One task is ‘renesting’ the new computer.  You know what I mean: reinstalling software, recustomizing desktop, replacing bookmarks and all that stuff.

I made the move from Windoze OS to Ubuntu, and mostly have no complaints.  I discovered yesterday, though, that there are certain programs I just can’t manage the same without.  So I took a step back toward madness and installed MS Office to run through WINE.  Now I have my productivity suite back again and have so far lucked out – no crashes, no corrupted files.

It’s good to be back in the saddle. :)

[Fascinating post, I know ... but a good lead-in for some posts to come regarding open-source and free software that everyone should know about and maybe even use.]

Tampering, of course, leads to breaking.  There is nothing like putting a few hours into the code and then – ta-daa! – a blank page from a broken script, open tag or bad reference.

But if you persevere, you will end up with a blog that suits your idea of perfection when you look at it.  (Filling it with posts worthy of being read is another matter entirely!)

To tamper your template successfully, no matter what platform you are using, start with a template most like what you want your end result to be.  Seems obvious to me, but I suppose it’s worth mentioning.

Then, don’t be afraid to break it.  Keep a backup copy to replace the mess if you screw things up too badly.  Be bold with some changes so you can determine what affects which.

As you get comfortable with tampering, feel free to change colors, add elements from other templates, and generally have fun making your blog totally your own.

More to come on Template Tampering. :)