The Philanderer
Monday, June 1, 2009
Skype's the limit
I have just purchased a NetBook computer, one of the machines which has a 9" screen, and can just about manage internet browsing and a bit of word processing. I brought the HP model 2133 much to my sister-in-laws disgust, but neither IBM or Lenovo make one close to the spec and price.
It comes with Linux, and I was hoping I would be able to embrace that operating system as a learning exercise, as more and more people seem to want to move from Microsoft and so avoid costs and royalty payments. Its proving more difficult than I thought but i am persevering in some of the slack time which I have at the mo.
Unfortunately though, the HP machine does not support microphone support for Skype, and that was another reason I purchased. Our number two son spend over £200 on phone bills when he was recently in the Dominican Republic. That would have paid for him to have a NetBook with Skype on it.
So I am now trying to sort out dual boot with XP and either SUSE 10 or Ubuntu Net Mix, or maybe all three, and then I will have to sort out a foreign trip to see if the grand plan works.
It comes with Linux, and I was hoping I would be able to embrace that operating system as a learning exercise, as more and more people seem to want to move from Microsoft and so avoid costs and royalty payments. Its proving more difficult than I thought but i am persevering in some of the slack time which I have at the mo.
Unfortunately though, the HP machine does not support microphone support for Skype, and that was another reason I purchased. Our number two son spend over £200 on phone bills when he was recently in the Dominican Republic. That would have paid for him to have a NetBook with Skype on it.
So I am now trying to sort out dual boot with XP and either SUSE 10 or Ubuntu Net Mix, or maybe all three, and then I will have to sort out a foreign trip to see if the grand plan works.
Labels: IBM, lenovo, Linux, Netbook, suse, ubuntu
¶ 1:16 PM 0 Comments
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Rockin' all over the world
I played golf on Thursday. Nothing unusual about that you say, and generally you would be right.
I arranged to meet my old mate from work, Rog, as we had a bit of business to conduct. Rog took the Kings shilling from IBM some time ago, lucky bugger, and it is rare these days to catch him in the UK. Catch him I did though, and as we approached the 1st tee at Wyke Green golf club, a member known to Rog, came up, said hello and joined us for a friendly three ball.
Now I had never met Kevin Hurry before, or even seen him much around the club, but it turned out that in the late 80's, early 90's he was a top DJ. So I have googled him. Seems he shared gigs with Paul Oakenfold, who I had heard of, and was part of D.O.P and a big player in Guerilla records. He had to stop DJing on doctors advice, so Rog told me, and now works with his dads business hanging silk wallpaper. A very specialised job by all accounts.
I am no stranger to playing with music celebs, as I had the pleasure of playing with Andrew Ridgley, yes, of Wham fame, in St Enedoc some years ago. I recall how passionate he was about this golf, to the extent that after slicing two consecutive drives into a cow field at the 14th, he proceeded to snap his £200 driver over his knee.
When we ordered him a club sandwich in the bar afterwards and asked him if he wanted it cut in half, he nearly saw the funny side of it.
As an aside, the Ladies section of my golf club is referred to as Dyke Green by other clubs in the area. I can't begin to think why.
I arranged to meet my old mate from work, Rog, as we had a bit of business to conduct. Rog took the Kings shilling from IBM some time ago, lucky bugger, and it is rare these days to catch him in the UK. Catch him I did though, and as we approached the 1st tee at Wyke Green golf club, a member known to Rog, came up, said hello and joined us for a friendly three ball.
Now I had never met Kevin Hurry before, or even seen him much around the club, but it turned out that in the late 80's, early 90's he was a top DJ. So I have googled him. Seems he shared gigs with Paul Oakenfold, who I had heard of, and was part of D.O.P and a big player in Guerilla records. He had to stop DJing on doctors advice, so Rog told me, and now works with his dads business hanging silk wallpaper. A very specialised job by all accounts.
I am no stranger to playing with music celebs, as I had the pleasure of playing with Andrew Ridgley, yes, of Wham fame, in St Enedoc some years ago. I recall how passionate he was about this golf, to the extent that after slicing two consecutive drives into a cow field at the 14th, he proceeded to snap his £200 driver over his knee.
When we ordered him a club sandwich in the bar afterwards and asked him if he wanted it cut in half, he nearly saw the funny side of it.
As an aside, the Ladies section of my golf club is referred to as Dyke Green by other clubs in the area. I can't begin to think why.
Labels: Andrew ridgley, guerilla records, IBM, kevin hurry, paul oakenfold, wham, wyke green
¶ 6:03 PM 0 Comments
Friday, May 11, 2007
Whats in a name
Well I am off and running, but have I got an audience, and how does one build up such a following? I supect a good name might help, and I have plumped for The Philanderer for historical reasons I will come onto. A few were discounted though.
'Stormy Weathers' was the first to spring forward....
All very well having a play on words I thought, but not really the oldie playing young theme. That name conjures up Victor Meldrew images, and goodness I have been accused of having those moments in the past.....
Le Limacon was another consideration.....
Le Limacon is the nomenclature used on my annual barbecue invites. Its an event which has been cancelled for the past few years, so resurrecting it as blog title may put the 'fluence on the regularity and consistency of the page.
So The Philanderer it is then.......
While this photo does not do it justice, this brass plaque, listing me as said philanderer, has adored the front of my house for 25 years, so for continuity of product, it seems the right choice. Whether I still am still practicing or not is, however, open to conjecture.
As for spreading the word on the web, that's my next challenge. Hopefully good content, interesting anicdotes and a certain sauciness will all contribute. Stumble!, Google and other techno stuff will help as well.
Labels: barbecue, bbq, google, IBM, limacon, philanderer, stormy, stumble, weathers
¶ 2:43 PM 0 Comments
