For you Firefox users out there who have been spelunking in caves for the past few days, Google has released its toolbar for Firefox. One of the things that held me off from switching to Firefox last year (was it really that long ago?) was the lack of a Google toolbar. Then I found out that it had a built-in search field for various services, including Google. I made the switch and I have only used IE *shudder* for Windows Update or at work (where Firefox is not an approved installation for images yet).
Now that the Google toolbar is available for Firefox, I feel like I’m one step closer to my ultimate internet experience. I really don’t know what my ultimate internet experience would be, or that I’ll ever achieve it, but the Google toolbar is a nice addition to Firefox and Greasemonkey. One of the things I played around with briefly last night was the AutoLink feature, which searches the currently open web page for addresses and links them to Google Maps. I never really understood the coolness of Google Maps until I started checking out AutoLink on different pages. With its ability to quickly switch between map view and satellite view, or quickly browse around an area, I wonder if MapQuest has any use. I mean, I never use the advertising on MapQuest, because I usually just use it to get driving directions, not to plan road trips. And Google Maps appears to have far less obnoxious advertising.
So yeah, Google is great! Firefox is great!
Update: I just found out that the AutoLink feature of the Google toolbar not only links addresses to Google Maps (or MapQuest or Yahoo! Maps), but it will also search a page for ISBNs and VINs, linking them to Amazon.com and CarFax, respectively. Again, Google is great 
And this is what’s wrong with some of the youth these days. I’m sure this article’s purpose was to jokingly inform readers about OS X’s native fax capability, but I know of kids who have no idea what a fax or a modem is. They don’t know the sound of the "bleeep bleeeep bleeeep brrrrrrrr bleeep kshkshkshkshkshk" that I heard so many times in my youth.
That’s not to say I really know how it was back in the day with punch cards or time-shared computers or reel-to-reel data tapes, but I ahttp://www.ejacqui.com/archives/2005/07/with_all_the_hu.htmlt least know about them and have somewhat of a clue of how far computers have come. Seriously, fifteen years ago I was connecting to Prodigy (now part of SBC) over a 2400 baud (does anyone even say "baud" anymore?) modem connection.
There was a time Prodigy and AOL did not connect to an internet like we have now. They only had networks of affiliates that you could access, like checking United Airlines for flight times or playing a simple game on an 8-bit color screen. When the internet started growing, it became pointless to subscribe to these services instead of a cheaper ISP that offered the entire internet without the fluff. Why run the AOL client when you could just use Windows DUN and Netscape?
Anyways, I just had to rant about kids these days. They only know the glory of broadband, accelerated 3D graphics, and networked gaming. I don’t wish to return to the days of modems or 8-bit graphics, or isolated gaming, but I would appreciate some respect from the young kids of the troubles my friends and I had to go through to have our fun.
Update: I saw Fox Trot this morning, and this is exactly what I mean:
With the recent release of iTunes 4.9 and its support for podcasting, I really want to know: what’s up with podcasting? Is it just me, or is podcasting just the same as posting an mp3 on your website? I know, by wrapping your mp3 in an RSS feed, you can syndicate your podcast just like you would your blog. Seriously, though, what’s the big deal?
I know, I jumped on the blogging bandwagon fairly early, and I’ve been making regular posts ever since. And I know that blogging isn’t really a big deal, either. Maybe I just don’t feel like literally voicing my opinion through podcasts, but I just don’t see why it’s so big. It’s not like it’s streaming audio, it’s just a recording that can be played back by any compatible audio player, whether it’s iTunes, MusicMatch or Windows Media Player.
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