Google Apps and Me

I've been using google apps for some of my personal sites for quite a while and finally got the chance to roll it out for a Business site today.

The Owners of North Coast Joinery were previously paying for a single page to be hosted along with a single email account. Changing over to involved retrieving the domain key from their old hostee, and logging into MelbourneIT to re-delegate the site. Soon as this was done, the site that I'd already prepared on my virtual host server was able to be verified with google, along with the mail system (requires you to set some MX records for your domain)

Google allows me to have 100 users on the free version and I'd say the only thing that I don't like about it at the moment is that users manually have to go in and enable pop access for their account. On the other hand, it forces them to go to the webmail page which means they know there's an alternate method of access if for any reason their computer isn't working.

Setting up email aliases is easy too, google refers to them as nicknames and email lists.
So all in all for something I'm getting for free, I just can't fault it.

the page is accessable via www.google.com./a/ go ahead.. do like me and not only save yourself money on email hosting.. but learn something while you're at it.

Not content to read.

Installed ubuntu on my laptop about 2 weeks ago now, after liking the look of it on a friends computer.. needless to say although I managed to keep the master-boot-record intact, I managed to bork something on the windows partition enough that it doesn't boot anymore.

So. I'm living with my ubuntu install (with a couple of games.. World of warcraft and Warcraft 3 still work :-D via Wine) but was getting overly pissed off with the non-ability to write to my old windows partition even thou I could easily copy files out of it.

Went searching over the numerous "edit your fstab" posts and eventually noticed there's an application available via the Package manager, well 2 to be exact, "ntfs-3g" which is the guts of it and "ntfs-config" which puts a link in the application list under system tools.

2 check boxes later and both my USB drive and internal windows partition are now writeable.

Sweet.

Perks of the Job

It started off as a regular support call, some guy asking about latency problems at the hotel he was staying at.

I was away at the time in Perth but saw the email and responded to it post haste asking for more info on his room and if he could call through. I noticed someone leeching torrents on the connection (which is against our terms of use) so I booted em for the heck of it.

Next thing you know I'm sending a couple of emails back and forth to the guy, who's happy to report his latency is great now and thanks me for my help.

I'm interested to see what he's doing (as most people don't even understand what latency is let alone how to measure it) and find out he's actually part of the team creating the game Fury ( www.unleashthefury.com ).

I decided I'd give the Beta test last weekend a shot and Enjoyed it immensely.. responded to another query from him.. and got an email about this: http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/article.asp?CIID=87936

.. and the offer of an invitation.

Normally I would be happy to share gifts around the office.. but seeing as thou its My birthday just before the party and that I only have one ticket.. looks like I'm having some time off next weekend :-D

Just the perks of the job... (see picture)