Just been reading through Avalon High a web comic written by a High School Student in Canada - it's cool to remember back to High School - and those in the place now will like it too - the usual mix of relationships and geeky stuf just about hits the spot. I laughed a few times and remembered a few things from my own High School days.

A few things have been sorted and life is reaching a quiter pitch - work has been the battle of the network which I finally tracked down to a fibre optic patch lead in the library - man working two jobs [teaching and IT Manager] is hard work. This Thursday will be a special edition of The Paper.

Two Sundays ago one of the people at church approached me and asked me to do sound at a Christian Democratic Party event - well it turned out to be the 2003 NSW State Election Launch!!! Thankfully the ever available and very capable sound techy dude praetor will be assiting --- hmm probably really the other way round - but together we should pull it off.

I wonder if blogger will work properly....

TechNews.com asks Can Computers Fly on the Wings of a Chicken? and the University of Delaware says YES!!!! Only in America - I guess that means that KFC will now be making CPU's :)

Phew, it's been a big week! Blogger continues to play up so there will not be many posts for a while - you will just have to wait to hear about the goings on.

The Register has followed up their story on JPEG licensing with this that lets us now that the JPEG group is going to bat to defend the freeness of JPEG - the first paragraph nicely sums up what's doing and the impact this licensing grab could have if successful.

Who knows when you will read this - but anywayz - According to ExtremeTech Gamespot's "Download Manager" Hides Spyware, DRM - which I guess is very nice and dandy for them but since they don't come out up front and tell you is a bit of a worry - but ever since I heard about a MS update EULA which adds the agreement that you will let them upgrade in furture when they want - I am beginning to read my EULA's a lot more carefully - well I am beginning to read them at all!

But the problem is if you don't agree to the EULA you don't get the upgrade - and I have never seen anyone offer an alternate piece of software for those that don't agree to the EULA - in the past it was government Big Brother that we worried about - now it is the coporate Big Brother which we have to watch - and although they say it's for our good - the unchecked power is there just waiting for someone with the guts to turn it on and start using all that data that is being mined to really invade and control or lives. Or not I guess.

Blogger is driving me crazy - it says the template can't be found, but in the template edittor it's there and if I resave the template then I still get an error but it publishes the archive and sometimes this page - anyways I manged to get all these MacWorld Keynote comments to post and this whinge and so I also wanted to tell you that I got the Penny Arcade Spot The Doc on the net - I am waiting for a reply to my request for permission to use their comic - hopefully they will say yes, but until they say no - enjoy!

A company holds the patent on jpeg's and they have decided that JPEGs are not free - fair enough, apparently Sony has done a deal to license JPEG's so it will be interesting to see if everyone follows suit. Can't imagine too much of an impact, but it will certainly reduce margins on software - so the next price rise on your imaging product could be thanks to this.

Who knows when you will get to read this [blogger is not publishing any of my bloggs at the moment] but when you do and if you are a Mac User then this is most nifty indeed - need to help out your dodgy windoze using friends then this is Remote Desktop for Mac which will let you connect to a PC and control it!!!

Product Description: [from version tracker]
Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac allows you to connect to a Windows-based computer and work with programs and files on that computer from your Macintosh computer. To use Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac, you need network access and permissions to connect to a Windows-based computer running Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services. These services are included with the following Windows products:

* Windows XP Professional
* Windows .NET Standard Server
* Windows .NET Enterprise Server
* Windows 2000 Server
* Windows 2000 Advanced Server
* Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

and the price is ... FREE!!!!! . As it should be since it is free for Win Users - too bad that Apple charge for their remote control app - not even bundled with OS X Server any more - bad Apple.

one more thing

The iMac - DVD burner model dropped U$100 [50% of people buy this one] - new model - 17 inch TFT landscape display [19 inch CRT viewing area]; nVidida gforce 4 MX; DVD Burner - for the same price as the old top of the range.

very very nice - Steve Jobs finished with a reminder that Apple is once again at the front of a revolution as PC's redefine themselves as the centre of a digital lifestyle and that as the economy rebounds that Apple will be best prepared to make the most of it. And he is right - Mac OS X 10.2 is now in the middle of the lot - PDA, phone, music, DVD, movies, and it was even hinted that laptops too would synch up better. Most of the stuff revolves around Open Standard Technology [bluetooth, syncML, FireWire, USB, Wi-Fi [airport] and relies upon broadband internet - all technologies that will come into there own over the next few years [some already have]]

well worth staying up for.

iPod also synchs with your address book and your iCal so you have your contacts and your calendar with you


iPod is now for windows, will auto synch with a program called music match, available late August

"Landmark groudbreaking" app called iSynch - GPRS phones [bluetooth], palm and iPod - all with calendars and address books - all now synchable with iSynch - quick data entry, backup data in case of phone theft or when buying a new phone transfer.

iSync shows all connected devices - GRPS [bluetooth], palm [USB], iPod [FireWire] - set up a rule for each one [which contacts to synch, which calendar, how much of the calendar] and then one button and bang it's done.

Now this sounds like very very cool stuff - the demo synch with a phone worked live and all, and it was pretty fast too. This is possible because these phones are using a common data standard called syncML. I don't rekon anyone is even thinking about doing anything like this.

A guy from Sony Ericsson gave a warm and happy talk about how great Sony Ericison and Apple are - the words Open Technology Standards got a run - as opposed to the M$ approach which is to make their own standards and not allow input or access except on M$ terms - I think this is very cool stuff - an exciting development.

iTunes 3 - new stuff :: rating system, play count [know how often you played a song], sound check [which plays back all your songs at the same volume], smart playlist, you set rules and will then create the list for you [e.g. Rule - most played, music in year range, play count 20 times and rating is 4 or 5] [e.g. Rule - gigbyte of least played songs], [e.g. Rule artist contains dylan, (can add more), 10 songs randomly selected, 4 or 5 star rating - you can edit the selected smart playlist and it will apply the rule again] [eg Rule 500 gigabyte/songs/megabytes/hours/minutes, play count 0] rules updated dynamically as you add or delete music files.

Only on MAC OS X - free download from today!

iPod 5GB drops U$100, 10GB drops U$100 and gets 10% thinner and touch pad scroll wheel and firewire port door and remote [phone jack, volume, forward and reverse] and case with belt clip 20GB versions with all teh 10GB stuff at the same price as the old 10GB [that's 4000 songs in your pocket!!!] - synchs with iTunes 3 [play counts on iPod gets updated to your iTunes] full synch including the smart rules - very cool - if only I could afford one ;(

Technology failures mainly had to do with the net - in particular it was funny that the iChat IM program kept on going offline - not surprising I guess with only a lash up for the keynote - but makes you wonder - they have less than a month to fix it.

Now talking about iCal - a calendar program that links with your mac.com free web space so you can publish the calendar online just by choosing a menu option, includes Auto Update feature [very broadband focused] - people can also send you an email which has a link that enables your calendar to subscribe to other peoples calendar [you can set the update frequency] - of course this means that you have to be using a MAC, and have a mac.com email and web hosting.

Sharing calendars over the internet with 1 button publish 1 button subscribe ... runs on 10.2 free download.

Watching the MacWorld New York keynote - a few technologies failed but nothing major - I misssed the 30 minutes but so far Mac OS 10.2 looks cool and will be available August 24th. Rendezvous is the coolest news so far - IP devices which annouce themselves on the network is a great idea - something AppleTalk did back in 1984 - but so useful - in particular the demo of a IM linked in with Rendevous finds all the computers around you and then add the peopel to your list - even if they aren't using the IM.

sept 30 iTools goes and DOT MAC or .Mac comes on line - Jobs says that although .net is the MS version, Apple has already had the same idea working with itools so they decided to change the name....
email, imap, pop, webmail
idisk - 25 to 100MB very fast under 10.2 - password protected folders
webhosting and iPhoto photo hosting
backup software - which will backup to iDisk or CD or DVD
anti virus software from MacAfeee

they are the first .Mac release, on box, one product - U$99 per year - available today - current iTools users as of today are U$49 first year.

nifty things but the price is a bit steep - and it seems like the previously free iTools will disappear - but can't tell - exactly.

/cam2 is back up and running - if you twist your head you can work it out, the OS X drivers are dodgy - but also free - so that is why it is so jagged. Can't have everything - you can also see a bit of what I am doing the computer too. One very sweet feature is that when I minimise the webcam app [put it in the dock for OS X users] then I see a realtime image of what is on the cam, plus the status bar so I know when it is uploading - well I think it's nifty anway!!

UPDATE :: cam right way up and looking nicer

The spot the doc makeover continues with the past spot the docs page now updated. I will work on the previously referred to tribute spot the docs over the next few days. Not quite as a joyous day today, but I think that is pretty usual for post LDC responses - maybe sleeping from 3am to 10am could have something to do with it, along with spending the day trying to completely backup the main work server before trying any upgrades and stuff before migrating to the wonderful and shiny and new OS X Server - oh wonderous server, quick and silvery in the hardware aqua and quartz in the software - yeah.

oh and james says just got updated - visit the paper and follow the link - or not, I really am just about too tired to care, only just about, actually I am so tired that if you don't then I might just start to cry :(.... sniffle

I have been reading a new web comic and finished catching up on all the eps I missed - I felt artistically inclined so I decided to do two things.

1. do a series of Spot The Doc tributes to some of the website I like to surf
   
2. do a makeover the whole Spot The Doc site
   

well I didn't 1 do and have only revamped the front page - more coming soon - for now it is to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.

and to praeor who signed my guest book - using a PC does NOT repeat NOT make one a man - it makes one a stupid dumb doofus head!!! There that is my manly adult comment for tonight

Mac OS .... cos windoze sux.

had a pretty cool day of real holiday stuff after LDC and then preaching on Sunday...

• Get up and have breakfast - now this takes about 2 hours - reading, snoozing, eating, showering
  
• plan day - 2 hours of xbox followed by some hard core bedroom cleaning, spare room cleaning [thommo moves in soon], alkng to associate pastor, thinking about invite someone over for fun this afternoon
  
• set up xbox and start rallisport - day on trak
  
• B2 drops around - play rallisport
  
• The Noble one drops in -play more rallisport - plan for day thrown out window - noble one mentions desire for kebab - I concer and announced cans of dr pepper were brought back from Erina Fair Franklins :) hoping to find some in sydney franklins .... a kebab and a dr pepper with bjd means that the noble one will become a man this day
  
• B2, Noble one and I head off to watch B2 buy PS2 - plan for day floats gaily down the street and is not heard from again
  
• return home to have kebabs, B2 goes home to let lose the hounds of war - well his pigeons - and the noble one and I set up some very cool quicksilvers so I can do some work [and he can play wolfenstein!!]
  
• Noble sets up Sporty Steve on MSN - hours of chatting to people we saw only last night ensues - I have some decent conversations with lord_templar, ashers and fun time wasting jocularity with danny boy, aj, the noble one
  
• cruise net whilst doing so
  
• 9pm B2 and noble one return to watch Jebadiah on [V]
  
• when it finishes noble one plays wolfenstein, testing out the school serves are working at peak performance - i make note, will have to verify findings tomorrow myself
  
• 1:58am post this

Ever wondered why the XBOX controllers had that quick release thingy in the cable - well it aint so that when you finally kill that Covenant or Pull Off that Sik Stunt or exericse some other mad Xbox Skillz and go wild you don't snap the cable or do other nastiness to the controller cable - or to stop friends tripping and falling to their doom as they stumble off for more dr pepper - no it is to protect small children - the quote in the comic comes from the actual manual.

James became a man today.

USATODAY.com - The ultimate smackdown: Mac versus PC - an interesting comparison showing that the GHz on the chip aint all there is in the equation of speed. Also highlights that the job determines the tool used, or the upgrades to your home system required.

Blue's News: MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS ANNOUNCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF "HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED" FOR THE PC AND MAC - what more can I say ....

The course finished last night with Graduation, a great feeling was in the air last night as we met for the last time to celebrate the things that God had done and pray about the continued growth of the participants. I have had about 4 hours sleep today and will now set to work on preparing my sermon for tomorrow night.

The course was fantastic with the participants really focused on working on developing an effective team. We are aware of 2 participants who made commitments and praise God for that. The Thursday night was a very significant time for us all as we marvelled afresh that God loves us so much that he would be prepared to die for us.

I certainly saw God at work this week - did you?

This will be the final post until the end of LDC on Friday week ....

And since I will be preaching after that it might be the last until about the 15 July or so....

This week is as always a very busy week, and right now I feel very tired. Not just physically tired but mentally drained as well, thinking of about 100 million things that have to be do to make LDC work. But I feel ready spiritually and I know that as much as we can do has been done to make sure things are ready and it is now very comforting to know that I can put it into the hands of the God of the universe and He will look after it.

If you are of the praying kind then visit the LDC website and sign up for the prayer list which have daily updates during the course, including specific course prayer requests live via SMS.

See you in about 10 days - and may you look around and see God at work and enjoy an awesome week just as I will at LDC.

I wouldn't be a windows user ever, and even using any M$ product looks a bit scary after reading this article which notes that "Microsoft has just assumed the right to attack your computer and surreptitiously install code of its choosing. You will not be warned; you will not be offered an opportunity examine the download or refuse it. MS will simply connect remotely and install what it will, or install it secretly when you contact them."

Obviously M$ is attempting to take control of the whole world - maybe Rob was right .... nar - it;s just usual human greed and power hunger at work.

Just finished at Parent Teacher Interviews for another year. Although I have been teaching for about 9 years now I stilll feel a bit of an adrenaline rush as the night approaches - no troubles again this year, although I think I mixed up the class marks for a pair of twins that I teach in year 9 maths - but their Mum was cool with that - and together we put the hard work on the the twins to study and prepare for exams better.

Had long chat with a friend last night about understanding what God is doing our lives, and how to deal with not getting the desires of our hearts - it is a struggle to have to deal with the fact that God doesn't always give us what we want - but the cool thing about God is that he promises and always delivers what we need. And how do you think I can say that so definately - well 2000 years ago God became a man in the person of Jesus and died and rose again to bring me forgiveness for rejecting God. If someone is willing to die for me, then I will trust them in other things.

Am I perfect at this, no way, but I am getting better - and the best thing about the discussion we had was that it touched me and was used by God to help me in my walk as well as hopefully helping the other person.

Well I was very surprised when Internet Explorer said that the Nobles Blogg had changed. After all it had been down for a long time. I am looking forward to when it gets to regular updates. James is a cool bloke and a wicked RalliSport racer. Oh and he tinkles the mad ivories.