How very odd - I was on the East London Line during it's first day of service following closure, the staff could not have been more photo-friendly if they'd tried, both on trains and in the stations generally. Methinks the guard in the article may have been on a power-trip.

Using the honour system - if this gets used, we need to talk

Animal Snappers?

I made a purchase with Purelygadgets and it completed correctly at the first time of asking.

I purchased a flash, diffuser and cable from SRS before Christmas - phoned them to order rather then use the web - all items in stock and would be sent out that day.

On the following day, the flash and diffuser arrived, but no cable. Rang the shop - item still in someones tray.

I've got a Manfrotto 486RC2 on my monopod. It copes very well with my Sigma 170-500mm which is not the lightest or smallest lens ever made

I've used it with the camera mounted on the head and also with the lens clamp acting as the mounting method.

Really glad you got it sorted without having to take drastic action. It might be as well to run a defrag overnight just to finish the job off.

If you've not yet opened the software boxes - Don't.

Let the scan run it's course - it will do it's best to quarantine and clean up the machine.

Thanks for that, Argee - very useful.

I've just run it and got the required result. A great tool to have in the "kit".

Well, that helps. If you are using a "genuine" copy of XP (as I'm sure you are) have a look at the MS fix-it centre, which is a small download from them - it's got a rage of tools to fix errors and the like and is also free.

I'm also reminded of a piece of "file management" software that is being punted about (can't remember the name atm) but it makes all sorts of claims about how it optimises your system etc...

A friend was taken in by this and installed it but was then unable to open most of his data files. It seems this program changes file associations in Windows for some reason. Once I'd taken it off and spent time restoring the links, everything was fine.

I love the picture - well done, Sir.

I'm still not sure about HDR in general - I've experimented with it but the end result was a world away from the real life image, and it's a brave person that tries it with moving objects.

Maybe I just don't "get it"?