* Minx System Blog *
September 28, 2003
Who Broke the Internet?
Okay, who was it this time?
No Instapundit. No Spleenville. No Eye on the Left.
And Blogger says
Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a0005'
Invalid procedure call or argument: 'mid'
//functions/doAutoLogin.inc, line 15
but that's no surprise.
No A Small Victory, either.
Update: Never mind, it's all better now.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
01:17 PM
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1
I thought it was my computer--thank goodness it was only the internet!
Posted by: Susie at September 28, 2003 04:36 PM (0+cMc)
2
Well, you can't say Stevie didn't warn you.
http://caughtinthexfire.mu.nu/archives/002287.html
Posted by: LeeAnn at September 29, 2003 08:19 AM (HxCeX)
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September 27, 2003
Grrr!
That Bastard Lileks™ has a dual-G5 Macintosh.
And I don't. Sniffle.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:33 PM
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1
Oh no! He killed Kenny! He's a bastard!
Posted by: Susie at September 27, 2003 11:09 PM (0+cMc)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 27, 2003 11:12 PM (jtW2s)
3
The dual G5 is a sweet machine. It does, unfortunately, have one serious flaw. Its memory access design guarantees serious bottlenecks. I wouldn't turn one down, though, especially since I need a new server ASAP.
Posted by: Rossz at September 28, 2003 03:52 AM (43SjN)
4
Its memory access design guarantees serious bottlenecks.
I wasn't aware of that. Do you have a link to more information?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 28, 2003 12:29 PM (jtW2s)
5
The dual g5 system has a single memory controller, which is going to cause delays when both processors need data/instructions at the same time (and that could happen a lot) - one of them is going to have to wait. They have done a lot to optimize performance of the memory controller, which will help.
FYI, the Athlon64 processor has the memory controller built right in, so you end up with a controller for each processor. A controller for each processor is really needed for optimum performance. However, for typical use, e.g. a web server, it's not really that important. If you start running crypto cracking software or real time weather modeling, you'll want the extra performance boost.
Posted by: Rossz at September 29, 2003 04:27 AM (43SjN)
6
Right. Yeah, the Opteron is a more scalable design, but the dual G5 is still better than, say, a dual Xeon system. (1GHz vs. 400 or 533MHz bus.) (Though the bus designs are somewhat different.)
I'm not sure how much of an issue this is on a dual-processor system, but it does seem to be a real problem with quad-processor Xeon boxes.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 29, 2003 07:49 AM (jtW2s)
7
I'd have to agree. I don't particularly care for Intel designs. I always buy AMD (apples being way overpriced for what you get) - and I'll be sticking with 32-bit processors for a while, I'm afraid, since I can't justify a 64-bit processor for my needs (web server, mail server, MySQL database, etc). BTW, unless you have very specific needs such as graphics renderings, there is not a single good reason to spend the money on a G5 (or any other 64-bit system).
Ok, one good reason. The bragging rights are damn important.
Posted by: Rossz at September 29, 2003 02:02 PM (43SjN)
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September 26, 2003
Front Line Voices
Front Line Voices is a new project launched by Frank J of IMAO. It is planned to be an outlet for the letters of those serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and a counter to the one-note reporting of much of the mainstream media.
You can learn more about the project and how you can help at the
Front Line Voices Meetingplace.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
10:32 PM
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September 25, 2003
Buyers and Sellers of Emptiness
Unlike Red Thunder, The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth doesn't suck.
One might even... Yes, one might even go so far as to call it
good.
Now I'm off to finish reading it. After all, it's only been waiting for fifty years.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:09 PM
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1
Nooooo! You have to import my files and get Heather situated and do Ethel's little project and read a bunch of blogs and leave "moo"s everywhere and work 3 jobs and and and...stuff. No free time for the Pixy!
Posted by: Jennifer at September 26, 2003 12:09 AM (E9paH)
2
And email Heather her login info so she can start decorating!
Posted by: Susie at September 26, 2003 02:38 AM (0+cMc)
3
Just, umm, testing something. But if you see this, get ahold of Frank.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 26, 2003 05:42 AM (rZmE1)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 26, 2003 10:08 AM (jtW2s)
5
Even Pixy needs to sleep. We understand.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 26, 2003 02:53 PM (E9paH)
6
Darn, my secret weakness is... Not secret anymore.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 26, 2003 03:04 PM (LBXBY)
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September 24, 2003
Eaten By Mice
I had a wonderful essay to post here, but the little edit box was too small to contain it.
That's my story, anyway.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:59 PM
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1
Maybe you should moo-ve it.
Ha.
Posted by: LeeAnn at September 25, 2003 01:26 AM (HxCeX)
Posted by: Ted at September 25, 2003 02:49 AM (bov8n)
3
You're like Fermat and his last theorem...
Posted by: Daniel at September 25, 2003 04:19 AM (Oc6V9)
4
And a lovely story it is, too. Moving yet humorous. Second only to "the dog ate my homework" in the annals of great literature. I give it 9.8 for technical merit, and 9.7 for artistic impression. This moves you into first place going into the "freestyle" on Sunday. Scott Hamilton will be doing the color commentary, so be sure to tune in....
Posted by: Susie at September 25, 2003 05:41 PM (0+cMc)
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September 23, 2003
A Terabyte Here...
A terabyte here, a terabyte there, soon you're talking real storage.
I recently bought myself a DVD writer so that I can do backups of my 3.5 million (or whatever the number is) files. I also ordered 100 DVD-Rs (Shintaro 4x disks, in case anyone is interested), so that I'd have something to backup to.
Meanwhile, my disks are filling up. Fill fill fill. Also, I still have six IBM Deathstar drives in use. These are the notorious GXP-75 series, which have a half-life of about 12 months. Suckiest disk drives since the days of Miniscribe.*
So I bought 6 Maxtor 120GB drives to replace the 6 45GB Deathstars. Got them cheap too, although the bargain price I got will look pretty ordinary in a month and hideously expensive in six. Only problem is, the Deathstars are in use and have stuff on them - more stuff than I have space to copy elsewhere. After all, if I still had 180GB free I wouldn't be buying more disks.**
So I need the DVDs to back up the Deathstars so I can take them out of use before they do that for themselves. Only... Only the DVDs are coming by Australia Post, who did what they are best at and lost them.
It's not the first expensive shipment that Australia Post have lost for me. The only comfort I have is that
this time it's C.O.D., which means that I haven't paid for it. I still don't have the DVDs, which is a nuisance, but at least I'm not out of pocket.
The supplier managed to get confirmation from Australia Post today that yes, they (Australia Post) had lost my DVDs, and they (the supplier) are sending me another shipment. Maybe I should have suggested they put a GPS tracker on this lot.
* Not one of the computer biz's better moments:
In mid-December 1987, Miniscribe's management, with Wiles' approval and Schleibaum's assistance, engaged in an extensive cover-up which included recording the shipment of bricks as in-transit inventory. To implement the plan, Miniscribe employees first rented an empty warehouse in Boulder, Colorado, and procured ten, forty-eight foot exclusive-use trailers. They then purchased 26,000 bricks from the Colorado Brick Company.
On Saturday, December 18, 1987, Schleibaum, Taranta, Huff, Lorea and others gathered at the warehouse. Wiles did not attend. From early morning to late afternoon, those present loaded the bricks onto pallets, shrink wrapped the pallets, and boxed them.
The weight of each brick pallet approximated the weight of a pallet of disk drives. The brick pallets then were loaded onto the trailers and taken to a farm in Larimer County, Colorado.
Miniscribe's books, however, showed the bricks as in-transit inventory worth approximately $4,000,000. Employees at two of Miniscribe's buyers, CompuAdd and CalAbco, had agreed to refuse fictitious inventory shipments from Miniscribe totalling $4,000,000. Miniscribe then reversed the purported sales and added the fictitious inventory shipments into the company's inventory records.
See
here for more.
** I can't back up the Deathstars onto the Maxtors because I want to build the Maxtors into a RAID-5 array, and I have neither the drive bays nor the IDE controllers to run another six drives off my Linux box.*** I doubt the power supply would be particularly happy either.
*** Huh. Come to think of it, I
do have enough IDE channels to put another six drives on that box. The cabling would be...
problematic at best, so I think I'll take a pass on that.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
01:42 AM
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1
That would no doubt be very interesting if I had understood any of it.....
Posted by: Susie at September 23, 2003 02:09 AM (0+cMc)
2
Do you have a spare comp? You could just create the second RAID-5 array and slap the spare onto the network and copy everything over. Also, if you could free up one of the IBMs, you might be able to use something and compress a backup version of everything on the other 5. Otherwise, I forsee a long week of DVD burning.
Posted by: Chris C. at September 23, 2003 05:49 AM (Fuc2o)
3
I foresee a long week of DVD burning.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 23, 2003 02:59 PM (LBXBY)
4
Have you thought about a DLT tape drive? You can get at least 80 gig per tape.
Posted by: Pete at September 23, 2003 11:01 PM (3ENEt)
5
And they're so cheap! (Cough.)
DVD-Rs have the advantage of actually costing less than the disks they are backing up.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 24, 2003 01:31 AM (jtW2s)
6
OT: Pixy, I sent you an e-mail. Please let me know if you got it.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 24, 2003 04:44 PM (LNFFk)
7
Hi Jen!
Yep, got your email. But its at home and I'm at work...
I'll get it set up tonight.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 24, 2003 05:05 PM (LBXBY)
Posted by: Jennifer at September 24, 2003 05:10 PM (LNFFk)
9
The dangers of not backing up. I should know better than to not back up. In fact, I had a tape drive on my Linux server so that I could automate the backup process. Too bad I could never get it to work properly. Damn windoze only software from the maker!
Two days ago my server committed suicide. The power supply blew. No problem, I thought. I'll yank the power supply from my workstation, stick it in the server to get it back up quickly, then run down to the store and get a new one for my workstation. I've been wanting a bigger one, anyway. A few minutes later I'm staring at the server wondering why the damn thing wasn't booting. Sigh. Ok, now I need to yank the video card from my workstation and stick it in the server to see why it's not booting (the server is completely headless - no video, keyboard, or mouse). It turns out the computer isn't detecting the hard drive. Sh*t! Is it the motherboard or is it the drive? I try switching the drive to to the workstation (which also requires I move the power supply and video card back). Ok, power up. Uh, oh! Not only is it not detecting the drive, the video is screwed up. Double sh*t!
In the process of moving equipment around it looks like I zapped my expensive video card - and yes, the hard drive is completely dead.
The following day I popped down to the computer store and picked up the cheapest video card they carried (US$3
. The server will have to wait. I need to replace it completely. I've lost a lot of data. All my blogs, experimental firewalling code, possibly my history web pages, lots more.
I know the rule, I just didn't follow it. "Backup your system because it's not a question of 'if' the drive will fail. It's a question of 'when'."
Posted by: Rossz at September 25, 2003 02:07 AM (43SjN)
10
Ouchie. That's gotta hurt.
All my work - my music, my novel, my programs - are backed up to the server at work.
My web pages (all the mu.nu sites, in fact) are backed up twice a day to my server at home.
But I have a huge collection of... stuff... That I'd rather not lose if I can help it. Hence the DVD burner.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 25, 2003 02:29 AM (jtW2s)
11
Well, it gets worse. I had hoped the brand new 60 Gig Western Digital drive had survived. It didn't. It contained /home and another paritition that was used for general purpose file storage. That's where I told my wife to store all her important files for safety. Lots of irreplacable files. It's still under warranty, I suppose. Though they might argue it was "abused". One day my wife might forgive me for losing her files. I don't expect that day to be any time soon.
I called a data recovery service. It's about US$4,500 per drive. Definately not in the budget.
So who's responsible?
1. Me. I should have returned the tape drive a long time ago and found another solution instead of being pig-headed about it and continuing my fruitless attempt at getting it to work.
2. Seagate. For selling a device that is advertised as Linux compatible, but isn't (I'm not the only person who had trouble getting this piece of crap to work under linux).
3. Maxtor and Western Digitial. For leaving out a 50 cent part that would have protected the drive from a power surge.
When I can finally afford a new system, I will get a DVD burner, too. Damn, that pretty much doubled the replacement cost. I hope my job interview goes well tomorrow.
One day, old system administrators will tell my story to their grandchildren to scare them.
Posted by: Rossz at September 25, 2003 04:57 AM (43SjN)
12
That sucks
I've had six drives die over the past two years (poxy bloody IBM disks), but never without warning (they make horrible noises for a few days before they die) so I haven't lost anything much.
What might work is to buy another drive of exactly the same model, and swap controller boards (on the drive itself). This has actually been done successfully at least once.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 25, 2003 01:18 PM (LBXBY)
13
And someone thinks that 200TB will hold all human knowledge.
Sounds like you have a good chunk of that yourself, Pixy.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward at September 26, 2003 03:30 PM (1/d9U)
14
I have had many hard drives die. It hurts. Perhaps you could get a few tips from this site.
http://www.datamole.com
Posted by: hard drive recovery at September 29, 2004 11:38 PM (RKRdf)
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September 22, 2003
Spammeriffic!
Just received three of the fake "Microsoft Update" virus spams - at an email address I didn't know I had. (Which probably explains why it wasn't properly spam-filtered.)
And 132 other assorted pieces of crap. Ranging from "Hi!" to "God Bless Pixymisa and the USA!" to the usual offers of sex and money (I'm fine for both at the moment, thanks).
Look, can't we kill just a few of them? Y'know, set an example?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:54 PM
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Brrr!
Well, they fixed the air conditioning at work. And then some. It was a balmy 31 degrees today (that's real degrees, so 88 of your puny American degrees), which I doubt the computers would have enjoyed. Naturally on such a warm day I didn't bring a jumper or a jacket or anything... So they decided to switch the air conditioning from Ineffectual to Antarctic.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:44 PM
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1
I think you need to talk to Murphy about this law of his.....
Posted by: Susie at September 23, 2003 02:10 AM (0+cMc)
2
Oh, and don't most places of business only have two settings, Ineffectual and Antarctic? I know that's what we have at the theater....
Posted by: Susie at September 23, 2003 02:12 AM (0+cMc)
3
I work in the climate-controlled area of the warehouse, which means refridgerator. The majority of the bay is hell-hot or arctic-cold depending on the season, and the biggest hazard is ceiling fans falling out of the sky.
Posted by: Ted at September 23, 2003 03:24 AM (bov8n)
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September 21, 2003
Quack!
Thanks to
CoolDuck LeeAnn.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
06:05 PM
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1
Wow! How'd they get your picture?
Posted by: Susie at September 22, 2003 02:38 AM (SM1Wt)
2
Hey, no fair! I got smart duck, too, but it had YOUR picture!
Posted by: Susie at September 22, 2003 02:52 AM (SM1Wt)
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September 20, 2003
Red Thunder
Red Thunder by John Varley
I've never been disappointed by John Varley.
Until now.
If
Rocketship Galileo had been written by the Robert Heinlein who wrote
The Number of the Beast, rather than the Robert Heinlein who, well, wrote
Rocketship Galileo, you'd have
Red Thunder. It's all there: the characters too stupid to live, the pointless and unappealing sex, the arguments about who's going to drive, the contrived plot...
I give it sucks out of five. And no, I haven't suddenly developed a New Zealand accent.
Avoid.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:43 PM
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1
Ouch! I hate when they release a book to sell on the name of the author instead of the strength of the story.
Posted by: Ted at September 20, 2003 10:06 PM (2sKfR)
2
And it damages the author in the long run--there are a lot of "big" writers I stopped reading after a real stinker...
Posted by: Susie at September 21, 2003 02:46 AM (SM1Wt)
3
I took it back to the library half-finished, and even that half was a chore. I was so sorely disappointed. That the man who gave us "Persistance of Vision" (one of the best short stories ever) or the Gaea trilogy could do so poorly... sad sad sad.
One of my favorite ways to pass the time while at a boring job is to cast the whole Gaea world as a movie.
Posted by: LeeAnn at September 21, 2003 04:25 AM (HxCeX)
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Happy Birthday to Meeee!
It's my birthday!* This afternoon I'm going to see Finding Nemo with my family, then maybe dinner at a non-Thai restaurant.
I wonder if I'll get any presents? I've been a little... slack in the present-giving department this year, what with my three full-time jobs and all. Maybe my nephew will give me a present, since I gave him six boxes of Lego last weekend.
* 25. Though not necessarily in base-10.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:51 AM
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1
Happy Birthday, O Keeper of the Templates! All Hail Pixy Misa!
Posted by: Susie at September 20, 2003 11:52 AM (SM1Wt)
2
Well, I had it marked on my calendar for tomorrow, but...yeah. Tomorrow is today and spring is fall, etc etc. So happy birthday! Since it's tomorrow I don't have to talk like a pirate! Happy happy birthday, Pixy!
Posted by: Jennifer at September 20, 2003 12:27 PM (3ZCRn)
3
Yay!
We'll be taking my nephew to see Finding Nemo too. He hasn't been to the movies before - we'll se how it goes.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 20, 2003 12:51 PM (jtW2s)
4
Yay! I loved Finding Nemo, he'll love it too. Took my 3-year-old niece, it was her first movie, and she stayed still almost the whole time. And this kid NEVER stays still for more than 5 minutes. She loved it.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 20, 2003 05:39 PM (3ZCRn)
5
He decided to spend the day throwing up instead
Mine.
I didn't know it was set in Sydney. And that's exactly what the seagulls say.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
And Knick Knack was on first - the one with the missing boobies.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 20, 2003 09:36 PM (jtW2s)
Posted by: Daniel at September 21, 2003 12:49 AM (Oc6V9)
7
Happy Birthday*, Pixy!
or, well, belated or something, anyway.
*should I assume that's 25 in hex, then? ^_^
Posted by: Chris C. at September 21, 2003 04:47 AM (f9aLa)
8
Ooo...you picked a good burfday movie! Happy Birthday!
Posted by: orange haired boy at September 21, 2003 03:54 PM (l0BS5)
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September 19, 2003
Ahoy There!
That scurvy bilge-rat of a server I mentioned yesterday, me hearties, is now booting more-or-less happily. I guess that threatening to make it walk the plank did the trick.
Arrr!
Only thing is, it insists on doing a full file-system check first. Shiver me disk drives! With 1.6 terabytes of disk, that takes a while.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
12:46 PM
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1
Buck up, matey! Ye 'll have plenty o time ta drink yer grog!
Posted by: Susie at September 19, 2003 01:16 PM (SM1Wt)
2
Good point, Cap'n Susie!
Now if only I had some grog...
Arrr arr ar.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 19, 2003 02:20 PM (LBXBY)
3
Shiver me disk drives indeed!
Best pirate speak yet.
hln
Posted by: hln at September 20, 2003 02:42 AM (CWwGn)
4
Me dear wife shut down me router at the first bell of the middle watch. I was forced to slit the wench from gizzard to gullet with my cultless when I awoke this morn.
More grog!
Me bilge rat of a daughter refuses to speak like a proper pirate this day! Perhaps a keel hauling will change her temperament.
Where's me bleedin' grog!
Posted by: DreadPirateRossz at September 20, 2003 03:07 AM (43SjN)
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Arrrr!
Avast there!
Late for work, me hearties! Now where did I put those scurvy Linux disks?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:41 AM
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1
I guess it is talk like a Pirate day where you are. Even though today was the first time I have ever heard of it.
Posted by: Wanderer at September 19, 2003 10:00 AM (vbmCW)
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September 18, 2003
Uh-Oh
My PC, it will not boot.
I rm'd * while su root.
Well, actually, I didn't. I've always wanted to try that, but I've never had a box I didn't care about at a time when I
had the time to play around.
I think it just overheated. Spring has well and truly sprung here in Sydney, but the office air conditioning is still set to Winter. So it's really not surprising that the computers are finding it a bit on the warm side.
And it's not really my PC, it's one of the servers. The one with a terabyte of data on it, to be precise.
Poot.
I've left it turned off overnight, and tomorrow I will return armed with a 30cm fan, an extension lead so we can position it somewhere a little cooler... And my Linux install CDs, because I'm not
that much of an optimist.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
06:46 PM
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1
It can't be spring because it is fall.
;-)
Posted by: Jennifer at September 18, 2003 10:47 PM (rZmE1)
2
Once a friend was setting up a Linux box on a box. It was his first time. I was giving him some instructions via irc. I typed "rm -rf /*" as a joke, and then typed"just kidding, don't do that", except I was too late. On the other hand, he did learn how dangerous being logged in as root can be.
Posted by: Rossz at September 19, 2003 01:50 AM (43SjN)
3
I really need to wait until AFTER my morning coffee before posting, or learn to proof-read when half asleep.
Posted by: Rossz at September 19, 2003 01:52 AM (43SjN)
4
He's still your friend? Wow.
Posted by: Victor at September 19, 2003 02:04 AM (FNHVL)
5
Well, Jennifer, this is where it gets confusing. You see, down here, September comes in March, so it really is Spring. Also, while you are still in 2003, we're already in 2020. The only people ahead of us are the Kiwis, who don't really matter that much even if they did beat us in last year's Americas Cup race to Pluto.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 19, 2003 02:48 AM (jtW2s)
6
You forgot to tell her about your drains swirling backwards because you are upside down....
Posted by: Susie at September 19, 2003 03:08 AM (SM1Wt)
7
That's because they don't. It's a myth.
Our drains swirl upwards. Something of a problem, that.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 19, 2003 03:18 AM (jtW2s)
8
Definitely a myth. See this site for explanation: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_161
I see a Science at Home forming on this - or not...
Posted by: Daniel at September 19, 2003 06:41 AM (Oc6V9)
9
Our drains swirl upwards. Something of a problem, that.
So, you have toilet towels instead of toilet paper, right?
Posted by: Victor at September 19, 2003 06:43 AM (FNHVL)
Posted by: Jennifer at September 19, 2003 09:02 AM (rZmE1)
11
Back in the 80's (when dinosaurs ruled the earth) I was sitting at a terminal - before PC's you went to the terminal room to work - and just happened to glance at the next guy's screen. He typed "RM COBOLV", hit return, logged off and left. Ten minutes later the Military Police were there, looking for the guy who deleted the Cobol compiler. It was scary thinking that we had that kind of power as a default, and the only hope was to hope we never thought to try something so stupid.
Posted by: Ted at September 19, 2003 10:35 AM (2sKfR)
12
I remember terminals!
Only I was one of those nasty egg-stealing little Unix rodents.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 19, 2003 12:49 PM (LBXBY)
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September 17, 2003
Just One Of Those Days
See you tomorrow.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:03 PM
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Posted by: Jennifer at September 18, 2003 12:06 AM (rZmE1)
2
everyone likes babies
Posted by: Ted at September 18, 2003 01:04 AM (2sKfR)
3
cute penguin! cute kitty! awwwww.....
Posted by: Susie at September 18, 2003 01:33 AM (SM1Wt)
4
Awwww....that is cute!!
Posted by: Tink at September 18, 2003 08:51 AM (Pp0b1)
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September 16, 2003
Urk
How did I end up with two full time jobs instead of one part time job?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
08:18 PM
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1
Because you volunteered to move the whole blogosphere offa BlogSnot for free?
Posted by: victor at September 16, 2003 10:23 PM (L3qPK)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 16, 2003 11:26 PM (jtW2s)
3
P.S. Don't tell them that, Victor! Now they'll all want one!
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 16, 2003 11:32 PM (jtW2s)
Posted by: Jennifer at September 16, 2003 11:39 PM (E9paH)
Posted by: Ted at September 17, 2003 05:07 AM (2sKfR)
Posted by: LeeAnn at September 17, 2003 11:58 PM (HxCeX)
7
And I somehow spelled my own name incorrectly. Geez.
Posted by: LeeAnn at September 18, 2003 10:51 AM (HxCeX)
8
Did you? I hadn't noticed.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 18, 2003 06:48 PM (jtW2s)
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September 15, 2003
Naughtiness
The Axis of Naughty rules! Instapundit... Oops, I mean
Instapundit says so.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:29 PM
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Posted by: Jennifer at September 15, 2003 11:41 PM (rZmE1)
2
Hiya, Pixy! Before my computer crashes again or bursts into flames, I want to ask ya something.
Are you still looking for new blogs to add? If you are, check out Death's Door. It's on my blog roll. This guy is GREAT. I've read most of his archives and he has mentioned getting off Blogsnot before. He's consistent, funny and you can tell by the way he writes and thinks that he's a good guy. I haven't said anything to him about any of this, 'cause I wanted to check with you first. If you do move him over here, ya won't be sorry. (Don't let the title scare ya off. There's very little, if anything about actual death.)
Posted by: Stevie at September 16, 2003 11:24 AM (3Sob/)
3
What's wrong with death? I posted about death once. Should revisit that one of these days...hmm.
Posted by: Jennifer at September 16, 2003 03:50 PM (rZmE1)
4
Ain't nothing wrong with death. Except, I hope I don't go through it 'til I'm back in those 29" waist jeans...sigh.
I just didn't want Pixy to be leery of the title. Actually the whole thing is something like "Death's Door-The view from the Spanish Announcer's table". Which has something to do with wrestlers being heaved out of the ring, on top of the Spanish announcer-guys table all the time. (Don't ask me...I just like readin' the guy. He's really funny and he's got a unique way of expressing himself.)
I'm hoping Pixy likes him enough to invite him to come here, too.
Posted by: Stevie at September 16, 2003 06:37 PM (2CdrH)
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September 14, 2003
Magic
I spent the day at my brother's house celebrating my nephew's second birthday. While he likes the Lego I bought him, his favourite present by far was the Wiggles Safari DVD (the Wiggles meet Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter).
As soon as he had it unwrapped, he grabbed the DVD, trotted into the living room, and -
Well, he doesn't
quite have this down pat. He put the DVD on the shelf under the TV, grabbed the remote control, and started pushing buttons. After all, the DVD player is too high up for him to reach, so it's worth a try.
At two, he's realised that if you put the shiny round thing in the silver rectangular thing and push the little buttons on the small grey oblong thing, pictures and music come from the square black thing and you can dance along - which at that age consists of spinning in circles until you fall over.
Unfortunately, the DVD was warped, and in the middle of
Wobbly Camel the picture and sound broke up and it swiftly became unwatchable. We found that only the first two and last three of fifteen or so songs played properly.
Which kind of ruined the magic...
What I'd like to do here is write a Whittleian essay about how what engineers really want to do is
magic - build machines that work so well that the very workings that they laboured so hard to create are effectively invisible to the user. You do
this and
that happens, every time, without any noise or smoke or heat. You don't need to pull it apart twice a year to grease the flanges or re-tune the interociter. You don't need to prime it with margarine before starting it when the weather's below freezing.
It just works.
I guess I went into computers because it's the closest useful field we have to magic. You move this thing until that thing points to this other thing, then you push on this thing and music! Movies! Books! Your printer springs to life and prints out a newspaper, or you send a letter to your friend on the other side of the world (and it arrives in a matter of seconds.)
Bugs are the mis-aligned gears and dry solder joints in the engineering magic of programming. When you run into a bug, it reveals the workings you've tried so hard to hide. The magic is ruined, though we're used to it and we usually manage to pick ourselves up and move on.
(Like, say, when my ADSL connection drops out and destroys the illusion that the internet is "just there".)
One recent failed spell has reduced
Tuning Spork to
speaking in tongues in a most amusing way, but usually the results are just a bloody nuisance.
I have no idea where this post is going, though, so I'll stop here. If you do happen to know, please tell me and I'll do my best to finish it.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
08:25 PM
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1
I think you were going to say that all bugs must be stomped out so that the illusion of magic remains intact.
Posted by: Susie at September 15, 2003 01:31 AM (SM1Wt)
2
Excellent post! I love hearing Mac users tell me how difficult and clunky Windows is, because I get to ask them how many AOL uers they know who couldn't function on a Mac. My father-in-law is the perfect example. He has no clue as to what he's doing, but manages quite nicely on AOL.
Posted by: Ted at September 15, 2003 04:36 AM (2sKfR)
3
My interociter is much nicer than that.
Posted by: Ryan at September 16, 2003 11:59 PM (SrRJG)
4
I can help *starts signing*;
crocodile hunter,
big Steve Irwin.
crocodile hunter,
action man -
crocodile hunter,
tell ya true-
krighky, it's a croc',
I'll save it if I can.
or
http://www.thewiggles.com.au/CD/safari/wigglysafarimusic.html
Posted by: jim at September 17, 2003 11:27 AM (lN8eP)
5
Thanks, but I already have that stuck firmly in my head, so you can't do any more damage.
Oh, by the way, it's "crikey".
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 17, 2003 11:54 AM (jtW2s)
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September 13, 2003
Nobody Likes A Shitferret
Geek website Hypothermia raffled off one of their computers to raise money to pay Briana LaHara's settlement with the RIAA.
All the tickets were sold in five hours.
(via
The Inquirer)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
09:12 PM
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1
People really need to stop buying CDs til those idiots wake up.
Posted by: Susie at September 14, 2003 01:41 AM (SM1Wt)
2
They can download my music instead!
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 14, 2003 02:34 AM (jtW2s)
3
P.S. Check the RIAA link
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 14, 2003 02:34 AM (jtW2s)
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September 12, 2003
Scarcity Abounds
I may be somewhat scarce on mu.nu this weekend - I have books to read, programs to write, presents to buy, parties to attend (yay!) - so there will be bloggage after, but perhaps not so much bloggage during.
In the meantime, why is it taking so darn long to grep this file? It's only, um, five gigabytes. It's not like it's particularly big or anything...
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
11:46 PM
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1
Nothing like an abundance of scarcity to pique interest....
Posted by: Susie at September 13, 2003 01:17 AM (SM1Wt)
2
One would think that an abundance of scarcity would pique indifference - but then what does one know?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 13, 2003 01:25 AM (jtW2s)
3
Ah! but people love a mystery....
Posted by: Susie at September 13, 2003 01:40 AM (SM1Wt)
Posted by: Ted at September 13, 2003 02:27 AM (bov8n)
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