Thursday, June 21, 2007

www.25YEARPLAN.com

There are times when I feel I am regressing in my knowledge of certain things. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that due to my own inability or unwillingness to keep up, some technologies have passed me by. This is not a new revelation, nor is it particularly distressing - I am quite content with my newfound ignorance. However, when I decided to take off my “network administrator’s” hat, it was short order before I was choking on the dust of the younger, faster and tech-savvy whiz kids of the World Wide Web.

About four or five years ago and after about ten or more years removed from actively working in the world of computer networking, I finally accepted my role as an end-user. No longer building the fastest machines around, not able to afford the never-ending cost of keeping up with the cutting edge, I threw in the towel. In 2004 I committed the final act of heresy - I became the owner of Mac. I didn’t intend to jump ship, but since my penchant for running my machines with their cases constantly opened had waned, one by one my PCs fell into disrepair - and like the proverbial Timex watch, the Mac kept ticking.

Although my end-user status does allow me to keep up to date on the new and ever improving gizmos, gadgets and now widgets that keep coming onto the scene, I have been slow to take advantage of them. I have been “online” in one form or another since the early 80s. From telephone coupler modems connecting to the Stanford University VAX mainframe in high school all the way to the broadband access I enjoy today, I have been connected. But of late, I have only availed myself of the pre-packaged, mostly free interfaces from which others can access my work. For the past 18 months, that interface has been Blogger from Google.

I like Blogger. I like how easy it is to set up and maintain and I like that it is one of only a few “mainstream” weblog packages. It has served its purpose and for the immediate future it will continue to. The biggest drawback has been that the URL is entirely too long. Although I am happy to have the first part - 25yearplan - the second part - .blogspot.com - gets a little difficult to explain and even more so for others to remember. It’s all just a bit too cumbersome. That’s why I registered 25yearplan.com as my domain. I now own it - it’s mine. The old .blogspot URL and links to it still work and until I take the next step of having my blog (and future web site) hosted elsewhere, it will, but today typing “25yearplan.com” into the URL field on any browser will take you there (here) as well.

I feel as though I have taken a small, but important step to establish my unique identity on the web. As the weeks and months come and go, there will be more to announce and exciting new directions to take as my world literally expands. I am leaving the roadside rest-stop and merging back into the ever-increasing traffic of the information super-highway. I’m well rested and ready to go. I wonder what the speed limit is these days?

17 comments:

carmilevy said...

Whatever the speed limit is, you've just cranked it that much more. I'm impressed and excited!

I registered www.czl.ca about a month ago. No real imagination there: just my initials. But I haven't taken the time to redirect my blogspot address to my own domain. Maybe this weekend. But wait...there's an air show in a nearby town. So...

awareness said...

well!! i'm so impressed....i want my own domain too, but i still don't know how to add links to my blog i'm such a neanderthal chicken.

speed limit? warp speed my friend.

good on ya, Mike.

cheers.

Bar L. said...

Groovy, Honey, I dig it.

Annie said...

I had free website space included with my ISP package so I've been doing the website thing for a while now.

A recent server crash though has prompted thoughts of my own domain.

Congrats on an exciting and brave step.

Here via Michele today.

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I wouldn't even have a clue how to do what you did! But I HAVE recently changed my entire blog -- the address, the program, the title, the EVERYTHING. It's been remarkably liberating to begin anew.

Kinda like what you're doing. As for the speed limit? Don't mind it. Slow down and enjoy the ride. You've earned it!

Here from Michele's -- this time, anyway!

Thumper said...

OK...how do you get the blog to work on both your domain AND blogger? I can do either, but have never figured out how to get it to do both...

Michele said...

I am going to pretend, just for a moment, that you made this change to save me valuable typing time. What? You didn't do it for me? You did it for yourself? Well, fine. Be that way.

Oh, speaking of ways.....

Do you have a personal speed limit Mr. Althouse?

p.s. Congratulations on getting your own domain name.

Zephra said...

it is a good idea and I have been thinking about doing it too but I just found out today what a widget is so I think I am even farther behind the times then you are.

Here via Michele's.

Belizegial said...

I like idea Mike. Congrats on settling in on the info highway at a limit suitable to your lifestyle.

Enid

Pat said...

Hi Mike! re your first paragraph - welcome to my world. You obviously know what you are about and I admire and envy you for that. It must be that time of year; a couple of posts back I was agonising about upgrading anti- virus stuff and got loads of people saying 'get a Mac.' Next time maybe:)
I just wish I understood what exactly you have done.

Anonymous said...

Just make sure you link this page to it when you make the move. I'll update my link to your page when you're ready to move.

And Macs aren't heresy. ;)
They work. That's why I own 2 Macs, one Unix box, and several Linux boxes. They work. Unlike the other.

Anonymous said...

Hope you do what you wish to soon !

I am here from Michele's blog!

kenju said...

Mike, I doubt that there are speed limits on the info. highway, and I am sure you can go at top speed whenever you want!

Bobkat said...

One small step huh? :) This is something I have been toying with but am not sure about. Friends of mine are encouraging me to set up my own web page but I'm not yet sure.

Congratulations on your new domain ownership!

utenzi said...

Michele sent me over, Mike.

We have a very similar technical background and current attitude, Mike. I learned programming and received a minor in ComSci while getting my bio degree back in the early 80s. I used to use FORTRAN and assembly to code up apps, and later on Pearl, but now I'm content to just use commercial packages. It's been over a decade since I last made my own computer. And I've owned 3 domain names for something like 8 years now.

Have a great time working with your 25yearplan domain, Mike!

Catherine said...

I first learnt programming in my university days around 1970, when we didn't even get to see the computer - just filled out code sheets that went off to be punched onto cards. Things have certainly changed since then. The one thing about blogger that annoys me most is that it doesn't work properly with Safari on Macs (but that has forced me to learn to do some of my own html, so maybe that's a good thing). Michele sent me

Unknown said...

blogger allows you to use your own domain name while still using their software. They didn't a couple of years ago, but they definately do not, so why not change over.

I blog in a lot of places and use just about every platform there is. Movable Type, Wordpress, TypePad...and fwiw, Blogger is the easiest to use and maintain, by far. HATE wordpress. HATE IT. Moveable Type is powerful but very annoying and you have to place your photos using html, which is a big drag.

My advise as a very long time internet user just like you...stick with blogger and just can the blogger domain name.