CONTORTED PASTA

Images

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:07:55 GMT

You may remember from some months ago that Photobucket, where I've hosted the pictures I've shared for the last 15 years or so, is taking a leaf from Martin Shkreli and charging exorbitantly for what used to be reasonable and/or free. My account reverts to 'free' (i.e. 'useless' under the new scheme) on Dec. 6th, at which point most of the images on my site, and in back issues of this blog, will cease to be visible – I'll still have them, they just won't embed externally anymore.

I've opened an Imgur account, and am planning to download all my Photobucket stuff and close those accounts then upload everything again (there doesn't seem to be an automatic way of doing that), but I won't be able to transfer much by the 6th and definitely won't have time to update img tags, so if you're dying to have a wander down memory lane, do it quick or there won't be any pictures.

Most pictures since 2013 are hosted on Tumblr, though, so recent history you don't have to worry about.

Which reminds me, I haven't done an image crosspost in aaaaaaaages ...

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Browsers

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 08:55:43 GMT

A few weeks ago I uninstalled Firefox in an unusual fit of pique. It had been maddeningly slow to put together Tumblr posts at a time when I was lining up quite a few, and there were other minor grievances that, accumulating, and with the Tumblr problem as the final straw, prompted the rash removal of the browser from my computer.

It was only a few days later I realised that, with it, had gone years' worth of bookmarks, not only of convenience but of strange little back corners and obscure reference materials that I had bookmarked because I feared never finding them again. But I'd settled into Chrome for the time being (which opened up a bewildering new dimension of advertising, wow) and resigned myself to having to reassemble my bookmarks at some point in the future and learning a salutary lesson about backing up one's system.

This morning something ticked over and I decided it was time to get back on speaking terms with Firefox, so I reinstalled it, and when it opened – there were all my bookmarks! All my settings were preserved! My immediate thought was that I ought to be creeped out that this stuff was still on my computer somewhere despite doing a system uninstall – how would I find it and delete it for real if that is what I wanted to do? – but I couldn't manage to care about that no matter how much I felt I ought to. It was too nice to take the old girl for a spin. If the NSA wants to know about modern printmakers or the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica definition of "forlorn hope" they are welcome to it – maybe it'll make them better people.

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'Puter Shopping

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:40:21 GMT

HEY INTERNET

I need a new laptop.* Everyone I've asked says 'Dell.' So far the one that best suits my requirements is the Vostro 3560, and while external reviews are generally positive, the ones on Dell's website are a little tepid. I know this may be because that's where people go to whine, but I am still a little cautious. So I come to you! Anyone have one of these? Any other suggestions?

The specs that matter to me:
- Dedicated graphics card
- 15"-17" screen
- 3+ USB ports
- Windows 7
- Good life expectancy
- Battery life >1hr (probably standard these days but worth stating)
- WiFi (also standard, but hey)

And before you ask, no, I am not getting a MacBook: Apple and I get along well enough to be colleagues but not roommates. I like having back doors and being able to fiddle with things myself; it's hard enough letting go of XP.

*Only if I want to use the Cintiq I own and run Region 2 DVDs at full speed – the latter is a luxury, but the former is kind of a professional necessity. I love my beloved old XP-running Toshiba and it runs mostly fine, but it doesn't like the Cintiq ...

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Doing My Bit for the Economy (and the Postal Service)

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:38:30 GMT

GUESS WHO JUST PRE-ORDERED SHERLOCK ON DVD

YOU CAN TOO

Do not fear the Region 2, for lo, VLC Player cares not for regions and will make free the entertainment of the world. As long as you're not running Vista, apparently.

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Behind the Mask

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:25:49 GMT

Ever since switching from my buggy Macbook to one of the Linux boxes here at work, I've had amazingly few computer problems. It doesn't like starting up from being off, though ... When I leave work I just log off so they can use the thing on the render network, but during the day I often shut it off so I don't have to hear its insistent hum telling me to check my email. When I turn it back on again it usually stalls somewhere, and today there was an unusually human error message:

Uhhuh. NMI received for unknown reasons ff.
You probably have a hardware problem with your RAM chips
Dazed and confused but trying to continue

I waited but nothing happened, then turned it off and on again and everything worked fine. I don't know who you are, mysterious Red Hat programmer, but thanks for that!

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