Lately, my home network started showing more and more signs of aging. Accessing websites was erratic, whether via wired computers or wireless devices. WiFi clients (which for some reason have almost exploded in number over time) couldn’t reliably connect, causing shouts of “Daddy, the Internet is down!” with regular occurrence, coming from various bedrooms. Something had to be done. And what better time for that than Labor Day weekend!

The last time I had undertaken a similar venture was at the end of November 2006. Shortly thereafter I started preparing for the next time this would need to happen. Well, here we are… I had set aside a pretty neat “mini” system and found the necessary half-height network card for it (SME Server systems need two network cards to act as server/gateway on a network). I had even installed SME Server 7.5.1 in preparation for the eventual migration (the newest version at the time). Unfortunately I never found a way to make the on-board network card work, so the machine just sat on the shelf for a few years, until now.

The trick to making the on-board NIC work was to grab the RHEL 5 driver from nVidia’s site. Extensive searches (based on the “Onboard LAN” information on the motherboard information page) led me to this thread, pointing me to an older version of the driver. From there it was just a small hop to the most up-to-date driver package. The trickiest part was getting it onto the new system’s hard drive before hooking it up to the network. I found a USB flash drive, FAT formatted it, copied the driver to it, and then got it mounted on the SME system. Quite a refresher on working with Linux command-line programs!

Once I had the driver installed (rpm –ivh nvlan-rhel5-0.62-1.25.i686.rpm) and the system restarted, I was able to run through the SME configuration with dual NICs to make the system a “dedicated server gateway”. I was a little worried that it might not pick up an IP address from my cable provider, but I just needed to restart the cable modem as well, and after one more reboot (I think), everything was back up and running. Luckily I had given the new system a non-colliding internal IP address way back when I set it up the first time. It was a snap to set the range of DHCP addresses to a non-overlapping set.

To complete setup, I had to re-create user accounts, ibays, domains served, VPN access, etc. I also needed to install the latest updates to SME Server 8.0 and the two “contribs” I consider essential to SME Server: AWStats and Sme8admin.

All that was left now was moving the data off the old system. I started out doing that over the network, but it became clear that the old system was truly on its last breath. So I decided to shut it down and hook the old drive up to the new system via the USB bridge you see in the picture above. There were about 20 GB to copy, so it took a while. Once it was done (including historical web server statistics data for AWStats), there was still some work with setting the right permissions on files and directories.

But now it’s all done, and the new machine is humming (quietly) in the spot where the old system used to live!

To round out this tale, here are the traditional “nostalgia” shots of the decommissioned hardware:

One thing I had completely forgotten about is that I had put quite a bit of work into trying to make the old system as silent as possible. As you can see from the first picture, I had taken the power supply out of the system and put it on some pieces of vibration-dampening synthetic foam strips. In addition I had mounted the hard drive using various pieces of professional grade foam strips:

Luckily the new system was designed for quiet operation, so it didn’t need any extra work. It’s amazing how much quieter it is – I can hardly tell it’s on right now!

Categories: Hardware, Personal, Software, Tech Toys
2 Comments »

Thanks to some awesome work from my partner in crime at Cricketsoft, Tom Allen, our co-developed app, FotoMovr is featured in the Windows Phone Marketplace today. Both on the phone, the Marketplace website, and in the Zune client. Here’s some evidence:

That’s me holding up my phone, and in the background the emulator running the app. Incidentally, this picture was taken at the Silicon Valley Windows Phone Meetup, where Tom and I gave a short talk this evening about the app and the support we’ve received from Microsoft while developing it.

The Marketplace section of windowsphone.com.

And that’s the Zune Apps Marketplace page, which I gather has just been disabled, so I was really lucky to get this screenshot at the last minute.

Fun stuff! Please check out the app, and also my other two apps, “Open ” and “Countdown”, which I see just got a five star rating from a kind soul for the latest version. My friend Tom has another app in the Marketplace as well, called “Good Morning” aka. “GMSV EzReader”. A great little app that makes reading the Good Morning Silicon Valley blog from the San Jose Mercury News really nice on Windows Phone.

Categories: Microsoft, Personal, Software, Software development, Tech Toys, Windows Phone 7
No Comments »

From the Whole Earth Catalog October 1974, actually titled “Whole Earth Epilog”, Page 324. Founded by Stewart Brand.

Mentioned by Steve Jobs in his commencement address at Stanford University in 2005.

Categories: Personal
No Comments »

[Update 2010-09-22: A few more unique mentions have come in; see links and quotes below marked [Update] ]

Only a little vanity post; a collection of links to stories and other potentially interesting tidbits.

These were some of the first mentions of the HP TouchSmart 310 with HP TouchSmart 4.0 software, unveiled on September 20, 2010.

Most of these have no real reviews yet, they just “wordsmith” the press release or other people’s “wordsmithing”. But that won’t stop me from highlighting “good stuff”.

CNet: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20016921-1.html

The new case is graceful enough, and the $699 starting price for its low-end AMD CPU and 20-inch display is fair, but the biggest news for this new all-in-one may lie in its software. [My emphasis]

First, HP has tweaked the main TouchSmart software interface to streamline the way you access and organize media and applications using touch. In addition to organizing applications in a carousel layout, now you can also "pin" apps and individual media files to a more dynamic background featuring various parallax-animated environments. HP says this design lets you organize your touch software in a more natural manner, akin to how you might organize a desk.

In addition to the new background, HP has also updated the specific touch applications to the TouchSmart suite, most impressively with a new Marvel Comics streaming service, from which you can buy touch versions of more than 8,000 titles from the Marvel library. That number dwarfs the 500 Marvel titles available from Apple’s iPad application. The Marvel app and the entire TouchSmart suite, dubbed TouchSmart 4.0, will also be available for download by owners of current TouchSmart all-in-ones.

Hot Hardware: http://hothardware.com/News/HP-Debuts-Omni-100-And-TouchSmart-310-AIO-PCs-Along-With-New-tm2-Notebook/

ZDNet “The Toy Box”: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/gadgetreviews/hp-rolls-out-omni-100-touchsmart-310-all-in-one-desktops-20-hd-widescreens/18143

VentureBeat: http://venturebeat.com/2010/09/20/hp-launches-fancy-touch-based-desktops-and-an-app-store-for-touch-apps/

The latest software transforms a user’s boring Windows desktop into a “magic canvas,” which appears to be an overlay on top of the computer screen. You swipe your hand across the display to move the transparent overlay. You can drag applications, music, photos, videos and other web content directly onto the overlay. HP refers to these objects as “magnets” since they are just like the magnets you put on your refrigerator with notes attached to them. You can pick multilayered wallpapers to bring the illusion of 3D depth perception to a screen. You can also browse through material via the carousel at the bottom of the screen — all with the touch of a finger.

You can use existing TouchSmart apps such as Twitter, Hulu, Netflix, Recipe Box and the HP Music Store powered by Rhapsody. All of those apps can be started and used via finger taps on the touchscreen. You can use the webcam to film a personalized video message and post it directly to your friend’s Facebook wall.

The HP TouchSmart Apps Center has a small collection of apps available now. You can access them via a TouchSmart Carousel. Some of the apps contain a lot of content, such as the Marvel Comics app and the Cartoon Network app. The Marvel app gives you access to more than 8,000 comics. You can tap on them and read them page by page on a a beautiful high-definition display. The Cartoon Network app offers news updates on shows and characters.

PC Magazine: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2369352,00.asp

The TouchSmart interface is much more advanced than the competition, including Sony, MSI, and Gateway.

TG Daily: http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-brief/51618-hp-launches-new-much-cheaper-touchsmart

HP has rebuilt its TouchSmart software for the 310 model, making it easier to organize and play back media from the touchscreen, as well as adding enhanced everyday computer applications as well. When the first TouchSmart computer debuted, its touchscreen technology was more of a novelty than anything else. Since then, gadgets like the iPad have made touch more relevant and important than ever, and have shown everyone that it can be a powerful computing tool.

Also added with the new TouchSmart announcement is a deal between HP and Disney to offer digital Marvel comics. TouchSmart users will now be able to stream special versions of classic comics, and then literally thumb through them with on-screen controls. More than 8,000 Marvel titles are available, which HP says is the most extensive digital collection ever offered from any content partner.

HP is also launching a new "app store" interface for touchscreen programs and games, making it easier for developers and consumers to take advantage of the PC’s touch capabilities.

Existing TouchSmart users will also have access to this and the other enhancements being made for the 310, with the release of a sweeping software upgrade. TouchSmart 4.0 will be downloadable for anyone who owns a legacy TouchSmart computer from HP.

Softpedia: http://news.softpedia.com/news/HP-Releases-Three-New-TouchSmart-and-Omnio-PCs-157124.shtml

TechConnect: http://www.tcmagazine.com/tcm/news/hardware/30503/hp-intros-touchsmart-310-and-omni-100-all-one-pcs

Geeky Gadgets: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/new-hp-touchsmart-310-only-699-20-09-2010/

Waleg: http://www.waleg.com/techgadgets/archives/020976.html

Electronista: http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/09/20/hp.intros.omni.100.touchsmart.310.all.in.one.pcs/

Digital Trends: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/hp-touchsmart-310-pc-offers-improved-touch-based-software/

IC Tech News: http://ic-technews.com/laptop/1493-hp-touchsmart-310-priced-at-price-just-699-a-complete-software-redesign

Chip Chick: http://www.chipchick.com/2010/09/hp-touchsmart-apps-center.html

Product Reviews: http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/09/20/new-hp-touchsmart-310-review-specs-and-release-date/

Financial Times: http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2010/09/touchsmart/

Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/hp-announces-touchsmart-310-and-omni100-all-in-one-pcs/ [Love all the trolling and spewing of prejudices on this one…]

SlashGear: http://www.slashgear.com/hp-touchsmart-310-omni100-and-touchsmart-tm2-get-official-20103191/

[Update]

GottaBeMobile: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/09/22/hp-touchsmart-software-gets-more-touchable/

The Touchsmart’s UI is much more fluid and touch applications are no longer required to run in full screen, offering a little breathing room.The Touchsmart’s UI is much more fluid and touch applications are no longer required to run in full screen, offering a little breathing room.

[…]

The new revision of the software looks like a big improvement compared to what’s on my TouchSmart 600xt, which my wife and I use as our bedroom PC.

eWeek (with Slideshow): http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Desktops-and-Notebooks/HP-Omni-TouchSmart-310-TouchSmart-tm2-Unveiled-175093/

Tom’s Hardware: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/TouchSmart-Omni-HP-All-in-Ones-AIO-touchscreen,11332.html

DesktopReview: http://www.desktopreview.com/default.asp?newsID=1222&Review=HP+TouchSmart+310+Multitouch+all-in-one+First+Look

HP has what appears to be an ingenious solution. After a program is launched, a couple of fingers swivelling across the screen automatically shrink the application into a cube and paste it onto the TouchSmart’s background. The background itself can then be scrolled through, just by touching it anywhere on the screen.

One really cool aspect of engineering the software like this is the parallax effect that HP added to the wallpaper. As you scroll through the desktop, items in the foreground move at a different rate relative to items in the background.

While we didn’t see it demonstrated, an HP rep also mentioned that the TouchSmart will ship with software to generate these movable backgrounds with pictures that customers take. The effect won’t be as strong as the ones included by HP, but being able to customize it even that much is a nice bonus.

Windows Experience Blog: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2010/09/21/hp-updates-their-touchsmart-software-amp-all-in-one-pc-lineup.aspx

To couple the new hardware, HP is revving their TouchSmart software to offer a number of new capabilities.  They’re saying that with it, the desktop transforms into a “Magic Canvas” where users can easily drag apps, and content – even web content – directly onto the desktop.  There’s also a new multi-layer wallpaper that gives the machine a lot of depth.  I haven’t had a chance to work with these new features directly, but I have seen a demo and it looks really nice.

[/Update]

A little promo video of the new TouchSmart 4.0 software:

Product Marketing Manager Ken Bosley presenting the TouchSmart 4.0 software on YouTube:

The HP Video channel with tutorials:

http://h30429.www3.hp.com/?fr_chl=ce319b479b9d330ec6ef5a60bd25d2567c423f97&rf=bm

For developers:

TouchSmart 4.0 SDK: http://www.touchsmartdevzone.com/download/3369/HP-TouchSmart-SDK-4.0-English/

And I may have some details to add myself if and when I find the time…

Categories: Hardware, HP TouchSmart, Personal, Software, Tech Toys
No Comments »