Even though I'm logged in, it's not letting me vote. It says I need to log in, but when I go there, it says I'm already logged in. Can't vote! Waah!

Pixie, try logging out, clearing your cache, and then logging in again. That oftentimes resets it. Hope that works.

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though Michael's Mess does seem to encompass more stuff, the detrius is arranged in a pleasing art directed manner. Whereas Quinton's Quagmire isn't an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of crap. The biggest selling point was the can of Raid sitting next to his iMac. Nice touch.

Thanks Shane, I am actually an art director haha! Great eye. For a better look at the "detrius" check out these larger/closeup pictures of my mess...

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2215553582&size=o
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2215553412&size=o

I can't view the above photos you linked Michael... it says the page is private and I don't have permission..

Ooops, forgot I can't post the larger photo views. Here's the closer shot of just my desk... you can almost make out the polaroid of me eating chocolate cake!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikey_hong/2215553412/

Yeah, it's not letting me take the survey, either.

michael's

1 vote

michael's desk ftw

1 vote

I vote for Michael's Mess

Michael's mess fo sho

I dunno... both Michael and Quinto have made an effort at some point to organize something. They have shelves and places to put stuff... Lorina on the other hand, though with less stuff, has the most crap/garbage that is in a more hopeless disarray with no place to put anything.

This reminds me of a small scale version of my own BF`s office in which there is no place to put anything, so stray cables, connectors, unidentified burned DVD's, shopping bags and packaging from new products just lay on any available or already occupied horizontal space. Desk, chairs floors, other debris... you get the idea.

michael's mess

I vote for Quinton's Quagmire.

oh my. oh my!

Michael's mess...it looks like he's at least tried to organize, so he'd probably be better at keeping it organized after they set him up.

Quinton's Quagmire. Looks like some serious organization is in order. The other two just look like they need to clean and purge!

As significant other of contestant no. 2, I'd like to point out that it's Lorin, not Lorina.... and that is a made from scratch theremin in progress on the left. Lorin's mess is a little different from the other 2 because he builds electronics on that desk, so there are transistors and resistors and capacitors and tubes lurking in every nook, as well as embedded in the carpet. My vote for Lorin.

My Vote -- Lorin's lair...

I wonder where the other sock is?

Damn. Maybe it's behind the oscilloscope...

michael's mess

Looking at these photos is making me queasy. Though the can of Raid is particularly disturbing, I have to reluctantly vote for Lorin (reluctant because they both desperately need help). Lorin obviously has NO organization skills, and I'm feeling so sorry for sinmora13's bare feet.

poor lorin. gets my vote!

Lorin here...

I'm actually feeling embarrassed here. I envy Michael and Quinton for a place to put stuff. Maybe I need some shelves or a drawer more than I need a hard drive... In fact I have a hard drive under that pile of papers on the left. It's not as nice as the seagate, but maybe I could give the seagate to my lovely sinmora13 and get some shelves...

Any suggestions for how to make vertical storage space for resistors and capacitors and inductors and stuff without using crappy tuperware? I found that unit in the dumpster (lower right, someone threw it out because it was missing a wheel - shame).

Seriously, anyone have some suggestions for cheap, but usable vertical storage space solutions? Maybe I could learn something.

Lorin

Lorin, i have a cheap set of drawers from ikea (not on the website, ~$15USD). for our tech stuff a *lot* of boxes, and a *lot* of them behind closed doors really helps. ikea has very cheap ($3 for 2, but that's canadian, so it would be less for you) paper boxes that are very sturdy. (external enclosure in one, misc stuff including cds, compressed air, wires, etc in the other) that work miracles for hiding messes. i stuck stickers on them with a list of whats inside - already helped me find things twice!

i really do think ikea (target?) would help immensely - you just need to throw that stuff into labeled boxes, stack them beside the desk, and you'll never feel like you've lost the stuff.

what i find helps (and i dealt with these messes in our apartment many times, he's a CS masters, i'm a CS undergrad/working/ photography equipment) is turning everything off, disconnecting everytihng, taking it all apart.

then you clean the empty space, and figure out what you need - monitor, keyboard, mouse on the desk. then the computer where they hook up to. then the other things that need to get hooked up (router, speakers, camera). then everything else. then you connect the wires. everything else goes into storage nearby, ideally in drawers and boxes so its easy to pull out.

good luck!!

(and i vote for lorin, but i'm too late.)

and, unfortunately no advice on specifically plastic containers that are cheap. look for the best looking tupperware you can find?

just last note: ikea billy bookcases can have doors, which would help you out.

yes, this is ikea centric, but its cheap, and for a lot of storage you'll need cheap!

okay, and really last note: try using the outbox idea for tech gadgets. we donated a huge box of cellphones and wires after 2 years of me asking "do we need this". after 2 years of not touching it was clear we didn't - its a hard choice, but it is SO worth it!

Quintans Quagmire wins my vote!