That bugger Shakespere eh?

Routinely used the ass/arse pronunciation pun for a laugh-

Oooh, interesting. I suppose I'm too late but I'd love to see some evidence if you have it.

That raises the question of how one actually pronouncesa work like "pwned".

Like 'owned', but with a p on the front. When using it as an exclamation, experts pronounce the 'ed' as 't'.

For instance, I routinely say "pwned" now. Which is weird.

That raises the question of how one actually pronounces a work like "pwned".

That's Educating Rita in a nutshell.

I say Pygmalion with a little touch of A Star is Born: talented older drunkard goes into decline, power relationship changes, couple grows apart...

This was a very pommie Rita, though.

I remember. Saw it back in the day, I think at Mission Bay, where the audience seemed to know the punch lines, and shamelessly shouted them aloud. While the experience of watching an eastern suburbs cult movie was pretty resistable, to the film's…

That said, mine was merely a quotation from Educating Rita – Tom nabbed it right away.

Then in comes his daughter
Whose name was Rita
She looked like she stepped out of
La Dolce Vita

Bob Dylan, ,Motorpsycho Nightmare

Those bloody Italians, eh?

in Maori, assonance isnt really used (except in proverbs possibly – 'Ka wiwi. ka wawa')-our language, like Italian, is very vowel-rich, but much less rich in constants, so vowel replication is kind of a given)

In English, it is a huge & richly useful…

To wit, Giovanni: assonance is actually the close repetition of similar vowel sounds (which differs from basic rhyme.)

In Italian assonance applies to all sounds, not just vowels (when it's consonants sometimes we call it "assonanza consonantica", which is of course itself an assonance!).

That said, mine was merely a…

Routinely used the ass/arse pronunciation pun for a laugh-

NZ English is an obsession of mine – I now span 6 generations (and have written & recorded material that can go back 2 more.) The word hoards-the 'in' & 'out' usages- which are different from the cants & jargons…

Most people who use 'Americanisms' (whatever they are) do so deliberately. It's not like the borg took over our brains and forced us to exclaim 'dude!' at regular intervals.

Or, Gordon Bennett, forced people of my generation to borrow phraseology wholesale from the likes of Minder..

It's not like the borg took over our brains and forced us to exclaim 'dude!' at regular intervals.

No, that wasn't the borg. I think we all know who that was.

For instance, I routinely say "pwned" now. Which is weird.

Dude, you have been SO pwned by the interwebs.…

For instance, I routinely say "pwned" now. Which is weird.

I think my own language patterns are a strange hodge-podge of posh NZer, kiwi-bloke-ism, American southern-isms, American-stonerisms,…

It's not like the borg took over our brains and forced us to exclaim 'dude!' at regular intervals.

Dude!

Aha, the deliberateAmericanism. It takes on a whole new light.

Most people who use 'Americanisms' (whatever they are) do so deliberately. It's not like the borg took over our brains and forced us to exclaim 'dude!' at regular intervals.

I'm sure there's plenty of truth in such testimonials too, PCs are a pain in the ... date ... to deal with

[writing this on a MacBook]. You see, a big part of that is just MacLore and really isn't true. I've had Vista running on three boxes for 18…

I use it for my own network, purely to block…

Beige is too recent to be retro. I still have quite a lot of useful beige equipment. Something about it just begs to be smashed up with a baseball bat, though.

Not true, I have a beige clickety Mac Classic keyboard and mouse connected to my Linux box with a…

Joe, old Macs are beautifully retro. I love the fish tanks and such that people make out of them. They're like old Volkswagons. I never wanted one at the time, and I sure don't want one now, but I still think they look pretty cool.

There was an episode of…

that depressing creature: a very bad film with a very good one inside struggling to get out) that pays the bills

There's a list of 50 films I want to see (the list, not the bad films).

"Movies that would have been really good if they had had a different…

Weta Workshops should get in on that whole steampunk stylee and build PCs.

Sadly, it's crap like The Day The Earth Stood Still (that depressing creature: a very bad film with a very good one inside struggling to get out) that pays the bills. And I'm beginning to wonder if…

Oh, for heaven's sake... You're not one of those gits who writes to the Listener about the faulty (ie non British) pronunciation on National Radio, are you?

No, but now that I know how much it annoys you I might start.

Well, I'm glad it moved you to register to post

Nice to be here. Hardly a graceful entrance, but I'm sure there will be more positive (and more serious) posts to come.

but in an American context, I think "ass" is appropriate

Aha, the deliberate Americanism. It takes on a…

I am genuinely interested in the game playing situation for the newest generation of Mac's though.

I have a mac at work, so don't have any experience with that. But a quick google search indicate that people seem to be getting directx games working in windows on a mac.

But I can see that Apple make very nice machines nonetheless.

Old Mac do look rather lame once they're truly obsolete. Even St. Vinnies weren't too wild about taking my 90s Quadra. That said, any Mac made in the last decade is too good to toss out. A young female…

Had to post this somewhere, with the reference to Humans.og this seemed appropriate as anywhere. WTF?!!

Fuck. We really fail sometimes don't we?

Don't take it personally, Mac fans are notoriously a bit sensitive.

Heh, well I'm a bit of a Mac fan as well but of all the flavours it's the one I know least about and I am quite keen to get my hands on some iMac goodness. I am genuinely…

Don't take it personally, Mac fans are notoriously a bit sensitive.

That really hurt.

You brute, Tiso.

I am not suprised that the machine is faster and that fact should stimulate you to do this regularly as…

I suspect that Windows still owns that market with your mum and dad shoppers but I'll still feel a wee bit decrepit with the timewarp comment anyway.

Don't take it personally, Mac fans are notoriously a bit sensitive.

This feels like a comment that predates macs using intel chips. It's come out of a timewarp or something.

How's the iMac go with those Directx9/10 PC games? I've no experience of it and seeing as we're talking the last 12 months or so it's still fairly bleeding age, no?…

I think "ass" is appropriate

Plus that Paul Henry chap has ruined "arse" for many of us..

And for all those of us who have kids who feed off PC Games it's a bit of an essential.

This feels like a comment that predates macs using intel chips. It's come out of a timewarp or something.

What sort of support are you after? I can put you in touch with some of my contacts in Auckland. There are various groups and activities.

I'm sorry you didn't get the support you needed in Dunedin. There is a branch of Autism NZ there now and an…

Simon, it's not odd. The extra price of the Mac does need constant justification. I'm sure there's plenty of truth in such testimonials too, PCs are a pain in the ... date ... to deal with.

S'weird, we run PC's and servers at work running Windows and Linux. PC's are…

]]> Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:08:19 +1300 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86450#post86450 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86450#post86450 Russell someone told me you had Aspergers Syndrome or you had some passion for those with it – is that true?

My son has Aspergers and I just wrote a blog on it and the bullying he has faced as a result of it and someone said that you knew…

]]> Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:17:12 +1300 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86449#post86449 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86449#post86449 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:06:08 +1300 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86447#post86447 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86447#post86447 I don't know its current status, but for many years Alsoft's "DiskWarrior" was highly regarded and well recommended on Apple sites.

Does more things, and better, than Apple's own disk utility.

Use the CD to start up using Diskwarrior's own OS, then you can start to set about seeing whether…

]]> Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:11:02 +1300 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86446#post86446 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86446#post86446 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:08:37 +1300 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86445#post86445 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-flashing-question-mark/?p=86445#post86445

The first few pages were full with relentless Mac vs. PC stories

The same thing was played out in the pages of "BBC User" and "ZX Spectrum User" in about 1983.

I came back from London for the summer of 88-89 with a cassette of freshly bangin' house tunes.

I came back from London in late 85 to find that certain friends of mine were running nightclubs off the cassettes I'd been sending for three years.

but the company was (as its critics often contend) too far up it own ass to do that.

ass or arse, I think of the up-the-a**ness as insecurity as often as not. Reading Macworld on a plane last night, my other half leant over and said 'why are they so…

I've found music a life saver with young female cuzzies in the family. When the 13 yr olds find out that you genuinely like and own some Kanye and Dizzee Rascal (as compared to their parents) they warm to you and you have something to talk about.

I came back…

"Arse", Mister Brown; we're not Americans.

I'm fairly sure you don't mean to refer to Apple being too far up its own donkey, vivid though the image is.

Well, I'm glad it moved you to register to post, but in an American context, I think "ass" is appropriate.

I have to say, I love that mower.

When you're calling someone out, it helps if you spell their name right ...

Besides, it's still early in Bali ...

Ta Russell.

Actually I'm in transit in a lovely hotel room in KL after being rather appallingly, and incompetently, treated by Malaysian Airlines and missing my sisters 50th birthday…

It isn't really a light-switch-turns-the-toaster-on-which-turns-the-shower-on affair but admittedly the technology he talks about could at the very worst, turn your house into a…

"Arse", Mister Brown; we're not Americans.

I read this first as "arise" (Arise, Sir Russell, Baronet of Point Chevalier) and then as a Father Ted reference.

I think I have had too much sun today.

"Arse", Mister Brown; we're not Americans.

Oh, for heaven's sake... You're not one of those gits who writes to the Listener about the faulty (ie non British) pronunciation on National Radio, are you?

I'm fairly sure you don't mean to refer to Apple being too far up its own donkey, vivid though the image is.

A bit late to comment but on a slightly related note I was just reading Tobie Kerridges fantastic paper on movement networks which riffs on a similar concept of connecting household items for a purpose.

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEu1U4o42y4

Never engage with tweeny girls.

I've found music a life saver with young female cuzzies in the family. When the 13 yr olds find out that you genuinely like and own some Kanye and Dizzee Rascal (as compared to their parents) they warm to you and you have something to…

How about a steampunk styled computer where the cogs and wheels run faster as you make it do more work?

Or a system that senses how busy you are and fills your space with flaming torches accordingly.

ordinary folks need a box that very simply bridges their internet video onto their TV.

A bit late to comment but on a slightly related note I was just reading Tobie Kerridges fantastic paper on movement networks which riffs on a similar concept of connecting household items for a…

David, all sounds good. I wouldn't endorse RAID particularly, was just talking of boot disc mirroring technology. For Apple, I have no idea what they have.

Unless you have a Mac Pro, or an X-Serv, they have nothing. It's hard to mirror disks in a system that can only hold…

Personally my disc mirrors have saved both my data and huge downtime, as you don't have to reinstall your machine.

But I've heard plenty…

I have an Apple TV and like it despite all its shortcomings, but it is a pain to re-encode video from codecs that aren't Apple-supported.

With a little bit of, uh, "coaxing", an Apple TV can be made to decode any sort of content you like, and to stream it…

Scared of disk crash? Redundancy. RAID or the Mac equivalent.

Two weekly-rotating firewire drives taking a constant Time Machine feed from from my MBP. A further firewire drive running Super Duper which runs every morning (and which I used just yesterday to boot back into 10.5.5 when 10.5.6 nuked my…

If anyone is interested in a good firewall that can now be virtualised it might be worth giving these guys a visit:

http://www.untangle.com/

I have used the free produc tin bridge mode on a small via micro for over a year – 2 re-boots to date.

Disclaimer; I…

You would have thought that the artists behind the Creative Freedom Foundation might have designed a better site; or is it some sort of retro early 90s thing?

The latter, I think. Matt Holloway is one of the best web people I know, so you can put money on it…

Scared of disk crash? Redundancy. RAID or the Mac equivalent. It's been round a loooong time.

Scared of your kids getting stalked on the net? Rather that than ITF,…

Quickest and simplest migration I have ever done. I just told it that I wanted it to back up my…

The term "conspiracy theory" has been deliberately devalued and codified so that whenever you read or hear it, your brain receives "FALSE conspiracy theory and the nutters who beleive/promote them"...

This has, of course been done by the "them" who have actual real conspiracies to…

your hard drive is working its way towards the trash can

Something I miss from the olden days is that, on the old PDP-11 I used to work with, you got meaningful reports along the lines of "drive head is 0.00001mm out of alignment". Which then led to it getting…

(Although I do use the Da Vinci Code as an example in the course I teach on Conspiracy Theories, mostly because the `Holy Blood, Holy Grail' book has some great examples of very wonky thinking).

Actually, early X Files…

(Which, I can see the claims now, is why I'm paranoid about losing my data.)

I looking at Conspiracy Theories from the viewpoint of epistemology; what kinds of beliefs about the world are they, what kinds of warrant do they have and is the __prima…

When you're calling someone out, it helps if you spell their name right ...

Oooops, yes. Indeed. Apologies for the spare 's', Mr Grigg.

Joanna – ewww and ewww and more ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

A very common reaction around our way, I think you'll find. But that's why we love her :-)

How long to download a movie from the store Dan? That always seemed to be the problem to me.

HD movies take a few hours. You can keep them for a month before you have to watch them though (and then the rental period is 48 hours) so I tend…

Apologies Joanna. I did wonder but I'm a bit jumpy as I'm in the middle of learning how to parent a 14-year-old. You start to see all sorts of scenarios that can frighten you.

No worries. And for the record, I've been online since I was 13 and the sexual…

I have an Apple TV and like it despite all its shortcomings, but it is a pain to re-encode video from codecs that aren't Apple-supported. Recently I was turned on to Western Digital's WD TV device.

We use the PS3 for most of that — but I more meant watching…

Apple TV could have been the insanely great device that made it easy for people to watch any internet video on their TVs,

I love my Apple TV. I had to cheat a bit to get content on it in the early days (ahem, Handbrake) but I've rented a few…

Also, ever since an…

And meanwhile, I still don't know whether Time Machine really works

I back up my I-mac on an extrnal hard drive, but where can I find out what Time Machine is and what it does?

Is a flashing question mark the user friendly Mac equivalent a Blue Screen Of Death? Or of the noted Yugoslavian, Kernel Panic?

The flashing question mark is the mac equivalent of the PCs: Unable to find HDD, press delete to enter setup.

The Multilingual screen of death is the mac…

Apple TV could have been the insanely great device that made it easy for people to watch any internet video on their TVs…

I have an Apple TV and like it despite all its shortcomings, but it is a pain to re-encode video from codecs that aren't Apple-supported. Recently I…

Bad plan Joanna. You're lying to your kids either way and that won't work as long-term strategy.

Sorry, I will hoist my "I am very much kidding" flag a little higher next time.

And meanwhile, I still don't know whether Time Machine really works …

It's waiting for Hadrons to collide.

I've used Time Machine to get my system up and running again (I backup at least once a day because I live in fear of losing my PhD thesis) and it's great.

…

Paging Simon Griggs. Would Simon Griggs please report to this campaign immediately, to put his money where his mouth is ...

When you're calling someone out, it helps if you spell their name right ...

Besides, it's still early in Bali ...

Never engage with tweeny girls.

Perhaps I'm missing out on the all the binge-drinking and purging, whorish Beebo orgies-slah-suicide cults, but the "tweeny girls" I know are frighteningly sensible. I think all you can do is have faith that they're not stupid, but they will inevitable do dumb shit that…

The Creative Freedom Foundation website was launched today by a group of artists to advocate a more reasonable view of copyright — and, in the first instance, to kick off a "Not in My Name" campaign against Section 92 of the copyright amendment bill.

Paging Simon Griggs. Would Simon Griggs…

Tom, I think the obvious thing to do would be to go onto Bebo, pose as a teenage boy, and try and pick up your niece to see if she's got enough sense to tell you to get lost...

Woo – a strategy not without some risk... years ago when…

Never engage with tweeny girls.

I was foolish enough to take her at her word when her and three of her girlfriends were camping out in a tent at the back of the farm telling horror stories in the dark all Blair…

Which is simply your computer telling you, in about a dozen languages, that it's had a whoopsie and needs to be kicked.

Hey, it's not OK to kick your computer just because you're having a bad day. (Sorry, Russell, but I couldn't resist.) Anyway, I watch television —

The Creative…

Not a single mention of how sad you are to not be in Wellington for tonight Russell? *sobs*

Without a word of a lie, I was thinking about you guys just now. Have a glamorous and boisterous TAWAs, you all ...

Excuse nosiness Russell but how much for Kermadec? I would always rather pay more for something really good than a medium amount for a medium meal.

The menu's here (although it's not quite the same as the one on our table):

http://www.kermadec.co.nz/Menus/index.php

Mains $40 or under, entrees around $20. Better…

Russell: Single parent family, I am shocked at your un-politically correct assumption of nuclear family-hood! I think I shall write to Santa and dob you in.

Whoops. I read "mother and uncle" as "mother and father" ...

I agree with you all... Since my alternate plan of locking her in…

Excuse nosiness Russell but how much…

I agree with you all... Since my alternate plan of locking her in a tower until she is thirty has been ruled out as…

The Creative Freedom Foundation website was launched today by a group of artists to advocate a more reasonable view of copyright — and, in the first instance, to kick off a "Not in My Name" campaign against Section 92 of the copyright amendment…

Is a flashing question mark the user friendly Mac equivalent a Blue Screen Of Death? Or of the noted Yugoslavian, Kernel Panic?

No, the Mac version of the BSOD is the MLSOD, or Multi-Lingual Screen of Death. Which is simply your computer telling you, in about a dozen languages, that…

Is a flashing question mark the user friendly Mac equivalent a Blue Screen Of Death? Or of the noted Yugoslavian, Kernel Panic?

It comes up when your Mac can't find a system to boot with.

Most kids have a naturally well developed sense of ickiness anyway and are fully aware…

The old Freeview box you could just turn off then on again from the remote to fix it, but not the new Zinwell – it needed the whole unplug from the wall thing.

Unplugging Macs from the wall is a good way to reset any latent hardware issues. Several times…

In terms of trying to firewall the kid from the world, if she's smart enough, she'll get round anything you do. (Like, you'll build this monster firewall and…

You would expect you'd have to do something bad to unleash the Flashing Question Mark

Really?

Heck, even my new FreeVo crashed yesterday. And I've only had it a day. The old Freeview box you could just turn off then on again from the remote to fix it, but not…

OK so I have got my thirteen year old neice a laptop for her present this year (I made the fatal mistake of asking two now self-aware pre-teens what they wanted rather than…