Geekons.com: Christian Technology Podcast

Show Notes

25: On my Launchy Break

2008-09-28

Pop-Up: Launchy

5 Stars

  • Launchy.net is an open source keystroke launcher for Windows.
  • Similar to Quicksilver on the Mac.
  • Can launch applications, bookmarks, shortcuts, open files, do simple math, etc. with a few keystrokes.
  • Definitely worth changing the default hotkey
  • Easily customize locations of files and filetypes to be searched
  • Supports plugins, but there are few you need other than weby and calcy.
  • Weby allows you to launch URLs and search for items (kind of like keyword searches in Firefox), and calcy lets you do simple math.
  • You can pass arguments to a program by pressing the tab key once launchy finds the link.
  • Built in keyword searches:
    • amazon
    • weather
    • youtube
    • yahoo
    • google
    • maps
    • wikipedia
    • thesaurs
    • dictionary
    • netflix
    • Live Search
    • IMDB
    • MSN
  • 100% free with the occasional link to launchy.net requesting a donation.
  • 5 out of 5 stars, open source, free, and dramatically changes the way I use my computer.

Geek-Tweak:

  • I'm going to assume you listened to episode 24, which gave you an intro to Irssi
  • I'm also going to assume that intro made at least a little sense, and you really like Irssi
  • (I realize I'm probably wrong on both of those)
  • First, a brief introduction to two powerful commands: /server and /network
  • /server will show you the server(s) you are connected to, or allow you to add servers to a network
  • /network will display all of your available networks, or allow you to create and customize your own (like bookmarking a connection)
  • Our goal: have Irssi automatically connect to freenode and choose our username when we launch it.
  • open Irssi (in cygterm) tip: do this with launchy!
  • type /network add -nick yournick -autosendcmd "/^msg nickserv identify yourpass" freenode
  • type /server add -auto -network freenode irc.freenode.com
  • type /channel add -auto #channelname freenode
  • That's it! now we will automatically connect to irc.freenode.com with the nickname "yournick" registered with the password "yourpass" and will join "channelname"
  • Obviously you'll want to put your own nickname, password, and channelname in there, and quite possibly your own network and IRC server.
  • quakenet is predefined, along with a few other networks, but feel free to modify those networks by typing /network add -nick yournick QuakeNet (that will set a default nickname for you on QuakeNet, now you just have to type /connect QuakeNet to join)
  • Once you are comfortable with these commands you will find it easier and easier to automate any routine tasks you perform each time you start up Irssi.

View-Source: Testing your beliefs

  • The Bereans were known for testing what teachers (including Paul) said, making sure it was true.
  • If we don't test the scriptures, we risk falling into a "blind leading the blind" syndrome.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to test everything.
  • Sometimes we get scared to test our beliefs, wondering what we would do if it failed the test.
  • We can also sometimes get stuck on certain scripture that we misinterpret, feeling like it proves our belief system wrong.
  • The best thing a Christian can do is research.
  • Nothing will ever disprove the intent of the gospel and the proven words of the Bible.
  • Many things, however, can easily disprove the misconceptions we have about the Bible, which is a good thing!
  • It is much better to disprove our misconceptions and refine our knowledge of what God has said on our own terms, before we cause ourselves to be a stumbling block for someone else's faith.

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