( it works!, and notes about computer power offs.. )

Now I can stop doing the tedious stuff and actually get on with *using* it. If I have a spare moment I might run some benchmarks on the new and old card - after all, it's fun to know roughly how much faster your new card is.

Good : Subversion server with Apache set up as a test here, appears to be working fine with minor caveats.

Average : Iyengar Yoga class on Monday not really that great. On the bright side it works on precisely the areas I'm bad at (hamstrings basically), and there's lots of partner work including assisted dog down which helps to make you feel as if you're practically flying (wheeee!). Downside is the teacher is rather ditzy, and seemed *way* too eager to shove everyone out the door when we finished.

Annoying: FireGL card does not work in my system, showing only 96MB of 128MB of onboard memory as being accessible, crashing when demos are run and showing corrupted textures in Jedi Knight 2. Fortunately it's fine in a work demo system I snaffled for a few minutes, so it's either OS configuration, or more probably some sort of BIOS/AGP 2x issue with my motherboard. It's showing an AGP aperture of 64MB on my system despite the fact the BIOS has been configured at both 128 and 256MB :(.

Yoga Wed/Thu. Small amount of meditation including the useful advice, that it's *not* about emptying your mind - it's all about accepting the thoughts and not dwelling on them.

Spent part of Friday night dismantling a dead CDROM drive, marvelling at how it fits together and how the faceplate and circuit boards actually form part of the drive skeleton. Desoldered a jumper block after a load of hassle(*), and used it to create a proper USB cable->4 pin connector. It won't win any awards for looks and I definitely need soldering practice, but it's functional and will serve its purpose for now.

Won an ATI FireGL 8800 on e-bay, after weakening and deciding to buy something slightly unusual. ( blather about the FireGL, AGP and DirectX including useful links )

Pub friday - went out all sparkled up, and with velvet trousers on. The only problem being the absence of pockets. I really must find somewhere that sells a bag/pouch I can strap to my arm. Off to Manchester shortly to see P and have chat and drinkies. Should be fun.

(*) My soldering iron is probably inadequate for the purpose to be honest. It's a standard 25W device, and whilst it desoldered the jumper block to a certain extent I eventually had to resort to cutting off the legs at the bottom..