Tinypliny's Journal

10/30/2011 14:15 #55410

Cloud-backup of files on Linux.
Category: linux

I tried dropbox sometime back for many months. I didn't quite like it because I felt like I couldn't control many aspects. In addition, I ended up deleting many of my files due to some stupid settings confusion. I bet they have more options now, but I don't feel like going back. So I signed up for 25 gigs of free space from... *gasp* Microsoft's Skydrive. I figured if they are giving away this much space in the cloud for free, why not twist it around and use it as a cloud for Linux so that the joke is actually on them.

Naturally, Skydrive doesn't have any desktop synchronization tools for linux. And that is where SMEStorage Sync comes in. All I needed to do was to

Install "Linux Cloud Desktop Tools" from SMEStorage for fedora.
Set up an account at SMEStorage and login.
Go to My Account --> Providers Tab
Add the Skydrive account and password
Set the Skydrive account as default (so all your files will be uploaded and synced to the Skydrive 25 Gigs account rather than the limited 2Gigs SMEStorage-Amazon Cloud. (An index of the Skydrive account is mirrored on the SMEStorage-Amazon 2 Gig Cloud. So the 2Gig account has an index but no real files taking up space.)
Fire up the SME Storage Sync Center on your laptop/desktop
Choose the US SME Server and connect
Choose the local home/system folders to Sync
Press Sync Up any time you want to upload and backup/sync your files in that folder.
You can manually fire up the SME Storage Sync Center everytime you feel like doing a backup or schedule it to do automatic backups at some regular schedule.

That's it! Evil example of using Microsoft's resources to make life on linux easier.

10/30/2011 11:58 #55409

Sunday brunch
Category: eating in

Dedicated to (e:fing). ;-)

enknot - 11/03/11 22:44
put a hotdog in there, there's no meat.

mrmike - 10/30/11 13:26
nice

10/29/2011 21:52 #55406

What produce does $30 get you?
Category: grocery

at pricerite?

0.25 lb Jalapeno Peppers
4.54 lb Acorn/Buttercup/Kabocha squash
3.46 lb Zucchini (Green squash)
3 generous bunches of fresh cilantro
5 medium red onions
0.89 lb red bell peppers (2 peppers)
3.79 lb Vine ripened tomatoes
1.00 lb Plum tomatoes
5.53 lb Granny Smith apples
2.61 lb Bosc pears
2.07 lb Black Friar Plums
1 Gallon Skim Milk

Except for the plums, each item on that list came from NY farms. Not bad at all for 13/14* 100 ~ 93% local produce & milk. I checked . That is about as seasonal and local as you can get.

---
Contrast with the sortie at (e:paul,55153)
Blasted thing won't post straight!

tinypliny - 10/30/11 12:12
I just made brunch with some of it and it tastes spectacular! :) Granny Smiths are *always* crunchy and tart. That's why I seldom buy any other kind of apple!

metalpeter - 10/30/11 11:21
I was going to joke but does any of it taste good? Then I saw Tomatoes and Apples .... But why are apples so good and cider so good but juice isn't? Granted there are different kinds of apples but for me they need to crunch....

10/26/2011 10:41 #55380

Writing Functions in R: Part 2
Category: r statistics

I skipped all the in-between bits of writing functions. Maybe I will return to them in the future.

But for now, I think it's super important to know how to apply a function once I have written it using what else but...
APPLY!!!

The output of Apply can be a vector or array or list of values
The input of Apply is always a matrix. So make sure to insert a "as.matrix" before anything you want to apply your function on.

Basic syntax:

apply(as.matrix(some object which is not a matrix already), Starting Row, function)

For eg.
Out <- apply(as.matrix(list of element), 1, function)

10/25/2011 21:57 #55378

Zim - Invading my desktop!
Category: linux

I am finding Zim (the desktop wiki-like note-taking software) SO useful for random on-the-fly notetaking!

Zim is like a wiki, todo checklist, notebook, LaTeX scratchpad all rolled into one! I think I like the todo checklist and LaTeX parts the best. It has this nifty dvipng plugin that generates small png images for equations. You could just take these equation pngs and stick them anywhere.

Like here.

Not only is it invading my desktop, it is invading the cloud. I set up cloud sync of my notebooks through SME sync to Skydrive. Now, that is one fail-proof hyperlinked universal brain dump.

Robert - 07/30/13 00:06
i love invader zim!

metalpeter - 10/26/11 17:26
Yeah all the computer stuff I read like 3 lines and give up..... I wonder if on Friday a computer will show up to the Halloween Party in an (e:tinypliny) Costume........ HA!

tinypliny - 10/26/11 14:19
Cute was not on the menu, but I will take whatever I get. ;-P

Really, you use ZIm as well?? On what platform? Android?? Is there a port for Mac?(aren't you primarily on a mac?)

OR maybe you mean Zim - you know, the real invader ZIm? :)

enknot - 10/26/11 13:59
stop being so cute. there's only so much I can stand. then my head explodes. you don't wanna be responsible for that.

I fuggin' love zim. So cutatstic. uugh.

tinypliny - 10/26/11 10:34
Sorry for being so dense and writing arcane stuff here! It's just that my life has been completely taken over by coding, statistics, "man pages" (or manuals for regular people), linux, R and pretty much everything that would help me finish this dissertation once and for all. :(

Actually, this software called Zim desktop editor could help you go paperless if you so wish. Its a crosslinked notebook software on your computer (I am sure there are clones like this in Mac) that helps you jot down (what else but) notes in a hurry. Additionally, you can make checklists and even quickly insert and format complicated formulas - that would require very tedious formatting in even big word processors like "Word" (or whatever the mac equivalent is).

Healthy is not always equivalent to tasty. hehe Some believe that happiness is the key to health so maybe you are actually WAAAAY healthier than I could ever be. You certainly look healthier :-)

lilho - 10/26/11 01:03
none of your blog ever makes sense to me except for the food entries, and then i always wish i could eat so healthy. i am a glutton.