This is a picture from Marianna's 6th Birthday. She is tightly holding on. 

Microsoft Money update

Just a quick note. Microsoft Money is no longer available as an Australian sort of version. You now have to buy the International version only. There currently is a Money 2006 for USA but I don’t believe there is an International version in 2006, just 2005. The Microsoft website is not very informative.

Got a request lately for a cheap doppler. I don't ...

Got a request lately for a cheap doppler. I don't sell them, but would like to. Have been looking at Hadeco dopplers. I have found out they are produced in Japan. There website is here:

http://www.hadeco.co.jp/e/index.htm

That's a link to the English site. They are distributed in the USA by Koven Tech.:

http://www.koven.com

I reckon just quietly that doppler technology is very cheap to produce these days but the prices are staying high because it is a medical product.

I am looking for some cheap and nasty undercutting Japanese firms and haven't found any yet.

I have found the following as well though:

http://www.nicoletvascular.com/default.htm

They of course don't have RRP on the Internet so not sure how much they are although they say they are "value-priced" whatever that means given the overpriced USA market.

Matt

    

Have just been in the process of updating my credit cards.

The best value credit card for frequent flyers is:

Westpac Altitude card: 1 point per dollar

Also, the other big thing is:

You can attach a Gold AMEX card to it for only $45- per year. This is not only very cheap but it also gives you the most points at 2 points per dollar.

The other good thing is both cards are put on the same statement each month.

Go and get one.

Matt

Just started organising my finances on the compute...

Just started organising my finances on the computer. Never tried before but things were getting very messy.

Looked through a variety of software (read lots). Basically it is pretty simple if you have more than one bank account and want to sychronise accounts efficiently so that one integrates with the other (e.g. transfer from credit card to bank out automatically generates correct entries in both). You really have only the choice (in Australia) of Quicken Personal Plus or Microsoft Money 2004.

I maybe stupidly decided on Microsoft Money in haste to get going. Quicken does not allow downloads to trial the software, whilst Microsoft does. In my haste I couldn't wait to get going and once I started entering stuff into Microsoft Money there was no way I was going back. The trial CD from Intuit finally arrived (a 1.5 week wait. Should be next day).

Either way though there isn't much difference and Money is better presented than Quicken and I find it still more user friendly. The biggest implication overall is that Quicken is more GST/ATO compliant and speaks in an Australian language. However, Money still seems to do a good enough job.

I think they are both around $70 to buy. Overall, I am not disappointed with my choice. However, it would be nice if Money did make more of an effort to be country specific in the future and then it would definitely be the best choice of software.    

Following up on recent fax software for Windows XP.

Have done full investigation and decided that all 3rd aprty software is pretty bad and that it easiest to stick with the original Windows XP fax software.

In saying that I should mention 2 problems with the software.

It is a recognised problem with the XP fax software that the fax monitor doesn't always work when sending and there appear to be a few problems installation and integration with Outlook. These seem to occur randomly.

Microsoft have recognised the problem (in usergroup discussions) and say they will be fixing in the next major patch for Windows XP.

Trying to use fax software. If you haven't already discovered it, don't use Winfax Pro with Windows XP. All sorts of problems.

No versions of Winfax Pro work properly so don't try.

Now looking for good software to replace it.

Windows XP inbuilt fax software is also a bit crappy. Doesn't give you enough options.

Matt