Tonya Engst's Blog

Unless something major changes, this is my last blog post here. I am now blogging directly on the TidBITS Web site, at http://db.tidbits.com/blog/tonya. See you there!

I'll be participating in a panel about how to get your future-great-American-novel (or any topic or genre) published, sponsored by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, on July 17 in the evening, so if you live in Ithaca and want to learn more about the getting-published process, come on down and ask your questions! Other folks on the panel will represent more traditional approaches, and although I can certainly talk about what it's like to write a traditional, printed book about a tech-related topic, I'm particularly on the panel to talk about non-traditional options such as blogging, online publications, and electronic books. I'll post more specific logistical information here in a few weeks, and I gather that you'll be able to register through the Chamber of Commerce Web site, once they post the information. There will be a $10 charge for Chamber members; $15 to non-members.

The world of the Macintosh may look like it's inhabited by way-cool teens and iPod-wearing dancers, but, in fact, there's much more depth than you might think if you pay attention only to the ads. That depth comes from an informal social and professional network of developers, writers, teachers, fans, user group leaders, PR people, and more - people who don't necessarily work for Apple (though they may have at one time) and people who keep popping up as time goes along, doing interesting - and sometimes groundbreaking - projects. I recently had the pleasure of being included, once again, in a list that brings to light some of the interesting people and projects happening in the Macintosh community - the MacTech 25 list for 2007, which notes "influential" people in the Macintosh world.

I was also pleased find several other TidBITS and Take Control people on the list - I shared my slot with Adam (co-founder, co-publisher, etc.), and Joe Kissell, Glenn Fleishman, and Matt Neuburg were also included.

Publishing is all-a-jumble these days, and as much as readers may be having trouble sorting through an unprecedented amount of written material, both online and offline, publishers are trying to make sense of it all, offer great products, and make a profit. To talk about using technology in publishing, the folks at O'Reilly are holding their first Tools of Change Conference next week in San Jose. The speaker list looks exciting, and - since I'll be there - I'm looking forward to conversing with many of the folks on the list, as well as with the attendees. I'll be on a panel, too, to discuss beta books, something I had the pleasure of doing with our iWeb title shortly after Apple released iWeb.

I worked at Microsoft back in the early 1990s. It was my second "real job" after college, handling technical support phone calls and emails about Macintosh Word. (This was a *long* time ago, so please don't send me questions about Word now...) A few years after I left, Microsoft started MacBU (the Macintosh Business Unit), and that unit has just turned 10 years old. To celebrate, they decorated with over 1,000 PostIt notes and the help of Excel. You can see it at http://blogs.msdn.com/macmojo/archive/2007/02/07/birthday-gift-for-macbu.aspx.

A lot of people have been asking about the iPhone lately. Here are links to a few articles (written by friends of mine) that I think give the best overview of what it was like to actually touch one and that sum up the main points of interest and concern:

• Andy Inatko's write-up in the Chicago Sun-Times: "I have used the Apple iPhone. I had a private briefing the day after Steve Jobs' keynote and spent about 45 minutes noodling around with the device. You may touch the hem of my robe if you wish." more...
  
  
• Glenn Fleishman's article in TidBITS: "Come, feel the hem of my garment, ye lowly. Or at least that's what it felt like at Macworld Expo when I would mention, offhandedly, that I had iFondled an iPhone. As a bona fide member of the print press - representing The Seattle Times at the show - I received an executive briefing, and spent 10 minutes with the iPhone." more...
  
  
• And, if you want the full analysis of the features and what it was like to be at the keynote where Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, check out this TidBITS article, written by myself, Jeff Carlson, and Adam Engst during and right after the keynote was over.

Here is Tristan's article about Google Earth... We plan to run it in TidBITS next week, but we wanted to get it published right away on the Internet because Tristan is so excited about writing his first TidBITS article ever.

How to Google Earth by Tristan Engst (age 8)

In Google Earth, you can fly from San Diego (in the United States) to Portsmouth (in the United Kingdom) in two seconds! In fact, you can fly to anywhere on the globe that Google Earth knows about. If you want to see the Great Wall of China you can! Google Earth works on newer Macintoshes and Windows computers, and the Google Earth Downloads page gives the details for what you need.

Once you download, install, and run Google Earth, type a place where you want to go in the Search box. Spell it correctly and hit Return. Once you're at your destination, to navigate, notice the controls at the upper right. The verticle bar with the plus and the minus is where you click to zoom in and out. The circle with the N on it is a compass: click one of its four arrows to move in a direction. I suppose you know your directions, but if not, the arrow pointing towards the N is north. The one pointing at the plus and minus is east. The one pointing away from the N is south. And the fourth arrow is west. I like Google Earth for looking at special landmarks like the USS Constitution in Boston, but I don't think it is reliable, because it often doesn't understand my spelling and I had trouble finding the HMS Victory because Google Earth doesn't have a way for me to say that I am looking for a ship.

You can hear what I (and Adam) thought about the first day or so of Macworld Expo in this MacNotables podcast:

http://www.macnotables.com/wordpress/macnotables-702-macnotables-on-stage-at-expo-1/

This show was recorded while Adam, Chuck, and I were perched up on a stage on the Macworld Expo show floor to an audience of 50 or so listeners.

Chris Hughes posted this video showing and explaining how he uses a Wii as a remote control for his Roomba. If you're enough of a Unix/coding sort ot make it work, you need never buy your child a remote controlled vehicle, since it'd be far more useful to let them vacuum instead!

If you're looking for some inspiration making holiday cards and gifts, even if you are running a little late, this podcast is for you!

http://www.macnotables.com/wordpress/macnotables-692-tonya-engst-professionally-home-made-gift-ideas-holiday-efficiency/

But, if you're related to me, don't listen to it until you open presents.