but I'm not sure, it's pretty close between it and the test machine.

So I love Ultimate so much, I went out to Journey Ed (favorite place to buy software, and they are a stone's throw away.  Bet you I get the product on Monday unless I have to send them proof of status, then I'll get it Tuesday).   That copy is costing me just around $100.  So that's not bad.  I'll put the product key in for this machine and active it when I get the software.

By the way, all three machines are at 4 gig.  All are running 64 bit software.

That's been a problem with the school stuff, but Windows 7 fixes that.  It has an XP virtual machine, and I love it, because that software doesn't have to be in my face.

I've got the school software, links, and passwords all tucked away in that virtual machine and I don't have to have it in my face unless I want it.

That is COOL!

Caught up

Shouldn't say that, as it will change right away, but I finally did two of the nasty jobs I've been putting off.

One was cleaning out a Portable -- it wasn't as bad as I thought -- only three pieces of equipment were bad, so the equipment removal form was easy, especially with Jeremy, my tech support kid helping.

We also need to move a computer from one part of the building to the portable, which I dreaded by Jeremy also did all the heavy lifting.

The second job should have been done by the teacher herself, it just involved removing two switches that had about 12 cables a piece.

I couldn't pull out the electrical cords, she had her file cabinet in the way, and I wasn't about to move it OR have the tech support kid help.

I also left the "speed bump" and the cables behind and told her I took a knife to mine, which I didn't have at school.

I have some little tasks to do but they aren't bad.

Ever have someone trash your room?

Okay, she didn't trash the whole room, just the place where people first see it.

It's partly my fault.  I hate chalk boards.  I have two in my room.  Can't get to them, because computers are in the way.

So I bought some dry erase paint.  It works, but it isn't meant to change the color of the surface.  I didn't know that.

One of my friends has a student teacher who offered to paint the board for me 8 weeks ago.  YES, 8 weeks ago.

She didn't bother to read the box.  I watched her, and kept telling her to read the directions.

She got paint EVERYWHERE.

EVERYWHERE!

It didn't cover evenly -- you can't write on it, but it looks hideous.

I have white paper rolls with blue borders coming to fix it.

I can't stand it -- the paper we have in the building is yellow.

I'm going to see if my study halls kids can fix it.

I'm pissed.

She's an idiot.  She couldn't even stay in my room for 5 minutes at a time, didn't clean up the paint after herself.

If she walks into my room again, I might kill her.

Seriously.

Phone exchanged - Fuze

My husband is SO wrong -- I swapped out my phone today.  It stopped charging batteries, not sure when.  Anyway, I had called last week for help, and the trouble shooter told me I could take it into a place here in Dallas.

I thought I had to use my insurance, but I have a year warranty on the phone from last June.  Then I have to go to insurance AFTER that.

So they swapped it out.

Great thing -- MyMobile by Microsoft, had it all restored within an hour.  I still put in my email accounts manually and some of my software, but all my data is on the phone now.

Loving my Zune HD Original

After going through an extremely frustrating process, I have had my Zune HD for a week, and my dock for a couple of days.

LOVE IT!

I've shown it to my kids and made a deal out of the fact it's personalized.  I really think that will slow most of the kids down from taking it.  I do need to lock the screen ....

I really don't have a problem with theft of electronics -- except for the district cameras.  I've had a lot of money stolen, but have learned not to take money to school.

Anyway, I love the new Zune software, especially the DJ picks.  I'm having a small issue with play lists, but also love the Podcasting. 

I'm keeping my 120 gig Zune and have my collection of Audible books.  I like the service but have enough to listen to to last several trip.  The only real benefit left is the New Yorks times subscription but I rarely get time to listen to the whole thing.  Maybe I'll go with it again next summer if I get to do a summer camp on a long trip again.

I also am starting to play with the Zune games again -- my dean sort of sanctioned that the other day, and I want to do some development in front of the kids.

PS I am giving the "post in the future" feature of Typepad a try, so I didn't really post this when I had a class.