Hocus Defintion
Topic: Daily Info

Just one thing tonight, a little something about HD TV.

Did you know the average human eye cannot perceive the difference between regular TV and HD TV?

The corporations have to broadcast in HD by regulations from the FCC. This is because HD signals make better use of the bandwidth spectrum than regular signals.

Like watching real life? Yeah, right, not really. Don't fucking go for the bullshit. It's a regulatory move, and you'll never really notice the difference.

Topic: Daily Info

Well, I've got one of my Compaq Proliant servers up, although it is sometimes cantankerous about when it wants to start. Since it is so shock sensitive (strange for a computer that weighs upwards of 70 pounds), I may build some kind of cart with smooth swiveling casters for it. This one I will call Bebop, after the cantankerous ship from the show Cowboy Bebop. The specs on it are two Pentium Pro chips (yes, ancient I know), 1 GB of RAM, and 36 GB of 10,000 RPM SCSI across five disks (gotta look at the RAID possibilities). Two network cards, one the standard 10/100BaseT and one 10/100/1000BaseTX. Haven't got to the install point just yet, as I have no spare monitor (at least one that works), but I think I'll try out my free copy of Windows Server 2003 that I got from MSDNAA. Not sure what for the other server, maybe a custom Gentoo or Debian GNU/Linux.

The other is still no dice, even after I've spent a few hours going over it with a fine tooth comb and comparing the configuration to it's sister, Bebop. As for the name, I'm thinking of the following:

• Defiant


• Katherina


• Ophelia


• Falcon


• Mia

Basically anything that is remotely cantankerous from literature or popular culture. Any suggestions anyone might have would be appreciated.

Anyway .... well, fuck it, I have more important things to do.

Until the high bits are set.

How mcuh can I read?
Topic: Daily Info

If I could have my wasted days back
Would I use them to get back on track?
Stop to warm at karma's burning
Or look ahead, but keep on turning?
Frantic, Metallica

Yeah, gotta love homework. Since Tuesday night, I've read 200+ pages, and I still have some to go. And this isn't nice, leisurely material, this is heavy stuff.

Made a lot of progress on the book. If anyone else wants to read it, let me know. I've got chapter one mostly done, although I may expand on it as time goes on. I've got a large portion of chapter six finished, and two of three appendices finished. I'm going to add a chapter/appendix on the idea of software design and programming as an art form, since it's something that is not mentioned much and needs to be stressed. Where it fits in logically is another matter, and a few chapters may get moved around a bit, although I will leave chapter six towards the end, since it's fairly heavy stuff and not something I want new readers to encounter first and get scared away.

Later-o.

Ayuh
Topic: Daily Info

Anyway.

I'll have my name in a scientific paper. Sweet, huh? Indeed. And all the software works. And I've just got a few more things to do, and I can go work on something else. I can finally put this file_server business behind me for a few months. It'll be great.

And I sit here, with a weeks worth of beard and mustache on my face, and I'm wondering if I should shave it back to just the chin or not. I dunno. It is awfully itchy, which may make me shave it off tomorrow.

I think I'll just keep cranking on some software and a bit on the book/booklet. Anyone got a better title for me, something other than "The Computer Evangelist"? I'm fully open to suggestions.

The Collection
Topic: Daily Info

Alright, I've gone through all the stuff from the last year and compiled what I consider to be my best stuff. Some of that shit was painful to dig through, and I really could've stopped going back after August.

Anyway, I've made it available as a PDF, I'll make a plain-text one later if someone asks.

If this entry goes off the main page, there will be a link in the left-hand column.

Back
Topic: Daily Info

Alright, back from YIG. As I think of it, I'm going to talk to Nancy and get a Program Specialist job for next year. Being an RA is fun and all, but I'd like to move on up.

Oh yeah, I'm going to dig through this thing and make a collection of some of my better material and place it special as plain-text and a PDF. Should be just a few days.

Later-o.

hard-booted
Topic: Daily Info

Sorry 'bout that folks, kinda went off the deep-end there for a few days. I think I've re-centered myself with the 14 hours of sleep I got, and I feel quite refreshed and normalized. In fact, as I write this, I'm dog tired from being up so late (I know, strange indeed).

Got my Chai and Yerba Mate (two kinds of tea) and the Dublin Dr. Pepper (made with bona fide cane sugar, no fake sugars in sight) today. The Chai is very good, nice and mellow (I ordered the vanilla flavor). I'll have to try out the Mate tomorrow, after I grok how to brew it up and store it. Yup, all good stuff.

See you all on the flip-side.

Endings and such
Topic: Daily Info

What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
You could have it all
My empire of dirt
Hurt, Trent Reznor

For the ending Peter Jackson made for Return of the King, I must say it is the most heart-wrenching I have seen since The Green Mile.

I'll admit it, I cried twice. Once for the summation of the theme of "The Small and Lowly are Mighty" after Aragorn's coronation on Minas Tirith (you all know it happens, the book's have been out since the 1950's, I just won't tell you what Jackson did, have to see it yourself). And then again, when they all stand in the Gray Havens and say their good-byes (just as heart-wrenching to read it, I always had the most trouble with the first five chapters and then the last two chapters).

Well done, Mr. Jackson, well done.

Which leaves me with finishing off the Dune series and then ... well, then I dunno, I have a few books to read (Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, I want to go over the 9/11 commission report once again that and a huge book on C#), and book of my own to write on my philosophy regarding computers (a sort of introduction for people, to give them knowledge, which gives them power, and start freeing them from some of the dumber ideas that have surrounded computers since the 1980's (and hopefully starting to wrest computer's back from the same kind of business ass-hats that believed there was only a market in the world for a few computers)). Hopefully I can get that done in-between YIG and some work at school and before school resumes on the 18th.

Eeesh, I just can't stop setting these huge hurdles.

I'll probably never be able to slow down, I'll just keep running, plowing ahead like some blind locomotive.

{Sigh}

Dark Tower
Topic: Daily Info

So I finished the Dark Tower last night.

'Twas good. Heart-wrenching the way a good long group of books should be, and he avoids the saccharine-sweet-Hollywood ending. A lot of good characters go to the clearing, and the way they go is very appropriate. Felt like the end of the LOTR. And there is a nifty little twist to it, something that'll catch you out of the blue.

A good book indeed. Thanks, Mr. King.

Frohe Weihnachten
Topic: Daily Info

A Merry Christmas to you all /

Or a good yule /

Or whatever you shall do on this holiday.

I think the most important thing is to find your friends and family, and be with them more than you should be concerned with a gift from the here and now.

I shall come back after some massive coding and family gathering.