New Zealand Linux

So a couple of days back i got the email saying that excess bandwidth was going to be costing $2 per GB rather than the usual $1 per GB. Effective as of May 23 … this is darned lucky because our roll over is 21st or 22nd, and so far as have done 40gb of our 30gb cap due to an unfortunatly accident (reconfigured the proxy and left it open … luckily whoever used it was locked down good with dans guardian!)

Now it seems that there is a new email out saying they are laying of 23 staff. So if anyone needs some IT staff, i can point you to the right direction!

Media statement
5 May 2009

Statement from
Scott Bartlett
CEO, Orcon Internet Limited

Although on target to meet current year profit objectives, Orcon anticipates a more challenging year ahead.
The company has therefore revised its growth targets for the next period and as a consequence will also be reducing the business cost structure.

Orcon is today entering into consultation with employees across the company to reduce staff levels by approximately 23 positions (of a total of 144), with numbers subject to change as a result of consultation.

The current proposal involves staff across all levels and divisions of the business.
Orcon is introducing several measures to assist any affected staff find new jobs. Measures include:

• working closely with employment agencies to ascertain what levels of vacancies exist in similar fields;
• allowing staff time off to attend interviews during their redundancy notice period, and
• access to employment assistance programmes and financial advice via WINZ.

Orcon operates in a fast moving industry. Restructuring the company to meet market conditions and balance risk is a natural part of business.

Because the consultation process is now underway, no further comment will be made by Orcon.

Ironicly, ever since Kordia took over Orcon it appears to have been going steadily downhill. Both service and prices. Does this mean we should make up new T-Shirts saying “I got made redundant by Orcon and all i got was this purple shirt” or similar?

Anyone care to post their fav ISP and pricing options?

According to http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/04/linux-foundation-says-its-time-to-ditch-microsofts-fat.ars

Because Microsoft and TomTom have settled their dispute. Apparently TomTom used the Linux kernel for their GPS, which contains FAT support which is a no-no slap in the face for M$.

TomTom Counter sued M$ based on the fact that they stole some navigation like stuff. TomTom now has paid to license Microsoft’s patents, including those covering FAT, However they are going to weed it out and remove it in the next couple of years.

Although the settlement has ended the conflict between Microsoft and TomTom, questions still remain about the implications for FAT in the broader Linux ecosystem. Microsoft has previously stated that this lawsuit represents an isolated issue and that the company does not intend to broadly sue Linux users. Upstream kernel developers could potentially adopt TomTom’s code changes in order to avoid future patent disputes with Microsoft over FAT.

But being a paranoid people we (linux users) are they are going to try weeding such old and out dated filesystems out of the kernel in the not too distant future.