”In four week’s time, all being well, I’ll step blinking from the air-conditioned cocoon of an Emirates 747 into the warm afternoon sunlight of Auckland. Ahead of me will lie a three week road trip across New Zealand, from Auckland in the north to Dunedin in the south – a trip in search of future opportunities for myself and my family.”
If you like what you read, there’s a link in the sidebar here or a feed for return visits.
my lo-fi ears are listening to He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot/Grandaddy
|W|P|110648191187847419|W|P|Looking for No.8 wire|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.com“What's the biggest threat to business networks in 2005? Front-line IT managers and security firms increasingly peg spyware as public enemy No. 1.” Spyware: IT's public enemy No. 1: ZDNet
Dearly Beloved
Having lost most of my day to a sudden spyware/trojan infestation of my laptop, I’m inclined to agree with the above. Despite the efforts of our outsourced IT helpdesk not to mention my own beforehand, the battle is lost and a rebuild is scheduled for as soon as possible. On my home PC, I browse with Firefox (only ever using IE for Windows Updates) and I cannot recommend a better course of action to take than getting a decent browser, firewall and anti-virus combination setup on your PC.
For those wishing to embrace this ‘holy trinity’, the cost of doing so is as follows:
Firewall price: £0.00/$0.00
Browser price: £0.00/$0.00
Anti-virus price: £0.00/$0.00
Add an hour of your time to read the install/help files, get familiar with the applications and tweak them to suit and you will have made it a lot less likely that you’ll get spyware. Add SpyBot, Ad-ware and Reg Cleaner to your no-cost shopping list and you’ll then have the means to clean out the stuff may be lurking there already.
Here endeth the lesson.
|W|P|110625791229241033|W|P|Spyware sermon|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.com
Ian McKenzie|W|P|Amen, brother! Preach it! Cast out the demons of spyware and leave the sinful trojans behind. ;)After a troubled relationship lasting a few months too many, this weekend sees me saying goodbye to the damnable SPV E200 smartphone and saying hello to a Handspring Treo 600 thanks to my boss, who was just as sick of my phone crapping out during calls as I was.
As a long time Palm user, the Treo is a phone I can get to grips with easily and so far the indications are good. However, with my own Tungsten T3 and a company Treo - the former with all the data and apps I need/want and the latter without - I faced a quandary. If was to use the Treo as anything other than an over-specified phone, how was I going to migrate or copy the masses of contact numbers, memos, tasks and calendar data from my T3 to the Treo? Even leaving aside third party applications, simply syncing the Treo with my existing T3 Palm Desktop setup was not possible because whilst the T3 and the Treo share a similar heritage, they are different beasts under the skin. The Treo uses the old style core PIM applications (Date Book; Address Book; To Do List; Memo Pad) while the T3 uses the newer incarnations (Calendar; Contacts; Tasks; Memos) and,whilst each flavour can read the same underlying database, the synchronisation conduits are different. What is more, I use two computers pretty much daily - the home PC and work laptop - so I need to ensure that I can use both the T3 & Treo with both.
So, for the gadget geeks amongst the readership, here's the line up of the kit involved and how I have set up the core PIM applications so far (after a day's trial and error with a few backups and reloads):
- Work laptop running W2000 Pro & Palm Desktop 4.1.4*
- Home PC running W XP & Palm Desktop 4.1.4*
- Tungsten T3 + cradle
- Treo 600 + cable
After an abortive attempt to load the Orange/Handspring-supplied Palm Desktop over the existing 4.1.4 version, I backed up my T3 user profile files and uninstalled all Palm-related apps and folders and then reinstalled the latest 4.1.4 version of the desktop from Palm Source. Once I had restored the relevant files and had everything back to normal, I did the following:
On work laptop:
- Hotsync'd T3 to Palm Desktop 4.1.4.
- Backed up T3 to SD card and Palm folder to my second hard drive.
- Updated all my contacts, correcting mistakes in all the data fields that the Treo would use for its phone contacts and added international prefixes to all numbers (an irksome task but I'll be travelling soon so worthwhile).
- Reviewed and tidied all my memos.
- Reviewed and tidied my calendar.
- Reviewed and tidied my tasks.
- Created new user profile for the Treo in Palm Desktop, so I now have two Palm profiles: (a) Bignoseduglyguy (b) Bignoseduglyguy Treo
- Replicated all (a) tasks categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) memo categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) contact categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) calendar categories/colour coding in (b).
- Saved memos, contacts, tasks and calendar data.
- Exported memos (.mpa), contact (.aba) and calendar (.dba) data from profile (a) to Windows desktop using the Palm Desktop 'File | Export...' option - taking care to ensure all private records were visible and that 'All records' was selected for memos and contacts.
- Imported memos (.mpa), contact (.aba) and calendar (.dba) data to profile (b) from Windows desktop using the Palm Desktop 'File | Import...' option.
- Opened HotSync Manager's Custom function and altered the conduit actions for the (b) profile to ensure that the correct ones for the Treo (Date Book; Address Book; To Do List; Memo Pad) were enabled and, more importantly, the OS 5 conduits (Calendar; Contacts; Tasks; Memos) were set to 'Do Nothing'. (In my case, I also set all my other applications like Life Balance, Bonsai etc to 'Do Nothing').
- Conducted HotSync with all relevant conduits set to 'Desktop Overwrites Handheld' to upload all the imported data in profile (b) to the Treo.
- Conducted a second HotSync with the T3 to check profile (a) still syncs OK.
On home PC:
- Created new user profile for the Treo in Palm Desktop, so I now have two Palm profiles: (a) Bignoseduglyguy (b) Bignoseduglyguy Treo
- Replicated all (a) tasks categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) memo categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) contact categories/colour coding in (b).
- Replicated all (a) calendar categories/colour coding in (b).
- Opened HotSync Manager's Custom function and altered the conduit actions for the (b) profile to ensure that the correct ones for the Treo (Date Book; Address Book; To Do List; Memo Pad) were enabled and, more importantly, the OS 5 conduits (Calendar; Contacts; Tasks; Memos) were set to 'Do Nothing'. (In my case, I also set all my other applications like Life Balance, Bonsai etc to 'Do Nothing').
- Conducted HotSync with all relevant conduits set to 'Handheld Overwrites Desktop' to upload all the imported data in profile (b) from the Treo.
- Conducted a second HotSync with the T3 to check profile (a) still syncs OK.
As for actual use in the very near future, the T3 will be the main PDA and the Treo will primarily be a phone but will have a second copy of all my basic PIM data. In time, I will move across as many of my favoured applications as the Treo’s memory and my SD cards will allow, to allow me to use the Treo in much the same way as I use my T3. Although I would like to move to one device, I'm not buying a new set of peripherals just yet. Who knows, if I like using an integrated solution enough, I might just migrate to my own 650, but that's one for the future.
*Latest version downloaded from PalmSource as used with my T3 and NOT the bundled one supplied by Orange, my corporate service provider. This is because the bundled desktop i) has Treo specific add-ons and ii) it 'moves' Treo-incompatible T3 OS5 specific apps to a folder on the desktop when it 'up(down)grades' your setup. Caveat Emptor.
my lo-fi ears are listening to Luka/Suzanne Vega
|W|P|110521618854042321|W|P|Two into one - well, almost|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.comUpon arriving home, I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and was greated by the sight of the iron sitting in the ½ full washing up bowl in the sink. What is more, it was full of pink stuff. Knowing better than to assume anything, I called SWMBO to enquire as to whether the iron was there for a reason or had been thrown there in a fit of pique. It is being descaled, I was told, and yes, she had followed the instructions.
A few minutes ago I set up the ironing board and partly filled the iron to press a shirt for work tomorrow. A veteran of previous ill-advised descalings, I decided to test the iron on a tea towel first as invariably the thing spits limescale and brown sludge after such treatments. However, even I was unprepared for the hissing, gurgling and emission of noxious fumes that preceeded the enormous bang and foot-long sparks that leapt from the thing as it died, expelling one last wisp of smoke. Having reset the trip switch in the consumer unit and combed my hair flat again, I pondered on which shirt in my wardrobe is least creased for tomorrow’s meetings. Having checked the stove thoroughly, I’m now off to cook chili whilst assessing whether SWMBO’s skills have any military application, like descaling WMD perhaps.
|W|P|110486582213681075|W|P|Letting off steam|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.com Br3nda of coffee.geek.nz|W|P|My other half, having spent far too much time in the airforce ironing things found this post especially amusing...but myself, i gotta ask, what is a "SWMBO" ?
Are you a reveller, a resolver or a rejecter? Julian Baggini, in a short piece for The Guardian, argues that it is the whole year that counts, not just how we see it in.
my lo-fi ears are listening to Do You Have A Little Time/Dido
|W|P|110470766573458496|W|P|363 to go...|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.comThough I suspect I will remember this Christmas and New Year’s Eve for two weeks of coughs and sneezes, I thought I would jot down a few notables for my future reference, if no one else’s. The most notable gifts were the Christian Aid ‘Just Gifts’ given to myself and the sprogs by SWMBO. Between us, we got four goats, a pair of crutches, a stethoscope and 18 hours of computer training, all of which were actually delivered to folks around the globe who really needed them. Although we have been house-bound most of the time, The Incredibles was a notable big hit with all four sprogs who, like sprogs the world over, are now playing at being Incredibles and debating over who is the strongest or stretchiest. Meanwhile, back in the safe harbour that is our sofa, Bill Bailey: Part Troll proved that, with or without his extraordinary talent for musical parody, he is one of the funniest people on the comedy circuit. For those not convinced, try watching the video clip where he turns the BBC NEWS theme tune into a rave mix. During breaks where us adults sought food and drink, Anita and Me, Mean Girls and Pirates Of The Caribbean had the sprogs spawled on the sofa until we surgically removed the remote and isolated the power. Talking of sustenance, without a doubt, the cups of tea made by sprogs and delivered to the side of the bed/sofa were noteworthy. If tea doesn’t count, we had friends over last night and we rustled up my Chicken Piri Piri served with a chilau (explained me & others here) which we followed by SWMBO’s raspberry and white wine syllabub and washed down with a Shiraz and Vinho Verde. The thought of walking into the office again in just 34 hours is simply too much to bear.
my lo-fi ears are listening to Firesuite/Doves
|W|P|110470417343278208|W|P|Holiday Redux|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.comThe annual trawl through newly-released documents at the National Archive has unearthed a truly surreal story that turns current news events on their head.
|W|P|110461406659230759|W|P|Africa to send aid to Britain|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.com"Today, 21 January 1974, the people of Kigezi District donated one lorry load of vegetables and wheat. I am now requesting you to send an aircraft to collect this donation urgently before it goes bad. I hope you will react quickly so as not to discourage Ugandans from donating more"
“And so it was in December 1973 when Her Majesty's diplomatic staff in the Ugandan capital of Kampala telegrammed London to pass on an offer to save the UK from financial ruin from General Idi Amin Dada.”
A meme pastime to while away the Bank Holiday hours. Type each letter of the alphabet into your browser's address bar and see what it offers by way of a snapshot of one's recent browsing history. In my case, the alphabet spaghetti lines up like this:
A is for Amazon
B is for this blog
C is for Concern’s Christmas appeal
D is for del.icio.us
E is for Evan Williams
F is for Furl
G is for Gmail
H is for Hackney Cyclists
I is for Ian’s Messy Desk
J is for jkOnTheRun
K is for Keeping Found Things Found
L is for Londo Metroblogging
M is for Matthew Good
N is for BBC News
O is for Online Conversion
P is for Palm Source
Q is blank
R is for Recruitment Plus NZ
S is for Snip URL
T is for Tower Hamlets Wheelers
U is for Texas Pot Roast
V is for NZ Poetry
W is for wURLdbook
X is for Xeni
Y is for Yeti Sports
Z is for zefrank
What this all means or says about one I’m not quite sure.
my lo-fi ears are listening to Wth>You (Chairman Hahn ft. Aceyalone)/Linkin Park
I wish each and every person visiting my blog a happy, healthy and peaceful 2005. That said, let’s not pretend that this is like any other New Year’s Day. In the last seven days, those usually quiet, restful days between Christmas and the New Year, 150,000 people fellow human beings have died with millions more injured, homeless and dispossessed.
As we celebrate the coming of a new year, let’s take a moment to reflect upon those less fortunate than ourselves, particularly those in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and other islands so awfully affected by the Asian tsunami earthquake. Please consider making a donation to assist those affected. Whilst it was announced yesterday that, in the last three days, the British public have donated over £50,000,000 to aid those affected by the Asian tsunami earthquake, this is probably not even 1% of what will be required in the long run. Elsewhere in Europe, governments and individuals are giving in a similar fashion. For a ‘local’ take on North American donating, you might try Matthew Good’s piece.
Though there are myriad ways to donate at banks and stores, below are ways to donate now and two way to help emerging economies and poorer nations long term:
MAKE AN IMMEDIATE DONATION
via Bloggers without Borders – a project/mission conceived by Metblogs’ Sean Bonner and launched ahead of schedule in response to the Asian tsunami earthquake. “Bloggers without Borders is dedicated to raising awareness for charities and charitable events around the world. We use the tools and exposure of modern citizen journalism as a means to lend a hand in the solicitation of donations and outbound information management.” Jonas Luster posted yesterday to answer some questions about the project.
via The Guardian’s Charity Christmas Appeal via amazon.co.uk’s British Red Cross Disaster Relief page
ABOLISH THIRD WORLD DEBT
The UK in the guise of Prime Minister, Tony Blair, assumes the Presidency of the G8 today, 1 January 2005 and it's annual Summit will be taking place in Scotland from 6-8 July. Tony Blair's is on record as saying "I really want to focus on the challenges of Africa and climate change during our Presidency". Billions of people living in the world's poorest countries are effectively imprisoned by debts that they nor their governments can ever repay. Year in, year out, those governments struggle to pay back millions of pounds and dollars with almost no chance of ever clearing their debts. The fact that these debts could be cancelled without impacting the world economy makes this state of affairs even more unfair and punitive. Debtlinks.org carries links to scores of projects and sites worldwide that are working towards the abolition of third world debt or simply check out “third world debt” on Google to make yourself better informed.
BANK WITH COMPASSION & CONSCIENCE
Move your current & savings accounts, your pensions and your investment to a banking or financial organisation that has a provable track record in ethical investment and money management. In the UK, The Co-operative Bank leads the way by providing competitive banking services whilst maintaining clear ethical policies, promoting trade justice and a whole host of other campaigns.
Once again, I hope that 2005 provides each of you with what you hope for and, just as importantly, that as a global community we really focus on what people need, rather than simply what we want.
An earlier version of this post was posted to london.metblogs.com and bloggers without borders.
|W|P|110458439232451993|W|P|Make a difference this year - starting today|W|P|bignoseduglyguy@gmail.com