Blog

Bye bye CentOS – the big Linux switch for websites
Websites either run on Linux-based operating systems (around two-thirds) or Windows (around a third).  There are around 1% of sites running on other stuff. Until a couple of years ago, CentOS was my Linux operating system of choice.  It was stable, based on a commercial Linux distro and – importantly for some of the web hosting and development work I do – ran cPanel well.  The decision to discontinue production of it came as a surprise to many in the tech community – me included.  CentOS, short for Community Enterprise Operating System, has been a popular choice for servers and
Read more
Extras who became actors
For many aspiring actors, getting a job as a TV or film extra is often seen as a first step towards breaking into the industry. While it may not be the glamorous lead role that many dream of, being a background artist can offer valuable experience, exposure to the industry and the chance to work alongside established actors and crew members. However, what many extras don’t realise is that it can also occasionally (let’s be realistic) be a stepping stone to something more. In the UK, there are several stories of background artists who went on to have a speaking
Read more
Am I being taunted by the Northern Lights?
In the last few years I’ve discovered that I really like cold, dark places in the winter.  I love a bit of winter sun too, but I had not gone down the mainstream tourist route for several winters pre-2020. Remote winter locations take on a magic all of their own – and seeing streams of car headlights reflected in puddles bordering on lakes, in pitch black darkness approaching 11am in the morning, is a cool kind of weird.  And it is probably weird to the majority – at least based on the number of people on my flight to the
Read more
Someone to watch over me: Good Motoring Spring 2020
It’s great to see that the Spring 2020 edition of Good Motoring magazine is now out and dropping on doormats across the country – still with its fully compostable wrap, of course. My piece in this edition is about Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and how it has infiltrated many areas of our motoring lives. There’s also a preview of the refreshed Blue Light Aware, the official awareness campaign for motorists with guidance for what to do when an emergency vehicle on a blue light run is nearby.  I’ve been involved with it from the beginning, which was about a
Read more
Getting work as a Supporting Artiste
Once you’re registered and signed up with some Supporting Artiste / ‘extras’ agencies, you will hopefully start to get offers of work.  Here’s what to expect and what you can do to help secure work. Depending on the agency, job offers usually arrive via email, SMS or phone call.   A number of agencies I work with will email and text you at roughly the same time but you shouldn’t rely on this. Many opportunities are sent out to a group of people meeting the production’s requirements on a first-come, first-served basis.  Some of these jobs may only have one
Read more
48 Hours In Venice at Easter
Ah, Venice.  118 little islands making up this unique, iconic city in northeastern Italy.  It is one of those must-see places on many travel lists.   Finally, this Easter, I got to tick it off mine. This was always planned to be a little Easter weekend trip.  “Don’t go at Easter!” many written guides exclaim, presumably referring to the big crowds.  I didn’t think I’d be punishing myself – far from it – with a cheeky 48 hours from Maundy Thursday morning to Easter Saturday evening.  This is how it went.   My flight of choice was British Airways Club Europe. 
Read more