Mythology of Blue

11 September 2011

游澳洲省钱妙招，我不是教你诈

澳币日渐升值，对于预算有限的背包客来说，去澳大利亚旅行是一笔不小的开支。拜廉价航空所赐，来往澳大利亚的机票不贵，但是在澳大利亚的衣食住行，加总起来，开销还是不小。如何在澳大利亚玩得开心，钞票花得值得，以下的省钱招数供你参考。

购物省钱法

目前澳洲最流行的是网络购物潮流，你若稍加留意，即可省下一笔。这里的团购非常发达，小至蔬菜水果，大至家电汽车等都可以在网上团购解决。对于游客来说，最实用的当然是超值的美食餐券和国内旅游配套。澳洲著名的团购网有Scoopon、Stardeal和Livingsocial等，除了可上网游览，还可以下载智慧型手机版、加入会员等以第一时间获取最新好康资讯。笔者最常光顾的团购网站是Allthedeals 。这网站更新频繁，而且国内其它团购网的资讯都可在这网站找到，使用起来非常方便。我曾经以AUD1买了一杯咖啡另加一块蛋糕，并以AUD39吃了一顿两人的高级法国料理。至于旅游配套，你可以以超过五折的价钱买到便宜的4－5星酒店配套，对背包客来说这绝对是个佳音！

悉尼歌剧院。

交通省钱法

澳洲的公共交通真的不便宜，花在交通上的费用甚至是占了行程预算的大部分。阿德莱德的公交是互通的，一旦买了单程票（AUD4.60)，就可在两个小时内任搭阿德雷德的所有公交。嫌太贵？那在非高峰时段（off peak hour）上车就行可节省一半费用！非高峰时段为9am-3pm，票价为AUD2.80。另外，可考虑购买Multitrip Metro Ticket（AUD30），可以乘搭公交10次，或游客全日票（AUD8.60）。学生证持有者可买优惠票（Consession Card，AUD14.90）。其实，很多“冒牌学生”为了省钱而冒险一搏买学生优惠卡。用不用此招，你自己斟酌。

墨尔本Flinders Station。

墨尔本的电车举世闻名，但是票价却不见得便宜。单程Zone 1的票价是AUD3.80。和阿德莱德的电车一样，买了票可在两个小时内任搭。如果只坐3－4站，一般上我都不买票。由于持月票的乘客在上车的时候不需要打卡，没票也真的没人理会。我在墨尔本的时候几乎没碰过查票员。有一次在市区内的Flinders Station遇上了，但当时我有买全日票，所以“逃”过了！到了市区内就可以转搭古老的免费电车在市区趴趴走。墨尔本市区不大，步行半天就可逛完，因此，基本上可以不搭公交。又，用不用此招，你自己斟酌。

悉尼是澳洲第一大城市，消费也是澳洲第一的。火车和巴士服务不象阿德莱德和墨尔本有两个小时任搭的服务。各种交通也没有互通，都是独立收费的。除非你是买全日票（AUD20，这价格还不包括私人经营的电车），不然，要在悉尼省钱，唯一的办法就是乘搭免费的555号巴士。此巴士穿行Circular Quay、商业区和唐人街等。当然，步行也是方法之一。虽说悉尼是澳大利亚第一大城，但其实也不大。慢慢走的话，一天内就可以走完悉尼了。晚上9点后，火车站内就没有工作人员了。他们会开一个出口让乘客自由进出，所以你不用买票就可以任意使用到服务打烊。用不用此招，随你！

填肚省钱法

如果你会下厨，那就可以节省一点，尽管澳大利亚的食材也不便宜。如果只有你一个人，那最好的方法就是去超级市场买现成食物。超市要打烊前的一到两个小时，大部分熟食都会以半价出售。Coles和Woolworth这两大超市会给予即将到期（但还是很新鲜）的食物打折，可以在超市里慢慢搜寻。

悉尼的帕丁顿市场（Paddington Market）。

一般中餐（两菜一白饭）要AUD8，西餐则AUD12-20不等，这个价钱不包括饮料。要省钱就不要叫饮料。一杯普通咖啡或汽水大约AUD3.50。澳大利亚的水质非常卫生，餐座上如摆放着table water的话，就别客气了。
想吃便宜快餐有妙招！以Hungry Jack为例，到柜台点餐的时候，和服务员说你要“Stunner meal”（这个套餐是不在他们的餐牌里的）你就可以以AUD4.90买到一个芝士汉堡＋汽水＋薯条＋一杯圣代，保证划算！在肯德基，就叫“Street Wise Meal”，包括两块炸鸡、薯条和一罐汽水，价格为AUD5.90，便宜了一半！只要开口，就可以超值价格饱吃一餐！

住宿省钱法

在澳大利亚想找一家即便宜又舒适酒店，难如登天。入住背包客栈之前，一定要上网搜寻一下住客对客栈的评语。YHA的旅社基本上都比较卫生，背包客的素质也不错。如果双人同行，那建议你去团购网购买酒店配套。我曾以AUD129买下三天两夜的Victor Harbour Resort的酒店配套，还包早餐。我们一间房还住了三个人，只要不太张扬，酒店是不会干涉的。
想尝试驾驶多功能房车（Camper Van）旅行却负担不起的话，可游览Transfercar网站搜寻便宜甚至免费的租车行程！有些行程甚至包括免费保险和汽油。为什么如此好康？其实是租车公司想雇用你把车子从一个地方驾到另一个地点，是双赢的办法！

其它贴士：

·澳大利亚地大，不同区域有着不一样的天气。记得随时携带一件耐寒耐风的jumper。
·澳大利亚的太阳猛烈，出门前一定要做足防晒功夫。这里的空气也比较干，唇膏和润肤液不可少。
·澳大利亚分维多利亚，新南威尔，南澳，昆士兰，西澳，北方领土和塔斯马尼亚七个州属。每一个州属的交通和法律都不一样。
·如果需要跨州旅行，必须事先上网查询当地的法律。例如，飞往南澳和塔斯马尼亚，尽管是内陆班机，乘客是不准携带新鲜食物如水果肉类入境的。
·穷则变，变则通，要省钱，还得在必要的时候适当取巧。我不是教你诈，我的省钱妙计，如果你口袋里有钱，那就留着以后没钱的时候再用也不迟。

更多游记刊登于《大脚印》网站。《大脚印》旅游网（www.bigfoottraveller.com）是《独立文化志》的策略伙伴。《大脚印》秉持着“真实、公正、实用”的原则，透过个人化的游记和旅游路线让读者得到贴心、准确、透明化的旅游必知。

【大脚印/Winson金乐】

References: http://merdekareview.com/news_v2.php?n=20172

21 August 2011

Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus SP1

Microsoft Office 2010 is one of the best productivity experiences across the PC, phone, and browser for what you depend on today and what you’ll expect tomorrow. It helps you rise to the challenge of today’s business environment without losing sight of what’s needed for IT success.

Microsoft has officially released the first service pack (SP1) for Office 2010 productivity suite. The Office 2010 SP1 includes the roll-up of all previously released updates, in addition to several new updates which improve security, performance, and stability.

Here’s the official download pages and direct download links for Office 2010 SP1. The SP1 will be available through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, automatically for people with Automatic Updates turned on, although the update will be at later date.

The Office 2010 SP1 is released as KB2460049.

32-bit (x86) Office 2010 SP1

Microsoft Download Center: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9d2e1282-8b69-418b-afa0-9f61239ec8be

Direct Download Link (US English): http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/0/A/40AA58F5-7CC5-4E74-AB51-5D51C7ED5283/officesuite2010sp1-kb2460049-x86-fullfile-en-us.exe

64-bit (x64) Office 2010 SP1

Microsoft Download Center (US English): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e9f3c2d0-c321-4910-a4ce-b2f294b42d65

Direct Download Link: http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/A/8/1A879A5A-EE48-49E7-8831-449A71582173/officesuite2010sp1-kb2460049-x64-fullfile-en-us.exe

Note that you have to download the correct version of 32-bit or 64-bit that matches the installed Office 2010 product, and not Windows operating system. For compatibility, Microsoft has recommended most users to install 32-bit version of Office 2010 even though they have 64-bit Windows 7 or Vista.

To check if you have x86 or x64 version of Office 2010, just run any Office application such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and etc, and go to File menu to select Help. The 32-bit or 64-bit version of the Office product will be listed under the About section. Nonetheless, the Office 2010 SP1 setup installer is smart enough to detect the version of the installed Office applications and prevent installation from proceeding if the version is incorrect.

Serial : YGX6F-PGV49-PGW3J-9BTGG-VHKC6

20 August 2011

Microsoft Windows 7 SP1

Windows 7 (formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna) is the next release of Microsoft Windows, an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and businessdesktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs.
Microsoft stated in 2007 that it is planning Windows 7 development for a three-year time frame starting after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista, but that the final release date will be determined by product quality.

Unlike its predecessor, Windows 7 is intended to be an incremental upgrade with the goal of being fully compatible with existing device drivers, applications, and hardware. Presentations given by the company in 2008 have focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. Some applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, most notably Windows Mail (formerlyOutlook Express), Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are no longer included with the operating system; they are instead offered separately as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite.

Windows 7 – It’s the next version of Windows for PCs, and it’s the result of working hand-in-hand with our partners and with people who use Windows in the real world every day. We’re paying particular attention to the things they’re telling us are important to them and will make their PCs work the way they want them to – things like enhanced reliability, responsiveness, and faster boot and shut-down. We’re also trying to make their everyday tasks easier, like connecting and syncing devices, browsing the web, and managing a home network.

Of course, we’re also working on new capabilities, so people will be able to do things with Windows 7 that were difficult (or perhaps impossible) to do with PCs before. Finally, we’re working hard to ensure that Windows 7 will run on any PC and work with any program that works today with Windows Vista, so upgrading from Windows Vista will be easy.

FEATURES:
Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advances in touch, speech, and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, and kernel improvements.

According to reports sent to TG Daily, the Milestone 1 build of Windows 7 adds support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors and a new version of Windows Media Center. New features in Milestone 1 also reportedly include Gadgets being integrated into Windows Explorer, a Gadget for Windows Media Center, the ability to visually pin and unpin items from the Start Menu and Taskbar, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack being integrated, Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), and a multiline Calculator featuring Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion.

Reports indicate that a feedback tool included in Milestone 1 lists some coming features: the ability to store Internet Explorer settings on a Windows Live account, updated versions of Paint and WordPad, and a 10-minute install process. In addition, improved network connection tools might be included.

Many new items have been added to the Control Panel including: Accelerators, ClearType Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadgets, Infrared, Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, Windows Solution Center, and Display. Windows Security Center has been renamed the Windows Solution Center (Windows Health Center in earlier builds) which encompass both security and maintenance of the computer.

The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch has been merged with the buttons to create an enhanced taskbar or what Microsoft internally refers to as the “Superbar”. This enhanced taskbar also enables the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks.

According to released PDC 2008, which was held 27-30 October 2008, session information, Windows 7 discussions will cover “enhancements to the taskbar, Start Menu, thumbnails and their desktop elements”, a new networking API with support for building SOAP based web services in native code (as opposed to.NET based WCF web services), new features to shorten application install times, reduced UAC prompts, simplified development of installation packages,[56] and improved globalization support through a new Extended Linguistic Services API. Windows 7 will also contain a new FireWire (IEEE 1394) stack that fully supports IEEE 1394b with S800, S1600 and S3200 data rates.

At WinHEC 2008 Microsoft announced that color depths of 30-bit and 48-bit would be supported in Windows 7 along with the wide color gamut scRGB (which for HDMI 1.3 can be converted and output as xvYCC). The video modes supported in Windows 7 are 16-bit sRGB, 24-bit sRGB, 30-bit sRGB, 30-bit with extended color gamut sRGB, and 48-bit scRGB.

With the release of Windows 7 SP1, Microsoft has also updated the Windows 7 DVD media ISO image distributed by Digital River for online order fulfillment. Digital River is Microsoft’s partner for fulfillment on online distribution for downloadable Microsoft products.

The Windows 7 ISO images hosted on Digital River is genuine and official version, and the downloads from the server is legal. It’s after all one of the official channel where end-users who purchase a license (product key) for Windows 7 get the setup installation files.

Anyway, without a genuine and legally purchased product key, you can’t get Windows 7 activated, and Windows 7 will only run as evaluation copy for up to 30 days.

The latest version of Windows 7 DVD image available is of media refresh version, which commonly known as Windows 7 SP1-U (Media Refresh). Microsoft released the media refresh version of Windows 7 DVD media to fix a rare bug related to invalid computer name when small set of computer names returned error when used to install Windows 7. Otherwise, the Windows 7 with SP1 and Windows 7 with SP1-U (Media Refresh) is completely the same.