Nowadays sported workspace comprises a peek inside a small-scale tech support functioning for a small west seacoast university. They’re got everything you would expect of a hideaway of geekdom letting in piles of gear, movie posters, legal action figures, and testing stations galore.

He shared his workspace, where he domiciles with multiple former techs, with us. It has everything from custom Simpsons artwork to action figures guarding the gear. Check out the gallery below to take a closer look, nearly every photo has notes you can view at right.

Unbeknown to many of us flakes, LED lights accept uses beyond apprisal you when a gadget is on or making your workspace look cool in the dark—they also can provide great mood lighting for your summer deck parties.

Tackling a project this big can be restraining, but the most difficult part of the whole thing is probably solving how much LED light to buy and the most efficient way to lay it out (hence why the first and longest step in the linked instructions is “draw schematics”). After that, all you need are some simple tools like wire cutters and a drill (and, of course, a long rope of cool, color-changing LEDs). Some soldering is required in this set of instructions, but if you’re not experienced with this more advanced DIY skill, there are many types of LED rope lights that have all sorts of different pre-made connectors available (such as those at LEDRopeLightsAndMore.com). Hit the link for the full instructions. If you’ve tried this before (or have any other tips for spicing up deck parties), let us know in the comments!

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Everyone loves Goldfish crackers, it’s just a fact of life—but if you’d like to look like you did more than just go to the grocery store (but actually do little else), try this recipe for light, delicious cheddar crackers. More »

• StreamTransport Grabs Hulu Videos for Offline Viewing (Windows)
  It may not stick around that long once the powers that be find out, so if downloading and watching Hulu videos offline could help you out, grab StreamTransport. The tricky little app provides full-quality captures of streaming shows and movies.
• ExtensionFM Is a Very Cool Browser-Based Music Library, and We’ve Got Invites (Chrome)
  Chrome extension ExtensionFM automatically collects MP3s from sites you visit and adds them to a browser-based library within the extension, allowing you to find all sorts of cool, new music without cluttering up your local library until you buy them.
• NetBalancer Prioritizes Network Traffic by Application (Windows)
  Ever wish you could guarantee your BitTorrent download didn’t choke your streaming YouTube video-or vice versa-but don’t feel like setting up Quality of Service rules on your super-router ? NetBalancer shapes bandwidth allocations for different apps on your PC.
• Gnome Gmail Tightly Integrates Gmail into Linux Desktops (GNOME-based Linux)
  There are work-arounds to set Gmail as a default mail app in Linux, but they don’t cover right-click file sending and complex mail links. Gnome Gmail does a much better job of integrating Gmail.
• Remote Potato Streams Windows 7 Media Center Video to Your Browser, Adds Remote Control (Windows 7)
  Remote Potato is a free application that integrates with Windows 7 Media Center, allowing you to watch and schedule recorded video from the comfort of your browser, no matter where you are.
• MusicBee is a Powerful, Easy-to-Use Music Manager (Windows)
  Despite the many great media players out there, MusicBee earns itself a spot high on the list with super tagging, managing, browsing, ripping, syncing, and converting powers, all on top of an intuitive interface familiar to any iTunes user.
• WeatherBar Integrates Weather Forecasts with the Windows 7 Superbar (Windows 7)
  Like to keep the eye on the weather but never been too keen on sidebar gadgets or system tray apps? WeatherBar is a simple app that puts the weather in your Windows 7 taskbar, offering quick access to the forecast.
• TestDrive Virtualizes Brand-New Ubuntu Builds for Easy Testing (Ubuntu)
  Want to try out the latest build of the next Ubuntu release with almost no hassle at all? TestDrive is a one-shot tool that downloads, virtualizes, and keeps daily Ubuntu builds up to date.
• Etacts Adds Contact Info, Social Networking, and Handy Statistics to Your Gmail Sidebar (Chrome/Firefox)
  If you ever thought previously mentioned Xobni looked cool, but you prefer Gmail to Outlook, free Gmail plug-in Etacts adds many of the same features. You get social information, conversation history, and advanced sending preferences right in your Gmail sidebars.
• LastHistory Graphically Visualizes your Last.fm History Through Time (Mac)
  Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly need more statistics on your music listening habits, free Mac app LastHistory comes along and graphically analyzes your Last.fm logs, over time, while also integrating with other Mac apps like iPhoto and iCal.

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Even if you have steady hands, taking video from very high or low angles can often be a struggle. Luckily, with just about $25 worth of materials, you can make your own camera crane for steady shots at any altitude. More »

Making little notebooks has an endless supply of uses, whether it be for multi-page greeting cards or small scrapbooks. Here’s how to bind the pages together without the need for staples, clips, tape, or glue, courtesy of DIY weblog Instructables. More »