Silence of the Mind

It kinda makes me feel like an idiot when I spend 2 hours hunting down a problem in a webapp upgrade only to discover it was due to the difference in how windows and linux handle slashs.

Windows demands c:\webapp\install, linux like all unixlike OS's wants /usr/webapp/install, so when the app wants c:/webapp/install and I don't know this it causes...issues. Atleast now I have stage 1 of the upgrade done, now on to stage 2.

I'll be working on a data center move with a client tonight. Its going to be an all hands thing, the client's entire IT Dept plus all the breakfix techs and engineers from my shop as well as reps from IBM, Dell, and several other vendors. This is the first data center move I've done, there have been the usual "We're building a new data center and copying data from the old servers to the new ones in the new data center" but this is the first "We're going to unrack every server in this data center and move it to the new data center in the other building." that I'll have worked.

I've been in the IT industry for 17 years now, and this is a first for me...the last opportunity I had was when IAI moved all their gear out of the old Bank of America space into a Colo room at ATU(now ACS). Unfortunately they didn't tell me I was working that one till the day before and I couldn't get leave so I could work all night(I was still on Active Duty then). That was back in '99 some time...so its been 10 years since the last opportunity to do this came up.

Tonight is going to be "interesting". Atleast we got the services of someone from my company whos sole job is moving datacenters to coordinate all this(yes, as a company we do this often enough that we have a guy at headquarters that ONLY does DC moves for clients)

kokuten's birthday was coming up, and I couldn't think what to get him. Then I remembered a new handle he'd been starting to use in some places(ok, a lot of places) and decided to get him that as a domain.

So, he got wiregeek.net for his birthday :-) He seemed pretty tickled with it when I sent him the email this morning.

This is an incredibly cool slow motion capture of the shutter on a modern DSLR in operation. Let it load and then scroll your mouse along the red bar on the bottom to see.

http://regex.info/blog/2008-09-04/925

I managed to go get my mailbox key on the way home from work, so I was able to get my package.

I did indeed get the 17-55mm lens...and WOW. I got a great deal on it...several hundred dollars off for a lens that for all appearances is brand new. It even came with the full nikon box, all accessories and manuals, even the little bag that Nikon ships with every lens that virtually no one ever uses.

Its going to be interesting getting used to it, since even though its got a shorter focal length than the 18-200, it actually weighs more. Virtue of being an F/2.8 across the whole sweep instead of an F/3.5-F/5.6 on the 18 200. I need to take it out and test it out soon...like really soon, since the wedding I used as the excuse to buy it is on Saturday.

I just finally got around to canceling my old hosting for the first domain I ever purchased. I've had it hosted at Wyenet for I believe 7 years now. Unfortunately over the years the performance went downhill to the point that I pulled photo hosting off them and put on a new domain I registered and hosted at 1and1.net. It only lasted a year there before I decided that having different hosting scattered all over the place was getting ridiculous and got a VPS with wiredtree.com and consolidated both all my domains as well as my mothers into it.

What was interesting was that my domain was so recognizable that when the cancel order went though I got a call from one of the senior partners asking if there was anything they could do to retain my business. He attempted to talk up the new network they'd been moving customers to(they had been a reseller of CI Host for the longest time but got tired of losing business due to overloaded servers there) and offered help moving my account there.

I had to stop him there to tell him I'd gotten a VPS and had consolidated all my domains, but did tell him I'd keep him in mind in the future. He said to stay in touch and they'd be happy to cut me a deal should I wish to return in the future. I may look into it too, the VPS is ok, but now that I don't have any significant photohosting(smugmug is doing it all) I am not sure I need a full up VPS(esp since the one I can afford is rather ram shy).

I just found it interesting that they considered my domain name so noteworthy.

EDIT: Actually it was 8 years to the day almost...last Friday was the 8 year mark.

So I finally broke down and bought a new tripod. My old one was a spotting scope mount, and was getting old and wobbly and not very much good as a stable mount. So my PFD was going to go to get me one...and its taken me about 2 months of hunting and reading and research to decide on what I wanted. I ended up with a Gitzo GT-3540LS Systematic 6X Carbon Fiber Tripod and a Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR ballhead and L bracket.

They arrived today(glad I'd stayed home since the tripod was signature release only) and I've set them up and played with them a bit. I was disappointed to see that I'd figured wrong and at full extension the tripod and camera ended up with my eye level being about an inch below the eyepiece. but then someone said "So how does it fit when your boots are on?" heh...oops. Its a perfect height for me..I look right into it.

The overall package is NICE...light but sturdy, easy to control, adjustable as hell. I am impressed...now I just have to get a carry case for traveling with it :-)

I was reading this article(linked off slashdot) and spotted a gem from a user in it.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9046858&pageNumber=2


And our favorite, from an outraged Applied Materials user's actual e-mail:

"Were you aware that at my current salary of roughly $90/hour, the requirement to log in/unlock my laptop computer more than five to eight times a day, including mistyping, takes up to 20 minutes per day, 2.9 hours per week (I work 7 days a week), 145 hours per year (I take 2 weeks off for vacation).

"So, in effect, the security requirements for my laptop are costing the company more than $13,000 per year. When you multiply this for even 2,000 laptop users, your 'need for protection' is costing the company more than $26,000,000 a year. Can't we just turn it off and save the company money?"

Kind of gives new meaning to the phrase, "You do the math," doesn't it?


The first response that came to my mind, to demonstrate WHY there is 'need for protection' would have been to walk to the exec's computer, sit down, and send an email to his boss announcing his immediate resignation.

After the way this week started off, I needed a laugh.

Have a looksee.... http://www.nouptime.com/

You know...I really hate JigSaw Puzzles. Especially when they have names like Thinkpad, Inspiron, Latitude and the like.

bleh