Daily Fit Tip: Don't quit coffee
FitBeauty: Pamper your piggies - for Nikki
Ineeka has cool tea bags
Starbucks Gossip: Starbucks barista: We're not your friends (but your tips are appreciated) - liked the comments on this post.
Whisky School Cruises To Islay - for the giftlist!
BBC NEWS | Technology | Dell gives the go-ahead for Linux
Next-generation Skype Trojan hits web
Cinematical - Bondcast
Thursday 29 March 2007
Wednesday 28 March 2007
TED video : How to be a Success by Richard St. John
I just loved this video from the TED sign. Short (3 mins), quirky and to the point. Watch it!
Thanks (again!) to Guy Kawasaki.
Thanks (again!) to Guy Kawasaki.
Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Wife Nikki!
Isn't she gorgeous?! Yes, it's Nikki's birthday today and she's been very happy and smiley. Not even opened all her gifts yet! The kids and I were up early decorating downstairs and then cooking her breakfast.
Looking forward to getting home and opening the rest of her presents!
Happy Birthday, my HoneyGirl!
Tuesday 27 March 2007
Mac: The best of Both (Three) Worlds?
Getting more nervous about my new laptop which should be arriving this week or maybe next (when I'll be in holiday). The reason is Vista. I've done lots of moaning about how people/MS have seriously underspec'd their PC's/laptops with the arrival of Vista. But the more I read the articles by people such as Robert Peston the more I start to sweat.
So I'm really wondering whether I should have ordered a Mac.
The real thing that's convincing me at the moment is a product called Parallels Coherence that allows you to run WinXP without rebooting the system. As you would need to if you had a duel boot machine or where using Apple's BootCamp. Neither are you running a separate virtual machine that is a standalone in it's own right. This means that I could use a Mac and still access all the essential Office and other Win-only Apps that I need. Pretty cool. Parallels even have a nice support blog with user questions answered regulary.
Only thing is you need to buy a copy of XP on top of your purchase of Parallels. I'm guessing that's not an OEM version either (Original Electronic Manufacturer - means you get the OS for about half the price of the retail).
Not so with Code Weavers' CrossOverMac product that "lets users operate Windows applications on a Mac without requiring users to install the Microsoft operating system" as the Wall Street Journal puts in this interesting article. I see from the site that CrossOver will even let you run Half-Life 2! I scrambling for credit card right now!
But the show stoppers are my concerns are over my lack of knowledge when it comes to Mac networking and support for the Mac. I'm no expert when it comes to Windows networking but I can usually figure out what's wrong when things go pear-shaped. When I can't there is usually a SysAdmin or two that I can throw things at until it's fixed. For the Mac I have almost no history and no known SysAdmins with Mac knowledge. Not sure if the SysAdmins where I work would be up for the idea of supporting a Mac.
Really I would be on my own if I went this direction. Though I like the thought of being somewhat of a pioneer, I require the support of my peers at this delicate teim in my career.
If I start a business again I will seriously consider the Mac as a viable alternative to the PC.
So I'm really wondering whether I should have ordered a Mac.
The real thing that's convincing me at the moment is a product called Parallels Coherence that allows you to run WinXP without rebooting the system. As you would need to if you had a duel boot machine or where using Apple's BootCamp. Neither are you running a separate virtual machine that is a standalone in it's own right. This means that I could use a Mac and still access all the essential Office and other Win-only Apps that I need. Pretty cool. Parallels even have a nice support blog with user questions answered regulary.
Only thing is you need to buy a copy of XP on top of your purchase of Parallels. I'm guessing that's not an OEM version either (Original Electronic Manufacturer - means you get the OS for about half the price of the retail).
Not so with Code Weavers' CrossOverMac product that "lets users operate Windows applications on a Mac without requiring users to install the Microsoft operating system" as the Wall Street Journal puts in this interesting article. I see from the site that CrossOver will even let you run Half-Life 2! I scrambling for credit card right now!
But the show stoppers are my concerns are over my lack of knowledge when it comes to Mac networking and support for the Mac. I'm no expert when it comes to Windows networking but I can usually figure out what's wrong when things go pear-shaped. When I can't there is usually a SysAdmin or two that I can throw things at until it's fixed. For the Mac I have almost no history and no known SysAdmins with Mac knowledge. Not sure if the SysAdmins where I work would be up for the idea of supporting a Mac.
Really I would be on my own if I went this direction. Though I like the thought of being somewhat of a pioneer, I require the support of my peers at this delicate teim in my career.
If I start a business again I will seriously consider the Mac as a viable alternative to the PC.
Thursday 22 March 2007
Get rich quick! (In, say, 1 or 2 generations)
One of the things that fascinates me about Motely Fool's recent article The Secrets of Nine-Figure Fortunes is just the sheer patience of the investors. Most of the original investors of the now nine figure legacies never even got to see the 9th digit. Though alot were privy to the 8th - which is no mean feat when they'd only invested around $20,000. I know that's alot of money back in 1957 and probably alot of those investors were fairly wealthy to start with. But in this day of Get-Rich/Loose-Weight/Establish-a-meaningful-relationship Quick advice that we seem to thrive on it's interesting to reflect that most 'rich' families got there through the hard work and patience of a ancestor. Most of the time with the original patriarch thinking more about the welfare of future generations that their own. A trait that we don't venerate enough.
Wednesday 21 March 2007
Mitchell and Web Mac Ad: Reprise
Sorry, sorry - wrong YouTube vid at the end of my last post. This it the one I meant to embed. Liked the clip I attached to my last post so much that I left it on :)
Real Geeks use Macs
I am increasingly drawn to the Mac.
I've always enjoyed it's sleek looks and the way Apple had MS bail it out of trouble in the 90s (to save MS from being sliced and diced under competition laws). I even offered to buy my wife one for her birthday in a moment of sheer selflessness >ahem<
But, The Register's article proclaiming '10 Reasons to Buy a Mac' has firmly placed it above the Aston Martin Vanquish in my wishlist (but not above the DB9 or DB6, so please feel free). A further discussion with my networking buddy, Bob, about Parallels and XP emulation almost pushed it right to the top.
The 3rd Party software market is pretty cool too. I'm always jealous reading 43 folders when they start talking about the latest Mac productivity tool. My sister showed up with her newly purchased MacBook a couple of weeks ago and I was fairly impressed. Especially, with Comic Life, a comic creation tool that allows you to insert your photos in a comic style layout (see Guy Kawasaki's post)
My family always seem to think I am going to be hostile towards the Mac. I've had my brother, sister and father tentitively ask me about the Mac as though I was going to explode and start ranting. Which I do - but in a nice way.
Since the transition to a Unix based OS I've seen alot more geeks using Macs. I know Chris Pirillo and the bloke who started Slashdot use them. Then there was the intern who came to work at a Unix company I used to work with. Not just the airy-fairy, yet highly talented, graphic designery/architecty friends I've got (only joking - Tim, Peter and Prod!).
There are many issues still for me to use a Mac. Much of my work is VMware and PC based. But for most Office-based users there really shouldn't be many issues to using a Mac. I'm not so sure about the networking side of Macs either. I know that most of the time 'they just work' but that really doesn't help me when it comes to solving why they aren't working... It just seems like the the big boys have Macs.
To end this Pro-Mac post here's a little UK version of the Mac ads from Mitchell and Webb. Though you'll notice it's from YouTube. No idea why you can't embed the ones on the Mac site?
Update: You may have noticed that was the wrong video. But I enjoyed it so much I've left it there. You can see the one I meant to emded on my next post.
I've always enjoyed it's sleek looks and the way Apple had MS bail it out of trouble in the 90s (to save MS from being sliced and diced under competition laws). I even offered to buy my wife one for her birthday in a moment of sheer selflessness >ahem<
But, The Register's article proclaiming '10 Reasons to Buy a Mac' has firmly placed it above the Aston Martin Vanquish in my wishlist (but not above the DB9 or DB6, so please feel free). A further discussion with my networking buddy, Bob, about Parallels and XP emulation almost pushed it right to the top.
The 3rd Party software market is pretty cool too. I'm always jealous reading 43 folders when they start talking about the latest Mac productivity tool. My sister showed up with her newly purchased MacBook a couple of weeks ago and I was fairly impressed. Especially, with Comic Life, a comic creation tool that allows you to insert your photos in a comic style layout (see Guy Kawasaki's post)
My family always seem to think I am going to be hostile towards the Mac. I've had my brother, sister and father tentitively ask me about the Mac as though I was going to explode and start ranting. Which I do - but in a nice way.
Since the transition to a Unix based OS I've seen alot more geeks using Macs. I know Chris Pirillo and the bloke who started Slashdot use them. Then there was the intern who came to work at a Unix company I used to work with. Not just the airy-fairy, yet highly talented, graphic designery/architecty friends I've got (only joking - Tim, Peter and Prod!).
There are many issues still for me to use a Mac. Much of my work is VMware and PC based. But for most Office-based users there really shouldn't be many issues to using a Mac. I'm not so sure about the networking side of Macs either. I know that most of the time 'they just work' but that really doesn't help me when it comes to solving why they aren't working... It just seems like the the big boys have Macs.
To end this Pro-Mac post here's a little UK version of the Mac ads from Mitchell and Webb. Though you'll notice it's from YouTube. No idea why you can't embed the ones on the Mac site?
Update: You may have noticed that was the wrong video. But I enjoyed it so much I've left it there. You can see the one I meant to emded on my next post.
Tuesday 20 March 2007
Invites are like drinks
My brother sent me an invite to Joost today.
I am pretty easy when it comes to signing up for a new web app (slap a jazzy interface on it and I'm anyone's). But personal recomendations and invites are always something I enjoy. After all that's how I started with Gmail! But I found myself in an almost jovial mood as I tried out Joost - such as I might if someone bought me a drink unexpectedly.
Maybe I'm just saying this because I went to the pub at lunchtime (I only had a coke!).
I am pretty easy when it comes to signing up for a new web app (slap a jazzy interface on it and I'm anyone's). But personal recomendations and invites are always something I enjoy. After all that's how I started with Gmail! But I found myself in an almost jovial mood as I tried out Joost - such as I might if someone bought me a drink unexpectedly.
Maybe I'm just saying this because I went to the pub at lunchtime (I only had a coke!).
Friday 9 March 2007
Online sermons
I love listening to Sermons and Teaching on the way to work or any time on my iRiver. I downloaded a few recently and realised I should start blogging about them and the ones I enjoy.
Then I saw this post on Guy Kawasaki's blog and realised that maybe I wasn' t the only blogger who listens to them.
So here's a list of Sermon/Teaching sites I've been downloading from recently:
Vineyard Columbus - Rich Nathan's church. They are doing an excellent series on Psalms at the moment. Of particular note are the two sermons on Psalm 19 by Steve Robbins and John Cook. The also have a 'Young Adults' ministry called the Joshua House also with downloadable sermons.
Menlo Park Prespretarian Church - John Ortbert is a pastor here. Nancy Ortbert (presumably some relation) gave the talk "Jesus & Your Job" which Guy mentioned on his blog.
N.T. Wright's unofficial page - has a number of links to audios of this excellent scholar.
Grace Cathedral's The Forum - Discovered through a link from the N.T. Wright page above. Intellectual and interesting discussion on contemporary Christianity. The N.T. Wright/Anne Rice interview is very interesting.
Desiring God - John Piper's ministry. Piles of great stuff.
More as I find them. Will comment on my favourites too.
Then I saw this post on Guy Kawasaki's blog and realised that maybe I wasn' t the only blogger who listens to them.
So here's a list of Sermon/Teaching sites I've been downloading from recently:
Vineyard Columbus - Rich Nathan's church. They are doing an excellent series on Psalms at the moment. Of particular note are the two sermons on Psalm 19 by Steve Robbins and John Cook. The also have a 'Young Adults' ministry called the Joshua House also with downloadable sermons.
Menlo Park Prespretarian Church - John Ortbert is a pastor here. Nancy Ortbert (presumably some relation) gave the talk "Jesus & Your Job" which Guy mentioned on his blog.
N.T. Wright's unofficial page - has a number of links to audios of this excellent scholar.
Grace Cathedral's The Forum - Discovered through a link from the N.T. Wright page above. Intellectual and interesting discussion on contemporary Christianity. The N.T. Wright/Anne Rice interview is very interesting.
Desiring God - John Piper's ministry. Piles of great stuff.
More as I find them. Will comment on my favourites too.
Monday 5 March 2007
Chris Lightfoot - 1978-2007
Most, if not all, people reading this blog will not have known Chris Lightfoot. He was one of the engineers who saw me through my support hours when trying to tinker with VMs and other web space related issues over at Mythic-Beasts.com with whom I have hosted many websites (and still do) .
Chris's relaxed attitude and expertise made him a joy to deal with. He will be sadly missed.
Rest in peace, Chris.
Chris's relaxed attitude and expertise made him a joy to deal with. He will be sadly missed.
Rest in peace, Chris.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)