Earlier versions of Windows worked by just adding a local port. Windows Vista allows you to do it just like always, but it doesn’t work.

You must first install LPR Port Monitor feature via Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > Print Services. Then create a new LPR port and add the IP address and queue name.

Hope it helps someone else out there. Plus I keep a note here.

Digging for the details, because indignant 14 year-old girls are inconprehensible, it emerged “the government” had increased the learn-to-drive age to 16 years 9 months. “Dad how old do I have to be to learn to drive?” she demanded.

Therein lies my frustration with “kids these days”. I knew the driving age at 14. I didn’t rely on my parents to know things or look them up for me. If I wanted to know something I’d find it out. At an early age I learned my mum’s answer to any spelling questions was “get the dictionary”.

So of course I rescued her and looked it up online. I can’t believe I did that. I’m crying into my cappucino at Chocol’art as I write this. For years my answer to almost any factual question has been “have you googled it?”. I blame a mid afternoon brain fade, plus dangerously low caffeine levels. How could I be so weak?

For the record in NSW the age to get a learners permit is 16 years. And that permit must be held for 12 months.

On a laptop it makes no sense! Laptops move from location to location, but the networking features are brain dead. I’ve managed to get it working each time, but I don’t think my mum would manage at all well. Actually her laptop is Vista Home Basic, but she only connects to the internet when she’s at home or my place. So she doesn’t have to deal with network configuration issues.

In the two weeks I’ve had it the network configuration has given problems at least 5 times.

The Compaq C763TU has a web cam and a card reader built in, but no PC Express slot and it’s only running a celeron processor. But for sub $600 AUD I wasn’t expecting a lot of features, just a simple laptop. In that regard it’s quite nice.

Still can’t stand Vista. Yes I know Home Basic is the cut down simple version, but it should just work dammit! I miss my MacBook.

I thought I should mention that I’ve upgraded this blog to WordPress 2.6.

In this day and age of fast moving security updates it is important that webmasters keep their software current. I’ve had a few old and ignored test sites hacked in the past that were not running WP, but the fact remains that security flaws are ofter found in ancient versions of software.

The World Wide Web is littered with the bones of abandoned and inactive sites. Often these then get hacked.

Now I’ve got to update my theme as I’m tired of it’s look, but as it is quite heavily customised it is not a simple job.

Prime time TV ads for drug companies. I thought that was only in America. Very dodgey. Good marketing though.

I’ve just deleted a whole section where I named trademarks, but I’m concerned it will just attract a whole lot of spam plus get this post trapped for my email subscribers.

Anyway, my wife didn’t like how I pronounced Pfizer. She challenged me to prove it. I knew the company from my interest in the markets, and I pronounce it like the news media and stock brokers do “F-eyes-her”.

But I found a great site called Forvo.com All the words in the world. Pronounced. What a great idea! It’s still early stages but it looks fantastic. Plus they’re currently up to 183 languages.

Here is their pronunciation guide for Pfizer:

Given the iPhone is coming to Australia, and how great MobileMe looks, I’m relying more and more on synchronization tools.

Check it out.

I’ve got a Logic Gear SL350F GPS capable of logging tracks so I’ve got it running on the drive to work and back and generally chasing after the kids. This little unit was a great deal late last year from Officeworks. To access the track log features you need to go into the Map > Menu > Quick > Manage Track Logs. I’ve set a 1 second update interval which should be dense enough for the project

The 2007 Toyota Aurion the company provides has a built-in sat nav, but I don’t think it allows me to save track logs.

I’ve also edited some of the information around my house. So the street names are accurate. Beware potlatch the online Flash based editor does not always have the most up to date information. So I’ve installed JOSM a Java editor that gets the latest data from the API. This has allowed me to easily update local streets and features.

It captures a voice of youth and the way you felt if you were ever a freaky little teenager. Juno reflects that youth is for the young but dealing with issues beyond our maturity is a life-long lesson.

Juno is a sixteen year old high school junior who falls pregnant after a one night fling with her best friend Bleek. She finds adoptive parents for the baby and the story develops around this smart alec, punk, clever, cute, insightful mother-to-be as she deals with: her feelings for Bleek, her other best friend Leah, her parents, the adoptive parents, pregnancy and school. Any more and I’d have to give spoilers.

I love this film. We’ll be watching it again with our 14 year old daughter, although she won’t think I’m cool enough and the teen pregnancy will freak her out.

See it then let me know what you think.

I’ve managed to somehow overwrite the original review - how frustrating.

I like a good romantic comedy. Most of my more blokey friends think I’m a bit suspect. However I’ve found 2 things to be self evident: 1) Chicks like rom-coms and chick flicks - this makes them great date movies with significant fringe benefits, and 2) after watching a chick flick most self-respecting women will happily endorse you excursion to the pictures with your mates to see the latest addition to the Alien franchise.

27 Dresses is a solid 3 star addition to the wedding film sub-genre of the romantic comedy. It isn’t as good as the Wedding Singer or even My Best Friends Wedding but it’s fun, clever, entertaining and natural.

From the trailer Jane has been a bridesmaid 27 times and is looking forward to one day being the bride. Secretly in love with her boss, George, Jane is both the perfect bridesmaid and the perfect executive assistant. Organised, in-control, resourceful, sensitive and competent, she can take care of any crisis but can’t pursue her own happiness. George is handsome, sincere, loveable and clueless. Jane’s insensitive sister Tess whisks in from Milan, meets George and Jane must organise her sister’s perfect marriage to her boss. Kevin is a journalist whose cynical view of the marriage industry is at odds with his gift to write about weddings in a way swoons brides, to-be’s and wanna-be’s.

The relationships and plot development are mostly natural and relaxed, flowing while setting up engaging gags. I have two complaints. Firstly the easy plot choices made for Tess, I’d love to see what would have emerged had the more mature Tess from the end of the film been there all along. It’s hard to write characters who are flawed but good.

Secondly, I hated the way Jane broke out of her people pleasing pattern. Again I think it was the easy or lazy story choice but they missed greatness by not reaching for it. All rom-coms need the all-is-lost moment and it is extremely hard to write. That’s what makes them worth doing.

Still a good effort with hilarious moments not in the trailer.  A great date movie that will get guys get more action than Alien vs Predator: Requiem. Go see that with your mates afterwards.

Another reason for the lack of updates is that my workplace does not like me posting anything identifiable here,, and they actually visit to check up on me. Dear coworkers - as you are aware, your internet is logged and I know who you are.

I was hired to make profound changes to how a business is run, using my skills, contacts, personality and style. Strangely now that those changes are bearing fruit, there are people who want me to change. Such is life.

The third reason for the absence is my ongoing confusion about what this blog is for. It is my personal space, most of my friends, family and acquaintances know about it, but my specialised interests have their own sites. I’ll be posting more links and short pieces here this year.