Houses and Browsers

Houses and Browsers #

17 October 1998

I seem to sleep better in other people’s beds. How strange. I have been given many opportunities to formulate this hypothesis over recent months, as holidaying colleagues have kindly allowed me to stay in their houses to avoid the hellish commuting that I usually endure. Perhaps it’s simply the knowledge that I won’t have to wake at 5:30am and drive 60+ miles that causes me to sleep more soundly, or maybe it’s something deeper than that - my IKEA catalogue suggests that for a really good night’s sleep you should ‘make your bedroom a haven, keep it uncluttered, use calm colours’, which is simply impossible to do in my own room, which doubles up as my world, and contains most of my worldly possessions. I’m thinking of trying a control experiment - sleeping in my spare room in my sleeping bag, to see if this has a similar effect.

Long term, I’d love my own place; a nice little cosy apartment to turn into my own bijou bachelor pad. Hence the IKEA catalogue, and mortgage leaflets. Maybe in a couple of years, after I’ve paid off some more student debts, and settled down a little more.

Meanwhile, there are still prospects of moving closer to work - I viewed a town-centre house on Thursday, but at the moment it’s just a barren shell; the new owner plans major renovations over the coming months. I’ve left him my name and number, I’ll take a look when the work is finished.

I spent ages this afternoon downloading the second preview release of Netscape Communicator 4.5. I was quite excited about this release, fully expecting it to support StyleSheets at least as proficiently as IE4. Does it? Nope, not that I can tell. In fact, if anything, I’ve spotted more bugs. sigh I’d really love to be able to say how much I still liked Netscape, but they seem to be losing the browser war now, unless they hurry up and implement better CSS support. Maybe the full version of NC4.5 will surprise me…

I’m still mulling over the palmtop/laptop idea - I find it quite difficult to remember all the cute things I thought about writing during the course of the week. A paper notebook would be cheaper, of course, but not nearly so much fun. I need my technology fix!

Oh, talking of technology, my bank have finally invited me to take part in their internet banking trial. Hurrah! I expected the registration process to be speedy and online, but ’tis not so. In fact, it’s more anachronistic than ever:

  • They post me the web-page address at which to register my details (all of which they already should know)
  • On receiving my details electronically, they post me a copy of their terms and conditions.
  • I sign the terms and conditions and return them in the post.
  • They then post me my logon details.

What a rigmarole. I’m sure this could all be done in minutes online, or at least via their telephone banking service, but I guess they have to be careful about security…

23:07 I don’t quite understand why, but this IKEA catalogue keeps finding its way into my hands. Instead of the laptops, motherboards, and SIMM chips that I usually fawn over, I find myself musing over how nice it would be to relax in my own apartment on that big brightly-coloured sofa, in front of that glass-topped coffee table, on which I’ve neatly arranged copies of The Face and Dazed And Confused (I figure that perhaps PC Pro and Micro Mart will be consigned to a fashionable magazine rack). Before I know it, I’ve selected bookcases, new CD racks, lamps, toothbrush holders, mattresses and bedside cabinets. I’ve already furnished the bachelor pad I do not own!