The UltraBob Files

No Time

Haven't had time to post for a while, but will do it soon.

Experiment - server posting to blog

7:31pm up 1 day, 3:06, 1 user, load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

TEST PHONE POST

Just testing.

SSH'ing into my server

Last night, patient genius Tod helped me to do a few things to my server. The first was a tutorial on how to use SSH to log into my server. Dumb as it may sound to some of you geeks out there, I had never used SSH, and using it is a real joy. Now I don't ever really need to switch my monitor over to the server, I can just SSH into it to do whatever I want, and it seems to be easier on the server too because all the graphical heavy lifting is done on the client machine.

Next Tod helped me to get CVS (Content Versioning System) installed on my server. I will be using CVS on the Akatombo Media site as a test case, and may be using it in the future in combination with some other systems to present an easy to track, secure test site environment for clients.

Finally Tod helped me to add a swap file on my linux server so that the swap partition would stop maxing out. This was the most complicated operation, but I am very pleased with the results. Eventually we will change from using a swap file to a swap partition for the extra space too, but for now that was too complicated.

Just as a reminder to myself I learned a few things, and here is a little summary:

• rpm -qa: list all installed rpms
• rpm -qa | grep cvs: list all rpms that contain the text cvs
• ssh hostname, ssh login@hostnamr, ssh -X hostname - -X forwards the display to the x-server on the machine that you are on. This allows you to run x-windows applications during your session
• /sbin/swapon path, /sbin/swapoff path - probably will nearly never use this again, but it is handy to know
• cat is like type was in MSDOS (?)
• some vi editor tips:
  • G moves to the end of document
  • o adds a line in front of where you are
  now the cool part:
  • type /whatever to search for whatever in your document - hit n to jump to the next found search
  • type cw to change word for the word your cursor is on
  • typing / will search for what you searched for last time
  those types of actions are taken for granted when using a mouse, but I find it neat how they've implemented them for keyboard use
• I could use fetchmail to grap mail from all my mail accounts, and centralize them onto an IMAP server, perhaps something like imp on Horde
• ps = process status report ; command Tod used to find out mail sending program in use: ps auwx | grep mail note: read up on ps

Enough of that, and if it bored you I'm sorry, it is really only intended for me, as is this page kind of, although I don't care who reads it.

The other thing to write about today is that I've been trying out the buzzer idea Kristen told me about, and it works well when I remember I'm doing it. I'm a little too easily sidetracked. I need to remove as many distractions as I can from my work environment. Also I played with SSH a lot today! I need to not do that so much anymore, but I think now that I'm used to having it I won't. I've also begun reading a book on CVS that Tod recommended to me. The tilte is something like CVS for Open Source Development. It is available free online besides being available in print. If I remember, someday I'll add a link to it, but for now, I still have work to do tonight.

Home all day

Today, I spent all day working on updates for the CEATEC website. As any of you who have ever worked in a home office can testify to, staying focused is a very difficult task. Kristen gave me a nice suggestion for staying focused and I intend to begin implementing it and seeing if it works:

Set up a timer at your desk for 15 minutes, and agree with yourself to focus completely for those 15 minutes. When the timer goes off you are allowed to take a break. If the 15 minutes gets over, and you are into what you are doing and don't need a break, simply restart the timer. If there's no beep then you don't get a break.

In order to implement this, I went look for a timer program for the computer. And I found this one which seems to be just what I needed.

Today I also called up my most important client with Tomoko's assistance for some of the complicated explanation to see about having him take me on as an employee for a few months for visa purposes, since he will be paying me anyway. It seems like that will work out ok, although he still has some checking to do.

All for now.

Tanabata festival

I intend for this weblog to be like a journal during the period that I am beta testing TypePad. If you are interested in what I am doing, you can come check here, and get updated. If I ever overcome my writers block you can see other non-journal type entries over at The Dynamic Duo

I'll write brielfy here about the Tanabata festival I went to on Sunday. The Sea Chicken (my girlfriend's nickname for the purposes of this journal, UltraGirl at The Dynamic Duo), Tod, Kristen, Yoshi, MJ, and I went to Hiratsuka to participate in the festivities. Actually it is more accurate to say that The Sea Chicken and I went to the festival and met them there, as we were there for a good hour before the rest of the group showed up.

They had a legitimate excuse: all of them (except Yoshi) dressed in traditional Japanese garb as you can see in the Tanabata Festival photo album in the side menu. We played a few traditional Japanese festival games: Mj and Kristen tried and failed at a turtle catching game, but MJ ended up with two turtles as a consolation prize. We also ate some festival food, which for me meant tomorokoshii, grilled corn on the cob soaked in soy Sauce, which I love.

We then went to Denny's and hung out for a while before Kristen, Tod, The Sea Chicken and I went back to my place for a couple more beers and some conversation. It was a long but enjoyable day.

One note to anyone who reads this: don't expect stupendous writing here, unless I have more time to devote to this than I expect, I will be writing quick and brief diary entries here and will be doing very littl eproofreading.

First Post in TypePad

This is my first post in TypePad, and I'm trying things out to see if they work how I expect them to. I'm Not really allowed to talk about TypePad's interface under the conditions of the beta testing agreement, but I don't think they'll mind me saying two words: beautiful and intuitive.