That’s right, you read that correctly. The folks over at Dell UK (DellUk) were running a competition on Twitter, the micro-blogging web site. I have to say this is probably the first thing worthwile that I’ve won in a competition ever, pretty much. So I’d like to thank them very much for giving me the opportunity to win something worthwile, and helping advertise my account on their web site for the duration of the competition.
Now to the nitty gritty. I recommend that you watch the video available here: Introduction – That someone has already made up for the Dell web site, but which I based most of my inital reactions on.
My first reactions were very similar: wow this looks good, and wow this is light. Mine came with Windows 7 Starter pre-installed. So after I’d plugged it in, and switched it on (as per the instructions) it was asking me final configuartion options, language and the details for setting up the account – people in the industry would say it had been ’sysprepped’ ready for first use. In all fairness nearly all Mac/Windows computers, come ready for action.
After turning on, I realised how slow the damn thing seemed to be running so stripped off every piece of trial-ware or lame software I wouldn’t need. Including the Dell online back-up software (which I found would expire in 12 months unless I paid for the renewal), so that came off too.
I installed Panda Cloud Anti-Virus which works a treat and have left Windows Firewall and Defender et al active. I’m going to be using the netbook for all things web/web related so this should be more than enough for the time being.
After a bit more tweaking, and fiddling about, I found the netbook ran a lot faster, and is really a rather enjoyable piece of kit.
I haven’t had a chance to play with the webcam yet, but it does come with one.
I learnt that Microsoft removed the functionality to change your desktop wallpaper at all in Starter, so I found a small app that lets you do this (If I get enough interest will post links/upload myself for people to have access to.)
If you have any questions feel free to ask – for someone that primarily uses Mac though, this bit of kit is great! And the battery life is second to none.
(And yes, I wrote this from the Mini. haha)
Posted in General, IT, Network, Tech.
Tagged with Dell, Mini10, Netbook, Windows 7 Starter.
By Toby White
– February 8, 2010
It fails to amaze me how so many people have so much trouble saving their work.
I’ll start by explaining that a computer is a piece of machinary that requires electricity to operate. What happens when you turn your light switch off? The light goes out. What happens when you turn your computer off at the wall without saving your work? Your computer turns off (and coincidentally you lose that 8-page Essay you’ve been writing up, without saving once!)
I know that is very unlikely to happen – but I have experienced it. Some nitwit had written up that many pages without saving, and the Word Processor had frozen up or crashed and they’d lost their work.
I will explain now, that the look on someones face when they’ve lost this work is hysterical… do you want to be that person?
Saving your work is easy, and I recommend you do it every two minutes at least or as often as you pause to think. It really is not hard at all.
On Mac: Command Key (Apple Key) + S On Windows: Ctrl + S. There you have it, the easiest option to ensure that even if something goes wrong with the software, you will at least have a saved copy from earlier that you may be able to recover work from. If you haven’t given the document a name yet, you will be asked to – but only the first time.
I’d also like to say not to ever rely on Auto-Save features, they’re not fool-proof at all.
Learn to save your work every two minutes and you’ll be doing it without thinking about it in no time! 
Posted in General, IT.
Tagged with fool, often, save, Save Your Work.
By Toby White
– February 8, 2010
My recent experiences attending a My Passion gig at Club 85, Hitchin lead me to do some in depth research into the bands history and their fan base.
Now not to be sexist at all, but I will begin by saying their fans consist of mainly girls. No problems here, I’m not complaining. It does lead to them being stereotyped though. The band members are all good looking, young guys – any teenage girl not to like them would be mad or blind.
Most bands wouldn’t expect to see people coming to see them from the other side of the country though, or from abroad even. The band who were playing a small show in preparation for the Kerrang! Tour with Young Guns are now playing all over the UK and indeed this has people flying in from all over – for what most would consider to be ’small’ shows.
The gig at Club 85 on 19th January had several girls travel from Oxford, Birmingham and Bournemouth for the one show. Some were then traveling on to Nottingham in the morning to follow the band across further gigs.
The band have gotten so good, and they deserve the fans they have got.
They honestly are lovely guys, friendly and supporting and appreciate the continuous support from everyone. I really do hope they do well.
Personally, I think their fan base is mad. On the other hand the band are from Hitchin, and I class it as my home town. So fuck it. Fuck the haters.
Posted in General, Music.
Tagged with Club 85, gigs, Music, My Passion, Young Guns.
By Toby White
– January 24, 2010
I’m all good with technology, I love my Apple Mac(s) and I would like an iPhone very much, and will probably be getting one soon once I’m decided on what contract to go with.
But, I’m not sure about you, when reading through the specifications for the iPod Touch one of the features was ‘view your E-Mail like you would on your computer’ or something to that effect. Now – I think I’ve missed something here, I like E-Mail, it’s good, and convenient but I don’t like being able to have access to them all the time. If I go on holiday I want to leave my E-Mail behind, I don’t want a Blackberry and have access to them all the time. (In all fairness there isn’t much point in me having an iPhone apart from desire factor). And yes, the iPod Touch only has Wi-Fi so you’d be able to use it in Hot Spots, your McDonalds or Starbucks etc, or at Home. But then, if I was at home, I’d have my Laptop, and if I wanted to listen to my music I wouldn’t want notifications coming up saying I had new E-Mail.
This all comes down to me needing a new iPod. I opened my old Classic rather than taking it back to an Apple Store, in hindsight this was a very bad thing to do as I ended up breaking it a little bit more. I want something, that I can use to play my music, that’s it. I don’t want to play games, browse the web or check my E-Mail.
Call me old fashioned, but maybe technology has gone too far here? I also don’t want something that may break if I sit on it. The iPod Touch is a lovely piece of kit, but the iPod Classic does everything I want it to do, and is strong enough to withstand being chucked around in my car (I will buy a case for the next one I buy).
Is anyone with me here, or have we all fallen into the trap that is the E-Mail-mad generation?
Posted in General, Tech.
Tagged with Apple, Blackberry, computers, E-Mail, iPhone, iPod, Laptop.
By Toby White
– January 10, 2010
So another year is coming to a close, and what a year it has been. It feels as if it’s gone all so quick, but looking back, what I’ve done this year has been crazy.
I’ve not been away on a proper holiday at all, but the number of projects I’ve worked on and started out on properly has been great. My Freelance IT company: Frantik Freelance IT Support/Web Technologies has done pretty well considering I’ve squeezed it inbetween running Death Cap Records and my day job, and hope to continue successfully with that next year.
I’ve worked a great festival voluntarily as artist welfare person and look forward to working on it again You should all check out Rythms of The World in Hitchin – great stuff!
During Autumn I came to work and manage Online Promotions for Club 85 in Hitchin (Facebook/Twitter/general web stuff) and have now become a permanent guest of the Club – My heart does lie there, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything better. When I felt I had no one else to speak to I could always find a friendly face there. Thanks Bob, I really do owe you one!
My Distro Label, Death Cap Records continues to grow and I’m using the power that is Twitter to make loads of great connections, and I’m going to work my ass off getting stuff out to the Press – this will be the next big step. (If anyone is reading this, who happens to be in Music Press, and/or PR get in touch?!)
I’ve put the winter blues aside, given up on people I once classed as ‘friends’ and aim to continue with what I do best and hope to meet safe people on the way.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas, with lots of good cheer (and Beer, but not too much) and a very Happy New Year – all the best for 2010!
\M/
Toby
Posted in General.
Tagged with Club 85, Death Cap Records, end of year, freelance, Happy Christmas, Happy New Year, Hitchin, IT, Music, roundup.
By Toby White
– December 24, 2009
In an attempt to save money, and my ability to ‘acquire’ an old PC, I was recommended a piece of software called FreeNAS. I currently have some extra HDD’s in my PowerMac G5 which I share over the network using SharePoints. This works very well and I’ve set up a couple of AppleScript scripts which I’ve saved as apps, to mount these shares. Work’s very well all in all, and hasn’t failed me yet.
What would make more sense is if it wasn’t a G5 which consumes lots of power, and was something small and quiet that I could pick up from work (old PC being chucked out).
I therefore ended up with a 2.8Ghz P4 machine with a gig of RAM which I will soon be kitting out with a 500Gb drive or 1Tb drive (internal) to use as a storage device. I have now got FreeNAS installed on a USB stick (very quick and easy, had it set up in about 1hr) and boots in no time.
What’s nice about FreeNAS is that it doesn’t have a GUI so there’s nothing to load. It has a Web interface instead, although you can also set the IP address and what not from the device itself. But overall it’s great, I can power it on and off as a headless unit, and can get some nifty logs as well and status graphs from the web interface.
All in all, this will probably have saved me over £100!
Posted in General, Network, Server, Tech.
Tagged with computers, free, FreeNAS, NAS, Network, server status, storage.
By Toby White
– November 28, 2009
This is an interesting thought I had the other day, consisting of many many incidences of coming across people (yes, normal people) not being able to write or speak English yet they grace our streets and mix with us. Yo tlk liiiike dis ennit bruv and shIT &&& need to put unnecessary symbols in your writing. (I mean no offense, but your shortening of your words actually increases the length of the phrase you are writing.)
I began to think, who is to blame? Which part of society has let them down. Should their parents be blamed for not helping them, or supporting them through their education, or should their families be blamed for being a bad influence? Should the Government be blamed for not doing enough to help?
The fact is, in my opinion, that these are normal human beings. They are scrutinised for their behaviour, but what are you doing to help them?
Help them along, don’t treat them like aliens, they deserve to be here as much as you, you ignorant prick! Of course, I’m not suggesting them acting or behaving this way is a good thing – in fact I am saying quite the opposite, that it is quite unfortunate that they had to turn out this way. Listen to some metal, it might help!
Posted in General.
Tagged with metal, politics.
By Toby White
– November 23, 2009
I can’t say the last few weeks have been fun, nor can I say the last couple of weeks have made me happy. I am happiest when I’m not at home or work, as work is bringing me down lately and frankly me staying at home consists of me living in my room (to be expected at my age, I guess).
I continue thinking that the next day will be better, and that things will change but I have come to realise who cares? Who cares what I do, or say. I make myself feel worse, by telling other people how I feel but know that I am then upsetting or annoying the few people I can call ‘friends’ by doing this!
I therefore keep my thoughts to myself, which realistically isn’t a good thing. I build this anger up, and am fueled so much by this anger, that I am worried one day it will leave me and be vented on someone or thing that really shouldn’t deserve it. I also know that I must live on, to fulfill my dream, and destiny. I don’t want your sympathy, and I certainly don’t want any pity.
Thinking so deeply about this, leads me to thinking about such things as suicide (as one does, some of the feelings I have felt I can’t fathom to describe) but also leads me to think about why you would want to waste something, you’ll only ever have one chance to use, if you get what I’m saying. Ending one’s life is not the answer. Maybe I’m being too dramatic.
Alcohol does not help depression, apart from causing me to feel tired it doesn’t do a lot. I prefer water if you ask me. Some people choose to waste their life by taking drugs (which upsets me) so I choose not to ‘hang around with them’. I smoke, so what. Compared with drugs and alcohol all in all it’s not that bad.
I could go on, but to be honest I hate complaining (oh, the irony). Live strong! Bare with me!
“Stand up for what you believe in and you can make a difference. Never back down, Never give up, and Never give in!”
Posted in General.
Tagged with alcohol, depression, life.
By Toby White
– November 23, 2009
I have been dealing with Demon to resolve some issues recently for a client and have come to the conclusion that they are absolutely aweful. It should not take 3 weeks to be able to contact someone and resolve an issue.
It took me over a week to realise that trying to get them to resolve the issue (FTP address for some hosting suddenly not working) wasn’t ever going to happen and that it would be quicker to host the web site myself.
I am a reseller for HostGator and provide Hosting myself at a very reasonable rate. I offer support when you need it and am always willing to help
(P.S I had to plug my services, sorry)
For more information please check my web site: Frantik (Web Technologies)
Posted in Hosting, Tech.
Tagged with Demon, fail, web hosting.
By Toby White
– November 14, 2009
