Wipeout!

A mind game for journey’s. Define a category for which there are many answers, such as States of the USA, non-members of the UN, Schwarzenegger (or Streep) films and then each player bids as to how many answers they can name. The highest bidder, (the last bid after everyone else has passed) starts and seeks to meet his or her bid. If they succeed, they win, if they fail (you’d best agree a time limit) the other players get to offer answers. There’s to be no repetition and the last player (again best agree a time limit) to state an answer wins. …

Betrayal at the House on the Hill

For various reasons, the other month we went into Aldershot and visited “The Games Shop”. This is, as you’d guess, a shop that sells board games, games books, jigsaws and other games accessories; but not computer games, which is maybe why it has no web site. At our first visit, last year, we picked up “Murder at the Abbey” also here…, and this time bought “Betrayal at the House on the Hill”. Its fantastic – collaborative, re-playable, and with strong varied stories, our first night was Buffy’s Hell’s Gate, a deeply dramatic story. …

Capitalism, Communism & Monopoly

Jonathan’s Blog article “Scare Tactics in the World of Open Source” seems to imply Microsoft use the allegation of Communism as a massive insult. I understand that this isn’t unusual in the US. Probably best not ask which is a worse insult, Communist or Monopolist; only one of these activities is defended by the 1st Amendment. …

Laptop Diaries VIII

I look back at the last couple of days and my assisted build of a triple boot laptop and ask what have I learnt? These entries have been about successfully putting the three operating systems onto my Dell C400. I knew that a problem existed with the cheap video subsystem implementation …

Recruit & Retain

The Register posts an article today “Nicer bosses retain more (female) staff”. Here…. Lucy Sheriff writes, “The astonishing news that women don’t like to work with horrible managers, … will undoubtedly send shock waves throughout the HR sector industry.”. I’m sure it will, HR are usually the last to catch up. Interesting that people are looking for this now; also I’m sure that not wanting to work with horrible managers isn’t restricted to women. …

Laptop Diaries VII

Back to Linux. I’ve decided (a long time ago) I want a Red Hat version; the C400 is a works tool and I work in Sun’s Data Centre Practice. If I want Sun’s Java Desktop system, I can either use the corporate network or my Solaris partition. The reason I want a Linux partition is to familiarise myself with the platform of choice for many web hosting providers and many developers. Here’s my notes on what, how and why. …

Missing out on Wireless

I visited Bradford the other day and travelled Intercity. I actually used an APEX ticket; it was my money but thats another story. Its the first time, I’d seen wireless internet connections offered on the train, of course it’s Virgin Trains, who want to be in the forefront of in-travel entertainment. – “You might be late but you did some great surfing”. I didn’t use it though …