flyinghaggis

Ironically the bigger 29" wheels are why I'm such a fan of newer mountain bikes! The carry momentum way better and a far more stable at speed than the old 26" ones. Much better off road as they roll easily over roots and ruts plus more stable at speed. I joked about the n+1 bike thing but I personally don't feel you can get anything more versatile than a modern 29" hardtail mountain bike. Great off road and plenty quick enough on road if you fit semi-slick tyres. Plus most come with mounts for a rack/mudguards so fine for commuting duties if required. Lots of nice tech/featues in them these days as well like hydraulic disc brakes, air suspension and single chainring gearing. I appreciate everyone has different preferences/priorities for what they're looking for in a bike so what works for me may not suit others! Main thing is to get out and enjoy the summer weather whatever type of bike you have!

I have the same selection in my garage but I tend to always grab my mountain bike when I'm out for a cycle at a weekend just for the ability to venture offroad down any forest trails. Even commuting to work I usually take my mountain bike just because it's so much smoother and more comfortable over rutted, pothole ridden city streets. Not noticeably slower over a 30 minute commute by the time you factor in traffic lights and congestion either. I occassionally use my hybrid when going into town as it's an older cheaper bike so happy to leave it lying about without (too much) fear of it being slolen. I should probably sell my road bike as it's been sat in my shed for the past 3 years!

TBH I'd just go with your original plan of getting a mountain bike and keep the road bike providing space for two bikes isn't a critical issue. Those gravel bikes seem pretty expensive anyway compared to mountain bikes so it's probably going to be the cheaper option. Also, most cyclists generally concur that :- "The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned." Joking aside though I think you're right with your assumption that you'll just end up with a bike that isn't as good as either. Slower on the road than a road bike and not as capable/comfortable off road as a mountain bike. Far better to have a mountain bike for when you want to go off road to check out forest trails or gravel paths and a road bike for speed/distance on tarmac roads IMO.

Do you know if Afi.ai offer educational pricing. I've contacted them via their website stating we're a school, but they've only offered a per user rate of ~£10 annually which if we have to pay it for pupils would make it more than double the price of other options?

I know a few folk on here have suggested onsite synology backups but I think our management would prefer to keep the backups offsite. The Cubebackup/Wasabi option sounds promising though. In terms of the functionality is it limited in any way compared to a more integrated/managed system like Backupify/Spanning/Syscloud/etc? How much additional workload does it generate in terms of managing the backups? I *was* quite keen on the concept of stuff like Spanning until recently but it's turns out they seem to have dropped the ball with our backups and it looks like we're missing data/folder structure and permissions from them despite the backup console claiming everything was OK. I'd assumed that with someone else managing the backups they'd actually be taking steps to ensure the integrity and consistency of them but it looks like that's not the case. As the saying goes "you can outsource the work but never the risk"! So if we're going to have to take the responsibility of regularly double-checking our backups to ensure the management console and provider aren't misrepresenting the integrity of them perhaps we'd be better off running them ourselves directly!

We've been running into issues (inconsistent backups, missing folder structure information for files, connectivity/performance issues in the web management console) with our Spanning backups of Google Workspace so are considering looking at alternatives. Spanning has worked pretty well for us in the past but recently it just doesn't seem very reliable. Is there anything folk on here would recommend as a similar cloud/hosted backup solution for Google Workspace?

We're currently using LibraESVA with our Google Workspace domain. Works OK though you still have to relay all email through them before it reaches Google's mail servers. Would be better if Google could offer a way for third party email security companies to integrate more directly with Google Workspace to streamline the scanning and filtering of email?

I can just about understand how an inflationary rise could be considered reasonable but I've no idea now companies are legally allowed to jack up prices whilst customers are in contract by that plus an arbitrary amount. I'm surprised regulators haven't cracked down on it to be honest. With CPI/RPI being what it is that means around a 15% annual rise in your bills which is not in inconsiderable amount. Well above 10% more than most peoples pay has gone up this year I suspect!

One of my favourite pc strategy games Duskers is free on epic store just now! It’s a really unusual rogue like played with keyboard terminal CLI commands with a bit of a retro aliens style aesthetic. Definitely worth trying out as it’s pretty unique �� https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/pc-duskers-pegi-7-free-feb-23-mar-02-at-epic-games-store-4088036

Has anyone in the position replacing their boiler looked into how the cost compares to buying a heat pump? From some of the prices I saw quoted in the media last year it looked like if wasn't really a viable option compared to the cost of a regular gas boiler even taking the energy savings into account? I'd assume it's even less viable for those living in flats which will make up the bulk of rented properties given the savings will be lower than a typical semi-detached/detached house?

Sky must be feeling the pinch at the moment as I'm sure it's one of the first things people will cut back on in the current climate. Especially when there are so many streaming services/etc out there now. I'm still with Sky for internet but I cancelled the TV service as they weren't willing to budge on pricing and I wasn't really interested in haggling with them over it. I've reached the point where I'd rather just pay for internet on it's own and sign up to TV services separately.

I presume the main reason for a "digital pound" would be to provide the central bank greater visibility/better auditing of transactions and more control over the money they're issuing?

What are you trying to avoid? And what are you trying to achieve? Primarily I want to avoid pupils having the freedom to run scripts and executable code on the live school network and have this run in a controlled sandbox environment where they can't cause any damage whether intentional or accidentally. They'll need to be able to install applications such as Apache. MySQL, PHP & Python. It doesn't need to be a live system accessible to the public as it's purely for them creating projects /coursework for the curriculum. Will a disposable sandbox work, or do you need persistence? The images will need to be persistent as pupils will want to use it for ongoing work Do you need an environment per user, that they can set up and keep? Yes, each pupil will need their own environment or VM Image to work on. What network access do you want them to have? LAN? Internet? Filtered? Only filtered Internet Access. No Local network access Do they want to run servers, what should the local firewall settings be? Nothing accessible on the internet or the live school network Do they want to have servers running continuously? Or just when they have their computer on? No, we only need it to be running whilst the pupils are working on them. Do they want access in any place in the school? At home? Or just in 1 classroom? It would be helpful if they could access the environment/image from both in school and at home.

We've been using Virtualbox for nearly a decade to run programming/coding apps but our computing staff are starting to push for more flexibility and convenience. The Virtualbox VM we have has no network/internet access and is only able to communicate via a mapped file share to the home area of the local user. We looked at options for tagging the VM traffic with VLAN information/etc to try and route it out directly to the web without granting access to the rest of the network but couldn't find a way to do this? Even if that were possible I think they'd still want more than a Virtualbox image can offer. Most of the coding teaching us now done usingReplit as it's far more convenient. The problem we're finding is there are limitations to the functionality it offers and there are certain situations (exams, contingency) where an offline local app is more suitable. Also, some of the older pupils doing the subject at a more advanced level require access to Python, MySQL and PHP in order to link a web application to a back end datbase. Some also want to carry out more bespoke stuff for project work, etc. So there are instances where Replit isn't an option. I'm still convinced that the future is moving towards some kind of hosted VM whether its in Azure or another platform. I'd be keen to hear if any other schools have moved away from Virtualbox towards a cloud/hosted/online based alternative? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've also replied to the thread here which might be a better place to discuss Virtualbox alternatives to avoid cluttering up this thread? http://www.edugeek.net/forums/how-do-you-do/231089-creating-running-exes-computer-science-students.html

We've been using Virtualbox for nearly a decade to run programming/coding apps but our computing staff are starting to push for more flexibility and convenience. The Virtualbox VM we have has no network/internet access and is only able to communicate via a mapped file share to the home area of the local user. We looked at options for tagging the VM traffic with VLAN information/etc to try and route it out directly to the web without granting access to the rest of the network but couldn't find a way to do this? Even if that were possible I think they'd still push for more functionality than a Virtualbox image can offer. Most of the coding teaching us now done using Replit (https://replit.com) as it's far more convenient. The problem we're finding is there are limitations to the functionality it offers and there are certain situations (exams, contingency) where an offline local app is more suitable. Also, some of the older pupils doing the subject at a more advanced level require access to Python, MySQL and PHP in order to link a web application to a back end datbase. Some also want to carry out more bespoke apps for project work, etc. So there are instances where Replit isn't an option. I'm still convinced that the future is moving towards somekind of hosted VM whether its in Azure or another platform. I'd be keen to hear if any other schools have moved away from Virtualbox towards a cloud/hosted/online based alternative for programming?

I currently have a (non-smart) TV with an original Google Chromecast I use for streaming services. However, I've decided to buy an Apple TV 4K for Xmas to replace it as the Chromecast is a few years old and doesn't support more recent codec's like x265 plus it's not great at streaming content over a local network. Looked at a couple of options but I have an iPhone/Mac so it seems liked the obvious goto choice. Though I can appreciate that it's a bit limited as it doesn't support local USB storage and you're restricted as to the apps it supports via the Apple Store. Likewise, I've also recently gotten rid of Sky TV so contemplating buying a Freeview recorder of some kind just so I have the option to record broadcast television if there's something on I want to keep. If anyone has any recommendations let me know!

The Google Pixel 6a looks like it's on sale just now so you can probably get it for near £300. At least then your sorted for timely Android OS updates and patches for a good few years.

Speaking of COD I'm keen to try out the Warzone 2 Battle Royale F2P when it's out in a couple of weeks time. If anyone fancies a game online when it releases let me know! https://www.callofduty.com/blog/2022/09/call-of-duty-warzone-new-map-al-mazrah-gulag-dmz-intel

Having had my Macbook Air M2 for a while gotta say I'm really impressed with it. Massive improvement over my prevous Intel Macbook Air. Over double the single core and 4 times the multicore CPU performance in most apps whilst staying cool without the need for a fan. The battery life is 14 hours+ which is also more than double that of my old Macbook. The fit, finish, keyboard, trackpad and display are all up to usual Apple standards as well. If you're looking for a laptop and are comfortable with MacOS it's pretty awesome. Only real downsides are the price (even with edu discount but it's ~£1300 if you want it with 16Gb RAM) and the lack of support for multiple external monitors.

That’s something we’ve wondered as our IT director suggested raising the target temperature on the AC by a couple of degrees to save power. But realistically how high should you go as 22 seems quite warm for a server room ?

Speaking of Sky I've just cancelled my Sky TV and have gone with a phone/internet only package. Haven't really used it in ages anyway as between all of the Freeview/Netflix/Prime/Youtube/Twitch streaming services I'm never short of things to watch. Easier just to sign up to the other services for a month at a time than sign up to a single provider for year+ contract.

Yeah, I actually used it when I bought my last Macbook Air in 2019. I originally bought a 13" Macbook Pro (Intel i5) but felt it the performance/hardware wasn't noticeably better than the cheaper Macbook Air to justify the extra cost so returned it and bought the Air instead! Plus I found that I was having eyestrain issues with the display. I don't know if it was to do with Intel graphics dithering, that particular model of display or if I had a faulty unit. Certainly, I never experienced the issue with the Air I bought to replace it. It's scheduled to arrive next week so I'll post my thoughts when it does as it'll be my first experience with Apple's own chips in a laptop Also, now seemed like a pretty good time as, in addition to the regular education discount, they're also doing a "back to uni" offer of £120 Apple Gift Card which you can use at an Apple Store to buy acccessories, hardware & apps. https://www.apple.com/uk-edu/shop/education-pricing

I had a play with one in store last week and was pretty impressed so decided to order a new Macbook Air M2 to replace my current Intel Macbook Air. Should be here in a couple of weeks time as it was a BTO model with 16Gb/512Gb. I did consder whether to get a MBP 14" but I prefer the form factor of the Air and I don't think I'd use the extra GPU performance of the MBP. My only reservation was how well it would work with my 1440p 34" Ultrawide monitor as my current MBA really lags when connected to it. Figured if there are any issues I can always return it though I suspect given the 16Gb RAM and the improved performance of the Apple chip it should be fine. How has everyone been getting on with their M1/2 Apple devices? An gotchas when switching across from the Intel models?

I bought an Logitech MX keys the other week and I'm impressed with it so far. The typing experience is good but what really sold it to me was the feature set as it lets you connect multiple devices over USB/Bluetooth. This means I can switch between my Desktop/Laptop and iPad as required which I find pretty handy. You can often grab them on sale for £70-80 which I feel is reasonable and worth the extra outlay over some of the more generic keyboards.

I've had mine since launch. It's a fantastic device and would definitely recommend it. It's clear Oculus/Meta were subsidising it pretty heavily and likely selling at cost, or maybe even a loss, so I'm not surprised they're hiking the price. Even the original Quest headset was £400 when it launched in 2019 and at that price it's still cheaper than any PCVR headset alternatives. I doubt if even the upcoming Playstation VR2 headset will be any cheaper than £400 and still needs a PS5 to run it. I don't see Apple challenging anyone on price knowing their marketing strategy and Microsoft seem to have lost interest in VR at the moment. So even at the increased price Oculus will have the "budget" end of the VR market to themselves for the forseeable future. Still an amazing bit of tech that can easily justify the £400 price tag though even nearly 2 years after release IMO. You probably need to budget an extra £50 onto the price though as you'll want the Elite headset strap, or a equivalent third party alternative, since the bundled soft strap is useless!