My Review of Building the Perfect PC

Originally submitted at O'Reilly

Even if you’re not a total geek, you can build your own PC -- and it’s worth it. You'll discover that the quality is better and the cost is much lower than any comparable off-the-shelf PC you can buy. Written by hardware experts, this book delivers complete instructions for build...

Building the Perfect PC

Building a PC yourself has many benefits

By Frank M from Akron, OH on 12/12/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Easy to understand, Accurate, Helpful examples, Thorough, Well-written, Up to date

Cons: Software little coverage

Best Uses: Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Student

Describe Yourself: Developer, Maker, Designer

Authors Robert & Barbara Thompson have again written an amazing guide for anyone with intentions of building their own PC. I am again happy to be a dedicated PC user. Apple users are not able to build their own Mac computers as far as I know.

This book is a great supplement for the usual motherboard User Guide but should not be considered a substitute. There is now a lot new to learn about parts because everything has changed from my previous build in 2005. As the writers say you can't even get any of those parts any more. Now we must learn about Intel Quad core i3, i5 or i7 processors, SATA hard drives, LCD monitors, USB devices, SATA 3.0 ports, and new kinds of memory. Other possible processors and other components also are new.

The most valuable part of the book is help in choosing and buying components, and how to design a perfect PC. There is also a general section re troubleshooting after assembly. Most helpful to me is a final checklist before "the Smoke Test" for each design. Each PC described has such a final check list.

Many color photos and detailed building descriptions for all of the models are very thorough. There is a model for almost everyone. This edition has 6 different PC's for your choice. Included are a Budget PC, Mainstream System, Extreme System, Media Center System, Appliance/Nettop System, and a Home Server

Using the book I am in the process of selecting components for my new Extreme Mainstream System, a combination of two models in the book. I am not into Gaming, Video production or other high end use. So far I have purchased a full tower case, an Asus P7P55D- E Pro motherboard, and an Intel Quad core i7 processor. Next is likely a 2 TB SATA 3.0 Gb/s hard drive. The final acquisition of all components will soon be completed. Then comes the final fun of building the system, guided by the motherboard user guide and this amazing resource book. Slogan on the book cover: "The perfect PC is the one you build yourself."

(legalese)

Saturday Soup Day

Saturday Menu : Leek and Potato Soup

We have made this Leek and Potato soup since 1997, with
various variations.  Today we added some celery and carrots,
plus milk and flour to make it a bit creamy.

Basic recipe contains:
-  4 tablespoons butter or margarine
-  4 sliced leeks (4 cups)
-  1.5 pounds sliced russet potatoes
-  6 cups unsalted chicken stock
-  1 tablespoon salt
Serves 6

This family favorite soup is usually made with our own
home grown leeks.  This year's crop was good and now
mulched with leaves for winter protection. These usually
survive until next March or April.

Recipe from:
A Passion for Potatoes by Lydie Marshall
200 recipes for appetizers, entrees, side dishes and desserts. 


 

Ebay Fun

                          Ebay Fun
Selling items on Ebay is always a lot of fun for me.
Composing the description comes first as well as making
good photos. After posting some fun is in checking frequently
to see how many have viewed the item.  Some folks with
interest set watch to be advised of any bids.  My past
experience has been that most bidding takes place in
the last hour of a 7 day auction.

Here is my latest 7 day auction item posted last night. Sixteen hours
later Ebay shows 15 people have viewed the item and 3 have set
a watch to see the progress.

Skutt Ceramic Kiln: Model 818+WR - 240 volts: 40 Amps (with 3 rings) Temperature Cone 10, 2350 degrees, with 3 wired rings.
Chamber 17.5 " opening, 27" deep, 3.94 cu. ft.
Third ring can be removed for small loads.
Manual firing with Dawson Model K Kiln Sitter - operating manual included.
Listed as used but used very little.  Never fired over cone 6, 2250 degrees.
Very clean inside and out - see photos.
All heating elements are intact, in place, and in excellent condition.
Only small appearance defect is one small chip off of internal edge of one ring, easily repaired.  Otherwise in as new conditon.
A wide assortment of accessories is included, see photos:
1. Shelves, 3 full and 3 half size.
2. Triangular shelf spacer posts, 3 each of 11 lengths.
3. Peep Hole plugs - 5.
4. Various ceramic ware supports.
5, One Kemper Klay Gun for extruding 19 different small shapes.
6. Boxes of controller firing cones: cone 07 and 6. (50 each, almost full boxes)
7. Large witness cones: Cone 06, 07, 08 and 5, 6 and 7. (50 each, almost full boxes)
8. Outlet box for 3 pin, 240 volts, with 8 foot length of wiring.9. Dawson Kiln Sitter firing instructions, Skutt catalog, Skutt current price list.

For local pickup only.  Location is near Akron, Ohio.
If going to Summit County location I could help to deliver.

Cyber Monday

                          Cyber Monday

Monday after Thanksgiving now has the name of Cyber Monday. 
Good for computer nerdy folks looking for computer and book
bargains.  Other delighted shoppers had their day in the sun on
Black Friday.

My Cyber Monday this year was enhanced by the O'Reilly book
company with 60 percent discounts on all ebooks.  I shopped
their website and found 4 computer books I really wanted.
One on Building the Perfect PC, 3rd edition, I have been waiting
for. It was released in late November this year.

These were my four ebook bargains from O'Reilly:
1.  Building the Perfect PC, 3rd edition
2.  Microsoft Expression Web 2 Step by Step, 1st edition
3.  Microsoft Office 2010 Inside Out, 1st edition
4.  Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out, 1st edition

Imediately after completing the purchase online, the message
said these ebooks could be downloaded now.  The mobi version
of each was very quickly into a file on my PC. The Building the
Perfect PC was download in the pdf version also for comparison.
The pdf file is much smaller than the mobi version. Kindle on the
PC was used to start reading these ebooks.  On the PC all of
them show photos and graphics in color if printed that way.
Later when I get my Kindle reader all will be in black and white.
That is a good reason to have the Kindle on the PC softerware
on my computer in case some ebooks have a lot of color.


 

My Day to Cook

              My Day to Cook - November 20, 2010
On this Saturday the soup is our family's favorite chili.  The recipe name is
"Chili H. Allen Smith."  He is the author of an article with the title: "Nobody
Knows More About Chili Than I Do."  It was published on this International
Chili Society website where you can read the entire story and see the recipe.
Check here for it: http://www.chilicookoff.com/history/history_started.asp

Allen Smith grew up in  Decatur, IL and argues that Chili was not invented
in Mexico, Texas or otherwise in America. He claims it was invented by
Canary Islanders in the 1720's. Smith says that the secret of making
superior chili lies first in the ingredients and second in the genius of the
cook. Nothing should ever be measured.  Experimentation is the thing. 
But in his recipe he does indicate some amounts to be used.

Here is a list of  the ingredients scattered through a long paragraph in his
article:
-  3 pounds of coarse ground chuck
-  3 medium-sized onions - chopped
-  1 or 2 cloves of garlic
-  1 bell pepper - chopped
-  1/2 teaspoon oregano
-  1/4 teaspoon cummin seed
-  2 small cups tomato paste, or canned or fresh tomatoes
-  1 quart water
-  salt to taste
-  black pepper
-  2 or 3 tablespoons chili powder
-  or chili pods in place of chili powder
-  2 cans of pinto or kidney beans
Cooking instructions:
1.  Brown the ground chuck
2.  Add other ingredients except beans in the order listed
3.  Simmer for 1.5 hours
4.  Add beans
5.  Simmer another half hour
6.  Let it set for several hours
7.  Heat and eat later and remainder into refrigerator
8.  Tastes better 2nd day, even better 3rd day, and absolutely superb
on 4th day.
9.  One week later, you can't even emagine the delights in store.

On the Road Again

My new Garman GPS arrived today and already having fun
learning how to use it while still at home.  Tired of traveling
with that old outdated GPS telling me too often that I was
"At the end of road."

This new Garman nuvi 1450T has some interesting features that I
could not enjoy with that old thing. It includes FM transmitted
traffic information.  When traffic is jammed up ahead it is possible 
to request the GPS for an alternate route.  Amazing if it works.
I understand that traffic info is available mostly in or near larger
cities.  

I paid something extra for lifetime map updates 4 times per year.
Sitting here at home I tried out the Points of Interest feature.  Very 
easy to use .  I found  4 nearby restaurants, 3 gas stations, several
hotels, a shopping center, and 2 movie theaters.  It shows the street
addresses and miles to each. If on the road I believe I can click on
my choice and start traveling to it with the GPS showing the way.

A  lot more to learn.  I downloaded a 65 page Owner's Manual to
help with the finer points.  The quick start manual was very brief

I am no big fan of Willie Nelson but that "On the Road Again" movie
and song title came to mind when writing this tonight.

Treasurers of Heaven

  Treasures of Heaven
                                                                       

            

                 TREASURES of HEAVEN
                in MEDIEVAL EUROPE
               Saints, Relics and Devotion      
 
   We spent most of the afternoon at this very
   large and very interesting current exhibition
   at the Cleveland Museum of Art.  We
   appreciated joining a tour guide providing
   excellent descriptions of the many reliquary
   pieces for containing religious relics.





   Many of these reliquaries are now in current large art museums.
   Others are from churches.  They are on loan for this exhibition
   organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Walters Art
   Museum, and the British Museum.  Great craftsmanship created
   these in Medieval Europe to show the relics for religious purposes.
   Many of them are artistic as well as craft objects.  Some are quite
   large pieces and others tiny jewelry.

  Some continue to contain the original relics, often body parts
  from Saints, martyrs and other religious persons from early times.
  Other related objects are also considered to be relics.
  Some very notable examples in the show are these:

  -  A large and beautiful reliquary contains a tooth from
     Mary Magdalene.

  -  Another large reliquary contains a tooth from
     Saint John the Baptist.
  -  A rather small stone coffin shaped reliquary with a cover
     is said to contain relics, likely body parts. There are small
     holes in the top and one end.  Water or oils were poured
     in though the holes, and after passing over the relics 

     came out of a small outlet hole in the front.  The water or
     oil was collected in small stone flasks, several of these
     flasks are in the show.  These very given to visitors to a
     church or location and transported to their homes for use
     in religious ceremonies.

   Our guide explained that such reliquaries might be taken to
   a location and shown there. Perhaps at a cemetery containing
   a Saint or other person. A larger shrine structure might be
   built later. Eventually a very large church or cathedral might

   be on top of it all.  Such is the case with Saint Peters basilica
   in Rome.
    

Towpath Trek Completed

2010 TowpathTrek Completed

Final northern destination today on the Ohio & Erie Canal towpath hike was
the Boston store (in the picture.)  This small village today was a major town on the canal in the mid 1800's.  Canal boat building was a major industry.  The Boston store came later and sold supplies as well as flour and feed.  Feed for the horses on the canal I assume.

This final 4th hike in the Towpath Trek was a round trip of 5 miles, starting at Peninsula, OH, hiking to the Boston store and returning to the starting place.
We encountered several forms of current day transportion on this hike. Walking and biking on the towpath, a railroad running passenger trains for recreation, and cars and trucks in I-271 and the Ohio turnpike.  Very large bridges across the valley carry cars and trucks.  In canal days of course there were canal boats for major transportation between Cleveland and the Ohio River.

The 4 hikes in this annual series were well chosen for a wide variety and experiences.

-   The Zoar hike was very rural with no homes in view, mostly just the Tuscarawas river, the towpath, and remnants and locks of the canal.
-   The Massillon section is now well populated with homes very near to the towpath.
-   The Akron section was in the heart of downtown, but most of the canal and locks are still there.
-   The Peninsula to Boston store contains a lot of history as well as current forms of transport.

                                                                                                                        

2010 Towpath Trek

                              2010 Towpath Trek

Today we completed 2 of the 4 hikes needed for the 2010 Towpath Trek
sponsored by the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and Goodyear.
The old towpath has been restored for hiking and bikes, extending from Cleveland south to Zoar. Almost all of the length has been restored with a few sections yet to finish.

Total restored Canalway towpath length not at my fingertips tonight, but likely near to 100  miles.  We walked the section going north of Zoar (historic village south of Canton.)  Mileage today on that was 6 miles roundtrip.
Finished the day doing the 3 mile hike north of Massillon.
Last Sunday hiked the 2 mile Akron section, from the historic Richard Howe House to the Mustil Store.
Final section for the Trek will be the 4.6 mile hike from Lock 29 in Peninsula village north to Boston Store and return to Peninsula.

Flatlanders would enjoy these easy hikes very much.  Very scenic but very flat.  No surprise there, where else would you expect to find a canal.  On second thought the Akron section is not so flat, signs for the bikers indicate some 5 percent grades.  Quite a few locks were needed to get the canal boats over this high point of the canal.  The local county name is Summit.

 

Humility Lessons

                      Rencounter = To Meet Casually
                     Theme today is "Humility Lessons"

Humility lessons are not always desired by some folks  and often come in uncomfortable ways. I found a very satisfying source for such lessons in 1992 and have since received such lessons several times each month as a volunteer for Mobile Meals delivery. 

Humility comes to me each time I deliver hot meals to about 8 shut in older folks who appreciate them very much.  Mobile Meals is the name of the local service here in Ohio, known as Meals on Wheels in some locations. More important than the hot meal is the casual meeting and conversation with the recipients. I may be the only contact with that shut in person that day.  There may be other small needed services, especially in cases of physical handicaps. 

Other than some travel expense reinbursement we delivery volunteers receive no monetary reward. But each time is another lesson in humility for me.  How well off I am physically and otherwise is again obvious.  And I feel good about meeting each time with these folks who have become friends.  Some folks discontinue the service from time to time but signing on by a new recipient means it is time to have a new friend.

47 Years of Hiking Sprees

                         47 Years of Hiking Sprees

Today we completed our 8 hikes needed for this year's fall hiking spree in the Summit County Metro Parks.  My better half and I have competed the hikes every one of the last 47 years.  That means the first one was in 1964.

These were our hikes this year:
-  Cascade Valley - Oxbow trail:                 1.2 miles
-  Deep Lock Quarry - Quarry trail             1.2 miles
-  Furnace Run - Rock Creek:                    1.2 miles
-  Gorge - Gorge trail:                                1.8 miles
-  Goodyear Heights - Piney Woods:          2.0 miles
-  Nature Realm - Cherry Lane/Fernwood:  1.0 mile
-  O'Neil Woods - Deer Run:                       1.8 miles
-  Silver Creek - Pheasant Run:                  1.2 miles

Today we also started on the series of 4 hikes needed for the 2010 Towpath Trek Hikes.  These are on the Ohio and Erie towpath in Northeast Ohio from Cleveland south.  The 2 mile hike today was in the city of Akron from the historic Richard Howe House to the Mustill Store.  The other 3 hikes are much longer; 3, 4.6, and 6 miles.  Easy hiking since the towpath is very flat.  Sponsored by Goodyear and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.

Frank M.

My Day To Cook

Saturday is my day to cook.

Double duty today.  Baked bread and made soup.
Lots of fennel still in my vege garden, still surviving after first frost.
Carrot Fennel Soup:
Recipe and description from Epicurious.com:
"What a soup.  Carrots and fennel caramelize when roasted at high heat, then release their sweet essence when blended.  A drizzle of fennel-seed oil echoes and intensifies the fennel flavor."
-  fennel bulbs, carrots, onion, garlic, olive oil.
-  sugar, chicken broth, water, fennel seeds.

Squaw Bread:  recipe from Bread Machine Magic cook book.
This sweet whole wheat and rye bread is becoming a favorite in our family.
-  white bread flour, whole wheat flour, and rye flour.
-  honey, raisins, brown sugar liquefied in blender with water and milk.
-  oil, salt, gluten, active dry yeast.

Jury is out in our family re the fennel carrot soup.  Second helping tomorrow for another vote.

Frank M.

Simplify

                       Simplify is the word for today

First thing this morning had the feeling that the world has become more complicated and confused.  Some of us need to simplify our lives and get away from some complicated activites and commitments.

Remembered one good practice is to do only one thing at a time, do it well, and complete it if possible.  Multi-tasking seems to have become the magic word for some folks.  For us retired folks not a good thing.

A famous quotation came to mind:
"For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong."However, keeping that in mind will prevent solving problems more than once, as they continue to fail.
Google provided this source for that quotation:
Henry Louis Mencken (1880 - 1956).  The sage of Baltimore.
There is a list of 111 Menckenism including the above.

Frank M.
11/05/2010 

Every Day is a New Day

          Rencounter = A casual meeting

Every day is a new day and very best thing to do is go with the flow.
Only two items on my calendar but look what happened already and only early evening. Easy to do when retired

-  Dr. appointment for annual checkup.
-  Delivered some of my home made honey to two friends.
-  Assisted my better half with some investment decisions.
-  Prepared a list of our garden club members who volunteered for the display 
   booth at the two Cleveland home and garden shows last January and February.
-  Sent Garden Show volunteer list to Mary Ann for club 2010 awards decisions.
-  Daily late after noon walk of 1.5 miles.

Frank M.

Definition of Rencounter

Rencounter = A casual meeting

Rencounter or Rencontre:  noun, a casual meeting
                                                    vt, to meet casually

This blog hopefully will be written daily as a personal record or diary.
It may also serve as a casual meeting with friends and others.

Notes about personal activities, reflections, or feelings will be discussed and recorded.

Personal activities will likely involve:

• Personal computers
• Website design and management
• Gardening
• Beekeeping
• Garden Clubs
• Music
• Art
• Book Reviews
• Cooking
• Bread making
• The Gardeners of America
• Central Great Lakes Region garden clubs
• Travel
  
  Today looking into starting a FaceBook business page for The Gardeners of America.  Trying to settle a conflict with a page already there with the TGOA/MGCA name on it.  Contains mostly info from the Wikipedia TGOA page.
  Who started it and why? 

11/03/10