statsbot

One way to soup up a cheap old laptop (to turn it into a netbook) is to put in a solid state disk (SSD). The SSD will make it boot a lot faster.

Problem: laptops from about 2006-7 or earlier probably use IDE (aka PATA) disks, and any SSD you can buy cheaply will have a SATA interface.

Solution: buy a ''Laptop Hard Drive Caddy Bay'' thingo which includes a SATA to PATA adapter circuit that fits the SSD into the DVD drive bay.

Here's an example of one that would suit an old Dell.

These things have been around for years, but I've only just come across them.

It doesn't have WPA2, but does have WPA. (It also has WEP, but don't even think about using that.)

I have a Netgear DG834PN that you can have if you want it. It would meet your requirements with ADSL2+ and four ports of 10/100 wired Ethernet.

It was new in 2006 and is just a bit too old to support the final version of ''N'' but it is MIMO and seems to have good range and coverage. I used to allow my neighbour leech my WiFi, and she had no problems with the signal going through a concrete wall. Don't believe the documentation stating that it can do 108Mbps - that's only with another device of the same type.

Billion Bipac 7700n is at the cheap end of ''Wireless-N.''

http://au.billion.com/product/wireless/bipac7700n.php

http://www.shopbot.com.au/pp-billion-bipac-7700n-price-301015.html

2 mics
2 mic stands
Speakers
Amp
Mixer

Hypothetically, if I were to want to hire a Vocal PA in Melbourne for a single day, how much would it cost and where would I go?

I'm a complete noob when it comes to PA hire.

Down again. I think it might be sick.

Statsbot was down from 5pm yesterday to 9am today. I'm not sure why. The little fellow has been rebooted and now seems to be collecting stats as usual.

reconfigure some nerd bacon

I don't know what that means, but I like the sound of it.

Where? When?