A B W A I N

Recently as regards FlightSim, well, there hasn't been any.  Life got in the way,  I hate when that happens!  Oh I still love it, I still read the forums when I get a chance to.  I'm hoping once I have built a new PC, I can fit it back in.  Hopefully in time to be a part of the 'FSNext' beta process.

I have always loved anything to do with Aviation, and FS.  That'll never go away.  I see stuff happening with FS, new releases and new tweaks.  Perhaps I'll post about those as I can.  I checked a number of other bloggers, who at one time posted often and it would seem they have gotten busy with life also.

In any case, I am still around,  most the blogs I list here are still there, updated as much as possible.  I'll post anything that interests me.  Hey I have an idea, I could share my blog with....well everyone.  If you have a FlightSim related article you want to post, but just not sure how, get in contact.  Or if you have a piece of tech, software, hardware you want to write an article on, or aviation

news, let me know.  I'll post it here and all credit will go to you.  I'm no glory hog. :)

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Later,
Jason

I thought in order to make this place a little more interesting until I get back on my feet, PC wise, I would post some cool stuff.

My first in what I hope will be a long list of cool things is a very cool service I just found recently.  I had been looking to block among a few things:

- Adult Sites
- Adult Adverts
- Matchmaking Sites
- Phishing Sites
- Gambling (i.e.Party Poker Pop-ups)
- Adware

...among a few types of sites with tasteless content.  Also I wanted to do it without installing software on any PC or MAC.

I came across OpenDNS.  Skeptical, but hopeful I signed up for an account.  Looked around the dashboard, and decided to go for it.  I changed my DHCP server to specify the OpenDNS servers for DNS resolution.  If you have a router doing your DHCP (automatic assigning of IP addresses) you can specify your DNS servers manually.  I setup my network, and setup updates for my dynamic IP address using their own update utility that sits in your taskbar, very unobtrusive.

Voila!  No more adverts on web pages, no more pop-ups (yet).  And my DNS resolution is a heck of alot faster than what I had before.  There are a few issues, like if you have internal servers, you may need to tweak your settings a bit, but in some cases like mine I had to do nothing.  However there is an extensive support section on OpenDNS' site.  Have a look, see if it will work for you.  If you have kids, hey even if you don't have kids and you want to block questionable sites, this is perfect for you.

Let me know if it works for you.

Later,
Jason

These days going a day without a PC is like, say, going without drinking a glass of water or having that first beautiful cup of coffee in the morning.  Coooofffffeeeee, mmmmm.  Yeah I'm a coffee nut.  In any case, since the demise of my PC I have realized how dependant I am on that thing, and the data contained therein.

I would like to mention some of the things I have done, to prepare for such a disaster to happen, who know maybe it will help you out if this ever happens.  I have multiple drives in my PC, split up into partitions that handle the OS install only, and then other partitions that handle my data only (mp3s, downloads,  programs, email).  Other partitions I install my programs to.  However that's all fine and dandy to say I do that, but the question that most people ask is how do you do that?

I use two programs now, both by Acronis.  To partition my drives, I use Disk Director by Acronis, and to perform my drive recovery I use True Image Home by Acronis also.  In combination these tools are very powerful.  By the way I am in no way affiliated with Acronis, I just enjoy telling others of tools that actually work and do what they say they are supposed to do.  I have most of my drives backed up (or imaged) already, to an external drive, which does work thankfully.

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, the failure couldn't have come at a worse time so I am in limbo at the moment.  I am not the sort to beg, so I won't.  However I will place a PayPal Donate Button in each post, that way if anyone is in a giving mood, it's a click (or two) away.

(This links to another page, Live Spaces don't like PayPal links)

Thanks,
Jason

Love that headline.  You see it everywhere, on blogs, news sites, tech sites, ZDNet!!  I have a question though.  Which is better?  Oh I know, I have opened a HUGE bag of worms with that question.  Ok let me clarify that a bit with the following.

A while back when things were good, and the birds would sing to me when I woke in the morning, and the sun would dance and prance for me in the sky, and for some reason kept offering me two scoops of raisins......strange.  I bought my wife a Mac Pro.  It was a thing to behold, in all its quad core glory.  Clean design, very hefty, well thought out.  Someone at Apple obviously took a lot of time thinking about the design of the thing, and maybe too much on that packaging.  PC guys aren't use to all that packaging.  It's still screaming along, silently, at times sticking it's tongue out at my PC, oh the tears that would cause.  I really like the thing, but, the price was high.

Now comparing that to building your own PC, it would seem that building your own PC would be the cheaper way to go.  However, do I want to go through the hassle of researching parts, and keeping track of all the warranties and then piecing it all together hoping it all works? OR, do I go down to a big box store and buy a PC there, or go to Dell, or HP direct?  I have always opted to build my own machines.  I'm a gamer, FPS (COD, MOHAA), Flight Simulator (CFS, FS9, FSX), strategy (Sins of a Solar Empire, Starcraft, COH, C&C Series) and so I would usually just pop in and out components to increase performance where I needed it.  But is that the way to go anymore?

I don't know, I haven't asked those questions in awhile.  I'd like to get some input.  Feel free to comment.

(This links to another page, Live Spaces don't like PayPal links)

Thanks,
Jason

Well it has been awhile since I posted, hasn't it. I see that some do check it every now and then. Well, life has been busy, so many things going on right now. And to add to it all, my one and only PC has churned its last byte, played its last MP3, flown its last virtual flight.

At the worst possible time too. So, I thought and thought and thought about how in the world am I going to replace it? You see, I have been working on a little project for this blog, and a sister site to host Tech Tips, for building and troubleshooting basic PC issues, Flightsimming info and more.  Additionally I lost quite a bit of data for the project, I'll need to redo. Leaving me in a precarious situation I had not planned for. Isn't that always the case? Anyway let me end the sob story and get to the point, I need to ask a favor, I've thought about this long and hard, and figured I'd put this up, and hope for the best.

There is a link below, that says it all. Feel free to use it if you want, fell free to ignore it. I will absolutely appreciate anything I receive, and rest assured I will post a step by step article on the build of the system.  Any funds received will be used ONLY for the purpose of building a new PC, I'll stop the donations at that point.

Please click here to begin your PayPal Donation.

Thanks for the help, I'll update very soon on the progress.

Steve seems to have had an issue with spam too.  Brave man!!

http://www.steve-lacey.com/blogarchives/2007/11/your_attention.shtml

In my spare time, which by the way is almost at nil right now.  I setup a blog on my domain JasonRitchie.com.  Which you can see now has just a logo.  The experiment really didn't go too well, as the spam bot's hit it with a vengeance and were dropping thousands of comments a day.  I didn't have time to clean them out, so I wiped it.

I will most likely make this my home until I have the following:

1. TIME

2. TIME

3. More TIME

4.  Researched a better blog software suite, most likely Wordpress.

As far as what's happening on my end?  Well the house is less than a month away from being ready, we'll be VERY happy when its done.  I'll then have a proper office and a proper desk.  Space is way too limited where we are at the moment.

Later,
Jay

Spaces is nice, but for the ideas and things I would like to do, I am thinking I need my own space.

I present my future albeit messy home http://www.jasonritchie.com, I may think about keeping ABWAIN as the name, we'll see.  Please also disregard the 'crap' on my main page.  I quite possibly will have multiple blogs for FlightSim, PC stuff, and PC building tutorials.  I am still banging around a few ideas.

Until then though this will be my home, and I'll post here a little more often.  Seeing as I had a burst of visitors on my last post.  Does feel good someone reads my jibberish!! :)

Till then!

Jay

I haven't been blogging because I have been moving.  Did I mention moving bites!?

Well finally today we are free and clear of our apartment, and have taken residence up in temporary quarters until our new abode is complete.  I cringe at the thought of doing it all over again, and in the winter.

In any case I hope to be busy real soon doing some cool things, for now though I am pooped from nearly 5 hours of driving today.  Will update on a few things this weekend, that is if anyone is reading this still....lol

CYA!!

It's been awhile hasn't it.

Well as you all know the Acceleration beta has started so everyone involved is busy.  I'll update as we move along.

My personal website is up now, http://www.jasonritchie.com.  Pop by, not much there right now, but I am working on a few things as you can see.

Be back later with more.

polypoke:  Owen writes about some new stuff he is trying with a hot looking Twin Commanche.

Phil Taylor: Well, Phil has been busy.  Does he ever sleep?

Nick Whittome: Has information on FSX/Squawkbox and a cool Windows Home Server design.

Jon Patch: Is chipping away at the highly anticipated Vancouver + for FSX.

Hal Bryan: Has been travelling, and was right in my back yard.

As I catchup, I'll post more.  Oh yeah 1 more update...

ABWAIN:  No, I didn't fall off the edge of the earth.

Take Care All,

Jason

It's merely coincidence Owen mentions this.  But I am really looking forward to going to Winds & Wheels this weekend.  Downsview is about 45 minutes from where I live.  I live in the Eastern Region of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).  Hal, you gonna be around?

Are you going to be there?  Let me know!  Here is the link to the Festival.

• Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the famous DHC-2 Beaver, witness a historic homecoming fly-in  of 20 Beavers aircraft, and meet their pilots
• See a full-scale replica of the Avro Arrow, Canada’s first supersonic jet interceptor
• Celebrate Air Canada’s 70th anniversary by inspecting oldest airworthy airliner --- a Lockheed 10A used to launch scheduled passenger service in 1937.
• Explore more than 40 vintage and modern aircraft, including First World War fighters, 1930s biplanes, 1940s Harvard trainers, modern training aircraft, helicopters and Downsview-built airliners and business jets.
• Meet local members of The Ninety-Nines – the international organization of female pilots – and view their aircraft at the terminus of their annual "Poker Run" fly-in
  Enjoy a hangar full of aviation exhibits and displays

Hopefully I'll see some there!!

GO....have fun....!!!

Available on http://www.fsinsider.com.

Here are the direct download links to the exe

English
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/5/2/8526e721-0a01-4f7b-8529-0ae8286619cb/fsx_sp1_ENU.exe

French
http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/2/682bcb3a-7fb0-4a8c-8681-5404d6d49793/fsx_sp1_FRA.exe

Italian
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/7/b/57bdc11c-18a4-430c-9c23-89286baabeb7/fsx_sp1_ITA.exe 

German
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/a/f/7af84201-aba4-4979-a750-f592e1399abf/fsx_sp1_DEU.exe

Spanish
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/a/3/7a3895f5-06e3-47e9-a60e-042e322e64b7/fsx_sp1_ESP.exe

Polish
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/7/3/c73b5c32-b133-4709-88c0-d83f02ac9acb/fsx_sp1_PLK.exe

Well, I wish I could say more but as Phil mentions in his blog they hope to release SP1 very soon.  Not much more can be said on that here.

Pop over to Phil's blog to read up on his comments.

It's going to be a great step forward, I am sure everyone will have something good to say.  At least I hope so.

I just mosied on over to Jon's blog, and saw something that blew me away:

This...

Can't wait to get my hands on this creation.  While your there check out the rest of the pictures of this incredible scenery for FSX.

There is a couple of things I wanted to touch on.  I was doing some testing and my mind passed on a few posts I have seen about the FSX SP1 Beta.  An interesting post I saw asked an interesting question.  Why doesn't aces allow for a public beta of the SP1?  Isn't knowing about the Beta and it's progress enough?  Hasn't Aces put themselves out there enough, practically updating the community weekly if not more?  Wouldn't Aces have already taken the time to pick a representative beta team to help in testing?  What do you think?

Something else....I have been involved with MSFS for many years.  And I have seen the ebbs and flows of the community.  However more and more recently I have seen, a real increase in heated discussions, sharp responses to opinions given and very emotional outbursts.  It would seem that MSFS has become a real part of people lives.  Do you see a difference in the community?  Is it a good thing?

Now, what do I think?  Well I am usually the guy to sit at the back, and listen to others go at it.  However I have this blog now, so why not put an opinion piece out there for readers (if any) to respond to.  I think Aces has done a great job at getting information out about the progress of MSFS.  Never before have we 'the community' had such an insight into the work under the hood of FS the good and the bad.  In most cases 'the community' have accepted the open lines of communication with a positive response.  However it has disappointed me that a few have taken the opportunity to openly attack the Aces team and FS.  It would seem such ones, no matter how good FSX gets, will never be happy, and are content to complain and point fingers for the fun of it.  Now wait a sec, yes I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, albeit expressing that opinion in a respectful manner, so as not take away from what they feel may be an issue.

Yes I also will agree there have been some problems with MSFS over the years, that have caused even myself some aggravation.  However I learned to workaround the problem, or turned to the same community I speak of above for help.  For 95% of those times I have been helped.  Now, isn't that what FS is all about?  Bringing a diverse group of persons who all have a common love, Flight!?  I think so.  I also feel that Aces now opening up is a good thing for the future of FS.  I only hope it stays that way, and there is no need for Aces to close up again due to unrelenting accusations and attacks.

There I said it, I won't delete it, and if feedback is good it won't go anywhere either.  So, see that feedback thingy down below?  Go ahead press it, it won't bite.