Comments for ConFigures http://configures.sarahelkins.org Figure it out ... with me! Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:00:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on Laptop Bake-Off by kath/mckait http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23518 kath/mckait Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:45:47 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23518 I did, but yours struck me as funnier.. :-) nice to "meet" you! I too, love LT and spend way to much time there, to the detriment of my own blog...sigh I did, but yours struck me as funnier.. :-)
nice to “meet” you!

I too, love LT and spend way to much time there, to the detriment of my own blog…sigh

]]> Comment on Laptop Bake-Off by Sarah Elkins http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23516 Sarah Elkins Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:55:45 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23516 Hahaha, thanks! Did you catch the later one about rhinoplasty? http://www.librarything.com/thingology/2008/06/rhino-sick-librarything-well.php Hahaha, thanks! Did you catch the later one about rhinoplasty? http://www.librarything.com/thingology/2008/06/rhino-sick-librarything-well.php

]]> Comment on Laptop Bake-Off by kath/mckait http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23496 kath/mckait Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:11:29 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/06/28/laptop-bake-off/#comment-23496 Rhinovirus? LOL @ your comment on the Thingology blog. Also, this is a great idea! This laptop try out. Rhinovirus? LOL @ your comment on the Thingology blog.

Also, this is a great idea! This laptop try out.

]]> Comment on OLPC Roundtable at Penguicon 2008: Links by configures http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/05/01/olpc-roundtable-at-penguicon-2008-links/#comment-15731 configures Thu, 01 May 2008 15:06:53 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/05/01/olpc-roundtable-at-penguicon-2008-links/#comment-15731 I'm so glad! It was a treat for us to talk with you. I’m so glad! It was a treat for us to talk with you.

]]> Comment on OLPC Roundtable at Penguicon 2008: Links by Benjamin Mako Hill http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/05/01/olpc-roundtable-at-penguicon-2008-links/#comment-15728 Benjamin Mako Hill Thu, 01 May 2008 14:14:17 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/05/01/olpc-roundtable-at-penguicon-2008-links/#comment-15728 I had a great time at the conference and at the round table. Thanks for following up. I had a great time at the conference and at the round table. Thanks for following up.

]]> Comment on Upgrade: more open to comments by configures http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/03/11/upgrade-more-open-to-comments/#comment-14345 configures Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:11:01 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/03/11/upgrade-more-open-to-comments/#comment-14345 Re #3: switched now to Silver Light 0.1, also by Bob. Re #3: switched now to Silver Light 0.1, also by Bob.

]]> Comment on Book Club by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Book Club and Reuse http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/26/book-club/#comment-14341 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Book Club and Reuse Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:10:47 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/26/book-club/#comment-14341 [...] miss the technical book discussion group at my previous employer.  I haven’t found a similar technical book group near me out in the [...] […] miss the technical book discussion group at my previous employer.  I haven’t found a similar technical book group near me out in the […]

]]> Comment on Reply hazy, try again later? and some links by Anonymous http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/02/21/reply-hazy-try-again-later-and-some-links/#comment-14268 Anonymous Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:41:20 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/02/21/reply-hazy-try-again-later-and-some-links/#comment-14268 Testing new akismet spam trap. Attempting to make this a substantial-seeming comment. Downtime is sad, but new WordPress upgrade is happy! What happens now? Testing new akismet spam trap. Attempting to make this a substantial-seeming comment. Downtime is sad, but new WordPress upgrade is happy! What happens now?

]]> Comment on Configuration Management and Electronic Voting by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Election Training, Procedures, and Security http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/02/08/75/#comment-13974 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Election Training, Procedures, and Security Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:01:44 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2008/02/08/75/#comment-13974 [...] As I mentioned last month, I took training near the end of January to be a Closing Judge for the Maryland Primary Election.   This is a new position Maryland has instituted to assist the Chief Judges with shutting down the voting units at the end of an election day.  This involves showing up fresh at 6:30 pm, to assist the other judges (who would have been there all day) until polls close at 8 pm, and then pairing up with a Chief Judge from another political party (not one’s own) to log information and collect memory cards from, and shut down, each voting unit one by one .  In my county’s training (this differed by county, from what a friend working as an election judge in another county told me), we were also told the Closing Judges (two per precint, from different parties) would deliver the critical materials to the Board of Elections after they were collected. [...] […] As I mentioned last month, I took training near the end of January to be a Closing Judge for the Maryland Primary Election.   This is a new position Maryland has instituted to assist the Chief Judges with shutting down the voting units at the end of an election day.  This involves showing up fresh at 6:30 pm, to assist the other judges (who would have been there all day) until polls close at 8 pm, and then pairing up with a Chief Judge from another political party (not one’s own) to log information and collect memory cards from, and shut down, each voting unit one by one .  In my county’s training (this differed by county, from what a friend working as an election judge in another county told me), we were also told the Closing Judges (two per precint, from different parties) would deliver the critical materials to the Board of Elections after they were collected. […]

]]> Comment on 1 Laptop Per … Christmas? by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Laptops and Learning http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-12345 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Laptops and Learning Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:14:51 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-12345 [...] ConFigures Figure it out … with me! « 1 Laptop Per … Christmas? Unclear on the Concept? » [...] […] ConFigures Figure it out … with me! « 1 Laptop Per … Christmas? Unclear on the Concept? » […]

]]> Comment on Not the LibraryThing I signed up for by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Visibility, Visualization, and Knowledge Gardening http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/16/not-the-librarything-i-signed-up-for/#comment-12344 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Visibility, Visualization, and Knowledge Gardening Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:14:24 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/16/not-the-librarything-i-signed-up-for/#comment-12344 [...] Culture influence is hard without a critical mass of enthusiasts. Incentives may be difficult to distribute appropriately if tracking information/access is poorly set up, and incentives may get people into a mindset where one has to *keep* giving incentives to keep the contributions coming. Emailed reminders are all too easy to ignore (or filter straight to trash). Reminders inserted into the system’s interface may take up valuable real estate onscreen, which can make users unhappy (see previous comments exchange with Tim Spalding following my entry about LibraryThing’s fielded wiki “Common Knowledge” insertion onto each main page for books). LiveJournal’s “nudge” feature has annoyed users who don’t want to be guilted into blogging (it might be more appropriate for task-oriented communities). Games such as CMU’s The Name Game (picked up by Google for their Image Labeler game) may have a high start-up cost. [...] […] Culture influence is hard without a critical mass of enthusiasts. Incentives may be difficult to distribute appropriately if tracking information/access is poorly set up, and incentives may get people into a mindset where one has to *keep* giving incentives to keep the contributions coming. Emailed reminders are all too easy to ignore (or filter straight to trash). Reminders inserted into the system’s interface may take up valuable real estate onscreen, which can make users unhappy (see previous comments exchange with Tim Spalding following my entry about LibraryThing’s fielded wiki “Common Knowledge” insertion onto each main page for books). LiveJournal’s “nudge” feature has annoyed users who don’t want to be guilted into blogging (it might be more appropriate for task-oriented communities). Games such as CMU’s The Name Game (picked up by Google for their Image Labeler game) may have a high start-up cost. […]

]]> Comment on Not the LibraryThing I signed up for by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Visibility, Visualization, and Knowledge Gardening http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/16/not-the-librarything-i-signed-up-for/#comment-12343 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Visibility, Visualization, and Knowledge Gardening Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:14:04 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/16/not-the-librarything-i-signed-up-for/#comment-12343 [...] Culture influence is hard without a critical mass of enthusiasts. Incentives may be difficult to distribute appropriately if tracking information/access is poorly set up, and incentives may get people into a mindset where one has to *keep* giving incentives to keep the contributions coming. Emailed reminders are all too easy to ignore (or filter straight to trash). Reminders inserted into the system’s interface may take up valuable real estate onscreen, which can make users unhappy (see previous comments exchange with Tim Spalding following my entry about LibraryThing’s fielded wiki “Common Knowledge” insertion onto each main page for books). LiveJournal’s “nudge” feature has annoyed users who don’t want to be guilted into blogging (it might be more appropriate for task-oriented communities). Games such as CMU’s The Name Game (picked up by Google for their Image Labeler game) may have a high start-up cost. [...] […] Culture influence is hard without a critical mass of enthusiasts. Incentives may be difficult to distribute appropriately if tracking information/access is poorly set up, and incentives may get people into a mindset where one has to *keep* giving incentives to keep the contributions coming. Emailed reminders are all too easy to ignore (or filter straight to trash). Reminders inserted into the system’s interface may take up valuable real estate onscreen, which can make users unhappy (see previous comments exchange with Tim Spalding following my entry about LibraryThing’s fielded wiki “Common Knowledge” insertion onto each main page for books). LiveJournal’s “nudge” feature has annoyed users who don’t want to be guilted into blogging (it might be more appropriate for task-oriented communities). Games such as CMU’s The Name Game (picked up by Google for their Image Labeler game) may have a high start-up cost. […]

]]> Comment on Fragmentation by ConFigures » Blog Archive » Last Day to Give One, Get One XO laptop http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/08/03/fragmentation/#comment-9479 ConFigures » Blog Archive » Last Day to Give One, Get One XO laptop Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:50:29 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/08/03/fragmentation/#comment-9479 [...] Unless they extend it again, this is the last day to get your own One Laptop Per Child laptop (by paying for two). I have enjoyed mine more the more I’ve used them — I got one with Paypal and the other by ordering over the phone (credit card). I’ve been able to mesh-collaborate successfully (Write activity; two of us working on one doc and seeing each others’ changes real-time). I’m getting really fond of the Journal: reverse-chronological, add-your-own-metadata don’t-call-it-a-file-system (an answer to Catherine Devlin’s birthday wish?). I’m very happy with its 3 USB drives and 1 SD drive, its lightness and ruggedness, its ebook Tranformers and screen rotation. I’ve downloaded and used some of the extra Activities available already. I think the Paint program could be used as a cheap whiteboard telemeeting option. The wifi works pretty well, and I haven’t even gotten around to exploring the T-Mobile free year’s subscription. The OLPC News forum (discussion board) is full of tips and suggestions (and critics, but also fans), and the One Laptop Per Child Learning Club - DC looks to be pretty active in 2008 (we had one fun meeting in December already). It’s not for everyone. The keyboard is just right for little hands, not so good for big paws. Its focus is on drilling down on one activity at a time rather than multitasking. There are still a few bugs in the system (e.g., jumpy trackpad). But I think it’s a great little laptop within a certain scope, and recommend it. [...] […] Unless they extend it again, this is the last day to get your own One Laptop Per Child laptop (by paying for two). I have enjoyed mine more the more I’ve used them — I got one with Paypal and the other by ordering over the phone (credit card). I’ve been able to mesh-collaborate successfully (Write activity; two of us working on one doc and seeing each others’ changes real-time). I’m getting really fond of the Journal: reverse-chronological, add-your-own-metadata don’t-call-it-a-file-system (an answer to Catherine Devlin’s birthday wish?). I’m very happy with its 3 USB drives and 1 SD drive, its lightness and ruggedness, its ebook Tranformers and screen rotation. I’ve downloaded and used some of the extra Activities available already. I think the Paint program could be used as a cheap whiteboard telemeeting option. The wifi works pretty well, and I haven’t even gotten around to exploring the T-Mobile free year’s subscription. The OLPC News forum (discussion board) is full of tips and suggestions (and critics, but also fans), and the One Laptop Per Child Learning Club - DC looks to be pretty active in 2008 (we had one fun meeting in December already). It’s not for everyone. The keyboard is just right for little hands, not so good for big paws. Its focus is on drilling down on one activity at a time rather than multitasking. There are still a few bugs in the system (e.g., jumpy trackpad). But I think it’s a great little laptop within a certain scope, and recommend it. […]

]]> Comment on Libraries and Knowledge Management by configures http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/12/libraries/#comment-8387 configures Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:07:43 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/12/libraries/#comment-8387 Thanks very much, David! Thanks very much, David!

]]> Comment on Libraries and Knowledge Management by David Lankes http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/12/libraries/#comment-8353 David Lankes Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:45:15 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/02/12/libraries/#comment-8353 it was published in 2007. You can get a lot more info at the projects website http://ptbed.org it was published in 2007. You can get a lot more info at the projects website http://ptbed.org

]]> Comment on 1 Laptop Per … Christmas? by configures http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-8314 configures Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:57:09 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-8314 Maria, The Give One, Get One program has been extended through Dec. 30, so you should be able to get an XO laptop for the child/children being adopted. If you are looking to get a laptop sponsored for your child, I'm not sure how that would work, other than through a school program -- depending on whether your schools are getting any XO laptops. I  suggest looking over the OLPC organization's website for more information: http://www.laptop.org/ Maria,

The Give One, Get One program has been extended through Dec. 30, so you should be able to get an XO laptop for the child/children being adopted. If you are looking to get a laptop sponsored for your child, I’m not sure how that would work, other than through a school program — depending on whether your schools are getting any XO laptops. I  suggest looking over the OLPC organization’s website for more information: http://www.laptop.org/

]]> Comment on 1 Laptop Per … Christmas? by Maria http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-8283 Maria Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:24:26 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/10/02/1-laptop-per-christmas/#comment-8283 I have a question if we have addopting children from a poor country how can they register or make the list. I love the Xo laptop would like to purchase and send to there adress. You can send more info at 10242 San Lorenzo Dallas, Tx. 75228 214-853-2696 I have a question if we have addopting children from a poor country how can they register or make the list. I love the Xo laptop would like to purchase and send to there adress. You can send more info at
10242 San Lorenzo
Dallas, Tx. 75228
214-853-2696

]]> Comment on OLPC News meetup followup: XO v. ASUS Eee by configures http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/16/olpc-news-meetup-followup-xo-v-asus-eee/#comment-7047 configures Sat, 17 Nov 2007 12:57:26 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/16/olpc-news-meetup-followup-xo-v-asus-eee/#comment-7047 Hmm. The Eee looked pretty sharp in the bar (meetup; lighting not low-low but not bright either). OTOH I was just looking over someone's shoulder, not trying to read and answer email. For the XO, I don't have any doubt about its resolution (i.e., excellent resolution). The trouble THERE is rumors about trouble with Ajax and other modern stuff (Flash?) which means some websites won't display properly. I don't know if that will be fixed in this release. I don't have Flash installed on my home Linux box, though, and get by fine there. Hmm. The Eee looked pretty sharp in the bar (meetup; lighting not low-low but not bright either). OTOH I was just looking over someone’s shoulder, not trying to read and answer email.

For the XO, I don’t have any doubt about its resolution (i.e., excellent resolution). The trouble THERE is rumors about trouble with Ajax and other modern stuff (Flash?) which means some websites won’t display properly. I don’t know if that will be fixed in this release. I don’t have Flash installed on my home Linux box, though, and get by fine there.

]]> Comment on OLPC News meetup followup: XO v. ASUS Eee by DrFaulken http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/16/olpc-news-meetup-followup-xo-v-asus-eee/#comment-6982 DrFaulken Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:21:03 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/16/olpc-news-meetup-followup-xo-v-asus-eee/#comment-6982 Do you think the screen sizes on the XO and Eee would make for enjoyable Web browing? The low resolution of the Eee has me a bit hesitant to use it as a mobile Internet appliance. Do you think the screen sizes on the XO and Eee would make for enjoyable Web browing? The low resolution of the Eee has me a bit hesitant to use it as a mobile Internet appliance.

]]> Comment on OLPC News DC Meetup A Success by DrFaulken http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/15/olpc-news-dc-meetup-a-success/#comment-6915 DrFaulken Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:30:13 +0000 http://configures.sarahelkins.org/2007/11/15/olpc-news-dc-meetup-a-success/#comment-6915 The black Eee is for sale at NewEgg. If it weren't for my recent layoff I would have purchased one by now. Too bad you didn't get a chance to check it out, I was hoping for a head-to-head comparison. The black Eee is for sale at NewEgg. If it weren’t for my recent layoff I would have purchased one by now. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to check it out, I was hoping for a head-to-head comparison.

]]>