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June 22, 2004
BYU Linux Install Fest
The BYU Unix User's Group will be holding a Linux Install Fest this Saturday from 10am to 3pm in the lobby of the Crabtree Building (just south of the Wilkensen Center). They say:
Bring your computer and get help with Linux installation or configuration. We'll have CDs available for Fedora, Mandrake, and Debian. If you would like to use some other distribution, feel free to bring your own CDs, and we'll help you with it.
Remember to backup your data; problems are rare, but it's good to be careful. Defragmenting your hard drive will also speed up the process. A very small number of monitors and keyboards may be available, but you will have to wait in line.From BYU Unix Users Group - Announcements
Referenced Tue Jun 22 2004 11:34:34 GMT-0600
If you've wanted to give Linux a try and were afriad to strike out on your own, this is your chance. The event is not limited to just those associated with BYU, so come on down! As a follow-up to the Install Fest, UUG will be holding a meeting on July 1st at 7:30pm called "Don't Fear the Penguin" to introduce Linux to newbies.
11:38 AM | Recommend This | Print This
Lovemarks: iPod and BMW
Combining the iPod with a BMW is a sure win in my book.
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I have a passion for BMWs. I've owned a 3-series and a 5-series and they were both fantastic cars. I think the older 5-series (not the newest model) may have been the best production car ever made overall. The new 5 has it beat in performance, but the looks aren't there, in my opinion. Recently I've also developed a passion for Apple and I love my iPod, so the combination of the two makes me giddy. Both Apple and BMW are clearly lovemarks, that rare kind of brand that demands both respect and love from its customers.
09:56 AM | Recommend This | Print This
Universal Feed Parser in Python
Mark Pilgrim has released Version 3 of the Universal Feed Parser. The parser is written in Python and can handle RSS 0.90, Netscape RSS 0.91, Userland RSS 0.91, RSS 0.92, RSS 0.93, RSS 0.94, RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0, Atom, and CDF feeds. There are 2000 unit tests and 100 pages of documentation. Very handy. Thanks Mark!
09:47 AM | Recommend This | Print This
Yahoo! and AOL Quit the Enterprise IM Space
First Yahoo! and now AOL have quit the enterprise IM game. This isn't so much a sign that enterprises are giving up on IM, or not taking to it, but rather that businesses are reluctant to pay for something they have been getting for free. Apparently identity management and logging aren't enough of a benefit to justify monthly fees for many companies. I think there's some big changes afoot in the enterprise messaging space and this is just one small sign of the turmoil.
09:33 AM | Recommend This | Print This
Wireless Dead Zones Considered Beneficial
An article in the most recent Baseline states that you will come to love dead zones, meaning places where wireless signals are blocked by design. Among the places that are suggested as dead zones: conference rooms, classrooms, and public transportation---the very places that conventional wisdom says ought to be the first places you deploy wireless technologies.
I don't agree with the premise of the article, that companies will seek out ways to create dead zones. Culture is a more effective deterrent for inappropriate behavior than technology. In many ways, I see this as the analog to the problem we face with technology that forces transparency. If you want my attention in a meeting or class, make it relevant and interesting. Don't rely on locks and jamming technology to get my attention.
The concern over cheating is real, although I have to admit I've never worried about it much. Most of the classrooms I've taught in at BYU would be difficult to use a handheld device in without the proctor being able to see. I also design my tests to be open book, short answer or essay questions with answers based on analysis rather than memorization. Those kinds of tests are much more difficult to cheat on than a multiple choice test, but they're harder to grade.