This is just a quick posting to give my warm congratulations to James Goodhead who recieved his final results today and has achieved a First degree clasification in Economics from the University of York. A spectacular grade and one richly deserved considering all the hard work I know he put in. We certainly will have something to celebrate now at North Sea Jazz

I was delighted to check the school of computing online marks system late yesterday and discover that my project in Python had gained me a first (78%) in the module. It’s certainly inspired me to continue the development of TIM just as soon as I have time, and to bring it up to release candidate standard

In the Guardian today I read an article on the BBC’s plans to include advertising on it’s website network. While the BBC has stressed that the advertising would be low-key and not include animation or banner ads, I really do think that this is a worrying step in the wrong direction.

Quite frankly I don’t feel the BBC have the right to place adverts on any of its services, simply because I feel one of the primary reasons for funding the BBC with tax payers money is so we can recieve information be it news, finance, education or anything else without commercial influence and without interuption from the purpose for which sit through a TV program or read a website. We don’t do either of those things to be sold products, and while in some situations it is the being sold products to that funds what we consume, the BBC isn’t supposed to work like that. On a more serious note who wants to be reading about a famine crisis and then have an advert in the middle of the article for ice cream? Sounds extreme but I’ve seen it done on other sites.

I use the BBC because I trust them. I still read their articles with the same level of scepticism as any other source of information on a topic I am as yet unfamiliar with, however I trust the way in which it is delivered. I firmly believe that their main reason for providing the information to me is because taxes have been payed to them for that very purpose. Introducing a commercial element into this information delivery puts a slur on this transparency. Not only are we left to question the sources of the news which is provided to us (as one should do with any news), but we are also left to question if any part of an article has been written in a certain way or placed in a certain location to better enhance the advertising which is interspersed with it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the proposed level of advertising spells the doom and gloom for the quality of the BBC to the levels that I have detailed so far, but I do feel it opens the gate just that little bit more to the amount of advertising increasing at a later date to levels in which they could have an extremely negative impact.

I urge everyone who uses the BBC as a regular source of news and information online, on radio and on television to write to them about your concerns. I will always choose BBC television and radio over any other simply because of the lack of adverts, and only then choose between the channels and stations to find content I want. I think the BBC need to be made aware that it is support like this they are spitting in the face of if they sell out on any of their information mediums.

Not a combination that one would expect to work particularly well, but last night it was a great mix. I went over to Claire’s place to speak with her about a website to showcase her artwork and when I had gone over the requirements and made a few sketches a few other people came over and we set about drinking a fair quantity of wine and enjoying a variety of nibbles and snacks.

It was nice to get together with a few people because it has got rather quiet lately, and I love a good discussion. I have been very privillaged to meet people during my time at Leeds so far who enjoy sitting around drinking and chatting as much as going out on the town. While there is nothing wrong with going out a lot, its nice to know that like me, there are others who see the benefits of a good night in. Getting hopelessly drunk and discussing each others escapades of weeks gone by is, after all, always entertaining, especially when you can’t remember what you did yourself

On the subject of meeting people generally, I have been forced to revise my negative opinion of Clarence Dock with respect to social life. It would appear that it was only my flat/block that was devoid of large amounts of social interaction as the flat I am in now, albeit for a mere week while I wait to be able to move into my house, is a great social centre. People actually speak to each other more than just the odd hi, and despite the fact I’ve only been here a few days we all talk loads and get along well, its great. Kitchens are not just for cooking in, but sitting in with your food and conversing with others. This is a concept while not alien to me seemed to be so for my other flatmates. All the luck of the draw I guess. As a note to all students yet to go into halls who read this; make sure your flat/house is the sociable one, not the ghetto of human interaction. It makes your life so much more fun to be in a lively place

After a long time away from the frontline of maintainance and modification to the core code of RouterTech, I’m back on the case in earnest. A fair few jobs have racked up during my time in the university library revising for exams, and while individually the items of work needed are quite small, in total there are a fair few things to get through. Thanks to Neo for doing signficantly more than holding the fort while I was spending time elsewhere, you’re a star.

RouterTech has gone from strength to strength so far, and while I won’t go as far as to say it is the most successful community I have ever set up, it certainly has the potential to be