2007 — 27 Apr: ganz in Farben

If you're reading this last night, which is when I started writing it, we've just finished watching my recording of the BBC4 programme about the Albert Kahn Edwardian autochrome "photograph the planet" project archives. Absolutely amazing. But the eyelids won't stay sufficiently separated to tackle the accompanying programme on the Edwardian larder.

If, on the other hand, you're reading this "tomorrow" morning, it's probably nearly time for me to pack the modern day equivalent digital pixels and set off in Charlee in search of whatever it is we're going in search of today. Whatever it is, we'd better be back in time to trot to the shops with She who must be adored. (I think She's finally exorcised new garden chairs from one of her perpetual lists, which will probably rule out Argos.)

Juxtaposition everyone...

Not everyone will know the derivation of either of my headings, but I'm sure we can all enjoy the following pair of adjacent stories in today's Guardian:

Strippergram charged with impersonation
   and
Hugh Grant arrested over baked beans allegation

Good to know that all's still right with the world, nicht wahr? By the way, the (male) strippergram, who was charged with impersonating a police officer, was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon — "Is that a truncheon in your pocket...?" The mind reels.

Oh, blessed Linux

I let Linux start up on the Gateway, and just switched over to see how it's getting on. Not only has it decided to use a screen resolution of 640x480 (which looks grotesque on a 24" widescreen capable of 1,920x1,200) but, worse, that is the only resolution currently now in its little repertoire. Tell me again how marvellously well Linux has been coming along of late. This is, indeed, becoming very tedious. I've bashed the nVidia driver on its head, will restart the system and see if it comes to its senses then (yet again) attempt to teach it what it used to know perfectly well about my GeForce 6600 and the Dell screen.

Progress of a sort. On first re-boot it now knew about 800x600 as well, though it no longer knew where the left hand edge of the screen is. I've re-enabled the nVidia driver and will see what happens. If this was my "production" system it would be heading for the great recycle bucket in the sky.

Pah! Despite re-editing the xorg.conf file, it still now only offers 640x480. I am giving up in disgust and going out to wreak photographic havoc in the Hampshire countryside.

It was another good day out, albeit hazy, and taking in a prawn cocktail and a cup of chocolate at the Kimbridge garden place.

Not Early Purple

Two close-ups (large file warning) available here. The second image is one I will be keeping.

Mr Belkin is to blame!

Taking the video inputs out of the Belkin KVM loop (and retaining the KVM just for switching keyboard and mouse between the HP and the Gateway) has restored proper high-resolution behaviour in all cases. So much for "does what it says on the tin". I assume the KVM wasn't passing back some key data item that Linux needed to be convinced it could use any more than 640x480. It self-evidently wasn't passing back a clean idea of the proper screen edge position to either PC. And since I intend to reposition the iMac at the other end of the study, I would no longer be able to use the Dell screen as an extension to its workspace in any case. So I can contain, as it were, my level of grumpiness.

Apologies, therefore, to Ubuntu and a black mark to the Belkin KVM. It's supposed to be able to switch video resolutions up to 2,048x1,500 or so. It cannot do this reliably. 'Nuff said.

Dad gets the last laugh department

Junior's just told us his firm is getting him a 17" MacBookPro (just for use as a browser, if you please). I shall naturally tease him accordingly about what he dismissed as a toy just a couple of weeks ago.

Day 175