Like the Good Ol' Days

[furtech]

Here I am-- at Kinkos at nearly two in the morning. Back in the day I'd spend many a night at the 24/7 kinkos: doing layouts, typesetting and other things related to getting a comic or 'zine out. I got to the point where the graveyard shift and I knew each other well enough for them (usually only one, actually) to step out for coffee leaving me alone to watch the place (or at least look like they were just in the back, instead of at 7/11).

I'm doing a project for the L.A. Worldcon (a massive crossword puzzle) and it takes about ten minutes to re-try the puzzle (there's a lot of processing). I'm trying to get a decent grid (one that has a lot of crossings) and it's SLoooooOOOoooow work. Mostly sitting and trying to find ways to kill time while it grinds away. I forgot how much I hate this sort of thing.

Unfortunately, this is a Windows-only program, so no finishing at my comfy computer hole. Good program, though! Highly recommended-- and it's *free*! Must find way to throw money at them (it's a really good program).

If you're interested in creating crosswords, check 'em out:

http://www.eclipsecrossword.com

Back to lollygagging through LJ...thank goodness for the internet connection!

Comments

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I agree: Kinkos (for all their faults and changes) always tended to do things right. The employees seem far more clueful than at other printing places and their prices aren't that out of line. I think the workers at the 24/7 Kinkos are more on the ball than at other locations (probably because they do big jobs at night for corporate customers). I was so glad FedEx bought them instead of UPS.

I agree with the handwritten stuff, but there have been changes: now you can send a printable file to a Kinkos and have them print it there without you having to go in. I could have emailed the puzzle to a Kinkos near the Anaheim Convention center and have them drop it off. Pretty neat.

[fishbliss.livejournal.com]

True, but you can't email multiple-hundreds of megabyte files. :-(