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There is no freakin' way this site is going to be usable anytime soon. I'm just going to be using as a wiki for things I want to share with others that aren't relevant to the Wicca Wicci.

Subnamespaces:

  • About Meplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAbout Me

    A Better Geek has been around in one form or another since 2008. It's mostly just been a place for me to log things I've learned in the tech space, both personally and professionally. I finished migrating all the content from my old WordPress site in September 2022. Any existing permalinks to my old blog now redirect to the migrated content on this wiki.A Better Geek index
    • About Meplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAbout Me

      A Better Geek has been around in one form or another since 2008. It's mostly just been a place for me to log things I've learned in the tech space, both personally and professionally. I finished migrating all the content from my old WordPress site in September 2022. Any existing permalinks to my old blog now redirect to the migrated content on this wiki.A Better Geek index
    • Old WordPress Contentplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOld WordPress Content

      Introduction

      Once upon a time, A Better Geek was powered by WordPress. I got sick of how fiddly maintaining MySQL (aka MariaDB) actually was, and I've rebuilt my server using Dokuwiki to power a number of sites.

      I'm still migrating content from my old blog to the new wiki. Below are changelog posts from the old WordPress blog.
  • Guild Warsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGuild Wars

    I still play Guild Wars with my husband! It's a great game with really interesting combat mechanics, combined with a world that is largely only playable with max level characters that are very well-equipped. Our guild is MOOP. We don't play often enough for anyone else to be in our guild, however.
    • Guild Warsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGuild Wars

      I still play Guild Wars with my husband! It's a great game with really interesting combat mechanics, combined with a world that is largely only playable with max level characters that are very well-equipped. Our guild is MOOP. We don't play often enough for anyone else to be in our guild, however.
  • Personal Musingsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigPersonal Musings

    I write a lot. Old blog posts that are more commentary than information have been migrated to this section. Logged in users can read additional private content.
    • Tech Commentaryplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigTech Commentary

      I'm an opinionated person, and this section is a collection of my op-eds on the larger subject of technology and the tech industry.
      • Appleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigApple

        I have a love-hate relationship with Apple. They've done some pretty innovative stuff...in the past. Apple hasn't done anything particularly groundbreaking since the iPhone. They've made thinner and thinner ultrabooks, but that doesn't mean much by way of technological advancement.
        • Appleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigApple

          I have a love-hate relationship with Apple. They've done some pretty innovative stuff...in the past. Apple hasn't done anything particularly groundbreaking since the iPhone. They've made thinner and thinner ultrabooks, but that doesn't mean much by way of technological advancement.
        • Can Apple really handle the needs of businesses?plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCan Apple really handle the needs of businesses?

          On January 31, 2012, in the middle of the day for many users, Apple silently and stealthily blocked the Java web plugin on all Mac computers running 10.7 or 10.8.

          This has not been getting that much news coverage, which is unfortunate given how serious this action actually is. And, of course, we all know that if Microsoft did something similar, it would be making national headlines on many news sites.
      • Googleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGoogle

        not“”

        Articles in this section google index
        • Googleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGoogle

          not“”

          Articles in this section google index
        • Google’s hostile EULA – how long can you avoid it?plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGoogle’s hostile EULA – how long can you avoid it?

          this archive of the original article

          I, like pretty much everyone in the known Internet-accessible world, use Google. A lot. I’ve used Google Docs in the past, I have friends and family who only use Google Talk for chatting, Google is obviously the biggest and best search engine available, and now they have a browser.
      • Microsoftplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMicrosoft

        I use a lot of Microsoft stuff. It's kinda hard not to...I worked there for seven years and just prefer some of their stuff.

        I despise Windows 11, so who knows what the future holds.
        • Microsoftplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMicrosoft

          I use a lot of Microsoft stuff. It's kinda hard not to...I worked there for seven years and just prefer some of their stuff.

          I despise Windows 11, so who knows what the future holds.
        • The history of the Start Menuplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe history of the Start Menu

          It’s been a long time – almost twenty years, in fact – since the Start button was introduced by Microsoft. A key feature of the all-new Windows 95, the Start button provided one-click access to all your programs in a simple, easy-to-use menu format. It was pretty straightforward. Clicking Start gave you options for programs, documents, settings, and even a file search tool.
        • Zune Flash: When Microsoft does something rightplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigZune Flash: When Microsoft does something right

          You know, for all the flak our friends in Redmond get, I’ve seen Microsoft release some pretty decent stuff lately.

          I sometimes wonder (ok, so I wonder a lot…) if people have a habit of immediately discounting anything from the hands of Microsoft because, well, it’s from
      • Miscellanyplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMiscellany

        Everything that doesn't fit under another category lives here.
        • DriverGuide.com’s Not-so-surprising Scammy Tacticsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDriverGuide.com’s Not-so-surprising Scammy Tactics

          PCMatic's driver databaseMicrosoft's searchable Windows Update Catalog

          I recently found myself in need of a driver for Mac OS 9. Since the hardware I was using was ancient and from a now-defunct company and OS 9 is equally ancient, this task was much easier Googled than actually completed.
        • In defense of the independent option: shattering the bipartisan mythplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigIn defense of the independent option: shattering the bipartisan myth

          I probably got you going there for a minute, didn’t I? Don’t worry, this isn’t a political dissertation or anything. I’m talking about mobile operating systems. I mean, face it – we’re down to only two options for smartphones, and it’s really becoming a problem.misc index
        • Miscellanyplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMiscellany

          Everything that doesn't fit under another category lives here.
        • No, Comcast. Just...no.plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigNo, Comcast. Just...no.

          This may come as a huge shock to you, but I don’t like Comcast very much. I never had much of a problem with Comcast until now, surprisingly enough. I mean, they are consistently rated The Worst Company in America by The Consumerist. I had Comcast twice in the past – once in Indiana when I lived in Lafayette, and once in Virginia when I lived in Alexandria City. Until I moved to Washington state last month, we had Cox, and they were amazing. We got free bandwidth upgrade…
        • Reconsidering the GPLplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigReconsidering the GPL

          modified version of GNU Affero

          An awful lot of software these days is released open-source, under various licenses. Gnu GPL is a popular one, in its various iterations. It’s a pretty great idea – software is released for free, the source code is made available to anyone who wants to take the time to compile it, people get access to useful applications without paying exorbitant license fees, and everyone wins. The really big projects like Ubuntu and Firefox get donatio…
        • The cake really is a lie…at least for Flickr users.plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe cake really is a lie…at least for Flickr users.

          I hate to use a cliché, but you really can’t have your cake and eat it too.

          I logged in to Flickr yesterday rather innocently – I was updating some information on my Facebook profile and couldn’t remember exactly when I moved out of my first apartment in Indianapolis, many moons ago. I opened a new tab in my browser, navigated to Flickr, and – holy crap! A new site design! And what’s this about Pro accounts? I have a Pro account and have for …
        • The Changing Landscape of Personal Computingplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Changing Landscape of Personal Computing

          I’ll try not to give too much commentary on the way Apple does things, but the company has certainly made its mark in how we view personal technology and computing in 2012. Just as the iPod revolutionized portable media players and the iPhone made waves in the smartphone world, the iPad changed how we look at the way we access our media, data, social networks, and the Internet as a whole.
        • The many functions of useless hard drives...plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe many functions of useless hard drives...

          I’m a bit of a packrat. When something electronic finally craps out, I tend to keep it around, just in case. Dead hard drives fall into this category, at least for me.

          If you’ve never taken apart a hard drive, you should. The platters are unbelievably reflective, since they’ve never been touched by anything before being installed in the drive’s casing. I have a large collection of hard drive platters at the moment, some of which have interesting rad…
        • First impressions of Firefox 3.0plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigFirst impressions of Firefox 3.0

          MacOS

          I strongly advise against continuing to use Firefox in any capacity. It isn't secure and will not keep your online account passwords secure.

          Very old builds of Firefox still have some utility on older operating systems. Very old versions of Firefox classic are solid enough to use as daily drivers in Windows 9x and XP. I will be maintaining a mirror of themes and extensions I use, because there is no longer any central repository online where these ma…
        • Mozilla’s latest debacle – and why it hurts open source projectsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMozilla’s latest debacle – and why it hurts open source projects

          MacOS

          I strongly advise against continuing to use Firefox in any capacity. It isn't secure and will not keep your online account passwords secure.

          Quite a few years ago now, a large open-source project called Pidgin fell prey to one of the bigger pitfalls of OSS – developer-user relations. With commercial software development, a company has resources available to do things like usability testing, analysis of interface design…
      • Tech Commentaryplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigTech Commentary

        I'm an opinionated person, and this section is a collection of my op-eds on the larger subject of technology and the tech industry.
    • Personal Musingsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigPersonal Musings

      I write a lot. Old blog posts that are more commentary than information have been migrated to this section. Logged in users can read additional private content.
  • Utility Pagesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigUtility Pages

    There's nothing interesting here. Just template files and the like.
    • WARNING WARNING WARNING!plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWARNING WARNING WARNING!

      This section just holds some reusable messages for site content.
      • androidplugin-autotooltip__defaultTucker Carlson Tonighton YouTube
      • firefoxplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMacOS

        I strongly advise against continuing to use Firefox in any capacity. It isn't secure and will not keep your online account passwords secure.
      • googleplugin-autotooltip__defaultnot“”
      • WARNING WARNING WARNING!plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWARNING WARNING WARNING!

        This section just holds some reusable messages for site content.
    • oldblogplugin-autotooltip__default
    • Utility Pagesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigUtility Pages

      There's nothing interesting here. Just template files and the like.
  • wiki:
    • Hardwareplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHardware

      My husband and I are both massive hardware nerds. We have tons of vintage stuff - video game consoles, Macs, PCs, and other stuff.
      • Appleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigApple

        I have a lot of vintage Apple hardware. My addiction to obsolete Macs started with my Clamshell iBook in 2006, and I dove into vintage hardware in earnest after happening across a Classic II in a dumpster outside an e-recycler in Indiana.

        I've done some cool stuff with my Macs. My clamshell iBook and my 12
        • iPhonesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigiPhones

          I vividly remember when the first iPhone was announced. It required a dongle to use third-party headphones, had no app store, and no 3G in an era when expensive cell phones were equipped with 3G. I just laughed at it, because it was so restricted and restrictive.
      • Craftingplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCrafting

        I'm a huge crafter. I discovered the Cricut Explore Air in 2015, and have been doing crazy fun stuff with crafting gadgets ever since.

        I currently have several Cricut machines. While I am very disappointed with the company's more recent business practices, they still make a superior product, so they've still got my business. For now.crafting index
      • Google Devicesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGoogle Devices

        not“”

        Being gadget geeks, we both have some Google stuff. It remains part of the collection for historical and preservation purposes.

        Articles in this section google index
      • Input Devicesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigInput Devices

        If it sends input to your computer, it's an input device. This doesn't include , however.

        This includes (but is not limited to): MiceTrackballsRemote Controls
        • Miceplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMice

          It's impossible to not give a nod to Apple on this particular subject. They most certainly created the first mainstream, consumer-oriented graphical operating system, something that took Microsoft much longer to accomplish.

          I've always been a fan of Logitech mice. They used to have great domestic tech support and long warranties on all their products. Now that everything is made in China for the lowest cost possible, their products aren't what they used to be, but they're still better tha…
        • Remote Controlsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigRemote Controls

          Apple didn't invent the computer remote - long before the launch of the Apple remote were various PC-driven remotes.

          I have an old ATI TV Wonder Radeon 9400, which was a video card with a built-in analog TV tuner and analog (composite) video input. It came with an RF-driven remote for its built-in DVR software. It was a pretty sweet setup for its time.remotes index
      • PCsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigPCs

        What's a PC? Well, it's just about anything that isn't a Mac. Isn't it funny how Apple managed to embed that little semantic trick in our now-common vernacular?

        Generally speaking, this section covers hardware that's capable of running Windows and/or MS-DOS.
      • Troubleshootingplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigTroubleshooting

        I've done a lot of tech support in my life. Anything particular useful from my troubleshooting exploits will end up here.
    • Hosted Servicesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHosted Services

      You can find a hosted “cloud” service for pretty much anything these days. When I was still working at Microsoft, I used GitHub regularly, and I've used a number of other Microsoft services. That said, it's possible to host most of your own stuff pretty easily these days.services index
    • Operating Systemsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOperating Systems

      I'm an equal opportunity OS user - I use and am familiar with Windows, OS X (and MacOS), and Linux.

      I haven't really used any version of MacOS since Mojave, because I still use 32-bit Mac applications. I use numerous Windows products, although I haven't yet subjected myself to the abomination that is Windows 11. I run servers on both os index
      • Appleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigApple

        I'm a big fan of vintage Apple hardware. We have a number of really cool machines, including a couple working SE/30s, a very heavily upgraded IIci, and even a Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh.

        I use a lot of different Apple operating systems, but I don't use any version of
        • MacOSplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMacOS

          Release History

          Data retrieved from Apple on Sept 17, 2022. Release Name Version macOS Monterey 12.6 macOS Big Sur 11.7 macOS Catalina 10.15.7 macOS Mojave 10.14.6 macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 macOS Sierra 10.12.6 Notes

          Why I still use
        • OS Xplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOS X

          Until 2016, Apple's flagship operating system was known as OS X, with the “X” representing the Roman numeral for 10. The original OS X, Cheetah, was rough around the edges, and it wasn't really until Panther (10.3) that things took off. Tiger (10.4) introduced many of the features Mac users take for granted today.osx index
      • Googleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGoogle

        not“”

        I have some Google products, but I don't actively use any of them. My inactive prepaid Android handset serves the purpose of giving me access to app-powered stuff I couldn't otherwise access (like smart devices), but I don't use it for anything else.
        • Androidplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAndroid

          Tucker Carlson Tonighton YouTube

          Android is Google's flagship smartphone and tablet OS. It's been around for a long time now, and is no longer the open platform it once was. Android today engages in broad spying and surveilling of you as a user, even if you think you've disabled every privacy-related setting in the OS.android index
      • Microsoftplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMicrosoft

        I use a lot of Microsoft products. I worked there for seven years, and still use Windows-only stuff often. I even still use Windows 10 Mobile as my phone.

        This section is on all of Microsoft's operating systems.
        • Windowsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWindows

          I still primarily use Windows 10. I've used Windows 11 and have been disappointed with it to the degree that I don't run it on any of my own machines.

          I'll keep using Windows 10 as long as I can. I do a lot of hobby work in graphic design and CAD, and the software I use is, unfortunately, unavailable on Linux.
          • General Windows Tipsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGeneral Windows Tips

            Ever since Windows XP, consumer Windows has been built on a foundation that has remained consistent through every subsequent major release of the OS. Windows 11 has changed quite a bit under the hood, and since I don't use Windows 11 myself, I can't assume that anything in this section will work on any version after windows index
          • Windows 10plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWindows 10

            Windows 10 was released as the successor to 8.1. It is currently supported by Microsoft, but it has been superseded by Windows 11, which I don't use.

            Articles in this section 10 index
            • Hacks & Tipsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHacks & Tips

              I like to hack at things and customize my desktop environment. Windows still has a lot of customizability, although some things have been relegated to the registry with no UI access to the settings.

              Use caution with articles in this section.hacks index
        • Windows Serverplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWindows Server

          I still run a Windows server as my home Active Directory environment. This was originally so I could have a single account available on all my computers, which wasn't possible with desktop Windows until 8.0 introduced the ability to sign in with your online Microsoft Account.
          • Windows Server 2008 R2plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWindows Server 2008 R2

            This version of Windows Server shares its codebase with Windows 7.

            Since I've been running my Windows Server for nearly 20 years now, I've relied on 2003, 2008 R2, 2016 R2, and 2019 as different versions have been released.
    • Softwareplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSoftware

      I both write and use a lot of desktop applications. I have several ongoing Windows projects that will probably never be fully completed. I might release the source of what I've done so far. We'll see.

      You can always find my public projects at software index
      • Codeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCode

        I'm a hobbyist developer. I was a web application developer professionally a long, long time ago, and I've continued to work on various scripting and programming projects for funsies.

        You can find my most complete projects at code.abettergeek.com. Some projects include a detailed breakdown on the project's wiki page.code index
        • Adobe ColdFusionplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAdobe ColdFusion

          Once upon a time, I was a ColdFusion web developer. It's pretty easy to learn, as languages go. I don't do any CF development anymore, mostly because it's expensive to run for hobbyist purposes.

          Articles in this section cfm index
        • JavaScriptplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigJavaScript

          Ah, the bane of actual software engineers worldwide. JavaScript has, unfortunately, mutated into a quasi-compiled language, bringing with it its myriad flaws and inefficiencies.

          There is utility in JavaScript, but it's become ridiculously overused, all in the name of aesthetics.
        • PHPplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigPHP

          PHP is truly the language that will not die. It's ancient and seen as archaic by a lot of modern so-called “developers,” but it's easy to use, and relatively easy to troubleshoot.

          I taught myself PHP in the summer of 2005, when I interned at Cummins Engine Company for the summer. I was tasked with figuring out how to consolidate a bunch of department-wide information that was still maintained on paper and as local files belonging to various business admins and managers. I ended up designi…
        • Swiftplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSwift

          Swift is Apple's answer to Microsoft's .NET (C# specifically). It's a monstrosity of a programming language that takes its cues from Objective-C, which itself implements standards and paradigms that will seem pretty foreign to anyone who isn't already fluent in developing Mac applications.swift index
        • Windows Scriptingplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWindows Scripting

          Microsoft's operating systems have been scriptable since pretty much the beginning of the PC revolution. MS-DOS and older versions of Windows use a simple batch scripting language, whereas modern Windows (and supported older versions) can make use of winscript index
          • Batch Scriptsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigBatch Scripts

            Scripting in Windows long relied on a very simple batch language. This language can still be used in modern Windows, but its utility has been superseded by PowerShell.

            Batch scripting is most useful when working with legacy Windows and DOS environments.
      • Linuxplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigLinux

        I use arch on my VPS. It's rock-solid, and my husband is a very advanced user of this particular distro, so maintaining it has been relatively effortless.

        In the old days, it was pretty tedious to get everything running properly on a new Linux VPS. These days, things are more streamlined, and it's much easier to make different components work with each other properly.
      • Mac OS Xplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMac OS X

        OS X includes every major release of Apple's desktop operating system from 10.10 (Cheetah) through 10.11 (El Capitan).
      • MacOSplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMacOS

        This section covers software compatible with 10.12 and newer, since that version was the official rebrand from OS X to MacOS.

        Articles in this section macos index
      • Win32 Applicationsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigWin32 Applications

        This section covers “legacy” win32 applications - that is, not UWP apps.

        Articles in this section win32 index
        • Mozilla Firefoxplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMozilla Firefox

          MacOS

          I strongly advise against continuing to use Firefox in any capacity. It isn't secure and will not keep your online account passwords secure.

          Very old builds of Firefox still have some utility on older operating systems. Very old versions of Firefox classic are solid enough to use as daily drivers in Windows 9x and XP. I will be maintaining a mirror of themes and extensions I use, because there is no longer any central repository online where these may be found and d…
  • Contactplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigContact

    I don't have a direct contact point right now, sorry.