May 202012
 

Recently I decided to try this thing called a Wireless Network.  

I know, I know. Your thinking “Why are you still living in the dark ages.  This wireless stuff has been around for years… Get with the program and catch up with everyone else” you are propbably thinking.

Well, I did just that.  I updated my network; installed a couple of wireless cards into the computers in my house; unplugged the laptop from the LAN and switched on the wireless setting on my router.

All good!  Up and running.   Then about 30 seconds later I get a sharp pain in the side of my head!  The right side to be exact, extending  in a line from the base of my right ear up over the top of my heard to half way down the other side almost to the top of my left ear.  Weird!  I felt wired, like I’d drunk 3 esspressos in 5 minutes.  Or was it the wireless?

May 202012
 

When Travelling with Children; Consider Baby Panodol

It can be done, travelling with children that is; but I wouldn’t recommend it; not to anyone unless you have a bottle of Baby Panodol to drug them with.

Before you go crying foul, for the record I don’t mean drug them literally, but, that’s what Baby Panodol is, a drug of sorts, although the manufacturers would rather call it something else, whatever it is.  This all relates to Life BC.  Continue reading »

Feb 212012
 

Is this Insomnia?  I get some sleep but not enough. 

For the past few years I’ve been waking up at 3am, sometime 3:30am no matter what time I go to sleep at night.

It’s weird.  I don’t know why.  It’s pissing me off. For some reason my eyes snap open in the wee hours of the morning, my mind starts going, and it is basically game over. I’m awake for the day.

By 10am that morning, I’m exhausted.  This will sound funny to some, stupid to others, but I hope there is someone who doesn’t laugh; It’s almost as if someone is playing games with my Is it sleep.

Is this Insomnia?  Technically I get some sleep; but it’s only ever 3, 4 or 5 hours. Before moving to Brisbane, Australia, I was use to 7 or 8 hours solid sleep.  Then I’d wake and power through the day.  Now, it’s as if I’m always running on empty.  I’m am now officially sick of it.   But there is no way I’m going to take pills just to knock me out.

I can’t figure it out.

Sleep tight. 

Peter

Jan 212012
 

What is SOPA?

SOPA is what the big media corporations have always wanted; and it is what they have been working towards for more than a decade.  SOPA makes someone else take responsiblity for enforcing copyright owners rights; and forces smaller organisations who do not have the resources to respond to accusations of copyright infringement; into a policing roll where they have no choice but to comply with the directives of the larger media orgainisations.  

It sounds like a hair brained computer geek conspiracy theory doesn’t it.  

But it isn’t …

It’s SOPA and Protect IP - the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Bills currently before US Parliamentary Congress; and it is due to be passed into legislation and become law very soon. Continue reading »

Jan 142012
 

Hacked By chliZAceh?

peter hallam dot com hacked by chliZAceh and Trojanspot 300x190 Website Got Hacked by chliZAceh!

This website was recently hacked  by chliZAceh.   Thanks mate; I appreciate that. Trying to fix your work in between changing my kids dirty nappies, preparing dinner for my wife when she gets home from work is all much appreciated.  … yeah, thanks mate, thanks very much! 

A seemingly nice chap, chliZAceh  at least had the decency to leave the files on the server intact and just inserted a dummy home page which got served up by the webserver instead of my material. Essentially his dummy webpage masked my content. The articles on this site were still accessible by direct link or search engine.   That was nice of him if I must say and a pleasant surprise considering some hackers are nothing more than vandals who just want to hurt people and upset them for no other motive than self serving satisfaction.   Continue reading »

Nov 022011
 

 The Graphics Card Genie and a Dead NerdBox

Ever Killed a Computer?

Every computer geek has a story about the most stupid thing they have ever done to a computer; often making you wonder at the intelligence level of those people. However, some of the stories, usually the most entertaining, boarder on idiocy. You may even consider Electric Shock lunacy but some computer geeks think nothing of it.

This is my story. It is the stupidest and most bewildering computer experiences I’ve ever encountered; and it happened to me a few days ago.

Setting up a computer the other day, I was came across a cheap 9800GT I had laying around and had never put to use. It was actually the most powerful graphics card I had at the time and I was itching to get my dollars worth out of it.  Continue reading »

Nov 022011
 

Mechanical Keyboards are like lingerie 

Why? Well, the more you pay the less you get, the smaller it is and the better it looks.

Also: Mechanical Keyboard follow the car rule. Car size in inversely proportional to crotch size. The bigger the keyboard you need in front, the less equipment you have down below.

Have Fun

Peter Hallam

Oct 302011
 

Which Mechanical Keyboard Switch should I get? – Cherry MX Red Switchcherry mx red linear keyswitches in filco tenkeyless mechanical keyboard Will You Like the Cherry MX Red Keyswitch in a mechanical keyboard?

This article is about one type of keyswitch found on Mechanical Keyboards; the Cherry MX Red keyswitch, and why you may like to use this particular mechanical keyswitch for typing. Are you confused about Mechanical Keyboards? Why you would want to spend ten times as much on a Mechanical Keyboard as you would on a bog standard one?

What’s next – Quick Links to Cherry MX Red impressions:

Continue reading »

Oct 172011
 

writers block the authors nemesis Is a picture is worth a thousand words during Writers Block

Writers Block - the authors nemesis

 

Is a Picture worth a Thousand Words?

Blink … Blink. Writers Block. Blink Blink, the flashing vertical line taunts like an elusive fly that won’t sit still long enough to swat it. That blasted blinking cursor … what an affliction. Evil, pure evil; an unforgiving virtual nemesis, trying and contemptuous with niggling.

Nar Nar na na Nar! It taunts me.  Just stop blinking at me you rotten sod! Or are you winking at me?  … Hmm.

What’s that all about? I never could figure you out. Sneaky silicon. You’re actually trying to make me think aren’t you?

Sound familiar? Just when you’re trying to make yourself do something; just when the pressure is on; just when you want the words to flow as smoothly as silk, that rotten cursor on the computer screen starts taunting and pressuring you to perform. Where are these words hiding you think to yourself? This, as if you hadn’t guessed, is Writers Block.

The problem here is that in the moment of need you’ve left yourself with nil, zero inspiration. It’s your own fault unfortunately. But there is an easy way around it.  Then answer is a picture.

Pictures overcome writers block, making your mind stay on topic by requiring it to answer a question in response to the picture shown to it. 

Continue reading »

Oct 152011
 
Dell u2711 anti glare coating image problem Dell U2711 Image is Substandard Crap

Dell U2711 Image is Crap

Dell U2711 Image

The Dell U2711 monitor displays an image that is crap. When you buy computer components, you purchase them for a specific task; functionality being a primary concern.

Keyboards are purchased to type on and to deliver a fluid, responsive and accurate typing experience.  CPU’s are purchased to handle process intensive applications and multiple activities in an efficient manner.  Solid State Drive’s (SSD) are supposed to improve file access times. Extra RAM assists with having multiple applications running concurrently.  And lastly, a high end monitor is supposed to deliver a good viewing experience.

The Dell U2711 Monitor was purchased because it was supposed to deliver a nice viewing experience.  But, unfortunately, the image delivered by the Dell U2711, IS CRAP.  I have said it before and I’ll say it again; the Dell U2711 image is Continue reading »

Oct 042011
 
focuswriter What is FocusWriter?

FocusWriter on the Linux Desktop

One of the best free word processors is called FocusWriter. Its fantastic. In a distraction filled, feature bloated world, FocusWriter is the application that excels by providing less.

FocusWriter is also simple. It was designed to provide a distraction-free writing environment. It works on Linux, WinDoWzz and Mac, similar to Black Board which is designed to help you write, and focus only on writing. It achieves this by removing distractions, all distractions.

FocusWriter removes distractions by running in full screen so you can’t see anything else. No tool bar, no other application; nothing. Like I said Continue reading »

Aug 312011
 

Telstra logo Cancelling Telstra VoicemailCancelling Telstra Voicemail

Found out how to cancel Telstra’s involuntarily implemented voicemail on my phone. Thought I would nick it and post it here. Voice mail pisses me off too.

I hate voicemail. I never check it. Also, voicemail costs money. Like 5 cents every time you HAVE to check it. Man, I’m a tight ass and that’s a lot of money to me.

Best thing to do is cancel it.  Save your money up for another chocolate milk or something really important; like, Weetbix or Porridge! Continue reading »

Aug 162011
 
she loves fedora cant get enough fedora Six Months Of Fedora

Fedora 15 Linux

She Likes The Fedora Mother Ship

Well, it has now been Six months of using a WindowZz free machine.

Doing well, and to be honest, haven’t even noticed the absence of WindowZz; not at all.

My wife likes it; not because it is stable, secure or simple to use but because it is pretty. Yep. That’s right. She likes it because she thinks it is pretty. I never actually saw that coming. I didn’t consider it a factor; but then again, I’m a guy, not a girl.

All these years of backwards and forwards between WindowZz and Linux, primarily at her insistence, and now finally she likes it … because, it is pretty.  She had never voiced that particular concern to me previously. I’d always thought; and there in lays my mistake; that it was because she was a little averse to what she calls Continue reading »