The kernel, Kubuntu & Dawson's Creek Over coffee and munchies yesterday I had a great conversation with Aaron about fishing and our migrations took us all the way around to the linux kernel. I made the observation that the kernel itself has become less exciting in the last few years. Lets think our way back to the linux world in the late nineties. Paying attention to what was happening in the kernel was so important. Aaron and I questioned "how many people recently have ever compiled a kernel from source?". I used to always compile my own kernels. It was a must. You grabbed some kind of distribution to install _just_ to get a system running. Then you went to work and built your system as you needed it.

We thought back over all of the major features and issues with the kernel along the way. USB support (Aaron remembers even applying a patch to get it to work), pcmcia, IDE SCSI emulation, and the mess of drivers and driver support (remember when loadable modules came into play). I remember absolutely loathing a new installation because it was always a hit and miss whether or not your Internet would work. The days of trying to get pump to work, and eventually moving to dhclient and crossing my fingers allot are gone. With the new age of distributions everything just simply works. The cards are all detected, software is installed, and installing a linux system is quite the breeze. The days of just making your computer work and take whatever applications are available are gone. The community has come to expect a working system in short time, and the focus has shifted to the applications that we use on those systems.

I am excited and fully support the growth of linux, and appreciate the growing new user base. I do feel that linux users of the past 4 years or so have missed out on the history and growth linux. I am not saying that I am one of the oldest cowboys on the ranch by any means, but I can still install a kernel from source if I need to. Apparently Linus agrees that the kernel is boring right now, and that the excitement in linux is on the desktop for the future.

What prompted all of this thought was the fact I did my first Kubuntu installation this week. I did take me a couple of times to run through the partition manager (don't press the esc key from the main screen, all of you work just *poof* disappears). I also misunderstood the wording on one section and mistakenly set 1 active and one backup on a 2 disk RAID1 setup. So I can start it all over once again. Other than the partitioning (which I'm always slow at anyways), the install was a breeze. Synaptic is great, and the default KDE 3.4 is super quick and exactly as I expected. I went right into installing packages that I need, and diving into work.

The Kunbuntu system is similar to OSX where there is no root account (unless you set the password and then actually login to root). You are just added into the admin group, and use sudo all day long in the command line. I felt right at home in Kunbuntu. I have never been a Debian user, as I had a horrible time with installations (at a time when installing was a nightmare). I can't really think of any complaints at the moment. Give it a week, but the outlook is good.

On the lighter side of life, my sleep schedule is that of a normal (relatively) person these days. I am up early enough to watch Dawson's Creek on TBS for a couple of hours before my day really gets rolling. Today Pacey and Joey were having the "sex in the relationship .... are we ready" episode. It was mildly amusing. Jack and Jen made out when they were drunk though, which was mildly amusing. I guess it's time to turn the television off and get more seriously into the days activities.  ¶ 9:45:00 AM 0 comments

  Sleep, New Jobs & Phones So I've been trying to find time to write about a few things for more than a week now. I guess it really doesn't take all that much time I just seem to get sidetracked. I've been on a horrible sleeping schedule for the last month. Mostly I have taken to vampire ways and been up through the night. I found it more convenient to get up in the early evening and code for 4-5 hours, then go play poker until 6 A.M. then I could get home and do some more work while Dawson's Creek is on TBS, then I can pass out while the rest of the daily hustle and bustle happens in the real world.

Tonight I am forcing myself to kick that around as I have to be up during the day tomorrow. An opportunity fell into my lap last week, and I am sharing a workspace that is newly setup at my friends house. Aaron seems excited about it as well. I've worked with him for years now on and off, and we have a whole work area setup. It basically came down to people need work done, I can do work, lets get it set up so I can do work. It's really wonderful when people just make things happen. Within a 12 hour period there were computers, monitors, KVM, switches, network cables, a new desk. I went and picked out my own fancy shmansy chair the other day. It is being delivered tomorrow. I am excited to be doing something new, and especially because it is linux work. Yippee. New jobs are always exciting aren't they?

The L&Y side of things is going quite smoothly. There was a major overhaul of the toolkit. it's funny how programmers are usually thought of as mind readers. "Well it should just be able to ...". Developers normally have a large amount of common sense, and we can usually make an educated guess at how most things _should_ work. When we are misinformed, or not provided with all of the unique information relating to a certain issue then "It's not able to ...". The does not mean it will _never_ be able to. I spent a few days complete taking apart and rebuilding the imaginary lego castle known as the toolkit so as to better fit the company work flows. There are quite a few things left to do still. Aaron and I have had a design discussion regarding the DMS work flow issues. (Actions, rules, and work flows. Work flows for creation, modification and removal). It's going to be suh-wheet! I just need to find the time to actually do it.

To anyone who has tried to phone, or will try to phone me in the next day or so you are out of luck. I had noticed my phone acting strangely a few days ago. Fully charged it would not properly work. The battery is not the problem, the phone just does not seem to connect to the line anymore. Some things wrong, but what can you expect for a $35 phone. After I came into some money early this afternoon I went phone shopping. I realized that I am kind of picky about my phones. You never really think about that ... well how often does one go phone shopping? As it turns out the first three phones that I like were "out of stock". I almost left, but then I noticed something I had not originally intended to look at. I purchased a Uniden dual set of cordless phones. I thought it was cool that I got 2 phones for not even the price of some other phones. Both are 2.4 GHz cordless with their own base. This way I can leave the main phone on the stand, and keep the second phone on my desk right beside me. I tend to forget about putting the phone back onto the charger, so a double dose will cover my bases.

Things are exciting lately. I'm going to get some sleep. I have lots of work to do, and new work to start on (plus I get to hang with that KDE hacker dude more), I have new telephones. Things are going great. I finished writing the side music for Mrs. MacPherson Of Inveran for the CPS Pipe Band. I dropped of copies with Hammy last week ... he gets the jump over everyone else. I think I'm due for a tea time on Tuesday again. See tea is exciting too!  ¶ 10:14:00 PM 0 comments

  SuSE 9.3, BBS & Comedy So I finally bit the bullet and decided I needed to upgrade my system from SuSE 9.1 to SuSE 9.3. I had updated 9.1 to KDE 3.4 through a supplemental YaST repository. It took some doing, but I had done it to make use of a working Kopete. I had been noticing lately that I was having some media problems. Most notable were sound problems. I was hoping a total upgrade would fix things.

The upgrade process itself was quite painless. In place updating of all things good. It took about an hour to run the 5 CDs for the professional addition. I believe there was an update of 561 packages, 92 new packages, and 97 removed packages. That's allot of packages.

My next step forward was to finally after 6+ great years of service from the blackbox window manager to fully move into KDE 3.4. I'm not really sure why I did that, but it's done. I can always move back if I become completely fed up. My mission was to get basically the same interaction from KDE that I was used to in blackbox. It proves to be slightly harder than I thought. It took me about 15 minutes to move the kicker panel up top, and configure the Kpager to operate like bbpager did, along with the global shortcuts. I decided to leave the clock, and a Kmenu in the upper left hand corner, because I just don't know when I'll need that. ;-)

The right click menus that I customized for blackbox are not so simple to implement in KDE. I have become more familiar with the Control Center. Under the desktop behavior settings you can actually specify what action from a left, middle or right click on the mouse. I need a custom menu, as opposed to the standard menus KDE offers. My issue with KDE is that the custom menu creation interface completely sucks. I mentioned this to Aaron, and he sheepishly agreed. You can create a list of "Applications" that you can add to a monolithic list (if you happen to have a monolithic list of things you want in the menu). I mean blackbox has had the ability for submenus for ... I don't know ... years and years and years? Surely a project of KDE maturity level should allow an end user to create custom menus with sub menus available to them? Regardless I have a small menu of the applications I commonly use, and it seems to be working out for now. The only small problem is that Kontact does not launch properly from this submenu. It will launch from the Kmenu, and from the kicker panel, but will _not_ launch properly from my custom menu. It launches the Configure panel for Kontact, and that is as far as it ever gets.

The last annoyance was the fact that I had no sound! Thats right ... no sound at all. Aaron mentioned he had heard several problems with SuSE 9.3. "Things like that ..." he said ... "I didn't want to mention it on the phone while you were already half way into it". Well I did some online reading, and found a few things. I had already checked the mixer levels through kmix, and the ncurses alsamixer. Nothing seemed to work. I did completely uninstall, and re-install the alsa package. I also updated (*touched*) several KDE packages because I seemed to have newer versions than were available ... something was wrong. I altered the hardware sound volume levels through YaST. I actually had to alter them through the KDE YaST2 GUI in order for them to take hold. Magically I had sound again. A small tweaking here and there, and I was back in working order. So I am pleased, and have a working system in which I can do everything I need to on a daily basis.

I had recently had the task of adding forums into the L&Y toolkit. I didn't just jump in and start coding. I had been thinking about this for some time. I decided to do some research first. I invested (ie. wasted) around an hour looking into pre-existing solutions for BBS. I found what ones were available and compatible to be over complicated, poorly designed, or way to complex for my needs. I decided I could write my own much easier, and would do exactly what I wanted. I looked at several messages boards to see how they flowed, and to compare look and feel, features, and friendliness. I came up with a simple design and after 2 days I had integrated a full BBS system into the toolkit. It's simple, sharp looking (IMO), and light. The additions to our framework of code (which does handle the user accounts, DB abstraction, and HTML interfaces) was only 3 files. 2 PHP source files with the include library being around 500 lines, and the implementation being about 100 lines. Plus a css style sheet, and a few images. AJ is super pleased with it, and some of the users who have looked at it are impressed as well. Now we just have to completely re organize the toolkit to match their internal work flows better.

Comedy ... last night Aaron enticed me to come out with him to Dickens pub because he landed into a couple of tickets to the comedy night there. I used to go to yuk yuks at Watts On Main in Moose Jaw during my SIAST years. It was usually a great time. I've been to yuk yuks here in Calgary at the Blackfoot Inn and again it is good times. So I wasn't really in the state of going out (ie no $$), but I agreed anyways. It was a chance to get out so I took it. Let me throw something out to you ... isn't a requirement of being a comedian that you are at least semi-funny to a number of people. I'm not saying every comedian needs to be genius of funny like Robin Williams, Bill Cosby, Sam Kinnison (dec.) or any other great comedian. The comedians they had were just plain old not funny. The first comedian had a joke I laughed at. The last comedian was semi-funny. The 8 comedians in between them were not however. I am not saying that no one was laughing during their routines. The pub was full of 400 Telus Employees who are currently locked out. So I guess being unemployed, and hammered made these comedians pretty funny. I however was sober, and not impressed at all by the mostly unintelligent attempt at humor. Aaron and I agreed the night was completely a bust, and that he and I can get more laughs from our day to day conversations that those people got paid for. It's sad, but I guess everyone has to start somewhere. Aaron and I started out on his porch ... soon we'll be the famous computer comedians.  ¶ 5:17:00 PM 0 comments

  JRP's Wedding In Calgary Again I find myself breaking the norm of blogging I have established. I happen to be very comfortable dedicating an entire blog to my best friend's wedding. John Pantazopolous and Stacey Pantazopolous were married at approx 2:00 P.M. on Saturday afternoon, August 27, 2005.

There was a lot that happened before and after so lets have a walk through for old memories sake. Heath Flew in around 12:30 from Vancouver. I picked him up and we headed over to the Greenwood Inn to help with the decorating of the banquet hall. There were quite a few helpers, but it didn't matter how many were there. They had everything planned out to the finest details. Table lists are fairly standard, but I have never seen the table decorations not only personalized, but grouped, and bagged and boxed. We basically lined up, grabbed a sheet and a bag of stuff and went to work.

The decorating, and design was actually quite interesting. Instead of numbered tables the tables were personalized with a picture of John And Stacey together in various places they had traveled. Some people sat at the "Paros" table, some at the "London" table, some at the "Saskatoon" table and so on. Every person had a personalized magnet keepsake, along with flowers, doily, candles in this weird ice gel. It was really really cool. I'm glad I helped out.

John's parents George and Patsy were there. It was good to see them after a few years. I also met Stacey's parents Sonia and Larry. They were several other family and bridal party members providing help. With all of the bodies it didn't take very long. I was out of there in a couple of hours and I had to head down south to pick up the jacket for my tuxedo. The original jacket didn't fit right and they had to rush one up from Toronto. Apparently the average joe tuxes (40 reg) have about 10,000 in the warehouse. I was one of the lucky gentlemen who have only 1 of 30 tuxes in Canada. Sometimes it's cool to be large. ;-)

Later that evening we headed over to John and Stacey's place for some eats and drinks. People did the meet and greet thing for a couple of hours, ate some Greek food and chilled the night before the wedding. John gave his groomsmen a couple of tokens of appreciation. We received personalized cufflinks, and money clips. they were extremely cool, and made sure we were stylin' for the wedding. It was off to bed because the wedding day would be a long one for sure.

I awoke around 6:30. The plan was to meet with John @ 8:00 and go for breakfast. We met up at the hotel he was staying at downtown and headed to the Husky House (Gerry's). It was strange being in there while in a sober state of mind ... but the breakfast, and copious amounts of coffee were needed. It was a quick eat, and back to the hotel to change up into the tuxes. It's amazing how a few suits can make a bunch of bums look rather sexy. We were stylin' in the best way for Johnny P.

By this time the videographer, and photographer had arrived and it was time for the gentlemen to get some shots taken. We did some poses, and impromptu shots around the hotel, and then moved outside and across the street to the old school. We had some casual, and professional scenes, fun and serious, dark and light. It was actually quite stressful. I could never imagine a model doing that for 12 hours a day. I almost went nuts after 1 hour! The *ographers were off to find the women of the day, so the gentlemen were off to pick up the rental vehicles. We got a whacked out Yukon, and another SUV.

We had some time to kill, so we spent a few minutes to decorate the SUVs with the wedding swag. then it was time to cruise for a bit. Lets just say Danphy drives a _GINORMOUS_ SUV in no different manner than his motorcycle. Just ask about his reckless driving ticket ... it's kind of a sore spot. ;-) We stopped at the 7/11 for waters and Stelios inhaled a hot dog (he missed breakfast because he slept in). By the old sun dial we could tell it was time to head over to the church for the big show.

1:30 P.M. the service was at Knox United Church in Calgary. Stacey's aunt was performing most of the service. We found this out last minute. It was a pleasant surprise. The gents were in the back room while guests were seated by Gord and Shaun. John was solid like a rock. He did ask Stelios about 47 times if he had the rings ... but other than that ... a rock. I think Danphy was the most nervous of all of us. I led the guys out of the back and we took our places near the altar. I never expected to be overcome, but when Stacey started to walk down the aisle I just didn't know what to think. She was _beautiful_, and I was so overcome it was hard to keep still. The service was perfect. It was short and amazing. In about 40 minutes my best friend had been married. The bridal party left the church and we awaited out front.

They did family pictures at the side courtyard of the church. The rest of us played three card monte will the vehicles. Not too long afterwards the guests went for cocktails, and the bridal party went on the picture journey. Our first stop was down Stephen Ave. We had some photos taken by a vintage automobile, and underneath the Bay. Amidst several bottles of water the girls managed to indulge in some gellato. Go figure the bride wearing all white would jump into the mini bucket of chocolate Italian ice cream. We journeyed around through a back alley, and down the other side of Stephen Ave as well. It was amazing at how many people ... just random strangers ... would stop to take our pictures. It was non-stop the entire time we were down there. It started to freak us out a little bit. People would stop and take to Stacey, and almost jump into the pictures with us. We couldn't believe that these perfect strangers wanted some random picture of other strangers who had gotten married. "Hey who's wedding was this?". "I don't know ... it was just some wedding when we were out last Saturday afternoon downtown". People amaze me sometimes.

Our last stop was Centennial park for some outdoors pics. One thing I learned is that modeling is not for fat people. After very short consideration it was determined that I would be standing ... and not crouched down in the pictures. Crouching for big people == (hard && !fun). I did manage to get a nice shot of me with all of the girls though. :D Stacey's parents met us there with more water and snacks to keep us from falling over. It was greatly appreciated. John and Stacey continued some discrete photographs by themselves while the rest of us left for the Greenwood Inn.

The hotel was packed with guests. It was a fairly large crowd. I don't know the exact numbers but I would guess around 250. We had an extraordinary meal, and the bar was flowing nicely. The MC did a wonderful job. The bios of the wedding party were fantastic. The toast to the bride and groom were bang up. Curtis, Danphy and myself had been discussing the fact the John never asked any of us to give the toast. He decided to keep it in the family with his brother. Probably a good move. The "hooligans" as Stelios put is so eloquently just know too much. ;-) This was all in good fun, and Stel's speech was magnificent. There was a slide show provided by Larry and Sonia. The surprise of the night was that John sang a song for Stacey. He used to listen to country music when traveled to see her when she was in Saskatoon, and he still lived in Calgary. John definitely has some marbles as I don't know many guys who will get up and sing to their new wife in front of 300 friends and family. It was a moment to remember for sure. Damphy accompanied him on guitar. It was definitely one of the highlights. Patsy's welcome to the bride was also very heart felt and amazing for those of us who know her. Well done to everyone on the night.

The "after party" was a great great time. I proceeded to indulge in some rye for the remainder of the evening. Along with the rest of the "hooligans". It had been ages since I had seen some of these friends. Meeting wives, and girlfriends. Catching up on experiences, and having just a generally happy happy night. Later on I was talking with John, and he was amazed how perfect things had went. Thank the lord for Stacey's lists. ;-)

John and Stacey had retired for the night. John had retired with the keys to the SUV which had my bag in it, along with my wallet, cell phone, clothes etc. It's a good thing Heth had the spare set of key to my apartment or they might have been interrupted. :( Nubby definitely took home the inebriation award. Curtis took a clod of dirt and plant in the eye, and after chasing someone, spilling out in the parking lot he is the proud owner of a ripped pair of tuxedo pants. It was starting to get out of control. We ended the night at Brent's place downtown. The party had continued. Some other friends had shown up. At 3:30 A.M. I was fading and Heath and I ventured out to find a cab. We got home and I crashed into my bed for a nice sleep. The party apparently continued onto Curtis' apartment. He was moving the next day, and decided to have a farewell bash.

This was just the re-cap. the highlight reel if you will. I am sure there are some other happenings that I didn't touch on. The bottom line is that John and Stacey had one of the most perfect weddings I have ever had the pleasure of being to. I wish them all the best in the future, and a long and happy life together. Hopefully Stacey will let John come over and play sometime. I love you guys.  ¶ 12:58:00 AM 0 comments