So U're Networking?

This was brought to my mind a few days ago, when I was ordering some computer improvements for my company's computer systems. So, here at our company we have ~ 130 computers. They are mostly low end machines dating from 2005. So expect the usual : AMD Athlon 1600, 256 DDR and 40 Gigs HDD space. As time passes by the system requirements of new software begins to rise. So some upgrades are needed. Ok let's see... Hmmm what CAN I upgrade here? Hey, let's boost the RAM another 1GB + will do the trick 'till we can buy some new computers.

Ok so here it goes, DDR1 (SD RAM) was NOT introduced so long ago. Let's say somewhere around 2001 ~ 2002 when it went into mass commercial sales. That's ~ 9 years ... Nine freakin' years for some stuff (which was so widely available) to become ANTIQUE !!!

Let's set some facts 2 years ago you could by a 1GB of DDR1 Ram for about 10 ~ 12 Euros ( I hope I got this right) and you could buy it apsolutely anywhere. But now... 35 euros for a single module of 1GB DDR1 ?! Too much, and you can find it well, almost no where.

Yeah, so it seems that computer parts which get obsolete (and do get that way FAST), get a price massive price boost within months. And they are really scarce.

Imagine me now, I have to acquire 130 modules of 1GB DDR1 ... That is ~ 4500 euros! Hmm, and where to get the 130 modules of this Archaic RAM ...
I guess, if you are slow, there is no place for you in the computer buisness. And the one guy who is slow in this case it's my company.

Well let them pay for their ignorance.

Ahh... I remember like it was yesterday ...

*insert dwindling music and white fuzzy cloud here*

It's the year 1996, and I've just finished my first year of elementary school. I'm such a kid, ain't I? Skipping home from the playground with my grandfather, then it struck me like a giant potato truck. A brand USED Super Nintendo (Entertainment System). I was soo happy that I just couldn't explain. Let me set some thing straight first... Before I got the SNES i was gaming on it, but in a local video-rental store (some 10 dinars for an hour of playing).

So my dreams have come to life, I have my own Nintendo. Wow! Let's play! Hmm... Something is wrong, dad didn't seem to have bought any games. Well mostly because a single game was priced around 50 German Marks (my parents had a combined pay then of about 300 marks).
So games were out of the option. What to do? Rent a game? Heh, for about 50 dinars a day I could have any game in the 'vast' selection of our local video store. Yep, thats about 15 games.

Hmmm, not much. But all the big ones were there ... Super Mario All stars, Super Mario World 1 and 2, Super Mario Kart, Street Fighter 2, Killer Instinct ... etc That way each weekend I would rent a game, and game on for three days! Woohoo... What fun ...

*dwindly and fuzzy stuff ends here*

Enough of that. That was then, now is a completely different story.
The powers of the internet had brought us some nostalgia. Yes yes yes, the old console, emulation software. That struck me quite good, a few years back, when I have discovered that there is a mass amount of software like this as well as EVERY possible SNES game in a form of a ROM (wich you can load an play on this emulation software). Wow, talk about a selection. 10 000 games in a single folder on my computer. And just free download a program (my favourite is Snes9x), load a ROM and off you go. :)

But one thing bugs me...
Was it better, back then, to play on an old TV set with the actual console in front of you? That big reset button just staring at you. A distinctive game art on the cartidge (wich always amused me).

Or was is it better to play with a Trust Predator gamepad on my HP 6710b notebook, with a vast selection of games at your finger tips.

Well to be honest, I kinda like playing on th TV more... I don't know, it's fun to play like this on the computer. But it's just not the same thing. I dunno, maybe if I've never played the actual SNES I would'nt feel like this.
But now! It's just a downhill win for the SNES! Sorry emulation people, I still use your software, but an actual console is just to close to my heart (fingertips). ;)

So the award goes to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
*Tadaaaa* *applausse*

Ok, so here is the deal. I work with computers for a looong time now, and I always end up with some low-end computer who is "going slowly".

So, let's try a few things out. OK Windows tools aren't up to the job of cleaning this pile of mess. So sarching the vast wastelands of the land of Internet, I've stumbled on to a piece of software named FreshDiagnose! And the best thing about it ... IT'S FREE! :) Well not, open source free, but actually NO MONEY free. The only thing is you need to register to enable the full potential of the program.

It has a great benchmark utility, and all around system info. So, if you need something like this, and you have a SPAMbucket mail account (just to be sure). Register this software and off you go to tend to your computer problems.

I really think its awful for this man to die. He was a GREAT contributor to music.
But it's hard to forget his mistakes (pedophilia...etc). But as a musician! Respect



This video is a great look at the media *uckers! :)

Today is the 30th anniversary of the Sony Walkman. The first (successful ) portable audio player in the world. This product made a technological breakthrough in portable audio devices.

Actually the first personal stereo was the Stereobelt, which was invented two years earlier, but it was commercially unsuccessful. So, Sony stepped in, and made a bang. The Walkman was first invented for the Sony co-chairman Morita, so he can listen to opera music during his flights. (the first Walkman TPS-L2 is pictured on the right)

Ahh... Nice story, but look where are we now? Look at portable audio players. Now, almost anytime you want, you can listen to your favorite music, where ever you are. But all that, probably woudln't like this, if there wasn't a Walkman.

Sony celebrates it's Walkman's 30th anniversary, even if it is suffering from losses, because of the World economic crisis. And due to the fact that te portable audio device market is being taken over by (evil) Apple. And it's iPod.

So, all I can say is GOOD LUCK SONY, I WISH YOU THE BEST.

So, yesterday I've stumbled onto a problem. I got a call from a friend who has bought a used computer (some old IBM NetVista from Austria) and could not "do anything with it".

First lets set some data: The computer has a fresh Windows XP w/ service pack 3 installed - Which I haven't installed, so for who ever did so ... he/she did a crappy job. Computer specs don't matter, but its a 1.8 Ghz Pentium 4, 512MB SDRAM, 40GB HDD and Riva TNT2 GPU

As I sit down to the computer and try to figure out what does "can't do anything with it" mean, I try setting up some basic apps (like MS office) ... The installer fails, hmmm... What could it be?! My computer > Manage > Services - Ok, let's see ... Hmmm... What?! 95 % of services aren't even started, only a few remain started. But plenty of them are set to start automatically. But they just won't. The weird thing is, I don't get an error warning that the service won't start. It just doesn't. So, as well as the Windows Installer, neither does networking work, logging, system restore, automatic updates ... etc. Only a few services are still standing.

Starded searching the internet for a solution, there was none. Some suggested to look somewhere in the Registry, but nothing ... Same as in the Services.msc.

Now, one thing I've noticed is that there was TweakUI installed as well as some program named Unlocker ... ? Hmm, then i knew it. It was some buffed up (read: user created -full of bugs) version of Windows XP with SP3 slipstreamed inside.
Nothing is left but to reinstall the windows, with a clean Windows XP w/ SP2 (Pir4t3d). Well, that fixed everything.

I hate, when the final solution is c:\format c , and to reinstall windows ... But sometimes its the only way. Till' next time...