| Back to Home |
|
|
|
|
|
In the works
* Waiting to die * Zion National Park * Ham radio accessories *
Velocity and Barrel Length * High tech, then and now * 45 carbines * Psychology * Race * Democracy * Alaska * Night
Photography * Stereo Photography * Panoramas
Frankly, it's my playground, my attic, and my scrap
book.
The "personal" section gives
some details about me and my interests, and should
give some idea of why I chose the subjects that I
did for this site. I was initially going to make
this a computer site, but the internet is choked
with computer sites of every description already. Many
(maybe most) of them are written by far more knowledgeable
people then I. I do not pretend to be a computer
expert (except when applying for work), and any attempt
by me to create an informational site about computers
would require a vast amount of effort to produce what would
essentially be a second rate rehash of information better
presented on other sites. The same goes for my other hobbies
(Firearms, Sailing, Photography). Each of these pursuits has produced
an enthusiastic following of very well informed, knowledgeable
and experienced professionals, and hobbyists. Many
of these people have put up web sites. Working within my
limitations, I have decided to make this a truly personal
site, reflecting my own experiences, expressing
my tastes, and showcasing my hobbies. I share what knowledge
I have; I give my opinions, and I try not to make too many mistakes.
Expert opinions may be found on some of the sites in my
links sections.
This site has been
divided into separate sections for each subject.
Each section has its own page of related links,
and each is like a little sub site of it's own. Most
people on the net have, at the very least, a passing
interest in computers, but many people do not care
for firearms. There are actually some people who are
bored by sailing (hard to believe, but true). I have kept
the sections separate in order to appeal to people of
all tastes who may share some, but not all, of my interests.
I like to think of myself as an explorer. Exploration
requires an active mind and a good set of tools. These pages
describe some of the tools and techniques used to explore
and interact with the world.
I have also put
this site together using very basic techniques.
There are no bells and whistles, as I prefer
substance to style. I also have an abiding dislike
for two of the most abused bits of trickery on the
net --- Java, and frames. Actually a properly done web site
using frames is not too bad, but most of them are so poorly
done they are almost impossible to navigate. Java, though
hailed as this great cross platform language, is slow, cumbersome,
and has a tendency to make a computer unresponsive while
the applet loads and runs. I hate it! I actually do have Front
Page, but I do not yet see any reason to learn how to use
it. The program saves pages in a style that I do not care for,
making manual updates difficult. There are also many servers that
still do not support Front Page extensions. This site was initially
laid out using Corel WordPerfect 8, as this program is more than
able to work within the rather spartan format I have decided upon
for this site, and has been updated using the Page Composer component
of Netscape Communicator. The result --- a site which is (I hope)
informative, interesting, quick to load, and not too demanding
of computer, browser, or bandwidth. Every web master should show
so much consideration for his "users".
The final point
about this page is that it is real. It reflects
only what I have actually done, and only the tools
and toys that I have actually bought and used. The Firearms
photographs were taken of my own collection, using my
HP C20, and latter Canon D30 digital cameras, and
using the gray carpeting of my living room floor as
a back drop. The computers were photographed using the
same camera. All of the pictures were then cropped and
converted to jpeg images using Photoshop (love that program).
This is in contrast to many hobbyist sites which can become
trips into a sort of fantasy land. I have seen gun sites
with richly illustrated and detailed descriptions of an assortment
of machine guns and assault rifles, exotic pistols, and
other paraphernalia, obviously put together from other sources
by a person who owns none of these guns, and knows only what
has been written by others. There are similar pages devoted
to boats, and to computers. These pages seem to deal only with
large yachts, or with the latest generation of top of the line
computer equipment.
Properly written
and researched these can be informative,
even invaluable as sources of information, but often
they are just one person's fantasy, and may be factually
inaccurate. Everything on this site comes from
firsthand experience. If I lack knowledge or experience
on a certain subject, I refer the reader to my links section,
where first hand information can be found. The reason I
am so obsessed with this is that in my own wanderings around
the web, I have found a bounty of misinformation, rumor presented
as fact, poor research, and repetition of incorrect facts.
I can't tell you how many times I have seen sites telling
me that Glock pistols can pass undetected through airport screening,
Please enjoy the
site, if you spot any errors please let me
know so that I can set them right. I have tried to
make everything as factual as possible, and, with
the exception of the bullet lethality section, have written
from personal experience. Unless otherwise stated,
all pictures were taken and/or modified by me (including
my Einstein in ed links). I would
be flattered if anyone else cared to use them, but
please let people know where they came from.
