Tag: tech

Blogging, Twitter and Focus

Carl Setzer
red blue and yellow textile

If you’re engaged with me on Twitter, you might have noticed I have two Twitter profiles: CarlSetzer and SetzerDigitial. This is for focus. I read years ago that you should keep a blog focused as narrowly as possible. 

@CarlSetzer is my oldest Twitter profile, which I started in 2007. I rambled over different topics over time, but for the past several years @CarlSetzer has been focused on my poetry, and mainly my daily+ haiku and regular contribution to the @Baffled Haiku Challenge, and tied to my poetry blog. It is growing solidly and has a fair amount of engagement. When I experiment with posting non-poetry, the engagement is dramatically less, and I slowly start to lose followers. 

@SetzerDigital has been around since 2017, started as a part of my brief foray into geek blogging (you can see the remnants on my Tumblr page and this Facebook page), but I’m not engaged with that project at this point. (quick aside: I thought I LOVED geek things and was an expert. As I launched into this space, though, I discovered I wasn’t as deep into things as I thought.) I opted a few weeks ago to repurpose this for something tied with my new career focus. I felt that a new account made more sense than trying to shift gears with my main account. A big thing: I still love writing poetry and engaging with that community. Since I have at least another year of study before I’m trying to look for work, I have plenty of time to build out that community. And that work seems to be solidly underway. In the past 30 days, I’ve gone from 51 to 73 followers, which may not seem huge, but it is a >40% increase. I’m happy enough with that. I do, of course, reserve the right to nuke this whole thing and integrate my two accounts. 

Twitter is part of my growing marketing/branding plan. I know that my network will be key to landing my next role. I don’t think that dropping resumes on websites will be terribly effective, for me, at least. Twitter’s developer community is pretty awesome. Thus my community will be crucial in my work search. Having a group of people who know me, know my work, and understand this part of my passion. 

What do you think? Oh, if you’re on Twitter, I’d love it if you’d pop on over, say “hi” and give me a follow.

Glaciers, Coding and My Social Media Feeds

Carl Setzer2 Comments

So, earlier today this video appeared in my YouTube feed:

Then this popped up in my LinkedIn Feed:

Tracking the effects of glacial melting at the top of the world

I’m sure Jung would label this synchronicity, but I don’t know what the universe is trying to tell me with this. Anyway, I found the coincidence fascinating.

Monday Morning, December 28, 2020

Carl Setzer

Ah! Windows update!

Monday morning with crisp air

Crows laughing outside

A Bit Of Internet History: Microsoft FrontPage

Carl Setzer1 Comment
silver imac displaying collage photos

Microsoft FrontPage: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

FrontPage was one of my early forays into web design. I started with cobbling together basic HTML, but my skills in the late 90s/early 2000s were pretty weak. I then discovered Netscape Navigator’s editor. I can’t remember if they stopped supporting the WYSIWYG tool, or if I outgrew it, but the next tool I used was FrontPage.

When I created the website for Christ Episcopal Church (in Seattle’s University District), this was the tool I used.  One of our members was on staff at Microsoft, so was able to donate a copy to us. And so I was able to bring the church into the 21st century.

I knew enough HTML to edit the code that FrontPage crafted, and I remember tweaking things from time-to-time. But I don’t really remember much in the way of detail. Reading this article taught me several FrontPage features that I was oblivious to, key amongst them: tasks. It’s pretty cool how the tool was built with a project management focus.

The article goes into the acquisition of Vermeer (the creators of FrontPage), and ensuing issues with hyper-proprietary technology. (Side note: I had no idea that FrontPage was created outside of Microsoft and then brought in by acquisition). And also looks at the other WYSIWG competing editors, and what all of them lack.

It was fun looking back at this clunky tool. It was almost great. That, and a Starbucks gift card, will get you a cup of coffee.

Windows Programmer Calculator

Carl Setzer
Windows Programmer Calculator

It may be because I’m still pretty new at this whole programming/coding thing, but I was pretty stoked to discover this feature within the built-in calculator that comes with Windows 10 (it might be part of older versions of Windows. I just don’t know). I’ve built Excel sheets for these conversions to check my work. This is actually easier and less clunky. Sure, I can do these manually, and I’m getting better at doing so in my head, but it’s good to have the ability to check my work easily.

Along with this, a friend of mine let me know about HiPer Calculator for Android phones.  I look forward to trying it out. I downloaded the free version, but there is a “Pro” version for $3.49. I’ll see how the free one works. Trying to be frugal and all that.

Do you have any tools that you love and recommend to an up-and-coming developer? I’d really love to hear about them. Leave a comment!

 

Some Thoughts On Being A 21st Century Student

Carl Setzer
person writing on notebook

I have a few favorite tools that really make school more effective. One: I get my textbooks on Kindle. I have the Kindle app on my computer, plus I have it on my phone and iPad. Having my books wherever I find myself is great. Plus, I can hit ctrl+F and search the whole book quickly. This has been really helpful when I’m struggling to remember “that one command”.

Also, I have Grammarly’s app installed. Being able to spell and grammar check in the browser is a great time saver.

Lastly, I love using Evernote to take notes. I often use paper, and also the note feature within the Kindle apps. But I can scan the papers, and import the Kindle notes, so all of them are in Evernote. Again, being able to search is powerful, and being able to review whenever I have a few minutes of downtime is great.

The Distraction of Electrons

Carl Setzer
Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas on Pexels.com

with sunlight falling
I’m abuzz with distraction
called by electrons

Life Change Update: July 17, 2020

Carl Setzer

I’m well into the second quarter of my education to become a web application developer. Last quarter I took the first of two graphic design classes, along with a Management class (introduction to Human Resources) and the 100 level Computer Information Systems class. The HR and CIS classes were fine. I learned a lot, and they helped bring me back to speed (it’s been decades since I’ve been a full-time student). However, it was the design class that pushed me hardest. It’s been ages since I studied design. And I value it, so I really want to do good work.

I’ve posted many things I did on my portfolio page. Below are a few I feel the most proud of.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.

YouTube Video Unboxing of an iBook G3

Carl Setzer

I just stumbled upon this video with iJustine and Marques with MKBHD from 2018. I don’t know where they found an unopened iBook G3 in 2018, but that’s particularly cool to me.

Anyway, what’s particularly fun for me: I had one of these! I loved this! And I enjoyed the odd stares from my techy friends. That was especially true when I used the handle. Though that was convenient, especially when I was moving a short distance (didn’t need/want to load it into my backpack), in hindsight, it was rather weird.

Kinda weird that I’ve lived so many of these historic tech moments. I’m not old!

 

 

Social Media, Platforms and Control

Carl Setzer
Social Media

I’ve been kept in the loop about the different groups encompassing the #StopeHateForProfit initiative and their meeting with Facebook a few days ago (here’s a recap of the situation if you need it). Other folks have written about Facebook’s strategy and risks, so I really have nothing to add there. However, one element has given me pause. What happens if the site collapses?

No, I don’t think that Facebook is going to fail simply due to this issue. However, there are a huge number of challenges that Facebook faces, from privacy to a lack of public accountability.  All of that makes me wonder what the breaking point will be? Ultimately, I believe Facebook’s Waterloo will be a combination of all the issues facing it, along with the natural conservatism that comes with huge success and an IPO, and the creation of a challenger. And I have something of a fatalistic view: that the end will come for it. Not that it will suddenly vanish. It’s a well-run business. However, I expect it will simply fade from relevancy once the new thing appears (i.e.: MySpace).

For me, this speaks to the importance of having my own website, my own place on the interwebs. One where I control everything. My own personal brand, I guess. Mainly, though, where my presence is independent of decisions made by some random group of individuals.

I realize that, in many ways, this is a fantasy. This site is hosted by a company, built on WordPress…external factors that I don’t have much control over. However, I can move my site to another host. I can port my blog from WordPress to some other platform if need be. Everything on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc, will simply vanish if those sites end.

Now, maybe this makes sense as I’m currently studying web development and design. As I was told many years ago, “having your own domain is the height of being a nerd” (I own that with delight). So, I guess this might be my inner geek. But I see deep value in having my own site, using it as a hub to the rest of my internet presence. And I see the value for you, too.