What to do with a new laptop to make it run as well as possible? What unnecessary MS or HP bloatware should I remove? What should I install? (I'm talking utilities or system accessories, not functional programs like Firefox or an office suite, etc.) Or something in the hardware?
posted to Ask Metafilter by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 10:48 AM on September 5, 2008 (10 comments)

I'm looking for a good general information literacy tutorial with a focus on good search strategies, using bibliographic databases, etc. It needs to be suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate literature students.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Webbreader at 5:52 AM on August 25, 2008 (4 comments)

Where should I go for a relaxing, warm, beach vacation in December? I'm in New York City and would like to stay in North/Central America and/or the Caribbean due to flight times.
posted to Ask Metafilter by TravellingCari at 2:17 PM on August 24, 2008 (7 comments)

I'm looking to buy, or at least locate, a women's lightweight black 3/4 length jacket with slim tailoring (outerwear, not a suit jacket) online. I'm really particular, so I haven't found the perfect jacket yet. What online stores have I forgotten?
posted to Ask Metafilter by xo at 12:16 PM on May 1, 2008 (20 comments)

How does a husband and a wife deal with nagging and the resultant arguments? My wife is a self-admitted nag. I am a self-admitted procrastinator. She likes to make decisions and do things now. I would rather sleep on it and let things develop a bit. I don't have a problem with leaving a dish or two in the sink. She needs the place to be near spotless. I am not a slob. She is not anal-retentive. When she wants me to hang curtains, she wants it done now. If I need something done, I will do it myself on a deadline I feel will not impact the situation. I don't think this problem is unique to our relationship. How have you and your wife better dealt with this proverbial problem? A good answer to this question is not 'just pick up your sh*t!'.
posted to Ask Metafilter by kaizen at 4:23 AM on August 20, 2008 (38 comments)

Access 2003: I have this database that is truly awesome along with some equally awesome queries. Co-workers have recognized this awesomeness and want to start running their own queries but know nothing of Access. Is there a user-friendly option?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Smarson at 10:18 AM on July 1, 2008 (4 comments)

Iced tea is my main summertime beverage. I usually drink it completely plain. I am not a fan of "sweet tea," but I'd like to experiment with adding different flavors, the more unusual the better. Any suggestions?
posted to Ask Metafilter by amyms at 1:04 AM on June 25, 2008 (30 comments)

Best ways to visually explore a large survey data set?
posted to Ask Metafilter by proj at 9:45 AM on May 7, 2008 (9 comments)

What are some exercises I can do to build upper body strength and lose some weight/inches off my waistline? Difficulty: small room, next to no fitness equipment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phaded at 9:18 PM on April 16, 2008 (20 comments)

Looking for questions to ask my son 'through the years' (more inside).
posted to Ask Metafilter by Twicketface at 10:46 AM on April 11, 2008 (24 comments)

How do you keep track of multiple projects at the same time, and get good work done on all of them?
posted to Ask Metafilter by markovich at 11:21 PM on February 21, 2008 (9 comments)

Scientists: What's the best and simplest way to organize, annotate, and take notes from scientific journal articles on a PC? I'm starting a new project and ready for a new system that doesn't require four programs or being unable to find something when I can't remember the title or author. How do you organize your references, pdfs, and notes?
posted to Ask Metafilter by JustWandering at 3:21 PM on January 18, 2008 (19 comments)

In the world of conversation killers, talking about Excel to the average person ranks up there with the best. At the same time, there is always a chance that you wish you could have that conversation at work when it gets down to the wire. Even as a pro, you might need that brush up on Array Functions, calculation tricks, VBA examples or some examples from one of the well known authors on Excel. There is also no shortage of people who dedicate their working lives to this arcane program and are more than willing to assist others for free by posting solved issues on their websites. People like David McRitchie, OzGrid, Rob Bovey, Ron de Bruin, John Walkenbach, Dick Kusleika, Joseph Rubin and Chip Pearson.

Or if you just want to be a Debbie Downer at the next party, just take page from any of the following, memorize it. and recite it when faced with that nudge you don't want to talk to: Excel Support, Jon Peltier, Colo's Junk Room, Scriptorium, Andrew's Excel Tips, Andy Pope, Anthony's VBA Page, Rodney Powell, Array Formulas, Erlandsen Data Consulting, Excel-it, ExcelUser, JKP's Excel Page, John Lacher, McGimpsey, Bill Jelen, Stephen Bullen, Tushar Mehta, VBusers.com, The Excel Nexus, The Excel Logic Page, and Anthoney Does Excel. It’s a fast and easy way to ward off lounge lizards.
posted to MetaFilter by lampshade at 2:13 PM on August 18, 2007 (43 comments)

I need recommendations of some books for Excel and Access. I'm looking for something referency, but still readable.
posted to Ask Metafilter by chrispy108 at 11:01 AM on October 8, 2007 (6 comments)

I'm thinking of buying a used saltwater aquarium, with fish included. What am I getting myself into that I should be aware of? What should I read to prepare myself for routine maintenance?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jeffmshaw at 7:51 AM on November 12, 2007 (5 comments)

How can I copy a list of files in a folder on Windows XP, without using the print screen key/command?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Brandon Blatcher at 6:52 AM on November 2, 2007 (14 comments)

I have a list of a few hundred people involved with the school I am at this year, and I need to break the names into First, Middle, and Last Name. Is there a way to make excel go through a list of names and at any point where there is a character break (a space like this---> ) put the rest of the cell one over to the right?
posted to Ask Metafilter by daviss at 11:08 PM on October 22, 2007 (13 comments)

The Learn List is attempting to become a comprehensive online resource for free tutorials in Flash, PhotoShop, Fireworks, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, ActionScript, PHP, CSS & XML.
posted to MetaFilter by jonson at 10:22 AM on July 7, 2007 (22 comments)

Who loves sandwiches? I do! But I'm tired of sandwichs designed in the vacuum of my mind. My question is thus: What are some great sandwichs?
posted to Ask Metafilter by TwelveTwo at 10:28 AM on December 1, 2006 (94 comments)

I cannot relate picture size in pixels to actual dimensions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by JayRwv at 8:44 AM on June 7, 2007 (17 comments)

I am looking for examples of innovative uses of boring old PowerPoint—beyond the normal title and bullets. I want to create a presentation that...doesnt look like PowerPoint. Are there any places to get ideas?
posted to Ask Metafilter by punkfloyd at 6:53 AM on May 31, 2007 (16 comments)

I find myself in possession of four separate pee tests stating that I'm preggers. So now what?
posted to Ask Metafilter by pomegranate at 7:12 AM on June 29, 2006 (27 comments)

Can anyone recommend a good book about Atatürk?
posted to Ask Metafilter by kosem at 8:09 AM on May 16, 2007 (4 comments)

Anybody know any good novels either about or a good chunk of which is set in the Caribbean?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Heminator at 10:22 AM on March 21, 2007 (41 comments)

I'm looking for a really good story--I feel like I'm drowning in books but there's nothing I really want to read. I'm tired of all these 'literary' novels where nothing really happens, or the big best-sellers that are all action and no substance. I don't really care what genre, fiction, nonfiction, anything is fine as long as it really sucks you in.
posted to Ask Metafilter by exceptinsects at 12:16 PM on August 7, 2005 (83 comments)

Magazine subscriptions for cheap/free... what's the catch?
posted to Ask Metafilter by thankyoumuchly at 11:04 PM on January 28, 2007 (18 comments)

Homeowner blogs?
posted to Ask Metafilter by starman at 9:48 AM on January 26, 2007 (8 comments)

Where can I find prints of Edo-period wildlife illustrations like these?
posted to Ask Metafilter by sonofslim at 9:13 AM on January 10, 2007 (6 comments)

What sort of "neat" things and convenience features would you design into your dream home?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bondcliff at 12:17 PM on November 2, 2005 (122 comments)

I'm getting into learning web design -- started with the basics of HTML, XHTML, and CSS, and want to move on to JavaScript and Ajax next. Problem: I have zero, and I mean zero, programming experience.
posted to Ask Metafilter by hazelshade at 5:59 AM on January 4, 2007 (15 comments)

Weird-in-a-good-way-filter: I need suggestions for online stores/catalogs for Christmas Shopping!
posted to Ask Metafilter by deedeep at 1:08 PM on November 14, 2006 (47 comments)

I'd like to use my bike to power simple household items, such as our hand-cranked coffee grinder or the electric chargers for my cell phone and laptop. I'm thinking of this as a home-build project which I could use with my regular road bike. Where would be a good place to find mix & match machine parts, such as gears, chains, or axles? Does such a catalog exist, or would it be necessary to go to a real machine shop and get parts made? As a kid, I was handy with Lego Technic, and I'm looking for something at about that level of difficulty (adjusted +16 years for age, of course). 80-20 and a simple training stand would do part of the job, but I'd still need gears and axles.
posted to Ask Metafilter by migurski at 11:17 PM on October 2, 2006 (7 comments)

I teach several required college courses. My enthusiasm is dwindling, and it is starting to show.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 2:55 PM on September 27, 2006 (27 comments)

You have been together and/or married for a long time. You are still very much in love. How do you do it? What advice can you give someone just starting out?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 3:10 AM on September 6, 2006 (35 comments)

One of my neighbors has been 'pruning' his 30ft-high bamboo forest recently, and being a bit of a scavenger I've been taking the 5ft lengths he's chopped and storing them in my shed. It seems such a waste to have them shredded. Having grabbed all this lovely bamboo, I'm now at a bit of a loss as to what to do with it. I've made a couple of little holders for odds-and-ends (like my toothbrush), but I'm wondering if there's a great resource out there that would give me some more ambitious ideas. What would you do with a shed full of bamboo? (Diameters of the bamboo range from twigs up to 5 inches thick.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by dunstanorchard at 1:56 PM on September 14, 2006 (22 comments)

I was looking at mathowie's weblog: a.wholelottanothing.org, and he talked about the "theme" of the baby shower they just had - "bring your absolute favorite book you owned as a child". What was yours?
posted to Ask Metafilter by slactoid at 12:43 PM on February 28, 2005 (67 comments)

Recommendations for books that aren't overly sad? Yes, I did a search and checked out previous threads.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mumble at 9:09 AM on August 31, 2006 (41 comments)

Help me find the perfect quote to send with flowers to a friend who's down.
posted to Ask Metafilter by orange swan at 7:14 AM on August 30, 2006 (22 comments)

I'm looking for more great non-fiction books. Requirements: writing to make an English major swoon; a thesis or narrative structure that makes for an organized, logical flow; well-reported; interesting; true, with embellishments of known fact made known by the author.
posted to Ask Metafilter by croutonsupafreak at 10:25 PM on August 22, 2006 (46 comments)

What are some good ways to avoid strife and keep things fair in a shared living arrangement? Somewhat exhaustive explanation inside.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Oobidaius at 1:04 PM on August 21, 2006 (16 comments)

I want to stock my 4th/5th grade classroom with materials that students can study, manipulate and experiment with on their own.
posted to Ask Metafilter by argybarg at 1:55 PM on August 11, 2006 (9 comments)

What is the best website to use to get cheap airline tickets to Europe (specifically Amsterdam or Prague)?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fidel Cashflow at 12:49 PM on August 9, 2006 (11 comments)

We just moved to Madison, Wisconsin -- now what?
posted to Ask Metafilter by escabeche at 5:50 PM on August 25, 2005 (25 comments)

I spend most of my work day listening to interview and essay type radio shows on the internet. My favorite, of course, is This American Life. I also love Fresh Air . I've checked out Radio 4 a little, and sometimes I listen to Democracy Now and even more rarely Air America. Keeping in mind what I already like, what else would you recommend I listen to?
posted to Ask Metafilter by serazin at 10:48 AM on July 26, 2006 (41 comments)