Ever the environmentalist, Bruce wanted to get his eyes checked in a natural setting.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Linux, Mac OSX and the vagaries of Technology
Well, yesterday we made progress on the great Linux saga. Dad finally got the network up and updated the OS to Debian 3.0 (I think). Linux is pretty cool and I like hacking around in it, but it is taking a lot of time to figure out. Plus, I feel that I spend entirely too much time with technology and not enough time with something else more.....creative. Like the song in Napoleon Dynamite, I do love technology, but I am tired of figuring it out. It always feels like working, not play or relaxing anymore.
We went over to Nana Simister's last night to install her wireless. I did not bring my laptop to configure the repeaters and so we have to go back Thursday. **sigh** Frankly, I wish they would just spring for their own DSL and not share Lisa's. It would make my life a whole lot simpler! Less time configuring yet another computer system. I even spent an evening last week fixing my ex-boss, Jeff Unruh's computer.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love these people and would do anything for them. It is a service that I can perform. Some of us work in food kitchens or mow widow's lawns. I service computers for free for non-geeks. Really though, playing with the technology is fun most of the time. I just need a break from it. It has become a 24x7 job both at home and work. I was reading a bulletin board the other day and one guy who was a Linux SysAdmin (administers computers all day) said that he didn't want to come home and administer computers all night. Hence he had Macs at home. Mac and Linux are cousins (Mac uses the Darwin kernel for you geeks out there) so he was comfortable with the system. The tools and GUI (graphical user interface) really make the management simple. So now I am on the lookout for tools to help finish the setup and then administer the new Linux server. Then I have to start designing the web site. See what I mean about never-ending? If the Linux system does not work out, Mac Mini, here I come!
However, I feel the pressure from the spirit to get this website up for the family history. Mom has made some real jumps with Nana Simister's family, going back at least two more generations (maybe 3) and the Hull family (my grandmother's) wants to compile a new book on the family to supplement Robert Rigby Hull's book (aka, the Blue Book) using the web site. This will make it a living document online that anyone can download. I just have to figure out how to do it. Maybe set it up as a blog, I don't know. The spirit of Elijah grabs us all according to our talents, so I am stuck behind a keyboard and screen for the forseable future. I will be golfing or some other less technical pusuit soon. Ya gotta catch a break sometime!!
We went over to Nana Simister's last night to install her wireless. I did not bring my laptop to configure the repeaters and so we have to go back Thursday. **sigh** Frankly, I wish they would just spring for their own DSL and not share Lisa's. It would make my life a whole lot simpler! Less time configuring yet another computer system. I even spent an evening last week fixing my ex-boss, Jeff Unruh's computer.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love these people and would do anything for them. It is a service that I can perform. Some of us work in food kitchens or mow widow's lawns. I service computers for free for non-geeks. Really though, playing with the technology is fun most of the time. I just need a break from it. It has become a 24x7 job both at home and work. I was reading a bulletin board the other day and one guy who was a Linux SysAdmin (administers computers all day) said that he didn't want to come home and administer computers all night. Hence he had Macs at home. Mac and Linux are cousins (Mac uses the Darwin kernel for you geeks out there) so he was comfortable with the system. The tools and GUI (graphical user interface) really make the management simple. So now I am on the lookout for tools to help finish the setup and then administer the new Linux server. Then I have to start designing the web site. See what I mean about never-ending? If the Linux system does not work out, Mac Mini, here I come!
However, I feel the pressure from the spirit to get this website up for the family history. Mom has made some real jumps with Nana Simister's family, going back at least two more generations (maybe 3) and the Hull family (my grandmother's) wants to compile a new book on the family to supplement Robert Rigby Hull's book (aka, the Blue Book) using the web site. This will make it a living document online that anyone can download. I just have to figure out how to do it. Maybe set it up as a blog, I don't know. The spirit of Elijah grabs us all according to our talents, so I am stuck behind a keyboard and screen for the forseable future. I will be golfing or some other less technical pusuit soon. Ya gotta catch a break sometime!!
Friday, April 01, 2005
Short One for Zuke
This is gonna be short, because I am not feeling particularly loquacious today. Zuke was berating me for not writing here, so.......this is for you Zuke!
Linux and Apple are the new computer passions in my life. I am learning Linux, finally and like it alot. It's hard, but it takes me back to the days when I was learing DOS and computers in general. Confused, reading tons of books. Surfing the net (not billboards as in olden days) and just trying to get educated. I do have a system up, just not connected to the network yet. I am trying to sort that out. Between wireless complexities and routing tables, I am up to my ears. I did get XWindows figured out and am running Gnome as my interface, but want to try others. KDE looks like it will be the eventual winner, but who knows? I do have another system running Red Hat, but I may blow that away and run Debian on it as well. Use it as a test machine.
What I really want is an Apple Mini. I figure that with the new Apple Xgrid I can create a parallel supercomputer using $500 minis. Start small and add as you need. Could be cool. Front end would be a 20" iMac. Ah, well, more computer dreams.
More importantly, I want my theater and a remake of the house. Been waiting a long time for that and it's close. Just gotta save a bit more money.
Deb and I are working on the genealogy, Deb doing research and me finally getting to the DVD backlog that I have. All this time in front of the computer makes me want to run screaming out to run in the hills, but I have to wait for the snow to melt a bit more. Hopefully it will warm up and I can get out to play some golf with Andrew.
I guess I am loquacious today. Gotta get to work.
Linux and Apple are the new computer passions in my life. I am learning Linux, finally and like it alot. It's hard, but it takes me back to the days when I was learing DOS and computers in general. Confused, reading tons of books. Surfing the net (not billboards as in olden days) and just trying to get educated. I do have a system up, just not connected to the network yet. I am trying to sort that out. Between wireless complexities and routing tables, I am up to my ears. I did get XWindows figured out and am running Gnome as my interface, but want to try others. KDE looks like it will be the eventual winner, but who knows? I do have another system running Red Hat, but I may blow that away and run Debian on it as well. Use it as a test machine.
What I really want is an Apple Mini. I figure that with the new Apple Xgrid I can create a parallel supercomputer using $500 minis. Start small and add as you need. Could be cool. Front end would be a 20" iMac. Ah, well, more computer dreams.
More importantly, I want my theater and a remake of the house. Been waiting a long time for that and it's close. Just gotta save a bit more money.
Deb and I are working on the genealogy, Deb doing research and me finally getting to the DVD backlog that I have. All this time in front of the computer makes me want to run screaming out to run in the hills, but I have to wait for the snow to melt a bit more. Hopefully it will warm up and I can get out to play some golf with Andrew.
I guess I am loquacious today. Gotta get to work.
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