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2009-06-11 17:00:33 Making A Splash In Sheffield

The rain yesterday was so bad it made the local news!
BBC News Video

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2009-06-10 17:34:32 Blooming Blighty

Well I'm now back in the steel city after my holiday in Spain (pictures to follow). While it was great to get away I did miss being able to mingle with people roughly my own age. I must have brought the average age down to about 60. Oh well it was a free holiday so I can't really complain.

Sheffield has greeted my return with a biblically epic thunderstorm. I had to hide in the car for 20 minutes waiting for the worst to pass before running to the flat.

It looks like I will spend the next few weeks living here on my own. My exceptionally rubbish housemates are all leaving before the contract ends. Still, I should be able to get the DPB up to speed.

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2009-06-03 23:25:16 Google Does Facebook?

Just been reading about the new Google product due for launch soonish. They claim to be integrating email with IM and adding in groupware, so you can edit documents live with your colleagues around the globe.

If it weren't for the document editing I would have said that Google were trying to do a Facebook. In principle I have nothing against social networking sites, my objections have always come from an ethical stand point.

Does the world need another social networking site? A site that integrates all the different social networking sites is the next logical step in the chain.

Anyway I will watch Google Wave with interest. An easy to use free groupware package is overdue in this day and age.

Strong reception for Google Wave - BBC News

Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave - Google Blog

Google Wave

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2009-05-24 22:46:23 Digital PostBox: New Storage Idea

I have had a bit of time recently, in between exams , to think about the extension of my DPB project.

One of the main issues I had was the storage capacity while using a full Linux distro. Ubuntu 8d.10 weighs in at about 3GB and I'm lead to believe that the new 9.04 isn't any smaller. To use a drive similar to what I originally ordered would mean ordering a 4GB version with the cost of around ?109 which is just silly. It pushes the unit cost up to about ?350, which is far too expensive.

The temporary solution I had was to use a USB pendrive. The more I thought about it the more I realised that this solution was, in fact, better all round. The cost of pendrives is so low they are now are virtually throw away commodities.

Another plus side, which is something my Linux geek friend Russell mentioned, is if the system is booting off a pendrive and there is problem or an update is created for the software rather than attempt to execute the required changes remotely it would be better to mail a new pendrive out to the village where the DPB is located with instructions to power down the unit, remove the old drive, replace it with the new drive and to switch device back on. The old drive can then be returned via post for recycling or just binned.

I can get a 4GB pendrive from Aria for under a tenner! Compared to $58 from the manufacturer for the IDE flash module. Bargin!

The downsides are that the USB drives are slower and there is potential for them to be dislodged during operation or for the replacement units to go missing in transit. I do think the cost benefit is a massive incentive for the slight change to future devices.

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2009-05-16 16:36:21 Star Trek: The New Story?

I have just been to see the new Star Trek film, which is fantastic. Utterly amazing. Go and see it. Now I'll tell you why it's troubling me.

Artistically the film is faultless. The special effects are great as is the acting. The problem lies with the story.

It can be explained away by being an alternate timeline but no attempt is made to restore the timeline to it's previous state which renders all previous Star Trek (with the exception of Enterprise) franchises invalid...

The cynic in me says this is a ploy by the studio to relaunch a new series of Star Trek based on events portrayed in the film. It'll be crap.

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2009-05-13 23:18:16 Geek And Proud World Tour - Mainly Plainly Spain

Good news! I am going on my first holiday in about 3 years after my exams. I leave on the 31st May and return 10 days later.

This trip is being funded by my parents, which is nice of them.

I also had my first exam today. It went OK, wish I had done a little more revision. Oh well, here's hoping I did enough.

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2009-05-08 14:46:49 Digital PostBoxes - What They Actually Are

I have finally finished my Digital PostBox project for university. As promised I have uploaded the final report for you to examine and comment upon.

You can read the report here.

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2009-05-03 07:07:27 Commentary On The Commentary

I have finally got round to adding a comments facility to the site. Please feel free to comment on any of the news items!

If you spot any problems with the new system please send me an email.

8 Comments | Add Comment

2009-04-11 07:10:25 Weird Email

Just received the weirdest email I've got in a long time. What do you think, real or fake?

Hi John,

We might be looking for someone who is a geek and proud of it to do some filming with for The Justin Lee Collins show.

Do you have a number that I could contact you on to chat about it?

Kind Regards

Jonny Lusk

I say fake.

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2009-04-01 23:59:03 Digital Postboxes... How Hard Can It Be?

The answer is very. As most of you know I have spent the last school year working on a project called Digital PostBoxes for my degree. Well its come down to the last month and none of it works.

Without going into too much detail here (I'll do a full post explaining the whole project after it has been handed in) basically I have stalled trying to get Bluetooth to work properly in Linux. Bluetooth is critical for the project to be deemed a success, I have already scaled back so many of the promised deliverables. If I can't get Bluetooth working by Friday morning when my Dad picks me up from university I can consider the practical side of the project an utter failure.

My only hope after that is to make up the marks with the documentation and evaluation. It will be a major disappointment for me as I feel as I have let my project supervisor (who is a throughly nice bloke) down.

Anyway as soon as I have finished the documentation I'll upload a PDF of it for everyone to read and comment on. Also the long threatened blog comments system will appear before the end of May. Probably May 2030 :?]

If you haven't already seen the BBC Horizon programme "Can We Build a Star on Earth?" I throughly recommend sourcing it from your nearest torrent site as soon as humanly possible. It's inspiring and engaging.

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2009-06-11 17:00:33	Making A Splash In Sheffield
The rain yesterday was so bad it made the local news! BBC News Video

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-06-10 17:34:32	Blooming Blighty
Well I'm now back in the steel city after my holiday in Spain (pictures to follow). While it was great to get away I did miss being able to mingle with people roughly my own age. I must have brought the average age down to about 60. Oh well it was a free holiday so I can't really complain. Sheffield has greeted my return with a biblically epic thunderstorm. I had to hide in the car for 20 minutes waiting for the worst to pass before running to the flat. It looks like I will spend the next few weeks living here on my own. My exceptionally rubbish housemates are all leaving before the contract ends. Still, I should be able to get the DPB up to speed.

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-06-03 23:25:16	Google Does Facebook?
Just been reading about the new Google product due for launch soonish. They claim to be integrating email with IM and adding in groupware, so you can edit documents live with your colleagues around the globe. If it weren't for the document editing I would have said that Google were trying to do a Facebook. In principle I have nothing against social networking sites, my objections have always come from an ethical stand point. Does the world need another social networking site? A site that integrates all the different social networking sites is the next logical step in the chain. Anyway I will watch Google Wave with interest. An easy to use free groupware package is overdue in this day and age. Strong reception for Google Wave - BBC News Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave - Google Blog Google Wave

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-05-24 22:46:23	Digital PostBox: New Storage Idea
I have had a bit of time recently, in between exams , to think about the extension of my DPB project. One of the main issues I had was the storage capacity while using a full Linux distro. Ubuntu 8d.10 weighs in at about 3GB and I'm lead to believe that the new 9.04 isn't any smaller. To use a drive similar to what I originally ordered would mean ordering a 4GB version with the cost of around ?109 which is just silly. It pushes the unit cost up to about ?350, which is far too expensive. The temporary solution I had was to use a USB pendrive. The more I thought about it the more I realised that this solution was, in fact, better all round. The cost of pendrives is so low they are now are virtually throw away commodities. Another plus side, which is something my Linux geek friend Russell mentioned, is if the system is booting off a pendrive and there is problem or an update is created for the software rather than attempt to execute the required changes remotely it would be better to mail a new pendrive out to the village where the DPB is located with instructions to power down the unit, remove the old drive, replace it with the new drive and to switch device back on. The old drive can then be returned via post for recycling or just binned. I can get a 4GB pendrive from Aria for under a tenner! Compared to $58 from the manufacturer for the IDE flash module. Bargin! The downsides are that the USB drives are slower and there is potential for them to be dislodged during operation or for the replacement units to go missing in transit. I do think the cost benefit is a massive incentive for the slight change to future devices.

1 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-05-16 16:36:21	Star Trek: The New Story?
I have just been to see the new Star Trek film, which is fantastic. Utterly amazing. Go and see it. Now I'll tell you why it's troubling me. Artistically the film is faultless. The special effects are great as is the acting. The problem lies with the story. It can be explained away by being an alternate timeline but no attempt is made to restore the timeline to it's previous state which renders all previous Star Trek (with the exception of Enterprise) franchises invalid... The cynic in me says this is a ploy by the studio to relaunch a new series of Star Trek based on events portrayed in the film. It'll be crap.

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-05-13 23:18:16	Geek And Proud World Tour - Mainly Plainly Spain
Good news! I am going on my first holiday in about 3 years after my exams. I leave on the 31st May and return 10 days later. This trip is being funded by my parents, which is nice of them. I also had my first exam today. It went OK, wish I had done a little more revision. Oh well, here's hoping I did enough.

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-05-08 14:46:49	Digital PostBoxes - What They Actually Are
I have finally finished my Digital PostBox project for university. As promised I have uploaded the final report for you to examine and comment upon. You can read the report here.

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-05-03 07:07:27	Commentary On The Commentary
I have finally got round to adding a comments facility to the site. Please feel free to comment on any of the news items! If you spot any problems with the new system please send me an email.

8 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-04-11 07:10:25	Weird Email
Just received the weirdest email I've got in a long time. What do you think, real or fake? Hi John, We might be looking for someone who is a geek and proud of it to do some filming with for The Justin Lee Collins show. Do you have a number that I could contact you on to chat about it? Kind Regards Jonny Lusk I say fake.

0 Comments \| Add Comment

2009-04-01 23:59:03	Digital Postboxes... How Hard Can It Be?
The answer is very. As most of you know I have spent the last school year working on a project called Digital PostBoxes for my degree. Well its come down to the last month and none of it works. Without going into too much detail here (I'll do a full post explaining the whole project after it has been handed in) basically I have stalled trying to get Bluetooth to work properly in Linux. Bluetooth is critical for the project to be deemed a success, I have already scaled back so many of the promised deliverables. If I can't get Bluetooth working by Friday morning when my Dad picks me up from university I can consider the practical side of the project an utter failure. My only hope after that is to make up the marks with the documentation and evaluation. It will be a major disappointment for me as I feel as I have let my project supervisor (who is a throughly nice bloke) down. Anyway as soon as I have finished the documentation I'll upload a PDF of it for everyone to read and comment on. Also the long threatened blog comments system will appear before the end of May. Probably May 2030 :?] If you haven't already seen the BBC Horizon programme "Can We Build a Star on Earth?" I throughly recommend sourcing it from your nearest torrent site as soon as humanly possible. It's inspiring and engaging.

0 Comments \| Add Comment