h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Aendr, can you supply some details about the setup you use at work. There are some workarounds that might help if you're using a unix system (ghostview sort of says UNIX, UNIX, UNIX to me )

Ghostview we use at uni.... I didn't realise it was a unix thing... how strange.

Joanna (who doesn't have to brave a unix machine to set up a uni website because it seems that someone's already done it for her, and that's good because the unix computers have mysteriously vanished from the Bunker and she doesn't know where others are located...)

I run a tc shell on unix dec alpha 500 system also with linux boxes on the same network

I could use netscape-communicator -mono or -install but then you get the wonderful flicking screens.
it is better not to h2g2 at work anyway, as then I do some work

The best I could come up with was to use the -install option when colours were limited and put up with colour flashing. A slightly easier way of putting up with the colour flashing is to run a virtual desktop, putting the offending app (netscape) on it's own desktop/workspace and only going there for using netscape. It doesn't stop it happening, just keeps it out of the way when you're getting work done in another program.
I know what it's like, I had to use SUN workstations which could only display 256 at a time

Have you managed to strtch the hat back to shape yet?

Joanna,
Ghostview can be used on many systens, ok so most of them are unix, but it can be got for WinXX systems as well. It's a postscript previewer. Postscript is what laser printers talk, so being able to see what the file you're about to print should look like is a good thing

vitrual desktop is one of those silly 3 by 3s - not the nice hp style I had last summer
hat is not stretchable

You should be able to let the window manager know what size you want the virtual desktop (and assign keyboard shortcuts as well). I normally have either 4 or 6 depending on the system I'm using.

Sorry to hear about the hat

I use ghostscript at home too. But they may well have chosen it in the first place 'cause the ITS seems unix biased, as far as running things are concerned.

*completely ignorant of what is being said*

No worries BB. If the machine can do what you want, then good for you. It's when it breaks and if you can fix it then you need to worry about all this type of stuff.

I've never had any form of computer problems with any of my own machines ever. They have always worked all the time, so I'm not complaining.
But then, all the computers I've owned have been made in the UK - I only buy British, non of this Japanese rubbish.
(I buy British goods as it keeps British workers employed and is best for the country and the workers.)

These days the motherboard will have been make in singapore or taiwan, the chips will have been made in the far east or the US, ditto most of the other bits of the machine.
It might have been bolted together in the UK though. it's all to do with the global economy and scales of production.

Well posssibly Ireland. Intel have two plants there (Only place in the world outside the US where they have two plants) IBM have some production facilities and Gateway put together the odd PC. They're not the only ones either.

No, luckily everything I have is so old and out-of-date that:
a.) It works, as opposed to most modern junk.
b.) It is all made in the UK.

I don't own a computer made from "these days"...

Well these days is relative, about the last ten years I think
Whilst not much of a high tech manufacturing economy, there is a great deal of design work done here. A lot of mobile phone manufacturers have design centres in the UK as they recognise that they have to go where the skills are.

A computer built in the last 10 years... no, don't have one of those.
Still, it's good to know that some work is still being done in the old country.

So what machine do you use then BB. You've got me all intrigued now

I use University's computers - they're open 24 hours a day (except weekends and holidays) and are absolutely free!
I have a very nice Sinclair collection. Does anyone else here own a Sinclair QL?

So you do own UK built kit, but then again it's rather difficult to get net access with the sinclair stuff

You're right - it is very hard to get access - but then, at the moment I'm not considering getting my own home access - too expensive, and anyway, no point with Uni computers being free.