Any question answered...

I found this last week after trying and failing to find a shop that sells big bottles of degreaser, it works pretty well.

Jet wash using a patio cleaning head - the karcher version seems to abrade our flags quite convincingly, leaving a surface like sandpaper.
Possibly rinse with Jeyes or similar to delay algae re-growth, but consider how much might be carried into the house on shoes and tyres.
Repeat as often as necessary - the north side of our house gets done every year, the other sides seem to last much longer.

Ok, have been considering getting a pressure washer.

I now remember that I did scrub and bleech it at one point which made it better but probably needs doing every couple of months.

Another vote for the Karcher patio cleaning head here. Now I just need to work out how to do stupid non-cemented cobbles that quite happily pull out with weeds...

Why are image editing programs like GIMP so bafflingly unintuitive?

I'm trying to split a square canvas into four equal horizontal stripes and I want to fill those stripes with colour. Then I want to put a big black 'M' over the top. Can I figure out how to even approach this task? Can I bollocks.

Layers... Channels... Paths... What is this?

Screwfix own brand in large quantities.

Corel Draw FTW

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Why are image editing programs like GIMP so bafflingly unintuitive?

Because you don't even know what you don't know; the tool has capabilities you haven't even heard of. Even a chimpanzee can use a hammer, but you need training to drive a CNC mill.

the tool has capabilities you haven't even heard of.

So does the supercomputer in his pocket

Which he has spent countless hours training on.

That's not a supercomputer

I'm still here you know! GIMP is about right...mumble...seethe

keep the factory grease or degrease and lube?

If you're racing, degrease and relube. If you're not, don't bother.

keep the factory grease or degrease

Both :)

As everybody else has already said, it's not worth trying anything elaborate unless you're chasing a couple of Watts for racing. For everything else, just wipe the excess packing grease off the outer surfaces with a solvent soaked rag so that it doesn't go out into the world asking for every piece of dust and grit to stick to it.

From what I've read online I can use a SRAM TT bar end shifter with a SRAM MTB Rear mech. Both 10 speed.

Has anyone done this? Does it work well?

Anyone recommend which rear mech to get (already got the shifter). Its for my old 26" MTB (I have Paul thumbie mounts) which was a cheap build and will mostly be on road and light trails so don't imagine I'll need a clutch mech.

Is all SRAM stuff the same pull ratio nowadays? Been a Campag then Shimano man most of my life not up to date on SRAM, they used to do some different pull ratio stuff didn't they?

If its exact actuation it will work.

ALL sram rear MTB mechs are clutch.

ALL sram rear MTB mechs are clutch

Except for all the ones which aren't. In 10-speed, X7, X9, GX and X0 are available with or without clutch, X5, X0DH and XX are only clutchless. In fact, the only 10-speed RD which seems to be available in clutch-only is the X01DH

Any SRAM 10-speed stuff will work perfectly. SRAM 11-speed road shifters will work as well. I had bar ends with an X9 mech, worked great.

For mechs I'd try to get a clutch mech if I were you, they're quieter even on the road, they're more likely to keep your chain on and they aren't much more expensive. One one of my set of wheels I have a silent freehub and with a clutch mech the bike never makes a sound, which makes it quite strange to ride. You get 1m away from a pedestrian and they still won't hear you.

I've been using Type 2.1 GX (for 2×10), X9 and X7. 1× derailleurs e.g. CX1 have the clutch mech but don't work with double chainrings. There are also the normal road mechs which are rated up to 32t at the back or so. But basically anything with "Exact Actuation" on it will work as @amey said

Edit: as per @mdcc_tester has the definitive answer. My guesses about which ones had clutch mechs were based on what I've seen for sale but I guess there must be some out there that I haven't come across

Has anyone done this? Does it work well?

Not the TT levers, but I use road levers with an MTB RD and it works great.

Anyone recommend which rear mech to get (already got the shifter). Its for my old 26" MTB which was a cheap build

Depends a bit which cassette/rings you plan to use, but I have 12-36 on my 1×10 MTB and the short cage X7 without clutch has been fine on anything up to Swinley Blue trail. The X5 is probably fine too, I got X7 because at the time the price differential was only a couple of quid.

Why are image editing programs like GIMP so bafflingly unintuitive?

Agree, it's like they wilfully decide to forgo any pre-existing convention and do everything arse backwards.

it may be incredibly powerful (and free) but it's the most frustrating piece of software I've ever used.

Thanks all!

One last thing to mention, you need a barrel adjuster somewhere in the system as the MTB mechs don't have one. Buy one now rather than finding out the night before a big ride as I did.

Good point. The Paul Thumbies have one in built. Unless I use it as a bar end of course.

Rival/Apex 1 are exact actuation, clutch and have an integrated adjuster

Rival 22 if not 1x, will do 10 speed despite the name.

Why are image editing programs like GIMP so bafflingly unintuitive?

It's complicated. The short answer is because it suits them - the existing users have learnt how to use them and there's a bunch of tutorials to get new, motivated users over the initial barriers. Little motivation exists to make them more approachable because often (mostly?) they are used in commercial or accademic environments which are able to pay for training or encourage knowledge transfer between employees.

Just because it's powerful doesn't mean it has to be unapproachable to the layman - most people can 'get' a swiss army knife even if they can't use or have no need for all the tools - and should the commercial motivation exist someone would be able to get something industrial strength in to the 'awesome user experience', 'powerful', 'inexpensive' Venn diagram sweet spot.