Snafu.org.uk

Partly prompted by getting a shiny new TomTom bluetooth GPS recently, I thought I’d fire up Wififofum on the way home to see what it found. It’s been about a year since I last did this and plotted the data and it was fairly interesting to see the difference. There are a *lot* more access points out there today, and more now have WEP turned on. Shipping them secure by default must be helping Of course the ones with WEP turned off may be using some other security, but if the SSID is default I’d guess not

Last time I did this I plotted the results using google maps. My code seemed to have broken over the last year so I decided to try the Microsoft Live mapping api. I was pleasently suprised to find it much easier to use than the Google one, and it seems to render the maps quicker as well I’ve also done things properly this time and uploaded the data into a database and made it easier to import data. The prod-development AP with no WEP outside of the Hornby factory might be interesting

The map is here for the interested.

We’ve recently started the process of selling our house. Even though we’re not likely to move till the end of the year we figure that we’re going to be so busy once the baby arrives we may as well get started beforehand when we have a little more time.

We started by getting an agent round at the weekend to look the house over and do a valuation. He seemed pretty switched on and keen about selling the house so we decided to use his agency (which will remain nameless at the moment ) We agreed that the house would start being marketed in a couple of weeks as we need to do some bits to it, tidy it and sort the garden out.

Claire was therefore a little surprised to get a barrage of phone calls this morning from the estate agents. Firstly one wanted to visit the house to have a look round and gave a whole 10 minutes notice. She spent the time looking down her nose at the place (well, we did warn them…) before pretending (badly) that she liked it. I’m sure after a 10 minute visit she’ll be able to sell the house better…

Later on she then got a call off another agent who had a builder who was desperate to see the house. We agreed that he could show he round, even though we’re still a little annoyed that they’ve started flogging the place already. The estate agent turned up first, and my God, was he ever the stereotype. Sunglasses (even though it was going dark) and annoying personality. Again he obviously hated the house (I expect he’s more a designer flat type of guy) but did his best to pretend to be positive. The actual viewing went fine (though the builder had a rather nice MG so he’s obviously not planning to live round here ) and he didn’t seem to think much of the agent either. I suspect we won’t get any offer as the agents are selling the place as 3 bedroom (when it’s blatantly 2, unless you fancy sleeping in the cellar) for some reason and so it makes the house appear bigger than it is and is probably attracting the wrong type of interest.

Oh well, hopefully they will shape up a little more as they go on.