The bad news is that the plugin which displayed the random Gallery image at the top of the right hand side bar doesn’t work any more.     I’ll see what I can find out over the weekend.

Hopefully I’ll be able to get things back up and running at some point today…

This came with a default set of header pictures, and good though they were, they didn’t fit us. I had a trawl through some of our pictures looking for suitable ones, and quickly created a selection. I know I probably shouldn’t, but I must say that I do like the one on the homepage. I think it successfully evokes the sense (joyous mayhem!) of a walk with the lurchers. The first person to name all the humans and hounds will receive a prize.*

Jennie has also created some fine header pictures one of which is currently in use. I think I’ve read something about a plugin to randomly display them, but I’m not sure whether to look into it as I already have the random Gallery picture. Let me know whether you think I should!

*Remember:- prize value may fall as well as rise.

Note – the links (above and right) are currently set to open in a new window because there isn’t a “Return to homepage” link on the gallery yet. Just another item on my to-do list!

Not that anyone is likely to care, but this is Gallery v2 and it was v1 that I had on my old site. How does it compare? Well, it was far easier to install for a start! It was almost just a case of creating the database, uploading the zip file, extracting and stepping through the install wizard.

Right, enough waffle – it’s playtime!

This doesn’t mean I’m going to start to do anything too flash (due to a complete lack of creative juices!) but it does mean that I can make changes when I want to. The priority remains building a Gallery.

It’s been a long time coming (forging a new career got in the way) but I’ve wanted to sack 1&1 for a long time now. It wasn’t so much that their server went bang and lost everything, it was the fact that they dragged out restoring the backup for months…only to then say “Oh, this has gone on too long, your backup is no more!” Turns out the useless tossers only keep backups for three days anyway! So quite how (and why!) they managed to drag it out for so long is beyond me.

Anyway, good things come to those who wait! I am now paying half the amount for a much better package and level of service. The new host is TSOHost and so fary, so goody. I completed the purchase shortly before 1700 yesterday (Friday, 28th Dec) and they had me up and running almost immediately. The support ticket I opened with a question about the domain transfer was answered very quickly too.

One of the reasons for moving was to be able to create a MYSQL database. This means I can create a new, super-whizzy photo gallery – probably using Gallery v2. This may take a little while for me to complete so please bear with me. Once it’s done I’ll upload all our photos (I hadn’t bothered after 1&1 lost the old website because I knew I was going to move it).

I think the front page will stay as the Blogger blog because I’ve got the moblogging working well.

Right, off for a Wii at the Outlaw’s!

It’s time to take the hooligan hounds out for a rampage, and then some chores, so the building of the gallery will have to wait.

Well, kinda. I’ve torn down the main website, and am going to have a go at building something halfway decent. Seeing as I have no computer hacking skills, no design skills, and no bow hunting skills* it may take some time…

* If that’s not making any sense, then go watch Napoleon Dynamite.

I’ve managed to get the email client configured on the 6280, but things are far from easy. To send an MMS: view pic, choose send, the pic is resized and sent. Unfortunately, this particular Poxia dumbphone doesn’t give you the option to send as email, unlike most other phones. The upshot is you have to start the email client, and this is where it begins to get annoying…

• It takes ages to fire up and connect.
• To create a new message and add a recipient from your contacts you have to select edit (using the D pad) to enter the field, the left softkey to select options, back to the D pad to select search, and finally you’re looking at your contacts.
• Having done that, and typed the subject and any message, it’s time to add the picture. So, it’s left softkey for options, use the D pad scroll down to select attach , open the memory card, open images, wait…, and then find the pictures are listed by name – no thumbnail. When the correct picture has finally been found, you try and open it only to be told it’s too large to attach. Aaaarrrggh!
• Let’s just hope you didn’t hit the call end key in frustration, cos the message doesn’t auto-save to drafts!
• So, you navigate your way to the picture you wanted to send, select it, and are happy to see that there’s an image editor option. Hurrah. But no resize option. Bugger.
• The only way is to create an MMS with the picture you want to send, as this will resize automatically. Then, rather than sending it, save it off, come out of the gallery, go into messaging, into drafts, find your message, and save the attachment.
• Congratulations, you can now go back into the email app. and start all over again.

Anyone wanna buy a Nokia 6280 – hardly used?!