Jim's Journal

01/03/2008 22:52 #42743

Nuke it from orbit, it's...
Category: technology

...the only way to be sure.

Too many years doing systems, networking, and server administration for Windows has left me scarred. I left that whole mess many years ago, but it seems the corporate standard is still Windows XP, and as a web programmer these last 4 or so years, I still have to test stuff in IE.

My method to keep everything free of viruses and yet not have to run anti-virus software is to install a clean copy of XP, make three clones (one to keep pristine to regenerate from and one for IE6 and one for IE7), and then destroy the working clones every month or so to make sure nothing goes wrong with them.

I'm having to recreate my base XP image tonight though, since I'm moving from one VM system to another. I can't believe I'm still dealing with this old friend of mine. It's a bit nostalgic to go through the setup process again.

On the plus side, every year that goes by and Vista takes over, that's a nail in the coffin for IE6, and more I feel free to say: 'oh... well I've used Vista, but I don't know how to fix it/upgrade it/install it/troubleshoot it, sorry!'. I'm figuring around 2011 I can stop supporting XP/IE6. That means that XP will have been in use by me for about 10 years. That's sooo much longer then I'd ever thought possible.

Technological growth is still quick, but certain technologies are slowing down. Desktop computers and operating systems won't really advance by leaps and bounds any more. Most of the low hanging fruit is gone.

Sure, I'll update my hardware often (I'm already a bit crazy about being limited to 2gb of RAM), but the OS just matters less and less. As much as I love my Mac it is mostly because I feel like it stays out of my way and becomes more invisible all the time.

paul - 01/04/08 18:56
I would really like to work in an IE 6 free environment. It is just such crap. I don't understand how people don't get that. Even IE 7 is crap when you really look at it. Blah.

01/03/2008 21:26 #42742

Iowa Caucus
Category: politics

On the Democratic side the results seem to be coming in in the order that I wished for:

On the Republican side the anti-reality wacko and slimy politicians are on top:

james - 01/03/08 23:55
"On the Republican side the anti-reality wacko and slimy politicians are on top:"

Oh ya, I forgot Hunter was such a down to earth populist mench.

jim - 01/03/08 21:36
It's being called for Obama on the Dem side and Huckabee on the Republican side.

jim - 01/03/08 21:35
Iowa Dem results: :::link:::

01/03/2008 15:36 #42739

vmware Fusion
Category: nerdery

I just switched from Parallels for Mac to VMWare Fusion, so that I can run windows and solaris on my MacBook. I'm converting all my virtual machine images right now. It runs so much better, I can't believe it. I should have switched forever ago. It was on sale last week and I'm lucky I bought it. No more fighting with craptastic lockups and slowness.

I'm just waiting for the last thing to migrate over now and then I can delete Parallels. Wishing I had 4gb of RAM though, it's hard to keep multiple VM's open at the same time with 2gb plus my usual apps open.

jim - 01/03/08 21:33
Jenks, I like it a lot. Parallels took forever to start up, and every time I did start it, my whole Mac would look up for 1 to 2 minutes (all the interface, not just the usual stuff, but as if the computer was frozen). And it'd crash occasionally and take down my whole computer. VMware isn't perfect but I'm much happier with it.

jenks - 01/03/08 19:54
really? you like it better than parallels? Hmm, maybe I should check it out.

01/02/2008 20:50 #42728

BEHOLD THE TIMECUBE
Category: vintage kooks

EARTH HAS 4 CORNER SIMULTANEOUS 4-DAY TIME CUBE WITHIN SINGLE ROTATION.

Religious Singularity is evil,
Academic Singularity is evil.
Singularity is damnable lie,
Educators altered your mind,
You cannot think opposite of
what you were taught to think.
You have a cyclop perspective
and taught android mentality =
lobotomized analytical ability.
Educated singularity stupid -
You can't think4 corner days.

TIMECUBE

jenks - 01/03/08 10:55
whoaaa.
that is some serious psychopathology right there.

enknot - 01/03/08 10:15
YOU are the lowest form.
YOU can't procreate alone.
YOU destroyed the village.
YOU destroyed the family.
YOU destroyed childhood.
YOU destroyed naturalism.
YOU don't know the Truth.
YOU pitiful mindless fools,
YOU are educated stupid.
YOU worship cubeless word.
YOU are your own poison.
YOU create your own hell.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.
YOU must seek Time Cube.

ok... who's game to start a band named Time Cube that draws all it's influence and songs from this web site? I've saved the whole site to my HDD, so they can't destroy our source material. Um, you must have a undying passion for cubes, and hallucinogenic drugs... (but only legal ones like, salvia, fruit cake, and menstrual cycles.) and if you ever show up to practice sober your out of the band! Seek the cube! Obey you thirst!

joshua - 01/03/08 10:08
Here is Gene Ray's wiki page - :::link::: - the man used to be a marble enthusiast and wanted to set up a world marbles tournament!

joshua - 01/03/08 10:06
Wow - this is good, ol' fashioned crazy. This was my favorite:

I have requested that the UCS, or
Union of Concerned Scientists, act
to evaluate Nature's Harmonic Time
Cube Principle of Creation - for the
welfare of children, nature and the
future of all humanity. The dumb,
stupid and evil bastards have ignored
their obligation to their humanity
fellowship to research Time Cube,
and deserve to be spit upon publicly.
It is their moral duty to test Time
Cube, and a curse of evil if they ignore
the greatest discovery of humanity.

They deserve to be spat upon publicly!!!

kookcity2000 - 01/03/08 00:25
euclidian space just got TOLD

jbeatty - 01/02/08 22:46
Pages? I only noticed one. It's almost as confusing as listening to that Jack Van Impe televangelist guy.

james - 01/02/08 21:03
what?

What?

I mean, he just goes on and on.

I have read three pages of this stuff, and I couldn't understand a single sentence.

I mean, the semantics alone were staggering. They made no sense what so ever, like a yogi porn star with crippling scoliosis.

dear god.

why?

why?

01/01/2008 11:10 #42704

e:strip New Year's Party 2007/2008
Category: estrip

ladycroft - 01/03/08 18:03
hey, can you send me all the group shots you took? i think it would make a fun series!

metalpeter - 01/01/08 20:01
Hi Jim

I just wanted to let you know that I downloaded a few of your photos. They are really good I think they all had either me or carey and timika in them.

jim - 01/01/08 11:57
Thanks, Peter! Looking forward to seeing yours. Especially the ones of me ;)

metalpeter - 01/01/08 11:48
Wow you are quick in getting those pictures up. I just wanted to ad that wow they look way better then the ones I will put up hopefully later today after I watch the hockey game. There are a few of me I really like and often I don't or maybe I just like being in the pictures with (e:theecarey) and (e:ladycroft). That being said all the pictures are really good there those two I think it is of Tony are great. I will admit I did have a little bit to much of that Rose Champagne. It was like one minute I was fine and then bang. I didn't think I had that much but I must have. All in all I had a great time and it was great to see Timika. In the back of my mind I was hoping someone would make a surprise visit, sometimes that happens. But I didn't think it would be her she kept it a surprise for sure. I think your pictures do reflect that everyone had a good time. I can't wait to see how others pictures came out also. Happy New Year!!!!

jim - 01/01/08 11:14
I'm sorry if I missed taking your photo, some of you that were hanging out in the kitchen much of the night - well, the lighting was bad in there, so you only have yourselves to blame :)