Minute Tech 007: What is a personal computer?

Whaddya mean "what is a personal computer"? Doesn't everyone know that? Well, perhaps for the sake of argument, anyone's who's in the audience for this podcast would know the history of the PC...but I feel it's always instructive to know something of where you've been to understand when you are now...and where you're going to be tomorrow.

The topics for today's Minute Tech podcast:

- Leopard with to-do’s & Notes; Buzzword;
- What is a personal Computer? Mainframes to Wii’s;
- Podfade - has it struck a podcast near you?

The time for this podcast is longer than I like, at about 00:08:30, but lets see if it sounds more natural and less scripted.

Go to my iWeb page to subscribe or listen to this podcast: Minute Tech.

..Alex.

Chris asks about podcast workflow

Chris Brogan asked recently if podcasters could point him toward their workflow. Chris, here's mine.

When first working up my podcast, I was thinking that a workflow would be a good thing to have. Being a typical geek (I think!) I usually just dive right in...but knowing myself as well as I do, I though that this time I'd surprise myself with a wee bit o' planning.

Although I don't follow this daily, I have it open as one of two TextEdit windows when prepping and recording the podcast - the other TextEdit window contains the outline or partial script that I'm using.

Workflow

1) get outline from show listing - a file in which I've identified possible future topics - copy show title & 3 subject headings:

- tech item
- tech question & answer
- podcasting news

2) fill out outline with current news and short paragraphs of script: I can write well, but extemporaneous speaking well is another issue;

3) post transcript to http://phyllostachys.blogspot.com; reference on MinuteTech and iWeb pages;

4) record show via iMovie/iSight USB camera, copy to Garageband:

(a) open previous show's GarageBand file;
(b) remove previous audio recording and save as new filename "Minute Tech 00#";
-- this is necessary as later export to iTunes will label the audio file with GarageBand filename.
(c) record show via iMovie and copy to GarageBand;
(d) edit audio, removing or muting ums, ahs, extraneous noises. :-)
(e) make sure associate image(s) files are inserted in picture track
(f) save GarageBand file
(g) export to iTunes - export to iTunes converts to .m4a (AAC) format - will convert to .mp3 from iTunes.
(e) when export complete, go to iTunes and create .mp3 copy

5) While exporting, open iWeb:

(a) create episode page
(b) insert .m4a and .mp3 files to episode page
(c) save iWeb and Publish to .Mac account

6) Post to Minute Tech Blogspot page:

(a) Create new "Minute Tech 00#" post
-- outline of show
-- links to sites if possible/relevant
(b) save post and copy "a href"link to iWeb from previous post
(c) re-open post, paste in html, and publish post

7) update Blogspot sidebar:

(a) get newly generated iWeb page address through RSS feed
(b) edit Blogspot sidebar to include direct link to .mp3 file
(c) work in progress: troubleshoot flash mp3 player.

8) advertise publication, manage analysis:

(a) I haven't planned this yet, though will publish to iTunes when I've done 10-15 episodes, having pushed myself beyond that 1st invisible podcasting "fade" barrier [Note: posted to iTunes after 15th episode as "Minute Tech"]
(b) have applied Google analytics to:
- minutetech.blogspot.com
- phyllostachys.blogspot.com
(c) trying to figure out how to apply Google Analytics to iWeb - learning more about iWeb structure, editing capabilities.

..Alex.

Minute Tech 005: What is a spreadsheet?

tech news - Hitachi announces new GMR hard drive head tech for 1-4 TB hard drives;
tech question - What is a spreadsheet?
podcasting news - Blog Action Day - blog about the environment. We talk about podcasting's reliance upon coal-fired electricity.

Go to my iWeb page to subscribe or listen to this podcast: Minute Tech.

..Alex.

Minute Tech 002: what is a blog?

tech news - RAID - the old acronym for redundant array of inexpensive disks is being redefined, in a sense: Panasas, Inc is releasing an extension to the RAID paradigm that they call Tiered Parity Architecture. go to Panasas for more info.

tech question - what is a blog? a web log, a place to write your daily, weekly or just periodic thoughts, ideas, plans, gripes, etc.

podcasting tidbit: MacCast PME episode, along with various blog snippets from Chris Brogan and Christopher Penn, are the influences for my creating this podcast. If you have something you can say, take the initiative to say, say it well and say it enthusiastically.

Go to my iWeb page to subscribe or listen to this podcast: Minute Tech. I publish in AAC and mp3 formats.

..Alex.

Minute Tech 001: Word Processing

What is a "word processor"? This can define either a person, insofar as his or her role within an organization, or it can define a software program designed to take words or symbols entered into it and format them in some user-desired formatting system. We'll discuss each of these.

Go to my iWeb page to subscribe or listen to this podcast: Minute Tech. I publish in AAC and mp3 formats.