Deferred maintenance isn’t a good thing. Upgraded Wordpress to 2.5.1. Please tell me if anything is broken.
I’ll try to post a little more often, but not tonight because it’s time for bed.
Archive for the 'Life of Eric' Category
It’s been a while since I last updated, which I think is because I started a full time job (as a Sys Admin at Rutgers) and I’m finishing up my last two classes of my undergraduate career (yes, it’s take long than I wanted). I think it’s also because I use twitter, which is a nice way of putting down random comnent instead of a full blow post that tends to get long winded to fill out space. I put a feed of my twitter thing on the left. Feel free to follow me if you want.
Anyway, I’ve managed to purchase a Sun Blade 2000 (specs are in the Systems tab), which has become my main desktopy workstation (I think I’m a sucker for the glowing Sun logo on the front). (Yeah, I know I could get a better x86 machine, but I don’t want to)
Erlang has once again has come up and peaked my interest. I got the Joe Armstrong book a few weeks ago and managed to compile erlang for Solaris/SPARC today (I’ve had it working on my iBook for a while now, but the previously mentioned Blade 2000 is a much nice machine to program on (read: it’s got a big screen)). If you need it for Solaris 10/SPARC, send me a message.
This weekend, I went to Washington State to visit/help Marla. This was the first time I’ve ever flown without someone I knew. Even though I’m an engineering student and have taken classes where all this stuff is explained, it still amazes me that this stuff actually works.
I got the Digikey order mentioned in the previous post last Friday, and put together the USBtinyISP today. I would highly recommend this programmer for anyone starting out. Not only does the kit give you some experience with building things, it’s about $15 cheaper than the avrisp2 programmer (get some micros with that $15). I managed to get avrdude going and programmed a ATtiny2313 with a precompiled blinky LED program. I got it working after realizing some stupid mistakes I made. Now I’m watching a LED blink. I don’t know who said it first, but there is no other time that would make a person so excited to see and LED blink.
Not really much interesting is going on Just thought I’d update on a few things since people have been asking for it.
I bought the USBtinyISP. It’s a cheap AVR microcontroller programmer (sold as a kit). I already have (more expensive) PIC programmer, but the AVR seem better with the availability of avr-gcc, avr-libc and avrdude (interfaces with the hardware programmer). Having to do any thing with PIC using free software always seems like a pain in the ass (like I can’t find mac or linux software for the programmer I have). Anyway, the AVR assembly seems more to my liking (on the rare occasion that I do some). I haven’t made the LED blink yet as I still need parts (a Digikey order was made the other day), but hopefully next week.
While on the topic of hardware, I wanted to built a cheap kit radio so I could try some homebrew QRP. People have recommended the SW+ 40, along with a few others. I was just wondering if there was any other recommendations? Also, any opinions on the Norcal keyer or any set of paddles?
My car muffler is now held on to the car by a length of Cat 5e and now part of a coat hanger.
This rain has to end.
Just have to get something off my chest.
Why does the Senior Design Capstone Project make me want to drive into a utility pole? I don’t think I felt that way about the Software Engineering project.
Anyway, go back to whatever you were doing.
I was looking for something (shade 5 welding safety glasses, if you’re curious) and I found my old FHS Robotics lab coat and bowling shirt (I think that’s what it is). Brings back so many memories.
I really should get back team613.org (yeah, I let it lapse).
More than a week ago, I received a Jury Summons from Middlesex County. No good, as I don’t live in Middlesex County. Sent the form back, checking off “No [ ]” by “1. Are you a resident of Middlesex County?” [sic].
Got one today for Somerset County. Still no good, but for a reason I simply can’t check off a box for. The idea that I have to miss class for four days doesn’t seem all that great (the summons is for “4 DAYS/1 TRIAL”).
Update: Somerset County has excused me from service this time.
Oh man, HOPE Number 6 was a blast. It started off slow on the first day, but it really picked up on Saturday and Sunday. One of my favorite parts was when The Cheshire Catalyst ran out after the Retrocomputing panel so he could contact the ISS with his Trash-80 (via packet).
There was so much more that is too much to describe, so here are some pictures (your task is to spot me in a few of them, post links in the comments).
Oh yeah, I got BBS: A Documentary. Give me a message if you wants a copy (it’s a three DVDs and Creative Commons’ed).
I’ll be at HOPE Number 6 this weekend. If anybody wants to meet up, give me a call.
Also, I resurrected the beige Powemac G3 (it’s hard disk failed a few months ago and I’ve been trying to find a OS 9 disc (or image), which I finally got). Now for some awesome Oregon Trail action.
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