I've uninstalled Veetle HD as very few movies will play on my laptop in HD mode on Veetle without buffering problems. So, I'm only on Veetle LD now. That's good enough.

To be honest, I can see no difference. I think you have done well to uninstall it. I think the difference must only be noticeable on faster end connections and full hd displays.

It all sounds highly, complicated, getting your hands on your private or state pension ,

It shouldn't be - in fact it's not complicated at all if it's arranged properly in the first place. As I've said, it ain't rocket science. SPPA work this way, your pension is paid from your birth date to the end of that month, then add on the next month So, you could be paid in arrears from at least 30 days to at most 60 days. In the meantime, Citibank has free use of your money.

And jokes aside I feel any information you have aired about pension problems, a lot of us could have also benefited from ,not least of all for the knowledge that others are having the same type of problems. I have made note of that, and may find myself in the situation where I feel i may have some recourse to your hard-won information. cherrs and beers.

Well, sir. There's no substitue for experience, even of the bitter variety. Pension providers sending pension instalments to the PRC is by no means rocket science. Given that the SPPA has chosen Citibank as its bank to do said transfers, and that SPPA insists on sending local currency to China despite Citibank's list of countries for sending local currency not including the PRC, though it does include HK, I'd say that pensioners should be given the choice of receiving GBP or local currency. Another thing is the transfer charges are 20 GBP/ GBP transfer. What about for RMB transfers, if that is an option, which the BOC says isn't one, or for USD?

From the age of 50, I've been receiving another small pension from another pension provider, one who is kind enough to have arranged annual payments to save me heavy transfer charge deductions. Seemingly the SPPA isn't set up through Citibank to do that. Why the hell not?

Now, sleekit Brian Thomson of SPPA is ignoring my e-mails. No matter, I know how to deal with him and his like. I had sent him the two links for my pension threads on this board - I guess he's irate. Too bad, if he had been on top of his job, there'd have been no need for such drastic action on my part.

As for my laptop, I've uninstalled Wise PC Engineer, though i've retained Wise 365 System Care. I've had to download MZ XP Tweaker to improve buffering on Veetle. I've uninstalled Veetle HD as very few movies will play on my laptop in HD mode on Veetle without buffering problems. So, I'm only on Veetle LD now. That's good enough.

I think computers are worth discussing while we are waiting for meatier topics to arrive, because they greatly affect the quality of an FT's life and work in China, and fake windows can be a big inhibiting factor.

Agreed, Mancu...!
Please bear in mind that there are louwai like me here in the PRC who know very little about computing, even in these high-tech times! Having loads of free time on my hands, and with Chinese Windows installed for the sake of a family member who'll use my laptop when I'm dead and gone, and because I know full well from experience that desktops and laptops provided by Chinese EFL employers are often programmed wiyh Chinese Windows, often on the cheapest connections, narrowband per se, their performance often being compromised by viruses and registry errors, I posted re this subject to aid FTs in need of basic advice.
Years ago, Silverboy, no less, was unable to get Yahoo Messenger to work on audio and video coz he claimed his laptop was error-ridden. Yet he was on QQ! He and I would only communicate by typing messages via Yahoo Messenger!
Anyways, no matter. I feel I've done certain FTs who are virtually computer-illiterate a service by my posts. As for privacy issues, I care nothing. I have neither Internet banking nor anything to hide. My main prerogative is audio and video live stream access, and my laptop achieves those admirably now, thanks to me! Not thanks to Chinese who claim to know about computing, but know even less than me! I don't need those pretenders, and besides, I've derived much satisfaction from enhancing and improving my laptop off my own bat!

I didn't see it in linux mint, so not sure what you mean?

Anyway, fuduntu works, I don't think esl boards are the time and place for a protracted discussion vis a vis the benefits of different operating systems. We may just have to leave it there.

If you have a panel(or bar) at the top or bottom of your screen, does it include after you have minimised your e-mail 'Inbox-joebloggs@hotmail 2' meaning you have 2 unread e-mail? Mint(mate environment) certainly has that; however, I think there was some confusion as to what I meant.

I think computers are worth discussing while we are waiting for meatier topics to arrive, because they greatly affect the quality of an FT's life and work in China, and fake windows can be a big inhibiting factor. I do get your point though and will terminate this topic in accordance with your wishes.

For me keeping a continual eye on email is not so important, as long as I can get to it offline should I need to, hence I am not a fan of webmail. I would imagine there is an app/setting for that though.

The main thing is linux is far safer and smoother than any chinese copy of windows. That much I am SURE of.

You are totally right, San Mig, even the least good Linux is better than Windows, I'm just trying to gild the lily. I would go farther than your condemnation; I have this feeling, in my bones, that Windows is indeed some sort of evil entity- ones luck mysteriously changes after you have washed your hands of the abomination which is Windows....why, take Foxy Poster, he might find that after switching to Linux, his pension problems with the British goverment would peter out...they'd probably send him a big cheque for under-payment, accompanied by a letter from the Queen, asking him how he is, and saying that her government even now is in negotiation with Peking to open up a special post office for him in Thinner Mongolia, so he can toddle down and redeem his pension every week. LONG LIVE LINUX..DEATH TO WINDOWS! Am I right or am I right.

Distros, like Linux Mint- Deepin(the chinese one) can meet my needs regarding e-mail notification(without prompt) I am just wondering if Fudunto can also?

I can recommend fuduntu, www.fuduntu.org FREE to all for all laptop users.

Yes, it is is based on linux, and you won't be able to use QQ as easily as in windows, but it will be far safer and easier for China, as well as a lot lighter and smoother running.

Hello San Mig
Checked out that link that you kindly offered. I will tell what a necessary criterion is for me when selecting a Linux Distro 'does it offer an inbox e-mail indicator in the top or bottom panel, like XP for example?' I put this scenario to you 'you are sitting back from the screen, having your ear nibbled by tasty student whilst watching Skyfall, James Bond...but you still want to be quietly informed should new e-mail arrive in your inbox; at the time it arrives, without a delay, which is the best third party softwares like Thunderbird can offer (they only check every so often) will Fuduntu do that; spiel on the link doesn't say it will or willn't? Cheers&beers.

Dead right, Drags! Not only that, but the Chinese 'safety' software '360' is hard to operate if you're on Chinese windows, like me. I've jettisoned it lately, and am using CC Cleaner (free version) + Wise 365 Care (free version) + Wise PC Engineer (free version) + Kingsoft Anti Virus 2012 (free) here in the PRC, and I don't have a VPN, whatever that means! I'm also using the 360 Chrome browser with 'Adblock Plus', to allow me to watch Veetle movies ad-free.

The above combo works just great on my "Founder' el cheapo laptop connected to an external monitor to enable me to watch football and movies on a reasonably sized screen.

But I know for a fact that folks like Silverboy were on QQ, which I've never used -not that that helped him to find a suitable wife in the PRC. In fact, I uninstalled Skype and Yahoo Messenger about a month ago to give my laptop some extra vitality. And I've never been on MSN Messenger.

I've tried out other software such as Advanced System Cleaner, MZ Tweaker, and ARO 2012, only the free versions, but they slow down my PC, causing stop/start problems on Veetle. I used those tools to fix errrors and optimize my PC, after which I unistalled them, as I did with Qihoo's 360 safe browser/doctor.

The trouble with the Chinese software is that it tries to multiple-download other crap you don't need, as well as alter your homepage. So I locked it to http://hao.360.cn by means of 'Kingsoft Anti Virus 2012'.

Hello Foxy
With respect, you are making life very difficult for yourself, you must be chasing your tail all time, trying to keep Windows (any windows ,fake or otherwise) in reasonable order in a Chinese environment. What is wrong with legal and free Linux? The trouble is we are creatures of habit, all of us, we get hooked on Windows and all it's filthy viruses, which you seem to spend an inordinate amount of time cleansing from your machine; it's like painting a long bridge ,once you have gotten to the other end, the rust has set in and you have to start over again.

QQ works a treat on Linux, it is very stable and reliable, and importantly Linux is immune from it's viruses. QQ is good for keeping in contact with your students or your girlfriend...but what it is not good at is finding you a good wife, for the simple reason you will only attract females past their sell-by-date. If you are prepared to lavish money on these women they will be happy and could even make you happy. HOWEVER, if you make a date with one of them and you are a Crocodile Dundee sort of bloke, you have a nice meal, burp, sink the last six tinnies and exclaim "Pay the waiter, Sheila! All my Sheila's pay their own way Sheila!" You may find that you will not find a wife in China and will have to find somewhere else, somewhere where the women like paying for their own meals..."Was that Pluto, we just passed Cobber? Pass another tinny" Now, am I right or am I right?

Don't forget that if you have garbage software like QQ and/or 360 Safety Software or any kind of Chinese Anti-Virus software you are susceptible to being hacked by Chinese hackers as there are holes in the software which can allow your computer to be hijacked.

Dead right, Drags! Not only that, but the Chinese 'safety' software '360' is hard to operate if you're on Chinese windows, like me. I've jettisoned it lately, and am using CC Cleaner (free version) + Wise 365 Care (free version) + Wise PC Engineer (free version) + Kingsoft Anti Virus 2012 (free) here in the PRC, and I don't have a VPN, whatever that means! I'm also using the 360 Chrome browser with 'Adblock Plus', to allow me to watch Veetle movies ad-free.

The above combo works just great on my "Founder' el cheapo laptop connected to an external monitor to enable me to watch football and movies on a reasonably sized screen.

But I know for a fact that folks like Silverboy were on QQ, which I've never used -not that that helped him to find a suitable wife in the PRC. In fact, I uninstalled Skype and Yahoo Messenger about a month ago to give my laptop some extra vitality. And I've never been on MSN Messenger.

I've tried out other software such as Advanced System Cleaner, MZ Tweaker, and ARO 2012, only the free versions, but they slow down my PC, causing stop/start problems on Veetle. I used those tools to fix errrors and optimize my PC, after which I unistalled them, as I did with Qihoo's 360 safe browser/doctor.

The trouble with the Chinese software is that it tries to multiple-download other crap you don't need, as well as alter your homepage. So I locked it to http://hao.360.cn by means of 'Kingsoft Anti Virus 2012'.

Don't forget that if you have garbage software like QQ and/or 360 Safety Software or any kind of Chinese Anti-Virus software you are susceptible to being hacked by Chinese hackers as there are holes in the software which can allow your computer to be hijacked. Your email or ebay account can be used to attack those servers as I learned from personal experience when I was in China. If some forum bans your IP or your google email account gets suspended for "security violations" and you don't even know basic computer programming then that is something to be worried about. All expats who live in china and run these types of chinese software need to be mindful of this.

I still think America and Britain still have a lot in common, moreso than America and China.

Absolutely, but Youtube is blocked here on the mainland of China! BTW, who is the incredibly stupid man you mention in your post?