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Comment: I have Xubuntu destop running on an EC2 (Score 1) 92

by 16Chapel (#45433939) Attached to: Amazon Jumps Into Desktop Virtualization With "WorkSpaces"
For the last year or so I've been using an Amazon EC2 small server, running Xubuntu Desktop (and accessed via NoMachine remote desktop) as my main development environment. I'm a LAMP developer who works at home a fair bit, and since I already had the EC2 server running a couple of client sites I decided to try and get remote desktop access to it, as described here:

(ps - see step 6 here also: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FreeNX or the 'sudo /usr/lib/nx/nxsetup --install' command won't work )

Why bother?

Well, I needed a static IP address to access certain things for work (private, ip-locked rss feeds for example). I had got around that previously by dialing in via GoToMyPC to my office Windows PC (where we have a static IP). The main problem there was it could be a bit laggy (especially when our office connection was being hogged by outgoing offsite backups), especially for some reason when I was using my virtual linux environment (running on VirtualBox).

It works really well - I have nice and reliable (linux) desktop environment that I can get access to from any of my machines, with the added bonus that I can demo things straight from my 'local' dev envirnoment as it's actually on the web.

Comment: Re:Eh (Score 1) 637

by 16Chapel (#44564973) Attached to: Medical Costs Bankrupt Patients; It's the Computer's Fault
On the other hand (here in the UK) my Dad was rushed to hospital when he had a blood clot in his lung and received first class treatment. My wife was admitted straight away for a gall bladder infection (after a visit to the GP), and our baby was born in a brand new birth centre with fantastic facilities and great midwives.

Generally speaking, the NHS is fantastic when anything life-threatening happens, but after care can be crap (for example, my Dad having to queue up to get his medication outside the clinic every week, even in snowy weather).

Comment: Enjoy our local wifi spots (Score 1) 273

If you're in London, I must recommend some local places for you to go.

There's a charming cafe chain called 'Starbucks' - they do pretty good coffee and usually have wifi. Don't be put off by the 'crazy' names for their drink sizes, just bask in that local charm. If you can't find one of those, do stop into one of the family restaurants in the 'McDonalds' chain - they often have wifi, and you can enjoy one of our local delicacies (cheese and meat at the same time, crazy!).

Comment: Re:A smart watch? (Score 1) 260

by 16Chapel (#43450903) Attached to: Microsoft Working With Suppliers on Designs for Watch-Like Device
I bought a Casiq watch in Nicaragua - that's not a typo, it was a clear ripoff of the classic 80s Casio digital watch, with just the 'q' in the logo different (as I recall, logo copying is easier to prosecute than actual design / circuit copying). It cost me a couple of dollars, and:

* survived a little swim when my kayak upturned
* still worked at least 3 years later on the same battery
* had an awesome upgrade from the original in the form of multicoloured LEDs that pulsed randomly when the alarm went off. Wrist disco FTW.
