The Super Helpful Little Things Forum

[Matthies]

I like the Razer Mantis Speed pads, myself. Foam rubber mat with some kind of teflon cloth covering. And HUGE. I have a desk drawer shimmed open w/a trimmed shelf-board sitting on top of it. The pad covers it up and tucks around the back-end. That way the mouse is directly to my right, at arm level--I don't have to reach towards the desk to use it. I find that spares me a good amount of repetitive stress. My mouse hand and shoulder gets much less tired at home than at work.

And the best mouse ever is still the original Logitech MX1000 laser. I have a small hoard of them and still buy them from the 'Bay when I see them.

A useful mac utility is TextExpander (you can do the same thing with AutoHotKey on Windows, but it's more complicated.) You predefine abbreviations and it will expand them into words/phrases. For instance you could set trt'fzr to expand to tortfeasor. The only bugaboo is becoming too reliant on it such that it hurts your exam performance. It may also prevent you from learning difficult spellings, if you make it into a crutch.

http://www.smileonmymac.com/TextExpander/

This is all false.

Mouse: Mx518
Pad: QCK+

Mouse http://store.razerzone.com/store/razeru ... d.35208800

[vexion]

Yep. Textexpander and AHK have the advantage of being a little more powerful/flexible and operating across the system rather than just in MS Office (such as in your browser--and therefore WL/LN, TWEN, TLS blah blah blah)

Actually, the easiest way to do it with AHK is to hook into Autocorrect. See here, for example:
http://www.vasanth.in/2006/02/21/autoco ... n-windows/

One of these days I will actually get around to implementing and learning how to do all the stuff I read on Lifehacker. I see people singing the praises of keyboard shortcuts and AHK and Dropbox and music streaming and all sorts of stuff, and think, "Oh, that's really cool. ... Back to TF2!"

[Matthies]

Yep. Textexpander and AHK have the advantage of being a little more powerful/flexible and operating across the system rather than just in MS Office (such as in your browser--and therefore WL/LN, TWEN, TLS blah blah blah)

Actually, the easiest way to do it with AHK is to hook into Autocorrect. See here, for example:
http://www.vasanth.in/2006/02/21/autoco ... n-windows/

One of these days I will actually get around to implementing and learning how to do all the stuff I read on Lifehacker. I see people singing the praises of keyboard shortcuts and AHK and Dropbox and music streaming and all sorts of stuff, and think, "Oh, that's really cool. ... Back to TF2!"

Dude dropbox, ok I can see that, like 12-13 people in the US have not heard of dropbox, but music streaming WTF, please tell me you don't still have a CD changer in your car

[Duralex]

/shrug
I still use the CD player in my car, even if I usually plug the iPhone into the tape deck adapter for iTunes. Streaming to the car over AT&T is kinda touch and go. And I still have Simplify, which most folks can't get anymore. (I wonder how long it'll be until they shut down completely. Ack.)

[Matthies]

/shrug
I still use the CD player in my car, even if I usually plug the iPhone into the tape deck adapter for iTunes. Streaming to the car over AT&T is kinda touch and go. And I still have Simplify, which most folks can't get anymore. (I wonder how long it'll be until they shut down completely. Ack.)

I used a radio shack project box and some internet instructions to convert the CD changers wires into an Ipod controller, then mounted an Ipod frame to the side of the radio, hid the box in the golve compartment. So using the factory stero CD changer controlls I can control the Ipod, does everything except show the song title, just says 'Track 1-99".

[Vegas_Rebel]

Dude dropbox, ok I can see that, like 12-13 people in the US have not heard of dropbox, but music streaming WTF, please tell me you don't still have a CD changer in your car

o.0

I'm reasonably tech savvy, and I know what music streaming is, but what does that have to do with CD changers in cars?

I've still got the stock 6 disc changer in my car, but I mostly run music off my MP3 player through an audio-in port. I'm sure there's -some- way, but are you saying that it's pretty common to stream music to one's car somehow now...?

[Matthies]

Dude dropbox, ok I can see that, like 12-13 people in the US have not heard of dropbox, but music streaming WTF, please tell me you don't still have a CD changer in your car

o.0

I'm reasonably tech savvy, and I know what music streaming is, but what does that have to do with CD changers in cars?

I've still got the stock 6 disc changer in my car, but I mostly run music off my MP3 player through an audio-in port. I'm sure there's -some- way, but are you saying that it's pretty common to stream music to one's car somehow now...?

No, just generally not being up to the times. But you can for most cars used the CD changer to control your IPod (but not use it as a Cd changer anymore) by either doing it yourslef or buying an adaptor

[Vegas_Rebel]

No, just generally not being up to the times. But you can for most cars used the CD changer to control your IPod (but not use it as a Cd changer anymore) by either doing it yourslef or buying an adaptor

Right-o.

I'm sorta surprised HDDs in cars didn't get more popular. Hopefully after law school I can hook up a terabyte SSD and not worry about it anymore

[Matthies]

No, just generally not being up to the times. But you can for most cars used the CD changer to control your IPod (but not use it as a Cd changer anymore) by either doing it yourslef or buying an adaptor

Right-o.

I'm sorta surprised HDDs in cars didn't get more popular. Hopefully after law school I can hook up a terabyte SSD and not worry about it anymore

I know, you would think that would have been common by now, but I think its just appel marketing and geting car compaines and afteramrket setro makers to include Ipod adpaters, plus people can handle pluging in an ipod, plugging in an estata drave seems to be out of many peoples league though

[jp0094]

I like the Razer Mantis Speed pads, myself. Foam rubber mat with some kind of teflon cloth covering. And HUGE. I have a desk drawer shimmed open w/a trimmed shelf-board sitting on top of it. The pad covers it up and tucks around the back-end. That way the mouse is directly to my right, at arm level--I don't have to reach towards the desk to use it. I find that spares me a good amount of repetitive stress. My mouse hand and shoulder gets much less tired at home than at work.

And the best mouse ever is still the original Logitech MX1000 laser. I have a small hoard of them and still buy them from the 'Bay when I see them.

A useful mac utility is TextExpander (you can do the same thing with AutoHotKey on Windows, but it's more complicated.) You predefine abbreviations and it will expand them into words/phrases. For instance you could set trt'fzr to expand to tortfeasor. The only bugaboo is becoming too reliant on it such that it hurts your exam performance. It may also prevent you from learning difficult spellings, if you make it into a crutch.

http://www.smileonmymac.com/TextExpander/

This is all false.

Mouse: Mx518
Pad: QCK+

Mouse http://store.razerzone.com/store/razeru ... d.35208800

Looks nice, but laser mice have a tendency (unless recent tech has improved) to track improperly or poorly on certain surfaces. Optical FTW

[ANON3333]

Bookstands - keep your neck feeling good...

--ImageRemoved--

--LinkRemoved--

I have this book-stand. My gf got it for me and I complained about the $40 price until I realized that it is the cadillac of book-stands. Worth every penny. Not just for a desk. It has an adjustable base so you can use it on your lap in a cafe or in bed or something.

[vexion]

One of these days I will actually get around to implementing and learning how to do all the stuff I read on Lifehacker. I see people singing the praises of keyboard shortcuts and AHK and Dropbox and music streaming and all sorts of stuff, and think, "Oh, that's really cool. ... Back to TF2!"

Dude dropbox, ok I can see that, like 12-13 people in the US have not heard of dropbox, but music streaming WTF, please tell me you don't still have a CD changer in your car

Like Duralex said, I just don't like the available streaming services and file-browsing systems. If I had my way, I would build an MP3Car (http://www.mp3car.com/) but I just don't have the time or the money. I have XM Radio in my truck and an aux port for audio-in from my iPhone, between those two I'm good. I guess I could easily run Pandora or something on my iPhone and listen to it in the car. I've got hundreds of gigs of music stored at home, but even though I can stream them over AT&T with stuff like Simplify, I can't easily flick through and find the songs I want. Indexing the library takes forever and there's no easy Artist/Album/Title heirarchy.

[zeth006]

Bookstands - keep your neck feeling good...

--ImageRemoved--

--LinkRemoved--

I have this book-stand. My gf got it for me and I complained about the $40 price until I realized that it is the cadillac of book-stands. Worth every penny. Not just for a desk. It has an adjustable base so you can use it on your lap in a cafe or in bed or something.

Is it easily portable? Able to be carried in a normal backpack?

[texas man]

Is it easily portable? Able to be carried in a normal backpack?

There is smaller size than this (called "Clover") that would easily fit in a backpack.

[eth3n]

Is it easily portable? Able to be carried in a normal backpack?

If you are transporting your books (i.e. not leaving them at school/at home) you are doing it wrong.

[Knock]

Tag. Great stuff guys...i'm definitely going to look into getting a two or three monitor set up for 1L year. Too bad i'm technology illiterate. Any good website or something that I can learn about this stuff? (pretty much everything except for the real basics)

[zeth006]

Is it easily portable? Able to be carried in a normal backpack?

If you are transporting your books (i.e. not leaving them at school/at home) you are doing it wrong.

I think you misread my question. I was asking whether this bookstand can be carried in the backpack. If I can keep the larger version in a locker, the issue of portability may not be so important.

[Matthies]

Is it easily portable? Able to be carried in a normal backpack?

If you are transporting your books (i.e. not leaving them at school/at home) you are doing it wrong.

Why?

[Matthies]

I like the Razer Mantis Speed pads, myself. Foam rubber mat with some kind of teflon cloth covering. And HUGE. I have a desk drawer shimmed open w/a trimmed shelf-board sitting on top of it. The pad covers it up and tucks around the back-end. That way the mouse is directly to my right, at arm level--I don't have to reach towards the desk to use it. I find that spares me a good amount of repetitive stress. My mouse hand and shoulder gets much less tired at home than at work.

And the best mouse ever is still the original Logitech MX1000 laser. I have a small hoard of them and still buy them from the 'Bay when I see them.

A useful mac utility is TextExpander (you can do the same thing with AutoHotKey on Windows, but it's more complicated.) You predefine abbreviations and it will expand them into words/phrases. For instance you could set trt'fzr to expand to tortfeasor. The only bugaboo is becoming too reliant on it such that it hurts your exam performance. It may also prevent you from learning difficult spellings, if you make it into a crutch.

http://www.smileonmymac.com/TextExpander/

This is all false.

Mouse: Mx518
Pad: QCK+

Mouse http://store.razerzone.com/store/razeru ... d.35208800

Looks nice, but laser mice have a tendency (unless recent tech has improved) to track improperly or poorly on certain surfaces. Optical FTW

I agree compleatly, but since I use a game pad and don't do FPS or RTS games, mostly just RPG the laser has been fine. For my portable mouse I use optical, MS makes one caled blue something that I've even got to work on a glass table!

[vexion]

Damnit ... look what you guys did. The tech bug bit me again

I just bought a 1TB HDD (my media drive was filling up,) a new keyboard (mine works fine, I've just had it for so many years a lot of the letters on the keys have rubbed off,) a used Logitech Z-2300, and a new 22" monitor ($170 shipped for a monitor that'll pivot!)

I think I'm gonna have to hold out on Eyefinity. Can't see splurging for a new video card AND a monitor with DisplayPort.

[Fast_Fingers]

Multiple monitors is a major win.

This x10^10^10. Seriously, dual monitors boosts your productivity so much, it's almost unfair.

I started using dual monitors in undergrad - I had to do a lot of computer programming and it was very helpful for that. As it turns out, it's been even more helpful in law school.

WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE!!!!!!!!!!!

This is serious?????? How in the fuck are you supposed to lug around your laptop AND an additional monitor??? The twisty crayons, OK, I get it. But this??? If this is a joke, please PM me so I can go on about my business and pretend I was never sucked into the vortex.

http://mashable.com/2009/08/28/dual-screen-laptop/

And +1 on dual monitors...they saved my hide more often than not in undergrad. I'll probably grab some 23's from Costco when I move...

[vexion]

Gah! I just committed to a Craigslist lot too!

--LinkRemoved--

ZALMAN ZM400B-APS 400W ATX Ver2.03 / ATX 12V Active PFC Power Supply
2 ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe 462(A) NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 ATX AMD Motherboard
2 Crucial 512MB DDR.266MHz memory cards
BFG Tech BFGE85256GTE GeForce 8500 GT 256MB GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton 1.833GHz Socket A Processor Model AXDA2500BOX
Thermaltake Silent Boost Ball CPU Cooler
BFG Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
ASUS V9480/TVD AGP Video card

Logitech Z-640 71.2 watts 5.1 Speaker System
ViewSonic P220F Beige 22" CRT Monitor 15-pin mini D-sub (high density), BNC x 5 (RGB HV)
Vtech VT-V2656 Telephone

All for $100. Who could pass that up?

Damn you T-L-Eeeeeeesssssss!

[Matthies]

Gah! I just committed to a Craigslist lot too!

--LinkRemoved--

ZALMAN ZM400B-APS 400W ATX Ver2.03 / ATX 12V Active PFC Power Supply
2 ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe 462(A) NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 ATX AMD Motherboard
2 Crucial 512MB DDR.266MHz memory cards
BFG Tech BFGE85256GTE GeForce 8500 GT 256MB GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton 1.833GHz Socket A Processor Model AXDA2500BOX
Thermaltake Silent Boost Ball CPU Cooler
BFG Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
ASUS V9480/TVD AGP Video card

Logitech Z-640 71.2 watts 5.1 Speaker System
ViewSonic P220F Beige 22" CRT Monitor 15-pin mini D-sub (high density), BNC x 5 (RGB HV)
Vtech VT-V2656 Telephone

All for $100. Who could pass that up?

Damn you T-L-Eeeeeeesssssss!

Wow that's alot of stuff for $100 bucks, som,e of it not relly worth using, but still, hell resell that shit!

[vexion]

Gah! I just committed to a Craigslist lot too!

--LinkRemoved--

ZALMAN ZM400B-APS 400W ATX Ver2.03 / ATX 12V Active PFC Power Supply
2 ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe 462(A) NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 ATX AMD Motherboard
2 Crucial 512MB DDR.266MHz memory cards
BFG Tech BFGE85256GTE GeForce 8500 GT 256MB GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton 1.833GHz Socket A Processor Model AXDA2500BOX
Thermaltake Silent Boost Ball CPU Cooler
BFG Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
ASUS V9480/TVD AGP Video card

Logitech Z-640 71.2 watts 5.1 Speaker System
ViewSonic P220F Beige 22" CRT Monitor 15-pin mini D-sub (high density), BNC x 5 (RGB HV)
Vtech VT-V2656 Telephone

All for $100. Who could pass that up?

Damn you T-L-Eeeeeeesssssss!

Wow that's alot of stuff for $100 bucks, som,e of it not relly worth using, but still, hell resell that shit!

If I can get a cheap case and a hard drive, I figured the mobo, CPU, PSU, RAM and one of the video cards make a computer. Now what I need another computer for, I don't know.

[theavrock]

Awesome thread.

As a total tech dork and have been for years I love where this thread went.

I will say that you would think that dual monitors is not that big of a deal, but once you start using them it is amazing the productivity increases you see.

I think we should talk more about home servers!