Computer problems update

Here's an update on the computer problems I've been whining about. Some good news for a change!

• The scanner problem is fixed - it appears that if you install Adobe Flash it sometimes buggers the bit of the Windows registry that controls security on e.g. scanners. Found this on about the 50th support forum I looked at:
  
  "You should delete 1 extra (parasite) zone from
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\
  with pseudo-graphic number, you'll see it before zone number 0."
  
  Did that and suddenly everything is working perfectly.
  
  
• The web site problem just isn't going away - it's simply Virgin being totally crap, looks like they've lost my records from before Virgin took over NTLWorld. I think a move to another ISP looks very likely, probably BT since I have to pay for a phone line anyway and I can allegedly get up to 16mbit service here. I will probably move forgottenfutures.co.uk to my hosting provider, they seem a lot more interested in keeping things working properly.
  
  
• The nature of the iBook network thing is looking a little clearer, though I don't know what the hell to do about it - if I have any Windows PC switched on and connected to the network the iBook can access the network drive. If none of them are switched on the iBook can't detect it. Previously the PC I've just started using didn't have the network name in its configuration settings, for some reason, that may have been why the problem suddenly became so obvious.
  
  Fortunately 90% of the time one of the PCs is on when I'm at home and wanting to move files, so hopefully this will now be a minor nuisance rather than a serious problem.

So things are becoming clearer and a little better sorted, I hope.

Medical Mysteries of the 100-­Acre-­Wood

An interesting take on Winnie The Pooh from a veterinary health-related perspective:

http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/uploads/file/100%20acre%20wood%20v2.pdf

"Eeyore clearly has a significant undiagnosed metabolic disease, given his body condition, poor muscle mass and lethargy..."

Later - just saw a link to ( the summary version... )

Eyeballs in the sky...

Just to check that the TWAIN driver problem is really solved, I revved up my old IntelPlay microscope and took a self-portrait. Not for the squeamish...

( The eyes have it. )

Reviewing on Archive of our Own

I've just sent this to the development team at Archive Of Our Own. If anyone reading this has influence with the team I'd strongly recommend that they take this on board and do something about it - it has the potential to be a major problem:

Just tried a test - posted a review on one of my own stories when I was logged out, using another address, then logged in and deleted it.

First, the address I used didn't receive any request for confirmation that the owner of the email account had really posted the review. The potential for malicious reviewing should be obvious.

Second, the address didn't receive any notification that the review had been deleted. This has some interesting implications if (for example) a review is a complaint that the story is plagiarised.

I would strongly suggest that there should be some attempt to verify that reviews are genuine, and that reviewers should be notified if reviews are deleted.