A misty Dutch morning from the train.

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Information about how these pages are created

Hardware used:

Most of these html pages have been created on an X-Scale powered IyonixPC currently running RISC OS 5.11-5.16, bought from XAT in Oss. The images were transferred from the camera to the Iyonix using a cable USB connection. The Iyonix due to its greater speed (when compared with our StrongARM RiscPCs) was used for most of the image processing.

I have now started using Apple computers for most of the non-cycling image galleries, and reprocessing MOV and AVI movies into a RISC OS friendly mpg format (although this is now possible under RISC OS). I also create galleries of images with low resolution images to assist with writing the travelogues using an Apple. The webcam is and always has been run off an Apple mac mini.

Text for the travelogues used to be written mostly on a Psion Netbook whilst commuting. I tried taking a Psion 5 with me on tour but used it little and now take an EeePC 701 running Eeebuntu 3 on tours. It has survived surprisingly well in my rear pannier for around 5000km. I also now use the EeePC for writing travelogues when commuting or travelling.

The versatility and power of the EeePC compared to the Psion netBook means I don't miss the netBook at all, not even that lovely clamshell case and the excellent keyboard. Web browsing on the EeePC is fast and reliable with up to date browsers and with Eeebuntu it will connect reliably to almost all Wifi connections encrypted or not. The same cannot be said for the Psion netBook. You have to move on.

Our computers are connected to the internet using an SMC Barricade router supplied by RComp, together with some necessary software to run the Kyocera B&W laser printer. This is coupled to a Zytel modem using an ADSL broadband connection from Cyberhemsen. The various portable devices connect using a cheap SWEEX wireless router which has proven to be reliable enough.

The home network now sports a slow NAS unit for storage and swapping data across computers. All the J-Album galleries reside there so I can use different computers to (re)process galleries. I also use external USB drives connected to Apple computers for additional backup.

The cameras used are an Olympus Camedia C-730 Ultra Zoom bought from Henk Booms Foto Electronicum in Amsterdam. A couple of years ago I picked up a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2 bought from Staffhorst's in Utrecht. This was being sold off cheap in the sales. I bought it as was so cheap it would matter less if I dropped it whilst taking pictures on the move. So far it has produced some great pictures although lacking the wonderful zoom and low light capabilities of the Olympus. In 2008 added an Olympus SP570UZ to the collection and have used it as my main camera since then. It is not as good as the C-730 in some respects but still manages to produce some stunning images.

Images are scanned in using either a cheap Canon USB scanner on a mac or an EPSON Perfection 1200S supplied by a company with whom we no longer have any dealings. The EPSON scanner is connected via a secondhand Cumana SCSI interface to an Acorn StrongARM RiscPC (RIP!) running various flavours of RISC OS 4. The SCSI card was bought many years ago from AJS Computers.

Next page: software used



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