Monthly Archives: October 2009

A Patch in Time

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I just got word that a patch I submitted will be included in Fedora 12.

OK, so the problem was a simple typo in system-config-kickstart, which caused it to crash when invoked with the –generate option. Something a junior high kid could fix. But that’s not the point.

I post this, not to blow my own horn, but to document an event that’s important to me. In opening the bug and posting the patch, I got to work some levers in Red Hat’s Bugzilla. I got a taste of participating in a project that I absolutely love. I did what I think one should do in FOSS projects.

As I commented when I posted the patch:

I’m very new at all this. Someday, may my talent match my enthusiasm.

And, as minor as this contribution is and will be, it’s my first one. And the taste is sweet.

-k-

And the Bolus Helped

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Back from a post Constantine upgrade reboot. Network Manager applet problems … gone!

Sound playing problems persist; I could head to some Fedora Forum and bitch up a storm to the effect that “#@%!@ sound don’t work!”, but since I know little about the underpinnings, I’ll do the research, use Uncle Google, and if I get my problem fixed, I’ll post the results. I’ve said it before, that using FOSS software carries an implicit obligation to invest a modicum of effort in understanding the workings. And sharing the results of your troubleshooting efforts.

I love this stuff; I wish I had it when I was a kid. To the extent that I’m still a kid, Fedora helps keep me that way.

-k-

Upgrade x2, 2 Days Late

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Last Tuesday, Constantine, the Fedora 12 Beta, was released. I make it a point to upgrade sooner rather than later. And, thanks to Fedora’s preupgrade, followed by 1.1G of downloads, and what seemed to be interminable disk-thrashing, the upgrade finished, and /etc/redhat-release now reveals:

Fedora release 11.92 (Rawhide)

Thus far, Constantine has performed well. A few sound playback problems, and a rather disgusting, persistent NetworkManager applet crash have been the only bad side effects. I can start NM applet from a terminal, just not on Gnome startup. I just downloaded a rather substantial upgrade; I’m hoping the NM problem is handled. And, I’ve never understood the sound stuff; I gotta read up on that. So, click that little badge in the sidebar, and get Constantine for yourself. Don’t cost nothin’.

After the F12 upgrade, I fired up Firefox to check this old blog, only to discover a WP upgrade awaited. After another flawless upgrade, tbbs-land now proudly runs WordPress 2.8.5.

Thanks, Fedora and WordPress!

-k-

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A Touchdown-like Score

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Two field goals and a safety == two touchdowns + two kicked extra points.

All hail the Mighty Chieves! 14-6 winners of the Hapless Bowl against the Washington Redskins. Iff’en ya’ can’t score touchdowns, make the score look like ya’ did.

All this slobbering blogging about the Chieves springs in part from that we probably won’t get to see them play again this year, at least on our local teevee outlets.

And, I’m an AFC West fan. Today, a rare treat. The Raiders and the Eagles matchup is deemed fit to watch in our local market. I know Chieves’ fans aren’t supposed to give Oakland the time of day, but man, you just can’t deny the sharpness of Silver and Black.

-k-

Back

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The technical problems are resolved; the Chieves and Skins are back. The Chieves scored a field goal whilst Baltimore/Minnesota were on.

Surprise, surprise.
-k-

The Comedy of Errors

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You are really scraping the bottom of the NFL Football Barrel when you watch the Washington Redskins and the Kansas City Chieves play in the Hapless Bowl, and the game is interrupted because of “technical difficulties”, after which the local CBS affiliate switches to Baltimore/Minnesota.

At least, the concept of a touchdown is known and practiced by the Ravens and Vikes. A TD would win the game for either Hapless Bowl participant who can score one.

Still, they may suck, this may be an off year, following on several off years. But dammit, it’s the Chieves, and they’re from back home. Hope springs eternal, etc…

-k-

Adios, Verizon

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Well, the “cancel my wireless phone” mail-o-gram has been sent. Our contract with Verizon expired a week or so ago, and our AT&T go phones are on-board and activated with more minutes than we’re likely to use for a year.

Sweet!

-k-

New Transmission

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The aught-one Saturn, at 108475 miles, will not go into reverse1 And, hence, it’s in the Reston Automotive Hospital.

The verdict is in. It needs a new transmission. A $3800 transmission. A warranted, 24-month, 24K mile transmission. That they can install by Tuesday.

We gave them the go-ahead earlier. This is probably the first time I’ve spent more on a car than its Blue Book value, but I think the rest of the car is reasonably sound. And $3800 wouldn’t be a year’s worth of car payments, if you go on the 3 year payment plan.

So, not wanting to owe our souls to Ford Credit, we repair. And hope the aught-one runs proud and true for a year or two.

-k-
Update: And this is my first new transmission. With me, rites of passage come late in life.

1 Well, unless you want to rev it up to 3500-4000 RPMs, and then jam it into gear.

Verizon Wireless-less

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I’ve broken free from the shackles of Verizon Wireless. MLB and I have been looking for simple, no frills phones, with a subsistence plan. We care not about texting, surfing the web, custom ringtones, cameras and such like claptrap on a phone. We care not about a gazillion monthly minutes, irrespective of whether or not they roll over. We care not about mobile-to-mobile. Of our princely hundreds of minute per month with Verizon, we used all of 5 minutes between us last month. This is not a one-off month, either; using 60 minutes is a rarity. And no one ever calls us on cell phones; ours are usually turned off anyhow.

We view a wireless phone as an emergency lifeline, in case our car lays down on the road, or in case we need some type of medical assistance away from home.

So, we’ve upgraded to AT&T Go Phones; pay as you go, cheap phone equipment, no contract. Twenty-five cents per minute, flat. We’ll preload the phones with $100 each, and kiss the Verizon $80/month family plan goodbye. By the first of the year, our outlay will be recouped, and we’ll roll on.

So, if you have a cell number for me that is 703-xxx-yyyy, it will cease to function.

Not since I dissolved my relationship with Media General Cable, over 12 years ago, have I been so tickled.

-k-