I’m going to blog problems as I come accross them so that I can resolve the same issues in the future. Here is the first.

After installing protobuf I tried running the compiler but got the following error:

ml@ml-laptop:~/workspace/ProtobufNodeTest/proto$ protoc myfile.proto
protoc: error while loading shared libraries: libprotobuf.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

I found the solution to this problem here, which is to simply:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib

‘G’ is – files merged.

I found the answer on a great little SVN Quick Reference card that I found here.

I’ve now printed it out and put it on my desk!

I haven’t had a chance to power it up yet – just to check it works before Christmas of course!

But I have opened the box. The manual for both the console and Wii Sport is multilingual – so no problems there. The plug is obvioulsy European, but as you can see below – that’s not a problem.

Now… where can I find a second controller in stock…

At the end of this story they report Nintendo saying that they are NOT holding stock back to create demand.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CO-000-NI&groupid=962&catid=970&subcat

They have 10 Wii’s in stock, but are charging £293.74 for them!! The same thing is £179.97 at Argos (obvioulsy not in stock).

Shame on you Overclockers.

A colleague of mine has told me this morning that he has managed to get one from Argos. He’s been ringing them up at 8:00am every morning for the last two weeks. On the day that they got a few in, he managed to get one. He had to give his credit card details there and then. So they aren’t hitting the stores or even the website at Argos – they are being snapped up before they even get there.

I think there is obvioulsy a trickle of a supply – but as we get closer to Christmas there are going to be desperate parents foaming at the mouth fighting tooth and nail to get hold of them.

Meanwhile – I’m trying to translate what I believe is a dispatch notice in German.

They have been out for a year now – it’s not like there is going to be any problem getting one. Right?

WRONG!

I’ve been on the lookout for one in the shops for several weeks now. There aren’t any. No – none. Really – NONE!

They have been a run away success this year – Nintendo’s profits have trebled and there have been rumours of a short supply this Christmas. I suppose they just can’t ramp up production quickly enough. I think lot’s of people are planning to get one for Christmas – but don’t realise they are in such short supply.

So Paula put us on the waiting list at Woolies. The guy said we should get one, being on their list, but that they definitely wouldn’t be on the shelves before Christmas. This weekend I went around the shopping centre in Redditch. Not a chance. I tried to put myself on the waiting list at Gamespot – but the lady told me they had over 170 people on the list and she didn’t want to add any more to it.

Yikes! And I’ve been telling the boys to make sure they ask Santa for a Wii for months now!

So I found this discussion on Amazon about people buying a Wii from Amazon Germany. It’s the same european model of the Wii we get in the UK – just with a continental plug on it. Ummm… Is this going to save my bacon?

I chatted with Steve from work. He bought a German X-Box 360 when there was a shortage 2 years ago. He didn’t have any problems. In fact, when his 360 got the three lights of death, Microsoft UK replaced it under it’s standard European guarantee. The Wii is also covered by a European wide guarantee.

So, armed with this last piece of information, Paula’s resistance finally collapsed and tonight, armed with an online translation website I have ordered a Wii from amazon.de This was really easy to do – I used my standard amazon uk login, and up popped my address and credit card details – surrounded by German of course.

Will this be a resounding success as we all play Mario Strikers Charged Football over the internet on Christmas day while others are unable to get hold of the Christmas must have console? Or will I be trying to speak German for the next few months to sort it all out? Imagine how much of Paula’s humble pie I’ll be eating if this goes wrong.

Hopefully – it’s in the post. I’ll let you know when it arrives.

Usually it’s someone trying to sell my a new mobile, but not today.

“We’re ringing up to ask if you’ve had any bank charges in the last 6 years. If you have have we can help you claim them back!”

I didn’t let the poor girl get far enough through her script to find out how much of a cut they were going to take – now I wish I had. I normally quiz cold callers about the Telephone Preference Agency as my phone is registered with them. I was too surprised at the subject of the call to remember that one though.

Paula was on the email list and with a little bit of pushing, I persuaded her to create an account and join the group.

Now she can’t get off it – I’m a Facebook widower!

I’ve had to boot up my works laptop to write this post, there’s no way I can get close to the PC in the living room. She’s been recruiting Pirates and searching for people she used to work with. She’s found and been exchanging messages with people she hasn’t seen in years. Perhaps she’s not quite as bad as Kate who I bullied into creating an account. She seemed to have 18 friends before the email confirming the accounts creation arrived. Kate even found her x-boyfriend – oops – did Simon know that?

(I’ve searched for my x’s – but they are all obviously computer illiterate – which is why they are my x of course! )

So I sent Paula a gift – a pink thong – which is now in her profile, to try and put her off. It hasn’t worked though. She’s still sat gazing at the Facebook page as I write this.

There’s only one person allowed to hog the computer in our house. And apparently it’s no longer me!