Well, last night, Voyager came to an end.

Part II of “Endgame” was a bit of a letdown as well – it looks like the script writers were in a big hurry to get it over and done with. Apart from Ensign Kim’s speech on loyalty and duty, there was really nothing overly memorable there, and having Chakotay take the helm for the final run home was completely out of character – the captain should have asked 7 or Kim to do that for maximum effect, and in recognition of their very special positions in the series (Kim with his “bottom of the heap, never rising” and 7 for … well … obvious reasons).

Ah well, tonight, the wrap-around happens and I get to see how it all started. In the meanwhile, for those of you who just *need* your daily Voyager fix, and want new stuff, head for Voyager Virtual Season project where you can read new episodes, starting from where Voyager ended last night. Even available in Palm-friendly format.

And for those of you who really need an unconventional Voyager fix – click here.

I have started assembling specs for my new home PC, meant to become my audio studio as well as virtual band. Dual processor, a gig of RAM, at least 100 GB of disk storage, high-end audio equipment, etc. Since this will also be my single-point entertainment center, a TV card and DVD drive will also be part of the lineup, as will a CD Writer. A Cambridge Quad-audio setup should complete the system, along with my faithful 17″ Samsung SyncMaster monitor that has been keeping me company for more than three years now.

Speaking of monitors – it always amazes me how little attention people pay to them when buying equipment. Most people do not realise that unlike a PC, a monitor will be around for a long time. A PC can be upgraded over time, a monitor not. We are going through a purchase process at the office right now, and maximum weightage has been given towards good monitors. In fact, if everything will go as planned, the monitors will cost more than the machines they are being bought for.

Proof of that particular pudding can be seen in my own monitor. I have a Samsung SyncMaster 700p Plus monitor, and have found *no* reason to change it for anything else over the years. At 17″, it is the right size for me (19″ is too big and power hungry for me, 15″ is too small), supports great refresh rates (even at 1600×1200 it can do 75 KHz) and has a display so clear that it will take a lot to make me give it up.

Tomorrow is *yet* another holiday, so maybe I can apply some thought to the annual family vacation.