Craig K

Google is seven and a half and it shows Jun 13, 2006 No Comments

I hate Google

Well, I use Google all the time, but I really hate one of the things it did for software and the web.

My hate stems from one word, "beta". Now last I looked beta software was that which was still in testing and therefore not really for a full public release. It could/will have bugs, it could make your machine crash, it could even cause loss of data. In fact, it could really mess things up.

Now a few years ago when Google starting playing around with all its little search ideas such as mail, videos, blogs etc they decided to re-define what beta should mean for the software industry. So to Google "beta" means "cool", "up-to-date", "fun", "new", "fresh" and even "unique".

Now this little redefine wasn't much of a problem when just Google used it because Google only develops stuff that is web based (with a few minor exceptions). All of its applications can't really do much to the average home machine.

The problem really came because Google didn't just define it for itself, it defined it for everyone wanting to release anything in the next few years, such as Microsoft. This means that MS has to release all of its software in beta first (making them very publicly known) just so people still think they are "fresh and "cool".

Now we should really all know that MS beta's should be kept to just those who actually test stuff, people on the MSDN who have a machine or two just for testing stuff. Testing should not be done by everyone, otherwise what's the point of distinguishing it from release versions?

I myself got caught by this a little over a year ago when I installed a .NET 2 beta which buggered my COM+ (and is resulting in the reinstall next week (I haven't had the time to do a full reinstall before next week)).

My current complaint is the "Windows Live" beta which it seems everyone is downloading and installing without a clue as to what beta really means (and it's not like anyone reads the terms and conditions). In fact, even my 11year old brother downloaded and installed it on the main family machine after one of his friends told him about it. I Then removed it, put MSN back on and knocked his account back to user (he needed to be admin a while ago and I hadn't changed him back).

I hate the system as it stands because people don't know what's to expect and so I (or some other person with a clue) ends up picking up the pieces and explaining what beta really is. I wish Google, MS and all the rest of them would grow up and stop trying to make the whole IT industry more approachable. There always have to be some bits which are a no-go area for everyone but those in the industry.

Going round in circles Jun 10, 2006 No Comments

I think I have finally broken the ice with my Mac. It now understands that I am not just testing it, I really have bought it so there is no need to keep trying to impress me

How do I know this you may ask. Because it crashed. Not just any crash but a full system crash. A reboot sorted it, but the point remains that any OS can and will crash. That I present as a fairly firm two-fingered salute to all those who say Macs don’t crash. Wake up and smell the hard-drive.

When I bought my Mac I thought it would be a bit of fun to buy a Mac magazine from a newsagents. Firstly if you ever want proof that Mac's are very much still a low market penetration product (at least in this country) all you need do it look at the price of their magazines. I have one word for you, extortionate. Well, all the same, I coughed up the cash for it and took it home to read. While flicking through the pages one thing because very clear very quickly. It isn’t any good. I have read article after article that simply praise the god like deity that is Apple for all the great products they produce, yet not one of said articles has really helped me much. It seemed to be a bit of a feel good magazine, something there just to make me feel like I’m a better person for owning one.

I get the feeling Apple have sat back in their little HQ convinced that they have made the worlds best OS, the worlds best hardware and the worlds best software. It seems therefore that they have been blinded by their euphoria.

If ever a group of people could be labelled as the eternal optimists, it would be the Mac users. Myself I like to consider myself a realist that whatever I do, it could always be better (bar 100% on an exam (which I have got before, but never been allowed under the notion that no exam is perfect. To this day I still protest this result of 99%)).

On a more positive note, I do feel like I’m really starting to grips with the OS. It’s starting to feel a bit more like mine as a machine instead of mine as a toy. I still retain that this is a gimmicky OS however. As a more general positive, this is also my first laptop, so whilst typing this on a cool summers evening in the garden I certainly feel that benefit. Wireless internet really was a blessing when it came down from above. Although in the next generation of OS’s I think we will start to see it in a more generally usable format, not just and add-on.

In other non-computer news, today I went for a little wander. A 15 mile sponsored wander with a friend round a local town (it was a circular route). I wasn't the one that was being sponsored, I did it because he is a friend and I can read a map/tend to his wounds.

Let me assure you, starting a walk at 8am on a day like today, although it didn't feel like it when I woke, was a really good idea. It was blisteringly hot by 10am and considering it took us until 1pm, the extra time in the cool did help.

More power for me Jun 9, 2006 No Comments

My day started in a slightly odd way. I found myself in town at an hour which I do not feel is repeatable. I was there for a reason, and a bloody good one at that considering the time. I was there to get some cash out of the bank, how much cash...this much cash! It isn't often that you have that much cash, normally I just use plastic, hence I had to take a picture

Today was different, today caused me to take that money to an obscure motorway lay-by on the M26. There I met a shady figure, greeted and handed over the cash. In return I was given a thin orange blob. We conversed for a while then departed back from whence we came.

Today I bought a second-hand Apple Powerbook G4.

I actually bought it from one of the people I shall be working with at Merrill Lynch this year (Weiran) as he wanted to raise funds for getting a MacBookPro soon. Now anyone who knows me well will know that I had always planned on getting a Mac this year. Those who know me better will know that I was planning on getting a Mac Mini and that this is a little sooner than planned. But with all things, you have to grasp such opportunities when they arise. I had always wanted an Apple laptop, just normally they cost far too much for a "toy". I say toy because I have bought this to play with and learn. It seems important to me that I should be experimenting with all the OS's I can, if not to at least to give me a greater understanding in the rest of the computing world.

I'm not even considering a huge great review/comparison etc, I just have a few things to say.

Overall it isn't bad, interface is sleek (OSX 10.4), apps for the most part work well. Safari as a browser is a bit light (even with my FireFox tainted vision, god knows what an avid IE supporter would make of it) and does have some very odd ideas when it comes to rendering table widths. Installing apps on these is very very simple, this really is the system built for any idiot to just pick up and use (evidence by me not having any trouble yet). The only thing I could say about the interface is that it does go a bit too far down the minimalist route in places, leaving me hunting for buttons and what the hell they do. Talking of buttons, Apples biggest mistake by such a long way was not to include a right-click button (despite the OS supporting the functionality). It is mildly driving me mad, mainly because it would have been so simple for them to deal with. I guess they did it to be different, but the lost usability is a high price to pay for being different, esspcially when you are trying to attract more into your fold.

I have no doubt that I will have more to say on the software side of things over time.
Oh, and here is a screen shot...Clicky

The hardware is very sleek, very neat and very solid. All good things, especially for something so light. As with all things, there is always a downside and in the case of every laptop under the sun, that's normally heat. The back-right where the power input is gets hot. I can feel my sperm count frying away as I type. On a plus side, remove the power adapter and it returns to a pleasant temperature.

All in all, I'm having fun with it, which is normally a good sign. Even if it will cause problems in later life.

Free Jun 7, 2006 No Comments

Note to all joggers: If I walk passed you, it's time to stop and go back inside.
Note to all cats: making yourself look 4 inches taller doesn't scare me.
Note to the girl who just asked me if I wanted a burger: no, not if you cooked them dear.
Note to self: go to the toilet before the 3 hour exam.

Ok, rather momentous day. I have finally finished my exams, and with that my second year of my degree. As is always the case, I had the worst exam saved up until last. Oh how I looked forward to Systems analysis and design.....like hell.

That said, it actually wasn't anywhere near as bad as I had convinced myself it was going to be, so things went as well as they could. Man I love making points in my blogs that mean nothing and help no-one.

I think a fair amount of my concern stemmed from a note written on (and well worn into) one of my exam tables during my databases exam. It read "I failed Systems analysis and design here 24/04/93". And who says exams get easier over time....

In the general panic stricken revision sessions a group of us have been "putting on" prior to exams we managed a fair amount of revision, but we also came up with some good ideas. We thought about exam orientated t-shirt slogans. For example, for the marketing exam a t-shirt with a "porters 5 forces diagram" on it....what are they going to do...tell us to take it off :P (well, actually make us not sit the exam, so don't point out my flawed logic).

My suggestion for today was one that read "I'm going to fail this exam" on the front, and then on the back "but I'm going to take you with me". It strikes me as the suicide bomber special now that I think about it.

Now that I have nothing to do for a few weeks before I start at Merrill Lynch, I hope to be able to make a few more entries. I won't, but I hope to and that's what counts.

Busy, but never too busy to avoid work Jun 3, 2006 No Comments

Action surpasses information. That was the valuable lesson learnt yesterday evening during the Mission Impossible 3 film. The film was fairly stunning, but like so many films at current the director had opted to shoot much of it using handheld cameras to make the viewer feel more "involved". The effect is impressive, if not a little annoying. It gives the impression of being there, but I don't want to be there, I want to know what's going on. You really need to keep your eyes open the whole time during any action sequence. I'm sure its just a fad and it will pass.

Speaking of action, the last few days have filled with a few spots that would make your hardcore car spotter wet themselves with glee. On Wednesdays I saw a £400k Koenigsegg going the other way down the road. On Thursday I then saw a Ford GT which I think they only made about 40 of and is the same car Jeremy Clarkson has (although it wasn't his). The final one on the list was then on Friday, whilst walking back from the train station I saw a stretched Hummer H2, which is rare to say the least. It looked just like this one.

Of course spotting cars is not all I have done all week, but it is the most interesting for the most part. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I have had exams, and I have a further 2 next week to complete the set. I did however take a little break from work (well, a longer than normal break) to go visit down in Brighton.

It was during that visit he informed me that I should be putting a post with his photo meme in it. So here goes:

Photo Meme: Tell me up to three things you want me to take a picture of and I'll post them in my journal.

Entry is highly restricted May 29, 2006 No Comments

How do you write your entries?

I ask this because I wonder quite how alone in my method I really am. I regularly find my mind wander (as it often does) and then I think to myself whatever subject I'm pondering would make a good journal entry. It is at this point I start to write it in my head. Now this is where the problems start. I plan in my head to quite some level of detail. I don't mean to, it just happens automatically. From here it moves in one of three directions. I either forget about it completely which is what normally happens, write a few key words or lines on a scrap of paper, or finally get to a computer and start typing. Now with the two latter options I have real problems. When I type up I try and remember the version I had in my head, word for word in many cases. When I put thought to keyboard it never comes out in quite the same way, I think its because I'm trying to remember what I thought, not think about whatever it was in the first place. This often leads to slightly scatty entries that tail off at the need as my short term memory fails me.

Last night in a little moment of annoyance I wrote a glorified complaint against the big brother program and the people in/on it. Now this was a rather directional attack, I think perhaps a more general one is required. I have just watched what seems to be yet another apprentice style programs. This is maybe the 5th or 6th one I have seen with exactly the same style. Its actually at the point where I'm not sure if they are a joke of those before them. Considering they keep coming I shall assume not. A joke of a joke is one thing, but a joke of a joke of a joke is a considerably large step too far (even for TV).

Now is it TV producers pushing these shit programs forward on the back of their predecessors success, or are the public actually demanding this drivel?

I'm sure the big TV companies/networks/producers have enough spare money to indulge in a few new ideas, you never know, they may even work. I'm just getting tired of seeing an innovative format being copied to death. Thinking about it, I'm just tired. I suppose I have answered my question there then, I write my entries when I'm tired.

Why is he watching you? May 28, 2006 No Comments

In the last few years I have come to realise several things. These are not big things, but nor should they be considered small. I consider myself to be relatively well off (socially, and to an extent financially) and come not from distinguished circles, but more the top end of middle class. Now I know using the mentioning of the class system is not the "done thing" in our modern, "equal" society, so perhaps I should better define that.

The vast majority of my friends are well educated, coming from good solid homes with equally well educated and cultured parents. Their parents come from a time when the class system was more integral in the world with such distinguishments as the 11+ exam here in the UK. This exam allowed them to further their education and almost certainly (although not exclusively) go to university. This would have been when approximately 5% of their age group would have gone. Now although the exam for the most part is gone, these children, my friends, have inherited this elevated start financially and culturally.

The reason I say I have realised these things is the last few years is because it was not until then that I truly began to see the stark contrast between my own way of living and what you could call the "norm for the masses".

This stark contrast was brought into much sharper focus when Channel 4's big brother came on to TV. Although the original concept and even the first few incarnations of the program were very original and did make for an interesting "fly on the wall" view into how some people worked, this good start was soon compromised with such fickleties as prospective fame taking over the show. The current series of big brother does nothing more than illustrate people's grotesque lust for fame.

I remember several years ago when the 3rd or 4th big brother was running and I took part in a "discussion" with other members of my year group in something entitled "where do you stand?". The format was truly wonderful and something I enjoyed very much. We had a large room with a table in the middle and a member of staff stood on that table with a list of statements in his hands. When a statement was read aloud you had to stand close to the table if you agreed with the statement and far away if you disagreed. Obviously people were then left to make up their mind to what extent they agreed or disagreed and stood in the corresponding place. The member of staff then proceeded to quiz people about why they had stood where they had and during those 4 or 5 questions people would shift about if they so felt the need upon the back of someone's response. One of the statements put forward was "The television show big brother has been going on too long". Within 30seconds there was the best part of 100 students are as close to the table as they could.

This was 4 years ago and still this tedium is on our television screens.

You can see peoples interest in worthless, fake celebrities all the time. All you need do is pick up a tabloid newspaper and look at the first 10 pages of pictures. No one in there is special, interesting, funny or even for the most part, intelligent. Yet for some reason so many people follow their every move with the up most interest. How sad and meaningless is your life if you need to read about people who's only attribute (bar anorexia) is fame.

If others thought more my life would be simpler May 25, 2006 No Comments

Picture this:

A computer, running XP pro. It is connected to a router (wireless) and is happy to send e-mails etc. All is well you think? Well, if you thought that you would be wrong. It refuses to connect to the internet as far as downloading a page, nor does it let MSN connect.

Having looked around I came to the conclusion it was a bit of spyware or something like that. Norton scans tried to persuade me otherwise, but being the true computing student I am I always know best.

*wanders off to spybot site on own machine* I install spybot on the computer, it opens, I ask it to run a scan. It explains that it can't run a scan without connecting to the internet and downloading the new updates! WTF? Is it me or do loads of people use this to deal with a machine that no longer connects to the internet?

*will not be beaten* So found the previous version that I just so happened to have on my computer ( I swear I have an archive of the last 5 years for so many free applications).

That installed fine and ran, found the problem, removed it.....

*internet works*

Bloody software developers

Oh, photos from camping about a month ago up: here

Real update to come

Two things are certain in life, death and taxes. May 8, 2006 No Comments

For a race of beings with so few tasks to complete we are pretty crap at them really. I don't know about you but I hate dealing with taxes, and it seems, so do those who's job is to help me sort mine out. Then there is Death, well having learnt that my granddad is going into hospital tonight (and it's extremely unlikely that he will come out) I'm not even sure how I feel. I can tell you for one thing it isn't happy. I just went outside to play badminton against the wall (hit it hard and bounce it back) and have had to come in because I broke it.

Thinking about it, another thing we have to do is work. Now the fact that there is a word such as "procrastinating" shows that's not a strong point of that many. Oh, I guess there is breeding, I suppose the Chinese light the way with that one, but even so, how many infertility clinics, family planning centres, drugs, IVF rooms etc do we need, we must be hashing it up along the way there too.

I'm not in a good mood.

Time is a lot easier to pass than exams Apr 18, 2006 No Comments

I'm not actually sure how lecturers do it. They manage to stand there and accept stupid questions from people who obviously missed large numbers of concepts talked about over several months. I don't think I could ever be tolerant enough to reply with anything other than profanity in their direction.

Some of the more aware of you will notice I haven't posted on here for a while. The vast majority of you hadn't noticed and even if you did, didn't give a shite.

This doesn't mean that I haven't been at a computer, nor does it mean I haven't done anything worthy of an entry. It just means I could not be bothered to type about it.

I now have a short amount of time which has no real world use other than emails (and I've checked those) so I feel I should at least make a start.

The main event during my "break" has been holiday. This has come in the Easter flavour and has involved being off from uni.

The events have been as follows:

• Advanced drivers course/day which included time on a skid pan.


• Visit to Elkanah's and Pete's with Jen in London.


• Visit to George's in Ashford (real pictures to come, but this one will do for now).


• Visit to Craig's (not me, the other one).


• Geo caching with Thomas.


• Holiday with family in Norfolk.


• Eating Easter eggs.

Each of these events in themselves really deserves their own write-up's, but the world doesn't always work as it should.

I will also take this time to draw your attention to my gallery (particularly with "Photographs" folder) which has been slowly growing. It now stands at the grand total of 179 images.

I'm sure there are many more things I could be writing, but I think for now I shall leave those for when I have work to do. I just wouldn't feel right if I wasn't procrastinating from something.