Simon Scullion

An update on the iPlayer situation, after the beeb apparently was trying to avoid committing to a download service for Linux and Mac OSX.

The BBC must deliver an online TV catch-up service that lets users of all computers download programmes, the corporation’s regulators have said.

A good example of where regulation can be a good thing.

Lets hope this can bring longer term benefits to non-Windows platforms as they get a higher level of attention from some pretty clever tech folk at the beeb.

Now if only this wasn’t restricted to UK residents!

• alphaWorks : IBM Mashup Starter Kit : Overview

  An easy-to-use Web 2.0 mashup platform for enterprises and small businesses.

  (tags: mashup ibm web2.0 software)

• BBC NEWS | Technology | Russian schools move to Linux

  Schoolchildren in Russia are to be taught using the free, open-source Linux software in an effort to cut the cost of teaching information technology.

  (tags: linux russia opensource education)

• BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Led Zeppelin go digital at last

  Rock legends Led Zeppelin are to make their complete back catalogue available for digital download from next month. Lets hope this is not a US-only thing yet again.

  (tags: music digital drm downloads)

• ‘More sex needed’ to boost sperm

  Might not be an article to show the missus if you’re not looking to have a baby!!

  (tags: health fertility)

• Decibel Audio Player Homepage

  (tags: linux audio player software music)

• Shoreline Firewall

  The Shoreline Firewall, more commonly known as “Shorewall”, is a high-level tool for configuring Netfilter. You describe your firewall/gateway requirements using entries in a set of configuration files.

  (tags: linux firewall security networking iptables shorewall)

• Servé’s Sharepoint blog: How to enable Cognos reports on a Sharepoint 2007 site

  Not interested so much in the Sharepoint part of this article right now, but the “&feed=rss” trick could come in very handy!

  (tags: Cognos reports rss)

• wedding photography tips (for photographers) | how to photograph a wedding

  (tags: photography wedding tips)

• Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras - Part I.

  (tags: photography flash canon tutorial eos reference camera)

• Control4

  Control4 offers a complete line of home automation products that makes sophisticated home automation solutions practical and affordable for every home.

  (tags: homeautomation Control4)

• Photoshop Text Effects Round-Up: 51 Text Effect Tutorials Every Designer Should See > Design Vitality

  (tags: photoshop tutorial graphics typography)

• XHTML Character Entity Reference

  Great resource for anyone needing special characters on the web

  (tags: xhtml character encoding reference)

• BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Radiohead album set free online

  Chris Hufford, another Radiohead manager, added: “There are actually people who are going on websites and saying:, ‘I don’t actually like Radiohead, but I’m going to give them some money because I think it’s a brilliant idea.’”Count me as one of them.

  (tags: drm radiohead music downloads)

• The Highest Rated Bluetooth Headset. Ever.

  (tags: bluetooth headset wireless jawbone mobile)

• Ubuntu Screencasts

  Great resource to help make the switch from Windows

  (tags: ubuntu linux screencasts tutorials)

• BBC NEWS | Technology | Net firms quizzed on speed limits

  Bosses at six of the UK’s top net providers are being asked to explain why consumers do not get the broadband speeds firms advertise. Good to see, need something like this here in Spain.

  (tags: broadband isp)

Yes, today is my birthday, the big 3-0! Happy birthday to me!

Not much more to say about it really, just a normal day at work, but maybe a good excuse for a beer this evening!

The weekend could be a different story though!

• BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rock legends back Radiohead plan

  More ideas in the turbulent music industry. Radiohead are allowing their fans to decide how much they want to pay for their 7th album “n Rainbows”, available tomorrow. Download the album for between £0-100. Personally I like the idea. Good luck guys!

  (tags: Radiohead music downloads)

• 10 Rocking Features in 10 Days - Countdown to Ubuntu 7.10 - Deskbar and Tracker | The Fridge

  As we close in on the release of Ubuntu 7.10, we thought we would tell you a little bit about some of the new features and improvements that make the release exciting. So over the next 10 days, we will talk about one rocking feature each day until release

  (tags: ubuntu linux 7.10 gutsygibbon features)

As we close in on the release of Ubuntu 7.10, codenamed Gutsy Gibbon during the development cycle, we thought we would tell you a little bit about some of the new features and improvements that make the release exciting. So over the next ten days, we will talk about one rocking feature each day until the 18th of October, when Ubuntu 7.10 goes live.So what is in store for you with 7.10? We’ll be looking at the following features:

• Starting today, desktop search via Tracker and Deskbar
• Improved usability for configuring the graphic environment, with features such as Bulletproof-X and Graphical X configuration
• Spectacular desktop visual effects by default, brought to you by Compiz-Fusion
• Improvements in Firefox plugins, including Gnash installed by default
• Fast User Switching for those with shared machines
• Printer auto-detection
• Better handling of non-free drivers (including firmware installation)
• Improved security with AppArmor
• Easier access to your files on Windows with NTFS writing

Exciting times for an Ubuntu user! This series of articles is one to check out over the next week-and-a-bit.

Here’s the first, explaining what we’re getting related to desktop search.

• FON

  This looks interesting, will need to keep track of how it develops. I’m not sure that Telefonica, the almost monopoly ISP here in Spain will like it much!

  (tags: wifi wireless community internet free fon)

• Forlong’s Blog - Desktop effects by default in Gutsy - how Compiz Fusion enhances Ubuntu’s desktop of version 7.10

  A great write-up on what Compiz Fusion is bringing to the desktop with the latest Ubuntu release coming in a couple of week, Can’t wait!

  (tags: ubuntu compiz gutsy linux compizfusion)

• nixternal » Who protects the fans?

  An interesting take on the mess the music industry finds itself. Makes some good points.

  (tags: music RIAA protection)

• The Open Source Advocate: Digium is doing things right

  Some updates on Digium and Asterisk, the popular open source PBX. Things are looking good for them.

  (tags: Digium Asterisk opensource PBX)

• Chris Linfoot | Axis of Evil

  QOTD: “The world needs that second “standard” like a goldfish needs a bicycle”Read the post for more clever insights and a comparison of the relative “evil” of the corporate ethics of google and Microsoft.

  (tags: microsoft monopoly standards ODF ISO OOXML google youtube)

Hilarious!

Via Simon Barratt