<rant>

Righteo. Time for a somewhat short list, due to the fact I am typing this on a phone:

• Pommy tourists who plonk their feet out on the opposite seat, and leave sand deposits everywhere they go
• Old rickety busses with no air-conditioning
• Macquarie University students (read: FOBs) who natter away on their mobile phones in languages other than English, at excessively high volumes
• Macquarie University students who decide that it is necessary to cover the person sitting in front with spittle, while undertaking the above task
• Obese people who take up both sides of the seat + obstruct the aisle (why do morbidly obese people not get a mention in the federal fire exit acts, or whatever it’s called? (Yep Sarah, that was a reference to your OCD-ness over closing stairwell doors. *Name changed to conceal identity)
• People who decide that it is acceptable to hold everyone up for 5 minutes by paying their bus fare in 5c coins
• Wankers from Epping Boys High School, who sit in the back seat making orgasm noises… for reasons unknown to me. For fucks sake kiddos, you sound even faker than the stereotypical porn stars.
• The Sydney Buses route 288 driver who decided he had the authority to conduct a bag search for illicit materials, aka hot chips. Not that he got very far. Go piss up a flagpole, asshole.
• Lazy bums with wheelie bags – if you’re old, have scoliosis/back problems or are a little kid, fine. But not 16 year old males. S
• People who urinate/defecate on bus seats
• Busses always run +/- 20 minutes of the timetable.
• The bus you desperately need to catch is pre-pay only, and you’ve run out of travel tens.

</rant>

But seriously,

*posted, while sitting on the 506 next to a 45 year old drama queen, who reeks of pesticide*

(3-Phenoxybenzyl(1RS)-cis,trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate to be precise)

I expected better from you, Australian media. Why have I not been drowned in bad foil insulation puns yet?

Enjoy.

The paper feed rollers have decided to go on strike, so hopefully the technician at SameDay Laser can coax them back into working condition again.

Gotta lug the the silly thing to Artarmon sometime next week

I forgot to take pics while installing the CISS (as per the last post), so here’s my 2nd chance…

Epson Stylus Office TX300F

Seeing as there aren’t many reviews for the Epson Stylus Office TX300F, I’ll throw my opinion out there. Skip to the end for the summary. *See footnote. These are the only other ones I’ve been able to find on the internet:

• http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/printers_scanners/epson/stylus_office_tx300f/263373 ; http://www.news.com.au/technology/reviews/epson-printer-affordable-but-slow/story-e6frfrpi-1111117973160 ; http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/review/printers_scanners/epson/stylus_office_tx300f/263373#cb – NOTE – All 3 are the same article by the same author…
• http://www.pcworld.com/article/177825/epson_stylus_tx300f_price_102.html – Isn’t really a review… more of a “buy it if you can find it cheap”. (Part of a top 9 bargain printers for under $125 list).

Then there’s this moron (click to see profile/other reviews) who posted a review on Dick Smith Electronic’s website:

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/XP8303

You’ll notice he gives sparkling 5/5 reviews to EVERY single product, and goes into hardly any relevant detail… he’d be great working in the advertisement industry, the way he writes up products. Sadly enough, people actually get suckered in and purchase products based on his reports. *See footnote

——————————————————–

Scathing comments aside, back to the printer.

Bought the TX300F from Dick Smith on special for $98, normal price was $128. It’s a standard multifunction printer – print, copy, scan but can also send and receive faxes as well. It also has a auto document feeder which is useful for batch copying or scanning documents. I also got a 3 year extended warranty through Dick Smith which sweetened the deal – it even covers wear and tear! Assuming I take the printer back when it breaks, that’s 2 printers for $54.

The printer uses Epson’s DURABrite pigment based ink – 73N series of cartridges (TO731N, TO732N, TO733N, TO734N) or an optional 73HN high capacity tank for black ink. These cost around $16 each, depending on the store of purchase, so it’s $64 for a complete set of ink cartridges. Calidad does offer drop in compatible cartridges – these come in a set of 4 + 2 free magnetic photo frames for $36. Unfortunately, these are the new micro-chipped ink cartridges, so refilling is more complex than drilling a hole and squirting ink in. (Dedicated 3rd party re-fillable cartridges or a CISS will have to be purchased).

In short, the Epson TX300F was disappointing. It takes quite a while to start up and shut down. Print quality and speed were a big let down for an otherwise worthwhile printer. Typical of most Epsons, draft mode is unreadable, but standard and high quality modes take much longer to print documents. While not unbearable slow, it IS noticeable compared to most modern inkjets. Text is crisp, but image quality is fairly average, on par with most $40-60 Canon/HP printers. Photo printing was painfully slow, at over 2 minutes per image. Comparable Canon/HP printers typically take ~45 seconds. Once again, this slow speed doesn’t translate into improved image quality. The TX300F is much better off as a small business workhorse than a home printer.

I cannot comment on scanner image quality, not knowing much about calibration or colour accuracy. Copying however works well, and apart from the speed, have no complaints. The user interface and menu are fairly intuitive, although the “are you sure you want to shut down” question bugs me. I do not have a fax service, and thus unable to test or use the scan function.

Typical of most sub $180 printers, the build quality is fairly mediocre, hence my joy at picking up extended warranty including wear and tear. Printer weight and size is fairly average, so it should fit in the existing space of you already have a multifunction. Being a office printer, it doesn’t have a built in memory card reader, or EXIF based USB printing. This printer comes with a USB cable, RJ11 phone cable and IEC power cord. Disappointingly, there was no sample pack of photo paper.

The software package included with the printer is fairly lightweight compared to other brands. The Epson supports Windows 2000 or higher (including 7) and Mac OS 10.3.9 or later. Apart from the printing drivers, a basic scan utility is also installed and a printer status monitor that sits in the system tray. I’m not a fan of this, but it can be disabled.

——————————————————–

Should you buy this printer? Canon PIXMA All-in-one printers with fax and ADF functionality are available for ~$125-140, can print faster and have higher image quality. At it’s RRP of $149 AUD, it’s not worth it, but on discount, as a document printer, it’s worth considering.

I’ll be fitting a CISS (Continuous Ink Supply System) to this printer, something that is MUCH easier to do on this Epson than comparable Canon models – one of the reasons I bought this printer despite it’s drawbacks. I’ll detail the installation process, and list ink/cartridge/CISS suppliers in the next post. (A CISS is a giant external tank for a printer, which supplies ink to the print heads via a series of tubing.)

Pros:

• Good value if on special/you have a discount
• Ideal small business/office printer
• Automatic Document Feeder + Fax functionality
• Includes USB and RJ11 cables
• Can be fitted with a CISS/Re-fillable cartridges/Compatible drop-in replacements

Mediocre:

• Photo printing speed and quality
• Re-filling is slightly more complex than other Canon/HP/Lexmark/Brother printers

Cons:

• Unreadable text and images in draft mode
• Build quality

*I am not affiliated with DSE, Epson, News Limited, PC World, GGG or DaleB545 in any way. Opinions expressed in this article are purely my own and written for my personal amusement. If you incur any losses as a result of comprehending and/or following the advice of this post, you hold the author free of any indemnity or damages claims. Please see the complaints page for more information. If you disagree with any of this, please leave this website immediately and clear your browser’s cache.

I stumbled across this little gem a few days ago:

Australia Post TELeGRAM

The TELeGRAM combines new age demands with
old world charm to offer you a quick, convenient
way to send a message that matters.

Create your messages on-line, select from a range
of images, and we print and post a hard copy of
your special message to any delivery point within Australia*.

*Terms and conditions apply.
See terms and conditions or call 13 13 18.

When it’s special, send a TELeGRAM.

Ordered on-line, delivered by mail.

Check it out at: http://www.auspost.com.au/telegram/

So, apparently you can choose from 12 templated TELeGRAM card thingies (the usual stock images – candles, bottle of champagne, rose with 2 hands, balloons, artistic spirals, love heart shaped cloud, baby hands, lush green tress, flower, roses, sparkler and plain white.) Not even an option to upload your own image.

You type in your message, agree to some legal waffle, press send and you can send that special message to that special person from the laziness of your chair.

All for the charming price of $4.50.

On the website, one of the images reads:

“Some messages are too important for a phone call, and too special for e-mail.”

THEN GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS, PICK A CARD YOURSELF AND DELIVER IT IN PERSON.

*Yawn* Exams are over, and now I have buttloads of free time until uni starts next year in February/March/whenever it is.

Things to do:

• Finish off that never ending amplifier project
• Finish ripping the 1m high stack of CDs to iTunes
• Repairing, tagging and sorting 40GB of MP3s
• Finally get a much delayed driver’s license -.-
• And also get a boat, gun and heavy machinery license, sometime in the next 2-3 years
• Proper part time job, not yet another under the table, cash-in-hand contract job
• Work on small business
• Rebuild the cupboards and closets
• Renovate the garage

Speaking of garage renovations, gotta start that today. To do list:

1. Set rodent and cockroach baits
2. Fumigate the garage with 1-3 insect control bombs
3. Throw out half the content of the garage
4. Bag/box remaining junk
5. Wearing a respirator, goggles and gloves, sweep out the garage
6. Vacuum up any remaining dust or dirt
7. Spray all surfaces with mould destroyer and clean with sugar soap
8. Re-bomb the garage
9. Air out for 2-3 days
10. Rip out old rotting shelves, and remove collapsed cupboard
11. Trip to Bunnings to buy a new lock, sealant and timber to patch the holes up
12. Rewire the garage with new mains cable, fusebox, fluoro batten, powerpoints and switches.
13. DONE!

And that will take the best part of 2-4 weeks, given the derelict state the garage is currently in. The building framework is structurally sound – the previous owner of our house (20 years ago) just happened to be an incompetent, lazy, un-intelligent handyman with about the same amount of common sense as a lump of dog shit, who consequently decided that he’d try his hand at internal furnishing and managed to make an arse of it.

Anyone else got their holidays planned out? The only other things I have planned is several 18ths/21s, a movie or two and a reunion.

It’s going to be covered to death by the media, so I really can’t be bothered saying anything much – not like I’ll come up with any shockingly new ideas that several million other journalists and bloggers haven’t already thought of.

Apple didn’t quite manage to steal the limelight of the show, as some people predicted – Snow Leopard was launched quite a while ago, and there’s nothing radical in the new lineup of Mac hardware. Microsoft’s launch this time is meant to be low key, with more effort put into advertising over the coming months.

*awaits end of HSC, before buying a copy of Windows 7, 8GB of RAM and a new GPU*

What can I say? Microsoft managed to turn around their Vista reputation and create a product that everyone was interested in, then they blundered and hired the most clueless ad agency in the world.

*cringes*

*ears bleed and eyes shrivel up like prunes*

Really? OK, so Windows 7 Launch Parties is a kinda lame idea, but there’s enough geeky people around to pull it off, and there will be enough media coverage when Windows 7 is officially launched on October 22nd.

Quotes from Twitter include:

“What would compel someone to have a Windows 7 Launch/House Party?…seriously!”

“Got my life size cut out of a nude Bill Gates ready. Oh, I thought you said Windows 7 Raunch Party. Sorry.”

And joy of joys, there is also a dedicated Windows 7 Launch/House party website, so you can upload snaps of you and your friends nerding out over an install of Windows 7. Hosts also get a signature copy of Windows 7, and a party kit including branded napkins, streamers, posters and balloons.

If it makes you feel better, here is an alternate version of the Launch Party video…

$20 says that the 4 actors in the video have no fucking clue what they’re selling.

Do these look the same to you?

Well, that’s the only conclusion I can draw after Apple’s latest round of lawsuits in Australia.

Apparently Apple doesn’t want Woolworths to use their new fresh food logo any more, as it infringes upon the Apple trademark. So that means re-branding all their stores, staff uniforms, trucks, advertisements, product labels and so on. Apple is pissed as Woolworths filed for a blanket trademark, which could in theory allows it to use its stylised ‘w’ on electrical goods and computers, putting them in competition with each other. Given that Woolworths has already followed their US and UK counterparts in offering mobile phone plans, MP3 download credit and phones, I guess Apple might be worried.

But really – is that what Apple’s legal department comes up with, after 14 months of deliberation? “Uh, your logo is a ripoff of ours.”

*snort*

In other news, Apple is also suing Poison Apple, a music festival promoter who’s trademark is a bitten apple atop crossed bones, and Foxtel, as their new pornography channel’s “Adults Only” logo is an apple with an arrow and devil’s tail.

What else will they come up with next? Banning the Granny Smith Festival? Commission on any fresh produce store that sells apples? The local fruit market manager is quaking in fear…

The box is locked, it is dangerous.

I have to live with it overnight

And I can’t keep away from it.

There are no windows, so I can’t see what is in there.

There is only a little grid, no exit.

Excerpt from “The Arrival of the Bee Box” – Sylvia Plath

It is the end…

…welcome to the dark side, so 5 people told me, all within a few minutes of signing away my life to Facebook.

I have caved in after 17.5 years. 17.5 years of hard work – staying anonymous to the rest of the world, keeping all my personal details out of address books, social networking websites, forums, SPAM and mailing lists – all to be undone in a few clicks of a mouse.

Welcome to Facebook, your account has been created — now it will be easier than ever to share and connect with your friends.

…the e-mail said. I personally think it should read:

Thank you for signing your life away – your business, is our business.

Facebook is such a ginormic waste of time, but a necessary evil to keep in touch with others and for Uni. I’m shocked at how long and how often people spend their free time on Facebook, and the amount of personally identifiable information floating around on there. Good thing profiles are set to private by default too, or I’d be in ICU by now on life support.

…it IS very addictive.

And yes my dear Bergamin, there is finally a picture of me on the internet. I am so not paying you the challenge money. Hmpf.

NB: Facebook is the ONLY social networking website that I will sign up to this year. Or the next. And the year after that. Ok, perhaps Youtube, but otherwise no more social networking! :@

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/318725/thousands_lose_phone_internet_services_sydney_cbd

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/cables-cut-cbd-phone-and-internet-services-lost-20090916-fq4h.html

But that got me thinking – all the western countries are all hyped up over the threat of terrorism. We have extra tight security at airports (or none, in some cases -.- ), anti-terrorism laws, warning speakers installed in the city, ASIO/FBI/M1X bla bla bla.

But what’s to stop a terrorist wreaking havoc just by taking an axe to a few telecommunications and power cables? Last time I checked, the telecomms ducts could be accessed relatively easily by a single person with a screw driver, nor are any of the vital cables physically shielded or hardened in any way.

I could cut internet and phone access to the (North Ryde) Business Park down the road from my house, just from being over-enthusiastic with a backhoe and digging a 50cm hole in my front yard.

Poof! There goes the 10G metro fibre rings. Goodbye, thousands of copper pairs. *Throws rope across street* Sayonara Telstra, Optus and Foxtel HFC networks. There’s so much fibre/hfc/copper running through my street it’s not funny.

If I remember correctly a similar case happened in the US to AT&Ts network. A disgruntled employee came along one night, lifted the hatch to a fibre duct, and went snippety-snip. Half the city lost internet access, phones stopped working and 911 calls disappeared into a black hole.

Sure, I’d get screwed by the AFP because willfully tampering with telecommunications is a federal offense but hey, I get my share of the limelight in the media! Now what was the number for Kennard’s Hire again…

GG to these asstards for making everyone’s lives better: http://www.itnews.com.au/News/155993,parking-rangers-add-to-telstra-outage-woes.aspx