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Firefox Back Hotkey

30 June, 2007 11:10

With the new Ubuntu release, Firefox seems to not want to respect the Backspace key for navigating back a page.  Instead it mimics the Page Up key, for reasons only the squirrels know.  Here is a fix to this problem:

  1. in the URL bar, type in about:config
  2. search for browser.backspace_action
  3. change the value to 0 

[Software]
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Over modulated Charter Advertisements

29 June, 2007 13:33

I have just about had it with Charter's blatent attempt at gaining viewership to there paid advertisements they slip in between network commercial content.

Not only the companies commercials, but there clientel's TV AD's are being disposed well above the amplitude, and over the top modulation that they are streaming to my TV.

It not only sounds awful, but also builds my relationship from there commercials to the services they offer, generic, un-appeasing, and disruptive to the conducive momentum of what I am viewing or paying for.

Imagine for instance that your television had a volume meter from 0 to 10.  In most cases, on most network television stations the average amplitude was that of normal a sound preference, and in this case a 5 would be sufficient to describe it.  When Charter adds are included in the breaks, imagine then if the amplitude would be a factor of 10!  Not only does this wake you up in the middle of the night, but it also refers the sound of Charter mumbo jumbo to corporate syndication of mumbo jumbo services.

I have just about had it.  There are other options where I live, and if there technician's in control of modulation, or amptitude doesn't make a workable adjustment, I will be switching service.  Fuckers, I was having a pretty damn hot dream last night that got interupted with spewage; that of the sort you would not want to receive, or pay for - for that matter.

Give me Spice for free and I will make an acception. 

A year ago I was writing:

camping tent with amenities

hitting the trails

[Day to Day]
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Water Consumption and our Health

27 June, 2007 16:27

Many of us have been told to drink 8, 8 oz glasses of water a day.  This is an exaggerated recommendation, as understood by many western nutritionist and other social-culture beliefs.  I found an article here, that looks deeper into the 8 x 8 rule with perspectives not specific to western culture that puts into edible information cookies what our daily liquid intake needs really are.

It was interesting reading: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/water.htm

A year ago I was writing:

Least restrictive use of "open source" software?

HOWTO: Install Debian Linux on a Cobalt Raq (mipsel)

[Day to Day]
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TurboPanel, now Simple Control Panel, Java Options

17 June, 2007 05:58

GoDaddy's free control panel for dedicated and virtual dedicates servers is TurboPanel, now called Simple Control Panel.  It runs on Java, and I noticed the virtual machine was using up way too many resources for the good of the other services.  I decided to only start the server when I need it, although most of the configuration I need to perform is done through an SSH session.  Before I decided on this start stop option of mine, I tried tweaking the heap memory settings for the Java VM and damn it, I didn't make a back-up of the Java options.

I had one hell of a time getting the application to perform memory utilized procedures, and half of the time while trying to tweak the settings, I would cause the VM to crash.  So this is the reason for my post - my /etc/sysconfig/turbopanel file with the JAVA_OPTS variable assignment, for this one line of code took me a half a day of searching, pulling hair, and growing a dislike for this hog of an app.

JAVA_OPTS="-XX:TargetSurvivorRatio=1 -Xverify:none -XX:PermSize=16M -Xms8m -Xmx32m"

-Xms is used for setting the minimum heap size, while -Xmx is the maximum in multiples of 1024 if followed by K, or the megabyte equivilant if followed by M.  Permsize holds all the reflective data for the VM.  Setting this higher increases performance.  -Xverify defines the verification mode for the classes: remote, all, none.  Since I have no experience with java, I will refrain from trying to explant the TargetSurvivorRatio, especially because a majority of the documentation starts talking about Eden.

A year ago I was writing:

poor man's snack (no PB)

[Software]
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Verizon Firefox Extension

16 June, 2007 20:44

I have once again found a fantasticular firefox extension which sits on your status bar showing how many minutes you have left, peak and off peak, billing cycle, and the number of TXT messages being sent for Verizon Wireless customers.

A separate extension is also available for T-Mobile.  Thankfully, after installing this, I realized I have been using more than I usually allow myself per week.  I will have to keep the conversations short for a few more days.

[Software]
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Lifetype is now being handled by eAccelerator!

16 June, 2007 05:00

I spent most of my early early morning installing eAccelerator.  eAccelerator caches PHP scripts in its compiled state before sending the web data to your browser.  My Blog's performance has increased beyond what I can put an estimate on.  I will be doing some benchmarks after I get a little rest.

Unfortunately using eAccelerator with Gallery 2 was causing some of my Apache processes to segfault.  I did a quick search but haven't come across anything helpful.  In any case, enjoy the speedy delivery of my spew!

[Software]
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Electric Dreams BBS

15 June, 2007 20:44

While I was young and growing up, I was always fascinated with any kind of technology.  I used to read the computer shopper like it was a bible, and several other computer related magazines.  My interest in computers never stopped growing, and I was soon looking at ways to obtain some piece of equipment, as long as it had a keyboard.

My family didn't have a lot of money.  My mother worked two jobs for many years trying to pay the bills, so purchasing what was a rather expensive toy back then was somewhat unrealistic.

My first computer was a Texas Instrument (DSP like).  I don't remember how I obtained this box, but I don't think we purchased it.

I believe it ran some form of PC DOS with very shitty XT emulation.  I was lucky to get any program at all running on it.  Wordperfect was smooth on the machine, as if that says something.  It did have however a BASIC interpretor, and that was it's purpose in life until I got my hands on a couple hundred dollars.

My next machine was an XT compatible box with a built in keyboard and a 10 or 11" screen.  I have to admit that it was a peace of crap, but when I got it in my bedroom I couldn't help but brag and drool.

I wasn't lost from technology in any means.  Viterbo University was only a couple blocks away with gopher and ftp access.  I walked and talked like a kid, so I was a kid, but every time I walked into that place they asked if I was a student.  The first time they asked I blurted out yes, almost in tears fearing they would kick me out.  No, she just ok, thanks.  That was my home for a while.

I began saving up money to purchase a Tandy, 486/SX2 at a Radio Shack in our mall.  It took almost a year to save, after hard work with what ended to be a 4 year paper route, and a hundred dollars or so from my mother.  I felt high, got it home, and just stared at it for 10 minutes or so before I even turned it on.  After this purchase is where my fun began.

I had been dreaming of starting a BBS before I ever signed into a system.  I had a 2400 baud modem, and all I needed now was a phone line.  That was a hard one to push over to the parent, but the paper went through and I soon had my own number.

I started to familirize myself with Frontdoor and Remote Access.  With very little prior experience with network systems, it was a fun challenge making everything work the way it should.

I decided the 2400 baud modem just wouldn't do, so I purchased a 14400 baud device and started advertising my BBS, "Electric Dreams BBS".  No, I was not aware any BBS with the same name existed elseware.

About this stage I was applying for FIDO type networks for my users and testing which games I liked to play, and oh the users also.

I started to meet people in the local BBS community.  Jeremy Newman whom ran Moonshine On-Line helped me immensly with software and I learned quite a bit from him.  In fact for a short period I took over Moonshine On-Line when he was unable to maintain it.  The 28800 baud modems just came out, and what does a kid do with the hundred dollars he has, just laying around?  Buy one from Jeremy whom got his hands on a bunch of them on the cheap.

So I was pretty hot now.  I had the fastest speed modem you could get.  I grew sick of RA and started looking for a more solid BBS software solution.  I ended up purchasing a Search Light BBS license and ran that until I discontinued the BBS scene in it's entirity.  Also around that time the BBS community was dwindeling and internet services were becoming more popular.  I thought I would take one more crack at a project, so I managed to sneak a phone line from our home voice number into my room and used it as an internet portal for the BBS.  This is where I took my first crack at Minix. 

After the experience of using Minix, it opened my mind to alternative forms of computer technology which in the end lead me to where I am today, a FreeBSD and Linux geek.  My BBS ran for two years, had a moderate user population, and gave me the experience to be one step ahead of many people in this field, from then on.

During my BBS days I was studying Pascal and created one or two doors which I see floating around, even to this day.  What followed the BBS was just that, a new interest in programming and software systems. 

Random Thought : I found a place in La Crosse. I now just have to manage to get my belongings moved in.

A year ago I was writing:

I am maladjusted and you are all that is mighty.

[Day to Day] [Technology] [Software]
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GoDaddy, dedicated hosting, Fedora Core 4 and the re-organization and halt of the Fedora Legacy Project

13 June, 2007 20:30

Not too long ago Fedora Core 4 was moved over to the Fedora Legacy Project.  Unfortunately because of a lack of maintainers, the legacy project stopped operations for re-examination of the organization.

With no legacy maintainer for Core 4 and earlier releases, I was wondering what GoDaddy's position was in relation to server software updates and support.

I gave them a call and shortly after received an e-mail:

Andy,

While the company that handled the updates for Fedora went under. We will continue to use Fedora. Should any updates need to be made to the OS your server is running on we would notify you before those changes happened.

Thank you.

Jared Wright
Team Olive
Customer Care Center

So it would appear that GoDaddy will be taking liability and continue to maintain there Fedora Core 4 dedicated servers.  This sounds a bit suspicious to me.  I wonder how there department plans on maintaining system server applications in this internet world where security updates can be frequent and the scope of the customers software systems are so broad.

One question I had, which I am waiting for a reply to, is if I am able to opt out of the push of updates, mostly for self-installation and customization purposes.

[Technology] [Software]
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Land where drunk cows swim and home to my daily hand