Novell Console One on Windows 2000

This is a snippet from the installation instructions that is rather easy to overlook, especially since it didn't seem to be needed in the past (as far as I can remember).

1. Install ConsoleOne
2. Install the 'Java Access Bridge' (JAB) from sun (java.sun.com)
3. From the JAB InstallerFiles directory:

• Copy jaccess-1_3.jar to the Novell\ConsoleOne\1.2\ConsoleOneExt directory
• Copy access-bridge.jar to the Novell\ConsoleOne\1.2\ConsoleOneExt directory
• Copy accessibility.properties to the Novell\ConsoleOne\1.2\jre\lib direcorty
• Copy JavaAccessBridge.dll to the c:\winnt\System32 directory
• Copy WindowsAccessBridge.dll to the c:\WinNT\System32 directory

Missing MSXML2?

If you are trying to use msxml2 and are getting no joy install the msxml4 SP2 msi file from here.

This service pack includes everything including the sdk files you are probibly missing.

Foxpro: You need this to run FoxTabs.

The case of the missing .reg files

If you are missing some registry .reg files try searching for them.

For some reason Vista doesn't show them in folders even when you have show hidden and system files on.

AOL Broadband UK not connecting

AOL recently changed the login details for the network to one based on the number the service is on. If you can't connect it could be this that is causing the problem and if you dont have the relevant details (there are supposed to be letters with them on) you will have to give them a call (08444 995555 when you get to the listen for helpful advice press 0 to save yourself time).

You will be through to the usual Indian call center... have fun!

If it doesn't work and before you reconfigure the router for the tenth time try using PPPoA or maybe auto-config if available.

I had this recently with AOL insisting on a certain config for days and was stalled off by them 'passing it to network support please call back in 24hrs'.

Good luck!

Unable to recover from Norton Ghost or Save & Restore

If you find that your selected recovery point is being declared as 'Invalid' it may be the name of the drive does not match the one used to create the image.

Use the tools to remove the partition from the drive and Ghost will happily recreate it with the correct name as it does the restore.

This does not appear to be a problem if you use the recovery point browser to just pull off files and folders, only if you try to recover the whole thing.

Lastly make sure you have the latest recovery set... the system appears to offer you them in file name order not date order.  This applies when using the recovery browser too.

Run command prompt as "Administrator"

If you use command prompts (say to use Route Add) you may find the system wont comply because the command needs to be 'Elevated'.

In other words run as admin.  The simplest way to do this is to run the whole shell as Administrator.

In the Start menu search box type cmd (wont work from run) which will list up any commands begining with cmd.
Right click cmd and select "Run as administrator"

Problems Installing .Net Framework 3.0 or 3.5 on Windows XP

If you are getting errors installing these packages you could try the following....

1. Download the full installation file (not just the loader).
2. Run MSConfig (Start->Run)
3. Select Diagnostic on the front page.
4. Click on the Services tab and tick the following...

• Plug & Play
• Windows Installer
• System Restore
  

Several services are already ticked as being critical, dont turn these off!

5. Click apply and reboot.
6. Now run the installation.
7. Say reboot later (if asked)

Once you are finished select Normal in MSConfig (That started when you rebooted) and reboot.

Tada! Hope this works for you.

As usual with these things use at your own risk yadda yadda yadda ;)

Drugs and forgiveness

Dwain Chambers has lost his appeal to run in the Olympics.

Best thing I've heard in days!

He knew the rules and yet deliberately broke them but doesn't like the punishment, well that is just tough. I am a firm believer that once you have served your time you, you have served your time but this ban was known before he started abusing the system (cheating to win over his worthier opponents); he knew the risks but didn't believe the rules should apply to him. In fact until today he still thought he was above everyone else, perhaps he will learn humility now (not likely).

Will this hurt the UK in the Olympics? In medal terms maybe, in the ethical values and underlying standards that make Britain what it is this decision has done wonders.

A hearty well done to the panel that threw out this travesty of egotistical whining.

A question about the UK in Iraq

If the US army is negotiating an extended stay in Iraq once the UN mandate ends (end of the year I think), what are the UK doing?

Have they already one in place?
Are they planning to have left by this date?
Are they going to stay anyway and claim that the request is in the post?

Remember The Milk (RTM)

I have used RTM for some time now but have started to make better use of it since reading this article on the RTM blog.

This then led me to looking to use RTM to update my Google calendar with appointments for events with a due date in the next few days. For example you arrange a meeting to deal with a task.

To get this to work I created another couple of tags (meeting and note), added a saved search for "tag:meeting or tag:note" then took the icalendar for that list and added it to Google calendar.

By simply tagging something 'note' or 'meeting' it now shows in Google calendar, no syncing issues to be seen.

Hopefully one day we will see times in the RTM task due dates.

Complexity...

I like physics (sad eh?) and you would think that means I like things complex. Far from it, I like things to be simple. Simple things are easy to understand and easy to use (and fix).

While some would doubt it physics is largely pretty simple. Gravity, electromagnetism, quantum physics; they all make sense once you grasp the simplicity behind them. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of formulas knocking about that can sometimes tie you in knots, but the ideas behind these things are simple. It took great minds to come up with these simple ideas, and brilliant minds to test the theories so that the rest of us can take them for granted (always a dodgy idea in physics but many things are now accepted as 'proved').

Last night I watched the last part of a documentary about the work the Stephen Hawking on a unified theory of everything. Somewhat interesting but it eventually it gets around to string theory.

I have a problem with string theory... it is just too complicated. I know we are talking about the fundamental binding of the universe but for that reason I think it should be even simpler.

Multiple dimensions rolled up at every point... why? To make a set of ideas work, not because it makes sense. Not to mention I have problems with the reason for any dimensions beyond 6 or maybe 7 at a push.

Simply this is complexity where there should be simplicity.

Still since the whole world will be consumed by the black holes created at Cern in a few months it wont matter ;)

[Yes there are some that believe that is going to happen....]

UK Fuel Duty... does it work?

There has been a long running policy in the UK to encourage the use of alternative fuels and methods of transport. One way this has been achieved is by applying a steadily rising duty to the cost of fuel.

Whether this actually works has been a topic of argument for just as long as the policy has been in place; now it looks as though we may be able to tell...

Simply it should be possible to see if the the recent fuel price hikes have led to a reduction in usage.

If they have then steadily raising the prices will reduce use (at the possible cost of jobs and homes), if usage hasn't decreased notably then the policy must be fatally flawed.

So far I've not found any assessment of this but maybe some think tank will do the number crunching and lets us all know.

Research, the Environment and Religion

I think that covers most of the more interesting topics for most people!

Research
OK I like Physics, you know the 'How It Works - The Universe' subject. I couldn't really study it at school and while I have tried to spend time on in over the years life conspires to stop me getting on with it (that and maybe living fatigue!). However I do spend some of my time reading 'The New Scientist' and follow up a few things I'm really interested in.
So I was really really bugged by the recent cuts into the physics budgets. What a stupid foolish thing to do! OK particle physics may seem to be on the fringe of things that are useful but all knowledge is useful and the applications of the work done in physics populate our daily lives. It is a sad day for our country and the long term damage (who would trust us to help fund something now) will hamper us for decades to come. Instead of it being us that gains an edge from that quirky bit of research it will be France or Germany or Russia or....

The Environment
A possible replacement for concrete with a fragment of the CO2 footprint of the portland based product! Why are the big corporations not snatching it up and trialling it? Ignorance? Maybe. Anyone interested should look here and check out the BBCs The Material World.

Religion
I heard that some states in the US are considering giving creationism equal standing with evolution... obviously some minds in Florida etc. have devolved not evolved. I'm not a great fan of most religions but this is just brainwashing.