Just noticed that the total members number has now passed 5000 (in fact 5020 as I type).

Cool eh !!

How sad.

Sounds like you need to type faster, then, Dave.

Hopefully, Huw will have a go at giving a clicking* noise each time the number increments. Now, that would be fun!

Meanwhile ... I wonder how many of those users are what we might call "active"? I know of at least a few who have passed on to that Great Biomed Workshop in the Sky (with strict instructions to reserve a bench for me, at the back, near the window).

Also ... how many lurkers (non-posters) ... and any other category we can conjure up?

* Or some other sound. Any suggestions?

Yes, yes, you are right, my typing skills leave a lot to be desired. That one word per day can be an issue.

It was about 4990 one day and then when I thought to check again (today) it had jumped forward. Such is life.



Not all that many by the looks of things, seems to be a hardy core of people with no lives at all if you ask me (oh, hang on, that must therefore include me..... mmmm, not so good )

Still, perhaps if the monthly price was a bit more, um, monthly, (eh, Huw) it might encourage more active participation rather than just us ol' farts with more time on our hands than is good for us !

Now, where did I leave my drink ...... and anyway, I have some serious gardening to get on with in the morning, enough already

People all over the world have an "on-line life" these days. Especially the young.

Far better to make the odd post on tech forums like this one, I would have thought ... rather than the "I just saw Sharon* in the High Street, and she really smiled at me (or was it my spots?)" type of BS that most people waste half a day with on Facebook, Twitter et al.

Also ... I don't know about the rest of you old farts, but I simply keep an eye on the forum whilst doing, shall we say, more interesting things ... like plonking away at the workbench! Now ... that is sad.

* Feel free to insert whichever chav name you prefer. I can always put in a good word for you!

Hi Geoff
Yup, one lurker present

We just finished JCI review last thursday so I now have time to "lurk moar"

Hope you are in good health and just in closing, while resting after a long bout of Borderlands, I was watching a re-run of Top Gear (one of the episodes in season 14) where they built an electric car and Jeremy Clarkson named the kit as "Geoff" and they pronounced it as "Jeff" . Pardon me for asking, is it how your name is pronounced my friend ?

Hello Alan. Borderlands ... the video game? Now, that really is time well spent! NOT!

No need for those graphics, Mate. Just nip across the border into Saudi! I think you might come across some of the characters there, as well!

Man! They even have the Birds of Prey!

Yes, Clarkson is a rude [censored]! But, he does come from Doncaster, after all.

But (on the plus side), I believe that his Mum and Dad were the originators* of the legendary Paddington Bear!

We English seem to be good at that sort of stuff. Remember Winnie the [censored] Pooh?

Yeah, Geoffrey ... it can be taken to mean "peaceful traveller", by the way. Which just goes to show what fantastic foresight my Dear Old Mum really had! Ha, ha.

Shortened to Geoff ... as in Jeff.

* But not the Paddington Bear stories, which were the work of a guy called Michael Bond, apparently.

I was called sad (whilst in the Middle East) for actually enjoying my work. I also get called sad for being a computer geek.

I'm currently writing my first (serious) database abstraction layer, which will probably also be considered as sad.

I really don't care

Maybe we need to have a competition, then, Huw.

Here's my pitch for openers:-

I'm still using the "toolkit" that came in the Goodies Bag at the Wyboston Lakes get-together.

I mean, how sad is that?

PS: I also enjoy what I do. Can't see much wrong with that. To my mind, it's all those who profess to hate their work who are the real losers!

Don't worry, Mate. We're right, and they're wrong!

If you don't enjoy what you do, then that is sad. The people who have nothing to do (no ambition, no get up and go) call the rest of the world sad. So who is really sad?

What's the opposite of sad ... joy?

OK, so real joy is when you not only enjoy what you do, but are able to find someone willing (or daft enough) to pay you for doing it!

In fact (thinking about it a bit more) ... that's a state of Nirvana!

The monthly price? doh! prize of course

(and thank you all for not pointing out my faux pas )

I wouldn't dare!

You are absolutely right Dave. I should have explained how this works.

The monthly prize is dependant on any funds left over after paying the bills.

The accounts have just gone to the accountants and if there is anything left to spend, we will share it out as usual

Another point I should explain...

If the prize winner is not living in the UK, then we will send Gift Vouchers to an equivalent value.

There should be no need to entice folk on to the forum.

Personally, I would be happier if the "prize" was ploughed back into the website ... or donated to charity.

May be the da da da da da of the Drager Evita 4 powering up (ok you try and right down the sound and yes I know its sad)

Phil

That's not sad, Phil ... that's inspired!

(note to Huw:- maybe we need a way to write musical score)

How abou the start up tune from the older Dinamaps?

Lee

Ah ... I see you've discovered one of my secret weaknesses, Lee.

Don't you just love those merry little tunes?

Ahh the Dinamaps of old were soooh similar...

I believe it was....


...but then I am not musically trained.

Sorry Mate, but I reckon it was more like:-


Where [,] is a slight pause!

Nothing like it Geoff.

How come i can whistle it (out of tune obviously) but can not work out how to put it on paper?

Maybe Huw's right, a bit of musical training is required.


Lee

Maybe I'm thinking of one of the other Fisher-Price bits of kit, then.

I've thought of another good one, the alarm on the patient monitor on a Datex Ohmeda S/5 Anaesthetic machine.

Which goes "do do do do" with the pitch slightly rising on each note and the period between them reducing slightly.

Lee

Kind of:-


then?

Anyone else like to recall "Hungarian Notation" ... or, for that matter, Backus–Naur Form?

Do Ra Me So Fa La Te Do ....... Austrian Notation?????

I have hear that the early Fisher and Paykel humidifiers could be set to sound the NEw Zealand national anthem but has anyone actually done it? Or is it another of those urban myths?
Robert

Sorry to be sad ... but I know blokes who enjoy getting floppy disc drives to play (what sounds a bit like) classical music!

I reckon we could have hit on a whole new rich seam here, guys ... medical equipment ring-tones!

ROJO,
"have hear that the early Fisher and Paykel humidifiers could be set to sound the NEw Zealand national anthem but has anyone actually done it? Or is it another of those urban myths?"

Your not wrong, I remember it well. It was the old 600 series.
You had to have the teperature probe and heater wire unplugged and hold down the mute button on startup.

You got about 2mins worth I think.

That's more like it! Keep them coming, lads.

a bit off topic, but you can get a tune out of anything if you try hard enough

http://www.pistonheads.tv/clip1085

Just come across another merry little tune ... as the Storz Autocon 50 (ESU) fires up!

I don't suppose anyone has a manual for this one?