Virtual PC 2007 SP1 is a free download from Microsoft.

I don’t need it actually because I can dual boot into Ubuntu from my PC here. I just want to give it a try, you don’t have too many free products like this from Microsoft.

I haven’t tried but I can assume that it’ll be a piece of cake if you want to install another Microsoft’s OS in VPC. I tried installing Ubuntu 8.04. It certainly wasn’t easy and I found a good article telling me exactly what to do.

Don’t rush like me, following the article didn’t take me anywhere. There are 160+ comments the real wisdom is in those comments posted by readers. Key steps you shouldn’t miss are

• Don’t install straight into HDD, run live CD then install
• Use graphic safe mode (F4) and add additional commands to startup script (F6)
• Edit grub script during first boot

Enough for VPC, I prefer Wubi

I have more than half a dozen DV tapes that I want to convert to DVD for storage. I tried Fotomax which costed me 10 days and $29 for every 60 minutes tape. That was too much and I’m trying plan B.

Plan B would be iLife ‘08 at $75.6 with free shipping from Singapore by courier, few dollars for a 4 to 6 pins fireware cable and a pack of blank DVD. My first attempt to import from my SONY video camera recorder was successful, once plugged in the camcorder is recognized.

The tutorials are easy to follow and understand, within minutes I started importing.

Next would be burning a project using iDVD.

In the box it comes with iWorks ‘08 Trial I have yet to try that out.

Read this news about ubuntu going to out-pretty Mac in 2 years. I’m not disputing the possibility but I have serious doubts if this is going to materialize. Art is really personal and I don’t think “design by committee” really works.

Linux wasn’t too attractive at the start to me, I had a book that I never read. I tried ubuntu last year its outlook wasn’t attractive either. I would say it is pretty ugly comparing to what you can get from a Mac. Obviously developers have devoted a lot of time in catching up or surpassing Windows on usability and functionality. It’s not wrong and look and feel is a matter of taste. I have tried a dozen distros and every time I reinstalled my copy of ubuntu tweaking the font is the first thing I do.

Just more than a year ago when Apple first release beta Safari for Windows I was attracted by it. It was also for that reason I bought my MacBook.

Will a prettier ubuntu attract more users my answer would be definitely YES.

I have not been to Victoria Park for many years. Last Sunday Douglas was playing/cycling there with his friend. There are a few things that are almost the same all these years the swimming pool, roller skating ground and the pool for boats. These facilities must have been rebuilt a number of times in the past, looking at them does draw childhood memory.

The park is also a well known paradise for domestic workers on Sunday. I saw a few groups of them singing with guitar, some are learning guitar in groups. There was impulse in my mind to say “…hey can I join, hand me the guitar will you?…”. I heard a group was singing particularly good, they must have practiced every Sunday.