As a writer, the person or thing that I spend the most time with in my life is my computer. Sad, isn't it? That I spend more time with this inanimate object than anything else in my life? Man, that's a really heavy realization.
Anyhoo, my entire existence is basically on this thing, which is why (and no, this isn't a paid endorsement or anything) I plunked down $15 a month or so for Connected.com, which backs-up my system every night. Because if my computer decides to break up with me, at least it can't wipe me out when it leaves me.
Which gets me to thinking. I'm so reliant on technology these days, and I'd love to hear what programs you guys can't live without, both as writers and outside the writing world. Professionally, as I said, Connected is critical for me, and personally, I'm addicted to Napster. I was never a big iTunes fan because you can't transfer songs to non-iPod players, so I was a Napster fan from the start - I pay $15 a month for unlimited song access and downloading, and man, I make the most of it. I guess I could also call this a professional tool because whenever I have a block, I usually fire up some music to help me over the hump.
So tell me, what are the programs and computer tools that you can't live without? (Microsoft Word goes without saying!). :)
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9 comments:
Thanks for the info on Connected.com--I'd never heard of it. I make my living on the computer too, and I've crashed and burned a few times over the years. This sounds like a life saver!
www.KristiHoll.com
www.Writers-First-Aid.blogspot.com
I love the new Apple time machine. If later I decide I want an old version of something I wrote- I can go back in time and get it. This fills me with great glee. I switched from PC to Apple about a year ago and I've become one of those annoying born again people about the whole thing.
Music also helps shake things up for me, but being an Apple person, I love iTunes. :-) And I backup my stuff with iDisk, but I think I need to check into the Time Machine that Eileen mentioned.
I also love the Dashboard dictionary and thesaurus.
http://del.icio.us for me. It has made keeping track of my Favorite links SO much easier. Not only that, I also have access to links saved by other people.
I am no longer bound by my own computer to access my favorites. They're available through any PC that has an internet connection. Highly recommend it.
Here's my link: http://del.icio.us/mumbaiwallah
Feel free to copy/share links :)
Well, I just ordered a new Dell Inspiron 530 that's coming next week and I'm very excited to be getting a new desktop but also very scared because it has Windows Vista on it and everybody says Vista sucks. DO you use it? I have heard that Vista will replace Windows XP by June so I am thinking I'll just get the aggravation out of the way and be done with it by the time the rest of the world is aggravated.
I hate technology, but I need it.
I'll have to check them out. I have an external backup drive thingy but I don't remember how to use it:(
iPhoto is marvelous and MacMovie makes my lousy parental video technique look like Spielberg did the editing.
I could live without those tools, but not my Mac.
MM- I just got a new laptop this week with Vista, and you know, it's really not so different - at least if it is, I haven't figured out how - and it's just as easy to use. So don't sweat it!
Oh good! That is a relief because I am freaking out over it! Thanks for the heads up!
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