Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-04-19

  • burrito has beany side effects. Dangit. #
  • now has an apartment. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! #
  • really just wants this week to be over. Too much hw. And a speech. #
  • just has to get through tomorrow #
  • yup, pretty much having a terrible day. #
  • is finally at the weekend. #
  • has taken the plunge and switched to vista #
  • if there’s one thing I can’t STAND its the INTERNET NOT WORKING! SOMEONE FIX THE TUBES! #

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On Vista 64-Bit…

You are allowed to shed a tear. I have switched over to Windows Vista Business 64-bit on my personal full-time use desktop. Many of you probably know that I hate Vista. I still do. The ONLY reason I switched over, is for the 64-bit compatibility. For those of you who don’t know what the heck 64-bit is, here’s a quick explaination.

In the modern computing world, there are two different classes of operating systems. For the longest time, 32-bit was the only type of operating system available. 32-bit refers to how memory is addressed inside the computer, and how CPU instructions can access memory. A technical limitation of most 32-bit operating systems (Any Windows before XP, most Vista installs that come on store-bought computers) is a 3.25 GB memory limit. Even if you pump a computer full of 16 GB of memory, it will only see up to 3.25 GB. 64-bit, in contrast, allows for a much higher memory limit (on the order of 2 TB I think). I have 4 GB in my desktop, and now with Vista 64-bit, I can use all 4 GB, and add more (4 more GB went on sale last week, and made me think more about the switch).

So the question arises: why not use Windows XP 64-bit? Well, I did consider it. Drivers were available for most of my products, but not all of them. Also, Windows XP 64-bit is buggy, and was one of Microsoft’s first 64-bit operating systems. Usually Microsoft’s first try at something has a lot of problems, and is lacking in a lot of things. Vista 64-bit is a little more polished, and I’m finding that Vista is being supported by more and more things.

I have not COMPLETELY switched, though. I will be running Ubuntu 9.04 on my laptop (full time, no extra Windows partition). It does have a Windows VM for some products I use at work that are Windows only. I have also retained my XP Pro installation on this desktop so that if Vista just pisses me off too much, I can switch back for some relief. So far I haven’t run into any incompatability (out and out things not working), but I just don’t like the way Vista has reorganized everything. The jump from Win 98 to Win XP was major, but simple. Very few things were moved around, everything still had the same look and feel. The control panel names were the same for the most part. Vista was terrible to switch to. Add/Remove programs (begins with A, top of the list) has been replaced with Programs and Features (begins with P, some place deep in the list). It’s little things like that that annoy me with Vista.

Alright, enough ranting. I just can’t wait for Windows 7. I call it “Vista that doesn’t suck so bad”. RC comes out May 5th to the public, out now for TechNet and MSDN subscribers.

New Apartment

If you haven’t heard the news, or don’t stalk me as much as you’d like to, I finally got an apartment for the summer. I didn’t do the best job searching as I could have. I kinda went with the first one I saw. But it is obnoxiously close to campus, just one block away. It’s a 1-bedroom, on the third floor of a nice building. They just replaced all the windows, and fixed up the hallways so that it looks quite nice. The ceilings are sloped, but I can live with that.

I hope to post more this weekend. It’s been a rough week, with a speech due tomorrow, a test yesterday, and a full complement of homework.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-04-12

  • Now let’s see if I can resume college….nope I don’t think the button works anymore. #
  • has rounded out by feeling physically, socially, and mentally like crap. Goodie. #
  • is pissed off that NDSU doesn’t give one of their cultural diversity/global perspective credits to SOC 110. #
  • gets to see Anna soon. Just have to get through this day… #
  • got Woot! lites. And will be going to MPLS soon. #
  • is putting serious thought to just going to mpls early #
  • is SIR DOCTOR OF TARDIS! #
  • also had a very good day. And now will be going to bed soon. #
  • was really looking forward to a good apt hunt. And apparently I just fail at that. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-04-05

  • should go to sleep. And post messages more often. #
  • is heading for campus soon. Back at it I suppose. #
  • that was terribly depressing. Dining services isn’t really in full operation. Subpar dinner #
  • thinks that looked like the primary buffer panel. It did seem to resemble the primary buffer panel. #
  • is not ready for school again, cause it’s gonna be tough. Two weeks lost is not a good thing. #
  • has an EPIC amount of zip ties. #

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HTML Business Cards

I’m a nerd. If you haven’t figured that out yet, then you should probably get your glasses checked. Being a nerd, I decided that my business cards needed to reflect my nerdiness. Hence, now my new business cards are in HTML-ese. Even more nerdy, I put a web address on my cards that takes you to a site all about me.

bcfront-updatedThis site has a list of the sites I have worked on or for, and a list of the technologies I’m familiar with. Also, my resume is available there. So, if you want to hire me, give me a call, send me a message, or leave a comment in this post. I could use the income.

BTW: The URL for the site will be http://bc.andrewrlynch.com, but until that gets up, the temporarly location is here.

UPDATE: Yes, I know, my original post of my card didn’t have the <li> closed. I have corrected it, as you can see. I have to admit, I don’t use <li> that often, and was under the impression that you didn’t have to close it. Though, that might be from an old, old version of HTML.

New Features

With all this time off from school, I’ve of course spent it studying. And by studying, I mean being lazy. Tonight I brought an end to the laziness, and added a bundle of new features to the blog!

  1. DISQUS Comment System – Now you can leave comments by using your Facebook login! DISQUS uses Facebook Connect to authenticate. It’s great if you don’t want to create another account!
  2. Featured Content Gallery – That’s the pretty thing at the top of the posts. I’ll be adding some default pictures to it so that it stays interesting. For now, it cycles through a few based on what I set in the post options.
  3. More Ads – Yes, I hate to do it, but I need to make money somehow. I’ve added a banner at the top of the page, in addition to the sidebar and footer ads. They make me money so I can keep doing this!

So, leave a comment using the new system to this post, letting me know how you feel about the new features.

Quick Update

I have now activated PingPressFM, which is a nifty plugin that will update all of my sites. I hope that it works properly.

And, being productive, I’m using this opportunity to test it out.

Thoughts on the Flood

I feel kinda bad for not keeping my site up to date with the latest flood information. To be honest, that’s what the newspaper and media sites are for. I have been keeping informed, by checking with the National Weather Service, and with local media outlets.

To be honest, I have lost faith in our elected officials. After watching the morning press briefings and flood coordination meetings, I don’t think that Mayor Dennis Walaker is the one who is “saving our city.” To be honest, it’s the hundreds of city, county, state, and federal employees manning the emergency operations centers and department heads sitting around that table that are given 5 minutes to speak. THOSE are the people who are keeping your house dry, and keeping you safe. Supporting them is the community of volunteers who are put so much hard work into this fight. In any other city, we’d all be in about 5 feet of water by now I’m sure. The overwhelming support from the community is such a powerful factor.

So why do I hate the Mayor and other elected officials so much? For starters, Dr. Mahoney, city commissioner, keeps wearing that stupid reflective vest. I don’t know if he thinks it makes him look like he’s been out fighting the flood. To be honest, its almost insulting. Unless he’s been at the sandbag production sites directing the dozens of heavy machines around, or out directing traffic like the National Guard, he has no reason to wear it. Take the damn thing off!

Second, our Mayor is not a very good speaker. I have heard from friends who are out of the area hearing Mayor Walaker on the national news, and they ask, “Is he really your mayor?” Yes, that is the person that somehow won the election a couple years ago. If only I could have voted. He didn’t save this city in 1997, either. That was done by the numerous city staff and engineers, along with volunteers. He can drive the snow plows, but he sure can’t be mayor.

As far as the overall morning briefings, I think for the past few days, Walaker has had to apologize or re-state something he said the day before. Or he’s been eating. I just wish I could still stand to watch the meetings. I find myself trying to get the critical information out without getting pissed off at our officials.

Alright, I think that’s an adequate amount of ranting for the day. Leave your comments, in, of all places, the comments section. I do read them. In fact, I get a nifty email when you leave one.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-03-29

  • is seeking a volunteer opportunity that best meets his skills. Electricity need be involved. #
  • has closed all flood-related tabs in FF and is going to bed. #
  • is having issues sleeping. #
  • finds it hilarious that I’m listening to KFGO online…and KFGO’s 2-way radios on the scanner. #
  • wants to help, but doesn’t want to sandbag. #
  • finally went and sandbagged (filled em at the dome) #
  • is, to be honest, in shock. #
  • is at DEFCON 2! FARGO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PYLONS! #
  • Why does there have to be a woot-off going on while everything is going wrong? #
  • was a little scared after having to pass a Nat’l Guard Humvee to go help sandbag. #
  • would like to help the red cross/salvation army again. I hope they call. #
  • If you’re just bored, or need some fun: http://ping.fm/6LDzP #
  • is going to watch the 8am flood meeting. Let’s hope the mayor doesn’t say anything stupid. #
  • just finished his taxes. And now wants to sleep for some reason. #

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