N4SZO

This entire server will be upgraded soon due to loss of security updates for this version of Linux. This machine was built by small company that used their own modified version of UBUNTU. Unfortunately, they later realized that it could not be upgraded to their later versions without a fresh install. For awhile this was not an issue as I could get security updates from the main source (ubuntu) but now that has come to an end.
I will upgrade with a normal copy of ubuntu so this will not be a problem in the future as normal versions can be upgraded without issues.

N4SZO weather and this blog will go offline and will come back with the latest versions. Thanks and see you soon!

So I am in the process of upgrading and moving my library’s health kiosk server and getting to the home stretch. All I had to do today was to import the database into the server at the library and I was done. So far everything had gone smoothly which is NOT normal but I certainly wasn’t going to complain about it.  The software vendor required that I use a web based SQL admin tool (PHPMYADMIN) to export the data from my home server then use it again to import on the new library server. I already had it installed on my home server so I exported the data and saved it on my pc in my office. I then installed the tool on the new server and once that was done I proceded to import the data. But I got errors because the database server saw an existing yet empty database that was created when I installed the health kisko software at the library. I looked into this and figured the best thing to do was to delete the empty database and try again. For reasons I am still unsure about the tool could not remove the DB and appeared to crash. I tried it several times to be sure but still no go. Then I remembered our DB class last fall and how we did everything by command line and could interact directly with the DB server. That part of the course was not easy but at least I learned a few commands. So I logged in to MYSQL via command line  told it to drop (delete)  the health database and bingo problem solved.  The import then proceded without a hitch and you can access the kiosk at it’s new address at http://biomedicallibrary.southalabama.edu/health/

Still need to change out the logo but otherwise the server is  back online at it’s new home.

So far things have gone well with the upgrade/move process.  The Health kiosk has been successfully upgraded and the new server at the university has had it’s Kiosk software installed today. You see to do the transfer from one physical server to another, you first have to have both servers running the same version (the latest) software and then you transfer the SQL data (the actual Health links/etc). It’s a little bit more complicated than that, but that is the basic idea. I hope to have the data transferred and have the new site running by the end of the week. Once it is up and running on it’s new home, I may use the kiosk software (on this server) for other purposes but we will see.

Now that school is over I have a huge to-do list both at home and at work but I plan on kicking back for awhile and just take em one at a time instead of freaking out and overloading myself.

More news later…

Just had my last class in SLIS a few minutes ago!!!

Not that this blog is particularly active,  but I still wanted to announce now that school is winding down I am about to upgrade the consumer health kiosk software. This server runs my blog, the kiosk software and my weather station. So that means the blog may be down from time to time as I proceed to upgrade, then move the kiosk server software to my university. If your using RSS you probably won’t noticed it but just saying as a heads up just in case.  Those of you that know about the health kiosk will be pleased to learn we also have new hardware for the client side that is really sweet!  Asus just recently came out with a touch panel system based on their EEE line and that machine will be located at our new library soon as I finish with the server side and have time to set it up. Very inexpensive yet should give the appearance of one of the high end systems used by other universities (Mich for one I think).

See ya soon!

Well after 3 years of waiting and school getting close to the end I decided it was time to get my bike ready to ride again. I pulled it out of storage and brought it over to my house during the holidays.  I had to buy a new light, not that I need it now, but I will once summer gets here. Since I have been out of the hobby, things have changed. Bike lights have all gone solid state but at the same time the prices have really gone up. The cheapest, decent light I could find was $175.00 and I got lucky that they threw in the top of the line charger that charges the batter in 2 hours rather than overnight. Still too much $$, but I want to see and be seen when I ride at night so I consider it a good investment in safety.  I also bought a bike rack off of ebay so I can carry my bike on back of my Honda mini car with no issues.

Time to ride:

Starting 3 weekends ago, I went on my first ride and stopped at 6 miles. I was super tired but after 3 years and being so out of shape that is to be expected. The next Sat I went 7.5 miles and was not as tired afterwards. This past Sat. I went 8.1 miles and was fine afterwards so I know things are coming around.

Biking GPS with XML metadata output:

This seems to be the new thing in bike accessories but it’s going to have to wait as unlike car gps units, the ones for bikes are much higher.  I already have one for running but these new units have on board map, where as my old one does not. The old one would export the xml metadata after the fact and you would have to use a thirdparty mashup to get your maps. I think I will strap on the running gps on to my handbars and not worry about real time mapping till prices come down

 And he didn’t waste any time redoing the offical whitehouse website. This was up minutes after being swore in:

First blog post

 Interesting story

I dragged my feet on purchasing a new Digital/HDTV because I am cheap(+ broke and thought they were too pricey considering they are basically nothing more than a large LCD monitor sans a $25.00 tuner. I am sure glad I did because what I bought for under $500 sure beats the pants off what my parents bought 2 years ago for over $1500 on sale. Same brand/size  (Samsung 32″) yet mine does not distort analog signals nearly as much as their pricier model. Analog distortion is a dirty little secret in the industry that thankfully will be a thing in the past when TV goes entirely digital.  But the biggest difference between our 2 models is the fact that they are missing QAM. In case you don’t know already the brain trusts that designed digital tv came up with 2 formats: One for over the air and another (QAM) for cable broadcasts.  If your new HDTV does not support QAM you can only receive analog broadcasts over cable unless you have a digital cable box. Because my low end Samsung has QAM I get NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, FOX and a few others HD broadcasts for free.

If you are on cable and in the market for a new HDTV, make darn sure the tuner supports QAM or you will be paying extra for a cable box along with having another remote to keep up with.

A funny thing happened last night when I came home and tried to watch tv: The remote became very sluggish and it took several attempts to turn on. The volume control and all other functions  has the same issue so I changed the batteries even though the TV is brand new.  No change so I used an old trick to check the remote: The human eye can’t see infrared , but a low light camera sure can.

The camera showed the remote to be fine but did show something was blasting the tv with IR and basically jamming the other remote.  Turns out one of my cats had jumped on a keyboard which in turn had pressed against my dvd remote causing it  to spew out IR non-stop. As close as the DVD remote was to the tv, I am surprised the TV responded at all. My cat created an effective IR jammer-who would have thought???

Merry Christmas!,

Fletch