Tuesday 30 May 2006

iMac 20" (MA200LL)

打算轉投Apple陣營已是很久的事,是十年夢想。十年前曾經看過Mac OS 7的說明書,其標榜的易用易明介面,真的比Windows 95好十倍百倍,看後又是妒忌又羨慕。今年夢想該要成真吧,好好享受一下電腦帶來的樂趣,不是煩惱。

從前考量實戰需要,加上經費緊絀,選擇IBM PC是無奈。每月一死,每季一鏟,每年加RAM,Windows之金科定律,不論是95還是XP。用於維護、重灌、升級的時間和金錢,其實並不能彌補其便宜的機價。單以重灌所需的時間,以最低時薪計,隨時可以買起一台專業級的Apple PC。

2003年尾因燒機要購入的EZ barebone機,自去年年中每三個多月就會傻下傻下,聽歌睇戲又會窒下窒下。今次是第四次,我忍夠了。

電腦畢竟只是一件工具,一件工具就該有工具的覺悟,不該帶給使用者諸多不便。電腦不該讓用家太累。

去年為了急速提升戰力而傾家盪產孤注一擲買入的IBM T42,或許終歸是IBM的專業機種,用起來蠻稱心,夠穩定。既然工作有T42平定,遊戲又有PS2這類從不需要升級的game console,那我的home pc只需要能夠好好地儲存和管理文件、電郵、相片、CD collection便足夠,我哪管它是電腦還是電筒、是XP還是Vista,總之,「簡單就是美」,一按即用、簡單、方便、不死,掂!


原本打算訂購iMac 17",換1x1GB ram和500GB硬盤,連日後升級的事省掉不管,不過又聽說新的Mac OS X 10.5會於今年八月推出,所以還是要等吧。等著等著,我又心動,到時還是訂部iMac 20"吧,反正都是免息分期的。

Monday 29 May 2006

未解決

你有壓力,我有壓力,仲乜返到屋企都仲會有壓力。電腦唔鏟鏟邊個呀?

尋日終於忍唔住,鏟左屋企部電腦,因為佢copy個file都可以咬死個CPU,唉。重新安裝XP同Office,裝埋XP SP2、Office Language Pack、iTunes、MSN Messenger、NOD32和Zone Alarm,其實並不是裝了很多東西,但係剛上網睇「巴士阿叔X煞科」時已經窒下窒下,原來個問題,情況令人憂慮,睇怕都係換部iMac好過。

尋日放工去左電腦城,見到部iMac 20",真係好大,嘩。下次去皇室堡玩下OS X先。

明日又要開工,有壓力又未解決的事,何止一樣。

鬼佬涼茶

原來「鬼佬涼茶」無乜功效,我粒大飛滋依然健在。若果飲一litre涼茶,它應該會拜拜。

好,今晚放工去大家姐度執返濟五花茶。

Saturday 27 May 2006

聚首、劈酒

能夠與老友相聚的機會越來越少了。適逢有人生日,除了早前一班人食飯慶祝之外,今晚又有一些人約出來飲野吹水。這種情況,老實說,少。

其實今日開工已經很累,早上為了幾部protos跑去諾基亞update,晏晝又為了上symbian sign的事忙到傍晚,吃過晚飯後坐渡輪過尖咀時已經很想睡了,上岸後還要步行至諾士佛台。還好,十一時許就全集合了,去了一間名叫MAMA'S的酒吧,坐下飲下酒吹下水,好不快活。

十二時許致電回家報告行蹤,因為裡頭太吵,所以出去傾了十分鐘。回來時大家點了的shooters,預留了兩杯給我,卻被隔離檯的那個男的看中了,搶著要喝,說為向同檯的女人求婚必先要這兩杯酒。既然玩得咁大,我們也不甘示弱,講得出求婚,就加多點誠意,來,先喝一round六杯的gold tequila。對方終於被嚇倒了,無奈。不過,他的酒量還很淺呢,我們花了很多唇舌,他才喝了兩杯gold tequila,便趕去廁所「劏」了。最終都是流局終場,只喝了三杯tequila就走了。

不過,玩得還很高興呢。

今晚我都算飲得很多了,先是一大杯嘉士伯,再來三杯gold tequila,雖然覺得頭很暈,但還未至於要嘔,所以說,要不隔離檯的那位兄弟酒量比我淺,要不就已經飲了很多,又啤酒又shooters。三杯到肚,有持無恐,大聲說大聲笑。過後只覺得頭很"wing","wing"到現在。雖然如此,大伙還是步行到旺角宵夜。我是沒吃什麼,看見公仔麵、煎蛋就想嘔。最後坐小巴回家,幸好,一路上都沒吐過。

還是大覺訓吧。訓醒還要上班呢。

Friday 26 May 2006

上禮拜聽信友人建議,買了兩千美元基金,為了方便管理,在電腦裡加入投資戶口和基金資料。興之所至,順手將過去兩年在zurich買的基金都一併輸入。花了很大力氣把數值輸入,並更改過去的記錄(開支變成轉帳),好不容易才看得出個所以來,猛然發現,原來zurich吃了我一個月糧。終於明白為何人人都勸我自己買基金自己管理。

算了吧,雖然被吃掉一個月糧,但兩年以來不單止翻了本,還多賺一個月糧,我還是相信偷懶靠人是值得的,什麼都可以不管,天塌下來也都可以不管。

這數天,每日看著網上報價,觸目驚心。六隻基金齊跌,加起來,每日最少損失過千元。每日上班都是白做的。這個市還要跌到何時呢?

為免影響工作心情,我改為六點之後才上網看。點擊的時候,緊張過派成績表,若果日日受這種刺激,心血少d都捱唔住。很佩服每日風雨不改走去股票行睇價的師奶阿伯。唉。

Thursday 25 May 2006

國王的自動門(要做幾耐)

國王總喜歡拿我來開玩笑,失驚無神就下旨,問我呢個做唔做到,果樣又要做幾耐。尋日起完碼頭,今日就起鐵路,聽日話要起大橋,分分鐘要起埋機場。別的國家有的技術,不一定代表我(我國)都有;正如我有技術都不能公開(那可是國家級機密,洩露的話要殺頭哦,笑)。我只是一個小小工程師仔,邊做邊學,未做過就唔識,要無師自通一切,要去到大師傅級的水平,還有很遠路。

無奈,鄰國似乎充斥著大師傅。

某日,國王召見我,問我一度「自動門」要做幾耐。什麼!? 自動門好似要用電,但其他的我一概不知。後來,終於讓我找到個「開門佬」,雖然他不及電梯女郎般「索」,不過可以頂得兩下,可以幫手開門。後來,嫌他大份又蠢,所以,炒左。

一度「自動門」要做幾耐?做唔到。

尋日,我在岸邊釣鯊魚,鯊魚就無,不過俾我釣左度自動門上來。十分鐘,只是十分鐘,就安裝好。馬上使人送去丞相府,後來國王出巡看見,甚是雀躍。

一度「自動門」要做幾耐?十分鐘。

這度自動門,原來簡單得很,簡單到一個地步是,以我今時今日的技術都未必可以開發出來。更不用說兩年前了。

一度「自動門」要做幾耐?兩年等待、兩日運氣、兩個字安裝。

Wednesday 24 May 2006

Ultimate Reset: Formatting on Mobile

These days I'm working on Recognizer and Document Handler. This time, however, I've no luck at all. The application has to be embedded and handle data probably. I couldn't find a complete example nor documentation. Most of the posts on the Web are debugging auto-start function, a deformed usage utilize the recognizer.

Tonight is the second night in a row I stayed late at office, trying to hunt down the right code. Yet, no gain, but pain. So frustrated.

How am I going to report to my boss tomorrow? Sigh...

Out of curiosity, I tried those auto-start codes from forums. I'm too lazy to copy the whole structure but the core piece. Anyway, after rebooting, the phone couldn't startup. Not even can I enter *#7370# to reset it. Luckily, there's still a way to format the device:
1. power off,
2. press and hold Green + * + 3,
3. power on and hold the above three keys until "Formatting..." appears.

Woops, that save my life. And this is my first time seeing this formatting screen on Symbian. So what the 3230 tried to tell me is, try everything on emulator first before deploying to real device.

Thursday 18 May 2006

Black Soul 黑魂

期待已久的黑魂版N70(外殼),今日終於到手了。

原廠的N70有銀黑配和米啡配,其中以銀黑配最漂亮,個人覺得,近期One2Free推的黑銀配比不上銀黑的,而大陸版官方配色就是這種黑銀,跟香港的對調。N70比起過往S60的機種,整體感覺比較扎實,換上這個全黑的外殼,就更加剛強。加上多得各大網絡商的努力,銀黑配的N70滿街都是,三至八十歲都有,坐一趟地鐵,最少見到十部。只可以說,感覺平凡。

純黑色,永遠給人一種神秘而專業的感覺,有沉實穩重的意味。就算周不時流行的銀灰色和全白色,也似無法與之抗衡,IBM的laptop更標榜其黑色外殼永不退色;似乎只有Steve Jobs才能使出白色的力量。電視機、遊戲機、手提電話,什麼顏色都曾有過,但最終都會推出全黑版本。

後記:某日返到公司,同事不斷指著我部N70要Mini-SD,說,部N80是否收埋張Mini-SD。哈,Mini-SD?對,我就是喜歡全黑色,貪佢似N80。

後記2:The memory card N70 using is RS-MMC.


Left: Black soul N70, feel like the N80 black version.
Right: Original sliver-black case of N70

珍珠過後

珍珠的出現,令人生充滿驚喜。

由禮拜一二開始,大家都密切留意著它的去向,到底它會向北直走,還是會「拉西」?期待著八號風球或黑雨警報,好讓有多一日半天的假期。

然而天不從人願,珍珠走歪了,就連大雨連場的都欠奉。算了吧,反正公司的事多得做不完,打風時還是要加班,還搞得出入時狼狽不堪。

珍珠過後,今早天朗氣清,天空蔚藍雲雪白。似乎珍珠一個甩尾,把懸浮的塵埃都吹走了。

今日,又會過得怎麼樣呢?

Thursday 11 May 2006

Acer n300 v1.00.16

New ROM is out. But I'm not planning to flash. Just too lazy to reinstall all the softwares. (news)
Several hacks to Registry for WM5:

  • To erase the battery icon from the Start Bar, create a DWORD with name ShowTitleBarClock and value 1
    [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Shell] "ShowTitleBarClock"=dword:00000001
  • To change the format of date and time on Start Bar, create a binary value with name TBOpt and value 13 00 00 00
    [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Shell] "TBOpt"=hex:\13,00,00,00

(I will keep updating when more is found)

ace combat zero: accomplished

I have played Ace Combat Zero three times - as a mercenary who eliminate every visible objects, as a soldier who always stick to the mission target, as a knight who minimize destruction and maximum the effects. As a bonus, the SP mission is unlocked now. It wasn't as tough as I thought, only have to face 5 ace squadrons out of 10 in total.

I really like the two special crafts, X-02 and ADF-01 Falken. Falken has a cyber-looking and the cockpit is enclosed. It then utilyzes cameras and monitors to formed the view rather than a glass canopy, as others do. This kind of view or display gives pilot a over 180-degree (or 360-degree) field of view, very like those in Gundam cockpit.

The finctional fighter: ADF-01 Falken


These two crafts are one of the hidden features (ref: Ace Combat Zero official web, System > Other New Features > 03) and only available to players of Ace Combat 4 and 5 (AC4, AC5). Luckily I've played AC5 before and have the save file in the same memory card. The remainings are to finish the kill list and medals, re-play missions and get S-rank and fill up the hangers with all the aircrafts.

May be the only thing left for me to do is just to capture the sound track. The music is good. May be I can buy "Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War OST" (but not yet released)...

Or I just have unplug the console and put it (back) into the bookshelf. And then, this is the end of story.

"Yo buddy, you still alive?"

Sunday 7 May 2006

就是這種感覺

每隔一些日子,某個週末的晚上,回家途中,我會心血來潮走到附近的便利店買飲料,買的都是涼茶,付完錢,還在店裡流連,邊喝涼茶邊翻雜誌。翻下電腦雜誌,看看有沒有關於手提電話的報導,尤其是我負責的項目的新聞;翻下遊戲雜誌,看看有沒有令我感興趣的新Game;間中、很間中會翻下八卦雜誌,看看最近最為無聊的城中熱話。

通常有一半時候看完就會走,反正店員是兩位婆婆,肯定他們不是老闆,而且又不會罵人「唔幫襯就咪鬼阻住晒啦」之類的說話。其餘一半時候的一半就會買本最平宜的雜誌。有時,仿似要購物來發洩一下,一次過買幾本同類的書(如同一期間的幾本Game雜誌),或者什麼的都買一本。這就是使用八達通的壞處吧:無論買多少東西,荷包都不會因此而少了什麼或者薄了多少。

買的時候想著回家看;回家後就放到背包,想著上班坐車時看;上班時又因為沒「坐」過(都是站著嘛,哪來坐的?),就留到午飯時看;午飯後照例很睏,想著什麼時候有空就看,於是乎扔在一旁,倒頭就睡。可是哪裡找空檔時候呢?有的話,當然去睡個午覺啦。那,幹麼還要買呢?

或許就是喜歡這些元素加起來的感覺吧:晚上、一個人、便利店、閒逛、雜誌、八達通、飲品。

就是這樣。

Saturday 6 May 2006

潮爆

今日終於將錄起的《潮爆大狀》看完,由第四五回到大結局。秋官演的蔣文滔大狀有幾潮爆我不知道,但他由始至終很有錢,這是肯定的。假如一開始他的身家因不知名的原因而全沒了,兩餐都成問題時,他又會有幾正義、又會有幾多人會理他、又會有幾潮爆呢?

劇中他一再強調自己是「受軟不受硬」的,很多官司都是和權貴(奸商?)打對台,因而成為「正義大狀」。但正如他的師傅所說,由於很多官司的對手都是和倪承坤(奸商)有關,而倪曾經是蔣的大客戶,及後又封殺蔣,所以很難排除蔣的「正義」行為不牽涉公報私仇。

不過,聽故不要駁故,故事看完,就算。

劇中很多老演員的對白都有英文字,而且唔係okay hello之類,可能老演員的英文字對白,正是此劇「潮爆」所在。

Thursday 4 May 2006

ace combat zero: infinite

Without beginning and end, the ring stretches into infinite.

Tuesday 2 May 2006

傷痕

上禮拜二和朋友去踩blades,途中有人建議比武,玩互撞,結果,第二回合我就失速跣低了。雖然戴了護掌,但速度快的急停(急跌)很難控制,所以撞傷膝蓋擦損手肘。手肘的是皮外傷,傷口大小約大半個一毫子,第二天就結「蕉」,不過最中間的地方很易爆開,過了幾天依然見紅。

還好是夏天,過了一個禮拜也沒有因換衣服而弄破,除了洗澡後中間部位會見紅。今日發現有部份的「蕉」脫落了,是否自然脫落的,就不會有疤痕呢?我很想把其他的都撕掉,不過這肯定會見紅。現在看來,比起其他的皮膚,新生的有點紅,接位也有點皺紋。到底如何處理傷口才不會留下疤痕呢?或者,傷疤是人生的見證,多一點就代表更經歷過人生吧。

Smart Phone

To better organize my peronsal data, I synchronise my Nokia N70 with home PC once a while. Whenever it connected via the Nokia CA-53 USB data cable, the battery goes down quicker than in stand-by mode. Therefore, I must plug the charger to the phone while using the cable.

Nowadays many mobile phones are called smart phone. They've the basic PIM functions built in. In someway that they are like (pretend to be) a Palm or a Pocket PC. So, this is smart(?). I've been using Palm and Pocket PC for years. The data on device is synchronise (and backup) with Outlook. Month ago, I began to synchronise the phone with Outlook. Trying to eliminate the troubles when I wish to have same data on PDA and phone. Also, I could able to access to all contact I've, no matter I'm holding my PDA or phone. Yet, I

Nowadays mobile phones are called "smart phone". They implemented the basic function of PIM - Personal Information Management. In other way, they're very like a Palm or Pocket PC. And this is smart. I've been using Pocket PC for years and got lots of information on it. With Outlook I synchronise the device with computer daily. When my device malfunction and being hard resetted, or being replaced, I just connect it to computer and all data are back. Palm is even better because all programs and games will be restore automatically upon connected.