Storage

We currently have two PCs. Both PCs have more than one hard drive. In fact, they have several hard drives each. My computer, which runs Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and gets used for editing high definition video has:

1. 240GB
2. 300 GB
3. 300 GB
4. 380 GB

while the Media Center, which runs Windows Bloody Vista Ultimate Pain In The Ass Edition 32 Bit and gets used for inventing new swear-phrases, has:

1. 80 GB
2. 160 GB
   
3. 240 GB

When it finally arrives, our Mac Mini (to replace the media center) will be equipped with a 160GB hard disk. Our music collection alone would take up over a quarter of that space! Not to worry though. I'll delete Vista from the media center machine, strip it and rebuild it as a server and the Mac can access all it's hard disk space over the network. Simple. PCs are good at storage and serving - especially when running Linux.

---

I own Linspire because I bought LindowsOS for US$100.00 to help Michael Robinson fight Microsoft in court because he was being sued to change the name of "Lindows" because it sounded too much like "Windows". Michael (or Mr Robinson? I suppose I don't call Steve 'Mr Jobs') counter-sued, saying that the term "windows" is a generic word used for many years by companies like Xerox and Apple to describe graphical user interfaces in an operating system. So Microsoft sued him in several other countries.

Microsoft were worried about LindowsOS because it actually started to sell in boxed versions around the world. I have even seen it on the shelf at Harvey Norman right here in Gladstone.

I'm sure I read somewhere - but I can't actually find it anywhere now so it may have been a vicious rumour - about how Microsoft actually started cutting deals with stores that stocked LindowsOS, offering them substantial discounts on Microsoftware in return for not stocking LindowsOS

---

I figured that $100.00 to fight Microsoft was $100.00 well spent - not only that - Michael sent me a shirt which quickly became a favourite that I wore with a great deal of pride!

That was the shirt that recently got washed with something that wasn't as colourfast as previously thought and became a colour that quite frankly, I find difficult to wear in public, let alone with any pride... but enough about the shirt!

"If you're reading this Michael, please sir, may I have another?"

---

The One Hundred Ewe Es Dollars also got me a lifetime membership and every upgrade forever! It also got me permanent access to their Click and Run Warehouse which ACTUALLY LETS YOU INSTALL STUFF ON LINUX making the only Linux I've ever used that I've ever been able to install something on.

That was back in '02 and I got LindowsOS 4.5 and it was... okay...

I tried Linspire Five-Oh and it was... better...

Linspire was hard to sell to people...

---

"Hey, have you seen that new Linux that's really easy to use?"

"Bah! There's no such thing as an easy to use Linux!"

"Yeah man, check it out, Linspire!"

"Cool, finally we can break the bonds of monopoly chains! Speaking of Monopoly, what games can I play on it?"

"Oh, there's this cool one where you're a penguin."

"Right... so it's... useless"

"No! It's great in the office! It's got a word processor and a spreadsheet! And it's even got a print manager! Wo0O0o!"

"Does it run Quickbooks or MYOB?"

"A print manager! Wo0O0o!"

---

So Linspire 6.0 is the current version and will be my consumer level server software that will replace Vista on the soon to be converted media center - provided I can get file sharing worked out on the latest version of Linspire, which I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to work it out.

It's based on Ubuntu which I actually recently tried out from a LinuxLive DVD that was loaded up with Beryl which look unbelivably cool. I want to use Linux on my PCs and I have one with support at my disposal so Linspire will be my Windows alternative where ever possible.

---

Time Machine requires an external hard drive plugged into your Mac.

I was looking for a Firewire hub.

In my search I found this:-image from LaCie.com

It's a stackable external hard disk specifically made for the Mac Mini by LaCie in 320GB and 500GB models with a USB 2.0 hub and a Firewire hub built in. I found a 500GB one on ShopBot for AUD$276.10 which isn't terrible considering the enclosure and hubs.

That's cool. And this is cool.

---

Check out this... thing... from Vista.

Quick translation: "Your stuff doesn't work with Vista - Buy new stuff."

---