Publication Date: February 12th 2004
ISSN 1445-1360
In this issue you will read:
Editorial: February 12th 2004
Software Review: ConquerCam 2.7b3
Definition: Basin Cut
Project Step Up: Putting it Together
Quotable: Marya Mannes said...
Web Site Review: Hamilton Island Photos Online
The Great Australian Joke
G'Day Blokes and Sheilas!
It has been a funny week. Firstly I have no hair, well not much. I actually like it and if I didn't think it would make Casey or my Mum cry I would buzz it all off!
NetBloke NOW! is working but hardly anyone has signed up. Thanks to those of you who did. I am sure in time a few more of you will give it a go, especially when I start awarding the prizes! I know with more people reading this newsletter it will help spread the word and allow me to dedicate more time to producing it!
I have some great Aussie content for all my Australian readers this issue. I know a lot of you ask me for it, and thanks to recommendations from your fellow Aussie readers I have some great photo related sites for you. Remember if you have a great site or piece of software you think I should review, contact me and let me know about it. I am always open to new ideas.
To polish off Project Step Up I describe how I put together all of the components. It sure turned out to be a nice little machine!
By the way if you want a slave for the day all you have to do is buy me this.
Until next issue, have a great life!
Nathan Allan
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I have touched on ConquerCam before but I have not gone into a full review. As it is my choice for WebCam software I think it is about time I did! ConquerCam has a slick user friendly interface which makes initial set-up a breeze. Then it has lots of goodies that help you make a very nice image for your web site. Overlays are included or you can make your own. I love the inclusion of a dynamic caption emblazed on my WebCam images. It is nice to see and use the system tray icon which when clicked will allow you to perform a quick publish or see your current image. It also allows you to start and stop your interval upload, and change your dynamic caption. On top of the features you would expect out of WebCam software, ConquerCam also has motion detection capabilities. I have only dabbled with it but this works great when you set it up to email you the picture and time of the detected motion. You can also archive images locally that the camera takes. This is great for keeping your favorite snaps. Best of all the author Peter Theill provides a great variety of options for support with an FAQ, forum and personal email. He also runs a nice mailing list for updates, and provides a simple way to retrieve your lost registration (which I have used many times). Finally you cannot beat the price! At $10 a pop this would be a program I would truly love to do the online marketing for! Name: ConquerCam License: Shareware: 30 Day Trial: $10 to buy Version Reviewed: 2.7b3 Supported Operating Systems : 95/98/Me/2000/2003 Server/XP/NT 4.0 or later TOP
Now I do not think my hair cut is like this at all. However I have seen a few around that fit the bill.
A Basin cut is a poor haircut, which appears as though the hair dresser merely placed an inverted bowl on your head and trimmed the hair that hung below the rim. This is also commonly referred to as a bowl cut. Again I emphasis that no bowls were used in cutting my hair!
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A lot of people may be intimidated of assembling a computer. However it is pretty simple really. Motherboard manuals are normally fairly descriptive and help you through the process. If you are gentle and careful you shouldn't have a lot of problems.
First thing you should make sure of is that you have an anti static device. I use a cord that goes between the power lead and power supply, but you can also get anti static mats and wrist attachments that stop you from causing a shock to your components.
Putting together what is now affectionately known as BlackHawk was a breeze. Firstly I installed the CPU, following the step by step instructions AMD provides with their processors. Then I moved on to the memory which is so simple, you simply need to make sure you put it in the first slot.
I did this all before mounting the motherboard in the case as it made it easier to get to work with the motherboard.
I then mounted the motherboard in the case, added the fans, which all plugged directly into the motherboard allowing me to monitor them using the included utility software.
Then it was a simple matter of mounting and connecting the existing hard drive, CDRom and floppy. All went in nicely, and I was impressed at how nicely they slotted in, in such a cheap case.
After installing a copy of XP I had purchased earlier the machine buzzed along quietly, as I purchased "noiseless" fans. In fact the power supply is the noisiest part of the machine, which eventually could be swapped out for quieter model. Remember however this machine was built on a budget for about $250 plus the few old parts I salvaged from the old machine.
Feedback on the machine has been positive. It boots quickly and even gives the impression that the external modem is working quicker. It is performing it's intended tasks very well. A job well done if I do say so myself!
In future issues I will describe how a few simple alterations were made to this spec to create a gaming machine for a friend.
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Generosity with strings is not generosity. It is a deal.
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Michael Marsch has pointed me to an Australian equivalent to Ofoto. The difference is that I think all you lucky Aussies have access to something that is even better than Ofoto! I absolutely love this site, and that is saying something as I think Ofoto is fantastic!
Now this site is somehow linked in with the Whitsunday's Hamilton Island which all Aussies would know about. This site probably is just a step forward for the photography shop in this tourist mecca.
In mere minutes I was able to create and share this album of Sydney the netdog. From this I am able to share the album, like I just did with you! I can order prints, search for other members, and customize the look of my albums. It is all so simple you should go and try it out!
Big W (the Aussie equivalent of WalMart) is also worth a mention, with Marc Thompson and Neville Wenban both pointing out their online submission hooked in with an in store pick-up. With the backing of such a big retailer they are able to keep prices low. If all you want is cheap quality development maybe Big W is for you.
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Continuing on with Peter's Definitive Guide To Aussies.
A Definitive Guide To Aussies - Part Two
