Raging Monster – A Two Year Old’s Tantrums
Screaming beyond all reason; about nothing in particular except what the world has done.
And what has the world done? Continue reading »
Aug 142011
Aug 082011
Filco Tenkeyless Linear Red Limited Edition Mechanical Keyboard
Computers, NerdBox, Space Cadet Stuff, Technology No Responses »
Cherry MX Red Switch
It’s officially a Fetish.
A fetish I would rather have kept secret. But, alas, my wife found out; and now I have been outed.
I have this thing going; a thing few would understand. I love; get this … Continue reading »
Aug 072011
Hay House Writers Workshop.
Business, Gratitude, Life the Universe and Everything, self development No Responses »
Hay House Writers Workshop
Just got back from the Hay House Writers Workshop in Melbourne.
Hay House was started by author Louise Hay as a Self Help type publishing house more than 20 years ago. Lots of aspiring authors would love to be published by Hay House because of it’s reputation in the Self Help community.
Funniest thing about this conference, I got the impression that its far more viable an option to self publish than it is to be tied to a publisher. You loose a lot of your rights as an author when you sign up with a publisher. And, its just as much work. However, when you want to start publishing internationally, I guess you need the experience and backing of an established publisher. Continue reading »
Aug 052011
Publishers Workshop
Well, a quick trip to Melbourne for me today. Nothing like waking up with only 4 hours sleep, to then go and sit in a publishing workshop all day.
That must be the best way I can think of, catching a red eye flight, then sitting all day in Melbourne Convention Centre, and trying to concentrate on what your trying to learn. It can’t be healthy for you.
Fun Fun Fun … And it will be fun; just wish I had 8 hours sleep instead of 4.
Peter
Jul 172011
Which direction are you headed?
Children, Life the Universe and Everything, Mind, Paranormal, Subconscious Mind No Responses »
Sometimes you feel like your life is going round and round.
Don’t you wish they gave you a compass and directions when you’re born; a nice little instruction booklet or something. A case manager perhaps.
I takes a hell of a long time to figure it all out on your own.
But, anyway; I really like this picture.
I just wanted an excuse to post it.
There you go.
Isn’t it a nice picture. And if you click on it you get all these search results around typing thrown up at you. Typing is very important in life. That is until I can get a USB port installed in the back of my head and save all the tedium of manual data impute. Till then, Colemak it is.
Jul 122011
Today is a bit of an occasion.
I’ve managed to hit 50wpm touch typing with the Colemak Keyboard Layout.
This is great; because I’ve finally gotten to the stage whereby my thoughts can almost fluidly be put to paper (or white space as in the case of typing).
I’ve been looking for this to happen for a while, ever since I trashed my QWERTY typing skills in a 4:00 am caffeine fueled frenzy.
That’s half way to what my QWERTY touch typing speed was almost 6 months ago. Not there yet but there’s no turning back now. I notice my typing being more efficient with lots of words being typed only from the home row; even if I am still slower.
How, in the hell, do people manage without being able to touch type. What a complete waste of time peckers are. They have no idea how easy it can be to dramatically improve their experience using a computer.
Have Fun typing in Colemak
Peter Hallam
Jul 092011
Dell U2711 Anti Glare Review
Dell U2711 IPS monitor
This review of the Dell U2711 Monitor focuses solely on the Anti Glare coating employed in the U2711 and its subsequent impact on the displayed image the monitor is capable of providing. There are literally hundreds of reviews on the internet for the Dell U2711 monitor that discus its feature set, performance and price. Read those if you want an a more in depth analysis of the U2711′s feature set.
Resolution
The U2711 has a 2560 x 1440 resolution giving it a 16:9 display ration, which is exactly double 720p HD video. This makes it a very good choice for viewing HD video content. A double 1080p HD display resolution would be better but is not easily obtainable in the market at an equivalent price point that the U2711 is available for. The U2711 represents a good screen real estate to dollar value ratio. Continue reading »
Mar 252011
Fools and Fanatics
Gratitude, Law of Attraction, Life the Universe and Everything, Mind, Subconscious Mind No Responses »
“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.”
Bertrand Russel (Philosopher)
Mar 132011
Driving Consumes You
Life the Universe and Everything, Mind, Space Cadet Stuff, Visualisation No Responses »
Image Stolen from Net
Driving Consumes You
Vulcanised rubber whirs over black asphalt tar tacks, fingers and callused knuckles gently cradling a steering wheel.
The window is down, dizzy air trespassing in personal space, whipping hair onto skin.
An aggressive swish buffets the ride, momentary silence, quickly banished with the whirring tread of hard vulcanised rubber, again brushed away with swish after swish as cars whiz by to unknown destinations.
Eyes peer over knuckles, hypnotised with heat over the straight stretch beyond.
Have Fun
Peter
Mar 112011
I have been using an excellent online typing tutor over at Hi Games to motivate myself and to help push myself just that little bit extra when it comes to practicing.
You can set the default keyboard layout to whatever you like. Currently, I have it set it Colemak. Continue reading »
Mar 082011
DOS/Alureon.A
Dos Alureon.A Nightmare
This is one nasty little critter. Just quickly, the bottom line is, don’t stuff around. Nuke It! Kill It! ASAP! If you are still running a Microsoft based machine, save yourself the time and Wipe Your Boot Sector and Start Again!
One Tough Little Critter
The DOS version, not the WIN32 version that runs within WindowZz, was unfixable. Nothing worked against it; no anti-virus, no online scan, no anti-malware or anti-spyware worked. Using administrator mode was ineffective. Manual cleaning didn’t work, and neither did File Unlocker against the permission locks protecting Dos Alureon.A.
DOS Alureon.A is an advanced virus / root kit that hides in the boot sector of windows installed hard drives, making it very difficult to find or even access. But, to make things worse, if you do find it, usually, DOS Alureon.A appears as a LOCKED file, so it is almost impossible to Continue reading »
Feb 282011
The Colemak Lessons Continue
Earlier, some possible motivations for switching to a new keyboard layout were reviewed. If, after considering the pro’s and con’s, you decide to make the switch and give Colemak a try, this is how you should go about it.
Change to the Colemak Layout
Firstly, change the keyboard layout to Colemak. Native Colemak keyboards are few and far between. Native support in windows is also missing so installation of a program to remap your keys is required. Colemak by default remaps Backspace to the CapsLock key. Some versions of the remapping tool omit this so it is recommended to use the version that does.
If your running any Linux distribution, then you have native support already and don’t need to download anything, just change the keyboard layout in Continue reading »
Feb 222011
First Steps With Colemak
Learning the Colemak Keyboard Layout shouldn’t be taken lightly. Learning a new keyboard layout will effectively rewire the neural network in your brain associated with typing, overwriting the existing Qwerty layout. It will take weeks of hard work to get back up to speed so that you are touch typing with the Colemak Keyboard Layout.
It is best to use the Cold Turkey approach when learning and dispense with Qwerty entirely whilst you are learning Colemak ore you may find yourself regressing back go Qwerty when you find you occasionally need to “Just quickly type something out”.
If you have decided to try Colemak, the first thing you should come to terms with is Continue reading »
Feb 162011
Colemak Keyboard Layout
Why Learn Colemak?
Why would you go to all the trouble of learning a new keyboard layout if you are already proficient with another? It depends on your motives.
If you believe what you read on the net, and some of it should be taken with a grain of salt, then Qwerty was originally designed with the sole purpose of slowing down the typist so that typewriters would jam less and not need to be repaired as often. This does make sense and is very plausible considering the classic typewriter had arms that would jam or cross when the typist would type too fast thus slowing them down.
A response to this issue was the Dvorak layout. Dvorak is fast but one of its deficiencies is that the layout overly stresses certain weaker fingers. Colemak was designed to be easy to learn, balance typing between hands, and maintain recognised computer keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl X, C and V to keep undo, cut and paste valid across layouts.
Basically Colemak is a VERY efficient keyboard layout compared to QWERTY and DVORAK. It has a good effort to output ratio whilst distributing the load evenly across the strongest fingers. The reason for this is Continue reading »
Feb 152011
Colemak Keyboard Layout
Learning The Colemak Keyboard Layout
I am learning a keyboard layout called Colemak.
“Why the hell are you learning a new keyboard layout?” you ask?
“Can’t you type on a normal QWERTY keyboard!?”
Well, I am a compulsive geek to put it bluntly. I like inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering on myself don’t I.
But, more to the point, I like trying out new Nerdbox stuff. I’ve been typing QWERTY for close to 20 years now, touch typing a respectable 80 – 90 words per minute and have essentially hit a ceiling. Now 80 – 90 words per minute is actually quite a good speed and nothing to be ashamed of.
Thing is … Continue reading »