How geeked out is your kitchen?

[kitchenmage]

monavano, do you want some technical help with the printer? If it's Windows, drop me a PM and i'll be happy to give you a hand. I'm not so much with the Macness lately, sorry.

[jsolomon]

Don't forget to geek out your dining room with Fundue!

click. read. scream.

[mikeycook]

The icebox looks very cool, but does it function as a pc?  It didn't specify on the literature I saw.

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Sorry it took me so long to respond.

It is a PC. The monitor and processor are a single unit you can put under a cabinet (i.e. hangs from it). The keyboard and mouse are wireless and can be put most anywhere.

A friend and I have been thinking about putting together a computer that we can actually cook with, i.e. a touchscreen that is easily cleanable to be able to use in the kitchen, so you don't have to worry about shorting our your computer while cooking.

[Chef Shogun]

Yup, laptop on the counter. Panasonic Toughbook. Nigh Invulnerable! Streaming audio. Plus my server rack is temporarily housed there, not that it's DOING anything right now. This one time I was cooking and broke my toe on a disk array I left on the floor.

[mikeycook]

Man, refrigerators that produce water and ice?  I just use that area as a cubby for potholders and the like.  Dang campus area rentals...

Regarding recipe databases, my fantasy is to have publishers create searchable indexes of their cookbooks available on a website or as a CD with each book.  Or hire monkeys to copy all of my cookbook's indexs into a database for me.

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I think this is the biggest hurdle to usage of the computer in the kitchen. There seem to be very few applications to use in the kitchen outside of recipe databases and those usually don't have the recipes you would want (i.e. the ones in your cookbooks).

I think that computers in the kitchen will remain a purely luxury item until software starts emerging that actually helps increase your productivity in the kitchen.

[Mayhaw Man]

If I ever get a kitchen, I will be so happy that I might install an old mainframe IBM to keep it warm.

In the past, when I had, like, well, a kitchen, I usually had a laptop on the kitchen counter connnected by wifi.

[jsolomon]

Yup, laptop on the counter.  Panasonic Toughbook.  Nigh Invulnerable! Streaming audio.  Plus my server rack is temporarily housed there, not that it's DOING anything right now. This one time I was cooking and broke my toe on a disk array I left on the floor.

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The toughbook is a sweet laptop. Typing this response on mine right now.

And, Mayhaw Man, if you really want to keep your kitchen warm, I suggest an Alpha 21264 system... those babies are like pizza ovens.

[McAuliflower]

If I ever get a kitchen, I will be so happy that I might install an old mainframe IBM to keep it warm.

In the past, when I had, like, well, a kitchen, I usually had a laptop on the kitchen counter connnected by wifi.

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Hmmm, I'll have to add this to my collected list of tips on homemade proof boxes for rising dough!

Or copy the cat and sit said dough on top of the monitor.

[Mottmott]

Regarding recipe databases, my fantasy is to have publishers create searchable indexes of their cookbooks available on a website or as a CD with each book.  Or hire monkeys to copy all of my cookbook's indexs into a database for me.

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Consider scanning the indexes into your computer.

I use Word Perfect in lieu of Word. It includes Quickfinder that will list all files containing whatever words I search. I can use this to bring up any recipes I have on my computer.

From what I have read, the new Google search engine that searches your computer, as opposed to the web, might also work for you. Maybe someone more computer savvy could comment on the Google search.

edited to add: Laptop & wifi kept well away from any splashing and dusting.

I find working directly from the computer useful only for simpler recipes of the everyday cooking sort. When doing a complex recipe or working on a dinner party, I do printouts so that I can make modifications and notes to make the recipes clearer or easier to follow. It allows me to schedule the steps within and/or among the recipes into a useful sequence.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Mottmott (log)

[McAuliflower]

Regarding recipe databases, my fantasy is to have publishers create searchable indexes of their cookbooks available on a website or as a CD with each book.  Or hire monkeys to copy all of my cookbook's indexs into a database for me.

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Consider scanning the indexes into your computer.

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Except scans would produce pdf's or images, not word documents. For me the key to the index's is that they be searchable by contained words.

[jsolomon]

Depending on your scanner and software, optical character recognition can be done on the document.

Be forewarned, the last few times I've done it, it's been ugly.

[Mottmott]

Regarding recipe databases, my fantasy is to have publishers create searchable indexes of their cookbooks available on a website or as a CD with each book.  Or hire monkeys to copy all of my cookbook's indexs into a database for me.

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Consider scanning the indexes into your computer.

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Except scans would produce pdf's or images, not word documents. For me the key to the index's is that they be searchable by contained words.

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I have a cheapo HP scanner that will scan either as an image or as a document that I can even make alterations to and file as a WP document. Once it's on my computer that way, I can do a search on any ingredient and find any document that contains it whether I have typed in that document or scanned it. At most it requires some formatting. I've scanned in numerous recipes from books I don't want to ruin in a kitchen accident.

There is a problem if something is printed in multiple columnes on the page, as indexes often are. In that case, simply mask off all but the column you are scanning, then move to the next column and repeat. It's a bit more work to scan the page in 2-3 go's, but not difficult if it's important to have the indexes in your computer. Sometimes if there's something on a page I don't want, I cover it with postits.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Mottmott (log)

[McAuliflower]

thanks for the scanning feedback! That's definitely something I'm interested in spending some time doing.

No bets on when I'll get it done though! Anyone want to beat me to it? (scanning in their cookbook's indexes that is...)

I have an epson scanner (epson perfection 1250), and haven't touched the software that came with it. I prefer to import via photoshop. I'll try to dig around for free word recognition software.