Last week I asked Duncan Riley to Show Me Your Desktop. Duncan started a new urge in me. I want to replace my two 19″ monitor with 22″. If you don’t want to be tempted, then please don’t read last week’s interview with Duncan Riley.

This week it’s Lisa Bettany’s turn to share her desktop with us. If you aren’t familiar with Lisa’s blog “Mostly Lisa”, you are missing something in your feed-reader. She has some hilarious videos, clever blog posts and takes great pictures. The media part is because of her involvement in the multimedia company Redpilot. However Lisa is more than just a blogger, actress, model, nocturnal and geek. She is also in the top 8 in Wired’s Sexiest Geeks 2007. So remember to vote for her.

I also noticed that Lisa has a thing for Mac. Yet again we meet a lovely Canadian with a Mac-fetish and great photography skills. I have to get myself one a Mac. Beautiful people use Macs.

What is your background picture?

OS Leopard theme “Aurora”

Why did you chose that picture?

In the past, I have always used my favourite photographs as my desktop, but being a bit of an Apple fangirl I couldn’t help but get into the OSX Leopard craze. Plus, I personally feel that this is the best desktop image Apple has come out with and who doesn’t like space themes?

If you have a personal and a work computer, which program do you use the most on your personal computer?

I’d have to say Safari, because I am constantly blogging or searching the www. Adobe’s Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, iTunes, iPhoto, iChat, VLC, Transmit, and Entourage are my other top applications.

Which program do you use the most on your work computer?

Work computer = home computer. I run my multimedia company from home, usually in my pajamas.

Internet Explorer or Firefox?

I only use Safari. I use FF as a default when I have browser issues with Safari, but I find Safari to be a cleaner, more aesthetic, better functioning application over-all. Plus, I was getting bogged in FF plug-ins and wasting far too much time searching for new ones. 2008 is all about stream-lining my resources and getting things done!

What is your favourite program?

A toss up between Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. Both are intensely powerful programs that allow me to create beyond my wildest dreams. I haven’t even touched the power of these programs.

Which program is the worst?

Microsoft’s Excel. I’ve done my fair share of data entry and just the sight of it makes me frustrated, bored, and slightly nauseous. I’m currently moving over to Apple’s spreadsheet program “Numbers”.

Do you have any tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your computer or blog?

What you put into your blog and the blogging communities is directly proportional to what you get out of it. I reply to every comment and email I receive about my blog. It means something to me someone has taken the time to write me a thoughtful comment, or just a “hey, I liked that post”. I also visit try and visit their blogs if they have include their URL in their comment. I have met great people and found wonderful blogging communities this way. Also, writing relevant, interesting, and varied posts with cute pictures of yourself also helps ( ;

Mac or Pc and why?

For me and the type of work I do, Mac > PC. It’s just that simple.

It might be a comfort to some, that Lisa is struggeling with some of the same problems as you are – Joining too many social networks. That’s why I’m really glad she found the time to answer my questions. Thank you Lisa and good luck with the audition.

PS: Thank you for cleaning your desktop before taking the screen dump.

Remember the very popular interview with Guy Kawasaki is still available. Read it and find out why I’m changing my view on Mac.

This week I’m asking Sarah Meyers to Show Me Your Desktop. Sarah Meyers is the producer, writer and host of the daily tech show at PopSnap. I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the alpha version of PopSnap and it looks very promising. On PopSnap she has interviewed people like Richard Branson, Jeff Jarvis and Stephen Baldwin.

Sarah isn’t like any other video journalist. In one video you’ll see her ordering at McDonalds in an Optimus Prime mask. For some reason the McDonalds manager calls the police. In another video she is thrown out of the TechCrunch 06 party. I’m still not sure why.

She also runs several other sites. Her own blog on WordPress, another blog on Tumblr and a new site, Pop17.com, that I’m not sure what is yet. Sarah has a really interesting tip on how to get the most out of your blog. I’ve never heard that before.

Here comes the interview with Sarah Meyers.

What is your background picture?

Rocks. It’s very Zen.

Why did you chose that picture?

Because my work can be stressful. I edit video on my computer and when the machine gets too hot the software crashes.

If you have a personal and a work computer, which program do you use the most on your personal computer?

Safari

Which program do you use the most on your work computer?

Final Cut Pro

Internet Explorer or Firefox?

Firefox on the PC. I usually use Safari

What is your favourite program?

Garage Band

Which program is the worst?

The new iMovie

Mac or Pc and why?

Apple because I’m into new media and making movies on the Apple computer is the way to go. I have used a PC for this and the over all quality goes down. When you look at a video as a windows file you will see what I’m talking about. Windows isn’t compatible with the editing software I use.

Do you have any tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your computer or blog?

This may sound odd, but encourage complaining in the comments on your blog. When you get complainers engage in the conversation or argue with them.

Click to see the bigger version

Thank you very much Sarah! It was very entertaining to research you. I’ve never seen anyone order a fajita wearing an Optimus Prime mask, but as someone commented. The manager probably mistook you for a Decepticon.

Photo by Brian Solis

If you missed last week’s interview with the lovely (as David Letterman would say) Rebecca Bollwitt you can still read it. This week I’m very proud to ask Guy Kawasaki to Show Me Your Desktop.

Guy Kawasaki saved Apple, (according to some he resurrected Apple twice), he is managing director and founder of Garage Technology Venture, one of the founders behind Truemors.com and launched Alltop.com last week.

Guy’s latest site Alltop.com is inspired by popurls.com, except Alltop has divided the news into topics. Alltop grabs the feeds from the top sites within each topic. The topics range from Auto and Celebrities to Macintosh and Sports. It basically gives you the latest headlines from 50+ websites within each topic. I discovered a few gaming sites I didn’t know, not to mention the very valuable Green topic. Remember you have to reduce your CO2 emission.

Now during the interview you will see, why Guy resurrected Apple and see an interviewer who never could do that. I’ll have to reword my future interviews for season 3.

What is your background picture?

I did the Leopard update, and this is what was left.

Why did you chose that picture?

I never bothered to change it after the upgrade. I should be getting a MacBook Air shortly and maybe I’ll make an effort to have a cool desktop.

If you have a personal and a work computer, which program do you use the most on your personal computer?

I only have one computer. The application that I use most is Entourage because I am a slave to email.

Since I spoke to Guy, he has converted to Mac Air and uses two computers regularly. The Mac Air and iMac.
Internet Explorer or Firefox?

Your question shows a fundamental ignorance of Macintosh. I use Safari. Sometimes I use Firefox because there are some interesting plug-ins and add-ons, but I always go back to Safari.

What is your favourite program?

Entourage.
Which program is the worst?

Entourage—though I’m still waiting for Office 2008 to arrive (1/26/08). The person who designed Entourage must get about twenty emails a day from people whose addresses he/she has memorized; only has 500 contacts in the address book; and never needs to find an old message. None of this is true for me.
Do you have any tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your computer or blog?

Using MarsEdit and Ecto sure helps me blog. I like Skitch for taking screenshots and then commenting on them when I’m communicating with developers and companies about user-interface issues.
Mac or Pc and why?

At least you’re consistent. Mac because it’s in my DNA and because I can use any computer that I want to.

Click for a bigger image

As you can see I really stepped in it here. One thing is sure, I’ll never forget about Macintosh again. The interview has inspired me to start a new blog. I’ve been a PC user for nearly 20 years and never given Macs much thought (sorry Guy). I’ve supported a Mac-user once and it was a nightmare.

From now on all the money I earn from my blog will go into the “Buy a Mac”-pool. I’ll pack my PCs (laptop and stationary) down and just use a Mac Notebook, Mac Air or whatever they are called for an entire year and blog about it. From day 1 where I open the box and write my first blog post to day 365 where I’ll evaluate my experience. I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that the Mac will surprise me.

Sorry for the rambling, but the thought just hit me. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions Guy! I’m honoured to have such great and inspirational people in my interview series.