I’ve just been going through the System log on a computer at work and found it was having trouble locating the time-server. I used the net time command and must say I found the message so helpful.

Z:\>net time
Could not locate a time-server.
More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3912.

Z:\>net helpmsg 3912
Could not locate a time-server.

Sarcasm should be noted. (Also, the sky seems very red at the moment, despite the rain, so it may well be the end of the world).

We have one new category this week:

Best Animated GIF. This category has some pretty interesting nominations.

The following categories are still at risk of automatic disqualification if more nominees aren’t added.

Best Visual Effects Supervisor (1 nomination so far) Best Homemade Trailer (1 nomination so far) Best Quote (1 nomination so far) Best Sean Connery Appearance (1 nomination so far) Best Official Movie Trailer (1 nomination so far) Best Homemade Star Wars Trailer (No nominations so far - There are two pending nominations) Best Operating System (1 nomination so far) Best i-think Prank of All Time (1 nomination so far)

Remember, categories need 2 or more nominations to be legitimate.

Category Managers, be sure to watch your pending nominations closely to avoid double ups. If you don’t feel up to managing a category, it can be transferred to another user. Similarly, if you want to manage a new category, let me know and I’ll set it up.

Hmmm…. messages like:

User added (assuming there are no errors). Gee I was half-arsed in making this.

Are not great to see, particularly when you are the one that wrote them. Mind you, the system has been working for three years, so it can’t be all that bad. Nevertheless I shall rewrite it one day to integrate with WordPress. Must fix those “addslashes” bits as well. Stupid server changes and lazy coding (never a good mix).

It is now the third day of my Macintosh experience and I am fitting in with it all very well. Actually, it seems to be the other way around. The Mac fits me.

The question now is what is the fate of my main PC? I have only had to turn it on a couple of times so far (and only to get files I wasn’t clever enough to put on my Linux server). Seeing as it is probably about 10 times as high and about three times as deep as my Mac Mini and makes (almost) infinitely more noise I’m not quite sure what it’s purpose is any more. Currently the Sound Blaster Audigy is the only thing saving it from being re-commisioned as a Linux box.

Still, it is a good computer and it may be wise to clean it up and use it for the rare times when “only a Window box can provide”. Unfortunately, the fan noise is so extreme that it is unsuitable for use as a 24/7 server (at least in my room).

Today I am testing the portability of my Mac Mini and taking it to be able to watch videos. If it succeeds well in this test I believe it will be ready to take to uni to set up in the wireless network zones. (Still need to test whether the wireless network reaches the TV well enough to use it as a screen).

It is probably inevitable that I shall purchase a second one (with all the trimmings) further down the track so that I may have a permament placement here. If I can resolve the fan issues on my main PC it may be time to convert it to a full time server and use it to store my ever-growing collection of files.

In this, the second day of my using my Mac Mini to do a University assignment I am loving it. I am learning the keyboard shortcuts very quickly and they seem to be quite logical and consistent in nature. I have even adapted to the Command + X,C,V for copy and paste (I am an old school Shift/Ctrl Insert person).

With further use of my Mac I am discovering that it is built to work with me, not the other way around. If I think something should be done some way it typically is. My only problem with it so far is that the default applications are not very well defined. For instance, you need to open Safari to set your default browser to something else. I have not yet found out how to change program associations.

Hell, Word even has a word count in the status bar (the obvious place to put it). And it handles images so much better than the Windows version.

Plus, I’ve been running the thing for ages and not only is it quiet, but it has barely heated up.