software

Kingsoft Office – The Most MS-Compatible Office Suite (So Far)

1 Comment

Everyone knows of Microsoft Office. Yep, that suite of software everyone uses at work, daily. Word, Excel, Powerpoint – these are the 3 names of software that most working adults know.

Also, everyone knows MS Office costs an arm and a leg, simply because it’s used in “the office”, hence it should cost more since businesses can afford it.

Trouble is, MS Office has become so pervasive that everyone is “forced” to use it, even outside of the office. Government forms downloaded off the Internet for you to fill in, for example, would be in MS Word format. You, as a student or a retiree, would need some sort of MS Office-compatible software to read and edit those files. Now, not everybody can afford the huge price tag that MS Office commands, especially for a home-user. Just look at the prices (in US$ no less!) in the picture below:

Continue reading Kingsoft Office – The Most MS-Compatible Office Suite (So Far) →

hardware, internet, Tech

Using Existing DIR-655 Router with Starhub MaxInfinity Fibre Plan

5 Comments

Initially I was a little apprehensive about hooking up to fibre connections. From all reports via friends, colleagues, friends of friends etc, it seems you are doomed to using only the modem/router combination as provided by your ISP (M1, Singnet, Starhub) and you have little or no choice in using your own existing router.

Why does someone want to use his own router? For one thing, all your wireless SSID, security settings, DHCP, and so on, are already configured. If you have to dump your router and use only the one provided by the ISP you would have to set everything up again.

In any case I was surprised how easy it was.

When the Starhub guy came he said essentially that if I wanted to use my router I would have to disable DHCP on it and all my reservations will have to be done on the new router. I didn’t want to prolong the issue so I said ok, you set it up as you normally would, I would figure it out later.

Continue reading Using Existing DIR-655 Router with Starhub MaxInfinity Fibre Plan →

hardware

Gaming Joysticks Are Becoming Extinct

3 Comments

Recently I resigned from my job, hence now I am left with a sizeable amount of free time. One of the crazy ideas I’ve had was to re-play my old games back from the late 90s and early 2000’s. My current setup lacks a joystick, which although is NOT REQUIRED, but it is highly recommended to have one to play those. I mean, it would be really, really difficult to play flight sims with your mouse and keyboard, or space-combat shooters with your mouse and keyboard.

Plus, back during those days, games of those genres expect  you to have a joystick, so the mouse/keyboard combo support is pathetic.

So, I went off to Sim Lim Square (aka SLS) and went hunting for one. I thought I would be in and out in 10 mins. Little was I to know how wrong I’d be!

I arrived, went to a “champalang” shop (local slang for a shop selling accessories and peripherals for PCs and other electronic gadgets, but does not sell actual PCs nor gadgets). I looked, but couldn’t find any joysticks. I did see some Xbox controllers though. Ok so I left that one, and went to another, and another and so on. None of them had any joysticks! I came away totally perplexed, because gaming companies like Logitech, Thrustmaster, CH Products, Saitek etc still make them, and the Flight Sim community is still alive and well (on the Internet at least).

Continue reading Gaming Joysticks Are Becoming Extinct →

Rants and Ramblings of a Typical Kiasu Singaporean