Comments on: Nerdy Stuff http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff Mostly cursewords and ad hominem attacks on technology Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:36:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Hannah http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1693 Hannah Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:25:41 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1693 My unlikely-to-be-fulfilled technology related wishlist: 1. Easy way to import my old Outlook email into Gmail with the correct header data (I don't expect foldernames to be turned into labels and applied or filters to be importable or other more complicated features) 2. Option to delete an attachment and keep the email message in Gmail 3. Easy way to convert my old highly customized html Blogger template into the new Blogger template format (css) or backwards compatibility for the new widgets 4. Option to add already purchased items to Amazon's gift organizer without having purchased them on Amazon 5. Option to add older blog postings into Google Reader's Starred or Shared Items using the permalink url (if it's been pushed off the bottom of the feed) 6. Option somewhere (maybe Firefox?) to disable whatever style is being used to create those weird cursor/carets in Wikipedia's search box and some Google search boxes that have that curly thing on the top that drives me insane 7. Drag and drop functionality for data in cells in Open Office Calc (like how Excel lets you do it) 8. Option in Excel to disable all automatic hyperlinking or at the very least a keyboard shortcut to remove the hyperlink 9. Allow contacts on my Razr to not be assigned a speed dial 10. Option in my voicemail menu to save a message to mp3 format and email it to myself 11. Destruction of all automatic paper towel dispensing devices in public restrooms My unlikely-to-be-fulfilled technology related wishlist:

1. Easy way to import my old Outlook email into Gmail with the correct header data (I don’t expect foldernames to be turned into labels and applied or filters to be importable or other more complicated features)
2. Option to delete an attachment and keep the email message in Gmail
3. Easy way to convert my old highly customized html Blogger template into the new Blogger template format (css) or backwards compatibility for the new widgets
4. Option to add already purchased items to Amazon’s gift organizer without having purchased them on Amazon
5. Option to add older blog postings into Google Reader’s Starred or Shared Items using the permalink url (if it’s been pushed off the bottom of the feed)
6. Option somewhere (maybe Firefox?) to disable whatever style is being used to create those weird cursor/carets in Wikipedia’s search box and some Google search boxes that have that curly thing on the top that drives me insane
7. Drag and drop functionality for data in cells in Open Office Calc (like how Excel lets you do it)
8. Option in Excel to disable all automatic hyperlinking or at the very least a keyboard shortcut to remove the hyperlink
9. Allow contacts on my Razr to not be assigned a speed dial
10. Option in my voicemail menu to save a message to mp3 format and email it to myself
11. Destruction of all automatic paper towel dispensing devices in public restrooms

]]> By: zenboy http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1666 zenboy Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:45:23 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1666 I think I'll dig the one we have around here out and figure out if it just presents as a USB mass media device or if it had weird drivers. It killed a HDD because of poor cooling but it'll be good enough just to test. I think I’ll dig the one we have around here out and figure out if it just presents as a USB mass media device or if it had weird drivers. It killed a HDD because of poor cooling but it’ll be good enough just to test.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1664 Wayne Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:06:11 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1664 NAS with ethernet+usb might be an ideal solution... totally sexy. NAS with ethernet+usb might be an ideal solution… totally sexy.

]]> By: zenboy http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1663 zenboy Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:32:13 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1663 The AppleTV stuff I've read thus far is very promising, though I'll probably end up spending the couple of bucks for an IR receiver and see if I can get some less-laptop-dependent remote controllage working on the TVPC first. And I'm sure an AppleTV would sufficiently run my site, but 50 pounds a month seems a little steep. Also I parsed through the source for ushare and found the options. Some round tuits later I'm going to make a documentation page for the ushare.conf, there's only like six options you can set in there anyways. The thing about the Pioneer dvix/xvid/play from USB drive thing is also interesting. There were a couple of dirty-but-probably-undirtyable NAS devices that did NAS plus USB support. If I could hook up one of those, copy files to it from the network, and play them from the DVD player it'd be pretty slick, and hey, no wireless. Hrm. Plus bonus upconverting DVD player. Stuff to think about. The AppleTV stuff I’ve read thus far is very promising, though I’ll probably end up spending the couple of bucks for an IR receiver and see if I can get some less-laptop-dependent remote controllage working on the TVPC first. And I’m sure an AppleTV would sufficiently run my site, but 50 pounds a month seems a little steep.

Also I parsed through the source for ushare and found the options. Some round tuits later I’m going to make a documentation page for the ushare.conf, there’s only like six options you can set in there anyways.

The thing about the Pioneer dvix/xvid/play from USB drive thing is also interesting. There were a couple of dirty-but-probably-undirtyable NAS devices that did NAS plus USB support. If I could hook up one of those, copy files to it from the network, and play them from the DVD player it’d be pretty slick, and hey, no wireless. Hrm. Plus bonus upconverting DVD player. Stuff to think about.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1662 Wayne Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:17:04 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1662 Yeah the AppleTV is totally hackable - the same company that hosts Ubuntu's website offers dedicated AppleTV hosting - no kidding! http://www.mythic-beasts.com/appletvdedicated.html It'll run Linux or the full version of OSX (a non-stripped down version will run much slower - but usable). The main problem I have with the AppleTV by default is that you can't stream things like DivX or Xvid out of the box, otherwise it is pretty damn close to a perfect set-top device. I picked up a Pioneer divx/xvid/upconverting dvd player for a third of the price of the AppleTV. Although it is NOT network attached, it's a simple hop skip and jump with a 8gb thumb drive to get any media over to it. <b>Sneakernet is NOT to be under-appreciated.</b> It approaches near infinite security when implemented properly. Compare to any consumer wireless security and it's like poking holes in a wet 1-ply peice of toilet paper. Yeah the AppleTV is totally hackable – the same company that hosts Ubuntu’s website offers dedicated AppleTV hosting – no kidding!

http://www.mythic-beasts.com/appletvdedicated.html

It’ll run Linux or the full version of OSX (a non-stripped down version will run much slower – but usable).

The main problem I have with the AppleTV by default is that you can’t stream things like DivX or Xvid out of the box, otherwise it is pretty damn close to a perfect set-top device.

I picked up a Pioneer divx/xvid/upconverting dvd player for a third of the price of the AppleTV. Although it is NOT network attached, it’s a simple hop skip and jump with a 8gb thumb drive to get any media over to it.

Sneakernet is NOT to be under-appreciated. It approaches near infinite security when implemented properly. Compare to any consumer wireless security and it’s like poking holes in a wet 1-ply peice of toilet paper.

]]> By: zenboy http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1661 zenboy Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:19:16 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1661 Note that I have reversed 1 and 2. That is because I wanted to make you feel better about the insertion of 5 and also because it is very dark outside and cold. Note that I have reversed 1 and 2. That is because I wanted to make you feel better about the insertion of 5 and also because it is very dark outside and cold.

]]> By: zenboy http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1660 zenboy Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:18:11 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1660 1. Oh, the Samba config is without a doubt User Error, but for the life of me I can't figure out what the problem is. 2. Bluetooth is, primarily, for connecting to the internet with my laptop, so I suppose that makes me a robot? Though a robot probably wouldn't make Samba conifugration mistakes. We'll call that a push. 3. I don't think the VLC http interface _sucks_, per se. It's about as full featured as XBox Media Center, just not quite as pretty. 4. Moving seems like a terrible hack that requires a more elegant solution (like just torrenting more TV, which has worked for me thus far, but sometimes I want to vegetate and pretend someone is doing the programming for me. Maybe I'll hack up something to insert Youtube commercials in my playlist) 5. Indeed 6. You knew precisely what project I was talking about when I mentioned poorly documented UPnP server. When 'poorly documented' is a descriptor that immediately comes to mind, there is an issue. I am, however, downloading the source code now to see if I can decipher how it uses the configuration file and if there's a way to put the -x option in there. 7. This _is_ interesting. I never noticed that it had HDMI or that anyone had done anything to put more functionality on the box. That's worth a look. 8. I'm touched, or at least I will hopefully be touched, in about two months. 1. Oh, the Samba config is without a doubt User Error, but for the life of me I can’t figure out what the problem is.
2. Bluetooth is, primarily, for connecting to the internet with my laptop, so I suppose that makes me a robot? Though a robot probably wouldn’t make Samba conifugration mistakes. We’ll call that a push.
3. I don’t think the VLC http interface _sucks_, per se. It’s about as full featured as XBox Media Center, just not quite as pretty.
4. Moving seems like a terrible hack that requires a more elegant solution (like just torrenting more TV, which has worked for me thus far, but sometimes I want to vegetate and pretend someone is doing the programming for me. Maybe I’ll hack up something to insert Youtube commercials in my playlist)
5. Indeed
6. You knew precisely what project I was talking about when I mentioned poorly documented UPnP server. When ‘poorly documented’ is a descriptor that immediately comes to mind, there is an issue. I am, however, downloading the source code now to see if I can decipher how it uses the configuration file and if there’s a way to put the -x option in there.
7. This _is_ interesting. I never noticed that it had HDMI or that anyone had done anything to put more functionality on the box. That’s worth a look.
8. I’m touched, or at least I will hopefully be touched, in about two months.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1659 Wayne Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:39:10 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1659 Oops.. #5 doesn't make sense, probably because there is only 7 items on your wishlist and I've made an extra one. Time to goto sleep I guess. Oops.. #5 doesn’t make sense, probably because there is only 7 items on your wishlist and I’ve made an extra one. Time to goto sleep I guess.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1658 Wayne Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:36:02 +0000 http://www.chuffle.com/20071226/nerdy-stuff/#comment-1658 Fantastic taste indeed! The iPhone streaming article <em>IS</em> a shitty hack. I wrote it about 24 hours after I got my iPhone that didn't sync with Linux OTB. As for your wishlist: 1. Bluetooth is for cyborgs or robots. Which are you? 2. Sounds like user error. 3. VLC http-interface was supposed to get a HUGE overhaul in the next version, it was in their roadmap, and it totally sucks right now as-is. I'm not looking for you, but the RC API might have an option to turn on/off subs. 4. Move 5. Buy 6. Source code should suffice as documentation: http://ushare.geexbox.org/ 7. AppleTV 8. Sorry, don't swing that way, I'll ask my SO on your behalf. Cheers Fantastic taste indeed!

The iPhone streaming article IS a shitty hack. I wrote it about 24 hours after I got my iPhone that didn’t sync with Linux OTB.

As for your wishlist:
1. Bluetooth is for cyborgs or robots. Which are you?
2. Sounds like user error.
3. VLC http-interface was supposed to get a HUGE overhaul in the next version, it was in their roadmap, and it totally sucks right now as-is. I’m not looking for you, but the RC API might have an option to turn on/off subs.
4. Move
5. Buy
6. Source code should suffice as documentation: http://ushare.geexbox.org/
7. AppleTV
8. Sorry, don’t swing that way, I’ll ask my SO on your behalf.

Cheers

]]>