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

I just hacked my DVD player's region settings - gosh how naughty and rebellious of me. It was so easy, even I could manage it. Now I'll be able to get DVDs from Amazon. I've been desperately longing for 'Drop the Dead Donkey' for some time, so that's the first target.

The process was simple, but disturbing. I just trawled sites for the unlock code for the machine, then pressed 'pause' and entered the code. The message came up asking me to enter the desired region code, from the 0-6 range... At the bottom of the screen, it said: Press 'pause' to exist.

That captures my mood of the last few weeks quite neatly, come to think of it.

It's reassuring to know that even machines find the modern world a little less than satisfactory.

Very good Just what I need to begin the day without panicking about all the stuff I have to remember and to do.


*Presses 'pause'. Exists *

Existing is good. Who needs all the fuss and bother of trying to do more?

You're right of course. And I keep 'preaching' it, but am not very good at taking my own medicine (if you'll excuse the mixed imagery )

Most people want(s?) to feel needed and indispensable (very much including me, a mother of four and freelance worker) and run around trying to be useful and/or important to one and all. And (maybe) eventually screeches to a halt and wonder where 'my' life went.

*Tells herself again: "Enjoy the moment. Exist".*

It reminds me of Virginia Woolf, too. In 'Orlando', she asks, 'What more terrifying revelation can there be than that it is the present moment?'

The more I think about that sentence, the stranger and the stronger it gets.

I've never read it. But yes, very strong.

It's not the sort of question that you'd expect in a book about a man who lives for 400 years and turns into a woman halfway through. But that's what's so great about V Woolf - she saw things from a different angle.

I've checked all about my person, and i don't have a 'pause' button I must be an 'old' model

I wonder if having a cat or dog helps - you'd be able to press paws at least.

Its a thought, though being mauled by a cat or dog for pressing their paws is not high on my list of 'must do's'

Press 'pause' to exist....... that is so

It's hardly worth mentioning that the hack worked, and I can now watch any region's DVDs. That's just an incidental fact after seeing that message.

mmmmm tried a h*ck ting with our dvd player......didn't work

oh got one of my new dvd/cd burner/players today........it was only posted yesterday

4 days from bid to get

4 days? Where did it come from? It's been a while since Australia Post did anything that efficiently.

NSW, but I did pay for express post.......... I wasn't expecting it till momday, so this was a bonus

I am so happy, the other burner carked it about 2 weeks ago

I must get a burner. Also a digital camera, printer, scanner, and all those other cool gadgets.

Or I could just press 'pause' for a while.

Fabulous

It's absolutely my approach to life. I've been pressing 'pause' ever since I left UK. It's other people who've pressed the 'FF" button on my behalf from time to time

So Australian DVD players don't automatically play UK DVDs? I've just sent 2 DVDs to people in UK... will they be able to play them?

Videos can be used in either country

Oh gawd, I don't understand techy stuff....


Fb

The UK's in Region 2; Australia's in Region 4... But as I found this evening, it's easy enough to fool a DVD player into playing any region's discs. All you need is the make and model, and access to Google.

there are times we all need to pause...

but ey by gum, I lurve this ebay