Michael Wheatland's Blog

Universal and Warner Brothers studios

2011-09-24T18:56:00.001+09:30

We just had the most wonderful, exhausting day imaginable. Universal studios tours and rides followed by a live filming of a new sitcom called "Hello, are you there vodka, it's me Chelsea".

Awesome day, lots of laughs and heaps of fun rides.

Pizza Pi

2011-09-23T14:55:00.001+09:30

Our first real meal in the US. Local joint called pizza pi in Long Beach California.
I checked and what they claimed was true, the circumference divided by the diameter was 3.14159.
Just wish the diameter was a little smaller. Great pizza though.

Penthouse in Longbeach, CA

2011-09-23T08:29:00.002+09:30

Arrived in the US of A safe and sound. Got ourselves a chevy charger convertible and settled into our long beach penthouse.

Telstra's real test

2010-09-10T10:05:00.005+09:30

Telstra put to the test

It is time to put Telstra to a real test as a belated part of the social review program for the HTC Desire.

My HTC Desire has developed the well documented HTC Desire overheating issue where the phone goes into restart loops without booting when using graphically or network intensive software.

I will put a timer up on my blog to signify how long it takes Telstra to rectify the issue. As Telstra has launched a new "Better customer service" campaign it is time to put it to the test.

My first call to Telstra will be today on the 10th September 2010.

Telstra phone support:
Frustrated again at the automated receptionist
Spoke to Bell located in the philippine islands within the Telstra technical support call centre who had trouble understanding my language, making it very difficult to explain the situation.

Call forwarded to HTC customer support. Telstra call centre taking absolutely no responsibility.

HTC phone support:
Receptionist answered to say all technical support was unavailable and they will call me back.

Called back 24 hours later with rudimentary customer support such as re-flashing Telstra modified RUU rom onto phone. (Maybe not rudimentary for some users, but very easy on android devices)
After completing basic troubleshooting HTC said the problem was hardware based and Telstra would have to deal with the issue. Calling Telstra back would simply result in getting forwarded to HTC again!

HTC and Telstra phone support have failed in basic customer service, making it very difficult for those not able to visit a Telstra store to get any decent service.

Telstra Twitter Support:
Tweeted my problem, very speedy response from Carly in Adelaide who knew exactly what to do. Now talking to Tristo, a solutions provider.

Within 3 hours the Telstra Twitter support team had contacted the correct department to resolve the issue. I have been asked to send my phone by post to get fixed.
Phone has been posted express post. Will await a further response.

So far a very intelligent, rapid and effective response from the Telstra Twitter team.

The Telstra repair team
(Edit: 7 October) The phone is now back and doesn't seem to be overheating but it looks like the microphone has stopped functioning due to the repair. I have replied to Telstra with the original information and the problem that the repair has caused. The phone has been sent back to Telstra for further repair.

(Edit: 6 December) The repair team has replaced the phone with another HTC desire. The second hand phone they supplied works fully however the phone they supplied was second hand and shows signs of wear and tare on the device, whereas the one I sent away was spotless, had no damage and a screen protector.

When posting the phone I sent it away inside it's original box with bubble wrap inside protecting it from any bumps while on route. When it arrived back the new phone was in the box, but no bubble wrap or protection in any way so it could bounce around the box in transit.

Resolved in 86 days
Now that the phone has arrived back in full working order the issue can be considered resolved.
The verdict?

Clearly the new Twitter support team is worth their weight in gold.

The Telstra call centres are just as useless as we perceive them to be.

Telstra repair team gets the job done but very slowly and without testing the device after repair.

If I did not have a standby phone I would have been very annoyed. The time it took to resolve this issue was close to 3 months. I expect more out of a carrier. With any luck this will improve with the separation of Telstra as the lazy retail section can no longer rely on the wholesale section for market advantage.

Archaic Views

2010-08-31T00:05:00.001+09:30

Wait... These are not prisoners

It astounded me today to find the headline of what could be loosely described as the Northern Territory's most reputable news paper (NT News) describing the expression of frustration by asylum seekers as a "Prison Riot".

The first thing that strikes a blow to my pride as an Australian is the view that refugee applicants in this country are housed in what could be viewed as a prison. Clearly the vast majority, close to all, asylum seekers whom apply for asylum when arriving in Australia are officially ruled as genuine refugees in need of a new home after being displaced by war, disaster or in some cases genocide as seems to be occurring in West Papua. It really is unthinkable that after all the heartache and turmoil these people have had to endure by making the decision that their home is no longer safe that once they arrive in a civilised western democracy that they are locked up in anything that could be described as a prison.

While I agree that measures need to be taken to deter people from trying to cross the Arafura or Timor Sea in overcrowded rafts, a sea which I personally would never even venture out into on my boat, once these people have succeeded in crossing the rough stretch of water they should be greeted, assessed and processed quickly to ensure that community integration has the best chance of success.

Can you imagine what these 'Prisoners' must think of Australia after making the voyage to a land of promise only to be locked up for up to three years while their application for asylum is processed. Assuming that any, some or most of these people are successful in their application how do you think they will accept Australian values, culture and society after becoming so outraged at their treatment they feel the need to vent their frustrations in such a way.

I fear that many people in Australia have lost perspective of the problem and as a culture we have forgotten our proud history of mass immigration from European and Asian countries as recent as the 1980s. The question that we should be asking ourselves is how can we best provide assistance to our newly arrived neighbors, friends and sometimes relatives in order to embrace and enrich our already thriving multicultural heritage. And how as a society we can influence, in my view, irresponsible media outlets such as the NT News to stop scare campaigns and start talking about the solutions rather than prolonging the archaic views which caused the problem in the first place.

Scout Camp

2010-06-12T14:01:00.001+09:30

The other week we decided to go for a trip out to Scout Camp, otherwise known as Mananggaym to the local Yolngu people. It was a beautiful place. Nice quiet river, very layed back. As you can see from the photos the car was a bit of a mess when we got home. The suspension lift in the Jeep is brilliant. It can now go places that many other 4x4s can't.

Also I just read in the newspaper that the Cato river is open again for permits, however they are $200 per car per weekend and the permit specifies that you don't venture out of the mouth of the river. I am very dissapointed by the price of the permits. Yes they have upgraded the boat ramp and camp sites but that means for three mates to go fishing with their families and have a nice weekend it will cost $600 for the weekend. If we are not careful we may end up with a system like England where you have to pay for access to all rivers and nature reserves.

It's here

2010-05-27T17:18:00.007+09:30

Yesterday I collected the new HTC Desire phone from the post office and I now have an android powered headache from playing with the phone too much yesterday and today.

First Impressions

Even taking the phone out of the box you can tell that it is of very sturdy construction. The phone, although covered in plastic is incredibly strong. I would guess almost as strong and probably more durable screen wise than other phones which are coming out in aluminium and glass.

It is interesting that HTC has not provided software with the phone, but rather relies on users to download the software from the support site. This is not a problem for the vast majority of users, b

ut could present a problem for those who don't have internet access on their computer. The phone is very well connnected to the internet, so everything is also available in cloud form from Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, Photoshop online, LastFM or Google docs, hence it is unlikely that you would actually need to connect your phone to your computer.

Interface

Despite some of the twits I have heard, the user interface is incredibly user friendly, and I have trouble using an iPhone. The options are easily accessible, the Android marketplace seems to be the place where I have spend the last 24 hours straight. If you don't like the way the phone is handling something, just download another app to replace the one you are using.

Telstra's additions to the UI including a plethora of shortcuts to websites hidden both in pseudo applications and modified default HTC applications such as the media player are just annoying. Yes occasionally I might check the news through the Bigpond home screen, but why would I do that when I have the ABC News application installed.

Of all the Social Reviewers I don't know a single one who is anything but irritated at the Telstra pseudo apps. Also using wifi none of the Telstra Apps work at all, including Foxtel mobile, useless!

Multiple home screens which you can scroll between, an invention of Android is such a great productivity gain that the new MS Windows mobile is poaching it for mobile 7, albeit implemented poorly so quick modifications cannot be made. The ease of widget and shortcut placement on the multiple desktops is amazing. And you can remove all of the Telstra pseudo apps from the home screen very easily :) (They remain in the apps menu).

Social Network integration is seamless, to the point where you start wondering where all of your friends info came from. I found that I have not even needed to transfer my contacts from my old phone because almost all of them are already there due to the desire automatically updating info. The constant updates of email, facebook and tweets is an incredible drain of time. It is however very easy to place the HTC power app on the home screen to disable auto updates throughout the work day.

It was dissapointing to see that Telstra distributed the phone without fully testing the phone after they made modifications to the software, it was only today that I did the update and got GPS working. I have not worked out how to use Voice Search yet.

I am dissapointed with the way the phone handles SMS and messaging. I would have expected that there would be a gmail like 'threaded conversation' application for SMS, but instead by default the inadequate HTC SMS application. I have replaced it with Handcent SMS manager for free.

Business

I have linked my phone up with email from both Gmail (Personal) and Microsoft Exchange (Work). I also work from home a bit through the Citrix Client app (Fantastic!). I have also been reading and working on documents using quick office and adobe PDF reader which are installed by default.

Gmail integration is seamless. All contacts, attachments and of course emails are very fast to access and read. One gripe however is that pinch zoom does not work in the gmail app which makes reading emails which are made up of mostly images very difficult.

I already have my exchange calendar synced with my exchange calendar at work through the google sync application. I am finding that the 'Agenda' view of the Calendar application is invaluable. Displaying meetings, time, location and contact details of those at the meeting.

Exchange integration (HTC designed) is great. I can access my work phone directory through my contacts (go to corporate directory) as well as read and reply to emails quickly. Downloading and reading document attachments is very easy also. Allowing me to do quick analysis and shoot a reply off almost as quickly as if I was at a computer.

Google docs sync is currently only by a 3rd party application, which I am disappointed with. I would really like to see a native application which you can download and edit documents without using the docs HTML interface. For all other documents the office application installed by default is quite good, but no google docs integration.

True Multitasking (Not apple) is brilliant, holding the home key allows you to jump back and forward between application and copy and paste info between applications.

Must Have Apps

I have concluded that there are some applications that everybody should not go without.

Aussie Weather Radar - Especially during cyclone season.
Google Maps - Rooted Version allows turn by turn voice navigation
Gesture Search - Brings old school transcription back to search
You Tube - Fills in much time
aLastFM Player - Streaming music
ABC News - Essential News Headlines
Bluetooth File Transfer - Nice interface and FTP server for bluetooth
RealCalc - Being an engineer a scientific calculator can come in handy
DataCounter Widget - Keep track of your expensive mobile data use
ES File Explorer - Tried a few file managers. This seems to cut the mustard
Epicurious - Recipies Galore
Google Finance - Forget Bigpond Finance, useless app.
GDocs - Integration with Google Docs
Gesture Search - Old school transcription
Google Translate - for working internationally
Handcent SMS - Replace the HTC SMS UI
Photoshop Mobile - Photo management and manipulation
Pkt Auctions ebay - Good eBay search and track tool
WiFinder - for when you are out and about. Avoids high mobile data charges.

For fun

Billy Goat Test - Best ever brain game
Google Sky Map - Brilliant astronomy tool
Invadroid - Space Invaders
Listen - Podcasting for android
Metal Detector - Actually works. I am using it as a wall stud finder for mounting frames
Paper Toss - Fun game, just like work
Google Scoreboard - Cricket scores live (no footy :( )
Shazam - Music identification
Google Shopper - Lookup products online by taking a photo
Total Footy - Live scores and ladder.

I am still looking for apps which provide:

Tide times
Fish identification
GPS Tracking Secret fishing spots
Map application that caches - used for 4x4 driving outside of mobile coverage
Good Golf game tracking and course info
Voice Transcription into text
VNC client
More Games

I will be posting more information about the actual use of the phone as a continue using it from day to day. I am expecting that as I explore more applications I will find new ways that the phone can come in handy.

Telstra's understanding of remote Australia needs

2010-05-25T15:05:00.003+09:30

Having won a competition to review the HTC desire from Telstra on 14th May I was pleased to see that Telstra was interested in understanding the different needs of remote Australia.

I live in a remote Northern Territory town of 4000 people called Nhulunbuy (or Gove) which is only serviced via flights and a weekly barge for deliveries due to roads flooding during the wet season, as happens across the top end of Australia. Having items delivered by air mail is as fast as in urban centres for regular mail, taking only a couple of days for the item to get here. The barge however, which transports all ground mail can take up to 3 weeks depending on the weather conditions.

It is now the 25th May, 12 days after Telstra sent the item and the phone has still not arrived. I would put this down to the Australian Post service, however due to logistical and cost constraints it is understandable that low priority mail can take time to arrive. One possible conclusion is that Telstra, as an essential communication service, may not fully understand that being without a phone for weeks on end is difficult mentally and sometimes physically dangerous in an area which there are few people to help you in an emergency situation.

I am not suggesting that Telstra does not take this responsibility lightly, as there are maintenance acceleration programs in place which ensure that people with health problems have problems rectified as soon as possible. What I am suggesting is that there are still areas which Telstra may not fully understand the unique living conditions that remote Australia presents.

Again, I don't think this shows a lack of leadership or poor service on Telstra's behalf. What it does show is that with evolving communications and focus on cutting edge technology in urban areas that there needs to be equal attention paid to new solutions and improvements to remote services.

As for the phone, my hope is that it will arrive by the end of the week and I will be able to present some videos and reports on how telecommunications impacts on remote Australia.

iPhone vs HTC Desire

2010-05-23T14:09:00.005+09:30

Having not received my HTC desire for review yet, I have decided to do a review on the systems of the HTC Desire (Android) vs the Apple iPhone from a global community and competition point of view.

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Kickstart

There is no denying that the Apple iPhone has been a game changing phone. It has challenged phone manufacturers to step up to the plate and provide more than just the basic call and message system with some Java support which has been on all phones for around 10 years.

The kick start which Apple has provided the mobile world has both provided great opportunity for business and individuals to make money off the blooming world of mobile communications NG as long as you play by Apples rules.

Almost every large store, bank, social network, service provider has created an iPhone application, which cannot be recycled by moving

the application from one platform to another. One might say that this was a good investment as the number of iPhones exceeds the number of any other next generation mobile OS. However this is NOT true. By far Symbian is the highest selling mobile OS and Blackberry sells a vast number more phones than Apple.

(Source: Giga OM)

So the question stands, why have all these amazing applications 'popped up' just for the iPhone?

Why Open Source?

Since the early days of open source there have been many geeks who profess open source love to all, however there are now larger players stepping into the market, creating open source software which not only competes with 'closed' software but exceeds the closed systems is ease of use, speed and cost (free), such as Mark Shuttleworth, the South African astronaut who brought you Ubuntu (which I am using to write this article) and Google with the new Android OS.

Why are these people creating free software and how is it possible for them to be better than Windows or Apple operating systems?

Mark Shuttleworth and Ubuntu (Translates loosely to 'Humanity through relationships') have an agenda to make it cheaper and easier for people to use computers. Google however has a financial profit agenda. They want more people using the internet 'Googling' things to provide advertising revenue. This is not a bad thing, your search results have been provided this way for years.

The benefit with these operating systems and software is that YOU can change them. You can suggest better ways of doing things, create better graphics and icons or even reprogram part of the system to work better or be more secure. There is a very large community of open source users waiting for your suggestions. Android is no different, there is a development community who are waiting for you to make a suggestion.

Opportunities

The power of the new generation of open source mobile platforms such as Android is that application and service developers can create one application on their favourite development platform and then port it to other open source and closed source devices (all except Apple).

There has been many examples of Apple rejecting applications which people and companies have invested time and money without explanation. Due to the restrictive nature of the iPhone/iTunes symbiotic relationship and Apples strangle hold on all applications which can be run on an iPhone there is a good chance that Googles Android OS will fill the gap by allowing local install of applications without the need to Jail Break your iPhone out of it's closed source prison.

Apple has even rejected the possibility of developers creating applications in flash and translating them into an iPhone application using technology Adobe is about to launch.

Another example of good money after bad when developing applications for Apple OS.

Flash

Last but not least, the iPhone will not have flash support. This means that there are many websites which will simply not work on the iPhone. New social networks or favourite TV show sites which have not spent the money developing an Apple specific application will only be accessible using Android based phones.

The new Adobe Air development platform, along with the Open Source Screen Project have provided a path forward for application developers to move their content from PC to desktop to media player to TV.

Back to the future

The selection of mobiles which run open source software is vast, Symbian, Meebo and Android are just a few players. Android however has shown great promise, having Google invest millions into development and the 3rd party devices evolving fast. Some might say that just by restricting the iPhone OS to one device Apple has restricted rapid improvement of mobile technology, not to mention choice of devices.

I still don't know if the HTC Desire will be better than iPhone or a Sony Ericsson X10 or Motorola Droid. What I do know is that choosing an open mobile platform rather than a restrictive, closed OS designed only to run on one device provides choice into the future and a better end user experience in the long term.

HTC Desire - Telstra Social Reviewer

2010-05-14T11:18:00.005+09:30

Telstra has given me the opportunity to review the new HTC (very) smart phone as a part of the Social Review program. To explain, I entered a competition and now along with 24 other people am an official reviewer of the phone.

I have been told that the phone should be here soon, which probably means Monday or Tuesday in Nhulunbuy. Once the phone gets here I am sure my blog will be flooded with my new posts, but I am not going to do an 'Unboxing Video' like all those other lackies on youtube. I am going to show you how the phone is used in everyday life such as taking photos, geocacheing, Navigation, golfing, fishing, you know, how everyday stuff can be made better with the fancy new phone.

If you have any suggestions for videos or tests for the phone while I am reviewing it please post a comment here or contact me on facebook.

Here is the official YouTube video of the HTC desire. I am looking forward to getting my hands on it.

Whale Shark

2009-02-17T14:19:00.000+09:30

While we were out fishing with Steve and Craig we came across this whale shark. It was as big as the boat and very gentle. It started to lift it's head out of the water to see what we were doing there.

All in all it was a very successful day with a couple of coral trout and a few other Trevelly we had a great dinner when we got home. Along with the mud crabs that were fresh from the mangroves, it made a delicious meal.

November 2008: Photos from Nhulunbuy

2008-12-03T18:55:00.000+09:30

This is the view from our flat. Third floor overlooking the beach.
Also attached are some of the photos of us exploring new areas around town.

Back in Nhulunbuy

2008-12-03T17:58:00.000+09:30

After our trip to Melbourne it was nice to get back into the warmer climate, blue water, white beaches and outdoor lifestyle. Although Melbourne was nice to see many family and friends the cold weather and the traffic was just killing us.

You can check out more info about what we get up to in Nhulunbuy on my town website. Gove Online.

Photos from Melbourne

2008-12-03T17:52:00.000+09:30

More Halloween Photos

2008-12-03T17:48:00.000+09:30

Haloween Party

2008-12-03T17:39:00.001+09:30

Here are some of the photos from Nathan's annual haloween party.

Bogged

2008-09-07T22:54:00.000+09:30

Yes I got bogged, but what better place to do it.
This place is magnificent. You couldn't ask for a better beach.
Little Bondi East of Nhulunbuy.

The new flat

2008-09-07T22:26:00.002+09:30

I created a video for my website www.goveonline.com that shows the flat that I am moving into.

Brisbane Visit

2008-08-18T10:28:00.001+09:30

During the last week I stayed in Brisbane for a control logic meeting at the companies head office. This is the view from the balcony of the apartment which I stayed in. The 'Medina' apartment was located just at the end of the story bridge, not a very fancy room, but the location was fantastic. Only a 2 min walk to work in the morning along the river.

You can see the office I was working in in the second photo. It is the small brown building right on the water with trees around it.

I will be back in Brisbane in about a weeks time for the Graduate Forum.

The New Flat - More Photos

2008-07-31T06:28:00.000+09:30

The new flat

2008-07-31T06:25:00.001+09:30

The new flat. Ocean Views, 2 bedroom, 3rd floor, Bath with bathroom, Kitchen, Laundry, Lounge, Dining room and balcony.

Drinking night

2008-07-31T06:22:00.000+09:30

We recently had Matt and Ben over for a few drinks. These are a couple of artistic shots taken by Matt. He is getting very good at picking a good shot.

The Giddy River

2008-07-15T19:15:00.000+09:30

Some more photos from the Giddy River.
Speachless...

Adventures of the Paj - Giddy River

2008-07-15T19:12:00.000+09:30

Heading out this weekend was fantastic. Swimming in a beautiful waterhole next to some really nice waterfalls.
This is by far the biggest river that I have seen up here so far.

The Paj got to strech its legs as well being 50km out of town.

The Adventures of 'The Paj'

2008-07-12T17:19:00.000+09:30

After enjoying a quiet upbringing in Sherbrooke, Victoria 'The Paj' suffered a mid life crisis. Fleeing to the farthest northern coast of Australia, it is now known for it's adventurous spirit and unforgiving determination.

We did get it bogged today at the beach around the point between Yirrkala and Shady Beach. But after some encouragement she pulled through.

'The Paj' 1985 Mitsubishi Pajero.

Sony Ericsson G900

2008-07-12T08:02:00.000+09:30

While my mum was in Hong Kong recently I asked her to buy me a new mobile. The Sony Ericsson G900 may not look much, but it has all kinds of great features. I am using my Sony Memory M2 1GB Memory card, It has a full touch screen. Plays some of the best games and applications that I have ever seen on a phone. It has WIFI (Wireless network) so when I am at home or at work it connects to the internet to check my email and websites for me. A 5MP autofocus camera is very good for a camera phone.

I would recommend this phone to anyone. It is a bit expensive in Australia, when it becomes available. But you can buy one off ebay for a good price.

Anyway, Thanks Mum. Love you.

The Apartment

2008-07-12T07:54:00.000+09:30

Now that the regular routine has set in I can't wait to come back to Melbourne and spend some time with friends and family. I am enjoying work though. There is always plenty to do and the career opportunities are fantastic. With a little more experience here I am sure I will be set up for the rest of my life with a good job.
I am not sure about where I will be in the future, whether I come back to Melbourne and work for a consultant in a few years, or stay with Rio Tinto and move to another site. There are plenty of options opening up, and most of them are very rewarding.

I will be back in Melbourne for the last two weeks of October, so if you want to catch up give me a call.

A BBQ at the beach - Photos part 2

2008-05-18T22:14:00.002+09:30

A BBQ at the beach

2008-05-18T22:09:00.003+09:30

We had a great time out at the beach last weekend. We took out a couple of camp stoves, cooked up a feast and went for a swim.

Sitting around and having a chat was also fun. I am missing everyone back in Melbourne and I can't wait to come back to see you all.

Also I will be in Brisbane in late August. If anyone wants to catch up and is in the local area at the time let me know.

I hope the Paj Still works

2008-04-28T12:34:00.000+09:30

A day at the beaches

2008-04-28T12:25:00.003+09:30

On Saturday we took the Paj out to the eastern beaches. Despite it being sand driving the car went really well, almost getting bogged only once. The beaches out here are spectacular, better than any beach that I have ever seen, and I have been told that the fishing is great out here. I can't wait to go camping for a full weekend here. I did however go for a swim in the ocean, the first since I have been here due to the stingers. It was great apart from cutting myself on some coral.

Doug Wheatland 1923 - 2008

2008-04-26T19:33:00.002+09:30

On Thursday 27th March 2008 Doug Wheatland, my grandfather passed away after a long drawn out battle. He will be sorely missed by all the family.

My cousin Andrew Wheatland created this video in memory of Grandpa.

You will be missed.

Latram River 4WD Trip

2008-04-21T08:34:00.002+09:30

The work crew headed out for a dip in the Latram creek, about 20km out of town.
Some of the bog holes that we had to get through really tested the Pajero. Heaps of fun, but the under side of the car was not enjoying it. I think I need to put a lift kit on it, or possibly buy a Jeep Wrangler.

Anyway here are a couple of photos. I don't have a camera yet, but I am planning on getting one real soon.

Latram River

Marlin Apartments

2008-03-16T14:03:00.004+09:30

I just got word that an offer is in the works for a move into the most fancy appartments in town, Marlin Apartments.

Harder, Better, Faster Stronger - A Collection

2008-03-10T19:59:00.002+09:30

Original

Dancing Girls

Daft Hands

A cappella

More Dancing

Kanye West's Interpretation

My new apartment

2008-03-08T16:56:00.001+09:30

I have moved into a new apartment out of the old small room up at G3.

G3 Camp

2008-03-07T17:09:00.000+09:30

Cape Tribulation one more time

2008-02-24T16:09:00.003+09:30

Even more photos from Cape Tribulation

2008-02-24T16:01:00.002+09:30

More photos from Cape Tribulation

2008-02-24T15:48:00.003+09:30

Other places in Cairns

2008-02-10T16:13:00.000+09:30

Mossman Gorge

2008-02-10T16:07:00.000+09:30

After a week full of taking in Cairns and the northern beaches getting away from it all was the last thing on my mind, but a trip up north to Cape Tribulation was on the cards. We went through Port Douglas, which I thought was the most superficial, nasty tourist town that I have ever seen. But that was on the way to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
Mossman Gorge was beautiful to swim in. Nice and cold, and there were so many fish. They swam around and touched your feet. Even when you swat march flies they land in the water and they are eaten within 15 seconds of landing.

Atherton Table Lands

2008-02-10T15:40:00.000+09:30

Georga and I took a long drive up to the Atherton table lands in a hire Holden Barina. It was a good little car which performed well both on the highway, through the tight corners going up to the table lands and on the tracks on the following weekend up at Cape Tribulation.

This trip was more fun than I have had in a long while. We went to all of the small towns. Had lunch at Kuranda, a fantastic little town at the top of the hill. We then went on to Mareeba where we visited a Rivers direct outlet shop.

From there we went on to Atherton where we planned to see Crystal Caves, but they were closed by the time we got there. But we were directed to the local cheese and chocolate factory and some of the most spectacular waterfalls that I have ever seen. After a long day driving getting back to the pub/backpackers I was staying at, shenanigans, was a relief.

The Holiday

2008-02-10T15:36:00.001+09:30

I met up with Georga in Cairns and we spent some time together in the week I was there. Some of the things that I got up to were checking out the beaches (but not swimming because it is stinger season), A drive up to the Atherton table lands to look at the waterfalls, A drive up north through Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation.

More blog posts will come with photos, but here is a video update:

Getting Started

2008-02-10T15:22:00.000+09:30

Soon I will be heading to Gove, NT to start work at the bauxite to alumina production plant owned by Rio Tinto Alcan.

Before heading to work I spent a week in Cairns and had a good holiday before the daily grind starts.

I must admit that I have had people tell me that Cairns and the tropics are great, but I have never believed them until now. The farthest north I have been previously is Bundaberg, which really gives a bad impression of the far north as it is.
Cairns on the other hand is beautiful. The mountains surrounding a gorgeous bay.

I am impressed. I love the tropics, even in the wet season.

View Larger Map

Preparation for heading up included sending my boxes and car away for the long train trip to Darwin then on boat to Gove.

Car week

2008-01-17T08:27:00.000+09:30

For the past couple of weeks Ian, Tom, Jordan, Kate, Rosie and myself have been involved in respraying 3 H-series Kingswoods at our house.
As you can see from the pictures it has been a fun week, but heading to bed late and being woken by a spraying compressor early in the morning was a little tough.

Photos of the final products will be posted as soon as they are ready.

A new chapter

2008-01-17T08:17:00.000+09:30

February is close at hand. And a new chapter is opening in my life. The end of school and the start of work. I am sure to miss the long study days on Melbourne University's south lawn, or the BBQs with MUCESS (The chemical engineering club).

After a short stopover in cairns I will be starting at the Gove Peninsula alumina mine. I will be starting work as a graduate chemical engineer within a process planning and implementation team. This is not my first experience outside university, as I have worked in WA at a nickel mine, as well as in Geelong at an aluminium smelter. But this is the first time that I will be expected to be working on many different projects and have the planning skills to manage all of them.

I am expecting a very demanding but rewarding work load. I understand that there is a lot of work to be done and as with everything, it needs to be done yesterday. But I also see that this work place is going to provide me with arguably the best experience of any work place in Australia due to the lack of staff.

I am looking forward to the experience with subdued enthusiasm, but until then I am just going to enjoy my holiday.

Bubble

2007-12-22T00:04:00.000+09:30

Tech bubble? What tech bubble?

John is gone

2007-11-26T13:17:00.000+09:30

For the first time in my adult memory we now have a prime minister who is not John Howard. It is a refreshing change, and I hope it will bring a renewed sense of pride and passion to politics.
For the last 11.5 years the conservative Liberal/Nationals government has made many decisions that I believe have been harmful to Australia and the Australian way of life. The ignorance and inaction regarding climate change, the inhumane treatment of refugees, the erosion of Australian workers rights and in turn lifestyle and the inability to stand against other large countries when injustice is being done.

Kevin Rudd brings a fresh approach to the problems facing modern society and has the ability to change the course of history in many different areas. I truly believe that this change of government will provide many Australians with opportunities and insight that they have not been able to with the outgoing Howard government. Retrospectively the Labor party has not been able to maintain a balanced approach to many things such as the economy, but I am confidant that the new generation of politicians will rectify this.

One reason that I trust Kevin Rudd with controlling Australia is his history in dealing with government bureaucracies and the fact that he has had practical experience solving real world problems instead of accounting and law experience. It it still my wish to see the government made up of engineers and scientists but it is still a far sight better than accountants running the country.

Good luck Kevin, I trust you will exceed my expectations.

Election 2007

2007-10-04T23:04:00.000+09:30

Just a quick comment for those who may not have heard about this.
Google is offering a news and information site about the up coming Australian federal election.

Election 2007

From there you can link to a Google Maps overlay to see exactly which party owns which parts of the country. I thought it was a very cool little gadget.

Long time no blog

2007-10-01T21:11:00.000+09:30

It has been a while since I added to my blog.
I have had a very hectic year with uni, which has paid off, because I got some very good marks in the first semester, and I am just about done with university. There is only a month to go!

One other aspect of my life which I have not been able to blog about until now was falling in love with a girl named Vanessa. I will just leave it at that for the moment, because it is a complicated situation, which I am just trying to wrap my hear around. I really do hope it works out between us because she is such a wonderful kind hearted girl with a great deal of potential. We will just have to wait and see!

I will not be blogging until I have finished my uni course, so sorry, but I have to concentrate on sorting out my DiMethylEther plant design. (I am designing a water gas shift reactor)

A fortnight of hell

2007-06-20T22:59:00.000+09:30

Well exam week is over, and I am very glad. I am now able to think about something other than heat transfer or particle mechanics. But I am also doing some part time work for the uni developing a practical experiment for third years for next semester.

During the exam period there were some art exhibitions placed around the uni to try to brighten up peoples spirits, which were very good, like large paper planes made of sheet aluminium. But my fears about artists was confirmed, there always has to be one idiot who thinks it is artistic to do something really stupid. The one example that really stood out for me is the pile of rubbish outside the Monash Road computer centre, and I do mean rubbish. I am no critic, but this is NOT art.

I was among the first few into the Bailliew Library the day before my Heat and Mass Transport Exam, which was amazing to see, and empty library. It is very serene.

ingenieurs sans frontieres

2007-06-09T10:13:00.000+09:30

I have recently become a member of the Engineers Without Borders organisation. I really do believe that helping out should be a major part of life. There are many organisations out there who are really helping in the fight to make the world a better place, unfortunately most of them are religious organisations trying to push their beliefs on others. It is this reason that I have joined EWB. It is to try to help those in need, while respecting their rights. EWB is an organisation which looks at the problem and comes up with a solution, without the strings attached.

For all of my other recently graduated chemical engineering friends, please take the time to sign up as a member, or even just have a look at the site and see what kinds of things they do.

New Theme

2007-06-07T12:37:00.000+09:30

During my procrastination time I managed to get a hold of the Theme for Ubuntu Studio for my laptop. And I tell you what, it is the best looking operating system that I have ever seen. Some people have spent a whole lot of time developing it, and I congratulate them.
Move over apple a new contender is in the pool.

iPhone

2007-06-06T16:29:00.000+09:30

I don't often give apple credit for their work, but I must say that I love this ad. Such a shame the phone will not live up to it's hype.

I can't wait for them to bring out the 'Ubuntu mobile' OS in the planning stages. Much better interoperability I am sure. And no DRM!

A cause and an animal worth fighting for.

2007-05-26T10:02:00.000+09:30

Today a friend forwarded a 'chain mail' to my email inbox, and my initial reaction was to delete it. But as this friend is someone that is very sensible and trustworthy, I opened it. This may have been a mistake, because I was disgusted at what I saw, but the video that I witnessed is actually happening today.

Japan is killing Whales and Dolphins around the globe daily. If you are an animal lover (Especially Dolphins) I would strongly encourage you not to watch the video. But I think it is important for people to see what is going on in the world.

Video of Dolphin Fishing in Japan

Petition to stop whaling and dolphin fishing

I would also encourage you to vote for labor at the next election. They have promised to protect Australia's antarctic oceans from these Japanese whaling boats with our naval force. I strongly support this and I would like you to sign the petition and vote to take action on this horrible practice.

Facebook is the bomb!

2007-05-25T11:56:00.000+09:30

Some of you know that I use facebook. But most don't know what it is. Well... It is a centralised information hub about your friends.

Some people liken it to myspace, but I don't think that is accurate. Facebook works! It easily allows you to access, edit, tag, message any groups, friends, photos and heaps more. I strongly encourage you to sign up.

It used to be dedicated to uni students, but now they have opened it up to everyone. Plus they are adding heaps of new features as the days go by. I just figured out how to get facebook to 'note' all of my blog posts. Yes that is right. If you are reading this on facebook it has been extracted from my personal blog at http://blog.wheatland.com.au

Sign up now!

Assignments gone. Exams here we come

2007-05-20T10:10:00.000+09:30

It is finally over. The subjects which have caused me all this pain over the last few months have finished up with the assignments. Which means that I am only a short step away from exams now. All I need to do is study study study.

Wish me luck. And I will be posting again soon when study procrastination kicks in.

We have no debt!

2007-05-12T15:46:00.000+09:30

Did you know that the Australian Federal government has no foreign dept?
Sounds great doesn't it!

Let me ask you one question:
If I told you that you could be dept free, simply be selling everything that you have ever bought, including your telephone, your car and all of your education. Would you?

Answer: No!

Telstra, QANTAS, Full Fee Paying Uni Places, The list goes on...

Why? Because without dept you can't grow, you can't invest in your future. The same goes for the federal government. So why have we sold all of our assets to pay off this dept? Please can someone help me understand this. As an engineer I spend money to make money, and I am not entirely sure how anyone can justify this vandalism of publicly owned organisations that previous governments have spent time and money to build.

Want Australia to move forward? Vote in Labor in the coming election.
They have a plan:
Build infrastructure that will make Australia money. Invest in education and enabling technologies, and most important of all, they will tackle climate change in a responsible way.

Please think before you vote!

New Ubuntu

2007-05-02T18:12:00.000+09:30

WOW! The next generation of Ubuntu Linux has been released. Ubuntu Linux is a free and better alternative to Microsoft Windows. It supports all computers and is very compatible. It has a free fully compatible office suite (Word, Excel and Powerpoint - Open Office), web browser (Firefox), media player(Which works with iPods) and much more, and they all work with the files you have now. No need to convert anything!

I have just recieved 20 brand spanking new Ubuntu CDs shipped for free from Europe, so if you live in Melbourne and are interested in using a better system than windows, which is free, and non-destructive, Contact me via email or phone and I will get a CD to you ASAP!

If you have ANY hesitation about how to use or have a look at it, please call me. I can help you with things, and step you through any process. Linux is a community based thing, so there are heaps of people very willing to help. I just do my part.

P.S. Andrew, seings you put me onto this in the first place, I expect that you are going to install it on your MacBook and see how much better than OSX it is.

Slashed Tires

2007-04-22T10:09:00.000+09:30

Over the next week I am going to have to fight furously for my progressive, liberal political view. I am going to have to try to turn the following experience into something that reflects the disadvantage that a conservative government places on financially disadvantaged areas, and not an experience that I come out of saying "I hate those bogans! If they do this kind of thing to me they don't deserve any kind of help, financially of socially". It really hits home when it happens to you, but I do realise that this is a product of society, rather than a reason to segregate society even more. And I would encourage anyone out there with conservative views to think about this also. Not providing for the lower ranks of society causes problems that effect everyone. We need to help these people, so I am urging you all to think twice in November when you go into the ballot box. We need a change, we need a government that is going to stand up for the rights of the individual no matter how much money they have. Please what ever you do, don't vote for Howard again.

My experience:
I was having a nice night down at the Seaford Hotel last night. Finished up at closing time (I only had a couple of drinks all night) and after saying goodbye to the people I was with, I made the trek out to my car, only to find that three of the tires had been slashed.
Of course me not checking for this I got in and realised pretty quickly that I had a real problem. I just kind of gave up on the idea of being able to sort it out last night, so I was heading back to a friends house, when Dad gave me a call back and said 'Don't leave it there for the night! They want your wheels!". Fortunately I had recently bought the wheels, and I still had my old wheels sitting up behind the garage ready to throw out. So Mum and Dad packed them into the car, and came down to Seaford at 2am! Thanks Heaps!
Apparently the idea was to disable the car and come back later to get the wheels. the rear tires, both of which have been wrecked were old and in need of replacement. The front two tires are less than a month old! Only one of them got slashed, but still, I am not really a happy chappy at the moment!

No Posts

2007-04-18T13:52:00.000+09:30

I just thought I better do a quick update on why I am not posting to my blog as regularly as I should be.
Currently I am totally overwhelmed by uni work. I am in my final year of Chemical Engineering, and it really is as hard as they say.
Every minute of your day you have to be thinking about the problems that they have presented you with. But I suppose this is a challenge to get us ready for the workforce, where your days are dominated with issues and problems that you have to solve fast.

I have just handed in part 2 of a 3 part assignment for Process Equipment design, and I am looking at preparing for the Heat and Mass Transport Processes mid semester test next monday.
I still have 4 other assignments on the drawing board, 3 of which are for process engineering, a purely practical subject, where it takes a whole heap of time researching and problem solving, to just get a satisfactory result. But I suppose that is what it is all about. Being fast and satisfactory. Companies quite often only expect satisfactory, because if you spend too long on something, then you are wasting their money perfecting something that works well just the way it is.

On the other front, my job seeking quest is going well. I have progressed a few stages in the BHP Billiton recruitment program, and I am really looking forward to the possibility of working for them. I do love BHP, and mining is where I would idealy love to be. This means that I will need to move over to WA at the end of the year. But I am also looking forward to that. WA is so nice. Great people and great places to visit.

So don't expect too many more posts from me for the next couple of months. It is going to get very hectic.

Games and procrastination

2007-04-18T12:53:00.000+09:30

Do you have an addiction?
Well, I just created one for myself.
This game is soooooo addictive. And simple too.
Have a look yourself, but be warned!

Reaction Time

2007-04-11T13:56:00.000+09:30

Check out your reaction time on the BBC World - Body Information reaction time test.
I am as fast as a Bobcat.
Let me know how fast you are by posting a comment.

Mountain Goats

2007-03-29T08:52:00.000+09:30

I thought I would share this with all of you. I have been hearing the Mountain Goats on triple J for about a year now on and off, but I have never been able to find out their name until now. And I love them. The lyrics are brilliant, and they have many songs which are fantastic.
Here is a video clip of their first song that I really liked.

Belated House Tour

2007-03-27T20:21:00.000+09:30

Over the previous summer, I am sure you have heard, I worked for A.L.C.O.A. in Geelong.
It was a very enriching experience, and I moved into a share house in Waurn Ponds.
Here are some pictures of my bedroom and bathroom.
I love living out of home. I can't wait to get a graduate job and get out of Mum and Dad's hair.

Please don't steal this

2007-03-27T20:13:00.000+09:30

This was very suprising for me. As a long time alcohol retail employee, I hate to see the industry heading for the dogs. It started with Dan Murpheys (Safeway) introducing their supermarket style alcohol shops. Then 1st Choice, the Coles retaliation. And now they have gone one better. Alcohol on the supermarket shelves. I hate the idea of alcohol shopping becoming just another item on the supermarket belt sitting next to the toilet paper and noodles. Alcohol should be an experience. Chatting to the people in the bottle shop, enjoying a chat about why you like a particular drink and not just some 16yo girl shoving it into a bag, with the maximum conversation being "Do you have fly-buys?"

I say shop local! Don't be a sheep!

Going Green (White and Pink)

2007-03-27T20:02:00.000+09:30

It has been decided that our house can go a lot more green than it currently is. I made the first move toward energy efficiency by installing some pink batt insulation in the ceiling. It is not yet complete, but it should be ok by winter. I already have energy saving light globes in my desk lamp, which we are planning to switch over to soon.

New Australian Motorbike Online Community

2007-03-27T18:45:00.001+09:30

A new startup not for profit motorcycle community site has opened its doors in Australia. Forums, Photos, Classifieds, Groups, Community!International riders are welcome to come and join the community, and if enough interest exists around the world, then the site could be expanded to take on board other countries.

read more | digg story

South lawn

2007-03-26T12:55:00.000+09:30

Stretching from the Bailiew library to the engineering buildings is south lawn. It is a brilliant place to come and relax. Have a nanna nap after a hard mornings lectures.

Honour Code

2007-03-12T22:27:00.000+09:30

This is my keyboard. There are many like it but this one is mine.
My keyboard is my best friend, it is my life.
I must master it as I must master my life.
Without me, my keyboard is useless.
Without my keyboard I am useless.
I must type my keyboard true, I must type more accurately than my enemy, who is trying to shut me down.
I must edit him before he edits me.
I will, before God I swear this creed; my keyboard and myself are defenders of my network, we are the masters of my enemy, we are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.

I thought that this was absolutely hilarious when I read it. I hope you enjoy it too. If you don't get it, just ask and I will send you to some reference films for re-education.

Playstation 3 and the next generation of gaming

2007-03-09T16:20:00.000+09:30

Gaming is something that a lot of people associate with children. I know my dad has always said "Put those games away and go out and have fun, aren't you a little old for games anyway?"
This statement is becoming less and less true every day. With the release of the Nintendo Wii, the gaming console has just launched into the next generation, with physically interactive games. Which I think is fantastic for a party, or if you are wanting to really immerse yourself into the game, but sometimes you just want to plonk down on the couch and play a game without having to actually sword fight, or drive a car like you really would.

Enter Playstation 3 stage right.
The XBox 360 is I believe doomed to the scrap heap, with the Wii stealing ALL the thunder on launch, the XBox 360 is the poor mans Wii, even though it costs more. The new playstation from Sony is however that next level up from current gaming systems in terms of power. I mean sure the Wii is brilliant in terms of playability, but it lacks power. The PS3 does have this, along with a whole load of other useless features.
The one thing that I am noticing, is that games are becoming simpler. Which I think is brilliant. Take a look at the video below, which shows a new game for PS3 called Little Big Planet. I think it will be a hit, because of its simple game play, and ultra realistic motion and movement.

Back to Uni

2007-03-03T09:45:00.000+09:30

Well, the pressure is back on. As of this week I am back at uni, studying chemical engineering at Melbourne university. I am enjoying it so far, but being final year I can see that things are going to get hard fast. Very fast. We have already completed and handed in the first assignment for Process Engineering 3, which counts for 10% of that subjects marks. I am having to do some consolidation work already in Heat and Mass Transport Processes 2 to understand what the hell is going on. And I also have to go back and revise some of the material from previous years that I seem to have forgotten. So as I said, I think this is going to be a hell of a year.

Socially, I think this year is starting a lot better than other years, where I would normally be sitting and reading the news paper with uni mates, I am getting out and about, having lunch with people, going to the pub after uni, and spending a fair bit more time just chatting to people. This might be because of an over abundance of time on my hands due to the fact that I quit my job at Liquorland in Ferntree Gully.

Well, I will keep you posted as much as I can this semester, but I think I might be spending a little more time looking after my homework than I normally do.

Top Gear meets space travel

2007-02-23T14:05:00.000+09:30

Well, my most favorite, and really only TV show that I watch religiously, Top Gear, has made the transition to space travel. Thats right. All those other tests and trials of cars were just a lead up to the real endurance test for a car. Space Flight.

Yes that is right, they modified a Reliant Robin car to make a shuttle then blasted it into space, well almost anyway. I can't wait to see the episode where this happens!

For all those who have never seen Top Gear, make sure you tune in. SBS at 7:30pm on Monday nights. Essential Viewing!!!!

The last to get cool things

2007-02-16T07:43:00.000+09:30

Australia really does seem like the very last place on the distribution chain for everything.
Some products like mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets make their way from asia through europe and then finally to Australia.

The distribution of products that are released in the USA first include movies, tv shows, and my favourite:

Now why has nobody thought of this before!

Note: May be choking hazard for small children.

Ubuntu and Instant Messaging

2007-02-15T11:59:00.000+09:30

Ubuntu does have some downfalls, but they are usually quickly rectified by the solid community surrounding linux.
One of these weaknesses includes instant messaging.

GAIM, the Gnome instant messenger that is supplied with Ubuntu, is at best terrible.
I don't think that the people designing GAIM have thought about what instant messaging entails.
As far as I can see, most connectivity is provided by GAIM, allowing a user to connect, message and send files to friends. But Instant messaging is a lot more than that. It should include a fully skinable interface (which no linux IM apps have) and include functionality for voice and video chat.

Kopete enter stage right.
The instant messenger from KDE, the sister desktop manager to Ubuntus Gnome, has a fully compatable instant messenger program called Kopete. Kopete has many more functions than GAIM, and allows you to activate most of the features that you are used to in an instant messenger.

GAIM 2.0 beta6 is available, but it still does not support themes. There seems to be little to no improvement in comparison with other programs on Ubuntu, which I think should change. I mean, I would be very willing to design some artwork if someone could show me where to put it to make GAIM look good.

But wait, there is more.
One of the possibilities in the near future is that the traditionally windows oriented IM Trillian could push into the bleak linux landscape with their soon to be released Trillian Astra. This could be in the form of a linux port, a windows emulation and transfer via WINE, or just make a web window allowing access to the web interface that they say will revolutionise instant messaging.

I think it might take some time to sort out this shortfall, but in my opinion I think that GAIM really should be retired as a graphical application, and sent to the back room as a process so that others can design a user interface around it.

Below is a simple comparison of the general quality of each program. Gaim, Kopete and finally Trillian Astra.

Beryl - More Bling than Steve Jobs

2007-02-15T10:19:00.000+09:30

Ubuntu Linux is not the prettiest of operating systems. I mean sure, it has some nice neat themes, but when it comes to toolbars, windows and other graphical stuff, it really does not cut the cheese.
Along comes Beryl, no, not a 60 year old grandmother from Wagga Wagga, but a program that sits on top of linux that makes it pretty.
Beryl (and XGL windows manager) takes not all that long to set up, about 10 min, as long as you have the correct video drivers installed, and as soon as you restart, you have the most pretty and cool operating system around.
Steve Jobs eat your heart out. Macintosh computers have just been trumped with a bling package that beats both Vista and Apple Mac OSX hands down. And it is incredibly fast as well.
It uses the open graphics layer, made for linux to display some funky effects. Some of which I will outline below:

"Window Shading"
This is where you press F9 and get a tile view of what is going on. It allows you to click any of the programs that is open to switch to.

There are also some really cool animations of the windows falling onto this shade mode when it is activated. I am not sure that this will be incredibly useful unless you have a lot of windows open because Alt-Tab is a lot quicker, but it sure is fun.

"Transparency is the new black"

And not just the fixed transparency stuff. I mean instant graphically rendered transparency. Making windows transparent when you are moving or resizing them, giving shadows to those windows and being able to alter the transparency depending on what program is active or your mouse over.

"The Cube" is the invention of linux. All linux users love their multiple desktops, and this makes it just that little bit more pretty, placing the desktops on a rotating cube seems like just a silly graphics for the sake of graphics thing, but it actually allows you to conceptualise your workspace, just as you do on your desk. Your documents are in one part, your inbox in the corner, your phone on your right. Well this is the computer equivalent. Once you get used to it, you can't go back! There is also a desktop slider available if you don't like the cube. Sliding across a big desktop is fun also.

"Wobbly Windows" are a concept that is being tried in Windows Vista, and I have heard that you need incredible processing power to get them working properly. Under Ubuntu they work just fine on my laptop! Which has an AMD Sempron (like Celeron) processor (slow), and I have no problems getting them to work. It is a little bit annoying at first, but I am sure that we will get used to moving windows that move like liquid pretty quickly. There are also some pretty cool minimise and maximise effects like wobbly windows known as the genie bottle, Your windows shrink into the taskbar just like a genie.

Here are some other neat effects that are useful, that I will post screenshots of shortly:

"Negative"
This is incredibly useful for users of laptops or computers in a sunny environment, with glare on the screen it is very hard to read black writing on white background, so make it negative using Win-N or Win-M for either the window or the whole screen. Again, seems silly, but when I am sitting in the sun working on my laptop I will be happy.

"Emphasise"
You do not realise how distracting that start bar is, so make is fade to black. By pressing Win-P it makes the current window become the emphasis of your work by making everything else dark. Very handy for watching non-full screen movies, or just when you want to concentrate.

"Shadows and 3D"
Now everything is 3d, they cast shadows, and they look more like a workplace than just a place to keep your email. It is amazing how much just a little realistic shadow and perspective allows you to really focus on what is important.

Other non-useful effects - these can be turned off very easily.

"Burn"
When you close a program this little effect makes it look like the window burns away, smoke and all. You can even change the colour of the fire if you want.

"Sticky Edges"
You know how annoying it is to line up windows with the edges of other windows or the edge of the screen, but what happens when you have wobbly windows and sticky edges? I will tell you what, windows that get stuck! That you need to actually pull free in a jerk motion to allow you to move them.

"Rain"
Activating the rain feature on the computer makes raindrops fall all over your desktop while you are working. This is quite annoying (but still pretty) unless you are an interstate truck driver used to the rain in front of your workplace. Oh and it does come supplied with a winscreen wiper also.

I hope this summary of some of the more useful features of Beryl on Ubuntu is interesting for you to read, and I am sure there will be more to come, about the use and features of Ubuntu.

My Ubuntu Experience

2007-02-15T07:52:00.000+09:30

There once was a man who had a dream of going into space. This mans name is Mark Shuttleworth. Yes, I know, but he did not get there on a shuttle, he got there via the Russian space agencys rockets, by paying his way.
After achieving his dream, Mark returned to earth determined to profoundly effect the world in a way that no other astronaut could. He decided to invest his money in a free alternative to the world most greedy organisation, Microsoft.
When he returned he created an organisation called Canonical, who's sole purpose is to support, distribute and provide tech support for users for this new free alternative to windows.

Ubuntu was born.

Ubuntu means "Humanity". The most recent demonstration of ubuntu was the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, who became president of South Africa and ended the racist apartheid.
A new story of ubuntu is born, allowing people from all over the world dowload, swap, copy, distribute and order cds for free. This has been happening in the past with other linux distributions, but ubuntu is special. Ubuntu is extremely easy to use, and getting new programs is a free 1 min job downloading over the internet from an add-remove programs menu setting.

I suggest you try Ubuntu for yourself, I can get you free cds, or you can download it yourself from www.ubuntu.com
There are a few tricks to get it to work perfectly, but they are all covered on the homepage, including installation of video drivers and multimedia support. But if you have any trouble with this, just let me know, and I will help you out.

Just give it a go, because we all know that Windows Vista is not worth upgrading to, and there is the possibility of Vista breaking your music and videos with their agressive DRM system.
So try it now, before you have no other alternative but to move away from windows.

You will fall in love just as I did with what Mark has done.

This post will be followed by some of the useful things I have found while using Ubuntu.

Facebook

2007-02-08T21:13:00.000+09:30

It is official, I am no longer going to be contacting people via myspace!
Facebook is my new addiction. Yes, facebook. For those who don't know what facebook is. It is a service (Like Myspace) to help you keep in touch with friends and their activities.
But unlike Myspace, Facebook works!
It does not allow people to stuff up their profile by "pimping it out", which is fantastic, and it has a whole lot more useful tools and features than any other service of it's kind.
It is mainly university based, but it still allows you to sign up without subscribing to an initial network (community or work group). But you will be all alone until you add some friends.
It allows you to connect and search in your groups and community, rather than finding someone called Jane Smith in Utah. You find your friend Jane Smith who is in one of your groups.
Anyway, sign up, it is free, and it is very easy to learn how to use.
Oh and did I mention it works, unlike myspace!

Courtney Love

2007-02-02T07:49:00.000+09:30

I know that this heading provokes images of celebrity skank, but today I took the time to read a press release by Courtney Love.
For those of you who don't know, Courtney was Kurt Cobain's girlfriend, and now is a musician in the band "Hole".

She spoke out about major record distributors, and personally I think it looks like she has hit the nail on the head.
I fully support her views and beliefs, and I would like to pledge my support to her, and say publicly that as soon as a system is in place to do so, I will support recording artists by buying their music and paying my money directly to them.
For those of you who know me, you already know that I refuse to pay a cent to distribution companies such as Time Warner and Sony BMG.
So thanks Courtney for the insight into a popular musicians life, and the reality of the dishonest music industry.

Please take the time to read this article. It is very informative (a bit long), and well worth a read. I promise you will never buy a CD from JB-HIFI again!

COURTNEY LOVE DOES THE MATHS

Bunnings has great bags for sale.

2007-01-23T14:42:00.000+09:30

Only $10 for this tool bag. I think that this is a bargain at twice that price. Very much worth spending a little cash on!

My white christmas

2006-12-27T17:07:00.000+09:30

It was the night before christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even our heater. It started snowing and i got a white christmas. Very fun.

Paintball

2006-11-29T07:15:00.000+09:30

On Sunday I went paintballing with friends from Liquorland.
Josh Piked out, but Blake and myself went and had a great time.

For those who don't know, paintball is where you are all given high powered air rifles and little plastic balls filled with paint, and you shoot each other.

The Paintball field out at coldstream is not too bad, lots of cover, and some very well designed arenas. I did however come out with some nasty bruises, just in time for my job interview monday.

Here it Goes Again

2006-11-13T22:12:00.000+09:30

This is a band called "OK GO", the song is "Here it goes again".
This has to be the best film clip I have seen in a long time.
Check it out!

The Visit to Chandon Winery

2006-11-02T22:55:00.000+09:30

Here are some pictures from the winery Chandon.

A Very Wine Trip

2006-11-02T22:10:00.000+09:30

I have got into a little bit of a habit of visiting the vineyards of the Yarra Valley. First with a trip up to DeBortoli and Henkel followed by lunch at a fine restaurant at Yering Estate overlooking the Dandenong Ranges. We had a really nice meal, I had lamb and Ash had Pumpkin Pasta.
This trip was followed up by a trip to Chandon, the makers of very fine sparkling wines earlier this month.

The Australia Garden

2006-11-02T21:52:00.000+09:30

Ash and I went down to the Australia Garden earlier this year. Here is some photos from the garden. As you can see most of the garden is based around landscaping and rocks rather than plants and trees. It is a little unfortunate that they have done this instead of making another relaxing garden like the one in the city is.

My cars head light

2006-10-11T23:21:00.000+09:30

One silly mistake with changing the light globes in my car and I had to replace the entire head light, which is not easy on a Ford Falcon. You have to remove the bumper before you can even think about getting the headlight out of the car.

Update on life October 2006

2006-10-11T23:09:00.000+09:30

What a fantastic car park. I can't believe that I got a park literally 20m from the station entrance in Upper FTG. Usually I have to park on the grass!

Eureka, well the tower anyway. It is the largest residential tower in the southern hemisphere. And Yes I took this photo! I know it looks like an artists impression. I took this on the way to the fine wine and spirits festival, which I enjoyed a little too much.

Connex stuffing me around again. The trains were stuffed last Wednesday. Making me hang around the city for 2 hours at peak time while they try to fix the power fault in their signalling system.

I got to spend a nice afternoon sipping beer and shopping in Prahan a few weeks ago.

My New Baby

2006-09-28T01:47:00.000+09:30

I have finally taken the plunge and bought myself a new laptop.
It really is a fantastic little toy. I have set up a wireless internet access point in my house so I can access it anywhere in the house or garden for that matter.
I just can't wait to spend some time sitting in the garden while the sun is beating down in summer while surfing the net, or being productive and doing some homework or some such thing.
My new Baby is a Compaq Presario v5000. And it is lovely! Here is a picture of it. It comes with 802.11g 54Mbps wireless network, a 15.1" widescreen monitor with brightview, which makes the screen look 100 times better than the standard one. And it also has an AMD Sempron CPU with a dedicated ATI video card, which is very up market for a cheap laptop.

In purchasing it there were a few main criteria.
1. It must be cheap
2. Stirdy. So it can withstand a hard knock without breaking down into a crying fit.
3. Weight was a big factor. I wanted a larger screen, with the portability of a light laptop, not a heavy notebook.
4. It should have good support and service. Not just a mail your laptop to us effort.
5. I will never buy anything else from a major retailer for computers. Harvey Norman and Dick Smith were asking $700 more for it than the place that I bought it from.
6. I love HP Products. Great support and many users create a great community for help when you need it, unlike other fruity products I know of.
7. Must not be a mac (Most important criteria)

Better Apple Adverts

2006-09-17T16:44:00.001+09:30

I really want a mac

2006-09-17T16:37:00.000+09:30

Waiting in Line

2006-09-05T18:22:00.000+09:30

It was a badly managed railway crossing upgrade last Monday that caused such a massive problem with the trains between Ringwood and Blackburn.
I just wish that Connex could get it's act together to try to bring us a reliable service, with contingency plans that work, as opposed to a 2 hour wait for a bus at Ringwood station.

Kenny

2006-08-31T15:55:00.000+09:30

Ash and I went to see the movie "Kenny" on Wednesday after a little bit of a protest on Ash's behalf. And I tell you what, it is really worth it.
A great movie, and all of the critics are right!
I don't want to spoil it for you, so go and see it as soon as you can.

A nice Road House

2006-08-17T10:48:00.000+09:30

Driving along the freeway yesterday there was an almighty problem involving a house being transported that had fallen off a truck. It broke into two sections, and the traffic was backed up a long way. I did make it in time though.

Making Progress Slowly

2006-08-12T21:38:00.000+09:30

My motorbike is making slow progress to come back to the land of the living. Today I managed to pull the engine out with the help of my Dad. And with a little bit of enouragement the engine is slowly coming apart. I am sure that the pulling apart bit will be a lot harder than the putting back together thing.

Wish me luck.

Joss Stone - Mind, Body & Soul

2006-08-03T20:00:00.000+09:30

I found this video of Joss Stone, It gives you some kind of an idea about some of her work.

Fast Focus features a profile of the eighteen year old singing sensation Joss Stone. Only a few years ago Stone had never performed with a live band infront of a live audience or recorded a record. She has developed what vocal arranger, Betty Wright, describes as ‘a God given gift, a voice of uncommon strength, soulfulness and sensitivity.

Check out this - Joss Stone

2006-07-29T00:29:00.000+09:30

I have become addicted to Joss Stone. Her CD "The Soul Sessions" is the first CD that I have not taken out of my CD player for about a week. It is a great CD. Have a listen to "Super Duper Love" if you get a chance.

Another day in Paradise

2006-07-29T00:13:00.000+09:30

Another beautiful day. This is from the Info Tech building at uni!
At the train station.

Summer is coming!

Honda Spada Rebirth

2006-07-29T00:07:00.000+09:30

My Honda Spada is going to go through a rebirth. Currently the engine has a problem, for those who know, I have done a big end bearing. For those who don't. Ouch, it will cost a lot of money or a lot of time. I have chosen to find out how a bike works by using my time to pull it apart.
Lets see how we go!

Progress so far. I can't get the engine out because I have no idea how to remove the choke cable. I may have to take the carbies off. Bugger. More work!