For anyone that ever needed to grab a quick screenshot, circle or comment on something on the shot, then dish it off to a website or in an email, Skitch is the answer.  It’s one of those applications that should have been packaged with your computer since 1995.  

I use it for a couple different things.  One is to go back and forth with quick design ideas.  You can load up an image in Skitch, mark it up, and fire it off in an email.  No layers or screwing with Photoshop.  It feels the same as printing out a hard copy, writing stuff on it with a sharpy, then send it off via fax.  Only it’s much better.

Another great use I’ve found is for giving instruction.  For example, if I set someone up with a new WordPress site, I can quickly grab a screenshot, then mark up things like: Step One - click here, Step Two - Fill this out, etc.  Here’s an example of a Skitch I did for a new blogger:

Giving that instruction on the phone or via text would have taken a lot more talent than I possess.  With a quick Skitch - I get the idea across, and the client is blogging away!  To learn more about Skitch, I included a quick 3 minute video from the company.  I find the pop up comments annoying, but at least you’ll see it in action!

What’s my secret?  Did I install super filters?  Am I running some proprietary application?  Unusually high fiber intake?  Well, no, no, and yes… but the fiber has nothing to do with it.  My trick is Gmail.  They have a remarkable filtering ability that I have found to make email useful again.  Here’s how I set it up as an individual…

One: Set up a Gmail Account

Go to http://gmail.com and click the link to Set up a New Account.  You’ll be asked to fill out a little form.  You’re on your way…

Two: Configure your new account

First you’ll want to add the account(s) that you want to be able to “send as”.  So, through Gmail, you’ll be able to send mail as “you@yourdomain.com” if you’d want to.  To do this, click Settings, then the Accounts tab.  Click Add New Account and go through the steps. You can see I have multiple accounts set up.  

Next you’ll want to enable POP and IMAP for your account.  I use IMAP.  The big difference is if you use IMAP, a message will appear in Gmail and it will also appear on all of the devices you have that check this account (cell phone, Outlook, Mail.app, Entourage, Home computer, work computer, whatev’).  Then, when you delete a message on your phone, it gets deleted at all locations.  I like to work that way - saves time.  If there’s an important message I need to file, I just leave it on my phone or remote device, then when I’m back at the office, I file it on that machine.

Three: Get your emails to funnel into that new Gmail account.

You have a number of options here.  The one I like best is to just set up a forwarder on my webhost’s server.  That way, as soon as a message comes in, it’s dished to Gmail, but a copy remains back on the server.  Then I clean that up once a month or whenever I remember.  Check with your host, but with our control panel (DirectAdmin), it’s quite easy:

So, here’s what’s happening.  All of your mail is being collected by that single Gmail account.  Now, you have to tell all of your devices and applications to check that account.  Google has great instructions for both POP and IMAP, and I’d be wasting my fingers re-typing.  Once you set up your clients, you’ll be getting all the advantages of your favorite mail application that you know and love, only with a healthy dose of Google’s filtering power.

This does take a little time to set up, but with the amount of junk mail it protects me from, it was completely worth it.  Hope you find it useful…

Could be the MetRx, but I just had to do the upgrade.  How much memory is overkill?  I think “they say” after 2 GB the law of diminishing returns kicks in.

Finally! A power outlet with USB ports to charge all of those USB devices. This seems like a good thing to have in every kitchen and travel bag.

Until USB ports are built into wall sockets, this is a good alternative.  I wonder why I haven’t seen USB ports in other powerstrips?  It seems like a natural!  Check out the “feature list”:

• 360-degree rotating plug with 4 locking positions
• Provides complete surge protection through all outlets
• Offers compact, lightweight, efficient design
• Features mini-USB cable to charge virtually any USB device—including BlackBerry® and Motorola® RAZR phones
• Comes with Lifetime Product and $75,000 Connected Equipment Warranties

All product details here…

We started with a Sony VAIO desktop (Windows XP) with a 17″ Dell LCD, HP LaserJet 1020 Printer, Panasonic Webcam, Western Digital external hard drive (the small, self-powered model), a bunch of wires, and an alarm clock.

This is how the day ended. A 24″ iMac with 2 gigs of RAM running Mac OS X Leopard and Windows XP Pro via Parallels, and I was able to keep the printer (thanks to the Linux foo2zjs drivers) as well as the alarm clock (phew!). There’s also a new Western Digital My Book 320 GB drive back there to take care of the Time Machine backups.

Next we’ll hit those piles of papers and stacks of “stuff”. But the runway is cleared and it’s an awesome setup.

Mr. Buckley shown here in the office of his Stamford, Connecticut home in 2005. Obituary and slideshow from The New York Times.

In addition to talent, dedication, drive, and that kind of stuff, here’s some of the gear that’s working for one (successful) man!

• ZenDrum
• Palm Treo 700p (but not entirely happy with it)
• Panasonic 50″ HDTV
• Scientific Atlanta 8300 (unhappy with)
• Time Warner Cable/Broadband service (no choice here - trust me)
• 12 inch Apple PowerBook
• Mac Mini (used to record on)
• Pro Tools LE by Digi design
• iPod Classic 80 GB

I’d like to know more about the guitars, amps, studio layout, and “day in the life” kind of stuff but they really didn’t get into that. Productivity-wise, he did mention the practices of:

• Inbox Zero
• Kinkless GTD

Would have been cool to have learned more, but I’ll take it! There is a two-part interview with Coulton that Merlin Mann (from “The Merlin Show“) produced last year. Merlin is a remarkable guy and he put together a fantastic feature here. It’s inspiring stuff:

• Part One: The Merlin Show interview with Jonathan Coulton
• Part Two: The Merlin Show interview with Jonathan Coulton