Not dead, but the internet connection is. I've had to make a trip in order to ensure my Pros Big Bang fic was posted on the correct day!

But yes, it's finished and it's up. Blimey. Didn't think I was going to make it, to be honest. But hurrah! Definitely deserves a drink...

Holiday is going well. Though C and I were writing an iterinery of things to do for the fortnight and it's all gone! We're planning on visiting the Chelsea Physic Garden, the London Dungeon, The Clink, London Zoo, St Thomas' Operating Theatre, The Tower of London, Camden Town (mainly for dim sum, apparently) and we're going to go on an open-topped tourist bus. Woo!

Anyway, link to fic is here, in case you fancy reading it: Any Other World

Tags: big bang, computing, fan-fic, holiday, internet, london, tv: the professionals
I'm feeling: accomplished

I'm a bad fiancée. After spending a few months talking about doing something to cuvalwen's incredibly old computer (and not doing anything about it), I finally got round to transferring a lot of files off it (no room on the 20Gb hard drive) and defragging it. This should've made the thing a little faster at least, except there was no virus software on the computer beforehand and so I loaded up Avast.

Suffice to say the computer is now running *slower* and I'm definitely not flavour of the month.

[Yes, I did know this was an issue with Avast beforehand - and AVG, for that matter, but it was that or let the two trojans we found carry on, unabated...]

So, my wonderful *techie* friendslist, please to be helping. I'm in dire need of decent (preferably free, but not necessarily) virus software which doesn't make the machine run like molasses on a cold day. Is there such a thing?

Also - any tips or encouragement to get the damn thing running a little faster / better would be incredibly wonderful as well.

(To let you know what I'm dealing with, the vital statistics are: AMD processor, 600MHz, 386Mb RAM, 20Gb hard drive, Windows XP Home, Service Pack 3. Slower than a turtle on dope.)

You are all utterly wonderful!

Tags: computing, my wonderful friendslist
I'm feeling: amused

Via theferrett, an article on the "Google Killer", Wolfram Alpha.

It's an interesting article, on a very interesting piece of software. And it's a pity that the 'computational engine' does not deliver at this moment in time. But one does hope that it will do so at some point in the future. I quite like the idea of, in some indeterminate time, asking of my current computer "explain to me the finer points of string theory" and having Romy* oblige, succinctly and accurately.

But it's the conclusion that has me giggling like a loon.

How can you trust an information processor that sometimes spits out results you don't understand, doesn't explain how it came to these answers and doesn't reveal its sources?

Well, I don't know. How about employ them at The Daily Mail or The Daily Express, m'lud?

* Well, if you could interact with your computer on that kind of level, what would you call yours?

Tags: computing, not the new scientist for once
I'm feeling: amused

This probably makes me the most evil person to exist evar, but every time I see one of those graphics for telling us where the swine 'flu has spread and what measures countries have taken in order to ensure it won't spread there, I think of Pandemic II - fun for all the family!

Tags: 'flu, computing, games, i iz evul, pandemic
I'm feeling: amused