July 21, 2008
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| Naked DSL is hard work! | |
Rob O'Neill's article Naked DSL costs don't add up for customers covered a big part of the issue regarding New Zealand's Naked DSL offering.
But he missed one very critical part.
Telecom is still causing grief for people. ISPs and customers alike.
Our home phone is billed through TelsraClear, but is still a Telecom line. At the moment we are unable to get Naked DSL, or even move our phone number to VoIP.
Why?
Telecom's provisioning team (who actually disconnect our phone just to change ISPs) can not currently support moving a phone billed by another providers like TelsraClear to a VoIP provider.
The only way they can do it is to "decommission" the line (which means you loose the phone number) and create a brand new "line". Even then it is most likely you will be without phone and internet for close to a week.
So, the only option for us is to "switch" back to Telecom ($50 churn fee) then have our Naked DSL commissioned via WorldXChange.
Ridiculous. But shows that nothing has really changed in New Zealand. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 8:30 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 11, 2008
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| Sand power a possibility | |
We need more people like Professor Earl Bardsley of Waikato University.
Not much detail about his plan, but in a nutshell it relates to converting sand to silicon and then using the silicon as a combustive for generating electricity.
There will be people laughing at him, particularly a large portion of the ingrates that read the NZ Herald and keep pushing for Nuclear Energy.
I however would like to shake his hand and congratulate him on thinking outside the square. Innovation requires imagination. Some of the wackiest ideas have led to great changes in society.
You are probably reading this on one of them.
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 8:00 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 10, 2008
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| Nuclear Power | |
I unfortunately get drawn into "confrontation" in forums found on the New Zealand Herald and TradeMe sites all the time. It seems I can not help myself. I have this incredible addiction to argue with idiots.
The latest on the Herald site is developed into a slinging match between the two opposing sides of Nuclear power in New Zealand. (Can find the discussion here)
I am 100% against Nuclear Power in New Zealand. The rest of the world can have it, and keep it there.
There are five primary reasons I don't want them to be built in New Zealand:- Cost - they cost about $6-8 billion dollars to build, and about $2 billion to "decommission". We would also have to import Uranium every two years leaving us at the mercy of international markets (again)
- Waste - a modern plant can only store 15 years of waste "on-site" - where do we put it after that?
- Water - even a modern power plant uses the same amount of water as a coal plant and can not run if it has limited access to water during drought (just like Hydro power)
- Safety - modern "cheap" nuclear stations like found in France are not designed for earthquake prone countries. Most only have a design threshold of a magnitude 5.5 earthquake
- Sustainability - a modern plant only has a lifespan of 50 years (see decommission cost above!)
So no, I am definitely not a supporter of Nuclear Power in New Zealand.
We can't even fund a descent road infrastructure, let alone a nuclear power plant. And we would need 2 of them.
Innovation, not indoctrinated believe in a false economy is going to see New Zealand have sustainable power generation.
We need to think outside the square, do the R & D, find something that is easy, cost effective, clean and sustainable. And then we sell it to the rest of the world and become a wealthy nation once more. Can't let the dairy farmers have all the fun eh!
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 3:00 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
| VoIP - The Revolution Has Started | |
Today, my own private revolution has started.
Well, not really. I just ordered my WAG54GP2 Wireless ADSL2 VoIP Gateway.
It's a little expensive, without much change from $200.
But, with the WorldXChange Xnet Fusion plan, we will be saving about $50 a month on telecommunications.
In addition, I will be bringing the office phone for DocScan onto the second "virtual line". How much for this? $7.95 a month!!!
That's going to be a saving of a further $180 a month!
Even with the penalties for closing down the TelstraClear phones before their contract ends, we will be saving close to $230 a month on current telecommunications so it makes it worth the termination fee.
The only issue I have with the service is that they consider any household that has "2 virtual lines" to be a business, so all calls will be charged at 5 cents a minute.
But as we live in Orewa, all calls are already charged as toll calls to Auckland! So we will save money there as well.
Good bye Telecom and TelstraClear. I wish I could say I will miss you, but you have both been overcharging me for years, and I have had enough!
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 8:30 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
July 8, 2007
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| Keep the Internet Tax Free | |
In 1998 congress passed the Internet Tax Freedom Act to promote commercial, educational and informational potential of the Internet. The Act stopped Federal, state and local governments from taxing Internet access, bit taxes, bandwidth taxes and email taxes. You can read and sign the petition at YouChoose.net
The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2007 will stop the necessity of having to continue to extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act which has gone on now since 1998. The Act is due to expire this November. Several Senators have proposed to extend the Tax Freedom Act permanently. Let them know you agree and Sign the Petition.
Thank you in advance for taking action. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 9:00 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
February 22, 2007
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| What! | |
So... why did no one tell me.
Yeah, I know... I have been playing with my pet Flash developer, but still, someone could have told me!
This humble blog has had over 60,000 visitors! WOOOOHOOO!
It clicked over to 20,000 on June 11, 2005.
Assuming it clicked over to 60,000 a little while ago, say Christmas?, that makes a monthly average of... hell.
Please, its late - could someone tell me the monthly average...
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 11:24 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 29, 2006
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| Time to get sorted | |
Right!
My life is cluttered. Some people clear out their cupboards, I clear out my domain names!
The following are for sale on Zillion:
manuscripts.co.nz
killyourdebt.info
thecircleoflife.biz
thecircleofsuccess.biz
seek.net.nz
No, I won't sell them outside of Zillion. Zillion is wonderful. Not signed up there yet?
Click Here To Join
It is so much better than Trade Me! And the staff are nice. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 8:51 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
| [SPAM] Your [insert something annoying here] | |
look familiar?
I just moved to a new mail server that keeps stats of spam coming in.
In 3 days:
43% - Normal message
3% - False positive message
42% - Spam
12% - Unrecognized spam
Total emails: 352
So, on average thats over 100 emails a day, and more than half are spam!
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 8:46 pm | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 28, 2006
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| Saga Of Technology | |
A quick, simple migration to a new, more powerful server running the latest Fedora Core.
Hahahaa...
Yes - well - frustration. That somes it up.
The osCommerce sites no longer work, the Gallery site for a customer no longer works.
And then 3 hours later the mail finally starts working... but I hadn't changed anything between "it not working" and "it working"
I really do love to hate and hate to love technology!
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 9:48 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 18, 2006
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| End of an Era | |
Are you running Windows 98 on your computer? On July 11, 2006, Microsoft will end support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition, including security updates.
This is a major issue of course. Microsoft release updates all the time to patch holes in the security of their product.
People do get hacked. People do inadvertantly get used for sending spam, or undertaking denial of service attacks.
All in all - if you are still using one of these old operating systems, you will get a whole lot of hurt in the next 6-12 months.
Most security comapanies like Grisoft who make the product ewido won't support it on these platforms for much longer.
The cost of upgrading is so small, and if you are in New Zealand, come visit Red Toad Solutions, and they will sort you out with some excellent pricing on moving to the latest version of Windows, and can update all your anti-spyware and virus protection software as well. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 4:34 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 12, 2006
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| Computer Security | |
In the last couple of days I have been moving to a new mail server.
As part of moving across, I centralized all my email accounts that I have for my various domains. I pulled across all the backlog of emails and nearly broke Outlook in the process!
Then a few people sent me emails about the latest phishing scam with BNZ, and a friend raised her concern her ex-boyfriend may have hacked her computer!
Computer security, or lack of it, seems to be a daily occurance!
In all my years on the internet I think I got hit with a virus once, and that was a long, long time ago.
It just stuns me as to how complacent people are about their computers despite all the warnings and media attention.
People - get a good anti-virus package and a good anti-spyware package, and keep them up to date. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 11:00 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
October 27, 2005
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| Online Auctions | |
For years now, I have been using the online auction site Trade Me. When I was going through financial ruin, it was my primary source of cash as I sold everything I could, from my car to me beloved Lord Of The War chess set.
I have never really liked the draconian behaviour, and inconsistent application of terms and conditions at TradeMe. In fact, I would actually rate their behaviour as second only to the Inland Revenue Department!
Now, there has never been an alternative. Something I often wondered if I should try and change. But with so many projects on the go - and limited resources, I doubt I could actually succeed.
Now there is Zillion. The software and interface is slick and easy to use. It has many, many time saving features that makes the life of both buyer and seller much easier. In fact, I give it a 9 out of 10 for usability.
It's one issue is lack on punters. It needs to increase it's membership my 10-fold.
Anyway, check it out, I am sure you won't be disappointed.
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 12:00 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
October 5, 2005
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| Computer Security | |
Now that I am back in business, I have been somewhat suprised at how many home users and small businesses don't have adequate security on their Pcs.
Virus attacks and hackers are almost a weekly occurance, but the attitude from many people is, ah, it won't happen to me.
Considering the cost in time a virus infection on a PC can cause, putting decent protection on your system is a small price to pay.
My business now resells an anti-virus product called AVG. And although I have used the free version previously, I never realized how good a product the professional version was until becoming a reseller.
If you decide to upgrade your virus a firewall protection, I do recommend you take a look at AVG.
You can find out more and download a free trial from the company web site at www.redtoad.biz
If you need advice on your computer security, drop me a quick email.
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 12:00 am | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
August 8, 2005
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| Managing Email | |
Ok, so it's been ages, and I am feeling quite bad about it.
Time seems to be slipping away, and the days are speeding past.
One thing I have found to manage my constant email deluge is a product called Xtreeme FollowupXpert.
This has literally saved me hours of sorting through email, and is far better than any spam filter. It works as both an quick autoresponder, and a more extensive lead capture tool.
Give the free trial a go, which you can download at Xtreeme FollowupXpert. It's definately worth a look. I give it a 8 out of 10.
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Posted by Karl Rohde at 6:21 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
June 11, 2005
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| 20,000 Visitors! | |
Wow, 20,000 visitors to my humble blog!
How and where does this traffic come from?
Google searches make up about 50%.
AdLand Pro does quite well at about 7%
Traffic from other blogs makes up about 7% as well.
SmileCity does about 4%
About 20% are directly typed in!!!!
The rest is from a mixture of site and other search engines. |
Posted by Karl Rohde at 4:54 pm | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Technology |
