Marc Ambasna-Jones's Diary

Started the week on a high. Attilio Lombardo was apparently bound for Crystal Palace and the season is fast approaching. In search of more news I headed for the Palace web site and there found a link to Lombardo's current club Juventus. Nicknamed 'bald eagle,' Lombardo and Palace seemed like a match made in heaven. Oh how his head would have gleamed as he ran up and down the wing at Selhurst Park.

The Palace web site was neatly followed by a couple of sites I had to review for a publishing trade magazine. The first was for Dive International, a magazine for diving enthusiasts and the second was the phenomenally large British Tourist Authority. In the space of three hours I had covered football, diving off the coast of the Scilly Isles and had a damn good smattering of knowledge about the top UK tourist sites to visit.

To the untrained eye (such as 'bloke' who shares an office with me!) it looked as though I was aimlessly browsing and filling my head with useless information. To the trained eye, I was researching and digesting vast quantities of information in a very short space of time. It would have been impossible for me to achieve the same feat in say a library. It therefore never ceases to amaze me why people like 'bloke' slag-off the net and say its a waste of time and a pain on resources. Bloke is currently unavailable for comment due to the fact that he thinks his elbow is his ass.

Tuesday

Lombardo deal still on and the London Broncos tonked the Canberra Raiders.

For one reason or another, I seem to have been writing about monitors a lot recently. Don't get me wrong they are great inventions but I am starting to get a little typecast. Anyway, I had a chat with Alun Williams from NEC and he tells me that the 17 inch monitor market is fast becoming the standard monitor size, despite the fact that a number of monitor makers are still slugging it out with 14 and 15 inch screens. Very interesting.

Now tell me, is that really the actual screen size or does that include the plastics bit? And another thing, what refresh rate........

After another fine monitor interview I headed for Hyde Park and the Ziff football team where we trounced fierce rivals ComputerWire by six goals to three (and we let them have the last one!)

Wednesday

Lombardo deal off. Shame. Apparently he wanted too much money and there was some confusion over the net and gross figure offered! Hhmm. That's so Palace. Anyway Paul Warhurst is about to sign so all our prayers have been answered!**?!**

Went to Terence Conran eating temple Quaglinos to meet SDX Business Systems who were launching some voice and data integration product. It seemed to do the job although I arrived too late to hear the talk but was just in time for starters. Anyway, I sat next to sales and marketing director Jeremy Cooke who spoke about how SDX could move quickly and adapt to the market because it was purely a marketing company. It has no manufacturing facility and no direct sales force.

The idea seemed a good one and SDX has a promising array of customers in a technology convergence market which is becoming all the rage in certain circles.

Not being too into circles, I just sipped wine, mingled and listened. Not wearing a tie I am sure I wasn't taken too seriously. Shame they don't do monitors.

Thursday

Warhurst signs and there's talk of some Israeli joining. I go to the gym for a fitness assessment which is an uphill struggle considering I'm still finding walking a little painful after Tuesday's football. Unbelievably the assessment is a resounding success so I take the day and watch the cricket.

Friday

Up early and into the ZDNet offices to write some news. The prospects weren't good. It's the end of July, the industry is on holiday and the ZDNet staff are off to Leeds Castle for the day. Time to load the Sporting Life site, check the cricket score and see if Palace have made any big signings. Nope. Oh well, time to look for that exclusive monitor story then...