labby.co.uk

My wordpress blog has wp-spamfree installed and protecting me from spam comments.

It does a great job and I heartily recommend it.

One of the features is a log file with the contents of any spam comments so you can check for false positives or to see just how much spam your blog is being protected from.
The log file defaults to [yourserver]/wp-content/plugins/wp-spamfree/data/temp-comments-log.txt

I tried to read mine but I got a 403 forbidden error and couldn’t figure out why, I had a standard install.

I tracked it down to the .htaccess file in /wp-content/plugins/wp-spamfree/data/ which has[code]SetEnvIfNoCase Referer http://labby\.co\.uk/wordpress/wp-admin/ wpsf_access
SetEnvIf Remote_Addr ^my.ip.address$ wpsf_access

order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from env=wpsf_access
[/code]Insert the line with my.ip.address above and add your own IP address, save and you should be up and running.

Hands up if you use a plugin for automatically converting your wordpress blog content to other languages.

Now keep your hands up if you add scripts to your blog that google happily munches through and translates for you.

For those of you loyal readers beginning to get sore arms here is the solution which will only take a moment.

Go to your wordpress install directory

Edit the file wp-includes/js/quicktags.js

do a find and replace for "<code>", replace with "<code class=notranslate>", including the ”

There should be 2 occurrences in the file.

Save the file and you are done.

You will need to edit any existing posts in your database to change the contents of wp_posts again replacing <code> with <code class=notranslate> a simple php/mysql script would achieve this if you have a large blog.

If you can’t come up with your own php script to do this, leave me a comment and I will write one.

Amend this script for your own needs

Note that it converts filenames to lowercase and replaces spaces with _

The playlist is saved as playlist.plist

You may need to install efixtool if it is not included in your distro:
sudo apt-get install libimage-exiftool-perl

Here’s the script, enjoy.
p=$(pwd)

for i in *flv
do
echo Scanning $i
x=$(exiftool "$i" | grep Totalduration | awk '{print $3}')
x=${x%%.*}
let x=x+1
echo $i is ${x%%.*} seconds long.
f=$p/$i
echo LOAD $f >> playlist.plist
echo SIZE 160x120 >> playlist.plist
echo LOOP >> playlist.plist
echo OPACITY 100 >> playlist.plist
echo POSITION 0,0 >> playlist.plist
echo PLAY $f,$x >> playlist.plist
echo >> playlist.plist
done

From an email I received this morning:
[quote]Dear [redacted]

Thank you for placing your order, reference number [redacted].

Unfortunately we have suffered a surprisingly high demand for the Nexus One From Google, which means that it is unexpectedly out of stock.

Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused. We hope to have further stock available within 7-10 working days and will contact you again once your order has been dispatched.

If you have any further queries please contact us on 0844 854 0430 or email info@v-store.co.uk, quoting your order number as your reference.

Thank you for ordering with Vodafone.

Kind regards,

Vodafone Customer Care[/quote]

I spent over half an hour on the phone, 20 minutes waiting for someone to pick up the phone, 10 minutes venting my irritation that to me being told “You will receive the Nexus One on the day of release” actually means “You will receive the Nexus One on the day of release”.

I was one of the very first people to preorder the phone, I happened to be in a vodafone shop discussing the release date of the Nexus One just moments after the press release was announced and signed up immediately.

Guess who is not a happy bunny and even got the woman in retentions to agree to pay my landline bill for the time spent on the call:
“You should have dialled 190 from your vodafone handset and this would have been free.”
“No I was given the 0844 number in the email, no mention of 190.”
“Ah ok we will credit your bill for the cost of the call once you receive the bill.”

Last night I moved my V+ box from the living room to the bedroom.

I assumed that the box would detect that there was no HDMI connection and fallback to a scart output.  I was wrong.

A quick google (15 minutes worth actually) led me to a page that gave me instructions how to do it:

On the V+ box press simultaneously Play and Fast Forward, hold them down and press reset.

Release the reset button but continue to hold the Play and Fast Forward buttons for approximately 40 seconds.

The word “output” will come up on the LCD, use the left and right buttons on the box to select “SP” and press OK

After a short time the box will reset and you will have the output set to scart.

I just had a card delivered from Virgin Media with the following message (see my thoughts at the bottom of the article):

THANK YOU

Hi there,

Because we think you’re a great customer we’ve added a little something special to your phone package.

From now on you’ll get free calls to Virgin mobiles as part of the free calls in your home phone call plan.

It’s our way of saying thanks.

All the best,
The Virgin Media Team.

P.S. To find out a bit more, go to virginmedia.com/freecalls

On the back page is the small print which is as follows:

Calls to “active” Virgin Mobile numbers are free. As with your landline calls, re-dial before 60 mins to avoid call charges. To be “active” the Virgin Mobile number called must have originated a chargeable outbound event (call, sms, data session) within the previous 90 days. Remember that if you call a Virgin Mobile number that is roaming overseas, that number will still be charged any applicable roaming tariff, even though your part of the call may be free.

So if you are on Virgin Media and buy a Pay As you Go SIM card (they cost pennies nowadays, the market is flooded with them) and top up the minimum amount and send one SMS message every 90 days you basically have a phone with free inbound calls for years to come.

Just remember to hang up the landline and redial when you are approaching an hour or the call will be charged for time over an hour.

Virgin Mobile minimum top up is £5.00, just stay off the internet with the phone and you’ll be set for ages.

Text to other Virgin Mobiles cost 10p per text, so it would take 4500 days to go through the £5.00 (£5.00 / 10p = 50 messages, 50 messages every 90 days = 4500 days).

Don’t know anyone else with a Virgin Mobile? Simple, just text a message to yourself.

I just received the following reply to an email made to Gamestation UK regarding Sony Playstation 3 OtherOS removal in firmware version 3.21:

Hello Gregory
Thank you for your email.

Thanks for your email, may I at the outset apologise for the delayed response. We are currently receiving a high number of emails and we are working to respond as quickly as possible.

I can confirm that Gamestation are not in a position to offer a refund for your PS3 console.

Upon setup of your PS3 console you would have agreed to a set of Terms and conditions, it is in these Terms and Conditions that Sony did make provisions to effect an upgrade that could cause a loss of functionality. If you refer to Paragraph 10 of the Playstation Network Terms of Service and User agreement you will be able to see the full details.

It is consumer choice when it comes to accepting updates, if you choose not to update your console then Gamestation cannot be held responsible for loss of functionality.

You may wish to contact Sony, 08447 360 595 with regards to this issue who may be able to assist you further on this occasion.

Regards,

Katy
Gamestation

I replied to this email with the following:

Thank you for responding to my enquiry.

Please allow me to reply and restate my case.

As the retailer I purchased the console from it is your duty in law to abide by all rules and regulations dictated.

Your company is clearly violating EU law Directive 1999/44/EC, as previously stated.

My purchase was from your Company, not Sony Entertainment, which makes you as the retailer liable.

Please take the time to reread the Directive text quoted below and I will break it down afterwards to show your stance is incorrect:
“The goods must:
comply with the description given by the seller[1] and posses the same qualities and characteristics as other similar goods
be fit for the purpose which the consumer requires them[2] and which was made known to the seller at the time of purchase[3].”
[1] Your Company is the seller, not Sony Entertainment
[2] I required the use of OtherOS and the ability to play legitimately purchased games
[3] I was told by your Sales Representative instore that I could do both of the above with the console I purchased

Upon Sony removing the OtherOS functionality the product became no longer fit for purpose under [2] as shown above
Upon Sony removing the OtherOS functionality the product was no longer as described by the Seller at the time of the purchase under [3] as shown above

Please take the time to reconsider your position and my request, noting that other Companies in the same position as yourselves are already issuing partial refunds to comply with the aforementioned EU law Directive 1999/44/EC

I also notice in your email reply the following sentence which I find very interesting and will investigate further:

“It is consumer choice when it comes to accepting updates, if you choose not to update your console then Gamestation cannot be held responsible for loss of functionality.”

I understand that to mean that if I was to update then Gamestation can be held responsible for loss of functionality.

In good faith

Gregory Fenton

The original message I sent was as follows:

Sent: 09/04/2010
To: info@gamestation.co.uk
Subject: Product Enquiry

A website user has submitted the following query:

Name: Gregory Email Address: [redacted] Phone: Preferred contact method: Email

User Query: I purchased a playstation 3 60GB console from one of your retail stores.

The purchase was made specifically because of the ‘OtherOS’ feature which was a selling point of the PS3 60GB over the newer slimline models.

I actually purchased from the store a 250GB slimline PS3 but returned it the next day when I discovered that OtherOS was not part of the slimline range, and was sold the PS3 60GB on the basis that it had the OtherOS feature.

Sony recently updated the firmware code and disabled the OtherOS functionality thus breaking EU law Directive 1999/44/EC and making your company liable under this paragraph:
“The goods must:
comply with the description given by the seller and posses the same qualities and characteristics as other similar goods
be fit for the purpose which the consumer requires them and which was made known to the seller at the time of purchase.”

I note that Amazon UK is already offering refunds without return of the item of approximately 20% the sale value of the console even though said consoles are no longer covered by their warranty due to age.

I ask you to consider your duty in law and offer me the same percentage refund on my purchase.

Relevant links:
directive 1999/44/ec

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l32022_en.htm

Amazon refunds customer for OtherOS removal

http://www.playstationuniversity.com/ps3-owner-refunded-without-return-for-missing-other-os-3555/

Somehow, somewhere along the line my number pad stopped working as a number pad and instead started controlling the mouse cursor (in Windows it is referred to as mousekeys).

I use my number pad on a very regular basis and soon became extremely frustrated at this.

Here’s the solution:

System – Preferences – Assistive Technologies

Keyboard Accessibility

Mouse Keys

Clear the checkbox [ ] Pointer can be controlled using the keypad

No need to reboot, it is instantaneous and sticky across reboots.

I have just received the following email from Gamestation regarding a partial refund under EU law over Sony Firmware version 3.21 and OtherOS removal:

Hello Gregory

Thank you for your email.

We are currently investigating your query further and would like the opportunity to contact you via phone to discuss this further once we are in a position to do so.

We would kindly ask that you provide a contact number as well as a proof of purchase for your console. Once this has been received a member of staff will be in touch when possible.

To send us your proof of purchase either attach it to an email as a jpeg, or as part of a word file. Alternatively you can fax it to us on 01256 784226, or you can post it to us here:

Customer Services
Gamestation
Unity House
Telford Road
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG21 6YJ

If posting this to us please include a covering letter with your details. We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Lucy M

Gamestation

For those of you in the know, this is the last stage their parent company GAME UK takes before issuing refunds.

Beginning the process of finding the receipt, although strictly according to the UK SOGA it is not necessary – their own systems will have the sale registered.

If you have been affected by this situation do not lose heart, and definitely do not take no for their final answer.

Even the age of the console is not an issue – “reasonable time” is what you think is reasonable, not just what the seller thinks is reasonable.

Just think back to all the comedy sketches about the guarantees lasting until you leave the shop, the Sale of Goods Act (SOGA) is in place to protect the consumer.

Mailed to Gamestation UK – the retail outfit I purchased my PS3 60GB from:

I purchased a playstation 3 60GB console from one of your retail stores.

The purchase was made specifically because of the “OtherOS” feature which was a selling point of the PS3 60GB over the newer slimline models.

I actually purchased from the store a 250GB slimline PS3 but returned it the next day when I discovered that OtherOS was not part of the slimline range, and was sold the PS3 60GB on the basis that it had the OtherOS feature.

Sony recently updated the firmware code and disabled the OtherOS functionality thus breaking EU law Directive 1999/44/EC and making your company liable under this paragraph:
“The goods must:
comply with the description given by the seller and posses the same qualities and characteristics as other similar goods
be fit for the purpose which the consumer requires them and which was made known to the seller at the time of purchase.”

I note that Amazon UK is already offering refunds without return of the item of approximately 20% the sale value of the console even though said consoles are no longer covered by their warranty due to age.

I ask you to consider your duty in law and offer me the same percentage refund on my purchase.

I request a formal response regarding your position via email within 14 days.

Relevant links:
directive 1999/44/ec

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l32022_en.htm

Amazon refunds customer for OtherOS removal

http://www.playstationuniversity.com/ps3-owner-refunded-without-return-for-missing-other-os-3555/