Update: The monitor works when connected via VGA. I also swapped the monitor power cable. Next step: try the HDMI/DVI cable again.

LJ is back for me.

Me too.

Tech hivemind question for the Mac laptop users: Have any of y'all ever received a failure message while trying to burn CDs that's something along the lines of "failure to calibrate the laser level for this media?"

I've had it happen with both Word docs and trying to burn music, so it seems as if it's the drive itself rather than what I'm trying to burn.

This is a problem I've had off and on ever since I bought this laptop a year ago and when I've taken it in to the Genius Bar, it of course behaves perfectly. Bastard. This is literally the first Mac in more than a half dozen, that I've ever had an ongoing problem with.

Anyone? Thoughts?

I have been going back and forth with AT&T on this, and I was wondering whether y'all had any theories.

I have two telephone lines. I got the second line in my office back in the bad old days of dialup, and that's the line to my modem and wireless router. The original line has been there for decades, although Bell South had to completely rewire the house about 15 years ago.

I've been trying to pare unnecessarily expenses and, with DSL, I don't really need the extra line. I don't want to disconnect it until I'm sure it won't interrupt my internet service. When I try using the original line, I can't connect with DSL. I've tried every form of resetting and making new connections at least 10 times, with the router, without the router, standing on one foot. Earthlink has no theories, but claims a change in phone lines doesn't matter. I have spent hours on the phone with AT&T, which has no theories, but obviously believes that all my troubles would be solved if I switch to their DSL service or, alternately, keep paying $18 a month for the other line.

Barb,

I don't think that has happened to me. Are you sure you aren't using a bad batch of media?

I've had the laptop over a year-- and I'm constantly burning to back up documents, so I've probably gone through three or four different packages of CD-Rs. The biggest problem is that it's not a consistent issue. It'll spark up, then quit for a long time, then spark up again. No rhyme or reason to it. I bought a Time Capsule so I could start using Time Machine, but syncing it to the house network has been a pain and Lewis just hasn't had time to mess with it while he was working so much over the holidays.

The DVI/HDMI connection works when I attach the monitor to another computer. And I just noticed that the rear panel of the computer that it's not working with has a separate HDMI input connection. Perhaps the mobo of this machine requires HDMI/HDMI? Not sure why HDMI/DVI wouldn't work. Off to search around for a HDMI/HDMI cable...

There used to be a Firefox extension called TabBrowser Preferences, which hasn't been updated for Firefox 3. Most of the features have been integrated into the default tab options *except* the option to have URLs typed into the address bar automatically open in a new tab.

Is there another (current) extension that will do this? Remembering to Ctl-T every time I want a new tab is a PITA.

I found Tab Mix Plus, but I kind of hate its execution. Oh well.

wow, that's a handy option. I have never heard of that, Jessica.

and guess what? one of my favorite extensions does this if you enable the option ----> tabkit