Feeling Stressed

I've been feeling stressed lately and I realized that I haven't really taken a vacation for a couple of years. ^^;

Before that though, I think it's better to start getting a little more organized and finish some stuff around the house. Since I work on the computer so much, I've started to look for stuff that will help organize my daily tasks and thoughts. The hardest thing about getting organized is staying organized, but lately I've started using KJots to take notes while I work. Such a simple little utility but works pretty well as long as I keep writing in it.

Anyone know a windows equivalent?

Bash Tricks

Here are some tricks for users of the BASH shell:

http://www.deadman.org/bash.html

http://www.jmglov.net/unix/bash.html

Unix Power Tools

This book is awsome! The published version is on its 3rd edition, but the 2nd edition is available online:

UNIX Power Tools

aardvark

This looks like very cool extension:

http://www.karmatics.com/aardvark/

Installing Fedora Core 3

Ok, finally got through the installation of Fedora Core 3. Now it's time to configure the system. By default, Fedora starts in graphics mode which I don't like since the default graphics drivers for my Nvidia card isn't all that great and the Nvidia drivers requires you to install it in text mode.

Even then, the display didn't look that good on the LCD monitor and I'm not sure why. I also noticed a lot of things were running at start up that I wouldn't want to run. Here is where I ran into my biggest complaint so far. There isn't much documentation... Can't figure out how to configure this system yet. So, in the end, I powered off the system and will have to do some more research.

Fedora Core 3

Been trying to install Fedora Core 3 this weekend and haven't had any success. First was the kernel panic error which was solved by turning off the CDROM's dma. Then I got the install going and it aborted due to lack of diskspace, so I reduced the number of packages to install. Next, it aborted when it said it had a problem with one of the files and said it cannot continue and to reboot. Starting over, I got it to start installing but then it stopped at one point for 30minutes and gave no indication of whether it can't continue or what.

Surprising thing is that I had an older version of Red Hat on this machine at one point and it didn't have any of these issues.

To disable DMA, when the server asks for any kernel parameters, type "ide=nodma" (without the quotes).

Google Search History

Google released a beta of their "My Search History" feature. Is this a good or bad thing?

My Search History

Don't steal that computer!

This is pretty hilarious (except maybe for the thief in question), but here is a transcript of a Berkeley professor's lecture to his class regarding his stolen notebook:

http://blastradius.blogspot.com/2005/04/world-of-pain.html

Kernel Panic

I tried to install Fedora Core 3 and ran into a kernel panic error that crashed the installer. After digging around a little, I found there was a bug report going as far back as Fedora Core 2 related to CDROMs and the error. The temporary solution was in the bug report to use linux ide=nodma:

linux mediacheck ide=nodma

Update Day

I've been playing FFXI for what seems like forever. There is a lot of fun to be had in the game, but at times it also felt like a chore because there are real people on the other end who is waiting to play with you. It can get tiring having to play at times when you don't really want to play. Lately, I'm closing in on finishing a second job in FFXI and I'm eager to get the job done and take some time off. Today is update day and normally there is a eagerness to log in and see the changes, but I actually look at it as a day where I don't feel bad about playing!

Maybe I'll try Jade Empire tonight. ^^