August « 2009 « Jim's Random Notes

Looking for a Ghost Replacement

By Jim, on August 27th, 2009%

When describing the problems I was having configuring our new servers, I mentioned that I was going to try using Clonezilla to speed the process. The idea was to get Windows installed and all the other software configured on one machine, and then just clone the drive. Seemed like a good thing to do.

So . . . → Read More: Looking for a Ghost Replacement

Another look at Cash for Clunkers

By Jim, on August 26th, 2009%

A few weeks ago I said that Cash for Clunkers is a wreck. Now that the program has ended, let’s see the results.

The people responsible for Cash for Clunkers are hailing its success. I’m still having trouble understanding what the goals of the program were beyond a “feel good” measure designed to make people . . . → Read More: Another look at Cash for Clunkers

A few Linux nuggets

By Jim, on August 25th, 2009%

In general, it’s a bad idea to start a file name with a dash (-). For example, a file named –help is going to give you all kinds of trouble. Say you want to rename the file. mv –help help.txt is going to show you the help for the mv command. You’ll have to give . . . → Read More: A few Linux nuggets

A Dog and a Doodle

By Jim, on August 21st, 2009%

I ran across a little carved dog online and thought I’d duplicate it. After I’d finished and posted it on the woodcarving forum, I discovered that the original pattern came from Larry Green’s book, First Projects for Woodcarvers. My little dog didn’t turn out exactly like the one I saw, or like the one in . . . → Read More: A Dog and a Doodle

Yahoo! Mail customer care stinks

By Jim, on August 18th, 2009%

I am currently engaged in a week-long struggle with Yahoo! Mail’s “customer care” about an email that they’re blocking. Since the beginning of the year, my server has been sending a daily report about crawler performance to me and to my coworkers. The email consists of a single HTML file, inside of which are some . . . → Read More: Yahoo! Mail customer care stinks

Software Upgrades

By Jim, on August 17th, 2009%

Firefox just notified me of the available 3.5.2 update. I figured what the heck and told it to apply the update. After the update was applied, Firefox restarted and then I got a notification that one of my addons, the .NET Framework Assistant, is incompatible with the new version of Firefox and has been disabled. . . . → Read More: Software Upgrades

Purple Teacher Eater

By Jim, on August 17th, 2009%

When I was in fourth grade, there was a kid named Gilbert (that might have been his last name) who would draw all manner of things. At nine, I thought he was an incredibly gifted artist, especially considering that I could barely draw a stick figure. Gilbert’s favorite drawing subject seemed to be bug-eyed monsters, . . . → Read More: Purple Teacher Eater

Aliens Among Us

By Jim, on August 10th, 2009%

Either I was abducted by aliens and forced to carve a likeness, or my exercise in “sit down carving” (picking up a block of wood with no specific plan of what to carve) has revealed something disturbing about my imagination.

Either way, I had fun carving this one.

I have it on good authority . . . → Read More: Aliens Among Us

A diskette? What’s that?

By Jim, on August 5th, 2009%

We just bought some off-lease Dell servers locally and I’m tasked with getting them set up and installed at the data center. It’s not my favorite part of my work. I’m at heart a programmer, and fiddling with hardware always manages to frustrate me. Today’s encounter is particularly maddening.

We want to outfit these new . . . → Read More: A diskette? What’s that?

A few carvings

By Jim, on August 3rd, 2009%

I’ve been keeping up with the carving. Mostly, I’ve been carving those little bears and smaller versions of the wizards. But I’ve also done a few caricatures and some “found wood” pieces. The thing everybody seems to like the most is Walter the Walnut Whale:

I find it interesting that this is what grabs . . . → Read More: A few carvings

Jim's Random Notes