Monthly Archives: October 2006

The tbbs-land Linux Test Lab

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The long-suffering SWMBO has graciously allowed me to purchase a couple of these to further my Linux education. Being a Mac guy, my Intel-based computing gear is about precisely zero. She had one question: Why do you want two? Answer: networking. THe RHCE concentrates a lot on the configuring of network services, and I don’t get much first-hand experience with that.

I figure to spend $1000-1200 total on these, learn what I need, and have two decent, small-footprint, somewhat expandable systems that can be repurposed at will later. These will fit nicely atop my Anthro cart, in close proximity to my Sun workstation, and can take advantage of my existing 4-port KVM. This may even enable me to leverage my company-provided training budget for the year, if I learn enough to pass the RHCE without taking the RH-253 course. I’ll then have funds available to take a higher-level Red Hat course that has the RHCE as a prerequisite.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

-k-

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Happy Birthday, You Wonderful Old Waste of Pixels Blog!

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One year ago today, this old blog got off to a modest start. A year later, it humbly rattles on. I’ve debated about “branding” and such-like twaddle, and today it occurred to me: I am a mutt.

Yep, I like NASCAR, classical music, good single-malt scotch, a good cigar, Chevys, country music, escargot, pulled pork BBQ, pickup trucks, NPR, Coors or Bud, podcasts, and the occasional dip of Skoal.

So, I like what I like, and during the next year, I’ll share some of all of the above with y’all. OK?

I guess I’m supposed to render statistics, so here goes:

  • one year
  • 699 posts(not counting this one)
  • 325 comments
  • 1881 Akismet spam blocks

    • Modest numbers for a modest man. Keep showing up, comment when you’re moved, and life will be good.

    -k-

    Falling Back

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    Two times per year, I am reminded of the number of clocks we have in this house. The computers take care of themselves; even my PDA realized that we’ve returned to Standard Time, and set itself accordingly. Now, I get to look at the rest of our clocks, even the ones that get their time via an atomic clock someplace. They occasionally lose touch with the mother ship, and require attention. Then I have to remember the sometimes unintuitive set of key presses required to set each one.

    My last blog post got posted into the future, and hence didn’t show up; I fixed that. I think. If this one shows up, that is.

    In case you were wondering, this is a post whose primary function is to test the blog’s idea of time. The fact that it is about the return to Standard Time is just gravy.

    -k-

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    Upduped

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    I don’t think this anomaly is related in any way to my usage of my laptop while in Raleigh last week, but this morning when I went to retrieve mail, I received 645 duplicated messages; these were filtered by my mail app rules into their proper mail folders, spam and all. Something in the mail delivery process was obviously seriously verfuckled.

    I’d have gone blind trying to clean this up by hand, but The Google led me to this nifty collection of mail-related Apple Scripts. One of the scripts was entitled RemoveDuplicates.app, which deletes duplicate messages from a folder or folders of your choice, and moves them to a folder called “Duplicate Messages”. Slick and painless. Several other scripts are included in the bundle, and it’s a free download. Order is restored.

    -k-

    Update: The script considers messages to be duplicates if they have the same message id. This is as it should be.

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    Be it Ever so Humble

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    Arrived safely back home a couple of hours ago. SWMBO and the cat were happy to see me; the feeling was mutual. The big ol’ Buick rental has been delivered back to Avis, and all’s right with the world.

    The Buick economy numbers went from 24.9 life-to-date MPG on my arrival in Raleigh, to 24.5 while I was there, because of the start/stop short jaunts. I managed to get it back to 24.9 on the return trip. Those City/Highway MPG numbers are really true.

    -k-

    Folding the Tent

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    When I left for Raleigh last Sunday, I had hotel reservations through tonight. In the back of my mind, I thought I’d leave after today’s exam, and roll on home. Rain was in today’s forecast, I’m tired, and hence I stuck to the original plan, and will be heading north tomorrow early in the day.

    So, tonight, I’m gathering up and packing my stuff in the room, watching the World Series, and liquidating the unconsumed beers that have accumulated through the week.

    Travel light, that’s my motto.

    -k-

    Certified and Certifiable

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    Well, the week at Red Hat was outstanding. The class and labs reinforced the areas I already knew, and pointed me towards places where I need more work. I also have a list of things to look at on our existing work boxes come next week.

    I also passed the certification exam. I’m now a Red Hat Certified Technician, the lowest rung on the Red Hat certification ladder. The tallest ladder is climbed one rung at a time, though, and I hope to get at least a RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer). I’m not one to ooh and aah over any certification; basically, all it proves is that on one dreary day in Raleigh NC, I was a sysadmin1. That said, I have no intention of turning down the certificate.

    -k-

    1 – Remember George Costanza, who for a brief moment, was a marine biologist?

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