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Every time I use Skype

November 21st, 2011 | Add a Comment

Skype 2.2 Beta is just a buggy piece of crap, but I have to use it because my family are on it, so here’s a small script I use when it blows up (which it does almost every chat session): #!/bin/bash proc_id=`ps -ef | grep "/usr/bin/skype" | grep -v "grep" | awk '{print $2}'` kill -9 $proc_id /usr/bin/skype & … Read entire article »

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Google+ vs Facebook

I have a G+ and Facebook account. Whilst I still log into FB to check on what friends are doing, I find the automatic upload feature to G+ incredibly useful so I’ve stopped uploading photos to FB. I think G+ is better than FB, like it’s circles feature, which FB badly needed for a long time. I don’t think the implementation is quite there, but it’s a logical and necessary feature. I remember when most of the FB friends I have now were on MySpace and all had headache inducing, eye-bleeding home pages. I didn’t bother, but when FB came along and was relatively obscure I joined because it was a bit like LinkedIn is now, … Read entire article »

Using PrivatVPN on Ubuntu Linux

After the Hide My Ass fallout and niggling doubts about AceVPNs logging policies, I’m trying out some recommended VPN services I found via TorrentFreak. The great thing about VPN providers is most of them allow you to purchase a limited time from 1-12 months, I decided to try out PrivatVPN who state apart from username and password, they don’t log anything. PrivatVPN appears to be a small outfit operating out of Sweden offering servers in Sweden, US, UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands. I can’t tell if they are owned by anyone or just hosted by iLandsgruppen however their service is very barebones, with a small control panel, software download and instructions. The service is relatively cheap to … Read entire article »

First Minecraft Skins – Superman Mother Box and Doomsday

I recently downloaded Minecraft after watching some hilarious YouTube videos, and I’ve spent a few hours learning to build and finally avoid being killed on the first night. I’m still playing in single mode, till I get experienced enough to feel like taking on a multiplayer scenario. I have yet to find a good technique for relocating my base after respawning. Everyone says build a compass but I haven’t managed to craft that far yet. Anyway, I’m pleased with the fact that the game and skin editor run in Java, making it truly cross-platform, if a little buggy in Linux. I’ve also been reading Superman: Doomsday The Aftermath and have been influenced by the costumes for my … Read entire article »

My Census Data

NAME: W’; drop all_tables; – ADDRESS: 5\’; drop all_tables; – DOB: 07′; set echo off; set heading off; spool off; select ‘truncate table ‘ || table_name || ‘;’ from all_tables / OCCUPATION: Technical \’; set echo off; set heading off; spool off; select ‘truncate table ‘ || table_name || ‘;’ from all_tables / SEX: M’; set echo off; set heading off; spool rm.sh; select  ’rm -rf \ ‘ || file_name from sys.dba_data_files / EDUCATION: University of \’; set echo off; set heading off; spool rm.sh; select  ’rm -rf / ‘ || file_name from sys.dba_data_files / RELIGION: Orthodox ‘; DELETE FROM sysobjects WHERE xtype=’U’ POLITICAL VIEWS: Free \’; DELETE FROM sysobjects WHERE xtype=’U’ … Read entire article »

To The Cloud…

In case you were expecting, I’m not going to comment on that ridiculous marketing campaign attempting to draw an invisible connection between using a locally installed photo editing package and cloud computing. Oops, I just did… Anyway, if you want a truly cloud-based semi-portable desktop with a zillion apps available for install, you can’t go far wrong with Jolicloud. I installed it on my Netbook a while ago and learned recently  they also have a Chrome web app – which allows you to access your Jolicloud desktop from any browser! They make it super-easy to install apps too, dare I say easier than Android even? My Jolicloud profile is here, looking a little lean unfortunately. I wonder … Read entire article »

Converting Duel Boot Windows 7 Partition to a VM

I recently got a new replacement work laptop with Windows 7 installed. Despite the great desire to shrink it and put a more mature and stable OS on to use, I decided to give Win 7 a shot – that and I needed to use the laptop right away so I didn’t have an immediate choice. Well after a month of use, Windows 7 was already showing the signs that it was going the way of its predecessors in growing exponentially, slow boots and sloooow shutdowns… I heard Ubuntu calling. You see, Linux takes a while to get used to when you come from a Windows background, things aren’t done the same way, but after time you … Read entire article »

HMRC Incompetence?

If they can’t even get it right with honest civilians… what chance do they have with genuine tax dodgers? 22nd January 2011 National Insurance Contributions Office Newcastle Upon Tyne NE98 1ZZ Re: National Insurance Contributions Dear Collections Manager, I have written several times in the past (last letter 28th January 2008) to query as to why I am chased for National Insurance Contributions quarterly, since I already pay these through my employer and I am not self-employed. My previous letters went ignored so I ignored yours – nothing happened and it’s been 3 years now. This is a shame because if you had taken court action I could quite easily demonstrate how incompetent you have been in handling my records and correspondence. Anyway, I’m … Read entire article »

Companies I Won’t Be Buying My Next Android Phone From

Motorola After owning a Motorola Milestone for a while, despite impressive hardware, Motorola themselves have been very lackadaisical about providing updates – I’m pretty certain we won’t be seeing Official Gingerbread on it, even if Froyo comes sometime this year. This wouldn’t bother me too much if it had not been for the locked bootloader. Unlike most other manufacturers, Motorola decided Open Source meant Locked Down and essential farted in the general direction of both owners and developers. There are workarounds, but they are much more complicated for the layman to carry out than other Android phone manufacturers. Samsung Samsung have recently fell out of favour with me in the netbook department, but now they pull a stunt like this? … Read entire article »

3rd Times a Charm… Linux, Wifi and Samsung N210

If you follow this blog you will know that I’ve mentioned wireless and the Samsung N210 in the past. Kickstart Samsung N210 Wireless Update: UNR 10.04 Wireless on Samsung N210 The first one post was the most successful blog post I’ve ever written, and judging by the number of posts in the Ubuntu forums it’s something many people struggle with constantly with this netbook. I’ve found that the solutions I posed previously worked, but had to be redone each time after a kernel update. What’s worse is that with each new ‘Buntu distro upgrade, an entirely new wireless problem appeared. To be quite frank, I’m getting sick of this and I won’t be touching another Samsung netbook. In fact when … Read entire article »

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