Spring Cleaning #29: Email

Email Accounts: I currently have 4 personal accounts, but don't use them all.

I have one with my ISP, but don't use that except with the ISP because ISPs can change.

I have an account I actually pay to use. It started out free, but I stuck with it because Yahoo was still new at the time. I use it for personal business dealings.

I have a Yahoo account that I use mainly for personal correspondence. I started it as a "throw away" account in case I had spam problems, but I have been lucky/diligent.

I recently set up a Gmail account in order to IM with my child. I'm currently looking at the Google Calendar as a possible family scheduling tool. I'll need to compare it to the Yahoo calendar, but so far G has better features.


Work email: I have 14 folders that I sort things I want to keep and be able to access via webmail. Some stuff just gets read & deleted, others get replies or some other action. One example: supply requests for my dept. are emailed to me and moved to the "supplies needed" folder. As I read them, I add to the supply order. I keep the requests untill the order comes in then delete them.

I keep my email display at 17 items per page and try to keep no more than 2 pages for Inbox. I like pages I can glance at to find a message for quicker action. I try to review the folders, all of them, each week to keep up on work stuff and clean out anything I missed before. Sometimes it is longer, but that feeling of organized Webmail is nice. My address book is updated regularly, when staff changes. The webmail is good about telling you when a message did not go through.

I occasionally get an email that is more to the personal side. It gets forwarded to my personal account, then deleted from inbox and sent mail immediately. I'm trying to keep the personal side organized too, but Yahoo touts that "umlimited storage". I wonder how far people have gone....?

Spring Cleaning #28: Don’t Clutter Up Expensive Cyberspace

Getting Things Done. I've actually read the book. I understand how things can be easier following the process: Collect, Process, Organize, Review and Do. I'm working on the first four, but sometimes it can be difficult due to number 5: Do. There are times it seem all I am is Doing and the the other 4 fall the wayside. You now the saying "a messy desk is the sign of a busy mind(person)"? Some times I feel that is the case, but I keep trying and even succeeding in getting it done and organized.

Mostly I try to prioritize what is needed most or soonest, then act on it. If an item is not an immediate concern, I make sure to still keep it available for review or action if time becomes available. In this job, I have learned to be flexible, because you never know when the next "crisis" may pop up. It may look like I carry the same pile of papers around, but what is in the pile always changes. (my do this next stuff)

I've looked at the Google Calendar and like the feature of multiple calendars and allowing others to modify only certain calendars but not others. It could be handy at home if I could get others to post their appointments also.

That's one "fun" thing about organizing - you are not alone at home or work and it helps if everyone tries to consistent in some manner.

Sound: #27: Creating Your Own Podcast

This was not required, but I took up the challenge. I wonder how many others did the same. Gabcast makes it real easy. You don't need to have a recording device for he PC, just phone it in!

Take a listen to mine here

Gabcast! Sound: #27: Creating Your Own Podcast #1

Sound: #26: Making (or listening to) Music Together

Sharing Musical Tastes

I'm not really interested in joining any music networking sites, so it is hard to really look at the sites to see what they offer. Part of it could be that music is not a BIG part of my life. My tastes are rather eclectic, also, so it could be hard to really nail my tastes down.

Project Playlist - social music experiment (from site)
This site lets you search for music without joining. It looks like you can create lists for various social sites too, probably with free membership.

Imeem
This not only has music, but video and photo, too. It gives you categories for the music and video right on the front page. It deems itself as a Community.

MOG - because the web mostly sucks (from the site)
This one does require a download if you want to use the Mogomatic to match you with others. This one does require a download if you want to use the Mogomatic to match you with others.

Phling! is a service that allows you to access audio from your PC on your mobile phone and share it with friends. I don't have a cell phone.

Qloud allows you to add a "my music" component to your existing social network account in Facebook or Friendster and I don't have accounts with these.


Creating Music Together

I tried the site JamStudio . It is fun, but a little limiting right now. I'm still trying it out. You can listen to what I've done by joining and opening the Public file and going to jl1.

I may try Splice or ccMixter next.

Sound #25: Am I a Music Pirate? It's Hard to Know...

CD Burning:

I find that burning a CD is easy. It helps to have good software. I don't have an MP3 player of my own yet, so I borrow the branch player. Maybe one of these days. I still use CDs. I like to have portable storage without having to worry about a PC crash and losing any tunes.

Sharing Music

One on the advantages of having legal music CD is the ability to loan the CD to a friend to listen. You can't use it while they have it and vice versa. It takes the legal question out.

Musicians can benefit by sharing, but I think it should be limited. They sould be able to make the decision on how their work is used. After all, musicians need to eat too.

Radiohead took a big step in releasing their new album online before coming out with a hard copy. They still had good sales when the CD came out. It was their decision.

Creative Commons License is a nice step in the middle. It allows some uses of of works, but askes for credit/recognition.

Sound #24: The Sound of Music

This blog will be about online music. Whether it be downloads (paid or free), podscasts or streaming radio, there is a lot of music out on the Web. Here are my thoughts on some of these:


Pay to Play sites:

Napster advertises "Unlimited Music On Demand". It has available software, which may or may not be required. You do need to have an active membership to play tracks downloaded from Napster. This keeps you reeled in to play the music. I guess if you don't mind that commitment...

iTunes is restricted to one computer,or one ipod, one library or computer. I think this format is too limiting. I'm not an Ipod person and this is one of the reasons. The other being no access to the battery(s).

Yahoo! Here again, you need to be subscribed to access played songs. Cost seems lower than Napster and no propietary software. You can use Media Player.

Rhapsody is like Napster with its own software, but nothing immediately about needing to stay current to play the music (Icould be wrong). Rhapsody also offers a limited free account that doesn't appear to be a limited time or trial offer. It also has an editors's choice rating from CNET.

Amazon sells MP3 files by song and album. Supposed to be compaticble with both iTunes andMedia Player. If you aren't interested in unlimited play or tunes and don't want to worry about maintaining a membership to play your downloads, this could be for you.


Free and Legal:

HCPL Digital Media is one source for free downloads. It does have a time limit for the "checkout". This is a good way to sample music to see what you like before buying it or to have a "library" available without useing a lot of your own storage.


Downloading:

Ease will depend on the site you use. I have found it to be easy myself. In some cases, it is simply click and drag to your PC, then click and drag to your MP3. A number of MP3s are treated as data devices by the PC, making it real simple.


Online Radio:

One of my favorite stations, KACC, has streaming radion online. They also offer occasional live band webcasts from the studio. Most cool. KUHF also offers online steaming. They both may be operated by colleges, but I get classical, news and rock covered. Take a look at your favorite station. It may be available online

iHCPL:the Next Generation

Here we go again! Time to learn more new or not so new things. The link is http://www.ihcplnextgen.blogspot.com/ . Watch for my posts!