I just love shit like the Flo Control. Other guys dream about project cars and putting on a second story for their house. I dream about computerizing everything from the blinds to the flushing of the toilets. I mean how cool would it be to have a PA system in your house, connected to a voice activated computer that would provide you with all kinds of data and help.

Things like checking if it’s raining, and if it is, not watering the plants. Is it cold inside the house? Check the time and see if the sun is in a good position to allow for natural heating and open the corresponding blinds. Are the lights on in a certain room and there are no humans in that room? Turn off the lights… Shit like that.

As with project cars, you need money to do these things… One day I’ll get to indulge my inner mad-scientist. :)

One of my most favorite project houses is linked here. I can’t wait to get something like this setup at home.

Well, I missed a couple days there. Mostly due to a massive Linux crash that I had to recover from. Just one of those things where I was tweaking shit, and it created a cascade of seg faults, and I finally gave up and blew the system out. The best thing about Linux still remains its biggest curse. Tons of choice. Unfortunately, this means Linux does a really poor job of protecting you from yourself. :) Mac does a great job at it, and unfortunately really limits the choice you have, and Windows is in the middle ground somewhere I think. Blessing and a curse.

The one saving grace is Linux isn’t cursed with a registry. So, restoring a fresh system is as easy as reloading the files to the / partition, and my /home partition just seamlessly integrates back in. Keeping all my prefs and what not.

So, I’m back, and will be posting again! YAY!

Ok, the reason this post isn’t more meaty is Angband… Tonight was the first night I got to relax in awhile, so I just played me some Angband… GOD it’s a great game! Oh, and you’d think you’d be able to notice right off if you were trying to beat down a Kobold with a shovel! You know what I’m talkin about?

I got bitten by the bling bug again. I listen to podcasts… It’s what I do. I’m a technologist, so many of those (read: most of those) podcasts are technology related. No, they aren’t all Linux related… I like to think I’m quite well rounded with my opinions. Sure, I evangelize Linux, but I can argue the pros to Windows, and the pros to OS X. When it boils down to it, you might as well be arguing Ford, Chevy, and GM… They all allow your average person to drive to work… It’s all preference.

So, I was listening to Windows Weekly on the TWiT network and they were talking about Vista. Specifically they were talking about whiny Windows users who moaned when OS X users got an accelerated GUI and they were still stuck in bitmapped boredom. Then when Windows ditched GDI for Aero, everyone’s moaning about the resource hog that it’s become… Well, all I could thing was, “Damn it! I’m stuck in bitmapped boredom, and I shouldn’t have to take it!” After all, I run Linux, and Linux is all about choice (usually at the sacrifice of ease of use)…

I didn’t like Beryl when I tried it, so this time I gave Compiz-Fusion a shot. As far as I can tell, there were two major projects, Compiz and Beryl, and they’ve “fused” to form Compiz-Fusion? … Don’t you wish sometimes, that you’d see something like that with Qt and GTK?

Anyway, I’m digging it so far. I’ve got my bling back! I did it because I was anticipating my buddy Kevin coming over to do some PHP shit, but he stood me up. :-P Well, at least I have my bling. :)

Well, I thought I had plugged this site before. I guess I didn’t, so I will do so now. Since moving back to Linux — and did I mention that it really feels good to be back — I have been setting up my keydrive to be my portable lifeline. Something that gives me all the tools I need to access the things I have at home. Things like an X Windows server, or an SSH client, or DOSBox for when I am bored, or OpenOffice, or Gimp, etc… You get the idea. Well, finding apps that were specifically built for portability (i.e. they don’t leave tracks in your registry) was a challenge.

But, as with most things in the computer world, if there is one certainty it is that you are not alone in your troubles. Enter Portable Apps, a great site that has put together a collection of popular apps that run portably on a keydrive. They even have a Launcher app to give you an interface right from the Systray. So, now, when I’m stuck on a Winders machine, as long as I have my keydrive, I’m not isolated from my box at home. :) YAY! Check em out!

I’m goin crazy here. Due to various factors in my life, I’m currently pretty broke. I’ve been working like crazy, both at my day job, and at my wanna-be job, and I’ve been goin nuts. I haven’t gamed in weeks aside from an occasional Angband quest.

I decided to give Freeciv another shot. I’ve always been a Civilization junkie in the past, and I’ve followed the Freeciv movement for years. It never seemed up to snuff, or maybe I just wasn’t feeling it. Those that know, know that Civilization is a pretty serious addiction. You have to be ready for the plunge. :) Well, I think I’m ready for the plunge.

I’ve got a Freeciv server on my main server and my main workstation now, and am picking the game up pretty quickly. I’m really excited to see the flexibility of this game. You can set coefficients for research, the year the game will end, production penalties, etc.

Another neat factor is the multiplayer aspect. It has always had a tilt to multiplay, which is something that the commercial Civilization always seemed to lack. Even when they finally implemented it, it just sucked! I haven’t had a chance to sample the multiplay on Freeciv yet, but I’m looking forward to it! Do you play? Drop me a line and let’s set up a game! Haven’t tried Freeciv yet? If you were or are still a fan of the Civilization series, then you MUST give Freeciv a shake. It’s totally worth it!