Steve Cherelle from Sunday’s Country Music Show on BBC Essex Radio stood in for Steve Scruton on ‘The Steve Scruton Show’ today hosting ‘Sound Advice’ from 2pm - 3pm, I was the guest again.

Steve did a great job with the show, I’ve not worked with him before…funny thing was, as I ran to the station (I parked in Tesco’s) I bumped into Steve Scruton, who I thought was presenting today, but was actually on his way to get some lunch…Steve Scruton had hosted the breakfast show.

Anyway, if you listened, here are the links you need, and if Steve and I were unable to help you, ask a question here and I’ll see what I can do….

Read this for free software solutions I recommend.

And here is my thoughts on Dasher (which we spoke about on the programme).

I’ve checked the statistic log for this webpage on arrival home, lots of people from the Essex region came here after the show, see the map:

Click to find out how I found who’s looking at this webpage.

Thanks for listening, see you again next month! Any questions, jot them by clicking ‘add new comment’.

I think it is safe to say that everyone dislikes paying money for software and software upgrades for their computer systems.

You may, or may not know that there are thousands of software products out there which are ‘free’ and ‘open source’, people sit in their homes, bedrooms, universities, around the world, coding all hours to make software solutions for everyone, sharing their talents and avoiding the cost of purchasing software from companies.

Open Source software is built and maintained by communities of people online. They give their time and knowledge to creating and updating software solutions together. They commit to agreed standards for their communities and build everything from web browsing software, to photo manipulation software right through to a complete free solution providing similar functionality to Microsoft’s ‘Office’ and Apple’s ‘Appleworks’ solutions.

The advantage of Open Source software solutions include:

• Developers are international, developing and fixing bugs around the clock
• Components are constantly added to open source software solutions meeting community driven demand
• New versions and patches for software can be created daily, and are called ‘nightly builds’
• Support is free, and driven by the community of users and developers
• Anyone can join in the development, so long as you learn the code the community are coding in
• The software is free.

Here are some alternatives and places you can go to download and instal free software solutions:

Places to find free software:

Version Tracker (http://www.versiontracker.com) - search for the kind of software you need, look out for ‘Freeware’ in your search findings.

Tucows (http://www.tucows.com) - the home of shareware (you have to pay) and freeware (you dont have to pay) software.

Now, in no particular order, I’ve been looking about, and have jotted down here some cool applications that I’ve found, and indeed use daily in my work.

I’m really interested in your experiences with free software, please leave support and advice here by clicking ‘new comment’ at the bottom of this page.

So, here we go…

Neo Office (http://www.neooffice.org) - free office software for Mac, including alternatives to ‘Word’, ‘PowerPoint’, ‘Excel’ and ‘Paint’ Read my comments on it here

Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org) - free office software for PC, including alternatives to ‘Word’, ‘PowerPoint’, ‘Excel’ and ‘Paint’ Read my comments on it here

GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/~tml/gimp/win32) - for PC users, GIMP (or GNU Image Manipulation Program), is a free substitute for popular commercial image editors such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel PhotoPaint. Mac users, you should go and visit MacGimp (http://www.macgimp.org)

Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com/firefox) is free web browsing software, really really good and worth downloading for both Mac and PC.

This is what the Firefox website says about their free web browser, read the following and see what you think:

A Better Web Experience:
Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers Web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better.

Faster Browsing:
Enjoy quick page loading as you navigate back and forward in a browsing session. Improvements to the engine that powers Firefox deliver more accurate display of complex Web sites, support for new Web standards, and better overall performance.

Automatic Updates:
The new Software Update feature makes it easy to get the latest security and feature updates to Firefox. Firefox automatically downloads these small updates in the background and prompts you when they are ready to be installed.

Tabbed Browsing:
Use tabbed browsing to open multiple Web pages in a single browser window, and quickly flip back and forth. Drag and drop open tabs to keep related pages together.

Improved Pop-up Blocking:
Firefox’s built-in pop-up blocker has been enhanced to block more unwanted pop-up and pop-under ads.

Integrated Search:
Tap into the power of the Web’s most popular search engines with the built-in Search bar, and easily add new engines.

Stronger Security:
Firefox keeps you more secure when you’re browsing the Web, closing the door on spyware, worms, and viruses. The Firefox community of developers and security experts works around the clock to monitor security issues and release updates to better protect you.

Clear Private Data:
Protect your privacy with the new Clear Private Data tool. With a single click, you can delete all personal data, including browsing history, cookies, Web form entries and passwords.

Live Bookmarks:
Stay up to date with your favorite Web sites and blogs. Use Live Bookmarks that update themselves automatically with the latest content from the Web.

Accessibility:
Firefox 1.5 delivers easier navigation for everyone, including those who are visually or motor-impaired. Firefox is the first browser to support DHTML accessibility, which, when enabled by Web authors, allows rich Web applications to be read aloud. Users may navigate with keystrokes rather than mouse clicks, reducing the tabbing required to navigate documents such as spreadsheets. Firefox 1.5 (Windows version) is also the first browser to meet US federal government requirements that software be easily accessible to users with physical impairments.

Customize Firefox:
Select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes - the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.

Next Generation Web Support:
Innovative new Web applications and services deliver a richer Web experience. Support for open Web standards in Firefox ensures you can get the most out of this emerging class of Web-based tools.

If you use Firefox, I’d be grateful for any feedback you have using it, click the following to get it:

There are other software browsers for free, check out the Version Tracker link to see others, there are loads.

Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird) is free email software you can use to manage your email. I like this a lot and it boasts loads of features which help to deal with spam email reduction, etc etc, view the website to see the full functionality. The help guides are pretty good too.

Of course, I still think for web based email GMail (http://www.gmail.com) from Google is the best, closely followed by Yahoo Mail (http://mail.yahoo.com). GMail allows me to never have to delete an email, which is good.

PC Users you can speed up your broadband with Google’s Web Accelerator (http://webaccelerator.google.com) which reduces the time pages load on the internet.

PC Users, the Google Pack (http://pack.google.com) is also free and very cool.

Google Pack is:

• Essential: Enjoy safe, useful software for your computer
• Simple: Download and install everything in just a few clicks
• Customizable: Choose only the software you want
• Up to date: Get updates and new software

Included in the pack is:

• Google Earth - 3D Earth browser
  • Zoom from space to street level — tour the world
  • Find maps, driving directions, hotels, restaurants, and more
• Picasa - Photo organizer
  • Find, edit, and share your photos in seconds
  • Easily remove red eye and fix photos
• Google Pack Screensaver - Photo screensaver
  • Enjoy photos from your personal collection
  • View pictures full screen or as a collage
• Google Desktop - Desktop companion
  • Find all your email, files, web history, and more
  • Get all your personalized info in one place with Sidebar
• Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer - Search toolbar
  • Search from any web page and autofill forms
  • Block annoying pop-ups

Additional software included in the pack are:

• Mozilla Firefox with Google Toolbar - Web browser
  • Browse the web quickly and securely
  • Switch between pages quickly with tabbed browsing
• Norton Antivirus 2005 Special Edition - Antivirus utility
  • Protect your PC from viruses, worms and Trojan horses
  • Includes 6-month subscription to protection updates
• Ad-Aware SE Personal - Antispyware utility
  • Safely detect and remove spyware
  • Protect your privacy with powerful features
• Adobe Reader 7 - PDF reader
  • View, print, and search PDF files
  • Launches up to 50% faster than Reader 6.0

Also included in the pack are optional software you can install see the website for details.

And don’t forget, before forking out loads of money on software which helps you plan a road route across the UK and Europe, both the AA (http://www.theaa.com) and the RAC (http://www.rac.co.uk) offer free services are on the front page of their websites and offer you maps too, plan your route, get good directions, print it it out, take it with you. Job done.

Talking of maps, http://www.streetmap.co.uk and http://www.multimap.co.uk are cool too.
But nothing is as special as Google Earth (http://earth.google.com) - amazing free application allowing you to zoom in on any place in the world and view in detail. Check out Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) too!

And for those who want a free operating system, there is always Linux (http://www.linux.org)…. a big step to make, but a free Operating System for your computer.

Searching around these webpages (search box top right of the screen) you’ll find loads of articles, including how to make free telephone calls via the internet, give your computer a real telephone number and write documents together (to name just a few).

Happy to answer any questions, queries and to read your comments, click ‘new comment’ below.

I’ve finally update my personal profile for the Ultralab website.

Here is some of it…

Matthew Eaves is a first class graduate with five years experience as a senior researcher, strategic consultant and project manager of groundbreaking projects worldwide for Ultralab, the learning, technology and research centre at Anglia Ruskin University.

My main focus of interest is the use of technology for creative purpose, and I now work on a range of learning, technology and research projects worldwide for charities, corporations, governments, broadcasters, museums and education institutions to research and enrich learning. At Ultralab we are empowering people with new and emerging technologies for creative purpose, we’re changing the world together and I’m proud to be a part of that.
Read more about Matthew Eaves here….

Hal MacLean, myself and Director of Ultralab, Richard Millwood from the Ultralab team at Anglia Ruskin University spent the afternoon and evening with the BBC Blast team in White City’s Media Centre, London to share and celebrate with the wider BBC the progress made by Blast, the BBC’s creative platform giving kids a place to be creative.  Malcolm Burnett and two students from King Harold School supported the event by demonstrating creative Animation work to the BBC audience.

Ultralab’s SMS wall of stickies was available, developed by Alexander Blanc, the underpinning SMS system ‘UltraSMS’ developed by Tim Ellis

Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC was at the event and commented that Blast is one of the most important things the BBC is doing.

I’ve been slow at putting these pictures up. Sorry

A couple of weeks ago my brother Andrew got engaged to his girlfriend Nikki, The wedding will be next year, congratulations to you both! Both are in training to be Primary School teachers.

Pictures taken after family celebration meal.

Justina and myself headed off on a trip to ‘do as many countries as we could’ in just four days.

This blog entry won’t tell you about where we went, or what we did, it simply gives advice on booking a budget ferry and accommodation on route.

First thing to book was the ferry….. We’ve travelled independently by lots of ferry companies over the years, and this time we decided to book with Norfolkline who offer a Dover to Dunkerque service. Norfolkline market their route with the slogan ‘Why Queue for Calais?’…. and they are right, why queue for Calais?

The whole journey was easy, Norfolkline offer a fast and friendly service which took just two hours to cross the channel. The ferry was designed for freight haulage and is not covered in gift shops playing cheesy music. There are lots of places to sit comfortably, sofa’s and a deck of reclining seats. The staff are friendly and the ferry was clean with plenty of space to move around.

On our journey out (8am Ferry, Dover, Thursday morning) there was hardly any other passengers. The return journey (Sunday, 4pm) had lots of weekend travelers and lorry drivers, but the ferry had plenty of space still with lots of the lorry drivers spending the journey watching the onboard film in the movie theatre. The below photo shows how few vehicles were on the outbound journey.

The ferry cost just £49 return, with the car.

Once in Europe, we travelled all over the place, through snow storms and amazing scenic locations. We filled up the car with fuel each time we were in France, as it was cheaper.

The first night we stayed in Dusseldorf, Germany in an Ibis hotel. It cost €74 (€65 for the room, €9 for the car parking), but we had a low cost room in the centre of a major German city.

€ 74 = £50.76 (exchange rate on 7 March 2006)

The following night Jus spotted a Formula 1 Hotel while we were travelling through Belgium. The roads were icy, the traffic was heavy and all other hotels we had stopped at were fully booked. The Formula 1 hotel was visible from the motorway, but appeared to be in an industrial estate. We eventually found it and discovered it had vacancies and was only €28 a night for both of us. The rooms are clean and can take three people (one double bed, one bunk bed) and each row of rooms shares bathroom and shower facilities at the end of the corridor.

We paid the €4ish (per person) extra (in advance, for the next morning) for us to have breakfast. Breakfast was not good value for money, Jus wanted toast, and there was no toaster, but the picture of breakfast on the wall showed toast! We’ll look for breakfast locally in future.

The following night we stayed in another Formula 1 hotel on an industrial estate in Boulogne, France for just €25 for the two of us. We did not book in for breakfast.

€ 25 = £17.15 (exchange rate on 7 March 2006)

We had a great time, on a budget.

Check out Aferry before booking your ferry in the future, but we totally recommend Norfolkline.

Some will remember my early attempts making pancakes.

So last Wednesday Jus taught me how to make pancakes, and they tasted great!

Check out the pancake pictures Thanks Jus!We are available as professional cooks for all parties and functions, no numbers too small.