2004 Jan 4 (Sun), 22:26 Arpy New Bleh
Much needed holiday break is now ending. Sigh. I did very little.

I did my "Top Games Of 2003" list. It included a couple of my presents (heh-heh ;-)

I worked during the break too, a bit. I migrated the staff W2k machines over to a new SUS+Cygwin setup I've come up with. Someday I'll write something on it.

I rebuilt my laptop again. This time, I actually wrote something on it, in case anyone else has a Toshiba Satellite 2615DVD they want to run Linux on. Someday I'll post a new screenshot of it.

I rebuilt my laptop because Gentoo takes too long to upgrade and I need my laptop for my class, which I think is still on. In today's budgetary ickiness I have no idea. I'll show up ready to teach and if the room's empty and the building locked I'll know I wont be teaching. I'll need my laptop for class because, if the class is a go still, there is a good chance our networking wont work and I'll need to teach from something. Sigh.

Anyway, I aint wanting to go back to work. I liked my break. Oh well.

Oh, and no talking to me about tux4kids.org. It's in the works.

2004 Jan 5 (Mon), 19:12 Halifax Suckface

Where is Tux4kids.org, you ask? Well, direct your questions to these domain squatting sons of bitches. And while you're at it, why not ask these dirtbags and these asswipes why they made my life so hard when these jackasses failed to put in my request for transfer in time? Oh, and ask everyone involved when they are going to refund all my f***ing money for all these failed requests and what not.

2004 Jan 5 (Mon), 19:17 Better yet...

...DoS their asses into oblivion, then shoot me in the head. I'm f***ing through...

(Okay, don't DoS 2unet... My site is still running there....)

2004 Jan 7 (Wed), 12:01 Ramrod Rambus

Well, I've calmed down a bit since my last entry. I still wouldn't be opposed if bad things happenned to these guys, but aside from OpenSRS still being on my bad side I ain't too peeved at everyone else. Hell, I'm still gonna keep using these guys even tho they started this whole mess (I mean, they do have great prices and tools for managing domains... It's just their support sucks and they can be a bit sloth-like on domain transfers.... You just have to watch 'em better than I did and not assume they'll do their jobs...)

What have I learned from this fiasco? Well, firstly, pay for your domains for as many years as you can afford. Secondly, watch your WHOIS record like a hawk (especially when you're doing something even slightly different like transfering domains or changing your contact information). Thirdly, don't EVER expect different registrars to work together for YOU the customer. When everyone starts asking for different things that the other sides aren't willing to give... uh.... I don't know what to do there... I guess if I encounter that again I wont be any more prepared than I was the first time.

Oh, I guess fourthly I learned that you never ever want to work with OpenSRS or anyone who uses them (at least for domains). Those bastards wont talk to you, they only communicate with resellers, and yet they will sure as hell bill you without your knowledge and then expect you to have ESP or something to know you have to pay them before they unlock the domain. Oh, and I guess FIFTHLY when your registrar says "uh, just wait a few days and try again" when you try to renew or transfer your domain which has expired and it didn't work... DONT FREAKING LISTEN TO THEM!

So, Tux4kids will soon be on Tux4Kids.com instead of .org. Please update your links and dont send any traffic to the evil domain squatting bastards who took it. I just need to figure out some things with .com before the hookup happens (for example, previously I used my hoster for the DNS and registration. Now I've discovered I don't really like them for registration, do I still want to let them handle DNS?) But it should happen in few days.

Uh... what else? Well, I think this is sick. But I should've expected it to be out there...

2004 Jan 7 (Wed), 12:10 Halifax Who Now?

Oh, I had question concerning what "Halifax Suckface" was. That's just my little joke. See, I don't like giving my information in MS Office or MS Windows or anyplace else where people want names and whatnot. Granted, I personnally don't USE those things, but I sure do set them up for a lot of other people (all legal copies, nothing unsavory).

Anyway, I don't want some nut sending threats to BestBuy in an MS Word doc that was licensed to "Sam Hart".

So I use my psuedonym "Halifax Suckface" instead.

What does it mean? Nothing really. It's just the first thing that popped in my head. Plus, I really like the idea of dozens of error logs being sent to Microsoft coming from "Halifax Suckface" ;-)

2004 Jan 10 (Sat), 16:57 Rowdy Roddy Pigment

Well, Tux4Kids.com should be migrated by now. I also did some stuff for the Big Man Networks consulting site (need to clean it up, fix things like the bad tux4kids.org links). So, please use Tux4Kids.com in the future for all Tux4Kids items.

Also, my class didn't carry. Basically, the EU (or whatever they wanna call themselves) is going the way of the dinosaur and they did no promotion for my class what-so-ever. So, there wasn't enough enrollment and, since they know they'll be closed soon, they just cancelled all my classes. Fine... screw 'em. Whatever.

Okay, maybe not fine. Technically, that was the job that was keeping my wife and I alive. My sysadmin job in the physics dept. doesn't pay that much, and is only part time.

So, I'm going to put more focus on my Linux consulting stuff and try to make ends meet there. Anyone looking for a good Linux consultant please check me out. My prices are insane!

I haven't mentioned I got Stephenson's new Quicksilver book. I'm about 60%-70% through it right now. I must say I liked the first third of the book (the part where we switched back between Waterhouse when he was older returning to the old world, and when he was younger going through various wars)... however now that I'm in the section about Shaftoe I'm getting rather bored. I don't care about Shaftoe, he's a troglodyte. I know he's supposed to be, but he's not a redeeming troglodyte, and aside from the journey to Amsterdam with the good doctor (not Newton, the other guy where we really get Calculus from ;-) I've just been underwhelmed with it.

Still, I shouldn't be surprised. Most authors I like I wind up loving their early work and then merely enjoying their later work. Stephenson's Zodiac and The Big U were divine, Snow Crash was dull, Diamond Age had a crappy ending, Cryptonomicon was technically spectacular but was more pedantic than exciting. Looking at other authors, Palahniuk's Fight Club was excellent, Choke sucked. Slapstick was the last Vonnegut novel I think is worth reading (although, I'd say avoid Cat's Cradle too). I have some new ones by Hunter S. Thompson, but I fear they'll go downhill after Fear and Loathing.

2004 Jan 14 (Wed), 07:35 Someone kill me now...

What the hell am I doing at work at this unholy hour? ....

2004 Jan 19 (Mon), 19:10 Coolness, Park'....

I don't care how many people make comparisons to cable TV in the 80's, this is just wrong. But, there is this fancy little hack so those of us in the know need'nt worry.

2004 Jan 20 (Tue), 18:49 Oyngo Boyngo

The pot calling the kettle black. And the flailing continues. Can't wait till groklaw gets on this..

BTW, if you're wondering where the REAL updates are... erm... they may come someday. I've been rather busy. Sorry 'bout that ;-)

2004 Jan 25 (Sun), 21:20 Kalifornia

Urg... Dun wan go back to work morrow...

My weekends are entirely too damned short. I am serious here. I need a lot more vegging and detoxin' time than I am presently getting. Someone needs to pay me what I am worth so I can do less and have more free time. Someone needs to pay me what I was making in the late 90s, before the economy went in the toilet and we got Commander In Brief, Sub-Moronic, Monkey-Nut for prez. Hellious bellious.

Well, if it's any consolation, the rumors you're hearing are true: I am trying to write a technical book. I have a publisher, so as long as I can keep up a rather rigorous schedule it's a go. I can't say what it is (maybe I can, Idunno, haven't checked) but it is related to Linux (of course ;-) Granted, some 70% of all technical books fail, so there isn't much likelihood of me gettin' rich or even comfortable off of it. Hey, aim low and you ain't disappointed ;-)

No, seriously, I think it will be big. It just could be one of those big ones that everyone references and no one buys! Heh-heh...

Man, am I punchy or what?

Uh.... what else? See the big problem with working on something you can't share with everyone is that your web diary becomes neglected. Why am I even writing anything? Well, I'm listenning to one of my favorite songs and I don't want to quit XMMS or else IMMS will mod the damned thing down... and that would be more tragic then not being paid what you're worth...

2004 Jan 27 (Tue), 08:15 Hello Debian-Jr!

Not a proper update.... I just think that this is hilarious...

2004 Jan 29 (Thu), 19:20 "I dig holes..."

Argh! Apparently I'm a Dwarf. This is especially odd because I'm 6'4". I'm one helluva Dwarf. Maybe I should go back and take the test again.... I always thought I was more of a Wizard or Sorceror... I guess I could be a Sorceror Dwarf... but who ever heard of a Sorceror Dwarf?

Also, I thought I was more Lawful Chaotic.... hmmm.... I guess that sort of does fit... Damn... I'm a Lawful Chaotic Sorceror Dwarf...

This MyDoom thing is sure pissing me off. Not because I would ever get it mind you (*ahem* Linux) but because I have to answer so many DAMNED questions about it. Between the staff at the Physics Dept. and my clients everyone's a twitter about bounced emails claiming they have the virus...

The thing that bugs me, is I've been explaining that viri spoof email addresses since the first one hit (what was it, SirCam? BugBear? Klez? I forget)... and people STILL don't remember and think that because some dumbass qmail somewhere tells them they sent viral mail they must have...