Felix Ker's blog

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This question may sound silly, but I believe not everyone is on SP2 yet.

I happen to be using a friend’s workstation and discovered I couldn’t install Microsoft’s SQL Management Studio (SQL Server 2005). The main reason was because the workstation had only SP1 installed. Unable to do my work; totally disappointed, I was!

Why upgrade?

Microsoft gave us many reasons such as Proactive Protection, Compatibility, Improved Manageability, Windows Firewall, Blocking Pop-ups, Internet Explorer, Updates, Wireless, and more new technologies.

The few features I find useful:

Windows Firewall – I believe this is the most useful. Remember the Blaster worm a few years back? If you had your firewall turned on, you should be protected against it. We don’t know what’s coming up from hackers, but with the firewall, you should be kinda safe.

Pop-up Blocker – I personally find this quite useful. 4 out of 5 stars. Simple, pop-ups irritate and disturbs what I’m looking at. Just don’t like to close windows while looking at sites.

Wireless Internet made easy – Wireless networks can be discovered and managed with the friendly GUI. What I just did was double-click on my home’s wireless, set the 64-bit WEP network key and I’m in. Fast and easy, isn’t it?

Read more about the features

Windows XP SP3

SP3 is coming out very soon. Sometime within these few days. (According to sources) I’m not sure if you can upgrade to SP3 without going on SP2.

I’ve tried Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2, but didn’t notice any improvements. Maybe they’re just too transparent to me. Did SP3 just made more keys for Windows XP? 

Whatever, let’s just wait for an official release. Will Microsoft be late again?

Have you upgraded?

Are you already using Windows Vista? Or still on Windows XP? Service Pack 2? Or still SP1?

If you’re download from torrents often and get bad speed, you should read my entry on How to Speed up your Torrent downloads! Soon after I posted, a friend responded to me via MSN that after optimizing, his download speed increased from 10KBps to 80KBps on a 1mbps Internet connection!

If you’ve tried, how did it go for you? If you haven’t, speed up now (just a few steps).

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The entry was written as part of an entry to support Sarah’s contest at BlueJar. Now that the final entries list is out, I’m going to vote for…

• How To Track New RSS Subscribers Google Analytics in 3 Easy Steps
• Simple way to track downloads
• How to add copyright notices to your blog

The entries I’m voting for are in no order.

There’s a hell load of people in this Internet community asking why is their torrent file downloading at such a slow speed despite having a 6mbps Internet. Inspired by BlueJar’s How-To Group Writing Project I’m writing this “How-To” entry to help you speed up your torrent downloads.

Before we actually start with configuring to speed up, there are several things you have to know.

1. Internet speed. Don’t be confused by the speed you are connected from your LAN (Ethernet) port to your modem/router. That is NOT your Internet speed. Look at the package you subscribed with your Internet Service Provider (ISPs). You should be able to know the speed. Example will be: 5mbps download / 512kbps upload. (Note the ‘mbps’/'kbps’ – the ‘b’ in small letters actually means bits and not bytes.)
2. Router? Are you using a router? If you are, you probably have to know the model of your router and forward the port correctly. [We'll be covering this at a later part]
3. Firewall. Remember to allow the port that you’re going to set later on.
4. Your favourite bittorrent client. There are so many programs released in the market. But which is your favourite? Choose your favourite and let’s go! (Note that I’m only showing screenshots for BitComet & uTorrent.)
5. Seeds. The number of seeds that’s actually seeding the torrent; the more the merrier. If there are many torrents for a particular download you’re interested in, be sure you get the right one. [Refer to screenshot]
   
6. I think that’s all you need to know to start speeding up. Fire your favourite torrent client and let’s go!

I must mention that downloading of copyrighted materials is illegal. Happy downloading!

Page 1 – General
Page 2 – BitComet Custom Settings
Page 3 – uTorrent Custom Settings
Page 4 – Other BitTorrent client settings

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Torrent Speed

 I’m falling in love with this track… Lyrics below & View more to load audio!

M2M – Pretty Boy

I lie awake at night
See things in black and white
I’ve only got you inside my mind
You know you have made me blind

I lie awake and pray
That you will look my way
I have all this longing in my heart
I knew it right from the start

Oh my pretty pretty boy I love you
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
Oh my pretty pretty boy
I need you
Oh my pretty pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you

I used to write your name
And put it in a frame
And sometime I think I hear you call
Right from my bedroom wall

You stay a little while
And touch me with your smile
And what can I say to make you mine
To reach out for you in time

Oh my pretty pretty boy I love you
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
Oh my pretty pretty boy
I need you
Oh my pretty pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you

Oh pretty boy
Say you love me too

Oh my pretty pretty boy I love you
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
Oh my pretty pretty boy
I need you
Oh my pretty pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you

Read the rest of this entry »