Sometimes various companies supply associated software with hardware products they make. Digital cameras and mobile phones are the common ones. They almost make these programs a requirements as they are part of the functionality that is the product, in that the mobile phone syncs to your computer and transfers files, the digital camera does extra controls and allows panoramic stitching and more…

All very good features, but the implementation of these programs is not always so good. I often find that these programs are made by little geniuses in their back shed and bought as a product by the big company and distributed with the hardware.

Then comes along an update, I got onto to Windows Vista quite early and this was one of the problems. When I tried to install my camera software it stated that it would only install on Windows 95, XP, 2000 or later… Not Vista released this century it seemed, only last century release operating systems. So after various emails I got a patch, then had to tell them a patch is useless unless the original software actually installed, so I got a disc, after 5 months of waiting a solution eventually came through.

Why do they make it hard on themselves and release software that is really non-standard and doesn’t fit within standard installs and processes that Microsoft would prefer, and then when a change comes along, they struggle to keep up.

Now it seems even with the user interface, I need to install their Nokia software, and from time to time there are updates, like today and all came down fine and installed. It all looked really cool because instead of being standard windows format it presents with a black border, special controls and a step through graph bar… ooooohhh….. Impressed.

And then at the end it prompted me with this…

I must restart my system (restart vista because I updated a program?) or I can wait until later, click "Yes" or click "No". Then I am presented with a tick and a cross. OK, if I hover over the buttons it shows a Yes and a No but somewhere along the line, once again the graphics department in all their wisdom thought it would look better but they didn’t talk to the programmers and tell them what it would look like.

I have mentioned here often enough my distain for the Public Transport system in Melbourne, for years it has been going down hill, getting ever more crowded, rarely getting more supplied to it and as the city surges with more population and the housing densities increase and the sprawl consumes all around it, I feel the situation is declining at a rapid rate.

So I did something about it, and no more will I contribute to the coffers of the failing Myki, or to those that buy back rusty old jalopies with no air conditioning ready for the summer experience. No more will I be another sweaty passenger of a bus that I had to wait 30 minutes for and be squeezed in dangerously to experience 4g’s of terror flying through Footscray bypassing stops because we can’t fit more in.

No More!

I have acquired an alternative, an economical two wheeled road rocket.

Like so many I was with on the training day, I too have started the option of getting around a bit more easily. Work trips are now again enjoyable, working late is not a problem, getting in early is easy.

Melbourne has one of the sweetest laws for motor bikes also, free parking. We can put bikes on the footpath (so long as they don’t hinder pedestrians) and there is more street parking being created too so it makes sense.

I have gone from $28 a week tickets to $8 a week petrol, so you do the math!

The whole process is pretty great. There are a number of training centers you can go to and get your learners, 2 day for total novices, 1 day for those like me who perhaps rode before (20 years ago on trail bikes), get yourself and LAMS (Learner Approved Motorbike) and your on the road.

I do recommend it, and for the local city commute, you can’t go wrong.

For a number of years I have been playing with software and hardware combinations that convert or make a PC display and record live TV. These programs also add control options to the viewer so that like the TIVO, you can record and watch things later, pause and resume in real-time along with other features and tricks that makes the old ‘watching programmed TV’ fun again.

TIVO has become really popular because it takes the ‘programming’ out of serial TV transmitting, life is more dynamic now, I want to be out having a late dinner at 8:30, not at home watching a movie then and there. I might be a shift-worker or busy on the internet, I want TV to be available when I want it, not when the station executives and their advertisers expect me to watch it.

For the last few years there has been an influx of add-in cards for PC’s that allow you to watch and record TV on your PC. Anything from $35 will get you one and they work. Many now operate using the full Digital TV transmitted by a land based tower, DTV-T (Digital Tele-Vision – Terrestrial) or DTV-S (Satellite). Either way, on your PC you can watch or record TV, but it’s a cute idea only, in practice you don’t want to watch TV on your PC much, your lounge chairs are in another room, the screen is too small, it’s just not right. But we do have a solution…

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Need I say more?

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