2006.09.14

Current Opinion...

00.39.44 - Mark

Computers Suck.

In my unending war on technology failures I've reached some meager high points, followed by plummeting low points.

The slight bit of good news in my computer woes is that a rather nice Pismo that was given to me - in pieces - has been rebuilt. I couldn't make him better than before, as I lack the budget for it right now (I think) but the fact is I literally took a pile of powerbook parts and reassembled it into a quasi-working machine. The CD/DVD drive won't read CDs and it doesn't have wifi or a working battery, but the fact that it boots is more than I can say for most of my computers, because...

Ubuntu crapped out on me, and now refuses to boot. Last week before I helped move my brother into college I started the process of upgrading to the latest version of Ubuntu (my DSL is painfully slow these days). Eventually it claimed it was done upgrading, restarted itself, and hung. For the last few days its been delightfully staring at me refusing to boot. Now I can deal with botched installs, usually I can even bite the bullet and do a full reformatting and reload off a backup. Too bad I have nearly all my backups on part of the drive a reinstall wants to reformat. Apparently linux, or at least Ubuntu is damned near impossible to reinstall from scratch without reformatting. I'm working on it but its a pain in the neck.

Of course there are more problems (both ongoing and new) than I care to recount, but I'm guessing I need to get some of the tech out of my life - since maintaining the computers around the house is feeling a lot like a bad IT support job, minus the pay.

Now, back to fighting with linux...

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2006.08.20

Bleh.

09.47.08 - Mark

Right now I hate technology. Not just computers mind you, I'm very quickly heading towards becoming a luddite due to the sheer frustration of having every little bit of technology around me fail almost completly and (increasingly) inexplicably. From DVD players to bedside lamps - everything I touch seems to be breaking down. You can bet I'll be in a charming mood when I return to High School University tomorrow for one of the courses I should have been able to take last year so I wouldn't be there for 2.5 years.

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2006.08.16

The Nuclear Option

01.01.49 - Mark

After a couple days of fighting on and off with the ClampBook and its mysteriously screwed up OS I called in the nuclear option. Reformat and reinstall.

While it is a pain in the ass no matter what, the reinstall is giving me the chance to do a few things right. I've partitioned the internal drive (something I should have done when I got it nearly 2 years ago) and I'm slowly installing all the software that makes my life easier. The other thing will be updating some of the older software on the system.

Fortunately there wasn't that much critical stuff lost to the formatting because of the full backup I did when the motherboard started acting up back in February/March. Plus pretty much everything I've done since then was dropped onto the external drive rather than the primary drive. For a complete reinstall this really isn't that big a deal.

The lesson. Have a backup. Also, know what software you really use. Here's my reinstall shopping list (in no particular order). There's some other stuff, like Photoshop and some Apple software I'll need to reinstall but the list below is most of the freeware /shareware goodies that make my life easier

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2006.08.09

Ghosts

15.55.58 - Mark

I think the iBook is finally giving up the ghost. It has done an amazing job of not accepting perfectly good login since I unpacked it and now it's refusing to admit there's an internal hard drive. Lovely.

I may let it sit a day or two and attempt some more surgery on it, but considering all that the thing has been (1.5 years of regular and unrelenting abuse from a power user then 5 months attached to a C-clamp) though I'm starting to wonder if it's finally time to say good bye and part it out on ebay.

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2006.04.12

Bluetooth Enabled Lasers

08.40.56 - Mark


I remeber seeing these in PopSci a year or two ago and was drooling over them then, but come on what geek can't be enticed with bluetooth enabled laser projected keyboards?

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2006.04.08

Gar!

13.40.24 - Mark

Yesterday was another one of those oddly beautiful days everyone seems to complain about, at least it was in the morning, and unlike the last one I wrote about I had the foresight to grap my camera and shoot some video on my commute. While a camera can only capture a fraction of the scenery, I think I have enought to edit into a video.

While I still don't have a Mac capable of editing video without taking three hours to process an action, my linux box has some horse power and there are a number of linux video editors out there, including Cinelerra which I've even managed to install onto said linux box.

Unfortunatly installing it and being able to use it are two entirely different subject matters. For the record it was a pain in the ass to install as well.

I'm enjoying my linux box more and more, but I'll be real happy when I finally replace my iBook

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2006.04.03

Partaking of WINE

18.07.07 - Mark

A while back I added Wine to my Ubuntu box, and I'm just blown away. I'm running native Windows applications on my Linux box with only minor glitches (been playing Starcraft with off and on sound problems) While it's not as cool as the idea of tribooting a new Apple Laptop, I am sufficiently thrilled. Linux still has many flaws, but the longer I'm without my 'book and the more updates and patches I intall, the more and more imporessed I'm becoming with this OS.

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2006.03.22

Geekiness

10.39.39 - Mark

Before all of my MySQL frustrations yesterday, I was having a fairly good day. I was fairly comfortable during my ecommerce class where the fools left me in charge of teaching (as in actually semi-planned me as the discussion leader, not the me as in hijacking the lecture and attempting to push it towards the unconference model). I would have liked some warning that I would be leading two classes as opposed to one, but I survived.

I also picked up a new 512MB USB drive for $20 afer rebates. Its amazing how cheap the things are getting, I think I $30 for my first one and that was 128MB. This one is going to be used for storage and portable applications so I can free up my iPod shuffle for other things, like podcast recieving and listning.

I've ended up running a few hacks to get it working, until I get the iBook and regular iPod fixed this will work. For podcast fetching, I'm using Podcatcher on a stick, which runs on windows, linux and OS X, and I'm using iPod Shuffle Database Builder, which is also windows, linux, and OS X friendly, to rebuild the database after I run podcatcher (at least thats the theory, I'm waiting for the podcather to finish its run at the moment)

I might have been on the constant verge of information overload with all my RSS, podcast, and vidcast feeds, but its feeling good to get back to automating some of these tasks. Manual downloading sucks.

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2006.03.20

Mark Wiki

17.31.58 - Mark

I've known for a while that I needed to start moving my mess of local files onto the web - basically since I started using a Linux box in addition to my iBook and the computers at school, and that idea has become more ingrained in me since the great iBook crash.

Despite that personal tradigity, I'm getting a lot out of it - as among other things its been the swift kick in the ass I needed to start trying some of the very cool technologies out there, like the iPod Shuffle DB tool, Portable Firefox, and even Wikis.

Being able to email and network my files is one thing, but I finally bit the bullet and installed a copy of MediaWiki onto my server (same software as wikipedia). I've used various wikis before, but its amazing at how simple it is. I need to find and study some of the formatting commands for it, but I know enought that I can start adding info to the wiki. As I get more comforatble with it I might open it up to collaborate on various projects.

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2006.03.17

Linux for Human Beings, Even Easier

20.44.48 - Mark

I really like Ubuntu Linux, I've used other linux distros like Fedora and Knompix, unfortunatly even Ubuntu's developers haven't made it easy enough for non-geeks to setup and use enought for it to be functional.

However today I accidentially came across this utility (for Ubuntu) that, while it still doesn't make it as easy as a Mac or Windows, makes it easy to take a default Ubuntu install and make it functional.

The tool is called Automatix, and it automates the process of adding extra applications, drivers, utilities, and codecs.

If you have to install a copy of Ubuntu for something other that a server, go out and get Automatix.

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2006.03.16

Dueling Platforms

09.01.30 - Mark

Someone has figured out how to duel boot a MacBookPro (I still think it's a silly name) with OS X and Windows XP. They also piecked up $14,000 for the work. link

If Apple releases a 12" Intel 'book of any variety before I fix my iBook, I'll be giving some serious thought into moving up to a new system rather than a repair.

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2006.03.13

To DIY, or not to DIY

20.18.38 - Mark

Its been over two weeks (wow) since my iBook decided to cease and desist, and I think I'm finally (read: maybe) getting around to making a decision about fixing it myself. The trackpads for the g4 iBooks seem to be standard, and I can get a new one of those for $25 on ebay, the problem becomes the motherboard. Its not the cost, which still seems to be in the area of $200 - $300 but rather the avalibility of the same model motherboard. There are very few 1GHz board on eBay, and the prices for the online stores are significantly higher. There are however, plenty of 1.2GHz boards and 1.33 GHz boards, which in all honesty would be a nice little pot of gold at the end of this screwed up little rainbow. The problem is that I'm finding it very hard to find out if those faster boards are compatible with the rest of my parts pile. It looks like they are the same shape, and I've seem some reports saying that they are compatible, but I'm also seeing sites say they're not. I kind of miss the old days, when it was easy to find out what boards were swapable and what wasn't

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2006.03.08

Spontaneous Combustion

11.09.29 - Mark

Firefox has blown up on me three times in the last fifteen minutes. It wouldn't be so bad if it was reproducable in anyway. I really need to just make an executive decision on iBook repair and get my 'book back.

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2006.03.01

Long way to go

15.33.38 - Mark

One benifit of having a borked Mac, a borked PC, and the most powerful system in the house using Linux, is that I'm getting a bit more proficient at using linux. Its a hell of a powerful OS, its clean, quick, and does most of what I need it to - if I bang on it with a hammer.

Every time I come back and give linux some serious use, I'm more and more impressed at what it does, and discover more and more what I love about the Mac OS, and even - dare I say it, Windows.

Macs and windows for the most part work. If I want to watch a movie I can open up nearly an media player and it plays. Under linux, it might play, it might not play, and if it does play it might not do so at the size I want it to, unless however, I go in as root with a command line editor, force half a dozen changes in some obscure config file that are no where to be found in the GUI, and then pray I didn't botch something while sacrficeing a goat to the voodoo gods so my changes actually work.

For music I've got three different applications that claim they support music transfers to iPods, and yet none of them have been able to do so and only one was able to read the contents of the iPod. Even just playing music on the box I'm rotating between three applications because they all suck. Misserable playlist management, one crashes when I skip tracks.

Now I'm learning how to deal with these problems, finding these config files, making those bug reports, etc. Your average user on the other hand...

Something for the geeks out there to think about before handing out those knompix and ubuntu discs like they were AOL CDs

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2006.02.28

No Shows

13.53.10 - Mark

I've been watching MacRumors Live feed of the todays Apple announcement, and unfortunatly they didn't mention anything of laptops. Mac Mini has a boost and some sort of iPod stero, but nothing that benifits me today. Like most Apple products they sound cool, and I've been wanting to get my hands on a Mac Mini for almost as long as they've been out, but there was certainly nothing in the event that helps me make a decision about fixing/replacing my iBook, and I need a mobile system.

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2006.02.26

Crossroads

23.26.37 - Mark

I took the iBook down to the my nearest Apple Store, Unfortunatly they pretty much confirmed what I already knew - dead logic board. The Genius at the Charlotte Apple Store was nice enough, but he ran mostly useless tests then explained to me how I managed to still liquid into my laptop (here's a hint, I haven't spilled any liquid onto my iBook, ever, period) He went ahead and priced a new logic board from Apple for me, something like $700 to $800. Shopping around eBay I can beat that by at least 50%, but I was already seriously cramped on it anyways SO right now I'm at a crossroads.

I'm either going to get the replacement parts, or I'll be upgrading to a new laptop. Not sure which yet, Apple is supposedly making an announcement on Tuesday and the Intel iBooks are supposed to be coming up soon...

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2006.02.25

Junkie

18.03.00 - Mark

I've often joked about how my computers are an extention of my body, until now I've never realized just how addictied I am. Last night when I posted the Doctor Who thing, my first thought was to grap my iBook and make the post, never mind the fact that I had the wireless keyboard for the linux box sitting in my lap. Today when I woke up, the first thing I wanted to do was check the time on my iBook and get my email, despite the fact there's a perfectly functional clock next to my bed.

I doubt it would be this bad if it was a desktop failure, but having a laptop really made it easy to take a computer with me everywhere.

Here's hoping for a quick repair...

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2006.02.24

Backup, Backup, Backup

15.00.07 - Mark

Majority of my important files are backed up, An advantage of using networked storage. However its been a while since my last comprehensive backup from my laptop. And with it not booting at all, that maent taking it apart and pulling the hard rive. Just a note for iBook owners out there, its not a fun task. If you can afford to have your tech guy make the backup in his shop, do it. For me, I wasn't about to pay $150 for a backup I was just as capable of making (I had a laptop drive enclousre, the right tools, and some degree of comfort with taking apart delicate electronics).

I'm actually in the middle of the process. I've got a disassembled iBook on the kitchen table and I'm waiting as my linux box is zipping the whole drive. Once thats done I'll copy over my documents then go off and reassemble it so I can take it to some shop and it repaired, or at least be told whats wrong with it Unfortunatly I've got a nasty suspission that its the logic board, nothing looked loose as I was taking it apart, but hope strings eternal - or something like that.

This really is a misserable day for me, and its not just this iBook breakdown...

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Pissing off the electron gods again

13.15.27 - Mark

My iPod is without functional hard drive after 3 months, my Cell phone (Motorola v551) is a piece of shit with some of the worsst design and contruction ever put into production, my brothers Laptop, which was "fixed" last week wasn't, and was taken back to the shop Monday, which means its going into its 5th week of repairs, not to mention the extremely wonky car stereo I've got that may or may not produce sound while you are occupying the vehicle.

All that, I can handle.

But today is the last straw. The electron gods do not need to be screwing up my iBook.

We're nottlking softwae screw ups, or even a flaky drive. No the electron gods have felt the need to smite me by making the system not boot up at all. Too far!

I'm about to go into surgery with it to pull the hard drive and make a backup, then see about taking it in for repairs.

Don't woory about me I'm FINE (Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional)

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2006.02.20

Two steps taken

22.44.27 - Mark

Going offline for the evening wasn't so bad. I got someone tolerable at the CompUSA tech desk (can't really say the same for the customer service) and snagged one of those $30AR 200 GB seagate drives. Guess we're honoring George and his fellow Commanders by making their green tinted portraits go a little farther than usual. Gotta love this consumer culture of ours. Not that I'm complaining about a $30 hard drive. This pushes me up past .75 TBs in my primary computers. I think this is when I'm usually supposed to date my inner geek by making some comment about how I never thought I would fill a 160MB hard drive, let alone contemplate measuring my network's storage capacity in terabytes

Also stumbled across Stainless Steel Chopsticks at another store. Part of them is for the sake of having decent chopsticks around the house for when I eat Asian cuisine, part of me likes the idea of being able to toss a pair or two into my camping kits and not need to worry about them breaking or finding whatever silverware I need. Kind of like my brothers obsession with metal sporks

Too bad tomorrow isn't looking that enjoyable...

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