My Virtual Life » techie

Usability of Apple PowerBook G4

Lea — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 00:25:15 +0000

I got my new new Powerbook G4 and I really like it – the box is light and easy to move (I always carried my old Wallstreet iwth 2 hands when open, as I felt the screen was heavy enough that it should be carried flat so the hinges weren’t taking excessive strain – not this baby!) the performance is snappy (I have managed to whirly ball safari, but only for a second – you can imagine the horror that ran thorugh my mind in that second though “I’ve paid all this money and it *still* whirlyballs!!!! Ahhhh!!!”)

My main complaint is the case – the leading edge is sharp, not rounded. I expect I need to buy one of those cushions to sit in front of it. How they missed this I can’t imagine. I must remember to provide feedback. I can see I will have saw wrists over time. Such a little thing and such a big impacton the usability of the product, to my mind

I bought a 15″ Apple Powerbook!

Lea — Mon, 13 Jun 2005 00:59:33 +0000

Muahahaha!
I bought a 15 inch Apple Powerbook! Soon I can actually throw this 1999 G3 Wallstreet Powerbook out the window, just like I have been wanting to for, oh, far to long now

OK, OK, I won’t really heave it out the window. But I can think about it.

I am going to be so cool! So l33t! No more whirly ball of death for me!

Now I just have to hold my breath for the 5-7 days it will take for build and delivery.

Excuse me – I have to go “wheeeeeeeee!!!!!” again!

Domain Registration and Email Hosting in Australia

Lea — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 02:09:28 +0000

It seems lots of people want email hosting or personal domain hosting these days – its pretty cool to have your own domain, and Australia is a special case for domain registration. If you want domain registration of a .au domain name, you have to work out not just which sort you want, but which sort you are eligible for!

* to get a .com.au or a .net.au domain name, you have to have an ACN, or Business number or something like that.
* to get a .org.au or a .asn.au domain name, you have to be registered as a non-profit and have the number to prove it

ie its not .com etc, you cant just decide you want it and purchase the domain name.

In addition, the name has to be appropriate – either related to your name, or a service or event that you are selling or running.
id.au domain names are only available to australians, and the name itself has to be a name you are know by. pretty limiting.
I dont think the system is perfect – theres no obvious way for a family, or other ‘informally’ related group of people to have a domain name, and I think thats a shame.

So, if you want to purchase a domain name you have to know what sort.

There are lots of registrars around who can handle the domain registration for you, and some services that will handle the domain name registration and email hosting as one package. A good idea as it keeps the number of bills to pay down.

I have seen a couple of .id.au domain names recently, and I think thats pretty cool. They didnt have websites associated with them, they were just for email. Presumably email hosting is cheaper than full web hosting and if all you want to do is have an email address without bothering with a website than an email hosting service that covers domain registration and dns hosting and email hosting is a good idea