Finally my wireless networking card arrived last week! I'm now writing this entry from the comfort of my couch completely wireless on my notebook :)
This has been a long journey :)
When I ordered my Dell Insipron 8500, there was an option to purchase a Broadcom 802.11b/g inbuilt mini-PCI wireless LAN card with it (the TrueMobile 1300 card). Unfortunately, there's no support for this card under Linux, and based on what I've read on the internet, Broadcom are being quite blah-zay about it. :(
So, after a lot of research, I ordered a Proxim Orinoco 802.11a/b/g Gold PCI card from a reseller in Goerlitz (there weren't any in Frankfurt). The PCI card is actually a mini-PCI card attached to a PCI card 'caddy'. With a soldering iron and a bit of wick, I was able to safely remove the mini-PCI card from the 'caddy' and plug it directly into my Dell i8500's internal mini-PCI slot. :)
Dell's i8500's have inbuilt wireless LAN antenna, so it was just a matter of connecting them and installing the software.
The Windows driver worked out of the box, automatically connecting me to the Linksys WRT54G Access Point we have in our office. The best part though - this card is based on the Atheros chipset, and Atheros recently released a GPL Linux driver for it (madwifi), awesome :)
At last, 802.11g wireless working under Linux. Kudos to Atheros/Proxim! :)
The past few years has seen a real boom in property prices in Australia, especially for inner city living like Melbourne or Sydney.
I read a few articles last week that had said investors in Australia had turned to the property market to make money rather than the stock market, after the dot.bomb tech crash of 2001, etc. Apparently, 50% of money being lent by Australian banks for property is going to investors rather than first home buyers, which has pushed the prices of housing up incredibly.
What's not quite clear is how long this will last. High housing costs are pricing people out of the market, so much that many first home buyers can't afford to purchase a house in the area they grew up in. However since a lot of the property being purchased is investment property and for rent, rental prices are fluctuating, causing an ROI inbalance.
So what will happen? Many advisors are forecasting an over abundance of investment properties failing to find tenants for rent, causing a fall in ROI, and an eventual downturn sale of investment properties, driving prices lower. Others forecast continual growth with eventual stability being attained.
Regardless, even still with an abundance of places to rent - prices still continue to increase. When I lived in South Melbourne 5 years ago, the 2 bedroom apartment I rented cost around $250k AUS, today the same place is around $600k AUS, even more in newer areas like Port Melbourne, or the Docklands.
Definitely makes it difficult for people wishing to enter the market, and even more suspect when people forecast a downturn in prices (imaging taking our a house loan for $500k and seeing your property price decrease below that).
It will be interesting to see where the future takes us. Like all investments/purchases, I guess timing is the key :)
All registered for the Cocoon GetTogether in Ghent on the 6/7th October! Looking forward to meeting up with all of my friends from the Cocoon world. Can't believe a whole year has passed since we all were together in one place. Last year's event was something special to remember, so I'm sure this one will be as good or even better.
Like last year, I reckon we'll have to follow up with a Frankfurt Stammtisch shortly afterwards again too :)
Was up bright and early at 5.30 am this morning to watch the Australian Football Grand Final at the Irish Times pub here in Frankfurt, Germany.
I was joined by several ex-pat mates of mine working here in Frankfurt, the Frankfurt AFL football team (!), and several Aussie travellers on their way to this years Octoberfest in Munich. Was a great atmosphere, and terrific to hear some of the old Football slang again :)
The Grand Final was played in Melbourne at the MCG, in front of 70,000 people, between the top two teams of the season this year, the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies.
The final score was devestating, Brisbane won the premiership 134 points (20 goals, 14 behinds) to Collingwood 84 points (12 goals, 12 behinds), to be the first team to win 3 AFL premierships in a row.
Game quality was ok, but wanting Collingwood to win I was disappointed with the end result. Collingwood needed much more possession of the ball, and their back and mid field left Brisbane open many times run away with the game. I'm sure Collingwood Coach Mick Malthouse will have a few harsh words to say to the boys along with club president Eddy McGuire. Collingwood went into the Grand Final after leading the season winning their last 11 of 12 games, as the favourites, and incidentally, also after defeating Brisbane Lions in the qualifying final only 3 weeks ago (!).
The match was without controversy of course, Brisbane captain Michael Voss played with pain killers injected into his knee after a recent injury, and Collingwood star Anthony Rocha missed the match after being suspended for 2 games last weekend, due to a dubious striking charge against a Port Adelaide player last weekend.
Well, congratulations to Brisbane and Collingwood for a fantastic season. As for the runner up Collingwood, as they say, there's always next year.
I'm already looking forward to the next season! :)
Just updated my online photo album to include some more shots I took while recently visiting Sylvain in Toulouse, Torsten in Goettingen, at my birthday party, plus others from all around the place.
More to come soon when I scan the rest in :)
Most of you probably know this already - Eclipse M3 was released on August 28th. This release includes several new features and improvements. Great stuff Eclipse team :)
Just read this post on Slashdot about the Linksys WRT54G. I knew it was running Linux which is why I just bought one last thursday, now someone has a distro up and ready for it! :)
Just awaiting my Proxim Orinoco card and I'll be fully wirless :)
