About Me
I'm a thirty something engineer with an interest in Computing (particularly Linux), Psychology and Mathematics. Married with three kids, I've been studying with the Open University since 2008, I'm focussing on BSc (Honours) Computing and IT (B62).
An enthusiastic but amateur runner.
Yeah and a total geek.
Category Archives: Computing
Tomighty
If you’re a fan of the Pomodoro technique – there’s a fantastic little timer applet for the notification area called Tomighty.
Posted in Computing, Misc, Open University
Tagged Java, Linux, Open Source, Open University, Study, Windows
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Forget everything you knew about coding (or perhaps remember, depending on your age)
This Christmas I’m going to embrace the past. COmmon Business Oriented Language (COBOL) 85 standard was the first language I was taught. Napier University was a feeder into the banking and insurance industries in Edinburgh at the time and they … Continue reading
Largest product of five consecutive numbers in a 1000 digit number
Haven’t done much Project Euler recently – I’ve been busy studying. So here is an answer to problem eight which asks: Find the greatest product of five consecutive digits in the 1000-digit number.
MT254 TMA 01
First TMA on MT264 (Designing applications with Visual Basic) got returned today – 96%. I’m very pleased with that and exceptionally lucky given that I read the material in a week, attended one on-line tutorial and wrote the assessment in a couple of days. I’ve … Continue reading
Posted in Coding, Computing, Open University
Tagged Coding, MT264, Open University, TU100, VB.Net
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Developing a developer
Still some way to completing my degree part-time (at the end of this academic year I’m half way). I’m not soliciting my services – just looking for advice from the community and if anyone has a few minutes it’d be … Continue reading
Posted in Computing, Personal
Tagged Linux, Open Source, Open University, Planet Ubuntu, Volunteering
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Assumption
Someone asked me yesterday “You’re good with computers, can you give me a copy of Photoshop?“. Aside from the fact I run Linux on most of my computers, I’m not keen on being accused of software piracy on the basis that … Continue reading
Samsung NP-RV511-S02UK
I bought a new laptop the other week, a Samsung NP-RV511-S02UK. I have been using a Samsung NC10 dual booting Ubuntu and XP. An NC10 is a wondrous thing but when push comes to shove, a 1280×600 resolution is too small for Visual … Continue reading
Posted in Computing, Open University, Personal
Tagged Fix, Mathematics, MS221, MT264, Netbook, Open University, VB.Net, Windows
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Repair Samsung NC10 MBR
Repair the Samsung NC10′s MBR – returning the F4 recovery option. Continue reading
Compaq CQ10 failed BIOS update
A friend brought me a Compaq CQ10 over earlier. It seems it lost power during a Softpaq BIOS update. Initially the screen was booting to the HP BIOS recovery screen, attempting to rewrite and failing around 10%. I tried a … Continue reading
Open access to data
During T175 there was a section on “eGovernment” – block 4 part 3. Section 2 discussed modernising government and suggested that two essential aspects of electronic government should be: Making most, or even all, of the government’s services available online. Bringing … Continue reading
