I have been using Vista since last June and have been relatively pleased with it. However a few little niggling problems started cropping up so I bit the bullet and decided now was a good time to upgrade to Windows 7. So off I went to Staples in Torquay and got myself the family pack upgrade which is good for three PCs. I thought the price was reasonable, I think it was around £130.

I would really recommend backing up all your files before attempting any upgrade. I backed up all my files onto an external hard drive just in case things went pear shaped. The upgrade went extremely well and without a hitch. I have now been using Windows 7 for a few days and am absolutely delighted with it. I don't want to tempt fate but all of the little problems I was having with Vista have now disappeared and it is working really well, I couldn't be happier.

To be quite honest there really isn't a lot of difference between Windows 7 and Vista when it comes to the layout and workings, so if you are a seasoned Vista user, Windows 7  shouldn't confuse you too much. Things have been smartened up and it definitely that little more aesthetically pleasing on the eye, I particularly like the on screen keyboard, that is a marked improvement. I do use this on a regular basis when I am in bed so that is one particular function I am very happy with. Windows Mail is absolutely fantastic, really love it, miles better than what was included in Vista. I really do like the facility where you have a library tab in the taskbar, it makes accessing my documents, pictures, videos etc. just a little quicker. You don't have to have it in your taskbar, you can disable it. However when you spend as much time on the computer as I do, anything that makes life easier is an advantage.

I haven't been using Windows 7 for more than a week yet so I've so much more digging around to do, however I wanted to share what I have learned so far with you. Don't let people put you off Windows 7, the people who go around criticizing it are more than likely the same people who haven't used it yet. I don't care what anyone has to say about Windows 7, it is a massive improvement on both XP and Vista. If you like both XP and Vista, you are going to absolutely love Windows 7.  So don't hesitate if you are still a Vista user, get out there and get yourself an upgrade.

Just one thing I must mention before splashing out on an upgrade. Make sure that before purchasing the upgrade, make sure you are actually getting the right installation. For instance, if you're on XP then you can't upgrade to Windows 7, you've got to install a new Windows 7 operating system. If you are not sure what you need to purchase and install a program called Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. This is a free download from Microsoft and it will  take a look at what you already have installed and tell you which upgrade you need to get, or indeed if you need to install a complete Windows 7 operating system. If you have been using Vista for a few years and have been experiencing problems then it may actually be worth your while purchasing the full operating system. Remember that an upgrade is just an upgrade, if you have got some bugs in Vista then you may still experience problems in Windows 7 so sometimes a completely clean installation is the key to getting things back on an even track again, it'll be exactly the same as reformatting your hard drive which an upgrade doesn't do. I didn't bother with installing a completely new operating system because my computer is less than a year old.

I'm happy to say that this is one Microsoft product that I am completely in love with.

This is a direct link to where you can download Windows 7 upgrade advisor

http://windows.microsoft.com/upgradeadvisor

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For those of you who are familiar with a cult film called That Summer starring Ray Winstone, you will probably be very interested in obtaining the soundtrack. Unfortunately the film itself was never released on DVD or VHS however the soundtrack was released on tape and vinyl. The soundtrack is long out of print so is no long available commercially. Some time ago I compiled the complete soundtrack using various download programs. I even managed to obtain "New Life" by the Zones. This particular song was never released as a single and was recorded especially for the film. Anyway, I have now made the songs available for download on my website.

I hope you enjoy the songs as much as I have done over the years.

http://www.tetraplegicliving.com/my-music/that-summer-soundtrack/download-soundtrack

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A yachtsman has become the first quadriplegic sailor to complete a solo voyage across the Atlantic.

Geoff Holt, 42, from Southampton, began the 2,700-mile (4,345km) journey from Lanzarote to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, on 10 December.

His voyage was hampered by the lack of wind and mechanical problems on his boat, Impossible Dream.

His wife Elaine and son Timothy sailed out to greet Mr Holt off the coast of Cane Garden Bay.

Mr Holt suffered a diving accident 25 years ago in the bay that left him paralysed.

During the voyage, he has been aided by a carer and filmed by a cameraman, but did all his own sailing in the 60ft (18m) purpose-built catamaran.

Hydraulic technology

He told BBC News: "It's fantastic, it's absolutely wonderful to be back after 25 years to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, it is quite emotional.

"This has been years in the planning. It has been my dream to sail back across the Atlantic and I have only gone and done it."

This is the fourth time Mr Holt has sailed the Atlantic, but the first since his life-changing accident in 1984.

He broke his neck while diving into shallow water and has used a wheelchair ever since.

“ It has been my dream to sail back across the Atlantic ”
Geoff Holt

During his record attempt, Mr Holt has had to overcome engine problems and unexpectedly light prevailing winds.

He has limited use of his arms and hands and used a hydraulic push button technology to sail the vessel on the 28-day voyage.

Legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnson led the tributes to Mr Holt.

"What a tremendous thing to have completed," he said.

"Geoff continues to raise the bar when it comes to sheer determination to allow nothing to stand in his way.

"I am so proud of his achievement."

Mr Holt is already the first quadriplegic sailor to sail solo around Britain - a feat he achieved in 2007.

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If you have got Jomsocial on your website & have been having a few problems getting it to connect to Facebook then I recently came across a really fantastic tutorial which enabled me to set up the Facebook connection on my Jomsocial website and get it working flawlessly. In case you are none the wiser, Jomsocial is a social networking component that can be added to a Joomla 1.5 website application. It is really based around Facebook and I can absolutely promise you that your members will love it.

here is a link to the tutorial

http://www.herdboy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168:how-to-set-up-facebook-connect-for-jomsocial&catid=56:guides&Itemid=249

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Dan Eley spent years helping children on the streets of South America - now though it is him who needs help.

The 32 year old broke his neck in a swimming accident over the new year.

It took three days for Dan to be airlifted from a small local hospital to a medical clinic in Bogota, where he could receive the proper treatment.

But his insurance does not cover the the estimated £90,000 needed to get a specialist air ambulance to fly him home to the UK.

His family and friends have now launched an appeal to get him back to Britain.

To Donate Click Here

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Okay, as promised, a quick update on my joystick replacement problem on my Permobil. We were not going to let them walk all over us and simply ignore their responsibilities to all their customers. So after quite a few phone calls making it quite clear that they must bring this problem to a successful closure, a joystick became available. We were told that it was a completely different make of joystick that would be available for the foreseeable future & would also be a little bit more on the reliable side. However, when the joystick arrived it didn't really look any different from the old ones. I didn't really have any choice but to have it fitted since it arrived on Christmas Eve and the engineer had already been booked in to fit it. Even the Permobil engineer was puzzled at why they had sent exactly the same joystick as before. Anyway, it is all outfitted on the chat is working as normal which is a relief. However, been here before and have got the T-shirt........ three times, so I'm not holding my breath that this joystick is going to be any different from the last three.

If you are in the same situation as me please don't let Permobil walk all over you and abandon your situation. You may have to be firm with them but from our experience, getting a little irate does sometimes have its advantages.

I love my Permobil and I would really struggle with out it. I'm glad that they came around to my way of thinking and I applaud them for dealing with the situation promptly, rather than keeping me hanging on for months.

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I wish to take this opportunity to wish everyone who visits my site a very happy 2010. I hope that the coming year brings you happiness and good health.

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Okay, an update on my situation regarding Permobil ceasing to supply PG8 joysticks for older models of their power wheelchairs. We have been talking to Permobil and have made it quite clear that they are responsible for maintaining wheelchairs they have sold, and that means supplying spare parts. To cut a long story short they have now found some joysticks that will work on wheelchairs such as the chairman. I believe these are not actually PG8 joysticks, but are compatible with the wheelchair. I am having this replaced under warranty since it is any of few weeks since the last one was replaced. An engineer from them Permobil is visiting me on 24 December so I will update this information I came, hopefully with good news that everything is working and you will be able to obtain spare parts if needed, fingers crossed

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I thought I would update you on the situation regarding my Permobil. I've already mentioned that I received a letter from the UK supplier of Permobil informing me that Permobil would no longer be providing replacement PG8 joystick controls. It seems the letter jinxed me as my existing joystick which was only replaced in September has developed a fault yet again. Thankfully I have got another a wheelchair I can use but that wheelchair is not equipped to use in my van so if I have to rely on it, that screws my driving up completely.

I purchased my Permobil in 2000 which isn't really that long ago. I think this is grossly unfair of Permobil to suddenly stop providing vital components for older models of their wheelchairs. If you purchased a vehicle at the same time wouldn't it be fair to say you would expect spare parts to be available for it for considerably longer than 10 years? Blimey, you can still find spare parts for cars that are 40 years old. My wheelchair cost £13,000, I was expecting to be able to maintain it for at least 20 years but it seems Permobil have put a stop to that.

Ask yourself a question "if you purchase a Permobil in 2010, will vital components still be available in 2020. 10 years may seem a long time, but when you're spending in excess of £10,000, that really isn't a very long time.

As far as I'm concerned Permobil are still responsible for providing me with spare parts and you can rest assure that I am not going to let this matter to rest.  If you own a Permobil Chairman, or any other Permobil wheelchair that you bought 10 years ago then you may well be looking at the same problem I'm having. Don't just ignore the situation because your joystick is working okay, you will be screwed if it suddenly goes wrong, we need to take action now and try and appeal to Permobil that they still have a responsibility to older customers who rely on their wheelchairs.

This is a direct quote from Permobil's own website

Customer Support Center

A good product needs a strong organisation behind it in order to achieve it's full potential. We are here to help you find the best solution to your problem whatever it may concern: wheelchairs, spare parts or accessories. You may want a quotation for a wheelchair or you have a query about shipping documents or a technical question - we will be happy to help you.

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This is a really fabulous advert that is doing the rounds on the television at the moment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-Qyu9KbBo

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