themak http://virb.com/themak Virb 2.0 (@themak) en Light Up My Room- Barenaked Ladies Live in Southampton http://virb.com/themak/videos/1731227 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:31:19 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/videos/1731227 themak http://virb.com/themak/photos/1103216 ]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2007 06:47:09 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/photos/1103216 Upcoming Exams http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/614670 Again, yet more exams have crept up on me; ready to surprise me in new and possibly unpleasant ways.

  1. Maths C2, C3, C4, M1, S1
  2. Physics modules 2 and 3
  3. Chemistry Module 2

Good luck to everyone else taking exams this season.
-Alex

]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 14:19:41 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/614670 Module 1: result. http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/501251 Well today was the day, the first of many many A level mark days; and I think it's safe to say that I came out of it fairly well.

  1. AQA Physics Unit 1: A 90
  2. Chemistry: A 77
  3. Maths MEI C1:A 80
  4. Maths MEI C2:B 77

I'm fairly sure that I'm going to resit Maths C2, because I was really not on form when I did that paper. Otherwise, I'm fairly happy with those grades- especially physics. :D

]]> Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:19:17 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/501251 Reports are in... http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/498467 Reports are in, confirming something that I have known for a long time.
Hats are awesome.

Also, the Asia concert was beyond awesome; and if they're playing near you; then you should certainly go and see them- Steve Howe is the most masterful guitarist that I have ever seen.

]]> Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:22:16 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/498467 Some horrifically overdue updates http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/492724 It's been several months now since I last said anything noteworthy (bar expressing my disgust at the science funding crisis) and it's probably time that I wrote something. Thanks to AppleCare my ageing iBook miraculously changed into a macbook before Christmas by virtue of some faulty bluetooth chip, my mac mini has since transformed into a powerhouse of an Intel Quad 2 machine running Fedora 8, by virtue of Christmas and has now got two monitors (running fairly happily under compiz, which is as the internet leads me to believe; is a complete miracle or the norm- depending on who you ask). I am currently in the first year of my A level course studying Physics, Chemistry and Math/Further Math and have just taken my first set of module exams back in January and am expecting results imminently, and am just at the stage of looking at Unis and courses. Any University propaganda is welcomed heartily, especially if it discusses the merits of a Computer Science and Physics joint honours course or either of the two as single honours.

I expect to be posting reactions to my AS module 1 grades, the Asia concert tomorrow night and the hopefully upcoming Jonathan Coulton concert sometime this month.
And my driving test. >_< So until then,
Alex.

In other news, Kristopher Tate is rolling out another Zooomr update on Monday, which should be fairly awesome, and should see some concert photos from me. :D

]]> Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:24:04 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/492724 A massive blow to Science in the UK http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/451182 The STFC have recently massively slashed the budget for Physics in the UK by ]]> Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:16:55 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/451182 Happy New Year! http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/399119 Happy (belated) new years everybody, it's been a fairly hectic 2007 for me; and things are starting to look up for 2008. However, I am currently snowed in with AS level stuff; so am going to be unable to blog as often as I would like to- and I've got some exams around the 10th which need revising for.

Since the iBook's replacement by Apple, I've also built myself a fairly nice Linux box with the individual parts which I got for Christmas from my family. I'm happy to say that I'm running Fedora 8, although I did try out ubuntu and didn't like it. [This advice is indispensable] With an upcoming Windows HDD for playing games [mainly in case they don't want to run under wine] so within the next month or so I'll try and post some thoughts on both Linux and the Orange Box :D, and maybe several posts on the virtues of not randomly editing system config files. Using Linux is not without some caveats unfortunately, although from the limited recent experience (I used to use SuSE back at version 8.2) it does seem to have the most to offer in terms of features alone.

Well, a prosperous new year to you all- for I must go now. I hope to update with some more frequency this year.

Edit:
I also have some play-asia vouchers for $5 off of $50 which I won't be able to use in time, so if anyone especially wants them; just leave a comment.

]]> Fri, 04 Jan 2008 04:29:31 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/399119 My little Christmas present from Apple http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/385217 Recently, my iBook's bluetooth module and Sleep LED assembly decided that actually functioning was not worth the endeavour- so I took it along to the Apple store in Southampton. Unfortunately, the problems with my iBook were irreparable and as it was under Apple care; they gave me a new MacBook.
Moral of the story: get AppleCare whenever you buy an Apple computer.

]]> Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:14:52 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/385217 Merry Christmas! http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/385216 Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all.

-Alex.

]]> Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:14:52 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/385216 Sony Ericsson k800i updates- a whole pile of fun http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/383463 The k800i is, all-in-all a very nice phone. One of it's main fairly innovate features is that it can run firmware updates from the menu and download them over the air. This would be fairly useful as a first diagnostic against a software problem with the phone as the occasional 20mb download wouldn't really hurt the networks here, however it has been unsanctimoniously disabled.

This is an even worse shame when you get to discover that the official PC based updater is a complete bastard to get working. Let alone it needing a PC to run it on. To get this tool (gratefully necessitated by the good folks at three) you should firstly download a reasonably recent version then you should install flash player with this exact link, because installing it in Firefox is fine for most functional uses of flash, but this requires an ActiveX installation of Flash- which unsurprisingly almost no-one will tell you.

Pity it didn't fix the problems with my phone though.
Bugger.

]]> Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:13:53 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/383463 The Importance of Backups http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/324541 Ugh.
On updating iTunes and Quicktime my mac froze and upon rebooting I discovered that something went wrong.
Very wrong in fact, with the "Welcome to Leopard" wizard appearing on logon and refusing to let me log in.

One full time machine restore later and my mac is working again, unfortunately it's now refusing to back up.

But now I'm looking to replace my mac with something home grown again... :D

]]> Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:03:30 -0800 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/324541 Joss Whedon- back on the telly http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/304337 It seems that Joss Whedon has been granted a new series to write with Tim Minear. From what's been said it looks like it should be brilliant- but it's being made by Americas FOX network. Hopefully it should only be a matter of time before a British channel expresses interest (although I'm still waiting for BBC to play firefly sometime).

But as television here goes, all I'm finding myself watching is Heroes, Spooks and QI. Without the iPlayer as the BBC have yet to release a version for OSX (or preferably an open platform based on Dirac).

]]> Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:30:08 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/304337 Mac OSX Leopard http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/293976 Now that's it all properly installed on my mac-mini I feel that it's time for a blog post.

Friday: Leopard Launch Day

I arrived at the Southampton Apple store at about 3pm and joined the queue as soon as it was set up. And I have to say that the queue was a really great social atmosphere and that everyone there was really friendly and I must thank great high wolf from macrumors forums for doing a drinks run. Also, it was really cool that the Apple store employees handed out chocolates and water- it certainly makes a change from many companies launch night arrangements. (I'm looking at you Sony)

Saturday: MacLiveExpo

Due to several thousand football fans and a line closure it took well over an hour and a half on the tubes (mostly packed) to reach the expo. There was some interesting loot to be picked up, namely some nice juggling balls from Konica Minolta- now if everyone did that I wouldn't have been able to get home due to a vast surplus of said juggling balls. :D There was an interesting showing of Leopard by Apple, which would have been more interesting if I'd seen it prior to launch- but my fears that Time Machine would need a dedicated drive were put to rest. It only needs free space on a not-booted HFS+ journaled disk. There were some very good hardware deals going on at the show, and if you can pick up the early bird free tickets and get a reasonably direct train then it's probably a good idea to buy a mac there. Unless you're taking the tube, then it would be buying a mac for a random stranger on your train.

As for Leopard itself; the new dock (the non-3d one that is) is shiny and Mail is a lot more responsive and powerful, and is now no longer embarrassing to search for emails with.

]]> Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:29:18 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/293976 The Environment http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/273366 Climate change is a massive problem.
The chances are that whatever methods that can be employed against it are going to basically require on thing:
Humanity to willingly leave it's comfort zone.

There's just no real way to do justice to that.

]]> Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:42:00 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/273366 Driving http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/248776 In something both fairly awesome and scary at the same time: I now have a car.

I'm gradually getting to grips with the intricacies of a gearbox and should be at least moderately competent at changing between the gears by the time I have my first driving lesson, which I would have been having a lot earlier had I applied for my driving license with adequate time to pre-book some driving lessons.

That's my car:
My Car.
^_^

]]> Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:59:53 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/248776 Relaunch: Welcome to madebyalex.org http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/239348 Well, today's the day. I'm 17 and themak.org is no more and instead; I welcome you all to madebyalex.org enjoy your stay- have a coffee- leave a comment. And sit back and enjoy.

Also, my iBook can't be repaired due to a myriad of incompetence's. Bugger. Those thinkpads are looking like a mighty fine option now. (Fedora Core 8 also)

Later,
Alex.

]]> Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:21:28 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/239348 Brief Hiatus http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/216869 I've been unable to make any new posts for the last few weeks on account of everything being exceptionally busy. But do not fear this blog will be returning to usual service in exactly two weeks time! For on the 24th many exciting things happen:

  1. I become 17 and thus able to start learning to drive a car.
  2. themak.org is retired and replaced by madebyalex.org
  3. I update the code behind this whole endeavor to Wordpress 2.3- which will be released on that very day. A nice birthday present, I should think.
  4. I change the design of the site to resemble this (help doing so would be greatly appreciated), or use one of the shiny sandbox themes.

Until then,
Alex

life]]> Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:40:22 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/216869 This Post http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/202545 Is coming straight from the Apple Store in Regent Street.

Wow.

That is all.

Apple]]> Sat, 01 Sep 2007 08:04:07 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/202545 Some (Admittedly Late) Summer Reading (etc.) http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/200553 Recently, after finding myself with rather more booktokens than I would usually know what to do with, I've been reading quite a few books recently- and thought that I'd post my latest reading list here:

  1. Battle royalealt by Koushun Takami. While graphically violent, it definitely served the plot very well and proved to be a most excellent and gripping novel and was impossible to put down- the dystopian backstory certainly adds to the plot.
  2. Flow, My Tears, the Policeman Saidalt by Philip K. Dick, a true science-fiction masterwork; and definitely a story with several more reads in it for me. I also purchased Dr. Bloodmoney- but have misplaced that when coming back from Cornwall.
  3. Python in a Nutshellalt from the O'Reilly press; a very fast paced book about python which Timoth]]> Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:56:59 -0700 http://virb.com/themak/posts/text/200553