Richard Lennox
- setting rather than resetting CSS styling: http://bit.ly/drvmMK
- does anyone know if Windows 7 starter (netbook) can use an external projector?
- Why do some e-commerce platforms get Javascript so wrong? http://bit.ly/awXZvZ from @econsultancy
Archive for March, 2007
Internal Organ Failure
No not me or anyone else I know (thankfully!!), my computer!
It seems it may be either the hard drive or the memory. It is only 2 months and a little bit old, so I am a little annoyed. Here is where my choice of supplier will com into its own. The machine is under a 5 year guarantee (3 yrs parts + 2 extra years free labour!!) so I am confident that it will all be ok, depending on how good they are in their support. While annoying I have come to learn that these things happen so I am prepared to get on with it. The only issue is my new web based entertainment has obviously lost out as I had my machine set up nicely!
Windows Repair
I am a little annoyed, my new computer has a problem with the svchost process. This is a particularly important process in Windows and manages the running of DLL files. The only solution it appears is a Repair installation of Windows. This is on the go as I type. It isn't such a painful process, it is just time consuming and unwanted!!
For those of who who want instructions on how to do this here is a public service announcement:
- First you need to find your Windows CD. This is the installation disc that was originally used to install Windows.
- Reboot your machine from the Windows CD.
- On the Windows setup screen: press ENTER (This selects Enter Windows Setup.) Do not select "To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R." This will take you to a Windows console, which will be of little help to you.
- Accept the license agreement and Windows setup will find your existing Windows installation.
- Enter the number of your Windows installations. (This will generally be 1.) You may need to enter your administrator password also.
- Setup will then copy the files to your hard drive and then reboot leaving all your files intact.
- Once Windows reloads you should update your computer getting the latest drivers etc.
Having decided to install Linux on my old machine, I can happily browse away using this machine, in fact I am typing this here now using it. It seems my installation isn't going well, I will need to take a look and see what is going on. I will update soon….
Pandora
The latest addition to my Internet entertainment world is Pandora. This is Internet radio with a difference and has got many techies out there excited. Input an artist or song name into the player, and using the music genome project Pandora will create a radio station just for you based on your initial selection. Tell Pandora that you agreed with their choices and it will improve the quality of you personal "station".
While this is great, it has one slight drawback: you end up reaching for the deadly bit of plastic and buying music which you love. My iPod is going to love it, especially as it links directly to iTunes!
Note to self: I must write a post summarising my Internet entertainment suite!!
Blogs
I have never bought into the whole blog roll thing. For those few of you who read my blog and don't know: "A blog roll is a collection of links to other blogs." These are often found somewhere on a persons blog, maybe in the sidebar. I always thought: "Why should I bother with such a link?
Linking and mutual linking has great benefits in the page rankings [Disclaimer: This is a sweeping statement as while it helps is not the be all and end all of S.E.O., a topic on which I know only slightly more than your average Joe!] which will get you somewhere near the top of relevant search terms in Google. But now am starting to think differently, maybe I was wrong….
Scottish Blogs
So I have added this very site to Scottish Blogs this evening. I don't really advertise the site too much, particularly as i am an infrequent blogger and that I am unsure who would want to read my ramblings. But I thought why not! I am after all a blogger and am in Scotland, although I hope my English heritage doesn't get me booted out?!. I may over time add the Scottish blogs logo to the site if I feel it is a community I enjoy. I am particularly looking forward to finding out what people are writing about in their own Scottish blogs.
Cool Tunes
So I have a new variety of music on my IPod and although not to all tastes here are a couple I would recommend.
- Hot off the press (well iTunes!): Kate Walsh – Tim's House. This is a cool relaxed album which offers a folky, jazzy acoustic sound that is just a great little album.
- E.S.T – Viaticum. This Swedish trio (I happened to see them Sunday night past here in Edinburgh!) offer a fantastic modern jazz and some cool extras. This is another good album! Looking forward to getting my hans on their latest offering.
Virgin Media vs Sky
Virgin Media and Sky have had a bit of a spat recently. Virgin have chosen to drop Sky's basic and free digital channels (including Sky One!) because of the price Sky want to charge them. Virgin Media are the amalgamation of NTL and Telewest cable services and Virgin Mobile. As an Edinburgh resident, in a set of flats where really a sky dish isn't allowed my telephone, digital TV and broadband are provided by Virgin (formerly Telewest).
Telewest started off being relatively economic. £30 a month for all 3, but that was limited to the basic packages but that simply didn't;t meet my needs, and only lasted 6 months anyway. Now I am paying anything between £50 and £60 a month for a service that we both think is less than what we started with. TV channels have disappeared from our package, not just the Sky channels but other channels too. The broadband quality is just shot with download speeds of 17-35kBs when 400kB/s is more realistic for a 4mB/s service!! To be fair, Virgin are refunding the cost of the broadband for two months but I need a decent service. The phone is OK with only weekend UK land line calls free.
The loss of the Sky channels on Virgin prompted me to look at what other packages I could get for my money. It seems Sky are offering a better quality of service for £26 per month with an extra £11 for a BT line rental. This is some £20 cheaper than my current monthly costs. While there are downsides such as download limits on the broadband and the requirement for a communal dish (on the block of flats) for the TV, £20 is a lot of money. Virgin take note.