I must post the conclusion of the City Link saga and an unexpected piece of good customer service from another company that happened soon afterwards, but for now it’s enough to know that I got my new computer and have been busy installing software.

First thing I installed was anti-virus (that’s a lie, first thing was Opera to make downloading all the other things less of a pain). But so far I haven’t installed a firewall, so I’m running with AVG Anti-Virus and Windows Firewall. I’d like a better firewall but I don’t know what to pick.

On my old laptop I’ve been using Kaspersky Anti-Hacker which is a bit old but reliable. This came as part of System Mechanic which I’ve found to be very handy. But, Iolo have produced a new version of System Mechanic and I get a spam pop up everytime I start it. I e-mailed them asking where I could a change log for the new version and they haven’t replied, but from the web site it looks like Kaspersky is no longer part of the package. I’m not sure whether to buy the latest Kaspersky product, or the latest version of System Mechanic, or both, or something else entirely. Any advice for a free or cheap firewall for a Windows XP machine?

I also have installed a BitTorrent client yet. The one built into Opera downloads much slower than the standalone ones I’ve used before. Which have mainly been Azureus, but that seems to have a memory leak in it somewhere ‘cos even when I shut it down completely the system is still clogged up until I reboot (or use System Mechanic to reclaim the RAM). I keep on hearing about μTorrent, is that any good? What’s your BitTorrent client of choice?

Finally, is there a site out there that could be described as LibraryThing for DVDs? I’ve found DVD Spot but it’s not really tickling my web 2.0 fabcy in the way that LT does. I could use Squirl, indeed I could use Squirl for just about any collection, but I’d like to see if there’s anything a bit more specialised first.

Very True Mood:  curious

Lettice and I just watched the first two episodes of Robin of Sherwood. She had never seen it and I hadn’t seen it since it was first broadcast.

As that was over twenty years ago my memories were more than a little rose tinted (to pick one example, back when I was ten, Nasir was the coolest character on telly - he had a studded leather jacket like Avon’s and was like a ninja who hung round with Robin Hood; today I have to ask, doesn’t actually look very saracen does he?)

Comparisons with the recent Robin Hood series are hard to avoid. But I’m going to try. I’ll just say that whilst I enjoyed the new show as mindless entertainment, it doesn’t hold a candle to the old one in terms of storytelling.

We amused ourselves by putting together a dream team of characters.

From Robin of Sherwood:

Robin, Will, Little John.

From Robin Hood:

Gisbourne, Marion, Much.

Very True Mood:  contemplative

Let’s talk about the tenth Doctor’s ongong obsession with Rose. Three episodes post-Rose and we get at least one reference and an anguished expression in every one.

(more…)

Very True Mood:  thoughtful

Things that raised a smile this afternoon, which after spending two days out of the Easter weekend in the office are much needed -

1. The fact that Forbidden Planet have bookshelves labelled “Macho Men With Guns” full of books that feature, you guessed it. By the way, who reads that sort of book? People for whom Tom Clancy is too much of a liberal intellectual?

2. The fact that this book exists. As with several others in the series I wonder whether the word “is” was omitted from the title.

Very True Mood:  exhausted

We’re introducing XXXXX – the business card 2.0. You are part of a select group of blog owner/publishers that we are inviting to take an early “sneak peek” at XXXXX. We see your blog as a major delivery vehicle for news and information and hope you’ll have a willingness to cover our launch (good or bad).

Yes, I’m going to cover your launch, but because you’re a stupid spammer I’m going to do so without mentioning your product’s name or URL.

Now let’s see, “business card 2.0″? WTF does that mean? Do your contacts get to add their own tags to your card? Is there a business card microformat? (Yes, there is, but it’s nothing to do with this “product”.)

For crying out loud, can we please get over this 2.0 thing? It was bad enough when someone mentioned “consumer 2.0″ in a meeting last year but this is just mindless bandwagon jumping.

Very True Mood:  annoyed

The executioner has arrived. Our loft full of pigeons will soon be no more.

I’ve made myself scarce. With guns (well, an air rifle is still a gun) and noxious chemicals around there’s no place for spectators. Luckily for me.

Air rifles aren’t very loud are they? I just realised that the clicking noise I thought was his step ladder is actually him doing the deed.

I’ve lost count of the number of shots. As most of the adults would have escaped through the hole in the roof he must be shooting the ones that can’t fly.

Is anyone reading this whilst eating? Sorry.

[update]
Oh boy. He says that he’s been chucking some of the bodies out of the hole in the roof. The roof slopes towards the alleyway (i.e. our front door) not the road.

Killing done. Just the cleaning up to do.

[update]
I’m going out for a bit, I think I need some fresh air.