Useful freeware utilities

These are some of the little utils I use fairly regularly.

BGInfo – display your computer’s sysinfo on the background. Want to quickly see your MAC address? Do you use multiple machines and want to see which one you're currently on? http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/BgInfo.html

TaskArrange – change the order of programs on your taskbar. When you've got 15 or 20 windows open finding the ones you use most can be tricky if the list on your taskbar changes. So move them around and keep your taskbar neat and ordered. Windows grouping sucks. http://users.forthnet.gr/pat/efotinis/programs/taskarrange.html

WinMerge – compare files or folders for differences. http://winmerge.sourceforge.net/

JR Screen Ruler – measure stuff on your screen. http://www.download.com/JR-Screen-Ruler/3000-2192_4-7068114.html

Freemind – Mind mapping. Nice quick inferface for jotting down ideas which can be expanded upon. I use Freemind for simple to-do lists, and anything up to determining system requirements. http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Stamp – change the filename of images to reflect the date the pic was taken. Great for sorting images from different cameras. And for example, my camera starts it's numbering from 1 every time, so there maybe same-named files in a batch (from different media cards). I just run Stamp on the folders and all is neat and tidy. http://www.klingebiel.com/tempest/hd/stamp.php4

Not technically a utility, but I use this online Lorum Ipsum generator: http://www.lipsum.com/feed/html

SharePoint upload file fails

This week we had an issue where users couldn't upload files to SharePoint Portal Server sites. It affected all the SharePoint sites we administer, and it wasn't a problem last week.

To make it more odd, it wasn't ALL files. Small files, of less than about 60KB would get through. Larger files would give this error:

Form Validation Error
Please correct the information you provided by following these steps, then submit the information again:
Cannot open file "Document Library/sps disc data.htm.txt".

After much mucking about, and considering what changes might have been made to the environment recently, I remembered I had set up replication on the SQL databases used by the SharePoint sites. It seemed ludicrous that replication would impact uploading files of a certain size and above, but I deleted the Publications anyway.

And that was that. SharePoint and SQL replication is a no-no.

Why the heck would I want to replicate these db’s anyway? The thought was that we could move the data to another server, and then back it up from there, rather than backing the “live” database. In retrospect this is a sucky idea. It kinda works okay for pulling data from over at our hosting centre to our office, since making backups at the hosting centre isn’t all that straightforward or secure.

Broadband update

Theorectically I have broadband at home today. I received the "you're connected" email from F2S this morning.

It's taken three and a half weeks. All because the telephone line changed name and billing.

That's politics for you...

Power to the people

Apparently there are electricity shortages in South Africa.

The rumour is that because Cape Town is experiencing shortages, they will take power from Durban's supply.

I think there should be a class-action suit against Eskom. Everyone pays them money, and they agree to supply electricity. Even though there is no service contract specifically, it is implied that the service will be available 24x7x365. Anything less than this means reduction in quality of life, possibly loss of business, and additional costs to the end user in purchasing alternative power.

That said, a note to Durbanites: don't panic. Durban gets its power from the national grid, whereas parts Cape Town seem to get their power through local sources, hence the problems.

I still don't think it is right that a national energy supplier should not be able to keep up with capacity. If they can't, the users should stand together and make an issue of it. In many countries, electricity, even access to a phone is a basic right.

Oh - doesn't Eskom "sell" electricity over the borders to the whole sub-continent? Zim, Bot, even Malawi, etc? If anything, they should be cutting power from them and looking after national interests first.

Notice to Women

I was in a store looking for trekking gear on the weekend, and saw this sign.

How could I not find this humourous!

So, for the record, I'm single.

I've heard of accessible sites, but this is just silly!

This is a real trouble ticket:

Someone logging into our site and trying to amend their personal details oon http://www.[clientURL].com/index.cfm?p=3045. Get no action on licking on the submit button
==== 03/04/2006 15:38:49 [UTC+0100] ==== ====
Verified. Licking the submit button does nothing.
==== 03/04/2006 15:58:42 [UTC+0100] ==== ====
Once I had wiped the shlobber off my screen, I fixed the rouge form validation that was preventing the button from working.

I hope the client has a sense of humour.