Jeff Jarvis riffs on the internet as a Society 2.1 enabler in what should be a must-read post for anyone hoping to understand the impact, influence and importance of the internet.

So, what are you waiting for? Click the link already….

MarsEdit, that is. I’ve been spending some quality time customizing the new MacBook Pro (or MBP, as it will be abbreviated from this point forward) and I finally got around to installing NetNewsWire for my feeds and MarsEdit for writing posts on the fly. I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot more of that in the not-too-distant future….

More specifically, Apple™-flavored Koolaid. That’s right - I broke down and bought a MacBook Pro. The vital statistics for those of you who may be interested: 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 120GB harddrive, and a 15.4″ widescreen display.

I’ve spent the last few days moving files, configuring programs and generally getting to know my new toy.  It’s actually going to be a tool, not a toy, but we’ll talk more about that at a later date.  For now I think I’ll just accept the fact that I’ve finally been assimilated.

Oh, and my initial impression? Daddy like.

In 2003 I was one of a select group who were named Time Magazine’s Persons of the Year with the selection of The American Soldier. In a rare repeat, this year I join pretty much everyone who owns or uses a computer as Time Magazine chooses You for the honor.

This whole Person of the Year thing is getting to be old hat….

UPDATE:  Jeff Jarvis effectively bursts my self-congratulatory bubble.  As always, of course, he’s pretty much nailed it.

Let’s face it; there’s a virtually limitless selection of news and information sites on the internet. It’s gotten to the point that even casual web users can refer to 10s or 100s of websites in order to stay current on the topics that interest them. Doing so on a daily basis can take quite a bit of time unless the process is streamlined.
It was probably 2 or 3 years ago that I realized that surfing from site to site to site took too much productive time out of my day and often resulted in my missing information I could have put to use. The answer? Real Simple Syndication, or RSS, coupled with a good feed reader. After experimenting with a variety of readers and feed sources I was able to put together a collection of news and information feeds that keep me up to date on the topics that are important to me.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? You should, and David will help you out with a simple tutorial on the subject. You’ll see that he uses Bloglines, one of a growing number of feed reader options that includes my personal favorite - NewsGator - and relative newcomer Google Reader.
Once you get a handle on the basics (and have added my feed to your reader) you might want to explore the possiblities of using RSS to share everything from your pictures to your favorite websites. And after you’re really comfortable with RSS on your computer you might want to check out some of these possibilities.

It’s not a new problem, but the tendency for some Apple™ MacBooks to shut down for no apparent reason - and what Apple™ is or isn’t doing about it - is slowly chipping away at Apple™’s reputation as the much more stable and reliable alternative to a Windows™-based computer.

So how far do you trust Dave Winer?  That’s assuming that you know who he is, of course…

Since most of what I read about Dell has been negative (at least it has been since Jeff Jarvis began sharing his Dell Hell saga) I thought it only fair to share a positive Dell story.

I first heard about Dell’s massive battery recall on the evening of Tuesday, August 15. I immediately checked the website, determined that my laptop battery was among those affected, and followed the extremely simple process to order a replacement. I received an email confirming my order on the morning of the 16th and advising me that it would take up to 20 business days for me to receive the new battery. Imagine my surprise, then, when a DHL driver stopped by my office (more on that in the next post) this afternoon and handed me my new battery.

Three days from order to receipt in the midst of the largest computer-related recall in U.S. history - I’d say that’s a feat worthy of some praise.