As you may know, I have a Netbox Cubit 2, which is a very lovely machine indeed. However, there's a contender in the form of Hush Mini-ITX. This is one good looking beast, and ideal for those home applications. I get the feeling it's a little bit more beefy than the Cubit, but not available in quite so many nice colours. Still, I want one! (not sure what for, but I want one!).

This beast is hard to find: http://perlmonks.thepen.com/34708.html. It's Perl code for a client that uploads a file to a web server. It's not a CGI (like 99.9999% of things you'll find on the subject). Very useful indeed - thanks to the Perl Monks for that one.

(By the way, if you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry)

Sorry, another rant about Websphere. Don't use it. If you do use it, expect your project timescales to extend by 10-20%. It's very slow, very idiosyncratic, and despite being touted as "open standards" is actually extremely proprietary.

This is Scary stuff: Mapamobile is a UK service which allows you to get the location of any mobile phone. Of course, you have to agree you've told the owner of the phone you're doing it, so actually it's quite safe. It's certainly a good reason (a) to not have a mobile phone at all and (b) switch it off as much as possible. When I first got my (werk) phone, I used to turn it off all the time because it didn't have a keylock or vibrate mode, so wasn't good for carrying or having whilst listening to a walkman. Nowadays, I hardly turn it off. Not that I'm deluged by calls, but I suspect I'll be a bit more difficult to get hold of from now on...

Good to see everyone at the 'party in a field' ;-) It's kind of fun sleeping in a tent from time to time, and given the weather was so good, it was really pretty damn fine.

Anyway, check the progress web site, and marvel at Slade's handywork with the Land Rover: http://www.popadd.com/ksv2africa

File sharing really annoys the RIAA and MPAA. They spend loads of time and money looking for people who've copied music and films and are sharing it on the 'net. Now, one wonders if they produced better music and films, would people want to own them more? I'd have to say yes - I mean, the Matrix on DVD is a really good DVD to own. It's got loads of bits and pieces to keep you entertained, not to mention that it's actually a good film to start with.

Anyway, someone's come up with http://xs.tech.nu/ PeerGuardian (2). It seems to be an IP blocker that blocks the RIAA, MPAA and others like 'em from seeing what files you've got. Seems a bit primitive to me, but it's probably worth using.

Since I'm in the UK, and don't have the RIAA to worry about (directly, at least), and since the legal wrangles they've had are all going to be completely different here, I got to thinking that everyone outside the US should set themselves up with a bit of illegal content, but make it so that *only* the RIAA can get to it. That'd annoy them... ;-) There must be some daft legal caveat (particularly in the US) that means they can't do you because they represent the copyright holder, and so it's only right and proper that they should be able to get to the files, even when the rest of the world can't.

One's legal system, legislation and financial capabilities really are the difference between being able to thrive or not. Of course, it remains to be seen which variety will last the distance.

Whilst I have never directly given money to the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, but what's going on with Franklin Mint is deplorable. As if it needed saying, never buy anything from the Franklin Mint. I mean, "malicious prosecution" is a bit much given the charity status of the plaintiff. Of course, if you want a tacky plate with some mingin' picture on it, then you might be tempted to buy the crap FM churn out. How about saving your money and doing something a bit more responsible with it.