Man vs Machine, Round 2

Round 2 started off well with the removal of all the data from the dead machines hard drive. We copied all the files into a shared area via Safe Mode, then rebooted with network support and copied them off onto a more stable machine.

The format was quick and painless...but then the problems started. Win XP Home went on without an issue, logically I clicked "Microsoft Update" on the start menu to bring the machine inline with the rest of the network (8mb dsl, not worried about downloading lots!).

The first update installed then I got some rubbish message that my legal copy of windows xp (right) was not legal???

I tried to convince the wife into trying Ubuntu but she wasn't having any of it. After having all these problems with Windows XP I thought sod this...I burnt the Windows Vista ISO I just happen to have lying around and started that installing - anything's got to be better than Windows XP at this point. Down side....it was now 23:30 and I had an early start today so I had to cancel the install!

Microsoft 0 - 2 Ubuntu

Lets see what Round 3 brings us tonight...

Stay safe

The big 'M' suck!

Just to clarify, the big 'M' is, Microsoft.

Last night the wife's PC broke, something on the mainboard or VGA card burnt out, a sad day to say the least, but it gradually got worse as the evening went on...

First we started with the typical, test each piece of hardware,

• Screen = ok
  
• Drives = ok
• Cables = ok
  
• VGA card = not ok
• Mainboard = not ok

After changing the VGA we still didn't get any picture on the monitor, so logically I swapped it for a new VGA card. Same problem, no Bios post screen :-(

As the evening went on, England drew with Sweden (2-2), it was unspeakably hot! and the wife was slowly looking more and more concerned about the possible loss of data on her hard drive.

At this point it seemed like a good idea to check the drive in one of my other machines. After successfully booting from the wife's hard disk we got to the windows login screen, you know the one I'm sure, where you choose the user from a vertical list slightly to the right of the center of the screen.

Immediately after clicking on the username we get a alert box saying that Windows cannot log you on because the product key is not registered to this machine...Initially I thoughts, "oh s***, here we go", however calmly I click "Remind me later" thinking as I'm not pirating Windows here, nor am I trying to do anything dodgy I'm just wanting to clarify the datas there and possibly get it off the drive so I can run a new install...I would have expected windows to at least allow me to get to the desktop for a limited time or something like that, all it does is log me straight back off again and put me back to the username list again.

I try again. Click the username and this time I enter the product key from the original machine...Surprise surprise I get an error message. Not to worry I thought to myself, grabbed my legal version of XP Home off the shelf and entered it's product key....Yes you guessed it, ERROR!

At this point I was starting to get more and more annoyed with the product key bull...However, after a damn fine cuppa from the wife I called the number on screen and spoke to "Fred" from Microsoft...Sounded like an Indian based help line, as you can imagine I wasn't overly happy about this. Never the less I continued - gave "Fred" all the details he asked for, after all this he said, "Can you enter your product key in again please Sir" - knowing it wouldn't work I did as requested and as expected, error again. My new found friend "Fred" now suggests I call a "Toll Free Number" (0870 is NOT toll free!!) to get a new product key. This tipped me over the edge, why he couldn't generate a new product key for me I'll never know but I promptly ended the conversation before I said something I would possibly regret.

*Brain wave!* - I rebooted the machine in Safe Mode, hey presto - there's the OS! and all data intact. All I have to do now is reboot in safe mode, move the files into the network share area and copy them off after a reboot. Then we can format this drive and get on with our lives!

Microsoft 0 - 1 Ubuntu

The saga continues this evening when I attempt "Round 2" and take on failing hardware and the big 'M' again!

Wish me luck!

Stay Safe.

New Digital Camera

A Couple of weeks ago the wife and I bought a new Digital Camera, since then it's hardly been more than 5 metres away from either of us. As a result, every now and then I'll stick a few piccies on here from our travels!


Hope you like em

1 more for this post

Web_censorship = "false"

Hi all,

After reading more and more about the desire from large corporation's to sensor or "channel" the internet it was a refreshing sight to see Amnesty International jump on the band wagon to fight against it.

At the time of writing this post, I believe that the threat is only real on American based website, but hey I visit a shed load of those!...and if that were to get passed it would undoubtedly make it way across the pond to jolly old England.

With all this in mind, anyone who's reading this, go to this website and sign the campaign.

http://irrepressible.info/pledge

KEEP THE INTERNET FREE!

Stay safe folks,

C

More lists!

450+ apps that will make your life a whole lot easier!

http://www.econsultant.com/..../index.html

Enjoy

C

(I've not tried any of these so I can't guarantee any of them work or are reliable)

Programming Books!

Evenin,

Whilst foraging through the magnificent interweb I came across this and thought I'd share it with my reader base :)

195 free programming books:
http://www.techtoolblog.com/.....programming-books

Stay Safe peeps,

Enjoy!

C.

aarrgghhh which is the best!

Evenin,

I'm having REAL difficulties at the moment choosing a programming language to specialize in. I can code in most web languages to a profession standard but time after time I find myself wondering which I should delve deeper into, which should I become an "expert" in?

Lets see what we're talking about here:

• Php
• Asp.NET (C#)
• Ruby on Rails
• Java Server Pages

Those are the four really. They can all do the same thing, some with several lines of code, some with no so many. They all can connect to databases, they are all made by different people with different views on where the web, or the "Web 2.0", is headed and they all boast features that are (to a programmer) awesome!

For those of you that end up reading this post any guidance as your a choice and indeed a reason for that choice would be most welcome!

I'm by far more experienced in Php than any of the above, Asp.NET would be next then JSP and Ruby. Saying this I'm entering the "I think I'll learn Rails this week" phase.

aarrgghhh It's so annoying! Not knowing!

Stay safe peeps,

C.

Broadband

Evenin Campers!

Picture this, there I was happily surfing the interweb and I saw one of those flashy adverts for "Dungeons and Dragons Online". Thinking to myself "oooh I like the sound of that" I click the banner, find the 7 day free trial (1.7gb) and click the download button. To my horror I see the line next to my download speed (56k) 65 hours!

Who honestly would wait 65 hours for a download? I appreciate that I'm being slight elitist with that statement but Force9 (my ISP) offer broadband for the same cost as other ISPs offer dial up!

Thank the all mighty I'm on 2mb lol I've got a more realistic 2hrs to wait...Thankfully my download window looks like this. For those that are interested, all 4 of you that read this blog, I'll report on my opinion of DDO after a brief (yet hopefully exciting) gaming experience.

Stay safe campers!

C.

Welcome to Ubuntu Linux

Installed this recently, for the third time over the last year but this time it's really taken it's hold of my machine. I'm lovin it. For those of you that don't know what Ubuntu is, take a look here: http://www.ubuntulinux.org

Ubuntu has everything that windows has and does things in such a logical way (in my opinion!)

Cool little things I've installed/setup on my Ubuntu OS:

• Weather for London on the toolbar at the top,
• Open Office (Comparable to MS Office, but free!)
• Evolution Mail (Comparable to MS Outlook, but free!)
• Transgaming, run windows games on Ubuntu Linux
  

I'm really pleased with Ubuntu, even considering swapping Windows from the 19" LCD and replacing with the Ubuntu Linux OS...We'll see.

Only problem is, I'm lovin it so much I'll want to seriously keep it - that poses 2 main problems

1. I've installed Ubuntu on the 1gig machine, the slower of the two that I use. To use Ubuntu as a main OS I'd want it on the main machine, format-reinstall time :(
2. Linux natively doesn't support Microsoft.NET, does this mean I have to swap to the dark side and use Java? I know one Web Developer that would be happy to talk about Java all day instead of .NET...hehe

Either way, Ubuntu Rocks. Download it, email me for a copy of the CD, just get it some way and try it out!

Enjoy.
C.

Evenin!

Been a while since I posted on here last, but hey can't matter that much no one's mailed me to let me know they're missing me! hehe

Lots of stuff's gone on recently, new ventures for me, old ventures ending, new learning and lots more. I'll summarize

New Ventures,
A friend has invited me to help on a project, I'm making some software (c# and asp.net) that will transfer files to the internet and allow the website to report on them, it's going well and looking good!

Old Ventures Ending,
I did some code for a website that helps up and coming music artists and entrepreneurs sell their products/content. Works died down for that so I've stopped coding on that. A shame, but hey people move on

New Learnings,
C# in a lot more detail, Php in a lot more detail, the English Language in a lot more detail (although that's probably not visit from this post!), Design Patterns, Ajax, Live.com Gadgets and finally Unit Testing and the importance of a properly scoped application design.

I'll try and post more,

c.

MSN USING JAVA SOFTWARE!
(Server & Code)

Hi all,

Take a little look at the screenshot on the right, focus especially on the Red Highlighted area in the address bar and stare in amazement that Microsoft, the "Big M", utilizing Sun's Software!, nay - "Bowing" to Sun! lol

I'd put money on it that this shopping price comparison page is being run by a third party, not actual code from Redmond (Microsoft HQ). Never the less, this is still pretty funny to see I think, more so with the very recent release of the .NET Framework Version 2.0.

Wonder if this was a joke from the people that run this shopping page, almost rubbing MSN's nose in it...Sun aren't dead yet! lol

Enjoy Folks!

C.

Man (and woman), at last, working together!

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Quake crisis brings rivals closer

Why does it take a disaster for people to see that we're all the same....clearly this is just one example of how conflicted nations are working together to help each other pushing a side the typical barriers.

Some of use have a lighter shade of skin, some darker, some taller, some smaller, some of us believe in Jesus, others don't

People are probably the most interesting thing on this tiny rock we call home. They dream up fictional characters to blame their actions on and see fit do as they please towards others. Take this BBC news story as an example, Indian Troops have entered pakistan not to kill, not to exercise their military might, but to help - purely help, for the next few days, weeks, months the colour of everyone's skin doesn't matter, their language doesn't matter, their belief's don't matter - what matters is the fact that they are helping each other, helping each other rebuild what ultimately man has brought on himself (cannot confirm this, but world polution is bound to have something to do with it!)

As I said, people are very interesting, the longterm (...and I mean 1000+ years) survival of the human race is dependant on people dropping their stereotypical views of each other and opening their eyes to see that we're all the same. We all bleed red blood if we're cut.

I'm glad this co-operation is taking places but at the same time sad to see it's taking place only because of a natural disaster.

Microsoft might have something in their famous opening application line: "Hello world". It's not "Hello USA", or "Hello Britain", it's everyone.

The natural disaster = bad!,
the co-operation of man (and woman) to their mutual gain = good!

Roll on further co-operation for the betterment of man (and woman)

Stay safe,

C
(had to put the "and worman" in there, otherwise the wife'd kill me! lol)

At last, time to breathe!

Lo,

what a couple of months!

Finally Dan4th and I have finished our latest website (http://vialondoncityairport.com). What a slog though, changes all the way to the last second before live time!

Eitherway, it's over now - time to focus on the tweaks and upgrades.

For all one or two of my huge reader base (and yes one of those is me!), I'm back to the usual couple a week bloggings

Stay Safe

c

Watchfire WebXACT <-- hypocrites

Watchfire WebXACT

Disability Discrimination Act! - One of the Internet's Bug Bare's, bad coders (of which I'm one, but trying to learn how not to be!)...

Saying this, is it any wonder that we're bad coders when the people that govern this can't code themselves!!

If you go to this clicky above and test the page that you're on, you'll see some lovely little warnings that shows this page isn't 100% compliant....

How can we learn when the people we try to learn from are wrong!

Not so much of back to the drawing board but back to the Language Specification....

Stay Safe
CM

F-Secure Virus Screenshots Archive

F-Secure Virus Screenshots Archive

For all of you out there (all probably 2 of you that read my junk lol) these are what Virus's look like when they execute and cripple your machines.

These are good reasons to keep your Virus scanners and Spyware scanners up to date!

Enjoy em. There's some clearly obvious ones and some sneeky ones)

Stay Safe

C.

Realm Systems - Realm MPS

Realm Systems: Solutions

What can I say, but...I WANT ONE!!!

This trusty little device would allow you to take your entire PC anywhere. All you do is plug it into any computer (with a USB port!) and it boots up to your own operating system with your own data and own applications!. The device uses the machine it's plugged into as a host and makes use of it's recourses (cd drives, network, etc).

This certainly looks like a sweet mobile solution. The advertising video for the product is sweet also! hehe

Stay Safe

BBC NEWS | Technology | Wireless hijacking under scrutiny

BBC NEWS | Technology | Wireless hijacking under scrutiny

LOL this is brilliant. Two things I like about this story, well maybe not like but comments I have to make,

Firstly, The person who owned the wireless network should be fined for leaving backdoors open on the network that allow people to piggy-back their connection on it

Secondly, The person that did this should be given a job in Internet/Computer Security - he/she clearly knows a few things

I have a wireless network at home, tired to MAC addresses of connecting computers - so only people on the network are those machines that I have identified prior to connecting..it's an easy job, hell there's a Wizard that does it for you on most Wireless Gateways lol

People ignorance to computers and security is shocking, just about everything on the computer has a Wizard of some sort that will fix/secure/aid all your desires.

Anyway, enough of my ranting, back to Progamming.. :(

Stay Safe

Microsoft Windows VISTA!

Today, Microsoft Scrapped Longhorn!....and announced Microsoft Windows VISTA! (New operating system's new name)

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.mspx

Vista, even though I hate to say it, is looking nice. The visual effects on the GUI are looking pretty cool. Checkout the link above, has a nice little video of the announcement.

Enjoy, stay safe folks

c.

Counters, Counters Everywhere!

I started looking around various websites for a simple counter to place on my blog, however all I came across was colorful, fancy "digit" looking counters, I didn't want to signup to anyting, passing yet more spam lists my email...blah blah...so, I made my own.

For those of you out there reading this (all 1 of you lol) if you want a simple counter, like mine (to the right) you can do 1 of 2 things.

1. Here's the code, upload/install onto your website and link as instructed, below.
(Your website must support PHP 4 or greater and have the GD libraries enabled, Any questions, leave a comment pls)

2. Drop me a line and I'll set you up on my webspace and you can just link to that.
(Don't worry it will only count your hits not combine yours and mine hehe)


Install Instructions!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upload the 2 files, if you have a chmod option on your ftp client ensure count.txt has been "chmod 770", basically means the system and you can read/write/open, everyone else get a "Access Denied" message. Then just link to the img.php as an image, Easy!
<img src="http://www.yourwebsite.com/img.php?Message=hits since 2005" title="My Counter" />

Stay Safe Folks,
C.

STAR WARS: REVELATIONS

STAR WARS: REVELATIONS (Mirror)
(The makers website is clearly being hounded by the Star Wars fans world wide as it wasn't responding when I posted this, but do take a look: http://panicstruckpro.com/revelations)

An excellent FanFilm! - Well worth a look if you can.

It amazes me how these people make these films with no real budget, no promise of "making millions" (or indeed hundreds/thousands), but still they do (and do a great job!) True Fans!. /salute.

Revelations is very good, good special effects, cool story, A* work.

Other Excellent FanFilms also at www.theforce.net, along with a lot more cool stuff about Star Wars!

Enjoy