Nick's Homepage

• Japanese Skiing travel write ups:
  • Niseko Ski Diary.
  • Shiga Kogen Ski Diary.
  • Hakuba Ski Diary.
• About me:
  • Resumé.
  • Quotes - Various quotes I saw and liked.
  • Likes and Dislikes.
  • Favourite Games.
  • Thumb up or down: Things I'd like to see more of, and things I'd like to see less of.
  • Random Thoughts.
  • I'd like to see that.
• Random - stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else:
  • Identity of Kemeny's Hidden Label wines.
  • Notes on the LG WD-1435RD washer dryer.
  • Diplomacy strategy tips.
  • Links.
• Computers:
  • Data Centre Server setup steps - Step-by-step: From-scratch installation steps for a Linux PHP web server running Debian:
    • Run memtest overnight.
    • Installation.
    • Update /etc/apt/sources.list.
    • Get the latest and greatest packages.
    • Remove unneeded or unwanted packages.
    • Install LAMP.
    • Install extra useful software.
    • Disable IPv6.
    • Stop console screen from blanking.
    • Exim 4 configuration.
    • customizing Apache configuration.
    • Set up Apache virtual hosting.
    • Apache content compression.
    • Configure php.ini.
    • Enable SSL in Apache 2.
    • Change the date.
    • Tweak MySQL configuration.
    • Installing and configuring portsentry.
    • Locking down the IP functionality.
    • limits.conf.
    • Install bastille.
    • Install the SUN JDK.
    • Install the NTP daemon to keep the time current.
    • Install APC as the PHP opcode cache.
  • Ubuntu Linux Workstation setup steps:
    • Pre-installation standard hardware test procedure.
    • Ubuntu Installation.
    • Tweaks and Preferences.
    • Firefox configuration steps.
    • Firefox Add-ons.
    • Firefox Tweaks.
    • Installation of extra software.
    • Configure "Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 Keyboard".
    • Custom Key Bindings, aimed at "Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 Keyboard".
    • Install Skype.
    • Install the Tahoma fonts.
    • Install Flash on AMD64.
    • Install Google Earth.
    • Install Acrobat reader.
    • Install Opera.
    • Enable Apport for crash bug reporting.
    • Configure Open Office to work in MS Office 2000 compatibility mode.
    • Automounting remote file systems using SSHFS.
    • Install Chromium beta daily builds.
  • Home server setup steps.
    • UPS monitoring.
    • Collectd.
    • Rtorrent.
  • Computers - Misc:
    • PHP test - brief test I was asked to write for PHP programmers.
    • Nokia N95 - links to useful apps for setting up the phone.
  • Computers - Debian or Ubuntu command-line upgrades:
    • Upgrade Debian Woody to Debian Sarge.
    • Upgrade Debian Sarge to Debian Etch.
    • Upgrade Ubuntu 6.06 LTS to Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.
  • Computers - Desktop software configuration or migration:
    • Firefox configuration steps.
    • How to migrate from Outlook 2000 to Evolution.
  • Computers - Server software installation or configuration:
    • SSL cert configuration for Apache on Debian.
  • Computers - MediaWiki or Wikipedia:
    • Blog - mostly wiki-related ramblings.
    • Suggesting links for the English Wikipedia.
    • MediaWiki parser and fuzz tests - technical, HTML compliance tests and fuzz tests. Not very interesting.
    • MediaWiki code coverage howto - info how to gather code coverage data for parser tests.
    • Experiment with Suggestion Searching on Wikipedia - similar functionality to this mockup was added in 1.13.
  • Computers - POV - Things many web sites get wrong:
    • JavaScript links are evil.
    • Online stores should publish their shipping rates up front.
  • Computers - POV - Programming Languages:
    • Java's clone syntax seems to suck.
    • Ways that PHP4 sucks for work on non-trivial Object-Orientated problems.
    • Personal notes from when I was learning Java.
  • Computers - Linux POV:
    • My Linux Timeline.
  • Computers - Hardware:
    • My Desktop Hardware Upgrade Philosophy. With graphs!
  • Computers - Software Development:
    • Random software development tips.
    • Maintaining software with the Swiss Cheese approach.
  • Computers - POV:
    • "The best way to stop the distribution of a bit of software is to charge money for it".
  • Computers - Comments or reviews on web sites or software - some of these are bound to be out-of-date now:
    • Review of TA Spring.
    • Comments on Gallery 2.0
    • Hoyts Website Sucks.
    • MSN maps gives impossible directions.
  • Old or out of date computing stuff:
    • No Microsoft End-game strategy for Linux.

If I've made a typo or grammatical or technical mistake please just correct it (you can edit all pages).

If you have some thoughts on what I've written & want to share them, or anything else, then you're welcome to leave me a message.